Detection and taxonomic placement of endophytic fungi within frond tissues of Livistona chinensis based on rDNA sequences.

Abstract The 5.8S gene and flanking internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) of the rDNA were amplified from total DNA extracted from frond tissues of Livistona chinensis with universal and fungal-specific primers. These amplified fragments were cloned and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 5.8S gene sequences indicated that the six clone sequences obtained were of different origins. Five sequences, P1-9, P2-6, P4-4, P4-5, and P4-7, belonged to the fungi and one sequence, P3-2, belonged to the plants. P1-9 was inferred to belong to the Basidiomycota based on the phylogenetic analysis of the 5.8S gene sequences but could not be identified to lower taxonomic levels. Further identification of the other four fungal clones to lower taxonomic levels was attempted based on phylogenetic analysis and sequence comparison of both the conserved 5.8S gene and the variable ITS regions. The origin of P2-6 was identified to be Glomerella and its anamorph Colletotrichum, the origins of P4-5 and P4-7 were Mycosphaerella and its anamorph Cladosporium, and the origin of P4-4 was the Herpotrichiellaceae. The direct approach to detection and taxonomic placement of endophytic fungi within host tissue without the need for conventional in vitro culturing is discussed.