Principles of Crucifer Evolution

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Marcus Koch
• Subject Area: Evolution and Systematics of Plants and Fungi
• Term: from 2009 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 111615534

Crucifers {Brassicaceae, Cruciferae) are a large family comprising some 338 genera and approximately 3,700 species. The family includes important crops as well as several model species in various fields of plant research. Meanwhile, we have nearly complete coverage of a molecular-systematic characterization of all genera. And, in addition numerous phylogenetic hypothesis based on various genes from the plastome, nuclear and mitochondrial DNA are available enabling us to provide first robust and reliable family-wide phylogenetic trees. The Brassicaceae are characterized by frequently occurring hybridization and polyploidization, which, as a consequence, is greatly affecting genome size and structure, but also any mode of speciation. Nonetheless, it is still unclear if the evolution ofthe Brassicaceae on the various taxonomic/temporal levels and of its evolutionary lineages is mostly or even best explained by multiple radiation events. A fact that can also account for the difficulties to resolve deep phylogenetic relationships within the family. Herein we are aiming to use the actually available knowledge and phylogenetic data and a phylogenetic backbone to address these principles questions of crucifer evolution by adding genome size data across the whole family.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants