Home • Sistotrema sernanderi OMC 1753 v1.0
Small fruiting body of Sistotrema sernanderi in the field
Small fruiting body of Sistotrema sernanderi in the field (collection Otto Miettinen 22113, origin of the genome strain). [Photo credit: Otto Miettinen]

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.

Sistotrema sernanderi

Sistotrema sernanderi is a wood-inhabiting corticioid fungus from the order Cantharellales with thin, smooth, effused fruiting bodies. It is a wide-spread species in Europe, reported from dead wood of deciduous trees and conifers (Duhem 2012), and also reported from North America (Rogers 1944) and South America (Greslebin 2001). While some species of Sistotrema are mycorrhizal (Nilsson et al. 2006), others, like Sistotrema sernanderi, appear to be wood saprotrophs and are found on white-rot wood. However, this lineage of wood-decomposing fungi do not possess class II peroxidases that are associated with advanced white-rot fungi. Hence the genome of this species will be of interest in studying diversity of wood decomposition strategies of fungi.

This species is of interest from a phylogenetic perspective as well. Sistotrema is a polyphyletic genus, and though all the species belong to the Cantharellales, many of them are only distantly related. It appears that S. sernanderi is not closely related to other sequenced species of Sistotrema, and possesses an unusual combination of characters for the genus: its basidia are 4-sterigmatic (in most Sistotrema there are 6 sterigmata or more) and it has well-developed gloeocystidia (most species have none). Due to these differences Parmasto (1968) described a separate genus, Urnobasidium, for S. sernanderi. It is important to have a genome available for this species when constructing a sequence-based classification for the order Cantharellales.

The genome strain is a polysporic culture collected from a fruiting body that grew on deciduous decayed wood in Helsinki, Finland.

Researchers who wish to publish analyses using data from unpublished CSP genomes are respectfully required to contact the PI and JGI to avoid potential conflicts on data use and coordinate other publications with the CSP master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

  • Duhem B (2012) Études mophologiques de plusieurs Sistotrema gléocystidiés. Bulletin de la Société Mycologique de France 128:17-51
  • Greslebin AG (2001) Sistotremateae (Corticiaceae, Aphyllophorales) of the Patagonian Andes forests of Argentina. Mycological Research 105:1392-1396
  • Nilsson RH, Larsson KH, Larsson E, Koljalg U (2006) Fruiting body-guided molecular identification of root-tip mantle mycelia provides strong indications of ectomycorrhizal associations in two species of Sistotrema (Basidiomycota). Mycological Research 110:1426-1432.
  • Parmasto E (1968) Conspectus systematis Corticiacearum. Institut zoologii i botaniki akademii nauk Estonskoy SSR, Tartu
  • Rogers DP (1944) The Genera Trechispora and Galzinia (Thelephoraceae). Mycologia 36 (1):70-103