Molecular phylogenetic studies on the Diatrypaceae based on rDNA-ITS sequences

The order Diatrypales (Ascomycota) contains one single family, the Diatrypaceae. To obtain insight in the phylogenetic relationships within this family, the complete sequences of the ITS region (ITS1, 5.8S rRNA gene and ITS2) of 53 isolates from the five main genera in the family (Diatrype, Diatrypella, Cryptosphaeria, Eutypa and Eutypella) were determined and aligned for phylogenetic reconstruction. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of tandem repeated motifs 11 nucleotides-long, placed in homologous positions along the ITS1 region. Parsimony analysis established the existence of nine monophyletic groups and one branch with a single isolate of Eutypella quaternata. The phylogenetic relationships established by parsimony analysis did not correlate well with classical taxonomic schemes. None of the five genera included in this study was found to be monophyletic. The genera Diatrype, Eutypa and Cryptosphaeria each were divided into two groups. Isolates of Diatrype flavovirens appeared in a clade separated from the one that grouped Diatrype disciformis and the rest of Diatrype species. The Eutypa strains appeared distributed into two clades, one grouping Eutypa lata and related species (Eutypa armeniacae, Eutypa laevata, Eutypa petrakii), and another with the remaining species of the genus. Eutypella (excluding Eutypella quaternaria) appeared as an unstable monophyletic group, which was lost when the sequence alignment was subjected to neighbor-joining analysis. The genus Diatrypella was not associated with any monophyletic group, suggesting that the multisporate asci character has appeared several times during the evolution of the group. Overall, our study suggests the need to revise many of the concepts usually applied to the classification of members of the family.