University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Tetrapod phylogeny as inferred from 18S and 28S ribosomal-RNA sequence comparisons

Moberg, Kirk David

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Description

Title
Tetrapod phylogeny as inferred from 18S and 28S ribosomal-RNA sequence comparisons
Author(s)
Moberg, Kirk David
Issue Date
1989
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Daniel, William L.
Department of Study
Biology
Discipline
Biology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Biology, General
  • Biology, Molecular
  • Biology, Zoology
Language
eng
Abstract
  • The superclass Tetrapoda consists of several well defined monophyletic taxa: Anura, Urodela, Gymnophiona, Testudinata, Squamata, Rhychocephalia, Crocodilia, Aves and Mammalia. The relationships among these groups, however, is controversial. Neither paleontological evidence nor morphological, physiological, biochemical or available macromolecular sequence data from living forms has provided a definitive solution.
  • A new data base consisting of 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA sequences was generated. Ribosomal RNA was extracted from liver and mature ova of select tetrapods and directly sequenced using the enzyme reverse transcriptase and deoxy and dideoxynucleotides. Approximately 95% of the 18S and 20% of the 28S were sequenced form twenty tetrapods. In addition, nearly all of the 18S molecule was sequenced from the coelecanth (Latimeria chalumnae). Sequences were aligned and variable sites identified. Four methods of phylogenetic tree construction were employed consisting of (1) least squares distance matrix, (2) maximum parsimony, (3) maximum likelihood and (4) evolutionary parsimony. The effects of character weighting, inclusion or exclusion of taxa, and outgroup choice were also investigated.
  • Analysis of both the 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA sequences were consistent with the monophyly of the Lissamphibia, Anura, Urodela, Amniota, Squamata, Aves and Mammalia. The relationships between these groups including the Testudinata, Gymnophiona and Crocodilia, however, were not resolved. Character weighting, choice of taxa to be included and outgroup choice were shown to affect the tree topology. In addition, separate analyses of the 18S and 28S molecules yielded different tree topologies.
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/20202
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1989 Moberg, Kirk David

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