Topic 1

aggregate of individuals of same species in same place and same time

• non-overlapping generations • diploid • sexual reproduction • panmictic pop’n (random mating) • pop’n is large (no drift) • migration is negligible • genetic mut’ns don’t occur • unaffected by natural sel’n

observable charateristic of an individual (arises due to interactions b/w genotype and enviro.)

diff phenotype but same genotype

a segment of DNA or product of DNA that can be assayed to determine levels of pop’n genetic variability (e.g. allozymes, microsatellites, nuclear gene sequence, mitochondiral DNA sequences, chloroplast DNA sequences)

locus at which individuals in a pop’n possess the same allele (no variation)

a locus at which two or more alleles are present in a pop’n

aka. isozymes: proteins (enzymes) with different motility in an electrical field (used for measuring genetic variation)

consists of repetitive short DNA sequences (e.g. AT repeats), they are non-coding and their function is uncertain. They are rapidly evolving, hence there is lots of variations (allowing to differentiate people)

• small (37 genes) • circular • maternal • haploid

when a single nucleotide in an individual differs from members of the population (most SNPs consists of only 2 nucleotides)

unique DNA sequence, may be one locus or multiple loci (combination of adjacent alleles inherited together)

pop’ns contain very little variation, and sel’n maintains a single best allele at any locus and heterozygotes are rare. Heterozygotes result for rare deleterious mut’ns that are quickly eliminated by nature (wrong)

individuals are heterozygous at many loci, and balancing selection maintains lots of genetic variability w/in pop’ns (balancing sel’n: e.g. heterozygote superiority)