If Malik is a carrier of sickle cell, what genotype would represent this?

Malik being a carrier of sickle cell disease means that he has one normal allele and one sickle cell allele. This condition is represented by the genotype AS. The "A" represents the normal hemoglobin allele, while the "S" signifies the allele responsible for sickle cell hemoglobin.

Individuals with the AS genotype are typically asymptomatic, meaning they do not have sickle cell disease but can pass the sickle cell allele to their offspring. This is crucial in understanding genetic inheritance and the implications for future generations, especially in populations where sickle cell traits may be more prevalent.

The other genotypes presented—AA, SS, and AP—do not correctly describe a carrier state. The AA genotype indicates that an individual has two normal alleles and is not a carrier, while the SS genotype signifies that an individual has sickle cell disease, presenting symptoms related to this condition. The AP genotype does not correspond to any recognized hemoglobin types related to sickle cell conditions. Therefore, AS is the only representative genotype for a carrier of sickle cell.