The Degree of Relatedness of Two Members of a Pedigree

Question

The degree of relatedness of two members of a pedigree is calculated using ________.
A) the calculation of average heterozygosity
B) the Hardy-Weinberg rule
C) the inbreeding coefficient
D) the chi-square test

Accepted Answer

The inbreeding coefficient is used to calculate the degree of relatedness between two individuals in a pedigree. It measures the probability that two alleles at a particular locus in an individual are identical by descent, meaning they were inherited from a common ancestor. The higher the inbreeding coefficient, the more closely related the individuals are. Average heterozygosity, the Hardy-Weinberg rule, and the chi-square test are not used to calculate relatedness in a pedigree.