R. Mozeskoch et al., IDENTIFICATION OF HIRSUTELLA SPECIES, ISOLATES WITHIN A SPECIES AND INTRASPECIFIC HETEROKARYONS BY RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA (RAPD), Zeitschrift fur Pflanzenkrankheiten und Pflanzenschutz, 102(3), 1995, pp. 284-290
Hirsutella thompsonii is an acaropathogenic fungus important for che b
iological control of mites. H. thompsonii is polymorphic in regard to
several biological characteristics, including its potency co serve as
a biocontrol agent. Reliable identification of native isolates of this
fungus, or chose obtained by genetic manipulations, is therefore cruc
ial for the study of Hirsutella-related control of mires. Three Hirsut
ella species and six isolates of H. thompsonii were identified by an a
ssay for random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). RAPD markers correla
ted with the mite host of specific fungus isolates. RAPD was useful al
so for identifying intraspecific heterokaryons obtained by hyphal anas
tomosis. Correct RAPD identification was corroborated by comparison to
the alpha-esterase isoenzyme patterns in these isolates.