Editing Microsatellite (section)

===Microsatellite mutation rates===
Direct estimates of microsatellite mutation rates have been made in numerous organisms, from insects to humans. In the [[desert locust]] ''Schistocerca gregaria'', the microsatellite mutation rate was estimated at 2.1&nbsp;× 10<sup>−4</sup> per generation per locus.<ref name="Chapuis-2015">{{cite journal | vauthors = Chapuis MP, Plantamp C, Streiff R, Blondin L, Piou C | title = Microsatellite evolutionary rate and pattern in Schistocerca gregaria inferred from direct observation of germline mutations | journal = Molecular Ecology | volume = 24 | issue = 24 | pages = 6107–19 | date = December 2015 | pmid = 26562076 | doi = 10.1111/mec.13465 | s2cid = 33307624 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2015MolEc..24.6107C }}</ref> The microsatellite mutation rate in human male germ lines is five to six times higher than in female germ lines and ranges from 0 to 7&nbsp;× 10<sup>−3</sup> per locus per gamete per generation.<ref name="Brinkmann-1998"/> In the nematode ''[[Pristionchus pacificus]]'', the estimated microsatellite mutation rate ranges from 8.9&nbsp;× 10<sup>−5</sup> to 7.5&nbsp;× 10<sup>−4</sup> per locus per generation.<ref name="Molnar-2012">{{cite journal | vauthors = Molnar RI, Witte H, Dinkelacker I, Villate L, Sommer RJ | title = Tandem-repeat patterns and mutation rates in microsatellites of the nematode model organism Pristionchus pacificus | journal = G3 | volume = 2 | issue = 9 | pages = 1027–34 | date = September 2012 | pmid = 22973539 | pmc = 3429916 | doi = 10.1534/g3.112.003129 }}</ref>

Microsatellite mutation rates vary with base position relative to the microsatellite, repeat type, and base identity.<ref name="Amos-2010"/> Mutation rate rises specifically with repeat number, peaking around six to eight repeats and then decreasing again.<ref name="Amos-2010"/> Increased heterozygosity in a population will also increase microsatellite mutation rates,<ref name="Amos-2016">{{cite journal | vauthors = Amos W | title = Heterozygosity increases microsatellite mutation rate | journal = Biology Letters | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 20150929 | date = January 2016 | pmid = 26740567 | pmc = 4785931 | doi = 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0929 }}</ref> especially when there is a large length difference between alleles. This is likely due to [[homologous chromosomes]] with arms of unequal lengths causing instability during meiosis.<ref name="Amos-Rubinsztein-1996">{{cite journal | vauthors = Amos W, Sawcer SJ, Feakes RW, Rubinsztein DC | title = Microsatellites show mutational bias and heterozygote instability | journal = Nature Genetics | volume = 13 | issue = 4 | pages = 390–1 | date = August 1996 | pmid = 8696328 | doi = 10.1038/ng0896-390 | s2cid = 6086527 }}</ref>