You are using a molecular clock to investigate how long ago two taxa diverged.In the sequence of mitochondrial DNA you are using,in one location an arginine mutated to a thymine;thousands of years later,it mutated from thymine back to arginine.What effect will this reversion to arginine have on your estimate of the time of divergence?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reversion mutations, where a mutated nucleotide returns to its original state, can cause the molecular clock to overestimate the time of divergence. Therefore, in this case, the reversion back to arginine would make it appear as if the two taxa diverged more recently than they actually did, leading to an underestimation of the time of divergence.

You Are Using a Molecular Clock to Investigate How Long