molecular systematics
[məˈlɛkjələr sɪstəˈmætɪks]
noun
sistemática molecular
1. The study of biological organisms and their evolutionary relationships using molecular data, particularly DNA and protein sequences, rather than morphological characteristics
Molecular systematics has revolutionized our understanding of primate evolution by comparing DNA sequences across species.
A sistemática molecular revolucionou nossa compreensão da evolução dos primatas ao comparar sequências de DNA entre espécies.
2. A field of biology that uses molecular techniques to classify organisms, determine phylogenetic relationships, and reconstruct evolutionary trees
The researchers employed molecular systematics to establish the true evolutionary position of the newly discovered species.
Os pesquisadores utilizaram sistemática molecular para estabelecer a verdadeira posição evolutiva da espécie recém-descoberta.
Molecular systematics emerged as a major field in the late 20th century and fundamentally changed how scientists classify life. In Brazil, this field has grown significantly with institutions like USP, UFRJ, and UNICAMP leading research. In the USA, it became instrumental in reshaping traditional taxonomies and is now standard in evolutionary biology curricula. The term reflects the broader shift in biology from observational to molecular methodologies.
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