Mesoproterozoic Horodyskia. Molecular biology The biochemical and genetic characterization of the Glomeromycota has been hindered by their biotrophic nature, which impedes laboratory culturing. This obstacle was eventually surpassed with the use of root cultures and, most recently, a method which applies sequencing of single nucleus from spores has also been developed to circumvent this challenge. The first mycorrhizal gene to be sequenced was the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA). This gene is highly conserved and commonly used in phylogenetic studies so was isolated from spores of each taxonomic group before amplification through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A metatranscriptomic survey of the Sevilleta Arid Lands found that 5.4% of the fungal rRNA reads mapped to Glomeromycota. This result was inconsistent with previous PCR-based studies of community structure in the region, suggesting that previous PCR-based studies may have underestimated Glomeromycota abundance due to amplification biases. See also Prototaxites Horodyskia Diskagma References External links Tree of Life Glomeromycota Glomeromycota at the International Culture Collection of VA Mycorrhizal Fungi (INVAM) Glomeromycota at the University of Sydney Fungal Biology s|ite 'AMF-phylogeny' - 'Glomeromycota database' web-site at the University of Munich Fungus phyla Fungi by classification Soil biology