Phylogenetic relationships of Japanese species of Heterobasidion—H. annosum sensu lato and an undetermined Heterobasidion sp.

Abstract

The phylogenetic relationships of two Japanese Heterobasidion species, H. annosum sensu lato and an undetermined species, were revealed based on three gene loci, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd), heat shock protein (hsp) and elongation factor 1-α (ef). The tree, based on combined data of gpd, hsp and ef, showed that Japanese H. annosum s.l. was close to the European S-group, forming a subclade. The results of this study also provided strong support for the recognition of the undetermined Heterobasidion sp. as a distinct phylogenetic species closely related to H. araucariae.

• elongation factor 1-α
• glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase
• heat shock protein
• polypore
• taxonomy

The authors thank Dr T. Ihara-Udino, Dr. T. Kado, Dr Y. Tsumura (FFPRI) and Prof. M. Kaji (University of Tokyo) for their helpful discussion and critical comments. PKB acknowledges financial support from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. YO acknowledges financial support from the Japan Society for Promotion of Science (No. 17770075).