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Hymenoscyphus linearis sp. nov: another close relative of the ash dieback pathogen H. fraxineus

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Abstract

Hymenoscyphus is a large fungal genus containing a single known severe pathogen (H. fraxineus) causing ash dieback in Europe. Here, the closely related species Hymenoscyphus linears sp. nov. is described from Japan. Apothecia of this fungus emerge from linear, black pseudosclerotia on rachises and petioles of Fraxinus platypoda. In culture, the species forms a Chalara anamorph similar to that of H. fraxineus. In addition, a Sporotrichum-like synanamorph is produced. Spores of neither anamorphic forms germinate on malt extract agar and might act solely as spermatia. After prolonged incubation, ascocarps are produced directly on agar plates, indicating the ability to self-fertilize. Phylogenetic investigations using four sequence markers placed the species alongside H. albidus, H. albidoides, and H. fraxineus. Eight fungal strains, co-occurring with H. linearis on petioles of F. platypoda, were isolated and identified by sequencing the ITS region of the rDNA. Seven different species were revealed, showing that there is no other dominant fungus on petioles of F. platypoda. Pathogenicity tests on Fraxinus excelsior and its native host F. platypoda revealed that the fungus is avirulent. The close phylogenetic relationship with H. fraxineus and the avirulence of H. linearis offer an opportunity to study the evolution of pathogenicity of H. fraxineus in further detail in the future.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank N. Kamata for guidance in the Chichibu forest and W. Gams for his help regarding the description of the synanamorph. Further thanks go to O. Holdenrieder, T. Sieber and V. Queloz for interesting discussions and suggestions to M. Berchtold and S. Stroheker for excellent technical assistance and to C. Syrad for manuscript proofreading. We would also like to extend our thanks to the Genetic Diversity Center of ETH Zurich for providing laboratory facilities. This study was supported by a grant from the ETH Zurich (ETH–04 10–1).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Sciences, Forest Pathology and Dendrology, Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    A. Gross

  2. Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4-1–1, Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    T. Hosoya & Y.-J. Zhao

  3. Blaihofstr. 42, Tübingen, 72074, Germany

    H.-O. Baral

Authors
  1. A. Gross
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  2. T. Hosoya
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  4. H.-O. Baral
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Gross.

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Online Resource 1

Primers used to amplify the sequence markers of the different Hymenoscyphus species. NA indicates unavailable data. (XLSX 10 kb)

Online Resource 2

Maximum likelihood single-gene trees of (a) the ITS rDNA, (b) partial actin, (c) partial calmodulin and (d) partial elongation factor 1-α genes. ML bootstrap percentages are given at the nodes. The scale bar below the trees represents the number of substitutions per site. (GIF 289 kb)

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Gross, A., Hosoya, T., Zhao, YJ. et al. Hymenoscyphus linearis sp. nov: another close relative of the ash dieback pathogen H. fraxineus . Mycol Progress 14, 20 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-015-1041-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-015-1041-3

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