In-Class

Population Genetics / Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Worksheet

PART 1: Introduction to population genetics

1. Using visual observation of phenotypes to identify allele frequency rarely works because:
A) most alleles are recessive and will not produce a visible phenotype.
B) phenotype is not due to the alleles.
C) multiple genes may control the phenotype.
D) visual phenotypes are rare.
E) phenotype is not an indication of genotype.

2. As a population geneticist, you find a species of snails with more genetic diversity than humans.
What does this mean?
A) The snails have more genes on their chromosomes than humans.
B) There is more variety in gene pool of snails than humans.
C) The snails have more DNA than humans.
D) The snails have more mutations occurring than humans.
E) There is not enough information to answer the question.

3. Explain how RECOMBINATION can create new alleles?

In-Class Population Genetics / Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Worksheet

PART 2: Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

4. Fruit flies either have red eyes or sepia colored eyes. The sepia eye trait (b) is recessive to
the red eyes (B). In your parent population the allele frequency for b is 0.3. If the population
is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, what is the frequency of the genotype BB?



q = 0.30
p + q = 1
p +0.3 = 1
p = 0.7


Frequency of BB = p2 = .72 = 0.49





5. The compound phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) tastes very bitter to most people. The inability to
taste PTC is controlled by a recessive allele. In the American population about 70% can taste PTC
while 30% cannot (are non-tasters). Assuming Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, estimate the
frequency of the heterozygote genotype.


Frequency of aa = .30 = q2
q = sqrt (.30)
q = 0.548

p+q=1
p+0.548=1
p=0.452

Frequency of Aa = 2*p*q= 2*.548*.452 = 0.495

In-Class Population Genetics / Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Worksheet

6. You are studying two populations of pea plants. Population 1 has the following genotype
frequencies AA: 0.45, Aa 0.20, aa: 0.35. Population 2 has the following genotype frequencies AA:
0.3025, Aa:0.4950, aa:0.2025. Which population is in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium?


First calculate the allele frequencies
Population 1:
p = .45 + (.5*.2) = .55
q = .35 + (.5*.2) = .45

Now that you know the allele frequencies calculate the expected genotype frequencies:
AA = p2= (.55)2 = .3025
Aa = 2pq = 2*.45*.55 = .495
aa = q2 = (.45)2 = .2025

Population 2:
p= .3025 + (.5*.495) = .55
q= .2025 + (.5*.495) = .45

Now that you know the allele frequencies calculate the expected genotype frequencies:
AA = p2= (.55)2 = .3025
Aa = 2pq = 2*.45*.55 = .495
aa = q2 = (.45)2 = .2025

SINCE population 2s expected genotype frequencies match the real genotype frequencies we
know that IT is the population that is in H-W equilibrium


7. When we find a population whose genotype frequencies are not in HardyWeinberg
equilibrium, what can and cant we conclude about that population?

We know that the population is evolving. However, we dont know what is going on. All we
know is that AT LEAST one of the requirements for Hardy-Weinberg has been violated. In
other words, EITHER natural selection, sexual selection, gene flow, genetic drift or mutation is
occurring.

In-Class Population Genetics / Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Worksheet

CHALLENGE QUESTIONS:
8. If the frequency of the "green" form of red-green color blindness (due to an X-linked
locus) is 5 percent among males, what fraction of females would be affected? Assuming H-
W equilibrium what fraction of females would be heterozygous?

The frequency of the phenotype among males is 0.05. Recall that males are haploid for the X
chromosome. Therefore the rate at which they carry an X-linked allele is equal to the
frequency of the allele in the population, which therefore is also 0.05. The probability that a
female will carry one copy of this realtively rare allele is actually a little less than twice the
allelic frequncy, or a little less than 0.10. Particularly, nearly twice the male probability
because the female has two chances of carrying the allele, i.e., one chance for each X
chromosome she carries, but, since the allele is relatively rare, a relatively low chance of
picking up both alleles (the latter chance is part of the reason this value is a little less than
twice the male rate, i.e., the odds of picking up one allele is some value less the odds of
picking up two alleles). In fact, the more precise calculation of the frequency of the
heterozygote in this case is simply 2pq or 2 * 0.05 * (1 - 0.05) which equals 0.095. The
probability of female affliction is equal to the frequency of the homozygous recessive, q2 or
0.052 = 0.0025. Note, for the sake of checking these answers, that the rate at which females
are neither afflicted nor carriers is p2 or (1 - 0.05)2 = 0.9025. These values should all add up
to one and they do: 0.095 + 0.0025 + 0.9025 = 1.000.




9. Imagine an autosomal locus with four alleles, A1, A2, A3, and A4, at frequencies .1, .2, .3, and .4,
respectively. Calculate the expected random mating frequencies of all possible genotypes

Answering this question is conceptionally easy, but a lot of work in practice. First figure out the possible
genotypes, then multiply out the allele frequencies for each allele of a given genotype, then check
yourself by making sure that frequences add up to 1.0 (did you remember to multiply the frequency of
all of the heterozygotes by 2, i.e., as in 2pq?). Thus:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

A1A1, 0.1 * 0.1 = 0.01

A1A2, 0.1 * 0.2 * 2 = 0.04
A1A3, 0.1 * 0.3 * 2 = 0.06
A1A4, 0.1 * 0.4 * 2= 0.08
A2A2, 0.2 * 0.2 = 0.04
A2A3, 0.2 * 0.3 * 2 = 0.12
A2A4, 0.2 * 0.4 * 2 = 0.16
A3A3, 0.3 * 0.3 = 0.09
A3A4, 0.3 * 0.4 * 2 = 0.24
A4A4, 0.4 * 0.4 = 0.16