What is a gene pool?

What is a gene pool?

• A. Sum of all the alleles in a population.
• B. The set of genes in a single individual.
• C. The genetic makeup of an entire species.
• D. The number of mutations in a generation.

Answer: (A)

The gene pool is the total collection of alleles in a population, across all gene loci and all individuals. It represents the genetic variation available in that population and is described by allele frequencies—the proportions of each allele in the pool. For a gene with two variants, A and a, you tally every copy of the gene in every individual; the numbers of A and a copies make up the gene pool, and their frequencies add to one. This pool can change over time as new alleles arise by mutation, are introduced by migration, shift or fluctuate due to genetic drift, or are favored or disfavored by natural selection. The other options describe different ideas: the set of genes in one individual is that person’s genome; the genetic makeup of an entire species is broader than a single population; and the number of mutations in a generation is the mutation rate, not the current gene pool.

The gene pool is the total collection of alleles in a population, across all gene loci and all individuals. It represents the genetic variation available in that population and is described by allele frequencies—the proportions of each allele in the pool. For a gene with two variants, A and a, you tally every copy of the gene in every individual; the numbers of A and a copies make up the gene pool, and their frequencies add to one. This pool can change over time as new alleles arise by mutation, are introduced by migration, shift or fluctuate due to genetic drift, or are favored or disfavored by natural selection. The other options describe different ideas: the set of genes in one individual is that person’s genome; the genetic makeup of an entire species is broader than a single population; and the number of mutations in a generation is the mutation rate, not the current gene pool.