Phylogenetic position of a rare loricated green alga, Cephalomonas granulata N. L. Higinb. (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae)

Abstract

Cephalomonas (Cp.) granulata N. L. Higinb. (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae), a rare volvocalean phytoflagellate, has recently been isolated from a paddy field in Japan and examined by light and fluorescence microscopy. The vegetative cells of Cp. granulata have granulate loricae and a characteristic mushroom-like shape with a hemispherical to spherical anterior part and narrower posterior part. Cp. granulata has been classified among the Phacotaceae along with other loricated genera. However, its phylogenetic position has not been investigated using molecular phylogeny. To evaluate the phylogenetic position of Cephalomonas, the 18S rRNA gene sequence of the Japanese strain was determined. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that Cp. granulata was not closely related to other loricated taxa with known phylogenetic affinities, such as Phacotaceae sensu stricto (Phacotus, Pteromonas, and Wislouchiella) and Dysmorphococcus globosus. This indicates at least three independent origins of loricae within the Volvocales.

Taxonomic revision of oil‐producing green algae, Chlorococcum oleofaciens (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae), and its relatives

“…Cultures were grown in AF‐6 liquid medium as described elsewhere (Nakada et al. ) or on AF‐6 medium with 1% agar. The cultures were cultivated at about 20°C on a 14:10 L:D schedule with a light intensity of 250 μmol photons · m −2 · s −1 .…”

“…Methods of DNA extraction, PCR, and sequencing were described previously (Nakada et al. ), except that one new primer was used for PCR and sequencing, ITS‐dGun (5′‐GCTGCGTTCTTCATCGTT‐3′) for the ITS region, instead of ITS‐d.…”

Taxonomic revision of Chlamydomonas subg. Amphichloris (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae), with resurrection of the genus Dangeardinia and descriptions of Ixipapillifera gen. nov. and Rhysamphichloris gen. nov.

“…The methods of DNA extraction, PCR, and sequencing were as described previously (Nakada et al. , ). The primers for PCR and sequencing were 18S‐FA, RB, FC, RD, FE, RF, FG, FA2, and RB2 (Nakazawa and Nozaki , Nakada et al.…”

“…The primers for PCR and sequencing were 18S‐FA, RB, FC, RD, FE, RF, FG, FA2, and RB2 (Nakazawa and Nozaki , Nakada et al. , ). Although Yumoto et al.…”

Hybridization between Japanese and North American Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae)

“…Methods for DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequencing are described previously (Nakada et al . ), except that each gene ( FUS1 , MID , NIT1 , or NIT2 ) was amplified by PCR using TaKaRa LA Taq with GC buffer I (Takara Bio, Otsu, Japan) according to the manufacturer's protocols, but with a lower annealing temperature (57°C) and more reaction cycles (35). The primers for PCR and sequencing (Supporting Information http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pre.12061/suppinfo) were designed based on the genomic sequences of NIES‐2463 and NIES‐2464 (unpublished) and the published sequences of CC‐620, CC‐621, and CC‐503 (Supporting Information http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pre.12061/suppinfo), which is related to CC‐620 and CC‐621 (Pröschold et al .…”