Molecular diversity within and between ericoid endophytes from the Ericaceae and Epacridaceae

• Published in: The New phytologist Vol. 144; no. 2; pp. 351 - 358
• Main Authors: McLEAN, C. B., CUNNINGTON, J. H., LAWRIE, A. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.11.1999; Blackwell
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Ascomycota; Biological and medical sciences; chemotaxonomy; Cistella grevillei; color; Deuteromycotina; Economic plant physiology; endophytes; Endosymbionts; Epacridaceae; Epacris impressa; Ericaceae; ericoid mycorrhiza; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungal anatomy; fungal endophyte; Fungi; Hymenoscyphus ericae; Hyphae; identification; internal transcribed spacer; mycorrhizae; Mycorrhizal fungi; Mycorrhizas; nucleotide sequences; Oidiodendron; Parasitism and symbiosis; phylogeny; Plant physiology and development; Plant roots; Plants; polymerase chain reaction; Ribosomal DNA; roots; Sequencing; Symbiosis; Symbiosis (nodules, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza...); Victorians; Victoria (Australia); Northern Hemisphere; Australia; Oceania; Oidiodendron; ericoid mycorrhiza; internal transcribed spacer; fungal endophyte; phylogeny; Hymenoscyphus ericae; polymerase chain reaction; Epacridaceae; Symbiosis; Symbionte; Taxonomy; Phylogenetic tree; Interspecific comparison; Spacer DNA; Genetic diversity; Fungi; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Mycorrhiza; Endophyte; Spermatophyta; Ericaceae; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0028-646X; 1469-8137
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1469-8137.1999.00510.x

This study investigated the relationships between ericoid mycorrhizal endophytes of the Ericaceae (Northern Hemisphere) and the Epacridaceae (Australia). Over 200 fungi were isolated from the roots of two species of Epacridaceae from Victoria, Australia. The isolates were divided into 12 groups by morphology on quarter-strength potato dextrose agar. All were slow-growing and most were dematiaceous, but groups varied from white through pink to dark olive. The ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 ribosomal DNA was amplified and sequenced from eight isolates, forming typical ericoid mycorrhizal morphology in Epacris impressa and one nonmycorrhizal isolate. Sequences were compared, by using similarities and maximum-parsimony analysis, with those of Hymenoscyphus ericae (Leotiales) and Oidiodendron species (Hyphomycetes), the most common endophytes of the Ericaceae. Maximum-parsimony analysis produced four clusters: (1) all Oidiodendron species (at least 90% similarity); (2) all five Victorian dark grey-olive isolates (at least 96% similarity); (3) one Victorian isolate and Cistella grevillei (88% similarity); (4) two light-coloured Victorian isolates and H. ericae (81% similarity). This suggests that these isolates from the Epacridaceae do not belong to the same species as those forming ericoid mycorrhiza in the Ericaceae.