Question

Read the information about hereditary hemochromatosis.

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic mutation where a person’s intestines absorb a higher than normal amount of iron from food. Iron plays a key role in several body processes, including the transportation of oxygen in blood. Iron is regularly excreted from the body as waste. Women lose more iron than men, causing women with hemochromatosis to accumulate iron in their bodies at a slower rate. About 10% of people with hemochromatosis experience tissue and organ damage as a result of iron buildup. Signs of hemochromatosis include darkening of the skin, abnormal heartbeats, and scarring of the liver. The mutation can be identified through genetic testing and can be passed from parents to their children.
A student claims that hemochromatosis is a beneficial mutation. Which evidence statements support and disprove the student’s claim?


Support The mutation affects men and women differently.
Disprove The mutation causes damage to tissue and organs.

Support The mutation provides iron to the body for essential functions.
Disprove The mutation can impact the liver and heart.

Support The mutation can be identified through genetic testing.
Disprove The mutation can cause skin to darken.

Support The mutation improves the efficiency of the intestines.
Disprove The mutation can be passed from parents to their children.

Answer 1

Answer with brief justification:

Support (could be used to argue a benefit)
- "The mutation provides iron to the body for essential functions." — Iron is needed for oxygen transport, so increased iron uptake could be seen as beneficial in contexts of iron scarcity.
- "The mutation improves the efficiency of the intestines." — The mutation increases intestinal iron absorption, which can be framed as improved efficiency.

Disprove (show it is harmful)
- "The mutation causes damage to tissue and organs." — Text states about 10% experience tissue/organ damage from iron overload.
- "The mutation can impact the liver and heart." — The text lists liver scarring and abnormal heartbeats as consequences.
- "The mutation can cause skin to darken." — Skin darkening is a sign of harmful iron buildup.

Neutral/irrelevant to whether it is beneficial
- "The mutation affects men and women differently." — This describes a sex difference in accumulation rate but does not by itself show benefit or harm.
- "The mutation can be identified through genetic testing." — This is a diagnostic fact, not evidence of benefit or harm.
- "The mutation can be passed from parents to their children." — Heritability is a transmission property; it doesn't by itself make the mutation beneficial or harmful (though it affects population spread).