Chapter 11, Problem 4P

A recent estimate of the rate of base substitutions at SNP loci is about 1 × 10−8 per nucleotide pair per gamete.

a.	Based on this estimate, about how many de novo mutations (that is, mutations not found in the genomes of your parents) are present in your own genome?
b.	Where and when did these de novo mutations in your genome most likely occur?
c.	It has been calculated that each sperm made in a 25-year-old man is the result on average of about 300 rounds of cell division, starting with the first mitotic division of the male zygote. In contrast, each mature oocyte found in a 5-month-old female human fetus is the result of about 25 rounds of division, starting with the first mitotic division of the female zygote. What bearing do these calculations have on the estimate of the rate of base substitutions in humans, and on your answer to part (b)?