Human Genetics Problem Set

Problem 4: Inheritance pattern for Tay Sachs Disease

A couple has a female child with Tay Sachs disease, and three unaffected children. Neither parent nor any of the four biological grandparents of the affected child has had this disease. The most likely genetic explanation is that Tay Sachs disease is inherited as a(n) ______________ disease.

A.	autosomal dominant
B.	autosomal recessive The disease is recessive because both parents are unaffected, and autosomal because a female child is affected but her father is not.
C.	sex-linked recessive
D.	sex-linked dominant
E.	cannot make a reasonable guess from this information