Consider a population in which the frequency of allele A is p=0.7 and the frequency of allele a is q=0.3 and where the alleles are codominant. What will be the allele frequencies after one generation if the following occurs?

wAA=1, wAa=0.95, waa=0.9

Key Concepts

Allele Frequency

Allele frequency refers to how often a particular allele appears in a population relative to the total number of alleles for that gene. In this case, the frequencies of alleles A and a are given as p=0.7 and q=0.3, respectively. Understanding allele frequencies is crucial for predicting how genetic traits will be passed on through generations.

Fitness and Selection

Fitness in genetics refers to the reproductive success of an organism relative to others in the population. The given fitness values (wAA=1, wAa=0.95, waa=0.9) indicate how well each genotype can survive and reproduce. This concept is essential for understanding how natural selection influences allele frequencies over generations.

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

The Hardy-Weinberg Principle provides a mathematical framework for understanding genetic variation in a population under ideal conditions. It states that allele and genotype frequencies will remain constant from generation to generation in the absence of evolutionary influences. This principle helps in predicting how allele frequencies change when selection pressures, like fitness differences, are applied.