Organellar genome comparisons of Sargassum polycystum and S. plagiophyllum (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) with other Sargassum species.

Phylogenetic analysis confirms the close relationship between the two sequenced species and S. ilicifolium. Both synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates show significant divergence between the group of mitochondrial genomes versus the group of chloroplast genomes. The deciphering of complete mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes is significant as it advances our understanding of the evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships between species of brown seaweeds.