Comparing DNA Markers for Identifying Mushrooms
Author Information
Author(s): Bryn T. M. Dentinger, Maryna Y. Didukh, Jean-Marc Moncalvo
Primary Institution: University of Toronto
Hypothesis
Is the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) an effective DNA barcode for mushrooms compared to the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions?
Conclusion
The study concludes that COI is less effective than ITS for barcoding mushrooms due to the presence of large introns and lower divergence.
Supporting Evidence
- 167 partial COI sequences were generated from approximately 100 morphospecies.
- COI and ITS performed similarly for some taxa, but COI was less divergent overall.
- Large introns were found in about 5% of the COI sequences, affecting PCR success.
Takeaway
Scientists wanted to find out which part of DNA works best to tell different types of mushrooms apart, and they found that one part (ITS) is better than another (COI).
Methodology
The study involved collecting mushroom specimens, extracting DNA, and comparing the effectiveness of COI and ITS as DNA barcoding markers.
Limitations
The study faced challenges with low PCR success rates for COI due to large introns and the inability to design universal primers for all mushrooms.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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