Phylogenetic analysis of 14 Korean Araliaceae species using chloroplast DNA barcode analysis

Abstract

Most Araliaceae plant species distributed in Korea are economically important because of their high medicinal values. This study was conducted to develop barcode markers from sequence analysis of chloroplast DNA in 14 taxa of Araliaceae species grown in South Korea. Sequencing of seven chloroplast DNA regions was performed to establish the DNA barcode markers, as suggested by the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL). From the sequence analysis of chloroplast DNA, we identified specific sequences and nucleotides that allowed us to discriminate among each other 14 Korean Araliaceae species. The sequence in the region of psbA-trnH revealed the most frequent DNA indels and substitutions of all 7 regions studied. This psbA-trnH marker alone can discriminate among all 14 species. There are no differences between Korean and Chinese Panax ginseng in all seven sequenced chloroplast DNA regions. A phylogenetic tree constructed using the seven chloroplast DNA regions revealed that Tetrapanax papyriferus should be classified as an independent clade. The Aralia and Panax genera showed a close phylogenetic relationship. Five species in the Eleutherococcus genus were more closely related to Kalopanax septemlobus than to any Panax species.