Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Experiment Videos

The structural basis of molecular adaptation

G B Golding1, A M Dean

  • 1Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|April 29, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Identifying key molecular adaptations is challenging. New methods combining phylogenetics, mutagenesis, and protein structure reveal how a few amino acid changes drive major evolutionary shifts and ecological niche expansion.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

INCREASED NUMBER OF ALLELES FOUND IN HYBRID POPULATIONS DUE TO INTRAGENIC RECOMBINATION.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2017
Same author

A Genomics Approach to Mitochondrial Evolution.

The Biological bulletin·2017
Same author

Behavioural and molecular endophenotypes in psychotic disorders reveal heritable abnormalities in glutamatergic neurotransmission.

Translational psychiatry·2015
Same author

Speed of facial affect intensity recognition as an endophenotype of first-episode psychosis and associated limbic-cortical grey matter systems.

Psychological medicine·2012
Same author

Preface.

Molecular ecology resources·2011
Same author

Enzyme activity and fitness: Evolution in solution.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011
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

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Identifying specific amino acid replacements responsible for major molecular adaptations is historically difficult.
  • Understanding the evolutionary trajectory of protein function requires detailed analysis of accumulated genetic changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To illustrate how integrating phylogenies, site-directed mutagenesis, and protein structure knowledge enhances insights into molecular adaptation.
  • To demonstrate the identification of critical amino acid replacements driving significant adaptive changes.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of six case studies integrating phylogenetic analysis.
  • Application of site-directed mutagenesis to investigate protein function.
  • Utilizing knowledge of protein structure to interpret adaptive changes.
  • Reconstruction of ancient genes and comparison of their phenotypes to modern proteins.

Main Results:

  • Phylogenetic, mutagenesis, and structural approaches provide deeper insights into adaptation.
  • Identification of specific amino acid replacements responsible for discriminating between alternative substrates.
  • Demonstration that modest molecular changes can lead to significant ecological niche expansion.

Conclusions:

  • The integration of multiple methodologies offers powerful tools for studying molecular adaptation.
  • Paleomolecular biochemistry is an emerging field enabling the study of evolutionary processes at a molecular level.
  • Understanding past molecular adaptations provides insights into current biodiversity and evolutionary potential.

Related Experiment Videos