DIVERSITY AND PHYLOGENY OF BLASTOCLADIOMYCOTA, CHYTRIDIOMYCOTA AND MONOBLEPHARIDOMYCOTA OF MOSAICO DE UNIDADES DE CONSERVAÇÃO JURÉIA-ITATINS, SÃO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL

Abstract

Blastocladiomycota, Chytridiomycota and Monoblepharidomycota are phyla belonging to kingdom Fungi, whose representatives can be found as saprobes and /or parasites in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Many species are especially decomposers of the cellulosic, chitinous and keratinous substrates and some of them are important parasites of algae, plants and animals. These fungi have in common a posterior whiplash flagellum in the spore (zoospore), requiring water to complete its life cycle, and often survive for long time under adverse conditions through the production of resistance structures. Although they share a common ancestor, the lineage that originates Chytridiomycota and Monoblepharidomycota diverges from the lineage that originate Blastocladiomycota and the higher fungi. In Brazil, few studies with these phyla were performed, especially because of the limited number of specialists. From the 885 species known, only 128 were registered in the country. When we consider the gene sequences of the species, the global picture is still worrying, because there are few researchers working with these groups and consequently a few numbers of sequences are available in GenBank. Hence, the aim of this project is to evaluate the richness and diversity of zoosporic fungi belonging to these phyla in a preserved area of Atlantic Forest located at "Mosaico de Unidades de Conservação Juréia-Itatins", and contribute with phylogenetic studies, obtaining and analyzing sequences of SSU, ITS and LSU of rDNA regions from Brazilian isolates.