Kumar Lab | Books

Books Published

Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics

Masatoshi Nei and Sudhir Kumar
Jun 2000, Paperback, 352 pages

During the last ten years, remarkable progress has occurred in the study of molecular evolution. Among the most important factors that are responsible for this progress are the development of new statistical methods and advances in computational technology. In particular, phylogenetic analysis of DNA or protein sequences has become a powerful tool for studying molecular evolution. Along with this developing technology, the application of the new statistical and computational methods has become more complicated and there is no comprehensive volume that treats these methods in depth. Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics fills this gap and present various statistical methods that are easily accessible to general biologists as well as biochemists, bioinformatists and graduate students. The text covers measurement of sequence divergence, construction of phylogenetic trees, statistical tests for detection of positive Darwinian selection, inference of ancestral amino acid sequences, construction of linearized trees, and analysis of allele frequency data. Emphasis is given to practical methods of data analysis, and methods can be learned by working through numerical examples using the computer program MEGA2 that is provided.

Reviews

"We live in interesting times. The curse is that it is near impossible to keep up with a field moving as rapidly as molecular evolution. The blessing is that we have clear- writing proponents, such as the authors of this book, to help us with comprehensive and comprehensible reviews."--Heredity (2001) 86, 385



The Timetree of Life

Edited by S. Blair Hedges and Sudhir Kumar May 2009, Hardback, 572 pages

Features

This is the first reference book to synthesise the wealth of information relating to the temporal component of phylogenetic trees. Provides an accessible summary of published divergence time estimates (timetrees) and offers guidance for their use. Focuses on molecular timetrees, although relevant fossil data is also briefly discussed within each chapter. 80-100 chapters review the timetree of a given taxon down to family level, adopting a standard format and plan to facilitate comparisons between taxa. Complemented by an online database (http://www.timetree.net) which allows researchers to both deposit and retrieve data.

Reviews

"We both enjoyed reading this book. It is obvious, from the very beginning of the book till the end that UOP, the book editors and the numerous authors have delivered a magnificent piece of work."--Journal of Sedimentary Research (2010)

"We are convinced that this well-thought-over book will still be valuable when its information will have become partly outdated. Undoubt- edly, this volume is an exciting gift to Darwin’s 200th anniversary. Read and enjoy it!"--Geologos (2010) 16, 133-135

"Undoubtedly, the volume edited by HEDGES & KUMAR is an exciting gift to geoscientists now, at a time of the DARWIN's 200 anniversary. The reviewer recommends this book strongly for all palaeontologists, geologists, and all other specialists interested in the evolution of the life."--Zentralblatt fűr Geologie und Paläontologie (2010) 2009, 930-933

"The new book offers an impressive compilation of evolutionary history, including the relationships among organisms and their times of divergence, which together form a timetree of life."--Integrative & Comparative Biology [Website]

"A timely compliation of the data currently available and is therefore a unique resource for anyone interested in evolutionary biology in the broad sense."--Systematic Biology [Website]