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Resolving Metazoan Phyla Divergence Times
During Cambrian Explosion by COX I Protein molecules

  

  1. Department of Chemistry, Tongji University, Shanghai,200092
  • Online:2016-02-18 Published:2016-02-18

Abstract:  

By using the equation for resolving absolute evolutionary rates of biological molecules provided by author and the classic “molecular clock” Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COX I) protein molecules, the metazoan phyla divergence times during Cambrian explosion were obtained. These results show that Protostomia and Deuterostomia separated at 560 million years (myrs ) ago. The phyla divergence times of four major deuterstomia: Cephalochordata, Urochordata, Hemichordata and Echinodermata are 536 myrs ago, 540myrs ago, 548myrs ago and 545myrs ago respectively. These divergence times agree well with fossil records, and are obviously better than those obtained by other current molecule clock methods. Our method may provide a new way to understandorigins and evolution of creatures.