Science Homework Help

Our everyday life has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is disrupting not only how we go to work or school, but also is creating global and severe disruptions across the economy and health systems of the affected countries. Many reports are emphasizing the differences in susceptibility and severity among the humans that are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 virus [1].

Given the broad differences in the susceptibility and severity in humans, do you think that the resistant phenotypes are due to a monogenic or polygenic inheritance? Which process(es) could account for the observable genetic variations? Can you provide example(s) of other traits in humans that share similar inheritance?

1. The COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, a global initiative to elucidate the role of host genetic factors in susceptibility and severity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic. Eur J Hum Genet (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41431-020-0636-6