Phylogenomics and genomic characterization of freshwater red algae of the orders Batrachospermales and Thoreales

• Grant number: 23/10342-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Support Program for Fixating Young Doctors
• 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: Monica Orlandi Paiano
• 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: 23/01404-0 - Phylogenomics and genome characterization of freshwater red algae of orders Batrachospermales and Thoreales (Rhodophyta), AP.R

Abstract

Currently available information on the genomic organization of freshwater red algae of the orders Batrachospermales and Thorreales is sparse and the phylogenetic relationship between these orders is not well resolved. The project proposes a phylogenomic analysis and the genomic characterization of plastid genomes from these two groups of red algae. The results will allow testing the following hypotheses: 1) The plastid genomes of Batrachospermales and Thoreales 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 large genomes with a high number of protein-coding genes, both within the range reported for Florideophyceae and more similar to closer groups such as Nemaliales; 2) 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 higher number of Batrachospermales and Thorreales taxa in the analyses will allow a better understanding of the phylogenetic relationships between the exclusively freshwater orders (Batrachospermales, Thoreales and Balbianiales) within the 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 Nemaliophycidae; this will make it possible to refine the phylogenetic relationships within the subclass; 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).

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA SILVA, NADIA M. LEMES; CROWELL, ROSEANNA M.; VIS, MORGAN I.; CHIASSON, WAYNE B.; PAIANO, MONICA O.; LOPES, YASMIN M. SILVA; NECCHI, ORLANDO JR.. Investigation of mitochondrial genomes of members of the order Batrachospermales (Rhodophyta). PHYCOLOGIA, v. N/A, p. 9-pg., 2025-03-21. (22/12124-5, 23/10342-8, 23/00544-2)