Recent advances in methods for detecting adaptation in protein-coding DNA

Seminar Speaker: Nicolas Rodrigue, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
Carleton University, Canada

Abstract: Statistical modelling of the long-term evolution of protein-coding DNA is an active area of research in molecular phylogenetics.  Several recent works have adopted a mutation-selection framework, whereby the substitution process is specified from a set of parameters controlling a point-mutation process, and another set of (potentially site-specific) parameters controlling the probability of fixation of mutations.  We have previously discussed using such a model as "a more relevant background against which to distinguish positive selection" (Rodrigue, Philippe & Lartillot, PNAS, 2010), and have recently used simulations to illustrate the potential of the approach (Rodrigue & Lartillot, MBE, 2017).  This lecture will outline the rationale of such a model, present results of its large-scale applications over several thousand protein-coding genes, and discuss on-going expansions to the mutation-selection framework.

Streaming video: the seminar will be broadcast live once the event has started. The video recording may also be viewed at a later date. [link]

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