Tree of life with and without extinct lineages. Most depictions of the trees of life that are derived from molecular data only consider extant organisms (i.e. lineages that have representatives alive today). Through horizontal gene transfer molecules from now extinct lineages might have survived in today's organism (more at Zhaxybayeva and Gogarten (2004): Cladogenesis, Coalescence and the Evolution of the Three Domains of Life. Trends in Genetics 20 (4): 182- 187 ).
J. Peter Gogarten
Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology
University of Connecticut
Unit 3125
91 North Eagleville Road
Storrs CT 06269-3125
USA
gogarten@uconn.edu
University of Connecticut | 