Can recessive alleles be eliminated from a population?

[Charlene]

I recently did a lab regarding Genes and Populations and there is a question in which I'm not sure of.

There is a population of American coots. The starting population consists of 25% homozygous dominant (AA), 25% homozygous recessive (aa) and 50% heterozygous (Aa). The recessive allele contains the disease and whenever the American coot has a homozygous recessive genotype, they die automatically. Three sets of five generations each were tested to assure accuracy of this experiment.

Would it be possible to completely eliminate this genotype (recessive allele) from this population?

In the lab, I stated that it was possible. However, five to nine percent of the American coots with a homozygous recessive (aa) genotype still survived in all three sets of data. Thus, I was unsure of the answer.

[biostudent84]

The only way I can think of to be sure is to run a sample of DNA from every individual of a population through a gene sequencer. Then eliminate all individuals that are not true-breeding homozygous.

[mith]

How do you mean eliminate? Do you mean by selectively breeding it out, using a terminator bot to shoot them up with a shotgun or what? Certainly the latter would eliminate them from the gene pool.

[biostudent84]

I never said it was moral. But it is effective, no?

[James]

How do you mean eliminate? Do you mean by selectively breeding it out, using a terminator bot to shoot them up with a shotgun or what? Certainly the latter would eliminate them from the gene pool.

Haha, in the name of science...

[Charlene]

haha... shotgun ~~~~~

yea, i meant like true-breeding~ =p I guess it's possible then

[MrMistery]

Besides Kyle's shotgun, i don't think there is any way do do it

[Charlene]

I recently just got my lab back... and my teacher marked me wrong for that question~ she said that the recessive (aa) allele will always be present @_____@"~

[cytochromeP]

That is really an interesting question Charlene...

Assuming that by 'elimination' u mean 'weeding out by natural selection'...

Heterozygous Carriers (Aa) : Since this is the major fraction of the progeny (50%) we will always have two Aa's breeding with each other to give aa (amongst AA and Aa). Thus, even though aa is lethal, individuals with this genotype will exist atleast transiently i.e. they may not have any progeny but they themselves will live till the disease kills em.

Besides...IMAHO ignore all previous replies. There r all pseudo-science.
Take care and keep posting.

[biostudent84]

Does your teacher know what a gene sequencer is? They are relatively new in the field. Show her this forum if you want to appeal her grade.

Kyle

P.S. My apologies...I got the Edit Post and Quote from Post button confused again...

[MrMistery]

I agree. Kyle is right. Your teacher is wrong. Not only it will work but it is so effective that you will wipe them all out in one generation

[mith]

They're probably talking about the hardy-weinberg principle in which the case is it won't be unless there is outside intervention(a shotgun).