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Reconstructing evolutionary history

Can I infer the past from present day observations?

Genes are passed on vertically from ancestor to offspring

A gene is not invented twice

Analysis

In this exercise, we will extract the sequences of a subset of orthologs for two PCD gene families from our interactive webtool. We will align these sequences and calculate a phylogenetic tree. This tree will then help us to better understand the evolutionary history of the gene family

Task 1: GH27_QRW17738.1

  1. Using the “Export data” option from the top menu, download all data as FASTA sequences
  2. Extract the sequences of GH27_QRW17738.1 orthologs for the following taxa:
    GH27_QRW17738.1_taxa.txt
    Rhizoctonia solani
Aspergillus oryzae
Trichomonas vaginalis
Cordyceps militaris
Bradysia coprophila
Hydra vulgaris
Notolabrus celidotus
Homo sapiens
  3. Align the sequences using ClustalOmega

Task 2: GH28_QRW23661.1

  1. Repeat the analysis using GH28_QRW23661.1 and the following taxon set:
    GH28_QRW23661.1_taxa.txt
    Spodoptera litura
Rhizoctonia solani
Rhagoletis zephyria
Bradysia coprophila (XP_037032572.1)
Protomyces lactucae-debilis
Pyricularia oryzae 70-15
Arcicela rosea (WP_367284634.1)

Summary and Discussion

  • Why are there plant cell wall degrading enzymes in animals?
  • Why is GH28 of Spodoptera litura identical to a bacterial sequence? What are the consequences given the assumptions stated above?

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