Ch.

25 – Population Genetics At the population level, some genes may be

The field of population genetics in concerned with
change in genetic variation within a group of
individuals over time.
20.1 Gene in Population and Hardy-Weinberg
Equation
Gene pool: All the alleles of every gene in a
population.
A population is a group of interbreeding
individuals that share a gene pool
Population: Group of individuals of the same
species that occupy the same region and can
interbreed with one another
 Distinct population of a given spices may
be located on different continent or
populations on the same continent may be
divided by a geographical feature such as
large mountain
A large population usually is composed of smaller
group called local populations.
 Far more likely to breed amongst
themselves
Local populations are often separated from each
other by moderate geographic barriers
Example:
The large ground finch is found on small volcanic
island call Daphne Major located on the Galapagos
Island.
Daphne Major is located northwest of the much
larger Santa Cruz Island.
 Breeding is much more likely to occur
among member of a local population than
between member of neighboring
populations
 Most populations contain a high degree of
heterozygosity
monomorphic, but most are polymorphic
In a population, polymorphism refers to the
observation that many inherited traits display
variation within a population.
 Polymorphism referred to the
variation in inherited traits that are
observable with the naked eye
 Color and pattern
What is the underlying cause of
polymorphism?
At the DNA level, polymorphism may be due
to two or more alleles that influence the
phenotype of the individual that inherits
them (genetic variation)
Polymorphic describes a gene that
commonly exist as two or more alleles in a
population.
Monomorphic gene exist predominantly as a
single allele in a population.
At the level of a gene, a polymorphism may
involve various types of changes such as
deletion of significant region of the genes of
the gene, a duplication of a region, or a
change in a single nucleotide.
Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), are
the smallest type of genetic change that can
occur within a given gene and are also the
most common
 In humans, SNP represent 90% of all
the variation in DNA.
 Likewise, a healthy population of
nearly all species exhibits a high level
of genetic variation by the
occurrence of SNPS
Within a population, the alleles of a given gene Population Genetic is concerned with allele
may arise by different types of genetic changes. and genotype frequencies

Figure 25.3 is an example of a short segment of

DNA found with the human β-goblin gene.

Let consider a population of 100 frogs with

the following phenotypes

These alleles differ form each other by a single

nucleotide, thus are an example of a SNP.

The HB5 allele cause sickle cell disease in a

homozygote

This deletion results in a nonfunctional β-goblin

polypeptide. (Loss of function)
The Hardy-Weinber Equation can be used to Calculate
Genotype Frequency based on Allele Frequencies
Let’s return to the frog example, in which a gene is
polymorphic and exist in tow different alleles: G and g.
25.2 Overview of Microevolution
Microevolution describes changes in a
population’s gene pool from generation
to generation

G=p What drives Microevolution?

g=q

The Hardy-Weinger equation predict an equilibrium –

unchanging allele and genotype frequencies from
generation to generation if certain condition are met:

1. No new mutation
2. No Genetic Drift
3. No migration 25.3 Natural Selection
4. No natural selection
5. Random Mating Natural selection the process whereby
organisms better adapted to their
environment tend to survive and produce
more offspring.

- Struggle for existence

- Individuals that are most
adapted to the environments will
survive and reproduce
- Environment selects those
individuals that carry the best
genes to survive in the enviro.
Darwinian Fitness is a Measure of Reproductive
Success
Darwinian Fitness: The relative likelihood that
one genotype will contribute to the gene pool of
the next generation rather than other genotypes.
 Natural selection acts on phenotypes that
are derived from individual’s genotypes.
Darwinian fitness is a measure reproductive
success.
Why would there be difference in reproductive
success?
1. Fitness phenotype is more likely to
survive
2. Fittest phenotype is more likely to mate
3. Fitness phenotype is more fertile
Directional Selection Favors the Extreme
Phenotype
Directional selection favors individuals at one
extreme of a phenotypic distribution that are
more likely to survive and reproduce in a
environment.
 Direction selection may act on
phenotypes that are largely
determined by the alleles of a single
gene.
An example of directional selection is
resistance to pesticides.
 A specific example is the pesticide DDT
Certain species have become resistant to DDT
by a dominant mutation in a single enzyme-
encoding gene.
Balanced polymorphism may occur due to
Heterozygote Advantage or Negative Frequency-
Dependent Selection
A common misperception is that natural selection
always eliminate the weaker alleles from a population.
Balancing selection: Natural selection that favors the
maintenance of tow or more alleles in a population
Heterozygote-Advantage
Heterozygote advantage: variation involving a single
gene, balancing selection may arise when the
heterozygote has a higher fitness that either
corresponding homozygote.
Stabilizing Selection Favors Individual
with Intermediate Phenotypes
Stabilizing Selection: extreme
phenotypes for a trait are selected
against, and those individuals with
intermediate phenotype have the highest
fitness value
 Tends to decrease genetic
diversity for genes affecting such
trait because it eliminates alleles
that cause a greater variation in
phenotype
Example:

Birds that lay too many or too few eggs

have lowers fitness values than those that
lay an intermediate number

 Laying too many eggs may cause

the offspring to die due to
inadequate parental care and
food.

Disruptive Selection Favor Multiple Phenotypes

Disruptive Selection: Favors the maintenance of tow

or more alleles. (Diversifying selection – survival of
two or more different phenotype)

This is likely to occur in population that occupy diverse

environments so that some members of the species
survive and reproduce

An Example

 Snai shil color correlated to the environment

25.4 Genetic Drift

Genetic Drift refers to changes in allele

frequencies in a population due to random
fluctuations.

 Usually result in either the loss of an

allele or its fixation at !00% in the
population

Genetic drift leads to allele fixation even in

large population, but this takes man more
generations to occur.