A Population of Bacteria Is Not in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

question 35

Multiple Choice

A population of bacteria is not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Through repeated exposure to an antibiotic, the frequency of the recessive allele is rapidly increasing. What is the most likely explanation for this response?

• A) The recessive allele is responsible for susceptibility of the bacteria to the antibiotic.
• B) The dominant allele is responsible for susceptibility of the bacteria to the antibiotic.
• C) The recessive allele is responsible for resistance of the bacteria to the antibiotic.
• D) The population is experiencing gene flow.
• E) The population is experiencing disruptive selection. The frequency increase in one allele shows a violation of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Since the recessive allele is increasing in response to antibiotic exposure a selective agent), this allele must be responsible for an adaptive phenotype, most likely antibiotic resistance.

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