COMPRESSED NOTES CHAPTER 5: POPULATION GENETICS SB015

CHAPTER 5: POPULATION GENETICS

5.1 GENE POOL CONCEPT

✓ Explain population genetics, gene pool, allele frequencies & genetic equilibrium

GENE POOL

▪ Gene: A segment of DNA that serves as a unit of hereditary information to yield a protein or RNA
products with a specific function

▪ Population: A group of individuals belongs to same species that live in the same area that capable to
interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.

▪ Population genetic: Studies of the genes/ allele frequencies in population.

▪ Gene pool is the total number of alleles of all the individuals in a population at any one time.
✓ In population genetics, a gene pool has the complete set of unique alleles at all gene loci in all
individual in the population

▪ Genetic equilibrium: A population whose allele and genotypes frequencies do not change from
generation to generation.

▪ From the information of the gene pool, the allele, genotypes and phenotypes frequencies can be
calculated.

(i) Allele frequencies (counting alleles)

• The ratio of the total number of a specific allele to the total number of all alleles in the population

Allele frequency = Total number of a particular allele

Total number of all the alleles in the gene pool

(ii) Genotypes frequencies (counting individuals)

• The ratio of the total number of individuals with a specific genotypes to the total number of all
individuals in the population
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COMPRESSED NOTES CHAPTER 5: POPULATION GENETICS SB015

Genotypes frequency = Total number of individuals with a particular genotype

Total number of all the individuals in the population

(iii) Phenotypes frequencies (counting individuals)

• The ratio of the total number of individuals with a specific phenotypes to the total number of all
individuals in the population

Phenotypes frequency = Total number of individual with a particular phenotype

Total number of all the individuals in the population

(iv) Genetic equilibrium

• The condition of an allele frequency or genotype frequency in a gene pool does not change from
generation to generation

EXAMPLE 1:

500 frogs make up a population at a lake. In this population, the frog’s colour was controlled by a certain
gene that consists of two alleles. The dominant allele is A while recessive allele is a. The number of frogs
for each genotype and their phenotypes are given in the table below.
Phenotypes Genotypes No. of The gene pool of the population:
frog
Green frog AA (homozygous dominant) 320 = total number of allele in the
Aa (heterozygous) 160
Brown frog aa (homozygous recessive) 20 population
Total 500
= 500 x 2
(i) Allele frequencies (counting alleles) (ii) Genotypes
= 1000 frequencies (counting
individuals)
(a) What is the frequency of recessive allele, a? (a) What is the frequency of homozygous
Frequency of allele a = total allele a in gene pool dominant genotypes?
gene pool Frequency of AA genotype = 320/500
=20(2) + 160 = 0.64
1000
= 0.2 (b) What is the frequency of homozygous
recessive genotypes?
(b) What is the frequency of dominant allele, A? Frequency of aa genotype = 20/500
Frequency of allele A = total allele A in gene pool = 0.04
gene pool
= 2(320) + 160 (c) What is the frequency of heterozygous
1000 genotype, Aa?
= 0.8 Frequency of Aa genotype = 160/500
= 0.32

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(iii) Phenotypes frequencies (counting individuals)

(a) What is the frequency of dominant (b) What is the frequency of recessive
phenotype? phenotype?

Total number of individuals with dominant

phenotype = Total number of individuals with AA Frequency of recessive phenotype
and Aa = 20/500
genotype = 0.04
= 320 + 160 = 480

Frequency of dominant phenotype = 480/500

= 0.96
*The value for the frequency must in the form of decimal places!

5.2 HARDY- WEINBERG LAW

✓ State the Hardy-Weinberg Law
✓ Explain the 5 assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg Law for genetic equilibrium
✓ Calculate allele and gentotype frequencies

HARDY- WEINBERG LAW

▪ The Hardy-Weinberg Law states that in a population that does not evolve (population is in genetic
equilibrium), the frequency of allele and genotype in a population will remain constant from generation
to generation under certain condition.

▪ Genetic equilibrium describes that the population is non-evolving (population whose allele and genotypes
frequencies do not change) and it is rarely met. Actual reality this condition not occur, but from that law we
can guess any changing in population genetics.

▪ To use this law, we must assume that the population is not evolved. Thus, it must satisfy/ assumed that:
(a) Large population size - In large population, any change in allele frequency is negligible.
(b) No migration (emigration and immigration)/ no gene flow
(c) No mutations.
(d) No natural selection. (everyone have equal chance to survive and reproduce)
(e) Random mating/ fertilization (no sexual selection, each individual in a population has equal
chance to mate)

HARDY-WEINBERG EQUATION
ALLELE FREQUENCIES GENOTYPES FREQUENCIES
(counting alleles) (counting individuals)

p+q=1 p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1

p = frequency of dominant allele p2 = frequency of homozygous dominant genotype

q2 = frequency of homozygous recessive genotype
q = frequency of recessive allele 2pq = frequency of heterozygous genotype

p2 + 2pq = Dominant phenotype frequency

q2 = Recessive phenotype frequency

* If allelic frequency / genotypic frequency calculated is equal to 1, then we can conclude that the population obey the
Hardy-Weinberg principle.
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STEPS IN USING HARDY-WEINBERG EQUATION

All calculation must start from q2 (homozygous recessive genotype).

q2 = No of individuals with homozygous recessive genotypes

No of all individuals

From the value of q2, we can calculate the value of q (frequency of recessive allele).
q = √q2

From the value of q, we can find the p (frequency of dominant allele).

By using p + q = 1
p=1–q

From the above values, we can find other value.

EXAMPLE 1:

In a human population, 1 baby from 25,000 babies is born with a sickle-cell anaemia. The patient of this disease
is considered as homozygous recessive (ss). Calculate the following.

(a) The frequency of recessive allele. [2 marks]

(b) The frequency of dominant allele. [1 mark]
(c) The frequency of heterozygous genotypes. [1 mark]
(d) The number of carriers in the population. [1 mark]
(e) The number of babies with sickle-cell anaemia among the 50 000 babies in the
next generation. [1 mark]
(f) The percentage of the normal babies in next 50 generations. [1 mark]

(a) The frequency of recessive allele

q2 = 1/25,000
= 0.00004
Frequency of recessive allele, q = √0.00004
= 0.0063

(b) Frequency of dominant allele

Since p + q = 1
p=1–q
p = 1- 0.0063
= 0.9937

(c) Frequency of heterozygous genotype

= 2pq
= 2 (0.9937) (0.0063)
= 0.0125

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(d) The number of carriers in the population

= number of heterozygous in the population
= 2pq x 25 000
= 0.0125 x 25 000
= 313 babies

(e) The number of babies with sickle-cell anemia among the 50 000 babies in the next generation.
= q2 X 50 000
= 0.0004 x 50 000
=2

(f) The percentage of the homozygous dominant genotypes babies in next 50 generations
= p2 X 100%
= (0.9937)2 X 100%
= 98.7440%

EXAMPLE 2:

Resistance against a poison in a population of bats is controlled by the dominant allele D. 84% of the population
in a test area is found to be resistant against the poison.
(a) What is the allele frequency for the dominant and recessive allele in the population if the population of
bats at genetic equilibrium. [3 marks]
(b) Calculate the genotype frequencies in a population of 500 bats in the test area. [3 marks]
(c) If all the bats in the population of 500 bats do not resistance against the poison are killed, what is the
frequency of the new dominant and recessive allele in the next generation if the remaining bats in this
generation breed randomly. [4 marks]

(a) 84% - resistance against poison (DD, Dd)

16% - without resistance against poison (dd)
Find frequency of recessive allele d, q
q2= 16/100= 0.16
q= 016=0.4
Recessive allele frequency (d), q= 0.4

To find frequency of dominant allele (D), p

p+q=1
p = 1 – 0.4
p = 0.6
Dominant allele frequency (D),p = 0.6

(b) Genotype frequency: p2 + 2pq + q2= 1

*Frequency of homozygous dominant genotype (DD), p2
p2= (0.6)2= 0.36
Homozygous dominant genotype frequency, p2 = 0.36

*Frequency of heterozygous genotype (Dd), 2pq

2pq= 2(0.6)(0.4)
= 0.48
Heterozygous genotype frequency, 2pq = 0.48

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*Frequency of homozygous recessive genotype (dd), q2

q2 = (0.4) 2
= 0.16
Homozygous recessive genotype frequency, q2 = 0.16

(c) Number of homozygous recessive individual (without resistance to poison)

= q2 x 500 = 0.16 x 500
= 80 bats (killed)

Number of heterozygous individuals

= 2pq x 500 = 0.48 x 500
= 240 bats

Number of homozygous dominant individuals

= p2 x 500 = 0.36 x 500
= 180 bats

Genotype DD Dd dd New total allele

No. of bats 180 240 80 (killed)
No. of D allele (p) 2 x 180= 360 1 x 240 =240 - 360 + 240 = 600
No. of d allele (q) - 1 x 240 = 240 - 240
Total no. of allele 840

Frequency of recessive allele, q in a new generation:

q = 240/ 840
= 0.2857

Frequency of dominant allele, p in a new generation:

p = 600/ 840
= 0.7143

EXAMPLE 3:

There are two colour of cat in a population that is white and grey. Grey colour is controlled by dominant allele
B while white colour is controlled by recessive allele b. In a population of 100 cats, there are 84 grey cats and
16 white cats. By using Hardy-Weinberg equation, answer the following question.

(a) Identify the frequency of dominant and recessive allele. [4 marks]

(b) Calculate the number of heterozygous cats in the population. [3 marks]
(c) After ten years, the number of cats in the population increased to 185 cats. If the population is in
equilibrium, predict the number of white cats in the population. [3 marks]

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(a) Frequency of recessive allele b, q Frequency of dominant allele B, p

q2 = 16/ 100 p+q=1
= 0.16 p =1-q
q = √ 0.16 = 1 – 0.4
= 0.4 = 0.6

(b) Frequency of heterozygous cat = 2pq

= 2 x 0.6 x 0.4
= 0.48
Number of heterozygous cats = 0.48 x 100
= 48

(c) Since the population is in equilibrium, frequency of allele and genotype in a population will
remain constant.
Frequency of white cat = q2
= 0.16
Number of heterozygous cats = 0.16 x 185
= 30

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EXAMPLE 4:

Table below shows the result of a genetic population study on a population of the fruit fly, Drosophila
melanogaster. Wing length is determined by a single gene which has two allelic forms, L and l. The normal
wing (L) is dominant over vestigial wing (l)

Type of wing No. Of Drosophila

Normal wing 9900
Vestigial wing 100
(a) Determine the various genotype frequencies in the population. [5 marks]
(b) Calculate the number of the fruit flies which is heterozygous in the population. [1 mark]
(c) By assuming that the population is in genetic equilibrium, determine.
(i) The various phenotype frequencies of the fruit flies in the next generation. [2 marks]
(ii) The number of normal wing among the 500 fruit flies in the next generation.[1 mark]
(d) Give ONE assumption of an evolved population. [1 mark]

(a) Frequency of recessive allele l, q

q2 = 100/ 10000
= 0.01
Frequency of homozygous recessive individual
q = √ 0.01
= q2
= 0.1
= 0.01
Frequency of dominant allele L, p
p+q=1
Frequency of heterozygous individual
p =1-q
= 2pq
= 1 – 0.1
= 2 x 0.9 x 0.1 = 0.18
= 0.9
Number of homozygous dominant individual
= p2
(b) No. of flies with heterozygous genotype = 0.92 = 0.81
= 10000 × 0.18
= 1800

(c) (i) phenotype frequency for normal wing

p2 + 2pq = 0.81 + 0.18
= 0.99

phenotype frequency for vestigial wing

q2 = 0.01

(ii) No. of vestigial wing flies = 0.01 × 500

=5
(d) There is mutation
No random mating/fertilization
There is migration
Natural selection applied
Small size population

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EXAMPLE 5:

3. (a) A large population of 1000 mice, 843 have brown fur. Alleles for brown hair (B) are dominant to albino
(b). Give your answer in three decimal places.
(i) Calculate the frequency of the recessive (b) and dominant (B) allele in the population.[2 marks]
(ii) Identify the number of heterozygous mice in the population. [1 mark]
(b) If all the albino mice are removed from the population, find out:
(i) How many homozygous dominant mice with brown fur are left? [1 mark]
(ii) Calculate the frequency of allele B and b in the new population. [2 marks]
(iii)If random mating occurred, will there be albino mice in the next generation?
Explain your answer. [2 marks]
(a) (i) Frequency of recessive allele b, q (ii) Frequency of heterozygous mice, 2pq
q2 = 157/1000 = 2 × 0.604 × 0.396
= 0.157 = 0.478
q = √ 0.157
= 0.396 Number of heterozygous mice
Frequency of dominant allele B, p = 2pq x 1000
p+q=1 = 0.4788 x 1000 = 478
p =1-q
= 1 – 0.396
= 0.604

(b) (i) Number of homozygous dominant mice = 843- 478 =365

@
p2 x 1000= (0.604)2 x 1000 = 365
(ii)
Genotype BB Bb bb Total new allele
No. of mice 365 478 157
(removed)
No. of B alleles 2 x 365 = 730 1 x 478 = 478 - 1208
(p)
No. of b alleles - 1 x 478 = 478 - 478
(q)
Total number of allele (new gene pool) 1686
Frequency of recessive allele in a new generation:
q = 478/ 1686
= 0.284

Frequency of dominant allele in a new generation:

p = 1208/ 1686
= 0.716

(iii) Yes. There are recessive allele b in the heterozygous mice// the recessive alleles are in some of
the brown mice.

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