Collaborative Research: Assembling the Green Algal Tree of Life (GRAToL)

绿藻生命之树(GRAToL)是一个涉及五个机构合作的项目，目的是了解所有主要绿藻群体的进化关系，绿藻是全球超过14,000个光合作用物种的多样化群体。绿藻数量丰富，在各种陆地和水生生境中发挥着重要作用，包括沙漠、极咸池塘和珊瑚礁，一些物种与地衣和动物共生。因此，绿藻是大多数生态系统中重要的初级生产者。绿藻的形式多种多样--从微小的单细胞到大型海藻--在大多数生态系统中都是重要的初级生产者。该项目将使用DNA序列数据来组装一棵反映该群体进化史的生命树。这棵树对于改进已知藻类物种以及尚未发现的藻类物种的分类至关重要。该项目将促进绿藻基因组和进化的进一步研究。该项目将培训3-4名博士后研究人员、几名研究生和众多本科生进行藻类和基因组学基础研究。将开发新的分析工具，供更广泛的科学界使用。将制作一个关于GRAToL的公开展览，以及一个网站，其中包含教育工作者和普通公众将感兴趣的关于该群体演变的图像和其他信息。

The Green Algae Tree of Life (GRAToL) is a project involving the collaboration of five institutions to understand the evolutionary relationships of all of the major groups of green algae, a diverse group of more than 14,000 photosynthetic species worldwide. Green algae are abundant and play important roles in a wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, including deserts, extremely salty ponds, and coral reefs, and several species are symbiotic partners with lichens and animals. Thus, green algae are important primary producers in most ecosystems. Green algae are diverse in form - from microscopic single cells to large seaweeds - and function as important primary producers in most ecosystems. The project will employ DNA sequence data to assemble a tree of life reflecting the evolutionary history of the group. This tree will be critical for an improved classification of known species of algae as well as species that are yet to be discovered. The project will facilitate further studies of green algae genomics and evolution.The project will train 3-4 postdoctoral researchers, several graduate students, and numerous undergraduate students in basic research on algae and genomics. New analytical tools will be developed for use by the broader scientific community. A public exhibit on the GRAToL will be produced, along with a web site containing images and other information on evolution of the group that will be of interest to educators and the general public.