hinnulea and M. thermophila. The group of 11 isolates of M. thermophila clustered into two main groups with the exception of M. thermophila CBS663.74. This latter isolate was placed between the two groups LY2835219 of M. thermophila in the ITS1 and EF1A trees, but grouped with CBS131.65, CBS202.75, CBS203.75 and CBS375.69 in the RPB2 tree. The genetic variation within M. thermophila was further investigated by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP). The banding patterns of the 11 M. thermophila isolates confirmed the clustering in two groups (Fig. 4).

The sequence data and AFLP analysis placed CBS117.65, CBS173.70, CBS381.97, CBS669.85, CBS866.85 and ATCC42464 in one group, while CBS131.65, CBS202.75, CBS203.75 and CBS375.69 were placed in a second group. The AFLP banding pattern of CBS663.74 did not fit with either of the groups, thus confirming the results of the phylogenies of ITS1 and EF1A (Figs. 1 and 2) in which CBS663.74 occurred outside both groups of M. thermophila. Fig. 4 Clustering of AFLP banding patterns of Myceliophthora thermophila isolates. Similarity of the banding patterns

is given in percentage Mating types of Myceliophthora thermophila isolates The mating behavior of each M. thermophila Poziotinib chemical structure isolate was studied by crossing the two mating types CBS202.75 and CBS203.75 with each of the nine other M. thermophila isolates. After 3 weeks, all plates had ascomata containing dark brown ascospores at the contact zone between CBS202.75 and CBS203.75 (Fig. 5e–g). The dark colored ascomata were produced in the agar media and were only visible at the reverse of plates (Fig. 5a–d). The mating experiment showed that CBS202.75 and CBS663.74 had the same mating type, while CBS203.75, CBS131.65, and CBS375.69 had the opposite mating type (Table 2). These isolates all belong to one of the

M. thermophila groups based on the phylogenies described above. The remaining six M. thermophila isolates, belonged to the other phylogenetic group, and did not produce fruiting bodies at the contact zone with CBS202.75 or CBS203.75. Moreover, when combined with each other on oatmeal agar plates, isolates CBS117.65, CBS173.70, CBS381.97, CBS669.85, CBS866.85 and ATCC42464 were Farnesyltransferase not able to produce fruiting bodies after 4 weeks at 30°C, 35°C, 40°C or 45°C. Fig. 5 Plates with different Myceliophthora thermophila isolates and microscope pictures of the formed ascoma. Figure a and b are, respectively, the reverse and obverse of a plate depicting the mating between M. thermophila CBS375.69 & CBS202.75 and CBS202.75 & CBS203.75. Figure c and d are, respectively, the reverse and obverse of a plate depicting the mating between M. thermophila CBS663.74 & CBS203.75, and CBS202.75 & CBS203.75. Formed ascoma in figure a and c are indicated with an arrow. Figure e, f and g are microscope pictures of the produced ascoma and ascospores, respectively, ×100, ×400 and × 1000 Table 2 Mating types of Myceliophthora thermophila Accession no.