Mitochondrial DNA sequence phylogeny of daucus

Authors: Spooner, David; RUESS, HOLLY - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Simon, Philipp; Senalik, Douglas

Submitted to: Systematic Botany
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2020
Publication Date: 5/13/2020
Citation: Spooner, D.M., Ruess, H., Simon, P.W., Senalik, D.A. 2020. Mitochondrial DNA sequence phylogeny of daucus. Systematic Botany. Volume 46 / Pages 403-408(6). https://doi.org/10.1600/036364420X15862837791311.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1600/036364420X15862837791311

Interpretive Summary: Herbarium specimens document the morphology of a plant in order to serve as a permanent reference point for species identifications and locality and other collection data. Typical herbarium specimens consist of living specimens pressed flat between cardboards, often intercalated with softer blotters and then dried in moderate heat in ovens or other methods, and then affixed (mounted) on archival herbarium sheets and organized and stored in insect-free cabinets (herbarium cases). Properly prepared and curated herbarium specimens can last hundreds of years and serve as critical elements to genebanks and taxonomic research. The Potato Introduction Station in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin has maintained herbarium specimens as part of its operations. These specimens mostly were grown from seeds in the field plots or greenhouses, but also are original specimens made during germplasm collecting expeditions. The herbarium of the Station (herbarium acronym PTIS) has been transferred from the potato genebank in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin to the Wisconsin State Herbarium (acronym WIS) in Birge Hall, University of Wisconsin-Madison where it is now fully integrated and curated and funded by WIS; PTIS is discontinued and is no longer maintained as a separate herbarium. Separately, maps and taxonomic literature that were used by the potato taxonomist in Madison were transferred to the Potato Station in Sturgeon Bay.

Technical Abstract: The mitochondrion is one of three DNA-containing genomes in plants, in addition to plastids and nuclei. The mitochondrion codes for some of the genes necessary to produce the proteins that produces ATP, the energy carrier molecule in plants. We explored the utility of mitochondrial DNA sequences in wild carrots (members of the genus Daucus) for their ability to look at relationships among wild carrots and compared the results with prior relationship results using the same 36 accessions of Daucus with plastid DNA sequences and with other results from nuclear DNA. We obtained data from 47 of 71 total mitochondrial genes. In essense, mitochondrial DNA was a poor method to look at relationships, judging from its comparison to other result from the plastid and nucleus. The results are significant in the it provides yet additional data from other studies in other plant groups showing that mitochondrial DNA has too many complicating biological factors precluding its general use as a good molecule to investigate relationships.