Mating type genes in the genus Neofusicoccum: Mating strategies and usefulness in species delimitation.
The genus Neofusicoccum includes species with wide geographical and plant host distribution, some of them of economic importance. The genus currently comprises 27 species that are difficult to identify based on morphological features alone. Thus, species differentiation is based on phylogenetic species recognition using multigene genealogies. In this study, we characterised the mating type genes of Neofusicoccum species. Specific primers were designed to amplify and sequence MAT genes in several species and a PCR-based mating type diagnostic assay was developed. Homothallism was the predominant mating strategy among the species tested. Furthermore, the potential of mating type gene sequences for species delimitation was evaluated. Phylogenetic analyses were performed on both MAT genes and compared with multigene genealogies using sequences of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region, translation elongation factor 1-alpha and beta-tubulin. Phylogenies based on mating type genes could discriminate between the species analysed and are in concordance with the results obtained with the more conventional multilocus phylogenetic analysis approach. Thus, MAT genes represent a powerful tool to delimit cryptic species in the genus Neofusicoccum.
Biology Department, CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
Anabela
A
Lopes
University of Lisbon, Faculty of Sciences, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
Alan J L
AJ
Phillips
Biology Department, CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: artur.alves@ua.pt.
Artur
A
Alves
D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D049770:Genes, Mating Type, Fungal; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics
D017931:DNA Primers; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D014404:Tubulin
Botryosphaeriaceae; MAT genes; PCR-based assay; Phylogeny; Reproductive strategies