NUCLEAR-DNA CONTENT OF 11 FUNGAL SPECIES IN GLOMALES

The nuclear DNA content of 11 species of Glomales was evaluated by flo w cytometry after DAPI staining relative to Gigaspora margarita, which was used as internal standard. The nuclear DNA content of this specie s was calibrated by propidium iodide staining relative to chicken red blood cells. A correction was applied when the different in AT content of the DNA was significant between a sample and the standard. A singl e unimodal peak of fluorescence was observed for nuclei from the quies cent spores of the 11 fungal species studied. It was considered that t his peak corresponded to the amount of DNA in the genome of each speci es. Important interspecific variations in DNA content per nucleus (1- to 8-fold) were observed among four species of the genus Scutellospora .