Gene Pool and Genetic Diversity

Gene Pool and Genetic
Diversity
S.p:
(i) understand how the Hardy-Weinberg equation can be used to see
whether a change in allele frequency is occurring in a population over time
(ii) understand that changes in allele frequency can come about as a result
of mutation and natural selection
Subject vocabulary:
• Population: a breeding group of individuals of the same species
occupying a particular habitat and a particular niche
• Gene pool: the sum total of all the genes in a population at a given
time
• Selection pressure: the effect of one or more environment factors

that determine whaether an organisim will be mire or less succesful at
surviving and reproducing ; selection pressure drives speciation
Subject vocabulary:
• Gene flow: the migration of either whole organisms or genetic
material into or out of a population and into another population,
tending to make different populations more alike but changing the
allel frequencies within each individual population all the time.
• Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: the mathametical relationship between

the frequencies of alleles and genotypes in a population; the equation
used to describe this relationship can be used to work out the stable
allel frequencies within a population.
Population genetics
• The gene is considered the unit of evolution
• This is because the gentic composition of genes changes over time in a

population leading to evolution.
• The sum total of all the allels in a population at a given time is called the
gene pool.
• Evolution can be considered as a permanent change in allele frequecnies

within a population.
Allele Frequencies
• The frequency of alleles in a population is not fixed. As the environment
changes, so the frequecny of different alleles changes through the process of
natural selevtion and adaptation.
• Selection pressure is seen when a change occurs in an environment, some
individus will have alleles which give them an advantage in the new
conditions.
• Organisims with alleles which provide them with a survial advantage will
survive longer and pass on these alleles to their offsprings, which causes the
evolution of that characterisitic into the popultion
• Speciation involves a change in the allele frequencies within a population
and is driven by selection pressure over time.
Allele frequencies
• The number of individuals carrying a certain allele in a population
determines the allele frequency
• It descrives what proportion of individuals carry a cetain allele and is
usually expressed as a decimal fraction of 1.
• We have a general formula that can be used to represent the allel
frequencies for the dominant and recessive phenotypes in the gene
pool of a population.
p+q=1
• p  frequency of dominant allele q  frequency of recessive allele
The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
• The amount of change that takes place in the frequecnt of alleles in a

population indicates whether the population is stable or is evolving.
• The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium theory states that in a population that
is not evolving the allele frequencies in the population will remain stable
from one generation to the next
The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
• Its main use is in calculating allele and gene frequencies in population
genetics, providing a means of measuring and studying changes in
species over time.
• Given that:
p^2: frequecny of homozygous dominant genotype in population
2pq: frequency of heterzygous genotype in population
q^2: frequecny of homozygous recessive genotype in population
• There are several conditions and assumptions that must be met for the
Hardy-Weinberg principle to hold true:
1) there are no mutations
2) There is random mating
3) The population is large
4) No emigration, the population is isolated
5) No selection pressure
Mutations
• The primary source of genetic varation is mutations ( changes in DNA
base sequence)
• Mutations result in the generation of new alleles:
- The mutation may be beneficial, non benefical or no effect.
- Benefecial mutations lead to increase in chances of survival therefore
the allele is passed on through offsprings over generations.
Natural selection
• Variation exists within populations meaning that some individuals may
posses different phenotypes
• Environmental factors affect the chance of survival therefore acts as
selection pressure
• This factor has an effect on the likelihood of an individual surviving and
reproducing.
• Organisims with the favoured phenotypes are said to have a higher fitness;
the fitness of an organism is its ability to survive and pass on its alleles.
• Over several generations selection pressure causes a change in allele
frequency and phenotype frequency in a population through natural
selection
Isolation
• Migration of organisims in or out of the population causes a gene
flow.
• This tends to make the different popullaitons more similar but
constantly changes the allele frequencies within each individual
population.
• When gene flow between two populations is reduced they become
effectively isolated.
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Gene Pool and Genetic

• Selection pressure: the effect of one or more environment factors

• Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: the mathametical relationship between

• This is because the gentic composition of genes changes over time in a

• Evolution can be considered as a permanent change in allele frequecnies

• The amount of change that takes place in the frequecnt of alleles in a

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