This genome was sequenced as part of the JGI CSP "1KFG - Deep Sequencing of Ecologically-relevant Dikarya" and more specifically as a part of the Russulaceae Sequencing Project, which seeks to densely sample members of a diverse lineage of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi to examine functional diversity of ECM fungi with a shared evolutionary history.
Multifurca ochricompacta (Bills & O.K.
Miller) Buyck & V. Hoffstetter
Multifurca ochricompacta was first described by G.F. Bills
and O.K. Miller Jr. as Russula ochricompacta, who
recognizing the unusual characters for the species, described
Russula subsection Ochricompactae to accommodate it (Bills
& Miller 1984). Russula ochricompacta was originally
characterized by its sporocarps with a white to apricot-buff cap
with concentric zonations, dichotomously forked gills, an orange
spore print, a pungent odor of Lysol or lemon oil, and perhaps the
shortest spore ornamentation of any described Russula. The
genus Multifurca was erected as a novel evolutionary
lineage of Russulaceae in 2008 to accommodate species of
Russula subsection Ochricompactae and a rarely
collected species of Lactarius (Buyck et al. 2008). The
group contains species that exude latex as well as ones that do
not, presenting a potential novel loss or gain of latex. Species in
this group are considered rare with only 7 species known worldwide.
Multifurca ochricompacta is apparently restricted to the
southeast region of the U.S. New features were observed in recent
collections of M. ochricompacta, including the presence of
wax-like strobiculae surrounded by hyphal tufts, an in-rolled cap,
decurrent gills, and hymenial features resembling
Gloeocystidiellum. As this is a rare species, not much is
known about M. ochricompacta. A tissue culture was
successfully derived from the original genome collection, and this
is now being investigated as a potential model system for future
studies to uncover the ecological functions and complexities of
this mysterious group. The sporocarps for this genome were
collected on July 13, 2015 under Quercus in a riparian
mixed forest with mainly Tsuga canadensis, Betula
nigra, and multiple species of Quercus along the
Sugarlands Nature trail of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
This species is a representative of a novel and unique group of
species and will be important for understanding the evolution of
functional diversity of Russulaceae.
Researchers who wish to publish analyses using data from
unpublished CSP genomes are respectfully required to contact the PI
and JGI to avoid potential conflicts on data use and coordinate
other publications with the CSP master paper(s).
References
Bills, G.F. and Miller Jr, O.K., 1984. Southern Appalachian
Russulas. I. Mycologia, pp.975-1002.
Buyck, B., Hofstetter, V., Eberhardt, U., Verbeken, A. and Kauff,
F., 2008. Walking the thin line between Russula and Lactarius: the
dilemma of Russula subsect. Ochricompactae. Fungal Diversity, 28,
pp.15-40.
Genome Reference(s)
Looney B, Miyauchi S, Morin E, Drula E, Courty PE, Kohler A, Kuo A, LaButti K, Pangilinan J, Lipzen A, Riley R, Andreopoulos W, He G, Johnson J, Nolan M, Tritt A, Barry KW, Grigoriev IV, Nagy LG, Hibbett D, Henrissat B, Matheny PB, Labbé J, Martin FM
Evolutionary transition to the ectomycorrhizal habit in the genomes of a hyperdiverse lineage of mushroom-forming fungi.
New Phytol. 2022 Mar;233(5):2294-2309. doi: 10.1111/nph.17892