Exploring Sequence Alignment - MAFFT & Phylogenetic Analysis

Welcome to our scientific deep dive into the world of sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, and the powerful role of MAFFT in evolutionary biology. In this video, we explore: What is phylogenetic analysis? How multiple sequence alignment helps us trace evolution How MAFFT uses Fast Fourier Transform to align biological sequences efficiently The biological meaning of correlation c(k), normalized polarity and volume, and how these relate to sequence similarity A real-world example analyzing insect evolution — from ancient ancestors to modern diversity Whether you're a biology student, researcher, or simply curious about how computational tools reveal the language of life, this video is for you. REFERENCES: Edgar, R. C., & Batzoglou, S. (2006). Multiple sequence alignment. Current Opinion in Structural Biology, 16(3), 368–373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbi.2006.04.004 Katoh, K., & Toh, H. (2008). Recent developments in the MAFFT multiple sequence alignment program. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 9(4), 286–298. https://doi.org/10.1093/bib/bbn013 Misof, B., Liu, S., Meusemann, K., Peters, R. S., Donath, A., Mayer, C., Frandsen, P. B., Ware, J., Flouri, T., Beutel, R. G., Niehuis, O., Petersen, M., Izquierdo-Carrasco, F., Wappler, T., Rust, J., Aberer, A. J., Aspöck, U., Aspöck, H., Bartel, D., . . . Zhou, X. (2014). Phylogenomics resolves the timing and pattern of insect evolution. Science, 346(6210), 763–767. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1257570 MAFFT ver.7 - a multiple sequence alignment program. (2020). Cbrc.jp. https://mafft.cbrc.jp/alignment/software/algorithms/algorithms.html Presented by: Brenda & Mia Survey of Calculus Arkansas State University Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave your questions or feedback in the comments!