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Complementary molecular methods reveal comprehensive phylogenetic diversity integrating inconspicuous lineages of early-diverged wood-decaying mushrooms

Summary

Researchers studied a group of wood-decaying mushrooms called Dacrymycetes using three different detection methods: looking for visible fruiting bodies, growing fungal cultures in the laboratory, and analyzing DNA from environmental samples. They found that DNA analysis from the environment detected about twice as many fungal species as the traditional methods, including many small or inconspicuous species that researchers would typically miss. This suggests that modern genetic techniques should be combined with traditional collection methods to get a complete picture of fungal diversity in forests.

Background

Mushroom-forming fungi have been relatively well investigated through visible fruiting bodies, however inconspicuous strains may be overlooked by conventional visual investigations. Early-diverging wood-decaying mushrooms tend to feature small or thin fruiting bodies that are difficult to detect. A comprehensive understanding of phylogenetic diversity requires investigation of inconspicuous mycelia in addition to visible fruiting bodies.

Objective

To obtain a comprehensive phylogenetic diversity profile for early-diverging wood-decaying mushrooms (Dacrymycetes) using an approach combining fruiting-body collection, culture isolation, and environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. The study aims to identify inconspicuous lineages that may be overlooked by traditional visual investigations and compare the detection performance of distinct methods.

Results

Among 28 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected, 10 each were from fruiting bodies and cultured mycelia while 27 were detected as eDNA sequences. eDNA metabarcoding revealed diverse lineages across the Dacrymycetes phylogeny and detected approximately twice as many OTUs as fruiting-body and culture surveys combined. Four new clades (N, O, P, Q) were discovered through eDNA metabarcoding that represent phylogenetically important early-diverging lineages.

Conclusion

eDNA metabarcoding revealed more comprehensive OTU diversity than traditional methods, uncovering inconspicuous yet phylogenetically important mushroom lineages. The integration of eDNA analysis with culture-based techniques effectively identified early-diverged clades missed by visual investigations. A complementary research framework combining eDNA metabarcoding as an initial survey tool with targeted collection of fruiting bodies and cultures is proposed for efficient investigation of fungal diversity.
  • Published in:Scientific Reports,
  • Study Type:Field Survey and Comparative Methods Study,
  • Source: PMID: 32080243, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59620-0
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