A Chinese research team has used an AI-powered protein language model to uncover how different species, like bats and toothed whales, independently evolved similar traits—such as echolocation—through a process called convergent evolution. The team, led by Zou Zhengting from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, developed a computational framework called “ACEP” that reveals how high-order protein features contribute to adaptive convergence. Their findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlight how AI can enhance our understanding of evolutionary biology.
Credit – CGTN