Revisiting a Classic Study of the Molecular Clock

Journal of Molecular Evolution
Lauren M RobinsonJohn M Braverman

Abstract

A constant rate of molecular evolution among homologous proteins and across lineages is known as the molecular clock. This concept has been useful for estimating divergence times. Here, we revisit a study by Richard Dickerson (J Mol Evol 1:26-45, 1971), wherein he provided striking visual evidence for a constant rate of amino acid changes among various evolutionary branch points. Dickerson's study is commonly cited as support of the molecular clock and a figure from it is often reproduced in textbooks. Since its publication, however, there have been updates made to dates of common ancestors based on the fossil record that should be considered. Additionally, collecting the accession numbers and carefully outlining Dickerson's methods serves as a resource to students of the molecular clock hypothesis.

References

Jan 1, 1971·Journal of Molecular Evolution·R E Dickerson
Sep 2, 2005·Nature Reviews. Genetics·Sudhir Kumar
Oct 19, 2006·Molecular Biology and Evolution·Michael J Benton, Philip C J Donoghue
Aug 18, 2009·The Nursing Clinics of North America·Rebekah Hamilton

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Citations

Nov 19, 2020·Journal of Molecular Evolution·David Alvarez-Ponce

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