Abstract
Degree of genetic similarity was estimated by electrophoretic comparison of 8–22 homologous proteins among several species of bacteria, slime molds, bony fishes, and bats. Genetic proximity generally varied directly with phylogenetic proximity, but even between closely related species more than half of the genetic loci were different. Although the times of divergence of the species studied are not known, it seems unlikely that this amount of genetic change could be effected entirely by selection. It also appears that many of the enzyme differences have little or no effect on activity. The results thus tend to support the position that a large part of evolutionary change is effected by random incorporation of selectively neutral mutations.
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Supported in part by NIH Grant GM 15597.
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Shaw, C.R. How many genes evolve?. Biochem Genet 4, 275–283 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00485778
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00485778