2017 Principles of Inheritance and VariationMendelian disorders – thalassemia and sickle-cell anaemia Medium Question 76 of 198 in Principles of Inheritance and Variation

Thalassemia and sickle cell anemia are caused due to a problem in globin molecule synthesis. Select the correct statement.

A Both are due to a qualitative defect in globin chain synthesis
B Both are due to a quantitative defect in globin chain synthesis
C Thalassemia is due to less synthesis of globin molecules
D Sickle cell anemia is due to a quantitative problem of globin molecules

The answer is C.

Solution

Thalassemia = too little globin; sickle cell = faulty globin.

Thalassemia differs from sickle-cell anaemia in that the former is a quantitative problem of synthesising too few globin molecules, while the latter is a qualitative problem of synthesising an incorrectly functioning globin.

Concept thalassemia-quantitative

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198 questions from this chapter have appeared across 27 exam years.