ABSTRACT
The earliest classification system, developed by Carolus Linnaeus, was the natural system of classification, which was based on some common characteristics shared by a group of organisms. Due to advances in molecular biology and our knowledge of the genome of microorganisms, the current classification and nomenclature of microorganisms is largely based on polyphasic taxonomy, an approach that encompasses phenotypic, phylogenetic, and genotypic characteristics. An understanding of the diversity, systematics, and nomenclature of microbes is increasingly important in several branches of life science. The molecular approach to phylogenetic analysis, pioneered by Carl Woese in the 1970s, has revolutionized the philosophy of microbial evolution. 16S and 18S rRNA sequences are considered the most conserved sequences and are helpful in tracing the evolutionary history of an organism. Moreover, techniques involving the study of DNA, RNA, and protein estimation have advanced our understanding concerning microbial evolution and taxonomy. This chapter explores the molecular phylogeny of thermophilic fungi, the methods of constructing phylogenetic trees, and the phylogeny and systematics of thermophilic fungi. Finally, genome annotations of several thermophilic fungi are presented.
