Abstract
Mutation rate variation is often explained by varying optimal rates, or through effective population sizes determining the effectiveness of selection. But a rate difference between humans and owl monkeys isnow explained mechanistically as a consequence of differing reproductive longevities.
Highlights
Mutation rate variation is often explained by varying optimal rates, or through effective population sizes determining the effectiveness of selection
In a recently changed environment, ms will be larger, not because the overall mutation rate has increased, but because, in a population poorly adapted to a changed environment, the proportion of mutations that are selectively advantageous will be enhanced
An alternative view of mutation rate is that, in typical environments, the supply of mutations does not limit adaptive evolution, and selection is typically for anti-mutator alleles [10], as a result of such anti-mutator alleles being genomically associated with fewer new harmful alleles
Summary
Mutation rate variation is often explained by varying optimal rates, or through effective population sizes determining the effectiveness of selection. A new paper from Thomas et al [1] in this issue of Current Biology suggests that an observed difference in mutation rates between humans and a species of owl monkey (Aotus nancymaae), with the monkey’s rate being just 68% of human’s, is, explained on mechanistic grounds as a function of the reproductive longevity of this species.
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