What is the basis for phylogenetic trees in biology?5 answersThe basis for phylogenetic trees in biology lies in representing evolutionary relationships among biological species through the comparison of DNA sequences or genetic features. Phylogenetic trees are essential for understanding the evolutionary history and relationships between different organisms. Various methods are employed for constructing phylogenetic trees, such as alignment-based sequencing, alignment-free sequencing, hierarchical clustering, and distance-based methods like UPGMA and NJ. These trees help in identifying common ancestors, grouping organisms based on genetic similarity, and inferring important evolutionary events like the emergence of new traits or genes. The construction of phylogenetic trees is crucial for diverse biological studies, including understanding morphological evolution, detecting molecular adaptations, and reconstructing demographic changes in species.
When should DNA sequences be used to construct phylogenetic trees over protein sequences?5 answersDNA sequences should be used to construct phylogenetic trees over protein sequences when inferring deep phylogenies. Analysis of DNA sequences under nucleotide-substitution models, possibly with the third codon positions excluded, has been shown to recover the correct tree as often as analysis of corresponding protein sequences under modern amino acid models. Additionally, analysis of DNA data under nucleotide models has a major computational advantage over protein-data analysis, making it feasible to use advanced models that account for among-site and among-lineage heterogeneity in the nucleotide-substitution process. Furthermore, constructing phylogenetic trees based on DNA sequences allows for the exploration of evolutionary relationships and understanding the mechanisms of evolution. Therefore, DNA sequences can be as useful as proteins for inferring deep phylogenies and should not be excluded from such analyses.
How does phylogeny can shape medicinal plant use?5 answersPhylogeny can shape medicinal plant use by providing insights into the evolution and distribution of medicinal properties across plant lineages. Comparative phylogenetic methods can be used to study the diversity of medicinal plant applications cross-culturally and infer changes in plant use over time. These methods can be applied to single medicinal plants as well as the entire set of plants used by a culture for medicine, accounting for the non-independence of data when testing for drivers of plant use. Phylogenetic patterns in medicinal plant use have been found to be cross-predictive within and between cultures, suggesting shared deep lineages of flowering plants and potential drivers such as floristic composition and shared beliefs. Additionally, phylogeny can guide the identification of new medicinally useful plants by combining traditional knowledge of plant uses with evolutionary relationships. By interpreting medicinal plant uses from a perspective of biological response, phylogenetic patterns of presumed bioactivity can be revealed, potentially leading to higher discovery rates of novel chemistry with functional biological activity. Phylogenetics, combined with metabolomics, can also assist in identifying taxa with medicinal potential by analyzing metabolite profiles across plant lineages.
What is the role of phylogeny in the medicinal plant use?4 answersPhylogeny plays a crucial role in the use of medicinal plants. It provides a predictive perspective that traditional plant classifications lack, aiding in the selection of biologically active plant species for further screening. Phylogenetic analysis helps identify hot nodes on the phylogenetic tree, which are species with single therapeutic effects that cluster together. This analysis has been used to compare medicinal floras from different regions and cultures, revealing shared patterns in the use of medicinal plants. By reconstructing phylogenetic trees and analyzing genetic relationships, researchers have found that medicinal plants with similar therapeutic applications tend to cluster together phylogenetically. This cross-predictivity suggests that targeting plants used for specific therapeutic applications may not be the most effective approach for identifying specific bioactives. Overall, phylogeny-guided studies can lead to the discovery of alternative drugs and improve the efficiency of drug discovery from medicinal plants.
What is the importance of choose genes in Phylogenetic indeference?5 answersThe choice of genes in phylogenetic inference is important because it determines the accuracy and reliability of the resulting phylogenetic tree. Different genes have different levels of phylogenetic utility, meaning that some genes are better suited for resolving certain levels of divergence than others. Genes widely used in systematic studies have proven valuable for resolving relatively shallow divergences, but genes useful for moderately deep divergences have been lacking. Therefore, it is crucial to select genes that are appropriately matched to the phylogenetic divergence of interest. Additionally, the number of genes used in the analysis is also important. Using multiple mitochondrial genes, for example, can produce more accurate phylogenetic trees and help avoid potential biases or artifacts that may arise from using a single gene. Overall, the careful selection of genes is essential for obtaining reliable and informative phylogenetic relationships.
Who invented phylogenetic tree?5 answers