1. Phylogenomics of 'Discosea': A new molecular phylogenetic perspective on Amoebozoa with flat body forms
- Author
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Tekle, Yonas I., Spelman College (Author), Anderson, O. Roger, Doherty Earth Observatory of (Author), Katz, Laura A., Smith College,University of Massachusetts (Author), Maurer-Alcal, Xyrus X., Smith College,University of Massachusetts (Author), Ceron Romero, Mario Alberto, Smith College, University of Massachusetts (Author), Molestina, Robert, American Type Culture Collection (Author), Tekle, Yonas I., Spelman College (Author), Anderson, O. Roger, Doherty Earth Observatory of (Author), Katz, Laura A., Smith College,University of Massachusetts (Author), Maurer-Alcal, Xyrus X., Smith College,University of Massachusetts (Author), Ceron Romero, Mario Alberto, Smith College, University of Massachusetts (Author), and Molestina, Robert, American Type Culture Collection (Author)
- Abstract
The majority of amoeboid lineages with flattened body forms are placed under a taxonomic hypothetical class Discosea sensu Smirnov et al. (2011), which encompasses some of the most diverse morphs within Amoebozoa. However, its taxonomy and phylogeny is poorly understood. This is partly due to lack of support in studies that are based on limited gene sampling. In this study we use a phylogenomic approach including newly-generated RNA-Seq data and comprehensive taxon sampling to resolve the phylogeny of Discosea. Our analysis included representatives from all orders of Discosea and up to 550 genes, the largest gene sampling in Amoebozoa to date. We conducted extensive analyses to assess the robustness of our resulting phylogenies to effects of missing data and outgroup choice using probabilistic methods. All of our analyses, which explore the impact of varying amounts of missing data, consistently recover well-resolved and supported groups of Amoebozoa. Our results neither support the monophyly nor dichotomy of Discosea as defined by Smirnov et al. (2011). Rather, we recover a robust well-resolved clade referred to as Eudiscosea encompassing the majority of discosean orders (seven of the nine studied here), while the Dactylopodida, Thecamoebida and Himatismenida, previously included in Discosea, are non-monophyletic. We also recover novel relationships within the Eudiscosea that are largely congruent with morphology. Our analyses enabled us to place some incertae sedis lineages and previously unstable lineages such as Vermistella, Mayorella, Gocevia, and Stereomyxa. We recommend some phylogeny-based taxonomic amendments highlighting the new findings of this study and discuss the evolution of the group based on our current understanding. KEYWORDS: RNA-Seq Transcriptome Amoeba Lobosea Flabellinea Tubulinea
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