Taxes evolutives i evolució de gens i genomes

Authors

  • Lluís Serra Camó
  • Antonio Fontdevila

Abstract

We introduce the concept of evolutionary rate and discuss its significance and application in the study of systematic human-induced alterations of natural habitats. The evolutionary changes in nucleotide or amino acid sequences and the dynamics of substitution rates are analysed, introducing the concept of molecular clock and the neutral theory as a null hypothesis to interpret evolutionary rates. The use of nucleotide or amino acid sequences to establish evolutionary relationships between species is also discussed, giving an example of the construction of a phylogenetic tree and a statistical method to determine tree reliability. We then proceed to consider those genetic changes that make us different from the chimpanzee, our closest relative, and to discuss the mechanisms responsible of genome-size evolution, in particular intragenic duplication and gene elongation, exon shuffling, gene duplication, and genome duplication. Finally, we discuss the evolutionary significance of transposable genetic elements.

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Published

2008-11-06