Pycnoporellus fulgens [Photo credit: Sundy Maurice]

In the “1KFG: Deep Sequencing of Ecologically-relevant Dikarya” project (CSP1974), we aim to sequence additional sampling of genomic diversity within keystone lineages of plant-interacting fungi and saprophytic fungi that are of special ecological importance for understanding terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, comparative genome analysis with saprotrophic, mycorrhizal and pathogenic fungi will provide new insights into the specific and conserved adaptations associated with each fungal lifestyle.

Pycnoporellus fulgens (Fr.) Donk

Pycnoporellus is a genus in the family Fomitopsidaceae (order Polyporales). Pycnoporellus fulgens is a rare species, assessed as endangered (EN) in most countries where it occurs. It usually grows on spruce (Picea abies), but has also been found on pine, birch and aspen, with rare records mainly from Central Europe, the Baltic countries, Fennoscandia and in North America.

The species has a medium-sized protruding one-year-old sporocarp, with an upper surface bright orange-red in colour. The maze-like pillar on the lower surface is creamy-white and orange when aged. Though it has been found in urban forests, P. fulgens is a wood decayer that favours old-growth forests. Several field observations report that P. fulgens fruits on sporocarps of the polypore Fomitopsis pinicola, without clear distinction if the interaction is symbiosis or parasitisim.

The strain PycfulGre-SM17 was isolated from a sporocarp of Pycnoporellus fulgens fruiting on decayed Picea abies, sampled in the Nordmarka forest (Grefsenkollen), Norway.

In 2018, we have re-introduced the relist P. fulgens in three old growth spruce forests in southern Norway, in the frame of our program on conservation translocation of endangered polypore species led by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), County Governor of Oslo (Fylkesmannen), and the University of Oslo.

Why sequence the genome?
The phylogenetic positioning of Pycnoporellus is of considerable interest as the two species (P. fulgens and P. alboluteus) form a clade with the genus Crustoderma (corticioid). All of them are brown-rotters and are related to other brown-rotters in the order Polyporales. However, multi-loci analyses have been unable to establish the phylogenetic placement of this clade with confidence (Binder et al. 2013, Justo et al. 2017). The genome will help resolve its placement, as well as help understand if its ability for brown rot was developed independently.

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).