A molecular timescale of eukaryote evolution and the rise of complex multicellular life.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The pattern and timing of the rise in complex multicellular life during Earth's history has not been established. Great disparity persists between the pattern suggested by the fossil record and that estimated by molecular clocks, especially for plants, animals, fungi, and the deepest branches of the eukaryote tree. Here, we used all available protein sequence data and molecular clock methods to place constraints on the increase in complexity through time.

Results

Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that (i) animals are more closely related to fungi than to plants, (ii) red algae are closer to plants than to animals or fungi, (iii) choanoflagellates are closer to animals than to fungi or plants, (iv) diplomonads, euglenozoans, and alveolates each are basal to plants

SUBMITTER: Hedges SB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC341452 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature