Orgenellar genome data provide good insights into the long-standing evolutionary questions and phylogenetic relationships of red algae

Abstract

Red algae (Rhodophyta) include more than 6,400 species and two classes of the Florideophyceae (ca. 6,100 spp) and Bangiophyceae (ca. 150 spp) that comprise 98% of red algal diversity in marine and freshwater habitats. Red algae play a critical role in the eukaryote tree of life as a donor through secondary endosymbiosis of the plastid that subsequently gave rise to chlorophyll-c containing groups such as diatoms, dinoflagellates, haptophytes, and cryptophytes. We characterized mitochondrial and plastid genomes from 16 representatives in five florideophycean subclasses and from all 12 orders of the Rhodymeniophycidae, and provided resolved relationships within the Rhodymeniophycidae.cal role in the eukaryote tree of life as a donor through secondary endosymbiosis of the plastid that subsequently gave rise to chlorophyll-c containing groups such as diatoms, dinoflagellates, haptophytes, and cryptophytes. We characterized mitochondrial and plastid genomes from 16 representatives in five florideophycean subclasses and from all 12 orders of the Rhodymeniophycidae, and provided resolved relationships within the Rhodymeniophycidae.