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Delimitation of cryptic species inside Claviceps purpurea.

Abstract
Claviceps purpurea is an ovarian parasite infecting grasses (Poaceae) including cereals and forage plants. This fungus produces toxic alkaloids and consumption of contaminated grains can cause ergotism in humans and other mammals. Recent molecular genetics studies have indicated that it included three cryptic species (G1, G2, G3). In this study, reproductive isolation amongst these groups and among material from Phragmites and Molinia was tested using gene flow statistics for five polymorphic loci, and to support these data, phylogenetic affiliations based on gene trees and a multigene phylogeny were used. The four recognized species are characterized based on morphology and host spectrum and formal taxonomic names are proposed. Claviceps purpurea sensu stricto (G1 group) represents a typical rye ergot, but infects various other grasses. Typical hosts of Claviceps humidiphila (new name for G2 species), like Phalaris arundinacea, belong to grasses preferring humid locations. Claviceps spartinae (G3) is specific to chloridoid grasses from salt barches. The material from Phragmites and Molinia can be authenticated with the species Claviceps microcephala for which the new name Claviceps arundinis is proposed here. The divergence time between species was estimated and the tools for species identification are discussed.
AuthorsSylvie Pažoutová, Kamila Pešicová, Milada Chudíčková, Petr Šrůtka, Miroslav Kolařík
JournalFungal biology (Fungal Biol) Vol. 119 Issue 1 Pg. 7-26 (Jan 2015) ISSN: 1878-6146 [Print] Netherlands
PMID25601146 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
CopyrightCopyright © 2014 The British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Chemical References
  • DNA, Fungal
Topics
  • Claviceps (classification, genetics, isolation & purification, physiology)
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA, Fungal (chemistry, genetics)
  • Host Specificity
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Poaceae (microbiology)
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology

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