Race, Genetics, and Medicine

Question 1

How much of human DNA is identical across populations?

Answer 1

99.9%.

Question 2

Where is most human genetic variation found?

Answer 2

Within populations, not between them.

Question 3

What is the relationship between geography and genetic traits?

Answer 3

Traits like sickle cell anemia correlate with environmental pressures, not race.

Question 4

Why is race considered a social construct in genetics?

Answer 4

Genetic differences are small and don’t align with racial categories.

Question 5

What is the danger of race-based medicine?

Answer 5

It oversimplifies genetic diversity and may misguide treatment.

Question 6

How can ancestry inform medical decisions?

Answer 6

It can highlight risks associated with geographically influenced traits.

Question 7

What is an example of a trait influenced by geography?

Answer 7

Lactase persistence in populations with dairying practices.

Question 8

Why do traits like skin color vary across populations?

Answer 8

Adaptation to environmental factors like UV radiation.

Question 9

What is a better alternative to race-based medicine?

Answer 9

Personalized medicine based on genetic data.

Question 10

What does the term “allele frequency” refer to?

Answer 10

What does the term “allele frequency” refer to?

Question 11

Why is race considered a social construct in the context of genetics?

Answer 11

While allele distributions correlate with geography, they do not align with racial categories​.

Question 12

What risks does “race” pose in medical diagnosis?

Answer 12

Oversimplifies genetic diversity, potentially misguiding personalized medicine​.

Question 13

How does geography better explain disease prevalence than race?

Answer 13

Diseases like sickle cell anemia are linked to ancestral regions with specific environmental pressures, like malaria.

Question 14

What is a more scientifically accurate alternative to race in medicine?

Answer 14

Emphasizing genetic diversity and population-based ancestry​.

Question 15

Is race determined by genetics or social constructs?

Answer 15

Race is primarily a social construct; genetic variation is continuous and does not align with racial categories.

Question 16

How do allele frequencies relate to geographical origin?

Answer 16

Allele frequencies often reflect adaptations to environmental pressures, such as the sickle cell allele in malaria-endemic regions.

Question 17

Why is race not a reliable predictor of genetic traits?

Answer 17

Most genetic variation occurs within populations, not between racial groups.

Question 18

How does geography better explain genetic traits?

Answer 18

Traits like skin color or lactase persistence correlate with environmental factors like UV exposure or dairying practices.

Question 19

What is gene expression?

Answer 19

The process by which a gene’s information is used to synthesize a functional product like a protein.

Question 20

Define a promoter.

Answer 20

A DNA sequence where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription.

Question 21

What is an enhancer?

Answer 21

A DNA element that increases the transcription of a gene, often located far from the promoter.

Question 22

What is a cis-regulatory element?

Answer 22

A non-coding DNA sequence that regulates nearby genes, like promoters and enhancers.

Question 23

Define a transcription factor.

Answer 23

A protein that binds to specific DNA sequences to regulate gene expression.

Question 24

How does gene expression contribute to tissue specialization?

Answer 24

Different cells express different genes depending on their function, even though they share the same genome.

Question 25

Give an example of tissue-specific gene expression.

Answer 25

Insulin is produced in pancreatic beta cells but not in muscle cells because of tissue-specific gene regulation.