Hardy–Weinberg principle

The Hardy–Weinberg principle states that allele and genotype frequencies remain constant across generations in an ideal population without evolutionary forces. It predicts genotype frequencies from allele frequencies under random mating.

Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium: A population state in which allele and genotype frequencies match Hardy–Weinberg expectations across generations. This names the equilibrium state predicted by the principle.
Gene: A DNA sequence that contributes to a functional product or helps regulate its production. The principle tracks variants at a gene locus.
Genetic screening: Testing populations or individuals for genetic variants associated with disease or other traits. Expected genotype proportions can help estimate how common recessive disease genotypes are.
Inbreeding: Mating between individuals more closely related than randomly chosen members of a population. It increases homozygosity beyond the proportions expected under random mating.
Allele frequency: The proportion of copies of a gene in a population that carry a particular allele. The principle uses allele frequencies to predict genotype proportions.
Allele: One of the alternative forms of a genetic sequence at a particular locus. Alleles are the variants whose population proportions the principle describes.
Carrier frequency: The proportion of individuals carrying one copy of a particular recessive disease allele. Under equilibrium assumptions, allele frequency predicts the expected carrier proportion.
Assortative mating: Nonrandom mating in which individuals preferentially mate with similar or dissimilar phenotypes. It alters genotype proportions because mating partners are not paired randomly.
Genotype frequency: The proportion of individuals in a population with a particular genotype. These are the proportions calculated from allele frequencies using the principle.
Genotype: The genetic constitution of an organism at one or more loci. The principle predicts how allele combinations divide individuals into genotypes.

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