Phylogenetics Flashcards
Phylogenetics
Phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary history and relationships.
It uses sequence data to deduce phylogenies (sequence of events involved in evolution) and construct phylogenetic trees
How to find how closely related living organisms are -
The number of mutations which accumulate
per unit of time within a group of closely related living things can measure how closely related they are.
Molecular clocks
Making the assumption that mutations accumulate at a constant rate over time, therefore the number of nucleotide substitutions that a genome accumulates is proportional to time.
By comparing this data with fossil records, it can determine the most recent ancestor of two species existed, as such molecular clocks show when species diverged during evolution by comparing differences in DNA or amino acid sequences.
Three domains
Bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes
Sequence of life on earth
Old to new
Cells (similar to prokaryotes) Last universal ancestor First organisms capable of photosynthesis Eukaryotic cells Multicellular organisms Animals Vertebrates Land plants
Personal genomics
Branch of genomics involved in sequencing an individuals genome and analysing it using bioinformatic tools.
Two uses of personal genomics
Predictive medicine
Pharmacogenetics
Predictive medicine
Once you have a DNA sequence you can look for disease causing mutations and mutation that increase your likelihood of developing a condition.
This means that appropriate medical interventions can then occur.
Pharmacogenetics
Drugs effect varies depending on an organisms genome, by sequencing an individual’s genome we can see which drugs will be effective on them and others which will be less so.
Ethics of pharmacogenetics
Insurance companies may charge more to an individual whose genome has less desirable traits, this is known as genetic discrimination.
