Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

5-2012

School/College

College of Science, Engineering, and Technology (COSET)

Degree Name

MS in Biology

First Advisor

Professor Hector C. Miranda

Abstract

All organisms share certain features, most notably nucleic acid as a hereditary material, which suggests a single or monophyletic origin on earth between three and four billion years ago. In this research, cyt b mitochondrial gene is used as a biomarker marker for fungal phylogenetic analysis. The gene MT-cyt b (Mitochondrial encoded Cytochrome b) is used to identify and describe phylogenetic of fungal species. Currently cyt b gene region has gained popularity as a marker in fungal species identification. This research is proof that cyt b can count as a universal biomarker for studying fungus phylogeny. The steps that guide the success of this research from the beginning to end include obtaining multiple samples of different Ascomycota family, performing DNA extraction, PCR amplification, DNA purification, and 1 2 phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences. This research will give evidence that each species from the genus Aspergillus is monophyletic. The genera Chatomella and Piulliudum samples received from the U.S department of Agricultural was controversial in the aspect that these samples have not been determined as either monophyletic or polyphyletic in nature. The data collected from this research is in agreement with the Rossman's article: "The coelomycetous genera Chaetomella and Pillidium represent a newly discovered lineage of inoperculate discomycetes," in which the coelmycetous genera Chatomella and Piulliudum were determined to be closely related to each other.

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