Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

What is Population Genetics?01:25

What is Population Genetics?

A population is composed of members of the same species that simultaneously live and interact in the same area. When individuals in a population breed, they pass down their genes to their offspring. Many of these genes are polymorphic, meaning that they occur in multiple variants. Such variations of a gene are referred to as alleles. The collective set of all the alleles within a population is known as the gene pool.
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Genetics of Speciation02:16

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
Incomplete Dominance01:43

Incomplete Dominance

Gregor Mendel's work (1822 - 1884) was primarily focused on pea plants. Through his initial experiments, he determined that every gene in a diploid cell has two variants called alleles inherited from each parent. He suggested that amongst these two alleles, one allele is dominant in character and the other recessive. The combination of alleles determines the phenotype of a gene in an organism.
Conservation of Small Populations02:04

Conservation of Small Populations

Small population sizes put a species at extreme risk of extinction due to a lack of variation, and a consequent decrease in adaptability. This weakens the chances of survival under pressures such as climate change, competition from other species, or new diseases. Large populations are more likely to survive pressures such as these, as such populations are more likely to harbor individuals that have genetic variants that are adaptive under new stresses. Small populations are much less likely to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Census and genetic analysis of the United States marmoset population.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Long-read structural variant discovery and targeted short read genotyping enables population scale characterization of structural variation in rhesus macaques.

Genome biology·2025
Same author

Inbreeding and deleterious variation in South Asian populations.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Analysis of whole-exome data of nonobese NAFLD patients from India reveals association with new markers on functionally relevant genes and pathways.

Journal of genetics·2025
Same author

Polygenic risk score portability for common diseases across genetically diverse populations.

Human genomics·2024
Same author

Genetic regulatory effects in response to a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet in baboons.

Cell genomics·2024
Same journal

Genomic Imprinting: Common Threads Uniting Diverse Biological Systems.

Annual review of genetics·2026
Same journal

Properties and Prospects of B Chromosomes.

Annual review of genetics·2026
Same journal

Lessons From Yeast: Mechanisms of Telomere Length Regulation.

Annual review of genetics·2026
Same journal

Mechanisms and Evolutionary Advantages of Unlimited Reproductive Lifespans in Naked Mole-Rat Queens.

Annual review of genetics·2026
Same journal

Impact of Small RNA Sponges on Regulatory RNA Networks in Bacteria.

Annual review of genetics·2025
Same journal

Context Specificity of MAP3K DLK Signaling in the Nervous System: Insights from Genetics and Genomics.

Annual review of genetics·2025
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
06:18

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains

Published on: November 30, 2021

Paleopopulation genetics.

Jeffrey D Wall1, Montgomery Slatkin

  • 1Institute for Human Genetics and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California 94134, USA. wallj@humgen.ucsf.edu

Annual Review of Genetics
|September 22, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Paleopopulation genetics uses ancient DNA to study extinct populations and their evolutionary history. Advances in DNA sequencing allow for detailed analysis of past genetic variation and population dynamics.

More Related Videos

Reconstructing Terrestrial Paleoclimate and Paleoecology with Fossil Leaves Using Digital Leaf Physiognomy and Leaf Mass Per Area
10:14

Reconstructing Terrestrial Paleoclimate and Paleoecology with Fossil Leaves Using Digital Leaf Physiognomy and Leaf Mass Per Area

Published on: October 25, 2024

Primer Extension Capture: Targeted Sequence Retrieval from Heavily Degraded DNA Sources
15:28

Primer Extension Capture: Targeted Sequence Retrieval from Heavily Degraded DNA Sources

Published on: September 3, 2009

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 18, 2026

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
06:18

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains

Published on: November 30, 2021

Reconstructing Terrestrial Paleoclimate and Paleoecology with Fossil Leaves Using Digital Leaf Physiognomy and Leaf Mass Per Area
10:14

Reconstructing Terrestrial Paleoclimate and Paleoecology with Fossil Leaves Using Digital Leaf Physiognomy and Leaf Mass Per Area

Published on: October 25, 2024

Primer Extension Capture: Targeted Sequence Retrieval from Heavily Degraded DNA Sources
15:28

Primer Extension Capture: Targeted Sequence Retrieval from Heavily Degraded DNA Sources

Published on: September 3, 2009

Area of Science:

  • Paleopopulation genetics
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Ancient DNA analysis

Background:

  • Paleopopulation genetics is an emerging field examining the genetic makeup of extinct and ancestral populations.
  • Recent advancements in DNA sequencing technologies enable direct genetic analysis from fossilized remains.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent developments in paleopopulation genetics.
  • To discuss the prospects and future directions of the field.
  • To highlight the ability to resolve past population structure, size changes, and evolutionary relationships.

Main Methods:

  • Directly assaying genetic variation from fossil DNA.
  • Utilizing advanced DNA sequencing technologies.
  • Applying population genetics principles to ancient samples.

Main Results:

  • Unprecedented ability to analyze genetic variation in extinct groups.
  • Enhanced resolution for studying past population structure and dynamics compared to traditional methods.
  • Insights into evolutionary relationships between ancient and extant taxa.

Conclusions:

  • Paleopopulation genetics offers powerful new tools for understanding evolutionary history.
  • The field is rapidly advancing due to technological innovations.
  • Future research will continue to refine our understanding of past life.