ELEVATED FREQUENCY OF TAY-SACHS DISEASE AMONG ASHKENAZIC JEWS UNLIKELY BY GENETIC DRIFT ALONE

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 30  (3) , 256-261
Abstract
Using the steady-state distribution of a recessive lethal gene, the probability of finding the elevated frequency of Tay-Sachs (TSD) gene among Ashkenazic Jews is computed. For various estimated values of mutation rate and population size, this probability is found to be statistically significant; it becomes even smaller if a steady influx of foreign genes into the Ashkenazic Jewish populations is considered. Heterozygote advantage together with random genetic drift should be considered as the most probable mechanism for the elevation of TSD gene frequency among the Ashkenazic Jews.