Insights into primate diversity: Lessons from the rhesus macaque
Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 21:00
in Biology & Nature
The rhesus macaque has three times as much genetic variation as humans. However despite much of this extra variation within genes, protein function is not affected. Consequently damaging variations are at similar levels in macaques and humans -- indicating a strong selection pressure to maintain gene function regardless of mutation rate or population size.