Molecular Taxonomy of Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes: Unraveling Fungal Diversity and Evolution

Accurate identification and classification of fungi in the Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes is crucial due to their significant roles in ecosystems, from decomposing organic matter to symbiotic relationships with plants. Furthermore, some fungi can cause diseases, so it is important to ensure accurate identification to contribute to the development of innovative solutions that protect human health and agricultural systems. However, Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes exhibit considerable diversity in appearance, behavior, and ecological roles, which poses a challenge to traditional identification based on morphology, especially in the case of hidden or morphologically similar species. This misclassification complicates the understanding of fungal diversity and blocks progress in various fields. Molecular techniques using DNA sequences as unique identifiers offer a promising solution, enabling the differentiation of closely related fungal species, often indistinguishable by microscopy. These molecular approaches not only reveal hidden diversity but also facilitate the exploration of complex evolutionary relationships within fungal groups. Despite previous research, many questions about the relationships, adaptations, and evolution of fungal species remain unanswered. Therefore, it is important to continually discover new fungal species, clarify ambiguities within individual fungal groups, and study their interactions with other organisms.

The subject of this study is to advance the use of molecular techniques for the taxonomy of Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes. Using DNA sequencing and other molecular tools, the goal is to address specific questions regarding fungal diversity, evolutionary relationships, and species identification. The study will test hypotheses regarding genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships within these fungal groups, with the goal of discovering new species and resolving existing taxonomic ambiguities.

To gather further information on the molecular taxonomy of Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes, we encourage submissions of valuable review articles and original research articles that address, among others, the following topics:
– Molecular identification and classification of fungal species
– Phylogenetic studies revealing evolutionary relationships
– Discovery and description of new fungal taxa
– Analyses of genetic diversity and population structure
– Ecological role and interactions of fungi with other organisms
– Advances in molecular techniques and methodologies for fungal taxonomy
– Revisions and updates of fungal nomenclature and classification systems