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Related Experiment Videos

Covarion structure in plastid genome evolution: a new statistical test.

Cécile Ané1, J Gordon Burleigh, Michelle M McMahon

  • 1Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, USA. ane@stat.wis.edu

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|December 31, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Covarion models explain how a site's evolutionary rate changes over time. New tests reveal covarion evolution in many plastid genes, primarily driven by changing amino acid constraints.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Evolution
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Covarion models allow evolutionary rates to vary over time.
  • Few tests exist for covarion evolution, limiting understanding of its prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Develop and validate new tests for covarion evolution.
  • Investigate the occurrence of covarion evolution in plastid genomes.

Main Methods:

  • Developed two novel statistical tests for covarion evolution.
  • Performed simulations to assess test performance.
  • Analyzed 57 sequenced plastid genomes.

Main Results:

  • The new tests demonstrated good performance across various conditions.
  • Evidence of covarion drift was found in at least 26 of 57 plastid genes.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Covarion evolution was observed in first and second codon positions, but not third, suggesting amino acid selective constraint changes.

    • Conclusions:

    • Covarion evolution is prevalent in plastid genomes.
    • Changes in amino acid selective constraints are a likely driver of observed covarion evolution.
    • Covarion processes significantly shaped sequence variation in plastid genomes.