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Fungal Phylogeny and Taxonomy Lab (Hirotoshi Sato)
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This lab uses DNA analysis of mushrooms to solve mysteries of evolution and symbiosis.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring evolution and symbiosis through mushroom DNA.
The Sato Lab studies mushroom-forming fungi, using DNA information to clarify their phylogeny and taxonomy, species diversity, evolution, and the mechanisms of symbiosis.
In particular, the lab focuses on ectomycorrhizal fungi, which form symbioses with tree roots, and investigates host specificity (which trees they associate well with) and the origins of species diversification (why so many species arose).
Using DNA analysis, the lab distinguishes cryptic species that are difficult to tell apart by morphology alone, and clarifies the ecology and characteristics that each fungal species originally has.
Key terms
- Ectomycorrhizal fungi
- Fungi that form a symbiosis by covering the surface of tree roots with their hyphae. They exchange nutrients with the trees and play an important role in forest ecosystems
- Cryptic species
- Organisms that are difficult to tell apart by appearance but are genetically distinct species, reproductively isolated from one another. They are especially common in fungi
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to clarify phylogeny and taxonomy, species diversification, and interactions between organisms using DNA information, focusing mainly on Agaricomycetes fungi, especially ectomycorrhizal fungi that are symbionts of trees. In fungi, which have simple morphology and many cryptic species, the lab uses genetic analysis to separate species objectively and clarify the ecology and characteristics of each species.
Identifying cryptic species of macrofungi
The lab identifies cryptic species, which are difficult to distinguish by morphology alone, through DNA analysis such as the ITS region. In Strobilomyces, identifying cryptic species led to the discovery that even closely related species differ markedly in their host tree composition.
Origins of species diversification in macrofungi
The lab explores the factors that drove species diversification in ectomycorrhizal fungi. In the Strobilomyces group, it showed that shifts in host tree species promoted species diversification, and that the start of symbiosis with angiosperms in the Late Cretaceous led to the rapid diversification of Agaricomycetes.
Global distribution patterns of macrofungi
The lab uses nucleotide sequence databases to clarify the actual distribution patterns of macrofungi. Because fungi include many cryptic species and are hard to discover, accurately assessing their distribution ranges remains a challenge.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Sato Lab are faculty members only.
- Assistant ProfessorHirotoshi Sato
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