PhylFun · Phylogenetic taxonomy and classification of fungi

The kingdom Fungi comprises >150,000 currently recognised species distributed across 80 classes in 20 phyla. Total species numbers are estimated at 2-3 million and our preliminary eDNA analyses suggest at least double numbers of higher-ranking taxa. However, current nomenclatural regulations fall short in DNA-based taxonomic descriptions. PhylFun aims to develop the concept and methodology for DNA-based phylogenetic classification of organisms, using fungi as examples, for an improved taxon communication and classification framework. My team will use cutting-edge methods of single-cell analysis, genomics and taxonomy for analysing our global collection of samples for DNA/sequence-based classification and providing a detailed higher-level fungal classification. We will generate large amounts of high-quality long-read DNA sequence data and create a bioinformatics platform for data management (WP1) that will be combined with the developed DNA-based classification framework (WP2) to produce an updated phylogenetic classification for fungi and potentially other microeukaryotes (WP3). PhylFun is expected to greatly benefit researchers and the public by communicating the taxa of fungi and other eukaryotic microorganisms, allowing us to consider them in conservation assessments and quarantine. The project is of a high-risk high-gain (HRHG) nature because of multiple novel methodological aspects and addressing one of the greatest gaps in taxonomy and classification related to rapid technological advances, whereas the proposed amendments for using DNA/sequence characters as types or in descriptions/diagnoses may be voted down by morphotaxonomists. Nonetheless, the potential benefits for the entire taxonomic and research community can be enormous by finally anchoring the “dark matter” fungi and other microeukaryotic organisms via providing valid names, a position in the classification system, insights into potential ecophysiological functions and conservation requirements.