ASSOCIATED MAJORS:

1. LIFE SCIENCES AND MEDICINE

• Biology

PROJECT TITLE:

Identification of corticioid and gasteroid fungi through barcoding (ITS nrDNA) sequence analyses.

PROJECT SUMMARY. Description of activities and objectives:

Most of the work of the mycological team at the Real Jardín Botánico (RJB) is focused on the identification and description of the biodiversity of corticioid and gasteroid fungi (Basidiomycota). The corticioid fungi are a polyphyletic group characterized by a simple morphology of the basidiomata, generally resupinate, that share the same substrate (wood and other plant debris); the gasteroid fungi are also a polyphyletic group characterized by spores formed internally in the basidiomata, that are not discharged forcibly. The identification of the species in both groups has been based on morphological features, both macro and microscopic ones; features not always easy to delimitate. The team belongs to the Fungal Barcoding Consortium 1 involved in the establishment of standards for fungus identification based on selected DNA markers, and has expertise in the study of these groups of fungi based on morphological and molecular analyses, mainly the ITS nrDNA.

The main objective to the Olésay stay will be that the student learn how to identify fungi using molecular tools. The main activities will be:

1) Lab work 1-2 weeks: DNA isolation, PCR amplification, Purification of amplimers;

2) Computer work, Step 1, Sequence analyses (8 weeks): Editing of electropherograms, Consensus sequences, Blast search;

3) Computer work, Step 2, Species identification (10 weeks): Automatic identification through UNITE (Koljac et al. 2013) and using unpublished databases, as well as various software;

4) Seminars: The student will participate in seminars organized at the RJB, and will give one related to the activities developed at the RJB during the stay.
http://connect.barcodeoflife.net/group/fungi?xg_source=msg_wel_group

http://www.rjb.csic.es/jardinbotanico/jardin/