Molecular diversity of Porphyra species from Brazil

Author(s)

Daniela Milstein

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB)
• Defense date: 2006-07-28

Examining board members

Mariana Cabral de Oliveira; Mutue Toyota Fujii; Orlando Necchi Júnior; Cristina Yumi Miyaki

• Advisor: Mariana Cabral de Oliveira; Sergio Russo Matioli

Abstract

In an attempt to clarify the position of the South Atlantic Porphyra species within the order Bangiales, phylogenetic trees were inferred on the basis of the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rDNA) sequences. The Brazilian species Porphyra acanthophora var. acanthophora, Porphyra acanthophora var. brasiliensis, Porphyra drewiana, Porphyra spiralis var. spiralis, Porphyra spiralis var. amplifolia and Porphyra sp. Piaui formed a monophyletic group within a large polytomy that includes Bangia collections and Porphyra species from distinct locations. Porphyra sp. Baleia collected from two localities in Brazil grouped strongly with Porphyra suborbiculata from Japan and New Zealand, indicating that this cosmopolitan species also occurs in the South Atlantic. Occurrence of SSU rDNA group I introns is reported for some Porphyra species and a novel position for a group I intron is described for Bangiopsis sp (Order Stylonematales). (AU)