Question

Building phylogenetic tree involves bifurcation and multifurcation.

(a) True

(b) False

I have been asked this question during an interview.

The query is from Phylogenetics Basics topic in chapter Molecular Phylogenetics of Bioinformatics

Answer 1

Right option is (a) True

Easiest explanation: Multifurcation is normally a result of insufficient evidence to fully resolve the tree or a result of an evolutionary process known as radiation. Sometimes, a branch point on a phylogenetic tree may have more than two descendents, resulting in a multifurcating node.