Allele Frequency Formula:
Definition: Allele frequency (p) measures how common a particular allele is in a population relative to other alleles for the same gene.
Purpose: It's fundamental in population genetics for understanding genetic variation and predicting evolutionary changes.
The calculator uses the formula:
Where:
Explanation: The frequency is calculated by dividing the count of dominant alleles by the total number of alleles (dominant + recessive).
Details: Understanding allele frequencies helps in studying genetic diversity, disease prevalence, and evolutionary biology.
Tips: Enter the number of dominant and recessive alleles observed in your population. Both values must be ≥ 0, and their sum must be > 0.
Q1: What does an allele frequency of 0.5 mean?
A: It means the dominant allele makes up 50% of all alleles for that gene in the population.
Q2: How do I count alleles in a population?
A: For diploid organisms, each individual has 2 alleles. Count all A alleles and a alleles across all individuals.
Q3: What's the frequency range for alleles?
A: Frequencies range from 0 (allele absent) to 1 (only allele present) in the population.
Q4: How is this different from genotype frequency?
A: Allele frequency counts individual alleles, while genotype frequency counts combinations (AA, Aa, aa).
Q5: Can I calculate recessive allele frequency with this?
A: Yes, recessive frequency (q) would be 1 - p (the dominant allele frequency).