11 Ustilaginomycotina
D. BEGEROW^1 , A.M. SCHA ̈FER^1 ,R.KELLNER^2 ,A.YURKOV^3 ,M.KEMLER^4 ,F.OBERWINKLER^5 ,R.BAUER^5
CONTENTS
I. Introduction................................. 295
A. Diagnosis and Evidence for
Monophyletic Origin ..................... 297
B. Smut Fungi Syndrome in Other
Fungal Groups ............................ 297
C. Hosts and Their Role in Species
Definition ................................. 298
II. Life Cycle.................................... 299
A. Saprobic Phase ........................... 299
B. Parasitic Phase ............................ 302
III. Classification System........................ 305
A. Fundamental Characters ................. 308
- Cellular Interactions ................... 308
- Septation ............................... 308
B. Overview .................................. 309
C. Description................................ 311 - Exobasidiomycetes..................... 311
- Ustilaginomycetes...................... 317
IV. Conclusions.................................. 320
A. Basidia .................................... 321
B. Host Specificity ........................... 321
C. Evolutionary Trends...................... 322
References.................................... 322
I. Introduction
Ustilaginomycotina comprises115 genera with
more than 1,700 speciesand represents one of
the three subphyla of the Basidiomycota (Bauer
et al. 2006 ; Begerow et al. 1997 ; Hibbett et al.
2007 ; Swann and Taylor 1993 ). They harbour
mostly plant parasites(Fig.11.1a–p)that are
restricted to the geographic distribution of
their hosts, encompassing tropical, temperate,
and Arctic regions(Va ́nky 2012 ).
Well-known genera in Ustilaginomycotina
areUstilagoandTilletia, which contain eco-
nomically important species such as karnal
bunt of wheat, loose smut of barley, and corn
smut (Thomas 1989 ; Trione 1982 ; Valverde
et al. 1995 ). In some cases where yield loss is
minimal, contamination ofTilletiasmut spores
in grain can be subjected to quarantine regula-
tions with economic implications and restric-
tions to international trade (Carris et al. 2006 ;
Pascoe et al. 2005 ). Corn smutUstilago maydis
(DC.) Corda generally infects 2–5 % of plants in
a corn field, although under certain conditions
it can infect up to 80 % (Christensen 1963 ).
While considered a plant pathogen in some
parts of the world, the galls ofU. maydisare
appreciated as a delicacy in Mesoamerican
cooking (Juarez-Montiel et al. 2011 ; Zepeda
2006 ). Besides the well-known species on
crops, a huge diversity of plant parasites exist
that either induce a typical smut syndrome
(Fig.11.1i–p) or present inconspicuous infec-
tions like members of Entylomatales
(Fig.11.1b), Exobasidiales (Fig. 11.1c–e), or
Microstromatales (Fig. 11.1h). In addition,
Ustilaginomycotina harbours some ecologically(^1) Ruhr-Universita ̈t Bochum, Geobotanik, ND 03/174, 44801
Bochum, Germany; e-mail:[email protected];angela.
[email protected]
(^2) Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl von
Frisch Strasse 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; e-mail:ronny.
[email protected]
(^3) Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorgan-
isms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124
Braunschweig, Germany; e-mail:[email protected]
(^4) Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology, Forestry
and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of
Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
(^5) Organismische Botanik, Universita ̈tTu ̈bingen, Auf der
Morgenstelle 1, 72076 Tu ̈bingen, Germany; e-mail:franz.ober-
[email protected];[email protected]
Systematics and Evolution, 2ndEdition
The Mycota VII Part A
D.J. McLaughlin and J.W. Spatafora (Eds.)
©Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014