Open AccessMicrosporidia are related to Fungi: Evidence from the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II and other proteins
Author(s) -
Robert P. Hirt,
Jr Jm Logsdon,
Bryan Healy,
MW Dorey,
W. Ford Doolittle,
T. Martin Embley
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.96.2.580
Subject(s) - microsporidia , biology , protist , phylogenetic tree , genetics , phylogenetics , evolutionary biology , rna polymerase , gene , polymerase , rna , botany , spore
We have determined complete gene sequences encoding the largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II (RBP1) from two Microsporidia,Vairimorpha necatrix andNosema locustae . Phylogenetic analyses of these and other RPB1 sequences strongly support the notion that Microsporidia are not early-diverging eukaryotes but instead are specifically related to Fungi. Our reexamination of elongation factors EF-1α and EF-2 sequence data that had previously been taken as support for an early (Archezoan) divergence of these amitochondriate protists show such support to be weak and likely caused by artifacts in phylogenetic analyses. These EF data sets are, in fact, not inconsistent with a Microsporidia + Fungi relationship. In addition, we show that none of these proteins strongly support a deep divergence of Parabasalia and Metamonada, the other amitochondriate protist groups currently thought to compose early branches. Thus, the phylogenetic placement among eukaryotes for these protist taxa is in need of further critical examination.