The frequencies of the four alleles contributed to the child by possible father F1 in Problem 7 are 0.18, 0.23, 0.13, and 0.14. Make a statement about the possible paternity of F1 based on this analysis.

Key Concepts

Allele Frequency

Allele frequency refers to how often a particular allele appears in a population compared to other alleles for the same gene. It is expressed as a proportion or percentage and is crucial for understanding genetic diversity and inheritance patterns. In this context, the frequencies of the alleles contributed by father F1 provide insight into his genetic contribution to the child's genotype.

Paternity Testing

Paternity testing involves analyzing genetic markers to determine the likelihood of a man being the biological father of a child. This is typically done by comparing the child's alleles with those of the potential father. The allele frequencies provided can help assess whether the genetic contributions from F1 align with the child's observed alleles, thus supporting or refuting paternity claims.

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is a principle that describes the genetic variation in a population that remains constant from one generation to the next in the absence of evolutionary influences. It provides a baseline to compare actual allele frequencies against expected frequencies, helping to identify whether the population is in equilibrium or if factors like selection or genetic drift are at play, which can be relevant in assessing the genetic contributions of F1.