1. What is Allele Frequency?

Allele frequency is a measure of the relative frequency of an allele at a particular locus in a population, expressed as a fraction or percentage. It's fundamental in population genetics and evolutionary biology.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the allele frequency equation:

Where:

• \( AF \) — Allele frequency (dimensionless)
• \( C \) — Count of specific allele in population
• \( T \) — Total number of alleles in population

Explanation: The equation calculates the proportion of a specific allele among all alleles at that locus in the population.

3. Importance of Allele Frequency Calculation

Details: Allele frequencies are crucial for understanding genetic variation, studying evolutionary processes, assessing disease risk in populations, and conservation genetics.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the count of the specific allele and the total number of alleles (which is typically 2 × number of individuals for diploid organisms). Both values must be positive integers with count ≤ total.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the range of possible allele frequencies?
A: Allele frequency ranges from 0 (allele absent from population) to 1 (allele fixed in population).

Q2: How is this different from genotype frequency?
A: Allele frequency counts individual alleles, while genotype frequency counts combinations of alleles in individuals.

Q3: What's the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?
A: A principle stating that allele frequencies remain constant from generation to generation in the absence of evolutionary influences.

Q4: When would allele frequency change?
A: Due to natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, mutation, or non-random mating.

Q5: How large should my sample be?
A: Larger samples give more accurate estimates, especially for rare alleles. At least 30 individuals (60 alleles) is recommended.