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The rDNA ITS Region in the Lessepsian Marine Angiosperm Halophila stipulacea (Forssk.) Aschers. (Hydrocharitaceae): Intragenomic Variability and Putative Pseudogenic Sequences

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Abstract

Halophila stipulacea is a dioecious marine angiosperm, widely distributed along the western coasts of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. This species is thought to be a Lessepsian immigrant that entered the Mediterranean Sea from the Red Sea after the opening of the Suez Canal (1869). Previous studies have revealed both high phenotypic and genetic variability in Halophila stipulacea populations from the western Mediterranean basin. In order to test the hypothesis of a Lessepsian introduction, we compare genetic polymorphism between putative native (Red Sea) and introduced (Mediterranean) populations through rDNA ITS region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) sequence analysis. A high degree of intraindividual variability of ITS sequences was found. Most of the intragenomic polymorphism was due to pseudogenic sequences, present in almost all individuals. Features of ITS functional sequences and pseudogenes are described. Possible causes for the lack of homogenization of ITS paralogues within individuals are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

Sampling in the Red Sea was conducted by Ferruccio Maltagliati. We thank Wiebe Kooistra for critical review of the manuscript.

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  1. Stazione Zoologica “A. Dohrn,”, Laboratorio di Ecologia del Benthos, 80077 Ischia (Napoli), Italy

    Maria Valeria Ruggiero & Gabriele Procaccini

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  1. Maria Valeria Ruggiero
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  2. Gabriele Procaccini
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Correspondence to Gabriele Procaccini.

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Valeria Ruggiero, M., Procaccini, G. The rDNA ITS Region in the Lessepsian Marine Angiosperm Halophila stipulacea (Forssk.) Aschers. (Hydrocharitaceae): Intragenomic Variability and Putative Pseudogenic Sequences . J Mol Evol 58, 115–121 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-003-2536-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-003-2536-0

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