engleski

PHYLOGENY OF COLEOPTERA: DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MOLECULAR MARKERS

Beetles (Coleoptera) are classified in 4 extant and 7 extinct suborders, but phylogenetic relationships between and within suborders are still not clarified by the use of morphological characters and/or commonly used molecular markers. We intend to develop conserved molecular markers that would be informative in resolving deep nodes in phylogenetic tree of Coleoptera. Here we present preliminary results of our project that combines bioinformatic and molecular approach. Based on completely sequenced genomes of the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and several other endopterygote insects, we select ortohologous nuclear protein-coding genes, determine conserved regions, and construct primer-pairs for their amplification. These regions are amplified in several representative beetle species, sequenced and aligned, and phylogenetic analyses (ML, MP, Bayesian) are conducted. Topologies and robustness of the resulting trees are inspected, and the value of particular gene regions in contributing new phylogenetic information in Coleoptera is assessed.

Coleoptera; molecular phylogeny; bioinformatics; Tribolium castaneum

nije evidentirano