Inferring clocks when lacking rocks: the variable rates of molecular evolution in bacteria |
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Authors: | Chih-Horng Kuo Howard Ochman |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA |
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Abstract: | Background Because bacteria do not have a robust fossil record, attempts to infer the timing of events in their evolutionary history
requires comparisons of molecular sequences. This use of molecular clocks is based on the assumptions that substitution rates
for homologous genes or sites are fairly constant through time and across taxa. Violation of these conditions can lead to
erroneous inferences and result in estimates that are off by orders of magnitude. In this study, we examine the consistency
of substitution rates among a set of conserved genes in diverse bacterial lineages, and address the questions regarding the
validity of molecular dating. |
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