American Journal of Microbiological Research, 2016, Vol. 4, No. 6, 178-180 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajmr/4/6/4 ©Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/ajmr-4-6-4 Identification of Nematode Trapping Fungus Monacrosporium eudermatum Based on Genetic Diversity Using RAPD Technique Ali A. Kasim * , Maitham Dragh Biological Department, College of Sciences, Misan University, Misan, Iraq *Corresponding author: alimycol@yahoo.com Abstract Nematode-trapping fungus Monacrosporium eudermatum a predacious fungus of nematodes, has been very useful in understanding the most relationship between nematophagous fungi and their nematode hosts. M.eudermatum is by far the common nematode-trapping fungus with the characteristic ability of forming adhesive trapping nets once in contact with nematodes. Total DNA was extracted from M.eudermatum sera and amplified by RAPD-PCR using three random primers (OPA-16, OPB-08, OPF-05). The results show amplification of all markers (OPF-05, OPB-08, OPA-16) with the genomic DNA studied. As evidenced by the results, all the markers covered in the study showed high polymorphism (up to 60%) with the exception of the primer (OPB-08) which showed no polymorphism. Keywords: nematophagous, Monacrosporium eudermatum, RAPD technique, PCR Cite This Article: Ali A. Kasim, and Maitham Dragh, “Identification of Nematode Trapping Fungus Monacrosporium eudermatum Based on Genetic Diversity Using RAPD Technique.” American Journal of Microbiological Research, vol. 4, no. 6 (2016): 178-180. doi: 10.12691/ajmr-4-6-4. 1. Introduction In recent years, different Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based molecular markers including Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) have proved to be useful tools for studying genetic diversity and monitoring of soil borne fungi [1,2]. RAPD-PCR has the advantage of being quick and easy and requires minute quantities of genomic DNA for amplification. Furthermore, DNA finger print can be generated with RAPD by using short nucleotide (10-16 nucleotides bases) sequence of arbitrary nature as primers and does not require any prior knowledge of the target site sequence [3]. Several DNA- based molecular markers such as; Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs), Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) have been successfully used to estimate genetic diversity of fungi [4,5,6]. Nematophagous fungi are a diverse group of fungal species that use refined mycelial structures or their conidia to trap and capture nematodes and other small invertebrates. This unique ability it made it possible to use these fungi as agents of biological control against plant-and animal-parasitic nematodes. However, effective application of biological control factors in the field requires a more information to understand the ecology and population genetics of the nematophagous fungi in natural environments [7]. Several studies using molecular markers to study the diversity and evolution of nematode-trapping fungi. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal RNA gene (ITS) region have found genetic diversities among isolates within species in the genera Arthrobotrys and Monacrosporium, showing cryptic species among morphologically similar isolates [8,9,10]. Intraspecific differentiation derived from RFLP data and polymorphisms in serine protease genes were also revealed revealing among ecotypes of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydospora based on host preferences [5,11]. The nematode-trapping fungus M.eudermatum belong to the Orbiliomycetes, order Orbiliales and family Orbiliaceae [12]. It is ubiquitous in a variety of habitats such as a agricultural soils, farmed, fields, forests. The present study was undertaken to determine if the three markers (OPF-05, OPB-08 and OPA-16) amplify the genomic DNA of the nematode-trapping fungus M.eudermatum (monophyletic group Orbiliales) that isolated from farmed soil of Misan governorate of Iraq. 2. Material and Methods 2.1. Isolates of M.eudermatum Isolates of M.eudermatum were obtained from microbiology laboratory at Biological Department, College of Sciences, Misan University, Iraq and were isolated from farmed soil of Misan, Governorate of Iraq).