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Human genetics

Mystery of the mutagenic male

Nature volume 420, pages 365–366 (2002)Cite this article

Old fathers are the source of more genetic mutations in their offspring than either young fathers or mothers of any age. But the apparently most plausible explanation for this effect might not hold.

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Figure 1: Sperm — not guilty?

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK

    Laurence D. Hurst

  2. Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 752-36, Sweden

    Hans Ellegren

Authors
  1. Laurence D. Hurst
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  2. Hans Ellegren
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Hurst, L., Ellegren, H. Mystery of the mutagenic male. Nature 420, 365–366 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/420365a

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