Heterogeneity in the rate and pattern of germline mutation at individual microsatellite loci.

ABSTRACT: There is a lack of information on how individual microsatellite loci differ with respect to their mutation properties. Such variation will have an important bearing on our understanding of the ubiquitous occurrence of simple repeat sequences in eukaryotic genomes and on deriving proper mutation models that can be incorporated into genetic distance estimates. We genotyped approximately 100 families of the bird barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) for two hypervariable (heterozygosity >95%) microsatellite markers: HrU6, an (AAAG)n tetranucleotide repeat, and HrU10, an (AAGAG)n pentanucleotide repeat. A total of 27 germline mutation events were documented, corresponding to mutation rates of 0.57% (HrU6) and 1.56% (HrU10). The mutation rate increased with allele size, at approximately 0.1% per repea

SUBMITTER: Brohede J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC113841 | biostudies-literature | 2002 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature