Unravelling phylogenetic relationships of the tribe Cereeae using target enrichment sequencing

Author(s)

Romeiro-Brito, Monique ; Taylor, Nigel P. ; Zappi, Daniela C. ; Telhe, Milena C. ; Franco, Fernando F. ; Moraes, Evandro M.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ANNALS OF BOTANY; v. 132, n. 5, p. 18-pg., 2023-10-10.

Abstract

Background and Aims Cactaceae are succulent plants, quasi-endemic to the American continent, and one of the most endangered plant groups in the world. Molecular phylogenies have been key to unravelling phylogenetic relationships among major cactus groups, previously hampered by high levels of morphological convergence. Phylogenetic studies using plastid markers have not provided adequate resolution for determining generic relationships within cactus groups. This is the case for the tribe Cereeae s.l., a highly diverse group from tropical America. Here we aimed to reconstruct a well-resolved phylogenetic tree of tribe Cereeae and update the circumscription of suprageneric and generic groups in this tribe.Methods We integrated sequence data from public gene and genomic databases with new target sequences (generated using the customized Cactaceae591 probe set) across representatives of this tribe, with a denser taxon sampling of the subtribe Cereinae. We inferred concatenated and coalescent phylogenetic trees and compared the performance of both approaches.Key Results Six well-supported suprageneric clades were identified using different datasets. However, only genomic datasets, especially the Cactaceae591, were able to resolve the contentious relationships within the subtribe Cereinae.Conclusions We propose a new taxonomic classification within Cereeae based on well-resolved clades, including new subtribes (Aylosterinae subtr. nov., Uebelmanniinae subtr. nov. and Gymnocalyciinae subtr. nov.) and revised subtribes (Trichocereinae, Rebutiinae and Cereinae). We emphasize the importance of using genomic datasets allied with coalescent inference to investigate evolutionary patterns within the tribe Cereeae. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/15161-3 - Adaptation during biogeographic transitions from the Cerrado to the Caatinga: evolutionary parallelism and idiosyncrasies in independent clades of genus Cereus (Cactaceae)
• Grantee: Fernando de Faria Franco
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/06937-8 - Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification of cacti in South America focusing on Tribe Cereeae (Cactaceae)
• Grantee: Monique Romeiro Brito
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 19/11233-2 - Phylogeny, biogeography and trait evolution of Melocactus link & Otto and Discocactus Pfeiff. genera (Cactaceae)
• Grantee: Milena Cardoso Telhe
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 19/03211-9 - Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification of cacti in South America
• Grantee: Evandro Marsola de Moraes
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/03428-5 - Dimensions US-BIOTA-Sao Paulo: traits as predictors of adaptive diversification along the Brazilian Dry Diagonal
• Grantee: Vera Nisaka Solferini
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants