Chapter 26, Problem 1CONQ

What is the gene pool? How is a gene pool described in a quantitative way?

Summary Introduction

To review:

The definition of gene pool and its description in a quantitative way.

Introduction:

Population genetics is examined by the degree of genetic variation amongst the interbreeding individuals of a specific population over a period of time. J.B.S Haldane, Sewall Wright, and Ronald Fischer are the main scientists who contributed for explaining several theories in the branch of evolution. While Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin explained various theories for the genotypic occurrence in the population.

Explanation of Solution

The assemblage of various genes amongst the population that interbreeds is called as gene pool. Conceptually, gene pool is the addition of every gene present at all loci in a specific population of a particular species. In 1920s a geneticist of Russia, Aleksandr Sergeevich Serebrovskii termed this concept as ‘genofond’ (literally meaning gene fund).Later, it was changed to ‘gene pool’ by Theodosius Dobzhansky. It emphasizes on allelic variation.

The existence of a gene in two or extra alleles is termed as polymorphic, whereas existence of a gene as a single allele in a population is termed as monomorphic. When the frequency of allele is nearly 100%, then it will be monomorphic, and when the frequency of allele is from 1% to 99%, then it will be polymorphic. For a particular gene, the addition of all the alleles present will be 100%.

Conclusion

Therefore, it can be concluded that a gene pool is formed by considering all the genes of the interbreeding individuals in a particular set of population. It is used to see the variations in the population from a particular generation to another emphasizing on the allelic variation.