Molecular Evolution Activities
 

This is a comprehensive bibliography (under construction) of primary and secondary sources on the neutral theory of molecular evolution. It currently covers the period 1973-2001.

Author :

Huai, H.;Woodruff, R. C.

Year :

1997

Title :

Clusters of identical new mutations can account for the "overdispersed" molecular clock

Journal :

Genetics

Volume :

147

Issue :

1

Pages :

339-48

Short Title :

Clusters of identical new mutations can account for the "overdispersed" molecular clock

Custom 3 :

97432813

Abstract :

Germ-cell mutations may occur during meiosis, giving rise to independent mutant gametes in a Poisson process, or before meiosis, giving rise to multiple copies of identical mutant gametes at a much higher probability than the Poisson expectation. We report that the occurrence of these early premeiotic clusters of new identical mutant alleles increases the variance-to-mean ratio of mutation rate (R(u) > 1). This leads to an expected variance-to-mean ratio (R(t)) of the molecular clock that is always greater than one and may cover the observed range of R(t) values. Hence, the molecular clock may not be over-dispersed based on this new mutational model that includes clusters. To get a better estimation of R(u) and R(t), one needs measurements of the intrageneration variation of reproductive success (Nt/Ne(i)), population dynamics (ki), and the proportion of new mutations that occur in clusters (rc), especially those formed before germ-cell differentiation.
 -- contributed by John Beatty, March 29, 2002