DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Molecular Phylogeny of Verrucariales (Fungi, Ascomycota) and the Evolution of Nutritional Modes.

疣菌目是一个研究很少的类群，主要生活在岩石中的地衣(真菌与藻类互惠共生)。它们分布在从海洋和淡水到干燥环境的各种栖息地。一些人类病原体来自地衣形成的祖先，这一发现是出乎意料的，需要进一步研究。首先，将获得斑疹菌目的大样本的DNA序列，并将对该目的分类进行修订。其次，样本将扩大到毛壳菌目，并将使用计算方法表征从互惠共生的地衣祖先到动物和人类病原体的转变。由于它们在生活方式上的多样性，这两个目是研究真菌营养模式变化的理想工具。该项目将是第一次对疣菌目进行广泛的分子研究，并将极大地有助于了解这一鲜为人知的真菌目。它将在开发适用于不适合分子研究的微生物的新方案方面产生更广泛的影响。最后，它将加深我们对真菌致病性起源的理解。

The Verrucariales is a poorly studied group of mostly rock-dwelling lichens (fungi in mutualistic association with algae). They are found in varied habitats ranging from marine and fresh water to dry environments. The discovery that some human pathogens are derived from lichen-forming ancestor was unexpected and needs to be further investigated. First, DNA sequences will be obtained for a large sampling of Verrucariales and the classification of this order will be revised. Second, the sampling will be expanded to the Chaetothyriales and the transition from mutualistic lichen ancestors to animal and human pathogens will be characterized using computational methods. Because of their diversity in lifestyles, these two orders are ideal to study the changes of nutritional modes in fungi. This project will be the first extensive molecular study on the Verrucariales and will greatly contribute to the understanding of this poorly known order of fungi. It will have a broader impact in developing new protocols suitable for microbes that are not amenable to molecular studies. Finally, it will enhance our understanding of the origin of fungal pathogenicity.