Quinine is an antimalarial drug that is used to treat...

Name: Problem 28, Chapter 19: Biology for AP Courses
Uploaded: 2019-08-02T06:36:01-08:00
Duration: 1 min 5 s
Channel: Grant Castaneda
Description: Quinine is an antimalarial drug that is used to treat malaria in the Western Hemisphere. Scientists have noticed that this drug has become less effective over time. Based on the data below, what type of selection is being exerted on the malaria population?

Quinine is an antimalarial drug that is used to treat malaria in the Western Hemisphere. Scientists have noticed that this drug has become less effective over time. Based on the data below, what type of selection is being exerted on the malaria population?

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Key Concepts

Natural Selection

Natural selection is the process through which traits that enhance survival and reproduction become more common in successive generations of a population. It is the driving force behind evolutionary adaptation, as organisms that are better suited to their environment tend to leave more offspring.

Directional Selection

Directional selection is a form of natural selection in which one extreme phenotype is favored over others, causing the allele frequency in the population to shift in one direction. In the context of drug pressure, parasites with traits that confer resistance are selected for, leading to a gradual increase in the frequency of the resistance trait.

Selective Pressure

Selective pressure refers to external factors that affect an organism's ability to survive and reproduce. In this scenario, the use of an antimalarial drug acts as a selective pressure by preferentially eliminating susceptible parasites, thereby giving resistant ones a survival advantage.

Drug Resistance Evolution

Drug resistance evolution is the process by which pathogens acquire genetic mutations or adapt in ways that reduce their susceptibility to drugs. Over time, this can lead to the predominance of resistant strains in a population, rendering treatments less effective and necessitating changes in therapeutic strategies.

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