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Optimization and Comparative Analysis of Plant Organellar DNA Enrichment Methods Suitable for Next-generation Sequencing
Published on: July 28, 2017
Faster evolution of highly conserved DNA in tropical plants
Len N Gillman1, D J Keeling, R C Gardner
1School of Applied Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. len.gillman@aut.ac.nz
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|May 12, 2010
Summary
Plant DNA evolves faster in warmer, low-latitude regions. This study found the 18S ribosomal gene, crucial for cell structure, evolves 51% faster in tropical plants compared to temperate ones, confirming climate
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Molecular Evolution
- Plant Science
Background:
- Previous research indicated faster nuclear DNA evolution in low-latitude, warm-climate plants compared to high-latitude, cool-climate plants.
- The prior study focused on the variable internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal gene complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if accelerated DNA evolution rates observed in warmer climates extend to highly conserved DNA regions.
- To compare the evolutionary rates of the 18S ribosomal gene in congeneric plant species with differing latitudinal distributions.
Main Methods:
- Sequencing of the 18S ribosomal gene in 45 pairs of congeneric plant species.
- Comparison of substitution rates in the 18S gene between tropical (low-latitude) and temperate (high-latitude) sister species.
- Correlation analysis between substitution rates in the 18S gene and the previously studied ITS region.
Main Results:
- The rate of evolution in the 18S ribosomal gene was 51% faster in tropical plant species relative to their temperate counterparts.
- A positive correlation was observed between the substitution rates in the 18S gene and the ITS region.
- These findings demonstrate that climatic influences impact evolution even in functionally important, conserved genomic regions.
Conclusions:
- Climate significantly influences the rate of molecular evolution in plants, affecting even highly conserved genes like 18S ribosomal RNA.
- The observed faster evolution in warmer climates suggests a broader impact of environmental factors on genome evolution across different DNA regions.
- This study extends the understanding of climate-driven evolutionary dynamics to conserved functional elements of the plant genome.
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