Overview
The molecular clock concept is a powerful tool in evolutionary biology that allows scientists to estimate the time of divergence between species by analyzing DNA sequences. By understanding mutation rates, researchers can construct phylogenetic trees that illustrate the evolutionary relationships am...
Key Terms
Example: DNA is found in the nucleus of cells.
Example: A mutation in a gene can cause a different color in flowers.
Example: Phylogenetics helps scientists understand how species are related.
Example: Divergence occurs when species adapt to different environments.
Example: The mutation rate can vary between species.
Example: A phylogenetic tree shows how species have diverged over time.
Related Topics
Evolutionary Biology
The study of the processes that drive the evolution of species.
intermediateGenomics
The study of genomes, the complete set of DNA within an organism.
advancedPopulation Genetics
The study of genetic variation within populations and how it changes over time.
intermediateComparative Genomics
The analysis of the similarities and differences in the genomes of different species.
advancedKey Concepts
DNA sequencingMutation ratesPhylogeneticsEvolutionary time scale