Point mutations result from errors made during DNA replication or repair, so they are usually expected to be homogeneous across all regions of a genome. However, we have found region chloroplast in plants related sweetpea (Lathyrus) whose local point mutation rate is at least 20 times higher than elsewhere the same molecule. There very few precedents for such heterogeneity any genome, and suspect that hypermutable may subject an unusual process as repeated breakage repair. The 1.5 kb long...

Convolvulaceae, a large family of worldwide distribution, exhibit rich diversity morphological characteristics and ecological habitats. Previous efforts to systematize this without cladistic phylogenetic framework have disagreed on the circumscription as well tribal composition relationship. In order circumscribe assess relationships among its major lineages, broad data set was constructed containing representatives all ten recognized tribes Convolvulaceae plus putatively related families...

The conifers, which traditionally comprise seven families, are the largest and most diverse group of living gymnosperms. Efforts to systematize this diversity without a cladistic phylogenetic framework have often resulted in segregation certain genera and/or families from conifers. In order understand better relationships between we performed analyses using new data set obtained 28S rRNA gene sequences. These strongly support monophyly conifers including Taxaceae. Within Pinaceae first...

Abstract Because recent molecular studies, based on multiple data sets from all three plant genomes, have indicated mutually congruent, well-resolved, and well-supported relationships within Convolvulaceae (the morning-glory family), a formal reclassification of this family is presented here. Convolvulaceae, large worldwide distribution, exhibiting rich diversity morphological characteristics ecological habitats, are now circumscribed twelve tribes. A key to these tribes offered. The group...

Abstract Background Numerous studies, using in aggregate some 28 genes, have achieved a consensus recognizing three groups of plants, including Amborella , as comprising the basal-most grade all other angiosperms. A major exception is recent study by Goremykin et al. (2003; Mol. Biol. Evol . 20:1499–1505), whose analyses 61 genes from 13 sequenced chloroplast genomes land plants nearly always found 100% support for monocots deepest angiosperms relative to Calycanthus and eudicots. We...

Generic level relationships in phaseoloid legumes have received much attention using chloroplast DNA markers. However, despite this not all are yet well-resolved. This study includes trnL-F sequences from across a wide sample of as well seven additional loci ( rbcL, atpB, trnK/matK, rpl2, clpP, rps16, and ycf4 ) analyzed separately combination. Together, these data provide support for many generally consistent with, but only weakly supported, earlier studies. Some major discordant...

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is relatively common in plant mitochondrial genomes but the mechanisms, extent and consequences of remain largely unknown. Previous results indicate that parasitic plants are often involved as either donors or recipients, suggesting direct contact between parasite host facilitates genetic among plants. In order to uncover mechanistic details plant-to-plant HGT, evolutionary fate was investigated two groups: genus Cuscuta a small clade Plantago species. A broad...

Polyploidy and gametophytic apomixis are two important associated processes in plants. Many hawthorn species polyploids can reproduce both sexually apomictically. However, the population genetic structure of these is poorly understood. Crataegus douglasii represented exclusively by self-compatible tetraploid pseudogamous apomicts across North America, whereas suksdorfii found Pacific Northwest known to include self-incompatible diploid sexuals as well polyploid apomicts. We compare...

• Premise of the study: The parasitic genus Cuscuta , containing some 200 species circumscribed traditionally in three subgenera, is nearly cosmopolitan, occurring a wide range habitats and hosts. Previous molecular studies, on subgenera Grammica delimited major clades within these groups. However, sequences used were unalignable among preventing phylogenetic comparison across genus. Methods: We conducted broad study using rbcL nrLSU covering morphological, physiological, geographical...

The genus Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae, the morning glory family) is one of most intensely studied lineages parasitic plants. Whole plastome sequencing four species has demonstrated changes to both plastid gene content and structure. presence photosynthetic genes under purifying selection indicates that cryptically photosynthetic. However, tempo mode genome evolution across diversity this group (~200 species) remain largely unknown. A comparative investigation content, grounded within a...

Abstract The Campanula pyramidalis complex is a group of closely related taxa with distribution across the Balkans, from Gulf Trieste in north to Peloponnese Peninsula south, small disjunct parts range south Apennines. Although 21 were described within this complex, only three, C. pyramidalis, versicolor , and secundiflora have been generally accepted recent synoptical taxonomic treatments. Our molecular phylogenetic analyses based on sequences three non‐coding chloroplast regions (...

Cuscuta (dodders, Convolvulaceae) is one of the largest and most economically important lineages parasitic plants. The genus has a sub-cosmopolitan distribution with more than 75% species diversifying in New World. last monograph, published by Truman George Yuncker 1932, provided solid species-level taxonomic foundation. However, as revealed recent phylogenetic studies, its infrageneric classification been great need reappraisal, mainly because morphological characters used previous...

Karyotypes are characterized by traits such as chromosome number, which can change through whole-genome duplication and dysploidy. In the parasitic plant genus Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae), numbers vary more than 18-fold. addition, species of this group show highest diversity in terms genome size among angiosperms, well a wide variation number distribution 5S 35S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sites. To understand its karyotypic evolution, ancestral character state reconstructions were performed for size,...

Convolvulaceae is a family of c. 2,000 species, distributed across 60 currently recognized genera. It includes species high economic importance, such as the crop sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.), ornamental morning glories bindweeds (Convolvulus and dodders, parasitic vines (Cuscuta L.). Earlier phylogenetic studies, based predominantly on chloroplast markers or single nuclear region, have provided framework for systematic studies family, but uncertainty remains at level relationships among...

Subgenus Grammica , the largest and most diverse group in parasitic genus Cuscuta includes 130 species distributed primarily throughout New World, with Mexico as its center of diversity. To circumscribe subgenus assess relationships among major lineages, we conducted first phylogenetic study using plastid trnL‐F nrITS sequences from a wide taxonomic sampling covering morphological, physiological, geographical With exception one belonging elsewhere, was found to be monophyletic. The results...

Ericaceae (the heather family) is a large and diverse group of plants that forms elaborate symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi, includes several nonphotosynthetic lineages. Using an extensive sample fully mycoheterotrophic (MH) species, we explored inter- intraspecific variation as well selective constraints acting on the plastomes these unusual plants. The seven MH genera were analysed in phylogenetic context two geographically disparate individuals sequenced for Allotropa,...

Summary Fully mycoheterotrophic plants can be difficult to place in plant phylogeny due elevated substitution rates associated with photosynthesis loss. This potentially limits the effectiveness of downstream analyses mycoheterotrophy that depend on accurate phylogenetic inference. Although mitochondrial genomic data sets are rarely used phylogenetics, theory predicts they should resilient long‐branch artefacts, thanks their generally slow evolution, coupled limited rate elevation...

Previous findings on structural rearrangements in the chloroplast genome of Cuscuta (dodder), only parasitic genus morning-glory family, Convolvulaceae, were attributed to its life style, but without proper comparison related nonparasitic members family. Before molecular evolutionary questions regarding evolution can be answered, phylogenetic problems within family need resolved. However, position angiosperms and their precise relationship relatives are difficult infer. Problems encountered...

Polyploidy plays a prominent role in the speciation process plants. Many species are known to be part of agamic complexes comprising sexual diploids and more or less exclusively asexual polyploids. However, polyploid formation has been studied very few cases, primarily because challenges examining these cases phylogenetically. In this study, we demonstrate use variety phylogenetic approaches unravel origins infer reticulation history diploid–polyploid complex black-fruited Crataegus. The...