Question

Sickle cell anemia is an autosomal recessive condition in which the red blood cells are sickle-shaped which can cause severe pain and even strokes. These individuals will have a mutated hemoglobin B gene. A person with sickle cell anemia is given hydroxyurea. Which of the following is true of this treated individual (there are two correct answers).

		The person will no longer be able to pass this mutation on to their children.
		The hemoglobin B gene mutation will be repaired.=
		The person will likely be more at risk of getting malaria.
		The fetal hemoglobin (gamma) will now be expressed and will replace the beta hemoglobin.
		The person will now start to produce embryonic hemoglobin (epsilon).

Answer 1

Sickle cell anemia is an autosomal recessive inherited disease. Hence the hydroxyurea doesn't change the genomic structure of the patient and hence the offspring of the sickle cell patient is likely to get the gene and the gene won't be repaired. Presence of HbS in the blood makes sickle cell individuals more resistant to malaria but not sensitive to it. Hydroxyurea acts on the RBC to keep them round in shape and also helps produce more of the embryonic fetal RBC which helps replace the functionality of the HbS RBC. hence the correct answers are:

The fetal hemoglobin (gamma) will now be expressed and will replace the beta hemoglobin.

The person will now start to produce embryonic hemoglobin (epsilon).