Evaluating the mitochondrial timescale of human evolution

Different methodologies and modes of calibration have produced disparate, sometimes irreconcilable, reconstructions of the evolutionary and demographic history of our species. We discuss how date estimates are affected by the choice of molecular data and methodology, and evaluate various mitochondri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in ecology & evolution (Amsterdam) 2009-09, Vol.24 (9), p.515-521
Main Authors: Endicott, Phillip, Ho, Simon Y.W., Metspalu, Mait, Stringer, Chris
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Evolution
DNA, Mitochondrial - chemistry
Evolution, Molecular
Fossils
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution
Genome, Mitochondrial
Humans
Mitochondria - genetics
Phylogeny
Time Factors
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Summary:Different methodologies and modes of calibration have produced disparate, sometimes irreconcilable, reconstructions of the evolutionary and demographic history of our species. We discuss how date estimates are affected by the choice of molecular data and methodology, and evaluate various mitochondrial estimates of the timescale of human evolution in the context of the contemporary palaeontological and archaeological evidence for key stages in human prehistory. We contend that some of the most widely-cited mitochondrial rate estimates have several significant shortcomings, including a reliance on a human-chimpanzee calibration, and highlight the pressing need for revised rate estimates.
ISSN:0169-5347
1872-8383
DOI:10.1016/j.tree.2009.04.006