Hardy-Weinberg Equation

Terms:
1. Alleles
- Is one of two or more versions of a gene.
- An individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent.
2. Genotype
- Is an individual's collection of genes.
- It is expressed when the information encoded in the genes' DNA.
- Ex: AA, Aa, aa
3. Homozygous
- Having two identical alleles
4. Heterozygous
- Having two different alleles

Hardy-Weinberg Law
● The law states that in an infinitely large, interbreeding population in which mating is
random and in which there is no selection, migration, or mutation, gene and genotype
frequencies will remain constant from generation to generation.
● In practice these conditions are rarely strictly present, but unless any departure is a
marked one, there is no statistically significant movement away from equilibrium.

Hardy-Weinberg Equation
● Is a mathematical equation that can be used to calculate the genetic variation of a
population at equilibrium.
● The equation is an expression of the principle known as Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium.
● If the p and q allele frequencies are known, then the frequencies of the three genotypes
may be calculated using the Hardy-Weinberg equation.

SAMPLE EQUATION
Consider a single pair of alleles, A and a, present in a diploid population with frequencies of p
and q respectively. Three genotypes are possible, AA, Aa, and aa, and these will be present
with frequencies of p2, 2pq, and q2 respectively.

p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1
P Is the frequency of the “A”

Q Is the frequency of the “a”

P2 Represents the frequency of the homozygous genotype AA.

Q2 Represents the frequency of the homozygous genotype aa.

2PQ Represents the frequency of the heterozygous genotype Aa.

In addition, the sum of the allele frequencies for all the alleles at the locus must be 1, so p + q
= 1.

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