ARS | Publication request: A data mining approach to dinoflagellate clustering according to sterol composition: Correlations with evolutionary history.

Submitted to: International Journal of Data Mining and Bioinformatics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 1, 2009
Publication Date: July 29, 2010
Citation: Leblond, J., Li, C., Logares, R., Rengefors, K., Evens, T.J. 2010. A data mining approach to dinoflagellate clustering according to sterol composition: Correlations with evolutionary history. International Journal of Data Mining and Bioinformatics. 4:431-451.

Interpretive Summary: Sterol compositions of dinoflagellates have been studied for several decades as a means of assessing whether certain species possess unique chemical biomarkers that are useful for tracking dinoflagellate community dynamics. However, no attempt has been made to compile the results from numerous studies to examine how sterol compositions may relate to the genetic phylogeny of this lineage. To this end, the sterol compositions of 102 dinoflagellates (including several previously unexamined species) were tabulated and compared to an extensive genetic-based phylogeny. Our results indicate that dinoflagellates form six clusters based on sterol compositions, and that several, but not all, dinoflagellate genera that form discrete clusters in the genetic-based phylogeny share similar sterol compositions. This and other correspondences suggest that the sterol compositions of dinoflagellates are explained, to a certain extent, by the evolutionary history of this lineage rather than environmental conditions.

Technical Abstract: This study examined the sterol compositions of 102 dinoflagellates (including several previously unexamined species) using clustering techniques as a means of determining the relatedness of the organisms. In addition, dinoflagellate sterol-based relationships were compared statistically to dinoflagellate 18S rDNA-based phylogeny relationships using the Mantel test. Our results indicated that the examined dinoflagellates form six clusters based on sterol composition and that several, but not all, dinoflagellate genera that form discrete clusters in the 18S rDNA-based phylogeny share similar sterol compositions. This and other correspondences suggest that the sterol compositions of dinoflagellates are explained, to a certain extent, by the evolutionary history of this lineage .