POPULATION GENOMICS OF A FLESHY FUNGUS DELICACY (Amanita ponderosa)

STUDENT SEMINAR IN BIODIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION

Nowadays, the advent of new sequencing technologies is shifting the realms of genomics from laboratory-based studies of model-species towards studies of natural populations. One of the most promising and increasingly popular techniques, especially in nonmodel species is the Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq). Here we focus on the most prominent wild and edible mushroom of Iberian Peninsula is Amanita ponderosa (Malençon & R. Heim). It is one of the most harvested by locals due to its gastronomical properties and high social-economical importance. Coupled to it, a notable importance for ecosystem maintenance it is remarkable the numerous biological unanswered questions that reflect the total ignorance about this species and others non-model fungal species. Here is presented a ongoing research that combines the use of RADseq to analyze the phylogeographic patterns of Amanita ponderosa in Iberian Peninsula, as well as the resolution and clarification of the Lepiotoides species complex through the phylogenomic analyses.

Graduated in Biology in 2011, at University of Évora, with a Master degree in Biodiversity, Genetics and Evolution at University of Porto since 2013, Ricardo’s main research interest is related with diversity, phylogeographic traits and distribution patterns of Mediterranean macrofungal communities.
Throughout his academic training he has been a passionate student of the biological dynamics, sensu lato, of the Mediterranean macrofungal communities. This has been driving his yet-short research career, and definitively influenced his MSc thesis project on the phylogeography of the most charismatic species of mushroom in the Iberian Peninsula (Amanita ponderosa), which was carried out under the supervision of Albano Beja-Pereira (AGRIGENOMICS). Ricardo uses cutting-edge genomic tools based on RAD sequencing to assess the diversity of such poorly known organisms in natural populations.

Image credits: Porteli Kodacmeli