Phylogenetic tree of Chalaria fraxinea based on ITS / 5.8S rRNA sequences

The contributors

Darren Soanes at the University of Exeter

The analysis

DNA sequences containing internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and 5.8S rRNA were obtained from Genbank. The Chalaria fraxinea sequence came from isolate LWF_LB (Accession number JX667707.1). Sequences were also obtained from Genbank of ITS / 5.8S rRNA  from a number of filamentous ascomycetes, especially Leotiomycetes (sequences cited in Wang et al, 2006 – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16837216). Sequences were aligned using Muscle and positions containing gaps removed from the alignment. PhyML was used to create the phylogenetic tree (100 bootstraps) using a GTR substitution model and eight gamma rate categories. Two trees were produced:

1: general filamentous ascomycetes:

 

2: Leotiomycetes, with Stagonospora and Cochliobolus as outgroup:

 

The interpretation

The trees show that Chalaria fraxinea lies within the Hymenoscyphus clade of the Leotiomycetes (with good branch support). The most closely related species is Hymenoscyphus scutula.