Evolution Presentation - Andile Sibanda
Evolution Presentation - Andile Sibanda
EVOLUTION
AGENDA
What is evolution
Neo-Darwinism
Molecular evidence for evolutionary relationships
Variation in haemoglobin molecules that indicates
relatedness
Biochemical variation used as an evolutionary clock
Relatedness measured from DNA samples
Mitochondria DNA as a molecular clock
EVOLUTION
What is evolution
Evolution refers to the changes in the proportions of
biological types in a population over time, bringing with it
the diversity of organisms we know today. It’s also the
development of new types of organisms from preexisting
types by the accumulation of genetic differences over long
periods of time.
3
CHARLES DARWIN
Organic evolution by natural selection
Neo-Darwinism
• There are several ways in which genetic variation arises in gamete formation and fertilization.
EVOLUTION 6
• When genetic variation has arisen in organisms:
• It’s expressed in their phenotype
• Some phenotypes are better able to survive and reproduce in a particular environment while
others may fail - this is known as differential survival
• Natural selection operates, determining the survivors and genes that are perpetuated
• In time, this process will lead to new varieties and new species
• Survival of the fittest
• The operation of natural selection is sometimes summarized in the phrase “survival of the fittest”
• E.g fittest wildebeest in the savannah may be those with the acutest senses, quickest reflexes and
strongest leg muscles for efficient escape from predators. By natural selection if these
characteristics health and survival of wildebeest is assured.
7
8
EVOLUTION
EVOLUTION
MOLECULAR EVIDENCE FOR
EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS
9
Evidence from protein sequence data
• All living things have dna as their genetic material with a universal genetic code
• Processes of “reading” the code and protein synthesis, using RNA and ribosomes are very similar
in prokaryotes and eukaryotes as well.
• Processes like respiration involve similar steps and similar or even identical intermediates &
biochemical reactions, similarly catalysed.
• ATP is the universal energy currency
• Among the autotrophic (definition) organisms the biochemistry of photosynthesis is virtually
identical.
• This biochemical commonality suggests a common origins for life, as biochemical differences
between tHe living things of today are limited.
• Earliest events of evolution in evolution of life must’ve been biochemical and results have been
inherited widely.
• However, large molecules such as nucleus acids and the proteins they may code for a subjected to changes with time,
but this change may be an aid to the study of evolution and relatedness.
• It is possible to measure the relatedness of different groups of organisms by the amount of difference between specific
molecules such as DNA, protein and enzyme systems - which is a function of time since particular organisms share
common ancestors
11
BIOCHEMICAL
VARIATION USED AS AN
EVOLUTIONARY CLOCK
12
• Biochemical changes happen constantly, so they can be used as a
molecular clock.
• If they can reliably estimate the rate of change then they do record the
time passed between the separations of evolutionary lines.
• For haemoglobin of vertebrates animals, the haemoglobin clock ticks
regularly.
Immunological studies
• Another means of detecting differences in specific proteins of species and therefore (indirectly) their relatedness.
• *serum* is a liquid produced from blood samples from which blood cells and fibrinogen have been removed.
• Protein molecules in the serum act as antigens if the serum is injected into animals with an immune system that lacks
these proteins.
• Precipitation produced by reaction with human serum is taken as 100% for each species in the following table, the
greater the precipitation the more refinery the species shared a common ancestor with humans.
• Refer to table 17.6
14
• This technique called comparative serology, has been used by taxonomists to establish phylogenetic links in a number of cases, in mammals and non-
vertebrates
• We don’t know the common ancestor of these animals and the blood of that ancestors isn’t available to test anyway, but if the 584 amino acids that
make up blood albumin change at a constant rate, then the percentage immunological distance (definition) between humans and any if these animals
will be a products if the distances back to the common ancestor plus the difference forward again to any if the listed animals.
• Hence the differences between a listed animal and humans can be halved to gauge the difference between a modern form and a common ancestor,
• Since radiation of primates is known for, geological and fossil evidence, forward rate if change since the lemur (definition) gives the fate if the
molecular clock - 35% in 60 million years (my), or 0.6% every million years.
• This calculation can now be applied to all the data
• 17.22 fig reference
15
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA AS
A MOLECULAR CLOCK
16
• DNA has potential as a molecular clock, too.
• In eukaryotic cells it occurs in chromosomes in the nucleus (99%) and in the mitochondria.
• Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a circular molecule, shorter than nuclear DNA. Cells contain any number of mitochondria 100
to 1000
• Mitochondrial DNA has around 16500 base pairs, mutations occur at a very slow, steady rate in all DNA, but chromosomal
DNA has with it enzymes that may repair the changes in some cases, mtDNA DOESN’T have these.
• Furthermore, at fertilization, sperm contributes a nucleus only (no cytoplasm). All mitochondria of zygote come from egg cell.
• There is no mixing of mtDNA genes at fertilization, and so the evidence about relationships from studying differences between
samples of mtDNA is easier to interpret in the search for early evidence of evolution.
18
PRESENTATION TITLE
THANK YOU
Andile Sibanda