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

Related articles

 * Coefficient of relatedness
 * Coefficient of inbreeding