FREQUENCY OF PRIVATE ELECTROPHORETIC VARIANTS AND INDIRECT ESTIMATES OF MUTATION-RATE IN PAPUA-NEW-GUINEA

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 33  (1) , 112-122
Abstract
Data on rare and private electrophoretic [protein and enzyme] variants were used to estimate mutation rates for populations belonging to 55 language groups in Papua New Guinea. Three different methods yield values of 1.42 .times. 10-6, 1.40 .times. 10-6, and 5.58 .times. 10-6/locus per generation. The estimates for 3 island populations off the north coast of New Guinea.sbd.Manus, Karkar and Siassi.sbd.are much lower. The variability in mutation rates estimated from rare electrophoretic variants as a function of population size is discussed. The mean mutation rate in Papua New Guinea is less than half the estimates obtained for Australian Aborigines and Amerindians.