BIOL5385 - Computational Molecular Evolution

BIOL 5385 Computational Molecular Evolution (3 semester credit hours) This course describes principles and models of evolutionary theory at the molecular level. It focuses primarily on the evolution of nucleotide sequences including genes, pseudogenes, and genomes as well as amino acid sequences used to study the evolution of proteins, protein complexes, and interactions. Phylogenetics and current leading quantitative models of sequence evolution are discussed in detail. Recent methods on amino acid evolution and its connections to molecular structure and function are also studied. Relevant examples of evolution at the molecular level presented in this course include protein interactions, signaling networks, and viral evolution. (3-0) S