| Abstract Detail
Systematics Schneider, Adam [1]. Horizontal gene transfer in holoparasitic Orobanchaceae and its utility in phylogenetic dating. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from autotrophic plants to their heterotrophic parasites has been observed in several independent lineages. Here, I will present phylogenetic evidence of HGT of the gene rbcL (RuBsCO large subunit) into the ancestor of the recently decribed species of the holoparasitic genus Aphyllon (Orobanchaceae) from the plastid of its Galium host. Differences in sequencing coverage between other plastid genes in Aphyllon and the horizontally derived rbcL paralog, suggest that it has not been integrated into the parasite plastome, however, additional study is needed to verify its location in the genome.
Such findings may have utility in overcoming previous limitations to inferring divergence times in holoparasites, which show accelerated rates of molecular evolution, especially in the Orobanchaceae with has a dpauperate fossil record. Previous research has shown host to parasite HGT of a different gene, albumin1, in the common ancestor of Aphyllon and its Old World relative, Orobanche. Due to the extensive fossil record of its leguminous host, these researchers were able to infer the timing of the HGT event and subsequent diversification events. Using this as a secondary calibration, I reconstructed a dated phylogeny for the Orobanchaceae, and use it to infer the timing of several notable biogeographical events.
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1 - Baldwin Lab And UC/JEPS Herbaria, Integrative Biology, University Of California-Berkeley, 1001 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA, 94720-2465, USA
Keywords:
Horizontal gene transfer
Aphyllon
Orobanchaceae
biogeography
divergence time.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 41, Systematics III: Euasterids
Location: Sundance 4/Omni Hotel
Date: Wednesday, June 28th, 2017
Time: 4:30 PM
Number: 41011
Abstract ID:452
Candidate for Awards:None |
