Revealing the non-overlapping characteristics between original centers and genetic diversity of Purpureocillium lilacinum

Purpureocillium lilacinum is a free-living, multitrophic, cosmopolitan fungus. This study estimated the genetic diversity of P. lilacinum and its geographic distribution pattern based on a global ITS dataset. At the intercontinental levels, the highest genetic diversity was in Asia. Divergence time estimation indicated that Hap 5, Hap 9, Hap 31, and Hap 32 from the Hainan, Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Fujian regions of China in Asia were the earliest divergence haplotypes. The neutrality test indicated that P. lilacinum is undergoing population expansion. These results support that the southeastern coastal region of China is the original center of P. lilacinum, while the East Asian region adjacent to this origin is the center of the genetic diversity of P. lilacinum. The geographical distribution pattern of P. lilacinum showed that only one haplotype (Hap 1) was globally distributed and that most haplotypes were distributed in Asia, while the few remaining haplotypes were scattered on other continents. The results provide valuable information to elucidate the origin, genetic diversity, and evolution of fungi.