Tree of Life Activity Part 1

Explore an Interactive Tree of Life


Scientists use DNA to study the relationship between different organisms throughout the tree of life, which is an area of study known as phylogenetics.


We can use DNA sequences of genes from animals or plants to investigate how closely related they are. Scientists compare DNA sequences of genes that are "highly conserved," which means they are so important that their sequence doesn’t change very much over time and most organisms need the gene to survive!


Changes, or mutations, to the DNA sequence of a gene can be meaningful and tell us about the relationship between different species, as well as how much time has elapsed since they diverged from each other.


Let's view an interactive phylogenetic tree of Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryotes, called Interactive Tree of Life

Interactive Tree of Life



Create your own tree!

>rubisco
SVGFKAGVKDYKLTYYTPEYQPQDTDILAAFRVTPQPGVPSEEAGAAVAAESSTGTWTTV
WTDGLTSLDRYKGRCYHIDAVPGEDNQYICYVAYPLDLFEEGSVTNMFTSIVGNVFGFKA
LRALRLEDLRIPVAYVKTFQGPPHGIQVERDKLNKYGRPLLGCTIKPKLGLSAKNYGRAV
YECLRGGLDFTKDDENVNSQPFMRWRDRFLFCAEAIYKAQAETGEIKGHYL

Copy the rubisco sequence and paste it in the text box on this page





Now, let's visit Deep Tree and take a trip through evolutionary time!

Deep Tree



Once you arrive at the Deep Tree page, click on the Deep Tree logo that is shaped like a hexagon



Type and select a species of your choice in the search bar

Click the magnifying glass icon to launch the tree!





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