PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS OF 5 SPECIES OF ASPERGILLUS AND RELATED TAXA AS DEDUCED BY COMPARISON OF SEQUENCES OF SMALL-SUBUNIT RIBOSOMAL-RNA

The nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding the 18S rRNA of Aspergi llus flavus, A. nidulans, A. terreus and A. niger were elucidated and aligned to the sequences of A. fumigatus. In addition, the 18S rRNA se quences of the V4-V9 region of morphologically similar filamentous fun gi, e.g. Penicillium chrysogenum, P. marneffei and Paeclomyces varioti i, were elucidated. Phylogenetic analysis and comparison showed a very close intergeneric relationship of the genus Aspergillus to species o f the genera Paecilomyces and Penicillium. However, the sequenced Aspe rgillus species also showed a very close relationship to Eurotium rubr um and Monascus purpureus. Phylogenetic analysis of fungal 18S rRNA se quences divided the general Aspergillus, Penicillium and Paecilomyces into two coherent clusters and showed a close intergeneric relationshi p which is in keeping with the existing morphological and taxonomic cl assification.