Summary
We develop a mathematical model for estimating evolutionary distance from restriction enzyme maps, which incorporates non-uniformity of the rate of base substitution into the theory and allows for an arbitrary G+C content at equilibrium. When the G+C content differs significantly from 1/2, the traditional model of base changes can introduce a systematic bias which depends upon the base composition of the restriction site. In addition, the accuracy of estimated evolutionary distance depends heavily upon the choice of restriction enzyme in that the expected number of sites is also affected. Monte Carlo experiments are conducted to check the validity of the present theoretical treatment and from which we draw several cautionary notes on estimation. An application is made to the available data on restriction enzyme maps of human mitochondrial DNA where the G+C content is approximately 1/3.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Avise JC, Giblin-Davidson C, Laerm J, Patton JC, Lansman RA (1979a) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76:6694–6698
Avise JC, Lansman RA, Shade RO (1979b) Genetics 92:279–295
Brown WM (1980) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:3605–3609
Brown WM, George MJr, Wilson AC (1979) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76:1967–1971
Gilham NW (1978) Organelle Heredity. New York, Raven Press
Gotoh O, Hayashi J-I, Yonekawa H, Tagashira Y (1979) J Mol Evol 14:301–310
Jukes TH, Cantor CR (1969) Mammalian protein metabolism, III. In: Munro HN (ed), Academic Press, New York, pp 21–132
Kaplan N, Langley CH (1979) J Mol Evol 13:295–304
Kimura M (1980) J Mol Evol 16:111–120
Kimura M (1981) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 78:454–458
Kimura M, Ohta T (1972) J Mol Evol 2:87–90
Kroon AM, Borst P, Van Bruggen EFJ, Ruttenberg GJCM (1966) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 56:1836–1843
Li W-H (1981) J Mol Evol 17:251–255
Nei M (1975) Molecular Population Genetics. North-Holland, Amsterdam, Oxford
Nei M, Li W-H (1979) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76:5269–5273
Nei M, Roychoudhury AK (1974) Am J Hum Genet 26:421–443
Nei M, Tajima F (1981) Genetics 97:145–163
Shah DM, Langley CH (1979) Nature 281:696–699
Takahata N, Kimura M (1981) Genetics (in press)
Upholt WB (1977) Nucleic Acid Res 4:1257–1265
Upholt WB, Dawid JB (1977) Cell 11:571–583
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution No. 1372 from the National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, 411 Japan
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Aoki, K., Tateno, Y. & Takahata, N. Estimating evolutionary distance from restriction maps of mitochondrial DNA with arbitrary G+C content. J Mol Evol 18, 1–8 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01733204
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01733204