Huntington's disease is an example of a genetic disorder caused by __________.

• A. a nonlethal dominant allele
• B. a late-acting recessive allele
• C. homozygous recessive alleles
• D. multiple alleles
• E. a lethal dominant allele that afflicts an individual later in life

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder, which means it is caused by abnormalities in an individual's DNA.
2. Recognize that genetic disorders can be caused by different types of alleles: dominant or recessive. Dominant alleles express their traits even if only one copy is present, while recessive alleles require two copies to express the trait.
3. Identify that Huntington's disease is caused by a dominant allele. This means that an individual only needs one copy of the allele to exhibit the disorder.
4. Note that Huntington's disease is described as a 'late-acting' disorder, meaning symptoms typically appear later in life, often after reproductive age.
5. Conclude that the correct description of Huntington's disease is that it is caused by a 'lethal dominant allele that afflicts an individual later in life,' as the disorder is due to a dominant allele and symptoms manifest later, potentially after the individual has had children.