many species of animals carry an allele for albinism. albinos are usually pale or whiet in color. explain why the allele for albinism is present at a lower frequency than the allele for having pigments. what conditions would be necessary for the albino allele to be more frequent.
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The allele for albinism is present at a lower frequency compared to the allele for having pigments due to natural selection. Albinism is a genetic condition in which an organism lacks the ability to produce pigments, which are responsible for the coloration of the skin, hair, and eyes. Albinos are usually pale or white in color because they have a deficiency or absence of melanin, the pigment that gives color to these structures.
The frequency of the allele for albinism is lower because individuals with albinism may face certain disadvantages in their survival and reproduction compared to individuals with functioning pigments. For instance, the absence of pigments makes albinos more vulnerable to harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Melanin provides protection against the damaging effects of UV radiation, such as sunburns and an increased risk of skin cancer. Therefore, individuals with the ability to produce pigments have an advantage in environments with high UV exposure, which tends to be the case in most habitats.
Additionally, pigments play important roles in camouflage and attracting mates in many species. Albinos, being pale or white in color, have reduced ability to blend into their surroundings, making them more visible to predators. Furthermore, the lack of pigmentation can affect the attractiveness of albinos to potential mates, as the colors and patterns produced by pigments are often involved in courtship displays or mate choice.
For the albino allele to be more frequent, certain conditions or factors would need to be present.
1. Reduced selection pressure: If the environmental conditions change and expose a population to reduced UV radiation or minimize the importance of camouflage and mate attraction, the disadvantages associated with albinism would diminish. This would result in a decrease in the selective disadvantage of albinos, potentially leading to an increase in the frequency of the albino allele.
2. Genetic drift: In small populations, there is a higher chance of random changes in allele frequencies due to genetic drift. In such cases, significant fluctuations in allele frequencies can occur, leading to an increased frequency of the albino allele by chance.
It's important to note that the frequency of the albino allele is largely determined by the relative advantages and disadvantages it confers in a particular environment. Therefore, the prevalence of albinism in a population depends on the specific ecological and evolutionary pressures acting on that population.
Is the albino allele recessive and other pigments dominant?
However, since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "albino allele" to get these possible sources:
http://www.emunix.emich.edu/~rwinning/genetics/beyond2.htm
(Broken Link Removed)
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/mole00/mole00087.htm
http://books.google.com/books?id=9Al-fcFBRqwC&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=albino+allele&source=web&ots=1TwbZxX-l_&sig=10dKzs6RXP_6A_1Nlmst2w-QUGE&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result
http://www.siamesecatsociety.org.au/albinogene.html
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.