If the initial allele frequencies are p = 0.5 and q = 0.5 and allele a is a lethal recessive, what will be the frequencies after 1, 5, 10, 25, 100, and 1000 generations?
Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Genetics51m
- 2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
- 3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
- 4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
- 5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
- 6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
- 7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
- 8. DNA Replication1h 10m
- 9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
- 10. Transcription1h 0m
- 11. Translation58m
- 12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
- 13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
- 14. Genetic Control of Development44m
- 15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
- 16. Transposable Elements47m
- 17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
- 18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- 19. Cancer Genetics29m
- 20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
- 21. Population Genetics50m
- 22. Evolutionary Genetics29m
21. Population Genetics
Hardy Weinberg
Problem 17
Textbook Question
Genetic Analysis 20.1 predicts the number of individuals expected to have the blood group genotypes MM, MN, and NN. Perform a chi-square analysis using the number of people observed and expected in each blood-type category, and state whether the sample is in H-W equilibrium.

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Step 1: Begin by calculating the allele frequencies for the M and N alleles. Use the observed genotype counts to determine the frequency of each allele. For example, if the observed counts are given for MM, MN, and NN, calculate the frequency of M as (2 * MM count + MN count) / (2 * total individuals) and the frequency of N as 1 - frequency of M.
Step 2: Use the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium principle to calculate the expected genotype frequencies. The expected frequency of MM is p^2, the expected frequency of MN is 2pq, and the expected frequency of NN is q^2, where p is the frequency of the M allele and q is the frequency of the N allele.
Step 3: Multiply the expected genotype frequencies by the total number of individuals in the sample to calculate the expected counts for each genotype (MM, MN, NN). For example, expected count for MM = p^2 * total individuals.
Step 4: Perform the chi-square analysis using the formula χ² = Σ((observed - expected)^2 / expected), where the summation is over all genotype categories (MM, MN, NN). For each genotype, calculate the difference between the observed and expected counts, square it, divide by the expected count, and sum these values.
Step 5: Compare the calculated chi-square value to the critical value from the chi-square distribution table at the appropriate degrees of freedom (df = number of categories - 1) and significance level (commonly 0.05). If the chi-square value is less than the critical value, the sample is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium; otherwise, it is not.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Blood Group Genotypes
Blood group genotypes refer to the genetic variations that determine an individual's blood type, specifically the presence of alleles M and N. The genotypes MM, MN, and NN correspond to different combinations of these alleles, which are inherited from parents. Understanding these genotypes is crucial for predicting the distribution of blood types in a population.
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Chi-Square Analysis
Chi-square analysis is a statistical method used to compare observed data with expected data to determine if there is a significant difference between them. In genetics, it helps assess whether the distribution of genotypes in a sample fits the expected ratios under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The chi-square statistic is calculated using the formula: χ² = Σ((O - E)² / E), where O is the observed frequency and E is the expected frequency.
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Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
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. For a population to be in H-W equilibrium, certain conditions must be met, including no mutation, random mating, no gene flow, infinite population size, and no selection. Deviations from this equilibrium can indicate evolutionary changes or influences affecting the population.
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