Mathematical Constraints on F_ST: Biallelic Markers in Arbitrarily Many Populations.

ABSTRACT: [Formula: see text] is one of the most widely used statistics in population genetics. Recent mathematical studies have identified constraints that challenge interpretations of [Formula: see text] as a measure with potential to range from 0 for genetically similar populations to 1 for divergent populations. We generalize results obtained for population pairs to arbitrarily many populations, characterizing the mathematical relationship between [Formula: see text] the frequency M of the more frequent allele at a polymorphic biallelic marker, and the number of subpopulations K We show that for fixed K, [Formula: see text] has a peculiar constraint as a function of M, with a maximum of 1 only if [Formula: see text] for integers i with [Formula: see text] For f

SUBMITTER: Alcala N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5500152 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature