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On the maximum likelihood method in molecular phylogenetics

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Summary

The efficiency of obtaining the correct tree by the maximum likelihood method (Felsenstein 1981) for inferring trees from DNA sequence data was compared with trees obtained by distance methods. It was shown that the maximum likelihood method is superior to distance methods in the efficiency particularly when the evolutionary rate differs among lineages.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Institute of Statistical Mathematics, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 4-6-7 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, 106, Tokyo, Japan

    Masami Hasegawa & Hirohisa Kishino

  2. Department of Statistical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 4-6-7 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, 106, Tokyo, Japan

    Masami Hasegawa & Hirohisa Kishino

  3. Department of Anthropology, University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113, Tokyo, Japan

    Naruya Saitou

Authors
  1. Masami Hasegawa
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  2. Hirohisa Kishino
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  3. Naruya Saitou
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Hasegawa, M., Kishino, H. & Saitou, N. On the maximum likelihood method in molecular phylogenetics. J Mol Evol 32, 443–445 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02101285

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02101285

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