Table 1 Mutation rates for various eukaryotic species.

From: Critical Mutation Rate has an Exponential Dependence on Population Size for Eukaryotic-length Genomes with Crossover

Species

Genome size (Mbp)

Mutation rate

Base/genome

Unit

Source

Human

3080

\(1\times {10}^{-8}\)\(2.5\times {10}^{-8}\)

Per base

Per generation

49,56,57

Human

3080

\(1.75\times {10}^{2}\)

Per genome

Per generation

49

Human

3080

\(5\times {10}^{-11}\)\(6\times {10}^{-2}\)

Per base

Per cell division

46,57

Human

3080

\(1.6\times {10}^{-1}\)

Per genome

Per cell division

46

Human (Y chromosome)

58

\(3\times {10}^{-8}\)

Per base

Per generation

61

Human, chimpanzee

3080

3

Per genome

Per generation

50

\(D.\) melanogaster

120

\(4.65\times {10}^{-9}\)\(6.2\times {10}^{-8}\)

Per base

Per generation

47,48,51,57

\(D.\) melanogaster

120

\(9.9\times {10}^{-1}\)–1.2

Per genome

Per generation

47,50

\(Drosophila\) spp.

120

\(7\times {10}^{-2}\)

Per genome

Per generation

50

\(D.\) melanogaster

120

\(1.3\times {10}^{-10}\)\(3.4\times {10}^{-10}\)

Per base

Per cell division

46,57

Quail, chicken

1050

\(4.9\times {10}^{-1}\)

Per genome

Per generation

50

Sheep, cow

2870

\(9\times {10}^{-1}\)

Per genome

Per generation

50

Old World Monkey

 

1.9

Per genome

Per generation

50

Mouse, rat

2640

\(9.1\times {10}^{-1}\)

Per genome

Per generation

50

Mouse

2640

\(1.8\times {10}^{-10}\)

Per base

Per cell division

46

Mouse

2640

\(1.1\times {10}^{-8}\)

Per base

Per generation

46

\(S.\) cerevisiae

12.1

\(3.3\times {10}^{-10}\)

Per base

Per generation

57

\(S.\) cerevisiae

12.1

\(3.3\times {10}^{-10}\)

Per base

Per cell division

52

Average mammalian

 

\(2.2\times {10}^{-9}\)

Per base

Per genome/year

55

Mammalian upper bound

 

\(2.61\times {10}^{-9}\)

Per base

Per genome/year

55

\(C.\) elegans

100

\(8.4\times {10}^{-9}\)\(2.1\times {10}^{-8}\)

Per base

Per generation

47,53,58

\(C.\) elegans

100

2.9

Per genome

Per generation

52

\(A.\) thaliana

157

\(7.1\times {10}^{-9}\)

Per base

Per generation

54

\(A.\) thaliana

157

\(6.5\times {10}^{-9}\)

Per base

Per generation

58

  1. Mutation rate estimates were obtained by comparing pseudogenes (genes that do not code for proteins or are never expressed) in humans and chimpanzees49, combining the results of theoretical and empirical studies55, mutation accumulation and radiation experiments51, direct sequencing of the human Y chromosome61, computational analysis of genes from species of placental mammals55, whole-genome shotgun sequencing of mutation accumulation lines of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster 48,51 and the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans 53, examination of sequence variation in the human genome56, scanning the mitochondrial genome of D. melanogaster 47, study of the complete genome of five Arabidopsis thaliana lines54, and complete genome sequencing of the yeast Sacccharomyces cerevisiae 52. Other sources listed contain a range of estimates57,58.