Mutation rates for mitochondrial genome

Range Orcinus orca 2.6×10^-3 (1.50–3.83×10^-3): mean for mammals 3.3×10^-2: other cetaceans 2.3×10^-3 substitutions/site/million years
Organism Mammals
Reference Morin PA. et al., Complete mitochondrial genome phylogeographic analysis of killer whales (Orcinus orca) indicates multiple species. Genome Res. 2010 Jul20(7):908-16. doi: 10.1101/gr.102954.109. p.909 right column 3rd paragraphPubMed ID20413674
Primary Source Nabholz B, Glemin S, Galtier N. 2008. Strong variations of mitochondrial mutation rate across mammals—the longevity hypothesis. Mol Biol Evol 25: 120–130PubMed ID17998254
Method Abstract: "Using killer whales as a case study, [investigators] have developed a method to readily sequence, assemble, and analyze complete mitochondrial genomes from large numbers of samples to more accurately assess phylogeography and estimate divergence times...[They] used high-throughput sequencing to survey whole mitochondrial genome variation of 139 samples from the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and southern oceans." Primary source abstract: "Using an extensive cytochrome b data set, fossil data, and taking advantage of the decoupled dynamics of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions, [investigators] measure the lineage-specific mitochondrial mutation rate across 1,696 mammalian species and compare it with the nuclear rate."
Comments P.909 right column 3rd paragraph: "Mutation rate estimates for the whole mitogenome were 2.6 × 10^−3 (1.50–3.83 × 10^−3) substitutions per site per million years for Orcinus. This rate is lower than the mean for mammals (3.3 × 10^−2), and similar to rates estimated for other cetaceans (2.3 × 10^−3, extrapolated from third positions only) (primary source)."
Entered by Uri M
ID 112708