title: Contribution of WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) genes to identify the phylogenetic relationships among Petunia species.
abstract: Developmental genes are believed to contribute to major changes during plant evolution, from infrageneric to higher levels. Due to their putative high sequence conservation, developmental genes are rarely used as molecular markers, and few studies including these sequences at low taxonomic levels exist. WUSCHEL-related homeobox genes (WOX) are transcription factors exclusively present in plants and are involved in developmental processes. In this study, we characterized the infrageneric genetic variation of Petunia WOX genes. We obtained phylogenetic relationships consistent with other phylogenies based on nuclear markers, but with higher statistical support, resolution in terminals, and compatibility with flower morphological changes.
authors: Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors: Ana Lúcia Anversa
authors: AL
authors: Segatto
authors: Center for Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors: Claudia Elizabeth
authors: CE
authors: Thompson
authors: Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors: Loreta Brandão
authors: LB
authors: Freitas