title: A data mining approach to dinoflagellate clustering according to sterol composition: correlations with evolutionary history.
abstract: This study examined the sterol compositions of 102 dinoflagellates using clustering and cluster validation techniques, as a means of determining the relatedness of the organisms. In addition, dinoflagellate sterol-based relationships were compared statistically to 18S rDNA-based phylogenetic relationships using the Mantel test. Our results indicated that the examined dinoflagellates formed six clusters based on sterol composition and that several, but not all, dinoflagellate genera, which formed discrete clusters in the 18S rDNA-based phylogeny, shared similar sterol compositions. This and other correspondences suggest that the sterol compositions of dinoflagellates are explained, to a certain extent, by the evolutionary history of this lineage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, P.O. Box 60, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA. jleblond@mtsu.edu
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Leblond
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lasiter
authors.forename: Cen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ramiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Logares
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rengefors
authors.forename: Terence J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Evens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D057225:Data Mining / Q000379:methods*; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D013261:Sterols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D013261:Sterols