Diversity of filamentous fungi associated with Sargassum miyabei Yendo

Abstract

We present data on the diversity of culturable fungi associated with brown algae Sargassum miyabei (the Sea of Japan, Russia). By the plate method, 269 isolates were obtained using solid nutrient media and 31 species from 12 genera were identified based on phenotypic as well as molecular genetic traits (using ITS and beta-tubulin markers) in cases where identification based on morphological features alone was difficult. The structure of the species composition was analyzed and the list of species was given. The analysis showed that facultative marine fungi were the vast majority of the species diversity, namely Penicillium, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Monodictys, Sarocladium, Trichoderma, Fusarium, Arthrinium, Botrytis and Aspergillus species. Among obligate marine fungi, Paradendryphiella and Piricauda species were revealed by the method mentioned above. Also, taxonomic affiliation and phylogenetic position of some Penicillium representatives have been clarified.