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Actin Phylogeny and Intron Distribution in Bangiophyte Red Algae(Rhodoplantae)

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Abstract

The molecular phylogeny of red algal actin genes, with emphasis on the paraphyletic “Bangiophyceae,” was examined and compared to the rhodophyte SSU rDNA phylogeny. Nineteen new genomic actin sequences and seven SSU rDNA sequences were obtained and subjected to diverse phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood, distance/neighbor-joining, maximum parsimony, Bayesian analyses, and, with respect to protein sequences, also quartet puzzling). The actin trees confirmed most of the major clades found in the SSU rDNA phylogenies, although with a lower resolution. An actin gene duplication in the florideophycean lineage is reported, presumably related to an increased complexity of sexual reproduction. In addition, the distribution and characteristics of spliceosomal introns found in some of the actin sequences were examined. Introns were found in almost all florideophycean actin genes, whereas only two bangiophyte sequences contained introns. One intron in the florideophycean actin genes was also found in metazoan, and, shifted by one or two nucleotides, in a glaucocystophyte, a cryptophyte, and two fungal actin genes, and thus may be an ancient intron.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the German–Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (GIF Grant I-734-63.12/2002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universität zu Köln, Botanisches Institut, Lehrstuhl I, Gyrhofstr. 15, Köln, 50931, Germany

    Kerstin Hoef-Emden & Michael Melkonian

  2. Institute of Applied Biosciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel

    Roshan Prakash Shrestha, Miri Lapidot & Shoshana (Malis) Arad

  3. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel

    Yacob Weinstein

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  1. Kerstin Hoef-Emden
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  2. Roshan Prakash Shrestha
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  5. Michael Melkonian
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  6. Shoshana (Malis) Arad
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Correspondence to Kerstin Hoef-Emden.

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Hoef-Emden, K., Shrestha, R.P., Lapidot, M. et al. Actin Phylogeny and Intron Distribution in Bangiophyte Red Algae(Rhodoplantae). J Mol Evol 61, 360–371 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-004-0366-3

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