Further resolving the phylogeny of Myxogastria (slime molds) based on COI and SSU rRNA genes.

Abstract

To date, molecular systematics of Myxogastria has been based primarily on small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α) genes. To establish a natural classification system for the organisms, we examined phylogenetic relationships among myxogastrian species using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COL) and SSU rRNA genes. Twenty new sequences were obtained, including 10 COI and 10 SSU rRNA sequences, were compared with sequences of related species from GenBank in order to construct phylogenic trees. The analysis of the two data sets supported the modern phylogeny of myxogastria: orders Liceida and Trichiida formed a sister group at the most basal clade, while orders Stemonitida and Physarida formed a close group, and order Echinostelida was a sister group to Stemonitida and Physarida. However, the partial COI sequences were too conserved to resolve of the branches in Stemonitida and Physarida. In addition, we also deemed the specific edited mRNA events of COI sequences in myxogastrian species.