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ID 15980
Accumulating mutations
Description:
Mutations are the grist of evolution, and have accumulated in our DNA over time. When populations separate, each group accumulates their own unique set of DNA mutations.
Because mutations in a particular sequence of DNA occur at a constant rate, the number of accumulated mutations in that sequence is proportional to the length of time that two groups have been separated. This concept is often known as the "molecular clock."
Keywords:
dna mutations,molecular clock,constant rate,grist,length of time,populations,evolution
This work by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.Related content:
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