| Course title | Population Genetics |
|---|---|
| Course code | KBB/PG |
| Organizational form of instruction | Lecture + Seminar |
| Level of course | Bachelor |
| Year of study | 3 |
| Semester | Winter |
| Number of ECTS credits | 4 |
| Language of instruction | Czech |
| Status of course | Compulsory, Compulsory-optional |
| Form of instruction | Face-to-face |
| Work placements | This is not an internship |
| Recommended optional programme components | None |
| Lecturer(s) |
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| Course content |
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Lectures History and key figures of population genetics; genetic variation in populations; study of polymorphic loci; measures of genetic variation - heterozygosity and polymorphism; estimation of total genetic variation in natural populations; methods for studying molecular variation; applications of genetic polymorphism. Models in population genetics; random mating; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and its applications; implications of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for rare recessive alleles; Snyder's ratios. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for loci with three or more alleles; Bruce's ratios; X-linked genes. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for two loci; linkage equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium; recombination equilibrium. Assortative mating; inbreeding; probabilistic representation of the inbreeding coefficient; consequences of inbreeding; inbreeding in humans; calculation of the inbreeding coefficient from pedigrees; inbreeding coefficient in complex pedigrees; regular systems of mating. Random genetic drift; consequences of genetic drift; population structure; fixation index ($F_{ST}$); effective population size ($N_e$); genetic divergence among subpopulations; founder effect; bottleneck effect; efficiency of genetic drift. Mutation; classification of mutations; neutral theory of molecular evolution; Weismann barrier. Migration (gene flow); one-way and two-way migration; breaking isolation and the Wahlund effect; migration and genetic divergence; estimating migration rates. Natural selection; fitness (adaptive value); selection in haploid and diploid organisms; selection and equilibrium; selection at single-locus two-allele systems; adaptive topography; mutation-selection balance; complex selection modes; interdemic selection and the shifting balance theory; kin selection. Genetics of sex; sexual reproduction; Muller's ratchet; mechanisms of sex determination and their specifics; sex ratios; skewed sex ratios; manipulation of host sex ratios by bacteria and other factors. Eugenics and its history; classification of eugenics; eugenic and dysgenic factors in humans; dysgenic events in Czech history; r- and K-selection strategies; genetic deterioration in modern humans; eugenic programs; ethical aspects of eugenics; future of eugenics. Seminar Calculations and estimations of allele and genotype frequencies; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium; Snyder's ratios; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for loci with three or more alleles; equilibrium genotype frequencies; Bruce's ratios; X-linked genes; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for two loci; forms of non-random mating; inbreeding coefficient; calculation of the inbreeding coefficient from pedigrees; effective population size; genetic drift; mutation; migration; Wahlund effect; natural selection; molecular population genetics.
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| Learning activities and teaching methods |
| Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Demonstration |
| Learning outcomes |
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Population variability, allele frequency equilibrium in different population types, and mechanisms disrupting this equilibrium (migration, mutation, selection, genetic drift, and inbreeding).
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: - Outline the history and development of population genetics, including key scientific figures. - Define and explain fundamental concepts, theoretical models, and core principles of population genetics. - Elucidate the mechanisms of evolutionary forces (mutation, migration, genetic drift, and natural selection) and their impact on population genetic structure. - Explain sex-linked genetics, random and non-random mating systems (including inbreeding), and their population genetics consequences. - Apply the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium principle (including multi-allelic, multi-locus, and X-linked traits) to calculate allele and genotype frequencies. - Quantify and mathematically model key population parameters (inbreeding coefficients from pedigrees, Snyder's ratios, Bruce's ratios, effective population size, the Wahlund effect, and allele frequency dynamics). - Critically evaluate the history, methods, and ethical implications of eugenics. |
| Prerequisites |
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unspecified
KBB/GENOM ----- or ----- KBB/OGPSB |
| Assessment methods and criteria |
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Oral exam, Student performance, Seminar Work
Attendance: 80% attendance in seminars Credit: Successfully solve at least two-thirds (66%) of the problems in the written credit test Exam: Oral exam based on lecture content |
| Recommended literature |
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| Study plans that include the course |
| Faculty | Study plan (Version) | Category of Branch/Specialization | Recommended semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Biology and Ecology (2020) | Category: Biology courses | 3 | Recommended year of study:3, Recommended semester: Winter |
| Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Molecular and Cell Biology (2021) | Category: Biology courses | 3 | Recommended year of study:3, Recommended semester: Winter |