CHARACTERIZATION OF FILAMENTOUS FUNGI AND YEASTS BY DNA FINGERPRINTING AND RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA

We have studied different genera and species of filamentous fungi and yeasts (e.g. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Phoma, Trichoderma, Arxula, Candida, Kluyveromyces, Saccharomyces) by DNA fingerprinting and the random amplified polymorphic DNA method. We were able to differentiate species, strains and pathotypes of the investigated filamentous fungi and yeasts, respectively. DNA fingerprints obtained from the phytopathogenic fungus Phoma lingam allowed to distinguish aggressive from non-aggressive isolates. Phylogenetic relationships within the Trichoderma aggregate were investigated by means of DNA fingerprinting and RAPD. The results suggested a re-classification of this group. Yeasts analyzed by DNA fingerprinting showed prominent bands characteristic for each investigated species, in addition to the general strain-specific hybridization pattern. In our opinion, DNA fingerprinting and RAPD could be helpful tools to solve problems of fungal taxonomy and phylogeny at the level of related species and strains if combined with other molecular methods in addition to morphological and biochemical investigations.