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Phylogenetic relationships among actinorhizal plants. The impact of molecular systematics and implications for the evolution of actinorhizal symbioses
Author(s) -
Swensen Susan M.,
Mullin Beth C.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1997.tb05358.x
Subject(s) - actinorhizal plant , biology , frankia , symbiosis , clade , fabaceae , coevolution , phylogenetic tree , systematics , evolutionary biology , phylogenetics , botany , root nodule , taxonomy (biology) , gene , genetics , bacteria
A review of recent molecular systematic studies of actinorhizal plants and their Frankia endosymbionts is presented. For comparative purposes, a discussion of recent studies pertaining to the evolution of nodulation in the legume‐rhizobium system is included. Molecular systematic studies have revealed that actinorhizal plants are more closely related than current taxonomic schemes imply. Broad‐based analyses of the chloroplast gene rbcL indicate that all symbiotic root‐nodulating higher plants belong to a single large clade. More focused molecular analyses of both legume and actinorhizal hosts within this large clade indicate that symbioses have probably arisen more than once. By comparing host phylogenies and recently published bacterial phylogenies, we consider the coevolution of bacterial symbionts with their actinorhizal hosts.