Identification of Fungal Species using ITS1 and ITS2 regions

DESCRIPTION:

The conventional methods of detection and identification of fungi have mainly relied on culture isolation and subsequent observations of morphological traits. These methods are time consuming, laborious, and may require days to weeks for isolation by culture. In addition, not all the fungal species are cultural on a given medium, which leads to analysis that may not accurately reflect the true fungal community in a sample.
With the advent of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), inexpensive DNA sequencing, and a relatively large databank of ribosomal DNA sequences, it is now possible to more objectively characterize and identify fungal species. However, due to the immense diversity in fungi, true group- and species-specific detection can be difficult to achieve. We apply PCR-based detection techniques of sequence polymorphisms in the internal transcribed spacer 1 & 2 (ITS- 1 & 2) region of the rDNA genes as a means of fungi identification. Unique, PCR products ranging from ~ 690-1300 bp are specific to fungi.

Identification is guaranteed up to genus level while species as well as sub species identification would be possible.
Features:

• Clearly characterize the fungi comparing with larger number of isolates had been utilized in earlier studies.
• Characterization will be based on ~ 690-1300 bp of ITS 1&2 regions of the rRNA genes sequence analysis
• Identification will be based on 10 closest homology fungi sequence available in NCBI GenBank
• Rapid and reliable service for identification of fungi, including potentially new or emerging pathogenic species.

Deliverables:
1. Final report containing the fungi identity information.
2. Nucleotide sequence percentage homology table indicating the identity within 10 most similar neighbours
3. Phylogenetic tree displaying evolutionary relationships among the 10 nearest neighbours fungal species included in the study.