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To: gore3000
Also one has to understand that neutral mutations DO NOT SPREAD THROUGHOUT A POPULATION. A new neutral mutation only spreads at the same rate as the entire group. Therefore the percentage of the population is virtually nil (one originally and if the population is not increasing remains at one individual carrying the mutation).

Also one has to understand that neutral mutations DO NOT SPREAD THROUGHOUT A POPULATION.

False statement. If both your mother and father have a neutral mutation, you and your siblings will also have it.

A neutral mutation will spread at the same rate as the entire group. By definition, it has no influence upon the population in any way.

So far, we agree.

Therefore the percentage of the population is virtually nil.

Absolutely false, and a contradiction of your previous statement. If it is neutral, over time, it will spread into the population as a power of 2.

539 posted on 12/09/2002 6:59:51 PM PST by Hunble
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To: Hunble
Also one has to understand that neutral mutations DO NOT SPREAD THROUGHOUT A POPULATION. -me- False statement. If both your mother and father have a neutral mutation, you and your siblings will also have it.

False. With a new mutation no other person has it so only one parent can have the mutation and the chances are only 50% that the child will have it. In a stable population the two parents will have two children and only one will have the mutation. Therefore the mutation, being neutral will not spread throughout the population. It will remain at one individual in the entire grouping. Thus the chances of achieving a sequence of favorable mutations are nil.

545 posted on 12/09/2002 8:08:22 PM PST by gore3000
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