Question

How big of an advantage does a variant of a gene have to give to start becoming more common in a population?

1. Greater than 0%

2. Greater than 5%

3. Double

Answer 1

The correct answer is 1. Greater than 0%. An allele to become common must have a frequency of at least 0.005%

Step-by-step explanation:

A polymorphic gene has more than two alleles. The more alleles there are in a population, the more polymorphic the gene is.

In a polymorphic gene, the allelic frequency of the most common allele must be minor of 99%, while the less common allele must have an allelic frequency superior to 0.005%. If any allele does not reach this frequency in the population, it is not considered to be common. In fact, it is considered to be a rare allele.