Molecular phylogeny and evolution of the maple powdery mildew (Sawadaea, Erysiphaceae) inferred from nuclear rDNA sequences.

To understand the phylogenetic relationships and evolution of the powdery mildew genus Sawadaea (Ascomycota: Erysiphaceae), obligate parasitic fungi of maples, we performed molecular phylogenetic analyses based on 47 ITS and ten 28S rDNA sequences. Seven major clades of Sawadaea, each represented by powdery mildew specimens collected from a single or a small number of closely related sections of Acer (maples), were identified in this study, suggesting that a close evolutionary relationship exists between Acer (host) and Sawadaea (parasite). A 6-11-base insertion/deletion was found in the ITS1 region of Sawadaea, and the presence or absence of the indel was consistent within the respective clades.