Restriction Enzyme Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA of Members of the Genus Aspergillus as an Aid in Taxonomy

Abstract

Restriction endonuclease patterns [EcoRI and HindIII] of mitochondrial DNA from 7 spp. of the genus Aspergillus (A. nidulans, A. wentii, A. awamori, A. niger, A. oryzae, A. tamarii and A. echinulatus) were compared in order to test the phylogenetic relationships between these species. The fraction of restriction fragments common between all pairs of species from this set ranged from 0 to 1. The use of this approach for the taxonomy of the genus Aspergillus is discussed. The postulated phylogenetic relationships differ significantly in 2 cases from the classification of the genus presented by Raper and Fennell 1965).