Question

Phylogenetic analysis of a set of sequences that aligns ______ is straightforward because the positions that correspond in the sequences can be readily identified in a ______ of the sequences.

(a) very well, multiple sequence alignment

(b) in a haphazard manner, multiple sequence alignment

(c) in a distorted way, multiple sequence alignment

(d) very well, self alignment

I had been asked this question during an internship interview.

The doubt is from Reliability of Phylogenetic Predictions topic in section Phylogenetic Tree Construction Methods and Programs of Bioinformatics

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

(a) very well, multiple sequence alignment

When sequences align very well, the positions that correspond in the sequences can be easily identified in a multiple sequence alignment. This alignment helps to arrange the sequences in such a way that similar or homologous regions are aligned, making the phylogenetic analysis more straightforward. A good multiple sequence alignment ensures that corresponding positions in the sequences are properly aligned, facilitating accurate comparison and analysis.

So, the correct answer is (a) very well, multiple sequence alignment.