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Related Concept Videos

Microbial Phylogeny01:28

Microbial Phylogeny

Understanding the evolutionary relationships among microorganisms is fundamental to microbial ecology and taxonomy. Phylogenetic trees are essential tools for inferring these relationships, relying primarily on comparative analyses of molecular sequences such as DNA, RNA, or proteins. In microbial studies, these trees typically depict the evolutionary paths of diverse bacterial and archaeal species by mapping genetic differences accumulated over time.Phylogenetic trees are composed of tips,...
Phylogeny01:23

Phylogeny

Phylogeny is concerned with the evolutionary diversification of organisms or groups of organisms. A group of organisms with a name is called a taxon (singular). Taxa (plural) can span different levels of the evolutionary hierarchy. For instance, the group containing all birds is a taxon (comprising the class Aves), and the group of all species of daisies (the genus Bellis) is a taxon. Phylogenies can likewise include just one genus (i.e., depict species relationships) or span an entire...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
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Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons02:54

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
Phylogenetic Trees03:21

Phylogenetic Trees

Phylogenetic trees come in many forms. It matters in which sequence the organisms are arranged from the bottom to the top of the tree, but the branches can rotate at their nodes without altering the information. The lines connecting individual nodes can be straight, angled, or even curved.The length of the branches can depict time or the relative amount of change among organisms. For instance, the branch length might indicate the number of amino acid changes in the sequence that underlies the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
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A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles

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Markov invariants, plethysms, and phylogenetics.

J G Sumner1, M A Charleston, L S Jermiin

  • 1School of Information Technologies, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. jsumner@it.usyd.edu.au

Journal of Theoretical Biology
|June 3, 2008
PubMed
Summary

We introduce Markov invariants for phylogenetic tree inference, distinct from existing methods. These invariants, rooted in group representation theory, offer a novel algebraic framework for analyzing evolutionary processes and constructing phylogenetic trees.

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Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
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Area of Science:

  • Phylogenetics
  • Computational Biology
  • Algebraic Statistics

Background:

  • Phylogenetic tree inference is crucial for understanding evolutionary relationships.
  • Current methods often rely on distance-based or character-based approaches.
  • A need exists for novel algebraic frameworks to analyze complex evolutionary models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and define Markov invariants as a new tool for phylogenetic tree inference.
  • To establish the connection between Markov invariants and existing phylogenetic measures like Log-Det distance.
  • To provide a general algebraic framework for analyzing Markov processes on trees.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing group representation theory and plethysms to define and construct Markov invariants.
  • Developing an explicit technique for invariant construction applicable to various character states and taxa.
  • Analyzing Markov processes on trees through an algebraic lens focusing on inherent symmetries.

Main Results:

  • Markov invariants are defined as group invariant polynomials, distinct from phylogenetic invariants.
  • The simplest Markov invariant is shown to be the basis for the Log-Det distance measure.
  • An explicit construction method for Markov invariants is presented, valid for any number of states and taxa.

Conclusions:

  • Markov invariants offer a powerful, novel algebraic approach to phylogenetic tree inference.
  • This framework provides new insights into the symmetries of evolutionary processes.
  • Applied phylogenetic studies, particularly for trees with 3-4 leaves, can benefit from these Markov invariants.