Our own 60 mutations

New estimates of human mutation suggest that each of us harbor approximately 60 novel genetic mutations.

Written byJef Akst

| 1 min read

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FLICKR, GRAHAM RICHARDSON

Researchers estimate that each individual human inherits some 60 genetic mutations not found in either parent—an average of one mutation for every 100 million nucleotides. Previous estimates of human mutation rate have been based on averages of many individuals, but this new count is the first direct measure of the genetic novelties each child brings into the world. The researchers counted the number of new mutations found in two children whose genomes (as well as their parents' genomes) were sequenced as part of the 1000 Genomes Project. The results, published online this week in Nature Genetics, showed that the sources of these mutations vary: while one child derived 92 percent of his mutations from his father's sperm, the other inherited 64 percent from his mother's ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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