Male-driven Molecular Evolution: A Model and Nucleotide Sequence Analysis

Mutation rates and functional constraints against mutational variations are known to be the major factors that determine the rate of molecular evolution (Wilson et al. 1977; Kimura 1983). Although much effort has been made to understand the evolutionary properties of genes and proteins on the basis of functional constraints (Wilson et al. 1977; Kimura 1983), little is known about the mutational factor. Knowing the source of mutations might be essential for a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying molecular evolution. Among several known mechanisms by which mutations are generated (Watson et al. 1987), DNA replication and repair are probably the major source of mutations that contribute to molecular evolution (Wilson et al. 1977; Britten 1986). Rapid rates of evolution of virus-coded genes (Palese and Young 1982; Hayashida et al. 1985) and mammalian mitochondrial genes (Brown et al. 1982; Miyata et al. 1982), as compared with those of cellular genes, may...