Estimate
One DNA nucleotide is copied correctly
- Probability:
- (100 − 1 × 10⁻⁷)%
- Odds:
- (1 × 10⁹) to 1
- dBan
- +90 dBan
A standard molecular-biology estimate gives about one mistake after proofreading and mismatch repair per billion nucleotides copied. That leaves about 999,999,999 copied correctly.
Calculation
p ≈ 1 − 10⁻⁹
Assumptions
This is a textbook order-of-magnitude estimate after proofreading and mismatch repair. Fidelity varies across organisms, cells, conditions, and repair systems. The event concerns one nucleotide, not an entire genome.
Sources
- Molecular Biology of the Cell: DNA Replication Mechanisms proofreading and mismatch repair yield about one mistake per 10⁹ nucleotides copied