Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region as a universal DNA barcode marker for
Fungi
Authors: Schoch Conrad L. , Seifert Keith A. , Huhndorf Sabine , Robert Vincent , Spouge John L. , Levesque C. André , Chen Wen ,   Fungal Barcoding Consortium,   Fungal Barcoding Consortium Author List, Bolchacova Elena , Voigt Kerstin , Crous Pedro W. , Miller Andrew N. , Wingfield Michael J. , Aime M. Catherine , An Kwang-Deuk , Bai Feng-Yan , Barreto Robert W. , Begerow Dominik , Bergeron Marie-Josée , Blackwell Meredith , Boekhout Teun , Bogale Mesfin , Boonyuen Nattawut , Burgaz Ana R. , Buyck Bart , Cai Lei , Cai Qing , Cardinali G. , Chaverri Priscila , Coppins Brian J. , Crespo Ana , Cubas Paloma , Cummings Craig , Damm Ulrike , de Beer Z. Wilhelm , de Hoog G. Sybren , Del-Prado Ruth , Dentinger Bryn , Diéguez-Uribeondo Javier , Divakar Pradeep K. , Douglas Brian , Dueñas Margarita , Duong Tuan A. , Eberhardt Ursula , Edwards Joan E. , Elshahed Mostafa S. , Fliegerova Katerina , Furtado Manohar , García Miguel A. , Ge Zai-Wei , Griffith Gareth W. , Griffiths K. , Groenewald Johannes Z. , Groenewald Marizeth , Grube Martin , Gryzenhout Marieka , Guo Liang-Dong , Hagen Ferry , Hambleton Sarah , Hamelin Richard C. , Hansen Karen , Harrold Paul , Heller Gregory , Herrera Cesar , Hirayama Kazuyuki , Hirooka Yuuri , Ho Hsiao-Man , Hoffmann Kerstin , Hofstetter Valérie , Högnabba Filip , Hollingsworth Peter M. , Hong Seung-Beom , Hosaka Kentaro , Houbraken Jos , Hughes Karen , Huhtinen Seppo , Hyde Kevin D. , James Timothy , Johnson Eric M. , Johnson Joan E. , Johnston Peter R. , Jones E.B. Gareth , Kelly Laura J. , Kirk Paul M. , Knapp Dániel G. , Kõljalg Urmas , Kovács Gábor M. , Kurtzman Cletus P. , Landvik Sara , Leavitt Steven D. , Liggenstoffer Audra S. , Liimatainen Kare , Lombard Lorenzo , Luangsa-ard J. Jennifer , Lumbsch H. Thorsten , Maganti Harinad , Maharachchikumbura Sajeewa S. N. , Martin María P. , May Tom W. , McTaggart Alistair R. , Methven Andrew S. , Meyer Wieland , Moncalvo Jean-Marc , Mongkolsamrit Suchada , Nagy László G. , Nilsson R. Henrik , Niskanen Tuula , Nyilasi Ildikó , Okada Gen , Okane Izumi , Olariaga Ibai , Otte Jürgen , Papp Tamás , Park Duckchul , Petkovits Tamás , Pino-Bodas Raquel , Quaedvlieg William , Raja Huzefa A. , Redecker Dirk , Rintoul Tara L. , Ruibal Constantino , Sarmiento-Ramírez Jullie M. , Schmitt Imke , Schüßler Arthur , Shearer Carol , Sotome Kozue , Stefani Franck O.P. , Stenroos Soili , Stielow Benjamin , Stockinger Herbert , Suetrong Satinee , Suh Sung-Oui , Sung Gi-Ho , Suzuki Motofumi , Tanaka Kazuaki , Tedersoo Leho , Telleria M. Teresa , Tretter Eric , Untereiner Wendy A. , Urbina Hector , Vágvölgyi Csaba , Vialle Agathe , Vu Thuy Duong , Walther Grit , Wang Qi-Ming , Wang Yan , Weir Bevan S. , Weiß Michael , White Merlin M. , Xu Jianping , Yahr Rebecca , Yang Zhu L. , Yurkov Andrey , Zamora Juan-Carlos , Zhang Ning , Zhuang Wen-Ying , Schindel David 
Published: March 2012

Six DNA regions were evaluated as potential DNA barcodes for
Fungi
, the second largest kingdom of eukaryotic life, by a multinational, multilaboratory consortium. The region of the mitochondrial cytochrome
c
oxidase subunit 1 used as the animal barcode was excluded as a potential marker, because it is difficult to amplify in fungi, often includes large introns, and can be insufficiently variable. Three subunits from the nuclear ribosomal RNA cistron were compared together with regions of three representative protein-coding genes (largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, and minichromosome maintenance protein). Although the protein-coding gene regions often had a higher percent of correct identification compared with ribosomal markers, low PCR amplification and sequencing success eliminated them as candidates for a universal fungal barcode. Among the regions of the ribosomal cistron, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has the highest probability of successful identification for the broadest range of fungi, with the most clearly defined barcode gap between inter- and intraspecific variation. The nuclear ribosomal large subunit, a popular phylogenetic marker in certain groups, had superior species resolution in some taxonomic groups, such as the early diverging lineages and the ascomycete yeasts, but was otherwise slightly inferior to the ITS. The nuclear ribosomal small subunit has poor species-level resolution in fungi. ITS will be formally proposed for adoption as the primary fungal barcode marker to the Consortium for the Barcode of Life, with the possibility that supplementary barcodes may be developed for particular narrowly circumscribed taxonomic groups.