Mating type gene MAT1-2-1 is common among Japanese isolates of Verticillium dahliae

Mating type genes of Verticillium dahliae, a wilt pathogen affecting many plant species, were identified to examine sexual recombination between Japanese pathotypes. We amplified a DNA sequence encoding high mobility group (HMG) box from V. dahliae using PCR. A cloned genomic DNA fragment included a sequence homologous to MAT1-2-1 gene. Despite that sequence's presence in all V. dahliae isolates we used, MAT1-1-1 (an opposite mating type gene) was never amplified. We concluded that V. dahliae is potentially heterothallic. Furthermore, sexual bias practically obviates sexual recombination between Japanese pathotypes. This report describes, for the first time, a mating type gene of phytopathogenic Verticillium.     

Genetic diversity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">spinaciae</Emphasis> in Japan based on phylogenetic analyses of rDNA-IGS and <Emphasis Type="Italic">MAT1</Emphasis> sequences

Twenty-eight isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae (FOS; the causal agent of spinach wilt) collected from Japan were assessed for mating type and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Mating type analysis revealed all isolates to be MAT1-2, suggesting that there is no sexual recombination within the population. Phylogenetic analyses based on nucleotide sequences of the ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer (IGS) and the mating type locus (MAT1) suggested that FOS is polyphyletic. The cluster analysis based on IGS showed four phylogenetic groups (S1–S4) among the isolates. Two distinct lineages, S1 and S3, included FOS isolates both of the vegetative compatibility group (VCG) types, 0330 and 0331, demonstrating that VCG differentiation in FOS may not necessarily reflect the phylogenetic relationships based on IGS and MAT1-2-1.     

Asexual fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium dahliae</Emphasis> is potentially heterothallic

Verticillium dahliae, a soilborne plant pathogen, causes wilt disease in many important crops. We reported previously that the mating type gene MAT1-2-1 is spread to isolates of this asexual fungus. However, we did not determine whether V. dahliae is homothallic or heterothallic because the opposite mating type gene, MAT1-1-1, had not been identified. In the present study, we identified the MAT1-1-1 gene from an isolate lacking MAT1-2-1 and the mating type idiomorphs of V. dahliae. Each isolate we tested contained either the MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 idiomorph, indicating that the asexual fungus V. dahliae is potentially heterothallic.     

Cloning of DNA fragments specific to the pathotype and race of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium dahliae</Emphasis>

Japanese isolates of Verticillium dahliae, a causal agent of wilt disease in many plants, are classifiable into pathotypes based on their pathogenicity. Because these pathotypes are morphologically indistinguishable, establishing a rapid identification method is very important for the control of this pathogen in Japan. For cloning DNA fragments that are useful for identification and specific detection of V. dahliae pathotypes, we performed random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses using various isolates. One polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product, E10-U48, was specific to isolates pathogenic to sweet pepper. The other product, B68-TV, was specific to race 1 of isolates pathogenic to tomato. The specificity of these sequences was confirmed by genomic Southern hybridization. Further analyses revealed that the region peripheral to B68-TV obtained from the genomic DNA library includes the sequence specific to all isolates pathogenic to tomato (races 1 and 2). Moreover, sequence tagged site (STS) primers designed from B68-TV and its peripheral region showed race-specific and pathotype-specific amplification in a PCR assay. The probes and primers obtained in this study are likely to be useful tools for the identification and specific detection of pathotypes and races of V. dahliae. The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accession number AB095266.     

玉米大斑病菌两性交配型菌株的出现频率及其育性分析

玉米大斑病菌属于异宗配合真菌,在自然界中存在A、a交配型菌株和Aa两性交配型菌株,为明确两性菌株的出现频率及其对有性生殖的影响,采用有性态诱导和交配型PCR鉴定的方法,对2011—2014年采集的野生菌株及室内诱导产生的有性杂交后代F1、F2代进行交配型组成鉴定,通过检测两性菌株子囊壳和子囊孢子的发育情况明确其有性生殖能力,结合RT-PCR技术对有性生殖过程中MAT1和MAT2基因的表达情况进行分析。结果表明,野生菌株和有性杂交后代中均存在两性交配型菌株,且出现频率相当,介于2.09%和6.25%之间;Aa两性菌株的育性与杂交时对应菌株的交配型组成相关,两性菌株与A交配型菌株或a交配型菌株杂交均可育,能产生成熟的子囊壳和子囊孢子,但其自交时败育,只产生子囊壳,不产生子囊孢子。两性菌株Aa自交和两性菌株Aa与A交配型或与a交配型菌株杂交时,Aa菌株中MAT1和MAT2基因表达量无明显差异,推测MAT基因在有性生殖产生子囊壳的过程中发挥了重要作用。     

新疆棉花黄萎病的发生现状及其病原菌的分子鉴定与ISSR分析

为掌握新疆主要植棉区棉花黄萎病的发生现状及其病原菌大丽轮枝菌Verticillium dahliae的落叶型菌系分布以及遗传变异情况,于2015年对26个新疆主要植棉区棉花黄萎病的发生情况进行了随机调查,统计新疆大丽轮枝菌的培养性状,利用大丽轮枝菌落叶型特异引物D1/D2、INTD2F/INTD2R与非落叶型特异性引物ND1/ND2、INTNDF/INTNDR对新疆大丽轮枝菌菌系进行互补鉴定,并对部分菌系的遗传变异进行简单序列重复区间(inter simple sequence repeat,ISSR)分析。结果表明:2015年新疆棉花黄萎病发病田比例为54.0%,其中病情指数在10.0以上的发病田与2013年持平,而病情指数在20.0以上的严重发病田比例为10.8%,比2013年增加3.8个百分点;新疆大丽轮枝菌的培养性状以菌核型为主,比例为70.1%,菌丝型与中间型比例分别为13.4%和16.5%;新疆大丽轮枝菌落叶型菌系比例为53.2%,26株菌株的来源地全部检出落叶型菌系;聚类分析结果显示,当遗传相似系数为0.66时,新疆大丽轮枝菌落叶型与非落叶型菌系聚为2个谱系,菌系地理来源、培养性状与大丽轮枝菌的遗传分化无明显相关性。     

Three evolutionary lineages of tomato wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, based on sequences of IGS, MAT1, and pg1, are each composed of isolates of a single mating type and a single or closely related vegetative compatibility group

Three evolutionary lineages of the tomato wilt pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici were found among a worldwide sample of isolates based on phylogenetic analysis of the ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer region. Each lineage consisted of isolates mainly belonging to a single or closely related vegetative compatibility group (VCG) and a single mating type (MAT). The first lineage (A1) was composed of isolates VCG 0031 and MAT1-1; the second (A2) included VCG 0030 and/or 0032 and MAT1-1; and the third (A3) included VCG 0033 and MAT1-2. Race 1 and race 2 isolates belonged to the A1 or A2 lineages, and race 3 belonged to A2 or A3 lineages, suggesting that there is no correlation between race and lineage. However, for the isolates from Japan, race 1 (with one exception), race 2, and race 3 isolates belonged to A2, A1, and A3 lineages, respectively. These results suggest that the races could have evolved independently in each lineage; and in Japan the present races were likely to have been introduced independently after they had evolved in other locations.     

黑龙江省稻瘟病菌育性及其交配型分析

为明确黑龙江省采集自不同年份、不同地区的稻瘟病菌Magnaporthe oryzae的育性能力和交配型分布,采用2株标准菌株GUY11(MAT1-2)和KA3(MAT1-1)对2016—2017年黑龙江省西部、东部、中部3个地区经单孢分离的241株稻瘟病菌进行育性测定,并利用PCR技术对其交配型进行检测。结果表明,黑龙江省西部、东部、中部的241株稻瘟病菌中可育性菌株比例为11.62%,其中雌性菌株、雄性菌株、两性菌株分别占1.66%、4.56%和1.25%,不能判断其性别的未知菌株占4.15%。采集自不同地区、不同年份的稻瘟病菌可育性差异均较大,西部、东部、中部地区可育性菌株出现频率分别为13.25%、7.27%和12.62%;2016年采集的稻瘟病菌可育性较高,可育性菌株出现频率为25.30%。黑龙江省稻瘟病菌群体中同时存在MAT1-1和MAT1-2两种交配型,主要以交配型MAT1-1占优势,出现频率为58.92%,交配型为MAT1-2的菌株出现频率为8.30%。不同地区稻瘟病菌的交配型亦有差异,交配型为MAT1-1的菌株在黑龙江省东部地区出现频率最高,为72.73%,在中部、西部地区的出现频率次之,分别为61.17%和46.99%。表明黑龙江省水稻种植区的稻瘟病菌同时存在2种交配型菌株,其交配型存在丰富的多态性,但其可育性及交配型分布不均衡。     

Differentiation of Cotton-defoliating and Nondefoliating Pathotypes of Verticillium dahliae by RAPD and Specific PCR Analyses

Severe Verticillium wilt of cotton in southern Spain is associated with the spread of a highly virulent, defoliating (D) pathotype of Verticillium dahliae. Eleven of the D and 15 of a mildly virulent, nondefoliating (ND) pathotype were analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Six of 21 primers tested generated pathotype-associated RAPD bands. Another 21 V. dahliae isolates were compared in blind trials both by RAPD-PCR using the six selected primers and pathogenicity tests on cotton cultivars. There was a 100% correlation between pathotype characterization by each method. Unweighted paired group method with arithmetic averages cluster analysis was used to divide the 47 V. dahliae isolates into two clusters that correlated with the D or ND pathotypes. There was more diversity among ND isolates than among D isolates, these latter isolates being almost identical. ND- and D-associated RAPD bands of 2.0 and 1.0kb, respectively, were cloned, sequenced, and used to design specific primers for the D and ND pathotypes. These pathotype-associated RAPD bands were present only in the genome of the pathotype from which they were amplified, as shown by Southern hybridization. The specific primers amplified only one DNA band of the expected size, and in the correct pathotype, when used for PCR with high annealing temperature. These specific primers successfully characterized V. dahliae cotton isolates from China and California as to D or ND pathotypes, thus demonstrating the validity and wide applicability of the results.     

Retrotransposon-like elements in the genome of Verticillium dahliae may be used as DNA markers for fungal species and pathotypes

Using differential hybridization, two DNA fragments, VDf35 and VDf90, specific to Verticillium dahliae, were isolated. These fragments contained truncated open reading frames (ORFs) homologous to the gypsy-type retrotransposon. The ORFs of VDf35 and VDf90 were pol and gag homologs, respectively. In addition, VDf90 had a pol homolog without an ORF sequence. The pol homologs in VDf35 and VDf90 were similar to each other, and these two DNA fragments had completely identical sequences. Genomic Southern analysis revealed that numerous copies of these homologs existed in V. dahliae, suggesting that V. dahliae carries a gypsy-like retroelement. Genomic Southern and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis also indicated that a large number of these homologs exist in V. longisporum as well as in V. dahliae, but only a few were present in V. albo-atrum. No homolog was found in either V. nigrescens or V. tricorpus. The uneven distribution of these homologs of the retroposon-like elements among Verticillium species suggested a close genetic kinship between V. dahliae and V. longisporum. PCR primers designed from VDf35 showed species- or pathotype-specific amplification. Therefore, this sequence may be useful as a DNA marker to identify species and pathotypes of V. dahliae. This is the first report on a retrotransposon-like sequence in the genome of phytopathogenic Verticillium species.The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accession numbers AB095264 (VDf90) and AB095265 (VDf35)     

大丽轮枝菌效应蛋白VdSRP2的功能分析

为明确效应蛋白VdSRP2在大丽轮枝菌Verticillium dahliae中的生物学功能,从大丽轮枝菌落叶型菌株V592中克隆VdSRP2基因并进行生物信息学分析,利用酵母转化酶分泌系统对其信号肽活性进行测定,采用实时荧光定量PCR(real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR,qPCR)技术分析VdSRP2基因在大丽轮枝菌中的表达模式,并以V592菌株为材料获得VdSRP2基因的敲除突变体和过表达体菌株,通过表型分析和致病性测定确定VdSRP2基因的生物学功能。结果显示,VdSRP2基因编码232个氨基酸,含有5个半胱氨酸残基,N-端信号肽具有分泌活性,为真菌的典型效应蛋白;VdSRP2基因主要在大丽轮枝菌菌丝和微菌核中表达,其中经棉花根系诱导培养24 h时表达量最高;与野生型菌株V592相比,VdSRP2基因敲除导致大丽轮枝菌的产孢量和孢子萌发率显著下降,不能形成微菌核,对棉花的致病力明显减弱;但VdSRP2基因敲除不影响大丽轮枝菌的穿透能力;VdSRP2基因在本氏烟和棉花叶片瞬时表达不会诱导细胞死亡。表明VdSRP2是大丽轮枝菌微菌核形成必需...     

南方水稻黑条矮缩病毒安徽分离物S7片段的克隆及其S7-1基因编码蛋白的原核表达

为探讨南方水稻黑条矮缩病毒(Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus,SRBSDV)的种群变异并获得S7-1原核表达蛋白,采用RT-PCR技术扩增SRBSDV安徽分离物S7片段,并进行克隆、测序及序列分析,再利用特异性引物扩增该分离物S7-1基因并克隆到原核表达载体p ET-GST上,重组质粒p ET-S7-1转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),IPTG诱导及Ni~(2+)-NTA亲和柱纯化融合蛋白,再进行Western blot检测。结果显示,SRBSDV安徽分离物S7片段与其它SRBSDV各个分离物S7片段的序列相似性极高,达99.3%~99.9%,而与斐济病毒属Fijivirus其它种之间的序列相似性较低,为35.5%~73.3%。SRBSDV安徽分离物与其它SRBSDV各个分离物聚成1个单独的分支,彼此间亲缘关系较近。试验获得了分子质量约为68 k D的S7-1融合蛋白,且GST单抗能够与S7-1融合蛋白发生特异性反应,表明本研究得到的融合蛋白确为靶标蛋白。     

云南省稻瘟病菌群体的致病性分析及交配型分布

为明确云南省不同稻区稻瘟病菌Magnaporthe oryzae的毒性频率及交配型分布,利用2007—2013年分离自云南省不同稻区的112株稻瘟病菌单孢菌株,对23个持有不同抗性基因的单基因系和持有Pi57(t)的水稻渗入系IL-E1454进行致病性测定。结果表明,稻瘟病菌对不同抗病基因的毒性频率存在很大差异,分离自粳稻区的稻瘟病菌菌株对持有Piz-t、Pi5、Pi9、Pi20和Pi57(t)这5个水稻品系的毒性频率分别为14.29%、5.36%、5.51%、5.36%和0;分离自籼稻区的稻瘟病菌菌株对持有Pik-h、Piz、Pita、Piz-5、Pita-2、Pi5、Pi7和Pi9这8个水稻品系的毒性频率分别为18.25%、9.13%、9.64%、7.50%、15.72%、0、13.05%和0;分离自陆稻区的稻瘟病菌菌株菌株对持有Pik-h、Pib、Pish、Pi1、Pi5、Pi9、Pi11和Pi57(t)这8个水稻品系的毒性频率分别为6.67%、3.33%、13.79%、13.33%、7.69%、6.67%、0和3.23%;交配型测定结果显示,陆稻区菌株可交配率为100.00%,...     

Tolerance to a non-host isolate of Verticillium dahliae in tomato

Tolerance to Verticillium spp. is a condition in which a host plant develops few symptoms despite substantial colonization by the pathogen. In the present paper we have shown that Craigella tomatoes are tolerant to a non-host isolate of V. dahliae, Dvd E6. Symptom expression was used to quantify disease and quantitative PCR to assess the amount of fungus in the stems. The classical incompatible and compatible interactions between Craigella resistant or Craigella susceptible near isolines and V. dahliae, race 1 were used for comparative purposes. Additional experiments using cytological assessment and quantitative PCR showed that in the tolerant interactions one plant defence response, vascular coating, was deployed as effectively as in resistant plants, limiting pathogen distribution. However, a second defence response, which causes the cyclical elimination of fungus from the stem in the classical interactions either does not occur or is substantially delayed in tolerant plants. Thus, the Verticillium population remains stable and substantial throughout the studied time course.     

稻曲菌交配型初探

 稻曲菌（有性态：Villosiclava virens;无性态：Ustilaginoidea virens）有性繁殖产生的子囊孢子是水稻稻曲病可能的初侵染源之一,交配型基因座对真菌有性繁殖中的性别控制起着决定性作用。为进一步揭示稻曲菌的有性繁殖方式,本研究首次克隆了稻曲菌交配型基因mat1-1-1的α-结构域（α-domain）相应核苷酸序列,发现其与麦角菌科真菌Cordyceps militaris、Cor. bassiana和Claviceps purpurea的mat1-1-1基因中α-结构域相应核苷酸序列同源性分别为61%、63%和68%;根据mat1-1-1和mat1-2-1部分基因序列设计特异性引物,并使用PCR方法检测了来源于3个异源子座的240个子囊孢子单孢菌株和50个田间菌株的交配型基因,结果显示稻曲菌mat1-1-1和mat1-2-1基因分别存在于不同菌株中;将具有相同或不同交配型基因的菌株配对接种,发现菌核通常产生在mat1-1-1和mat1-2-1基因型菌株配对接种产生的稻曲球上,其中大部分菌核可萌发产生子座,而菌株单独接种或具有相同交配型基因的菌株配对接种水稻后多数不能形成菌核;根据以上结果初步推断稻曲菌为异宗配合真菌。     

华南水稻白叶枯病菌致病性分化检测与分析

为了解华南稻区水稻白叶枯病菌的致病性分化和变异动态,采集华南地区水稻白叶枯病病叶标样分离病原菌,应用中国鉴别寄主IR26、南粳15、爪哇14、特特普、金刚30和国际水稻已知抗病基因的近等基因系IRBB5、IRBB13、IRBB3、IRBB14、IRBB2、IR24两套鉴别寄主,在水稻孕穗期采用剪叶法接种,依据寄主和菌株的互作反应检测病菌的致病性分化。结果显示,参试菌株可划分为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ、Ⅸ六个致病型和R1、R2、R3、R4、R5、R8、R10七个致病小种。Ⅴ、Ⅳ致病型和R8、R5小种出现频率分别为27.40%、19.30%和44.67%、15.34%,为华南稻区优势种群。Ⅸ、Ⅴ、Ⅳ致病型和R8、R5小种对500份华南稻区品种资源的致病率依次为96.40%、95.00%、50.40%、62.00%和42.60%;Ⅸ致病型毒性最强且发展很快;强致病菌系Ⅴ型已替代Ⅳ型发展为华南优势致病菌系。     

稻曲病菌交配型基因MAT1-2-1和MAT1-2-8的特性分析

 有性生殖在真菌的生活史和进化过程中具有重要作用,而交配型基因是控制有性生殖的关键因子。前期研究发现稻曲病菌(Villosiclava virens)MAT1-2型菌株中包含MAT1-2-1和MAT1-2-8两个交配型基因,但是它们如何调控稻曲病菌有性生殖依然不清楚。本文研究了它们在不同侵染和生长发育时期的表达模式和编码的蛋白结构特性。研究表明MAT1-2-1在侵染不同阶段一直下调表达;而MAT1-2-8在侵染早期(5 dpi)上调表达,在侵染后期下调表达。与营养菌丝阶段比较,MAT1-2-1和MAT1-2-8在有性发育过程菌核形成、菌核萌发、子座原基形成和子座成熟4个阶段的表达量都是下降的,在菌核形成阶段表达量最低。生物信息学分析显示MAT1-2-1和MAT1-2-8具有磷酸化位点,为非分泌蛋白,无明显的跨膜结构域。蛋白同源比对分析表明MAT1-2-1与香柱菌(Epichloë typhina)的MAT1-2-1同源性最高,而MAT1-2-8与绿僵菌(Metarhizium)的MBR_08192蛋白同源性最高。进一步研究发现MAT1-2-1和MAT1-2-8能够互作,并分别主要定位在细胞核和细胞基质中。通过质谱技术鉴定到MAT1-2-1的一些候选互作蛋白,如假定Ran交换因子Prp20/Pim1(KDB12229.1)、假定rRNA处理蛋白Ebp2(KDB12923.1)及组蛋白H1(KDB12711.1)等。因此,以上结果为研究稻曲病菌交配型基因MAT1-2-1和MAT1-2-8调控有性生殖的生物学功能奠定了基础。     

Mating system complexity and cryptic speciation in the seed bank pathogen Pyrenophora semeniperda

Mating strategies contributing to a balance between inbreeding and outcrossing are understudied in all but a few model fungal pathogens. This study examined factors that influence the occurrence of the sexual state of Pyrenophora semeniperda. It was consistently found to have functional copies of the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs essential for sexual reproduction, despite considerable polymorphism in both single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and number of 18-base minisatellite repeats. The two idiomorphs occurred at approximately equal frequencies across 25 populations on Bromus tectorum seeds in the western United States, suggesting maintenance of sexual reproduction. The putative mating system is described as facultative pseudohomothallism, with only one of the two MAT1 idiomorphs found in a nucleus. Unikaryotic strains of opposite mating type can potentially mate, as can nuclei of opposite mating type in a thallus that results from anastomosis between vegetatively compatible unikaryotic strains. Strains shown to be dikaryotic using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers may contain either or both MAT1 idiomorphs. Most populations consist of a mixture of MAT1-1, MAT1-2 and MAT1-1/MAT1-2 genotypes. A possible constraint on recombination is the presence of multiple strain groups characterized by ITS haplotype. These are apparently vegetatively incompatible, as even dikaryotic strains are invariably composed of a single ITS haplotype. Different ITS haplotypes also have unique combinations of MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 allelic variants, suggesting that perhaps these strain groups are also sexually incompatible. Phylogenetic analysis using both genome-wide SNP/indel polymorphisms and SSR markers demonstrated genetic divergence among ITS haplotypes, supporting the hypothesis that these strain groups may represent cryptic species.     

北京及周边地区九个地理种群的亚洲小车蝗mtDNA ND6基因及其部分侧翼序列分析

为明确北京地区亚洲小车蝗Oedaleus asiaticus Bey-Bienko的迁飞来源,选取包含完整线粒体DNA的ND6、tRNA-Thr基因及侧翼ND4L、CYTB基因部分序列作为目的片段,采用DNA序列法分析来自北京及周边省市9个地理种群155个亚洲小车蝗样本的序列碱基组成、种群遗传多样性、种群结构及单倍型网络进化等。结果表明:在目的序列中共检测到多态性位点16个,鉴定出单倍型20种,分别占碱基总数和总样品量的1.88%和12.90%;核苷酸多样性为0.0012,单倍型多样性为0.66,种群间遗传分化系数绝对值≤0.51,种群内个体间遗传变异占总变异的86.88%,各种群遗传变异与空间距离间无显著相关性,供试样本总体上遗传变异程度相对较低。北京密云种群鉴定出的独享单倍型H14由单倍型H10经2次突变获得,H10被锡林郭勒和乌兰察布种群共享;北京密云与河北滦平、围场及内蒙古乌兰察布种群间基因流Nm绝对值分别为3.749、1.387和0.912,均高于密云种群与其它种群间的Nm绝对值;结合亚洲小车蝗在北京及周边地区出现的先后时序可知,内蒙古锡林郭勒、乌兰察布及河北滦平、围场是北京地区亚洲小车蝗的最主要迁飞来源。     

Mating type, pathotype and RAPDs analysis inDidymella rabiei, the agent of ascochyta blight of chickpea

Eleven pathotype groups (A-K), including five not previously reported, ofDidymella rabiei (anamorphAscochyta rabiei), representing isolates of the pathogen from Ascochyta blight-affected chickpeas mainly from India, Pakistan, Spain and the USA, were characterized using 44 single-spore isolates tested against seven differential chickpea lines. Of 48 isolates tested for mating type, 58% belonged to MAT 1-1 and 42% to MAT 1-2. Thirty-nineD. rabiei isolates, as well as two isolates ofAscochyta pisi and six isolates of unrelated fungi, were analyzed using Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) employing five primers (P2 at 40°C, and OPA3, OPC1, OPC11 and OPC20 at 35°C). Computer cluster analysis (UPGMA / NTSYS-PC) detected a relatively low level of polymorphism among all theD. rabiei isolates, although atca 7% dissimilarity,ca 10 RAPD groups [I-X] were demarcated, as well as subclustering within the larger groups. By the same criteria, the maximum dissimilarity for the whole population ofD. rabiei isolates wasca 13%. No correlation was found between different RAPD groups, pathotype, or mating type ofD. rabiei, although some evidence of clustering based on geographic origin was detected. The use of RAPDs enabled us to identify specific DNA fragments that may have a potential use as genetic markers in sexual crosses, but none which could be used as virulence markers.