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Molecular Systematic Studies (molecular + systematic_studies)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

A REEXAMINATION OF THE SYSTEMATICS OF THE ACROCHAETIALES (RHODOPHYTA) USING LARGE-SUBUNIT RDNA SEQUENCE DATA

JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2000
J.T. Harper
The taxonomic history of the red algal order Acrochaetiales is chaotic. There is no consensus in the literature as to how many genera should be recognized or in the assignment of the over 400 species to these genera. Morphological and anatomical studies have provided a suite of possible characters to delineate genera within this order, but there have been major discrepancies in the assessment and use of these features. The phylogenetic placement of the Acrochaetiales has also been the focus of debate. Once thought to be the most ancestral florideophyte lineage, recent molecular systematic studies have illustrated that this order is a derived lineage closely related to the Nemaliales and Palmariales. Phylogenies using sequences of the small-subunit (SSU) rDNA have strongly supported two very divergent lineages within a possibly polyphyletic Acrochaetiales. The relationships between these two groups and among other closely related rhodophyte orders were not resolved. We have generated large-subunit (LSU) rDNA sequence data for representatives of the Acrochaetiales and related taxa. Distance and parsimony phylogenies based on LSU and combined SSU and LSU data will be presented. The increased phylogenetic signal afforded by this approach will shed light on previous conundrums in the systematics of this group. [source]

Chordate phylogeny and evolution: a not so simple three-taxon problem

JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
T. Stach
Abstract Traditional concepts of chordate phylogeny have recently been in turmoil: in a large-scale molecular study, the traditional hypothesis that cephalochordates are sister taxon to craniates was replaced by the hypothesis of a sister group relationship between tunicates and craniates. It was claimed that the morphological evidence that supported traditional phylogeny was weak and that morphological characters at least equally strong could be mustered in support of the ,new phylogeny.' In the present review, it is shown that the uncritical use of published codings of morphological characters in recent phylogenetic analyses is responsible for this perception. To ameliorate this situation, the main focus of the present publication is a review of the morphological evidence that has been deemed relevant in chordate phylogeny. Characters are presented in enough detail to allow readers to make self-reliant informed decisions on character coding. I then analyze these characters cladistically, and it is demonstrated that support of the traditional hypothesis is substantial. I briefly evaluate molecular systematic studies and criticize ,evo-devo' studies for lack of cladistic rigor in the evolutionary interpretations of their data by (1) failing to formally code their characters (2) failing to subject their data to the congruence test with other characters, the crucial test in phylogenetic analyses. Finally, a short and by necessity eclectic discussion of suggested evolutionary scenarios is presented. [source]

Isolation and characterization of the "zooxanthellae" from soritid foraminifera and the giant clam Tridacna maxima

THE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005
JOHN J. LEE
Various methodological approaches are being used to characterize Symbiodinium spp isolated from Marginopora vertebralis and Amphisorus hemprichii and Amphisorus sp. from the Indo-pacific. While most of the cells in culture are non-motile vegetative cells, dinospores occur in batch cultures. We find consistant variance among the isolates in the duration and time of appearance of motile forms. Nitrate (0.146 mM) supports higher populations of the isolates than NH4 (0.146 mM). Higher concentrations of NH4 inhibit growth. Although Fensome et al. (1993) characterized the Order Suessiales (and Family Symbiodiniaceae) as gymnnodiniphycideans in which the amphiesmal vesicals are arranged in 7,10 longitudinal series we were unable to detect any plates on the surfaces of our isolates in the SEM. We were unsuccessful in revealing plates on non-motile forms by freeze fracture but they were present after treatment with various chemical agents (e.g. H2O2, HOCl,) and enzymes (cellulase, chitinase). They are not polygonal or arranged in the patterns anticipated for the Symbiodiniaceae. Polyclonal antibody studies of the Symbiodinium -like isolates are in agreement with molecular systematic studies in the sense that there is a common relation. The foram endosymbiotic dinoflagellates share some common surface antigens with each other and with the few invertebrate isolates we have tested. Studies of the foraminiferal symbionts' plastids revealed considerable morphological diversity. We isolated a diversity of endosymbionts from the mantle of Tridacna maxima from the Red Sea and the Marshall Islands. These included Symbiodinium, Amphidinium, Tetraselmis, and an unidentified chlorophyte. [source]

Phylogenetic analysis and species identification of popular shrimp species in southeast China using the first internally transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA

AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 11 2009
Zhigang Wu
Abstract The ribosomal DNA internally transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) was investigated in the search for an appropriate genetic marker that was suitable for phylogenetic study and species identification of eight major exported shrimp species in southeast China. Using the selected primers, the amplified ITS1 sequences exhibited a high degree of length polymorphisms, ranging from 448 bp in Metapenaeopsis dalei to 1491 bp in Macrobrachium nipponense. Many microsatellite loci were found at the 5, end and in the middle region of ITS1, which seemed to be associated with intragenomic sequence variation among samples of the same species. This variation might obscure the phylogenetic relationship between some shrimp populations, but the separation of five Penaeus species was well supported. In combination with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymerism methods analysis, ITS1 sequences from shrimp species belonging to different families and genera could also be easily discernable. The results suggested that ITS1 was highly variable among different shrimp groups and could be an appropriate marker for species identification and molecular systematic studies. [source]