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Help me understand this genetics problem please?
You are in charge of estimating the mutation rate in an emerging human virus. You are
given a very old sample collected in 1950 that contains DNA from that virus as well as a
DNA sample of the same virus collected fifty year later, in 2000. You have the complete
genome sequences for both samples. The genome size of this virus is 20,000 base pairs.
There are 10,000 replication events per year. You find 2,000 single base pair differences
between the samples collected in 1950 and 2000. Assume the entire genome is evolving
under neutral expectations.
a. What is mutation rate on a per-replication and per year basis in the virus (include
units)?
Your help would greatly be appreciated, thank you!! (This is NOT my homework - it is an exam review)
1 Answer
- the internetLv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
50 years
10000 replications per year
500000 replications in total
20000 base pairs.
2000 of them changed
2000 mutations / 500000 replications = 2 / 500 = 4 / 1000 = 0.4 % mutations/replication
2000 mutations / 50 years = 40 mutations per year.