Evolution and diversification of Phaeophyceae: exploring genomic data to understand the taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of brown algae

• Grant number: 22/03234-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Initial Project
• Start date: February 01, 2023
• End date: January 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Taxonomy
• Principal Investigator: Priscila Barreto de Jesus
• Grantee: Priscila Barreto de Jesus
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Antonio Manghisi ; Cintia Iha ; Gabriel do Nascimento Santos ; Giuseppa Genovese ; Goia de Mattos Lyra ; Luanda Pereira Soares ; Mariana Cabral de Oliveira ; Marina Morabito ; Marina Nasri Sissini ; Mutue Toyota Fujii ; Nuno de Oliveira Tavares Alves Martins ; Taiara Aguiar Caires ; Valéria Cassano
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/15630-4 - Characterization of organellar genomes of Padina Adanson species (Dictyotaceae, Phaeophyceae) from the Brazilian coast, BP.MS; 24/15491-4 - Analyzing the real diversity of the genus Lobophora J.Agardh (Dictyotales) in Brazil through morphoanatomical and molecular studies, BP.IC; 24/01007-3 - Brown algae is not a plant. And what is it?, BP.JC; 23/08251-4 - Analyzing the real diversity of the genus Lobophora J.Agardh (Dictyotales) in Brazil through morphoanatomical and molecular studies, BP.IC

Abstract

The Phaeophyceae includes organisms with a complex multicellular structure, mostly marine, and with great ecological and economic importance. The most comprehensive phylogenetic studies obtained so far to date left open questions about the relationships between clades representing the main orders, while recent phylogenomic studies derive from limited sampling of taxa or focus only on mitogenomes. This proposal aims to build the largest Phaeophyceae dataset ever assembled to seek to understand the origin and diversification of brown algae, using a phylogenomic approach based on organellar genomes, broad sampling, including taxonomically challenging groups and key lineages not yet represented in previous studies. The main clades of Phaeophyceae will be sampled from historical collections and fresh material, focusing on tropical species, increasing the number of plastomes currently available by more than 100% and the number of orders represented by more than 80%. Robust phylogenetic analysis and comparative analysis of organellar genome architecture will be combined with morphological studies to review the systematics of Phaeophyceae, identifying relevant characters to the circumscription of taxa. Biogeographic, ancestral characters and divergence time analyzes will be used to understand the main evolutionary transitions and when they took place in the clade. We expect our results to recognize the biodiversity of tropical species of Phaeophyceae occurring in Brazil, with the possible description of new genera and species. In addition to training human resources at different levels in research, this project will contribute to teaching and outreach, with the proposition of new disciplines and the production of teaching materials. (AU)