Taxonomy of rust fungi and DNA-Barcoding

GBOL - German Barcode of Life

The taxonomy and ecology of rust fungi (Pucciniales) is one of the main research areas of the department. Rust fungi are microfungi and obligate plant parasites characterized by e. g. a large number of different spore types, high host specificity and the host alternating of many species. Many of them have been feared as crop plant pests (ornamental plants, cereals, forest trees) since humans settled down. In the GBOL project (GBOL - German Barcode of Life) supported by the BMBF we characterized rust fungi from the Karlsruhe collection, genetically i.e. DNA barcodes were produced. This was done in cooperation with colleagues from Germany and the USA. After went on with barccding rust after the GBOL project. Currently, species of the genus Melampsora, Coleosporium and Uromyces as well as the Puccinia coronata complex are being investigated. The barcodes not only serve to identify rust fungi but also to study their taxonomy. Numerous species that are new to science have been described with the help of micromorphological characteristics and DNA analyses.

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Selected Publications

Beenken, L., Lutz, M., Scholler, M. (2017):
DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analyses of the genus Coleosporium (Pucciniales) reveal that the North American goldenrod rust C. solidaginis is a neomycete on introduced and native Solidago species in Europe.. Mycological Progress DOI: 10.1007/s11557-017-1357-2
Geiger, M. F., Astrin, J. J., Borsch, T., Burkhardt, U., Grobe, P., Hand, R., Hausmann, A., Hohberg, K., Krogmann, L., Lutz, M., Monje, C., Misof, B., Morinière, J., Müller, K. F., Pietsch, S., Quandt, D., Rulik, R., Scholler, M., Traunspurger, W., Haszpr (2016):
How to tackle the molecular species inventory for an industrialized nation – lessons from the first phase of the German Barcode of Life initiative GBOL (2012-2015).. Genome DOI:10.1139/gen-2015-0185
Blomquist, C.L., Scheck, H. & Scholler, M. (2015):
Detection of rust caused by Tranzschelia mexicana on Prunus salicifolia in the United States.. Plant Disease 99: 1856
Scholler M. (2012):
Leben nach dem Tod: Die Sammlungen des Pilzherbariums am Staatlichen Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe (KR). Andrias 19: 139-144
Scholler M., Lutz M., Wood A. R., Hagedorn G., Menniken M. (2011):
Taxonomy and phylogeny of Puccinia lagenophorae: a study using rDNA sequence data, morphological an host range features. Mycological Progress 10: 175-187