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From: "Belinda Dettmann" <>
Subject: [DNA] Molecular clocks: when times are a-changin'
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 10:03:56 +1100
References: <042401c6fe97$5ce8b830$6401a8c0@Precision360>


Simon Y.W. Ho and Greger Larsen (2006), Trends in Genetics, Vol 22, p80.

Abstract: The molecular clock has proved to be extremely valuable in placing
timescales on evolutionary events that would otherwise be difficult to date.
However, debate has arisen about the considerable disparities between
molecular and palaeontological or archaeological dates, and about the
remarkably high mutation rates inferred in pedigree studies. We argue that
these debates can be largely resolved by reference to the 'time dependency
of molecular rates', a recent hypothesis positing that short-term mutation
rates and longterm substitution rates are related by a monotonic decline
from the former to the latter. Accordingly, the extrapolation of rates
across different timescales will result in invalid date estimates. We
examine the impact of this hypothesis with respect to various fields,
including human evolution, animal domestication and conservation genetics.
We conclude that many studies involving recent divergence events will need
to be reconsidered.



Text at

http://abc.zoo.ox.ac.uk/Papers/tig06_clocks.pdf



There's an article about Simon Ho in the Sydney University Alumni Journal,
at

http://www.usyd.edu.au/alumni/activities/magazine/winter06/timelord.shtml



Belinda




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