This mutation rate calculator takes the figures you already have and applies the relationship behind mutation rate calculations for you, giving mutation rate (μ) and mutation rate from total generations (g), mutant offspring (x), number of observed mutants (x), size of sequenced dna (b), total cells, total offspring (n) and zero mutant fraction.
What Is the Mutation Rate Calculator?
The mutation rate calculator works out mutation rate (μ) and mutation rate from total generations (g), mutant offspring (x), number of observed mutants (x), size of sequenced dna (b), total cells, total offspring (n) and zero mutant fraction.
Biological relationships are usually approximations rather than exact laws, so the output is best treated as an estimate with a sensible range around it.
How the Mutation Rate Calculation Works
The calculation applies the relationship as published, step by step, so each intermediate value can be checked against the underlying theory.
Keep the units consistent throughout. Mixing a percentage with a proportion is the single most common source of an answer that is out by a factor of a hundred.
Assumptions Worth Knowing
Any relationship used here assumes a constant rate, a representative sample, or a stable population. Real populations rarely meet those conditions for long, so treat the answer as a guide.
Where the inputs are field measurements, a single misread value can shift the result noticeably. Measure carefully and record what you used.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with total generations (g) set to 10, mutant offspring (x) set to 5, number of observed mutants (x) set to 2, the calculator returns mutation rate (μ) of 0.5, and mutation rate (μ) (mutation rate2) of 0.002, and mutation rate of -0.06931. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out mutation rate (μ)?
Enter total generations (g), mutant offspring (x), number of observed mutants (x), size of sequenced dna (b), total cells, total offspring (n) and zero mutant fraction. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports mutation rate (μ) and mutation rate.
What does the mutation rate actually calculate?
It takes total generations (g), mutant offspring (x), number of observed mutants (x), size of sequenced dna (b), total cells, total offspring (n) and zero mutant fraction and converts them into mutation rate (μ) and mutation rate using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter total generations (g)?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Do I have to fill in every field?
Only the fields a particular result depends on. If you leave one blank, the results that need it simply show a note instead of a number, and everything else still works.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.