Question

What does gene frequency mean?

Answer 1

Gene frequency (or allele frequency) in a population is the relative frequency of alleles at the particular locus (a position on a chromosome where a certain gene is located).

1. It is expressed in the form of a fraction, or a percentage.
2. It is used to measure genetic variations from one generation to the next generation. Gene frequency changes in different generations simply by chance.
3. Gene frequency in a population is dependent on four factors: migration, natural selection, mutation, and random genetic drift.
4. Allele frequency adds up to 100%. This is because if only two alleles are present in a population, their frequencies will add up to 1 (provided no mutation has taken place).