Identification of Trichoderma strains from building materials by ITS1 ribotyping, UP-PCR fingerprinting and UP-PCR cross hybridization

To study the role of Trichoderma in sick building syndrome, it is essential to be able to accurately identify species. Forty-four strains of Trichoder ma spp. isolated from Danish buildings damaged by water leaks were identifi ed using ITS1 ribotyping and universally primed PCR, UP-PCR. Ribotyping all owed the assignment of the strains into three distinct groups. High similar ity of UP-PCR banding profiles of the strains allowed species designation f or almost all strains (43 out of 44) when compared with the UP-PCR banding profiles obtained from reference strains of T. atroviride. T. citrinoviride , T. harzianum. T. longibrachiatum and T. viride. However, cross hybridizat ion of UP-PCR products showed that the latter strain had high DNA homology to the ex-type strain of T. hamatum. The combined approach is a convenient way for reliable identification of Trichoderma strains. (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier science B.V. All rights reserved.