1.

Question 1
You are studying genotypes at a gene you’ve discovered contributes to polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The gene has two alleles, S and T. SS homozygotes and ST heterozygotes each produce, on average, 2.2
kids. TT homozygotes are more likely to have the disease, and therefore produce, on average, 2 kids.
What is the relative fitness of the TT genotype?
1 point

TT has the same fitness as SS and ST

TT is about 90% less fit than SS and ST

TT is about 90% more fit than SS and ST

TT is about 10% less fit than SS and ST

TT is about 10% more fit than SS and ST

1.
Question 1

You are studying genotypes at a gene you’ve discovered contributes to polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The gene has two alleles, S and T. SS homozygotes and ST heterozygotes each produce, on average, 2.2
kids. TT homozygotes are more likely to have the disease, and therefore produce, on average, 1.6 kids.
What is the relative fitness of the TT genotype?
1 point

1.36

0.27

0.42

0.36

0.73

1.
Question 1

You are studying genotypes at a gene you’ve discovered contributes to polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The gene has two alleles, S and T. SS homozygotes and ST heterozygotes each produce, on average, 2.2
kids. TT homozygotes are more likely to have the disease, and therefore produce, on average, 2 kids.
What is the relative fitness of the TT genotype?
1 point
TT has the same fitness as the SS and ST

1.1

0.91

0.2

0.8

2.
Question 2
You're examining allele frequency changes after one generation in a population of hamsters. They have
two alleles at their "Funl" gene, designated F and f. 100% of individuals with genotype "ff" die when
exposed to heat. The initial population has genotype frequencies:

FF: 0.360

Ff: 0.480

ff: 0.160

This population is exposed to heat. What will the ALLELE frequency of "f" be after the heat exposure?
1 point

0.240

0.286

0.480

0.571

2.
Question 2

Cystic Fibrosis is a lethal autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutation in the CFTR gene. Assume
for this question that, until very recently, individuals with cystic fibrosis always died before
reproducing. Given this information, what is the most likely reason that the CFTR mutation has not
been eliminated from the population over time? That is, if individuals with Cystic Fibrosis never
reproduced, why does the disorder still exist?
1 point

Because of negative frequency dependent selection at the CFTR locus

Because individuals with two copies of the mutation could still pass on one of their copies to their
offspring

Because the CFTR mutation persists in the population by heterozygous carriers

Because the relative fitness of the CFTR mutant allele is likely not significantly less than the fitness of
the non-mutant allele.

3.
Question 3
You're examining a locus with two alleles (A1 and A2). Imagine the starting frequency of each allele is 0.5.
With selection alone (no genetic drift), identify which of the following sets of genotype fitnesses would
lead to eventual loss of A1, BUT would take a very long time for the allele to be lost (i.e. longer than all
the other choices while still leading to loss)?
1 point

Fitness of A1A1: 0.0, fitness of A1A2: 1.0, fitness of A2A2: 0.5

Fitness of A1A1: 0.5, fitness of A1A2: 0.5, fitness of A2A2: 1.0

Fitness of A1A1: 1.0, fitness of A1A2: 0.5, fitness of A2A2: 0.5

Fitness of A1A1: 0.5, fitness of A1A2: 1.0, fitness of A2A2: 1.0

Fitness of A1A1: 1.0, fitness of A1A2: 1.0, fitness of A2A2: 0.5

3.
Question 3

You're examining a locus with two alleles (A1 and A2). Imagine the starting frequency of each allele is 0.5.
With selection alone (no genetic drift), identify which of the following sets of genotype fitnesses would
lead to eventual loss of A1, BUT would take a very long time for the allele to be lost (i.e. longer than all
the other choices while still leading to loss)?
1 point

Fitness of A1A1: 0.1, fitness of A1A2: 1.0, fitness of A2A2: 0.80

Fitness of A1A1: 0.05, fitness of A1A2: 1.0, fitness of A2A2: 0.85

None of the options would lead to loss of A1

Fitness of A1A1: 0, fitness of A1A2: 1.0, fitness of A2A2: 0.80

Fitness of A1A1: 0.80, fitness of A1A2: 1.0, fitness of A2A2: 0.1

4.
Question 4
Typically, as natural selection operates for more generations, the average fitness in the population
goes up, often associated with the reduction in frequency of the allele conferring lower fitness.
However, is there ever a case in which natural selection will favor the spread and fixation of one allele
whose genotype in homozygous state has lower fitness than the other homozygote? In other words, if
genotype AA has higher fitness than genotype aa, will natural selection ever cause the "a" allele to go
to fixation (frequency 100%)?
1 point

No, the allele associated with the more fit homozygous genotype always spreads via natural selection

Yes, underdominance at the equilibrium

Yes, overdominance at the equilibrium

Yes, underdominance not at the equilibrium

Yes, overdominance, not at the equilibrium

4.
Question 4

Typically, as natural selection operates for more generations, the average fitness in the population
goes up. However, which of the following presents a scenario wherein selection continues to operate
(i.e. there are still some "bad" genotypes), no other forces are operating (e.g. no genetic drift or
inbreeding), but the population does not change in average fitness at all even over thousands of
generations?
1 point

Overdominance, at the equilibrium

Underdominance, below the equilibrium

Directional selection against a dominant allele

Directional selection against a recessive allele

Underdominance, above the equilibrium

4.
Question 4

Typically, as natural selection operates for more generations, the average fitness in the population
goes up. However, which of the following presents a scenario wherein selection continues to operate
(i.e. there are still some "bad" genotypes), no other forces are operating (e.g. no genetic drift or
inbreeding), but the population does not change in average fitness at all even over thousands of
generations?
1 point

Directional selection against a recessive allele

Underdominance, above the equilibrium

Directional selection against a dominant allele

Underdominance, below the equilibrium

Overdominance, at the equilibrium

5.
Question 5
You are studying a gene associated with the following genotype fitnesses:

AA: 0.90

Aa: 1.00

aa: 0.90

If the population you're studying has "A" with allele frequency of 0.63, what do you think is most likely
to happen to the allele frequency of "A" in the next generation?

1 point

It will increase, but only if the population size is very large

It will increase

It will stay exactly the same, as predicted by Hardy-Weinberg

It will decrease

5.
Question 5

You are studying a gene associated with the following genotype fitnesses:
AA: 0.8

Aa: 1.0

aa: 0.05

If the population you’re studying has “a” at a frequency of 0.1, what do you think is most likely to
happen to the allele frequency of “a” in the next 100 generations?

1 point

It will decrease slightly and then stabilize at an equilibrium

It will eventually be lost from the population

It will stay the same

It will increase slightly and then stabilize at an equilibrium

5.
Question 5

You are studying a gene associated with the following genotype fitnesses:

AA: 0.8

Aa: 1.0

aa: 0.05

If the population you’re studying has “a” at a frequency of 0.25, what do you think is most likely to
happen to the allele frequency of “a” in the next 100 generations?
1 point

It will eventually be lost from the population

It will stay the same

It will decrease slightly and then stabilize at an equilibrium

It will increase slightly and then stabilize at an equilibrium

5.
Question 5

You are studying a gene associated with the following genotype fitnesses:
AA: 1.00

Aa: 0.90

aa: 1.00

If the population you're studying has "A" at allele frequency of 0.63, what do you think is most likely to
happen to the allele frequency of "A" in the next generation?
1 point

It will stay exactly the same, as predicted by Hardy-Weinberg

It will increase

It will decrease, but only if the population size is very large

It will decrease

6.
Question 6
You’re studying selection that has operated on coat color of a population of rabbits. Imagine that coat
color is controlled by multiple genes and ranges continuously from black to white. In 1970, another
researcher observed that about 50% of the rabbit population had grey fur, while 25% had black fur and
25% had white fur. 45 years later, you discover that 80% of the rabbits in the population have grey fur,
while only 10% have black fur and 10% have white fur.

With this information alone, what can you most confidently conclude about selection on coat color in
this population?

1 point

There has been disruptive selection on coat color

There has been stabilizing selection on coat color

There has been overdominance in coat color

There has been directional selection on coat color

Insufficient evidence to conclude any of these particular options

6.
Question 6

You're studying selection that has operated on human height on the island of Tonga over time. The
average human height 100 years ago was 6 feet tall (1.83 meters).
If the average height of individuals in this population today is also 6 feet tall (1.83 meters), with this
information alone, what can you confidently conclude about selection on height?

1 point

There has been disruptive selection on height

Height is not under selection

There has been stabilizing selection on height ns

Insufficient evidence to conclude any of these options

There has been directional selection on height ns

6.
Question 6

You’re studying selection that has operated on coat color of a population of rabbits. Imagine that coat
color is controlled by multiple genes and ranges continuously from black to white. In 1970, another
researcher observed that about 50% of the rabbit population had grey fur, while 25% had black fur and
25% had white fur. 45 years later, you do not observe any grey rabbits in this population, but rather
about 50% of the rabbits are black and 50% are white. With this information alone, what can you most
confidently conclude about selection on coat color in this population? Check all appropriate answers
1 point

There has been underdominance in coat color

There has been disruptive selection on coat color

There has been directional selection on coat color

Insufficient evidence to conclude any of these particular options

There has been stabilizing selection on coat color

7.
Question 7
In a population of 500 people, p(A)=0.6 and p(a)=0.4, what would you expect the average change in
allele frequency of “a” to be after one generation?
1 point
The average frequency of “a” is expected to increase by on average about 0.02

The average frequency of “a” is expected to decrease by on average about 0.02

The average frequency of “a” is not expected to change after one generation

The average frequency of “a” is expected to change by on average about 0.02, but direction is not
predictable

7.
Question 7

With the formula presented in the video for average allele frequency change under genetic drift, there's
a large effect of allele frequency in the preceding generation. Specifically, average allele frequency
changes are likely to be much larger in one generation when p(A)=0.5 and q(a)=0.5 than when p(A)=0.01
and q(a)=0.99, even for the same population size. Why might that be?
1 point

The statement in the problem is incorrect-- if the population size is the same, then the average allele
frequency change with one generation of drift will be the same

Because if the "A" allele is lost, which is likely given it's already very rare, that loss would only be a
change in frequency of 0.01.

Because the "a" allele frequency won't change if the "A" allele frequency changes

Because the "a" allele tends to be favored by natural selection

8.
Question 8
You are studying a gene with two alleles (U and u) that you suspect is under directional selection
favoring "U" in all 10 island populations of land snails. The starting allele frequency of "U" is 0.3 on all
10 islands. Although you find that "U" is eventually permanently fixed in 9 island populations, you find
that "U" was actually lost in one population of land snails in the Galapagos Island after a long time.
What is the best explanation for this observation?
1 point

the alleles really have no fitness effect and evolved differences among the populations via drift (ie, they
are neutral)

the mutation rate was higher on this one island than the others, causing a higher rate of neutral
molecular evolution

gene flow among all of the islands made it so one island fixed "u"
there is selection favoring "U", but drift occasionally overcomes selection

8.
Question 8

You're studying a gene with two alleles (T and t) in two populations. The T allele frequency in the first
population is 0.30, and the population size is 50. The T allele frequency in the second population is
0.40, and the population size is 1000. Assuming the alleles at this gene are evolving only via genetic
drift, which population is more likely to have the "T" allele fixed eventually (not considering how fast)?
1 point

Neither, the allele will never fix given heterozygote advantage

About equally likely, since the added drift in the first and the higher frequency of T in the second will
both enhance the probability of eventual fixation

The second population, since it has a higher initial frequency of T

The first population, since it has a smaller population size and thus more genetic drift per generation
(pq/2N)

9.
Question 9
A new mutation arises in one person on the island of Kiribati (human population size 100,000).
Assuming this particular mutation is total neutral, and assuming no gene flow, what is the probability
that this mutation will eventually be fixed due to genetic drift?
1 point

0.000005

0.000010

0.999995

0.500000

0.999990

9.
Question 9

A new mutation arises in one person on the island of Kiribati (human population size 100,000).
Assuming this particular mutation is total neutral, and assuming no gene flow, what is the probability
that this mutation will eventually be lost due to genetic drift?
1 point
0.500000

0.999995

0.000005

0.000010

0.999990

10.
Question 10
From fossil evidence, you know two species shared a common ancestor approximately 25 million years
ago. In comparing a known neutral sequence between rats and mouse, you found 92 base differences
in 1000bp. From this information, which of the following values is closest to what you would predict the
mutation rate to be?
1 point

8 x 10-9

1 x 10-9

5 x 10-8

2 x 10-9

4 x 10-9

10.
Question 10

From fossil evidence, you know two species shared a common ancestor approximately 25 million years
ago. In comparing a known neutral sequence between rats and mouse, you found 184 base differences
in 1000bp. From this information, which of the following values is closest to what you would predict the
mutation rate to be?
1 point

2 x 10-9

4 x 10-9

8 x 10-9
1 x 10-9

5 x 10-8