Recalibrating the Molecular Clock - New Approach for Calculating Mutation Rate

Most accurately approximating the human mutation rate is critical for estimating divergence time from the Panin lineage, and is necessary for understanding modern human genetic variation and the biology of genetic diseases.

A new publication in PLoS Genetics recalculates the human mutation rate by using the human recombination rate, thus avoiding reliance on an external calibration reference (eg fossil dates). They estimate a rate of 1.61 ± 0.13 × 10−8 mutations per base per generation (or 0.55 ± 0.05 × 10−9 per base per year, if generation time is 29 years) which suggests a Hominin-Panin population split time of 6.8 ± 0.6 Ma.