Tay-Sachs disease might be an adaptation to mutation in the gene. True or False?

True.

Tay-Sachs disease is a genetic disorder that results from the body's inability to properly break down a fatty substance called ganglioside GM2. This substance accumulates in the brain and other parts of the nervous system, leading to progressive damage and eventually death.

It is believed that the Tay-Sachs gene mutation may have originated as an adaptation to protect against a different genetic disorder, known as Gaucher disease. Gaucher disease is also caused by a mutation in a gene that is involved in the breakdown of fatty substances, but in this case, the mutation leads to an accumulation of a different fatty substance called glucocerebroside.

The Tay-Sachs mutation is thought to have arisen as a way to compensate for the Gaucher disease mutation by increasing the activity of the enzyme that breaks down glucocerebroside. This would have helped to protect individuals with both mutations from the effects of Gaucher disease.

However, the Tay-Sachs mutation also has its own negative consequences, leading to the accumulation of ganglioside GM2 and the development of Tay-Sachs disease.