Cytochrome Oxidase I Examined Phylogenetically: Analyzing the Locus to Access the Utility of COI as an Indicator of Biodiversity in Sea Turtles Zachary Lane

Chelonia mydas Research Question Results 57% Methods Chelonia mydas 1. Does the COI gene serve as a 57% • 26 different sea turtles 62% Chelonia mydas • 6 different species (Green, accurate locus to identify species Chelonia mydas like sea turtles to aid in their 100% Flatback, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Chelonia mydas rescue on a globally threatened 100% Olive Ridley, and Leatherback Sea 83% Chelonia mydas level? Turtle. Natator depressa 2. Can the COI gene be used for 100% Natator depressa • 2 out groups (Galapagos Tortoise conservation genetic research Eretmochelys imbricata and the Western African Mud within the family Cheloniidae? 92% Eretmochelys imbricata Turtle) 92% Introduction 92% Eretmochelys imbricata • 593 sequences used from each Eretmochelys imbricata DNA barcoding is one of the most 100% species. Sequences were aligned prestigious ideas to look into the Eretmochelys imbricata using a sequence alignment 97% Eretmochelys imbricata program (Java) and then trimmed to inventory of life here on earth. In this 96% study, data is collected from the NCBI 93% Eretmochelys imbricata an even 593 base pairs. Eretmochelys imbricata website from the COI gene in each of Caretta caretta Conclusion these marine turtle species, along with 83% Caretta caretta two out groups. COI serves as a 100% I can conclude from the phylogenetic 100% Caretta caretta distinctive identifier that can present a Caretta caretta tree that the mitochondrial COI gene 83% can be used to group these taxa in an needed resolution for differentiating Lepidochelys olivacea between species, supplying vision into 100% Lepidochelys olivacea accurate manner. The only taxa that 93% diversification of a species, and Lepidochelys olivacea did not have above 80% support was understanding evolution molecularly. Dermochelys coriacea the Green Sea Turtle. The two out 94% groups at the bottom are also grouped Using the sequence data from the COI 100% Dermochelys coriacea gene will give way to a better 54% Dermochelys coriacea appropriately with less support than understanding of how these different Geochelone nigra the family Cheloniidae, proving they taxonomic species relate to each other Pelusios castanoides aren’t that related. Since COI is an on a phylogenetic tree, which can also Acknowledgements accurate way to group these taxa it can help design conservation strategies. Dr. Cevasco’s Phylogenomic (BIOL 397) lab class at Coastal Carolina ultimately be used in DNA barcoding Sequences were found in a BLAST University. Along with the referenced paper below that I built my for genetic research on a conservation search and then used to build a tree analysis off of. level. with strict consensus of the most Naro‐Maciel, E., Reid, B., Fitzsimmons, N., Le, M., Desalle, R., & Amato, G. (2009, August 20). Dna parsimonious trees with bootstraps for barcodes for globally threatened marine turtles: A registry approach to documenting biodiversity. Retrieved April 18, 2021, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1755- support. 0998.2009.02747.x