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Updated: May 28, 2026
12:33
Optimization and Comparative Analysis of Plant Organellar DNA Enrichment Methods Suitable for Next-generation Sequencing
Published on: July 28, 2017
Non-random sharing of Plantae genes
Cheong Xin Chan1, Debashish Bhattacharya
1Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources; and Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences; Rutgers University; New Brunswick, NJ USA.
Communicative & Integrative Biology
|October 8, 2011
Summary
Genomic analysis of red algae reveals their close evolutionary relationship to green algae. It also shows that genes in complex networks are less prone to horizontal gene transfer than metabolic genes.
Area of Science:
- Eukaryote genomics
- Algal evolution
- Phylogenetics
Background:
- Taxon sampling is crucial for robust phylogenetic analyses in eukaryote genomics.
- The Plantae hypothesis proposes the monophyly of red, green, and glaucophyte algae.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary history of red algae using novel genome data.
- To test the Plantae hypothesis by assessing the phylogenetic position of red algae.
- To analyze gene-sharing patterns in the unicellular red alga Porphyridium cruentum and correlate gene function with transfer susceptibility.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genomics
- Phylogenetic analysis using novel red algal genome data
- Analysis of gene-sharing patterns and functional annotation of genes in Porphyridium cruentum
Main Results:
- Novel genome data confirmed the sisterhood of red and green algae, supporting a clade within the Plantae.
- >1,800 genes in Porphyridium cruentum showed evidence of gene-sharing with diverse prokaryotic and eukaryotic lineages.
- Genes involved in complex interactive networks (e.g., regulation, transcription/translation) were less susceptible to horizontal gene transfer than metabolic or transporter genes.
Conclusions:
- The study provides strong evidence for the monophyly of red and green algae.
- Gene function significantly influences susceptibility to horizontal and endosymbiotic gene transfer.
- Understanding gene transfer mechanisms is vital for interpreting genome evolution in eukaryotes.
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