Molecular and morphological characterization of Leveillula (Ascomycota: Erysiphales) on monocotyledonous plants

Mycol Res. 2007 Jun;111(Pt 6):673-9. doi: 10.1016/j.mycres.2007.04.003. Epub 2007 Apr 29.

Abstract

Leveillula on monocotyledonous plants have been recorded as L. taurica by several authors, whereas the fungus on Allium has been described as an independent species, namely L. allii, by some authors. We sequenced ca 600bp of the rDNA ITS region for two Leveillula specimens from Allium and Polianthes (both from monocotyledons) and compared them with several already published sequences from Leveillula isolates from dicotyledons. Pair-wise percentages of sequence divergences were calculated for all Leveillula isolates. The ITS sequence of the Polianthes isolate was identical to L. taurica on Helianthus and Vicia. The sequence of the Allium isolate was 99.5% identical to L. taurica on Euphorbia, Haplophylum, Peganum, etc. These results suggest close relationships between monocot and dicot pathogenic Leveillula species. The identity between two monocot isolates was 98.4%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two monocot isolates do not group into a clade together. This result suggests that Leveillula acquired parasitism to monocots at least twice independently.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allium / microbiology*
  • Ascomycota / classification
  • Ascomycota / cytology*
  • Ascomycota / genetics*
  • Asparagaceae / microbiology*
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Fungal / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
  • Genes, Fungal
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology

Substances

  • DNA, Fungal
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer