A sample of 100 individuals from a population that is dimorphic at the A locus has genotype counts as follows. AA: 30 Aa: 60 aa: 10 a) What are the allele frequencies in the population? b) What are the expected genotype frequencies, if the population were at HardyWeinberg equilibrium? c) Is the proportion of heterozygotes lower or higher than expected at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? What deviations from the assumptions of the model would best explain the observed difference?
Evolutionary Genetics
Evolution is known as continuous changes that occur to adjust organisms in their changing environment over many generations. Various theories have been proposed to illustrate the origin of life and organic evolution. The most accepted one is the theory of natural selection by Charles Darwin. According to his postulate, organisms undergo a struggle for existence due to overproduction. To survive in nature, they acquire variations. The inheritable variations are selected by nature, and it leads to the survival of the fittest.
Phenotype Frequency
The majority of populations have a certain degree of variation in their genetic pools. Scientists can predict the genetic variation happening over time by measuring the amount of genetic variation in a population and these predictions assist them in gaining important insights into the processes that allow organisms to adapt to the environment or to develop into new species over generations. This process is referred to as the process of evolution.
Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium
The frequencies of allele and genotype were maintained constant from one generation to another due to the absence of other evolutionary forces. It is otherwise called the Hardy Weinberg principle the field of population genetics.
A sample of 100 individuals from a population that is dimorphic at the A locus has genotype counts as follows.
AA: 30
Aa: 60
aa: 10
a) What are the allele frequencies in the population?
b) What are the expected genotype frequencies, if the population were at HardyWeinberg equilibrium?
c) Is the proportion of heterozygotes lower or higher than expected at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? What deviations from the assumptions of the model would best explain the observed difference?
According to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium the allele and genotype frequencies will remain same generation after generation in a population if they follow some criterias.
The main criterias of maintaining Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium are-
1. There will be no selection, migration, mutation and genetic drift.
2. The population should follow random mating.
3. Generations must be non-overlaping and population size should be large.
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