| On an unbiased and consistent estimator for mutation rates. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 22326895 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Spontaneous mutations are stochastic events. The mutation rate, defined as mutations per genome per replication, is generally very low, and it is widely accepted that spontaneous mutations occur at defined, but different, rates in bacteriophage and in bacterial, insect, and mammalian cells. The calculation of mutation rates has proved to be a significant problem. Mutation rates can be calculated by following mutant accumulation during growth or from the distribution of mutants obtained in parallel cultures. As Luria and Delbrück described in 1943, the number of mutants in a parallel populations of bacterial cells varies widely depending on when a spontaneous mutation occurs during growth of the culture. Since 1943, many mathematical refinements to estimating rates, called estimators, have been described to facilitate determination of the mutation rate from the distribution or frequency of mutants detected following growth of parallel cultures. We present a rigorous mathematical solution to the mutation rate problem using an unbiased and consistent estimator. Using this estimator we demonstrate experimentally that mutation rates can be easily calculated by determining mutant accumulation, that is, from the number of mutants measured in two successive generations. Moreover, to verify the consistency of our estimator we conduct a series of simulation trials that show a surprisingly rapid convergence to the targeted mutation rate (reached between 25th and 30th generations). |
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Authors:
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Brittany A Niccum; Roby Poteau; Glen E Hamman; Jan C Varada; Jewgeni H Dshalalow; Richard R Sinden |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2012-2-8 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Journal of theoretical biology Volume: - ISSN: 1095-8541 ISO Abbreviation: - Publication Date: 2012 Feb |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2012-2-13 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0376342 Medline TA: J Theor Biol Country: - |
Other Details:
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Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: - |
Copyright Information:
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Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
Affiliation:
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Department of Mathematical Sciences, College of Science, Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL 32901-6975, United States. |
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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