Heterozygosity

Abstract

Heterozygosity refers to the amount of diversity found at one or more genetic loci in a population. Heterozygosity is often measured by genotyping microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the genome. Population geneticists use the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) equation to compare observed and expected levels of heterozygosity. If heterozygosity is higher than expected, evolutionary forces such as natural selection may be contributing to the diversity in the study population.