Designation of Phylum Cryptomycota Within Kingdom Fungi
Designation of phylum cryptomycota within kingdom fungi
Introduction
The cryptomycota are considered to be to be an early branching clade of organisms, the only known members are species that belong in the genus Rozella (Lara et al 2010, Jones et al 2011, James and Berbee 2012). It has been suggested due largely to the amount of environmental sequences collected the phylum may be as diverse as the whole kingdom fungi (Jones et al 2011). While Rozella were originally placed in the fungal phylum Chytridiomycota(Jones and Pang 2012), a multi-gene molecular phylogeny of the Chytridiomycota found Rozella was in fact part of a separate linage considered to be the most basal lineage within the fungal kingdom (James et al 2006). Analysis of environmental DNA samples based on the analysis of SSU RNA (small subunit ribosomal RNA genes)had revealed 26 sequences, previously unknown, which clustered closely to two species of Rozella included in the survey (Lara et al 2010).
Lara et al tentatively named this clade 'Rozedilla' (Lara et al 2010, Jones et al 2011). However this clade was expanded to include 40 sequences found in marine and freshwater environments. This clade was renamed cryptomycota to reflect the position of the group relative to the fungi and its mostly hidden nature, as a large number of the phylum are only known from SSU RNA environmental surveys and their similarity in morphology and life-cycle to the Rozella is unknown (Jones et al 2011). Cryptomycota cells from freshwater samples, most notably from the Washington Singer pond (Exeter University, Devon, UK, 50.7339uN, 3.5375uW), were visualised with fluorescence in situ hybridization techniques. These target cells were shown to be small eukaryotes 3 to 5 μmeters in length (Jones et al 2011). Counter-staining with TAT1 tubulin revealed The target cells capable of forming a microtubule based flagellum (see fig 1)(Jones et al 2011). Chitin was not found in any of the morphs observed, this was tested by
Introduction
The cryptomycota are considered to be to be an early branching clade of organisms, the only known members are species that belong in the genus Rozella (Lara et al 2010, Jones et al 2011, James and Berbee 2012). It has been suggested due largely to the amount of environmental sequences collected the phylum may be as diverse as the whole kingdom fungi (Jones et al 2011). While Rozella were originally placed in the fungal phylum Chytridiomycota(Jones and Pang 2012), a multi-gene molecular phylogeny of the Chytridiomycota found Rozella was in fact part of a separate linage considered to be the most basal lineage within the fungal kingdom (James et al 2006). Analysis of environmental DNA samples based on the analysis of SSU RNA (small subunit ribosomal RNA genes)had revealed 26 sequences, previously unknown, which clustered closely to two species of Rozella included in the survey (Lara et al 2010).
Lara et al tentatively named this clade 'Rozedilla' (Lara et al 2010, Jones et al 2011). However this clade was expanded to include 40 sequences found in marine and freshwater environments. This clade was renamed cryptomycota to reflect the position of the group relative to the fungi and its mostly hidden nature, as a large number of the phylum are only known from SSU RNA environmental surveys and their similarity in morphology and life-cycle to the Rozella is unknown (Jones et al 2011). Cryptomycota cells from freshwater samples, most notably from the Washington Singer pond (Exeter University, Devon, UK, 50.7339uN, 3.5375uW), were visualised with fluorescence in situ hybridization techniques. These target cells were shown to be small eukaryotes 3 to 5 μmeters in length (Jones et al 2011). Counter-staining with TAT1 tubulin revealed The target cells capable of forming a microtubule based flagellum (see fig 1)(Jones et al 2011). Chitin was not found in any of the morphs observed, this was tested by