Genetic drift
Genetic drift
Genetic drift (pronunciation: /dʒɪˈnɛtɪk drɪft/) is a mechanism of evolution that causes changes in the allele frequencies in a population over time. This process can lead to significant changes in the genetic makeup of a population, especially in small populations.
Etymology
The term "genetic drift" was first used in the early 20th century. The word "genetic" comes from the Greek word "genetikos", meaning "genitive" and "drift" comes from the Old English "drifan", meaning "to move slowly".
Definition
Genetic drift is a random process that can lead to large changes in populations over time. It is caused by random sampling errors in the propagation of alleles from one generation to the next. This can lead to some alleles becoming more common while others become less common or even disappear entirely.
Related Terms
- Allele: A variant form of a given gene, differing from other alleles by one or a few bases only and occupying the same gene locus as other alleles of the gene.
- Evolution: The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth.
- Population: A group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area.
- Gene: A unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Genetic drift
- Wikipedia's article - Genetic drift
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