Experimental Phylogenetics: Generation of a Known Phylogeny

Although methods of phylogenetic estimation are used routinely in comparative biology, direct tests of these methods are hampered by the lack of known phylogenies. Here a system based on serial propagation of bacteriophage T7 in the presence of a mutagen was used to create the first completely known...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1992-01, Vol.255 (5044), p.589-592
Main Authors: Hills, David M., Bull, James J., White, Mary E., Badgett, Marty R., Molineux, Ian J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteriophage T7
Bacteriophages
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Evolution
Chromosome Deletion
DNA, Viral - genetics
Enzymes
Escherichia coli - genetics
Estimation methods
Evolution
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetic aspects
Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution
Genome, Viral
Mutagens
Parsimony
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Restriction Mapping
T-Phages - genetics
We they distinction
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Summary:Although methods of phylogenetic estimation are used routinely in comparative biology, direct tests of these methods are hampered by the lack of known phylogenies. Here a system based on serial propagation of bacteriophage T7 in the presence of a mutagen was used to create the first completely known phylogeny. Restriction-site maps of the terminal lineages were used to infer the evolutionary history of the experimental lines for comparison to the known history and actual ancestors. The five methods used to reconstruct branching pattern all predicted the correct topology but varied in their predictions of branch lengths; one method also predicts ancestral restriction maps and was found to be greater than 98 percent accurate.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1736360