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Analysis of Whole-Genome Facilitates Rapid and Precise Identification of Fungal Species

Summary

This research introduces a new method called AGE that uses whole genome analysis to quickly and accurately identify different species of fungi. The method is particularly valuable for distinguishing between closely related species that are difficult to tell apart using traditional methods. Impacts on everyday life: – Improved food safety through better detection of harmful fungi in food products – More reliable authentication of traditional medicines and supplements – Faster identification of fungal infections in clinical settings – Better quality control for fermented food products – Enhanced ability to monitor environmental fungal populations

Background

Fungal identification is crucial for understanding their role in ecosystems, but traditional molecular methods struggle with rapid and accurate onsite identification, especially for closely related species. The nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, recognized as a universal DNA barcode for fungi, does not always exhibit sufficient variability to achieve differentiation between distinct species.

Objective

To introduce a universal identification method called Analysis of whole GEnome (AGE) for rapid and precise fungal species identification. The method aims to overcome limitations of traditional molecular methods through bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation of specific genomic targets.

Results

AGE obtained more than 1,000,000 qualified targets for each of 13 fungal species within Ascomycota and Basidiomycota phyla. The method successfully validated ultra-specific performance of targets, including first-time demonstration of identification potential from unannotated genomic regions. The system achieved qualitative species identification within 30 minutes using a single-tube test and showed particular effectiveness in identifying closely related species and differentiating traditional Chinese medicines from adulterants.

Conclusion

AGE demonstrates high specificity, sensitivity and stability for rapid and accurate fungal species identification. The method successfully overcomes limitations of traditional molecular approaches, particularly in distinguishing closely related species. It shows great potential for quality control in food safety and medicinal materials authentication while providing guidance for application to plant and animal identification.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Method Development and Validation Study,
  • Source: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1336143
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