BLUE PEOPLE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Due Monday, 5/23!
READ: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/blkysc82.html
ANSWER QUESTIONS:
1. What is the name of the disease, which afflicts the blue people of Troublesome Creek?
2. How does this disease cause the people affected to become blue?
3. What are the possible causes of the disease?
4. How did Dr. Cawein go about determining which of the three possibilities was the actual
cause?
5. What is the temporary cure for this disease, and how does it work? Why is this cure strange?
6. How is the gene for this disease inherited?
7. Martin Fugate was blue and his wife Elizabeth had normal skin, though she carried the gene
for blue skin. If “A” = normal skin (dominant), and “a” = blue skin (recessive), draw a punnett
square to show the genotypes of Martin and Elizabeth.
8. What percentage or fraction of their kids should be blue? Did this match with the actual
numbers (count – they had seven kids… how many were blue?)
9. This disease and the gene that carries it are very rare. Why is it so common in these few
families, in this particular location?
10. Why do you think marriage between first cousins is banned in almost all states?
11. What will eventually happen to the blue trait and the gene that causes it IF the families that
carry it move out of the community and spread out?
EXTRA CREDIT:
Using the relationships and traits described in the article, make a pedigree of the Fugate family
during the past 3 generations.
Rules:
 Oldest on top, youngest at the bottom
 Square=male, circle=female
 Leave circle/square blank if NORMAL
 Shade in circle/square if MUTANT / DISEASED
 Use vertical lines to go between relationships
 Use horizontal lines to show sibling relationships or marriage
 Number each generation with Roman numerals, beginning with the OLDEST
Example:
MORE INFO: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucbhjow/medicine/FHD/pedigree_exercise/ex1.html