Fertile hypha of D. ornata abruptly differentiate from slender vegetative filaments. Image by Greg Bonito.

Fig 2) Sporangiophore buds of D. ornata arising behind the advancing apex. Image by Greg Bonito.

Fig 3) Gemma (chlamydospores) of D. ornata produced terminally or in chains. Image by Greg Bonito.

The genome of Dissophora ornata was sequenced by JGI within the framework of the ZyGoLife - 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) (Thaxter 1914). Their fertile hyphae abruptly differentiate from more slender vegetative filaments of indeterminate growth (Fig 1). Sporangiophores arise as buds, continuously, behind the advancing apex (Fig 2). Dissophora ornata is one of three described species in the genus (Gams et al. 1989). This species also has large gemma (chlamydospores) that can be produced in chains or terminally (Fig 3).

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