Question

Define molecular evolution.

Answer 1

Molecular evolution is the process of change in the sequence composition of cellular molecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins across generations. The field of molecular evolution uses principles of evolutionary biology and population genetics to explain patterns in these changes. Major topics in molecular evolution concern the rates and impacts of single nucleotide changes, neutral evolution vs. natural selection, origins of new genes, the genetic nature of complex traits, the genetic basis of speciation, evolution of development, and ways that evolutionary forces influence genomic and phenotypic changes.

Answer 2

• ᴍᴏʟᴇᴄᴜʟᴀʀ ᴇᴠᴏʟᴜᴛɪᴏɴ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇss ᴏғ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇǫᴜᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴏsɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴄᴇʟʟᴜʟᴀʀ ᴍᴏʟᴇᴄᴜʟᴇs sᴜᴄʜ ᴀs ᴅɴᴀ, ʀɴᴀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇɪɴs ᴀᴄʀᴏss ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs.
• ᴛʜᴇ ғɪᴇʟᴅ ᴏғ ᴍᴏʟᴇᴄᴜʟᴀʀ ᴇᴠᴏʟᴜᴛɪᴏɴ ᴜsᴇs ᴘʀɪɴᴄɪᴘʟᴇs ᴏғᴇᴠᴏʟᴜᴛɪᴏɴᴀʀʏ ʙɪᴏʟᴏɢʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɢᴇɴᴇᴛɪᴄs ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ᴘᴀᴛᴛᴇʀɴs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇs.