molecular clock model
[mə-ˈle-kyə-lər ˈklä-k ˈmä-dəl]
nounpl: molecular clock models
modelo de relógio molecular
1. A theoretical framework in evolutionary biology that uses the mutation rate of biomolecules (DNA, proteins) to estimate the time of divergence between species and construct evolutionary timescales
The molecular clock model suggests that humans and chimpanzees diverged approximately 6-7 million years ago based on genetic differences.
O modelo de relógio molecular sugere que humanos e chimpanzés divergiram há aproximadamente 6-7 milhões de anos com base em diferenças genéticas.
2. A hypothesis that genetic mutations accumulate at a relatively constant rate over time, allowing molecular data to be used as a temporal measure for evolutionary events
Researchers applied the molecular clock model to analyze the phylogenetic relationships among viral strains.
Pesquisadores aplicaram o modelo de relógio molecular para analisar as relações filogenéticas entre cepas virais.
This is a scientific term used primarily in academic contexts in both Brazil and the United States. It became particularly prominent in discussions of human evolution and pandemic origins (such as COVID-19 viral evolution). The concept bridges molecular biology and evolutionary theory and is central to modern phylogenetics research in universities and research institutions worldwide.
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