Maryam Nadimi

Université de Montréal
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Mohamed Hijri
Start: 2010-09-01
End: 2015-04-01

Project

Towards comparative mitochondrial genomics to understand the genetics and evolutionary relationship of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
The general objective of my Ph.D. project is to investigate AMF mitochondrial genomics by next generation sequencing and comparing mitochondrial genomes of several genomes representative of AMF species with a focus on inter-isolate genome variation in model species Glomus irregulare. The outcome mitochondrial genomics will be applied to study (i) genetic exchange of mtDNA between isolates that are able to undergo anastomoses and (ii) the potential species concept in AMF by comparing mitochondrial genomic with morphology in AMF. The specific objectives of this project are listed below: I – Comparative mitochondrial genomics of a broad range of taxa covering major genus and families of AMF 1. To sequence, annotate and analyze mitochondrial genomes of 10 species and 5 isolates of G. irregulare. 2. To compare mitochondrial genomes of AMF species and analyse inter-isolate variation of G. irregulare isolates. 3. Re-assessment of species concept using a mitochondrial phylogenetic approach II – Investigation of heteroplasmy status among genetically divergent isolates of G. irregulare 1. Conducting several crossing experiments (co-cultures in vitro and germinating spores) to trace mtDNA exchange 2. To reveal the fate of mtDNA haplotypes after hyphal anastomosis using markers developed in the first part of my project. III– Exploring the new insight toward species definition in AMF. 1. Comparing the morphospecies, phylospecies and biological species based on the results obtained by the first two objectives. 2. Offering a more pragmatic species definition in AMF

Keywords

arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), mitochondrial genome, molecular marker, anastomosis, phylogeny