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08:57
Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin
Published on: August 14, 2018
Alveolate phylogeny inferred using concatenated ribosomal proteins.
Tsvetan R Bachvaroff1, Sara M Handy, Allen R Place
1Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, Maryland 21037, USA. bachvarofft@si.edu
The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
|April 27, 2011
Summary
This study resolves the evolutionary relationships between dinoflagellates and apicomplexans using concatenated protein-coding genes. Results confirm dinoflagellates and apicomplexans form distinct monophyletic lineages, clarifying their phylogenetic placement.
Area of Science:
- * Molecular Phylogenetics
- * Protistology
- * Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- * The evolutionary relationship between dinoflagellates and apicomplexans has been debated, with ribosomal DNA (rDNA) phylogenies showing controversy.
- * Previous studies using rDNA are limited by data availability and potential biases, necessitating alternative phylogenetic approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To construct robust phylogenies of dinoflagellates and apicomplexans using concatenated protein-coding genes.
- * To clarify the phylogenetic placement of enigmatic groups like syndinian dinoflagellates (e.g., *Amoebophrya* sp.) and atypical dinoflagellates (*Oxyrrhis marina*).
- * To resolve the evolutionary divergence between dinoflagellates and apicomplexans.
Main Methods:
- * Phylogenetic analysis of seventeen concatenated ribosomal protein-coding genes.
- * Inclusion of diverse taxa: typical dinoflagellates, *Amoebophrya* sp., *Oxyrrhis marina*, *Perkinsus marinus*, and representatives from heterokont, ciliate, and apicomplexan lineages.
- * Utilized expressed sequence tags and genomic data for phylogenetic reconstruction.
Main Results:
- * Concatenated protein-coding gene analyses yielded well-supported phylogenies with minimal instability.
- * The study confirmed that *Perkinsus marinus*, *Amoebophrya* sp., *Oxyrrhis marina*, and other dinoflagellates form a monophyletic lineage, separate from Apicomplexa.
- * Placement of *Cryptosporidium* spp. within Apicomplexa and relationships among *P. marinus*, *Amoebophrya* sp., and *O. marina* showed some instability.
Conclusions:
- * Protein-coding gene phylogenies provide a more robust framework for understanding dinoflagellate and apicomplexan evolution than rDNA.
- * The findings strongly support the monophyly of dinoflagellates, excluding apicomplexans, and clarify the position of key enigmatic lineages.
- * This research contributes to resolving long-standing phylogenetic controversies within the Alveolata superphylum.
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