Applications of PCR in Mycology

Since the initial report of the amplification of specific DNA fragments using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 1985, this technique has revolutionized molecular biology. It enables the production of large quantities of DNA from minute amounts of sample material, which can then be readily analysed. This facility has had an enormous influence on the way both fundamental and diagnostic questions are approached and its use is now considered essential for molecular work in all branches of biology. The purpose of this book is to highlight the wide-ranging applications of PCR in pure and applied mycology and to increase understanding of its potential benefits. After a brief overview, a group of internationally-renowned mycologists give definitive descriptions of the use of PCR in their own specialized fields. These include fungal gene expression and cloning, taxonomy and speciation, fungal mycobionts, mycorrhizal fungi, entomopathogenic fungi, mycotoxin-producing fungi, diagnosis of fungal infections in animals, seed-borne diseases, fungal/plant interactions and applications with industrially-important fungi. Finally, potential future directions for PCR work in mycology are discussed.