IMA Fungus 1(2): 181-185, doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2010.01.02.11
Anaerobic fungi: Neocallimastigomycota
Gareth Wyn Griffith‡, Scott Baker§, Kate Fliegerova|, Audra Liggenstoffer¶, Mark Van Der Giezen#, Kerstin Voigt¤, Gordon Beakes«‡ Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom§ Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Chemical and Biological Process Development Group, Richland| Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Prague 4 - Krc, Czech Republic¶ Oklahoma State University, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Stillwater# University of Exeter, Centre for Eukaryotic Evolutionary Microbiology, Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, Exeter¤ Jena Microbial Research Collection, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Microbiology, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Jena, Germany« Newcastle University, School of Biology, Newcastle upon Tyne
© Gareth Griffith, Scott Baker, Kate Fliegerova, Audra Liggenstoffer, Mark Van Der Giezen, Kerstin Voigt, Gordon Beakes. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits to copy and distribute the article for non-commercial purposes, provided that the article is not altered or modified and the original author and source are credited. Citation:
Griffith G, Baker S, Fliegerova K, Liggenstoffer A, Van Der Giezen M, Voigt K, Beakes G (2010) Anaerobic fungi: Neocallimastigomycota. IMA Fungus 1(2): 181-185. https://doi.org/10.5598/imafungus.2010.01.02.11 |  |
Abstract
This contribution is based on the six oral presentations given at the Special Interest Group session on anaerobic fungi held during IMC9. These fungi, recently elevated to the status of a separate phylum (Neocallimastigomycota), distinct from the chytrid fungi, possess several unique traits that make their study both fascinating yet challenging to mycologists. There are several genome sequencing programs underway in the US but these are hampered by the highly AT-rich genomes. Next-generation sequencing has also allowed more detailed investigation of the ecology and diversity of these fungi, and it is apparent that several new taxa beyond the six genera already named exist within the digestive tracts of mammalian herbivores, with others potentially inhabiting other anaerobic niches. By increased collaboration between the various labs studying these fungi, it is hoped to develop a stable taxonomic backbone for these fungi and to facilitate exchange of both cultures and genetic data.
Keywords
chytrid, basal fungi, genome sequencing, phylogenetics, next-generation sequencing, hydrogenosome