ISSN:
1550-7408
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Over the past few years, the use of cultivation-independent techniques to detect eukaryotic diversity has proven to be a powerful approach. Based on small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene analyses, these studies have revealed the existence of an unexpected variety of new phylotypes. Some of them do not seem to be related to any molecularly described lineage, and have been proposed to represent novel eukaryotic kingdoms. In order to critically review the evolutionary importance of this novel high-level eukaryotic diversity and to test the potential technical and analytical pitfalls and limitations of eukaryotic environmental DNA surveys (EES), we analysed 484 environmental SSU rRNA gene sequences, including 81 new sequences from sediments of the river Seymaz (Geneva, Switzerland). Based on a detailed screening of an exhaustive alignment of SSU rRNA gene sequences and the phylogenetic re-analysis of previously published sequences using Bayesian methods, our results suggest that the number of novel higher-level taxa revealed by previous EES was over-estimated. Three main sources of errors are responsible for this situation, namely (1) the presence of undetected chimeric sequences; (2) the misplacement of several fast evolving sequences; and (3) the incomplete sampling of described, but yet unsequenced eukaryotes. EES undoubtedly contribute to unravel many novel eukaryotic lineages, but there is no clear evidence for a spectacular increase of the diversity at a megaevolutionary level. After our re-analysis, we found only five candidate lineages of possible novel high-level eukaryotic taxa. To ascertain their taxonomic status, however, the organisms themselves have to be identified now.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1550-7408.2005.05202003_1_10.x
