Work

Estimating the Per-Base-Pair Mutation Rate in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Year: 2008

Type: article

Abstract: Although mutation rates are a key determinant of the rate of evolution they are difficult to measure precisely and global mutations rates (mutations per genome per generation) are often extrapolated from the per-base-pair mutation rate assuming that mutation rate is uniform across the genome. Using budding yeast, we describe an improved method for the accurate calculation of mutation rates based on the fluctuation assay. Our analysis suggests that the per-base-pair mutation rates at two genes differ significantly (3.80x10(-10) at URA3 and 6.44x10(-10) at CAN1) and we propose a definition for the effective target size of genes (the probability that a mutation inactivates the gene) that acknowledges that the mutation rate is nonuniform across the genome.

Source: Genetics

DOI: 10.1534/genetics.107.071506

Authors: Gregory I Lang, Andrew W Murray

Institution: Harvard University

Language: English

Topic: Evolution and Genetic Dynamics

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: G2200325249, Biological Diversity: Generation, Control and Exploitation, Feedback Control of the Cell Cycle, FEEDBACK CONTROL OF THE CELL CYCLE