ARS | Publication request: THE STATUS OF ENDOMYCES SCOPULARUM -- A FILAMENTOUS FUNGUS AND TWO YEASTS

Submitted to: Mycologia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: October 4, 2000
Publication Date: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Understanding genetic relationships among fungi is important for diagnosis and control of disease among plants, animals, and humans. Mushrooms are parasitized by various fungi including one called Endomyces. Three fungus cultures from mushrooms that were identified as Endomyces appeared somewhat different from each other and were compared from their gene sequences in the genetic material ribosomal RNA. This comparison showed that one of the isolates was a member of the yeasts, whereas the other two isolates were filamentous fungi. Clarification of the type of pathogens present will lead to better disease control in mushroom forming.

Technical Abstract: Given the clouded history of species of Endomyces and the Endomycetales, we determined partial sequences of nuclear small and large subunits of the ribosomal RNA gene for three cultures of Endomyces scopularum, a parasitic fungus on agaric basidiocarps, in order to clarify the phylogenetic position of the species within the ascomycetes. As the result of sequence comparisons, the three cultures were divided into two distinct groups in phylogenetic trees. Strain CBS 131.86 is in a ophiostomatalean clade in the euascomycetes. On the other hand, CBS 154.92 and CBS 155.92, which have identical sequences in both subunits of rDNA, are in the Saccharomycetales clade. Candida fukazawae, C. sagamina, and C. fungicola, inhabitants of basidiocarps, were the closest taxa to the two yeast cultures.