Sung et al.1 reported the sequences of five EFCC7287 genes (nrSSU, nrLSU, tef1, rpb1, rpb2) in the taxonomic-nomenclature study and renamed Cordyceps sinensis (Berkeley) Saccardo to Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berkeley), according to the molecular systematics rules for fungi. It seems that Hirsutella sinensis strain EFCC7287 became a taxonomic standard for studying O. sinensis,2although Dr. Hywel Jones1 believed in a Research Gate discussion the selection of strain EFCC7287 was arbitrary. Among the 5 genes examined by Sung et al.1 and Quandt et al.2 EF468827 (nrLSU) of 28S gene aligns with 99.5-99.7% homology to the ribosomal DNA segments (ANOV01021709, LKHE01000582, and LWBQ01000008) of the genome sequences of 3 H. sinensis strains: ANOV00000000 of Strain Co18,3 LKHE00000000 of Strain 1229,4 and LWBQ00000000 of Strain ZJB12195,5 while EF468971 (nrSSU) of 18S gene with 98.7-99.5% homology to the segments (ANOV01024851, LKHE01000582, LWBQ01000008) of the H. sinensis genome sequences. But EF468827 and EF468971 have low similarities to Genotypes#3-17 of O. sinensis; and no other segments with high similarity homology were identified within ANOV00000000, LKHE00000000, or LWBQ00000000.6–8 The genomic sequence analysis indicated that Sung et al.1 & Quandt et al.2 worked exclusively on H. sinensis, Genotype#1 of O. sinensis, without considering Genotypes#2-#17 of O. sinensis that have been deposited in GenBank and described in many research papers since 2002.6–13
Studies with using PCR amplicon-sequencing, cloning sequencing, Sothern-blotting and RFLP following EcoRI restrictive digestion, and SNP mass spectrometry genotyping reported that the GC-biased Genotype#1 H. sinensis was either non-detectable or a minor O. sinensis component within the C. sinensis insect-fungi complex, whereas the AT-biased genotypes of O. sinensis predominated.7,8,11,12 Molecular examinations demonstrated that the genotypes of O. sinensis, including Genotype#1 H. sinensis, are differentially present and quantitatively and asynchronously altered in the compartments of natural C. sinensis during maturation. The molecular data indicate that the sequences of Genotypes#2-#17 O. sinensis reside not in the genome of H. sinensis but rather in the genomes of other independent fungi.6–13 Bushley et al.14 demonstrated the multicellular heterokaryotic hyphae and ascospores of natural C. sinensis with mono-/bi-/tri-nucleate structures. Barseghyan et al.15 conclude that H. sinensis and Tolypocladium sinensis are “the anamorphs of Ophiocordyceps sinensis”. Close association of Paecilomyces hepiali with several genotypes of O. sinensis have been characterized in natural C. sinensis, forming species (fungal) complexes.6,8,11,12,16,17 Genotypes#13 and #14 of O. sinensis were identified from the heterokaryotic ascospores of natural C. sinensis as genetic variants (offspring) with large DNA segment reciprocal substitutions between 2 parental fungi, Genotype#1 H. sinensis and AB067719-type O. sinensis.6
The molecular evidence indicates that (1) the name O. sinensis represents a group of fungi, including the 17 mutant genotypes of O. sinensis and probably other C. sinensis associated fungi that have been considered as and biologically associated to the anamorphs and/or teleomorphs of O. sinensis, and (2) Strain EFCC7287 may be considered as the “taxonomic standard” solely of the GC-biased H. sinensis, but not of Genotypes#2-#17 O. sinensis or other C. sinensis associated fungi.6–8,11,12,15
None.
Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
© . This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.