Dissertation Research: Turning Vines Into Trees: A Genome Skimming Approach to the Phylogenetics of New World Milkweed VInes (Matelea, subg. Chthamalia, Apocynaceae)

论文研究：将藤蔓变成树木：新世界乳草藤蔓（Matelea，subg. Chthamalia，夹竹桃科）系统发育的基因组撇取方法

• 批准号: 1311170
• 负责人: Mark Fishbein
• 金额: $ 1.89万
• 依托单位: Oklahoma State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1311170&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Turning; Vines; Into

Although plant adaptations to aridity have been well studied in a few groups, such as cacti, relatively little is known about the diversification of most plants in deserts and other drylands. A group of milkweeds (Matelea subg. Chthamalia) inhabits dry or seasonally dry habitats in Mexico and the southwestern United States, providing a useful system for investigating adaptive diversification in arid bioregions. This group is part of a large, mostly tropical clade of milkweed vines (Gonolobinae) and most exhibit apparent adaptations to aridity. Many have lost their ability to twine (with stems spreading flat on the ground), have small, bell-shaped flowers, or are covered by an abundance of hairs. This research will use the most powerful available techniques to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Chthamalia and to analyze the evolution of adaptations to aridity. Next generation DNA sequencing employing a ?genome skimming? approach will be used to obtain complete chloroplast genomes, partial mitochondrial genomes, and complete nuclear ribosomal gene sequences to robustly estimate phylogenetic relationships, which will serve as a framework for evolutionary analyses of morphological adaptations.This project will resolve the classification of little-known plants that have been taxonomically controversial. Several species of Chthamalia are exceedingly rare; resolving taxonomic questions and greater knowledge of their evolution will contribute to future conservation efforts of species and habitats. Integration of traditional systematic approaches with new molecular methods is critical to address hypotheses about evolution, adaptation, and speciation. Graduate and undergraduate students will gain laboratory and bioinformatic training as well as the opportunity to present research results at national meetings.

尽管仙人掌等少数植物对干旱的适应已经得到了深入研究，但人们对沙漠和其他旱地大多数植物的多样性知之甚少。一群马利筋（Matelea subg. Chthamalia）栖息在墨西哥和美国西南部的干燥或季节性干燥栖息地，为研究干旱生物区的适应性多样化提供了有用的系统。该类群是马利筋藤（Gonolobinae）大型热带分支的一部分，大多数表现出对干旱的明显适应。许多植物已经失去了缠绕的能力（茎平铺在地面上），开出小钟形的花朵，或者被大量的毛发覆盖。这项研究将使用最强大的现有技术来重建 Chthamalia 的进化历史并分析适应干旱的进化。采用“基因组撇读”的下一代 DNA 测序？该方法将用于获得完整的叶绿体基因组、部分线粒体基因组和完整的核核糖体基因序列，以稳健地估计系统发育关系，这将作为形态适应进化分析的框架。该项目将解决分类学上一直存在争议的鲜为人知的植物的分类问题。 Chthamalia 的几种物种极为罕见。解决分类学问题并更多地了解其进化将有助于未来物种和栖息地的保护工作。传统系统方法与新分子方法的整合对于解决有关进化、适应和物种形成的假设至关重要。研究生和本科生将获得实验室和生物信息培训，以及在全国会议上展示研究成果的机会。