Molecular evolution

As Molecular evolution is the process of evolution at the level of DNA, RNA and proteins. Molecular evolution emerged in the 1960s as a branch of science, a scientist of molecular biology, evolutionary biology and population genetics sought to investigate the structure and function of nucleic acids and proteins. In the past, important issues the evolution of enzyme function, the use of the molecular clock in the study of speciation ( speciation ), and the origin of non-functional RNA ( junk DNA). Advances in DNA sequencing, protein characterization, and bioinformatics have led to increased interest in these subjects. In the 2000s active topics included the role of gene duplication in the emergence of new gene functions and the adaptive molecular evolution in contrast to neutral drift.

Important topics and scientists of Molecular Evolution:

  • Mutation, selection
  • Change in allele frequency, see also Population Genetics
  • Genetic drift
  • Migration
  • Neutral theory of molecular evolution ( Kimura Motoo )
  • Evolutionary adaptation, also: Adaptive Evolution ( Masatoshi Nei )
  • Phylogeny (Walter M. Fitch, Joe Felsenstein )
  • RNA world (Walter Gilbert )
  • Gene duplication ( Susumu Ohno )
  • Mathematical Foundations of adaptation ( John H. Gillespie )
Motoo Kimura RNA world hypothesis Wen-Hsiung Li Michael Lynch (geneticist)
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