Phylogenetic comparison of local length plasticity of the small subunit of nuclear rDNAs among all Hexapoda orders and the impact of hyper-length-variation on alignment

Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2009 Feb;50(2):310-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2008.10.025. Epub 2008 Nov 7.

Abstract

The SSU nrDNA (18S), is one of the most frequently sequenced molecular markers in phylogenetic studies. However, the length-hyper-variation at multiple positions of this gene can affect the accuracy of alignment greatly and this length variation makes alignment across arthropod orders a serious problem. The analyses of Hexapoda phylogeny is such a case. A more clear recognition of the distribution of the length-variable-regions is needed. In this study, the secondary structure of some length-variable-regions in the SSU nrRNA of Arthropoda was adjusted by the principle of co-variation. It is found that the extent of plasticity of some length-variable-region can extraordinarily be higher than 600 bases in hexapods. And the numbers of hyper length-variable-regions are largest in Strepsiptera and Sternorrhyncha (Hemiptera). Our study shows that some length-variable-regions can serve as synapomorphies for some groups. The phylogenetic comparison also suggested that the expansion of a lateral bulge could be the origin of a helix.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arthropods / classification
  • Arthropods / genetics*
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics*
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Phylogeny*
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • DNA, Ribosomal