title: Chloroplast DNA evolves slowly in the palm family (Arecaceae).
abstract: A survey of cpDNA restriction-site variation for 22 species representing five of the six subfamilies of the palm family was conducted. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on the restriction-site data are in general agreement with conventional analyses based on morphological characters. Base-substitution estimates, derived from the restriction-site data, indicate a potential 5-13-fold decrease in substitution rates within the palms relative to rate estimates for annual plant taxa. Approximately 1,000 bp of the rbcL gene (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, large subunit) were sequenced from species representing two subfamilies of the palms. The complete DNA sequence data are in accord with the restriction-site data and indicate a total rate of nucleotide substitution that is about eightfold lower than that observed for annual plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside 92521.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gaut
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Clegg
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
chemical_list: D004247:DNA