RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Experimental phylogenetics: generation of a known phylogeny JF Science JO Science FD American Association for the Advancement of Science SP 589 OP 592 DO 10.1126/science.1736360 VO 255 IS 5044 A1 Hillis, DM A1 Bull, JJ A1 White, ME A1 Badgett, MR A1 Molineux, IJ YR 1992 UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/255/5044/589.abstract AB Although methods of phylogenetic estimation are used routinely in comparative biology, direct tests of these methods are hampered by the lack of known phylogenies. Here a system based on serial propagation of bacteriophage T7 in the presence of a mutagen was used to create the first completely known phylogeny. Restriction-site maps of the terminal lineages were used to infer the evolutionary history of the experimental lines for comparison to the known history and actual ancestors. The five methods used to reconstruct branching pattern all predicted the correct topology but varied in their predictions of branch lengths; one method also predicts ancestral restriction maps and was found to be greater than 98 percent accurate.