1. What is Allele Frequency?

Allele frequency is the relative frequency of an allele (variant of a gene) at a particular locus in a population, expressed as a fraction or percentage. It shows how common an allele is in a population.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the allele frequency equation:

Where:

• \( count\_allele \) — Number of copies of the allele in the population (integer)
• \( individuals \) — Number of individuals in the population (integer)
• \( freq \) — Allele frequency (decimal between 0 and 1)

Explanation: The equation divides 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, used for studying genetic variation, evolution, 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 positive integers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does an allele frequency of 0.5 mean?
A: It means the allele accounts for 50% of all alleles at that gene locus in the population.

Q2: How is this different from genotype frequency?
A: Genotype frequency refers to the proportion of individuals with a specific genotype, while allele frequency refers to how common an allele is in the gene pool.

Q3: What's the range of possible allele frequencies?
A: Allele frequencies range from 0 (allele not present) to 1 (only this allele exists at that locus - fixation).

Q4: Why multiply individuals by 2?
A: Because each individual carries two alleles for each autosomal gene (one from each parent).

Q5: Can this be used for sex-linked genes?
A: For X-linked genes in males (who have only one X chromosome), the calculation would need adjustment.