Enter the nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution rate and the synonymous nucleotide substitution rate into the Calculator. The calculator will evaluate the Ka/Ks Ratio.
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Ka/Ks Ratio Formula
Ka:Ks = Ka/Ks
Variables:
- Ka:Ks is the Ka/Ks Ratio ()
- Ka is the nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution rate
- ks is the synonymous nucleotide substitution rate
To calculate Ka/Ks Ratio, divide the nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution rate by the synonymous nucleotide substitution rate.
How to Calculate Ka/Ks Ratio?
The following steps outline how to calculate the Ka/Ks Ratio.
- First, determine the nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution rate.
- Next, determine the synonymous nucleotide substitution rate.
- Next, gather the formula from above = Ka:Ks = Ka/Ks.
- Finally, calculate the Ka/Ks Ratio.
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution rate = 8
synonymous nucleotide substitution rate = 9
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution?
Nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution refers to a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA that alters the amino acid sequence of a protein. This type of substitution can affect the function of the protein.
What is a synonymous nucleotide substitution?
Synonymous nucleotide substitution occurs when a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA does not alter the amino acid sequence of a protein. This means the substitution does not affect the function of the protein.
Why is the Ka/Ks ratio important in evolutionary biology?
The Ka/Ks ratio is used to measure the evolutionary pressure on a set of homologous protein-coding genes. A ratio greater than 1 suggests positive selection (adaptive evolution), a ratio less than 1 indicates purifying selection (removal of deleterious mutations), and a ratio equal to 1 implies neutral evolution.
How can the Ka/Ks ratio help in identifying genes under positive selection?
By comparing the rates of nonsynonymous and synonymous substitutions, scientists can identify genes that are evolving more rapidly than expected under neutral evolution. A Ka/Ks ratio significantly greater than 1 indicates that a gene may be under positive selection, suggesting an adaptive advantage of the mutations.
