HOMEWORK # 2 Essays - Phylogenetics, Biology, Free Essays

HOMEWORK # 2 Essays - Phylogenetics, Biology, Free Essays HOMEWORK # 2 CONSTRUCTING PHYLOGENIES Below are two sets of amino acid sequences from 6 different species numbered 1-6. Using what we have learned about constructing phylogenetic trees (refer to your notes and textbook) draw a phylogenetic tree (hypothesis about relationships) based on the similarities shared among the 6 species in each data set. Note: the 6 species are the same in each dataset and you should have one phylogenetic hypothesis (tree) for each set of sequences. Protein Sequence Set A Species 5 GNAGYGAEALERM Species 6 GNAGYGAEALERM Species 2 NHAAFGAEALERM Species 3 NHSAYGAEALERM Species 1 AHAGYGAEALERM Species 4 GHAGYGGEALDRT Protein Sequence Set B Species 5 LCNSIGSLFQTFSI Species 6 LCNSTGSLFQTFAI Species 2 LCNSTGSLFQTFAI Species 3 LCNSTGSLFQTFAI Species 1 LCNSIGSLFQTFSI Species 4 LCNSIGSLFQTFSI Questions: If the two different sets of sequences result in different hypotheses, what might explain these differences (think about what we've been discussing in class)? What types of additional information would you need to decide among the different hypotheses? Which of the trees is the preferred tree and why?