Phylogeny and evolution of Carpinus based on nrDNA ITS region sequences

Abstract

The Coryloideae (Betulaceae) has four genera genus: Carpinus, Corylus, Ostrya, and Ostryopsis, of which Carpinus is the largest one with ∼ 35 living species, distributed in an intercontinental disjunct way in Europe, North America, and eastern Asia, particularly China. Most of the species possess great ecological and economic significance. The present study is undertaken with an aim to understand the genetic diversity among 14 main Carpinus species and focus to orientate C. turczaninovii collected from different geographical regions of Korea in the phylogenetic tree based on nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) ITS sequences. The results suggested that European Hornbeam showed 98% high similarity with Korean Hornbeam, Oriental Hornbeam, and Chinese Hornbeam, Turkzaninov's Hornbeam, Arishan Hornbeam, Yunan Hornbeam, and Aka-shide Hornbeam; Korean Hornbeam and Russian Hornbeam are nearly 100% similar; Japanese Hornbeam and Fang Hornbeam were contrarily apart from Oriental Hornbeam compared with Russian Hornbeam. Furthermore, most of species are monophyletic, except C. coreana, C. turczaninovii, C. polyneura, C. japonica, and C. caroliniana are paraphyletic. The sequence data generated in the present investigation will help for further studies in intraspecies, and their phylogenetic analysis, biogeographical, molecular evolution studies and also pave way for future phylogenetic and/or evolution studies among the other groups belongs to the family Betulaceae.