Reintroducing Akanthomyces ampullifer: providing genetic barcodes, culture, and updated description for the dipteran pathogen rediscovered in Germany
Data files
Jul 31, 2024 version files 257.84 KB
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ITS_LSU_TEF_RPB1_RPB2_alignment_final.fasta
243.14 KB
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README_file.txt
2.04 KB
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README.md
1.32 KB
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Tree_Akanthomyces_5G.newick
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Tree_Akanthomyces_5G.nex
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Abstract
The genus Akanthomyces (Ascomycota, Hypocreales) includes entomopathogenic species known to infect a variety of insects and spiders. In this study, we present the first isolate of A. ampullifer characterized by molecular methods, found on dead bodies of the common cave limoniid Limonia nubeculosa (Diptera) in the subterranean spaces of Southwestern Germany. In total, seven specimens exhibited distinctive morphological traits that, when compared with historical records, confirm their identification as A. ampullifer—particularly noted for its affinity to dipteran hosts. Absent from culture collections and molecular repositories, this species has eluded detailed scientific documentation using modern methods. Our research bridges this knowledge gap, providing the first genetic identification barcodes of five genes, living culture, cultivation requirements, and an updated description. This overlooked fungus is phylogenetically most closely related to the species A. pyralidarum, A. laosensis and some other species mostly associated with adult moths. It demonstrates a unique morphological signature with monoblastic phialides forming a layer on the surface of synnemata and produces long, cylindrical, chain-forming conidia. It prefers lower temperatures, exhibiting an inability to grow at 25 °C, coupled with notably slow growth in culture.
README: Reintroducing Akanthomyces ampullifer: providing genetic barcodes, culture, and updated description for the dipteran pathogen rediscovered in Germany
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cz8w9gjck
Description of file structure
ITS LSU TEF RPB1 RPB2 alignment final.fasta
Concatenated alignment of ITS (1-563 bp), LSU (564-1404 bp), TEF (1405-2361 bp), RPB2 (2362-3082 bp), RPB2 (3083-4083 bp)Akanthomyces Tree edited.pdf
The best-scoring maximum likelihood tree was calculated from ITS, LSU, TEF1-α, RPB1, and RPB2 loci sequences showing species relationships within the genus Akanthomyces and the position of A. ampullifer CCF 6648. Maximum likelihood bootstrap supports are attached to nodes, with only values >70 % shown; lower supports are indicated with a hyphen; ex-type strains and type specimens are designated by a superscript T; the tree is rooted with Samsoniella species
Tree_Akanthomyces_5G.newick
The best-scoring maximum likelihood tree in Newick format
Tree_Akanthomyces_5G.nex
The best-scoring maximum likelihood tree in Nexus format
Table Sequence accessions Substrate.xlsx
Specimens of Akanthomyces used in phylogenetic analysis and their respective accession numbers for DNA sequences, and substrate from which they were isolated