The sterile microfilamentous lichenized fungi Cystocoleus ebeneus and Racodium rupestre are relatives of plant pathogens and clinically important dothidealean fungi.
The phylogenetic positions of the always-sterile microfilamentous lichens Cystocoleus ebeneus and Racodium rupestre were studied in a phylogenetic framework using sequence data of 5' nuSSU, nuLSU, and mtSSU rDNA. The analysis reveals that both genera are ascomycetes and belong to Dothideomycetidae: they are not close to lichenized members within the subclass, but rather belong to Capnodiales. The macroscopically scarcely distinguishable C. ebeneus and R. rupestre do not form a monophyletic group. The well-supported clade of R. rupestre is basal to the one in which C. ebeneus is close to Mycosphaerellaceae. This study provides another example of ascomycetes with very different life-styles and ecologies being closely related.
Muggia
Lucia
L
Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Holteigasse 6, Graz, Austria. lucia_muggia@hotmail.com
Hafellner
Josef
J
Wirtz
Nora
N
Hawksworth
David L
DL
Grube
Martin
M
D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D001317:Austria; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008011:Lichens / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009181:Mycoses / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D010944:Plants; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D006113:United Kingdom
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal