| Abstract Detail
MSA - Systematics/Evolution Lutzoni, Francois [1], James, Timothy [2], Reeb, Valerie [3], Nowak, Michael D. [1]. A comprehensive estimation of divergence time for the Fungi and their coevolution with land plants. Divergence time estimates for the Fungi have been plagued by the lack of taxon sampling and lack of phylogenetic resolution when more taxa were included but analyses were restricted to a single gene. The number of species ranged from less than ten when based on many genes to less than 50 species when based on a single locus (nuclear SSU rRNA gene). Both caveats (low taxon sampling with many genes and higher taxon sampling with one gene) can greatly diminish the accuracy of divergence time estimates, and led to drastically different estimates. We estimated divergence time based on a data set of six gene regions for nearly 200 species using a Bayesian approach (BEAST). This sampling is a balanced representation of the fungal diversity with an emphasis on early diverging fungi. Fungi as heterotrophs have developed a wide array of trophic interactions with plants, ranging from symbiotrophic (mutualistic to pathogenic) to saprotrophic. Therefore, coevolutionary landmarks are expected when comparing plant and fungal phylogenies. In light of our new results, we will revisit various fungal divergence time estimates and determine if land plant divergence time estimates are concordant with the evolution of fungal-plant symbioses.
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1 - Duke University, Department of Biology, 139 Biological Sciences Building, PO Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA
2 - University of Michigan, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
3 - University of Iowa, Department of Biological Sciences, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
Keywords:
fungi and plants
divergence time
evolution
Symbiosis.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 37
Location: Cottonwood A/Snowbird Center
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Time: 8:15 AM
Number: 37002
Abstract ID:701 |
