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| I am a post-doctoral fellow at the Phycology Research Group at the Ghent University.
My (academic) interests are in the area
of systematic biology, the study of biotic diversity within and among species.
As a seaweed biologist, my work principally focuses on the biology and evolution
of algae, in particular green seaweeds. I use morphological characteristics
and variation patterns in DNA sequences to analyze phylogenetic relationships,
species boundaries, biogeography and morphological evolution in siphonocladalean
green algae (Cladophorales). These algae are widespread in tropical to temperate
seas and freshwater environments and are characterized by giant, multinucleate
cells.
Previous research, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Microbiology of the Ghent University, investigated the diversity and evolution of endosymbiotic prokaryotes in siphonocladalean green algae. More recently, my research focuses on deep phylogenetic relationships and molecular evolution in green plants. More specifically, I aim to get insights into the evolution of translation in green algae by analysing genetic code, codon usage and specific translation-related genes in a phylogenetic framework. |
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Contact: Ghent University, Biology Department (WE11) Phycology Research Group Krijgslaan 281, building S8, 3rd floor 9000 Ghent, Belgium E-mail: frederik.leliaert[at]ugent.be or frederik.leliaert[at]gmail.com Phone: +32 9 264 8508 |
| Selected Publications: (A full publication list can be found here) |
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Leliaert F., Smith D.R., Moreau H., Herron M.D., Verbruggen H., Delwiche C.F. & De Clerck O. (2012) Phylogeny and molecular evolution of the green algae. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 31: 1-46 (html) |
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Leliaert F., Verbruggen H. & Zechman F.W. (2011) Into the deep: new discoveries at the base of the green plant phylogeny. BioEssays 33: 683–692 (html) |
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Cocquyt E., Gile, G.H., Leliaert F., Verbruggen H., Keeling P.J.& De Clerck O. (2010) Complex phylogenetic distribution of a non-canonical genetic code in green algae BMC Evolutionary Biology 10: 327 |
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Cocquyt E., Verbruggen H., Leliaert F. & De Clerck O. (2010) Evolution and cytological diversification of the green seaweeds (Ulvophyceae). Molecular Biology and Evolution 27: 2052–2061 |
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Casteleyn G., Leliaert F, Backeljau T., et al. (2010) Limits to gene flow in a cosmopolitan marine planktonic diatom Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 107: 12952-12957 (www.pnas.org) |
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De Wever A., Leliaert F., Verleyen E., et al. (2009) Hidden levels of phylodiversity in Antarctic green algae: further evidence for the existence of glacial refugia. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276: 3591–3599 |
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Leliaert F., Verbruggen H., Wysor B. & De Clerck O. (2009) DNA taxonomy in morphologically plastic taxa: algorithmic species delimitation in the Boodlea complex (Chlorophyta: Siphonocladales). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 53: 122–133 |
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Leliaert F., De Clerck O., Verbruggen H., et al. (2007) Molecular phylogeny of the Siphonocladales (Chlorophyta: Cladophorophyceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 44: 1237-1256 |