Genetic Variation and Founder Effect in Afrikaner Population

Answer: Founder effect.

Explanation:

• The founder effect is caused when a small group of individuals becomes separated from a larger population and move into a new area. This smaller population, moving to a new area forms the founder population.

• Since a new population is established from a smaller population it leads to a loss of genetic variation and, this effect is known as founder effect and this is the reason why Familial hypercholesterolemia is more frequent in the afrikaner population.

Genetic Variation and Founder Effect in Afrikaner Population

Familial hypercholesterolemia is an autosomal dominant disease that is five times more frequent in the Afrikaner population of South Africa than in the original population of Europe. This discrepancy in disease frequency can be explained by the founder effect.

The founder effect is a phenomenon in genetics where a small group of individuals from a larger population become isolated and establish a new population. In the case of the Afrikaner population of South Africa, the ancestors of this group migrated from Europe to South Africa. This small group of migrants carried a subset of the genetic variation present in the larger European population.

When the Afrikaner population was established in South Africa, it was founded by a limited number of individuals who did not represent the full genetic diversity of the European population. This led to a reduction in genetic variation within the Afrikaner population compared to the European population they originated from.

As a result of the founder effect, certain genetic traits, including the predisposition to Familial hypercholesterolemia, may be more prevalent in the Afrikaner population. The limited genetic diversity of the founding population can result in a higher frequency of specific genetic disorders or traits within the descendant population.

In conclusion, the increased frequency of Familial hypercholesterolemia in the Afrikaner population compared to the European population demonstrates the impact of the founder effect on genetic variation and disease prevalence in human populations.