Population genetic load

there are alleles in the population that can harm their carriers
the effect of these harmful alleles is manifested in the reduction of the relative reproductive capacity of their carriers and from a population point of view represents the genetic burden of the population
genetic load = difference of average relative fertility from relative maximum fertility:

$L={\frac {w_{max}-w_{prum}}{w_{max}}}$

can be maintained in the population by a balance between mutations and selection = the so called mutation load
if the load is maintained by the preference of homozygotes = the so-called segregation load
population burden is a linear function of the inbreeding coefficient:

$L=a+b\cdot F$

← a = load size of non-inbred population (F = 0)

← b = size of the burden of the inbred population

in the genome of an individual, it is expressed using lethal equivalents = the number of alleles that kill their carrier in the homozygous constitution
- the number of lethal equivalents is methodically determined on the basis of a comparison of the mortality of children from consanguineous
- from studies: for humans: 4 lethal equivalents per individual genome
deleterious equivalents = various genetic diseases that damage their carriers, but do not show significant changes in fertility
- it is estimated that there are about 3 − 8 damaging equivalents per individual genome

Links[edit | edit source]

ŠTEFÁNEK, Jiří. Medicína, nemoci, studium na 1. LF UK [online]. [cit. 11. 2. 2010]. <https://www.stefajir.cz/>.

PANCZAK, Aleš, et al. Lékařská biologie a genetika (III. díl). 1. edition. Praha : Karolinum, 2013. 146 pp. ISBN 9788024624150.