How many possible A-B haplotypes exist if there are 5 possible alleles at locus A and 6 possible alleles at locus B?

To determine the total number of possible A-B haplotypes, one must consider the concept of haplotypes. A haplotype is a combination of alleles at different loci that are inherited together. In this scenario, we have two loci: locus A with 5 possible alleles and locus B with 6 possible alleles.

To calculate the total number of distinct haplotypes, you multiply the number of alleles at locus A by the number of alleles at locus B. In this case:

• There are 5 alleles at locus A.
• There are 6 alleles at locus B.

When these are combined, the total number of possible haplotypes is 5 (alleles at A) × 6 (alleles at B), which equals 30. This means that there are 30 unique combinations of alleles that can be formed between the two loci, leading to 30 possible A-B haplotypes.

Understanding this principle is essential in genetics, especially in fields involving population genetics, transplantation biology, and genetic compatibility testing, as haplotypes can significantly influence genetic diversity and compatibility in various scenarios.