Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

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,...
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...
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...
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...
Applications of Molecular Taxonomy01:20

Applications of Molecular Taxonomy

Molecular taxonomy has revolutionized the understanding and classification of bacteria, providing precise insights into their diversity, evolutionary relationships, and ecological roles. By utilizing molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing and fingerprinting, researchers have made significant strides in various fields related to bacterial studies.Resolving Taxonomic AmbiguitiesMolecular taxonomy has been instrumental in distinguishing closely related bacterial species initially thought to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

PhyloSystemX: Enhancing the Analysis of Interaction Networks.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same author

Gene expression and co-expression heterogeneity patterns and biodemography analyses during the cell cycle encourage aging studies in archaea.

GeroScience·2025
Same author

Transcriptional landscape of the cell cycle in a model thermoacidophilic archaeon reveals similarities to eukaryotes.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

New groups of highly divergent proteins in families as old as cellular life with important biological functions in the ocean.

Environmental microbiome·2025
Same author

Interspecific interactions and aging: Prediction of gerogenic bacteria and critical human protein targets of microbial infections.

Mechanisms of ageing and development·2025
Same author

Evolutionary genomics of the emergence of brown algae as key components of coastal ecosystems.

Cell·2024
Same journal

Integrating intraspecific trait variation and spatiotemporal variability of selection as levers of action in forest management.

Comptes rendus biologies·2026
Same journal

[Managing mixed forest stands : bridging the gap between silviculture and ecological theory].

Comptes rendus biologies·2026
Same journal

[Which forests for which biodiversity under climate change?]

Comptes rendus biologies·2026
Same journal

[Impacts of climate change on the functioning and productivity of agroecosystems: a focus on the impact of interactions between CO<sub>2</sub>, temperature and water deficit].

Comptes rendus biologies·2026
Same journal

Autogenic transitions in individuality.

Comptes rendus biologies·2026
Same journal

Assessing the potential effects of climate change on future forest composition in France.

Comptes rendus biologies·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin
08:57

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin

Published on: August 14, 2018

Molecular phylogeny: reconstructing the forest.

Philippe Lopez1, Eric Bapteste

  • 1UMR 7138: Systématique, Adaptation, Evolution, Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, 75005 Paris, France. philippe.lopez@upmc.fr

Comptes Rendus Biologies
|March 14, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Evolutionary biology is moving beyond the traditional "Tree of Life" model. Lateral gene transfers challenge vertical inheritance, suggesting a more complex, reticulated web of life, especially in prokaryotes.

More Related Videos

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts
12:00

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts

Published on: February 5, 2014

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
10:23

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

Published on: July 11, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin
08:57

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin

Published on: August 14, 2018

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts
12:00

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts

Published on: February 5, 2014

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
10:23

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

Published on: July 11, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • The Tree of Species, based on Darwinian principles, has long been used to explain biodiversity.
  • Molecular and morphological data have supported tree-like evolutionary patterns for some organisms.
  • Discrepancies in evolutionary trees, particularly for prokaryotes, indicate limitations of the traditional model.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of Lateral Gene Transfers (LGT) on evolutionary models.
  • To explore how LGT challenges the concept of a universal Tree of Life.
  • To re-evaluate traditional biological concepts like species in light of horizontal gene flow.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of molecular markers to reconstruct evolutionary relationships.
  • Comparison of different datasets to identify discrepancies in phylogenetic trees.
  • Review of biological processes driving genetic material exchange between organisms.

Main Results:

  • Different molecular markers yield conflicting evolutionary trees, especially for prokaryotes.
  • Lateral Gene Transfers are identified as a major cause of these discrepancies.
  • LGT, involving exchange of DNA between distant organisms, affects prokaryotes and eukaryotes, including multicellular life.

Conclusions:

  • The existence of a universal Tree of Life is challenged by the prevalence of LGT.
  • Evolutionary models must incorporate both vertical and horizontal gene transfer.
  • A 'forest' model, representing complex inheritance patterns, is a more accurate framework for understanding biodiversity.