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Encyclopedia of Scientific Dating Methods pp 583–588Cite as

Molecular Clocks

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Definition

Molecular clock. A hypothesis that predicts a constant rate of molecular evolution among species. It is also a method of genetic analysis that can be used to estimate evolutionary rates and timescales using data from DNA or proteins.

Introduction

The tempo and mode of evolution are central themes of biological research. This places importance on the estimation of evolutionary timescales, which provide the backdrop for our interpretations of evolutionary patterns and processes. Traditionally, such inferences were made from the fossil record, coupled with radiometric dating. Fossils can provide an estimate of when different lineages first appeared and when species diverged from each other. In many cases, however, such data are unavailable, forcing us to look elsewhere for a source of temporal information. The “molecular clock,” proposed in the 1960s (Zuckerkandl and Pauling, 1962, 1965), allows evolutionary timescales to be estimated using genetic data. Molecular clocks have...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Edgeworth David A11, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Simon Y. W. Ho

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  1. Simon Y. W. Ho
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Correspondence to Simon Y. W. Ho .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    W. Jack Rink  & Jeroen W. Thompson  & 

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Ho, S.Y.W. (2015). Molecular Clocks. In: Jack Rink, W., Thompson, J.W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Scientific Dating Methods. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6304-3_92

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