I often hear that a given primate species (say, chimpanzees) are 98% or =
99% identical to human wrt the genome.
Is this literally true? What, exactly, is the claim being made here? =
How do they know without sequencing the whole thing? By "identical" do =
they just mean "similar" or compatible or something more vague like =
that, or do they mean base-pair-for-base-pair identical?
And how identical are two randomly selected humans? (I've heard =
informally over 99.6%) or two siblings?
If you know a better question that I would be asking if I knew more =
about it, feel free to answer that one instead or (preferably) in =
addition.
Thanks, Steve.
--John
P. S. Denis, if you're still out there, I'd imagine you could answer =
this rather handily as well! :^>
----------
From: Steve Clark[SMTP:ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 1996 10:30 PM
To: evolution@Calvin.EDU
Subject: RE: rapid evolution
>
>>Just to clarify, Glenn, by "5 mutations" you're meaning 5 different
>> -genes-, and not 5 different base pairs or codons, right?
>>
>>The news is fascinating and relevant, but I just wanted to make sure
>> novice folks (like me! :^> ) know it's not like 5 lucky gamma ray =
hits
>> are going to do this. Right?
>>
>>Was there any report on how different the genes were, base-pair-wise?
>>
>
>You are correct. It is to 5 different genes=20
This seems rather simplistic since simple polymorphisms between =
individuals=20
of the same species probably would involve changes in more than 5 genes. =
=20
Besides, I do not understand how such a number could be obtained without =
sequencing the entire genomes of both species. Believe it or not, there =
are=20
still a few genes out there waiting to be discovered.
Cheers,
Steve
_________________________________________________________________________=
_
Steven S. Clark, Ph.D. Phone: (608) 263-9137
Associate Professor FAX: (608) 263-4226
Dept. of Human Oncology and email: =
ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu
UW Comprehensive Cancer Ctr
University of Wisconsin =20
Madison, WI 53792
"...a university is a collection of disparate academic entrepreneurs =
united
only by a common grievance over parking." Clark Kerr, former =
Chancellor
of the Univ. of California
_________________________________________________________________________=
_