title: The evolution of the Vahlkampfiidae as deduced from 16S-like ribosomal RNA analysis.
abstract: The amoebae, a phenotypically diverse, paraphyletic group of protists, have been largely neglected by molecular phylogeneticists. To better understand the evolution of amoebae, we sequenced and analyzed the 16S-like ribosomal RNA genes of three vahlkampfiid amoebae: Paratetramitus jugosus, Tetramitus rostratus and Vahlkampfia lobospinosa. The Vahlkampfiidae lineage is monophyletic, branches early along the eukaryotic line of descent, and is not a close relative of the multicellular amoebae that also reversibly transform from amoebae to flagellates.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hinkle
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sogin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D016847:Schizopyrenida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S