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The root of the eukaryote tree based on nuclear -encoded mitochondrial proteins

ReferenceBBS/B/12601
Principal Investigator / Supervisor Professor Sandra Baldauf
Co-Investigators /
Co-Supervisors
Institution University of York
DepartmentBiology
Funding typeResearch
Value (£) 253,290
StatusCompleted
TypeResearch Grant
Start date 04/10/2004
End date 03/01/2008
Duration39 months

Abstract

The root of the eukaryote tree is one of the most fundamental questions in phylogeny. Currently, there are three radically different proposed roots based on very different types of data. I propose to test these roots using a data set of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial (NcMt) genes. We have identified 21 universal NcMt genes from all completely sequenced eukaryotic genomes. Preliminary phylogenetic analyses of these data indicate a balanced tree without characteristics generally associated with long-branch attraction, the artefact that plagues most attempts to root the eukaryote tree. We will assemble a data set of NcMt genes from a representative set of taxa including all major groups of eukaryotes. The work will involve a complementary wet lab-based and post genomic bioinformatic approaches.

Summary

unavailable
Committee Closed Committee - Genes & Developmental Biology (GDB)
Research TopicsX – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research PriorityX – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative X - not in an Initiative
Funding SchemeX – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme
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