title: Evolutionary relationship of phototrophic bacteria in the alpha-Proteobacteria based on farnesyl diphosphate synthase.
abstract: Partial sequences of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase genes derived from the Rhodobacter-Rhodovulum group and from the Rhodopseudomonas palustris-Bradyrhizobium japonicum group of the alpha-Proteobacteria were subjected to phylogenetic analysis to investigate the relationships of phototrophic and non-phototrophic bacteria in the alpha-Proteobacteria . The four Rhodovulum species formed a monophyletic group within the Rhodobacter cluster, and Agrobacterium ferrugineum IAM 12616(T) intermingled with the Rhodobacter species. This topology is in good agreement with the 16S rRNA phylogeny, although the FPP synthase gene was more divergent than the 16S rRNA. On the other hand, strains of the phototrophic Rps. palustris formed a cluster far from that of the non-phototrophic Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains. Moreover, Rps. palustris strains were differentiated from the nodule-forming B. japonicum, Mezorhizobium loti MAFF 303099 and Sinorhizobium sp. NGR 234 in the FPP synthase phylogeny. This relationship does not agree with the 16S rRNA phylogeny, wherein Rps. palustris was more closely related to B. japonicum than to strains of the Rhodobacter-Rhodovulum group. These results suggest that the FPP synthase gene of Rps. palustris diverged from that of B. japonicum.
authors.affiliation: The International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan1.
authors.forename: Jose Jason L
authors.initials: JJL
authors.lastname: Cantera
authors.affiliation: The International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan1.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.affiliation: The International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan1.
authors.forename: Tatsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seki
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000235:genetics*; D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D051228:Geranyltranstransferase; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D051228:Geranyltranstransferase