Male-driven evolution of DNA sequences (original) (raw)

Nature volume 362, pages 745–747 (1993)Cite this article

Abstract

IT is commonly believed1,2 that the mutation rate is much higher in the human male germ line than in the female germ line because the number of germ-cell divisions per generation is much larger in males than in females. But direct estimation of mutation rates is difficult, relying mainly on sex-linked genetic diseases3, so the ratio (αm) of male to female mutation rates is not clear. It has been noted4 that if αm is very large, then the rate of synonymous substitution in X-linked genes should be only 2/3 of that in autosomal genes, and comparison of human and rodent genes supported this prediction4. As the number of X-linked genes used in the study was small and the X-linked and autosomal sequences were non-homologous, and given that the synonymous rate varies among genes5, we sequenced the last intron (~1 kb) of the Y-linked and X-linked zinc-finger-protein genes (ZFY and ZFX) in humans, orang-utans, baboons and squirrel monkeys. The ratio Y/X of the substitution rate in the Y-linked intron to that in the X-linked intron is ~2.3, which is close to that estimated from synonymous rates in the ZFY and ZFX genes6–8 and implies αm≈6. This estimate of αm supports the view that the evolution of DNA sequences in higher primates is male-driven. It is, however, much lower than the previous estimate4 and therefore raises a number of issues.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Haldane, J. B. S. Ann. Eugen. 13, 262–271 (1947).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  2. Penrose, L. S. Lancet II, 312 (1955).
    Article Google Scholar
  3. Vogel, F. & Motulsky, A. G. Human Genetics (Springer, Berlin and Heidelberg, Germany, 1986).
    Book Google Scholar
  4. Miyata, T., Hayashida, H., Kuma, K., Mitsuyasa, K. & Yasunaga, T. Cold Spring Harbor Symp. quant. Biol. 52, 863–867 (1987).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  5. Li, W.-H. & Graur, D. Fundamentals of Molecular Evolution (Sinauer, Sunderland, MA, 1991).
    Google Scholar
  6. Lanfear, J. & Holland, P. W. H. J. molec. Evol. 32, 310–315 (1991).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  7. Hayashida, H., Kuma, K. & Miyata, T. J. molec. Evol. 35, 181–183 (1992).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  8. Pamilo, P. & Bianchi, N. O. Molec. Biol. Evol. (in the press).
  9. Bulmer, M. Molec. Biol. Evol. 3, 322–329 (1986).
    CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  10. Winter, R. M., Tuddenham, E. G. D., Goldman, E. & Matthews, K. B. Hum. Genet. 64, 156–159 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  11. Kohne, D. E. Q. Rev. Biophys. 33, 1–48 (1970).
    ADS Google Scholar
  12. Tajima, F. & Nei, M. Molec. Biol. Evol. 1, 269–285 (1984).
    CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  13. Schneider-Gadicke, A. et al. Nature 342, 708–711 (1989).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  14. Hattori, M. & Sakaki, Y. Analyt. Biochem. 152, 232–238 (1986).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  15. Sanger, F., Nicklen, S. & Coulsen, A. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 5463–5467 (1977).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  16. Mizusawa, S., Nishimura, S. & Seela, F. Nucleic Acids Res. 14, 1319–1324 (1986).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  17. Kusukawa, N., Uemori, T., Asada, K. & Kato, I. BioTechniques 9, 66–72 (1990).
    CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  18. Higgins, D. G. & Sharp, P. M. Computer Appl. Biosci. 5, 151–153 (1989).
    CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Wen-Hsiung Li: To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Demographic and Population Genetics, University of Texas, PO Box 20334, Houston, Texas, 77225, USA
    Lawrence C. Shimmin, Benny Hung-Junn Chang & Wen-Hsiung Li

Authors

  1. Lawrence C. Shimmin
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Benny Hung-Junn Chang
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. Wen-Hsiung Li
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shimmin, L., Chang, BJ. & Li, WH. Male-driven evolution of DNA sequences.Nature 362, 745–747 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/362745a0

Download citation