Subject: I have a question about the percentage of alleles that cheetahs share.

I am slightly puzzled after reading an article on the genetic similarity of 
cheetahs. The article states that cheetahs share 99 percent of the same genes, 
while related individuals in most species only share about 80 percent of the 
same genes. Regarding the 80 percent figure, wouldn't the percentage of shared 
genes vary between related individuals? Surely siblings share more genes than 
third cousins?

Do you think that the writer meant to say that 80 percent of the same alleles 
are shared between related individuals?  And what does related mean exactly, 
anyway?

I have also read some articles that say humans and chimpanzees have 99 percent 
genetic similarity. Is there a difference between "sharing the same genes" 
and "genetic similarity?" 

http://www.cheetah.org/?html=aboutcheetah-03
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3042781.stm

Thank you for taking the time to help me.

David Cho

Re: I have a question about the percentage of alleles that cheetahs share.