Phylogenomics and genome characterization of freshwater red algae of orders Batrachospermales and Thoreales (Rhodophyta)

• Grant number: 23/01404-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Taxonomy
• Agreement: CNPq
• Principal Investigator: Orlando Necchi Junior
• Grantee: Orlando Necchi Junior
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/11064-3 - Phylogenomics and genome characterization of freshwater red algae of the order Batrachospermales (Rhodophyta), AP.R
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/10342-8 - Phylogenomics and genomic characterization of freshwater red algae of the orders Batrachospermales and Thoreales, BP.JD

Abstract

Currently, available information on the genomic organization of freshwater rhodophytes of the orders Batrachospermales and Thorreales are sparse and the phylogenetic relationship between these orders is not well resolved. The project proposes phylogenomic analysis and characterization of plastid genomes for both orders of Nemaliophycidae. The generated results will allow testing the following hypotheses: 1) The genomes of Batrachospermales and Thorreales will be highly conserved, in agreement with other members of the Florideophyceae in general and more particularly of the subclass Nemaliophycidae; other characteristics are expected, such as genomes with a size between 170 and 200 kbp and with around 200 coding genes, both within the range reported for Florideophyceae and more similar to closer groups, such as in Nemaliales; 2) the data currently available for members of the order Batrachospermales do not allow defining distinct clades within the order, which is why only one family is recognized in the current scheme; phylogenomic analyzes will reveal two or more well-supported groups, which, associated with vegetative and reproductive morphological characteristics, will allow a new and better rearrangement of genera and families; 3) the inclusion of a greater number of Batrachospermales and Thorreales taxa in the analyzes will allow a better understanding of the phylogenetic relationships between the exclusively freshwater orders (Batrachospermales, Thorreales and Balbianiales) within Nemaliophycidae. The proposed study addresses aspects of great relevance: a) it is a broad investigation of phylogenomics and genomic characterization of the two most representative groups of freshwater rhodophytes; 2) it will provide valuable information for comparative phylogenomic analyzes of the orders Batrachospermales and Thorreales with other groups of Rhodophyta, especially within the subclass Nemaliophycidae; enabling the refinement of the phylogenetic relationships of the group; 3) will provide a robust and broad dataset for a more general assessment of the transition from marine to freshwater environments for members of both orders, as well as possible relationships with the other exclusively freshwater order with already sequenced genome (Balbianiales). (AU)