Phylogenetic analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene of the hyphochytrid Rhizidiomyces apophysatus

Abstract

The potential relationship of the uniflagellate hyphochytrids with biflagellate stramenopiles is still not clearly resolved. Thus, we have expanded the number of isolates and taxa of hyphochytrids compared. The phylogenetic analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA sequence of Rhizidiomyces apophysatus Zopf based on neighbour-joining and parsimony methods showed that Hyphochytrium catenoides Karling and R. apophysatus are monophyletic and probably the closest relatives of the oomycetes. Our data also confirmed the monophyly of the stramenopiles, which includes heterokont algae along with nonphotosynthetic fungallike organisms, namely the Oomycota, Hyphochytriomycota, and Labyrinthulomycota.Key words: Hyphochytriomycota, heterokont algae, phylogeny, small subunit ribosomal gene.