Evolutionary fingerprint, phylogenetic and forest structure of tropical montane Atlantic cloud forests along an elevation gradient

Environmental conditions can change markedly over geographical distances along elevation gradients,making them natural laboratories to study the processes that structure communities.This work aimed to assess the influences of elevation on Tropical Montane Cloud Forest plant communities in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest,a historically neglected ecoregion.We evaluated the phylogenetic structure,forest structure(tree basal area and tree density)and species richness along an elevation gradient,as well as the evolutionary fingerprints of elevation-success on phylogenetic lineages from the tree communities.To do so,we assessed nine communities along an elevation gradient from 1210 to 2310 m a.s.l.without large elevation gaps.The relationships between elevation and phylogenetic structure,forest structure and species richness were investigated through Linear Models.The occurrence of evolutionary fingerprint on phylogenetic lineages was investigated by quantifying the extent of phylogenetic signal of elevation-success using a genus-level molecular phylogeny.Our results showed decreased species richness at higher elevations and independence between forest structure,phylogenetic structure and elevation.We also verified that there is a phylogenetic signal associated with elevation-success by lineages.We concluded that the elevation is associated with species richness and the occurrence of phylogenetic lineages in the tree communities evaluated in Mantiqueira Range.On the other hand,elevation is not associated with forest structure or phylogenetic structure.Furthermore,closely related taxa tend to have their higher ecological success in similar elevations.Finally,we highlight the fragility of the tropical montane cloud forests in the Mantiqueira Range in face of environmental changes(i.e.global warming)due to the occurrence of exclusive phylogenetic lineages evolutionarily adapted to environmental conditions(i.e.minimum temperature)associated with each elevation range.

Phylogenetic study on Scenedesmacae with the description of a new genus Coccoidesmus gen.nov.(Chlorophyceae,Chlorophyta)and chloroplast genome analyses

Members of the family Scenedesmaceae are some of the most common algal taxa in inland ecosystems,and they are widely distributed in freshwaters,aerial,and sub-aerial habitats.With the continuous updating of methods,the classic morphological taxonomy of this family needs to be revised.In recent years,many genera of Scenedesmaceae have been established via the use of molecular methods.The phylogenetic relationships within Scenedesmaceae were analyzed using different molecular markers and morphological data,and the new freshwater genus Coccoidesmus Wang,Hou et Liu gen.nov.was described.Two new species in this genus were also described.Phylogenetic analysis based on tufA genes revealed that the new genus formed an independent clade closely related to Comasiella.However,these two genera are characterized by significant morphological differences in colony arrangement and cell shape.The chloroplast genome of the type species was assembled and annotated,and analyses of genome structure and sequences were conducted.More genome data could help clarify the phylogenetic relationships within this family.

Morphology and phylogenetic placement of Mallomonas vietnamica(Synurales,Chrysophyceae)from China

The newly described chrysophyte,Mallomonas vietnamica,is reported for the first time in China from specimens collected in Guizhou Province,SW China.The morphological characteristics were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy.The species was described based on morphological characteristics,including cell size,scale size,dome,V-rib,and bristles.Subsequently,molecular sequencing of M.vietnamica was conducted and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on concatenated SSU,LSU,and rbc L sequences.The phylogenetic tree led us to suggest raising a new section named Uncatusipedae for this species.This study provides new molecular data from the genus Mallomonas and enriches our understanding of the species diversity and geographical distribution of the genus Mallomonas in China.

Gene characterization and phylogenetic analysis of four mitochondrial genomes in Caenogastropoda

Caenogastropoda is a highly diverse group,containing~60%of all existing gastropods.Species in this subclass predominantly inhabit marine environments and have a high ecological and economic value.Owing to the increase in relevant phylogenetic studies,our understanding of between species relatedness in Caenogastropoda has improved.However,the biodiversity,taxonomic status,and phylogenetic relationships of this group remain unclear.In the present study,we performed next-generation sequencing of four complete mitochondrial genomes from three families(Buccinidae,Columbellidae,and Cypraeidae)and the four mitogenomes were classical circular structures,with a length of 16177 bp in Volutharpa ampullacea,16244 bp in Mitrella albuginosa,16926bp in Mauritia arabica asiatica and 15422 bp in Erronea errones.Base composition analysis indicated that whole sequences were biased toward A and T.Then compared them with 171 complete mitochondrial genomes of Caenogastropoda.The phylogenetic relationship of Caenogastropoda derived from Maximum Likelihood(ML)and Bayesian Inference(BI)trees constructed based on CDS sequences was consistent with the results of traditional morphological analysis,with all three families showing close relationships.This study supported Caenogastropoda at the molecular level as a separate clade of Mollusca.According to our divergence time estimations,Caenogastropoda was formed during the middle Triassic period(~247.2–237 Ma).Our novel mitochondrial genomes provide evidence for the speciation of Caenogastropoda in addition to elucidating the mitochondrial genomic evolution of this subclass.

A phylogenetic approach identifies patterns of beta diversity and floristic subregions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity and their relationships with environmental correlates can help reveal the origin and evolutionary history of regional biota.The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)harbors an exceptionally diverse flora,however,a phylogenetic perspective has rarely been used to investigate its beta diversity and floristic regions.In this study,we used a phylogenetic approach to identify patterns of beta diversity and quantitatively delimit floristic regions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.We also examined the relationships between multifaceted beta diversity,geographical distance,and climatic difference,and evaluated the relative importance of various factors(i.e.,climate,topography and history)in shaping patterns of beta diversity.Sørensen dissimilarity indices indicated that patterns of species turnover among sites dominated the QTP.We also found that patterns of both taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity were significantly related to geographical distance and climatic difference.The environmental factors that contributed most to these patterns of beta diversity include annual precipitation,mean annual temperature,climatic gradients and climatic instability.Hierarchical dendrograms of dissimilarity and non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination based on phylogenetic beta diversity data identified ten floristic subregions in the QTP.Our results suggest that the contemporary environment and historical climate changes have filtered species composition among sites and eventually determined beta diversity patterns of plants in the QTP.

Resolving tumor evolution:a phylogenetic approach

The evolutionary dynamics of cancer,characterized by its profound heterogeneity,demand sophisticated tools for a holistic understanding.This review delves into tumor phylogenetics,an essential approach bridging evolu-tionary biology with oncology,offering unparalleled insights into cancer’s evolutionary trajectory.We provide an overview of the workflow,encompassing study design,data acquisition,and phylogeny reconstruction.No-tably,the integration of diverse data sets emerges as a transformative step,enhancing the depth and breadth of evolutionary insights.With this integrated perspective,tumor phylogenetics stands poised to redefine our understanding of cancer evolution and influence therapeutic strategies.

Phylogenetic Relationships and Status Quo of Colonies for Gayal Based on Analysis of Cytochrome b Gene Partial Sequences

Thirty-three mutations and four different haplotypes were found when cytochrome b（Cytb） gene partial sequences of 12 gayals were analyzed. Together with sequences of Bos indicus, Bos taurus, Bos grunniens, and Bos gaurus with Bubalus bubalis as the out group, the partial sequences of Cytb gene of gayals were aligned and base composition and nucleotide variation of Cytb gene were analyzed. The phylogenetic trees were constructed by the NJ method and the MP method respectively, both supporting almost the same topology. Gayal is an independent species of Bos from Bos indicus, Bos taurus, and Bos gaurus. The results also indicate that a great proportion of gayal bloodline was invaded by other species, and the protection of gayal is facing a formidable situation.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Actinomycete Isolates from Iron Mine Tailings

[Objective]The aim was to discuss the actinomycete biodiversity of iron-mine tailings by phylogenetic analysis of 12 typical isolates. [Method]The genomic DNAs were extracted by phenol-chloroform method; phylogeny analysis was carried out based on 16S rDNA PCR amplification and sequencing. [Result]The results showed that all the 12 strains belong to the genus Streptomyces sharing 98.7%-99.9% similarities with their nearest known neighbors. [Conclusion]Streptomyces is the dominant culturable actinomycete group of iron mine tailings,in which there are many potential novel species.

Fast algorithm for constructing neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees

To improve the performance of Saitou and Nei＇s algorithm （SN） and Studier and Keppler＇s improved algorithm （SK） for constructing neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees and reduce the time complexity of the computation, a fast algorithm is proposed. The proposed algorithm includes three techniques. First, a linear array A[N] is introduced to store the sum of every row of the distance matrix （the same as SK）, which can eliminate many repeated computations. Secondly, the value of A [i] is computed only once at the beginning of the algorithm, and is updated by three elements in the iteration. Thirdly, a very compact formula for the sum of all the branch lengths of operational taxonomic units （OTUs） i and j is designed, and the correctness of the formula is proved. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is from tens to hundreds times faster than SN and roughly two times faster than SK when N increases, constructing a tree with 2 000 OTUs in 3 min on a current desktop computer. To earn the time with the cost of the space and reduce the computations in the innermost loop are the basic solutions for algorithms with many loops.

The Phylogenetic Relationships among Four Subspecies of the Genus Locusta Based on Sequences of Three Subunit of Cytochrome Oxidase

[Objective] The aim was to explore the phylogenetic relationships among four subspecies of the genus Locusta.[Method] The sequences of three subunits of cytochrome oxidase of Locusta migratoria tibetensis and Locusta migratoria manilensis were amplified and sequenced（COⅠ 1 539 bp,COⅡ 684 bp,CO Ⅲ 792 bp,with the total of 3 015 bp）.The corresponding sequenses of Locusta migratoria migratoria and Locusta migratoria migratorioides were obtained from GenBank and constructed a multiple alignment.Phylogenic trees of four subspecies of L.migratoria were constructed by Neighbor-Joining,Maximum-parsimony and Bayesian,respectively.[Result] The average content of A ＋ T in three subunits of four subspecies was 69.57%;the third site of codon showed the highest A ＋ T content,and the COⅠ had the highest A ＋ T content（87.6%）;The nucleotide substitution mainly occurred at the third site of codon,and the nucleotide replacement rate of CO Ⅱ was the highest.The second site of codon was conservative,so the replacement rate was in the range of 5.9%-15%.The start codon of COⅠ was CCG or ACG.Genetic distances among four subspecies were ranged from 0.001 to 0.076.The relationship between L.m.tibetensis and Locusta migratoria manilensis was the closest,followed by L.m.migratorioides and L.m.migratorioides,while the genetic distance between L.m.tibetensis and L.m.migratorioides was the largest.[Conclusion] The phylogenetic relationships among four subspecies of Locusta migratoria is L.m.tibetensis,L.m.manilensis,L.m.migratoria,L.m.migratorioides.

Phylogenetic Relationships of Caragana(Fabaceae) by the Use of nrITS Sequences

[Objective] The aim was to explore the phylogenetic relationships of Cara- gana （Fabaceae） by the use of nrlTS sequences. [Method] Internal transcribed spac- er （ITS） sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA （nrDNA） from 29 taxa of Caragana species and seven close relatives （all belong to Astralinae （Adens） Benth） were used for phylogenetic analysis. [Result] Length of the entire ITS region ranges from 611 to 614 bp in Caragana species. The aligned sequences nrlTS of Caragana are 655 bp, and 170 sites are variable, with 107 phylogenetically informative sites. The phylogenetically informative sites are 16.3% of the total aligned sequences. The ITS sequences data are useful to resolve some relationships at lower taxonomic levels within Caragana. The Caragana Fabr. is not a monophyletic group with very close connection with Calophaca tianschanica. The ITS data revealed that the species of Sect. tragacanthoides were dispersed in MP tree or ME tree. Although the morphol- ogy of C. ordosica is similar to C. tibetica, the ITS results revealed an unexpectedly close relativeship to C. roborovskyi. The ITS data also indicate C. davazamcii, C. korshinskii, C. intermedia, and C. microphylla are different species. [Conclusion] ITS sequences have an important reference value in exploring the relationships of Cara- gana.

PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG GIANT PANDA AND RELATED SPECIES BASED ON RESTRICTION SITE VARIATIONS IN rDNA SPACERS

In this study, non radioactive Digoxigenin labeled ribosomal DNA(rDNA) probes were used for Southern blotting analysis to study the molecular phylogeny of the giant panda and related species. Restriction maps in the regions of rDNA spacers were compared between giant panda( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ), lesser panda( Ailurus fulgens ), Asiatic black bear( Selenarctos thibetanus ), sun bear( Helarctos malayanus ), raccoon( Procyon lotor ) and lynx( Felis lynx ). Phylogenetic trees for these species were constructed using maximum likelihood and parsimony method. The results show that in respect to rDNA RFLPs, the giant panda is more closely related to bear than to lesser panda; while the lesser panda is slightly related to the raccoon.

Reanalysis of the phylogenetic relationships of the Pentatomomorpha(Hemiptera: Heteroptera) based on ribosomal, Hox and mitochondrial genes

Pentatomomorpha is one of the most biodiverse infraorders among the true bugs（Hemiptera： Heteroptera）. Phylogenetic relationships among the superfamilies within this infraorder have been uncertain, especially for the Eutrichophora. The previous studies were based on morphological characters, or just mitochondrial or nuclear genes, or only partial 18 S rDNA and COI. In this study, we used maximum likelihood（ML） and Bayesian inference（BI） based on massive molecular datasets（18S rDNA, 28 S rDNA, Hox and mitochondrial genes totaling 21 loci and 12,538 characters） to infer a robust phylogeny for this terrestrial group. Results strongly support the monophyly of all superfamilies; the superfamily status of Aradoidea and the following relationships：（Aradoidea ＋（Pentatomoidea ＋（Coreoidea ＋（Lygaeoidea ＋ Pyrrhocoroidea）））） in Pentatomomorpha, and（Coreoidea ＋（Lygaeoidea ＋ Pyrrhocoroidea）） in Eutrichophora. Our results suggest that sampling greater numbers of genes is an effective tool for resolving phylogenetic problems.

PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF THE ENDEMIC CHINESE CYPRINID FISH Pseudogyrinocheilus prochilus

Evidence is provided to support the hypothesis that the taxa Pseudogyrinocheilus, Semilabeo, and Discolabeo form a monophyly in which Semilabeo and Discolabeo are sister groups, and both together constitute the sister group of Pseudogyrinocheilus. On the basis of phylogenetic relationships of Pseudogyrinocheilus to others, it is proposed that the taxon Pseudogyrinocheilus be a valid genus. In addition, comments are made on importance of some features used in the traditional taxonomy of the subfamily Labeoninae.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Cystatin

[Objective] The molecular weight,isoelectric point,signal peptide,domain and other properties of the encoding protein of the known cystatin genes were analyzed.[Method] Cystatin genes were searched in NCBI and the related amino acids sequences were downloaded.SMART software was used to predict the domain.SingalP program was used to search signal peptide.TMHMM program was used to search and predict the transmembrane domain.CLUSTAL W program was used to make multiple sequence alignment.Using MEGA3.1 software,...

Isolation and Phylogenetic Analysis of Plant Pathogen-Inhibiting Strains from Southern Ocean

[Objective] The aim was to isolate the strains resistant to plant pathogenic fungi from Southern Ocean and study their phylogenetic relationship and antimicrobial spectrum. [Method] Agar diffusion method was adopted to screen antimicrobial strains and determine the antimicrobial spectrum. Phylogenetic relationship of the strains was analyzed by neighbor-joining method of the Mega 4.0 software. [Result] Twenty antimicrobial strains were screened from seawater of Southern Ocean collected during the 27^th Chinese Antarctic Scientific Expedition. Molecular identification and phyloge- netic analysis indicated that two antimicrobial strains were members of Pseu- domonas, two strains were members of Psychrobacter, and the other 16 trains were members of Pseudoalteromonas. The antimicrobial spectrum of four strains which had higher antimicrobial activity indicated that the strains 312, 83-1 and 195 greatly inhibited the growth of Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani K（Jhn, Phytophthora capsici Leonian, Verticillium dahliae, Alternaria solani, Thanatephoru scucumeris and Phomopsis asparagi （Sacc）; strain 312-1 had obvious antimicrobial effect on the six of the plant pathogens except R. solani. [Conclusion] Four strains which had higher antimicrobial effect were obtained and should be further studied for development and application.

Cloning,Sequencing and Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Ⅰ Gene of Chilo suppressalis

[Objective] The research aimed at cloning and analyzing mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene（cox 1）of C.suppressalis.[Method] The mitochondrial cox 1 gene of C.suppressalis was cloned with PCR method and sequenced.Then,cox1 sequences of other 21 Lepidopteran species were obtained by blasting the GenBank with cox 1 gene sequence of C.suppressalis.Finally,homology comparison and molecular phylogenitic analysis among the 22 Lepidopteran species were conducted.[Result] The open reading frame of cox 1 gene from C.suppressalis contained 1 531 nucleotides encoding a putative protein of 510 amino acids.The cox1 gene used a start codon CGA,and an incomplete termination codon composed of only T.Based on the amino acid sequences of cox 1,the molecular phylogenetic tree of Lepidoptera was reconstructed using the maximum likelihood（ML）method.The molecular phylogenetic tree was similar to the morphological phylogenetic tree mainly,but also showed some differences.[Conclusion] The result will provide reference for further research on expression and application of cox 1 gene.

Phylogenetic Relationship of an Extremely Endangered Species, Pinus squamata (Pinaceae) Inferred from Four Sequences of the Chloroplast Genome and ITS of the Nuclear Ribosomal DNA

Pinus squamata X. W. Li, a recently-described species of the Pinaceae, is an extremely endangered pine with only 32 individuals in the wild. This species was thought to be intermediate between P. bungeana Zuec. ex Endl. of subgen. Strobus and P. yunnanensis Franch. of subgen. Pinus by the original author. We made an effort to address the question of the phylogenetic relationship of this peculiar and important species in the context of the major groups of the genus Pinus by using sequences of the rbcL, matK,genes, rpl20-rps18 spacer, trnV intron of the chloroplast genome and the nuclear ribosomal ITS region. The results of the separated analysis and the combined analysis of the four cpDNA sequences and ITS sequence indicated that P. squamata was a stable member of subsect. Gerardianae and P. gerardiana Wall. was the closest species of P. squamata phylogenetically. As a result, the causes of the distribution pattern of subsect. Gerardianae were also discussed.

Analysis on the Origin and Phylogenetic Status of Tong Sheep Using 12 Blood Protein and Nonprotein Markers

This study is based on the Tong sheep obtained by the random sampling method of typical colonies in the central area of Baishui County in Shaanxi Province, China. An investigation was undertaken to clarify the gene constitution of blood protein and nonprotein types of Tong sheep. Twelve genetic markers were examined by starch-gel electrophoresis and cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Polymorphism in Tong sheep was found at the following 10 loci, transferrin （Tf）, alkaline phosphatase （Alp）, leucine aminopeptidase （Lap）, arylesterase （Ary-Es）, hemoglobin-β （Hb-β）, X-protein （X-p）, carbonic anhydrase （CA）, catalase （Cat）, malate dehydrogenase （MDH）, and lysine （Ly）, whereas, albumin （A1） and postalbumin （Po） loci were monomorphic. Genetic approach degree method and phylogenetic relationship clustering method were used to judge the origin and phylogenetic status of Tong sheep. Results from both methods maintained that Tong sheep belonged to the ＂Mongolia group＂, and Mongolia sheep was the origin of Tong sheep. This was also supported by the history of Tong sheep breeding. Compared to the phylogenetic relationship clustering method, the genetic approach degree method was more reliable for the extraction from East and South of Central Asia, and was more effective in reflecting the breeding course of Tong sheep.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Chirality of Twining Plants

Phylogenetic relations of twining chirality of Dioscorea sp.in China were analyzed based on the genes matK,rbcL and trnL;phylogenetic character of higher-level phylogeny of twining plants was analyzed at a high taxon level based on matK gene.A significant phylogenetic framework of chirality was found:(i)based on matK analysis,right-handed Dioscorea species in China congregate completely to form a monophyly;(ii)rbcL and trnL data sets also supported Chinese right-handed Dioscorea a monophyly,although with ex...