1. What is Allele Frequency?

Allele frequency refers to how common an allele is in a population. It is a measure of the relative frequency of an allele at a particular locus in a population, expressed as a fraction or percentage.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the allele frequency equation:

Where:

• \( AF \) — Allele frequency (dimensionless)
• \( C \) — Count of the specific allele in the population (dimensionless)
• \( N \) — Number of individuals in the population (dimensionless)

Explanation: The equation calculates the proportion of a particular allele in a population by dividing the count of the allele by twice the number of individuals (since each individual has two alleles at each autosomal locus).

3. Importance of Allele Frequency Calculation

Details: Allele frequencies are fundamental in population genetics, helping to understand genetic variation, evolutionary processes, and disease risk in populations.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the count of the specific allele and the number of individuals in the population. Both values must be valid (count ≥ 0, individuals > 0).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does an allele frequency of 0.5 mean?
A: An allele frequency of 0.5 means that 50% of all alleles at that locus in the population are the specific allele being measured.

Q2: Why multiply N by 2 in the denominator?
A: Each individual carries two alleles at each autosomal locus, so the total number of alleles in the population is 2N.

Q3: What's the range of possible allele frequencies?
A: Allele frequencies range from 0 (allele not present) to 1 (allele is the only variant at that locus in the population).

Q4: How is this different from genotype frequency?
A: Allele frequency counts individual alleles, while genotype frequency counts combinations of alleles in individuals.

Q5: When is the G5+ version used?
A: The G5+ version is typically used when analyzing data from large population studies with high-quality genotype data.