Fungal research is experiencing a new wave of methodological improvements that most probably will boost mycology as profoundly as molecular phylogeny has done during the last 15 years. Especially the ...next generation sequencing technologies can be expected to have a tremendous effect on fungal biodiversity and ecology research. In order to realise the full potential of these exciting techniques by accelerating biodiversity assessments, identification procedures of fungi need to be adapted to the emerging demands of modern large-scale ecological studies. But how should fungal species be identified in the near future? While the answer might seem trivial to most microbiologists, taxonomists working with fungi may have other views. In the present review, we will analyse the state of the art of the so-called barcoding initiatives in the light of fungi, and we will seek to evaluate emerging trends in the field. We will furthermore demonstrate that the usability of DNA barcoding as a major tool for identification of fungi largely depends on the development of high-quality sequence databases that are thoroughly curated by taxonomists and systematists.
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CEKLJ, DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Here we review how evolving species concepts have been applied to understand yeast diversity. Initially, a phenotypic species concept was utilized taking into consideration morphological aspects of ...colonies and cells, and growth profiles. Later the biological species concept was added, which applied data from mating experiments. Biophysical measurements of DNA similarity between isolates were an early measure that became more broadly applied with the advent of sequencing technology, leading to a sequence-based species concept using comparisons of parts of the ribosomal DNA. At present phylogenetic species concepts that employ sequence data of rDNA and other genes are universally applied in fungal taxonomy, including yeasts, because various studies revealed a relatively good correlation between the biological species concept and sequence divergence. The application of genome information is becoming increasingly common, and we strongly recommend the use of complete, rather than draft genomes to improve our understanding of species and their genome and genetic dynamics. Complete genomes allow in-depth comparisons on the evolvability of genomes and, consequently, of the species to which they belong. Hybridization seems a relatively common phenomenon and has been observed in all major fungal lineages that contain yeasts. Note that hybrids may greatly differ in their post-hybridization development. Future in-depth studies, initially using some model species or complexes may shift the traditional species concept as isolated clusters of genetically compatible isolates to a cohesive speciation network in which such clusters are interconnected by genetic processes, such as hybridization.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The Ustilaginales comprise hundreds of plant-parasitic fungi with a characteristic life cycle that directly links sexual reproduction and parasitism: One of the two mating-type loci codes for a ...transcription factor that not only facilitates mating, but also initiates the infection process. However, several species within the Ustilaginales have no described parasitic stage and were historically assigned to the genus Pseudozyma. Molecular studies have shown that the group is polyphyletic, with members being scattered in various lineages of the Ustilaginales. Together with recent findings of conserved fungal effectors in these non-parasitic species, this raises the question if parasitism has been lost recently and in multiple independent events or if there are hitherto undescribed parasitic stages of these fungi.
In this study, we sequenced genomes of five Pseudozyma species together with six parasitic species from the Ustilaginales to compare their genomic capability to perform two central functions in sexual reproduction: mating and meiosis. While the loss of sexual capability is assumed in certain lineages and asexual species are common in Asco- and Basidiomycota, we were able to successfully annotate potentially functional mating and meiosis genes that are conserved throughout the whole group.
Our data suggest that at least the key functions of a sexual lifestyle are maintained in the analyzed genomes, challenging the current understanding of the so-called asexual species with respect to their evolution and ecological role.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In this paper, we review historical and contemporary species concepts and species recognition criteria for plant pathogenic fungi. Previous incongruent and unstable classification based on subjective ...and changing criteria have led to some confusion, especially amongst plant pathologists. The goal of systematics is to provide an informative and robust framework that stands the test of time. The taxonomic histories of
Cercospora
,
Colletotrichum
,
Fusarium,
as well as the rust and smut fungi, are used as examples, to show how concepts and criteria used to delimit and recognize species have changed. Through these examples we compare the Genealogical Concordance Phylogenetic Species Recognition, an extension of the Phylogenetic Species Criterion, with other species recognition criteria and show that it provides a better discrimination for delimiting species. A rapidly increasing number of cryptic species are being discovered amongst plant pathogenic fungi using the Genealogical Concordance Phylogenetic Species Recognition, and it is important to determine their host range, the severity of diseases they cause and their biosecurity significance. With rapidly expanding global trade it has become imperative that we develop effective and reliable protocols to detect these previously unrecognized pathogens.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Convergent evolution is the phenomenon of similar traits evolving independently in different lineages of the tree of life. Studying convergent evolution provides an excellent opportunity to ...understand natural selection for specific traits and physiological constraints to evolution that allow a broadened view on evolutionary mechanisms as a whole. Smut fungi, a polyphyletic group of plant-parasitic fungi with a specific infection and life cycle pattern, are a prime example of convergent evolution. Most notably, smut fungi in the genus
Microbotryum
that belongs to the subdivision
Pucciniomycotina
and smut fungi from the subdivision
Ustilaginomycotina
show strong similarities despite millions of years of independent evolution. However, the conceptual connections drawn between the two groups are scarce, thereby limiting the opportunities for exploring convergent evolution between these taxa. To facilitate knowledge exchange within the research community, we provide a summary of databases, molecular and biological tools and a brief introduction to the structure of populations and the characteristics of host specificity in both groups. Furthermore, we compare the life cycles and research emphases between the two groups. The comparisons are supplemented with an analysis of genome composition and gene function, which aims to advance research on the convergent evolution of smut fungi using existing data.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
7.
Species diversity of Basidiomycota He, Mao-Qiang; Zhao, Rui-Lin; Liu, Dong-Mei ...
Fungal diversity,
05/2022, Volume:
114, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Fungi are eukaryotes that play essential roles in ecosystems. Among fungi, Basidiomycota is one of the major phyla with more than 40,000 described species. We review species diversity of ...Basidiomycota from five groups with different lifestyles or habitats: saprobic in grass/forest litter, wood-decaying, yeast-like, ectomycorrhizal, and plant parasitic. Case studies of
Agaricus
,
Cantharellus
,
Ganoderma
,
Gyroporus
,
Russula
,
Tricholoma
, and groups of lichenicolous yeast-like fungi, rust fungi, and smut fungi are used to determine trends in discovery of biodiversity. In each case study, the number of new species published during 2009–2020 is analysed to determine the rate of discovery. Publication rates differ between taxa and reflect different states of progress for species discovery in different genera. The results showed that lichenicolous yeast-like taxa had the highest publication rate for new species in the past two decades, and it is likely this trend will continue in the next decade. The species discovery rate of plant parasitic basidiomycetes was low in the past ten years, and remained constant in the past 50 years. We also found that the establishment of comprehensive and robust taxonomic systems based on a joint global initiative by mycologists could promote and standardize the recognition of taxa. We estimated that more than 54,000 species of Basidiomycota will be discovered by 2030, and estimate a total of 1.4–4.2 million species of Basidiomycota globally. These numbers illustrate a huge gap between the described and yet unknown diversity in Basidiomycota.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Convergent adaptation provides unique insights into the predictability of evolution and ultimately into processes of biological diversification. Supergenes (beneficial gene linkage) are striking ...examples of adaptation, but little is known about their prevalence or evolution. A recent study on anther-smut fungi documented supergene formation by rearrangements linking two key mating-type loci, controlling pre- and post-mating compatibility. Here further high-quality genome assemblies reveal four additional independent cases of chromosomal rearrangements leading to regions of suppressed recombination linking these mating-type loci in closely related species. Such convergent transitions in genomic architecture of mating-type determination indicate strong selection favoring linkage of mating-type loci into cosegregating supergenes. We find independent evolutionary strata (stepwise recombination suppression) in several species, with extensive rearrangements, gene losses, and transposable element accumulation. We thus show remarkable convergence in mating-type chromosome evolution, recurrent supergene formation, and repeated evolution of similar phenotypes through different genomic changes.
The grass smuts comprise a speciose group of biotrophic plant parasites, so-called Ustilaginaceae, which are specifically adapted to hosts of sweet grasses, the Poaceae family. Mating takes a central ...role in their life cycle, as it initiates parasitism by a morphological and physiological transition from saprobic yeast cells to pathogenic filaments. As in other fungi, sexual identity is determined by specific genomic regions encoding allelic variants of a pheromone-receptor (PR) system and heterodimerising transcription factors. Both operate in a biphasic mating process that starts with PR-triggered recognition, directed growth of conjugation hyphae, and plasmogamy of compatible mating partners. So far, studies on the PR system of grass smuts revealed diverse interspecific compatibility and mating type determination. However, many questions concerning the specificity and evolutionary origin of the PR system remain unanswered. Combining comparative genetics and biological approaches, we report on the specificity of the PR system and its genetic diversity in 10 species spanning about 100 million years of mating type evolution. We show that three highly syntenic PR alleles are prevalent among members of the Ustilaginaceae, favouring a triallelic determination as the plesiomorphic characteristic of this group. Furthermore, the analysis of PR loci revealed increased genetic diversity of single PR locus genes compared to genes of flanking regions. Performing interspecies sex tests, we detected a high potential for hybridisation that is directly linked to pheromone signalling as known from intraspecies sex. Although the PR system seems to be optimised for intraspecific compatibility, the observed functional plasticity of the PR system increases the potential for interspecific sex, which might allow the hybrid-based genesis of newly combined host specificities.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Thermophilic, thermotolerant and heat-resistant fungi developed different physiological traits, enabling them to sustain or even flourish under elevated temperatures, which are life-hostile for most ...other eukaryotes. With the growing demand of heat-stable molecules in biotechnology and industry, the awareness of heat-adapted fungi as a promising source of respective enzymes and biomolecules is still increasing. The aim of this study was to test two different strategies for the efficient isolation and identification of distinctly heat-adapted fungi from easily accessible substrates and locations. Eight compost piles and ten soil sites were sampled in combination with different culture-dependent approaches to describe suitable strategies for the isolation and selection of thermophilous fungi. Additionally, an approach with a heat-shock treatment, but without elevated temperature incubation led to the isolation of heat-resistant mesophilic species. The cultures were identified based on morphology, DNA barcodes, and microsatellite fingerprinting. In total, 191 obtained isolates were assigned to 31 fungal species, from which half are truly thermophilic or thermotolerant, while the other half are heat-resistant fungi. A numerous amount of heat-adapted fungi was isolated from both compost and soil samples, indicating the suitability of the used approaches and that the richness and availability of those organisms in such environments are substantially high.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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