GENETIC-VARIATION IN PHLEBIOPSIS-GIGANTEA AS DETECTED WITH RANDOM AMPLIFIED MICROSATELLITE (RAMS) MARKERS

Random Amplified Microsatellite (RAMS) markers were used to detect var iation among Phlebiopsis gigantea isolates from seven European countri es. The scoring of 26 bands revealed five markers common to all isolat es and 21 variable markers, of which six occurred in only one strain. A considerable amount of variation was observed among the progeny isol ates of single strains. The analysis of variable markers resulted in 7 5 different banding patterns among the 86 isolates studied. The high d egree of polymorphism and heterozygosity observed in RAMS markers sugg ests that the amount of genetic variation within this fungus is consid erable. The equal distribution of markers in strains from different lo cations and the lack of country-specific markers suggests that genetic differentiation among the populations is low. The lack of distinct gr oups of similar banding patterns supports the idea of P. gigantea bein g a true biological species consisting of a single intersterility grou p.