DNA Hybridization as a Guide to Phylogenies: a Critical Analysis

Abstract— This article evaluates the use of DNA hybridization for estimating the extent of divergence among the single‐copy fractions of vertebrate genomes. It focuses, in particular, on the nature and informational content of the melting profiles as a guide to phylogenetic relationships. While concluding that the DNA hybridization approach remains the best and most cost‐effective guide to such relationships over its useful range, it demonstrates serious flaws in certain recent attempts to apply the method to specific cases among primates and birds. The major points are:

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