Phylogenomics
If we want to approach the evolution of multicellular animals, we need a robust phylogenetic framework of the opisthokonts (i.e., the clade that comprises Metazoa, Fungi and their closes unicellular lineages). Thus, among our goals is to obtain new molecular data (protein-coding genes, RNAseq, etc..) in order to perform phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses to further improve the opisthokont (or the eukaryote) tree of life. For example, using single-copy protein domains rather than genes, we have recently shown that apusozoans (and not the amoebozoans) are the sister-group to the opisthokonts and that the ichthyosporeans are the sister-group to a clade formed by filastereans, choanoflagellates and metazoans.
Current collaborators:
Andrew J. Roger, Dalhousie University, Canada.
Stuart Donachie, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA.
Wyth Marshall, Canada.
David Posada, Universidad de Vigo, Spain.
Recent publications:
Guifré Torruella, Romain Derelle, Jordi Paps, B. Franz Lang, Andrew J Roger, Kamran Shalchian-Tabrizi & Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo. (2012)
Phylogenetic relationships within the Opisthokonta based on phylogenomic analyses of conserved single copy protein domains.
Molecular Biology and Evolution 29(2): 531-544.
John D. L. Shadwick & Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo. (2012)
A genomic survey shows that the haloarchaeal type Tyrosyl-Synthetase is not a Synapomorphy of Opisthokonts
European Journal of Protistology (in press)
Alex de Mendoza & Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo. (2011)
The mysterious Evolutionary Origin for the GNE gene and the root of Bilateria
Molecular Biology and Evolution 28(11): 2987-91.
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