1. What is Allele Frequency?

Allele frequency is the relative frequency of an allele (variant of a gene) at a particular locus in a population, expressed as a fraction or percentage. It's a fundamental concept in population genetics.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the allele frequency equation:

Where:

• \( \text{homozygotes} \) — Number of individuals homozygous for the allele
• \( \text{heterozygotes} \) — Number of heterozygous individuals
• \( N \) — Total population size

Explanation: The equation counts all copies of the allele in the population (2 per homozygote, 1 per heterozygote) and divides by the total number of gene copies (2N).

3. Importance of Allele Frequency Calculation

Details: Allele frequencies are crucial for understanding genetic diversity, studying evolutionary processes, and assessing disease risk in populations.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of homozygotes and heterozygotes for the allele of interest, and the total population size. All values must be non-negative integers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the range of possible allele frequencies?
A: Frequencies range from 0 (allele absent) to 1 (fixed in population). Most alleles have intermediate frequencies.

Q2: How does this differ from genotype frequency?
A: Genotype frequency refers to the proportion of individuals with a specific genotype, while allele frequency refers to the proportion of all alleles of that type.

Q3: When would allele frequency be exactly 0.5?
A: When the allele is equally distributed in the population (e.g., in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with p = q = 0.5).

Q4: What factors can change allele frequencies?
A: Natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and migration can all alter allele frequencies over time.

Q5: How large should the population sample be?
A: Larger samples give more accurate estimates. For rare alleles, larger samples are needed to detect them.