Open AccessPlant mitochondrial nucleic acid sequences as a tool for phylogenetic analysis.
Author(s) -
Rudolf Hiesel,
Arndt von Haeseler,
Axel Brennicke
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.91.2.634
Subject(s) - phylogenetic tree , biology , phylogenetic network , monophyly , phylogenetics , mitochondrial dna , genetics , intron , evolutionary biology , gene , clade
To evaluate the potential of mitochondrial nucleic acid sequences as a phylogenetic tool, we have analyzed cytochrome oxidase subunit III (coxIII) coding sequences in representatives of the major groups of land plants. The phylogenetic tree derived from these mitochondrial sequences confirms the monophyletic origin of land plant mitochondria with the general order and descent of land plants deduced by other molecular, physiological, and morphological traits. The mitochondrial sequences strongly suggest a close phylogenetic relationship between Bryophyta and Lycopodiatae, whereas Psilophytatae cluster with the other vascular plants. In addition to the high sequence similarity, both Hepaticophytina and Lycopodiatae contain a related intron in the coxIII gene that, to our knowledge, is not found in any other plant species. The slowly evolving mitochondrial sequences of plants are shown to provide a useful phylogenetic tool to evaluate distant evolutionary relationships within this kingdom.