Nuclear small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences from representative Ceramiaceae (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta)

Abstract

Recently published phylogenetic trees derived from nuclear small-subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA gene sequences indicate particularly curious relationships for two species of the Ceramiaceae: Ceramium nodulosum and Griffithsia globulifera. To test these earlier results we have determined the SSU sequences for Anotrichium furcellatum, Ceramium macilentum, Crouania attenuata and Griffithsia monilis, all members of the Ceramiaceae, as well as for Gelidium pusillum of the Gelidiales. These are included in a multiple alignment containing representatives of all the ‘higher’ florideophyte orders. Our results indicate that an SSU sequence previously published for Griffithsia globulifera differs by only five nucleotide changes from a published gene for Gelidium vagum, as well as from the gene of Gelidium pusillum sequenced by ourselves. The two species of Gelidium differ from one another at four sites. In sharp contrast, our data for Griffithsia monilis strongly ally this species with other representative Ceramiales. ...