Genetic characterization ofGremmeniella abietinavar.abietinaisolates from Spain

Abstract

The taxonomic placement of Spanish isolates of Gremmeniella abietina var. abietina (Gaa) (race and biotype) was determined, for the first time, using RAPD markers and comparison of RAPD patterns for Spanish isolates and those originating from different regions of Europe and North America. Fifteen Spanish isolates of Gaa were isolated from recently dead shoots of 10 Pinus halepensis trees. Additionally, 17 isolates of Gaa from Canada, Finland, Switzerland and the USA, previously characterized according to race and biotype, were used. Five primers, previously reported to yield readable, reproducible and polymorphic fragments, were used in PCR reactions. The results showed that the Spanish isolates represent the European race and not the Alpine or northern biotypes. Spanish isolates appear to be clearly separated from all other biotypes within the EU race and preliminary data suggest that Spanish isolates have low genetic variability.

Spanish population of Gremmeniella abietina is genetically unique but related to type A in Europe

“…Thus, based only on these analyses the Spanish population resembles another previously unknown biotype or species in Europe. This finding is in agreement with a previous study by Santamaría et al (2005), who showed that Spanish isolates are different from North American, B-and Alpine-type isolates. The results suggested low variability within Spanish population and a closer association to the EU race in North America.…”

“…Over the years, races, varieties, biotypes and species within Gremmeniella have been recognized through applications of different techniques, including conidial morphology (Petrini et al 1989), serology (Dorworth 1974), soluble protein electrophoresis (Petrini et al 1990;Lecours et al 1994), FAST profiles (Mü ller & Uotila 1997) and DNA fingerprinting techniques, such as RAPD (Santamaría et al 2005), ITS (Hamelin et al 2000), STS (Dusabenyagasani et al 2002) and RAMS (Hantula & Mü ller 1997;Kraj & Kowalski 2008). In this work, sequence analysis of the hypervariable SCAR marker GAAA1000 together with two other SCAR markers GAAA800 and ACA900 (Uotila et al 2006) was used to determine the degree of genetic differentiation of Spanish isolates with regard to the rest of European biotypes.…”

“…In this sense, numerous genetic analyses have provided fundamental information about this pathogen. Various studies have been carried out to elucidate not only the molecular variability of this fungus but also the relationship to different environments where G. abietina is established (Uotila 1983 Dusabenyagasani et al 1998Dusabenyagasani et al , 2002Santamaría et al 2005;Kraj & Kowalski 2008).…”

Description and prevalence of a putative novel mycovirus within the conifer pathogen Gremmeniella abietina

“…It rarely produces apothecia in forests [22,41]. No local genetic differentiation was observed in biotype A [15] until the Spanish population was characterised [4,31]. In Spain, G. abietina has been found in northwestern P. halepensis plantations, and it seems to be a monoclonal population as a consequence of a founder effect [4].…”

Effect of putative mitoviruses on in vitro growth of Gremmeniella abietina isolates under different laboratory conditions

“…The symptoms observed generally consist of dry needles, branches with some distortion of terminal twigs and eventual dieback or death of the trees (Santamaria et al, 2003). Spanish G. abietina is currently recognized as part of the European race (Santamaria et al, 2005) and has recently been related to biotype A, although it has a unique genotype (Botella et al, 2010).…”