Intraspecific invariability of the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA of the truffleTerfezia terfezioides in Europe

ITS regions (internal transcribed spacers—ITS1 andITS2—with the 5.8S gene of the nuclear rDNA) of 25 fruit body samples ofTerfezia terfezioides, originating from Hungary and Italy, were compared. The amplification and sequencing of the ITS region was successful with both theITS1-ITS4 andITSIF-ITS4 primer pairs. No differences of the restriction fragment length polymorphism profiles were detected among 19 samples collected in one place at the same time. The sequences of the ITS region of 9 samples collected in different localities were highly invariable, differing in only two bases. Thus the intraspecific homogeneity of the ITS region seems to be an important species-specific characteristic ofT. terfezioides in contrast to otherTerfezia species. As the samples of the species were collected from different and distant localities of Europe, the ITS sequence ofT. terfezioides can be considered a very conservative, reliable molecular marker of the fungus. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A00EN076 00008