Modes of Evolutionary Change in Biomolecules
Universidad de Leipzig
Peter F Stadler
Viernes, 16 de junio de 2023 - 10:30 a 12:00
Evento hÃbrido:
Auditorio C3
Trasmisión por el canal de YouTube del C3:
http://www.youtube.com/c/CentrodeCienciasdelaComplejidadC3
RNA secondary structures serve as computationally convenient model to investigate the mechanisms of phenotypic evolution. This is due to the fact that not only the ground state structure but the entire Boltzmann ensemble can be computed exactly given the sequence. Since the spatial structure of an RNA is an important part of its functioning, evolutionarily related RNAs typically preserve (large parts of) their structure, and thus define consensus structures. These are often characteristic for functional classes, such as tranfer RNAs or microRNAs. Sequence alignments form the basis for inferring consensus structures. Recently, several experimental methods have become available that provide partial information on the structure. Such information can be included in a principled manner into structure prediction algorithms and yields systematic improvements in structure prediction. The same methods can be employed to incorporate information on the consensus structure. A recent surprising observation was that in some cases consensus structure exist but are at odds with the patterns of sequence conservation. In this situation, consensus structure cannot be detected from sequence alignments. This incongruent mode of evolution appears to be very wide-spread and related in particular to functional adaptation. In particular, it may play an important role in virus evolution. While RNA structures will be used a single model throught to explain the various aspects of phenotypic evolution, I will try to give a broader picture, hinting at concepts and application beyond the narrow world of RNAs.