Objectives Unit Thirteen:  Population Genetics

1.  Define the following terms and utilize these terms in an appropriate context:
    allele frequency             assortive mating             coefficient of inbreeding    genetic drift
    disruptive selection       fitness                              gene pool                            hybrid vigor
    genetic equilibrium       genetic variability            Hardy-Weinberg law          population
    inbreeding                     migration                          natural selection                 gradualism
    selection coefficient      stabilizing selection        allopatric speciation          speciation
    punctuated equilibrium                                           directional selection          race

2.  Define population and compare the types of mating systems prevalent in natural
    populations as well as laboratory populations.

3.  Using the MN blood groups as an example of inheritance controlled by semidominant
    alleles, and given the phenotype frequency, calculate the gene frequencies in a population.

4.  Again using the MN blood groups as an example, and given the gene frequencies,
    calculate the probability of any phenotype occurring.

5.  Describe a Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and explain the conditions necessary for a
    population to be in such an equilibrium.

6.  Given the phenotype frequencies in a population, calculate the gene frequencies of
    autosomal dominant and recessive alleles, and the frequencies of homozygous dominant
    and heterozygous genotypes.

7.  Given the phenotype frequencies in a population, calculate the frequencies of sex-linked
    dominant and recessive alleles.

8.  After determining the allele frequencies for a sex-linked character, determine the
    frequencies of male and female genotypes in a population of a given size.

9.  Modify the expansion of the Hardy-Weinberg principle to calculate the allele frequencies
    of a multiple allelic circumstance such as blood types A, B and o.

10.  Explain that the process of evolution requires conditions that produce change in allele
    frequencies and which generate genetic variation.

11.  Using a formula for mutational rates in a population determine the mutational rate of a
    population.  Determine how many generations might be required to influence existing allele
    frequencies.

12.  Examine, using the expression 1/2N, how genetic drift effects the fixation rates for alleles
    in various sizes of populations.

13.  Determine the rate of fixation for differing population sizes when the existing allele
    frequencies are previously known.

14.  Determine mathematically the effects of selection on allele frequencies.

15.  Explain how mutation and migration introduce new alleles into a population.  Highlight
    the fact that these new alleles are retained or lost depending on the fitness conferred by
    these alleles and by the action of selection.

16.  Calculate the coefficient of inbreeding using a human pedigree showing consanguineous
    matings within the pedigree.

Resources:  Text Chapter 23, 24
 

Genetics and Evolution

    Hardy-Weinberg:  Populations remain constant if:
        random mating
        no mutation
        no change in population due to migration
        large population
        no selection pressures + or -

But. . . . .  populations and allele frequencies do change leading to modification, defining the
process of evolution.

4 Processes:
    1.  Mutation- origin of new genotype and phenotypes spontaneously in the pop; heritable,
        beneficial change

    2.  Migration-  movement of new alleles into or old alleles out of a population

    3.  Selection (Natural and Artificial)-  different abilities of individuals to survive and produce
        offspring able to cope with a particular environment

    4.  Random Genetic Drift-  random changes in allele frequency that occur by chance.
        Effects small pops much more than large ones.
 

Mutation-  ultimate source of variation, however, it is a weak force for changing allele
        frequencies
    -most mutations harmful to organism

    -slow mutation rates argument for the earth’s age being 4.5 billion years.

    How mutation rates effect allele frequencies:

        pt = po (1 - u)t  t = generations         po = freq of dominant allele at a given time

            pt = freq of dominant after t generations

            u = rate of mutation

    frequency of A decreases gradually because a fraction of them changes every generation
        to a

    if p = 1 for A  (and if mutation rate is 1/100,000 or 10-5 per gene per generation) it will take
        ~1000 generations to lower the frequency to .99

        pt = 1(1 - 10-5)1000    or [1 X (.99999)1000]

    the smaller the initial frequency the longer time required (a change of .01 will take about
    2000 generations if initial frequency is .5)
 

Gene Flow (migration)- genetic migration, individuals moving from one to another population
    and interbreed with its members.

    -may not change gene frequency for whole species but it can change it locally.

    Genetic Drift: -pop not infinitely large, there are finite
        -breeding individuals produce virtually infinite # of gamete combos from gene pool

        -because of pop size only a few gametes will participate in fertilization

        Therefore, from generation to generation we can expect different combos rather
        than repeat the same ones  ("One in a Million", "there will never be another quite
        like you")

        Genetic drift will contribute to fixation of alleles
        Ex.  if T and t are in a population how long could it take for t to be eliminated?  (in
            other words, how long before p = 1.0 and q = 0?)

        Rate of fixation = 1/2N N = # of individuals in population

        **This will determine how many genes an individual has will be fixed with a single allele
            each generation

        **The smaller the population the greater the fixation rate.

        Rate of fixation if 2 individuals:

        1/2(2) = 1/4  in a monohybrid cross, how many individuals will be expected to be
            homozygous dominant?

        If N = 30

          1/2(30) = 1/60 or .017 this # indicates that .017 or 1.7% of alleles would be
            expected to fix each generation

        if in humans with 100,000 genes then (.017)(100,000)       equals 1700 alleles will fix
            every generation for 30 individuals

        if N = 90

        1/2(90) = 1/180 or .006 then (.006)(100,000) = 600 alleles will fix per generation

        if N = 90,000

        1/2(90,000) = 1/180,000 or .0000055  (5.5 X 10-6)

            then (.0000055)(100,000) = .55 alleles will fix per generation (or in 2 generations
            one will fix)
 

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