A paternal bias in germline mutation is widespread in amniotes and can arise independently of cell division numbers.

ABSTRACT: In humans and other mammals, germline mutations are more likely to arise in fathers than in mothers. Although this sex bias has long been attributed to DNA replication errors in spermatogenesis, recent evidence from humans points to the importance of mutagenic processes that do not depend on cell division, calling into question our understanding of this basic phenomenon. Here, we infer the ratio of paternal-to-maternal mutations, α, in 42 species of amniotes, from putatively neutral substitution rates of sex chromosomes and autosomes. Despite marked differences in gametogenesis, physiologies and environments across species, fathers consistently contribute more mutations than mothers in all the species examined, including mammals, birds, and reptiles. In mammals, α is as high

SUBMITTER: de Manuel M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9439683 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature