Phylogeny of lobose amoebae based on actin and small-subunit ribosomal RNA genes.
Lobose amoebae are abundant free-living protists and important pathogenic agents, yet their evolutionary history and position in the universal tree of life are poorly known. Molecular data for lobose amoebae are limited to a few species, and all phylogenetic studies published so far lacked representatives of many of their taxonomic groups. Here we analyze actin and small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences of a broad taxon sampling of naked, lobose amoebae. Our results support the existence of a monophyletic Amoebozoa clade, which comprises all lobose amoebae examined so far, the amitochondriate pelobionts and entamoebids, and the slime molds. Both actin and SSU rRNA phylogenies distinguish two well-defined clades of amoebae, the "Gymnamoebia sensu stricto" and the Archamoebae (pelobionts + entamoebids), and one weakly supported and ill-resolved group comprising some naked, lobose amoebae and the Mycetozoa.
Fahrni
José F
JF
Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. jose.fahrni@zoo.unige.ch
Bolivar
Ignacio
I
Berney
Cédric
C
Nassonova
Elena
E
Smirnov
Alexey
A
Pawlowski
Jan
J
D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D000656:Amoeba / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010802:Phylogeny; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000378:metabolism*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D000199:Actins; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal