Abstract Detail

Phylogenomics

Ortiz, Edgardo M. [1], Simpson, Beryl B. [2].

Phylogenomics of high-elevation genera of Andean Vaccinieae.

The blueberry tribe (Vaccinieae) comprises ca. 1300 species from which 60% inhabit the Neotropics. In the Neotropical region they are more prevalent in the cool and humid habitats found in the Andean range. The genera Demosthenesia, Rusbya, Pellegrinia, Polyclita, and Siphonandra are endemic to elevations above 3000 m on the eastern slopes of the Andes of Peru and Bolivia. Because these genera diverged relatively recently within the tribe, the markers traditionally used in the group (ITS, matK, ndhF, rps4, rbcL) could not unequivocally show their monophyly in every case (e.g. Demosthenesia and Rusbya), or fully resolve the relationships between their species. In order to confirm the monophyly of these five genera, determine their phylogenetic position in the Vaccinieae, and clarify the relationships between their species, we used the genome skimming technique to assemble complete nuclear ribosomal RNA cistrons, complete plastomes and partial mitochondrial genomes from 43 species. Phylogenies for each organellar partition were estimated using maximum likelihood with IQ-TREE and the resulting topologies were compared. Our findings show that Demosthenesia, Pellegrinia, and Rusbya are monophyletic and contained in a clade together with the genera Themistoclesia, and Diogenesia. A monophyletic Siphonandra is found in a different clade also containing Psammisia, and Ceratostema. Finally, the monotypic Polyclita is nested within the “Thibaudia” clade. These results would suggest that colonization of high-elevation habitats happened multiple times during the evolution of the tribe in the Andes.

1 - The University of Texas at Austin, Integrative Biology and Plant Resources Center, 205 W 24th St, Biology Labs, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
2 - University Of Texas, Section Of Integrative Biology, 205 W 24th St, Mail Stop C0930, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

Keywords:
Ericaceae
Vaccinieae
blueberry
phylogenomics
phylogenetics
chloroplast
mitochondrion
nuclear ribosomal cistron
Genome skimming.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 33, Phylogenomics II
Location: Fort Worth Ballroom 4/Omni Hotel
Date: Wednesday, June 28th, 2017
Time: 9:00 AM
Number: 33005
Abstract ID:519
Candidate for Awards:None