Molecular Analysis of Fomitiporia mediterranea Isolates from Esca-Affected Grapevines in Southern Italy

Abstract

Four Fomitiporia isolates representative of a collection of about 300 isolates from esca-affected grapevines in southern Italy (Apulia, Campania and Abruzzo) were examined by molecular methods. The DNA of each isolate was analysed by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR amplification) using ITS5 and ITS4 primers. An amplification product of 740 bp was obtained from all isolates. The denaturated products had the same migration pattern when analysed by single-strand conformation polymorphism. The PCR fragments that included the ribosomal ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region were sequenced. In order to ascertain the taxonomic identity of the isolates, the ITS sequences were compared with those of Fomitiporia mediterranea, F. punctata and F. robusta deposited in the GenBank. The ITS sequences of the isolates were uniform and homologous with those of the type culture of Fomitiporia mediterranea M. Fischer, to which the southern Italian isolates were compared.