MBE Advance Access originally published online on August 17, 2005
Molecular Biology and Evolution 2005 22(12):2472-2479; doi:10.1093/molbev/msi237
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Research Article |
Evaluation of an Improved Branch-Site Likelihood Method for Detecting Positive Selection at the Molecular Level


* Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor;
Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark;
Department of Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
E-mail: z.yang{at}ucl.ac.uk.
Detecting positive Darwinian selection at the DNA sequence level has been a subject of considerable interest. However, positive selection is difficult to detect because it often operates episodically on a few amino acid sites, and the signal may be masked by negative selection. Several methods have been developed to test positive selection that acts on given branches (branch methods) or on a subset of sites (site methods). Recently, Yang, Z., and R. Nielsen (2002. Codon-substitution models for detecting molecular adaptation at individual sites along specific lineages. Mol. Biol. Evol. 19:908917) developed likelihood ratio tests (LRTs) based on branch-site models to detect positive selection that affects a small number of sites along prespecified lineages. However, computer simulations suggested that the tests were sensitive to the model assumptions and were unable to distinguish between relaxation of selective constraint and positive selection (Zhang, J. 2004. Frequent false detection of positive selection by the likelihood method with branch-site models. Mol. Biol. Evol. 21:13321339). Here, we describe a modified branch-site model and use it to construct two LRTs, called branch-site tests 1 and 2. We applied the new tests to reanalyze several real data sets and used computer simulation to examine the performance of the two tests by examining their false-positive rate, power, and robustness. We found that test 1 was unable to distinguish relaxed constraint from positive selection affecting the lineages of interest, while test 2 had acceptable false-positive rates and appeared robust against violations of model assumptions. As test 2 is a direct test of positive selection on the lineages of interest, it is referred to as the branch-site test of positive selection and is recommended for use in real data analysis. The test appeared conservative overall, but exhibited better power in detecting positive selection than the branch-based test. Bayes empirical Bayes identification of amino acid sites under positive selection along the foreground branches was found to be reliable, but lacked power.
Key Words: computer simulation branch-site model likelihood ratio test positive selection
![]()
CiteULike
Connotea
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
T. Viaene, D. Vekemans, V. F. Irish, A. Geeraerts, S. Huysmans, S. Janssens, E. Smets, and K. Geuten Pistillata--Duplications as a Mode for Floral Diversification in (Basal) Asterids Mol. Biol. Evol., November 1, 2009; 26(11): 2627 - 2645. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Moreno-Estrada, K. Tang, M. Sikora, T. Marques-Bonet, F. Casals, A. Navarro, F. Calafell, J. Bertranpetit, M. Stoneking, and E. Bosch Interrogating 11 Fast-Evolving Genes for Signatures of Recent Positive Selection in Worldwide Human Populations Mol. Biol. Evol., October 1, 2009; 26(10): 2285 - 2297. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Matsuno,, V. Compagnon, G. A. Schoch, M. Schmitt, D. Debayle, J.-E. Bassard, B. Pollet, A. Hehn, D. Heintz, P. Ullmann, et al. Evolution of a Novel Phenolic Pathway for Pollen Development Science, September 25, 2009; 325(5948): 1688 - 1692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Z. Yang, R. Nielsen, and N. Goldman In defense of statistical methods for detecting positive selection PNAS, September 8, 2009; 106(36): E95 - E95. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. B. Geyer and H.A. Lessios Lack of Character Displacement in the Male Recognition Molecule, Bindin, in Altantic Sea Urchins of the Genus Echinometra Mol. Biol. Evol., September 1, 2009; 26(9): 2135 - 2146. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. J. Moore, D. C. T. Halliday, D. M. Rowell, A. J. Robinson, and J. S. Keogh Positive Darwinian selection results in resistance to cardioactive toxins in true toads (Anura: Bufonidae) Biol Lett, August 23, 2009; 5(4): 513 - 516. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Dong, G. He, S. Zhang, and Z. Zhang Evolution of Olfactory Receptor Genes in Primates Dominated by Birth-and-Death Process Gen Biol Evol, August 20, 2009; 2009(0): 258 - 264. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P.-A. Christin, E. Samaritani, B. Petitpierre, N. Salamin, and G. Besnard Evolutionary Insights on C4 Photosynthetic Subtypes in Grasses from Genomics and Phylogenetics Gen Biol Evol, August 13, 2009; 2009(0): 221 - 230. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Guirao-Rico and M. Aguade Positive Selection Has Driven the Evolution of the Drosophila Insulin-Like Receptor (InR) at Different Timescales Mol. Biol. Evol., August 1, 2009; 26(8): 1723 - 1732. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. Fletcher and Z. Yang INDELible: A Flexible Simulator of Biological Sequence Evolution Mol. Biol. Evol., August 1, 2009; 26(8): 1879 - 1888. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Besnard, A. M. Muasya, F. Russier, E. H. Roalson, N. Salamin, and P.-A. Christin Phylogenomics of C4 Photosynthesis in Sedges (Cyperaceae): Multiple Appearances and Genetic Convergence Mol. Biol. Evol., August 1, 2009; 26(8): 1909 - 1919. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Chattopadhyay, S. J. Weissman, V. N. Minin, T. A. Russo, D. E. Dykhuizen, and E. V. Sokurenko High frequency of hotspot mutations in core genes of Escherichia coli due to short-term positive selection PNAS, July 28, 2009; 106(30): 12412 - 12417. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Lefebure and M. J. Stanhope Pervasive, genome-wide positive selection leading to functional divergence in the bacterial genus Campylobacter Genome Res., July 1, 2009; 19(7): 1224 - 1232. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Schneider, A. Souvorov, N. Sabath, G. Landan, G. H. Gonnet, and D. Graur Estimates of Positive Darwinian Selection Are Inflated by Errors in Sequencing, Annotation, and Alignment Gen Biol Evol, June 22, 2009; 2009(0): 114 - 118. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. D. O'Connor and N. I. Mundy Genotype-phenotype associations: substitution models to detect evolutionary associations between phenotypic variables and genotypic evolutionary rate Bioinformatics, June 15, 2009; 25(12): i94 - i100. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Ikeda, N. Fujii, and H. Setoguchi Molecular Evolution of Phytochromes in Cardamine nipponica (Brassicaceae) Suggests the Involvement of PHYE in Local Adaptation Genetics, June 1, 2009; 182(2): 603 - 614. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. V. Han, J. P. Demuth, C. L. McGrath, C. Casola, and M. W. Hahn Adaptive evolution of young gene duplicates in mammals Genome Res., May 1, 2009; 19(5): 859 - 867. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Mallick, S. Gnerre, P. Muller, and D. Reich The difficulty of avoiding false positives in genome scans for natural selection Genome Res., May 1, 2009; 19(5): 922 - 933. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. J. Weadick and B. S.W. Chang Molecular Evolution of the {beta}{gamma} Lens Crystallin Superfamily: Evidence for a Retained Ancestral Function in {gamma}N Crystallins? Mol. Biol. Evol., May 1, 2009; 26(5): 1127 - 1142. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Nozawa, Y. Suzuki, and M. Nei Reliabilities of identifying positive selection by the branch-site and the site-prediction methods PNAS, April 21, 2009; 106(16): 6700 - 6705. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Miyake, N. Takebayashi, and D. E. Wolf Possible Diversifying Selection in the Imprinted Gene, MEDEA, in Arabidopsis Mol. Biol. Evol., April 1, 2009; 26(4): 843 - 857. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Z. Wang, L. Yuan, S. J. Rossiter, X. Zuo, B. Ru, H. Zhong, N. Han, G. Jones, P. D. Jepson, and S. Zhang Adaptive Evolution of 5'HoxD Genes in the Origin and Diversification of the Cetacean Flipper Mol. Biol. Evol., March 1, 2009; 26(3): 613 - 622. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Anisimova and C. Kosiol Investigating Protein-Coding Sequence Evolution with Probabilistic Codon Substitution Models Mol. Biol. Evol., February 1, 2009; 26(2): 255 - 271. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P.-A. Christin, B. Petitpierre, N. Salamin, L. Buchi, and G. Besnard Evolution of C4 Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase in Grasses, from Genotype to Phenotype Mol. Biol. Evol., February 1, 2009; 26(2): 357 - 365. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. Delport, K. Scheffler, and C. Seoighe Models of coding sequence evolution Brief Bioinform, January 1, 2009; 10(1): 97 - 109. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Proux, R. A. Studer, S. Moretti, and M. Robinson-Rechavi Selectome: a database of positive selection Nucleic Acids Res., January 1, 2009; 37(suppl_1): D404 - D407. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
O. Cohen, N. D Rubinstein, A. Stern, U. Gophna, and T. Pupko A likelihood framework to analyse phyletic patterns Phil Trans R Soc B, December 27, 2008; 363(1512): 3903 - 3911. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P.-A. Christin, N. Salamin, A. M. Muasya, E. H. Roalson, F. Russier, and G. Besnard Evolutionary Switch and Genetic Convergence on rbcL following the Evolution of C4 Photosynthesis Mol. Biol. Evol., November 1, 2008; 25(11): 2361 - 2368. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. Juarez, I. Comas, F. Gonzalez-Candelas, and J. J. Calvete Evolution of Snake Venom Disintegrins by Positive Darwinian Selection Mol. Biol. Evol., November 1, 2008; 25(11): 2391 - 2407. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. C. Karn, N. L. Clark, E. D. Nguyen, and W. J. Swanson Adaptive Evolution in Rodent Seminal Vesicle Secretion Proteins Mol. Biol. Evol., November 1, 2008; 25(11): 2301 - 2310. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. Ali and R. Meier Positive Selection in ASPM Is Correlated with Cerebral Cortex Evolution across Primates but Not with Whole-Brain Size Mol. Biol. Evol., November 1, 2008; 25(11): 2247 - 2250. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Dorus, Z. N. Freeman, E. R. Parker, B. D. Heath, and T. L. Karr Recent Origins of Sperm Genes in Drosophila Mol. Biol. Evol., October 1, 2008; 25(10): 2157 - 2166. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. J. Lynch, A. Tanzer, Y. Wang, F. C. Leung, B. Gellersen, D. Emera, and G. P. Wagner Adaptive changes in the transcription factor HoxA-11 are essential for the evolution of pregnancy in mammals PNAS, September 30, 2008; 105(39): 14928 - 14933. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Li, J. Wang, S. J. Rossiter, G. Jones, J. A. Cotton, and S. Zhang The hearing gene Prestin reunites echolocating bats PNAS, September 16, 2008; 105(37): 13959 - 13964. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. A. Studer, S. Penel, L. Duret, and M. Robinson-Rechavi Pervasive positive selection on duplicated and nonduplicated vertebrate protein coding genes Genome Res., September 1, 2008; 18(9): 1393 - 1402. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Wang, A. Diehl, F. Wu, J. Vrebalov, J. Giovannoni, A. Siepel, and S. D. Tanksley Sequencing and Comparative Analysis of a Conserved Syntenic Segment in the Solanaceae Genetics, September 1, 2008; 180(1): 391 - 408. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Go and Y. Niimura Similar Numbers but Different Repertoires of Olfactory Receptor Genes in Humans and Chimpanzees Mol. Biol. Evol., September 1, 2008; 25(9): 1897 - 1907. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. C. Nickel, D. L. Tefft, K. Goglin, and M. D. Adams An Empirical Test for Branch-Specific Positive Selection Genetics, August 1, 2008; 179(4): 2183 - 2193. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Q. Xu, C.-H. C. Cheng, P. Hu, H. Ye, Z. Chen, L. Cao, L. Chen, Y. Shen, and L. Chen Adaptive Evolution of Hepcidin Genes in Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes Mol. Biol. Evol., June 1, 2008; 25(6): 1099 - 1112. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Pantalacci, A. Chaumot, G. Benoit, A. Sadier, F. Delsuc, E. J. P. Douzery, and V. Laudet Conserved Features and Evolutionary Shifts of the EDA Signaling Pathway Involved in Vertebrate Skin Appendage Development Mol. Biol. Evol., May 1, 2008; 25(5): 912 - 928. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Houzelstein, I. R. Goncalves, A. Orth, F. Bonhomme, and P. Netter Lgals6, a 2-Million-Year-Old Gene in Mice: A Case of Positive Darwinian Selection and Presence/Absence Polymorphism Genetics, March 1, 2008; 178(3): 1533 - 1545. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. L. Kelley and W. J. Swanson Dietary Change and Adaptive Evolution of enamelin in Humans and Among Primates Genetics, March 1, 2008; 178(3): 1595 - 1603. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. F. Storz, F. G. Hoffmann, J. C. Opazo, and H. Moriyama Adaptive Functional Divergence Among Triplicated {alpha}-Globin Genes in Rodents Genetics, March 1, 2008; 178(3): 1623 - 1638. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Moreno-Estrada, F. Casals, A. Ramirez-Soriano, B. Oliva, F. Calafell, J. Bertranpetit, and E. Bosch Signatures of Selection in the Human Olfactory Receptor OR5I1 Gene Mol. Biol. Evol., January 1, 2008; 25(1): 144 - 154. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. A. Ramm, P. L. Oliver, C. P. Ponting, P. Stockley, and R. D. Emes Sexual Selection and the Adaptive Evolution of Mammalian Ejaculate Proteins Mol. Biol. Evol., January 1, 2008; 25(1): 207 - 219. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
X. Chen, S. F. Perry, S. Aris-Brosou, C. Selva, and T. W. Moon Characterization and functional divergence of the {alpha}1-adrenoceptor gene family: insights from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Physiol Genomics, December 19, 2007; 32(1): 142 - 153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. Crespi, K. Summers, and S. Dorus Adaptive evolution of genes underlying schizophrenia Proc R Soc B, November 22, 2007; 274(1627): 2801 - 2810. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. A. Johnson and M. A. Thomas The Monosaccharide Transporter Gene Family in Arabidopsis and Rice: A History of Duplications, Adaptive Evolution, and Functional Divergence Mol. Biol. Evol., November 1, 2007; 24(11): 2412 - 2423. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. P. Bussink, D. Speijer, J. M. F. G. Aerts, and R. G. Boot Evolution of Mammalian Chitinase(-Like) Members of Family 18 Glycosyl Hydrolases Genetics, October 1, 2007; 177(2): 959 - 970. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. L. Clark, G. D. Findlay, X. Yi, M. J. MacCoss, and W. J. Swanson Duplication and Selection on Abalone Sperm Lysin in an Allopatric Population Mol. Biol. Evol., September 1, 2007; 24(9): 2081 - 2090. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. H. Orsi, D. R. Ripoll, M. Yeung, K. K. Nightingale, and M. Wiedmann Recombination and positive selection contribute to evolution of Listeria monocytogenes inlA Microbiology, August 1, 2007; 153(8): 2666 - 2678. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Wagner Rapid Detection of Positive Selection in Genes and Genomes Through Variation Clusters Genetics, August 1, 2007; 176(4): 2451 - 2463. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Z. Yang PAML 4: Phylogenetic Analysis by Maximum Likelihood Mol. Biol. Evol., August 1, 2007; 24(8): 1586 - 1591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. M. Resch, L. Carmel, L. Marino-Ramirez, A. Y. Ogurtsov, S. A. Shabalina, I. B. Rogozin, and E. V. Koonin Widespread Positive Selection in Synonymous Sites of Mammalian Genes Mol. Biol. Evol., August 1, 2007; 24(8): 1821 - 1831. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. J. O'Neill, B. R. Lawton, M. Mateos, D. M. Carone, G. C. Ferreri, T. Hrbek, R. W. Meredith, D. N. Reznick, and R. J. O'Neill From the Cover: Ancient and continuing Darwinian selection on insulin-like growth factor II in placental fishes PNAS, July 24, 2007; 104(30): 12404 - 12409. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Nei The new mutation theory of phenotypic evolution PNAS, July 24, 2007; 104(30): 12235 - 12242. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Tarraga, I. Medina, L. Arbiza, J. Huerta-Cepas, T. Gabaldon, J. Dopazo, and H. Dopazo Phylemon: a suite of web tools for molecular evolution, phylogenetics and phylogenomics Nucleic Acids Res., July 13, 2007; 35(suppl_2): W38 - W42. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. J. Barkman, T. R. Martins, E. Sutton, and J. T. Stout Positive Selection for Single Amino Acid Change Promotes Substrate Discrimination of a Plant Volatile-Producing Enzyme Mol. Biol. Evol., June 1, 2007; 24(6): 1320 - 1329. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. Ruano-Rubio and M. A. Fares Testing the Neutral Fixation of Hetero-Oligomerism in the Archaeal Chaperonin CCT Mol. Biol. Evol., June 1, 2007; 24(6): 1384 - 1396. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. D. Frentiu, G. D. Bernard, C. I. Cuevas, M. P. Sison-Mangus, K. L. Prudic, and A. D. Briscoe Colloquium Papers: Adaptive evolution of color vision as seen through the eyes of butterflies PNAS, May 15, 2007; 104(suppl_1): 8634 - 8640. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. A. Bakewell, P. Shi, and J. Zhang More genes underwent positive selection in chimpanzee evolution than in human evolution PNAS, May 1, 2007; 104(18): 7489 - 7494. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Guo and J. Kim Molecular Evolution of Drosophila Odorant Receptor Genes Mol. Biol. Evol., May 1, 2007; 24(5): 1198 - 1207. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Anisimova and Z. Yang Multiple Hypothesis Testing to Detect Lineages under Positive Selection that Affects Only a Few Sites Mol. Biol. Evol., May 1, 2007; 24(5): 1219 - 1228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. King, P. N. Goodfellow, A. J. P. Wilkerson, W. E. Johnson, S. J. O'Brien, and J. Pecon-Slattery Evolution of the Male-Determining Gene SRY Within the Cat Family Felidae Genetics, April 1, 2007; 175(4): 1855 - 1867. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Hernandez-Hernandez, L. P. Martinez-Castilla, and E. R. Alvarez-Buylla Functional Diversification of B MADS-Box Homeotic Regulators of Flower Development: Adaptive Evolution in Protein-Protein Interaction Domains after Major Gene Duplication Events Mol. Biol. Evol., February 1, 2007; 24(2): 465 - 481. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Yu and Y.-p. Zhang The Unusual Adaptive Expansion of Pancreatic Ribonuclease Gene in Carnivora Mol. Biol. Evol., December 1, 2006; 23(12): 2326 - 2335. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
O. Podlaha, D. M. Webb, and J. Zhang Accelerated Evolution and Loss of a Domain of the Sperm-Egg-Binding Protein SED1 in Ancestral Primates Mol. Biol. Evol., October 1, 2006; 23(10): 1828 - 1831. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. Izagirre, I. Garcia, C. Junquera, C. de la Rua, and S. Alonso A Scan for Signatures of Positive Selection in Candidate Loci for Skin Pigmentation in Humans Mol. Biol. Evol., September 1, 2006; 23(9): 1697 - 1706. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. M. Akey, W. J. Swanson, J. Madeoy, M. Eberle, and M. D. Shriver TRPV6 exhibits unusual patterns of polymorphism and divergence in worldwide populations Hum. Mol. Genet., July 1, 2006; 15(13): 2106 - 2113. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. H. Zakon, Y. Lu, D. J. Zwickl, and D. M. Hillis Sodium channel genes and the evolution of diversity in communication signals of electric fishes: Convergent molecular evolution PNAS, March 7, 2006; 103(10): 3675 - 3680. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||














