Chapter 21.3, Problem 2R

Summary Introduction

To review:

The molecular divergence of a mitochondrial DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) gene among the sister species of birds and study the graph given in order to calculate the average rate of change in cyt b.

Given:

It is given that, the researchers have examined in their studies that there was a molecular divergence in the mitochondrial DNA gene in the species of the honeycreepers on the Hawaiian Islands. Then the graph was plotted to measure the molecular divergence against the estimated dates of the separation of the islands. The molecular clock is shown below:

Introduction:

Molecular clock is an essential tool in biology and its streams. It is the hypothesis which states that the how the DNA and protein have evolved due to molecular divergence. It also states that at which rate it has been constant over the time and in different organisms.