Bioinformatic databases can be used to compare the frequency of a particular allele across many populations
- Allele frequencies represent the prevalence of a particular allele in a population, as a proportion of all the alleles for that gene
- Consequently, allele frequencies are either represented as a percentage or as a value from 0 to 1.0
Changes in allele frequency can reflect either random processes (genetic drift) or differential processes (natural selection)
- Population bottlenecks and the founder effect will exacerbate genetic differences between geographically isolated populations
Allele frequencies between populations can be compared using the Allele Frequency Database (ALFRED)
How to Compare Allele Frequencies:
1. Go to the Allele Frequency Database (ALFRED)
2. Type a gene name into the search parameter
3. Choose a specific gene loci
4. Select a polymorphism
5. Choose a frequency display format