Population genetics/genomics/DNA polymorphism

Molecular genetic approaches have opened new possibilities to look at phylogenetic relatedness of microbes, microbial community composition and ecology. Yet, it also uncovered a number of dissimilarities to other (previously sequenced) organisms, and it still remains a challenge to identify mating systems, modes of reproduction, the level of genetic variation within individuum, species and higher taxonomic units, for different loci and different fungal groups, particularly with respect to the Glomeromycotina. Recent advances in population genetics from different groups of mycorrhizal fungi will be discussed and compared in this session, addressing whether Mendelian genetics apply (and at which level) to studies of mycorrhizal fungi, what clonality means for (mycorrhizal) fungal genetics and ecology and which challenges need to be conquered if we are to produce stable mutants/transgenic mycorrhizal fungi in the different types of mycorrhizal symbioses.