16S rRNA二级结构可变区图形分析在放线菌分类中的应用

采用16S rRNA可变区二级结构图形分析,比较了姜氏菌属及几个相关属种可变区二级结构的变化。结果表明,在9个可变区二级结构中茎的长度、环的数目和类型、茎的碱基对、以及环内部碱基均有不同。尤其在V5和V6两个区,这种差别尤为明显。这为姜氏菌属的建立提供了又一个证据,并认为16S rRNA可变区二级结构分析,可以应用于属以上原核生物的分类。     

16SrRNA二级结构可变区图形分析在放线菌分类中的应用*

采用16SrRNA可变区二级结构图形分析,比较了姜氏菌属及几个相关属种可变区二级结构的变化。结果表明,在9个可变区二级结构中茎的长度、环的数目和类型、茎的碱基对、以及环内部碱基均有不同。尤其在V5和V6两个区,这种差别尤为明显。这为姜氏菌属的建立提供了又一个证据,并认为16SrRNA可变区二级结构分析,可以应用于属以上原核生物的分类。     

核糖体RNA二级结构对拓扑结构准确性的影响

探讨了核糖体小亚基二级结构对真菌系统发育分析的影响。对用不同方法构建的系统发育树进行比较,结果表明结合二级结构信息的分析方法较传统方法产生了更为合理的拓扑结构。二级结构信息除用于优化序列比对外,还需整合到核酸替代模型中;恰当的序列比对方法、进化模型和建树运算法则有助于更加准确地揭示类群之间的亲缘关系。     

苔藓动物主要类群28S rDNA多变区的分子形态分析及其系统学意义

测定了苔藓动物主要代表类群3种苔虫的28S rDNA全序列(3 459～3 613 bp),结合已公布的相关类群的28S rDNA全序列数据,分析了其一级结构特征,并分别绘制了D2、D3和D8区段的二级结构.比较分析结果显示:各类群的全序列总长均超过3 300 bp,GC含量为41.8%～57.7%;D3和D8区段的二级结构保守性较高,D2区差异显著;各区段的长度变化较大,但是,大多都具有相似的主干结构.基于二级结构多变区分子形态学特征的比较基本和基于一级结构的分子系统学结论相吻合,提示它们同样包含着重要的系统发育信息.     

青藏高原冻土区土壤垂直剖面中微生物的分布与多样性

【目的】冻土区储存着大量的有机碳,全球气候的变化导致冻土不断融解退化,土壤微生物对冻土有机碳的分解作用在一定程度上将会加重全球温室效应。在研究中,为了解冻土区土壤微生物的分布与多样性,对青藏高原冻土区垂直剖面中的微生物组成进行研究。【方法】采用分子生物学方法,对剖面土壤样品中的古菌与细菌的16S r RNA基因和真菌的ITS序列进行PCR扩增,并分别构建其基因文库,通过序列的同源性比较进行系统发育学分析和多样性指数分析。【结果】垂直剖面土壤中古菌序列分别属于泉古菌(Crenarchaeota)和广古菌(Euryarchaeota)两个门,它们分别占克隆序列总数的29.0%和71.0%;其中泉古菌门只包括Group1.3b/MCG-A这一种类型,在古菌序列中所占的比例为29.0%,广古菌门包括4种类型,其中Methanomicrobiales序列在古菌克隆文库中所占比例较高(52.0%);分层位看,冻土活动层古菌优势类群包括Group1.3b/MCG-A、Methanomicrobiales和Methanosaetaceae,过渡层的优势类群包括Group1.3b/MCG-A和Methanomicrobiales两类,而古菌在冻土层的优势类群只有Methanomicrobiales这一种类型。细菌序列分属于10个类群,其中放线菌(Actinobacteria)、厚壁菌(Firmicutes)与变形菌(Proteobacteria)为剖面主要的优势类群,分别占克隆序列总数的28.9%、16.9%和12.1%;在冻土活动层,细菌的优势类群为Proteobacteria和Firmicutes,而在冻土过渡层与冻土层,细菌优势类群仅包括Actinobacteria一种类型。所有真菌序列均属于子囊菌门(Ascomycota)和担子菌门(Basidiomycota),分别占克隆序列总数的75.3%和24.7%;子囊菌以Cladosporium sp.和Pseudeurotium bakeri为主要的优势类群,担子菌以Dioszegia sp.为主要的优势类群,所占比例分别为35.5%、34.4%和22.6%;真菌在冻土活动层的优势类群只包括Pseudeurotium bakeri这一种类型,而在冻土过渡层与冻土层,真菌优势类群则包括Dioszegia sp.和Cladosporium sp.两类。【结论】该剖面在垂直剖面上古菌、细菌与真菌多样性较高,冻土活动层与冻土层之间群落组成差异明显。     

纳米银对潮土玉米根际真菌群落结构和多样性的影响

根际真菌是土壤生态系统的重要组成部分,本研究采用土壤盆栽方法,以纳米银(silver nanoparticles,Ag NPs)为研究对象,利用Illumina高通量测序技术对不同Ag NPs施加水平下(0.025、0.25、2.5mg/kg)潮土玉米根际真菌群落结构进行分析。结果表明,潮土玉米根际土壤真菌群落主要由子囊菌门Ascomycota、担子菌门Basidiomycota、芽枝菌门Blastodimycota、壶菌门Chytridiomycota、球囊菌门Glomeromycota和接合菌门Zygomycota等组成,其中以子囊菌门真菌为优势类群。Ag NPs在2.5mg/kg施加水平下显著降低了(P0.05)玉米根际土壤溶解性有机碳(DOC)含量,改变了根际土壤真菌群落结构,使真菌群落结构发生显著分异(P0.05),主要表现为降低了根霉菌属Rhizopus、镰刀菌属Fusarium、被孢霉属Mortierella等的相对丰度。相关性分析表明土壤DOC含量的变化与Ag NPs处理下根际土壤真菌群落结构分异存在显著的(P0.05)相关性。     

天山一号冰川前沿生态系统真菌群落结构演替及分布格局

【目的】分析真菌群落结构和多样性随着一号冰川退缩前沿年代序列的变化,揭示真菌群落的演替轨迹及环境因子对群落组成的影响。【方法】采用宏基因组学研究方法,结合生物信息学和统计学分析技术,对取自一号冰川末端表面冰尘,底部和前沿14个样品进行总DNA的提取,ITS基因的扩增并使用Illumina Miseq平台测序,通过相关生物地理化学特性综合分析在不同年代序列下真菌群落结构及其演替规律。【结果】经测序,筛选和质控分析获得185103条rawreads,占78.3%的非单序列在97%的相似度聚类分析共得到300个操作分类单元(OTU),共划分为6个门:子囊菌门(Ascomycota,52.7%)、担子菌门(Basidiomycota,16.9%)、壶菌门(Chytridiomycota,15.1%)、接合菌门(Zygomycota,2.4%)和球囊菌门(Glomeromycota,1.2%)。从演替初期到后期阶段虽然子囊菌的序列数逐渐下降而担子菌出现缓慢上升趋势,但子囊菌随着土壤年代序列的增加始终为优势类群,壶菌在冰川底部和前沿基层普遍存在且丰度仅次于子囊菌和担子菌。我们在缺乏植被的最新退缩基层发现依靠自养型宿主存活的活体营养菌,如Taphrinomycetes、Urediniomycetes和Ustilaginomycetes。从冰川底部和前沿基层检测到丰度较高的酵母菌,而粪生真菌(coprophilous fungi)仅仅出现在冰川前沿基层,共23个操作分类单元。球囊菌仅在前沿部分样品中存在,有着十分狭小的生态位分布。【结论】一号冰川前沿随着年代序列的增加真菌群落存在明显的演替轨迹和多样性的显著变化,不同生态位真菌类群组成的相似性较低且都存在明显的指示性真菌类群。     

不同施肥方式对酸性茶园土壤真菌群落的影响

为揭示不同施肥方式对茶园土壤真菌群落结构的影响,依托定位施肥试验,采集对照(CK)、纯化肥(N300)、有机肥配施(OM30) 3个处理的0—10 cm和10—20 cm两层土壤,通过高通量测序技术,分析不同施肥处理下,茶园土壤真菌群落结构特征及其与土壤理化性质的关系。结果表明0—10 cm土层中真菌Alpha多样性显著高于10—20 cm土层(P0.05);在同一土层中,Alpha多样性变化趋势为CK N300 OM30。子囊菌门、担子菌门、接合菌门是试验茶园土壤中三大优势真菌门类,Sordariomycetes纲,Tremellomycetes纲和Mortierellomycotina纲分别是子囊菌门、担子菌门和接合菌门下的优势种群。子囊菌门和担子菌门在0—10 cm土层中相对丰度较高,而接合菌门则在10—20 cm土层中具有较高丰度(P0.05)。施肥处理提高了土壤中接合菌门的相对丰度,降低了子囊菌门的相对丰度。不同深度土壤中真菌群落结构差异主要受土壤理化性质变化驱动,冗余分析和Monte Carlo置换检验结果显示,土壤有机碳、全氮、碳氮比、全钾、速效钾含量对土壤真菌群落结构影响显著(P0.05),而试验茶园土壤的pH变化对同一土层中真菌群落结构的影响并不显著(P0.05)。     

副鸡禽杆菌aroA基因克隆及序列分析

旨在建立一种方便、高效的同源保守基因克隆方法,并对副鸡禽杆菌aroA基因进行克隆和结构分析。本试验以副鸡禽杆菌国际标准株145(C-3)基因组DNA为模板,用CODEHOP软件设计针对aroA基因的兼并引物,并运用改进的染色体步移方法扩增aroA基因序列;对该核酸序列及其编码蛋白进行结构分析并与该菌其他血清型及相关细菌进行序列比对分析。结果显示,获得了完整的aroA基因,全长1 293 bp。该基因编码由430个氨基酸组成的多肽,具有2个功能位点和5个抗原表位位点。不同血清型间氨基酸序列同源性为88.1%-100%,与其他相关细菌核酸同源性为75%以上。首次将兼并PCR和改进的染色体步移技术结合起来对副鸡禽杆菌aroA基因全长进行扩增研究,得到了预期的结果。     

绿僵菌第五类Ser/Thr蛋白磷酸酶基因的克隆及表达特征分析

【目的】克隆绿僵菌第五类Ser/Thr蛋白磷酸酶(PP5)基因,了解该基因及其编码产物的结构特征和两种产孢模式(微循环产孢和正常产孢)中的表达特征。【方法】通过绿僵菌中PP5基因EST序列与全基因组数据库比对,获得PP5基因DNA序列;通过同源蛋白比对预测PP5基因的DNA结构并设计引物,PCR扩增获取PP5全长cDNA序列;通过在线分析工具及生物软件进行蛋白结构分析。采用实时荧光定量PCR检测PP5基因在两种产孢模式中的表达特征。【结果】PP5基因长2100 bp,含7个外显子和6个内含子;cDNA开放阅读框长为1428 bp(GenBank登录号HQ317137),编码475个氨基酸;一级、二级及三级结构分析均显示较保守的蛋白磷酸酶结构特征。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明,PP5基因在绿僵菌微循环产孢的不同阶段表达水平具有显著性差异,特别是在孢子接种16、24、32 h高表达,而在正常产孢模式下表达量非常少。【结论】克隆了绿僵菌的PP5基因,详细了解了该基因及其编码产物的结构特征,发现了该基因在微循环产孢孢子形成后期高表达的重要特征,为进一步研究该基因在微循环产孢中的功能奠定了基础。     

A new version of the RDP (Ribosomal Database Project).

The Ribosomal Database Project (RDP-II), previously described by Maidak et al. [ Nucleic Acids Res. (1997), 25, 109-111], is now hosted by the Center for Microbial Ecology at Michigan State University. RDP-II is a curated database that offers ribosomal RNA (rRNA) nucleotide sequence data in aligned and unaligned forms, analysis services, and associated computer programs. During the past two years, data alignments have been updated and now include >9700 small subunit rRNA sequences. The recent development of an ObjectStore database will provide more rapid updating of data, better data accuracy and increased user access. RDP-II includes phylogenetically ordered alignments of rRNA sequences, derived phylogenetic trees, rRNA secondary structure diagrams, and various software programs for handling, analyzing and displaying alignments and trees. The data are available via anonymous ftp (ftp.cme.msu. edu) and WWW (http://www.cme.msu.edu/RDP). The WWW server provides ribosomal probe checking, approximate phylogenetic placement of user-submitted sequences, screening for possible chimeric rRNA sequences, automated alignment, and a suggested placement of an unknown sequence on an existing phylogenetic tree. Additional utilities also exist at RDP-II, including distance matrix, T-RFLP, and a Java-based viewer of the phylogenetic trees that can be used to create subtrees.     

Application of the secondary structure model of rRNA for phylogeny: D2-D3 expansion segments of the LSU gene of plant-parasitic nematodes from the family Hoplolaimidae Filipjev, 1934

Knowledge of rRNA structure is increasingly important to assist phylogenetic analysis through reconstructing optimal alignment, utilizing molecule features as an additional source of data and refining appropriate models of evolution of the molecule. We describe a procedure of optimization for alignment and a new coding method for nucleotide sequence data using secondary structure models of the D2 and D3 expansion fragments of the LSU-rRNA gene reconstructed for fifteen nematode species of the agriculturally important and diverse family Hoplolaimidae, order Tylenchida. Using secondary structure information we converted the original sequence data into twenty-eight symbol codes and submitted the transformed data to maximum parsimony analysis. We also applied the original sequence data set for Bayesian inference. This used the doublet model with sixteen states of nucleotide doublets for the stem region and the standard model of DNA substitution with four nucleotide states for loops and bulges. By this approach, we demonstrate that using structural information for phylogenetic analyses led to trees with lower resolved relationships between clades and likely eliminated some artefactual support for misinterpreted relationships, such as paraphyly of Helicotylenchus or Rotylenchus. This study as well as future phylogenetic analyses is herein supported by the development of an on-line database, NEMrRNA, for rRNA molecules in a structural format for nematodes. We also have developed a new computer program, RNAstat, for calculation of nucleotide statistics designed and proposed for phylogenetic studies.     

Ribosomal RNA as molecular barcodes: a simple correlation analysis without sequence alignment

MOTIVATION: We explored the feasibility of using unaligned rRNA gene sequences as DNA barcodes, based on correlation analysis of composition vectors (CVs) derived from nucleotide strings. We tested this method with seven rRNA (including 12, 16, 18, 26 and 28S) datasets from a wide variety of organisms (from archaea to tetrapods) at taxonomic levels ranging from class to species. RESULT: Our results indicate that grouping of taxa based on CV analysis is always in good agreement with the phylogenetic trees generated by traditional approaches, although in some cases the relationships among the higher systemic groups may differ. The effectiveness of our analysis might be related to the length and divergence among sequences in a dataset. Nevertheless, the correct grouping of sequences and accurate assignment of unknown taxa make our analysis a reliable and convenient approach in analyzing unaligned sequence datasets of various rRNAs for barcoding purposes. AVAILABILITY: The newly designed software (CVTree 1.0) is publicly available at the Composition Vector Tree (CVTree) web server http://cvtree.cbi.pku.edu.cn.     

What an rRNA Secondary Structure Tells about Phylogeny of Fungi in Ascomycota with Emphasis on Evolution of Major Types of Ascus

Background

RNA secondary structure is highly conserved throughout evolution. The higher order structure is fundamental in establishing important structure-function relationships. Nucleotide sequences from ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes have made a great contribution to our understanding of Ascomycota phylogeny. However, filling the gaps between molecular phylogeny and morphological assumptions based on ascus dehiscence modes and type of fruitbodies at the higher level classification of the phylum remains an unfulfilled task faced by mycologists.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We selected some major groups of Ascomycota to view their phylogenetic relationships based on analyses of rRNA secondary structure. Using rRNA secondary structural information, here, we converted nucleotide sequences into the structure ones over a 20-symbol code. Our structural analyses together with ancestral character state reconstruction produced reasonable phylogenetic position for the class Geoglossomycetes as opposed to the classic nucleotide analyses. Judging from the secondary structure analyses with consideration of mode of ascus dehiscence and the ability of forming fruitbodies, we draw a clear picture of a possible evolutionary route for fungal asci and some major groups of fungi in Ascomycota. The secondary structure trees show a more reasonable phylogenetic position for the class Geoglossomycetes.

Conclusions

Our results illustrate that asci lacking of any dehiscence mechanism represent the most primitive type. Passing through the operculate and Orbilia-type asci, bitunicate asci occurred. The evolution came to the most advanced inoperculate type. The ascus-producing fungi might be derived from groups lacking of the capacity to form fruitbodies, and then evolved multiple times. The apothecial type of fruitbodies represents the ancestral state, and the ostiolar type is advanced. The class Geoglossomycetes is closely related to Leotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes having a similar ascus type other than it was originally placed based on nucleotide sequence analyses.     

林氏按蚊线粒体全基因组序列的测定及基于线粒体基因组的按蚊属系统发育分析(英文)

【目的】对林氏按蚊Anopheles lindesayi完整的线粒体基因组进行测序及分析,依据已知的线粒体基因组构建并讨论按蚊属蚊虫的分子系统发育关系。【方法】对林氏按蚊线粒体基因组进行测序、注释,并对其基本特征和基本组成进行分析。基于串联的13个蛋白质编码基因的核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列,用ML法和贝叶斯法构建林氏按蚊和按蚊属其他32种蚊虫的系统发育树,据此探讨按蚊属蚊虫的系统发育关系和系统分类。【结果】林氏按蚊线粒体基因组全长为15 366 bp,包含13个蛋白质编码基因,22个tRNA基因,2个rRNA基因和一段控制区。林氏按蚊线粒体基因组呈现明显的AT偏斜和GC偏斜,AT偏斜为正,GC偏斜为负。除了COX1使用TCG和ND5使用GTG作为起始密码子以外,其他蛋白质编码基因的起始密码子均遵循ATN原则;终止密码子为TAA或者T。除了tRNA^Ser(AGN)以外,其他的tRNA基因均呈现典型的三叶草二级结构。控制区AT含量最高,为94.54%。滑窗分析显示蛋白质编码基因是用于构建亚属或属水平系统发育关系的最佳分子标记。系统发育树强烈支持塞蚊亚属Cellia、按蚊亚属Anopheles、徕蚊亚属Nyssorhynchus和柯特蚊亚属Kerteszia均为单系群。小五斑按蚊An. atroparvus和四斑按蚊An. quadrimaculatus A这两个种聚到一起,从传统的形态分类上讲,它们和林氏按蚊均属于按蚊亚属按蚊系蚊虫。但本研究构建的4个系统发育树均显示,(小五斑按蚊An. atroparvus+四斑按蚊An. quadrimaculatus A)和林氏按蚊被属于迈蚊系的中华按蚊分开,这为两个系的分类提供了新的论点。【结论】本研究获得了林氏按蚊的完整的线粒体基因组,探析了按蚊属的线粒体基因组特征和系统发育关系,为进一步研究蚊科线粒体基因组和系统发育关系提供了依据。     

Comparative studies of the population genetic structure of the Brachionus calyciflorus species complex from four inland lakes in Wuhu,China

To study how the population genetic structure in zooplankton respond to environmental conditions, using comparative limnology, the genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of the B. calyciflorus complex collected from four inland lakes in Wuhu City, China were investigated based on the 16S rRNA gene and nuDNA ITS sequences. The results displayed a high genetic diversity, and the nucleotide diversity of the 16S rRNA gene was higher than that of the ITS sequence. The phylogenetic analyses grouped the four populations into two cryptic species (Bc-JT and Bc-FL) with strong support. The two cryptic species were found in lakes with different trophic levels, demonstrating significant ecological specialization. The origins of clone TW12 were not consistent in the phylogenetic trees between two genetic markers, which might be attributed to the effects of male-mediated gene flow on the phylogenetic relationships of rotifers. The nucleotide diversity of the cryptic species Bc-JT was higher than that of Bc-FL, indicating that eutrophication might decrease the genetic diversity of cryptic species. The total phosphorus concentration in water bodies might be the most important factor affecting the genetic diversity of species.     

Against expectation: a short sequence with high signal elucidates cone snail phylogeny

A short (259 nucleotide) conserved intronic sequence (CIS) is surprisingly informative for delineating deep phylogenetic relationships in cone snails. Conus species previously have been assigned to clades based on the evidence from mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA gene sequences (1129 bp). Despite their length, these genes lack the phylogenetic information necessary to resolve the relationships among the clades. Here we show that the relationships can be inferred from just 46 sites in the very short CIS sequence (a portion of "intron 9" of the γ-glutamyl carboxylase gene). This is counterintuitive because in short sequences sampling error (noise) often drowns out phylogenetic signal. The intron 9 CIS is rich in synapomorphies that define the divergence patterns among eight clades of worm- and fish-hunting Conus, and it contains almost no homoplasy. Parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the combined sequences (mt rRNA+CIS) confirm most of the relationships among 23 Conus sequences. This phylogeny implies that fish-hunting behavior evolved at least twice during the history of Conus-once among New World species and independently in the Indo-Pacific clades.     

Discordant phylogenies within the rrn loci of Rhizobia

It is evident from complete genome sequencing results that lateral gene transfer and recombination are essential components in the evolutionary process of bacterial genomes. Since this has important implications for bacterial systematics, the primary objective of this study was to compare estimated evolutionary relationships among a representative set of alpha-Proteobacteria by sequencing analysis of three loci within their rrn operons. Tree topologies generated with 16S rRNA gene sequences were significantly different from corresponding trees assembled with 23S rRNA gene and internally transcribed space region sequences. Besides the incongruence in tree topologies, evidence that distinct segments along the 16S rRNA gene sequences of bacteria currently classified within the genera Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium and Sinorhizobium have a reticulate evolutionary history was also obtained. Our data have important implications for bacterial taxonomy, because currently most taxonomic decisions are based on comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Since phylogenetic placement based on 16S rRNA gene sequence divergence perhaps is questionable, we suggest that the proposals of bacterial nomenclature or changes in their taxonomy that have been made may not necessarily be warranted. Accordingly, a more conservative approach should be taken in the future, in which taxonomic decisions are based on the analysis of a wider variety of loci and comparative analytical methods are used to estimate phylogenetic relationships among the genomes under consideration.     

Effects of nucleotide sequence alignment on phylogeny estimation: a case study of 18S rDNAs of apicomplexa

The reconstruction of phylogenetic history is predicated on being able to accurately establish hypotheses of character homology, which involves sequence alignment for studies based on molecular sequence data. In an empirical study investigating nucleotide sequence alignment, we inferred phylogenetic trees for 43 species of the Apicomplexa and 3 of Dinozoa based on complete small-subunit rDNA sequences, using six different multiple-alignment procedures: manual alignment based on the secondary structure of the 18S rRNA molecule, and automated similarity-based alignment algorithms using the PileUp, ClustalW, TreeAlign, MALIGN, and SAM computer programs. Trees were constructed using neighboring-joining, weighted-parsimony, and maximum- likelihood methods. All of the multiple sequence alignment procedures yielded the same basic structure for the estimate of the phylogenetic relationship among the taxa, which presumably represents the underlying phylogenetic signal. However, the placement of many of the taxa was sensitive to the alignment procedure used; and the different alignments produced trees that were on average more dissimilar from each other than did the different tree-building methods used. The multiple alignments from the different procedures varied greatly in length, but aligned sequence length was not a good predictor of the similarity of the resulting phylogenetic trees. We also systematically varied the gap weights (the relative cost of inserting a new gap into a sequence or extending an already-existing gap) for the ClustalW program, and this produced alignments that were at least as different from each other as those produced by the different alignment algorithms. Furthermore, there was no combination of gap weights that produced the same tree as that from the structure alignment, in spite of the fact that many of the alignments were similar in length to the structure alignment. We also investigated the phylogenetic information content of the helical and nonhelical regions of the rDNA, and conclude that the helical regions are the most informative. We therefore conclude that many of the literature disagreements concerning the phylogeny of the Apicomplexa are probably based on differences in sequence alignment strategies rather than differences in data or tree-building methods.      

RibAlign: a software tool and database for eubacterial phylogeny based on concatenated ribosomal protein subunits

Background  

Until today, analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences has been the de-facto gold standard for the assessment of phylogenetic relationships among prokaryotes. However, the branching order of the individual phlya is not well-resolved in 16S rRNA-based trees. In search of an improvement, new phylogenetic methods have been developed alongside with the growing availability of complete genome sequences. Unfortunately, only a few genes in prokaryotic genomes qualify as universal phylogenetic markers and almost all of them have a lower information content than the 16S rRNA gene. Therefore, emphasis has been placed on methods that are based on multiple genes or even entire genomes. The concatenation of ribosomal protein sequences is one method which has been ascribed an improved resolution. Since there is neither a comprehensive database for ribosomal protein sequences nor a tool that assists in sequence retrieval and generation of respective input files for phylogenetic reconstruction programs, RibAlign has been developed to fill this gap.