The genome of Dissophora decumbens was sequenced by JGI
within the framework of theZyGoLife - Community Sequencing Project
1978 – “Genomics of the early diverging lineages of
fungi and their transition to terrestrial, plant-based
ecologies”(http://zygolife.org/home/).
Zygomycetes are an ancient and diverse group of fungi, whose
evolutionary history and ecological associations remain poorly
resolved. The ZyGoLife project aims to: 1) reconstruct the
genealogical relationships of this early diverging branch in the
fungal tree of life; 2) resolve the origins of symbiotic
relationships between plants and zygomycetes; 3) reveal how complex
body plans evolved in the group; 4) elucidate mechanisms of mating
genetics between organisms with complex and differing life cycles,
and; 5) develop genomic barcodes to facilitate identification of
unknown fungi. Towards these goals we are sequencing genomes of
diverse representative zygomycete taxa.
Dissophora is a genus within the Mortierellomycotina
(Mucoromycota). Dissophora decumbens is the type species
for the genus, which was originally isolated from wood mouse dung
collected in Massachusetts, USA (Thaxter 1914; Gams and Carreiro
1989). Its fertile hyphae abruptly differentiate from more slender
vegetative filaments of indeterminate growth. Sporangiophores arise
as buds, continuously, behind the advancing apex. Colonies grow as
pure white, with erect growth that becomes ‘decumbent’
in age posterior to the growing front.
References:
Thaxter R. 1914. New or Peculiar Zygomycetes. 3: Blakeslea, Dissophora, and Haplosporangium, Nova Genera. Botanical Gazette. 58(4):353-366.
Gams W, Carreiro MM. 1989. Two new species of Morteriella and rediscovery of Thaxter's Dissophora decumbens. Studies in Mycology. 31:85-92
