Bioinformatics approaches in Molecular Systematics: the case of Silene section Siphonomorpha Otth (Caryophyllaceae) - Essays in Bioinformatics - page 243

rDNA probe labelled four sites on the short arms of two submetacentric chromosomes and
one locus was labelled with 5S rDNA probe [4]. The species differed in the physical
position of this 5S rDNA locus. The NOR activity analysed by Ag-staining in metaphase
cells also showed differences between the species.
AFLPs analysis revealed that there is no genetic differentiation between Silene longicilia ssp. longicilia and S.
longicilia ssp. cintrana . The data showed a high degree of genetic diversity although lacking population
structure (Fig.2A and B), indicating gene flow and a panmictic population. Neither morphological nor genetic
discontinuities were detected within the species, thus indicating that both named entities correspond to S.
longicilia , with no reason for the maintenance of the subspecific rank
The study of S. rothmaleri , one of the rare species of the group, revealed a non-
specific micro-habitat coloniser [5]. The species presence in its habitat was related to the
availability of the micro-habitat (deposits, step, fissure, scree) on the southwestern
Portuguese coast either in sea cliff or mountain facies . The species analysed with RAPD
displayed a high degree of genetic diversity mainly distributed within populations rather
than between populations and a considerable degree of differentiation with population-
specific markers [6] as depicted in Fig. 3.
Conservation implications and future prospects of this work include the need for
revision of the conservation status of S. longicilia , the study of the rare taxa belonging to S.
rosulata from North Africa, the evaluation of the relationships between S. coutinhoi and S.
mellifera and a better understanding of genetic variability in S. nutans and S. italica .

1.0

0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9

SA1
SA3
SA13
SA6
SA14
SA22
SA24

SA2

MU52
MU5
MU5
MU6
DH70
TA 7 1
MI37
MI38
MI39
MI40
MI41
MI42
VN27
VN28
VN29
VN35
VN34
VN36
VN72
VN73
VN74
VN75
VN76
VN77

MU54
MU7

Figure 3- A: PCoA of 34 plants of Silene rothmaleri . Axis 1 represents 25% of the
variance, axis 2 (12%) and axis 3 (8%). B : PCoA of 34 plants of Silene rothmaleri .
Axis 1 represents 25% of the variance, axis 2 (12%) and axis 3 (8%). cf.[6] for
details.