The phylogenetic reconstruction of the grass family (Poaceae) using matK gene sequences

Comparative DNA sequencing of matK, a maturase-encoding gene located within the intron of the chloroplast trnK gene, was evaluated for phylogenetic utility above the family level and within the grass family (Poaceae). There are three major objectives in the research. The first one is to study the utility of the matK gene in plant evolution. The second objective is to characterize the matK gene in the grass family. The last major goal is to address the phylogenetic questions in the Poaceae using the matK sequences from representatives of different grass groups.; In order to study the potential application of matK to plant systematics above the family level, eleven complete sequences from GenBank representing seed plants and liverworts and nine partial sequences generated for genera representing the monocot families Poaceae, Joinvilleaceae, Cyperaceae, and Smilacaceae were analyzed. The study underscored the following useful properties of the matK gene for phylogenetic reconstruction: reasonable size (1500 bp), high rate of substitution, large proportion of variation at the first and the second codon positions, low transition-transversion ratio, and the presence of mutationally-conserved sectors. The use of different sectors of the gene and the cumulative inclusion of informative sites showed that the 3' region was the most useful in resolving phylogeny, and that the topology and robustness of the tree reached a plateau after the inclusion of 100 informative sites. The presence of a relatively conserved 3' region and the less conserved 5' region provides two sets of characters that can be used at different taxonomic levels from the tribal to the division levels. It also has demonstrated the potential of partial sequencing in resolving systematic relationships from the tribe to the division level.; The matK gene in the Poaceae was characterized with complete sequences from 11 grass genera, representing 7 subfamilies and 11 tribes, and one outgroup (Joinvillea plicata, Joinvillaceae). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...