Molecular and morphological analysis reveals five new species of Zygophiala associated with flyspeck signs on plant hosts from China

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 20;9(10):e110717. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110717. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Species in the genus Zygophiala are associated with sooty blotch and flyspeck disease on a wide range of hosts. In this study, 63 Zygophiala isolates collected from flyspeck colonies on a range of plants from several regions of China were used for phylogeny, host range and geographic distribution analysis. Phylogenetic trees were constructed on four genes--internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), β-tubulin (TUB2), and actin (ACT)--both individually and in combination. Isolates were grouped into 11 clades among which five new species, Z. emperorae, Z. trispora, Z. musae, Z. inaequalis and Z. longispora, were described. Species of Zygophiala differed in observed host range and geographic distribution. Z. wisconsinensis and Z. emperorae were the most prevalent throughout the sampled regions of China, whereas Z. trispora, Z. musae, Z. inaequalis and Z. longispora were collected only in southern China. The hosts of Z. wisconsinensis and Z. emperorae were mainly in the family Rosaceae whereas Z. trispora, Z. musae, Z. inaequalis and Z. longispora were found mainly on banana (Musa spp.). Cross inoculation tests provided evidence of host specificity among SBFS species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ascomycota / classification*
  • Ascomycota / genetics*
  • China
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics*
  • Phylogeny*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31170015, 31171797), the 111 Project from Education Ministry of China (B07049), the earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-28), http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.