I've created a number of phylogenetic trees in MEGA but I would like to edit the tip labels. To this point, I have not been able to find a way to do so. Your advice is appreciated.
Hi Jessica. If you still have the mega file of the tree (the output file that MEGA produces after running the tree, before exporting/saving it in .pdf or any other format), you can simply double click on the label name and edit it from there. This surely works in MEGA6, I cannot confirm for any other version of the software, though. This obviously won't change the name of the sequence in your alignment (therefore you will have to change it ALSO there) but at least you won't need to re-run the alignment nor the tree!
Phylogenetic tree files are just text files, so you can edit them in any text editor. They don't look like a tree, they are just tip names and distances, so that a tree drawing program such as FigTree or the one built into MEGA can draw the tree.
Be aware though, that if you change the sequence (tip) names in a tree file so that they no longer match the names in the multiple sequence alignment file, it prevents most programs from doing future analysis of the sequence/tree relationship. So sometimes it is better to rename the sequences in the alignment and rebuild a new tree.
Hi Jessica. If you still have the mega file of the tree (the output file that MEGA produces after running the tree, before exporting/saving it in .pdf or any other format), you can simply double click on the label name and edit it from there. This surely works in MEGA6, I cannot confirm for any other version of the software, though. This obviously won't change the name of the sequence in your alignment (therefore you will have to change it ALSO there) but at least you won't need to re-run the alignment nor the tree!
Tree editing can be a real nuisance. I have found that a program called 'Dendroscope' is fantastic for tip editing. Give it a go.
Brian Thomas Foley
Dear Brian,
I have drawn my bacterial strain tree by using Mega X but as I copy it into word file I can't italicize names of strains. Could you please help me in this issue?
Bests,
Shaun G. Lehmann, we sometime use iTOL ( https://itol.embl.de/ ) and Adobe Illustrator depending on what we want to edit on the tree. Sharareh Harirchi , MEGA X allows you to edit the Taxa names where you could italicize the names (See attached example). After you save the image file, you probably are not allowed to edit in word file.
Dear Sharareh Harirchi
You can also do editing in word file also. When phylogenetic tree is build up, Click on Image and you will get an option copy to clipboard. Click on it and then paste on word file. After pasting on Microsoft word, you keep your cursor on the end of tree and do right click on your mouse or laptop, you will get an option edit picture. Click on it and you will get option this is an imported picture, not a group. Do you want to convert it to a Microsoft office drawing object? Click on yes option and do editing whatever you want. You can italic or not italic, bold or highlight etc here.
Better is do this in paint.
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