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Molecular phylogenetic studies based on rDNA ITS, cpDNA trnL intron sequence and cladode characteristics in nine Protasparagus taxa

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Abstract

The genus Asparagus comprises three subgenera of cladode bearing plants: Protasparagus, Asparagus, and Myrsiphyllum. The interspecific delimitation of the subgenus Protasparagus is ill-defined till date. In the present study, interspecific phylogenetic relationships among nine taxa of Protasparagus based on ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) sequence and the chloroplast DNA trnL intron sequence conservation with their cladode morphology, anatomy, and stomatal characteristics have been analyzed for the first time. The monophyletic subgenus Protasparagus could be resolved into four strongly supported distinct subclades (I, II, III and IV) suggesting that the rDNA and cpDNA molecular phylogenies are explicitly congruent with the cladode characteristics of the subgenus Protasparagus. The present study also confirms the existing subgeneric classification of the genus Asparagus with the monophyletic origin of the dioecious subgenus Asparagus. The present work brings out phylogenetic and taxonomic relationships within the studied taxa of the subgenus Protasparagus therefore providing important background information for further studies on biogeography of a wide range of species.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the CNH, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah—711103 for taxonomic identification, and Dr. Biswajit Ghosh, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Rahara, for providing the Asparagus officinalis plants. Financial assistance from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Govt. of India to SJ [Sanction no. 38(1317)/12/EMR-II] is duly acknowledged. PSS is grateful to the University Grant Commission for the RFSMS Fellowship award [F. 5-21/2007 (BSR)].

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700 019, West Bengal, India

    Partha Sarathi Saha, Sudipta Ray & Sumita Jha

  2. Department of Genetics, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700 019, West Bengal, India

    Mainak Sengupta

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  1. Partha Sarathi Saha
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  2. Sudipta Ray
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  4. Sumita Jha
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Correspondence to Sumita Jha.

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Fig. S1

Maximum parsimony phylogeny of the entire genus Asparagus based on rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequences data. Numbers beneath nodes are Bootstrap support (BS) indices. (GIF 49 kb)

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Saha, P.S., Ray, S., Sengupta, M. et al. Molecular phylogenetic studies based on rDNA ITS, cpDNA trnL intron sequence and cladode characteristics in nine Protasparagus taxa. Protoplasma 252, 1121–1134 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-014-0746-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-014-0746-5

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