Evolutionary genetics: what is driving male mutation?
In mammals, most new mutations occur in males. But a study of the evolution of a human X to Y chromosomal translocation has revealed a sex bias much lower than previous estimates. Patterns of substitution suggest that differential methylation between male and female germ lines is a key determinant of the mutation rate.
McVean
G
G
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, UK. g.mcvean@ed.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D014960:X Chromosome; D014998:Y Chromosome