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GENSCOPE ACTIVITY: SICKLE CELL
Submitted by Anonymous

1. Open GenScope.

2. Select the Human species.

3. Create a male with sickle cell trait.

4. Create a female with sickle cell trait.

5. Cross the two individuals in the pedigree window. (Set for 10 Offspring in the Option menu.)

6. Using this pedigree answer the following questions for the F1 generation.

a. How many individuals are normal?

b. How many individuals have the sickle cell trait?

c. How many individuals have sickle cell anemia?

7. Select a normal male from the F1 generation.

8. Create a female with the sickle cell trait.

9. Mate these two individuals.

10. Using this pedigree answer the following questions for the F2 generation:

a. How many individuals are normal?

b. How many individuals have the sickle cell trait?

c. How many individuals have sickle cell anemia?

11. Select a normal female from the F2 generation.

12. Create a male with sickle cell anemia.

13. Mate these two individuals.

14. Using the resulting pedigree, answer the following questions for the F3 generation:

a. How many individuals are normal?

b. How many individuals have the sickle cell trait?

c. How many individuals have sickle cell anemia?

15. Additional questions:

a. Can two individuals with sickle cell anemia have normal offspring? Explain.

b. Can two normal individuals have an offspring with sickle cell anemia? Explain.

c. Can two individuals with the sickle cell trait have offspring with sickle cell anemia? Explain.

d. Do you think that genetic counseling would be beneficial for an individual who thinks that s/he may be a carrier for the disease?

e. How is the sickle cell trait advantageous to an individual in areas where malaria is prevalent?


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