Use of Cumulative Poisson Probability Distribution as an Estimator of the Recombination Rate in an Expanding Population: Example of the Macaca fascicularis Major Histocompatibility Complex.

ABSTRACT: We describe a method to estimate the rate of recombination per generation from the genotypes of a large individual sample of an expanding population, for which the founding event is dated. The approach is illustrated with an application to estimating the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) recombination rate in the Mauritian macaque population. We genotyped 750 macaques by means of 17 microsatellites across the MHC region and reconstructed the seven most frequent haplotypes assumed to represent the founding haplotypes (H(rec(0))) as well as the 31% recombinant haplotypes (H(rec(h))) resulting from a variable number "h" of recombinations between the founding haplotypes. The relative frequencies of the various classes of haplotypes (H(rec(0)) and H(rec(h))) follow a Poisson distribution.

SUBMITTER: Blancher A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3276188 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature