Molecular Phylogeny of the “True Citrus Fruit Trees” Group (Aurantioideae, Rutaceae) as Inferred from Chloroplast DNA Sequence

The genus Citrus L. has a long controversial taxonomy history, and a well-resolved molecular phylogeny of the ＂true citrus fruit trees＂ group in the future will provide new information for advancing breeding techniques and developing better conservation strategies. In the present study, three cpDNA fragments （TrnL-TrnF, PsbH-PetB, and TrnS-TrnG） of 30 genotypes chosen from the six genera of the ＂true citrus fruit trees＂ group were analyzed. A molecular phylogenetic tree of the ＂true citrus fruit trees＂ group ＂~as reconstructed based on plastid DNA sequences. The results confirmed that the ＂true citrus fruit trees＂ group was monophyletic, and thereby the group was divided into genera as previously suggested based on morphological characters. The cpDNA data also suggested that Poncirus might be the first genus separated from the other five genera in the group. The genus Fortunella were of hybrid origin and Citrus might be as its putative paternal parent. The genera Microcitrus, Eremocitrus, and Clymenia were possibly monophyletic and their common ancestor might branch out from Citrus. Furthermore, the phylogenetic relationships within the Citrus genus were discussed.

Postglacial population expansion of Dacrydium pectinatum(Podocar-paceae)in Hainan,southern China,based on cpDNA trnL-F nocoding sequence data

This study determined the sequences of chloro-plast DNA(cpDNA)trnL-F non-coding regions of indi-viduals of a tropical coniferous species,Dacrydium pectinatum,collected from 12 natural populations located in Hainan Province,southern China.Sequence length varied from 868 bp to 876 bp,indicating length polymorphism.Base com-position in the sequences was high in A+T content between 64.17%and 64.95%,and no recombination event occurred(Rm=0).Thirty haplotypes were identified based on statis-tical parsimony algorithm by running the TCS program.Populations of D.pectinatum in Hainan were lacking ge-netic differentiation.Such a deduction was supported by the observed FST values(0.00),AMOVA(24.17%of molecular variance attributed to difference among populations,P>0.05),high values of Nm(ranging from 1.92 to 2.50)and the branching structure in neighbor-joining(NJ)tree con-structed from haplotypes.A‘star-like’pattern was exhibited in the TCS network of trnL-F haplotypes,and majority of the haplotypes coalesced near the tips in NJ tree.Gene ge-nealogies of cpDNA haplotypes proposed a recent popula-tion expansion of D.pectinatum in Hainan,which was fur-ther supported by the results from Tajima’s D test and mis-match distribution analysis.Our data,in conjunction with geological and palynological evidences,showed that in the Holocene,due to global warming,refugee populations of D.pectinatum in Hainan might experience a range expan-sion.