The specific case of heterozygote advantage due to a single locus is known as overdominance. Overdominance is a condition in genetics where the phenotype of the heterozygote lies outside of the phenotypical range of both homozygote parents, and heterozygous individuals have a higher fitness than homozygous individuals.
Why is being heterozygous for MHC haplotype is advantageous?
The fact that MHC heterozygotes were more resistant to infection and had higher fitness than homozygotes provides a functional explanation for MHC-disassortative mating preferences. The highly polymorphic genes of the MHC play a central role in the immune recognition of pathogens and parasites.Aug 20, 2002
Which type of selection is associated with heterozygotes being advantageous?
One type of balancing selection is the heterozygote advantage. This is when heterozygous individuals have an advantage over homozygous individuals, as is seen with the sickle-cell allele.Nov 11, 2021
What is an example of heterozygous?
If the two versions are different, you have a heterozygous genotype for that gene. For example, being heterozygous for hair color could mean you have one allele for red hair and one allele for brown hair. The relationship between the two alleles affects which traits are expressed.Jan 7, 2020