From the analysis of the mutation spectrum in the 2,504 sequenced human genomes
from the 1000 genomes project (phase 3), we show that sexual chromosomes (X and
Y) exhibit a different proportion of indel mutations than autosomes (A), ranking them
X>A>Y. We further show that X chromosomes exhibit a higher ratio of dele-
tion/insertion when compared to autosomes. This simple pattern shows that the re-
cent report that non-dividing quiescent yeast cells accumulate relatively more indels
(and particularly deletions) than replicating ones also applies to metazoan cells, includ-
ing humans. Indeed, the X chromosomes display more indels than the autosomes, having
spent more time in quiescent oocytes, whereas the Y chromosomes are solely present
in the replicating spermatocytes. From the proportion of indels, we have inferred thatde
novomutations arising in the maternal lineage are twice more likely to be indels than
mutations from the paternal lineage. Our observation, consistent with a recent trio anal-
ysis of the spectrum of mutations inherited from the maternal lineage, is likely a major
component in our understanding of the origin of anisogamy.