ADZE

ADZE implements a generalized rarefaction approach to estimate allelic richness and private allelic richness from individual multilocus genotype data of genetic polymorphisms while correcting for unequal sample sizes across populations.

Key Features:

• Rarefaction methodology: Implements a generalized rarefaction approach using equal-sized subsamples to mitigate biases from unequal sample sizes.
• Allelic richness estimation: Computes allelic richness and private allelic richness for individual populations and combinations of populations.
• Private allele analysis: Identifies alleles present in specific population groups but absent in others to quantify private alleles.
• Population combinations: Extends analyses to combinations of populations to assess shared and unique allelic diversity across groupings.
• Multilocus genotype support: Operates on individual multilocus genotype data from genetic polymorphisms (e.g., microsatellites).
• Sample size correction: Provides methodological correction for unequal sampling to enable fair comparisons of allelic distributions.

Scientific Applications:

• Population diversity studies: Analyzes allelic distributions to evaluate genetic diversity within and between populations in population genetics and evolutionary biology.
• Migration hypotheses testing: Identifies private alleles across population combinations to test migration and historical connection hypotheses, as illustrated by application to a worldwide human microsatellite dataset that revealed allelic privacy between African and Oceanian populations.
• Improving comparative analyses: Corrects for unequal sample sizes to enhance the reliability of comparative population genetic analyses.

Methodology:

ADZE applies a generalized rarefaction approach by evaluating alleles found in specific populations but absent in others using equal-sized subsamples to mitigate sample size bias.