Interspecific and intraspecific hybrid Epichloë species symbiotic with the North American native grass Poa alsodes.

Shymanovich, Tatsiana; Charlton, Nikki D.; Musso, Ashleigh M.; Scheerer, Jonathan; Cech, Nadja B.; Faeth, Stanley H.; Young, Carolyn A.

The endophyte presence and diversity in natural populations ofPoa alsodeswere evaluated along a latitudinal transect from the southern distribution range in North Carolina to New York. Two distinctEpichloëhybrid taxa were identified from 23 populations. Each taxon could easily be distinguished by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genotyping with primers designed to mating type genes and alkaloid biosynthesis genes that encode key pathway steps for ergot alkaloids, indole-diterpenes, lolines, and peramine. The most commonly foundEpichloëtaxon,Poa alsodesTaxonomicGroup-1(PalTG-1), was detected in 22 populations at high infection frequencies (72–100%), with the exception of one population at high elevation (26% infection). The second taxon, PalTG-2, was observed only in five populations in Pennsylvania constituting 12% of infected samples. Phylogenetic analyses placed PalTG-1 as an interspecific hybrid ofE. amarillansandE. typhinasubsp.poaeancestors, and it is considered a new hybrid species, which the authors nameEpichloë alsodes. PalTG-2 is an intraspecific hybrid of twoE. typhinasubsp.poaeancestors, similar toE. schardliifrom the hostCinna arundinacea, which the authors propose as a new variety,Epichloë schardliivar.pennsylvanica. Epichloë alsodesisolates were all mating typeMTA MTBand tested positive fordmaW, easC, perA, and someLOLgenes, but only the alkaloidN-acetylnorloline was detected inE. alsodes–infected plant material.Epichloë schardliivar.pennsylvanicaisolates were all mating typeMTB MTBand tested positive forperA, but peramine was not produced. BothE. alsodesandE. schardliivar.pennsylvanicaappeared to have completeperAgenes, but point mutations were identified inE. alsodesthat would render the encodedperAgene nonfunctional.

ENDOPHYTES; BLUEGRASSES (Plants); POLYMERASE chain reaction; ALKALOIDS; MOLECULAR phylogeny

Mycologia, 2017, Vol 109, Issue 3, p459

0027-5514

Academic Journal

10.1080/00275514.2017.1340779