Problem II In a small population of birds the following geno

Problem II. In a small population of birds, the following genotype counts are observed for the microsatellite locus M. (Allele names refer to the number of repeats in the microsatellite region. Note that there is no dominant or recessive allele, so just assign p as the frequency of one and q as the frequency of the other): #individuals genotypes 100 M13 M13 180 M13 M17 220 M17 M17 Is this population in HWE?

Solution

Total number of birds = 100 + 180 + 220 = 500

Number of M₁₃M₁₃ birds = 100

Number of M₁₃M₁₇ birds = 180

Number of M₁₇M₁₇ birds = 220

According to HWE = p² + 2pq + q² = 1

genotype frequency of M₁₃M₁₃ (p² ) birds = 100/500 = 0.2

genotype frequency of M₁₇M₁₇ (q² ) birds = 220/500 = 0.44

p² + 2pq + q² = 1

(0.2) + 2 (0.2) (0.44) + (0.44) = 0.816

The given bird population have genotype frequencies that do not exist in Hardy - Weinberg equilibrium.