How to Calculate Mutation Rate
What is Mutation Rate?
Mutation rate is how frequently new mutations arise in a genome, per base pair per replication. Human germline rate: ~1.1×10⁻⁸ per bp per generation, giving ~33 new mutations per person.
Step-by-Step Guide
- 1μ = mutations observed / (N × generations)
- 2DNA replication fidelity: ~1 error per 10⁹ bp without repair
Worked Examples
Input
Human genome: 3×10⁹ bp · μ=1.1×10⁻⁸
Result
~33 new mutations per newborn
Average de novo mutation count
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