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Sample records for samson ascomycota hypocreales

  1. Interactions between the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis sonorensis (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae) and the saprobic fungus Fusarium oxysporum (Ascomycota: Hypocreales).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navarro, P D; McMullen, J G; Stock, S P

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we assessed the effect of the saprobic fungus, Fusarium oxysporum (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) on the fitness of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis sonorensis (Caborca strain). Sand column assays were considered to evaluate the effect of fungal mycelia on infective juvenile (IJ) movement and host access. Additionally, we investigated the effect of fungal spores on the nematodes' ability to search for a host, its virulence, penetration efficiency and reproduction. Three application timings were considered to assess interactions between the fungus and the nematodes. In vitro assays were also considered to determine the effect of fungal extracts on the nematode's symbiotic bacteria. Our observations indicate that presence and age of fungal mycelia significantly affect IJ movement in the sand columns and their ability to establish in the host. These results were also reflected in a reduced insect mortality. In particular, treatments with the 15 days old mycelia showed a significant reduction in insect mortality and penetration efficiency. Presence of fungal spores also impacted nematode virulence and reproduction. In particular, two of the application timings tested (simultaneous [EPN and fungal spores applied at the same time] and alternate I [EPN applied first, fungus applied 24h later]) resulted in antagonistic interactions. Moreover, IJ progeny was reduced to half in the simultaneous application. In vitro assays revealed that fungal extracts at the highest concentration tested (10mg/ml) inhibited the growth of the symbiotic bacteria. Overall, these results suggest that saprobic fungi may play an important role in regulating. EPN populations in the soil, and that they may be one of the factors that impact nematode survival in the soil and their access to insect hosts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Severe Accident Management System On-line Network SAMSON

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silverman, Eugene B.

    2004-01-01

    SAMSON is a computational tool used by accident managers in the Technical Support Centers (TSC) and Emergency Operations Facilities (EOF) in the event of a nuclear power plant accident. SAMSON examines over 150 status points monitored by nuclear power plant process computers during a severe accident and makes predictions about when core damage, support plate failure, and reactor vessel failure will occur. These predictions are based on the current state of the plant assuming that all safety equipment not already operating will fail. SAMSON uses expert systems, as well as neural networks trained with the back propagation learning algorithms to make predictions. Training on data from an accident analysis code (MAAP - Modular Accident Analysis Program) allows SAMSON to associate different states in the plant with different times to critical failures. The accidents currently recognized by SAMSON include steam generator tube ruptures (SGTRs), with breaks ranging from one tube to eight tubes, and loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs), with breaks ranging from 0.0014 square feet (1.30 cm 2 ) in size to breaks 3.0 square feet in size (2800 cm 2 ). (author)

  3. SAMSON Technology Demonstrator

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-06-01

    requested. The SAMSON TD was testing with two different policy engines: 1. A custom XACML-based element matching engine using a MySQL database for...performed during the course of the event. Full information protection across the sphere of access management, information protection and auditing was in...

  4. The Samson Cree Nation v. the Crown : a microcosm of treaty, trust, and self-determination conflicts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Reilly, J.A. [O' Reilly and Associates (Canada)

    2005-07-01

    A review of legal proceedings of the Samson Cree Nation v. the Crown was presented. Proceedings were instituted in 1989 and relate to breaches by the Federal Crown of its treaty, trust, obligations and duties to the Samson Cree Nation. Legal proceedings are based on the treaty, as well as on the inherent and Aboriginal rights of the Samson Cree Nation. The historical and money management phases of the proceedings have now been completed. Issues raised by the proceedings include respect for the inherent right of self determination, proper interpretation and implementation of Treaty No. 6, and an appropriate consideration of the trust obligations assumed by the Crown as part of the constitutional compact. The Samson plaintiffs sought judicial recognition of their reserve lands, including the rights to oil and gas reserves and royalty proceeds. The proceeding identified breaches by the Crown of Samson treaty rights and breaches concerning management by the Crown of Samson royalty and other trust moneys. The case showed that the Crown retained and borrowed Samson Cree trust moneys and failed to prudently invest the Samson Cree Nation moneys or pay interest at a rate commensurate with prudent investment. The proceedings raised issues concerning the nature and scope of Treaty No. 6 and treaty rights of Treaty No. 6 Indians in relation to reserves, reserve resources and reserve assets. It was concluded that the case is a significant constitutional benchmark deriving from a strong recent recognition by the Supreme Court of Canada of the juridical force of treaties with Indian Nations.

  5. The Samson Cree Nation v. the Crown : a microcosm of treaty, trust, and self-determination conflicts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Reilly, J.A.

    2005-01-01

    A review of legal proceedings of the Samson Cree Nation v. the Crown was presented. Proceedings were instituted in 1989 and relate to breaches by the Federal Crown of its treaty, trust, obligations and duties to the Samson Cree Nation. Legal proceedings are based on the treaty, as well as on the inherent and Aboriginal rights of the Samson Cree Nation. The historical and money management phases of the proceedings have now been completed. Issues raised by the proceedings include respect for the inherent right of self determination, proper interpretation and implementation of Treaty No. 6, and an appropriate consideration of the trust obligations assumed by the Crown as part of the constitutional compact. The Samson plaintiffs sought judicial recognition of their reserve lands, including the rights to oil and gas reserves and royalty proceeds. The proceeding identified breaches by the Crown of Samson treaty rights and breaches concerning management by the Crown of Samson royalty and other trust moneys. The case showed that the Crown retained and borrowed Samson Cree trust moneys and failed to prudently invest the Samson Cree Nation moneys or pay interest at a rate commensurate with prudent investment. The proceedings raised issues concerning the nature and scope of Treaty No. 6 and treaty rights of Treaty No. 6 Indians in relation to reserves, reserve resources and reserve assets. It was concluded that the case is a significant constitutional benchmark deriving from a strong recent recognition by the Supreme Court of Canada of the juridical force of treaties with Indian Nations

  6. A monograph of Allantonectria, Nectria, and Pleonectria (Nectriaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota) and their pycnidial, sporodochial, and synnematous anamorphs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirooka, Y; Rossman, A Y; Samuels, G J; Lechat, C; Chaverri, P

    2012-03-15

    Although Nectria is the type genus of Nectriaceae (Hypocreales, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota), the systematics of the teleomorphic and anamorphic state of Nectriasensu Rossman has not been studied in detail. The objectives of this study are to 1) provide a phylogenetic overview to determine if species of Nectria with Gyrostroma, Tubercularia, and Zythiostroma anamorphs form a monophyletic group; 2) define Nectria, segregate genera, and their species using morphologically informative characters of teleomorphic and anamorphic states; and 3) provide descriptions and illustrations of these genera and species. To accomplish these objectives, results of phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data from six loci (act, ITS, LSU, rpb1, tef1 and tub), were integrated with morphological characterisations of anamorphs and teleomorphs. Results from the phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that species previously regarded as the genus Nectria having Gyrostroma,Tubercularia, and Zythiostroma anamorphs belong in two major paraphyletic clades. The first major clade regarded as the genus Pleonectria contains 26 species with ascoconidia produced by ascospores in asci, perithecial walls having bright yellow scurf, and immersed or superficial pycnidial anamorphs (Zythiostroma = Gyrostroma). A lineage basal to the Pleonectria clade includes Nectria miltina having very small, aseptate ascospores, and trichoderma-like conidiophores and occurring on monocotyledonous plants. These characteristics are unusual in Pleonectria, thus we recognise the monotypic genus Allantonectria with Allantonectria miltina. The second major clade comprises the genus Nectriasensu stricto including the type species, N. cinnabarina, and 28 additional species. Within the genus Nectria, four subclades exist. One subclade includes species with sporodochial anamorphs and another with synnematous anamorphs. The other two paraphyletic subclades include species that produce abundant stromata in which the large

  7. ‘If I Be Shaven Then My Strength Will Go from Me’ : A Queer Reading of the Samson Narrative

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Derks, M.

    2015-01-01

    Samson is well known for his long hair and exceptional strength. Most commentators, however, have overlooked the fact that it is Samson himself who constructs a connection between his hair and his strength. He had considered his hairstyle a sign of his hypermasculine identity instead of a

  8. Trichoderma fassatiae, a new species from the section Pachybasium isolated from soil in the Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nováková, Alena; Kubátová, A.; Valinová, Š.; Hubka, Vít; Kolařík, Miroslav

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 67, č. 2 (2015), s. 227-231 ISSN 1805-1421 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LD13039 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Ascomycota * Hypocreales * Trichoderma Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology

  9. Compatibility of the insect pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana with neem against sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, on eggplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    A study on the compatibility of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) with neem was conducted against sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), on eggplant. Initially, three concentrations of B. bassiana (106, 1...

  10. Lethality of the entomogenous fungus Beauveria bassiana strain NI8 on Lygus lineolaris (Hemiptera: Miridae) and its possible impact on beneficial arthropods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bioassays were conducted to examine the pathogenicity of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) strain NI8 against Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) and its impact on natural enemies including Apis mellifera L., Crysoperla rufrilabris Burmeister, Orius insid...

  11. Trichoderma amazonicum, a new endophytic species on Hevea brasiliensis and H. guianensis from the Amazon basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    A new species of Trichoderma (teleomorph Hypocrea, Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreales, Hypocreaceae), T. amazonicum, endophytic on the living sapwood and leaves of Hevea spp. trees is described. Trichoderma amazonicum is distinguished from closely related species in the Harzianum clade (e.g. ...

  12. Three Walks through Fictional Fens: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Gaffer Samson's Luck

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodges, Gabrielle Cliff; Nikolajeva, Maria; Taylor, Liz

    2010-01-01

    The paper discusses the children's novel "Gaffer Samson's Luck (1984)," by Jill Paton Walsh, from three different perspectives; those of a cultural geographer, a literary scholar and an English teacher. It is part of a larger research project on children's perception of their place-related identities through reading and writing. The novel is used…

  13. DNA barcoding survey of Trichoderma diversity in soil and litter of the Colombian lowland Amazonian rainforest reveals Trichoderma strigosellum sp. nov. and other species

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lopez-Quintero, C.A.; Atanasova, L.; Franco-Molano, A.E.; Gams, W.; Komon-Zelazowska, M.; Theelen, B.; Muller, W.H.; Boekhout, T.; Druzhinina, I.

    2013-01-01

    The diversity of Trichoderma (Hypocreales, Ascomycota) colonizing leaf litter as well as the rhizosphere of Garcinia macrophylla (Clusiaceae) was investigated in primary and secondary rain forests in Colombian Amazonia. DNA barcoding of 107 strains based on the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2

  14. Comparative Genomics and Transcriptomics Analyses Reveal Divergent Lifestyle Features of Nematode Endoparasitic Fungus Hirsutella minnesotensis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Yiling; Liu, Keke; Zhang, Xinyu; Zhang, Xiaoling; Li, Kuan; Wang, Niuniu; Shu, Chi; Wu, Yunpeng; Wang, Chengshu; Bushley, Kathryn E.; Xiang, Meichun; Liu, Xingzhong

    2014-01-01

    Hirsutella minnesotensis [Ophiocordycipitaceae (Hypocreales, Ascomycota)] is a dominant endoparasitic fungus by using conidia that adhere to and penetrate the secondary stage juveniles of soybean cyst nematode. Its genome was de novo sequenced and compared with five entomopathogenic fungi in the Hypocreales and three nematode-trapping fungi in the Orbiliales (Ascomycota). The genome of H. minnesotensis is 51.4 Mb and encodes 12,702 genes enriched with transposable elements up to 32%. Phylogenomic analysis revealed that H. minnesotensis was diverged from entomopathogenic fungi in Hypocreales. Genome of H. minnesotensis is similar to those of entomopathogenic fungi to have fewer genes encoding lectins for adhesion and glycoside hydrolases for cellulose degradation, but is different from those of nematode-trapping fungi to possess more genes for protein degradation, signal transduction, and secondary metabolism. Those results indicate that H. minnesotensis has evolved different mechanism for nematode endoparasitism compared with nematode-trapping fungi. Transcriptomics analyses for the time-scale parasitism revealed the upregulations of lectins, secreted proteases and the genes for biosynthesis of secondary metabolites that could be putatively involved in host surface adhesion, cuticle degradation, and host manipulation. Genome and transcriptome analyses provided comprehensive understanding of the evolution and lifestyle of nematode endoparasitism. PMID:25359922

  15. [Modeling of Processes of Migration and Accumulation of Radionuclides in Freshwater Ecosystems by the Example of the Samson, Lev, Vandras Rivers Related to the Ob-Irtysh River Basin].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trapeznikov, A V; Korzhavin, A V; Trapeznikova, V N; Nikolkin, V N

    2016-01-01

    Mathematical models of horizontal distribution and migration of radionuclides are presented in water and floodplain soils of the Samson-Lev-Vandras river system related to the Ob-Irtysh river basin. Integral inventory of radionuclides in the main components of the river ecosystems is calculated. The estimated annual discharge of radionuclides from the Vandras river to the Great Salym river is given. The effect of the removal of man-made radionuclides in the Samson, Lev, Vandras rivers on radioactive contamination of the Ob-Irtysh river system is shown in comparison with the Techa river, that also belongs to the Ob-Irtysh river basin. Despite the presence of an additional radioactive contamination of the Samson floodplain, the transfer of radioactive substances in the Samson, Lev, Vandras rivers has a much smaller impact on the contamination of the Ob-Irtysh river system, compared to the Techa river, prone to a large-scale radioactive contamination.

  16. Samson Cree lawsuit costs Ottawa more than $45 million in legal fees so far

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon

    2005-01-01

    Some $45 million has been spent by the federal government in a continuing legal fight against two Alberta native bands. The fight is about oil and gas royalties. The Samson and Emineskin bands on the Hobbema reserve north of Red Deer, Alberta are accusing the federal government of having mismanaged their oil and gas royalties for five decades. According to a spokesperson for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, the case is a costly evidence of Ottawa's wrong-headed approach to aboriginal assets

  17. Detrimental and Neutral Effects of a Wild Grass-Fungal Endophyte Symbiotum on Insect Preference and Performance

    OpenAIRE

    Clement, Stephen L.; Hu, Jinguo; Stewart, Alan V.; Wang, Bingrui; Elberson, Leslie R.

    2011-01-01

    Seed-borne Epichloë/Neotyphodium Glenn, Bacon, Hanlin (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) fungal endophytes in temperate grasses can provide protection against insect attack with the degree of host resistance related to the grass—endophyte symbiotum and the insect species involved in an interaction. Few experimental studies with wild grass—endophyte symbiota, compared to endophyte-infected agricultural grasses, have tested for anti-insect benefits, let alone for resistance against more...

  18. Towards barcode markers in Fungi: an intron map of Ascomycota mitochondria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santamaria, Monica; Vicario, Saverio; Pappadà, Graziano; Scioscia, Gaetano; Scazzocchio, Claudio; Saccone, Cecilia

    2009-06-16

    A standardized and cost-effective molecular identification system is now an urgent need for Fungi owing to their wide involvement in human life quality. In particular the potential use of mitochondrial DNA species markers has been taken in account. Unfortunately, a serious difficulty in the PCR and bioinformatic surveys is due to the presence of mobile introns in almost all the fungal mitochondrial genes. The aim of this work is to verify the incidence of this phenomenon in Ascomycota, testing, at the same time, a new bioinformatic tool for extracting and managing sequence databases annotations, in order to identify the mitochondrial gene regions where introns are missing so as to propose them as species markers. The general trend towards a large occurrence of introns in the mitochondrial genome of Fungi has been confirmed in Ascomycota by an extensive bioinformatic analysis, performed on all the entries concerning 11 mitochondrial protein coding genes and 2 mitochondrial rRNA (ribosomal RNA) specifying genes, belonging to this phylum, available in public nucleotide sequence databases. A new query approach has been developed to retrieve effectively introns information included in these entries. After comparing the new query-based approach with a blast-based procedure, with the aim of designing a faithful Ascomycota mitochondrial intron map, the first method appeared clearly the most accurate. Within this map, despite the large pervasiveness of introns, it is possible to distinguish specific regions comprised in several genes, including the full NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 (ND6) gene, which could be considered as barcode candidates for Ascomycota due to their paucity of introns and to their length, above 400 bp, comparable to the lower end size of the length range of barcodes successfully used in animals. The development of the new query system described here would answer the pressing requirement to improve drastically the bioinformatics support to the DNA Barcode

  19. Studies of laboulbeniales (Fungi, Ascomycota) on myrmica ants (II)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Haelewaters, Danny; Boer, Peter; Gort, Gerrit; Noordijk, Jinze

    2015-01-01

    One group of important insect parasites are the Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota), microscopic fungi that live attached to the exterior of their hosts, mainly beetles, but also mites, millipedes, earwigs, and ants. Rickia wasmannii is a common fungus in Europe and is limited to the ant genus Myrmica

  20. Persistence of Brazilian isolates of the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and M. robertsii in strawberry crop soil after soil drench application

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Castro, Thiago; Mayerhofer, Johanna; Enkerli, Jürg

    2016-01-01

    Establishment, persistence and local dispersal of the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae (ESALQ1037) and M. robertsii (ESALQ1426) (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) were investigated in the soil and rhizosphere following soil drench application in strawberries between 2012 and 2013 at a single...... sequence repeat analysis. Both applied fungal isolates were frequently recovered from bulk soil and rhizosphere samples of the treated plots, suggesting that they were able to establish and disperse within the soil. Persistence within the soil and strawberry rhizosphere for both fungal isolates...

  1. Recommendations for competing sexual-asexually typified generic names in Sordariomycetes (except Diaporthales, Hypocreales, and Magnaporthales)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Réblová, Martina; Miller, A.N.; Rossman, A. Y.; Seifert, K. A.; Crous, P. W.; Hawksworth, D.L.; Abdel-Wahab, M. A.; Cannon, P. F.; Daraganama, D. A.; de Beer, Z.W.; Huang, S.-K.; Hyde, K. D.; Jayawardena, R.; Jaklitsch, W.; Gareth Jones, E. B.; Ju, Y.-M.; Judith, C.; Maharachchikumbura, S. S. N.; Pang, K. L.; Petrini, L. E.; Raja, H.A.; Romero, A. I.; Shearer, C.; Senanayake, I. C.; Voglmayr, H.; Weir, B.S.; Wijayawardene, N. N.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 7, č. 1 (2016), s. 131-153 ISSN 2210-6340 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/12/0038 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : ascomycota * pleomorfic fungi * protected lists Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.691, year: 2016

  2. Protoparmelia capitata (Ascomycota: Parmeliaceae: new record for South America

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Aptroot

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The sterile corticolous crustose lichen Protoparmelia capitata (Ascomycota: Parmeliaceae, recently described for southeastern North America, is reported as a new record for South America in the Serra da Jiboia mountain range, near the municipality of Santa Teresinha, in the state of Bahia, in northeastern Brazil. This species is locally common and is probably closely related to P. isidiata, which has the same pigmentation and medullary chemistry, P. capitata differing from P. isidiata in that the former features soredia rather than isidia.

  3. Host range findings on Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ascomycota: Hypocreales in Argentina Espectro de hospedadores hallado en Beauveria bassiana y Metarhizium anisopliae (Ascomycota: Hypocreales en Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Toledo

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The natural insect host range of the entomopathogenic fungi (EPF Beauveria bassiana (Bb and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma was investigated in Argentina during the winter of 2003 through spring of 2004. Fungi- infected insect samples (153 were collected from cornfields and the surrounding uncultivated areas in different localities of Buenos Aires (7, Tucumán (2, and Corrientes (3 provinces. The rates of Bb-infected host range varied among the Coleoptera (37%, Hemiptera (27% and Dermaptera (1.3%. While the rates of Ma-infected host range varied between the Coleoptera (0.7% and Hemiptera (34%. The greater host range resulted with B. bassiana found from eight species of Coleoptera (four families, one species of Dermaptera and four species of Hemiptera (three families, than the host range of M. anisopliae found infecting one species of Coleoptera and three species of Hemiptera (two families. We obtained 75 pure fungal isolates (48 Bb-isolates and 27 to Ma-isolates, and 56 of them (33 Bb-isolates and 23 Ma-isolates were morphologically characterized.El espectro natural de hospedadores de los hongos entomopatógenos (HEP Beauveria bassiana (Bb y Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma fue investigado en Argentina desde el invierno de 2003 hasta la primavera de 2004. Las muestras de insectos con infecciones fúngicas (153 fueron recolectadas a partir de campos de maíz y las áreas no cultivadas circundantes a los mismos, en diferentes localidades de las provincias de Buenos Aires (7, Tucumán (2 y Corrientes (3. El espectro de hospedadores infectados con Bb varió entre los Coleoptera (37%, Hemiptera (27% y Dermaptera (1,3%. Mientras que el espectro de hospedadores infectados con Ma varió entre los Coleoptera (0,7% y los Hemiptera (34%. El mayor espectro lo presentó Bb, encontrado en ocho especies de Coleoptera (cuatro familias, una especie de Dermaptera y cuatro especies de Hemiptera (tres familias, mientras que Ma fue encontrado infectando una especie de Coleoptera y tres especies de Hemiptera (dos familias. Nosotros obtuvimos 75 aislamientos fúngicos puros (48 de Bb y 27 de Ma, de los cuales 56 (33 de Bb y 23 Ma fueron caracterizados morfológicamente.

  4. Cytotoxic xanthone-anthraquinone heterodimers from an unidentified fungus of the order Hypocreales (MSX 17022).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayers, Sloan; Graf, Tyler N; Adcock, Audrey F; Kroll, David J; Shen, Qi; Swanson, Steven M; Matthew, Susan; Carcache de Blanco, Esperanza J; Wani, Mansukh C; Darveaux, Blaise A; Pearce, Cedric J; Oberlies, Nicholas H

    2012-01-01

    Two new xanthone-anthraquinone heterodimers, acremoxanthone C (5) and acremoxanthone D (2), have been isolated from an extract of an unidentified fungus of the order Hypocreales (MSX 17022) by bioactivity-directed fractionation as part of a search for anticancer leads from filamentous fungi. Two known related compounds, acremonidin A (4) and acremonidin C (3) were also isolated, as was a known benzophenone, moniliphenone (1). The structures of these isolates were determined via extensive use of spectroscopic and spectrometric tools in conjunction with comparisons to the literature. All compounds (1-5) were evaluated against a suite of biological assays, including those for cytotoxicity, inhibition of the 20S proteasome, mitochondrial transmembrane potential and nuclear factor-κB.

  5. Phylogeny of the order Phyllachorales (Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes): among and within order relationships based on five molecular loci

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mardones, M.; Trampe-Jaschik, T.; Oster, S.; Elliott, M.; Urbina, H.; Schmitt, I.; Piepenbring, M.

    2017-01-01

    The order Phyllachorales (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) is a group of biotrophic, obligate plant parasitic fungi with a tropical distribution and high host specificity. Traditionally two families are recognised within this order: Phyllachoraceae and Phaeochoraceae, based mostly on morphological and

  6. EPR investigation of some desiccated Ascomycota and Basidiomycota gamma-irradiated mushrooms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bercu, V., E-mail: vbercu@gmail.co [University of Bucharest, Department of Atomic and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box MG-11, 077125 Magurele (Ilfov) (Romania); Negut, C.D., E-mail: dnegut@nipne.r [University of Bucharest, Department of Atomic and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box MG-11, 077125 Magurele (Ilfov) (Romania); Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, P.O. Box MG-6, 077125 Magurele (Ilfov) (Romania); Duliu, O.G., E-mail: duliu@b.astral.r [University of Bucharest, Department of Atomic and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box MG-11, 077125 Magurele (Ilfov) (Romania)

    2010-12-15

    The suitability of the EPR spectroscopy for detection of {gamma}-irradiation in five species of dried mushroom, currently used in gastronomy: yellow morel-Morchella esculenta, (L.) Pers. (Phylum Ascomycota), button mushroom-Agaricus bisporus (J.E.Lange), Agaricus haemorrhoidarius Fr., golden chantarelle-Cantharellus cibarius Fr., as well as oyster mushroom-Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) (Phylum Basidiomycota) is presented and discussed. Although after irradiation at doses up to 11 kGy, all specimens presented well defined EPR spectra, only A. bisporus EPR signal was enough stable to make detection possible after 18 months.

  7. EPR investigation of some desiccated Ascomycota and Basidiomycota gamma-irradiated mushrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bercu, V.; Negut, C. D.; Duliu, O. G.

    2010-12-01

    The suitability of the EPR spectroscopy for detection of γ-irradiation in five species of dried mushroom, currently used in gastronomy: yellow morel— Morchella esculenta, (L.) Pers. (Phylum Ascomycota), button mushroom— Agaricus bisporus (J.E.Lange), Agaricus haemorrhoidarius Fr., golden chantarelle— Cantharellus cibarius Fr., as well as oyster mushroom— Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) (Phylum Basidiomycota) is presented and discussed. Although after irradiation at doses up to 11 kGy, all specimens presented well defined EPR spectra, only A. bisporus EPR signal was enough stable to make detection possible after 18 months.

  8. EPR investigation of some desiccated Ascomycota and Basidiomycota gamma-irradiated mushrooms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bercu, V.; Negut, C.D.; Duliu, O.G.

    2010-01-01

    The suitability of the EPR spectroscopy for detection of γ-irradiation in five species of dried mushroom, currently used in gastronomy: yellow morel-Morchella esculenta, (L.) Pers. (Phylum Ascomycota), button mushroom-Agaricus bisporus (J.E.Lange), Agaricus haemorrhoidarius Fr., golden chantarelle-Cantharellus cibarius Fr., as well as oyster mushroom-Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) (Phylum Basidiomycota) is presented and discussed. Although after irradiation at doses up to 11 kGy, all specimens presented well defined EPR spectra, only A. bisporus EPR signal was enough stable to make detection possible after 18 months.

  9. Optimization of the solid-state fermentation and properties of a polysaccharide from Paecilomyces cicadae (Miquel Samson and its antioxidant activities in vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xueyong Ren

    Full Text Available The culture conditions for the yield of a polysaccharide (PCPS produced by Paecilomyces cicadae (Miquel Samson on solid-state fermentation were investigated using response surface methodology (RSM. Plackett-Burman design (PBD was applied to screen out significant factors, followed by the paths of steepest ascent to move to the nearest region of maximum response. Then Box-Behnken design (BBD was conducted to optimize the final levels of the culture conditions. After analyzing the regression equation and the response surface contour plots, relative humidity 56.07%, inoculum 13.51 mL/100 g and temperature 27.09°C were found to be the optimal key parameters for PCPS production. The maximum predicted yield of PCPS was 10.76 mg/g under the optimized conditions. The resulting PCPS (FPCPS generated at optimal conditions was purified by chromatography column and found to be composed of mannose (43.2%, rhamnose (32.1%, xylose (14.5% and arabinose (10.2%. Based on the size exclusion chromatography combined with multi-angle laser light scattering (SEC-MALLS analysis, FPCPS adopted a Gaussian coil conformation in 0.1 M NaNO3 solution with 3.75 × 10(6 g/mol of the weight-average molar mass (Mw and 41.1 nm of the root-mean square radius (Rg(2z (1/2. Furthermore, both of the polysaccharides were revealed to have strong antioxidant activities by evaluating in DPPH radical, superoxide radicals and hydroxyl radical assay. These data suggest the polysaccharides of Paecilomyces cicadae (Miquel Samson produced by solid-state fermentation could be explored as potential natural antioxidants.

  10. Preliminary checklist of Myxomycota and Ascomycota from Fruška Gora mountain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karaman Maja A.

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Fruška Gora mountain represents very important source of natural and semi-natural forest ecosystems in the northern part of the Republic of Serbia and therefore it is important source of habitats for different groups of fungi. As opposed to coordinated inventory and monitoring projects of fungi established around Europe long ago, mycological researches in Serbia are still sporadic and insufficiently coordinated by authorities and experts. In accordance with that, available data concerning the state of fungi in Serbia are scarce. The aim of this work was to collect all relevant unpublished data considering fungi in Fruška Gora and to present checklist of two fungal phyla: Myxomycota and Ascomycota. In the presented checklist, 23 recorded species of Myxomycota (known as fungal analogues were distributed in 2 classes, 5 orders, and 7 families. The first class (Protosteliomycetes contained only one species - Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (fam. Ceratiomyxaceae. The largest order was Trichiales (9 species, while the dominant families were Stemonitidaceae and Trichiaceae, each with 6 species recorded. The most abundant species was Lycogala epidendrum (fam. Reticulariaceae, with 13 records. Phylum Ascomycota was represented with 95 species belonging to 6 classes, 12 orders and 29 families. The most highly represented classes were Leotiomycetes (32 species and Pezizomycetes (31 species. The most abundant species were: Xylaria polymorpha (17 records, Xylaria hypoxylon (14 records, and Sarcoscypha coccinea (14 records. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III-43002

  11. Micromicetes asociados a la corteza y madera de podocarpus parlatorei (Podocarpaceae en la Argentina. VI. Ascomycota

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Myriam del V. Catania

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Se describen e ilustran diez especies de Ascomycota que crecen sobre madera y corteza de Podocarpus parlatorei. Se proponen Nemania confluens var. microspora var. nov., Togninia minutissima comb. nov., y se citan por primera vez para la Argentina los siguientes taxones: Botryosphaeria sarmentorum, Ceratostomella pyrenaica, Cochliobolus kusanoi, Heptameria obesa, Hypoxylon duranii, Ophioceras dolichostomum, Tengiomyces indicus, Togninia minima, Trichosphaeria pilosa.

  12. Primer registro de la familia Morchellaceae (Ascomycota: Pezizales para Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César Augusto Pinzón Osorio

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Se registra por primera vez al género Morchella Dill. ex Pers. (Ascomycota, Pezizales, único representante de la familia Morchellaceae para la micobiota Colombiana. El ascocarpo fue recolectado en un bosque muy húmedo premontano, en la vereda Santa Helena, municipio de Gachalá, departamento de Cundinamarca. El espécimen es descrito e ilustrado con fotografías y se aporta información sobre su distribución, ecología y sustrato de crecimiento. La identidad taxonómica del ejemplar es discutida de acuerdo al concepto morfológico tradicional establecido en la literatura micológica. Con este reporte, en Colombia el orden Pezizales queda constituido por 17 especies contenidas en 12 géneros y 7 familias.

  13. Massive lateral transfer of genes encoding plant cell wall-degrading enzymes to the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma from its plant-associated hosts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chenthamara, Komal; Zhang, Jian; Atanasova, Lea; Yang, Dongqing; Miao, Youzhi; Grujic, Marica; Pourmehdi, Shadi; Pretzer, Carina; Kopchinskiy, Alexey G.; Hundley, Hope; Wang, Mei; Aerts, Andrea; Salamov, Asaf; Lipzen, Anna; Barry, Kerrie; Grigoriev, Igor V.; Shen, Qirong; Kubicek, Christian P.

    2018-01-01

    Unlike most other fungi, molds of the genus Trichoderma (Hypocreales, Ascomycota) are aggressive parasites of other fungi and efficient decomposers of plant biomass. Although nutritional shifts are common among hypocrealean fungi, there are no examples of such broad substrate versatility as that observed in Trichoderma. A phylogenomic analysis of 23 hypocrealean fungi (including nine Trichoderma spp. and the related Escovopsis weberi) revealed that the genus Trichoderma has evolved from an ancestor with limited cellulolytic capability that fed on either fungi or arthropods. The evolutionary analysis of Trichoderma genes encoding plant cell wall-degrading carbohydrate-active enzymes and auxiliary proteins (pcwdCAZome, 122 gene families) based on a gene tree / species tree reconciliation demonstrated that the formation of the genus was accompanied by an unprecedented extent of lateral gene transfer (LGT). Nearly one-half of the genes in Trichoderma pcwdCAZome (41%) were obtained via LGT from plant-associated filamentous fungi belonging to different classes of Ascomycota, while no LGT was observed from other potential donors. In addition to the ability to feed on unrelated fungi (such as Basidiomycota), we also showed that Trichoderma is capable of endoparasitism on a broad range of Ascomycota, including extant LGT donors. This phenomenon was not observed in E. weberi and rarely in other mycoparasitic hypocrealean fungi. Thus, our study suggests that LGT is linked to the ability of Trichoderma to parasitize taxonomically related fungi (up to adelphoparasitism in strict sense). This may have allowed primarily mycotrophic Trichoderma fungi to evolve into decomposers of plant biomass. PMID:29630596

  14. Phylogenetic diversity of fungal communities in areas accessible and not accessible to tourists in Naracoorte Caves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adetutu, Eric M; Thorpe, Krystal; Bourne, Steven; Cao, Xiangsheng; Shahsavari, Esmaeil; Kirby, Greg; Ball, Andrew S

    2011-01-01

    The fungal diversity in areas accessible and not accessible to tourists at UNESCO World Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves was investigated with culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques for assistance in cave management protocol development. The caves were selected based on tourist numbers and configurations: Stick Tomato (open, high numbers), Alexandra (lockable openings, high numbers) and Strawhaven (control; no access). Culture-based survey revealed Ascomycota dominance irrespective of sampling area with Microascales (Trichurus sp.) being most frequently isolated. Some Hypocreales-like sequences belonging to Fusarium sp., Trichoderma sp. and Neonectria sp. (Stick Tomato) were cultured only from areas not accessible to tourists. These orders also were detected by DGGE assay irrespective of sampling area. The predominance of Ascomycota (especially Microascales) suggested their important ecological roles in these caves. Culture-independent analysis showed higher Shannon fungal diversity values (from ITS-based DGGE profiles) in tourist-accessible areas of these caves than in inaccessible areas with the fungal community banding patterns being substantially different in Stick Tomato Cave. Further investigations are needed to determine the cause of the differences in the fungal communities of Stick Tomato Cave, although cave-related factors such as use, configuration and sediment heterogeneity might have contributed to these differences.

  15. Implementing a cumulative supermatrix approach for a comprehensive phylogenetic study of the Teloschistales (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gaya, Ester; Högnabba, Filip; Holguin, Ángela

    2012-01-01

    The resolution of the phylogenetic relationships within the order Teloschistales (Ascomycota, lichen-forming-fungi), with nearly 2000 known species and outstanding phenotypic diversity, has been hindered by the limitation in the resolving power that single-locus or two-locus phylogenetic studies...... – the Megalosporaceae – which is sister to the mainly rock-inhabiting, cosmopolitan, and species rich Teloschistaceae, with a diversity of growth habits ranging from crustose to fruticose. Our results confirm the use of a cumulative supermatrix approach as a viable method to generate comprehensive phylogenies...

  16. Evidence for a new lineage of primary ambrosia fungi in Geosmithia Pitt (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kolařík, Miroslav; Kirkendall, L.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 114, č. 8 (2010), s. 676-689 ISSN 1878-6146 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : beta-Tubulin * Cnesinus lecontei * Eupagiocerus dentipes Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology

  17. Draft genome of the fungus-growing termite pathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps bispora (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin H. Conlon

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This article documents the public availability of genome sequence data and assembled contigs representing the partial draft genome of Ophiocordyceps bispora. As one of the few known pathogens of fungus-farming termites, a draft genome of O. bispora represents the opportunity to further the understanding of disease and resistance in these complex termite societies. With the ongoing attempts to resolve the taxonomy of the Hypocralaean family, more genetic data will also help to shed light on the phylogenetic relationship between sexual and asexual life stages. Next generation sequence data is available from the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA under accession PRJEB13655; run numbers: ERR1368522, ERR1368523, and ERR1368524. Genome assembly available from ENA under accession numbers: FKNF01000001–FKNF01000302. Gene prediction available as protein fasta, nucleotide fasta and GFF file from Mendeley Data with accession doi:10.17632/r99fd6g3s4.2 (http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/r99fd6g3s4.2.

  18. First record of Talaromyces udagawae in soil related to decomposing human remains in Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tranchida, María C; Centeno, Néstor D; Stenglein, Sebastián A; Cabello, Marta N

    2016-01-01

    The morphologic features of Talaromyces udagawae Stolk and Samson are here described and illustrated. This teleomorphic Ascomycota fungus was isolated from soil obtained in Buenos Aires province (Argentina) from beneath a human cadaver in an advanced state of decomposition. After washing and serial dilution of the soil along with moist-chamber techniques for fungal cultivation, T. udagawae formed very restricted colonies of bright yellow color on different growth media with 8-ascospored asci. The ascospores were ellipsoidal and ornamented. The anamorphic state was not observed. Molecular-genetic techniques identified the species. The present record is the first of the species in Argentina, pointing it as a tool to identify soils where cadaver decomposition occurs. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  19. Phylogeny and nomenclature of the genus Talaromyces and taxa accommodated in Penicillium subgenus Biverticillium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samson, R.A.; Yilmaz, N.; Houbraken, J.; Spierenburg, H.; Seifert, K.A.; Peterson, S.W.; Varga, J.; Frisvad, J.C.

    2011-01-01

    were considered prior to our adoption of the name Talaromyces. Taxonomic novelties: Taxonomic novelties: New species – Talaromyces apiculatus Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, sp. nov. New combinations and names – Talaromyces aculeatus (Raper & Fennell) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. albobiverticillius (H.-M. Hsieh, Y.-M. Ju & S.-Y. Hsieh) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. allahabadensis (B.S. Mehrotra & D. Kumar) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. aurantiacus (J.H. Mill., Giddens & A.A. Foster) Samson, Yilmaz, & Frisvad, T. boninensis (Yaguchi & Udagawa) Samson, Yilmaz, & Frisvad, T. brunneus (Udagawa) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. calidicanius (J.L. Chen) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. cecidicola (Seifert, Hoekstra & Frisvad) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. coalescens (Quintan.) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. dendriticus (Pitt) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. diversus (Raper & Fennell) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. duclauxii (Delacr.) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. echinosporus (Nehira) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, comb. nov. T. erythromellis (A.D. Hocking) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. funiculosus (Thom) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. islandicus (Sopp) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. loliensis (Pitt) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. marneffei (Segretain, Capponi & Sureau) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. minioluteus (Dierckx) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. palmae (Samson, Stolk & Frisvad) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. panamensis (Samson, Stolk & Frisvad) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. paucisporus (Yaguchi, Someya & Udagawa) Samson & Houbraken T. phialosporus (Udagawa) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. piceus (Raper & Fennell) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. pinophilus (Hedgcock) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. pittii (Quintan.) Samson, Yilmaz, Frisvad & Seifert, T. primulinus (Pitt) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. proteolyticus (Kamyschko) Samson, Yilmaz & Frisvad, T. pseudostromaticus (Hodges, G.M. Warner

  20. The Ascomycota tree of life: a phylum-wide phylogeny clarifies the origin and evolution of fundamental reproductive and ecological traits

    Science.gov (United States)

    C.L. Schoch; G.-H. Sung; F. Lopez-Giraldez

    2009-01-01

    We present a six-gene, 420-species maximum-likelihood phylogeny of Ascomycota, the largest phylum of fungi. This analysis is the most taxonomically complete to date with species sampled from all 15 currently circumscribed classes. A number of superclass-level nodes that have previously evaded resolution and were unnamed in classifications of the fungi are resolved for...

  1. Association of Geosmithia fungi (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) with pine- and spruce-infesting bark beetles in Poland

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jankowiak, R.; Kolařík, Miroslav; Bilanski,, P.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 11, OCT 2014 (2014), s. 71-79 ISSN 1754-5048 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP506/11/2302 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Insect-fungus interactions * Bark beetles * Ectosymbiosis Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 2.929, year: 2014

  2. Metarhizium brunneum (Ascomycota; Hypocreales) Treatments Targeting Olive Fly in the Soil for Sustainable Crop Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousef, Meelad; Alba-Ramírez, Carmen; Garrido Jurado, Inmaculada; Mateu, Jordi; Raya Díaz, Silvia; Valverde-García, Pablo; Quesada-Moraga, Enrique

    2018-01-01

    Soil treatments with Metarhizium brunneum EAMa 01/58-Su strain conducted in both Northern and Southern Spain reduced the olive fly ( Bactrocera oleae ) population density emerging from the soil during spring up to 70% in treated plots compared with controls. A model to determine the influence of rainfall on the conidial wash into different soil types was developed, with most of the conidia retained at the first 5 cm, regardless of soil type, with relative percentages of conidia recovered ranging between 56 and 95%. Furthermore, the possible effect of UV-B exposure time on the pathogenicity of this strain against B. oleae adults coming from surviving preimaginals and carrying conidia from the soil at adult emergence was also evaluated. The UV-B irradiance has no significant effect on M. brunneum EAMa 01/58-Su pathogenicity with B. oleae adult mortalities of 93, 90, 79, and 77% after 0, 2, 4, and 6 of UV-B irradiance exposure, respectively. In a next step for the use of these M. brunneum EAMa 01/58-Sun soil treatments within a B. oleae IPM strategy, its possible effect of on the B. oleae cosmopolitan parasitoid Psyttalia concolor , its compatibility with the herbicide oxyfluorfen 24% commonly used in olive orchards and the possible presence of the fungus in the olive oil resulting from olives previously placed in contact with the fungus were investigated. Only the highest conidial concentration (1 × 10 8 conidia ml - ) caused significant P. concolor adult mortality (22%) with enduing mycosis in 13% of the cadavers. There were no fungal propagules in olive oil samples resulting from olives previously contaminated by EAMa 01/58-Su conidia. Finally, the strain was demonstrated to be compatible with herbicide since the soil application of the fungus reduced the B. oleae population density up to 50% even when it was mixed with the herbicide in the same tank. The fungal inoculum reached basal levels 4 months after treatments (1.6 × 10 3 conidia g soil -1 ). These results reveal both the efficacy and environmental and food safety of this B. oleae control method, protecting olive groves and improving olive oil quality without negative effects on the natural enemy P. concolor .

  3. Metarhizium brunneum (Ascomycota; Hypocreales Treatments Targeting Olive Fly in the Soil for Sustainable Crop Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meelad Yousef

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Soil treatments with Metarhizium brunneum EAMa 01/58-Su strain conducted in both Northern and Southern Spain reduced the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae population density emerging from the soil during spring up to 70% in treated plots compared with controls. A model to determine the influence of rainfall on the conidial wash into different soil types was developed, with most of the conidia retained at the first 5 cm, regardless of soil type, with relative percentages of conidia recovered ranging between 56 and 95%. Furthermore, the possible effect of UV-B exposure time on the pathogenicity of this strain against B. oleae adults coming from surviving preimaginals and carrying conidia from the soil at adult emergence was also evaluated. The UV-B irradiance has no significant effect on M. brunneum EAMa 01/58-Su pathogenicity with B. oleae adult mortalities of 93, 90, 79, and 77% after 0, 2, 4, and 6 of UV-B irradiance exposure, respectively. In a next step for the use of these M. brunneum EAMa 01/58-Sun soil treatments within a B. oleae IPM strategy, its possible effect of on the B. oleae cosmopolitan parasitoid Psyttalia concolor, its compatibility with the herbicide oxyfluorfen 24% commonly used in olive orchards and the possible presence of the fungus in the olive oil resulting from olives previously placed in contact with the fungus were investigated. Only the highest conidial concentration (1 × 108 conidia ml− caused significant P. concolor adult mortality (22% with enduing mycosis in 13% of the cadavers. There were no fungal propagules in olive oil samples resulting from olives previously contaminated by EAMa 01/58-Su conidia. Finally, the strain was demonstrated to be compatible with herbicide since the soil application of the fungus reduced the B. oleae population density up to 50% even when it was mixed with the herbicide in the same tank. The fungal inoculum reached basal levels 4 months after treatments (1.6 × 103 conidia g soil−1. These results reveal both the efficacy and environmental and food safety of this B. oleae control method, protecting olive groves and improving olive oil quality without negative effects on the natural enemy P. concolor.

  4. Diversity and antibacterial activities of fungi derived from the Gorgonian Echinogorgia rebekka from the South China Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ya-Nan; Shao, Chang-Lun; Zheng, Cai-Juan; Chen, Yi-Yan; Wang, Chang-Yun

    2011-01-01

    The diversity of symbiotic fungi associated with the gorgonian coral Echinogorgia rebekka from the Weizhou coral reef in the South China Sea was investigated. Combined with morphologic traits, ITS-rDNA sequences revealed 18 fungal strains from this gorgonian. All of the 18 fungi belonged to the phylum Ascomycota and were distributed among seven genera in five orders: Eurotiales (Aspergillus and Penicillium), Pleosporales (Alternaria), Capnodiales (Cladosporium), Trichosphaeriales (Nigrospora) and Hypocreales (Hypocrea and Nectria). Antibacterial activities of these fungal strains were investigated with five pathogenic bacteria. All of the 18 fungal strains displayed different levels of antibacterial activities, most of which exhibited moderate to high antibacterial activities to the Gram-positive pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus tetragenus, and showed relatively low bioactivities to other three pathogenic bacteria. Several fungal strains in the genera Penicillium and Cladosporium with strong antibacterial activities provide potential for further research on isolation of bioactive secondary metabolites.

  5. Gelatinomyces conus sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Leotiomycetes: a new bambusicolous fungal species from North-East India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vipin Parkash

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This study represents a newly discovered and described macro-fungal species under family Leotiomycetes (Ascomycota named as Gelatinomyces conus sp. nov. The fungal species was collected from decayed bamboo material (leaves, culms and branches during the survey in Upper Assam, India. It looks like a pine-cone with gelatinous ascostroma. The asci are thin-walled and arise in scattered discoid apothecia which are aggregated and clustered to form round gelatinous structure on decayed bamboo material. The study also brings the first record of fungal species from north east region of India. A taxonomic description, illustrations and isolation and culture of Gelatinomyces conus sp. nov. are provided in this study.

  6. Diversity and Antibacterial Activities of Fungi Derived from the Gorgonian Echinogorgia rebekka from the South China Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang-Yun Wang

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The diversity of symbiotic fungi associated with the gorgonian coral Echinogorgia rebekka from the Weizhou coral reef in the South China Sea was investigated. Combined with morphologic traits, ITS-rDNA sequences revealed 18 fungal strains from this gorgonian. All of the 18 fungi belonged to the phylum Ascomycota and were distributed among seven genera in five orders: Eurotiales (Aspergillus and Penicillium, Pleosporales (Alternaria, Capnodiales (Cladosporium, Trichosphaeriales (Nigrospora and Hypocreales (Hypocrea and Nectria. Antibacterial activities of these fungal strains were investigated with five pathogenic bacteria. All of the 18 fungal strains displayed different levels of antibacterial activities, most of which exhibited moderate to high antibacterial activities to the Gram-positive pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus tetragenus, and showed relatively low bioactivities to other three pathogenic bacteria. Several fungal strains in the genera Penicillium and Cladosporium with strong antibacterial activities provide potential for further research on isolation of bioactive secondary metabolites.

  7. Characterization of Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) isolates associated with Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) populations in Michigan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Louela A. Castrillo; Leah S. Bauer; Houping Liu; Michael H. Griggs; John D. Vandenberg

    2010-01-01

    Earlier research in Michigan on fungal entomopathogens of the emerald ash borer (EAB), a major invasive pest of ash trees, resulted in the isolation of Beauveria bassiana from late-instar larvae and pre-pupae. In the present study, some of these isolates were characterized and compared to ash bark- and soil-derived isolates to determine their...

  8. Sublethal Effects of Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) on Life Table Parameters of Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Tao; Reitz, Stuart R; Wang, Haihong; Lei, Zhongren

    2015-06-01

    We assessed effects of parental exposure to Beauveria bassiana on life history traits of subsequent generations of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Progeny from individuals that survived fungal exposure as second instars had significantly shorter egg stages, but longer prepupal development times than corresponding untreated controls. However, survivorship to adulthood of these progeny groups did not differ. Although fecundities of the parental types did not differ, the sex ratio of progeny from fungal-treated parents was male-biased, whereas sex ratio of progeny from untreated control parents was even. We calculated life table parameters for the progeny and found that all parameters, except for generation time, were significantly less for the progeny of fungal-treated parents than for progeny of untreated parents. The intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, net reproductive rate, mean generation time, and gross reproductive rate were 0.199 d(-1), 1.229 d(-1), 21.84, 15.48 d, and 27.273, respectively, for progeny of treated thrips, and 0.266 d(-1), 1.316 d(-1), 52.540, 14.92 d, and 70.64, respectively, for progeny of control thrips. Consequently, population projections demonstrated that offspring of parents exposed to B. bassiana would increase their population more slowly than those from untreated parents. These results demonstrate that B. bassiana has sublethal effects that reduce the reproductive success of F. occidentalis and these effects should be taken into account when evaluating its use in management programs for F. occidentalis. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Paecilomyces niveus Stolk & Samson, 1971 (Ascomycota: Thermoascaceae) as a pathogen of Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley, 1841) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zawadneak, M A C; Pimentel, I C; Robl, D; Dalzoto, P; Vicente, V; Sosa-Gómez, D R; Porsani, M; Cuquel, F L

    2015-11-01

    Nasonovia ribisnigri is a key pest of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in Brazil that requires alternative control methods to synthetic pesticides. We report, for the first time, the occurrence of Paecilomyces niveus as an entomopathogen of the aphid Nasonovia ribisnigri in Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil. Samples of mummified aphids were collected from lettuce crops. The fungus P. niveus (PaePR) was isolated from the insect bodies and identified by macro and micromorphology. The species was confirmed by sequencing Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) rDNA. We obtained a sequence of 528 bp (accession number HQ441751), which aligned with Byssochlamys nivea strains (100% identities). In a bioassay, 120 h after inoculation of N. ribisnigri with pathogenic P. niveus had an average mortality of 74%. The presence of P. niveus as a natural pathogen of N. ribisnigri in Brazil suggests that it may be possible to employ P. niveus to minimize the use of chemical insecticides.

  10. Paecilomyces niveus Stolk & Samson, 1971 (Ascomycota: Thermoascaceae as a pathogen of Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley, 1841 (Hemiptera, Aphididae in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A. C. Zawadneak

    Full Text Available Abstract Nasonovia ribisnigri is a key pest of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. in Brazil that requires alternative control methods to synthetic pesticides. We report, for the first time, the occurrence of Paecilomyces niveus as an entomopathogen of the aphid Nasonovia ribisnigri in Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil. Samples of mummified aphids were collected from lettuce crops. The fungus P. niveus (PaePR was isolated from the insect bodies and identified by macro and micromorphology. The species was confirmed by sequencing Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS rDNA. We obtained a sequence of 528 bp (accession number HQ441751, which aligned with Byssochlamys nivea strains (100% identities. In a bioassay, 120 h after inoculation of N. ribisnigri with pathogenic P. niveus had an average mortality of 74%. The presence of P. niveus as a natural pathogen of N. ribisnigri in Brazil suggests that it may be possible to employ P. niveus to minimize the use of chemical insecticides.

  11. Establishment of fungal entomopathogens Beauveria bassiana and Bionectria ochroleuca (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) as endophytes on artichoke Cynara scolymus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guesmi-Jouini, J; Garrido-Jurado, I; López-Díaz, C; Ben Halima-Kamel, M; Quesada-Moraga, E

    2014-06-01

    Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are commonly found in diverse habitats and are known to cause mycoses in many different taxa of arthropods. Various unexpected roles have been recently reported for fungal entomopathogens, including their presence as fungal endophytes, plant disease antagonists, rhizosphere colonizers and plant growth promoting fungi. In Tunisia, a wide range of indigenous EPF isolates from different species, such as Beauveria bassiana and Bionectria ochroleuca, were found to occur in the soil, and to be pathogenic against the artichoke aphid Capitophorus elaeagni (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Since endophytic fungi are recently regarded as plant-defending mutualists and their presence in internal plant tissue has been discussed as an adaptive protection against insects, we were interested on elucidating the possible endophytic behavior of B. bassiana and B. ochroleuca on artichoke, Cynara scolymus, after foliar spraying tehcnique. The leaf spray inoculation method was effective in introducing the inoculated fungi into the plant tissues and showed, then, an endophytic activity on artichoke even 10 days later. According S-N-K test, there was significant differences between the two fungal treatments, B. ochroleuca (84% a) and B. bassiana (78% a), and controls (0% b). Likewise, the inoculated entomopathogenic fungi were also isolated from new leaves even though with significant differences respectively between controls (0% c), B. bassiana (56% b) and B. ochroleuca (78% a). These results reveals significant new data on the interaction of inoculated fungi with artichoke plant as ecological roles that can be exploited for the protection of plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Pathogenic and enzyme activities of the entomopathogenic fungus Tolypocladium cylindrosporum (Ascomycota: Hypocreales from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana C Scorsetti

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Tolypocladium cylindrosporum is an entomopathogenic fungi that has been studied as a biological control agent against insects of several orders. The fungus has been isolated from the soil as well as from insects of the orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera. In this study, we analyzed the ability of a strain of T. cylindrosporum, isolated from soil samples taken in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to produce hydrolytic enzymes, and to study the relationship of those activities to the fungus pathogenicity against pest aphids. We have made the traditional and molecular characterization of this strain of T. cylindrosporum. The expression of hydrolase activity in the fungal strain was estimated at three incubation temperatures (4ºC, 12ºC and 24ºC, on different agar media supplemented with the following specific substrates: chitin azure, Tween ® 20, casein, and urea for chitinase, lipase, protease, and urease activity, respectively. The hydrolytic-enzyme activity was estimated qualitatively according to the presence of a halo of clarification through hydrolase action, besides was expressed semi-quantitatively as the ratio between the hydrolytic-halo and colony diameters. The pathogenicity of the fungus was tested on adults of the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi at three temperatures of incubation (4ºC, 12ºC and 24ºC. The suspension was adjusted to a concentration of 1x10 7 conidia/ml. In pathogenicity assays at seven days post-inoculation, the fungus caused the mortality of adults of Ropalosiphum padi at different temperatures also showed a broad ability to grow on several agar-culture media, supplemented with different carbon sources at the three incubation temperatures tested. Although, the growth was greater with higher incubation temperatures (with maximum levels at 24°C, the fungus reached similar colony diameters after 15 days of incubation on the medium supplemented with Tween® 20 at the lower two incubation temperatures of 4°C or 12°C. In accordance with the results on colony diameters, the fungus revealed an ability to degrade casein, chitin derivatives, Tween® 20, and urea as evidenced by the appearance of a halo around the fungal colony. Because of its origin and temperature tolerance, this Argentine strain has great potential for use as a biocontrol agent for insect pest control in cold and temperate environments. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (2: 833-841. Epub 2012 June 01.

  13. Pathogenic and enzyme activities of the entomopathogenic fungus Tolypocladium cylindrosporum (Ascomycota: Hypocreales from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana C Scorsetti

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Tolypocladium cylindrosporum is an entomopathogenic fungi that has been studied as a biological control agent against insects of several orders. The fungus has been isolated from the soil as well as from insects of the orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera. In this study, we analyzed the ability of a strain of T. cylindrosporum, isolated from soil samples taken in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to produce hydrolytic enzymes, and to study the relationship of those activities to the fungus pathogenicity against pest aphids. We have made the traditional and molecular characterization of this strain of T. cylindrosporum. The expression of hydrolase activity in the fungal strain was estimated at three incubation temperatures (4ºC, 12ºC and 24ºC, on different agar media supplemented with the following specific substrates: chitin azure, Tween ® 20, casein, and urea for chitinase, lipase, protease, and urease activity, respectively. The hydrolytic-enzyme activity was estimated qualitatively according to the presence of a halo of clarification through hydrolase action, besides was expressed semi-quantitatively as the ratio between the hydrolytic-halo and colony diameters. The pathogenicity of the fungus was tested on adults of the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi at three temperatures of incubation (4ºC, 12ºC and 24ºC. The suspension was adjusted to a concentration of 1x10 7 conidia/ml. In pathogenicity assays at seven days post-inoculation, the fungus caused the mortality of adults of Ropalosiphum padi at different temperatures also showed a broad ability to grow on several agar-culture media, supplemented with different carbon sources at the three incubation temperatures tested. Although, the growth was greater with higher incubation temperatures (with maximum levels at 24°C, the fungus reached similar colony diameters after 15 days of incubation on the medium supplemented with Tween® 20 at the lower two incubation temperatures of 4°C or 12°C. In accordance with the results on colony diameters, the fungus revealed an ability to degrade casein, chitin derivatives, Tween® 20, and urea as evidenced by the appearance of a halo around the fungal colony. Because of its origin and temperature tolerance, this Argentine strain has great potential for use as a biocontrol agent for insect pest control in cold and temperate environments. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (2: 833-841. Epub 2012 June 01.El hongo entomopatógeno Tolypocladium cylindrosporum ha sido estudiado como un agente de control biológico contra insectos de varios órdenes. Esta especie fue aislada del suelo, así como de insectos de los órdenes Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera e Hymenoptera. En el presente trabajo hemos analizado la capacidad de una cepa de T. cylindrosporum (LPSC Nº1065 aislada del suelo en Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, para producir enzimas hidrolíticas y determinar la relación de esta actividad con la patogenicidad del hongo para combatir la plaga de los áfidos en diferentes temperaturas (4º, 12º y 24ºC. En los ensayos de patogenicidad, siete días posteriores a la inoculación, se registró mortalidad en los adultos del áfido Ropalosiphum padi a diferentes temperaturas y también se demostró una amplia capacidad de crecer en varios medios de cultivos complementados con diferentes fuentes de carbono bajo las tres temperaturas de incubación ensayadas. Debido a su origen y a la tolerancia que tiene a bajas temperaturas esta cepa, presenta un gran potencial para su uso como agente de control biológico para las plagas de insectos de ambientes fríos y templados.

  14. Pathogenic and enzyme activities of the entomopathogenic fungus Tolypocladium cylindrosporum (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scorsetti, Ana C; Elíades, Lorena A; Stenglein, Sebastián A; Cabello, Marta N; Pelizza, Sebastián A; Saparrat, Mario C N

    2012-06-01

    Tolypocladium cylindrosporum is an entomopathogenic fungi that has been studied as a biological control agent against insects of several orders. The fungus has been isolated from the soil as well as from insects of the orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera. In this study, we analyzed the ability of a strain of T cylindrosporum, isolated from soil samples taken in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to produce hydrolytic enzymes, and to study the relationship of those activities to the fungus pathogenicity against pest aphids. We have made the traditional and molecular characterization of this strain of T cylindrosporum. The expression of hydrolase activity in the fungal strain was estimated at three incubation temperatures (4 degreeC, 12 degreeC and 24 degreeC), on different agar media supplemented with the following specific substrates: chitin azure, Tween 20, casein, and urea for chitinase, lipase, protease, and urease activity, respectively. The hydrolytic-enzyme activity was estimated qualitatively according to the presence of a halo of clarification through hydrolase action, besides was expressed semi-quantitatively as the ratio between the hydrolytic-halo and colony diameters. The pathogenicity of the fungus was tested on adults of the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi at three temperatures of incubation (4 degree C, 12 degree C and 24 degree C). The suspension was adjusted to a concentration of 1x10(7) conidia/ml. In pathogenicity assays at seven days post-inoculation, the fungus caused the mortality of adults of Ropalosiphum padi at different temperatures also showed a broad ability to grow on several agar-culture media, supplemented with different carbon sources at the three incubation temperatures tested. Although, the growth was greater with higher incubation temperatures (with maximum levels at 24 degreeC), the fungus reached similar colony diameters after 15 days of incubation on the medium supplemented with Tween 20 at the lower two incubation temperatures of 4 degreeC or 12 degreeC. In accordance with the results on colony diameters, the fungus revealed an ability to degrade casein, chitin derivatives, Tween 20, and urea as evidenced by the appearance of a halo around the fungal colony. Because of its origin and temperature tolerance, this Argentine strain has great potential for use as a biocontrol agent for insect pest control in cold and temperate environments.

  15. Daldinia eschscholtzii (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae isolated from the Brazilian Amazon: taxonomic features and mycelial growth conditions Daldinia eschscholzii (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae isolado na Amazônia brasileira: características taxonômicas e condições de crescimento micelial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamila Tomoko Yuyama

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The Amazon has a high diversity of fungi, including species of the genus Daldinia (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae, which produce secondary metabolites with recognized nematicidal and antimicrobial activity. The ecological role of Daldinia is important, as stromata serve as refuges to many insects and arthropodes, and the fungi contribute to the degradation of vegetable organic matter. The aim of this study was to analyze the taxonomic features and mycelial growth conditions in vitro of a Daldinia specimen collected in the Brazilian Amazon. Morphological and molecular studies of the fungus identified it as D. eschscholtzii. To evaluate mycelial growth, we cultivated the fungus at 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 °C in malt extract-peptone agar (MEPA, malt extract-peptone (MEP, potato dextrose (PD, and minimum medium (MM. The best mycelial growth occurred at 35 °C, although the greatest amount of biomass was obtained at 25 °C and 30 °C. PD proved to be the best medium for biomass production.A Amazônia apresenta alta diversidade de fungos, incluindo Daldinia (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae, cujas espécies produzem metabólitos secundários com reconhecida atividade antimicrobiana e nematicida. O papel ecológico é importante, visto que estromas servem de abrigo para muitos insetos e artrópodes, além de contribuir na degradação da matéria orgânica vegetal. O objetivo desse estudo foi analizar as características taxonômicas e as condições do crescimento micelial in vitro de um espécime de Daldinia coletado na Amazônia brasileira. Estudos morfológicos e moleculares do fungo o indetificaram como D. eschscholtzii. Para avaliação do crescimento micelial o fungo foi cultivado nas temperaturas de 20, 25, 30, 35 e 40 °C e nos meios de cultura extrato de malte-peptona ágar (EMPA, extrato de malte-peptona (EMP, batata dextrose (BD e meio mínimo (MM. O melhor crescimento micelial ocorreu a 35 °C, entretanto, a maior quantidade de biomassa foi obtida a 25 e

  16. Laboratory and semi-field evaluation of Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) against the lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shrestha, Govinda; Enkegaard, Annie; Steenberg, Tove

    2015-01-01

    The lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley), is an economically important pest of lettuce worldwide. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana strain GHA has recently been reported as a potential biocontrol candidate for use against the lettuce aphid. This study provides information...... on the mortality inflicted by B. bassiana when applied against different life stages of the lettuce aphid under laboratory conditions and how fungus infection affects the aphid fecundity. In addition, temporal changes in persistence of fungus inoculum applied to foliage of young lettuce plants under semi......-field conditions was analysed. Immature life stages were generally the least susceptible to fungal infection and the susceptibility of all stages was dose-dependent, with the highest mortality occurring at the highest dose. B. bassiana significantly affected the rate of nymph production by the lettuce aphid...

  17. Susceptibility of two hymenopteran parasitoids of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimberly M Dean; John D. Vandenberg; Michael H. Griggs; Leah S. Bauer; Melissa K. Fierke

    2012-01-01

    Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, native to Asia, is killing ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) across 15 states and southeastern Canada. Integrated pest management using biological control is the only viable long-term approach for controlling the spread of EAB outside of host resistance. Three hymenopteran parasitoids...

  18. First record of entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales on pleasing fungus beetle Episcapha quadrimacula (Coleoptera: Erotylidae in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y.K. Goh

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The presence of entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana on Pleasing Fungus Beetle Episcapha quadrimacula has been reported on fruiting bodies of Ganoderma boninense for the first time in Malaysia.

  19. Susceptibility of two hymenopteran parasitoids of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, native to Asia, is killing ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in eastern North America. Integrated pest management using biological control is the only viable long-term approach for controlling the spread of EAB outside of host resistance. Three hymen...

  20. Spatiotemporal Distribution and Assemblages of Planktonic Fungi in the Coastal Waters of the Bohai Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaqiong Wang

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Fungi play a critical role in the nutrient cycling and ecological function in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Yet, many ecological aspects of their counterparts in coastal ecosystems remain largely elusive. Using high-throughput sequencing, quantitative PCR, and environmental data analyses, we studied the spatiotemporal changes in the abundance and diversity of planktonic fungi and their abiotic and biotic interactions in the coastal waters of three transects along the Bohai Sea. A total of 4362 ITS OTUs were identified and more than 60% of which were unclassified Fungi. Of the classified OTUs three major fungal phyla, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Chytridiomycota were predominant with episodic low dominance phyla Cryptomycota and Mucoromycota (Mortierellales. The estimated average Fungi-specific 18S rRNA gene qPCR abundances varied within 4.28 × 106 and 1.13 × 107copies/L with significantly (P < 0.05 different abundances among the transects suggesting potential influence of the different riverine inputs. The spatiotemporal changes in the OTU abundance of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota phyla coincided significantly (P < 0.05 with nutrients traced to riverine inputs and phytoplankton detritus. Among the eight major fungal orders, the abundance of Hypocreales varied significantly (P < 0.01 across months while Capnodiales, Pleosporales, Eurotiales, and Sporidiobolales varied significantly (P < 0.05 across transects. In addition, our results likely suggest a tripartite interaction model for the association within members of Cryptomycota (hyperparasites, Chytridiomycota (both parasites and saprotrophs, and phytoplankton in the coastal waters. The fungal network featured several hubs and keystone OTUs besides the display of cooperative and competitive relationship within OTUs. These results support the notion that planktonic fungi, hitherto mostly undescribed, play diverse ecological roles in marine habitats and further outline niche processes

  1. The effect of Rickia wasmannii (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales on the aggression and boldness of Myrmica scabrinodis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferenc Báthori

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The interactions of ectosymbiotic Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota fungi and their hosts are rather understudied. Rickia wasmannii Cavara is a common ant-associated Laboulbeniales species that has been reported in 17 countries of Europe, and frequently infects Myrmica scabrinodis Nylander, 1846 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, a common ant species host, in high density. These make M. scabrinodis and R. wasmannii appropriate model organisms for studies on fungal host-ectosymbiont interactions. Aggressiveness and boldness of infected and uninfected M. scabrinodis workers from northern and eastern Hungary were studied in two laboratory-established behavioural experiments. Infected workers were significantly less aggressive and less bold (i.e. less likely to leave nest shelters than the uninfected ones. These results suggest that R. wasmannii has considerable effects on the behaviour of M. scabrinodis. Our study brings an evidence that infection of ants with Laboulbeniales might negatively affect the workers’ behaviour. In special, the competitive abilities might be affected most by these fungi, since remaining inside and behaving submissively is not effective behaviour in the case of significant competition for resources among colonies.

  2. Host range and diversity of the genus Geosmithia (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) living in association with bark beetles in the Mediterranean area

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kolařík, Miroslav; Kostovčík, Martin; Pažoutová, Sylvie

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 111, č. 11 (2007), s. 1298-1310 ISSN 0953-7562 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA522/02/1206 Grant - others:Univerzita Karlova(CZ) 205/2004; GA ČR(CZ) GD206/03/H137; GA ČR(CZ) GD206/03/H034 Program:GD; GD Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Source of funding: V - iné verejné zdroje ; V - iné verejné zdroje ; V - iné verejné zdroje Keywords : entomogenous fungi * insect-fungus interactions * molecular phylogenetics Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 1.861, year: 2007

  3. Cuticle Fatty Acid Composition and Differential Susceptibility of Three Species of Cockroaches to the Entomopathogenic Fungi Metarhizium anisopliae (Ascomycota, Hypocreales).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutierrez, Alejandra C; Gołębiowski, Marek; Pennisi, Mariana; Peterson, Graciela; García, Juan J; Manfrino, Romina G; López Lastra, Claudia C

    2015-04-01

    Differences in free fatty acids (FFAs) chemical composition of insects may be responsible for susceptibility or resistance to fungal infection. Determination of FFAs found in cuticular lipids can effectively contribute to the knowledge concerning insect defense mechanisms. In this study, we have evaluated the susceptibility of three species of cockroaches to the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin by topical application. Mortality due to M. anisopliae was highly significant on adults and nymphs of Blattella germanica L. (Blattodea: Blattellidae). However, mortality was faster in adults than in nymphs. Adults of Blatta orientalis L. (Blattodea: Blattidae) were not susceptible to the fungus, and nymphs of Blaptica dubia Serville (Blattodea: Blaberidae) were more susceptible to the fungus than adults. The composition of cuticular FFAs in the three species of cockroaches was also studied. The analysis indicated that all of the fatty acids were mostly straight-chain, long-chain, saturated or unsaturated. Cuticular lipids of three species of cockroaches contained 19 FFAs, ranging from C14:0 to C24:0. The predominant fatty acids found in the three studied species of cockroaches were oleic, linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acid. Only in adults of Bl. orientalis, myristoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, arachidic acid, dihomolinoleic acid, and behenic acid were identified. Lignoceric acid was detected only in nymphs of Bl. orientalis. Heneicosylic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were identified in adults of Ba. dubia. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Pyrosequencing Reveals Fungal Communities in the Rhizosphere of Xinjiang Jujube

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Liu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Fungi are important soil components as both decomposers and plant symbionts and play a major role in ecological and biogeochemical processes. However, little is known about the richness and structure of fungal communities. DNA sequencing technologies allow for the direct estimation of microbial community diversity, avoiding culture-based biases. We therefore used 454 pyrosequencing to investigate the fungal communities in the rhizosphere of Xinjiang jujube. We obtained no less than 40,488 internal transcribed spacer (ITS rDNA reads, the number of each sample was 6943, 6647, 6584, 6550, 6860, and 6904, and we used bioinformatics and multivariate statistics to analyze the results. The index of diversity showed greater richness in the rhizosphere fungal community of a 3-year-old jujube than in that of an 8-year-old jujube. Most operational taxonomic units belonged to Ascomycota, and taxonomic analyses identified Hypocreales as the dominant fungal order. Our results demonstrated that the fungal orders are present in different proportions in different sampling areas. Redundancy analysis (RDA revealed a significant correlation between soil properties and the abundance of fungal phyla. Our results indicated lower fungal diversity in the rhizosphere of Xinjiang jujube than that reported in other studies, and we hope our findings provide a reference for future research.

  5. Naturally-Occurring Entomopathogenic Fungi on Three Bark Beetle Species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae in Bulgaria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slavimira A. Draganova

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae belong to one of the most damaging groups of forest insects and the activity of their natural enemies –pathogens, parasitoids,parasites or predators suppressing their population density,is of great importance. Biodiversity of entomopathogenic fungi on bark beetles in Bulgaria has been investigated sporadically. The aim of this preliminary study was to find, identify and study morphological characteristics of fungal entomopathogens naturally-occurring in populations of three curculionid species – Ips sexdentatus Boern, Ips typographus (L. and Dryocoetes autographus (Ratz.. Dead pest adults were found under the bark of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies trees collectedfrom forests in the Maleshevska and Vitosha Mountains. Fungal pathogens were isolated into pure cultures on SDAY (Sabouraud dextrose agar with yeast extract and were identified based on morphological characteristics both on the host and in a culture.Morphological characteristics of the isolates were studied by phenotypic methods. The fungal isolates obtained from dead adults of Ips sexdentatus, Ips typographus and D. autographus were found to belong to the species Beauveria bassiana (Bals. – Criv. Vuillemin,Beauveria brongniartii (Saccardo Petch and Isaria farinosa (Holmsk. Fries (anamorph Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes: Hypocreales, Cordycipitaceae. Morphological traits of the isolates are described.

  6. 2. Samson.pmd

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    sulaiman.adebowale

    2008-02-25

    Feb 25, 2008 ... The article concludes by exploring more successful attempts at gender transformative ..... development strategies adopted by post-colonial states that were inspired by both dependency theory and ...... Corporate Services.

  7. Control de Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae mediante el uso del hongo entomopatógeno Metarhizium anisopliae (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae. Revisión

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melina Maribel Ojeda-Chi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Las infestaciones de la garrapata del ganado, Rhipicephalus microplus, producen el mayor problema global de ectoparásitos en ganado de regiones tropicales y subtropicales, provocan importantes pérdidas económicas en la producción de carne, leche y pieles, además incrementan los gastos derivados de los programas de control, y son capaces de transmitir Babesia bovis, B. bigemina y Anaplasma marginale. El control de R. microplus se basa principalmente en el uso de ixodicidas, sin embargo, su uso irracional ha propiciado la aparición de garrapatas resistentes a las principales familias de ixodicidas, siendo necesario desarrollar alternativas de control no químico. Una de estas alternativas es el uso de hongos entomopatógenos, entre los que se encuentra Metarhizium anisopliae (Hypocreales, Clavicipitaceae el cual ha demostrado ser eficiente, tanto en estudios in vitro como in vivo, para el control de las diferentes fases evolutivas de R. microplus, causa disminución en la tasa de oviposición, incrementa el período de incubación y de eclosión, además produce la muerte de larvas y garrapatas adultas con porcentajes de eficiencia de hasta el 100 %. Diferentes estudios demuestran que M. anisopliae representa una alternativa no química sustentable para el control de garrapatas. La presente revisión tiene como objetivo presentar información actualizada sobre el uso de diferentes cepas de M. anisopliae en el control de la garrapata R.microplus.

  8. 77 FR 37957 - Guizhou Tyre Corporation; Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-25

    ...'') has determined that certain Samson and Advance brand ST trailer Tires, do not fully comply with... involved: Affected are approximately 4,291 size ST235/ 85R16/14 ply Samson and Advance brand ST Trailer..., although there is no limit to the length of necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are...

  9. Evaluating the virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes and Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales isolates to Arabian rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes agamemnon arabicus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.W. Khudhair

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Virulence of entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana were tested against Arabian Rhinoceros Beetle, Oryctes agamemnon arabicus larvae. Four concentrations (1×105, 1×107, 1×109 and 1×1011 conidia/mL–1 of two locally isolated entomopathogenic fungi spore suspensions were used in this study via larval direct spraying. Results revealed that both isolates can cause high mortality rate reaching 100% after 29 days. However, Beauveria bassiana scored higher mortality rate in short time especially at the concentration of 1×1011 conidia/ mL–1 with lethal time (LT50 12.75 and LT90 20.00; while, Metarhizium anisopliae caused the higher percentage of malformed adults. Moreover, both isolates affected insect’s life cycle particularly in the pupal stage which was reduced remarkably by almost 50% in comparison with the control treatment.

  10. Diversidad de Anamorfos de Ascomycota en bosques nativos de Celtis tala (Ulmaceae en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina Diversity of anamorphic fungi in Celtis tala (Ulmaceae native forest from Buenos Aires province, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia Allegrucci

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available En el presente trabajo se analizó la diversidad de microhongos que constituyen la comunidad fúngica saprótrofa (anamorfos de Ascomycota presente en hojarasca y suelo en bosques nativos de Celtis tala (tala en el partido de Magdalena, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se realizaron muestreos estacionales durante dos años (2004-2005 y se aislaron e identificaron los hongos presentes. Se calculó la frecuencia relativa porcentual de cada taxón; estos datos fueron utilizados para evaluar la diversidad fúngica mediante el cálculo del Indice de Diversidad de Shanon y Weaver ( H '. Para discriminar las comunidades fúngicas se utilizó el coeficiente de similitud de Sorensen ( S '. Se identificaron 104 taxones de anamorfos de Ascomycota, de los cuales 54 fueron aislados de hojarasca y 58 de suelo, registrándose 8 especies en común para ambos tipos de muestra. De las especies compartidas, las que presentaron frecuencias más altas para hojarasca fueron las menos representadas en suelo y viceversa. El resultado del cálculo del coeficiente de similitud de Sorensen fue de 0.14, indicando que la comunidad de hongos saprótrofos que crece en la hojarasca de tala está integrada por diferentes especies a las que caracterizan la micobiota del suelo de la misma área. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en el índice de diversidad.In this paper we analyze the diversity of species that compose the saprotrophic (anamorphic Ascomycota fungi community in the leaf litter and soil in Celtis tala forest in Magdalena , located in the province of Buenos Aires . Seasonal samples were taken during two years (2004-2005, and fungi were isolated and identified. The relative frequencies of fungi were calculated. To compare the similarity of the fungi composition between different habitats, Sorensen's index of similarity (S´ was applied. The frequencies of occurrence of these fungi were recorded and Shannon Weaver index (H´ was applied to evaluate fungal

  11. 1-Samson last.pmd

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    seriane.camara

    2010-09-16

    Sep 16, 2010 ... reclaimers could negotiate with the state, they needed to mount an. 'ontological ... many ways its scope was expanding, not contracting. Despite .... the violent enforcement of a contract that granted a private company called.

  12. Auditory Demonstrations for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Outreach

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    of the bone conduction station including 1) full-face respirator with Huari HRE -5673 system, 2) Samson C-que 8-headphone amplifier, 3) iPod, 4...Fig. 14 ARL photo of the bone conduction station including 1) full-face respirator with Huari HRE -5673 system, 2) Samson C-que 8-headphone...conduction microphone capability. In addition, a bone conduction communication system designed for gas masks (Huari HRE -5673) was displayed attached to

  13. Recovery and phylogenetic diversity of culturable fungi associated with marine sponges Clathrina luteoculcitella and Holoxea sp. in the South China Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Bo; Yin, Ying; Zhang, Fengli; Li, Zhiyong

    2011-08-01

    Sponge-associated fungi represent an important source of marine natural products, but little is known about the fungal diversity and the relationship of sponge-fungal association, especially no research on the fungal diversity in the South China Sea sponge has been reported. In this study, a total of 111 cultivable fungi strains were isolated from two South China Sea sponges Clathrina luteoculcitella and Holoxea sp. using eight different media. Thirty-two independent representatives were selected for analysis of phylogenetic diversity according to ARDRA and morphological characteristics. The culturable fungal communities consisted of at least 17 genera within ten taxonomic orders of two phyla (nine orders of the phylum Ascomycota and one order of the phylum Basidiomycota) including some potential novel marine fungi. Particularly, eight genera of Apiospora, Botryosphaeria, Davidiella, Didymocrea, Lentomitella, Marasmius, Pestalotiopsis, and Rhizomucor were isolated from sponge for the first time. Sponge C. luteoculcitella has greater culturable fungal diversity than sponge Holoxea sp. Five genera of Aspergillus, Davidiella, Fusarium, Paecilomyces, and Penicillium were isolated from both sponges, while 12 genera of Apiospora, Botryosphaeria, Candida, Marasmius, Cladosporium, Didymocrea, Hypocrea, Lentomitella, Nigrospora, Pestalotiopsis, Rhizomucor, and Scopulariopsis were isolated from sponge C. luteoculcitella only. Order Eurotiales especially genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, and order Hypocreales represented the dominant culturable fungi in these two South China Sea sponges. Nigrospora oryzae strain PF18 isolated from sponge C. luteoculcitella showed a strong and broad spectrum antimicrobial activities suggesting the potential for antimicrobial compounds production.

  14. Interactions among the predatory midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), the fungal pathogen Metarhizium brunneum (Ascomycota: Hypocreales), and maize-infesting aphids in greenhouse mesocosms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Campos de Azevedo, Ana Gorete; Steinwender, Bernhardt Michael; Eilenberg, Jørgen

    2017-01-01

    , the interaction between these two biological control organisms and how it may affect the biological control of aphids awaits further investigation. As part of the EU-supported project INBIOSOIL, this study was conducted in greenhouse conditions to assess the possible effects of combining both biological control...... by treatment. Aphidoletes aphidimyza applied alone suppressed the aphid population more effectively than M. brunneum applied alone. Additionally, the aphid population was most suppressed when both agents were combined, though the suppression was less than additive....

  15. Interactions among the Predatory Midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae, the Fungal Pathogen Metarhizium brunneum (Ascomycota: Hypocreales, and Maize-Infesting Aphids in Greenhouse Mesocosms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Gorete Campos de Azevedo

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The generalist entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium brunneum, has proved to have great potential as a versatile biological pest control agent. The gall midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza is a specialist predator that occurs naturally in Europe and has been successfully used for aphid suppression. However, the interaction between these two biological control organisms and how it may affect the biological control of aphids awaits further investigation. As part of the EU-supported project INBIOSOIL, this study was conducted in greenhouse conditions to assess the possible effects of combining both biological control agents. In a randomized complete block design, sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata plants were grown in large pots filled with natural soil or natural soil inoculated with M. brunneum. At the third leaf stage, before being individually caged, plants were infested with Rhopalosiphum padi and A. aphidimyza pupae were introduced in the soil. Aphidoletes aphidimyza midge emergence, number of living midges and number of aphids were recorded daily. The presence of conidia in the soil and on leaves was assessed during the experiment. At the conclusion of the experiment, the number of live aphids and their developmental stage, consumed aphids, and A. aphidimyza eggs was assessed under stereomicroscope. This study’s findings showed that the presence of M. brunneum did not affect A. aphidimyza midge emergence. However, longevity was significantly affected. As the study progressed, significantly fewer predatory midges were found in cages treated with M. brunneum compared to untreated cages. Furthermore, by the end of the study, the number of predatory midges found in the Metarhizium-treated cages was four times lower than in the untreated cages. Both daily and final count of aphids were significantly affected by treatment. Aphidoletes aphidimyza applied alone suppressed the aphid population more effectively than M. brunneum applied alone. Additionally, the aphid population was most suppressed when both agents were combined, though the suppression was less than additive.

  16. Contributions of North American endophytes to the phylogeny, ecology, and taxonomy of Xylariaceae (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota).

    Science.gov (United States)

    U'Ren, Jana M; Miadlikowska, Jolanta; Zimmerman, Naupaka B; Lutzoni, François; Stajich, Jason E; Arnold, A Elizabeth

    2016-05-01

    The Xylariaceae (Sordariomycetes) comprise one of the largest and most diverse families of Ascomycota, with at least 85 accepted genera and ca. 1343 accepted species. In addition to their frequent occurrence as saprotrophs, members of the family often are found as endophytes in living tissues of phylogenetically diverse plants and lichens. Many of these endophytes remain sterile in culture, precluding identification based on morphological characters. Previous studies indicate that endophytes are highly diverse and represent many xylariaceous genera; however, phylogenetic analyses at the family level generally have not included endophytes, such that their contributions to understanding phylogenetic relationships of Xylariaceae are not well known. Here we use a multi-locus, cumulative supermatrix approach to integrate 92 putative species of fungi isolated from plants and lichens into a phylogenetic framework for Xylariaceae. Our collection spans 1933 isolates from living and senescent tissues in five biomes across the continental United States, and here is analyzed in the context of previously published sequence data from described species and additional taxon sampling of type specimens from culture collections. We found that the majority of strains obtained in our surveys can be classified in the hypoxyloid and xylaroid subfamilies, although many also were found outside of these lineages (as currently circumscribed). Many endophytes were placed in lineages previously not known for endophytism. Most endophytes appear to represent novel species, but inferences are limited by potential gaps in public databases. By linking our data, publicly available sequence data, and records of ascomata, we identify many geographically widespread, host-generalist clades capable of symbiotic associations with diverse photosynthetic partners. Concomitant with such cosmopolitan host use and distributions, many xylariaceous endophytes appear to inhabit both living and non-living plant

  17. First detection of the larval chalkbrood disease pathogen Ascosphaera apis (Ascomycota: Eurotiomycetes: Ascosphaerales in adult bumble bees.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah A Maxfield-Taylor

    Full Text Available Fungi in the genus Ascosphaera (Ascomycota: Eurotiomycetes: Ascosphaerales cause chalkbrood disease in larvae of bees. Here, we report the first-ever detection of the fungus in adult bumble bees that were raised in captivity for studies on colony development. Wild queens of Bombus griseocollis, B. nevadensis and B. vosnesenskii were collected and maintained for establishment of nests. Queens that died during rearing or that did not lay eggs within one month of capture were dissected, and tissues were examined microscopically for the presence of pathogens. Filamentous fungi that were detected were plated on artificial media containing broad spectrum antibiotics for isolation and identification. Based on morphological characters, the fungus was identified as Ascosphaera apis (Maasen ex Claussen Olive and Spiltoir, a species that has been reported earlier only from larvae of the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana, and the carpenter bee Xylocopa californica arizonensis. The identity of the fungus was confirmed using molecular markers and phylogenetic analysis. Ascosphaera apis was detected in queens of all three bumble bee species examined. Of 150 queens dissected, 12 (8% contained vegetative and reproductive stages of the fungus. Both fungal stages were also detected in two workers collected from colonies with Ascosphaera-infected B. nevadensis queens. In this study, wild bees could have been infected prior to capture for rearing, or, the A. apis infection could have originated via contaminated European honey bee pollen fed to the bumble bees in captivity. Thus, the discovery of A. apis in adult bumble bees in the current study has important implications for commercial production of bumble bee colonies and highlights potential risks to native bees via pathogen spillover from infected bees and infected pollen.

  18. First detection of the larval chalkbrood disease pathogen Ascosphaera apis (Ascomycota: Eurotiomycetes: Ascosphaerales) in adult bumble bees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxfield-Taylor, Sarah A; Mujic, Alija B; Rao, Sujaya

    2015-01-01

    Fungi in the genus Ascosphaera (Ascomycota: Eurotiomycetes: Ascosphaerales) cause chalkbrood disease in larvae of bees. Here, we report the first-ever detection of the fungus in adult bumble bees that were raised in captivity for studies on colony development. Wild queens of Bombus griseocollis, B. nevadensis and B. vosnesenskii were collected and maintained for establishment of nests. Queens that died during rearing or that did not lay eggs within one month of capture were dissected, and tissues were examined microscopically for the presence of pathogens. Filamentous fungi that were detected were plated on artificial media containing broad spectrum antibiotics for isolation and identification. Based on morphological characters, the fungus was identified as Ascosphaera apis (Maasen ex Claussen) Olive and Spiltoir, a species that has been reported earlier only from larvae of the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana, and the carpenter bee Xylocopa californica arizonensis. The identity of the fungus was confirmed using molecular markers and phylogenetic analysis. Ascosphaera apis was detected in queens of all three bumble bee species examined. Of 150 queens dissected, 12 (8%) contained vegetative and reproductive stages of the fungus. Both fungal stages were also detected in two workers collected from colonies with Ascosphaera-infected B. nevadensis queens. In this study, wild bees could have been infected prior to capture for rearing, or, the A. apis infection could have originated via contaminated European honey bee pollen fed to the bumble bees in captivity. Thus, the discovery of A. apis in adult bumble bees in the current study has important implications for commercial production of bumble bee colonies and highlights potential risks to native bees via pathogen spillover from infected bees and infected pollen.

  19. Breaking the atom with Samson

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Väänänen, J.; Coecke, B.; Ong, L.; Panangaden, P.

    2013-01-01

    The dependence atom =(x,y) was introduced in [11]. Here x and y are finite sets of attributes (or variables) and the intuitive meaning of =(x,y) is that the attributes x completely (functionally) determine the attributes y. One may wonder, whether the dependence atom is truly an atom or whether it

  20. Samson G and Mesfin Lemma

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    mainly infrastructural problems, and capacity of traders. Based on the ... As market actors in floor based trading like the one at ECX are facing extensive ... developing countries in terms of price discovery, risk management, development of ...

  1. Endophytic fungi associated with roots of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) in coastal dunes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed Mahmoud, Fadila; Krimi, Zoulikha; Maciá-Vicente, Jose G; Brahim Errahmani, Mohamed; Lopez-Llorca, Luis V

    Symbiotic interactions with fungal endophytes are argued to be responsible for the tolerance of plants to some stresses and for their adaptation to natural conditions. In this study we aimed to examine the endophytic fungal diversity associated with roots of date palms growing in coastal dune systems, and to screen this collection of endophytes for potential use as biocontrol agents, for antagonistic activity and mycoparasitism, and as producers of antifungal compounds with potential efficacy against root diseases of date palm. Roots of nine individual date palms growing in three coastal locations in the South-East of Spain (Guardamar, El Carabassí, and San Juan) were selected to isolate endophytic fungi. Isolates were identified on the basis of morphological and/or molecular characters. Five hundred and fifty two endophytic fungi were isolated and assigned to thirty morphological taxa or molecular operational taxonomic units. Most isolates belonged to Ascomycota, and the dominant order was Hypocreales. Fusarium and Clonostachys were the most frequently isolated genera and were present at all sampling sites. Comparisons of the endophytic diversity with previous studies, and their importance in the management of the date palm crops are discussed. This is the first study on the diversity of endophytic fungi associated with roots of date palm. The isolates obtained might constitute a source of biological control agents and biofertilizers for use in crops of this plant. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Micología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. SMRT Sequencing Revealed Mitogenome Characteristics and Mitogenome-Wide DNA Modification Pattern in Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Xincong; Hu, Liqin; Shen, Pengyuan; Li, Rui; Liu, Dongbo

    2017-01-01

    Single molecule, real-time (SMRT) sequencing was used to characterize mitochondrial (mt) genome of Ophiocordyceps sinensis and to analyze the mt genome-wide pattern of epigenetic DNA modification. The complete mt genome of O. sinensis , with a size of 157,539 bp, is the fourth largest Ascomycota mt genome sequenced to date. It contained 14 conserved protein-coding genes (PCGs), 1 intronic protein rps3 , 27 tRNAs and 2 rRNA subunits, which are common characteristics of the known mt genomes in Hypocreales. A phylogenetic tree inferred from 14 PCGs in Pezizomycotina fungi supports O. sinensis as most closely related to Hirsutella rhossiliensis in Ophiocordycipitaceae. A total of 36 sequence sites in rps3 were under positive selection, with dN/dS >1 in the 20 compared fungi. Among them, 16 sites were statistically significant. In addition, the mt genome-wide base modification pattern of O. sinensis was determined in this study, especially DNA methylation. The methylations were located in coding and uncoding regions of mt PCGs in O. sinensis , and might be closely related to the expression of PCGs or the binding affinity of transcription factor A to mtDNA. Consequently, these methylations may affect the enzymatic activity of oxidative phosphorylation and then the mt respiratory rate; or they may influence mt biogenesis. Therefore, methylations in the mitogenome of O. sinensis might be a genetic feature to adapt to the cold and low PO 2 environment at high altitude, where O. sinensis is endemic. This is the first report on epigenetic modifications in a fungal mt genome.

  3. Hypocrea rufa/Trichoderma viride: a reassessment, and description of five closely related species with and without warted conidia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaklitsch, Walter M; Samuels, Gary J; Dodd, Sarah L; Lu, Bing-Sheng; Druzhinina, Irina S

    2006-01-01

    The type species of the genus Hypocrea (Hypocreaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota, Fungi), H. rufa, is re-defined and epitypified using a combination of phenotype (morphology of teleomorphs and anamorphs, and characteristics in culture) and phylogenetic analyses of the translation-elongation factor 1alpha gene. Its anamorph, T. viride, the type species of Trichoderma, is re-described and epitypified. Eidamia viridescens is combined as Trichoderma viridescens and is recognised as one of the most morphologically and phylogenetically similar relatives of T. viride. Its teleomorph is newly described as Hypocrea viridescens. Contrary to frequent citations of H. rufa and T. viride in the literature, this species is relatively rare. Although both T. viride and T. viridescens have a wide geographic distribution, their greatest genetic diversity appears to be in Europe and North America. Hypocrea vinosa is characterised and its anamorph, T. vinosum sp. nov., is described. Conidia of T. vinosum are subglobose and warted. The new species T. gamsii is proposed. It shares eidamia-like morphology of conidiophores with T. viridescens, but it has smooth, ellipsoidal conidia that have the longest L/W ratio that we have seen in Trichoderma. Trichoderma scalesiae, an endophyte of trunks of Scalesia pedunculata in the Galapagos Islands, is described as new. It only produces conidia on a low-nutrient agar to which filter paper has been added. Additional phylogenetically distinct clades are recognised and provisionally delimited from the species here described. Trichoderma neokoningii, a T. koningii-like species, is described from a collection made in Peru on a fruit of Theobroma cacao infected with Moniliophthora roreri.

  4. Origin and diversification of major clades in parmelioid lichens (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota during the Paleogene inferred by Bayesian analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guillermo Amo de Paz

    Full Text Available There is a long-standing debate on the extent of vicariance and long-distance dispersal events to explain the current distribution of organisms, especially in those with small diaspores potentially prone to long-distance dispersal. Age estimates of clades play a crucial role in evaluating the impact of these processes. The aim of this study is to understand the evolutionary history of the largest clade of macrolichens, the parmelioid lichens (Parmeliaceae, Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota by dating the origin of the group and its major lineages. They have a worldwide distribution with centers of distribution in the Neo- and Paleotropics, and semi-arid subtropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using DNA sequences of nuLSU and mtSSU rDNA, and the protein-coding RPB1 gene. The three DNA regions had different evolutionary rates: RPB1 gave a rate two to four times higher than nuLSU and mtSSU. Divergence times of the major clades were estimated with partitioned BEAST analyses allowing different rates for each DNA region and using a relaxed clock model. Three calibrations points were used to date the tree: an inferred age at the stem of Lecanoromycetes, and two dated fossils: Parmelia in the parmelioid group, and Alectoria. Palaeoclimatic conditions and the palaeogeological area cladogram were compared to the dated phylogeny of parmelioid. The parmelioid group diversified around the K/T boundary, and the major clades diverged during the Eocene and Oligocene. The radiation of the genera occurred through globally changing climatic condition of the early Oligocene, Miocene and early Pliocene. The estimated divergence times are consistent with long-distance dispersal events being the major factor to explain the biogeographical distribution patterns of Southern Hemisphere parmelioids, especially for Africa-Australia disjunctions, because the sequential break-up of Gondwana started much earlier than the origin of these

  5. Detrimental and neutral effects of a wild grass-fungal endophyte symbiotum on insect preference and performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clement, Stephen L; Hu, Jinguo; Stewart, Alan V; Wang, Bingrui; Elberson, Leslie R

    2011-01-01

    Seed-borne Epichloë/Neotyphodium Glenn, Bacon, Hanlin (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) fungal endophytes in temperate grasses can provide protection against insect attack with the degree of host resistance related to the grass-endophyte symbiotum and the insect species involved in an interaction. Few experimental studies with wild grass-endophyte symbiota, compared to endophyte-infected agricultural grasses, have tested for anti-insect benefits, let alone for resistance against more than one insect species. This study quantified the preference and performance of the bird cherry oat-aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and the cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), two important pests of forage and cereal grasses, on Neotyphodium-infected (E+) and uninfected (E-) plants of the wild grass Alpine timothy, Phleum alpinum L. (Poales: Poaceae). The experiments tested for both constitutive and wound-induced resistance in E+ plants to characterize possible plasticity of defense responses by a wild E+ grass. The aphid, R. padi preferred E- over E+ test plants in choice experiments and E+ undamaged test plants constitutively expressed antibiosis resistance to this aphid by suppressing population growth. Prior damage of E+ test plants did not induce higher levels of resistance to R. padi. By contrast, the beetle, O. melanopus showed no preference for E+ or E- test plants and endophyte infection did not adversely affect the survival and development of larvae. These results extend the phenomenon of variable effects of E+ wild grasses on the preference and performance of phytophagous insects. The wild grass- Neotyphodium symbiotum in this study broadens the number of wild E+ grasses available for expanded explorations into the effects of endophyte metabolites on insect herbivory.

  6. Diversity and antimicrobial activity of culturable fungi from fishscale bamboo (Phyllostachys heteroclada) in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ying-Ke; Shen, Xiao-Ye; Hou, Cheng-Lin

    2017-06-01

    An important and useful bamboo species, fishscale bamboo (Phyllostachys heteroclada Oliver), is broadly distributed in Southeast China and has multiple purposes, including uses in cuisine, weaving, Chinese medicine and ecological protection. However, no previous studies have focused on the endophytes of this plant. In our article, a total of 127 fungal strains were first isolated from the healthy branches and leaves of common P. heteroclada. These endophytic fungi could be directly categorized into 50 morphotypes according to their culture characteristics, and their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were analyzed for molecular identification. Using the BLAST search tool of the NCBI database and phylogenetic tree analysis, these isolates were divided into two phyla, Ascomycota (95.28%) and Basidiomycota (4.72%), including at least six orders (Xylariales, Capnodiales, Pleosporales, Hypocreales, Chaetothyriales and Polyporales) and fourteen genera (Arthrinium, Pestalotiopsis, Epicoccum, Cladosporium, Nigrospora, Setophoma, Didymella, Calcarisporium, Preussia, Nemania, Creosphaeria, Ophiobolus, Phialophora and Perenniporia). It is fascinating that four genera, Calcarisporium, Preussia, Creosphaeria and Phialophora were isolated from bamboos for the first time. The inhibitory effects against clinical pathogens were also preliminarily screened, and four isolates FB43 (Calcarisporium arbuscula), FB06 (Preussia minima), FB16 (Setophoma sp.) and FB21 (Perenniporia medulla-pains) among the candidate strains displayed broad-spectrum activities according to the agar diffusion method and the disk diffusion assay. Strain FB16 (Setophoma sp.) especially indicated high bioactivity against both clinical bacteria and yeast. This study is the first report on the diversity and antimicrobial activity of the endophytic fungi associated with P. heteroclada, which could be regarded as a potential source of drug precursors and could be used in biocontrol development.

  7. Diversity and Composition of Airborne Fungal Community Associated with Particulate Matters in Beijing during Haze and Non-haze Days.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Dong; Zhang, Tao; Su, Jing; Zhao, Li-Li; Wang, Hao; Fang, Xiao-Mei; Zhang, Yu-Qin; Liu, Hong-Yu; Yu, Li-Yan

    2016-01-01

    To assess the diversity and composition of airborne fungi associated with particulate matters (PMs) in Beijing, China, a total of 81 PM samples were collected, which were derived from PM2.5, PM10 fractions, and total suspended particles during haze and non-haze days. The airborne fungal community in these samples was analyzed using the Illumina Miseq platform with fungi-specific primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 region of the large subunit rRNA gene. A total of 797,040 reads belonging to 1633 operational taxonomic units were observed. Of these, 1102 belonged to Ascomycota, 502 to Basidiomycota, 24 to Zygomycota, and 5 to Chytridiomycota. The dominant orders were Pleosporales (29.39%), Capnodiales (27.96%), Eurotiales (10.64%), and Hypocreales (9.01%). The dominant genera were Cladosporium, Alternaria, Fusarium, Penicillium, Sporisorium, and Aspergilus. Analysis of similarities revealed that both particulate matter sizes (R = 0.175, p = 0.001) and air quality levels (R = 0.076, p = 0.006) significantly affected the airborne fungal community composition. The relative abundance of many fungal genera was found to significantly differ among various PM types and air quality levels. Alternaria and Epicoccum were more abundant in total suspended particles samples, Aspergillus in heavy-haze days and PM2.5 samples, and Malassezia in PM2.5 samples and heavy-haze days. Canonical correspondence analysis and permutation tests showed that temperature (p airborne fungal community composition. The results suggest that diverse airborne fungal communities are associated with particulate matters and may provide reliable data for studying the responses of human body to the increasing level of air pollution in Beijing.

  8. A re-evaluation of the genus Myceliophthora (Sordariales, Ascomycota): its segregation into four genera and description of Corynascus fumimontanus sp. nov.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marin-Felix, Yasmina; Stchigel, Alberto M; Miller, Andrew N; Guarro, Josep; Cano-Lira, José F

    2015-01-01

    Based on a number of isolates of Myceliophthora (Chaetomiaceae, Sordariales, Ascomycota) recently isolated from soil samples collected in USA, the taxonomy of the genus was re-evaluated through phylogenetic analyses of sequences from the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region and genes for the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II and translation elongation factor 1α. Members of Myceliophthora were split into four monophyletic clades strongly supported by molecular and phenotypic data. Such clades correspond with Myceliophthora, now restricted only to the type species of the genus Corynascus, which is re-established with five species, the new monotypic genus Crassicarpon and also the new genus Thermothelomyces (comprising four species). Myceliophthora lutea is mesophilic and a permanently asexual morph compared to the members of the other three mentioned genera, which also are able to sexually reproduce morphs with experimentally proven links to their asexual morphs. The asexual morph of M. lutea is characterized by broadly ellipsoidal, smooth-walled conidia with a wide, truncate base. Crassicarpon thermophilum is thermophilic and heterothallic and produces spherical to cuneiform, smooth-walled conidia and cleistothecial ascomata of smooth-walled, angular cells and ascospores with a germ pore at each end. Corynascus spp. are homothallic and mesophilic and produce spherical, mostly ornamented conidia and cleistothecial ascomata with textura epidermoidea composed of ornamented wall cells, and ascospores with one germ pore at each end. Thermothelomyces spp. are thermophilic, heterothallic and characterized by similar ascomata and conidia as Corynascus spp., but its ascospores exhibit only a single germ pore. A dichotomous key to distinguish Myceliophthora from the other mentioned genera are provided, as well as dichotomous keys to identify the species of Corynascus and Thermothelomyces. A new species, namely Corynascus fumimontanus, characterized by

  9. Contrasting diversity and host association of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes versus root-associated ascomycetes in a dipterocarp rainforest.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hirotoshi Sato

    Full Text Available Root-associated fungi, including ectomycorrhizal and root-endophytic fungi, are among the most diverse and important belowground plant symbionts in dipterocarp rainforests. Our study aimed to reveal the biodiversity, host association, and community structure of ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota and root-associated Ascomycota (including root-endophytic Ascomycota in a lowland dipterocarp rainforest in Southeast Asia. The host plant chloroplast ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL region and fungal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2 region were sequenced using tag-encoded, massively parallel 454 pyrosequencing to identify host plant and root-associated fungal taxa in root samples. In total, 1245 ascomycetous and 127 putative ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetous taxa were detected from 442 root samples. The putative ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota were likely to be associated with closely related dipterocarp taxa to greater or lesser extents, whereas host association patterns of the root-associated Ascomycota were much less distinct. The community structure of the putative ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota was possibly more influenced by host genetic distances than was that of the root-associated Ascomycota. This study also indicated that in dipterocarp rainforests, root-associated Ascomycota were characterized by high biodiversity and indistinct host association patterns, whereas ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota showed less biodiversity and a strong host phylogenetic preference for dipterocarp trees. Our findings lead to the working hypothesis that root-associated Ascomycota, which might be mainly represented by root-endophytic fungi, have biodiversity hotspots in the tropics, whereas biodiversity of ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota increases with host genetic diversity.

  10. Survival of anopheline eggs and their susceptibility to infection with Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana under laboratory conditions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luz, C.; Mnyone, L.L.; Russell, T.L.

    2011-01-01

    The viability of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs over time and the ovicidal activity of Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Cordycipitaceae) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ascomycota: Clavicipitaceae) were investigated. Eggs were incubated in soil or leaf

  11. Occurrence of Entomopathogenic Fungi from Agricultural and Natural Ecosystems in Saltillo, México, and their Virulence Towards Thrips and Whiteflies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Peña, Sergio R.; Lara, Jorge San-Juan; Medina, Raúl F.

    2011-01-01

    Entomopathogenic fungi were collected from soil in four adjacent habitats (oak forest, agricultural soil, pine reforestation and chaparral habitat) in Saltillo, México using the insect bait method with Tenebrio molitor (L.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae as bait. Overall, of the larvae exposed to soil, 171 (20%) hosted Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), 25 (3%) hosted Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and 1 (0.1%) hosted lsaria (=Paecilomyces) sp. (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). B. bassiana was significantly more frequent on larvae exposed to oak forest soil. M. anisopliae was significantly more frequent on larvae exposed to agricultural soil. From the infected bait insects, 93 isolates of B. bassiana and 24 isolates of M. anisopliae were obtained. Strains were tested for their infectivity against Cuban laurel thrips, Gynaikothrips uzeli Zimmerman (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) and the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). B. bassiana isolates caused the highest mortality on thrips (some causing 88% mortality after 6 days); both fungal species caused similarly high mortality levels against whiteflies (75%) after 6 days. Large amounts of germplasm of entomopathogenic fungi, fundamentally B. bassiana and M. anisopliae, exist in the habitats sampled; pathogenicity varied among strains, and some strains possessed significant virulence. Soils in these habitats are reservoirs of diverse strains with potential for use in biocontrol. PMID:21521145

  12. Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Introduced as an Endophyte in Corn Plants and Its Effects on Consumption, Reproductive Capacity, and Food Preference of Dichroplus maculipennis (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelizza, Sebastian A; Mariottini, Yanina; Russo, Leticia M; Vianna, M Florencia; Scorsetti, Ana C; Lange, Carlos E

    2017-01-01

    In this study, the effects of strain Beauveria bassiana (LPSC 1067) as an endophyte in corn plants on consumption, fecundity, and food preference of Dichroplus maculipennis were examined. We observed that the daily consumption by grasshoppers fed with control plants was almost twice that of those that were fed treated plants. Significant differences in fecundity of grasshoppers that were fed with treated plants compared with those that only fed on control plants were also observed. The number of eggs laid per female fed with control plants was 27.2, while the number of eggs laid per female that were fed during 15 d with treated plants was 17.7. Similar results were observed when the number of embryonated eggs was evaluated. The highest number of embryonated eggs were recorded in those females that only fed on control plants (96%) while fewer embryonated eggs were recorded in grasshoppers fed for 15 d with treated plants only (25%). In relation to food preference the average consumption rate for D. maculipennis females on control corn plants was 303.8 ± 24.5 mg while it was only 25 ± 2.1 mg on plants treated with B. bassiana as an endophyte. In summary, we observed that B. bassiana as a corn plant endophyte negatively affected the daily consumption rate, fecundity and food preference of D. maculipennis. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

  13. Physiological and molecular insights into drought tolerance ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Physiological and molecular insights into drought tolerance. Sagadevan G Mundree, Bienyameen Baker, Shaheen Mowla, Shaun Peters, Saberi Marais, Clare Vander Willigen, Kershini Govender, Alice Maredza, Samson Muyanga, Jill M Farrant, Jennifer A Thomson ...

  14. Trichoderma Biodiversity of Agricultural Fields in East China Reveals a Gradient Distribution of Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yuan; Wang, Jin-Liang; Chen, Jing; Mao, Li-Juan; Feng, Xiao-Xiao; Zhang, Chu-Long; Lin, Fu-Cheng

    2016-01-01

    We surveyed the Trichoderma (Hypocreales, Ascomycota) biodiversity in agricultural fields in four major agricultural provinces of East China. Trichoderma strains were identified based on molecular approaches and morphological characteristics. In three sampled seasons (spring, summer and autumn), 2078 strains were isolated and identified to 17 known species: T. harzianum (429 isolates), T. asperellum (425), T. hamatum (397), T. virens (340), T. koningiopsis (248), T. brevicompactum (73), T. atroviride (73), T. fertile (26), T. longibrachiatum (22), T. pleuroticola (16), T. erinaceum (16), T. oblongisporum (2), T. polysporum (2), T. spirale (2), T. capillare (2), T. velutinum (2), and T. saturnisporum (1). T. harzianum, T. asperellum, T. hamatum, and T. virens were identified as the dominant species with dominance (Y) values of 0.057, 0.052, 0.048, and 0.039, respectively. The species amount, isolate numbers and the dominant species of Trichoderma varied between provinces. Zhejiang Province has shown the highest diversity, which was reflected in the highest species amount (14) and the highest Shannon-Wiener diversity index of Trichoderma haplotypes (1.46). We observed that relative frequencies of T. hamatum and T. koningiopsis under rice soil were higher than those under wheat and maize soil, indicating the preference of Trichoderma to different crops. Remarkable seasonal variation was shown, with summer exhibiting the highest biodiversity of the studied seasons. These results show that Trichoderma biodiversity in agricultural fields varies by region, crop, and season. Zhejiang Province (the southernmost province in the investigated area) had more T. hamatum than Shandong Province (the northernmost province), not only in isolate amounts but also in haplotype amounts. Furthermore, at haplotype level, only T. hamatum showed a gradient distribution from south to north in correspondence analysis among the four dominant species. The above results would contribute to the

  15. Trichoderma Biodiversity of Agricultural Fields in East China Reveals a Gradient Distribution of Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jing; Mao, Li-Juan; Feng, Xiao-Xiao; Zhang, Chu-Long; Lin, Fu-Cheng

    2016-01-01

    We surveyed the Trichoderma (Hypocreales, Ascomycota) biodiversity in agricultural fields in four major agricultural provinces of East China. Trichoderma strains were identified based on molecular approaches and morphological characteristics. In three sampled seasons (spring, summer and autumn), 2078 strains were isolated and identified to 17 known species: T. harzianum (429 isolates), T. asperellum (425), T. hamatum (397), T. virens (340), T. koningiopsis (248), T. brevicompactum (73), T. atroviride (73), T. fertile (26), T. longibrachiatum (22), T. pleuroticola (16), T. erinaceum (16), T. oblongisporum (2), T. polysporum (2), T. spirale (2), T. capillare (2), T. velutinum (2), and T. saturnisporum (1). T. harzianum, T. asperellum, T. hamatum, and T. virens were identified as the dominant species with dominance (Y) values of 0.057, 0.052, 0.048, and 0.039, respectively. The species amount, isolate numbers and the dominant species of Trichoderma varied between provinces. Zhejiang Province has shown the highest diversity, which was reflected in the highest species amount (14) and the highest Shannon–Wiener diversity index of Trichoderma haplotypes (1.46). We observed that relative frequencies of T. hamatum and T. koningiopsis under rice soil were higher than those under wheat and maize soil, indicating the preference of Trichoderma to different crops. Remarkable seasonal variation was shown, with summer exhibiting the highest biodiversity of the studied seasons. These results show that Trichoderma biodiversity in agricultural fields varies by region, crop, and season. Zhejiang Province (the southernmost province in the investigated area) had more T. hamatum than Shandong Province (the northernmost province), not only in isolate amounts but also in haplotype amounts. Furthermore, at haplotype level, only T. hamatum showed a gradient distribution from south to north in correspondence analysis among the four dominant species. The above results would contribute to the

  16. Ijuhya vitellina sp. nov., a novel source for chaetoglobosin A, is a destructive parasite of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samad Ashrafi

    Full Text Available Cyst nematodes are globally important pathogens in agriculture. Their sedentary lifestyle and long-term association with the roots of host plants render cyst nematodes especially good targets for attack by parasitic fungi. In this context fungi were specifically isolated from nematode eggs of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi. Here, Ijuhya vitellina (Ascomycota, Hypocreales, Bionectriaceae, encountered in wheat fields in Turkey, is newly described on the basis of phylogenetic analyses, morphological characters and life-style related inferences. The species destructively parasitises eggs inside cysts of H. filipjevi. The parasitism was reproduced in in vitro studies. Infected eggs were found to harbour microsclerotia produced by I. vitellina that resemble long-term survival structures also known from other ascomycetes. Microsclerotia were also formed by this species in pure cultures obtained from both, solitarily isolated infected eggs obtained from fields and artificially infected eggs. Hyphae penetrating the eggshell colonised the interior of eggs and became transformed into multicellular, chlamydospore-like structures that developed into microsclerotia. When isolated on artificial media, microsclerotia germinated to produce multiple emerging hyphae. The specific nature of morphological structures produced by I. vitellina inside nematode eggs is interpreted as a unique mode of interaction allowing long-term survival of the fungus inside nematode cysts that are known to survive periods of drought or other harsh environmental conditions. Generic classification of the new species is based on molecular phylogenetic inferences using five different gene regions. I. vitellina is the only species of the genus known to parasitise nematodes and produce microsclerotia. Metabolomic analyses revealed that within the Ijuhya species studied here, only I. vitellina produces chaetoglobosin A and its derivate 19-O-acetylchaetoglobosin A. Nematicidal

  17. Ijuhya vitellina sp. nov., a novel source for chaetoglobosin A, is a destructive parasite of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashrafi, Samad; Helaly, Soleiman; Schroers, Hans-Josef; Stadler, Marc; Richert-Poeggeler, Katja R; Dababat, Abdelfattah A; Maier, Wolfgang

    2017-01-01

    Cyst nematodes are globally important pathogens in agriculture. Their sedentary lifestyle and long-term association with the roots of host plants render cyst nematodes especially good targets for attack by parasitic fungi. In this context fungi were specifically isolated from nematode eggs of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi. Here, Ijuhya vitellina (Ascomycota, Hypocreales, Bionectriaceae), encountered in wheat fields in Turkey, is newly described on the basis of phylogenetic analyses, morphological characters and life-style related inferences. The species destructively parasitises eggs inside cysts of H. filipjevi. The parasitism was reproduced in in vitro studies. Infected eggs were found to harbour microsclerotia produced by I. vitellina that resemble long-term survival structures also known from other ascomycetes. Microsclerotia were also formed by this species in pure cultures obtained from both, solitarily isolated infected eggs obtained from fields and artificially infected eggs. Hyphae penetrating the eggshell colonised the interior of eggs and became transformed into multicellular, chlamydospore-like structures that developed into microsclerotia. When isolated on artificial media, microsclerotia germinated to produce multiple emerging hyphae. The specific nature of morphological structures produced by I. vitellina inside nematode eggs is interpreted as a unique mode of interaction allowing long-term survival of the fungus inside nematode cysts that are known to survive periods of drought or other harsh environmental conditions. Generic classification of the new species is based on molecular phylogenetic inferences using five different gene regions. I. vitellina is the only species of the genus known to parasitise nematodes and produce microsclerotia. Metabolomic analyses revealed that within the Ijuhya species studied here, only I. vitellina produces chaetoglobosin A and its derivate 19-O-acetylchaetoglobosin A. Nematicidal and nematode

  18. A PCA-based hyperspectral approach to detect infections by mycophilic fungi on dried porcini mushrooms (boletus edulis and allied species).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagnasco, Lucia; Zotti, Mirca; Sitta, Nicola; Oliveri, Paolo

    2015-11-01

    Mycophilic fungi of anamorphic genus Sepedonium (telomorphs in Hypomyces, Hypocreales, Ascomycota) infect and parasitize sporomata of boletes. The obligated hosts such as Boletus edulis and allied species (known as "porcini mushrooms") are among the most valued and prized edible wild mushrooms in the world. Sepedonium infections have a great morphological variability: at the initial state, contaminated mushrooms present a white coating covering tubes and pores; at the final state, Sepedonium forms a deep and thick hyphal layer that eventually leads to the total necrosis of the host. Up to date, Sepedonium infections in porcini mushrooms have been evaluated only through macroscopic and microscopic visual analysis. In this study, in order to implement the infection evaluation as a routine methodology for industrial purposes, the potential application of Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for detection of Sepedonium presence on sliced and dried B. edulis and allied species was investigated. Hyperspectral images were obtained using a pushbroom line-scanning HSI instrument, operating in the wavelength range between 400 and 1000 nm with 5 nm resolution. PCA was applied on normal and contaminated samples. To reduce the spectral variability caused by factors unrelated to Sepedonium infection, such as scattering effects and differences in sample height, different spectral pre-treatments were applied. A supervised rule was then developed to assign spectra recorded on new test samples to each of the two classes, based on the PC scores. This allowed to visualize directly - within false-color images of test samples - which points of the samples were contaminated. The results achieved may lead to the development of a non-destructive monitoring system for a rapid on-line screening of contaminated mushrooms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Yet More “Weeds” in the Garden: Fungal Novelties from Nests of Leaf-Cutting Ants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Augustin, Juliana O.; Groenewald, Johannes Z.; Nascimento, Robson J.; Mizubuti, Eduardo S. G.; Barreto, Robert W.; Elliot, Simon L.; Evans, Harry C.

    2013-01-01

    Background Symbiotic relationships modulate the evolution of living organisms in all levels of biological organization. A notable example of symbiosis is that of attine ants (Attini; Formicidae: Hymenoptera) and their fungal cultivars (Lepiotaceae and Pterulaceae; Agaricales: Basidiomycota). In recent years, this mutualism has emerged as a model system for studying coevolution, speciation, and multitrophic interactions. Ubiquitous in this ant-fungal symbiosis is the “weedy” fungus Escovopsis (Hypocreales: Ascomycota), known only as a mycoparasite of attine fungal gardens. Despite interest in its biology, ecology and molecular phylogeny—noting, especially, the high genetic diversity encountered—which has led to a steady flow of publications over the past decade, only two species of Escovopsis have formally been described. Methods and Results We sampled from fungal gardens and garden waste (middens) of nests of the leaf-cutting ant genus Acromyrmex in a remnant of subtropical Atlantic rainforest in Minas Gerais, Brazil. In culture, distinct morphotypes of Escovopsis sensu lato were recognized. Using both morphological and molecular analyses, three new species of Escovopsis were identified. These are described and illustrated herein—E. lentecrescens, E. microspora, and E. moelleri—together with a re-description of the genus and the type species, E. weberi. The new genus Escovopsioides is erected for a fourth morphotype. We identify, for the first time, a mechanism for horizontal transmission via middens. Conclusions The present study makes a start at assigning names and formal descriptions to these specific fungal parasites of attine nests. Based on the results of this exploratory and geographically-restricted survey, we expect there to be many more species of the genus Escovopsis and its relatives associated with nests of both the lower and higher Attini throughout their neotropical range, as suggested in previous studies. PMID:24376525

  20. Trichoderma Biodiversity of Agricultural Fields in East China Reveals a Gradient Distribution of Species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan Jiang

    Full Text Available We surveyed the Trichoderma (Hypocreales, Ascomycota biodiversity in agricultural fields in four major agricultural provinces of East China. Trichoderma strains were identified based on molecular approaches and morphological characteristics. In three sampled seasons (spring, summer and autumn, 2078 strains were isolated and identified to 17 known species: T. harzianum (429 isolates, T. asperellum (425, T. hamatum (397, T. virens (340, T. koningiopsis (248, T. brevicompactum (73, T. atroviride (73, T. fertile (26, T. longibrachiatum (22, T. pleuroticola (16, T. erinaceum (16, T. oblongisporum (2, T. polysporum (2, T. spirale (2, T. capillare (2, T. velutinum (2, and T. saturnisporum (1. T. harzianum, T. asperellum, T. hamatum, and T. virens were identified as the dominant species with dominance (Y values of 0.057, 0.052, 0.048, and 0.039, respectively. The species amount, isolate numbers and the dominant species of Trichoderma varied between provinces. Zhejiang Province has shown the highest diversity, which was reflected in the highest species amount (14 and the highest Shannon-Wiener diversity index of Trichoderma haplotypes (1.46. We observed that relative frequencies of T. hamatum and T. koningiopsis under rice soil were higher than those under wheat and maize soil, indicating the preference of Trichoderma to different crops. Remarkable seasonal variation was shown, with summer exhibiting the highest biodiversity of the studied seasons. These results show that Trichoderma biodiversity in agricultural fields varies by region, crop, and season. Zhejiang Province (the southernmost province in the investigated area had more T. hamatum than Shandong Province (the northernmost province, not only in isolate amounts but also in haplotype amounts. Furthermore, at haplotype level, only T. hamatum showed a gradient distribution from south to north in correspondence analysis among the four dominant species. The above results would contribute to the

  1. Science World Journal - Vol 13, No 1 (2018)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An improved map based graphical android authentication system · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. Safiyanu Ahmad, Souley Boukari, Samson Henry Dogo, Aishat Mohammed, 23-27 ...

  2. Haematotoxicity of Ethanol Extract of Adenium obesum (Forssk ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP

    (Forssk) Roem & Schult Stem Bark in Wistar Rats. Samson Eneojo .... removed from the stems. Ethanol extraction was .... damage, which might be due to its antioxidant phyto-contents. ... Trees, Shrubs and Lianas of West. African Dry Zones.

  3. 77 FR 44310 - Quarterly Publication of Individuals, Who Have Chosen To Expatriate, as Required by Section 6039G

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-27

    ... JACINTA YEUNG CHEONG CHANG MICHAEL YIO-HOW CHENG NICOLAS VINCENT CHI TELLY TAI HSUAN CHINOY SAMIR MUSTAPHA... TONJA YVONNE SU JIN CHIN SU XIAOBO SARA SHAO SUEN SAMSON C. L. SY KEVIN NEIL TAN LAI HING THARALDSEN...

  4. Oviposition behavior and survival of Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), an ectoparasitoid of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), on hosts exposed to an entomopathogenic fungus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antagonistic interactions between the nymphal parasitoid, Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and the ARSEF 3581 isolate of the entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria fumosorosea Wize (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) could disrupt biological control of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina ...

  5. Oviposition Behavior and Survival of Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), an Ectoparasitoid of the Asian Citrus Psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), on Hosts Exposed to an Entomopathogenic Fungus, Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), Under Laboratory Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chow, Andrew; Dunlap, Christopher A; Jackson, Mark A; Flores, Daniel; Patt, Joseph M; Sétamou, Mamoudou

    2016-10-01

    Antagonistic interactions between the nymphal parasitoid, Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and the ARSEF 3581 strain of the entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria fumosorosea Wize (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), could disrupt biological control of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae). Three interactions were evaluated under laboratory conditions at 25 °C: 1) parasitoid survival if parasitized hosts were exposed to ARSEF 3581 blastospores before or after host mummification; 2) parasitoid survival if mummies containing larva or pupa were exposed to ARSEF 3581 hyphae; 3) parasitoid oviposition on infected hosts with visible or without visible hyphae. Topical application of blastospore formulation onto the dorsal surfaces of live nymphs parasitized with second-instar wasp larva (3 d after parasitism) reduced host mummification by 50% and parasitoid emergence by 85%. However, parasitoid emergence was not affected by topical application of blastospore formulation onto mummies that contained fourth-instar wasp larva (6 d after parasitism). Parasitoid emergence was reduced by 80% if mummies containing fourth-instar wasp larva were covered with blastospore formulation colonized by fungal hyphae. In comparison, parasitoid emergence was not affected if mummies containing wasp pupa (9 d after parasitism) were covered with formulation colonized by fungal hyphae. Female parasitoids oviposited on infected hosts without visible hyphae but not on infected hosts with visible hyphae. Our findings suggest that I. fumosorosea could detrimentally affect T. radiata, if both natural enemies are simultaneously deployed for biological control of D. citri However, temporal separation of the fungus and parasitoid could reduce antagonism and enhance control of D. citri. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. New species of Geosmithia and Graphium associated with ambrosia beetles in Costa Rica

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kolařík, Miroslav; Hulcr, J.; Kirkendall, L.R.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 67, č. 1 (2015), s. 29-35 ISSN 1211-0981 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP506/11/2302 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : ambrosia fungi * Hypocreales * Scolytodes Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology

  7. "Tallinna moodul" pakub linnale ühtset vormi / Margit Tõnson

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Tõnson, Margit, 1978-

    2004-01-01

    Rahvusvahelise ideekonkursi võitis "Fold", autorid Clayton Welham ja Martin Yong Londonist. II koht tööle "Drunken Style", autorid Samson Adjei, Harry Dobbs Ja Greg Epps Londonist. III koht itaalia disaineritele, ergutuspreemiad Argentiinasse ja New Yorki. Kommenteerinud linnadisainer Aavo Ermel

  8. Microsclerotia of Metarhizium brunneum F52 applied in hydromulch for control of Asian longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum (Petch), strain F52 (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) is able to produce environmentally persistent microsclerotia. Incorporating these desiccation-tolerant M. brunneum F52 microsclerotia (Mb MS) granules into hydromulch [a mixture of water + wheat straw...

  9. Phylogenetic analyses of RPB1 and RPB2 support a middle Cretaceous origin for a clade comprising all agriculturally and medically important fusaria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    O’Donnell, Kerry; Rooney, Alejandro P.; Proctor, Robert H.

    2013-01-01

    Fusarium (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) is one of the most economically important and systematically challenging groups of mycotoxigenic phytopathogens and emergent human pathogens. We conducted maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian (B) analyses on partial DNA-directed RNA poly...

  10. Phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Gliocephalotrichum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lombard, L.; Serrato-Diaz, L.M.; Cheewangkoon, R.; French-Monar, R.D.; Decock, C.; Crous, P.W.

    2014-01-01

    Species in the genus Gliocephalotrichum (= Leuconectria) (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) are soilborne fungi, associated with post-harvest fruit spoilage of several important tropical fruit crops. Contemporary taxonomic studies of these fungi have relied on morphology and DNA sequence comparisons of the

  11. Phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Gliocephalotrichum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lombard, L.; Serrato-Diaz, L. M.; Cheewangkoon, R.; French-Monar, R. D.; Decock, C.; Crous, P. W.

    Species in the genus Gliocephalotrichum (= Leuconectria) (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) are soilborne fungi, associated with post-harvest fruit spoilage of several important tropical fruit crops. Contemporary taxonomic studies of these fungi have relied on morphology and DNA sequence comparisons of the

  12. Screening for attractants compatible with entomopathogenic fungus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    RACHEL

    2016-04-27

    Apr 27, 2016 ... Several thrips attractants were screened for compatibility with Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff). Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and a subset of these for attraction to Megalurothrips sjostedti. Trybom (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Conidial germination and germ tube length of M. anisopliae were.

  13. New insights into the in vitro development and virulence of Culicinomyces spp. as fungal pathogens of Aedes aegypti

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culicinomyces spp. (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) are facultative fungal pathogens affecting the larval stages from a range of mosquito species and are especially notable in their ability to infect hosts through the digestive tract after conidial ingestion. While Culicinomyces spp. were studied main...

  14. Control biológico de estados edáficos de tefrítidos (Diptera: Tephritidae) mediante tratamientos de suelo con ascomicetos mitospóricos entomopatógenos (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)

    OpenAIRE

    Garrido-Jurado, Inmaculada

    2012-01-01

    Hasta la fecha, los ascomicetos mitospóricos entomopatógenos (AME) se han empleado con éxito en el control de adultos de tefrítidos en pulverización total del sustrato vegetal, o en pulverización cebo, o mediante la técnica de ¿atracción e infección¿. No obstante, recientemente se ha puesto de manifiesto el potencial de estos AME para el control de estados pre-imaginales de tefrítidos mediante su aplicación al suelo, en la base del árbol, donde el inóculo fúngico está protegido frente a los f...

  15. 78 FR 12828 - Guizhou Tyre Corporation; Grant of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-25

    ...'') has determined that certain Samson and Advance brand ST trailer Tires, do not fully comply with..., and all supporting documents log onto the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) Web site at: http... Advance brand ST Trailer Tires manufactured from December 4, 2011 through March 31, 2012. Noncompliance...

  16. SHORT COMMUNICATIONS, NOTES AND REPORTS

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    campbell

    Possible sighting of the Indian subspecies of the Egyptian. Vulture Neophron percnopterus ginginianus in Africa. Ivaylo Angelov. 1*. , Bruktawit Abdu. 2. , Nikolay Terziev. 3. , Samson Zelleke. 4. 1 “Balgarka” 29-A-18, Sliven 8800, Bulgaria. 2 Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society. ... Tunisia, which Egyptian Vultures.

  17. Identification of loci and functional characterization of trichothecene biosynthesis genes in the filamentous fungus of the genus Trichoderma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trichothecenes are mycotoxins produced by Trichoderma, Fusarium and at least four other genera in the fungal order Hypocreales. Fusarium has a trichothecene biosynthetic gene (TRI) cluster that encodes transport and regulatory proteins as well as most enzymes required for formation of the mycotoxin...

  18. Inhibition of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae in vitro by the bed bug defensive secretions (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-octenal

    Science.gov (United States)

    The two major aldehydes (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-octenal emitted as defensive secretions by bed bugs Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), inhibit the in vitro growth of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sokorin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae). These chemicals inhibit fungal growth by direct con...

  19. 1105-IJBCS-Article-Bernadette Sourabie

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR GATSING

    Patients with Fungal Sinusitis. Iran. J. Public Hlth., 37(3): 134-141. Doster MA, Cotty PJ, Michailides TJ. 2009. Description of a Distinctive Aflatoxin-. Producing Strain of Aspergillus nomius that Produces Submerged Sclerotia. Mycopathol., 168: 193-201. Frisvad JC, Skouboe P, Samson RA. 2005. Taxonomic comparison of ...

  20. Sodiomyces alkalinus, a new holomorphic alkaliphilic ascomycete within the Plectosphaerellaceae

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grum-Grzhimaylo, A.A.; Debets, A.J.M.; Diepeningen, van A.D.; Georgieva, M.L.; Bilanenko, E.N.

    2013-01-01

    In this study we reassess the taxonomic reference of the previously described holomorphic alkaliphilic fungus Heleococcum alkalinum isolated from soda soils in Russia, Mongolia and Tanzania. We show that it is not an actual member of the genus Heleococcum (order Hypocreales) as stated before and

  1. Sodiomyces alkalinus, a new holomorphic alkaliphilic ascomycete within the Plectoshaerellaceae

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grum-Grzhimaylo, A.; Debets, A.J.M.; Diepeningen, van A.D.; Georgieva, M.L.; Bilanenko, E.N.

    2013-01-01

    In this study we reassess the taxonomic reference of the previously described holomorphic alkaliphilic fungus Heleococcum alkalinum isolated from soda soils in Russia, Mongolia and Tanzania. We show that it is not an actual member of the genus Heleococcum (order Hypocreales) as stated before and

  2. Community Structure and Succession Regulation of Fungal Consortia in the Lignocellulose-Degrading Process on Natural Biomass

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baoyu Tian

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The study aims to investigate fungal community structures and dynamic changes in forest soil lignocellulose-degrading process. rRNA gene clone libraries for the samples collected in different stages of lignocellulose degradation process were constructed and analyzed. A total of 26 representative RFLP types were obtained from original soil clone library, including Mucoromycotina (29.5%, unclassified Zygomycetes (33.5%, Ascomycota (32.4%, and Basidiomycota (4.6%. When soil accumulated with natural lignocellulose, 16 RFLP types were identified from 8-day clone library, including Basidiomycota (62.5%, Ascomycota (36.1%, and Fungi incertae sedis (1.4%. After enrichment for 15 days, identified 11 RFLP types were placed in 3 fungal groups: Basidiomycota (86.9%, Ascomycota (11.5%, and Fungi incertae sedis (1.6%. The results showed richer, more diversity and abundance fungal groups in original forest soil. With the degradation of lignocellulose, fungal groups Mucoromycotina and Ascomycota decreased gradually, and wood-rotting fungi Basidiomycota increased and replaced the opportunist fungi to become predominant group. Most of the fungal clones identified in sample were related to the reported lignocellulose-decomposing strains. Understanding of the microbial community structure and dynamic change during natural lignocellulose-degrading process will provide us with an idea and a basis to construct available commercial lignocellulosic enzymes or microbial complex.

  3. Community structure and succession regulation of fungal consortia in the lignocellulose-degrading process on natural biomass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Baoyu; Wang, Chunxiang; Lv, Ruirui; Zhou, Junxiong; Li, Xin; Zheng, Yi; Jin, Xiangyu; Wang, Mengli; Ye, Yongxia; Huang, Xinyi; Liu, Ping

    2014-01-01

    The study aims to investigate fungal community structures and dynamic changes in forest soil lignocellulose-degrading process. rRNA gene clone libraries for the samples collected in different stages of lignocellulose degradation process were constructed and analyzed. A total of 26 representative RFLP types were obtained from original soil clone library, including Mucoromycotina (29.5%), unclassified Zygomycetes (33.5%), Ascomycota (32.4%), and Basidiomycota (4.6%). When soil accumulated with natural lignocellulose, 16 RFLP types were identified from 8-day clone library, including Basidiomycota (62.5%), Ascomycota (36.1%), and Fungi incertae sedis (1.4%). After enrichment for 15 days, identified 11 RFLP types were placed in 3 fungal groups: Basidiomycota (86.9%), Ascomycota (11.5%), and Fungi incertae sedis (1.6%). The results showed richer, more diversity and abundance fungal groups in original forest soil. With the degradation of lignocellulose, fungal groups Mucoromycotina and Ascomycota decreased gradually, and wood-rotting fungi Basidiomycota increased and replaced the opportunist fungi to become predominant group. Most of the fungal clones identified in sample were related to the reported lignocellulose-decomposing strains. Understanding of the microbial community structure and dynamic change during natural lignocellulose-degrading process will provide us with an idea and a basis to construct available commercial lignocellulosic enzymes or microbial complex.

  4. Author Details

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Gyutorwa, Joseph Samson. Vol 12, No 4 (2017) - Articles In vivo ameliorative effect of methanolic extract of Boswellia dalzielli Hutch (Mebdh) stem bark on Triton X-100 induced hyperlipidaemia. Abstract PDF. ISSN: 1597-6343. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors ...

  5. Sharing Cookies: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salls, Jenny

    2014-01-01

    Rational number interpretations can include part-whole, measure, ratio, quotient, and operator. These are all subconstructs of partitioning (Barnett-Clarke et al. 2010; Behr et al. 1980; Clarke, Roche, and Mitchell 2008; Flores, Samson, and Yanik 2006). Each of these subconstructs uses different cognitive skills (Driscoll 1984), so it is important…

  6. Browse Title Index

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    L Somigli. Vol 22, No 2 (2009), Antropologia di un intellettuale, Giuseppe Cassieri, Abstract PDF. G Sotis. Vol 14, No 2 (2001), Apprendere una lingua straniera: tempo e spazio nella cultura italiana, Abstract PDF. C Samson. Vol 26, No 1 (2013), Appunti pasoliniani per un'orestiade africana, Abstract PDF. M Chiacchiararelli.

  7. Experimental Study of SBS Suppression via White Noise Phase Modulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-02-10

    fiber optical parametric amplifiers,” Opt. Communications 283, 2607-2610 (2010). [8] Coles, J. B., Kuo, B. P.-P., Alie , N., Moro, S., Bres, C.-S...V., Farley, K., Leveille, R., Galipeau, J., Majid , I., Christensen, S., Samson, B., Tankala, K. “kW level narrow linewidth Yb fiber amplifiers for

  8. March 2010 Final for Publicat...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    User

    14. Letko E, Stechschulte SU, Kenyon KR,. Sadeq N, Romero T, Samson M, et al. 15. Hanada K, Shimazaki J, Shimmura S,. Tsubota K. Amniotic membrane inlays and overlay grafting for corneal epithelial defects and stromal ulcers. Arch Ophthalmol. 2001; 131: 324-331. Multi layered amniotic membrane transplantation for ...

  9. Phylogeny of Hirsutella species (Ophiocordycipitaceae) from the USA: remedying the paucity of Hirsutella sequence data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirsutella (Ophiocordycipitaceae: Hypocreales) is a genus of insect, mite, and nematode pathogens with an asexual morph, which generally produce a mucilaginous cluster of one or several conidia on phialides that are basally subulate and taper to a fine neck. The generic name Hirsutella has been prop...

  10. Notes for genera: Ascomycota

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Wijayawardene, N.N.; Hujslová, Martina

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 86, č. 1 (2017), s. 1-594 ISSN 1560-2745 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Classification * Pleomorphic fungi * Taxonomy Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Microbiology Impact factor: 13.465, year: 2016

  11. Using Meaningful Contexts to Promote Understanding of Pronumerals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linsell, Chris; Cavanagh, Michael; Tahir, Salma

    2013-01-01

    Developing a conceptual understanding of elementary algebra has been the focus of a number of recent articles in this journal. Baroudi (2006) advocated problem solving to assist students' transition from arithmetic to algebra, and Shield (2008) described the use of meaningful contexts for developing the concept of function. Samson (2011, 2012)…

  12. The pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana: what happens after an endophytic phase in plants?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akello, J; Dubois, T; Coyne, D; Kyamanywa, S

    2010-01-01

    The banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a serious constraint to banana (Musa spp.) production throughout the world. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) offers a potential weevil management option, but conventional delivery mechanisms have limited its success. As an endophyte, however, B. bassiana can be efficiently delivered to banana planting materials for the potential management of C. sordidus. However, entomopathogens can change morphology and efficacy against their target host when successively sub-cultured on artificial media or when exposed to certain physical and chemical environmental conditions. Whether such changes occur in B. bassiana after an endophytic phase inside a banana plant remains unknown. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the viability, growth, sporulation and pathogenicity of endophytic B. bassiana. To attain this, two sets of experiments, namely morphological characterization and larval bioassays, were conducted under laboratory conditions. In these experiments, growth and pathogenicity of the wild-type B. bassiana strain G41, obtained originally from banana farms, was compared with the endophytic B. bassiana strain G41, re-isolated from the rhizome of B. bassiana-inoculated banana plants at one month post-inoculation. Morphological characterization, conidial germination, colony growth and sporulation rate was assessed on SDAY media while pathogenicity was determined 15 days after immersing the larvae of C. sordidus in different conidial doses. No differences were observed in colony appearance and growth rate between the endophytic and wild-type strain. Percentage conidial germination for the endophytic strain (91.4-94.0%) was higher than for the wild-type (86.6-89.7%). LD50 equated 1.76 x 10(5) and 0.71 x 10(5) conidia/ml for the wild-type and endophytic B. bassiana strains, respectively, but did not differ between strains. Our study

  13. Effects of entomopathogenic fungus species, and impact of fertilizers, on biological control of pecan weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn), is a key pest of pecan. Prior research indicated potential to use Hypocreales fungi for suppression of C. caryae. In this study, we first compared the efficacy of two fungal spp. Beauveria bassiana (GHA strain) and Metarhizium brunneum (F52) in ability to ...

  14. Comparative metagenomics approaches to characterize the soil fungal communities of western coastal region, Saudi Arabia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tarek A A Moussa

    Full Text Available A total of 145007 reads were obtained from pyrosequencing for all the 4 samples. The total count ranged from 11,301,014 (Mecca old road to 23,503,512 bp (Thuwal. A total of 460 fungal species belonging to 133 genera, 58 families, 33 orders, 13 classes and 4 phyla was identified across the four sites. The most abundant phylum at all four sites was Ascomycota followed by Basidiomycota. Four phyla (Ascomycota-99.31%, Basidiomycota-0.59%, Chytridiomycota-0.04%, Glomeromycota-0.03% were detected in Khulais. Except for Glomeromycota, all phyla were detected at Mecca old road (Ascomycota-74.26%, Basidiomycota-25.71%, Chytridiomycota-0.01% and Thuwal (Ascomycota-99.59%, Basidiomycota-0.40%, Chytridiomycota-0.002%; while only Ascomycota-90.98% and Basidiomycota-9.01% were detected in Asfan road. At the class level, Sordariomycetes was predominantly observed at Asfan road-59.88%, Khulais-68.26% and Thuwal-94.84%; while Pezizomycetes was dominant at Mecca old road-56.01%, was absent at Asfan road. Agaricomycetes was present only at Mecca old road-25.73%; while Tremellomycetes-5.77%, Malasseizomycetes-2.13% and Microbotryomycetes-1.10% were found only at Asfan road. The phylogenetic trees revealed that clear genus level differences are visible across all the four sites, with an overall predominance of Thielavia followed by Madurella, Aspergillus, and Gelasinospora. Chaetomium sp., Aspergillus caespitosus and Aspergillus sp. were found in moderate (Mecca old road and Thuwal to abundant (Asfan road and Khulais quantities. Thielavia sp., Thielavia hyalocarpa and Madurella sp. are found in moderate quantities at Khulais and Mecca old road, while in abundant levels at Asfan road and Thuwal. Fusarium equisati and F. oxysporum were detected at Thuwal and Khulais. Sordaria araneosa was present at Khulais, while Malasseiza globosa species was detected in moderate quantities across all sites except Khulais.

  15. On shape stability of panel paintings exposed to humidity variations. Part 2: shape stability of sown wood

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reijnen, S.; Jorissen, A.J.M.

    2013-01-01

    A panel painting is a painting made on a wooden panel. It is not well known, but a lot of famous paintings are actually panel paintings, such as The Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci, Assunta by Titian, Primavera by Botticelli and Samson and Delilah by Rubens. Artists had clear reasons to choose wood

  16. Pioneers in South African Anaesthesia:

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr Heymie Samson (Figure 1) was born in Cape Town in. 1911, matriculated at the South African College School in. 1928, and studied medicine at London University. In 1938, he returned to general practice in Cape Town and married his wife, Phyllis. He volunteered for military service when war broke out in September ...

  17. Uji degradasi selulosa dari jamur tanah hutan bekas terbakar Wanariset-Semboja, Kalimantan Timur

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suciatmih Suciatmih

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available In order to know the effect of isolation method on the occurrence and capability of soil fungi to degrade cellulose, a study wasconducted in an over-burned forest in Wanariset-Semboja, East Kalimantan. Soil fungi were isolated using three isolation methods:incubation at 45 ° C, treatment with 50% ethanol for 15 minutes, and heat treatment at 70 ° C for 15 minutes. Plates for heat incubationand for other methods were incubated at 45 ° C and 27 ° C for three days, respectively. Cellulose degradation test of isolated fungi wasexamined using Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC media. Results showed that isolation method affected diversity and population of soilfungi. Heat treatment at 70 ° C for 15 minutes appeared to have highest diversity and population of soil fungi. Eupenicillium javanicumvar javanicum (van Veyma Stolk & Scott, Talaromyces byssoclamydoides Stolk & Samson, T. flavus (Klocker Stolk & Samson,T. stipitatus C.R. Benjamin, and Penicillium argillaceum Stolk et al. were dominant in an over-burned forest in Wanariset-Semboja,East Kalimantan. Twenty-one isolated fungi degraded cellulose.

  18. Fungal diversity from various marine habitats deduced through culture-independent studies

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Manohar, C.S.; Raghukumar, C.

    EBG (2009) Molecular systematics of the marine Dothideomycetes. Stud Mycol 64: 155–173. Thaler AD, Dover CLV & Vilgalys R (2012) Ascomycete phylotypes recovered from a Gulf of Mexico methane seep are identical to an uncultured deep-sea fungal clade..., Basidiomycota Singh et al., 2012 a‡ 8. Central Indian basin ( ~ 5100 m) SSU rRNA and ITS based clone library analysis Ascomycota,Basidiomycota Singh et al., 2012 b† 9. Gulf of Mexico (2400 m) based clone library analysis Ascomycota : DSF Group...

  19. The DELILAH correlation code for adjusting the parameters of the one-group diffusion equations to give best estimate power distributions for thermal reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buckler, A.N.

    1978-10-01

    Details of the coding techniques, with flow diagrams are given for the correlation code DELILAH which is a replacement for the SAMSON code for SGHW and other thermal systems. An improved method of rejecting inaccurate channel power measurements is described in detail. A list of the input data requirements for the code will be published separately. (author)

  20. (Body-Mind) Approaches in Dance Therapy *Samson S. AKAPO

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    relationship between physical movement, mental and emotional functioning, and using .... self-confidence, and interpersonal interaction, and is an outlet for communicating .... expression, communication and self-disclosure. Whitehouse.

  1. Tallinna Moodul = Tallinn Module / Siiri Vallner

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Vallner, Siiri, 1972-

    2004-01-01

    Rahvusvahelisest disainivõistlusest Tallinna Moodul, mille eesmärk oli leida tänavamööbli süsteem, kus erinevad elemendid (kioskid, telefoniputkad, istepingid, bussiootepaviljonid, reklaamialused jne.) on seotud kontseptuaalselt ühtseks tervikuks. Osalejatest, võidutöödest. Preemiad: I - Clayton Welham, Martin Yong, London, II - Samson Adjei, Harry Dobbs, Greg Epps, London, III - Carmelo Baglivo, Luca Galofaro, Rooma. Eripreemiad (2)

  2. A systematic method for correlating measurements of channel powers with the lattice constants in the neutron diffusion equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buckler, A.N.

    1978-10-01

    The report describes the theoretical basis of the methods that have been developed for correlating measurements of spatially distributed quantities taken on the reactor with the lattice constants in the diffusion equations. The method can be used with any thermal reactor system of current interest, but the first application is to provide a replacement for the SAMSON code for Winfrith SGHW studies, where the measurements of interest are channel powers. (author)

  3. Mucorales spores induce a proinflammatory cytokine response in human mononuclear phagocytes and harbor no rodlet hydrophobins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wurster, Sebastian; Thielen, Vanessa; Weis, Philipp; Walther, Paul; Elias, Johannes; Waaga-Gasser, Ana Maria; Dragan, Mariola; Dandekar, Thomas; Einsele, Hermann; Löffler, Jürgen; Ullmann, Andrew J

    2017-11-17

    Mucormycoses are life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. This study characterizes the response of human mononuclear cells to different Mucorales and Ascomycota. PBMC, monocytes, and monocyte derived dendritic cells (moDCs) from healthy donors were stimulated with resting and germinated stages of Mucorales and Ascomycota. Cytokine response and expression of activation markers were studied. Both inactivated germ tubes and resting spores of Rhizopus arrhizus and other human pathogenic Mucorales species significantly stimulated mRNA synthesis and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, R. arrhizus spores induced the upregulation of co-stimulatory molecules on moDCs and a specific T-helper cell response. Removal of rodlet hydrophobins by hydrofluoric acid treatment of A. fumigatus conidia resulted in enhanced immunogenicity, whereas the cytokine response of PBMCs to dormant R. arrhizus spores was not influenced by hydrofluoric acid. Scanning electron micrographs of Mucorales spores did not exhibit any morphological correlates of rodlet hydrophobins. Taken together, this study revealed striking differences in the response of human mononuclear cells to resting stages of Ascomycota and Mucorales, which may be explained by absence of an immunoprotective hydrophobin layer in Mucorales spores.

  4. Adverse tax rulings affect exemptions for clergy and religious.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veres, J A

    1986-12-01

    Recent court cases illustrate the federal government's changing position toward automatic tax exemptions for members of religious institutes who are employed outside their institute. Before 1977, the IRS seemed inclined to assume that members acted as agents for their institute and that their income would not be taxable. In Fogarty v. U.S. the court ruled that a priest's income from a university teaching position was taxable because he was not acting as an agent for the Jesuits. In Schuster v. Commissioner, the court held for the government, stating that the "triangle relationship" among employee, outside third-party employer, and principal/religious institute was insufficient to warrant the necessary agency relationships. Samson v. U.S. questioned whether Sr. Mary K. Samson's county hospital work constituted "employment" for FICA tax purposes. The court concluded the tax was assessable on her wages because she was a county employee. It denied a rehearing after a dissenting judge concluded that past rulings were inconsistent and had little bearing on FICA taxation. The legal view of religious tax exemption is much narrower than 10 years ago. Catholic institutes must closely analyze the relationship between their members and outside third-party employers to avoid taxation. They must legally assert their control over their members' actions before the employment is in effect.

  5. Impacts of endophyte infection of ryegrass on rhizosphere metabolome and microbial community

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wakelin, S.; Harrison, Scott James; Mander, C.

    2015-01-01

    37, within a genetically uniform breeding line of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. Samson 11104) on the rhizosphere metabolome and the composition of the fungal, bacterial, and Pseudomonas communities. There were strong differences in the rhizosphere metabolomes between infested and non......-infested ryegrass strains (P=0.06). These were attributed to shifts in various n-alkane hydrocarbon compounds. The endophyte-associated alteration in rhizosphere metabolome was linked to changes in the total bacterial (P

  6. The West Family Chiropractic Dynasty: celebrating a century of accomplishment in Canada: Part I: Archibald B. West, DC, Samuel H. West, DC and Stephen E. West, DC: The Founding Father, his Son and Grandson.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Douglas M

    2010-09-01

    This historical treatise documents the unbroken legacy of the West family of chiropractors which has flourished in Canada for over 100 years. Part I, unearths the origins, development and careers of Archibald West, the founder of this dynasty, his son Samuel and grandson Stephen. Part II, not yet ready for publication, will delve into the lives of Archibald's brother Samson and his chiropractic progeny, as well as a nephew of Stephen and another relative of Frederick West.

  7. South Africa mobilises: the first five months of the war | Samson ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    When war broke out in August 1914, the Union of South Africa found itself unprepared for what lay ahead. When the Imperial garrison left the Union during September 1914, supplies, equipment and a working knowledge of British military procedures reduced considerably. South Africa was, in effect, left starting from scratch.

  8. Emotional memory for musical excerpts in young and older adults

    OpenAIRE

    Alonso, Irene; Dellacherie, Delphine; Samson, S?verine

    2015-01-01

    International audience; The emotions evoked by music can enhance recognition of excerpts. It has been suggested that memory is better for high than for low arousing music (Eschrich et al., 2005; Samson et al., 2009), but it remains unclear whether positively (Eschrich et al., 2008) or negatively valenced music (Aubé et al., 2013; Vieillard and Gilet, 2013) may be better recognized. Moreover, we still know very little about the influence of age on emotional memory for music. To address these i...

  9. Emotional memory for musical excerpts in young and older adults.

    OpenAIRE

    Irene eAlonso; Irene eAlonso; Irene eAlonso; Delphine eDellacherie; Delphine eDellacherie; Séverine eSamson; Séverine eSamson

    2015-01-01

    The emotions evoked by music can enhance recognition of excerpts. It has been suggested that memory is better for high than for low arousing music (Eschrich et al., 2005; Samson et al., 2009), but it remains unclear whether positively (Eschrich et al., 2008) or negatively valenced music (Aubé et al., 2013; Vieillard and Gilet, 2013) may be better recognized. Moreover, we still know very little about the influence of age on emotional memory for music. To address these issues, we tested emotion...

  10. Respuesta fisiológica de miembros del género Trichoderma a hidrocarburos poliaromáticos.

    OpenAIRE

    Argumedo Delira, Rosalba

    2011-01-01

    Las especies del género Trichoderma representan un grupo de hongos filamentosos que pertenecen al Reino Mycetae (Fungi), División Eumycota, Subdivisión Ascomycotina, Clase Euascomycetes, Orden Hypocreales, Familia Hypocraceae y Género Trichoderma e Hypocrea. Estos hongos se caracterizan por predominar en los ecosistemas terrestres y acuáticos. Los miembros del género Trichoderma tienen el potencial de sintetizar y liberar diversas enzimas que se han aprovechado en procesos industriales. Adem...

  11. Three new, seemingly-cryptic species in the lichen genus Caloplaca (Teloschistaceae) distinguished in two-phase phenotype evaluation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Frolov, I.; Vondrák, Jan; Fernández-Mendoza, F.; Wilk, K.; Khodosovtsev, A.; Halici, M.G.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 53, 3-4 (2016), s. 243-262 ISSN 0003-3847 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : phylogenetic analyses * partition schemes * forming ascomycota Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.600, year: 2016

  12. Amorosia littoralis gen. sp. nov., a new genus and species name for the scorpinone and caffeine-producing hyphomycete from the littoral zone in The Bahamas

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mantle, P. G.; Hawksworth, D.L.; Pažoutová, Sylvie; Collinson, L. M.; Rassing, B. R.

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 110, - (2006), s. 1371-1378 ISSN 0953-7562 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : ascomycota * aza-anthraquinone * crooked island Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 1.860, year: 2006

  13. A Study Into the Effects of Inhibition and Emotion on Perspective-Taking in Younger and Older Adults

    OpenAIRE

    Druce, Megan

    2013-01-01

    A decline in Theory of Mind (ToM) perspective-taking abilities in old age is thought to result from an inability to inhibit the self-perspective. Such reduced inhibitory capacities in old age could also impact upon an attentional reorienting and selection processes thought to be required to successfully move from the self to the other perspective in a ToM task. We sought to investigate both of these hypotheses by administering modified versions of Samson et al.’s (2005) high and low inhibitio...

  14. Climatic Variations in Tropical West African Rainfall and the Implications for Military Planners

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-06-01

    perturbation pressure isobars. There is a ridge in (a) and a trough in (b) at the equator and to the east of the forcing region. Note that the pressure...Climatology course project team), CDR Eric Buch (C6F Oceanographer), Mr. Samson Brand (NRL Monterey), VADM Paul Gaffney (ret.), Prof. Russell Elsberry, LT...pressure isobars. There is a ridge in (a) and a trough in (b) at the equator and to the east of the forcing region. Note that the pressure to the west

  15. Comparative taxonomy of desert truffles of the Australian outback and the African Kalahari

    Science.gov (United States)

    James M. Trappe; Gabor M. Kovacs; Andrew W. Claridge

    2010-01-01

    Seven truffle species are reported from the Australian Outback-six Ascomycota (Elderia arenivaga, Mattirolomyces mulpu sp. nov., Mycoclelandia arenacea, M. bulundari, Reddelomyces westraliensis, Ulurua nonparaphysata gen. & sp. nov.) and one Basidiomycota (Horakiella watarrkana sp. nov.) Three...

  16. Chapter 4: Hongos Hipogeos de Tamulipas, Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalo Guevara-Guerrero; Efren Cazares-Gonzalez; Gregory Bonito; Rosanne A. Healy; Benjamin Stielow; Jesus Garcia; Fortunato Garza-Ocanas; Michael Castellano; James Trappe

    2014-01-01

    Twenty genera of hypogeous fungi or truffles are reported and illustrated from the State of Tamaulipas. The truffles belong to the following phyla: Glomeromycota (Glomus); Zygomycota (Endogone); hypogeous Ascomycota (Elaphomyces, Genabea, Genea, Hydnobolites, Pachyphloeus, Tuber); and Basidiomycota (...

  17. Bacillomycin D Produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Is Involved in the Antagonistic Interaction with the Plant-Pathogenic Fungus Fusarium graminearum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Qin; Yang, Yang; Yuan, Qiming; Shi, Guangming; Wu, Liming; Lou, Zhiying; Huo, Rong; Wu, Huijun; Borriss, Rainer; Gao, Xuewen

    2017-10-01

    Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph: Ascomycota, Hypocreales, Gibberella , Gibberella zeae ) is a destructive fungal pathogen that threatens the production and quality of wheat and barley worldwide. Controlling this toxin-producing pathogen is a significant challenge. In the present study, the commercially available strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ( Bacteria , Firmicutes , Bacillales , Bacillus ) FZB42 showed strong activity against F. graminearum The lipopeptide bacillomycin D, produced by FZB42, was shown to contribute to the antifungal activity. Purified bacillomycin D showed strong activity against F. graminearum , and its 50% effective concentration was determined to be approximately 30 μg/ml. Analyses using scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed that bacillomycin D caused morphological changes in the plasma membranes and cell walls of F. graminearum hyphae and conidia. Fluorescence microscopy combined with different dyes showed that bacillomycin D induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and caused cell death in F. graminearum hyphae and conidia. F. graminearum secondary metabolism also responded to bacillomycin D challenge, by increasing the production of deoxynivalenol. Biological control experiments demonstrated that bacillomycin D exerted good control of F. graminearum on corn silks, wheat seedlings, and wheat heads. In response to bacillomycin D, F. graminearum genes involved in scavenging reactive oxygen species were downregulated, whereas genes involved in the synthesis of deoxynivalenol were upregulated. Phosphorylation of MGV1 and HOG1, the mitogen-activated protein kinases of F. graminearum , was increased in response to bacillomycin D. Taken together, these findings reveal the mechanism of the antifungal action of bacillomycin D. IMPORTANCE Biological control of plant disease caused by Fusarium graminearum is desirable. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 is a representative of the biocontrol bacterial strains. In this work

  18. Contribution to a macromycete survey of the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georg Sobestiansky

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available Collections of macromycetes made in seven municipalities in southern Brazil, viz. six in Rio Grande do Sul and one in Santa Catarina, are listed. They belonged to the Myxomycota (6 spp., Ascomycota (54 spp. and Basidiomycota (189 spp.. First records for Brazil could be Battarrea phalloides, Amanita rubescens, Boletus edulis and Mycena filopes, the last three found under exotic Pinus.São listadas as coletas executadas pelo autor em sete municípios no sul do Brasil, sendo seis no estado de Rio Grande do Sul e um no estado de Santa Catarina. Pertencem à Myxomycota (6 espécies, Ascomycota (54 espécies e Basidiomycota (189 espécies. Primeiros registros para o Brasil são aparentemente: Battarrea phalloides, Amanita rubescens, Boletus edulis e Mycena filopes, as últimas três encontradas sob espécies de Pinus.

  19. Double photoionization of helium near threshold

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levin, J.C.; Armen, G.B.; Sellin, I.A.

    1996-01-01

    There has been substantial recent experimental interest in the ratio of double-to-single photoionization of He near threshold following several theoretical observations that earlier measurements appear to overestimate the ratio, perhaps by as much as 25%, in the first several hundred eV above threshold. The authors recent measurements are 10%-15% below these earlier results and more recent results of Doerner et al. and Samson et al. are yet another 10% lower. The authors will compare these measurement with new data, not yet analyzed, and available theory

  20. Measurement of the ratio of double-to-single photoionization of helium at 2.8 keV using synchrotron radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levin, J.C.; Lindle, D.W.; Keller, N.; Miller, R.D.; Azuma, Y.; Mansour, N.B.; Berry, H.G.; Sellin, I.A.

    1991-01-01

    We report the first measurement of the ratio of double-to-single photoionization of helium well above the double-ionization threshold. Using a time-of-flight technique, we find He ++ /He + =1.6±0.3% at hν=2.8 keV. This value lies between calculations by Amusia (2.3%) and by Samson, who predicts 1.2% by analogy with electron-impact ionization cross sections of singly charged ions. Good agreement is obtained with older shake calculations of Byron and Joachain, and of Aberg, who predict 1.7%

  1. Loss of the flagellum happened only once in the fungal lineage: phylogenetic structure of Kingdom Fungi inferred from RNA polymerase II subunit genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hodson Matthew C

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background At present, there is not a widely accepted consensus view regarding the phylogenetic structure of kingdom Fungi although two major phyla, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, are clearly delineated. Regarding the lower fungi, Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota, a variety of proposals have been advanced. Microsporidia may or may not be fungi; the Glomales (vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi may or may not constitute a fifth fungal phylum, and the loss of the flagellum may have occurred either once or multiple times during fungal evolution. All of these issues are capable of being resolved by a molecular phylogenetic analysis which achieves strong statistical support for major branches. To date, no fungal phylogeny based upon molecular characters has satisfied this criterion. Results Using the translated amino acid sequences of the RPB1 and RPB2 genes, we have inferred a fungal phylogeny that consists largely of well-supported monophyletic phyla. Our major results, each with significant statistical support, are: (1 Microsporidia are sister to kingdom Fungi and are not members of Zygomycota; that is, Microsporidia and fungi originated from a common ancestor. (2 Chytridiomycota, the only fungal phylum having a developmental stage with a flagellum, is paraphyletic and is the basal lineage. (3 Zygomycota is monophyletic based upon sampling of Trichomycetes, Zygomycetes, and Glomales. (4 Zygomycota, Basidiomycota, and Ascomycota form a monophyletic group separate from Chytridiomycota. (5 Basidiomycota and Ascomycota are monophyletic sister groups. Conclusion In general, this paper highlights the evolutionary position and significance of the lower fungi (Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota. Our results suggest that loss of the flagellum happened only once during early stages of fungal evolution; consequently, the majority of fungi, unlike plants and animals, are nonflagellated. The phylogeny we infer from gene sequences is the first one that is

  2. Loss of the flagellum happened only once in the fungal lineage: phylogenetic structure of kingdom Fungi inferred from RNA polymerase II subunit genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yajuan J; Hodson, Matthew C; Hall, Benjamin D

    2006-09-29

    At present, there is not a widely accepted consensus view regarding the phylogenetic structure of kingdom Fungi although two major phyla, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, are clearly delineated. Regarding the lower fungi, Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota, a variety of proposals have been advanced. Microsporidia may or may not be fungi; the Glomales (vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) may or may not constitute a fifth fungal phylum, and the loss of the flagellum may have occurred either once or multiple times during fungal evolution. All of these issues are capable of being resolved by a molecular phylogenetic analysis which achieves strong statistical support for major branches. To date, no fungal phylogeny based upon molecular characters has satisfied this criterion. Using the translated amino acid sequences of the RPB1 and RPB2 genes, we have inferred a fungal phylogeny that consists largely of well-supported monophyletic phyla. Our major results, each with significant statistical support, are: (1) Microsporidia are sister to kingdom Fungi and are not members of Zygomycota; that is, Microsporidia and fungi originated from a common ancestor. (2) Chytridiomycota, the only fungal phylum having a developmental stage with a flagellum, is paraphyletic and is the basal lineage. (3) Zygomycota is monophyletic based upon sampling of Trichomycetes, Zygomycetes, and Glomales. (4) Zygomycota, Basidiomycota, and Ascomycota form a monophyletic group separate from Chytridiomycota. (5) Basidiomycota and Ascomycota are monophyletic sister groups. In general, this paper highlights the evolutionary position and significance of the lower fungi (Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota). Our results suggest that loss of the flagellum happened only once during early stages of fungal evolution; consequently, the majority of fungi, unlike plants and animals, are nonflagellated. The phylogeny we infer from gene sequences is the first one that is congruent with the widely accepted morphology

  3. Fungal diversity notes 253-366: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal taxa

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Li, G.J.; Hyde, K.D.; Zhao, R. L.; Hongsanan, S.; Abdel-Aziz, F.A.; Abdel-Wahab, M. A.; Alvarado, P.; Alves-Silva, G.; Ammirati, J.F.; Ariyawansa, H.A.; Baghela, A.; Bahkali, A. H.; Beug, M.; Bhat, D.J.; Bojantchev, D.; Boonpratuang, T.; Bulgakov, T.S.; Camporesi, E.; Boro, M.C.; Ceska, O.; Chakraborty, D.; Chen, J.J.; Chethana, K.W.T.; Chomnunti, P.; Consiglio, G.; Cui, B.K.; Dai, D. Q.; Dai, Y.C.; Daranagama, D. A.; Das, K.; Vlasák, Josef

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 78, č. 1 (2016), s. 1-237 ISSN 1560-2745 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : lichenized ascomycota ostropales * ribosomal dna-sequences * strictly anaerobic fungus * sp-nov russulaceae * molecular phylogeny * Basidiomycota Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 13.465, year: 2016

  4. Identifying airborne fungi in Seoul, Korea using metagenomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Seung-Yoon; Fong, Jonathan J; Park, Myung Soo; Chang, Limseok; Lim, Young Woon

    2014-06-01

    Fungal spores are widespread and common in the atmosphere. In this study, we use a metagenomic approach to study the fungal diversity in six total air samples collected from April to May 2012 in Seoul, Korea. This springtime period is important in Korea because of the peak in fungal spore concentration and Asian dust storms, although the year of this study (2012) was unique in that were no major Asian dust events. Clustering sequences for operational taxonomic unit (OTU) identification recovered 1,266 unique OTUs in the combined dataset, with between 223᾿96 OTUs present in individual samples. OTUs from three fungal phyla were identified. For Ascomycota, Davidiella (anamorph: Cladosporium) was the most common genus in all samples, often accounting for more than 50% of all sequences in a sample. Other common Ascomycota genera identified were Alternaria, Didymella, Khuskia, Geosmitha, Penicillium, and Aspergillus. While several Basidiomycota genera were observed, Chytridiomycota OTUs were only present in one sample. Consistency was observed within sampling days, but there was a large shift in species composition from Ascomycota dominant to Basidiomycota dominant in the middle of the sampling period. This marked change may have been caused by meteorological events. A potential set of 40 allergy-inducing genera were identified, accounting for a large proportion of the diversity present (22.5᾿7.2%). Our study identifies high fungal diversity and potentially high levels of fungal allergens in springtime air of Korea, and provides a good baseline for future comparisons with Asian dust storms.

  5. Effect of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Wise) Brown and Smith(Ascomycota: Hypocreales) alone or in combination with diatomaceous earth against Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val (Coleoptera:Tenebrionidae) and Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Michalaki, M P; Athanassiou, C G; Steenberg, Tove

    2007-01-01

    moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The fungus was added in stored wheat at two dose rates, 200 and 400 ppm, at two temperature levels, 20 and 25 °C alone or in combination with the diatomaceous earth formulation SilicoSec®. Mortality of the exposed individuals was measured after...... 7, 14 and 21 d of exposure. For both T. confusum adults and larvae, mortality was higher at 20 than at 25 °C. In the case of T. confusum larvae, after 14 d of exposure, mortality on wheat treated with the highest dose of P. fumosoroseus with SilicoSec® was signiWcantly higher than that of Silico...

  6. SELECCIÓN DE AISLAMIENTOS DE Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. Y Metarhizium anisopliae Metsch. Sorokin (ASCOMYCOTA: HYPOCREALES) PATOGÉNICOS A GALLINA CIEGA Phyllophaga polyphylla (Bates) (COLEOPTERA: MELOLONTHIDAE) Y DISTRIBUCIÓN VERTICAL DE ESPORAS EN DIFERENTES TIPOS DE SUELO

    OpenAIRE

    CRUZ COTA, LIZETH RAMONA

    2012-01-01

    Los hongos entomopatógenos son una alternativa promisoria para el control de plagas agrícolas. En este estudio, se obtuvieron diversos aislamientos nativos de estos microorganismos provenientes de larvas de gallina ciega del género Phyllophaga sp., una de la plagas más importantes del cultivo de maíz en el estado de Guanajuato. En total se obtuvieron 16 aislamientos de hongos entomopatógenos, de los cuales ocho pertenecen a Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. y el resto a Meta...

  7. Polarimetric purity and the concept of degree of polarization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gil, José J.; Norrman, Andreas; Friberg, Ari T.; Setälä, Tero

    2018-02-01

    The concept of degree of polarization for electromagnetic waves, in its general three-dimensional version, is revisited in the light of the implications of the recent findings on the structure of polarimetric purity and of the existence of nonregular states of polarization [J. J. Gil et al., Phys Rev. A 95, 053856 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevA.95.053856]. From the analysis of the characteristic decomposition of a polarization matrix R into an incoherent convex combination of (1) a pure state Rp, (2) a middle state Rm given by an equiprobable mixture of two eigenstates of R, and (3) a fully unpolarized state Ru -3 D, it is found that, in general, Rm exhibits nonzero circular and linear degrees of polarization. Therefore, the degrees of linear and circular polarization of R cannot always be assigned to the single totally polarized component Rp. It is shown that the parameter P3 D proposed formerly by Samson [J. C. Samson, Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 34, 403 (1973), 10.1111/j.1365-246X.1973.tb02404.x] takes into account, in a proper and objective form, all the contributions to polarimetric purity, namely, the contributions to the linear and circular degrees of polarization of R as well as to the stability of the plane containing its polarization ellipse. Consequently, P3 D constitutes a natural representative of the degree of polarimetric purity. Some implications for the common convention for the concept of two-dimensional degree of polarization are also analyzed and discussed.

  8. New Claviceps species from warm-season grasses

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pažoutová, Sylvie; Odvody, G.; Frederickson, D.E.; Chudíčková, Milada; Olšovská, Jana; Kolařík, Miroslav

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 49, č. 1 (2011), s. 145-165 ISSN 1560-2745 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/97/0611 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : Ascomycota * Taxonomy * Phylogeny Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 4.769, year: 2011

  9. Septal Pore Caps in Basidiomycetes, Composition and Ultrastructure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Driel, K.G.A. van

    2007-01-01

    Filamentous fungi, including Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, form mycelia that consist of a network of apical growing hyphae. These hyphae are separated into cellular compartments by septa that have pores of about 70 to 500 nm in diameter. The cytoplasm within the mycelium is thus continuous

  10. What is Scirrhia?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Crous, P.W.; Minnis, A.M.; Pereira, O.L.; Alfenas, A.C.; Alfenas, R.F.; Rossman, A.Y.; Groenewald, J.Z.

    2011-01-01

    The ascomycetous genus Scirrhia is presently treated as a member of Dothideomycetidae, though uncertainty remains as to which family it belongs in Capnodiales, Ascomycota. Recent collections on stems of a fern, Pteridium aquilinum (Dennstaedtiaceae) in Brazil, led to the discovery of a new species

  11. What is Scirrhia?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Crous, P.W.; Minnis, A.M.; Pereira, O.L.; Alfenas, A.C.; Alfenas, R.F.; Rossman, A.Y.; Groenewald, J.Z.

    2011-01-01

    The ascomycetous genus Scirrhia is presently treated as a member of Dothideomycetidae, though uncertainty remains as to which family it belongs in Capnodiales, Ascomycota. Recent collections on stems of a fern, Pteridium aquilinum {Dennstaedtiaceae) in Brazil, led to the discovery of a new species

  12. Characterization of two catalase-peroxidase-encoding genes in Fusarium verticillioides reveals differential responses to in vitro versus in planta oxidative challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Catalase/peroxidases (KatGs) are a superfamily of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-degrading enzymes believed to be horizontally acquired by ancient Ascomycota from bacteria. Subsequent gene duplication resulted in two KatG paralogs in ascomycetes: the widely distributed intracellular KatG1 group, and ...

  13. Macrofungal diversity of Bolu Abant Nature Park (Turkey) | Servi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study was based on materials of macrofungi collected from Bolu Abant Nature Park between 2008 and 2009. As a result of field and laboratory studies, 103 taxa belonging to 34 families were identified. Five (5) taxa belong to Ascomycota and 98 to Basidiomycota.

  14. Contribution to the knowledge of pathogenic fungi of spiders in Argentina. Southernmost record in the world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manfrino, Romina G; González, Alda; Barneche, Jorge; Tornesello Galván, Julieta; Hywell-Jones, Nigel; López Lastra, Claudia C

    The aim of this study was to identify entomopathogenic fungi infecting spiders (Araneae) in a protected area of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. The Araneae species identified was Stenoterommata platensis. The pathogens identified were Lecanicillium aphanocladii Zare & W. Gams, Purpureocillium lilacinum (Thom) Luangsa-ard, Houbraken, Hywel Jones & Samson and Ophiocordyceps caloceroides (Berk & M.A. Curtis). This study constitutes the southernmost records in the world and contributes to expanding the knowledge of the biodiversity of pathogenic fungi of spiders in Argentina. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  15. Judging the Judges: finding value in these problematic characters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L R Martin

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available The biblical judges are well known for their less than exemplary behaviour. In the past, these judges have been appreciated largely as examples of how a charismatic leader should not behave. In spite of the judges� questionable morals, the writer of the book of Hebrews commends four of them (Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson for their faith. This paper evaluates these judges in light of their characterisations in the book of Hebrews and in the book of Judges and suggests that our struggle with the judges parallels the contemporary integrity crisis in Christian leadership.

  16. Cyberlindnera xylolytica sp. nov., a xylitol-producing yeast species isolated from lignocellulosic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Independent surveys of yeasts associated with lignocellulosic-related materials led to the discovery of a novel yeast species belonging to the Cyberlindnera clade (Saccharomycotina, Ascomycota). Analysis of the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 domains of the la...

  17. A new approach to species delimitation in Septoria

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verkley, G.J.M.; Quaedvlieg, W.; Shin, H.D.; Crous, P.W.

    2013-01-01

    Septoria is a large genus of asexual morphs of Ascomycota causing leaf spot diseases of many cultivated and wild plants. Host specificity has long been a decisive criterium in species delimitation in Septoria, mainly because of the paucity of useful morphological characters and the high level of

  18. Polyphasic taxonomy of Aspergillus section Aspergillus (formerly Eurotium), and its occurrence in indoor environments and food

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Chen, A.J.; Hubka, Vít; Frisvad, J.C.; Visagie, C.M.; Houbraken, J.; Meijer, M.; Varga, J.; Demirel, R.; Jurjević, Ž.; Kubátová, A.; Sklenář, František; Zhou, Y.G.; Samson, R.A.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 88, SEP (2017), s. 37-135 ISSN 0166-0616 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Ascomycota * Eurotiales * Aspergillaceae Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Microbiology Impact factor: 14.000, year: 2016

  19. Ancestral state reconstruction infers phytopathogenic origins of sooty blotch and flyspeck fungi on apple

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ismail, Siti Izera; Batzer, Jean Carlson; Harrington, Thomas C.; Crous, Pedro W.; Lavrov, Dennis V.; Li, Huanyu; Gleason, Mark L.

    2016-01-01

    Members of the sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) complex are epiphytic fungi in the Ascomycota that cause economically damaging blemishes of apples worldwide. SBFS fungi are polyphyletic, but approx. 96% of SBFS species are in the Capnodiales. Evolutionary origins of SBFS fungi remain unclear, so we

  20. Ancestral state reconstruction infers phytopathogenic origins of sooty blotch and flyspeck fungi on apple

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ismail, Siti Izera; Batzer, Jean Carlson; Harrington, Thomas C.; Crous, Pedro W.; Lavrov, Dennis V.; Li, Huanyu; Gleason, Mark L.

    2016-01-01

    Members of the sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) complex are epiphytic fungi in the Ascomycota that cause economically damaging blemishes of apples worldwide. SBFS fungi are polyphyletic, but approx. 96% of SBFS species are in the Capnodiales. Evolutionary origins of SBFS fungi remain unclear, so

  1. The evolution of fungal epiphytes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hongsanan, S.; Sánchez-Ramírez, S.; Crous, P.W.; Ariyawansa, H.A.; Zhao, R.L.; Hyde, K.D.

    2016-01-01

    Fungal epiphytes are a polyphyletic group found on the surface of plants, particularly on leaves, with a worldwide distribution. They belong in the phylum Ascomycota, which contains the largest known number of fungal genera. There has been little research dating the origins of the common ancestors

  2. Pumpkin powdery mildew disease severity influences the fungal diversity of the phyllosphere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhuo; Luo, Luyun; Tan, Xinqiu; Kong, Xiao; Yang, Jianguo; Wang, Duanhua; Zhang, Deyong; Jin, Decai; Liu, Yong

    2018-01-01

    Phyllosphere microbiota play a crucial role in plant-environment interactions and their microbial community and function are influenced by biotic and abiotic factors. However, there is little research on how pathogens affect the microbial community of phyllosphere fungi. In this study, we collected 16 pumpkin ( Cucurbita moschata ) leaf samples which exhibited powdery mildew disease, with a severity ranging from L1 (least severe) to L4 (most severe). The fungal community structure and diversity was examined by Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal RNA genes. The results showed that the fungal communities were dominated by members of the Basidiomycota and Ascomycota. The Podosphaera was the most dominant genus on these infected leaves, which was the key pathogen responsible for the pumpkin powdery mildew. The abundance of Ascomycota and Podosphaera increased as disease severity increased from L1 to L4, and was significantly higher at disease severity L4 ( P powdery mildew disease severity.

  3. Mating-type locus characterization and variation in Pyrenophora semeniperda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julie Leanna Henry

    2015-01-01

    Pyrenophora semeniperda is a generalist fungal pathogen that occurs primarily on monocot seed hosts. It is in the phylum Ascomycota, which includes both self-compatible (homothallic) and self-incompatible (heterothallic) species. Homothallic fungal species contain complementary mating-type (MAT) idiomorphs in a single unikaryotic strain, while heterothallic strains...

  4. Notes on Caloplaca lucifuga (Teloschistales, Ascomycota in Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dariusz Kubiak

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The current knowledge on the occurrence of Caloplaca lucifuga, a rare lichen with an inconspicuous crustose sorediate thallus, is discussed. Both previous and new localities are presented. The most important data on the ecology and general distribution of the species are given. Diagnostic characters related to the morphology, anatomy and chemistry of C. lucifuga that help to differentiate it from similar species are described.

  5. Species of lichenized and allied fungi new to Białowieża Large Forest (NE Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krystyna Czyżewska

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents 38 species of lichenized and allied fungi new to Białowieża Large Forest. 24 taxa of lichenized Ascomycota and 14 taxa of lichenicolous and saprobic fungi are the result of the analysis of collected materials as well as additional field studies.

  6. The mechanism of oxygen isotopic fractionation during fungal denitrification - A pure culture study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wrage-Moennig, Nicole; Rohe, Lena; Anderson, Traute-Heidi; Braker, Gesche; Flessa, Heinz; Giesemann, Annette; Lewicka-Szczebak, Dominika; Well, Reinhard

    2014-05-01

    Nitrous oxide (N2O) from soil denitrification originates from bacteria and - to an unknown extent - also from fungi. During fungal denitrification, oxygen (O) exchange takes place between H2O and intermediates of the denitrification process as in bacterial exchange[1,2]. However, information about enzymes involved in fungal O exchanges and the associated fractionation effects is lacking. The objectives of this study were to estimate the O fractionation and O exchange during the fungal denitrifying steps using a conceptual model[2] adapted from concepts for bacterial denitrification[3], implementing controls of O exchange proposed by Aerssens, et al.[4] and using fractionation models by Snider et al.[5] Six different pure fungal cultures (five Hypocreales, one Sordariales) known to be capable of denitrification were incubated under anaerobic conditions, either with nitrite or nitrate. Gas samples were analyzed for N2O concentration and its isotopic signatures (SP, average δ15N, δ18O). To investigate O exchange, both treatments were also established with 18O-labelled water as a tracer in the medium. The Hypocreales strains showed O exchange mainly at NO2- reductase (Nir) with NO2- as electron acceptor and no additional O exchange at NO3- reductase (Nar) with NO3- as electron acceptor. The only Hypocreales species having higher O exchange with NO3- than with NO2- also showed O exchange at Nar. The Sordariales species tested seems capable of O exchange at NO reductase (Nor) additionally to O exchange at Nir with NO2-. The data will help to better interpret stable isotope values of N2O from soils. .[1] D. M. Kool, N. Wrage, O. Oenema, J. Dolfing, J. W. Van Groenigen. Oxygen exchange between (de)nitrification intermediates and H2O and its implications for source determination of NO?3- and N2O: a review. Rapid Commun. Mass Spec. 2007, 21, 3569. [2] L. Rohe, T.-H. Anderson, B. Braker, H. Flessa, A. Giesemann, N. Wrage-Mönnig, R. Well. Fungal Oxygen Exchange between

  7. Arctic driftwood reveals unexpectedly rich fungal diversity

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Blanchette, R.A.; Held, B.W.; Hellmann, L.; Millman, L.; Büntgen, Ulf

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 23, OCT (2016), s. 58-65 ISSN 1754-5048 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.20.0248 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : Ascomycota * Basidiomycota * Biodegradation * Community ecology * Greenland * Iceland * its * Russia * Soft rot * Taxonomy * Wood decay Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 3.219, year: 2016

  8. Effects of biochar amendment on bacterial and fungal diversity for co-composting of gelatin industry sludge mixed with organic fraction of municipal solid waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Li, Jiao; Kumar, Sunil; Awasthi, Sanjeev Kumar; Wang, Quan; Chen, Hongyu; Wang, Meijing; Ren, Xiuna; Zhang, Zengqiang

    2017-12-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the bacterial and fungal diversities of 18contrastivecomposts applied with 17 different sources mad biochars applied treatments using 16S rRNA and 18S rDNA technology, while T-1 used as a control. The results showed that bacterial species of the phyla Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi, and fungi of the phylum Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were pre-dominant among the all treatments. The bacterial genus Subgroup_6_norank, Nocardioides, Pseudonocardia, Sphingomonas, Solirubrobacter and RB41_norank are first time identified in composting ecosystem. In addition, the fungal genus Ascomycota_unclassified, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Pleosporales_unclassified and Herpotrichlellacease_unclassified ubiquitous among the all compost. The Shannon and refraction-curve biodiversity indices showed a clear heterogeneity among all the treatments, which could be due to isolation of new genera in this system. Finally, the principal component analysis of the relative number of sequences also confirmed that bacterial and fungal population indiscriminate in different sources mad biochar applied treatments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Alectorioid Morphologies in Paleogene Lichens: New Evidence and Re-Evaluation of the Fossil Alectoria succini Mägdefrau

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaasalainen, Ulla; Heinrichs, Jochen; Krings, Michael; Myllys, Leena; Grabenhorst, Heinrich; Rikkinen, Jouko; Schmidt, Alexander R.

    2015-01-01

    One of the most important issues in molecular dating studies concerns the incorporation of reliable fossil taxa into the phylogenies reconstructed from DNA sequence variation in extant taxa. Lichens are symbiotic associations between fungi and algae and/or cyanobacteria. Several lichen fossils have been used as minimum age constraints in recent studies concerning the diversification of the Ascomycota. Recent evolutionary studies of Lecanoromycetes, an almost exclusively lichen-forming class in the Ascomycota, have utilized the Eocene amber inclusion Alectoria succinic as a minimum age constraint. However, a re-investigation of the type material revealed that this inclusion in fact represents poorly preserved plant remains, most probably of a root. Consequently, this fossil cannot be used as evidence of the presence of the genus Alectoria (Parmeliaceae, Lecanorales) or any other lichens in the Paleogene. However, newly discovered inclusions from Paleogene Baltic and Bitterfeld amber verify that alectorioid morphologies in lichens were in existence by the Paleogene. The new fossils represent either a lineage within the alectorioid group or belong to the genus Oropogon. PMID:26053106

  10. Draft Genome Sequence of the Sordariomycete Lecythophora (Coniochaeta) hoffmannii CBS 245.38.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonhardt, Sabrina; Büttner, Enrico; Gebauer, Anna Maria; Hofrichter, Martin; Kellner, Harald

    2018-02-15

    Lecythophora ( Coniochaeta ) hoffmannii , a soil- and lignocellulose-inhabiting sordariomycete (Ascomycota) that can also live as a facultative tree pathogen causing soft rot, belongs to the family Coniochaetaceae. The strain CBS 245.38 sequenced here was assembled into 869 contigs, has a size of 30.8 Mb, and comprises 10,596 predicted protein-coding genes. Copyright © 2018 Leonhardt et al.

  11. New records of Lobaria amplissima (Lobariaceae, Ascomycota in Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Zalewska

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The current knowledge on the occurrence of Lobaria amplissima, a very rare old-growth forest lichen in Poland, is discussed. Both previous and new localities are presented. The Białowieża Forest, from which L. amplissima is reported, is a refuge site of L. amplissima in the lowland forests of Central Europe. The most important data on the ecology and the general distribution of the species are given. Diagnostic characters related to the morphology, anatomy and chemistry of L. amplissima differentiating it from similar species are described.

  12. Chemical variation in the lichen genus Letrouitia (Ascomycota, Letrouitiaceae)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansson, S.; Søchting, Ulrik; Elix, J.A.

    2005-01-01

    Secondary metabolites from 193 specimens belonging to 15 species of Letrouitia were analyzed by HPLC. Significant quantities of the anthraquinones parietin and fragilin were found in most species and occasionally minor quantities of emodin, 5-chloroemodin, 7-chloroemodin, 7-chloroteloschistin, 7...

  13. Insect symbiosis: derivation of yeast-like endosymbionts within an entomopathogenic filamentous lineage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suh, S O; Noda, H; Blackwell, M

    2001-06-01

    Yeast-like endosymbionts (YLSs) of insects often are restricted to specific hosts and are essential to the host's survival. For example, in planthoppers (Homoptera: Delphacidae), endosymbionts function in sterol utilization and nitrogen recycling for the hosts. Our study, designed to investigate evolutionary changes in the YLS lineage involved in the planthopper association, strongly suggests an origin of the YLSs from within the filamentous ascomycetes (Euascomycetes), not the true yeasts (Saccharomycetes), as their morphology might indicate. During divergence of the planthopper YLSs, dramatic changes would have occurred in the insect-fungus interaction and the fungal morphology that have previously been undescribed in filamentous ascomycetes. Phylogenetic trees were based on individual and combined data sets of 2.6 kb of the nuclear small- and large-subunit ribosomal RNA genes for YLSs from three rice planthoppers (Laodelphax striatellus, Nilaparvata lugens, and Sogatella furcifera) compared with 56 other fungi. Parsimony analysis placed the planthopper YLSs within Cordyceps (Euascomycetes: Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), a genus of filamentous insects and a few fungal pathogenic ascomycetes. Another YLS species restricted to the aphid Hamiltonaphis styraci (Homoptera: Aphididae) was a sister taxon to the planthopper YLSS: Filamentous insect pathogens (Metarhizium and Beauveria) specific to the same species of insect hosts as the YLSs also formed lineages within the Clavicipitaceae, but these were distinct from the clade comprising YLS species. Trees constrained to include the YLSs in families of the Hypocreales other than the Clavicipitaceae were rejected by the Kishino-Hasegawa test. In addition, the results of this study support a hypothesis of two independent origins of insect-associated YLSs from among filamentous ascomycetes: the planthopper YLSs in the Clavicipitaceae and the YLSs associated with anobiid beetles (Symbiotaphrina species). Several lineages of

  14. Evaluation of Two Entomopathogenic Fungi for Control of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Underground Storm Drains in the Coachella Valley, California, United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popko, David A; Henke, Jennifer A; Mullens, Bradley A; Walton, William E

    2017-12-22

    Commercially available formulations of two entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), were assessed for control of Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) in underground storm drain systems (USDS) in the Coachella Valley of southern California. Each of three treatments, the two fungi or a water control, was applied to 1 m2 of vertical wall at eight USDS sites in spring and autumn of 2015. Fungal infectivity and lethality were assessed at 1 d and 1, 2, and 4 wk post-application. Overnight bioassays using adult lab-reared female mosquitoes were carried out on the treated USDS wall areas and then mosquitoes were held in the laboratory for up to 21 d to allow fungal infections to be expressed. Postmortem fungal sporulation was assessed up to 2 wk at 100% humidity. Mosquito-fungal interactions also were assessed in bioassays of the three treatments on filter paper exposed to USDS conditions during autumn. Metarhizium anisopliae killed mosquitoes faster than B. bassiana; nevertheless, both freshly applied formulations caused greater than 80% mortality. Fungal persistence declined significantly after 1 wk under USDS conditions, but some infectivity persisted for more than 4 wk. Beauveria bassiana was more effective against Cx. qinquefasciatus in the spring, while M. anisopliae was more effective in the cooler conditions during autumn. USDS environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, relative humidity, standing water) influenced fungal-related mortality and infection of Cx. quinquefasciatus. The utility of these fungal formulations for mosquito abatement in the Coachella Valley and implications for fungal control agents in USDS environments are discussed. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Enhancement of TCE removal by a static magnetic field in a fungal biotrickling filter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quan, Yue; Wu, Hao; Guo, Chunyu; Han, Yu; Yin, Chengri

    2018-07-01

    A fungal biotrickling filter (BTF) was employed to treat trichloroethylene (TCE) gas under different magnetic field intensities (MFIs). When the TCE inlet concentrations were approximately 370, 500-900, and 1000 mg/m 3 , the removal performances followed the order: MFI 20.0 mT > MFI 60.0 mT > MFI 80.0 mT > MFI 0 mT. In particular, at a TCE inlet concentration of 1000 mg/m 3 , MFI 20.0 mT was significantly better than MFI 0 mT performance. The corresponding removal efficiencies and maximum elimination capacities were 52.9%, 4854.1 mg/m 3  h and 39.4%, 3594.8 mg/m 3  h, respectively. BTF was shut down completely for 7 days and rapidly recovered in 6-10 days. High-throughput sequencing indicated that MF significantly affected the fungal community and significantly improved the relative abundance of the phylum Ascomycota, achieving the highest abundance of Ascomycota at MFI 20.0. These results indicated that a lower MFI can efficiently improve TCE removal performance in a fungal BTF. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Microscopic fungi in the Atlantic Rainforest in Cubatão, São Paulo, Brazil Fungos microscópicos de Mata Atlântica em Cubatão, São Paulo, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iracema Helena Schoenlein-Crusius

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available This article presents a survey of fungi obtained from soil, water and mixed leaf litter samples taken from the Atlantic Rainforest in the municipality of Cubatão, in the State of São Paulo, during the years of 1993 to 1995. Using different techniques for the isolation of microscopic fungi, a total of 280 taxa was obtained (66 zoosporic fungi, 40 Mucorales, 45 Glomales, 125 anamorphs, three Ascomycota and one Basidiomycota, with 23 species being reported for the first time in Brazil.Este artigo apresenta o levantamento dos fungos obtidos de amostras de solo, água e folhedo mixto coletados da Mata Atlântica no município de Cubatão, estado de São Paulo, durante os anos de 1993 a 1995. Utilizando diferentes técnicas para isolamento de fungos microscópicos, um total de 280 táxons foram obtidos (66 fungos zoospóricos, 40 representantes de Mucorales, 45 de Glomales, 125 fungos anamorfos, três de Ascomycota e um representante de Basidiomycota, sendo 23 espécies reportadas pela primeira vez para o Brasil.

  17. Contrasting land uses in Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral systems generated patchy diversity patterns of vascular plants and below-ground microorganisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagella, Simonetta; Filigheddu, Rossella; Caria, Maria Carmela; Girlanda, Mariangela; Roggero, Pier Paolo

    2014-12-01

    The aims of this paper were (i) to define how contrasting land uses affected plant biodiversity in Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral-systems across a gradient of disturbance regimes: cork oak forests, secondary grasslands, hay crops, grass covered vineyards, tilled vineyards; (ii) to determine whether these patterns mirrored those of below-ground microorganisms and whether the components of γ-diversity followed a similar model. The disturbance regimes affected plant assemblage composition. Species richness decreased with increasing land use intensity, the Shannon index showed the highest values in grasslands and hay crops. Plant assemblage composition patterns mirrored those of Basidiomycota and Ascomycota. Richness in Basidiomycota, denitrifying bacteria and microbial biomass showed the same trend as that observed for vascular plant richness. The Shannon index pattern of below-ground microorganisms was different from that of plants. The plant γ-diversity component model weakly mirrored those of Ascomycota. Patchy diversity patterns suggest that the maintenance of contrasting land uses associated with different productions typical of agro-silvo-pastoral-systems can guarantee the conservation of biodiversity. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Cercosporoid fungi (Mycosphaerellaceae) 2. Species on monocots (Acoraceae to Xyridaceae, excluding Poaceae)

    OpenAIRE

    Braun, Uwe; Crous, Pedro W.; Nakashima, Chiharu

    2014-01-01

    Cercosporoid fungi (formerly Cercospora s. lat.) represent one of the largest groups of hyphomycetes belonging to the Mycosphaerellaceae (Ascomycota). They include asexual morphs, asexual holomorphs, or species with mycosphaerella-like sexual morphs. Most of them are leaf-spotting plant pathogens with special phytopathological relevance. In the first part of a new monographic work, cercosporoid hyphomycetes occurring on other fungi (fungicolous species), on ferns (pteridophytes) and gymnosper...

  19. Three New Records of Ascomycetes Isolates from Field Soils in Korea

    OpenAIRE

    Adhikari, Mahesh; Gurung, Sun Kumar; Kim, Hyun Seung; Bazie, Setu; Lee, Hyun Gu; Lee, Hyang Burm; Lee, Youn Su

    2017-01-01

    Three new records of Ascomycota species (Chaetomium acropullum, Phialemonium globosum, Phialemonium atrogriseum) from field soils in Korea are presented in this study. These newly discovered fungal isolates were isolated from field soils from various places across Gyeongnam, Korea in 2016. All the isolates were identified and described based on morphological characteristics, and rDNA internal transcribed spacer and β-tubulin gene sequence data. Morphological features of these fungal species w...

  20. Diversity and Antibacterial Activities of Fungi Derived from the Gorgonian Echinogorgia rebekka from the South China Sea

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Ya-Nan; Shao, Chang-Lun; Zheng, Cai-Juan; Chen, Yi-Yan; Wang, Chang-Yun

    2011-01-01

    The diversity of symbiotic fungi associated with the gorgonian coral Echinogorgia rebekka from the Weizhou coral reef in the South China Sea was investigated. Combined with morphologic traits, ITS-rDNA sequences revealed 18 fungal strains from this gorgonian. All of the 18 fungi belonged to the phylum Ascomycota and were distributed among seven genera in five orders: Eurotiales (Aspergillus and Penicillium), Pleosporales (Alternaria), Capnodiales (Cladosporium), Trichosphaeriales (Nigrospora)...

  1. Application of ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy to Compare the Cell Materials of Wood Decay Fungi with Wood Mould Fungi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barun Shankar Gupta

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Wood fungi create vast damage among standing trees and all types of wood materials. The objectives of this study are to (a characterize the cell materials of two major wood decay fungi (Basidiomycota, namely, Trametes versicolor and Postia placenta, and (b compare the cell materials of decay fungi with four wood mould fungi (Ascomycota, namely, Aureobasidium pullulans, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Ulocladium atrum. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy is used to characterize the microbial cellular materials. The results showed that the IR bands for the fatty acid at ∼2900 cm−1 were different for the two-decay-fungi genre. Postia placenta shows more absorbance peaks at the fatty acid region. Band ratio indices for amide I and amide II from protein amino acids were higher for the mould fungi (Ascomycota than the decay fungi (Basidiomycota. Similarly, the band ratio index calculated for the protein end methyl group was found to be higher for the mould fungi than the decay fungi. Mould fungi along with the decay fungi demonstrated a positive correlation (R2=0.75 between amide I and amide II indices. The three-component multivariate, principal component analysis showed a strong correlation of amide and protein band indices.

  2. Accelerated evolutionary rates in tropical and oceanic parmelioid lichens (Ascomycota

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blanco Oscar

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The rate of nucleotide substitutions is not constant across the Tree of Life, and departures from a molecular clock have been commonly reported. Within parmelioid lichens, the largest group of macrolichens, large discrepancies in branch lengths between clades were found in previous studies. Using an extended taxon sampling, we test for presence of significant rate discrepancies within and between these clades and test our a priori hypothesis that such rate discrepancies may be explained by shifts in moisture regime or other environmental conditions. Results In this paper, the first statistical evidence for accelerated evolutionary rate in lichenized ascomycetes is presented. Our results give clear evidence for a faster rate of evolution in two Hypotrachyna clades that includes species occurring in tropical and oceanic habitats in comparison with clades consisting of species occurring in semi-arid and temperate habitats. Further we explore potential links between evolutionary rates and shifts in habitat by comparing alternative Ornstein-Uhlenbeck models. Conclusion Although there was only weak support for a shift at the base of a second tropical clade, where the observed nucleotide substitution rate is high, overall support for a shift in environmental conditions at cladogenesis is very strong. This suggests that speciation in some lichen clades has proceeded by dispersal into a novel environment, followed by radiation within that environment. We found moderate support for a shift in moisture regime at the base of one tropical clade and a clade occurring in semi-arid regions and a shift in minimum temperature at the base of a boreal-temperate clade.

  3. Corticolous sorediate Lecanora species (Lecanoraceae, Ascomycota) containing atranorin in Europe

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Malíček, Jiří; Berger, F.; Palice, Zdeněk; Vondrák, Jan

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 49, č. 5 (2017), s. 431-455 ISSN 0024-2829 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : epiphytic lichens * Lecanora subfusca group * old-growth beech forests Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 1.224, year: 2016

  4. Mniaecia jungermanniae and Puttea margaritella (lichenized Ascomycota found in Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paweł Czarnota

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Two hepaticolous fungi, Mniaecia jungermanniae and Puttea margaritella rarely recorded in Europe have recently been found in Polish Western Carpathians. Both species are also reported here for the first time from Poland. Notes on their taxonomy, ecology and distribution are provided.

  5. Note on Cladonia species (lichenized Ascomycota from Ardahan province (Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piotr Osyczka

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper is the first report on Cladonia species from Ardahan, a north-eastern province of Turkey. A circumpolar boreal-low arctic species, Cladonia acuminata, rarely reported from Asia, and the recently described Cladonia monomorpha are reported as new for Turkey. Their detailed descriptions and taxonomical remarks are provided. Localities of other ascertained Cladonia species in the province supplement the knowledge of their distribution patterns in the country. In addition, the typically corticolous/lignicolous species Vulpicida pinastri is mentioned as also growing on primary squamules and podetia of C. pyxidata.

  6. Taxonomic revision of Xanthomendoza borealis and Xanthoria mawsonii (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindblom, Louise; Søchting, Ulrik

    2008-01-01

    The xanthorioid taxa Xanthomendoza borealis and Xanthoria mawsonii are revised using morphological, anatomical, secondary chemical, and molecular characters. We conclude that most specimens determined as X. mawsonii from the Antarctic are conspecific with specimens labelled X. borealis from...... the Northern Hemisphere. Some specimens named X. mawsonii from the Antarctic are wrongly determined specimens of Xanthoria candelaria (L.) Th. Fr, including the holotype of Xanthoria mawsonii C. W. Dodge. Accordingly, Xanthoria mawsonii C. W. Dodge is a synonym to Xanthoria candelaria (L.) Th. Fr. The only...

  7. Coprotus arduennensis, a new species of coprophilous discomycetes (Pezizales, Ascomycota)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sloover, de Jacques R.

    2002-01-01

    A new coprophilous species of Coprotus (Pezizales, Pyronemataceae) is described and reported from five localities of the Ardennes (Belgium). Within the genus, it belongs to a group of species mainly identified by the presence of carotenoids within the paraphyses. It could not be identified as any of

  8. Screening brazilian macrophomina phaseolina isolates for alkaline lipases and other extracellular hydrolases

    OpenAIRE

    Schinke, Cláudia; Germani, Jose Carlos

    2012-01-01

    Macrophomina phaseolina, phylum Ascomycota, is a phytopathogenic fungus distributed worldwide in hot dry areas. There are few studies on its secreted lipases and none on its colony radial growth rate, an indicator of fungal ability to use nutrients for growth, on media other than potato-dextrose agar. In this study, 13 M. phaseolina isolates collected in different Brazilian regions were screened for fast-growth and the production of hydrolases of industrial interest, especially alkaline lipas...

  9. Polyancora globosa gen. sp. nov., an aeroaquatic fungus from Malaysian peat swamp forests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voglmayr, Hermann; Yule, Catherine M

    2006-10-01

    During an investigation of submerged leaves and twigs sampled from tropical peat swamp forests located in Peninsular Malaysia, an anamorphic fungus not attributable to a described genus was detected and isolated in pure culture. Conidial ontogeny was thoroughly studied and illustrated using both light and SEM, which revealed a unique conidial morphology. Analysis of partial nuLSU rDNA and ITS data revealed a phylogenetic position within the Xylariales (Ascomycota), but family affiliation remained unclear.

  10. Ekofyziologie mikroskopické houby Pseudogymnoascus destructans

    OpenAIRE

    Homutová, Karolína

    2014-01-01

    A microscopic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Ascomycota: Pseudeurotiaceae) causes illness known as white-nose syndrome (WNS) causing death of bats during hibernation. The illness occurs in the North America and in Europe. The fungus is characteristic by asymmetrically curved conidia, by slow growth and growth at low temperatures (below 20 řC). The aim of this study is to clarify properties responsible for unique ecelogy of Pseudogymnoascus destructans by comparison with ecological relat...

  11. Checklist of the Mycobiota of Iguazú National Park (Misiones, Argentina Catálogo de los hongos del Parque Nacional Iguazú (Misiones, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge E. Wright

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available A check-list of the fungi recorded from Iguazú National Park, one of the best known preserved areas in South America, has been compiled mainly on the basis of Rolf Singer´s and our own collections and publications. Ten species of Dictyosteliales, 4 of Myxomycetes, 4 of Pezizales, 9 of Hypocreales, 31 of other Ascomycetes, 3 Deuteromycotina and 314 of Basidiomycetes are annotated. This last group is by far the best known, and includes 13 species of jelly-fungi, 6 coral fungi, 84 resupinates, 90 Agaricales s. l., 111 polypores of which 26 are poroid Hymenochaetaceae, and 11 of Gasteromycetes. Furthermore, 8 Ascomycetes, 58 Basidiomycetes and 2 Deuteromycotina were determined to genus. Lichens have been excluded. The microfungi of the Park have hardly been explored, and no phycomycetes are recorded, so the number of species included in this checklist is but a mere sample of the rich mycobiota of the Park.Este catálogo de los hongos registrados para el Parque Nacional Iguazú, una de las áreas preservadas mejor conocidas en América del Sur, ha sido confeccionado principalmente sobre la base de las colecciones y publicaciones de Rolf Singer y las propias. Diez especies de Dictyosteliales, 4 de Myxomycetes, 4 de Pezizales, 9 de Hypocreales, 31 de otros Ascomycetes, 3 Deuteromycotina, y 314 de Basidiomycetes han sido anotadas. Este último grupo es de lejos el mejor conocido, e incluye 13 especies de hongos gelatinosos, 6 de hongos clavarioides, 84 de resupinados, 90 de Agaricales s. l., 111 de políporos, de los cuales 26 son Hymenochaetaceae poroides, y 11 de Gasteromycetes. Además, 8 Ascomycetes, 58 Basidiomycetes y 2 Deuteromycotina fueron solo determinados a nivel de género. Los líquenes han sido excluídos. Los microhongos del Parque apenas han sido explorados, y no se han registrado 'ficomicetes', de modo que el número de especies que se presenta aquí son tan sólo un mero muestreo de la micobiota del Parque.

  12. Simultaneous exposure of nematophagous fungi, entomopathogenic nematodes and entomopathogenic fungi can modulate belowground insect pest control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bueno-Pallero, Francisco Ángel; Blanco-Pérez, Rubén; Dionísio, Lídia; Campos-Herrera, Raquel

    2018-05-01

    Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and fungi (EPF) are well known biological control agents (BCAs) against insect pests. Similarly, the nematophagous fungi (NF) are considered good BCA candidates for controlling plant parasitic nematodes. Because NF can employ EPNs as food and interact with EPF, we speculate that the simultaneous application of EPNs and EPF might result in higher insect mortality, whereas the triple species combination with NF will reduce the EPN and EPF activity by predation or inhibition. Here we evaluated single, dual (EPN + EPF, EPF + NF, EPN + NF) and triple (EPN + EPF + NF) combinations of one EPN, Steinernema feltiae (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), one EPF, Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), and two NF, Arthrobotrys musiformis (Orbiliales: Orbiliaceae) and Purpureocillium lilacinum (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) under laboratory conditions. First, we showed that EPF reduced the growth rate of NF and vice versa when combined in both rich and limiting media, suggesting a negative interaction when combining both fungi. Three different fungal applications (contact with mycelia-conidia, immersion in conidial suspension, and injection of conidial suspension) were tested in single, dual and triple species combinations, evaluating Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larval mortality and time to kill. When mycelia was presented, the EPF appeared to be the dominant in combined treatments, whereas in immersion exposure was the EPN. In both types of exposure, NF alone did not produce any effect on larvae. However, when A. musiformis was injected, it produced larval mortalities >70% in the same time span as EPN. Overall, additive effects dominated the dual and triple combinations, with the exception of injection method, where synergisms occurred for both NF species combined with EPN + EPF. This study illustrates how differences in species combination and timing of fungal arrival can modulate the action

  13. Polar solar panels: Arctic and Antarctic microbiomes display similar taxonomic profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanner, Kristie; Martí, Jose Manuel; Belliure, Josabel; Fernández-Méndez, Mar; Molina-Menor, Esther; Peretó, Juli; Porcar, Manuel

    2018-02-01

    Solar panels located on high (Arctic and Antarctic) latitudes combine the harshness of the climate with that of the solar exposure. We report here that these polar solar panels are inhabited by similar microbial communities in taxonomic terms, dominated by Hymenobacter spp., Sphingomonas spp. and Ascomycota. Our results suggest that solar panels, even on high latitudes, can shape a microbial ecosystem adapted to irradiation and desiccation. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Seasonal Succession of Fungi Associated with Ips typographus Beetles and Their Phoretic Mites in an Outbreak Region of Finland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linnakoski, Riikka; Mahilainen, Saila; Harrington, Alison; Vanhanen, Henri; Eriksson, Miikka; Mehtätalo, Lauri; Pappinen, Ari; Wingfield, Michael J

    2016-01-01

    The ophiostomatoid fungi (Microascales and Ophiostomatales, Ascomycota) are common associates of Ips typographus, and include tree pathogens and species responsible for blue-stain of timber. Fungal assemblages associated with I. typographus have varied considerably between studies but few investigations have attempted to explain this variation. For this reason, we assessed the overall cultivable fungal diversity associated with I. typographus in a storm-felled spruce forest in south-eastern Finland. Fungi were isolated from the individually collected beetles as well as their phoretic mites in spring, summer and autumn, including different life stages of the beetle (hibernation, dispersal flight and first generation). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene region was used to identify the fungi. A total of 32 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found and these resided in four fungal phyla/subphyla (24 Ascomycota, 2 Basidiomycota, 5 Mucoromycotina, 1 Mortierellomycotina) in association with adult bark beetles. Ophiostomatoid species were the most commonly detected fungal associates. A generalized linear model analysis showed a clear association between fungal communities and season, indicating seasonal succession among I. typographus-associated fungi. The season of sampling appears to be an important factor that has resulted in inconsistencies between results in previous studies. Many of these fungi were also found on phoretic mites and their presence or absence could have influenced variation in patterns of association.

  15. Soil Fungal Community Associated with Peat in Sarawak Identified Using 18S rDNA Marker

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siti Ramlah Ahmad Ali; Sakinah Safari; Mohd Shawal Thakib; Shamsilawani Ahamed Bakeri; Nur Aziemah Ab Ghani

    2016-01-01

    Fungi are principal decomposing microorganisms in acidic environment of peat lands. A useful tool for molecular screening of soil fungal communities using the 18S ribosomal DNA primer has been proven capable of identifying a broad range of fungi species within Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota. Currently, very little information is available on fungal communities in deep peat of Sarawak, Malaysia. In this study, we have isolated the fungi from soil samples taken in deep peat forests and oil palm cultivated areas. The fungal identity was undertaken using 18S ribosomal DNA primer which is EF4-F/ fung5-R. The microscopic structures were conducted to confirm the identity of the isolates. Based on this study, the fungal division most commonly found in deep peat is the Ascomycota. Aspergillus fumigatus was the most common species and more dominant in oil palm cultivated areas and logged-over forest than in primary forest. In the primary forest, the dominant species was the A. flavus, while Hypocrea atroviridis was commonly associated with oil palm cultivated areas and logged-over forest. Other species of fungi isolated in peat primary forests were Penicillium chrysogenum, Trichoderma sp., Phanerochaete sp., Mortierella chlamydospora, A. niger, A. alliaceus, etc. The in-depth difference in the fungal communities for the different sites will be further investigated using the next generation sequencing technology. (author)

  16. Fungal Community and Ligninolytic Enzyme Activities in Quercus deserticola Trel. Litter from Forest Fragments with Increasing Levels of Disturbance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús A. Rosales-Castillo

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Litter fungal communities and their ligninolytic enzyme activities (laccase, Mn-peroxidase, and lignin-peroxidase play a vital role in forest biogeochemical cycles by breaking down plant cell wall polymers, including recalcitrant lignin. However, litter fungal communities and ligninolytic enzyme activities have rarely been studied in Neotropical, non-coniferous forests. Here, we found no significant differences in litter ligninolytic enzyme activities from well preserved, moderately disturbed, and heavily disturbed Quercus deserticola Trel. forests in central Mexico. However, we did find seasonal effects on enzyme activities: during the dry season, we observed lower laccase, and increased Mn-peroxidase and lignin-peroxidase activities, and in the rainy season, Mn-peroxidase and lignin-peroxidase activities were lower, while laccase activity peaked. Fungal diversity (Shannon-Weaver and Simpson indices based on ITS-rDNA analyses decreased with increased disturbance, and principal component analysis showed that litter fungal communities are structured differently between forest types. White-rot Polyporales and Auriculariales only occurred in the well preserved forest, and a high number of Ascomycota were shared between forests. While the degree of forest disturbance significantly affected the litter fungal community structure, the ligninolytic enzyme activities remained unaffected, suggesting functional redundancy and a possible role of generalist Ascomycota taxa in litter delignification. Forest conservation and restoration strategies must account for leaf litter and its associated fungal community.

  17. Fungal communities in soils along a vegetative ecotone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karst, Justine; Piculell, Bridget; Brigham, Christy; Booth, Michael; Hoeksema, Jason D

    2013-01-01

    We investigated the community composition and diversity of soil fungi along a sharp vegetative ecotone between coastal sage scrub (CSS) and nonnative annual grassland habitat at two sites in coastal California. USA- We pooled soil samples across 29 m transects on either side of the ecotone at each of the two sites, and. using clone libraries of fungal ribosomal DNA, we identified 280 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from a total 40 g soil. We combined information from partial LSU and ITS sequences and found that the majority of OTUs belonged to the phylum Ascomycota, followed by Basidiomycota. Within the Ascomycota. a quarter of OTUs were Sordariomycetes. 17% were Leotiomycet.es, 16% were Dothideomycetes and the remaining OTUs were distributed among the classes Eurotiomycetes, Pezizomycetes, Lecanoromycetes, Orbiliomycetes and Arthoniomycetes. Within the Basidiomycota. all OTUs but one belonged to the subphylum Agaricomycotina. We also sampled plant communities at the same sites to offer a point of comparison for patterns in richness of fungal communities. Fungal communities had higher alpha and beta diversity than plant communities; fungal communities were approximately 20 times as rich as plant communities and the majority of OTUs were found in single soil samples. Soils harbored a unique mycoflora that did not reveal vegetative boundaries or site differences. High alpha and beta diversity and possible sampling artifacts necessitate extensive sampling to reveal differentiation in these fungal communities.

  18. Communities of fungi in decomposed wood of oak and pine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwaśna Hanna

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The abundance and diversity of wood decomposing fungi were investigated by isolating and cultivating filamentous fungi from wood and by detection of fruit bodies of ascomycetous and basidiomycetous fungi. The objective was to study the impact of forest management on fungi in 100-year-old oak and 87-year-old Scots pine forests in Northern Poland. Fungi were found on coarse woody debris of decayed stumps and fallen logs, boughs and branches in each of the three (managed and unmanaged examined stands. In total, 226 species of Oomycota and fungi were recorded. Oak wood was colonized by one species of Oomycota and 141 species of fungi including Zygomycota (19 species, Ascomycota (103 species and Basidiomycota (19 species. Scots pine wood was also colonized by one species of Oomycota and 138 species of fungi including Zygomycota (19 species, Ascomycota (90 species and Basidiomycota (29 species. In the first, second and third stages of decomposition, the oak wood was colonized by 101, 89 and 56 species of fungi respectively and pine wood was colonized by 82, 103 and 47 species respectively. Eighty three of the observed species (37% occurred on both types of wood, while the other species displayed nutritional preferences. A decrease in the number of species with advancing decay indicates the necessity for a continuous supply of dead wood to the forest ecosystem.

  19. High-energy behavior of the double photoionization of helium from 2 to 12 keV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levin, J.C.; Sellin, I.A.; Johnson, B.M.; Lindle, D.W.; Miller, R.D.; Berrah, N.; Azuma, Y.; Berry, H.G.; Lee, D.

    1993-01-01

    We report the ratio of double-to-single photoionization of He at several photon energies from 2 to 12 keV. By time-of-flight methods, we find a ratio consistent with an asymptote at 1.5%±0.2%, essentially reached by hν∼4 keV. Fair agreement is obtained with older shake calculations of Byron and Joachain [Phys. Rev. 164, 1 (1967)], of Aberg [Phys. Rev. A 2, 1726 (1970)], and with recent many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) of Ishihara, Hino, and McGuire [Phys. Rev. A 44, 6980 (1991)]. The result lies below earlier MPBT calculations by Amusia et al. [J. Phys. B 8, 1248 (1975)] (2.3%), and well above semiempirical predictions of Samson [Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 2861 (1990)], who expects no asymptote and predicts σ(He 2+ )/σ(He + )=0.3% at 12 keV

  20. Contribution to a macromycete survey of the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Sobestiansky, Georg

    2005-01-01

    Collections of macromycetes made in seven municipalities in southern Brazil, viz. six in Rio Grande do Sul and one in Santa Catarina, are listed. They belonged to the Myxomycota (6 spp.), Ascomycota (54 spp.) and Basidiomycota (189 spp.). First records for Brazil could be Battarrea phalloides, Amanita rubescens, Boletus edulis and Mycena filopes, the last three found under exotic Pinus.São listadas as coletas executadas pelo autor em sete municípios no sul do Brasil, sendo seis no estado de R...

  1. The lichen genus Caloplaca (Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes) on Svalbard. Notes and additions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søchting, Ulrik; Lorentsen, Line Balschmidt; Arup, Ulf

    2008-01-01

    23 species of the lichen genus Caloplaca from Svalbard are described and/or discussed. The descriptions are natural language descriptions based on characters for each species coded into LIAS (Global Information System for Lichenized and Non-Lichenized Ascomycetes). A total of 37 Caloplaca species...

  2. A new isidiate species of Arthonia (Ascomycota: Arthoniaceae) from Costa Rica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grube, Martin; Lücking, Robert; Umaña-Tenorio, Loengrin

    2004-01-01

    The new corticolous species Arthonia isidiata is described from the Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica. A. isidiata is characterized by minute, cylindrical to coralloid isidia produced on the thallus surface. The species currently is known only from the type locality in Corcovado National Park, where it occurs abundantly in the coastal rainforest around Sirena Biological Station.

  3. Hypoxylon pulicicidum sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Xylariales, a pantropical insecticide-producing endophyte.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerald F Bills

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Nodulisporic acids (NAs are indole diterpene fungal metabolites exhibiting potent systemic efficacy against blood-feeding arthropods, e.g., bedbugs, fleas and ticks, via binding to arthropod specific glutamate-gated chloride channels. Intensive medicinal chemistry efforts employing a nodulisporic acid A template have led to the development of N-tert-butyl nodulisporamide as a product candidate for a once monthly treatment of fleas and ticks on companion animals. The source of the NAs is a monophyletic lineage of asexual endophytic fungal strains that is widely distributed in the tropics, tentatively identified as a Nodulisporium species and hypothesized to be the asexual state of a Hypoxylon species. METHODS AND RESULTS: Inferences from GenBank sequences indicated that multiple researchers have encountered similar Nodulisporium endophytes in tropical plants and in air samples. Ascomata-derived cultures from a wood-inhabiting fungus, from Martinique and closely resembling Hypoxylon investiens, belonged to the same monophyletic clade as the NAs-producing endophytes. The hypothesis that the Martinique Hypoxylon collections were the sexual state of the NAs-producing endophytes was tested by mass spectrometric analysis of NAs, multi-gene phylogenetic analysis, and phenotypic comparisons of the conidial states. We established that the Martinique Hypoxylon strains produced an ample spectrum of NAs and were conspecific with the pantropical Nodulisporium endophytes, yet were distinct from H. investiens. A new species, H. pulicicidum, is proposed to accommodate this widespread organism. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Knowledge of the life cycle of H. pulicicidum will facilitate an understanding of the role of insecticidal compounds produced by the fungus, the significance of its infections in living plants and how it colonizes dead wood. The case of H. pulicicidum exemplifies how life cycle studies can consolidate disparate observations of a fungal organism, whether from environmental sequences, vegetative mycelia or field specimens, resulting in holistic species concepts critical to the assessment of the dimensions of fungal diversity.

  4. Secondary metabolite profiling of Alternaria dauci, A. porri, A. solani, and A. tomatophila

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Birgitte; Dongo, Anita; Pryor, Barry M.

    2008-01-01

    Chemotaxonomy (secondary metabolite profiling) has been shown to be of great value in the classification and differentiation in Ascomycota. However, few studies have investigated the use of metabolite production for classification and identification purposes of plant pathogenic Alternaria species....... The purpose of the present study was to describe the methodology behind metabolite profiling in chemotaxonomy using A. dauci, A. porri, A. solani, and A. tomatophila strains as examples of the group. The results confirmed that A. dauci, A. solani, and A. tomatophila are three distinct species each...

  5. Estudio del metabolismo energético de Geotrichum klebahnii

    OpenAIRE

    Baruque, Diego Jorge

    2003-01-01

    El género Geotrichum esta comprendido dentro del phylum ascomycota. Los miembros de este género son hongos levaduriformes caracterizados por hifas estrechas con ramificaciones escasas y cortas. No poseen blastoconidias, conidioforos ni pseudohifas pero si presentan artroconidias con un tamaño promedio de 6-12 x 3-6 µm, unicelulares, en cadena, hialinas que resultan de la fragmentación de hifas indiferenciadas por fisión mediante la formación de septos dobles. Pueden ser rectangulares o poseer...

  6. Inoculation of sphagnum-based soil substrate with entomopathogenic fungus Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zemek, Rostislav; Konopická, Jana; Bohatá, Andrea

    2018-04-01

    Convenient ecological alternative to broad-spectrum chemical pesticides is the utilization of natural enemies, like predators, parasitoids and microorganisms. A substantial number of microbial biopesticides based on entomopathogenic fungi have been developed worldwide since 1960s. Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin, Isaria fumosorosea (Wize), and B. brongniartii (Saccardo) Petch are the most common species used in commercially produced mycopesticides. Besides direct biological pest control, these fungi could be also used in preventive application programs, particularly in ornamental or nursery plants to provide better control against pests. The aim of the present study was to investigate potential of pre-colonization of sphagnum-based soil substrate with I. fumosorosea strain CCM 8367 which was found earlier to be highly virulent against several pest species. We developed simple laboratory apparatus for application of fungal spore suspension into the substrate. Suspension was prepared from blastospores obtained by submerged cultivation on potato dextrose broth (PDB) medium using an orbital shaker. Inoculated substrate was placed into plastic bags and stored at constant temperature for six months. Every month, samples were analyzed for concentration of colony forming units (CFU) by elution and selective medium technique. The results showed that at 20°C the fungus successfully colonized the soil substrate and persisted there although the mean concentration slightly decreased from 5.89×104 to 2.76×104 CFU per milliliter of substrate during the experiment. Temperature 30°C had negative effect on survival of the fungus and is not recommended for long-term storage of pre-inoculated substrate. We can conclude that I. fumosorosea-colonized substrate can be convenient for preventive and permanent protection of various plants against soil-dwelling pests.

  7. Survey of Microbial Diversity in Flood Areas during Thailand 2011 Flood Crisis Using High-Throughput Tagged Amplicon Pyrosequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mhuantong, Wuttichai; Wongwilaiwalin, Sarunyou; Laothanachareon, Thanaporn; Eurwilaichitr, Lily; Tangphatsornruang, Sithichoke; Boonchayaanant, Benjaporn; Limpiyakorn, Tawan; Pattaragulwanit, Kobchai; Punmatharith, Thantip; McEvoy, John; Khan, Eakalak; Rachakornkij, Manaskorn; Champreda, Verawat

    2015-01-01

    The Thailand flood crisis in 2011 was one of the largest recorded floods in modern history, causing enormous damage to the economy and ecological habitats of the country. In this study, bacterial and fungal diversity in sediments and waters collected from ten flood areas in Bangkok and its suburbs, covering residential and agricultural areas, were analyzed using high-throughput 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer sequences. Analysis of microbial community showed differences in taxa distribution in water and sediment with variations in the diversity of saprophytic microbes and sulfate/nitrate reducers among sampling locations, suggesting differences in microbial activity in the habitats. Overall, Proteobacteria represented a major bacterial group in waters, while this group co-existed with Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria in sediments. Anaeromyxobacter, Steroidobacter, and Geobacter were the dominant bacterial genera in sediments, while Sulfuricurvum, Thiovirga, and Hydrogenophaga predominated in waters. For fungi in sediments, Ascomycota, Glomeromycota, and Basidiomycota, particularly in genera Philipsia, Rozella, and Acaulospora, were most frequently detected. Chytridiomycota and Ascomycota were the major fungal phyla, and Rhizophlyctis and Mortierella were the most frequently detected fungal genera in water. Diversity of sulfate-reducing bacteria, related to odor problems, was further investigated using analysis of the dsrB gene which indicated the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria of families Desulfobacteraceae, Desulfobulbaceae, Syntrobacteraceae, and Desulfoarculaceae in the flood sediments. The work provides an insight into the diversity and function of microbes related to biological processes in flood areas.

  8. Response of Soil Fungi Community Structure to Salt Vegetation Succession in the Yellow River Delta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yan-Yun; Guo, Du-Fa

    2016-10-01

    High-throughput sequencing technology was used to reveal the composition and distribution of fungal community structure in the Yellow River Delta under bare land and four kinds of halophyte vegetation (saline seepweed, Angiospermae, Imperata and Apocynum venetum [A. venetum]). The results showed that the soil quality continuously improved with the succession of salt vegetation types. The soil fungi richness of mild-salt communities (Imperata and A. venetum) was relatively higher, with Shannon index values of 5.21 and 5.84, respectively. The soil fungi richness of severe-salt-tolerant communities (saline seepweed, Angiospermae) was relatively lower, with Shannon index values of 4.64 and 4.66, respectively. The UniFrac metric values ranged from 0.48 to 0.67 when the vegetation was in different succession stages. A total of 60,174 valid sequences were obtained for the five vegetation types, and they were classified into Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota and Mucoromycotina. Ascomycota had the greatest advantage among plant communities of Imperata and A. venetum, as indicated by relative abundances of 2.69 and 69.97 %, respectively. Basidiomycota had the greatest advantage among mild-salt communities of saline seepweed and Angiospermae, with relative abundances of 9.43 and 6.64 %, respectively. Soil physical and chemical properties were correlated with the distribution of the fungi, and Mucor was significantly correlated with soil moisture (r = 0.985; P Soil quality, salt vegetation and soil fungi were influenced by each other.

  9. Comparisons of the fungal and protistan communities among different marine sponge holobionts by pyrosequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Liming; Liu, Fang; Karuppiah, Valliappan; Ren, Yi; Li, Zhiyong

    2014-05-01

    To date, the knowledge of eukaryotic communities associated with sponges remains limited compared with prokaryotic communities. In a manner similar to prokaryotes, it could be hypothesized that sponge holobionts have phylogenetically diverse eukaryotic symbionts, and the eukaryotic community structures in different sponge holobionts were probably different. In order to test this hypothesis, the communities of eukaryota associated with 11 species of South China Sea sponges were compared with the V4 region of 18S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene using 454 pyrosequencing. Consequently, 135 and 721 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of fungi and protists were obtained at 97 % sequence similarity, respectively. These sequences were assigned to 2 phyla of fungi (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) and 9 phyla of protists including 5 algal phyla (Chlorophyta, Haptophyta, Streptophyta, Rhodophyta, and Stramenopiles) and 4 protozoal phyla (Alveolata, Cercozoa, Haplosporidia, and Radiolaria) including 47 orders (12 fungi, 35 protists). Entorrhizales of fungi and 18 orders of protists were detected in marine sponges for the first time. Particularly, Tilletiales of fungi and Chlorocystidales of protists were detected for the first time in marine habitats. Though Ascomycota, Alveolata, and Radiolaria were detected in all the 11 sponge species, sponge holobionts have different fungi and protistan communities according to OTU comparison and principal component analysis at the order level. This study provided the first insights into the fungal and protistan communities associated with different marine sponge holobionts using pyrosequencing, thus further extending the knowledge on sponge-associated eukaryotic diversity.

  10. Associated mycobiota to cocoa fruits with symptoms of moniliasis in the equatorial Amazon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karina Carrera-Sánchez

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The cocoa cultivated in Ecuador is having greatest aroma, exquisite flavor, fragrance and quality for exportation market; it is a strategic species for the Ecuadorian agribusiness. The present study was aimed at characterizing the associate mycobiota to cocoa fruits with symptoms of Moniliasis based on morphological characters in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Infected plant materials (flowers, and fruits were collected and processed in the laboratory to prepare humid cameras. Once isolated, using the technique of humid cameras and based on morphological criteria the following genera and species of filamentous fungi associated with cacao fruits were identified: Cylindrocladium (Morgan, Dichobotrys (Hennebert Moniliophthora roreri (Cif. HC Evans, Stalpers (Samson & Benny, Colletotrichum (Corda and Phytophthora palmivora (EJ Butler. The results indicated that the morphological features are very useful to identify and characterize filamentous fungi associated with cacao pods. These microorganisms can cause deterioration of the harvested material.

  11. Suicide to harass others: clues from mythology to understanding suicide bombing attacks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preti, Antonio

    2006-01-01

    Suicide by revenge, the Samsonic suicide, and the suicide by devotio, all described in classical mythology and also reported in the ethnographic literature, belong to the same class of suicidal behaviors as kamikaze suicide and the suicide bombing attack: suicide to harass and burden others or suicide with a hostile intent. The lack of a social dimension to share in a positive manner may lead an individual to integrate him/herself in another social structure, e.g., a military organization, which allows the individual to express his/her desires and personal identity only by destroying others and themselves. The dynamics of these forms of suicide are also likely to work in other displays of life-threatening behavior, such as family annihilation, mass murder, and spree killing. A more thorough investigation of the dynamics operating in suicide bombing attacks could, therefore, contribute to preventative strategies against violence at large.

  12. A Contribution to the Lichen Family Graphidaceae (Ostropales, Ascomycota of Bolivia. 2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schiefelbein Ulf

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Microlichens of the family Graphidaceae are important components of the lowland and montane tropical forests in Bolivia. In this paper we present new records for 51 taxa of the family in Bolivia. Leiorreuma lyellii (Sm. Staiger is reported as new for the Southern Hemisphere, while Diploschistes caesioplumbeus (Nyl. Vain., Graphis daintreensis (A. W. Archer A. W. Archer, G. duplicatoinspersa Lücking, G. emersa Müll. Arg., G. hossei Vain., G. immersella Müll. Arg. and G. subchrysocarpa Lücking are new for South America. Thirty taxa are reported for the first time from Bolivia. Notes on distribution are provided for most species.

  13. Genetic diversity within lichen photobionts of the Lecanora varia group (Lichenes, Ascomycota)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pérez-Ortega, S.; Søchting, Ulrik; Printzen, C.

    partner of the symbiosis. Meanwhile, knowledge about photobiont diversity and the degree of photobiont selectivity of the fungus have been lacking behind. The Lecanora varia group is a set of species within the genus Lecanora defined by the presence of an amphitecial cortex along with the presence...... of usnic acid as secondary metabolite. We have focused on a small group of three species, namely L. varia, L. burgaziae, and L. densa which share very similar anatomical and morphological characters and an identical chemistry, with psoromic and 2-O-demethylpsoromic acids in addition to usnic acid. We have...... collected populations of these three species from various localities within their distributional range: L varia (Spain, Austria, Sweden, Czech Republic, western Siberia); L. burgaziae (Spain) and L. densa (North America and Spain). Subsequently, we sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region...

  14. Antimicrobial and enzymatic activity of anemophilous fungi of a public university in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LAUREANA V. SOBRAL

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT To the fungal microbiota the UFPE and biotechnological potential enzymatic and antimicrobial production. Air conditioned environments were sampled using a passive sedimentation technique, the air I ratio and the presence of aflatoxigenic strains evaluated for ANVISA. Icelles were to determine the enzymatic activity of lipase, amylase and protease metabolic liquids to determine antimicrobial activity. Diversity was observed in all CAV environments, CFU/m3 ranged from 14 to 290 and I/E ratio from 0.1 to 1.5. The of the fungal genera were: Aspergillus (50%, Penicillium (21%, Talaromyces (14%, Curvularia and Paecilomyces (7% each. Aspergillus sydowii (Bainier & Sartory Thom & Church presented enzymatic activity and the Talaromyces purpureogenus Samson, Yilmaz, Houbraken, Spierenb., Seifert, Peterson, Varga & Frisvad presented antibacterial activity against all bacteria that all environments present fungal species biodiversity no toxigenic or pathogenic fungi were found, according to ANVISA legislation for conditioned environments and airborne filamentous fungi present potential for enzymatic and antimicrobial activity.

  15. Fungal diversity in deep-sea sediments of a hydrothermal vent system in the Southwest Indian Ridge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Wei; Gong, Lin-feng; Pang, Ka-Lai; Luo, Zhu-Hua

    2018-01-01

    Deep-sea hydrothermal sediment is known to support remarkably diverse microbial consortia. In deep sea environments, fungal communities remain less studied despite their known taxonomic and functional diversity. High-throughput sequencing methods have augmented our capacity to assess eukaryotic diversity and their functions in microbial ecology. Here we provide the first description of the fungal community diversity found in deep sea sediments collected at the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) using culture-dependent and high-throughput sequencing approaches. A total of 138 fungal isolates were cultured from seven different sediment samples using various nutrient media, and these isolates were identified to 14 fungal taxa, including 11 Ascomycota taxa (7 genera) and 3 Basidiomycota taxa (2 genera) based on internal transcribed spacers (ITS1, ITS2 and 5.8S) of rDNA. Using illumina HiSeq sequencing, a total of 757,467 fungal ITS2 tags were recovered from the samples and clustered into 723 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to 79 taxa (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota contributed to 99% of all samples) based on 97% sequence similarity. Results from both approaches suggest that there is a high fungal diversity in the deep-sea sediments collected in the SWIR and fungal communities were shown to be slightly different by location, although all were collected from adjacent sites at the SWIR. This study provides baseline data of the fungal diversity and biogeography, and a glimpse to the microbial ecology associated with the deep-sea sediments of the hydrothermal vent system of the Southwest Indian Ridge.

  16. Human Fungal Pathogens of Mucorales and Entomophthorales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendoza, Leonel; Vilela, Raquel; Voelz, Kerstin; Ibrahim, Ashraf S; Voigt, Kerstin; Lee, Soo Chan

    2014-11-06

    In recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of immunocompromised cohorts as a result of infections and/or medical conditions, which has resulted in an increased incidence of fungal infections. Although rare, the incidence of infections caused by fungi belonging to basal fungal lineages is also continuously increasing. Basal fungal lineages diverged at an early point during the evolution of the fungal lineage, in which, in a simplified four-phylum fungal kingdom, Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota belong to the basal fungi, distinguishing them from Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Currently there are no known human infections caused by fungi in Chytridiomycota; only Zygomycotan fungi are known to infect humans. Hence, infections caused by zygomycetes have been called zygomycosis, and the term "zygomycosis" is often used as a synonym for "mucormycosis." In the four-phylum fungal kingdom system, Zygomycota is classified mainly based on morphology, including the ability to form coenocytic (aseptated) hyphae and zygospores (sexual spores). In the Zygomycota, there are 10 known orders, two of which, the Mucorales and Entomophthorales, contain species that can infect humans, and the infection has historically been known as zygomycosis. However, recent multilocus sequence typing analyses (the fungal tree of life [AFTOL] project) revealed that the Zygomycota forms not a monophyletic clade but instead a polyphyletic clade, whereas Ascomycota and Basidiomycota are monophyletic. Thus, the term "zygomycosis" needed to be further specified, resulting in the terms "mucormycosis" and "entomophthoramycosis." This review covers these two different types of fungal infections. Copyright © 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  17. Fluid mechanical responses to nutrient depletion in fungi and biofilmsa)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brenner, Michael P.

    2014-10-01

    In both fungi and bacterial biofilms, when nutrients are depleted, the organisms cannot physically migrate to find a new source, but instead must develop adaptations that allow them to survive. This paper reviews our work attempting to discover design principles for these adaptations. We develop fluid mechanical models, and aim to understand whether these suggest organizing principles for the observed morphological diversity. Determining whether a proposed organizing principle explains extant biological designs is fraught with difficulty: simply because a design principle predicts characteristics similar to an organism's morphology could just as well be accidental as revealing. In each of the two sets of examples, we adopt different strategies to develop understanding in spite of this difficulty. Within the fungal phylum Ascomycota, we use the large observed diversity of different morphological solutions to the fundamental fluid mechanical problem to measure how far each solution is from a design optimum, thereby measuring how far the extant designs deviate from the hypothesized optimum. This allows comparing different design principles to each other. For biofilms, we use engineering principles to make qualitative predictions of what types of adaptations might exist given the physicochemical properties of the repertoire of proteins that bacteria can create, and then find evidence for these adaptations in experiments. While on the surface this paper addresses the particular adaptations used by the fungal phylum Ascomycota and bacterial biofilms, we also aim to motivate discussion of different approaches to using design principles, fluid mechanical or otherwise, to rationalize observed engineering solutions in biology.

  18. Pulmonary adiaspiromycosis in the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) inhabiting Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dolka, I; Giżejewska, A; Giżejewski, Z; Kołodziejska-Lesisz, J; Kluciński, W

    2017-09-26

    Adiaspiromycosis is a rare fungal infection caused by saprophytic fungi Emmonsia spp. (type Ascomycota) occurring especially in small free-living mammals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of histopathological lesions asscociated with adiaspiromycosis in the Eurasian beaver inhabiting Poland. In order to evaluate the presence of natural adiaspiromycosis we systematically investigated beaver populations from north-eastern Poland for adiaspores in the lungs. This study reveals for the first time the presence of pulmonary adiaspiromycosis of Eurasian beaver in Poland. As far as we know, there is no published data regarding pulmonary adiaspiromycosis in human patients in Poland.

  19. Liquens brasileiros: novas descobertas evidenciam a riqueza no Norte e Nordeste do país

    OpenAIRE

    Marcela Eugenia da Silva Cáceres; Edvaneide Leandro de Lima Nascimento; André Aptroot; Robert Luecking

    2014-01-01

    A maioria das espécies não descritas de fungos é esperada em áreas pouco estudadas, como as florestas tropicais ou habitats pouco explorados como fungos que vivem em insetos, plantas, ou liquens. O Filo Ascomycota apresenta o maior número de espécies dentro do Reino Fungi, sendo que cerca da metade destas espécies são liquenizadas, ou seja, associam-se a algas e/ou cianobactérias e formam os liquens. Estes fungos liquenizados, de maneira geral, têm sido muito pouco estudados no Norte e Nordes...

  20. Verrucostoma, a new genus in the bionectriaceae from the Bonin Islands, Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirooka, Yuuri; Kobayashi, Takao; Ono, Tsuyoshi; Rossman, Amy Y; Chaverri, Priscila

    2010-01-01

    Verrucostoma freycinetiae gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated from specimens on dead leaves of Freycinetia boninensis (Pandanaceae) collected in Hahajima, Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands, Japan. The genus is characterized by pale orange perithecia with protuberances around the perithecial apex, no color change in 3% potassium hydroxide and lactic acid, unitunicate asci, spinulose ascospores and an Acremonium-like anamorph. Morphological characters were compared with other genera in the Bionectriaceae and Nectriaceae (Hypocreales). Verrucostoma is morphologically similar to Bionectria (Bionectriaceae) from which it differs in the formation of conspicuous protuberances around the perithecial apex and the Acremonium-like anamorph. Moreover molecular analyses of Verrucostoma and other members of the Bionectriaceae and Nectriaceae based on alpha-actin, large subunit nuclear ribosomal DNA and RNA polymerase II subunit 1 sequences support the conclusions based on morphological data. Our results confirm that V. freycinetiae is distinct from other genera among the Nectria-like fungi and represents a new genus belonging to the Bionectriaceae.

  1. Phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Gliocephalotrichum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombard, L; Serrato-Diaz, L M; Cheewangkoon, R; French-Monar, R D; Decock, C; Crous, P W

    2014-06-01

    Species in the genus Gliocephalotrichum (= Leuconectria) (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) are soilborne fungi, associated with post-harvest fruit spoilage of several important tropical fruit crops. Contemporary taxonomic studies of these fungi have relied on morphology and DNA sequence comparisons of the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear rDNA (ITS) and the β-tubulin gene regions. Employing DNA sequence data from four loci (β-tubulin, histone H3, ITS, and translation elongation factor 1-alpha) and morphological comparisons, the taxonomic status of the genus Gliocephalotrichum was re-evaluated. As a result five species are newly described, namely G. humicola (Taiwan, soil), G. mexicanum (rambutan fruit from Mexico), G. nephelii (rambutan fruit from Guatemala), G. queenslandicum (Australia, endophytic isolations) and G. simmonsii (rambutan fruit from Guatemala). Although species of Gliocephalotrichum are generally not regarded as important plant pathogens, their ability to cause post-harvest fruit rot could have an impact on fruit export and storage.

  2. Temporal variation of fungal diversity in a mosaic landscape in Germany

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    S. Rudolph

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at characterizing the diversity and temporal changes of species richness and composition of fungi in an ecotone of a forest border and a meadow in the Taunus mountain range in Germany. All macroscopically visible, epigeous fungi and vascular plants were sampled monthly over three years, together with climatic variables like humidity and temperature that influence fungal diversity and composition as shown by previous studies. In this mosaic landscape, a total of 855 fungal species were collected and identified based on morphological features, the majority of which belonged to Ascomycota (51 % and Basidiomycota (45 %. Records of fungal species and plant species (218 for this area yielded a fungus to plant species ratio of 4:1, with a plant species accumulation curve that reached saturation. The three years of monitoring, however, were not sufficient to reveal the total fungal species richness and estimation factors showed that a fungus to plant species ratio of 6:1 may be reached by further sampling efforts. The effect of climatic conditions on fungal species richness differed depending on the taxonomic and ecological group, with temporal patterns of occurrence of Basidiomycota and mycorrhizal fungi being strongly associated with temperature and humidity, whereas the other fungal groups were only weakly related to abiotic conditions. In conclusion, long-term, monthly surveys over several years yield a higher diversity of macroscopically visible fungi than standard samplings of fungi in autumn. The association of environmental variables with the occurrence of specific fungal guilds may help to improve estimators of fungal richness in temperate regions. Key words: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Fungi, Seasonal trend decomposition, Species composition, Temporal variation

  3. Fungal Diversity of Human Gut Microbiota Among Eutrophic, Overweight, and Obese Individuals Based on Aerobic Culture-Dependent Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borges, Francis M; de Paula, Thaís O; Sarmiento, Marjorie R A; de Oliveira, Maycon G; Pereira, Maria L M; Toledo, Isabela V; Nascimento, Thiago C; Ferreira-Machado, Alessandra B; Silva, Vânia L; Diniz, Cláudio G

    2018-06-01

    Fungi have a complex role in the intestinal tract, influencing health and disease, with dysbiosis contributing to obesity. Our objectives were to investigate fungal diversity in human gut microbiota among eutrophic, overweight, and obese. Epidemiological and nutritional information were collected from adult individuals, as well as stool samples processed for selective fungi isolation and identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (yeasts) or microculture (filamentous fungi). Further 18S rDNA sequencing was performed to confirm identification. The mean count of fungi was 241 CFU/g of feces. Differences in the population level of the filamentous fungi were observed within eutrophic and obese groups. Overall, 34 genera were identified. The predominant phylum was Ascomycota with 20 different genera, followed by Basidiomycota and Zygomycota. As for Ascomycota, the most prevalent species were Paecilomyces sp., Penicillium sp., Candida sp., Aspergillus sp., Fonsecaea sp., and Geotrichum sp. (76.39, 65.28, 59.72, 58.33, 12.50, and 9.72%, respectively). As for Basidiomycota, Trichosporon sp. and Rhodotorula sp. were the most prevalent (30.56 and 15.28%, respectively), and for Zygomycota, Rhizopus sp. and Mucor sp. were the most numerous (15.28 and 9.72%, respectively). As expected there is a mycobiota shift towards obesity, with slightly higher diversity associated to eutrophic individuals. This mycobiota shift seems also to be related to the nutritional behavior of the individuals, as observed that the macronutrients intake may be positively related to the different fungi occurrences. Other studies are needed to better understand relationships between mycobiota and obesity, which could be used in future obesity treatments.

  4. Peterjamesia circumscripta (Leight.) D. Hawksw. (Roccellaceae: Ascomycota): First record to continental South America

    OpenAIRE

    Gumboski, Emerson; Eliasaro, Sionara

    2012-01-01

    Peterjamesia circumscripta, previously known from Australia, Europe, North Africa, North and Central America, and Galapagos Islands was collected in southern Brazil. This is the first record of this species in continental South America.

  5. The lichen-forming fungi of the Xanthoparmelia pulla group (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota in Poland

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    Katarzyna Szczepańska

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results of studies of Xanthoparmelia pulla group in Poland. The morphological and chemical analysis of herbarium materials confirmed the presence of four species of this group reported from Poland before. The study however, revealed considerable changes it the partiuclular species distribution. X. verruculifera, so far considered the most endangered species in the country, turned out to be the most frequent taxon. X. loxodes, regarded as common, has much less known localities than previously thought. This species was usually confused with X. verruculifera. Xanthoparmelia pulla is the rarest species and should be considered critically endangered in Poland. Most specimens of X. pulla collected in the country belong to X. delisei, which so far had only two historical records in Poland. All these taxa are characterized in terms of morphology, the content of secondary metabolites, ecology and distribution.

  6. Antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts from algae against Penicillium expansum Link (Trichocomaceae, Ascomycota

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    Argus Cezar da Rocha Neto

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Penicillium expansum is a cosmopolitan, highly aggressive pathogen that causes blue mold, a disease of great importance that leads to losses in quality and quantity of harvested fruits. The application of chemicals is traditionally used as a control method. However, algae bioprospecting has revealed many antifungal compounds that can be used to control pathogens. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ethanolic extracts from seven microalgae and five macroalgae against P. expansum. The antifungal potential was evaluated by analyzing germination percentage, the size of the germ tube, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC, and the median effective concentration (EC50. The spectrophotometric profile was determined for extracts that showed an inhibitory effect. Among the investigated algae, the Chlorella sp. and H. pluvialis extracts, which had final concentrations of 18.8 and 125.95mg.mL-1, inhibited 100% and 91% germination, respectively. The EC50 was 2.93 and 61.20 mg.mL-1 for Chlorella sp. and H. pluvialis, respectively. Chlorella sp. showed absorption peaks in the range of chlorophyll-a and H. pluvialis presented a peak in the range of phenolic compounds. Although further studies are required to characterize the extracts, Chlorella sp. and H. pluvialis showed promising antifungal effects on the control of P. expansum.

  7. Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 February 2013-31 March 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias, M C; Atteke, Christiane; Augusto, S C; Bailey, J; Bazaga, Pilar; Beheregaray, Luciano B; Benoit, Laure; Blatrix, Rumsaïs; Born, Céline; Brito, R M; Chen, Hai-kui; Covarrubias, Sara; de Vega, Clara; Djiéto-Lordon, Champlain; Dubois, Marie-Pierre; Francisco, F O; García, Cristina; Gonçalves, P H P; González, Clementina; Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, Carla; Hammer, Michael P; Herrera, Carlos M; Itoh, H; Kamimura, S; Karaoglu, H; Kojima, S; Li, Shou-Li; Ling, Hannah J; Matos-Maraví, Pável F; McKey, Doyle; Mezui-M'Eko, Judicaël; Ornelas, Juan Francisco; Park, R F; Pozo, María I; Ramula, Satu; Rigueiro, Cristina; Sandoval-Castillo, Jonathan; Santiago, L R; Seino, Miyuki M; Song, Chang-Bing; Takeshima, H; Vasemägi, Anti; Wellings, C R; Yan, Ji; Yu-Zhou, Du; Zhang, Chang-Rong; Zhang, Tian-Yun

    2013-07-01

    This article documents the addition of 142 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources database. Loci were developed for the following species: Agriophyllum squarrosum, Amazilia cyanocephala, Batillaria attramentaria, Fungal strain CTeY1 (Ascomycota), Gadopsis marmoratus, Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata, Liriomyza sativae, Lupinus polyphyllus, Metschnikowia reukaufii, Puccinia striiformis and Xylocopa grisescens. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Amazilia beryllina, Amazilia candida, Amazilia rutila, Amazilia tzacatl, Amazilia violiceps, Amazilia yucatanensis, Campylopterus curvipennis, Cynanthus sordidus, Hylocharis leucotis, Juniperus brevifolia, Juniperus cedrus, Juniperus osteosperma, Juniperus oxycedrus, Juniperus thurifera, Liriomyza bryoniae, Liriomyza chinensis, Liriomyza huidobrensis and Liriomyza trifolii. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. MICROMORPHOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF SOME LICHENIZED FUNGI SPECIES

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    PÎNDARU DIANA-MIHAELA

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available At present, lichenized fungi are used in biomonitoring studies of air quality, being good receptors in the climate change. This paper aims to investigate surface micromorphology of Xanthoria parietina and Phaeophyscia orbicularis species (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota. The study also includes the investigation of selected chemical parameters as pH and conductivity of the lichenized fungi samples collected from various locations in the Iaşi County (Romania. Measurements of the pH provide information on the degree of pollution in the location of interest. Bark trees pH was also investigated in order to see if our matrix substrate influences the pH of the interest lichenized fungi samples.

  9. Compatibilidad in vitro de Isaria fumosorosea (Wize Brown y Smith (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae con plaguicidas comerciales

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    Érika Paola Grijalba Bernal

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Los agricultores colombianos utilizan productos químicos con categorías toxicológicas I, II y III para el control de insectos como la mosca blanca Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889 (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae; pero su uso indiscriminado genera un riesgo para la salud y el medio ambiente. El control microbiológico con hongos entomopatógenos surge como alternativa de control ambientalmente sostenible. No obstante, su empleo exitoso dentro de una estrategia de manejo integrado de plagas (MIP depende, en gran parte, del efecto de los productos químicos sobre el bioplaguicida. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar la compatibilidad in vitro de un bioplaguicida con base en el hongo Isaria fumosorosea formulado como polvo mojable con cuatro fungicidas y cinco insecticidas comerciales. Para esto, se evaluó el efecto de tres concentraciones de los productos químicos: FR = dosis recomendada en campo, 0.5 x FR y 0.25 x FR sobre la germinación de los conidios y el número de unidades formadoras de colonia UFC/g de I. fumosorosea. Los cuatro fungicidas (Benlate, Carboxin Captan, Metalaxil-Mancozeb y Mancozeb en las tres dosis evaluadas fueron incompatibles con el bioplaguicida, mientras que el insecticida Thiametoxam fue compatible cuando se utilizó la dosis de 0.25 x FR.

  10. Pengaruh pemupukan dan vegetasi terhadap keberadaan jamur tanah di lahan bekas penambangan emas yang direklamasi pada daerah Cimanggu dan Bojong Pari Jampang Sukabumi

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    Titin Yulinaeri

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available In order to know the effect of vegetation and fertilizer on the occurrence of soil fungi, a study was conducted in reclamated gold mining land both in Cimanggu and Bojong Pari, Jampang, Sukabumi. Soil fungi were isolated by dilution plate method, using a “tauge sucrose agar� medium with 50 ppm antibiotic and incubated at room temperature for 2-3 days. Fungi identification follows Domsch et al (1980, Samson et al (1981, and Barnet (1969.The effect of vegetation and fertilizer on the composition of soil fungi in reclamated land both Cimanggu and Bojong Pari were not quite different. Aspergillys, Eupenicillium, and Pennicillium maybe dominant fungi in these areas. These fungi were probably involved in reclamation of land. To obtain faster reclamation process, the fungi are better involved as one of introduced microorganism besides Rhizobium and Mychorizal fungi or mixed inoculants. Besides election of suitable flora and fauna, soil fungi are expected to be able recover degraded land into original ecosystem.

  11. Fungal flora of the digestive tract of Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae from Argentina Flora fúngica de tractos digestivos en Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae en Argentina

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    G. A. Marti

    Full Text Available A survey of the fungal microbiota of the digestive tract of Triatoma infestans (Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae adults was carried out. Insects captured in the field from different provinces in Argentina, as well as individuals reared in artificial colonies, were used for dissection. Axenic cultures of the fungal species were identified and were deposited with mycological collections at La Plata , Argentina. A total of 33 fungal species, with the exception of three that were mycelia sterilia, belonging to 11 genera were identified. Thirty two species belonged to Ascomycota (Eurotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes and one to Zygomycota (Zygomycetes. The genera with the greatest number of species were Penicillium (15, Aspergillus (5, and Cladosporium (2. Among the isolated fungi, some of the species were entomopathogenic or pathogens of humans and other animals.En el presente estudio se realizó un relevamiento de la flora fúngica microbiana en tractos digestivos de adultos de Triatoma infestans (Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae. Se disecaron insectos capturados del campo en diferentes provincias Argentinas, así como también se utilizaron individuos de una colonia artificial. Fueron realizados cultivos axénicos de las especies fúngicas aisladas, los que fueron identificados y luego depositados en las colecciones de hongos entomopatógenos del CEPAVE La Plata , Argentina. Fueron identificadas 33 especies fúngicas perteneciente a 11 géneros. Treinta y dos especies pertenecen a Ascomycota (Eurotiomycetes y Sordariomycetes y una a Zygomycota (Zygomycetes. Los géneros con mayor número de especies fueron Penicillium (15, Aspergillus (5, y Cladosporium (2. Entre los aislamientos fúngicos, algunas de las especies encontradas son entomopatogénicas o patógenas de humanos y otros animales.

  12. The distribution of active β-glucosidase-producing microbial communities in composting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zang, Xiangyun; Liu, Meiting; Wang, Han; Fan, Yihong; Zhang, Haichang; Liu, Jiawen; Xing, Enlu; Xu, Xiuhong; Li, Hongtao

    2017-12-01

    The composting ecosystem is a suitable source for the discovery of novel microorganisms and secondary metabolites. Cellulose degradation is an important part of the global carbon cycle, and β-glucosidases complete the final step of cellulose hydrolysis by converting cellobiose to glucose. This work analyzes the succession of β-glucosidase-producing microbial communities that persist throughout cattle manure - rice straw composting, and evaluates their metabolic activities and community advantage during the various phases of composting. Fungal and bacterial β-glucosidase genes belonging to glycoside hydrolase families 1 and 3 (GH1 and GH3) amplified from DNA were classified and gene abundance levels were analyzed. The major reservoirs of β-glucosidase genes were the fungal phylum Ascomycota and the bacterial phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Deinococcus-Thermus. This indicates that a diverse microbial community utilizes cellobiose. The succession of dominant bacteria was also detected during composting. Firmicutes was the dominant bacteria in the thermophilic phase of composting; there was a shift to Actinomycetes in the maturing stage. Proteobacteria accounted for the highest proportions during the heating and thermophilic phases of composting. By contrast, the fungal phylum Ascomycota was a minor microbial community constituent in thermophilic phase of composting. Combined with the analysis of the temperature, cellulose degradation rate and the carboxymethyl cellulase and β-glucosidase activities showed that the bacterial GH1 family β-glucosidase genes make greater contribution in cellulose degradation at the later thermophilic stage of composting. In summary, even GH1 bacteria families β-glucosidase genes showing low abundance in DNA may be functionally important in the later thermophilic phase of composting. The results indicate that a complex community of bacteria and fungi expresses β-glucosidases in compost. Several

  13. Fungos filamentosos isolados do solo em municípios na região Xingó, Brasil Filamentous fungi isolated from soil in districts of the Xingó region, Brazil

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    Maria Auxiliadora de Queiroz Cavalcanti

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available O solo é considerado um dos principais hábitats para a população de microrganismos, dentre os quais estão os fungos. A região de Xingó é caracterizada por apresentar ecossistema típico de Caatinga. Com objetivo de isolar e identificar fungos filamentosos na região Xingó, utilizou-se amostras de solo coletadas nos municípios de Canindé de São Francisco (SE, Olho D'água do Casado (AL e Piranhas (AL, durante o período chuvoso (maio e julho/2000 e de estiagem (março/2001, tanto na superfície do solo quanto a 20 cm de profundidade. Foram identificados 96 táxons pertencentes a oito espécies de Ascomycota, oito espécies de Zygomycota e 80 anamorfos, sendo uma espécie de Coelomycetes e 79 espécies de Hyphomycetes. Penicillium e Aspergillus foram os gêneros mais diversos com 31 e 17 espécies, respectivamente.The soil is one of the most important habitats for microorganisms, among them the fungi. Xingó is a region characterized by typical caatinga ecosystems. The aim of this research was to isolate and identify filamentous fungi from soils of the Xingó region using samples collected at the soil surface and at 20 cm depth, in the districts of Canindé de São Francisco (Sergipe, Olho D'água do Casado (Alagoas, and Piranhas (Alagoas, during the rainy (May and July/2000 and dry seasons (March/2001. We identified 96 taxa belonging to eight species of Ascomycota, eight species of Zygomycota and 80 anamorphs, with one species of Coelomycete and 79 species of Hyphomycetes. Penicillium and Aspergillus were the most diverse genera with 31 and 17 species, respectively.

  14. Culture-dependent and -independent approaches establish the complexity of a PAH-degrading microbial consortium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vinas, M.; Sabate, J.; Solanas, A.M. [Barcelona Univ., Barcelona (Spain). Dept. of Microbiology; Guasp, C.; Lalucat, J. [Illes Balears Univ., Palma de Mallorca (Spain). Dept. of Biology

    2005-11-15

    Microbial consortia are used in the decontamination of polluted environmental sites. A microbial consortium obtained by batch enrichment culture is a closed system with controlled conditions in which micro-organisms with a potentially high growth rate are selected and become dominant. The aim of this study was to identify the members of consortium AM, in which earlier batch enrichment work had shown high biodegradation rates of the aromatic fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). The AM consortium was obtained by sequential enrichment in liquid culture with a PAH mixture of 3- and 4- ringed PAHs as the sole source of carbon and energy. The consortium was examined using a triple approach method based on various cultivation strategies, denaturing gradient electrophoresis (DGGE) and the screening of 16S and 18S rRNA gene clone libraries. Eleven different sequences by culture-dependent techniques and 7 by both DGGE and clone libraries were obtained, yielding 19 different microbial components. Proteobacteria were the dominant group, representing 83 per cent of the total, while the Cytophaga-Flexibactor-Bacteroides group (CFB) was 11 per cent, and Ascomycota fungi were 6 per cent. It was determined that {beta}-Proteobacteria were predominant in the DGGE and clone library methods, whereas they were a minority in culturable strains. The highest diversity and number of noncoincident sequences was achieved by the cultivation method that showed members of the {alpha},{beta}, and {gamma}-Proteobacteria, CFB bacterial group, and Ascomycota fungi. Only 6 of the 11 strains isolated showed PAH-degrading capability. The bacterial strain (AMS7) and the fungal strain (AMF1) achieved the greatest PAH depletion. Results indicated that polyphasic assessment is necessary for a proper understanding of the composition of a microbial consortium. It was concluded that microbial consortia are more complex than previously realized. 54 refs., 3 tabs., 3 figs.

  15. Statistical approaches to use a model organism for regulatory sequences annotation of newly sequenced species.

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    Pietro Liò

    Full Text Available A major goal of bioinformatics is the characterization of transcription factors and the transcriptional programs they regulate. Given the speed of genome sequencing, we would like to quickly annotate regulatory sequences in newly-sequenced genomes. In such cases, it would be helpful to predict sequence motifs by using experimental data from closely related model organism. Here we present a general algorithm that allow to identify transcription factor binding sites in one newly sequenced species by performing Bayesian regression on the annotated species. First we set the rationale of our method by applying it within the same species, then we extend it to use data available in closely related species. Finally, we generalise the method to handle the case when a certain number of experiments, from several species close to the species on which to make inference, are available. In order to show the performance of the method, we analyse three functionally related networks in the Ascomycota. Two gene network case studies are related to the G2/M phase of the Ascomycota cell cycle; the third is related to morphogenesis. We also compared the method with MatrixReduce and discuss other types of validation and tests. The first network is well known and provides a biological validation test of the method. The two cell cycle case studies, where the gene network size is conserved, demonstrate an effective utility in annotating new species sequences using all the available replicas from model species. The third case, where the gene network size varies among species, shows that the combination of information is less powerful but is still informative. Our methodology is quite general and could be extended to integrate other high-throughput data from model organisms.

  16. Effects of stand age and soil properties on soil bacterial and fungal community composition in Chinese pine plantations on the Loess Plateau.

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    Peng Dang

    Full Text Available The effects of Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis on soil variables after afforestation have been established, but microbial community changes still need to be explored. Using high-throughput sequencing technology, we analyzed bacterial and fungal community composition and diversity in soils from three stands of different-aged, designated 12-year-old (PF1, 29-year-old (PF2, and 53-year-old (PF3, on a Chinese pine plantation and from a natural secondary forest (NSF stand that was almost 80 years old. Abandoned farmland (BL was also analyzed. Shannon index values of both bacterial and fungal community in PF1 were greater than those in PF2, PF3 and NSF. Proteobacteria had the lowest abundance in BL, and the abundance increased with stand age. The abundance of Actinobacteria was greater in BL and PF1 soils than those in other sites. Among fungal communities, the dominant taxa were Ascomycota in BL and PF1 and Basidiomycota in PF2, PF3 and NSF, which reflected the successional patterns of fungal communities during the development of Chinese pine plantations. Therefore, the diversity and dominant taxa of soil microbial community in stands 12 and 29 years of age appear to have undergone significant changes; afterward, the soil microbial community achieved a relatively stable state. Furthermore, the abundances of the most dominant bacterial and fungal communities correlated significantly with organic C, total N, C:N, available N, and available P, indicating the dependence of these microbes on soil nutrients. Overall, our findings suggest that the large changes in the soil microbial community structure of Chinese pine plantation forests may be attributed to the phyla present (e.g., Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota which were affected by soil carbon and nutrients in the Loess Plateau.

  17. Identification of fungal ene-reductase activity by means of a functional screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romagnolo, Alice; Spina, Federica; Brenna, Elisabetta; Crotti, Michele; Parmeggiani, Fabio; Varese, Giovanna Cristina

    2015-06-01

    Bioeconomy stresses the need of green processes promoting the development of new methods for biocatalyzed alkene reductions. A functional screening of 28 fungi belonging to Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota isolated from different habitats was performed to analyze their capability to reduce C=C double bonds towards three substrates (cyclohexenone, α-methylnitrostyrene, and α-methylcinnamaldehyde) with different electron-withdrawing groups, i.e., ketone, nitro, and aldehyde, respectively. Almost all the fungi showed this reducing activity. Noteworthy Gliomastix masseei, Mucor circinelloides, and Mucor plumbeus resulted versatile and effective, being able to reduce all the model substrates quickly and with high yields. Copyright © 2015 The British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Lethal and Sublethal Effects of Mineral Oil on Potato Pests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galimberti, Andrew; Alyokhin, Andrei

    2018-05-28

    Mineral oil is a product used to reduce Potato Virus Y transmission in potato fields. However, there is little information available about other effects that oil may have on insect pests of potato. To better understand how mineral oil affects potato pests, we performed a series of experiments testing the effects of oil on mortality, behavior, and development of potato aphids, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), green peach aphids, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). All three species showed negative behavioral responses to oil-treated potato foliage. Oil treatment also increased aphid mortality. Colorado potato beetle mortality was not affected, but developing on oil-treated potato plants resulted in prolonged development and smaller adults. Additionally, oil acted synergistically with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae); Colorado potato beetle larvae were killed more rapidly when sprayed with both products compared with when sprayed with B. bassiana alone. Based on these results, mineral oil has the potential for expanded use in potato IPM programs.

  19. Pathogenicity of Nectriaceous Fungi on Avocado in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkinson, Louisamarie E; Shivas, Roger G; Dann, Elizabeth K

    2017-12-01

    Black root rot is a severe disease of young avocado trees in Australia causing black necrotic roots, tree stunting, and leaf drop prior to tree death. Nectriaceous fungi (Nectriaceae, Hypocreales), are commonly isolated from symptomatic roots. This research tested the pathogenicity of 19 isolates from Calonectria, Cylindrocladiella, Dactylonectria, Gliocladiopsis, and Ilyonectria, spp. collected from young avocado trees and other hosts. Glasshouse pathogenicity tests with 'Reed' avocado (Persea americana) seedlings confirmed that Calonectria ilicicola is a severe pathogen of avocado, causing stunting, wilting, and seedling death within 5 weeks of inoculation. Isolates of C. ilicicola from peanut, papaya, and custard apple were also shown to be aggressive pathogens of avocado, demonstrating a broad host range. An isolate of a Calonectria sp. from blueberry and avocado isolates of Dactylonectria macrodidyma, D. novozelandica, D. pauciseptata, and D. anthuriicola caused significant root rot but not stunting within 5 to 9 weeks of inoculation. An isolate of an Ilyonectria sp. from grapevine closely related to Ilyonectria liriodendri, and avocado isolates of Cylindrocladiella pseudoinfestans, Gliocladiopsis peggii, and an Ilyonectria sp. were not pathogenic to avocado.

  20. Seven wood-inhabiting new species of the genus Trichoderma (Fungi, Ascomycota) in Viride clade.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Wen-Tao; Zhuang, Wen-Ying

    2016-06-01

    More than 200 recent collections of Trichoderma from China were examined and 16 species belonging to the Viride clade were identified based on integrated studies of phenotypic and molecular data. Among them, seven wood-inhabiting new species, T. albofulvopsis, T. densum, T. laevisporum, T. sinokoningii, T. sparsum, T. sphaerosporum and T. subviride, are found. They form trichoderma- to verticillium-like conidiophores, lageniform to subulate phialides and globose to ellipsoidal conidia, but vary greatly in colony features, growth rates, and sizes of phialides and conidia. To explore their taxonomic positions, the phylogenetic tree including all the known species of the Viride clade is constructed based on sequence analyses of the combined RNA polymerase II subunit b and translation elongation factor 1 alpha exon genes. Our results indicated that the seven new species were well-located in the Koningii, Rogersonii and Neorufum subclades as well as a few independent terminal branches. They are clearly distinguishable from any existing species. Morphological distinctions and sequence divergences between the new species and their close relatives were discussed.

  1. Elaphomyces appalachiensis and E. verruculosus sp. nov. (Ascomycota Eurotiales, Elaphomycetaceae) from eastern North America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael A. Castellano; Gonzalo Guevara Guerrero; Jesus Garcia Jimenez; James M. Trappe

    2012-01-01

    We describe Elaphomyces verruculosus as new species from eastern North America, ranging from Quebec, Canada south along the eastern USA and along the Gulf Coast to northeastern México. E. verruculosus is similar in overall morphology to E. granulatus of Europe. In addition we re-describe E....

  2. Phylogenetic overview of the genus Genea (Pezizales, Ascomycota) with an emphasis on European taxa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarado, Pablo; Cabero, Julio; Moreno, Gabriel; Bratek, Zoltán; van Vooren, Nicolas; Kaounas, Vasileios; Konstantinidis, Giorgos; Agnello, Carlo; Merényi, Zsolt; Smith, Matthew E; Vizzini, Alfredo; Trappe, James M

    2016-01-01

    We constructed a comprehensive phylogeny of the genus Genea, with new molecular data from samples collected in several countries in temperate and Mediterranean Europe, as well as North America. Type specimens and authentic material of most species were examined to support identifications. The molecular identity of the most common species in Genea was compared with nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), D1-D2 domains of 28S nuc rDNA (28S rDNA) and translation elongation factor 1-α ene (TEF1) profiles of 10 recently proposed taxa, G. brunneocarpa, G. compressa, G. dentata, G. fageticola, G. lobulata, G. oxygala, G. pinicola, G. pseudobalsleyi, G. pseudoverrucosa and G. tuberculata, supporting their status as distinct species. Genea mexicana and G. thaxteri on the one hand and G. sphaerica and G. lespiaultii on the other are closely related. Multiple lineages were recorded for G. verrucosa and G. fragrans, but we found no morphological traits to discriminate among them, so we tentatively interpreted them as cryptic species. A key to species of the genus Genea is provided to facilitate identification. We provide macroscopic images of fresh specimens and of representative spores of most species. Finally, we conducted a molecular analysis of the divergence time for Genea and discuss the implications of our results. © 2016 by The Mycological Society of America.

  3. Four new species of Coenogonium (Ascomycota: Ostropales) from vulnerable forest ecosystems in Puerto Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    J.A. Mercado-Diaz; W.A. Gould; G. Gonzalez; R. Lucking

    2013-01-01

    Four new species of Coenogonium are described from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico—C. aurantiacum Mercado-Díaz & Lucking, C. borinquense Mercado-Díaz & Lucking, C. dimorphicum Mercado-Díaz & Lucking and C. portoricense Mercado-Díaz & Lucking. All were discovered in small and highly fragmented forest remnants of...

  4. Revisiting the phylogeny of Ocellularieae, the second largest tribe within Graphidaceae (lichenized Ascomycota: Ostropales)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekaphan Kraichak; Sittiporn Parnmen; Robert Lücking; Eimy Rivas Plata; Andre Aptroot; Marcela E.S. Caceres; Damien Ertz; Armin Mangold; Joel A. Mercado-Diaz; Khwanruan Papong; Dries Van der Broeck; Gothamie Weerakoon; H. Thorsten. Lumbsch; NO-VALUE

    2014-01-01

    We present an updated 3-locus molecular phylogeny of tribe Ocellularieae, the second largest tribe within subfamily Graphidoideae in the Graphidaceae. Adding 165 newly generated sequences from the mitochondrial small subunit rDNA (mtSSU), the nuclear large subunit rDNA (nuLSU), and the second largest subunit of the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II (RPB2), we currently...

  5. Screening of Colletotrichum (Ascomycota isolates, causal agents of Soybean Anthracnose, for Laccase production Relevamiento de la producción de lacasa en aislamientos de Colletotrichum (Ascomycota, agente causal de antracnosis de la Soja

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Levin

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Colletotrichum truncatum is the most common pathogen fungus associated with soybean anthracnose. Although the lignin-degrading enzyme laccase has been implicated in pathogenicity of a wide range of plant pathogenic fungi, its biological role in the Colletotrichum -soybean disease system is unknown. The extent of the infection in our country led us to examine laccase production in Argentinean Colletotrichum strains isolated from diseased soybean plants from different geographic locations. Ten strains (eight of them identified as C. truncatum , were screened for in vitro laccase production. Only six of the isolates, all of them C. truncatum , produced laccase activity when cultured on a defined medium based on pectin and asparagine as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. Strain BAFC 3102 (isolated from Chaco province, yielded the highest laccase titers (44 U/L in this medium. Denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of extracellular culture fluids revealed one band with laccase activity (mol wt 67 kDa. CuSO 4 addition to media with either glucose or pectin as carbon sources increased up to 7-fold laccase production (280 U/L in the glucose medium, but the pattern of isoenzyme was not affected by culture age or medium composition. This is the first report on laccase production by C. truncatum.Colletotrichum truncatum es el hongo patógeno más comúnmente asociado con la antracnosis de soja. Aunque la enzima ligninolítica lacasa se relaciona con la patogenicidad de un amplio rango de hongos fitopatógenos, su rol biológico en la interacción Colletotrichum -soja aún se desconoce. La extensión de la infección en la Argentina , nos ha llevado a examinar la producción de lacasa en cepas aisladas de plantas enfermas de soja de diferentes regiones de nuestro país. Se evaluó la producción in vitro de lacasa en diez cepas (ocho de ellas identificadas como C. truncatum . Sólo seis, todas correspondientes a C. truncatum , produjeron lacasa cuando fueron cultivadas en un medio con pectina y asparagina. La máxima actividad en este medio (44 U/L se detectó en la cepa BAFC 3102 (aislada en la Provincia del Chaco. La electroforesis en SDS PAGE de los sobrenadantes de cultivo reveló una única banda con actividad lacasa (peso molecular 67 kDa. La adición de CuSO 4 al medio incrementó hasta siete veces su producción (280 U/L en medio con glucosa, sin embargo la edad del cultivo o la composición del medio no produjeron variaciones en el patrón isoenzimático. Este es el primer reporte sobre producción de lacasa por C. truncatum.

  6. Distribution and habitat ecology of the sorediate species of Menegazzia (Parmeliaceae, lichenized Ascomycota in Chile Distribución y ecología de las especies sorediosas de Menegazzia (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota liquenizado en Chile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JARLE W BJERKE

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The taxonomy and ecology of the sorediate species of Menegazzia from the southernmost regions of Chile and Argentina and the South Atlantic Islands was recently published, only with sporadic reports from the more northern regions. In the present work the distribution patterns and habitat ecology of the sorediate species are discussed, with emphasis on the area north of 48º S. Eleven species are treated. Menegazzia subpertusa, an epiphyte of sclerophyll scrubs, is recorded from South America for the first time (Chile and Argentina. Menegazzia neozelandica has a disjunct distribution in Chile, with occurrences in Fray Jorge (Fourth Region of Chile and on Islas Juan Fernández, and along the coast south of latitude 38º S. Menegazzia kawesqarica and M. tenuis are most common in the southernmost part of Chile, but are also found at high altitudes at lower latitudes. Additional treated species are M. chrysogaster, M. fumarprotocetrarica, M. globulifera, M. magellanica, M. norsorediata, M. sanguinascens and M. wandae. Several of the sorediate species are early colonisers of newly developed substrates. They show variable occurrences along light and humidity gradients. Distribution maps and a revised key are presented.Recientemente se han publicado datos sobre la taxonomía y ecología de las especies sorediosas de Menegazzia representadas en las regiones más australes de Chile y Argentina e islas del Atlántico Sur, además de registros esporádicos en zonas ubicadas más al norte en Chile. En este trabajo se discuten los patrones de distribución y la ecología del hábitat de 11 especies sorediosas, con especial enfásis en aquellas que se desarrollan al norte de los 48º S. Menegazzia subpertusa, un epífito de arbustos esclerófilos, se registra por primera vez en América (Chile y Argentina. Menegazzia neozelandica tiene una distribución discontinua en Chile; ha sido recolectada en Fray Jorge (Cuarta Región de Chile, Islas Juan Fernández y en regiones costeras al sur de los 38º S. Menegazzia kawesqarica y M. tenuis son más frecuentes en las zonas más australes de Chile; también se han encontrado en hábitats de altura y bajas latitudes. Se incluyen, además, M. chrysogaster, M. fumarprotocetrarica, M. globulifera, M. magellanica, M. norsorediata, M. sanguinascens y M. wandae. Varias especies sorediosas crecen como pioneras en sustratos jóvenes. Los patrones de distribución a lo largo de gradientes de humedad y de luz son variables. Se presentan mapas de distribución y clave de las especies.

  7. Evaluation of Metarhizium brunneum F52 (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) for control of Japanese beetle larvae in turfgrass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Experimental and commercial preparations of Metarhizium brunneum strain F52 were evaluated for control of Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarbaeidae) larvae (white grubs) in the laboratory and under field conditions. Experimental preparations consisted of granule and liquid f...

  8. Acoustic activity cycles of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) early instars after Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) treatments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) is a pest of many crop and ornamental palm tree species in subtropical regions worldwide. Larvae tunnel and feed unseen in the trunks, ultimately causing irreparable harm and killing the palm. Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin is under evaluation as ...

  9. Isaria poprawskii sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Cordycipitacae), a new entomopathogenic fungus from Texas affecting sweet potato whitefly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isaria poprawskii is described as a new entomopathogenic species similar to Isaria javanica (=Paecilomyces javanicus). It was discovered ont he sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci biotype B in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (LRGV), USA. Morphological and DNA examinations indicated the dist...

  10. Biofouling of reverse osmosis membranes: effects of cleaning on biofilm microbial communities, membrane performance, and adherence of extracellular polymeric substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Ashhab, Ashraf; Sweity, Amer; Bayramoglu, Bihter; Herzberg, Moshe; Gillor, Osnat

    2017-05-01

    Laboratory-scale reverse osmosis (RO) flat-sheet systems were used with two parallel flow cells, one treated with cleaning agents and a control (ie undisturbed). The cleaning efforts increased the affinity of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to the RO membrane and altered the biofilm surface structure. Analysis of the membrane biofilm community composition revealed the dominance of Proteobacteria. However, within the phylum Proteobacteria, γ-Proteobacteria dominated the cleaned membrane biofilm, while β-Proteobacteria dominated the control biofilm. The composition of the fungal phyla was also altered by cleaning, with enhancement of Ascomycota and suppression of Basidiomycota. The results suggest that repeated cleaning cycles select for microbial groups that strongly attach to the RO membrane surface by producing rigid and adhesive EPS that hampers membrane performance.

  11. Subcutaneous infection by Ochroconis mirabilis in an immunocompetent patient

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongmei Shi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Recently, the taxonomy of Ochroconis (Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Venturiales, Sympoventuriaceae has been revised with the recognition of an additional genus, Verruconis. Ochroconis comprises mesophilic saprobes that occasionally infect vertebrates which mostly are cold-blooded, while Verruconis contains thermophilic species which is a neurotrope in humans and birds. On the basis of molecular data it is noted that only a single Ochroconis species regularly infects immunocompetent human hosts. Here we report a subcutaneous infection due to Ochroconis mirabilis in a 50-year-old immunocompetent female patient. In vitro antifungal susceptibility tests revealed that terbinafine was the most effective drug. The patient was successfully cured with oral administration of terbinafine 250 mg daily in combination with 3 times of topical ALA-photodynamic therapy for 9 months.

  12. High diversity of fungi in air particulate matter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fröhlich-Nowoisky, Janine; Pickersgill, Daniel A; Després, Viviane R; Pöschl, Ulrich

    2009-08-04

    Fungal spores can account for large proportions of air particulate matter, and they may potentially influence the hydrological cycle and climate as nuclei for water droplets and ice crystals in clouds, fog, and precipitation. Moreover, some fungi are major pathogens and allergens. The diversity of airborne fungi is, however, not well-known. By DNA analysis we found pronounced differences in the relative abundance and seasonal cycles of various groups of fungi in coarse and fine particulate matter, with more plant pathogens in the coarse fraction and more human pathogens and allergens in the respirable fine particle fraction (<3 microm). Moreover, the ratio of Basidiomycota to Ascomycota was found to be much higher than previously assumed, which might also apply to the biosphere.

  13. The gut mycobiome of elderly danes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bin Ahmad, Hajar Fauzan; Castro Mejia, Josue Leonardo; Kot, Witold

    mycobiome on health and disease in elderly remain sparsely investigated. Consequently, the aim of this study was to characterise the feacal mycobiota in relation to host health parameters.Feacal samples from 99 healthy individuals ranging from 65 to 81 years old were collected, and fungal composition...... categories associated with the clinical features among individuals.The elderly gut is home to three main phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Zygomycota, with genera Penicillium, Candida, and Aspergillus being particularly common. Based on HbA1c-levels, the individuals could be clustered into 3 groups, High...... glucose level.Collectively, these findings suggest that the presences of specific gut mycobiome member is associated with glycemic behaviours among the healthy individuals of the elderly Danes population....

  14. Research and development of selected components of the high-temperature reactor for process heat generation - results and their application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Theymann, W.; Lange, G.

    1989-01-01

    For the process heat supplying high-temperature reactor (PNP) a comprehensive research and development program was performed. Investigations in three fields of the program are reported: heat transfer, gas flow guidance components, and seismic properties of the core structure. Results are presented for the statistics of heat transfer in the core and for heat transfer under operational conditions of a PNP-plant. Further topics are cooling of the side reflector, hot gas mixing in the core bottom region, optimization of inlet flow into the steam generator, and flow tests on a large diameter shut-off valve. Performance tests on hot gas insulations in a special test facility are described as well as tests on connecting elements for coaxial ducts. The measured data on dynamic excitation of the pebble bed with the SAMSON test facility allow an analytical description of the pebble bed core with respect to seismic behaviour. The results of experiments and calculations, using the computer codes CRUNCH-1D and -2D, for seismic excitation of the suspended top reflector are discussed. The seismic tests will be completed in 1989 with the side reflector investigations. A comprehensive seismic verification will then be available. (orig.)

  15. Die Bybel in die geding: Teks versus dogma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina Spies

    2004-12-01

    This article concentrates on one of the great achievements of postmodernism regarding theology: the highlighting of the inseparable relation between religion and poetry. The article argues that, as we are unable to fashion a dependable representation of our world and of God, we have to return to the text and to the language of belief as sole way of expressing our thoughts about God and about belief. The language of belief is not the language of dogma, but that of poetry, and the language of poetry is figurative language. In illustration of this, the text of Samson is reread not as factually-true history, but as the tragic story of a person whose God-given calling and talents are in conflict with his natural drives and gifts, but whose heroic death nevertheless ultimately serves to glorify God. In conclusion the article pleads for the liberation of the Bible from the Greek-Roman construction of it, so that it may again begin to tell stories through which the reader may learn to comprehend something of God. So, too, the Jewishness of Jesus, which has been eroded by dogma and preaching, may be rediscovered.

  16. Highly-productive mechanization systems for coal mining in the Polish coal industry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sikora, W

    1985-01-01

    Effects of mechanization on underground coal mining in Poland from 1960 to 1980 and mining equipment used in Poland is reviewed. In 1983 black coal output increased to 191.1 Mt. There were 765 working faces, 442 of which with powered supports. Six hundred thirty-four shearer loaders were in use. About 82.7% of coal output fell on faces mined by sets of mining equipment (shearer loaders, powered supports and chain conveyors). The average coal output per working face amounted to 889 t/d. About 50% of mine roadways was driven by heading machines (346 heading machines were in use). The average coal output per face mined by a set of mining equipment amounted to 1248 t/d. About 86% of shearer loaders fell on double drum shearer loaders. Types of mining equipment used in underground mining are reviewed: powered supports (Pioma, Fazos, Glinik and the SOW), shearer loaders (drum shearer loaders and double-drum shearer loaders with chain haulage and chainless haulage systems for unidirectional and bi-directional mining), chain conveyors (Samson, Rybnik). Statistical data on working faces with various sets of equipment are given. 3 references.

  17. A phylogenetic perspective on the association between ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and black yeasts (Ascomycota: Chaetothyriales).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasse, Marie; Voglmayr, Hermann; Mayer, Veronika; Gueidan, Cécile; Nepel, Maximilian; Moreno, Leandro; de Hoog, Sybren; Selosse, Marc-André; McKey, Doyle; Blatrix, Rumsaïs

    2017-03-15

    The frequency and the geographical extent of symbiotic associations between ants and fungi of the order Chaetothyriales have been highlighted only recently. Using a phylogenetic approach based on seven molecular markers, we showed that ant-associated Chaetothyriales are scattered through the phylogeny of this order. There was no clustering according to geographical origin or to the taxonomy of the ant host. However, strains tended to be clustered according to the type of association with ants: strains from ant-made carton and strains from plant cavities occupied by ants ('domatia') rarely clustered together. Defining molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) with an internal transcribed spacer sequence similarity cut-off of 99% revealed that a single MOTU could be composed of strains collected from various ant species and from several continents. Some ant-associated MOTUs also contained strains isolated from habitats other than ant-associated structures. Altogether, our results suggest that the degree of specialization of the interactions between ants and their fungal partners is highly variable. A better knowledge of the ecology of these interactions and a more comprehensive sampling of the fungal order are needed to elucidate the evolutionary history of mutualistic symbioses between ants and Chaetothyriales. © 2017 The Author(s).

  18. Cephalotheca sulfurea (Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes), a new fungal pathogen of the farmed rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Řehulka, J.; Kubátová, A.; Hubka, Vít

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 39, č. 12 (2016), s. 1413-1419 ISSN 0140-7775 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : aquaculture * Cephalothecaceae * histo-pathology Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 2.138, year: 2016

  19. NOVEDADES PARA LOS GÉNEROS ANNULOHYPOXYLON E HYPOXYLON (ASCOMYCOTA, XYLARIACEAE EN LA REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana I. Hladki

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Se proponen dos nuevas variedades: Annulohypoxylon moriforme var. macrosporum e Hypoxylon investiens var. magnisporum; se citan por primera vez para la Argentina los siguientes taxones: Annulohypoxylon nitens, Hypoxylon crocopeplum, H. subrutilum e H. rubiginosum var. microsporum. Se presenta una clave dicotómica de las especies hipoxiloides halladas hasta ahora en la Argentina.

  20. Camillea (Xylariaceae, Ascomycota), including two new species, along a trans-Andean altitude gradient in Ecuador

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hastrup, Anne Christine Steenkjær; Læssøe, Thomas

    2009-01-01

    Two new species of Camillea are described from localities on an east-west transect through Ecuador between the latitudes 1 degrees 00'N and 1 degrees 00'S. Camillea ovalispora was collected in San Vicente de Huaticocha, an area characterized as humid lowland rainforest and premontane cloud forest...

  1. Acoustic assessment of Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) effects on Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) larval activity and mortality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), the red palm weevil, is an economically important palm tree pest in subtropical regions of the world. Previous studies have shown that R. ferrugineus can be infected and killed by the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana. Howev...

  2. Impact of Tolypocladium cylindrosporum (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) on eggs of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus at low temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    We examined the potential of Tolypocladium cylindrosporum IBT 41712 to infect eggs of Aedes aegypti Linnaeus and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) mosquitoes at low temperature (15 deg C). To determine the optimum temperature for the fungus, we cultured the fungus at eight temperatures (4, 12, 15, 21, 28, 33...

  3. Avaliação da capacidade de produzir fitotoxinas in vitro por parte de fungos com propriedades antagônicas a nematóides In vitro evaluation of the phytotoxin production ability by fungi with antagonic properties to nematodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Diego Costa Carvalho

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Em trabalho preliminar foram obtidos 24 isolados fúngicos com propriedades antagônicas a nematóides parasitas de plantas segundo experimentos realizados em laboratório. Para dar continuidade a tal trabalho, tornou-se desejável dispor de metodologia simples e de baixo custo para selecionar aqueles sem capacidade de produção de substâncias fitotóxicas, para serem empregados em experimentos em casa-de-vegetação com fitonematóides. Conseqüentemente, cultivaram-se os fungos em meio líquido e, após filtração, as fases líquidas foram liofilizadas e extraídas com acetato de etila/metanol. Os extratos foram concentrados sob vácuo e dissolvidos em água e solução de sacarose para serem submetidos a testes in vitro com sementes de alface (Lactuca sativa L. e com coleóptilos de trigo (Triticum aestivum L., respectivamente. Vinte e três isolados pertencentes aos gêneros Arthrobotrys, Aspergillus, Coniothyrium, Cunninghamella, Cylindrocarpon, Fusarium, Monacrosporium, Mortierella, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Sclerotinia, Trichoderma e Verticillium, apresentaram atividade tóxica contra os coleóptilos de trigo. Apenas os isolados de Cylindrocarpon magnusianum (Sacc. Wollenw., Fusarium moniliforme Shelden, Mortierella sp., Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom. Samson e Penicillium sp. apresentaram atividade fitotóxica no teste com sementes de alface. Somente um isolado de F. moniliforme se mostrou inativo em ambos os testes, o que sugere que não seja produtor de fitotoxinas.In a previous work 24 fungi cultures were selected due to their antagonic properties to phytonematodes in laboratory experiments. To proceed to further studies, it became desirable to use a simple and inexpensive methodology to identify those fungi able to produce phytotoxic substances, so that only the non phytotoxin producers could be used in green-house experiments with plant parasite nematodes. Thus, fungi were grown in liquid medium and the resulting mixtures were

  4. Mitilanotherium inexpectatum (Giraffidae, Mammalia from Huélago (Lower Pleistocene; Guadix-Baza basin, Granada, Spain - observations on a peculiar biogegraphic pattern

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morales, J.

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Giraffid fossils from the lowermost Pleistocene (MN17 locality Huélago (Guadix-Baza Basin, Granada, Spain are described and assigned to Mitilanotherium inexpectatum Samson & Radulesco (1966. The remains are compared to giraffid material from the Pliocene and younger. The known geographic distribution of this giraffid is disjunct; it is found in Spain and in an area stretching from Rumania and Greece to Tadzhikistan, but not in central Europe. The oldest record is from the Upper Pliocene (MN16 of Turkey and the youngest is from the Lower Pleistocene of Greece (with an estimated age of about 1.2 Ma. Shortly after 2.6 Ma it may have dispersed to Spain, where it may have lived as much as half a million years. The dispersal did not leave a fossil record in the area between SE Europe and Spain. The same occured with dispersals of other mammals in the Early, Middle and Late Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene. These species that show this pattern are interpreted to be adapted to open or arid environments. Their dispersals across Europe to Spain may have occurred during short periods of atypical environmental conditions and thus did not leave an easily detectable fossil record.Los fósiles de jirafas del Pleistoceno basal (MN 17 de la localidad de Huélago (Cuenca de Guadix- Baza, Granada, Spain son descritos y asignados a Mitilanotherium inexpectatum Samson & Radulesco (1966. Los restos fósiles son comparados con jiráfidos del Plioceno, y formas más recientes. La distribución geográfica conocida muestra que es disyunta; encontrándose en España y en un área que se extiende de Rumania y Grecia a Tadzhikistan, pero no en Europa central. El registro más antiguo procede del Plioceno Superior (MN 16 de Turquía y el más reciente del Pleistoceno inferior de Grecia (con una edad estimada de ca. 1, 2 Ma. Poco después de los 2,6 Ma la especie pudo haberse dispersado a España, donde como mucho pudo haber durado medio millón de años. Esta dispersion

  5. Managing biological diversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samson, Fred B.; Knopf, Fritz L.

    1993-01-01

    Biological diversity is the variety of life and accompanying ecological processes (Off. Technol. Assess. 1987, Wilcove and Samson 1987, Keystone 1991). Conservation of biological diversity is a major environmental issue (Wilson 1988, Counc. Environ. Quality 1991). The health and future of the earth's ecological systems (Lubchenco et al. 1991), global climate change (Botkin 1990), and an ever-increasing rate in loss of species, communities, and ecological systems (Myers 1990) are among issues drawing biological diversity to the mainstream of conservation worldwide (Int. Union Conserv. Nat. and Nat. Resour. [IUCN] et al. 1991). The legal mandate for conserving biological diversity is now in place (Carlson 1988, Doremus 1991). More than 19 federal laws govern the use of biological resources in the United States (Rein 1991). The proposed National Biological Diversity Conservation and Environmental Research Act (H.R. 585 and S.58) notes the need for a national biological diversity policy, would create a national center for biological diversity research, and recommends a federal interagency strategy for ecosystem conservation. There are, however, hard choices ahead for the conservation of biological diversity, and biologists are grappling with how to set priorities in research and management (Roberts 1988). We sense disillusion among field biologists and managers relative to how to operationally approach the seemingly overwhelming charge of conserving biological diversity. Biologists also need to respond to critics like Hunt (1991) who suggest a tree farm has more biological diversity than an equal area of old-growth forest. At present, science has played only a minor role in the conservation of biological diversity (Weston 1992) with no unified approach available to evaluate strategies and programs that address the quality and quantity of biological diversity (Murphy 1990, Erwin 1992). Although actions to conserve biological diversity need to be clearly defined by

  6. Microbial Diversity of Browning Peninsula, Eastern Antarctica Revealed Using Molecular and Cultivation Methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pudasaini, Sarita; Wilson, John; Ji, Mukan; van Dorst, Josie; Snape, Ian; Palmer, Anne S; Burns, Brendan P; Ferrari, Belinda C

    2017-01-01

    Browning Peninsula is an ice-free polar desert situated in the Windmill Islands, Eastern Antarctica. The entire site is described as a barren landscape, comprised of frost boils with soils dominated by microbial life. In this study, we explored the microbial diversity and edaphic drivers of community structure across this site using traditional cultivation methods, a novel approach the soil substrate membrane system (SSMS), and culture-independent 454-tag pyrosequencing. The measured soil environmental and microphysical factors of chlorine, phosphate, aspect and elevation were found to be significant drivers of the bacterial community, while none of the soil parameters analyzed were significantly correlated to the fungal community. Overall, Browning Peninsula soil harbored a distinctive microbial community in comparison to other Antarctic soils comprised of a unique bacterial diversity and extremely limited fungal diversity. Tag pyrosequencing data revealed the bacterial community to be dominated by Actinobacteria (36%), followed by Chloroflexi (18%), Cyanobacteria (14%), and Proteobacteria (10%). For fungi, Ascomycota (97%) dominated the soil microbiome, followed by Basidiomycota. As expected the diversity recovered from culture-based techniques was lower than that detected using tag sequencing. However, in the SSMS enrichments, that mimic the natural conditions for cultivating oligophilic "k-selected" bacteria, a larger proportion of rare bacterial taxa (15%), such as Blastococcus, Devosia, Herbaspirillum, Propionibacterium and Methylocella and fungal (11%) taxa, such as Nigrospora, Exophiala, Hortaea , and Penidiella were recovered at the genus level. At phylum level, a comparison of OTU's showed that the SSMS shared 21% of Acidobacteria, 11% of Actinobacteria and 10% of Proteobacteria OTU's with soil. For fungi, the shared OTUs was 4% (Basidiomycota) and <0.5% (Ascomycota). This was the first known attempt to culture microfungi using the SSMS which resulted in

  7. Eukaryotic community diversity and spatial variation during drinking water production (by seawater desalination) and distribution in a full-scale network

    KAUST Repository

    Belila, Abdelaziz

    2016-12-01

    Eukaryotic microorganisms are naturally present in many water resources and can enter, grow and colonize water treatment and transport systems, including reservoirs, pipes and premise plumbing. In this study, we explored the eukaryotic microbial community structure in water during the (i) production of drinking water in a seawater desalination plant and (ii) transport of the drinking water in the distribution network. The desalination plant treatment involved pre-treatment (e.g. spruce filters), reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filtration and post-treatment steps (e.g. remineralization). 454 pyrosequencing analysis of the 18S rRNA gene revealed a highly diverse (35 phyla) and spatially variable eukaryotic community during water treatment and distribution. The desalination plant feed water contained a typical marine picoeukaryotic community dominated by Stramenopiles, Alveolates and Porifera. In the desalination plant Ascomycota was the most dominant phylum (15.5% relative abundance), followed by Alveolata (11.9%), unclassified fungi clade (10.9%) and Porifera (10.7%). In the drinking water distribution network, an uncultured fungi phylum was the major group (44.0%), followed by Chordata (17.0%), Ascomycota (11.0%) and Arthropoda (8.0%). Fungi constituted 40% of the total eukaryotic community in the treatment plant and the distribution network and their taxonomic composition was dominated by an uncultured fungi clade (55%). Comparing the plant effluent to the network samples, 84 OTUs (2.1%) formed the core eukaryotic community while 35 (8.4%) and 299 (71.5%) constituted unique OTUs in the produced water at the plant and combined tap water samples from the network, respectively. RO membrane filtration treatment significantly changed the water eukaryotic community composition and structure, highlighting the fact that (i) RO produced water is not sterile and (ii) the microbial community in the final tap water is influenced by the downstream distribution system. The study

  8. Molecular Tools for Monitoring the Ecological Sustainability of a Stone Bio-Consolidation Treatment at the Royal Chapel, Granada.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fadwa Jroundi

    Full Text Available Biomineralization processes have recently been applied in situ to protect and consolidate decayed ornamental stone of the Royal Chapel in Granada (Spain. While this promising method has demonstrated its efficacy regarding strengthening of the stone, little is known about its ecological sustainability.Here, we report molecular monitoring of the stone-autochthonous microbiota before and at 5, 12 and 30 months after the bio-consolidation treatment (medium/long-term monitoring, employing the well-known molecular strategy of DGGE analyses. Before the bio-consolidation treatment, the bacterial diversity showed the exclusive dominance of Actinobacteria (100%, which decreased in the community (44.2% after 5 months, and Gamma-proteobacteria (30.24% and Chloroflexi (25.56% appeared. After 12 months, Gamma-proteobacteria vanished from the community and Cyanobacteria (22.1% appeared and remained dominant after thirty months, when the microbiota consisted of Actinobacteria (42.2% and Cyanobacteria (57.8% only. Fungal diversity showed that the Ascomycota phylum was dominant before treatment (100%, while, after five months, Basidiomycota (6.38% appeared on the stone, and vanished again after twelve months. Thirty months after the treatment, the fungal population started to stabilize and Ascomycota dominated on the stone (83.33% once again. Members of green algae (Chlorophyta, Viridiplantae appeared on the stone at 5, 12 and 30 months after the treatment and accounted for 4.25%, 84.77% and 16.77%, respectively.The results clearly show that, although a temporary shift in the bacterial and fungal diversity was observed during the first five months, most probably promoted by the application of the bio-consolidation treatment, the microbiota tends to regain its initial stability in a few months. Thus, the treatment does not seem to have any negative side effects on the stone-autochthonous microbiota over that time. The molecular strategy employed here is suggested

  9. From the tunnels into the treetops

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Réblová, M.; Hubka, V.; Thureborn, O.

    2016-01-01

    2 and β-tubulin, support their placement in the Chaetothyriales (Ascomycota). They are described as a new genus Bacillicladium with the type species B. lobatum, and a new species Bradymyces graniticola. Bacillicladium is distantly related to the known five chaetothyrialean families and is unique...... by the Maximum likelihood analysis, but strongly supported by Bayesian inference. The genus Bradymyces is placed amidst members of the Trichomeriaceae and is ecologically undefined; it includes an opportunistic animal pathogen while two other species inhabit rock surfaces. ITS rDNA sequences of three species...... structure supported delimitation of species in Bradymyces, which manifest a limited number of phenotypic features useful for species recognition. The role of fungi in the speleothem biofilm and relationships of Bacillicladium and Bradymyces with other members of the Chaetothyriales are discussed. © 2016...

  10. Pyrosequencing assessment of rhizosphere fungal communities from a soybean field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiyama, Akifumi; Ueda, Yoshikatsu; Takase, Hisabumi; Yazaki, Kazufumi

    2014-10-01

    Soil fungal communities play essential roles in soil ecosystems, affecting plant growth and health. Rhizosphere bacterial communities have been shown to undergo dynamic changes during plant growth. This study utilized 454 pyrosequencing to analyze rhizosphere fungal communities during soybean growth. Members of the Ascomycota and Basiodiomycota dominated in all soils. There were no statistically significant changes at the phylum level among growth stages or between bulk and rhizosphere soils. In contrast, the relative abundance of small numbers of operational taxonomic units, 4 during growth and 28 between bulk and rhizosphere soils, differed significantly. Clustering analysis revealed that rhizosphere fungal communities were different from bulk fungal communities during growth stages of soybeans. Taken together, these results suggest that in contrast to rhizosphere bacterial communities, most constituents of rhizosphere fungal communities remained stable during soybean growth.

  11. Analysis of bacterial and fungal communities in Marcha and Thiat, traditionally prepared amylolytic starters of India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sha, Shankar Prasad; Jani, Kunal; Sharma, Avinash; Anupma, Anu; Pradhan, Pooja; Shouche, Yogesh; Tamang, Jyoti Prakash

    2017-09-08

    Marcha and thiat are traditionally prepared amylolytic starters use for production of various ethnic alcoholic beverages in Sikkim and Meghalaya states in India. In the present study we have tried to investigate the bacterial and fungal community composition of marcha and thiat by using high throughput sequencing. Characterization of bacterial community depicts phylum Proteobacteria is the most dominant in both marcha (91.4%) and thiat (53.8%), followed by Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Estimates of fungal community composition showed Ascomycota as the dominant phylum. Presence of Zygomycota in marcha distinguishes it from the thiat. The results of NGS analysis revealed dominance of yeasts in marcha whereas molds out numbers in case of thiat. This is the first report on microbial communities of traditionally prepared amylolytic starters of India using high throughput sequencing.

  12. Study of endophytic Xylariaceae in Thailand: diversity and taxonomy inferred from rDNA sequence analyses with saprobes forming fruit bodies in the field

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Okane, Izumi; Srikitikulchai, Prasert; Toyama, Kyoko

    2008-01-01

    to reveal the diversity and taxonomy of endophytes and the relationships between those endophytes and saprobic Xylariaceae in Thailand that have been recorded according to fruit-body formation on decayed plant materials. Analysis of 28S rDNA D1/D2 sequences revealed 21 xylariaceous species inhabiting......A study of the diversity, taxonomy, and ecology of endophytic Xylariaceae (Ascomycota) was carried out. In this study, we obtained isolates of Xylariaceae from healthy, attached leaves and teleomorphic stromata on decayed plant materials in a permanent plot at Khao Yai National Park (Thailand......). In addition, strains deposited beforehand were selected in which both endophytic strains isolated from living plant tissues and saprobic strains from fruit bodies were included. Consequently, 405 strains of Xylariaceae (273 endophytic and 132 saprobic strains, including identified strains) were studied...

  13. Calcineurin Orchestrates Hyphal Growth, Septation, Drug Resistance and Pathogenesis of Aspergillus fumigatus: Where Do We Go from Here?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Praveen R Juvvadi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Studies on fungal pathogens belonging to the ascomycota phylum are critical given the ubiquity and frequency with which these fungi cause infections in humans. Among these species, Aspergillus fumigatus causes invasive aspergillosis, a leading cause of death in immunocompromised patients. Fundamental to A. fumigatus pathogenesis is hyphal growth. However, the precise mechanisms underlying hyphal growth and virulence are poorly understood. Over the past 10 years, our research towards the identification of molecular targets responsible for hyphal growth, drug resistance and virulence led to the elucidation of calcineurin as a key signaling molecule governing these processes. In this review, we summarize our salient findings on the significance of calcineurin for hyphal growth and septation in A. fumigatus and propose future perspectives on exploiting this pathway for designing new fungal-specific therapeutics.

  14. New data to the knowledge of macrofungi of Wolin National Park

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Małgorzata Stasińska

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results of mycological studies conducted in the Wolin National Park from July to November 2012, and sporadically in the following 4 years. Explorations were made by a route method over the whole area of the Park, mainly in forest associations: Cephalanthero rubrae-Fagetum, Galio odorati-Fagetum, Luzulo pilosae-Fagetum, and Fago-Quercetum petraeae. In total, 322 taxa of macrofungi were found, 37 Ascomycota and 285 Basidiomycota. Two of them, Hericium coralloides and Inonotus obliquus, are under partial protection, 39 on the red list of fungi in Poland. For the first time, Russula torulosa, previously not reported from Poland, was found in Wolin National Park. Among the examined phytocoenoses, Galio odorati-Fagetum and Luzulo pilosae-Fagetum are characterized by the highest species variety and abundance.

  15. Comparison of the Biological Properties of Two Strains of Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom Samson Associated to Their Antagonistic Effect onto Toxocara canis Eggs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gortari, M. C.

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Biological control of nematodes by fungi is a promising field of application at large scale. Nematode egg is probably the most resistant stage in the nematode life-cycle, however they are susceptible to colonization and destruction by fungal egg-parasites. Fungal extra-cellular enzymes are able to degrade the main chemical constituents of nematode eggshell and at least they are partly responsible for fungal penetration and/or digestion of the internal tissues. Paecilomyces lilacinus was reported as an ovicidal fungus of Toxocara canis eggs in vitro, a parasite of dogs causing toxocarosis. Two wild-type P. lilacinus LPSC # 876 and LPSC # 44 strains, isolated from soil in the main park in the city of La Plata and an agricultural field, respectively, in Argentina, showed antagonism onto T. canis eggs. Besides from the isolation source, both strains showed similar hydrolytic profiles activities, ovicidal effect, and grew well on chitin agar, although no chitinolytic activity was detected. Nevertheless, both strains displayed proteolytic and chitinolytic activities in liquid cultures, with maximum values at 14 days of growth. Variable enzyme activities were observed on carboxymethylcellulose and starch agars, whereas the lipolytic activity was poor in both. Percentage of infected T. canis eggs was found 65.6% and 63.2% for P. lilacinus LPSC # 876 and # 44 strains respectively. Our results a priori indicate that P. lilacinus LPSC # 876 shows suitable characteristics as a potential agent for biocontrol of T. canis.

  16. Unbesiegbare Herkulesse: die Italienische Peplum kinematographie

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blaž Božič

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Unbesiegbare  Herkulesse: die Italienische peplum kinematographie Der Gegenstand dieses Beitrags sind die sogenannten italienischen Peplum Filme. Es handelt sich hierbei um ein spezifisches Genre und eine spezifische Ära der italienischen Filmgeschichte. Der Peplum ist ein Kulturprodukt des 20. Jahrhunderts, das auf dem Nachlass der klassischen Antike und vor allem auf ihren Stereotypen beruht. Der Peplum bietet einer Interpretation im Rahmen der Filmgeschichte auch eine Vielzahl von Ausgangspunkten für zahlreiche Forschungsfelder, z. B. der Soziologie, der Ästhetik und der Rezeptionsstudien. Herkules und Maciste, die Hauptprotagonisten dieser Filme, sind Helden, die außerhalb eines Zeit- oder Kontextrahmens bestehen: In den mehr als dreihundert Peplumfilmen die zwischen 1957 und 1964 gedreht wurden, erscheinen sie so neben Odysseus, Samson oder zusammen mit Inkas, Mongolen und Vampiren. Die gegenseitige Kontamination  diverser mythologischer und historischer Kontexte und das unbeschwerte Kombinieren verschiedener Filmgattungen erzeugt ein paradischen, spektakuläres Genre, das sich keineswegs um ‘Authentizität’ oder um Treue gegenüber der Tradition, aus der sie ihren Stoff schöpft, bemüht. Mit der physischen Kraft als Schlüsselattribut gewährt der herkulesartige Hauptprotagonist ein starkes imago für verschiedene Ideologien, die auf dem Kult der körperlichen Kraft und traditionellen Geschlechterrollen beruhen.

  17. A Variational Level Set Model Combined with FCMS for Image Clustering Segmentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liming Tang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The fuzzy C means clustering algorithm with spatial constraint (FCMS is effective for image segmentation. However, it lacks essential smoothing constraints to the cluster boundaries and enough robustness to the noise. Samson et al. proposed a variational level set model for image clustering segmentation, which can get the smooth cluster boundaries and closed cluster regions due to the use of level set scheme. However it is very sensitive to the noise since it is actually a hard C means clustering model. In this paper, based on Samson’s work, we propose a new variational level set model combined with FCMS for image clustering segmentation. Compared with FCMS clustering, the proposed model can get smooth cluster boundaries and closed cluster regions due to the use of level set scheme. In addition, a block-based energy is incorporated into the energy functional, which enables the proposed model to be more robust to the noise than FCMS clustering and Samson’s model. Some experiments on the synthetic and real images are performed to assess the performance of the proposed model. Compared with some classical image segmentation models, the proposed model has a better performance for the images contaminated by different noise levels.

  18. Cacao in México: Restrictive factors and productivity levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julio Díaz-José

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Cacao (Theobroma cacao L. represents one of the most important agricultural crops of the humid Mexican tropics. In the last 10 yr, approximately 23.000 t of this grain were no longer produced per cycle. The objective of this study was to identify characteristics and factors that restrict production in the states of Tabasco and Chiapas. A survey was applied to obtain information about 184 producers and their plantations by two-stage sampling. Descriptive statistics were calculated and multilevel models were adjusted to analyze the information. Results show that there are differences (P < 0.05 in cacao yield between municipalities (380 kg ha-1 + u,o j is the estimated residual for each municipality. Crop productivity levels are higher in the state of Tabasco than in Chiapas (644 and 344 kg ha-1, respectively. Incidence of frosty pod rot of cacoa, also known as moniliasis, induced by Moniliophthora roreri [(Cif H.C. Evans, Stalpers, Samson & Benny 1978] is significantly greater (P < 0.05 in the state of Chiapas (60% than in Tabasco (48%.Producers who carry out more crop management practices increase yields and decrease the pathogen's impact on their plantations. Results suggest the need to apply differentiated public policies to promote production within each region or municipality.

  19. Suicide in Judaism with a Special Emphasis on Modern Israel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliezer Witztum

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Judaism considers the duty of preserving life as a paramount injunction. Specific injunctions against suicide appear in the Bible, Talmud, and thereafter. Nevertheless, Jewish tradition emphasizes that one should let himself be killed rather than violate cardinal rules of Jewish law. Mitigating circumstances are found for the six deaths by suicide mentioned in the Bible, for example to account for one's sins, or avoid shameful death. Heroic suicide is praised throughout the Jewish history, from the suicide of Samson and the collective suicide in Masada, to the collective readiness of Jews in Medieval times and during the Holocaust to kill themselves rather than succumb to their enemies. Suicide rates for Jews are lower than those of Protestants and Catholics. Similarly, suicide rates in Israel are lower in comparison to Europe and North America, although being higher than those in most Moslem Asian and North African countries. This low rate of suicide is found in Jewish Israelis of all ages, including in adolescents. Elevated suicidal risk may be found in specific sub-populations, including male Israeli soldiers, immigrants from the former USSR and Ethiopia, in particular adolescent immigrants from the former USSR, elderly Holocaust survivors, and young Israel-Arab women. The meaning of these findings is discussed according to different socio-cultural perspectives.

  20. A synopsis of the saddle fungi (Helvella: Ascomycota) in Europe – species delimitation, taxonomy and typification

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Skrede, I.; Carlsen, T.; Schumacher, T.

    2017-01-01

    Helvella is a widespread, speciose genus of large apothecial ascomycetes (Pezizomycete: Pezizales) that are found in terrestrial biomes of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This study represents a beginning on assessing species limits and applying correct names for Helvella species based on

  1. Transoceanic dispersal and subsequent diversification on separate continents shaped diversity of the Xanthoparmelia pulla group (Ascomycota.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guillermo Amo de Paz

    Full Text Available In traditional morphology-based concepts many species of lichenized fungi have world-wide distributions. Molecular data have revolutionized the species delimitation in lichens and have demonstrated that we underestimated the diversity of these organisms. The aim of this study is to explore the phylogeography and the evolutionary patterns of the Xanthoparmelia pulla group, a widespread group of one of largest genera of macrolichens. We used a dated phylogeny based on nuITS and nuLSU rDNA sequences and performed an ancestral range reconstruction to understand the processes and explain their current distribution, dating the divergence of the major lineages in the group. An inferred age of radiation of parmelioid lichens and the age of a Parmelia fossil were used as the calibration points for the phylogeny. The results show that many species of the X. pulla group as currently delimited are polyphyletic and five major lineages correlate with their geographical distribution and the biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites. South Africa is the area where the X. pulla group radiated during the Miocene times, and currently is the region with the highest genetic, morphological and chemical diversity. From this center of radiation the different lineages migrated by long-distance dispersal to others areas, where secondary radiations developed. The ancestral range reconstruction also detected that a secondary lineage migrated from Australia to South America via long-distance dispersal and subsequent continental radiation.

  2. The UHPLC-DAD fingerprinting method for analysis of extracellular metabolites of fungi of the genus Geosmithia (Acomycota: Hypocreales)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tylová, Tereza; Kolařík, Miroslav; Olšovská, Jana

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 400, č. 9 (2011), s. 2943-2952 ISSN 1618-2642 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP506/11/2302 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography * Diode array detection * Solid-phase extraction Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 3.778, year: 2011

  3. Contribution to the knowledge of the fungal biodiversity of Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park II

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Pancorbo

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper continues the taxonomic revision of the species collected during the campaign of 2015 in the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido. 409 taxa are added to the previous inventory, some of them from alpine-subalpine ecology, of which 76% correspond to phylum Basidiomycota and 22.2% to Ascomycota. They are presented in the form of a check-list, followed by 20 selected taxonomic descriptions of interesting, infrequent species, and those though to be new in the peninsular territory. Among the species determined, six species were included in the proposals for the inventory of protected species of the Iberian Peninsula and/or Aragon. This paper presents a first approximation, as a platform for later evaluations, of the beech conservation degree in some forests from the Park through the occurrence of indicator species.

  4. Secondary metabolite profiling of Alternaria dauci, A. porri, A. solani, and A. tomatophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, Birgitte; Dongo, Anita; Pryor, Barry M

    2008-02-01

    Chemotaxonomy (secondary metabolite profiling) has been shown to be of great value in the classification and differentiation in Ascomycota. However, few studies have investigated the use of metabolite production for classification and identification purposes of plant pathogenic Alternaria species. The purpose of the present study was to describe the methodology behind metabolite profiling in chemotaxonomy using A. dauci, A. porri, A. solani, and A. tomatophila strains as examples of the group. The results confirmed that A. dauci, A. solani, and A. tomatophila are three distinct species each with their own specific metabolite profiles, and that A. solani and A. tomatophila both produce altersolanol A, altertoxin I, and macrosporin. By using automated chemical image analysis and other multivariate statistic analyses, three sets of species-specific metabolites could be selected, one each for A. dauci, A. solani, and A. tomatophila.

  5. Geomyces and Pseudogymnoascus: Emergence of a primary pathogen, the causative agent of bat white-nose syndrome: Chapter 28

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verant, Michelle L.; Minnis, Andrew M.; Lindner, Daniel L.; Blehert, David

    2017-01-01

    Geomyces and Pseudogymnoascus (Fungi, Ascomycota, Leotiomycetes, aff. Thelebolales) are closely related groups of globally occurring soil-associated fungi. Recently, these genera of fungi have received attention because a newly identified species, Pseudogymnoascus (initially classified as Geomyces) destructans, was discovered in association with significant and unusual mortality of hibernating bats in North America (Blehert et al. 2009; Gargas et al. 2009; Minnis and Linder 2013). This emergent disease called bat white-nose syndrome (WNS), has since caused drastic declines in populations of hibernating bats in the United States and Canada (Turner, Reeder, and Coleman 2011; Thogmartin et al. 2012) and threatens some species with regional extinction (Frick et al. 2010; Langwig et al. 2012; Thogmartin et al. 2013). As primary predators of insects and keystone species for cave ecosystems, the loss of bats due to WNS has important economic and ecological implications.

  6. Evolution of entomopathogenicity in fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humber, Richard A

    2008-07-01

    The recent completions of publications presenting the results of a comprehensive study on the fungal phylogeny and a new classification reflecting that phylogeny form a new basis to examine questions about the origins and evolutionary implications of such major habits among fungi as the use of living arthropods or other invertebrates as the main source of nutrients. Because entomopathogenicity appears to have arisen or, indeed, have lost multiple times in many independent lines of fungal evolution, some of the factors that might either define or enable entomopathogenicity are examined. The constant proximity of populations of potential new hosts seem to have been a factor encouraging the acquisition or loss of entomopathogenicity by a very diverse range of fungi, particularly when involving gregarious and immobile host populations of scales, aphids, and cicadas (all in Hemiptera). An underlying theme within the vast complex of pathogenic and parasitic ascomycetes in the Clavicipitaceae (Hypocreales) affecting plants and insects seems to be for interkingdom host-jumping by these fungi from plants to arthropods and then back to the plant or on to fungal hosts. Some genera of Entomophthorales suggest that the associations between fungal pathogens and their insect hosts appear to be shifting away from pathogenicity and towards nonlethal parasitism.

  7. Genetic engineering of Trichoderma reesei cellulases and their production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Druzhinina, Irina S; Kubicek, Christian P

    2017-11-01

    Lignocellulosic biomass, which mainly consists of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, is the most abundant renewable source for production of biofuel and biorefinery products. The industrial use of plant biomass involves mechanical milling or chipping, followed by chemical or physicochemical pretreatment steps to make the material more susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis. Thereby the cost of enzyme production still presents the major bottleneck, mostly because some of the produced enzymes have low catalytic activity under industrial conditions and/or because the rate of hydrolysis of some enzymes in the secreted enzyme mixture is limiting. Almost all of the lignocellulolytic enzyme cocktails needed for the hydrolysis step are produced by fermentation of the ascomycete Trichoderma reesei (Hypocreales). For this reason, the structure and mechanism of the enzymes involved, the regulation of their expression and the pathways of their formation and secretion have been investigated in T. reesei in considerable details. Several of the findings thereby obtained have been used to improve the formation of the T. reesei cellulases and their properties. In this article, we will review the achievements that have already been made and also show promising fields for further progress. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

  8. Microbiome and ecotypic adaption of Holcus lanatus (L.) to extremes of its soil pH range, investigated through transcriptome sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Ellen; Carey, Manus; Meharg, Andrew A; Meharg, Caroline

    2018-03-20

    Plants can adapt to edaphic stress, such as nutrient deficiency, toxicity and biotic challenges, by controlled transcriptomic responses, including microbiome interactions. Traditionally studied in model plant species with controlled microbiota inoculation treatments, molecular plant-microbiome interactions can be functionally investigated via RNA-Seq. Complex, natural plant-microbiome studies are limited, typically focusing on microbial rRNA and omitting functional microbiome investigations, presenting a fundamental knowledge gap. Here, root and shoot meta-transcriptome analyses, in tandem with shoot elemental content and root staining, were employed to investigate transcriptome responses in the wild grass Holcus lanatus and its associated natural multi-species eukaryotic microbiome. A full factorial reciprocal soil transplant experiment was employed, using plant ecotypes from two widely contrasting natural habitats, acid bog and limestone quarry soil, to investigate naturally occurring, and ecologically meaningful, edaphically driven molecular plant-microbiome interactions. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and non-AM fungal colonization was detected in roots in both soils. Staining showed greater levels of non-AM fungi, and transcriptomics indicated a predominance of Ascomycota-annotated genes. Roots in acid bog soil were dominated by Phialocephala-annotated transcripts, a putative growth-promoting endophyte, potentially involved in N nutrition and ion homeostasis. Limestone roots in acid bog soil had greater expression of other Ascomycete genera and Oomycetes and lower expression of Phialocephala-annotated transcripts compared to acid ecotype roots, which corresponded with reduced induction of pathogen defense processes, particularly lignin biosynthesis in limestone ecotypes. Ascomycota dominated in shoots and limestone soil roots, but Phialocephala-annotated transcripts were insignificant, and no single Ascomycete genus dominated. Fusarium-annotated transcripts were

  9. Las micorrizas: una relación planta-hongo que dura más de 400 millones de años

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Honrubia, Mario

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The concept of mycorrhiza is considered in a wide sense, as a not necessarily mutualistic symbiosis, covering the trophic relations of mycorrhizal fungi with “inferior” and achlorophyllics plants. A bibliographical review of the origin and diversification of mycorrhizae is made. The pioneering characteristics of the arbuscular mycorrhiza formed by Glomeromycota are discussed, emphasizing its importance during the terrestrialization processes. The chronological appearance of the other types of mycorrhizas is discussed. The independent and recurrent evolution of the ectomycorrhizas formed by Basidiomycota and Ascomycota is discussed; their saprobiont or parasite origin points to the versatile nutritional strategy of these fungi, in adaptative response to environmental changes, as does the origin of the singular ericoid, arbutoid and helianthemoid mycorrhizas. The particular trophic relation between achlorophyllic plants, such as Monotropa and orchids, in their heterotrophic phases, with their “mycorrhizal” fungi is also described. Finally, the recent evolution of the non mycotrophic root systems is commented on.

    Se define el concepto de micorriza en un sentido amplio, como una simbiosis no necesariamente mutualística, para incluir las relaciones tróficas de hongos micorrícicos con plantas “inferiores” y plantas aclorofílicas. Se realiza una revisión bibliográfica sobre el origen y diversificación de las micorrizas. Se evidencia el carácter pionero de la micorriza arbuscular formada por los Glomeromycota y se resalta su importancia en el proceso de ‘terrestrialización’. Se comenta la formación cronológica de los restantes tipos de micorrizas. Se denota la evolución independiente y recurrente de las ectomicorrizas, formadas por Basidiomycota y Ascomycota inicialmente saprófitos, que sugiere una versatilidad en las estrategias nutricionales de estos hongos, como respuesta

  10. Epipolythiodiketopiperazines from the Marine Derived Fungus Dichotomomyces cejpii with NF-κB Inhibitory Potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henrik Harms

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The Ascomycota Dichotomomyces cejpii was isolated from the marine sponge Callyspongia cf. C. flammea. A new gliotoxin derivative, 6-acetylmonodethiogliotoxin (1 was obtained from fungal extracts. Compounds 2 and 3, methylthio-gliotoxin derivatives were formerly only known as semi-synthetic compounds and are here described as natural products. Additionally the polyketide heveadride (4 was isolated. Compounds 1, 2 and 4 dose-dependently down-regulated TNFα-induced NF-κB activity in human chronic myeloid leukemia cells with IC50s of 38.5 ± 1.2 µM, 65.7 ± 2.0 µM and 82.7 ± 11.3 µM, respectively. The molecular mechanism was studied with the most potent compound 1 and results indicate downstream inhibitory effects targeting binding of NF-κB to DNA. Compound 1 thus demonstrates potential of epimonothiodiketopiperazine-derived compounds for the development of NF-κB inhibitors.

  11. Distribution and ecology of the lichen Fellhanera gyrophorica in the Pojezierze Olsztyńskie Lakeland and its status in Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dariusz Kubiak

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The study presents recent data on the distribution of Fellhanera gyrophorica (Pilocarpaceae, Ascomycota in Poland, a rare lichen with a crustose, usually sterile thallus. Both previous and new localities of the species are presented with data on its eco­logy and general distribution. Furthermore, this paper provides detailed results on floristic investigations of the species in the forest areas of the Pojezierze Olsztyńskie Lakeland (Northern Poland. Fertile specimens of F. gyrophorica have been observed in Poland for the second time and in the world – for the third time. Also, a new substrate for this species has been found: Acer platanoides. In addition, Carpinus betulus and Populus tremula were also found to be the species' substrates in Poland. Based on this study and previous reports, F. gyrophorica seems to be a relatively common species in north-eastern Poland.

  12. Indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis in Fusarium delphinoides strain GPK, a causal agent of Wilt in Chickpea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulkarni, Guruprasad B; Sanjeevkumar, S; Kirankumar, B; Santoshkumar, M; Karegoudar, T B

    2013-02-01

    Fusarium delphinoides (Ascomycota; Nectriaceae) is an indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) producing plant pathogen and a causal agent of wilt in chickpea. The IAA biosynthetic pathway in F. delphinoides strain GPK (FDG) was examined by analyzing metabolic intermediates and by feeding experiments. Gas chromatograph (GC) analysis of FDG culture filtrates showed the presence of metabolic intermediates of indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPyA), indole-3-acetamide (IAM), and tryptamine (TRA) pathways. The different IAA biosynthetic pathways were further confirmed by identifying the presence of different enzymes of these pathways. Substrate specificity study of aromatic amino acid aminotransferase revealed that the enzyme is highly specific for tryptophan (Trp) and α-ketoglutarate (α-kg) as amino group donor and acceptor, respectively. Furthermore, the concentration-dependent effect of exogenous IAA on fungal growth was established. Low concentration of exogenous IAA increases the fungal growth and at high concentration it decreases the growth of FDG.

  13. Modeling the potential distribution of three lichens of the Xanthoparmelia pulla group (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota in Central Europe

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    Katarzyna Szczepańska

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents models of potential geographical distribution of Xanthoparmelia delisei, X. loxodes, and X. verruculifera in Central Europe. The models were developed with MaxEnt (maximum entropy algorithm based on 224 collection localities and bioclimatic variables. The applied method enabled to identify the areas where climatic conditions are the most suitable for modeled species outside their known localities. According to obtained model, high potential distribution of the X. delisei and X. loxodes was found in the northern and northeastern Poland, when areas most suitable for X. verruculifera were placed in the south, especially in the Carpathians. Model also suggests that potential distribution of X. delisei could be wider than known data on its occurrence and extend to Lithuania, Belarus and the Czech Republic. MaxEnt modeling of X. loxodes showed the widest potential distribution for this species in Central Europe with the best regions in Lithuania. Potential distribution in all models was strongly influenced by precipitation-related variables. All the modelled species prefer areas where precipitation in the coldest quarter is very low.

  14. Biatriospora (Ascomycota: Pleosporales) is an ecologically diverse genus including facultative marine fungi and endophytes with biotechnological potential

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kolařík, Miroslav; Spakowicz, D.J.; Gazis, R.; Shaw, J.; Kubátová, A.; Nováková, Alena; Chudíčková, Milada; Forcina, G.C.; Kang, K.W.; Kelnarová, I.; Skaltsas, D.; Portero, C.E.; Strobel, S.A.; Narváez-Trujillo, A.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 303, č. 1 (2017), s. 35-50 ISSN 0378-2697 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-16565S; GA MŠk(CZ) LD13039; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Antibiotics * Biatriosporaceae * Cryptic species Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Microbiology Impact factor: 1.239, year: 2016

  15. (2563) Proposal to conserve the name Lichen ferrugineus (Blastenia ferruginea) with a conserved type (Teloschistaceae, lichenised Ascomycota)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    in Arcadia, L.; Vondrák, Jan

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 66, č. 6 (2017), s. 1467-1468 ISSN 0040-0262 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : lectotype * Lichen ferrugineus * Blastenia ferruginea Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 2.447, year: 2016

  16. Molecular phylogenetic study at the generic boundary between the lichen-forming fungi Caloplaca and Xanthoria (Ascomycota, Teloschistaceae)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søchting, Ulrik; Lutzoni, François

    2003-01-01

    A molecular phylogenetic analysis of rDNA was performed for seven Caloplaca, seven Xanthoria, one Fulgensia and five outgroup species. Phylogenetic hypotheses are constructed based on nuclear small and large subunit rDNA, separately and in combination. Three strongly supported major monophyletic ...

  17. Efficacy of Isaria fumosorosea Wize (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) on the leaf phylloplane over time for controlling Madeira mealybug nymphs preshipping

    Science.gov (United States)

    The efficacy of Isaria fumosorosea (= PFR 97®) on the leaf phylloplane over time for controlling Madeira mealybug nymphs before shipping plant products was assessed under laboratory conditions. Hibiscus leaves were dipped into beakers filled with 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 g of PFR 97® / L of water and t...

  18. Discovery, Development, and Evaluation of a Horn Fly-Isolated (Diptera: Muscidae) Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordyciptaceae) Strain From Florida, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holderman, Christopher J.; Wood, Lois A.; Geden, Christopher J.

    2017-01-01

    The horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.) is an important cattle pest and traditionally has been managed using insecticides; however, many horn fly populations are insecticide-resistant in United States. Use of alternative control techniques has been limited because of the challenges of managing a fly pest on pastured cattle. After the discovery of a wild horn fly infected with Beauveria bassiana in Florida, the fungus was cultured and evaluated for efficacy against laboratory-reared horn flies. This fungal strain was selected for increased virulence by passage through laboratory-reared horn fly hosts to shorten interval from infection to fly death and subsequent conidia formation, properties important to future use of the fungus as a biological control agent against horn flies. After seven passages through horn fly hosts, fly mortality was not significantly accelerated as evaluated through LT50 values, but conidia were readily produced from these killed flies. Although further development is needed to improve fungal efficacy, this fungal strain holds promise as a biological control agent for inclusion in horn fly integrated pest management programs. PMID:28423414

  19. Soil application of formulated Metarhizium brunneum F52 (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) containing microsclerotia controls eggs of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    We evaluated the potential of a granular formulation of Metarhizium brunneum F52 containing microsclerotia (MbMSc granules) for control of Aedes aegypti (L.) by targeting eggs. MbMSc granules produced infective conidia within 14 days after application to moist potting soil, producing 5.9 × 10**5, 2....

  20. Characterization of Tolypocladium cylindrosporum (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitacea) and its impact against Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus eggs at low temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    We examined the growth characteristics of Tolypocladium cylindrosporum IBT 41712 and its potential to infect eggs of Aedes aegypti Linnaeus and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) mosquitoes at low temperature (15 deg C). When grown on sabouraud dextrose agar supplemented with yeast extract, IBT 41712 formed w...

  1. Characterization of Tolypocladium cylindrosporum (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) and Its Impact Against Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Eggs at Low Temperature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flor-Weiler, Lina B; Rooney, Alejandro P; Behle, Robert W; Muturi, Ephantus J

    2017-09-01

    We examined the growth characteristics of Tolypocladium cylindrosporum IBT 41712 and its potential to infect eggs of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus at a low temperature (15°C). When grown on Sabouraud dextrose agar supplemented with yeast extract, the IBT 41712 formed white colonies turning to a slightly darker, off-white color when mature. The mycelia bore swollen conidiophores producing smooth-walled, oblong to cylindrical conidia with varying sizes, ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 μm long. To determine the optimum temperature for the fungus, we cultured the fungus at eight temperatures (4°C, 12°C, 15°C, 21°C, 28°C, 33°C, 37°C, and 40°C) and measured the diametric growth. The optimum temperature for growth was 28°C since it had the highest diametric growth rate (2.1 ± 0.05 mm/day) and the fastest sporulation period (within 8-10 days of incubation). There was no fungal growth at the 3 highest temperatures (33°C, 37°C, and 40°C) but plates incubated at 33°C, when shifted to optimal temperature (28°C), showed visible growth indicating that following incubation at 33°C, the fungus remained viable. The IBT 41712 successfully infected mosquito eggs at 15°C. Fungal treatment induced egg hatch on moist seed-germination paper and this effect was more pronounced in Ae. aegypti compared to Ae. albopictus. When treated eggs were immersed in dH 2 O 21 days posttreatment, larval hatch of both Ae. aegypti (control = 91%, 1 × 10 7 conidia/ml, fungal treatment = 0%) and Ae. albopictus (control = 85%, fungal treatment = 28%) was significantly lower in fungal treatment compared to the controls. The ability of the strain to grow in a wide temperature range, and effectively infect mosquito eggs and induce egg hatch at a low temperature warrants further investigation for its potential as a mosquito control agent targeting eggs that overwinter or undergo long diapause.

  2. Simulação do impacto do fungo Nomuraea rileyi em populações da lagarta da soja, Anticarsia gemmatalis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sujii Edison Ryoiti

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available O fungo entomopatogênico Nomuraea rileyi (Farlow Samson produz epizootias em populações de lagarta da soja, Anticarsia gemmatalis (Huebner, controlando naturalmente a praga em determinadas condições. No entanto, a epizootia nem sempre ocorre a tempo de evitar que as populações desta praga causem dano econômico à cultura. Foi criado um modelo matemático para simular a ocorrência de N. rileyi em populações de A. gemmatalis nas lavouras de soja da Flórida, EUA. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um sistema que integrasse esse modelo a outros modelos (fenologia da soja e da praga, interações inseto-planta e dinâmica populacional da praga, a fim de gerar simulações mais precisas no manejo da praga. Estes modelos foram construídos a partir de estudos ecológicos dos organismos envolvidos, conduzidos nas áreas de soja no Brasil. O sistema integrado foi desenvolvido com base em equações de diferenças que são processadas pelo programa STELLA, versão 5.0 Research. A avaliação do modelo em Planaltina, DF, e Londrina, PR, demonstraram que o sistema é capaz de simular a ocorrência de epizootias ou explosões populacionais da lagarta da soja.

  3. Virtual screening for potential inhibitors of Mcl-1 conformations sampled by normal modes, molecular dynamics, and nuclear magnetic resonance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glantz-Gashai Y

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Yitav Glantz-Gashai,* Tomer Meirson,* Eli Reuveni, Abraham O Samson Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1 is often overexpressed in human cancer and is an important target for developing antineoplastic drugs. In this study, a data set containing 2.3 million lead-like molecules and a data set of all the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA-approved drugs are virtually screened for potential Mcl-1 ligands using Protein Data Bank (PDB ID 2MHS. The potential Mcl-1 ligands are evaluated and computationally docked on to three conformation ensembles generated by normal mode analysis (NMA, molecular dynamics (MD, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR, respectively. The evaluated potential Mcl-1 ligands are then compared with their clinical use. Remarkably, half of the top 30 potential drugs are used clinically to treat cancer, thus partially validating our virtual screen. The partial validation also favors the idea that the other half of the top 30 potential drugs could be used in the treatment of cancer. The normal mode-, MD-, and NMR-based conformation greatly expand the conformational sampling used herein for in silico identification of potential Mcl-1 inhibitors. Keywords: virtual screening, Mcl-1, molecular dynamics, NMR, normal modes

  4. Aislamiento e identificación de microorganismos con potencial biofertilizante de suelos arroceros del distrito de riego del rio zulia, norte de santander

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marilyn Tatiana Santos-Torres

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available It was evaluated the microbial population of soils cultivated with rice at some zones of the district of irrigation of Zulia River, Norte de Santander state, Colombia, and no cultivated soil with rice. It was found that the seeded soil with rice were significantly low in fungi, bacteria and actinomycete populations compa red with no seeded with rice. This situation was due to possibly excessive use of agricultural machine and excessive application of pesticides and continuous rice monoculture. Therefore, with use the biofertilizer enriched with microorganism isolated from zone with similar agroecological conditions, will improve the microorganism adaptation of the rizosphere and will promote a reestablishment of the biological balance of soils and therefore to increase biotic activity improving the quality and productivity of the cultures. A total of 43 bacteria and 4 fungi were isolated in different soils of the studied zone, and were identified 25 microorganisms. According the isolation methodology, the bacteria were separate in two groups: diazotrophic like the species of the genera Azotobacter sp., Azospirillum sp. and Beijerinckia sp. and the phosphate solubilizate inorganic like Bacillus megaterium, B. cereus, Pseudomonas putida and P. aeruginosa. For the fungi identification were evaluate the micro and macroscopic characteristics in the culture medium Czapeck, following the fungi keys of Samson Hoekstra and Oorsehot (1981, which allowed recognize species like Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus niger, Penicillium purpurogenum, P. pinopilum.

  5. Reactivity of Primary Soil Minerals and Secondary Precipitates Beneath Leaking Hanford Waste Tanks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagy, Kathryn L.; Sturchio, Neil C.

    2003-01-01

    This project, renewal of a previous EMSP project of the same title, is in its first year of funding at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The purpose is to continue investigating rates and mechanisms of reactions between primary sediment minerals found in the Hanford subsurface and leaked waste tank solutions. The goals are to understand processes that result in (1) changes in porosity and permeability of the sediment and resultant changes in flow paths of the contaminant plumes, (2) formation of secondary precipitates that can take up contaminants in their structures, and (3) release of mineral components that can drive redox reactions affecting dissolved contaminant mobility. A post-doctoral scientist, Dr. Sherry Samson, has been hired and two masters of science students are beginning to conduct experimental research. One research project that is underway is focused on measurement of the dissolution rates of plagioclase feldspar in high pH, high nitrate, high Al-bearing solutions characteristic of the BX tank farms. The first set of experiments is being conduced at room temperature. Subsequent experiments will examine the role of temperature because tank solutions in many cases were near boiling when leakage is thought to have occurred and temperature gradients have been observed beneath the SX and BX tank farms. The dissolution experiments are being conducted in stirred-flow kinetic reactors using powdered labradorite feldspar from Pueblo Park, New Mexico

  6. Understanding Segregation Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruch, Elizabeth

    There is growing consensus that living in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty increases the likelihood of social problems such as teenage parenthood, drug and alcohol use, crime victimization, and chronic unemployment. Neighborhood inequality is also implicated in studies of enduring race/ethnic health disparities, and there are recent moves to broaden the definition of health care policy to policies targeting social inequality (Mechanic 2007). Residential segregation affects health outcomes in several different ways. First, income, education, and occupation are all strongly related to health (Adler and Newman 2002). Segregation is a key mechanism through which socioeconomic inequality is perpetuated and reinforced, as it hinders the upward mobility of disadvantaged groups by limiting their educational and employment opportunities. Second, segregation increases minority exposure to unhealthy neighborhood environments. Residential segregation creates areas with concentrated poverty and unemployment, both of which are key factors that predict violence and create racial differences in homicide (Samson and Wilson 1995). Neighborhood characteristics, such as exposure to environmental hazards, fear of violence, and access to grocery stores, affect health risks and health behaviors (Cheadle et al. 1991). Tobacco and alcohol industries also advertise their products disproportionately in poor, minority areas (Moore, Williams, and Qualls 1996). Finally, residential segregation leads to inequalitie in health care resources, which contributes to disparities in quality of treatment (Smedley, Stith, and Nelson 2002).

  7. The first record of Litargus tetraspilotus (Coleoptera, Mycetophagidae in Brazil, with biological notes and complementary description of the species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julianne Milléo

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Litargus tetraspilotus LeConte, 1856 was collected feeding on Oidium sp. (Fungi, Ascomycota, Erysiphaceae associated with fruit trees. This is the first time L. tetraspilotus is recorded in Brazil, totaling three species of Mycetophagidae for this country. This study aims to provide a complementary description of this species based on new characters and to present information on its life cycle under laboratory conditions and fluctuation in population in the field. During the period of inventories between July 2004 and August 2006, about every fifteen days, a total of 565 specimens of L. tetraspilotus were collected, with the highest abundance found on citrus plants, with values differing significantly between the two years. The population levels differed between the seasons; spring had the greatest abundance and autumn the least. There was a significant positive correlation of L. tetraspilotus abundance with rainfall and relative humidity. Mycetophagidae, as well as other mycophagous families of Brazilian coleopterans, are barely studied, warranting further future studies of their bioecology and systematics.

  8. Manipulation of culture conditions alters lipid content and fatty acid profiles of a wide variety of known and new oleaginous yeasts species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sitepu, Irnayuli R.; Sestric, Ryan; Ignatia, Laura; Levin, David; German, J. Bruce; Gillies, Laura A.; Almada, Luis A.G.; Boundy-Mills, Kyria L.

    2013-01-01

    Oleaginous yeasts have been studied for oleochemical production for over 80 years. Only a few species have been studied intensely. To expand the diversity of oleaginous yeasts available for lipid research, we surveyed a broad diversity of yeasts with indicators of oleaginicity including known oleaginous clades, and buoyancy. Sixty-nine strains representing 17 genera and 50 species were screened for lipid production. Yeasts belonged to Ascomycota families, Basidiomycota orders, and the yeast-like algal genus Prototheca. Total intracellular lipids and fatty acid composition were determined under different incubation times and nitrogen availability. Thirteen new oleaginous yeast species were discovered, representing multiple ascomycete and basidiomycete clades. Nitrogen starvation generally increased intracellular lipid content. The fatty acid profiles varied with the growth conditions regardless of taxonomic affiliation. The dominant fatty acids were oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, and stearic acid. Yeasts and culture conditions that produced fatty acids appropriate for biodiesel were identified. PMID:23891835

  9. Manipulation of culture conditions alters lipid content and fatty acid profiles of a wide variety of known and new oleaginous yeast species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sitepu, Irnayuli R; Sestric, Ryan; Ignatia, Laura; Levin, David; German, J Bruce; Gillies, Laura A; Almada, Luis A G; Boundy-Mills, Kyria L

    2013-09-01

    Oleaginous yeasts have been studied for oleochemical production for over 80 years. Only a few species have been studied intensely. To expand the diversity of oleaginous yeasts available for lipid research, we surveyed a broad diversity of yeasts with indicators of oleaginicity including known oleaginous clades, and buoyancy. Sixty-nine strains representing 17 genera and 50 species were screened for lipid production. Yeasts belonged to Ascomycota families, Basidiomycota orders, and the yeast-like algal genus Prototheca. Total intracellular lipids and fatty acid composition were determined under different incubation times and nitrogen availability. Thirteen new oleaginous yeast species were discovered, representing multiple ascomycete and basidiomycete clades. Nitrogen starvation generally increased intracellular lipid content. The fatty acid profiles varied with the growth conditions regardless of taxonomic affiliation. The dominant fatty acids were oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, and stearic acid. Yeasts and culture conditions that produced fatty acids appropriate for biodiesel were identified. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. DNA barcoding in Mexico: an introduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elías-Gutiérrez, M; León-Regagnon, V

    2013-11-01

    DNA barcoding has become an important current scientific trend to the understanding of the world biodiversity. In the case of mega-diverse hot spots like Mexico, this technique represents an important tool for taxonomists, allowing them to concentrate in highlighted species by the barcodes instead of analyzing entire sets of specimens. This tendency resulted in the creation of a national network named Mexican Barcode of Life (MEXBOL) which main goals are to train students, and to promote the interaction and collective work among researchers interested in this topic. As a result, the number of records in the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) for some groups, such as the Mammalia, Actinopterygii, Polychaeta, Branchiopoda, Ostracoda, Maxillopoda, Nematoda, Pinophyta, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota place Mexico among the top ten countries in the generation of these data. This special number presents only few of the many interesting findings in this region of the world, after the use of this technique and its integration with other methodologies. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Endophytic Fungi as Novel Resources of natural Therapeutics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maheshwari Rajamanikyam

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Fungal endophytes constitute a major part of the unexplored fungal diversity. Endophytic fungi (EF are an important source for novel, potential and active metabolites. Plant-endophyte interaction and endophyte -endophyte interactions study provide insights into mutualism and metabolite production by fungi. Bioactive compounds produced by endophytes main function are helping the host plants to resist external biotic and abiotic stress, which benefit the host survival in return. These organisms mainly consist of members of the Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Zygomycota and Oomycota. Recently, the genome sequencing technology has emerged as one of the most efficient tools that can provide whole information of a genome in a small period of time. Endophytes are fertile ground for drug discovery. EFare considered as the hidden members of the microbial world and represent an underutilized resource for new therapeutics and compounds. Endophytes are rich source of natural products displaying broad spectrum of biological activities like anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-arthritis and anti-inflammatory.

  12. Lichensphere: a protected natural microhabitat of the non-lichenised fungal communities living in extreme environments of Antarctica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santiago, Iara F; Soares, Marco Aurélio; Rosa, Carlos A; Rosa, Luiz H

    2015-11-01

    We surveyed the diversity, distribution and ecology of non-lichenised fungal communities associated with the Antarctic lichens Usnea antarctica and Usnea aurantiaco-atra across Antarctica. The phylogenetic study of the 438 fungi isolates identified 74 taxa from 21 genera of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Zygomycota. The most abundant taxa were Pseudogymnoascus sp., Thelebolus sp., Antarctomyces psychrotrophicus and Cryptococcus victoriae, which are considered endemic and/or highly adapted to Antarctica. Thirty-five fungi may represent new and/or endemic species. The fungal communities displayed high diversity, richness and dominance indices; however, the similarity among the communities was variable. After discovering rich and diverse fungal communities composed of symbionts, decomposers, parasites and endemic and cold-adapted cosmopolitan taxa, we introduced the term "lichensphere". We hypothesised that the lichensphere may represent a protected natural microhabitat with favourable conditions able to help non-lichenised fungi and other Antarctic life forms survive and disperse in the extreme environments of Antarctica.

  13. Biosynthetic Pathways of Ergot Alkaloids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nina Gerhards

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Ergot alkaloids are nitrogen-containing natural products belonging to indole alkaloids. The best known producers are fungi of the phylum Ascomycota, e.g., Claviceps, Epichloë, Penicillium and Aspergillus species. According to their structures, ergot alkaloids can be divided into three groups: clavines, lysergic acid amides and peptides (ergopeptines. All of them share the first biosynthetic steps, which lead to the formation of the tetracyclic ergoline ring system (except the simplest, tricyclic compound: chanoclavine. Different modifications on the ergoline ring by specific enzymes result in an abundance of bioactive natural products, which are used as pharmaceutical drugs or precursors thereof. From the 1950s through to recent years, most of the biosynthetic pathways have been elucidated. Gene clusters from several ergot alkaloid producers have been identified by genome mining and the functions of many of those genes have been demonstrated by knock-out experiments or biochemical investigations of the overproduced enzymes.

  14. The effects of various land reclamation scenarios on the succession of soil Bacteria, Archaea, and fungi over the short and long term

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junjian eLi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Ecological restoration of mining areas has mainly focused on the succession dynamics of vegetation and the fate of microbial communities remains poorly understood. We examined changes in soil characteristics and plant and microbial communities with increasing reclamation period in an open coal mine. Bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities were assessed by tag-encoded 454 pyrosequencing. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Crenarchaeota, and Ascomycota had the highest detected relative abundance within bacteria, archaea, and fungi, respectively. Partial regressions and canonical correspondence analysis demonstrated that vegetation played a major role in bacterial and archaeal diversity and assemblies, and soil characteristics, especially nitrogen, were important for fungal diversity and assemblies. Spearman rank correlation indicated that bacterial and archaeal communities showed synergistic succession with plants; whereas, fungal communities showed no such pattern. Overall, our data suggest that there are different drivers of bacterial, archaeal and fungal succession during secondary succession in a reclaimed open mine.

  15. Diversity of culturable yeasts associated with zoanthids from Brazilian reef and its relation with anthropogenic disturbance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulino, Gustavo Vasconcelos Bastos; Félix, Ciro Ramon; Broetto, Leonardo; Landell, Melissa Fontes

    2017-10-15

    Some of the main threats to coral reefs come from human actions on marine environment, such as tourism, overfishing and pollution from urban development. While several studies have demonstrated an association between bacteria and corals, demonstrating how these communities react to different anthropogenic stressors, yeast communities associated with corals have received far less attention from researchers. The aim of this work was therefore to describe cultivable yeasts associated with three coral species and to evaluate the influence of sewage discharge on yeasts community. We obtained 130 isolates, mostly belonging to phylum Ascomycota and many of them had previously been isolated from human samples or are considered pathogens. The mycobiota was more similar among corals collected from the same reef, indicating that the composition of reef yeast community is more influenced by environmental conditions than host species. We suggest further studies to elucidate which factors are most influential on the composition of the coral-associated yeast community. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Molecular characterization of endophytic fungi associated with the roots of Chenopodium quinoa inhabiting the Atacama Desert, Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Teuber, M; Vilo, C; Bascuñán-Godoy, L

    2017-03-01

    Plant roots can be highly colonized by fungal endophytes. This seems to be of particular importance for the survival of plants inhabiting stressful habitats. This study focused on the Identification of the fungal endophytic community associated with the roots of quinoa plants ( Chenopodium quinoa ) growing near the salt lakes of the Atacama Desert, Chile. One hundred endophytic fungi were isolated from healthy quinoa roots, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was sequenced for phylogenetic and taxonomic analysis. The isolates were classified into eleven genera and 21 distinct operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Despite a relatively high diversity of root endophytic fungi associated with quinoa plants, the fungal community was dominated by only the Ascomycota phyla. In addition, the most abundant genera were Penicillium , Phoma and Fusarium , which are common endophytes reported in plant roots. This study shows that roots of C . quinoa harbor a diverse group of endophytic fungi. Potential roles of these fungi in plant host tolerance to stressful conditions are discussed.

  17. N2O production, a widespread trait in fungi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maeda, Koki; Spor, Aymé; Edel-Hermann, Véronique; Heraud, Cécile; Breuil, Marie-Christine; Bizouard, Florian; Toyoda, Sakae; Yoshida, Naohiro; Steinberg, Christian; Philippot, Laurent

    2015-04-01

    N2O is a powerful greenhouse gas contributing both to global warming and ozone depletion. While fungi have been identified as a putative source of N2O, little is known about their production of this greenhouse gas. Here we investigated the N2O-producing ability of a collection of 207 fungal isolates. Seventy strains producing N2O in pure culture were identified. They were mostly species from the order Hypocreales order--particularly Fusarium oxysporum and Trichoderma spp.--and to a lesser extent species from the orders Eurotiales, Sordariales, and Chaetosphaeriales. The N2O 15N site preference (SP) values of the fungal strains ranged from 15.8‰ to 36.7‰, and we observed a significant taxa effect, with Penicillium strains displaying lower SP values than the other fungal genera. Inoculation of 15 N2O-producing strains into pre-sterilized arable, forest and grassland soils confirmed the ability of the strains to produce N2O in soil with a significant strain-by-soil effect. The copper-containing nitrite reductase gene (nirK) was amplified from 45 N2O-producing strains, and its genetic variability showed a strong congruence with the ITS phylogeny, indicating vertical inheritance of this trait. Taken together, this comprehensive set of findings should enhance our knowledge of fungi as a source of N2O in the environment.

  18. Antimicrobial potential of endophytic fungi derived from three seagrass species: Cymodocea serrulata, Halophila ovalis and Thalassia hemprichii.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Preuttiporn Supaphon

    Full Text Available Endophytic fungi from three commonly found seagrasses in southern Thailand were explored for their ability to produce antimicrobial metabolites. One hundred and sixty endophytic fungi derived from Cymodoceaserrulata (Family Cymodoceaceae, Halophilaovalis and Thalassiahemprichii (Family Hydrocharitaceae were screened for production of antimicrobial compounds by a colorimetric broth microdilution test against ten human pathogenic microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, a clinical isolate of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Escherichia coli ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Candida albicans ATCC 90028 and NCPF 3153, Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC 90112 and ATCC 90113 and clinical isolates of Microsporumgypseum and Penicilliummarneffei. Sixty-nine percent of the isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity against at least one test strain. Antifungal activity was more pronounced than antibacterial activity. Among the active fungi, seven isolates including Hypocreales sp. PSU-ES26 from C. serrulata, Trichoderma spp. PSU-ES8 and PSU-ES38 from H. ovalis, and Penicillium sp. PSU-ES43, Fusarium sp. PSU-ES73, Stephanonectria sp. PSU-ES172 and an unidentified endophyte PSU-ES190 from T. hemprichii exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against human pathogens with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC of less than 10 µg/ml. The inhibitory extracts at concentrations of 4 times their MIC destroyed the targeted cells as observed by scanning electron microscopy. These results showed the antimicrobial potential of extracts from endophytic fungi from seagrasses.

  19. Species clarification of Isaria isolates used as biocontrol agents against Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallou, Adrien; Serna-Domínguez, María G; Berlanga-Padilla, Angélica M; Ayala-Zermeño, Miguel A; Mellín-Rosas, Marco A; Montesinos-Matías, Roberto; Arredondo-Bernal, Hugo C

    2016-03-01

    Entomopathogenic fungi belonging to the genus Isaria (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) are promising candidates for microbial control of insect pests. Currently, the Mexican government is developing a biological control program based on extensive application of Isaria isolates against Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), a vector of citrus huanglongbing disease. Previous research identified three promising Isaria isolates (CHE-CNRCB 303, 305, and 307; tentatively identified as Isaria fumosorosea) from Mexico. The goal of this work was to obtain a complete morphological and molecular characterization of these isolates. Comparative analysis of morphology established that the isolates showed similar characteristics to Isaria javanica. Multi-gene analysis confirmed the morphological identification by including the three isolates within the I. javanica clade. Additionally, this work demonstrated the misidentifications of three other Isaria isolates (CHE-CNRCB 310 and 324: I. javanica, formerly I. fumosorosea; CHE-CNRCB 393: I. fumosorosea, formerly Isaria farinosa), underlying the need for a full and correct characterization of an isolate before developing a biological control program. Finally, the inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) genotyping method revealed that the CHE-CNRCB 303, 305, and 307 isolates belong to three different genotypes. This result indicates that ISSR markers could be used as a tool to monitor their presence in field conditions. Copyright © 2015 The British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Limitations of Species Delimitation Based on Phylogenetic Analyses: A Case Study in the Hypogymnia hypotrypa Group (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota.

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    Xinli Wei

    Full Text Available Delimiting species boundaries among closely related lineages often requires a range of independent data sets and analytical approaches. Similar to other organismal groups, robust species circumscriptions in fungi are increasingly investigated within an empirical framework. Here we attempt to delimit species boundaries in a closely related clade of lichen-forming fungi endemic to Asia, the Hypogymnia hypotrypa group (Parmeliaceae. In the current classification, the Hypogymnia hypotrypa group includes two species: H. hypotrypa and H. flavida, which are separated based on distinctive reproductive modes, the former producing soredia but absent in the latter. We reexamined the relationship between these two species using phenotypic characters and molecular sequence data (ITS, GPD, and MCM7 sequences to address species boundaries in this group. In addition to morphological investigations, we used Bayesian clustering to identify potential genetic groups in the H. hypotrypa/H. flavida clade. We also used a variety of empirical, sequence-based species delimitation approaches, including: the "Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery" (ABGD, the Poisson tree process model (PTP, the General Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC, and the multispecies coalescent approach BPP. Different species delimitation scenarios were compared using Bayes factors delimitation analysis, in addition to comparisons of pairwise genetic distances, pairwise fixation indices (FST. The majority of the species delimitation analyses implemented in this study failed to support H. hypotrypa and H. flavida as distinct lineages, as did the Bayesian clustering analysis. However, strong support for the evolutionary independence of H. hypotrypa and H. flavida was inferred using BPP and further supported by Bayes factor delimitation. In spite of rigorous morphological comparisons and a wide range of sequence-based approaches to delimit species, species boundaries in the H. hypotrypa group remain uncertain. This study reveals the potential limitations of relying on distinct reproductive strategies as diagnostic taxonomic characters for Hypogymnia and also the challenges of using popular sequence-based species delimitation methods in groups with recent diversification histories.

  1. Ecology and distribution of Myriosclerotinia caricis-ampullaceae (Sclerotiniaceae, Ascomycota) in Central Europe with remarks on its world distribution

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Holec, J.; Kučera, Tomáš; Balner, V.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 59, č. 1 (2007), s. 57-74 ISSN 0082-0598 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520 Keywords : mycogeography * raised-bogs * mountain vegetation Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 0.556, year: 2007

  2. New higher taxa in the lichen family Graphidaceae (lichenized Ascomycota: Ostropales) based on a three-gene skeleton phylogeny

    Science.gov (United States)

    H. Thorsten Lumbsch; Ekaphan Kraichak; Sittiporn Parnmen; Eimy Rivas Plata; Andre Aptroot; Marcela E.S. Caceres; Damien Ertz; Shirley Cunha Feuerstein; Joel A. Mercado-Diaz; Bettina Staiger; Dries Van den Broeck; Robert. Lücking

    2014-01-01

    We provide an updated skeleton phylogeny of the lichenized family Graphidaceae (excluding subfamily Gomphilloideae), based on three loci (mtSSU, nuLSU, RPB2), to elucidate the position of four new genera, Aggregatorygma, Borinquenotrema, Corticorygma, and Paratopeliopsis, as well as the placement of the enigmatic species Diorygma erythrellum, Fissurina monilifera, and...

  3. Candelariella blastidiata sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Candelariaceae) from Eurasia and North America, and a key for grey thalli Candelariella

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Yakovchenko, L. S.; Vondrák, Jan; Ohmura, Y.; Korchikov, E. S.; Vondráková, O.; Davydov, E.A.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 49, č. 2 (2017), s. 117-126 ISSN 0024-2829 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : Candelariella subdeflexa * lichens * species pair Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 1.224, year: 2016

  4. A molecular timescale of eukaryote evolution and the rise of complex multicellular life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedges, S. Blair; Blair, Jaime E.; Venturi, Maria L.; Shoe, Jason L.

    2004-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The pattern and timing of the rise in complex multicellular life during Earth's history has not been established. Great disparity persists between the pattern suggested by the fossil record and that estimated by molecular clocks, especially for plants, animals, fungi, and the deepest branches of the eukaryote tree. Here, we used all available protein sequence data and molecular clock methods to place constraints on the increase in complexity through time. RESULTS: Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that (i) animals are more closely related to fungi than to plants, (ii) red algae are closer to plants than to animals or fungi, (iii) choanoflagellates are closer to animals than to fungi or plants, (iv) diplomonads, euglenozoans, and alveolates each are basal to plants+animals+fungi, and (v) diplomonads are basal to other eukaryotes (including alveolates and euglenozoans). Divergence times were estimated from global and local clock methods using 20-188 proteins per node, with data treated separately (multigene) and concatenated (supergene). Different time estimation methods yielded similar results (within 5%): vertebrate-arthropod (964 million years ago, Ma), Cnidaria-Bilateria (1,298 Ma), Porifera-Eumetozoa (1,351 Ma), Pyrenomycetes-Plectomycetes (551 Ma), Candida-Saccharomyces (723 Ma), Hemiascomycetes-filamentous Ascomycota (982 Ma), Basidiomycota-Ascomycota (968 Ma), Mucorales-Basidiomycota (947 Ma), Fungi-Animalia (1,513 Ma), mosses-vascular plants (707 Ma), Chlorophyta-Tracheophyta (968 Ma), Rhodophyta-Chlorophyta+Embryophyta (1,428 Ma), Plantae-Animalia (1,609 Ma), Alveolata-plants+animals+fungi (1,973 Ma), Euglenozoa-plants+animals+fungi (1,961 Ma), and Giardia-plants+animals+fungi (2,309 Ma). By extrapolation, mitochondria arose approximately 2300-1800 Ma and plastids arose 1600-1500 Ma. Estimates of the maximum number of cell types of common ancestors, combined with divergence times, showed an increase from two cell types at 2500 Ma to

  5. A molecular timescale of eukaryote evolution and the rise of complex multicellular life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Venturi Maria L

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The pattern and timing of the rise in complex multicellular life during Earth's history has not been established. Great disparity persists between the pattern suggested by the fossil record and that estimated by molecular clocks, especially for plants, animals, fungi, and the deepest branches of the eukaryote tree. Here, we used all available protein sequence data and molecular clock methods to place constraints on the increase in complexity through time. Results Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that (i animals are more closely related to fungi than to plants, (ii red algae are closer to plants than to animals or fungi, (iii choanoflagellates are closer to animals than to fungi or plants, (iv diplomonads, euglenozoans, and alveolates each are basal to plants+animals+fungi, and (v diplomonads are basal to other eukaryotes (including alveolates and euglenozoans. Divergence times were estimated from global and local clock methods using 20–188 proteins per node, with data treated separately (multigene and concatenated (supergene. Different time estimation methods yielded similar results (within 5%: vertebrate-arthropod (964 million years ago, Ma, Cnidaria-Bilateria (1,298 Ma, Porifera-Eumetozoa (1,351 Ma, Pyrenomycetes-Plectomycetes (551 Ma, Candida-Saccharomyces (723 Ma, Hemiascomycetes-filamentous Ascomycota (982 Ma, Basidiomycota-Ascomycota (968 Ma, Mucorales-Basidiomycota (947 Ma, Fungi-Animalia (1,513 Ma, mosses-vascular plants (707 Ma, Chlorophyta-Tracheophyta (968 Ma, Rhodophyta-Chlorophyta+Embryophyta (1,428 Ma, Plantae-Animalia (1,609 Ma, Alveolata-plants+animals+fungi (1,973 Ma, Euglenozoa-plants+animals+fungi (1,961 Ma, and Giardia-plants+animals+fungi (2,309 Ma. By extrapolation, mitochondria arose approximately 2300-1800 Ma and plastids arose 1600-1500 Ma. Estimates of the maximum number of cell types of common ancestors, combined with divergence times, showed an increase from two cell types at 2500 Ma to ~10

  6. Friend or foe? Evolutionary history of glycoside hydrolase family 32 genes encoding for sucrolytic activity in fungi and its implications for plant-fungal symbioses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Timothy Y

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many fungi are obligate biotrophs of plants, growing in live plant tissues, gaining direct access to recently photosynthesized carbon. Photosynthate within plants is transported from source to sink tissues as sucrose, which is hydrolyzed by plant glycosyl hydrolase family 32 enzymes (GH32 into its constituent monosaccharides to meet plant cellular demands. A number of plant pathogenic fungi also use GH32 enzymes to access plant-derived sucrose, but less is known about the sucrose utilization ability of mutualistic and commensal plant biotrophic fungi, such as mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi. The aim of this study was to explore the distribution and abundance of GH32 genes in fungi to understand how sucrose utilization is structured within and among major ecological guilds and evolutionary lineages. Using bioinformatic and PCR-based analyses, we tested for GH32 gene presence in all available fungal genomes and an additional 149 species representing a broad phylogenetic and ecological range of biotrophic fungi. Results We detected 9 lineages of GH32 genes in fungi, 4 of which we describe for the first time. GH32 gene number in fungal genomes ranged from 0–12. Ancestral state reconstruction of GH32 gene abundance showed a strong correlation with nutritional mode, and gene family expansion was observed in several clades of pathogenic filamentous Ascomycota species. GH32 gene number was negatively correlated with animal pathogenicity and positively correlated with plant biotrophy, with the notable exception of mycorrhizal taxa. Few mycorrhizal species were found to have GH32 genes as compared to other guilds of plant-associated fungi, such as pathogens, endophytes and lichen-forming fungi. GH32 genes were also more prevalent in the Ascomycota than in the Basidiomycota. Conclusion We found a strong signature of both ecological strategy and phylogeny on GH32 gene number in fungi. These data suggest that plant biotrophic fungi

  7. Ambivalence and Ambiguity in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman

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    Monica Michlin

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available This close reading of the text highlights how Miss Jane, in her double role as protagonist and narrator, shows considerable ambivalence towards friend and foe alike, with the result that the apparently transparent ideological meaning of entire episodes is blurred by what some critics have merely put down to “conservatism.” I examine Miss Jane’s almost constant suppression of emotion, and frequent displays of ambivalence towards other black people; her ambiguous relationship to oppressive, but familiar whites like Albert Cluveau or Robert Samson; and her conflicted relation to black heroes and heroics. Is the leading character a variation on the “mammy” who has internalized racist figures of speech, and uses contradictory images that undermine black heroics and validate white oppression? Or is Gaines’s point to undo the “retrick” of heroics and of alienation alike, and, against of backdrop of constant, ordinary destruction of black lives, to cast the adult Miss Jane as a Brer Rabbit-like figure, for whom survival and resistance are both dialectically connected and opposed? Is there a contradiction between her “progress” towards resistance shown in the last section, and her metadiscursive comments in the present, and does her literally walking out of her own story give a conclusive meaning to her narrative, or does it point to the author’s not having been able to resolve the ambivalence and ambiguities within the text?

  8. I Have Faith in Thee, Lord: Criticism of Religion and Child Abuse in the Video Game the Binding of Isaac

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank G. Bosman

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The game The Binding of Isaac is an excellent example of a game that incorporates criticism of religion. Isaac is a roguelike dungeon crawler with randomly generated dungeons. Both from the perspective of narrative and of game design, McMillen built The Binding of Isaac around the Biblical story of Genesis 22:1-19, which has the same name in Jewish and Christian tradition, but he placed it in a modern-day setting in which a young boy is endangered by a mentally disturbed mother who hears “voices from above” that instruct her to sacrifice her only child. Multiple critical references to Christianity can be found in addition to the narrative: hostile embodiments of the seven deadly sins, rosaries, Bibles, and crucifixes, and unlockable characters, such as Mary Magdalene, Judas Iscariot, Samson, and Cain, who are all depicted negatively in both Jewish and Christian traditions. McMillen’s inspiration came from his own experiences with his family, which was made up of both Catholics and born-again Christians. The game describes both the dark creativity and the mental and physical abuse associated with religion. In this article, we analyse the narrative of The Binding of Isaac by performing an intertextual comparison with the Biblical narrative of Genesis 22:1-19. We then analyse the three-fold narrative structure of the game which enhances and nuances the criticism the game directs at religion.

  9. Monitoring and Quantifying Particles Emissions around Industrial Sites with Scanning Doppler Lidar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thobois, L.; Royer, P.; Parmentier, R.; Brooks, M.; Knoepfle, A.; Alexander, J.; Stidwell, P.; Kumar, R.

    2018-04-01

    Scanning Coherent Doppler Lidars have been used over the last decade for measuring wind for applications in wind energy [1], meteorology [2] and aviation [3]. They allow for accurate measurements of wind speeds up to a distance of 10 km based on the Doppler shift effect of aerosols. The signal reflectivity (CNR or Carrier-to-Noise Ratio) profiles can also be retrieved from the strength of the Lidar signal. In this study, we will present the developments of algorithm for retrieving aerosol optical properties like the relative attenuated backscatter coefficient and the mass concentration of particles. The use of these algorithms during one operational trial in Point Samson, Western Australia to monitor fugitive emissions over a mine will be presented. This project has been initiated by the Australian Department of Environment Regulations to better determine the impact of the Port on the neighboring town. During the trial in Summer, the strong impact of turbulence refractive index on Lidar performances has been observed. Multiple methodologies have been applied to reduce this impact with more or less success. At the end, a dedicated setup and configuration have been established that allow to properly observe the plumes of the mine with the scanning Lidar. The Lidar data has also been coupled to beta attenuation in-situ sensors for retrieving mass concentration maps. A few case of dispersion of plumes will be presented showing the necessity to combine both the wind and aerosol data.

  10. The typical developmental trajectory of social and executive functions in late adolescence and early adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Sophie Jane; Barker, Lynne Ann; Heavey, Lisa; McHale, Sue

    2013-07-01

    Executive functions and social cognition develop through childhood into adolescence and early adulthood and are important for adaptive goal-oriented behavior (Apperly, Samson, & Humphreys, 2009; Blakemore & Choudhury, 2006). These functions are attributed to frontal networks known to undergo protracted maturation into early adulthood (Barker, Andrade, Morton, Romanowski, & Bowles, 2010; Lebel, Walker, Leemans, Phillips, & Beaulieu, 2008), although social cognition functions are also associated with widely distributed networks. Previously, nonlinear development has been reported around puberty on an emotion match-to-sample task (McGivern, Andersen, Byrd, Mutter, & Reilly, 2002) and for IQ in midadolescence (Ramsden et al., 2011). However, there are currently little data on the typical development of social and executive functions in late adolescence and early adulthood. In a cross-sectional design, 98 participants completed tests of social cognition and executive function, Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (Wechsler, 1999), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983), and measures of pubertal development and demographics at ages 17, 18, and 19. Nonlinear age differences for letter fluency and concept formation executive functions were found, with a trough in functional ability in 18-year-olds compared with other groups. There were no age group differences on social cognition measures. Gender accounted for differences on 1 scale of concept formation, 1 dynamic social interaction scale, and 2 empathy scales. The clinical, developmental, and educational implications of these findings are discussed.

  11. Chronic exposure to neonicotinoids increases neuronal vulnerability to mitochondrial dysfunction in the bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moffat, Christopher; Pacheco, Joao Goncalves; Sharp, Sheila; Samson, Andrew J.; Bollan, Karen A.; Huang, Jeffrey; Buckland, Stephen T.; Connolly, Christopher N.

    2015-01-01

    The global decline in the abundance and diversity of insect pollinators could result from habitat loss, disease, and pesticide exposure. The contribution of the neonicotinoid insecticides (e.g., clothianidin and imidacloprid) to this decline is controversial, and key to understanding their risk is whether the astonishingly low levels found in the nectar and pollen of plants is sufficient to deliver neuroactive levels to their site of action: the bee brain. Here we show that bumblebees (Bombus terrestris audax) fed field levels [10 nM, 2.1 ppb (w/w)] of neonicotinoid accumulate between 4 and 10 nM in their brains within 3 days. Acute (minutes) exposure of cultured neurons to 10 nM clothianidin, but not imidacloprid, causes a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-dependent rapid mitochondrial depolarization. However, a chronic (2 days) exposure to 1 nM imidacloprid leads to a receptor-dependent increased sensitivity to a normally innocuous level of acetylcholine, which now also causes rapid mitochondrial depolarization in neurons. Finally, colonies exposed to this level of imidacloprid show deficits in colony growth and nest condition compared with untreated colonies. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the poor navigation and foraging observed in neonicotinoid treated bumblebee colonies.—Moffat, C., Pacheco, J. G., Sharp, S., Samson, A. J., Bollan, K. A., Huang, J., Buckland, S. T., Connolly, C. N. Chronic exposure to neonicotinoids increases neuronal vulnerability to mitochondrial dysfunction in the bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). PMID:25634958

  12. Iodophanus carneus and I. testaceus (Ascomycota-Pezizales: Independent taxonomic identity or synonymy? A study of their morphology and isozymes Iodophanus carneus e I. testaceus (ASCOMYCOTA-PEZIZALES: ¿Identidades taxonómicas independientes o sinonimia? Estudio morfológico e isoenzimático

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel E. Cinto

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to delimit two Iodophanus species: I. carneus and I. testaceus , based on morphological characteristics and electrophoretic patterns of their intracellular isozymes. Twenty monosporic strains were used, including five belonging to I. granulipolaris as a control. Fourteen isozyme systems were tested, and the five having the best resolution selected: aspartate aminotransferase, esterases, alkaline phosphatase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and superoxide dismutase. These analyses confirmed the similarity between I. carneus and I. testaceus , since they both produced the same band patterns, which were in turn different from the band pattern of I. granulipolaris. So, as we couldn´t find any character wich permit us to classify the isolated studied during this work in defferent species, we believe that I. testaceus shoul be consider as a synonym of I. carneus .El objetivo del presente trabajo fue la delimitación taxonómica de dos especies del género Iodophanus : I. carneus e I. testaceus a partir de caracteres morfológicos y de los patrones electroforéticos de isoenzimas intracelulares. Para ello se utilizaron veinte cepas monospóricas, cinco de las cuales pertenecientes a I. granulipolaris que fueron utilizadas como control. Se probaron catorce sistemas isoenzimáticos y se eligieron los cinco con mejor resolución: aspartato amino transferasa, esterasa, fosfatasa alcalina, glutamato dehidrogenasa y superóxido dismutasa. El análisis de los patrones isoenzimáticos corroboró la silimitud existente entre I. carneus e I. testaceus , ya que los patrones de bandas obtenidas para estas dos especies fueron iguales y diferentes de I. granulipolaris. Entonces, al no encontrar ningún caracter que nos permita separar a los aislamientos estudiados en este trabajo en dos especies distintas, proponemos a I. testaceus como un sinónimo de I. carneus.

  13. Potential of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) as a bioassay probe for Metarhizium brunneum (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) activity against Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bharadwaj, Anuja; Stafford, Kirby C

    2011-12-01

    The yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor L., has been used to indicate qualitatively the presence of entomopathogenic fungi in the soil or as a model for evaluating stress and other factors on fungal activity. Although this beetle appears highly susceptible to many of these fungi, little quantitative information is available on the sensitivity of T. molitor to a specific fungus and, therefore, fungal presence or as an indicator for pathogenicity to other species. The purpose of this study was to establish the suitability of T. molitor larvae as a bioassay probe for Metarhizium brunneum for comparison against the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Nine concentrations of M. brunneum strain F52 ranging from 1.0 x 10(1) to 8.4 x 10(8) conidial/ml were simultaneously tested against T. molitor larvae and I. scapularis adults. Larvae of yellow mealworm were less sensitive to M. brunneum than I. scapularis adults (LC50's 4.4 x 10(7) and 1.7 x 10(5) conidia/ml, respectively, 4-wk post-treatment). The greater sensitivity of I. scapularis to the fungus suggests that the detection of fungal mycosis in mealworms would indicate sufficient inoculum to be pathogenic to I. scapularis and make this insect a suitable probe for evaluation of the presence and activity of M. brunneum against the blacklegged tick in field applications.

  14. Field evaluation of the synergistic effects of neem oil with Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bacillales: Bacillaceae)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Togbe, C.E.; Zannou, E.; Gbehounou, G.; Kossou, D.; Huis, van A.

    2014-01-01

    In the present study, the synergistic effects of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv. Vuill.) (isolate Bb11) and Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Berliner) with neem oil were evaluated in three agroecological zones in Be´nin. Four bioinsecticide treatments (neem oil, neem oil and B. bassiana used

  15. Sporothrix chilensis sp. nov. (Ascomycota : Ophiostomatales), a soil-borne agent of human sporotrichosis with mild-pathogenic potential to mammals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rodrigues, Anderson Messias; Cruz Choappa, Rodrigo; Fernandes, Geisa Ferreira; de Hoog, G Sybren; de Camargo, Zoilo Pires

    A combination of phylogeny, evolution, morphologies and ecologies has enabled major advances in understanding the taxonomy of Sporothrix species, including members exhibiting distinct lifestyles such as saprobes, human/animal pathogens, and insect symbionts. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS1/2 + 5.8s

  16. Sporothrix chilensis sp. nov. (Ascomycota: Ophiostomatales), a soil-borne agent of human sporotrichosis with mild-pathogenic potential to mammals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Anderson Messias; Cruz Choappa, Rodrigo; Fernandes, Geisa Ferreira; de Hoog, G Sybren; de Camargo, Zoilo Pires

    2016-02-01

    A combination of phylogeny, evolution, morphologies and ecologies has enabled major advances in understanding the taxonomy of Sporothrix species, including members exhibiting distinct lifestyles such as saprobes, human/animal pathogens, and insect symbionts. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS1/2 + 5.8s sequences split Sporothrix genus in two well-defined groups with dissimilar ecologies. Species embedded in the Sporothrix schenckii complex are frequently agents of human and animal sporotrichosis, and some of these are responsible for large sapronoses and zoonoses around the warmer temperate regions of the world. At the other extreme, basal saprophytic species evolved in association with decaying wood and soil, and are rarely found to cause human disease. We propose to create a new taxa, Sporothrix chilensis sp. nov., to accommodate strains collected from a clinical case of onychomycosis as well as from environmental origins in Chile. Multigene analyses based on ITS1/2 + 5.8s region, beta-tubulin, calmodulin and translation elongation factor 1α revealed that S. chilensis is a member of the Sporothrix pallida complex, and the nearest taxon is Sporothrix mexicana, a rare soil-borne species, non-pathogenic to humans. The ITS region serves as a primary barcode marker, while each one of the protein-coding loci easily recognized species boundaries providing sufficient information for species identification. A disseminated model of murine sporotrichosis revealed a mild-pathogenic potential, with lung invasion. Although S. chilensis is not a primary pathogen, accidental infection may have an impact in the immunosuppressed population. With the introduction of distinct species with similar routes of transmission but different virulence, identification of Sporothrix agents at the species level is mandatory. Copyright © 2015 The British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Chemical Characterization of the Degradation of Necromass from Four Ascomycota Fungi: Implications for Soil Organic Carbon Turnover and Storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruner, V. J.; Schreiner, K. M.; Blair, N. E.; Egerton, L.

    2016-12-01

    Terrestrial soils store vast amounts of organic carbon, approximately twice as much carbon as is currently in the atmospheric CO2 pool. Despite its importance in the global carbon cycle, much is still unknown about the source, turnover, and stability of this soil organic carbon (SOC) pool. For example, fungi are known to play an important role in shaping the chemistry of SOC by degrading common biopolymers, and fungal biomass has been found to be a significant portion of living microbial SOC, dominating over bacteria in some soils by as much as 90%. And yet, despite growing evidence that microbial necromass may be larger contributors to SOC than previously thought, very little is known about the specific degradation patterns of fungal necromass and subsequently its potential chemical contributions to long-lived SOC pools. This study addresses these knowledge gaps through a time-series analysis of the degradation patterns of fungal tissue from four different saprotrophic Ascomyota species in temperate restored prairie soils. Fungal tissue was buried in soils both within a temperature- and light-controlled laboratory environment, and in a field environment, and harvested at intervals from 1 day to two months. After harvest, chemical analysis of the dried tissue by thermochemolysis pyrolysis-GCMS was used for relative quantitation of a variety of common biomolecules and biopolymers within the fungal tissue that may be long lived in soils, including chitin, glucan, mannan, ergosterol, and melanin. The degradation of these specific molecules, bulk fungal tissue, and bulk C and N within the tissue, is modeled to (1) show that a small portion of fungal necromass persists in the environment even after the period of the experiment and could serve as a contributor to long-lived SOC, and (2) provide quantitative information on the contribution of fungal tissue to global SOC pools.

  18. Carbohydrate-active enzymes from the zygomycete fungus Rhizopus oryzae: a highly specialized approach to carbohydrate degradation depicted at genome level

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    Henrissat Bernard

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Rhizopus oryzae is a zygomycete filamentous fungus, well-known as a saprobe ubiquitous in soil and as a pathogenic/spoilage fungus, causing Rhizopus rot and mucomycoses. Results Carbohydrate Active enzyme (CAZy annotation of the R. oryzae identified, in contrast to other filamentous fungi, a low number of glycoside hydrolases (GHs and a high number of glycosyl transferases (GTs and carbohydrate esterases (CEs. A detailed analysis of CAZy families, supported by growth data, demonstrates highly specialized plant and fungal cell wall degrading abilities distinct from ascomycetes and basidiomycetes. The specific genomic and growth features for degradation of easily digestible plant cell wall mono- and polysaccharides (starch, galactomannan, unbranched pectin, hexose sugars, chitin, chitosan, β-1,3-glucan and fungal cell wall fractions suggest specific adaptations of R. oryzae to its environment. Conclusions CAZy analyses of the genome of the zygomycete fungus R. oryzae and comparison to ascomycetes and basidiomycete species revealed how evolution has shaped its genetic content with respect to carbohydrate degradation, after divergence from the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.

  19. A preliminary checklist of macrofungi of Guatemala, with notes on edibility and traditional knowledge

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    Flores Arzú R

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite its biological wealth, current knowledge on the macromycetes inhabiting Guatemala is scant, in part because of the prolonged civil war that has prevented exploration of many ecological niches. We provide a preliminary literature–based checklist of the macrofungi occuring in the various ecological regions of Guatemala, supplemented with original observations reported here for the first time. Three hundred and fifty species, 163 genera, and 20 orders in the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota have been reported from Guatemala. Many of the entries pertain to ectomycorrhizal fungal species that live in symbiosis with the several Pinus and Quercus species that form the extensive pine and mixed forests of the highlands (up to 3600 m a.s.l.. As part of an ongoing study of the ethnomycology of the Maya populations in the Guatemalan highlands, we also report on the traditional knowledge about macrofungi and their uses among native people. These preliminary data confirm the impression that Guatemala hosts a macrofungal diversity that is by no means smaller than that recorded in better studied neighboring Mesoamerican areas, such as Mexico and Costa Rica.

  20. Putative DNA-dependent RNA polymerase in Mitochondrial Plasmid of Paramecium caudatum Stock GT704

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    Trina Ekawati Tallei

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Mitochondria of Paramecium caudatum stock GT704 has a set of four kinds of linear plasmids with sizes of 8.2, 4.1, 2.8 and 1.4 kb. The plasmids of 8.2 and 2.8 kb exist as dimers consisting of 4.1- and 1.4-kb monomers, respectively. The plasmid 2.8 kb, designated as pGT704-2.8, contains an open reading frame encodes for putative DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RNAP. This study reveals that this RNAP belongs to superfamily of DNA/RNA polymerase and family of T7/T3 single chain RNA polymerase and those of mitochondrial plasmid of fungi belonging to Basidiomycota and Ascomycota. It is suggested that RNAP of pGT704-2.8 can perform transcription without transcription factor as promoter recognition. Given that only two motifs were found, it could not be ascertained whether this RNAP has a full function independently or integrated with mtDNA in carrying out its function.

  1. Nematode-Trapping Fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Xiangzhi; Xiang, Meichun; Liu, Xingzhong

    2017-01-01

    Nematode-trapping fungi are a unique and intriguing group of carnivorous microorganisms that can trap and digest nematodes by means of specialized trapping structures. They can develop diverse trapping devices, such as adhesive hyphae, adhesive knobs, adhesive networks, constricting rings, and nonconstricting rings. Nematode-trapping fungi have been found in all regions of the world, from the tropics to Antarctica, from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems. They play an important ecological role in regulating nematode dynamics in soil. Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the majority of nematode-trapping fungi belong to a monophyletic group in the order Orbiliales (Ascomycota). Nematode-trapping fungi serve as an excellent model system for understanding fungal evolution and interaction between fungi and nematodes. With the development of molecular techniques and genome sequencing, their evolutionary origins and divergence, and the mechanisms underlying fungus-nematode interactions have been well studied. In recent decades, an increasing concern about the environmental hazards of using chemical nematicides has led to the application of these biological control agents as a rapidly developing component of crop protection.

  2. A world review of fungi, yeasts, and slime molds in caves

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    McAlpine Donald F.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We provide a review of fungi, yeasts, and slime molds that have been found in natural solution caves and mines worldwide. Such habitats provide frequent roost sites for bats, and in eastern North America the environmental conditions that support white-nose syndrome, a lethal fungal disease currently devastating bat populations. A list of 1029 species of fungi, slime moulds, and yeasts in 518 genera have been documented from caves and mines worldwide in 225 articles. Ascomycota dominate the cave environment. Most research has been conducted in temperate climates, especially in Europe. A mean of 17.9±24.4SD fungal species are reported per study. Questions remain about the origin and ecological roles of fungi in caves, and which, if any, are cave-specialists. In the northern hemisphere, caves are generally characterized by relatively stable, low temperatures and a lack of organic substrates. This environment favors communities of oligotrophic, psychrotolerant fungi. Data that may help explain how cave environmental features and faunas inf luence the introduction and transmission of cave fungi remains scant.

  3. The old 3-oxoadipate pathway revisited: new insights in the catabolism of aromatics in the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus nidulans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins, Tiago M; Hartmann, Diego O; Planchon, Sébastien; Martins, Isabel; Renaut, Jenny; Silva Pereira, Cristina

    2015-01-01

    Aspergilli play major roles in the natural turnover of elements, especially through the decomposition of plant litter, but the end catabolism of lignin aromatic hydrocarbons remains largely unresolved. The 3-oxoadipate pathway of their degradation combines the catechol and the protocatechuate branches, each using a set of specific genes. However, annotation for most of these genes is lacking or attributed to poorly- or un-characterised families. Aspergillus nidulans can utilise as sole carbon/energy source either benzoate or salicylate (upstream aromatic metabolites of the protocatechuate and the catechol branches, respectively). Using this cultivation strategy and combined analyses of comparative proteomics, gene mining, gene expression and characterisation of particular gene-replacement mutants, we precisely assigned most of the steps of the 3-oxoadipate pathway to specific genes in this fungus. Our findings disclose the genetically encoded potential of saprophytic Ascomycota fungi to utilise this pathway and provide means to untie associated regulatory networks, which are vital to heightening their ecological significance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Proteomics Shows New Faces for the Old Penicillin Producer Penicillium chrysogenum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barreiro, Carlos; Martín, Juan F.; García-Estrada, Carlos

    2012-01-01

    Fungi comprise a vast group of microorganisms including the Ascomycota (majority of all described fungi), the Basidiomycota (mushrooms or higher fungi), and the Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota (basal or lower fungi) that produce industrially interesting secondary metabolites, such as β-lactam antibiotics. These compounds are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs world-wide. Since Fleming's initial discovery of Penicillium notatum 80 years ago, the role of Penicillium as an antimicrobial source became patent. After the isolation of Penicillium chrysogenum NRRL 1951 six decades ago, classical mutagenesis and screening programs led to the development of industrial strains with increased productivity (at least three orders of magnitude). The new “omics” era has provided the key to understand the underlying mechanisms of the industrial strain improvement process. The review of different proteomics methods applied to P. chrysogenum has revealed that industrial modification of this microorganism was a consequence of a careful rebalancing of several metabolic pathways. In addition, the secretome analysis of P. chrysogenum has opened the door to new industrial applications for this versatile filamentous fungus. PMID:22318718

  5. Analysis of the community compositions of rhizosphere fungi in soybeans continuous cropping fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Li; Cui, Jiaqi; Jie, Weiguang; Cai, Baiyan

    2015-11-01

    We used rhizosphere soil sampled from one field during zero year and two years of continuous cropping of high-protein soybean to analyze the taxonomic community compositions of fungi during periods of high-incidence of root rot. Our objectives were to identify the dominant pathogens in order to provide a theoretical basis for the study of pathogenesis as well as control tactics for soybean root rot induced by continuous cropping. A total of 17,801 modified internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences were obtained from three different soybean rhizosphere soil samples after zero year and 1 or 2 years of continuous cropping using 454 high-throughput sequencing. The dominant eumycote fungal were identified to be Ascomycota and Basidiomycota in the three soil samples. Continuous cropping of soybean affected the diversity of fungi in rhizosphere soils and increased the abundance of Thelebolus and Mortierellales significantly. Thanatephorus, Fusarium, and Alternaria were identified to be the dominant pathogenic fungal genera in rhizosphere soil from continuously cropped soybean fields. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  6. Proteomics Shows New Faces for the Old Penicillin Producer Penicillium chrysogenum

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    Carlos Barreiro

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Fungi comprise a vast group of microorganisms including the Ascomycota (majority of all described fungi, the Basidiomycota (mushrooms or higher fungi, and the Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota (basal or lower fungi that produce industrially interesting secondary metabolites, such as β-lactam antibiotics. These compounds are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs world-wide. Since Fleming's initial discovery of Penicillium notatum 80 years ago, the role of Penicillium as an antimicrobial source became patent. After the isolation of Penicillium chrysogenum NRRL 1951 six decades ago, classical mutagenesis and screening programs led to the development of industrial strains with increased productivity (at least three orders of magnitude. The new “omics” era has provided the key to understand the underlying mechanisms of the industrial strain improvement process. The review of different proteomics methods applied to P. chrysogenum has revealed that industrial modification of this microorganism was a consequence of a careful rebalancing of several metabolic pathways. In addition, the secretome analysis of P. chrysogenum has opened the door to new industrial applications for this versatile filamentous fungus.

  7. High-throughput sequencing of microbial community diversity in soil, grapes, leaves, grape juice and wine of grapevine from China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yu-Jie; Wu, Yun; Yan, Yin-Zhuo; Zou, Wan; Xue, Jie; Ma, Wen-Rui; Wang, Wei; Tian, Ge; Wang, Li-Ye

    2018-01-01

    In this study Illumina MiSeq was performed to investigate microbial diversity in soil, leaves, grape, grape juice and wine. A total of 1,043,102 fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) reads and 2,422,188 high quality bacterial 16S rDNA sequences were used for taxonomic classification, revealed five fungal and eight bacterial phyla. At the genus level, the dominant fungi were Ascomycota, Sordariales, Tetracladium and Geomyces in soil, Aureobasidium and Pleosporaceae in grapes leaves, Aureobasidium in grape and grape juice. The dominant bacteria were Kaistobacter, Arthrobacter, Skermanella and Sphingomonas in soil, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Kaistobacter in grape and grapes leaves, and Oenococcus in grape juice and wine. Principal coordinate analysis showed structural separation between the composition of fungi and bacteria in all samples. This is the first study to understand microbiome population in soil, grape, grapes leaves, grape juice and wine in Xinjiang through High-throughput Sequencing and identify microorganisms like Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Oenococcus spp. that may contribute to the quality and flavor of wine.

  8. High-throughput sequencing of microbial community diversity in soil, grapes, leaves, grape juice and wine of grapevine from China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Yin-zhuo; Zou, Wan; Ma, Wen-rui; Wang, Wei; Tian, Ge; Wang, Li-ye

    2018-01-01

    In this study Illumina MiSeq was performed to investigate microbial diversity in soil, leaves, grape, grape juice and wine. A total of 1,043,102 fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) reads and 2,422,188 high quality bacterial 16S rDNA sequences were used for taxonomic classification, revealed five fungal and eight bacterial phyla. At the genus level, the dominant fungi were Ascomycota, Sordariales, Tetracladium and Geomyces in soil, Aureobasidium and Pleosporaceae in grapes leaves, Aureobasidium in grape and grape juice. The dominant bacteria were Kaistobacter, Arthrobacter, Skermanella and Sphingomonas in soil, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Kaistobacter in grape and grapes leaves, and Oenococcus in grape juice and wine. Principal coordinate analysis showed structural separation between the composition of fungi and bacteria in all samples. This is the first study to understand microbiome population in soil, grape, grapes leaves, grape juice and wine in Xinjiang through High-throughput Sequencing and identify microorganisms like Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Oenococcus spp. that may contribute to the quality and flavor of wine. PMID:29565999

  9. Paleomycology of the Princeton Chert. III. Dictyosporic microfungi, Monodictysporites princetonensis gen. et sp. nov., associated with decayed rhizomes of an Eocene semi-aquatic fern.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klymiuk, Ashley A

    2016-09-01

    This study builds on previous investigations of paleomycological diversity within permineralized plants of a significant Eocene paleobotanical locality, the Princeton Chert. The fungal body fossils described here occur in decayed rhizomes of the extinct semi-aquatic fern Dennstaedtiopsis aerenchymata Fungi include vegetative hyphae throughout the plant tissue, as well as a dense assemblage of >100 dematiaceous spores. The spores occur in a discrete zone surrounding two extraneous rootlets of other plants, which penetrated the fern tissue post-mortem. Spores are obovoid and muriform, composed of 8-12 cells with constricted septa and produced from hyaline or slightly pigmented hyphae. The spores are morphologically similar to both asexual reproductive dictyospores of phylogenetically disparate microfungi attributed to the morphogenus Monodictys and perennating dictyochlamydospores that occur in the anamorph genus Phoma In addition to expanding the early Eocene fossil record for Ascomycota, these specimens also provide new insight into the rapidity of initial phases of the fossilization process in this important paleobotanical locality. © 2016 by The Mycological Society of America.

  10. Community structure of endophytic fungi of four mangrove species in Southern China

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    Jia-Long Li

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Mangrove forests play an important role in subtropical and tropical coastal ecosystems. Endophytic fungi are widely distributed in various ecosystems and have great contribution to global biodiversity. In order to better understand the effects of mangrove species and tissue types on endophytic fungal community, we investigated cultivable endophytic fungi in leaves and twigs of four mangroves Aegiceras corniculatum, Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, and Kandelia candel in Guangxi, China. The four tree species had similar overall colonisation rates of endophytic fungi (24–33%. The colonisation rates of endophytic fungi were higher in twigs (30–58% than in leaves (6–25% in the four plant species. A total of 36 endophytic fungal taxa were identified based on morphological characteristics and molecular data, including 35 Ascomycota and 1 Basidiomycota, dominated by Phomopsis, Phyllosticta, Xylaria, Leptosphaerulina, and Pestalotiopsis. The diversity of endophytic fungi was higher in twigs than in leaves in the four plant species. Some endophytic fungi showed host and tissue preference. The endophytic fungal community composition was different among four mangrove species and between leaf and twig tissues.

  11. Contribución a la identificación de esporas del Reino Fungi en la atmósfera de La Plata, Argentina

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    Daniela S. Nitiu

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available A partir del análisis del registro aeromicológico de la ciudad de La Plata se propone la definición de Grupos Morfológicos de esporas del Reino Fungi. Este estudio constituye un aporte metodológico a la identificación y recuento de una fracción de la micobiota atmosférica. Para la definición de los grupos, se han tenido en cuenta los criterios de Saccardo (1886 y reformulado los agrupamientos de Díaz et al. (1998 y Aira et al. (2005. Se han creando 4 nuevos grupos y se han incorporando otros tipos esporales a las clasificaciones previas. Cada grupo, incluye entre 2 y 6 tipos de esporas pertenecientes a los Phylum Zygomycota, Basidiomycota y Ascomycota y sus anamorfos, que han sido asignados a nivel genérico. Los caracteres que definen dichas asociaciones son: Grupo Absidia, amerosporas hialinas; Grupo Cortinarius, amerosporas pigmentadas amigdaliformes; Grupo Didymella, didimosporas hialinas o levemente coloreadas; Grupo Didymosphaeria, didimosporas y didimoconidios pigmentados; Grupo Lepthosphaeria, fragmosporas septadas hialinas a pigmentadas y Grupo Helminthosporium, fragmosporas distoseptadas hialinas a pigmentadas. Esta investigación aspira a proporcionar una herramienta que facilite el procesamiento de datos y aporte nuevos elementos cualitativos a las clasificaciones previas, contribuyendo en la compleja problemática de identificación de las esporas fúngicas.Based on the aeromycological analysis of La Plata city, artificial Morphological Groups of fungal spores were defined. This study is a methodological contribution to the identification and counting of a fraction of the atmospheric micobiota. For the definition of groups, the criteria of Saccardo (1886 were taken into account and the groupings created by Díaz et al. (1998 and Aira et al. (2005 have been reformulated. Four new groups have been created and other sporal types have been incorporated to previous classifications. Each of them includes 2 to 6 spore types

  12. An in silico high-throughput screen identifies potential selective inhibitors for the non-receptor tyrosine kinase Pyk2

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    Meirson T

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Tomer Meirson, Abraham O Samson, Hava Gil-Henn Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel Abstract: The non-receptor tyrosine kinase proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2 is a critical mediator of signaling from cell surface growth factor and adhesion receptors to cell migration, proliferation, and survival. Emerging evidence indicates that signaling by Pyk2 regulates hematopoietic cell response, bone density, neuronal degeneration, angiogenesis, and cancer. These physiological and pathological roles of Pyk2 warrant it as a valuable therapeutic target for invasive cancers, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and inflammatory cellular response. Despite its potential as a therapeutic target, no potent and selective inhibitor of Pyk2 is available at present. As a first step toward discovering specific potential inhibitors of Pyk2, we used an in silico high-throughput screening approach. A virtual library of six million lead-like compounds was docked against four different high-resolution Pyk2 kinase domain crystal structures and further selected for predicted potency and ligand efficiency. Ligand selectivity for Pyk2 over focal adhesion kinase (FAK was evaluated by comparative docking of ligands and measurement of binding free energy so as to obtain 40 potential candidates. Finally, the structural flexibility of a subset of the docking complexes was evaluated by molecular dynamics simulation, followed by intermolecular interaction analysis. These compounds may be considered as promising leads for further development of highly selective Pyk2 inhibitors. Keywords: virtual screen, efficiency metrics, MM-GBSA, molecular dynamics

  13. Compatibility of Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae Blastospores with Agricultural Chemicals Used for Management of the Asian Citrus Psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae

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    Pasco B. Avery

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Biorational insecticides are being increasingly emphasized for inclusion in integrated pest management programs for invasive insects. The entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria fumosorosea, can be used to help manage the Asian citrus psyllid with minimal impact on beneficial arthropods, but its effectiveness may be compromised by agrochemicals used to control concurrent arthropod pests and diseases. We evaluated the compatibility of I. fumosorosea blastospores with a range of spray oils and copper-based fungicides registered for use in citrus groves. Results of laboratory and greenhouse tests showed a range of responses of the fungus to the different materials, including compatibility and incompatibility. Overall, I. fumosorosea growth in vitro was reduced least by petroleum-based materials and most by botanical oils and borax, and some of the copper-based fungicides, suggesting that tank mixing of I. fumosorosea with these latter products should be avoided. However, equivalent negative effects of test materials on fungal pathogenicity were not always observed in tests with adult psyllids. We hypothesize that some oils enhanced adherence of blastospores to the insect cuticle, overcoming negative impacts on germination. Our data show that care should be taken in selecting appropriate agrochemicals for tank-mixing with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi for management of citrus pests. The prospects of using I. fumosorosea for managing the invasive Asian citrus psyllid and other citrus pests are discussed.

  14. Multiple, Distinct Intercontinental Lineages but Isolation of Australian Populations in a Cosmopolitan Lichen-Forming Fungal Taxon, Psora decipiens (Psoraceae, Ascomycota

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    Steven D. Leavitt

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Multiple drivers shape the spatial distribution of species, including dispersal capacity, niche incumbency, climate variability, orographic barriers, and plate tectonics. However, biogeographic patterns of fungi commonly do not fit conventional expectations based on studies of animals and plants. Fungi, in general, are known to occur across exceedingly broad, intercontinental distributions, including some important components of biological soil crust communities (BSCs. However, molecular data often reveal unexpected biogeographic patterns in lichenized fungal species that are assumed to have cosmopolitan distributions. The lichen-forming fungal species Psora decipiens is found on all continents, except Antarctica and occurs in BSCs across diverse habitats, ranging from hot, arid deserts to alpine habitats. In order to better understand factors that shape population structure in cosmopolitan lichen-forming fungal species, we investigated biogeographic patterns in the cosmopolitan taxon P. decipiens, along with the closely related taxa P. crenata and P. saviczii. We generated a multi-locus sequence dataset based on a worldwide sampling of these taxa in order to reconstruct evolutionary relationships and explore phylogeographic patterns. Both P. crenata and P. decipiens were not recovered as monophyletic; and P. saviczii specimens were recovered as a monophyletic clade closely related to a number of lineages comprised of specimens representing P. decipiens. Striking phylogeographic patterns were observed for P. crenata, with populations from distinct geographic regions belonging to well-separated, monophyletic lineages. South African populations of P. crenata were further divided into well-supported sub-clades. While well-supported phylogenetic substructure was also observed for the nominal taxon P. decipiens, nearly all lineages were comprised of specimens collected from intercontinental populations. However, all Australian specimens representing P. decipiens were recovered within a single well-supported monophyletic clade consisting solely of Australian samples. Our study supports up to 10 candidate species-level lineages in P. decipiens, based on genealogical concordance and coalescent-based species delimitation analyses. Our results support the general pattern of the biogeographic isolation of lichen-forming fungal populations in Australia, even in cases where closely related congeners have documented intercontinental distributions. Our study has important implications for understanding factors influencing diversification and distributions of lichens associated with BSC.

  15. Local representation of global diversity in a morphologically cryptic lichen-forming fungal species-complex with a cosmopolitan distribution(Rhizoplaca, Ascomycota)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Leavitt, S.D.; Frnández-Mendoza, F.; Pérez-Ortega, S.; Sohrabi, M.; Divakar, P.K.; Vondrák, Jan; Lumbsch, H. T.; St. Clair, L. L.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 40, č. 9 (2013), s. 1792-1806 ISSN 0305-0270 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : BEAST * biogeography * coalescent Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.969, year: 2013

  16. Morphology and molecular taxonomy of Evlachovaea-like fungi, and the status of this unusual conidial genus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humber, Richard A; Rocha, Luiz F N; Inglis, Peter W; Kipnis, André; Luz, Christian

    2013-01-01

    The entomopathogenic anamorphic genus Evlachovaea was described to differ from other fungi in forming its conidia obliquely to the axis of the conidiogenous cell and with successive conidia having alternate orientations with a zipper- or chevron-like arrangement resulting in flat, ribbon-like chains. Morphological and molecular studies of six Evlachovaea-like isolates baited from Central Brazilian soils using Triatoma infestans (a vector of Chagas disease) and of other entomopathogens with Evlachovaea-like conidiogenesis led to a re-evaluation of the status of this little known fungal genus. The Brazilian isolates formed two distinct groups based on gene sequences for both the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor (EF-1α) genes, morphology, and growth patterns; both groups also differed from the type species, Evlachovaea kintrischica. More detailed studies of these fungi indicated that the alternatingly oblique orientations of forming conidia are neither a stable nor invariant character (even on single phialides). Furthermore, the molecular cladistic analysis unambiguously placed the Evlachovaea isolates firmly within the genus Isaria (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). The ITS sequences of E. kintrischica were very similar or even identical to those of Isaria amoenerosea and Isaria cateniobliqua, thereby suggesting that E. kintrischica is a synonym of one of these species, and that the genus Evlachovaea must be treated as a later synonym of Isaria, which must now be recognized to include several highly divergent modes of conidiogenesis. These taxonomic findings are discussed in the context of dramatic changes recently imposed on the nomenclatural standards used to determine the correct names of all pleomorphic fungi. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Hidden diversity behind the zombie-ant fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis: four new species described from carpenter ants in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harry C Evans

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (Clavicipitaceae: Hypocreales is a fungal pathogen specific to ants of the tribe Camponotini (Formicinae: Formicidae with a pantropical distribution. This so-called zombie or brain-manipulating fungus alters the behaviour of the ant host, causing it to die in an exposed position, typically clinging onto and biting into the adaxial surface of shrub leaves. We (HCE and DPH are currently undertaking a worldwide survey to assess the taxonomy and ecology of this highly variable species. METHODS: We formally describe and name four new species belonging to the O. unilateralis species complex collected from remnant Atlantic rainforest in the south-eastern region (Zona da Mata of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Fully illustrated descriptions of both the asexual (anamorph and sexual (teleomorph stages are provided for each species. The new names are registered in Index Fungorum (registration.indexfungorum.org and have received IF numbers. This paper is also a test case for the electronic publication of new names in mycology. CONCLUSIONS: We are only just beginning to understand the taxonomy and ecology of the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis species complex associated with carpenter ants; macroscopically characterised by a single stalk arising from the dorsal neck region of the ant host on which the anamorph occupies the terminal region and the teleomorph occurs as lateral cushions or plates. Each of the four ant species collected--Camponotus rufipes, C. balzani, C. melanoticus and C. novogranadensis--is attacked by a distinct species of Ophiocordyceps readily separated using traditional micromorphology. The new taxa are named according to their ant host.

  18. A novel bioassay to evaluate the potential of Beauveria bassiana strain NI8 and the insect growth regulator novaluron against Lygus lineolaris on a non-autoclaved solid artificial diet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portilla, Maribel; Snodgrass, Gordon; Luttrell, Randall; Jaronski, Stefan

    2014-01-01

    Abstract A non-autoclaved solid diet was used to evaluate the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) strain NI8 and the insect growth regulator novaluron (Diamond® 0.83EC insecticide) for control of the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) (Hemiptera: Miridae). The diet was composed of toasted wheat germ, ground lima bean meal, soy flour, yolk of chicken eggs, inhibitor, and agar. It was prepared in one step by blending the ingredients in boiling water. The diet was used to bioassay L. lineolaris from the second instar to the adult stage. Fourth and fifth instars and adults of L. lineolaris were more susceptible than second and third instars to infection by B. bassiana , whereas second, third, and fourth instars had higher mortality than fifth instars 10 days after exposure to novaluron. No effects on longevity were observed in adults treated with novaluron when compared with the control, but longevity was significantly different from that of adults exposed to B. bassiana . Adults of L. lineolaris were maintained for over a month without changing the diet. The non-autoclaved diet is semi-liquid before it cools, which facilitates the mechanics of diet packaging similar to food packaging or lepidopteran diet preparation. This solid artificial diet for Lygus bugs provides improved research capacity for studying the ecology and susceptibility of Lygus spp. to a number of different control agents, including beneficial organisms, insect pathogens, and insecticidal toxins being developed for transgenic technologies. PMID:25368059

  19. Soil eukaryotic microorganism succession as affected by continuous cropping of peanut--pathogenic and beneficial fungi were selected.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingna Chen

    Full Text Available Peanut is an important oil crop worldwide and shows considerable adaptability but growth and yield are negatively affected by continuous cropping. Soil micro-organisms are efficient bio-indicators of soil quality and plant health and are critical to the sustainability of soil-based ecosystem function and to successful plant growth. In this study, 18S rRNA gene clone library analyses were employed to study the succession progress of soil eukaryotic micro-organisms under continuous peanut cultivation. Eight libraries were constructed for peanut over three continuous cropping cycles and its representative growth stages. Cluster analyses indicated that soil micro-eukaryotic assemblages obtained from the same peanut cropping cycle were similar, regardless of growth period. Six eukaryotic groups were found and fungi predominated in all libraries. The fungal populations showed significant dynamic change and overall diversity increased over time under continuous peanut cropping. The abundance and/or diversity of clones affiliated with Eurotiales, Hypocreales, Glomerales, Orbiliales, Mucorales and Tremellales showed an increasing trend with continuous cropping but clones affiliated with Agaricales, Cantharellales, Pezizales and Pyxidiophorales decreased in abundance and/or diversity over time. The current data, along with data from previous studies, demonstrated that the soil microbial community was affected by continuous cropping, in particular, the pathogenic and beneficial fungi that were positively selected over time, which is commonplace in agro-ecosystems. The trend towards an increase in fungal pathogens and simplification of the beneficial fungal community could be important factors contributing to the decline in peanut growth and yield over many years of continuous cropping.

  20. Assessment of microbial communities in PM1 and PM10 of Urumqi during winter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gou, Huange; Lu, Jianjiang; Li, Shanman; Tong, Yanbin; Xie, Chunbin; Zheng, Xiaowu

    2016-07-01

    Recently, inhalable particulate matter has been reported to carry microorganisms responsible for human allergy and respiratory disease. The unique geographical environment and adverse weather conditions of Urumqi cause double pollution of dust and smog, but research on the microbial content of the atmosphere has not been commenced. In this study, 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequencing were conducted to investigate the microbial composition of Urumqi's PM1 and PM10 pollutants in winter. Results showed that the bacterial community is mainly composed of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria accounted for the most proportion which was significant difference in some aforementioned studies. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota constitute the main part of the fungal microbial community. The difference of bacterial relative abundance in sample point is greater than in particle sizes. The sequences of several pathogenic bacteria and opportunistic pathogens were also detected, such as Acinetobacter, Delftia, Serratia, Chryseobacterium, which may impact on immunocompromised populations (elderly, children and postoperative convalescence patients), and some fungal genera may cause several plant diseases. Our findings may serve an important reference value in the global air microbial propagation and air microbial research in desert. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Ancestral state reconstruction infers phytopathogenic origins of sooty blotch and flyspeck fungi on apple.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Siti Izera; Batzer, Jean Carlson; Harrington, Thomas C; Crous, Pedro W; Lavrov, Dennis V; Li, Huanyu; Gleason, Mark L

    2016-01-01

    Members of the sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) complex are epiphytic fungi in the Ascomycota that cause economically damaging blemishes of apples worldwide. SBFS fungi are polyphyletic, but approx. 96% of SBFS species are in the Capnodiales. Evolutionary origins of SBFS fungi remain unclear, so we attempted to infer their origins by means of ancestral state reconstruction on a phylogenetic tree built utilizing genes for the nuc 28S rDNA (approx. 830 bp from near the 59 end) and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2). The analyzed taxa included the well-known genera of SBFS as well as non-SBFS fungi from seven families within the Capnodiales. The non-SBFS taxa were selected based on their distinct ecological niches, including plant-parasitic and saprophytic species. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that most SBFS species in the Capnodiales are closely related to plant-parasitic fungi. Ancestral state reconstruction provided strong evidence that plant-parasitic fungi were the ancestors of the major SBFS lineages. Knowledge gained from this study may help to better understand the ecology and evolution of epiphytic fungi. © 2016 by The Mycological Society of America.

  2. Rhizospheric fungi and their link with the nitrogen-fixing Frankia harbored in host plant Hippophae rhamnoides L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xue; Tian, Lei; Zhang, Jianfeng; Ma, Lina; Li, Xiujun; Tian, Chunjie

    2017-12-01

    Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a pioneer plant used for land reclamation and an appropriate material for studying the interactions of symbiotic microorganisms because of its nitrogen-fixing root nodules and mycorrhiza. We used high-throughput sequencing to reveal the diversities and community structures of rhizospheric fungi and their link with nitrogen-fixing Frankia harbored in sea buckthorn collected along an altitude gradient from the Qinghai Tibet Plateau to interior areas. We found that the fungal diversities and compositions varied between different sites. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota were the dominant phyla. The distribution of sea buckthorn rhizospheric fungi was driven by both environmental factors and the geographic distance. Among all examined soil characteristics, altitude, AP, and pH were found to have significant (p < 0.05) effect on the rhizospheric fungal community. The rhizospheric fungal communities became more distinct as the distance increased. Moreover, co-inertia analysis identified significant co-structures between Frankia and AMF communities in the rhizosphere of sea buckthorn. We conclude that at the large scale, there are certain linkages between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and the AMF expressed in the distributional pattern. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Genetics, Genomics and Evolution of Ergot Alkaloid Diversity

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    Carolyn A. Young

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The ergot alkaloid biosynthesis system has become an excellent model to study evolutionary diversification of specialized (secondary metabolites. This is a very diverse class of alkaloids with various neurotropic activities, produced by fungi in several orders of the phylum Ascomycota, including plant pathogens and protective plant symbionts in the family Clavicipitaceae. Results of comparative genomics and phylogenomic analyses reveal multiple examples of three evolutionary processes that have generated ergot-alkaloid diversity: gene gains, gene losses, and gene sequence changes that have led to altered substrates or product specificities of the enzymes that they encode (neofunctionalization. The chromosome ends appear to be particularly effective engines for gene gains, losses and rearrangements, but not necessarily for neofunctionalization. Changes in gene expression could lead to accumulation of various pathway intermediates and affect levels of different ergot alkaloids. Genetic alterations associated with interspecific hybrids of Epichloë species suggest that such variation is also selectively favored. The huge structural diversity of ergot alkaloids probably represents adaptations to a wide variety of ecological situations by affecting the biological spectra and mechanisms of defense against herbivores, as evidenced by the diverse pharmacological effects of ergot alkaloids used in medicine.

  4. Cultivable fungi present in Antarctic soils: taxonomy, phylogeny, diversity, and bioprospecting of antiparasitic and herbicidal metabolites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Eldon C Q; Godinho, Valéria M; Silva, Débora A S; de Paula, Maria T R; Vitoreli, Gislaine A; Zani, Carlos L; Alves, Tânia M A; Junior, Policarpo A S; Murta, Silvane M F; Barbosa, Emerson C; Oliveira, Jaquelline G; Oliveira, Fabio S; Carvalho, Camila R; Ferreira, Mariana C; Rosa, Carlos A; Rosa, Luiz H

    2018-05-01

    Molecular biology techniques were used to identify 218 fungi from soil samples collected from four islands of Antarctica. These consisted of 22 taxa of 15 different genera belonging to the Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. Mortierella, Antarctomyces, Pseudogymnoascus, and Penicillium were the most frequently isolated genera and Penicillium tardochrysogenum, Penicillium verrucosus, Goffeauzyma gilvescens, and Mortierella sp. 2 the most abundant taxa. All fungal isolates were cultivated using solid-state fermentation to obtain their crude extracts. Pseudogymnoascus destructans, Mortierella parvispora, and Penicillium chrysogenum displayed antiparasitic activities, whilst extracts of P. destructans, Mortierella amoeboidea, Mortierella sp. 3, and P. tardochrysogenum showed herbicidal activities. Reported as pathogenic for bats, different isolates of P. destructans exhibited trypanocidal activities and herbicidal activity, and may be a source of bioactive molecules to be considered for chemotherapy against neglected tropical diseases. The abundant presence of P. destructans in soils of the four islands gives evidence supporting that soils in the Antarctic Peninsula constitute a natural source of strains of this genus, including some P. destructans strains that are phylogenetically close to those that infect bats in North America and Europe/Palearctic Asia.

  5. [Microeukaryotic biodiversity in the waste ore samples surrounding an acid mine drainage lake].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Si-Yuan; Hao, Chun-Bo; Wang, Li-Hua; Lü, Zheng; Zhang, Li-Na; Liu, Ying; Feng, Chuan-Ping

    2013-10-01

    The abandoned mineral samples were collected in an acid mine drainage area in Anhui Province. Molecular ecological methods were used to construct 18S rDNA clone libraries after analyzing the main physicochemical parameters, and then the microeukaryotic diversity and community structure in the acid mine drainage area were studied. The results showed that the region was strongly acidic (pH <3), and the concentrations of Fe, SO2-(4), P, NO-(3) -N showed the same trend, all higher in the bare waste ore samples PD and 1 M than in the vegetation covered samples LW and XC. Four eukaryotic phyla were detected in the abandoned mineral samples: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Glomeromycota and Arthropoda. Glomeromycota can form an absolute symbiotic relationship with the plant, and it was a key factor for early plant to adapt the terrestrial environment. The biodiversity of the vegetation covered samples LW and XC, which contained Glomeromycota, was much higher than that of the bare abandoned rock samples PD and 1 M. Moreover, many sequences in the libraries were closely related to some isolated strains, which are tolerant to low pH and heavy metals, such as Penicillium purpurogenum, Chaetothyriales sp. and Staninwardia suttonii.

  6. [Treatment of fungal infections of upper respiratory tract and ear].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurnatowski, Piotr; Kurnatowska, Agnieszka K

    2007-01-01

    Fungi, in comparison with other pathogenic factors, have high pathogenicity. The number of fungal species which are able to infect people is over 500. The upper respiratory tract and ear have permanent contact with external environment which makes their ontocenoses open to continuous exchange of microorganisms of which they consist. In etiology of inflammatory processes 21 species which belonging to 3 genera (Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota) of fungi play important role. Administration of antifungal drugs can be: prophylactic, empiric preemptive and therapeutic. Physicians may prescribe antibiotics (mainly pollens: amphotericin B, natamycin and nystatin) and chemiotherapeutics (mainly azoles and fluorpirymidins, pigments, chlorhexidine and chlorquinaldol). In ENT practice topical and systemic drugs can be administrated. Topical lozenges include amphotericin B, clotrimazole, chlorhexidine or chlorquinaldol and oral gels: nystatin and miconazole. Some of drugs are in the form of suspension/solution, which can be used for inhalation, into the sinus, for swabbing or for lavage: amphotericin B, natamycin, nystatin, clotrimazol, flucytosine, miconazole, fluconazole, vorykonazole, caspofungin. It should be underlined that only a few of dugs can be absorbed from the digestive tract: flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, vorykonazole.

  7. Indole-3-Acetic Acid-Producing Yeasts in the Phyllosphere of the Carnivorous Plant Drosera indica L

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Li-Ying; Wei, Jyuan-Yu; Fu, Shih-Feng; Chou, Jui-Yu

    2014-01-01

    Yeasts are widely distributed in nature and exist in association with other microorganisms as normal inhabitants of soil, vegetation, and aqueous environments. In this study, 12 yeast strains were enriched and isolated from leaf samples of the carnivorous plant Drosera indica L., which is currently threatened because of restricted habitats and use in herbal industries. According to similarities in large subunit and small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences, we identified 2 yeast species in 2 genera of the phylum Ascomycota, and 5 yeast species in 5 genera of the phylum Basidiomycota. All of the isolated yeasts produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) when cultivated in YPD broth supplemented with 0.1% L-tryptophan. Growth conditions, such as the pH and temperature of the medium, influenced yeast IAA production. Our results also suggested the existence of a tryptophan-independent IAA biosynthetic pathway. We evaluated the effects of various concentrations of exogenous IAA on yeast growth and observed that IAA produced by wild yeasts modifies auxin-inducible gene expression in Arabidopsis. Our data suggest that yeasts can promote plant growth and support ongoing prospecting of yeast strains for inclusion into biofertilizer for sustainable agriculture. PMID:25464336

  8. Specialized proteinine rove beetles shed light on insect-fungal associations in the Cretaceous.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Chenyang; Newton, Alfred F; Thayer, Margaret K; Leschen, Richard A B; Huang, Diying

    2016-12-28

    Insects and fungi have a long history of association in shared habitats. Fungus-feeding, or mycophagy, is remarkably widespread in beetles (Coleoptera) and appears to be a primitive feeding habit that preceded feeding on plant tissues. Numerous Mesozoic beetles belonging to extant fungus-associated families are known, but direct fossil evidence elucidating mycophagy in insects has remained elusive. Here, we report a remarkable genus and species, Vetuproteinus cretaceus gen. et sp. nov., belonging to a new tribe (Vetuproteinini trib. nov.) of the extant rove beetle subfamily Proteininae (Staphylinidae) in Mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The mouthparts of this beetle have a markedly enlarged protruding galea bearing an apparent spore brush, a specialized structure we infer was used to scrape spores off surfaces and direct them into the mouth, as in multiple modern spore-feeding beetles. Considering the long evolutionary history of Fungi, the Mid-Cretaceous beetles likely fed on ancient Basidiomycota and/or Ascomycota fungi or spore-producing organisms such as slime moulds (Myxomycetes). The discovery of the first Mesozoic proteinine illustrates the antiquity of the subfamily, and suggests that ancestral Proteininae were already diverse and widespread in Pangaea before the supercontinent broke up. © 2016 The Author(s).

  9. Describing species: A standpoint of Colombian biodiversity in the global setting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arbelaez Cortes, Enrique

    2013-01-01

    The formal description of new species has been the basic method, during 250 years, of documenting the planet's biodiversity. Analysis of species description patterns identifies trends and gaps in taxonomic knowledge. Here, I present an analysis of Colombian new species described during 2000 - 2009. I constructed a dataset by bibliographic database searching with specific key words, and then classified each record where a new species was described for Colombia. I compared my results against information for the entire planet. During the years 2000-2009, 1272 new species where described for Colombia, which represents 0.72 % of the new species for the planet. some taxa as Ascomycota and proteobacteria where poorly represented for Colombia representing less than 0.14 % of the new species for those taxa in the planet; while new plant and vertebrate species described for the country comprised between 1.2 and 10 % of the new species in these groups. Because Colombia is a megadiverse country, the discovery and description of its unknown species would have a great effect at the global biodiversity knowledge. however, it is necessary more support for taxonomic research and strengthening the taxonomic work in some groups (e.g., insecta).

  10. Coevolution between a family of parasite virulence effectors and a class of LINE-1 retrotransposons.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soledad Sacristán

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Parasites are able to evolve rapidly and overcome host defense mechanisms, but the molecular basis of this adaptation is poorly understood. Powdery mildew fungi (Erysiphales, Ascomycota are obligate biotrophic parasites infecting nearly 10,000 plant genera. They obtain their nutrients from host plants through specialized feeding structures known as haustoria. We previously identified the AVR(k1 powdery mildew-specific gene family encoding effectors that contribute to the successful establishment of haustoria. Here, we report the extensive proliferation of the AVR(k1 gene family throughout the genome of B. graminis, with sequences diverging in formae speciales adapted to infect different hosts. Also, importantly, we have discovered that the effectors have coevolved with a particular family of LINE-1 retrotransposons, named TE1a. The coevolution of these two entities indicates a mutual benefit to the association, which could ultimately contribute to parasite adaptation and success. We propose that the association would benefit 1 the powdery mildew fungus, by providing a mechanism for amplifying and diversifying effectors and 2 the associated retrotransposons, by providing a basis for their maintenance through selection in the fungal genome.

  11. Effect of plant extracts and a disinfectant on biological parameters and pathogenicity of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals. Vuill. (Ascomycota: Cordycipitaceae

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    C. C. Martins

    Full Text Available Abstract The fungus Beauveria bassiana is naturally found in poultry houses and causes high rates of mortality in Alphitobius diaperinus. Laboratory and field experiments have shown the potential of this fungus as an insect control agent. However, in poultry houses, bacteria as Salmonella, can be found and have been studied alternative control methods for this pathogen. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of plant extracts and a disinfectant on the fungus Beauveria bassiana (strain Unioeste 4. Conidial viability, colony-forming unit (CFU counts, vegetative growth, conidia production, insecticidal activity of the fungus and compatibility were used as parameters in the evaluation of the effect of these products on the fungus. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts of jabuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora (Mart., guava (Psidium guajava (L., and jambolan (Syzygium cumini (L., at concentrations of 10% as well as the commercial disinfectant, Peroxitane® 1512 AL, were evaluated at the recommended concentrations (RC, 1:200 (RC, 0.5 RC and 2 RC. There was a negative influence of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of jabuticaba, guava and three dilutions of Peroxitane on the viability of conidia. The CFUs and vegetative growth of the fungus were affected only by the Peroxitane (all dilutions. For conidial production, the aqueous extract of guava had a positive effect, increasing production, while the Peroxitane at the R and RC concentrations resulted in a negative influence. The mortality of A. diaperinus, caused by the fungus after exposure to these products, was 60% for the peracetic acid at 0.5 RC, and above 80% for the extracts. Thus, the results showed that all the extracts and Peroxitane at RC 0.5 are compatible with the fungus B. bassiana Unioeste 4, however only the extracts had a low impact on inoculum potential.

  12. CONTROLE DA LAGARTA DA SOJA (Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818 - LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE. IV. CONTROLE BIOLÓGICO NATURAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauro Tadeu Braga da Silva

    1993-08-01

    Full Text Available Foram avaliadas as intensidades populacionais de lagartas de Anticarsia gemmatalis na cultura da soja, e coletadas lagartas semanalmente de janeiro a março, de 1982/83 a 89/90, com o objetivo de se conhecer a ocorrência estacionai do inseto e a eficiência dos agentes de controle natural, na região de Cruz Alta, RS. A maior abundância do inseto ocorreu entre 30 de janeiro a 1° de março, nos estádios entre floração plena (R2 e início de enchimento de grãos (R5 da cultura A mortalidade total de A. gemmatalis provocadas por parasitóides e entomopatógenos, variou de 10% (83/84 a 89% (86/87. Na média das várias safras, registrou-se 56% de mortalidade total, com 29% devido ao fungo Nomuraea rileyi (Farlow Samson, 15% ao parasitóide Microcharops bimaculata (Asmead, 6% ao fungo Entomophthora sphaerosperma (Fresius, 4% ao vírus de poliedrose nuclear Baculovirus anticarsia e 1% a cada um dos parasitóides Patelloa similis (Townsed e Euplectrus chapadae (Asmead. Em quatro das oito safras, verificou-se produção de grãos não significativamente diferentes para as áreas de controle biológico natural e com controle químico, mostrando a grande importância dos agentes biológicos naturais para o controle de lagartas de A. gemmatalis um fator que deve ser considerado cuidadosamente em programas de manejo integrado de pragas da soja, visando racionalizar ou reduzir o uso de agrotóxico na cultura.

  13. Mobile Digital Recording: Adequacy of the iRig and iOS Device for Acoustic and Perceptual Analysis of Normal Voice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Gisele; Fava, Gaetano; Baglione, Melody; Pimpinella, Michael

    2017-03-01

    To determine whether the iRig and iOS device recording system is comparable with a standard computer recording system for digital voice recording. Thirty-seven vocally healthy adults, between ages 20 and 62, with a mean age of 33.9 years, 13 males and 24 females, were recruited. Recordings were simultaneously digitalized in an iPad and iPhone using a unidirectional condenser microphone for smartphones/tablets (iRig Mic, IK Multimedia) and in a computer laptop (Dell-Inspiron) using a unidirectional condenser microphone (Samson-CL5) connected to a preamplifier with phantom power. Both microphones were lined up at an equal fixed distance from the subject's mouth. Speech tasks consisted of a sustained vowel "ah" at comfortable pitch/loudness, counting from 1 to 10, and a glissando "ah" from a low to a high note. The samples captured on the iOS devices were transferred via SoundCloud in WAV format, and analyzed using the Praat software. The acoustic parameters measured were mean, min, and max F0, SD F0, jitter local, jitter rap, jitter ppq5, jitter ddp, shimmer local, shimmer local-dB, shimmer apq3, shimmer apq5, shimmer apq11, shimmer dda, NHR, and HNR. There were no statistically significant differences for any parameter and speech task analyzed for both iOS devices as compared with the gold standard computer/preamp system (all P values > 0.050). In addition, there were no statistical differences in the perceptual identification of the recordings among devices (P device may provide reliable digital recording of normal voices. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. A case study testing the cavity mode model of the magnetosphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. V. Sarafopoulos

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available Based on a case study we test the cavity mode model of the magnetosphere, looking for eigenfrequencies via multi-satellite and multi-instrument measurements. Geotail and ACE provide information on the interplanetary medium that dictates the input parameters of the system; the four Cluster satellites monitor the magnetopause surface waves; the POLAR (L=9.4 and LANL 97A (L=6.6 satellites reveal two in-situ monochromatic field line resonances (FLRs with T=6 and 2.5 min, respectively; and the IMAGE ground magnetometers demonstrate latitude dependent delays in signature arrival times, as inferred by Sarafopoulos (2004b. Similar dispersive structures showing systematic delays are also extensively scrutinized by Sarafopoulos (2005 and interpreted as tightly associated with the so-called pseudo-FLRs, which show almost the same observational characteristics with an authentic FLR. In particular for this episode, successive solar wind pressure pulses produce recurring ionosphere twin vortex Hall currents which are identified on the ground as pseudo-FLRs. The BJN ground magnetometer records the pseudo-FLR (alike with the other IMAGE station responses associated with an intense power spectral density ranging from 8 to 12 min and, in addition, two discrete resonant lines with T=3.5 and 7 min. In this case study, even though the magnetosphere is evidently affected by a broad-band compressional wave originated upstream of the bow shock, nevertheless, we do not identify any cavity mode oscillation within the magnetosphere. We fail, also, to identify any of the cavity mode frequencies proposed by Samson (1992.

    Keywords. Magnetospheric physics (Magnetosphereionosphere interactions; Solar wind-magnetosphere interactions; MHD waves and instabilities

  15. Variaciones en la estacionalidad de polen y esporas fúngicas en la atmósfera de la ciudad de La Plata (Argentina Seasonal variation of pollen and fungal spores in the atmosphere of Plata city (Argentina

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    Daniela S Nitiu

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Se presentan los primeros datos sobre variaciones estacionales de polen y esporas fúngicas en su conjunto en la atmósfera de la ciudad de La Plata durante julio 2000 / junio 2001. El total de bioaerosoles fue de 201889.15 de los cuales el 15% correspondió a 54 tipos polínicos y el 85% a 79 tipos esporales. El Índice Polínico estuvo dado en un 74% por Polen Arbóreo (PA y en un 26% por Polen Herbáceo (PNA. La máxima concentración de PA tuvo lugar en septiembre con granos provenientes de Platanus y Fraxinus. El PNA presentó dos picos, el primero en diciembre procedente de Poaceae y el segundo en marzo debido a Ambrosia. Con respecto al componente fúngico, se identificaron esporas de Oomycota, Zygomycota, Myxomycota, Ascomycota y Basidiomycota. Estos bioaerosoles estuvieron presentes durante todo el año y en altas concentraciones siendo más abundantes en verano - otoño Las mitosporas de Hongos Imperfectos dominan la nube superando el 44% del total del Índice Esporal. El máximo aporte se registró en febrero dado por las esporas de Cladosporium. Se identificaron dos períodos estacionales en los cuales se hallan simultáneamente altas concentraciones de polen y esporas fúngicas. El primero se desarrolla en primavera y está integrado por Platanus, Fraxinus y Aspergillus / Penicillium y el segundo es estival e involucra a Ambrosia, Alternaria y Cladosporium.We present the first data on representativeness and seasonal variation of pollen and fungal spores as a whole in the atmosphere of the city of La Plata during july 2000 / june 2001. Total was 201889.15 bioaerosols, 15% of which was contributed by 54 pollen types and 85% by 79 spore types. The Pollinic Index came from arboreal pollen (PA in 74% and herbaceous pollen (PNA in 26%. The PA maximum concentration took place in september due to Platanus and Fraxinus. The PNA presented two peaks, one in december due to Poaceae, and the other one in march from Ambrosia. In regard to the

  16. Efeito de isolados de Paecilomyces lilacinus no desenvolvimento de cafezais e na população de Meloidogyne paranaensis Effect of isolates of Paecilomyces lilacinus on the development of coffee plantations and on the population of Meloidogyne paranaensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Capparelli Cadioli

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Com a finalidade de diminuir as perdas causadas pelos nematóides do gênero Meloidogyne (Goeldi, 1887 na cultura do cafeeiro, dentre as diversas medidas de manejo, o controle biológico com o fungo Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom., 1910 Samson, 1974 se destaca como uma alternativa de controle vantajosa, quer dos pontos de vista ecológico ou econômico. Assim, neste trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar a eficiência de 10 isolados de Paecilomyces lilacinus no controle de Meloidogyne paranaensis em cafeeiro (Coffea arabica L. cv. Icatú, em casa-de-vegetação. No experimento I, as mudas de cafeeiro foram transplantadas em solo onde foram, anteriormente, cultivados tomateiros para multiplicação de M. paranaensis mais 50 g de arroz colonizado com os 10 isolados. No segundo experimento, mudas de cafeeiro foram transplantadas para substrato solo e areia (1:1 juntamente com 50 g de arroz colonizado com os isolados. Em seguida, as mudas foram inoculadas com ± 5000 ovos de M. paranaensis. Nos dois experimentos, após 15 dias procedeu-se aplicação por cobertura de 50 g dos isolados. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado com 12 tratamentos. Após 90 dias, foram feitas as avaliações. Os isolados de P. lilacinus não afetaram o diâmetro do caule de cafeeiro. No experimento I, os isolados Pae 22, 24 e 28 promoveram o crescimento dos cafeeiros; todos os isolados reduziram a população de ovos no sistema radicular; e os isolados Pae 3 e 12 reduziram a população de J2 de M. paranaensis no solo. No experimento II, os isolados Pae 03, 10, 12 e 13 favoreceram o crescimento das plantas, mas reduziram o peso fresco do sistema radicular; todos os isolados reduziram a população de J2 no solo; e os isolados Pae 3, 10, 13, 18, 22 e 24 reduziram as malformações causadas por M. paranaensis nas raízes.In order to reduce the losses caused by nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne (Goeldi, 1887 in coffee plantation, among several management measures, biological

  17. Assessing Compatibility of Isaria fumosorosea and Buprofezin for Mitigation of Aleurodicus rugioperculatus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae): An Invasive Pest in the Florida Landscape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Vivek; Francis, Antonio; Avery, Pasco B; McKenzie, Cindy L; Osborne, Lance S

    2018-05-28

    Rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW), Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a new invasive whitefly pest in the Florida landscape, known to feed on a wide range of plants including palms, woody ornamentals, shrubs, and fruits. With the objective to find an alternative to neonicotinoid insecticides, and develop an ecofriendly management program for RSW, in the current study we evaluated the efficacy of a biopesticide containing the entomopathogenic fungi, Isaria fumosorosea Wize (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), and an insect growth regulator buprofezin applied alone and in combination under laboratory and field conditions. Before assessing the two products, their compatibility was studied at six different concentrations of buprofezin. No significant inhibitive effect of buprofezin was observed on I. fumosorosea spore germination, and the average linear growth of the colony measured 14 d postinoculation. Under laboratory conditions, I. fumosorosea treatments (alone or mixed with buprofezin) provided higher RSW mortality than buprofezin alone. However, in both outdoor cage studies, the efficacy of buprofezin treatments (alone or mixed with I. fumosorosea) was higher than I. fumosorosea alone. A significant reduction in RSW population was reported for more than 5 wk in buprofezin alone and more than 7 wk in the combination treatments. In fall of 2014 and summer of 2015, the mean whitefly mortality observed during the 10-wk assessment period was 52.4 and 42.1% for I. fumosorosea, 79.6 and 79.0% for buprofezin, and 87.6 and 84.3% in mixed treatments, respectively. Results suggest that buprofezin can offer an effective alternate in the battle against invasive whiteflies such as RSW in Florida ecosystems, either as a stand-alone strategy or in an integrated approach.

  18. New cost-effective bioconversion process of palm kernel cake into bioinsecticides based on Beauveria bassiana and Isaria javanica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    do Nascimento Silva, Jaqueline; Mascarin, Gabriel Moura; Dos Santos Gomes, Isabel Cristina; Tinôco, Ricardo Salles; Quintela, Eliane Dias; Dos Reis Castilho, Leda; Freire, Denise Maria Guimarães

    2018-03-01

    The present study aimed to add value to palm oil by-products as substrates to efficiently produce conidia of Beauveria bassiana and Isaria javanica (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) for biological control of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), through a solid-state fermentation process using palm kernel cake and palm fiber as nutrient source and solid matrix, respectively. The optimum culture conditions yielded high concentrations of viable conidia after air-drying, when the fungi were grown on palm kernel cake (B. bassiana 7.65 × 10 9 and I. javanica 2.91 × 10 9  conidia g -1 dry substrate) after 6 days under optimal growth conditions set to 60% substrate moisture and 32 °C. Both fungal strains exhibited high efficacy against third-instar whitefly nymphs, inducing mortality up to 62.9 and 56.6% by B. bassiana and I. javanica, respectively, assessed after 9 days post-application in a screenhouse. Furthermore, we noted that insect mortality was strongly correlated with high atmospheric moisture, while B. bassiana appeared to require shorter accumulative hours under high moisture to kill whitefly nymphs compared to I. javanica. Our results underpin a feasible and cost-effective mass production method for aerial conidia, using palm kernel as the main substrate in order to produce efficacious fungal bioinsecticides against an invasive whitefly species in Brazil. Finally, our fermentation process may offer a sustainable and cost-effective means to produce eco-friendly mycoinsecticides, using an abundant agro-industrial by-product from Brazil that will ultimately assist in the integrated management of agricultural insect pests.

  19. Relationships within Capitotricha bicolor (Lachnaceae, Ascomycota) as inferred from ITS rDNA sequences, including some notes on the Brunnipila and Erioscyphella clades

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šandová, M.; Nilsson, R.H.; Kolařík, Miroslav

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 17, 1-2 SI (2018), s. 89-101 ISSN 1617-416X R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0003; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Lachnaceae * Lachnoid fungi * Phylogeny Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Microbiology Impact factor: 1.616, year: 2016

  20. Species delimitation and evolution in morphologically and chemically diverse communities of the lichen-forming genus Xanthoparmelia (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) in western North America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leavitt, Steven D; Johnson, Leigh; St Clair, Larry L

    2011-02-01

    Accurate species delimitation is important for understanding the diversification of biota and has critical implications for ecological and conservation studies. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that morphology-based species circumspection in lichenized fungi misrepresents fungal diversity. The foliose lichen genus Xanthoparmelia includes over 800 species displaying a complex array of morphological and secondary metabolite diversity. We used a multifaceted approach, applying phylogenetic, population genetic, and genealogical analyses to delimit species in a single well-supported monophyletic clade containing 10 morphologically and chemically diverse Xanthoparmelia species in western North America. Sequence data from four ribosomal and two low-copy, protein-coding markers, along with chemical and morphological data were used to assess species diversity. We found that traditionally circumscribed species are not supported by molecular data. Rather, all sampled taxa were better represented by three polymorphic population clusters. Our results suggest that secondary metabolite variation may have limited utility in diagnosing lineages within this group, while identified populations clusters did not reflect major phylogeographic or ecological patterns. In contrast to studies revealing previously undiscovered fungal lineages masked within lichen species circumscribed by traditional morphological and chemical concepts, the present study suggests that species diversity has been overestimated in the species-rich genus Xanthoparmelia.

  1. Molecular Detection of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Ascomycota: Pseudeurotiaceae) and Unidentified Fungal Dermatitides on Big Brown Bats ( Eptesicus fuscus ) Overwintering inside Buildings in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAlpine, Donald F; McBurney, Scott; Sabine, Mary; Vanderwolf, Karen J; Park, Allysia; Y Cai, Hugh

    2016-10-01

    Big brown bats ( Eptesicus fuscus ) overwintering outside the underground environment are not believed to play a role in the epidemiology of the disease white-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), we provide molecular evidence for Pd on four big brown bats overwintering in heated buildings in New Brunswick, Canada. Two of the affected individuals also had very mild, focal, pustular, fungal dermatitis identified microscopically. A third bat, which was qPCR Pd-negative, had similar fungal lesions. Despite determining that these fungal lesions were caused by a suspected ascomycete, the intralesional fungi were not confirmed to be Pd. These findings demonstrate that bats overwintering in heated buildings and other above-ground sites may have subclinical or preclinical WNS, or be contaminated with Pd, and could play a role in local dispersal of Pd. Our inability to determine if the ascomycetes causing pustular lesions were Pd highlights the need for ancillary diagnostic tests, such as in situ hybridization or immunohistochemistry, so that Pd can be detected directly within a lesion. As the host-pathogen relationship for Pd evolves, and where bat species are exposed to the fungus under varying temperature regimes, lesions may become less stereotypic and such tests could help define these changes.

  2. Fungi on white-nose infected bats (Myotis spp. in Eastern Canada show no decline in diversity associated with Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Ascomycota: Pseudeurotiaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen J. Vanderwolf

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The introduction of the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd to North America has stimulated research on the poorly known mycology of caves. It is possible that the introduction of Pd reduces the diversity of fungi associated with bats hibernating in caves. To test this hypothesis we examined the fungal assemblages associated with hibernating bats (Myotis spp. pre- and post- white-nose syndrome (WNS infection in eastern Canada using culture-dependent methods. We found the mean number of fungal taxa isolated from bats/hibernaculum was not significantly different between pre-infection (29.6 ± 6.1SD and post-infection with WNS (32.4 ± 4.3. Although the number of fungal taxa per bat was significantly higher on Myotis lucifugus vs. M. septentrionalis, evidence suggests that this is a reflection of environmental features of individual hibernacula, rather than any biological difference between bat species. The composition and number of the most common and widespread fungal taxa on hibernating Myotis spp. did not change with the introduction of Pd to hibernacula. We found no evidence to suggest that Pd interacts with other fungi on the external surface of bats in hibernacula, even among fungal species of the same genus. However, our data do suggest that environmental characteristics of individual caves can have a significant influence on the fungal assemblages cultured from hibernating bats at specific hibernacula. Following the mortality of thousands of WNS-infected Myotis spp. in one hibernacula, we found that those fungal taxa growing on dead bats were cultured with increased frequency from live bats. This suggests that fungal assemblages on live bats may be sensitive to sporadic introductions of new fungal substrates to hibernacula.

  3. Elucidating the Diversity of Aquatic Microdochium and Trichoderma Species and Their Activity against the Fish Pathogen Saprolegnia diclina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yiying; Zachow, Christin; Raaijmakers, Jos M; de Bruijn, Irene

    2016-01-21

    Animals and plants are increasingly threatened by emerging fungal and oomycete diseases. Amongst oomycetes, Saprolegnia species cause population declines in aquatic animals, especially fish and amphibians, resulting in significant perturbation in biodiversity, ecological balance and food security. Due to the prohibition of several chemical control agents, novel sustainable measures are required to control Saprolegnia infections in aquaculture. Previously, fungal community analysis by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) revealed that the Ascomycota, specifically the genus Microdochium, was an abundant fungal phylum associated with salmon eggs from a commercial fish farm. Here, phylogenetic analyses showed that most fungal isolates obtained from salmon eggs were closely related to Microdochium lycopodinum/Microdochium phragmitis and Trichoderma viride species. Phylogenetic and quantitative PCR analyses showed both a quantitative and qualitative difference in Trichoderma population between diseased and healthy salmon eggs, which was not the case for the Microdochium population. In vitro antagonistic activity of the fungi against Saprolegnia diclina was isolate-dependent; for most Trichoderma isolates, the typical mycoparasitic coiling around and/or formation of papilla-like structures on S. diclina hyphae were observed. These results suggest that among the fungal community associated with salmon eggs, Trichoderma species may play a role in Saprolegnia suppression in aquaculture.

  4. Estudio micológico de El Canal y Los Tiles (La Palma, Islas Canarias. V. Datos adicionales

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leal, Julio

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available An annotated catalogue of 66 taxa, collected in the early MAB Reserve El Canal y Los Tiles is presented. Among these taxa, 11 species are new for La Palma island and 5 are recorded for the first time in the Canary Islands. Taxonomic comments on some critical species and information about the distribution in the Macaronesian bioregion of all the studied taxa are given. Based on our previous publications, global data on biodiversity, substrates and distribution of the mycobiota in the different plant communities present in the sampled area are analyzed.

    Se presenta un estudio sobre 66 especies, pertenecientes a las divisiones Myxomycota (21, Ascomycota (29 y Basidiomycota (16, encontradas en la antigua Reserva de la Biosfera El Canal y Los Tiles. De ellas 11 se citan por primera vez para la isla de La Palma, siendo 5 de éstas nuevas para Canarias. Se hacen comentarios taxonómicos sobre algunos táxones conflictivos, además de amplia información sobre su distribución en la Región Macaronésica. En base a publicaciones propias anteriores, se aportan datos globales sobre biodiversidad, sustratos y distribución de la micobiota en las diferentes unidades ambientales presentes en el área de estudio.

  5. Ibuprofen removal in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands: treatment performance and fungal community dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Dongqing; Luo, Jinxue; Lee, Zarraz May Ping; Gersberg, Richard M; Liu, Yu; Tan, Soon Keat; Ng, Wun Jern

    2016-01-01

    The treatment performance of ibuprofen (IBP)-enriched wastewater by horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands planted with cattail (Typha angustifolia) and unplanted control mesocosms was investigated. Removal efficiencies of IBP were significantly (p fungal community in these wetland systems. The overall diversity of the fungal community was reduced under the IBP exposure. Taxonomic analysis revealed that 62.2% of the fungal sequences were affiliated with Basidiomycota, followed by Ascomycota (37.4%) at the phylum level. Uncultured fungus (48.2%), Chaetomium sp. (14.2%), Aspergillus sp. (12.4%), Trichoderma sp. (5.7%), Cladosporium sp. (5.4%), and Emericellopsis sp. (5.2%) were identified as dominant genera. At the genus level, a distinct profile of the fungal community in the IBP-enriched mesocosms was observed as compared to the control beds, and as well specific fungal genera were enhanced in the planted beds, regardless of IBP enrichment. However, despite these differences, the composition of the fungal community (as measured by Bray-Curtis similarity) was mostly unaffected by the significant IBP enrichment. On the other hand, a consistent similarity pattern of fungal community structure in the planted mesocosms suggests that the presence of higher macrophytes in the wetland systems may well help shape the fungal community structure.

  6. ALGUNOS HONGOS MELIOLÁCEOS DEL ESTADO DE MATO GROSSO-BRASIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio Miguel Vélez Zambrano

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available La investigación tuvo como propósito identificar y describir especies de Meliola (Meliolales/Ascomycetes/Ascomycota asociadas a plantas silvestres del Cerrado brasileño. Se analizaron muestras colectadas en la hacienda Pelicano del Parque Estatal Serra Ricardo Franco, situado en Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade en la frontera con Bolivia, y también en Barra do Garças, ambos sitios localizados en el Estado de Mato Grosso. A partir de la visualización de estructuras vegetativas y reproductivas de los hongos fueron montadas láminas de vidrio que contenían lactoglicerol y que fueron selladas con esmalte, para su posterior observación a través de microscopio estereoscópico y microscopio de luz. Se identificaron un total de 5 especies de Meliola, siendo estas M. alibertiae en Alibertia edulis, M. desmodii–laxiflori y M. stizolobii var. eriosematis en Desmodium spp., M. kernii en Casearia sp. Meliola voacangae en Aspidosperma nobile. Cada especie fue identificada basándose en la planta hospedera, morfología del ascoma, forma y dimensión de las ascosporas, ramificación de las hifas, distribución de los apresorios e hifopodios espermáticos en las hifas.

  7. Melanisation of Aspergillus terreus—Is Butyrolactone I Involved in the Regulation of Both DOPA and DHN Types of Pigments in Submerged Culture?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elina K. Palonen

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Pigments and melanins of fungal spores have been investigated for decades, revealing important roles in the survival of the fungus in hostile environments. The key genes and the encoded enzymes for pigment and melanin biosynthesis have recently been found in Ascomycota, including Aspergillus spp. In Aspergillus terreus, the pigmentation has remained mysterious with only one class of melanin biogenesis being found. In this study, we examined an intriguing, partially annotated gene cluster of A. terreus strain NIH2624, utilizing previously sequenced transcriptome and improved gene expression data of strain MUCL 38669, under the influence of a suggested quorum sensing inducing metabolite, butyrolactone I. The core polyketide synthase (PKS gene of the cluster was predicted to be significantly longer on the basis of the obtained transcriptional data, and the surrounding cluster was positively regulated by butyrolactone I at the late growth phase of submerged culture, presumably during sporulation. Phylogenetic analysis of the extended PKS revealed remarkable similarity with a group of known pigments of Fusarium spp., indicating a similar function for this PKS. We present a hypothesis of this PKS cluster to biosynthesise a 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN-type of pigment during sporulation with the influence of butyrolactone I under submerged culture.

  8. Antioxidant and Antimycotic Activities of Two Native Lavandula Species from Portugal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baptista, Rafael; Madureira, Ana Margarida; Jorge, Rita; Adão, Rita; Duarte, Aida; Duarte, Noélia; Lopes, Maria Manuel; Teixeira, Generosa

    2015-01-01

    The antioxidant and antimycotic activities of the essential oils and extracts of two native Portuguese Lavandula species, L. stoechas subsp. luisieri and L. pedunculata, were evaluated by in vitro assays. The total phenolics and flavonoids content were also determined. The antioxidant potential was assessed through DPPH radical scavenging, inhibition of lipid peroxidation (ILP), and DNA protection assays. All samples displayed a high DPPH scavenging activity, some of them showing concentration dependence. The majority of the samples were also able to inhibit lipid peroxidation. A strong correlation was observed between the results of DPPH and ILP assays and the flavonoids content of the samples. In the DNA protection assay, all the extracts were able to preserve DNA integrity. The antimycotic activity was performed against twelve fungi belonging to Basidiomycota and Ascomycota Divisions. L. stoechas subsp. luisieri exhibited the broadest activity spectra. L. pedunculata extracts were active against five fungi. Cryptococcus neoformans was the most sensitive, being inhibited by all the extracts. Our results led to the conclusion that L. stoechas subsp. luisieri and L. pedunculata can be useful as new sources of natural antioxidants and antimycotic agents, providing a possible valorization of the existing biodiversity and resources of Portuguese flora. PMID:25922611

  9. Comparison of bacterial and fungal communities between natural and planted pine forests in subtropical China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Ming; Meng, Han; Li, Ke; Wan, Jia-Rong; Quan, Zhe-Xue; Fang, Chang-Ming; Chen, Jia-Kuan; Li, Bo

    2012-01-01

    To improve our understanding of the changes in bacterial and fungal diversity in natural pine and planted forests in subtropical region of China, we examined bacterial and fungal communities from a native and a nearby planted pine forest of the Mt. Lushan by constructing clone libraries of 16S and 18S rRNA genes. For bacterial communities, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were dominant bacterial taxa in both two types of forest soils. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index, rarefaction curve analysis, and LibShuff analysis suggest that these two forests contained similar diversity of bacterial communities. Low soil acidity (pH ≈ 4) of our study forests might be one of the most important selection factors determining growth of acidophilic Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria. However, the natural forest harbored greater level of fungal diversity than the planted forest according to the Shannon-Wiener diversity index and rarefaction curve analysis. Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were dominant fungal taxa in the soils of natural and planted forests, respectively. Our results suggest that fungal community was more sensitive than the bacterial community in characterizing the differences in plant cover impacts on the microbial flora in the natural and planted forests. The natural and planted forests may function differently due to the differences in soil fungal diversity and relative abundance.

  10. A novel sponge disease caused by a consortium of micro-organisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweet, Michael; Bulling, Mark; Cerrano, Carlo

    2015-09-01

    In healthy sponges, microbes have been shown to account for up to 40 % of tissues. The majority of these are thought to originate from survivors evading digestion and immune responses of the sponge and growing and residing in the microenvironments of the mesophyll. Although a large percentage of these microbes are likely commensals, they may also include potentially pathogenic agents, which under specific conditions, such as temperature stress, may cause disease. Here we report a novel disease (sponge necrosis syndrome) that is severely affecting populations of the sponge Callyspongia ( Euplacella) aff biru. Both ITS fungal and 16S rDNA bacterial diversities were assessed in healthy and diseased individuals, highlighting six potential primary causal agents for this new disease: two bacteria, a Rhodobacteraceae sp. and a cyanobacterium, Hormoscilla spongeliae (formally identified as Oscillatoria spongeliae), and four fungi, a Ascomycota sp., a Pleosporales sp., a Rhabdocline sp., and a Clasosporium sp. Furthermore, histological analysis showed the dominance of fungal hyphae rather than bacteria throughout the disease lesion, which was absent or rare in healthy tissues. Inoculation trails showed that only a combination of one bacterium and one fungus could replicate the disease, fulfilling Henle-Koch's postulates and showing that this sponge disease is caused by a poly-microbial consortium.

  11. Molecular diversity of fungal phylotypes co-amplified alongside nematodes from coastal and deep-sea marine environments.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Punyasloke Bhadury

    Full Text Available Nematodes and fungi are both ubiquitous in marine environments, yet few studies have investigated relationships between these two groups. Microbial species share many well-documented interactions with both free-living and parasitic nematode species, and limited data from previous studies have suggested ecological associations between fungi and nematodes in benthic marine habitats. This study aimed to further document the taxonomy and distribution of fungal taxa often co-amplified from nematode specimens. A total of 15 fungal 18S rRNA phylotypes were isolated from nematode specimens representing both deep-sea and shallow water habitats; all fungal isolates displayed high pairwise sequence identities with published data in Genbank (99-100% and unpublished high-throughput 454 environmental datasets (>95%. BLAST matches indicate marine fungal sequences amplified in this study broadly represent taxa within the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, and several phylotypes showed robust groupings with known taxa in phylogenetic topologies. In addition, some fungal phylotypes appeared to be present in disparate geographic habitats, suggesting cosmopolitan distributions or closely related species complexes in at least some marine fungi. The present study was only able to isolate fungal DNA from a restricted set of nematode taxa; further work is needed to fully investigate the taxonomic scope and function of nematode-fungal interactions.

  12. Diversity and distribution of lichen-associated fungi in the Ny-Ålesund Region (Svalbard, High Arctic) as revealed by 454 pyrosequencing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Tao; Wei, Xin-Li; Zhang, Yu-Qin; Liu, Hong-Yu; Yu, Li-Yan

    2015-01-01

    This study assessed the diversity and distribution of fungal communities associated with seven lichen species in the Ny-Ålesund Region (Svalbard, High Arctic) using Roche 454 pyrosequencing with fungal-specific primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal rRNA gene. Lichen-associated fungal communities showed high diversity, with a total of 42,259 reads belonging to 370 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) being found. Of these OTUs, 294 belonged to Ascomycota, 54 to Basidiomycota, 2 to Zygomycota, and 20 to unknown fungi. Leotiomycetes, Dothideomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes were the major classes, whereas the dominant orders were Helotiales, Capnodiales, and Chaetothyriales. Interestingly, most fungal OTUs were closely related to fungi from various habitats (e.g., soil, rock, plant tissues) in the Arctic, Antarctic and alpine regions, which suggests that living in association with lichen thalli may be a transient stage of life cycle for these fungi and that long-distance dispersal may be important to the fungi in the Arctic. In addition, host-related factors shaped the lichen-associated fungal communities in this region. Taken together, these results suggest that lichens thalli act as reservoirs of diverse fungi from various niches, which may improve our understanding of fungal evolution and ecology in the Arctic. PMID:26463847

  13. Diversity and distribution of lichen-associated fungi in the Ny-Ålesund Region (Svalbard, High Arctic) as revealed by 454 pyrosequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Tao; Wei, Xin-Li; Zhang, Yu-Qin; Liu, Hong-Yu; Yu, Li-Yan

    2015-10-14

    This study assessed the diversity and distribution of fungal communities associated with seven lichen species in the Ny-Ålesund Region (Svalbard, High Arctic) using Roche 454 pyrosequencing with fungal-specific primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal rRNA gene. Lichen-associated fungal communities showed high diversity, with a total of 42,259 reads belonging to 370 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) being found. Of these OTUs, 294 belonged to Ascomycota, 54 to Basidiomycota, 2 to Zygomycota, and 20 to unknown fungi. Leotiomycetes, Dothideomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes were the major classes, whereas the dominant orders were Helotiales, Capnodiales, and Chaetothyriales. Interestingly, most fungal OTUs were closely related to fungi from various habitats (e.g., soil, rock, plant tissues) in the Arctic, Antarctic and alpine regions, which suggests that living in association with lichen thalli may be a transient stage of life cycle for these fungi and that long-distance dispersal may be important to the fungi in the Arctic. In addition, host-related factors shaped the lichen-associated fungal communities in this region. Taken together, these results suggest that lichens thalli act as reservoirs of diverse fungi from various niches, which may improve our understanding of fungal evolution and ecology in the Arctic.

  14. Evolution of Chemical Diversity in a Group of Non-Reduced Polyketide Gene Clusters: Using Phylogenetics to Inform the Search for Novel Fungal Natural Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kurt Throckmorton

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Fungal polyketides are a diverse class of natural products, or secondary metabolites (SMs, with a wide range of bioactivities often associated with toxicity. Here, we focus on a group of non-reducing polyketide synthases (NR-PKSs in the fungal phylum Ascomycota that lack a thioesterase domain for product release, group V. Although widespread in ascomycete taxa, this group of NR-PKSs is notably absent in the mycotoxigenic genus Fusarium and, surprisingly, found in genera not known for their secondary metabolite production (e.g., the mycorrhizal genus Oidiodendron, the powdery mildew genus Blumeria, and the causative agent of white-nose syndrome in bats, Pseudogymnoascus destructans. This group of NR-PKSs, in association with the other enzymes encoded by their gene clusters, produces a variety of different chemical classes including naphthacenediones, anthraquinones, benzophenones, grisandienes, and diphenyl ethers. We discuss the modification of and transitions between these chemical classes, the requisite enzymes, and the evolution of the SM gene clusters that encode them. Integrating this information, we predict the likely products of related but uncharacterized SM clusters, and we speculate upon the utility of these classes of SMs as virulence factors or chemical defenses to various plant, animal, and insect pathogens, as well as mutualistic fungi.

  15. Long-Term Coffee Monoculture Alters Soil Chemical Properties and Microbial Communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Qingyun; Xiong, Wu; Xing, Yizhang; Sun, Yan; Lin, Xingjun; Dong, Yunping

    2018-04-17

    Long-term monoculture severely inhibits coffee plant growth, decreases its yield and results in serious economic losses in China. Here, we selected four replanted coffee fields with 4, 18, 26 and 57 years of monoculture history in Hainan China to investigate the influence of continuous cropping on soil chemical properties and microbial communities. Results showed long-term monoculture decreased soil pH and organic matter content and increased soil EC. Soil bacterial and fungal richness decreased with continuous coffee cropping. Principal coordinate analysis suggested monoculture time was a major determinant of bacterial and fungal community structures. Relative abundances of bacterial Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Nitrospira and fungal Ascomycota phyla decreased over time. At genus level, potentially beneficial microbes such as Nitrospira and Trichoderma, significantly declined over time and showed positive relationships with coffee plant growth in pots. In conclusion, continuous coffee cropping decreased soil pH, organic matter content, potentially beneficial microbes and increased soil EC, which might lead to the poor growth of coffee plants in pots and decline of coffee yields in fields. Thus, developing sustainable agriculture to improve soil pH, organic matter content, microbial activity and reduce the salt stress under continuous cropping system is important for coffee production in China.

  16. Systematic gene deletions evidences that laccases are involved in several stages of wood degradation in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Ning; Chapeland-Leclerc, Florence; Silar, Philippe; Ruprich-Robert, Gwenaël

    2014-01-01

    Transformation of plant biomass into biofuels may supply environmentally friendly alternative biological sources of energy. Laccases are supposed to be involved in the lysis of lignin, a prerequisite step for efficient breakdown of cellulose into fermentable sugars. The role in development and plant biomass degradation of the nine canonical laccases belonging to three different subfamilies and one related multicopper oxidase of the Ascomycota fungus Podospora anserina was investigated by targeted gene deletion. The 10 genes were inactivated singly, and multiple mutants were constructed by genetic crosses. lac6(Δ), lac8(Δ) and mco(Δ) mutants were significantly reduced in their ability to grow on lignin-containing materials, but also on cellulose and plastic. Furthermore, lac8(Δ), lac7(Δ), mco(Δ) and lac6(Δ) mutants were defective towards resistance to phenolic substrates and H2 O2 , which may also impact lignocellulose breakdown. Double and multiple mutants were generally more affected than single mutants, evidencing redundancy of function among laccases. Our study provides the first genetic evidences that laccases are major actors of wood utilization in a fungus and that they have multiple roles during this process apart from participation in lignin lysis. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Fungi Sailing the Arctic Ocean: Speciose Communities in North Atlantic Driftwood as Revealed by High-Throughput Amplicon Sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rämä, Teppo; Davey, Marie L; Nordén, Jenni; Halvorsen, Rune; Blaalid, Rakel; Mathiassen, Geir H; Alsos, Inger G; Kauserud, Håvard

    2016-08-01

    High amounts of driftwood sail across the oceans and provide habitat for organisms tolerating the rough and saline environment. Fungi have adapted to the extremely cold and saline conditions which driftwood faces in the high north. For the first time, we applied high-throughput sequencing to fungi residing in driftwood to reveal their taxonomic richness, community composition, and ecology in the North Atlantic. Using pyrosequencing of ITS2 amplicons obtained from 49 marine logs, we found 807 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on clustering at 97 % sequence similarity cut-off level. The phylum Ascomycota comprised 74 % of the OTUs and 20 % belonged to Basidiomycota. The richness of basidiomycetes decreased with prolonged submersion in the sea, supporting the general view of ascomycetes being more extremotolerant. However, more than one fourth of the fungal OTUs remained unassigned to any fungal class, emphasising the need for better DNA reference data from the marine habitat. Different fungal communities were detected in coniferous and deciduous logs. Our results highlight that driftwood hosts a considerably higher fungal diversity than currently known. The driftwood fungal community is not a terrestrial relic but a speciose assemblage of fungi adapted to the stressful marine environment and different kinds of wooden substrates found in it.

  18. Investigations of biodeterioration by fungi in historic wooden churches of Chiloé, Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz, Rodrigo; Párraga, Mario; Navarrete, José; Carrasco, Ivo; de la Vega, Eduardo; Ortiz, Manuel; Herrera, Paula; Jurgens, Joel A; Held, Benjamin W; Blanchette, Robert A

    2014-04-01

    The use of wood in construction has had a long history and Chile has a rich cultural heritage of using native woods for building churches and other important structures. In 2000, UNESCO designated a number of the historic churches of Chiloé, built entirely of native woods, as World Heritage Sites. These unique churches were built in the late 1700 s and throughout the 1800 s, and because of their age and exposure to the environment, they have been found to have serious deterioration problems. Efforts are underway to better understand these decay processes and to carryout conservation efforts for the long-term preservation of these important structures. This study characterized the types of degradation taking place and identified the wood decay fungi obtained from eight historic churches in Chiloé, seven of them designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Micromorphological observations identified white, brown and soft rot in the structural woods and isolations provided pure cultures of fungi that were identified by sequencing of the internal transcribed region of rDNA. Twenty-nine Basidiomycota and 18 Ascomycota were found. These diverse groups of fungi represent several genera and species not previously reported from Chile and demonstrates a varied microflora is causing decay in these historic buildings.

  19. Microbial diversity in raw milk and traditional fermented dairy products (Hurood cheese and Jueke) from Inner Mongolia, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, M L; Hou, H M; Teng, X X; Zhu, Y L; Hao, H S; Zhang, G L

    2017-03-08

    Hurood cheese (HC) and Jueke (Jk) are 2 traditional fermented dairy products produced from raw milk (RM) in the Inner Mongolia region of China. They have a long history of production and consumption. The microbial compositions of RM, HC, and Jk vary greatly, and are influenced by their geographical origins and unique processing methods. In this study, 2 batches of RM, HC, and Jk samples were collected (April and August 2015) from the Zhenglan Banner, a region located in the southern part of Inner Mongolian belonging to the Xilingol league prefecture. The bacterial and fungal diversities of the samples were determined by 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis, respectively. A total of 112 bacterial and 30 fungal sequences were identified, with Firmicutes and Ascomycota being the predominant phyla for bacteria and fungi, respectively. Lactococcus and Lactobacillus were identified as the main bacterial genera, whereas Kluyveromyces was the predominant fungus identified in the 3 dairy products. Different bacterial and fungal compositions were observed in RM, HC, and Jk samples collected at different times. These results suggested that time of production may be an important factor influencing the microbial diversity present in RM, HC, and Jk.

  20. Dust Rains Deliver Diverse Assemblages of Microorganisms to the Eastern Mediterranean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itani, Ghida Nouhad; Smith, Colin Andrew

    2016-03-01

    Dust rains may be particularly effective at delivering microorganisms, yet their biodiversities have been seldom examined. During 2011 and 2012 in Beirut, Lebanon, 16 of 21 collected rainfalls appeared dusty. Trajectory modelling of air mass origins was consistent with North African sources and at least one Southwest Asian source. As much as ~4 g particulate matter, ~20 μg DNA, and 50 million colony forming units were found deposited per square meter during rainfalls each lasting less than one day. Sequencing of 93 bacteria and 25 fungi cultured from rain samples revealed diverse bacterial phyla, both Gram positive and negative, and Ascomycota fungi. Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis of amplified 16S rDNA of 13 rains revealed distinct and diverse assemblages of bacteria. Dust rain 16S libraries yielded 131 sequences matching, in decreasing order of abundance, Betaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Epsilonproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Deltaproteobacteria. Clean rain 16S libraries yielded 33 sequences matching only Betaproteobacteria family Oxalobacteraceae. Microbial composition varied between dust rains, and more diverse and different microbes were found in dust rains than clean rains. These results show that dust rains deliver diverse communities of microorganisms that may be complex products of revived desert soil species and fertilized cloud species.

  1. Hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism in a patient with diabetes mellitus: an unforgettable case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chelaghma N

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Naziha Chelaghma, Samson O Oyibo Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Peterborough City Hospital, Peterborough, UK Abstract: A 58-year-old man presented with a 3-year history of chronic and intermittent hyperkalemia requiring recurrent attendances to the emergency department for urgent treatment. His medical history included secondary diabetes mellitus following a bout of acute pancreatitis and a previous splenectomy for a spontaneous splenic rupture. He also had a history of prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for back pain and painful neuropathy. He was not on any medication or diet that would cause a raised serum potassium level and his renal function was normal. He was on a basal-bolus insulin regimen but his diabetes control had been poor for several years. As the hyperkalemia had gone on for so long in the presence of normal renal function, he went on to have further tests. Adrenal insufficiency had been ruled out following a short Synacthen test. Further investigations revealed low serum aldosterone levels and inappropriately low serum renin levels in the presence of hyperkalemia. This was suggestive of hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism (HH. He was then treated with fludrocortisone and furosemide and his serum potassium levels remained normal. Additionally, he did not require any more emergency admissions to treat hyperkalemia thereafter. It was concluded that the HH-induced hyperkalemia was caused by diabetes mellitus or due to a combination of diabetes and prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The absence of renal impairment may have contributed to the delay in diagnosis. HH is a commonly overlooked cause of hyperkalemia. This case highlights the fact that it should always be suspected when unexplained hyperkalemia is found in patients with only mild-moderately impaired renal function, especially in the presence of diabetes mellitus. Keywords: hyperkalemia, diabetic nephropathy, juxtaglomerular

  2. Emotional memory for musical excerpts in young and older adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso, Irene; Dellacherie, Delphine; Samson, Séverine

    2015-01-01

    The emotions evoked by music can enhance recognition of excerpts. It has been suggested that memory is better for high than for low arousing music (Eschrich et al., 2005; Samson et al., 2009), but it remains unclear whether positively (Eschrich et al., 2008) or negatively valenced music (Aubé et al., 2013; Vieillard and Gilet, 2013) may be better recognized. Moreover, we still know very little about the influence of age on emotional memory for music. To address these issues, we tested emotional memory for music in young and older adults using musical excerpts varying in terms of arousal and valence. Participants completed immediate and 24 h delayed recognition tests. We predicted highly arousing excerpts to be better recognized by both groups in immediate recognition. We hypothesized that arousal may compensate consolidation deficits in aging, thus showing more prominent benefit of high over low arousing stimuli in older than younger adults on delayed recognition. We also hypothesized worst retention of negative excerpts for the older group, resulting in a recognition benefit for positive over negative excerpts specific to older adults. Our results suggest that although older adults had worse recognition than young adults overall, effects of emotion on memory do not seem to be modified by aging. Results on immediate recognition suggest that recognition of low arousing excerpts can be affected by valence, with better memory for positive relative to negative low arousing music. However, 24 h delayed recognition results demonstrate effects of emotion on memory consolidation regardless of age, with a recognition benefit for high arousal and for negatively valenced music. The present study highlights the role of emotion on memory consolidation. Findings are examined in light of the literature on emotional memory for music and for other stimuli. We finally discuss the implication of the present results for potential music interventions in aging and dementia. PMID

  3. Determinants of condom use by men in extramarital relationships in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ankomah A

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Augustine Ankomah,1 Samson B Adebayo,2,3 Jennifer Anyanti,3 Olaronke Ladipo,3,† Bright Ekweremadu31Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; 2Directorate of Planning, Research and Statistics, National Agency for the Control of Food and Drugs Administration and Control, Abuja, Nigeria; 3Society for Family Health, Abuja, Nigeria†Olaronke Ladipo passed away on 30/10/2012Background: Extramarital sex is a high-risk behavior in terms of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV transmission, yet condom use in extramarital relationships is an understudied area in Africa, and Nigeria in particular, where such liaisons are not uncommon. This study highlights key determinants of condom use among men who engage in extramarital sex in Nigeria.Methods: Results are based on a subsample of 642 married men from a combined dataset from three waves of the National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey (NARHS, a set of multiround nationally representative surveys. Logistic regression was employed to explore possible determinants of condom use in extramarital sex. The motivation, opportunity, and ability model was applied in selecting the determinants.Results: HIV risk-reduction knowledge was found not to be associated with condom use. At the full logistic regression model, being of the Yoruba tribe, having no misconception about HIV transmission, ability to discuss condom use, and ability to wear condoms were the key variables significantly associated with condom use in extramarital sex.Conclusion: Implementing HIV risk-reduction behavior change requires more than knowledge. Behavioral skills in condom use are critical. Intervention efforts should move away from knowledge about risk to concentrate on improving skills on how to discuss condom use and wear condoms correctly.Keywords: married men, extramarital sex, condom use, motivation, opportunity, Nigeria

  4. Seismic behaviour of gas cooled reactor components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-08-01

    On invitation of the French Government the Specialists' Meeting on the Seismic Behaviour of Gas-Cooled Reactor Components was held at Gif-sur-Yvette, 14-16 November 1989. This was the second Specialists' Meeting on the general subject of gas-cooled reactor seismic design. There were 27 participants from France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, the CEC and IAEA took the opportunity to present and discuss a total of 16 papers reflecting the state of the art of gained experiences in the field of their seismic qualification approach, seismic analysis methods and of the capabilities of various facilities used to qualify components and verify analytical methods. Since the first meeting, the sophistication and expanded capabilities of both the seismic analytical methods and the test facilities are apparent. The two main methods for seismic analysis, the impedance method and the finite element method, have been computer-programmed in several countries with the capability of each of the codes dependent on the computer capability. The correlations between calculation and tests are dependent on input assumptions such as boundary conditions, soil parameters and various interactions between the soil, the buildings and the contained equipment. The ability to adjust these parameters and match experimental results with calculations was displayed in several of the papers. The expanded capability of some of the new test facilities was graphically displayed by the description of the SAMSON vibration test facility at Juelich, FRG, capable of dynamically testing specimens weighing up to 25 tonnes, and the TAMARIS facility at the CEA laboratories in Gif-sur-Yvette where the largest table is capable of testing specimens weighing up to 100 tonnes. The proceedings of this meeting contain all 16 presented papers. A separate abstract was prepared for each of these papers. Refs, figs and tabs

  5. Emotional memory for musical excerpts in young and older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso, Irene; Dellacherie, Delphine; Samson, Séverine

    2015-01-01

    The emotions evoked by music can enhance recognition of excerpts. It has been suggested that memory is better for high than for low arousing music (Eschrich et al., 2005; Samson et al., 2009), but it remains unclear whether positively (Eschrich et al., 2008) or negatively valenced music (Aubé et al., 2013; Vieillard and Gilet, 2013) may be better recognized. Moreover, we still know very little about the influence of age on emotional memory for music. To address these issues, we tested emotional memory for music in young and older adults using musical excerpts varying in terms of arousal and valence. Participants completed immediate and 24 h delayed recognition tests. We predicted highly arousing excerpts to be better recognized by both groups in immediate recognition. We hypothesized that arousal may compensate consolidation deficits in aging, thus showing more prominent benefit of high over low arousing stimuli in older than younger adults on delayed recognition. We also hypothesized worst retention of negative excerpts for the older group, resulting in a recognition benefit for positive over negative excerpts specific to older adults. Our results suggest that although older adults had worse recognition than young adults overall, effects of emotion on memory do not seem to be modified by aging. Results on immediate recognition suggest that recognition of low arousing excerpts can be affected by valence, with better memory for positive relative to negative low arousing music. However, 24 h delayed recognition results demonstrate effects of emotion on memory consolidation regardless of age, with a recognition benefit for high arousal and for negatively valenced music. The present study highlights the role of emotion on memory consolidation. Findings are examined in light of the literature on emotional memory for music and for other stimuli. We finally discuss the implication of the present results for potential music interventions in aging and dementia.

  6. Interferometric evidence for the observation of ground backscatter originating behind the CUTLASS coherent HF radars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milan, S. E.; Jones, T. B.; Robinson, T. R.; Thomas, E. C.; Yeoman, T. K.

    1997-01-01

    Interferometric techniques allow the SuperDARN coherent HF radars to determine the elevation angles of returned backscatter, giving information on the altitude of the scatter volume, in the case of ionospheric backscatter, or the reflection altitude, in the case of ground backscatter. Assumptions have to be made in the determination of elevation angles, including the direction of arrival, or azimuth, of the returned signals, usually taken to be the forward look-direction (north) of the radars, specified by the phasing of the antenna arrays. It is shown that this assumption is not always valid in the case of ground backscatter, and that significant returns can be detected from the backward look-direction of the radars. The response of the interferometer to backscatter from behind the radar is modelled and compared with observations. It is found that ground backscatter from a field-of-view that is the mirror image of the forward-looking field-of-view is a common feature of the observations, and this interpretation successfully explains several anomalies in the received backscatter. Acknowledgements. The authors are grateful to Prof. D. J. Southwood (Imperial College, London), J. C. Samson (University of Alberta, Edmonton), L. J. Lanzerotti (AT&T Bell Laboratories), A. Wolfe (New York City Technical College) and to Dr. M. Vellante (University of LÁquila) for helpful discussions. They also thank Dr. A. Meloni (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica, Roma) who made available geomagnetic field observations from LÁquila Geomagnetic Observatory. This research activity at LÁquila is supported by MURST (40% and 60% contracts) and by GIFCO/CNR. Topical Editor K.-H. Glaßmeier thanks C. Waters and S. Fujita for their help in evaluating this paper.-> Correspondence to :P. Francia->

  7. Emotional memory for musical excerpts in young and older adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irene eAlonso

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The emotions evoked by music can enhance recognition of excerpts. It has been suggested that memory is better for high than for low arousing music (Eschrich et al., 2005; Samson et al., 2009, but it remains unclear whether positively (Eschrich et al., 2008 or negatively valenced music (Aubé et al., 2013; Vieillard and Gilet, 2013 may be better recognized. Moreover, we still know very little about the influence of age on emotional memory for music. To address these issues, we tested emotional memory for music in young and older adults using musical excerpts varying in terms of arousal and valence. Participants completed immediate and 24h delayed recognition tests. We predicted highly arousing excerpts to be better recognized by both groups in immediate recognition. We hypothesized that arousal may compensate consolidation deficits in aging, thus showing more prominent benefit of high over low arousing stimuli in older than younger adults on delayed recognition. We also hypothesized worst retention of negative excerpts for the older group, resulting in a recognition benefit for positive over negative excerpts specific to older adults. Our results suggest that although older adults had worse recognition than young adults overall, effects of emotion on memory do not seem to be modified by aging. Results on immediate recognition suggest that recognition of low arousing excerpts can be affected by valence, with better memory for positive relative to negative low arousing music. However, 24h delayed recognition results demonstrate effects of emotion on memory consolidation regardless of age, with a recognition benefit for high arousal and for negatively valenced music. The present study highlights the role of emotion on memory consolidation. Findings are examined in light of to the literature on emotional memory for music and for other stimuli. We finally discuss the implication of the present results for potential music interventions in aging and

  8. Safeguarding saproxylic fungal biodiversity in Apennine beech forest priority habitats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maggi, Oriana; Lunghini, Dario; Pecoraro, Lorenzo; Sabatini, Francesco Maria; Persiani, Anna Maria

    2015-04-01

    The FAGUS LIFE Project (LIFE11/NAT/IT/135) targets two European priority habitats, i.e. Habitat 9210* Apennine beech forests with Taxus and Ilex, and Habitat 9220* Apennine beech forests with Abies alba, within two National Parks: Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni; Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga. The current limited distribution of the target habitats is also due to the impact of human activities on forest systems, such as harvesting and grazing. The FAGUS project aims at developing and testing management strategies able to integrate the conservation of priority forest habitats (9210* and 9220*) and the sustainable use of forest resources. In order to assess the responses to different management treatments the BACI monitoring design (Before-After, Control-Intervention) has been applied on forest structure and diversity of focus taxa before and after experimental harvesting treatments. Conventional management of Apennine beech forests impacts a wealth of taxonomic groups, such as saproxylic beetles and fungi, which are threatened throughout Europe by the lack of deadwood and of senescing trees, and by the homogeneous structure of managed forests. Deadwood has been denoted as the most important manageable habitat for biodiversity in forests not only for supporting a wide diversity of organisms, but also for playing a prominent role in several ecological processes, creating the basis for the cycling of photosynthetic energy, carbon, and nutrients stored in woody material. Especially fungi can be regarded as key group for understanding and managing biodiversity associated with decaying wood. The before-intervention field sampling was carried out in Autumn 2013 in 33 monitoring plots across the two national Parks. The occurrence at plot level of both Ascomycota and Basidiomycota sporocarps was surveyed. All standing and downed deadwood with a minimum diameter of 10 cm was sampled for sporocarps larger than 1 mm, and information on decay class and fungal morphogroups

  9. Potential of a strain of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) as a biological control agent against western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Five Beauveria bassiana strains were evaluated for control of western flower thrips. Strain RSB was the most virulent, causing 69-96% mortality at concentrations of 1×104 – 1×107 conidia mL-1, 10 days after inoculation of first instars. In greenhouse trials, RSB applied to broccoli foliage signifi...

  10. The Genome of Tolypocladium inflatum: Evolution, Organization, and Expression of the Cyclosporin Biosynthetic Gene Cluster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bushley, Kathryn E.; Raja, Rajani; Jaiswal, Pankaj; Cumbie, Jason S.; Nonogaki, Mariko; Boyd, Alexander E.; Owensby, C. Alisha; Knaus, Brian J.; Elser, Justin; Miller, Daniel; Di, Yanming; McPhail, Kerry L.; Spatafora, Joseph W.

    2013-01-01

    The ascomycete fungus Tolypocladium inflatum, a pathogen of beetle larvae, is best known as the producer of the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin. The draft genome of T. inflatum strain NRRL 8044 (ATCC 34921), the isolate from which cyclosporin was first isolated, is presented along with comparative analyses of the biosynthesis of cyclosporin and other secondary metabolites in T. inflatum and related taxa. Phylogenomic analyses reveal previously undetected and complex patterns of homology between the nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) that encodes for cyclosporin synthetase (simA) and those of other secondary metabolites with activities against insects (e.g., beauvericin, destruxins, etc.), and demonstrate the roles of module duplication and gene fusion in diversification of NRPSs. The secondary metabolite gene cluster responsible for cyclosporin biosynthesis is described. In addition to genes necessary for cyclosporin biosynthesis, it harbors a gene for a cyclophilin, which is a member of a family of immunophilins known to bind cyclosporin. Comparative analyses support a lineage specific origin of the cyclosporin gene cluster rather than horizontal gene transfer from bacteria or other fungi. RNA-Seq transcriptome analyses in a cyclosporin-inducing medium delineate the boundaries of the cyclosporin cluster and reveal high levels of expression of the gene cluster cyclophilin. In medium containing insect hemolymph, weaker but significant upregulation of several genes within the cyclosporin cluster, including the highly expressed cyclophilin gene, was observed. T. inflatum also represents the first reference draft genome of Ophiocordycipitaceae, a third family of insect pathogenic fungi within the fungal order Hypocreales, and supports parallel and qualitatively distinct radiations of insect pathogens. The T. inflatum genome provides additional insight into the evolution and biosynthesis of cyclosporin and lays a foundation for further investigations of the role

  11. Assessment of Cu applications in two contrasting soils-effects on soil microbial activity and the fungal community structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keiblinger, Katharina M; Schneider, Martin; Gorfer, Markus; Paumann, Melanie; Deltedesco, Evi; Berger, Harald; Jöchlinger, Lisa; Mentler, Axel; Zechmeister-Boltenstern, Sophie; Soja, Gerhard; Zehetner, Franz

    2018-03-01

    Copper (Cu)-based fungicides have been used in viticulture to prevent downy mildew since the end of the 19th century, and are still used today to reduce fungal diseases. Consequently, Cu has built up in many vineyard soils, and it is still unclear how this affects soil functioning. The present study aimed to assess the short and medium-term effects of Cu contamination on the soil fungal community. Two contrasting agricultural soils, an acidic sandy loam and an alkaline silt loam, were used for an eco-toxicological greenhouse pot experiment. The soils were spiked with a Cu-based fungicide in seven concentrations (0-5000 mg Cu kg -1 soil) and alfalfa was grown in the pots for 3 months. Sampling was conducted at the beginning and at the end of the study period to test Cu toxicity effects on total microbial biomass, basal respiration and enzyme activities. Fungal abundance was analysed by ergosterol at both samplings, and for the second sampling, fungal community structure was evaluated via ITS amplicon sequences. Soil microbial biomass C as well as microbial respiration rate decreased with increasing Cu concentrations, with EC 50 ranging from 76 to 187 mg EDTA-extractable Cu kg -1 soil. Oxidative enzymes showed a trend of increasing activity at the first sampling, but a decline in peroxidase activity was observed for the second sampling. We found remarkable Cu-induced changes in fungal community abundance (EC 50 ranging from 9.2 to 94 mg EDTA-extractable Cu kg -1 soil) and composition, but not in diversity. A large number of diverse fungi were able to thrive under elevated Cu concentrations, though within the order of Hypocreales several species declined. A remarkable Cu-induced change in the community composition was found, which depended on the soil properties and, hence, on Cu availability.

  12. Effects of entomopathogenic fungus species, and impact of fertilizers, on biological control of pecan weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapiro-Ilan, David I; Gardner, Wayne A; Wells, Lenny; Cottrell, Ted E; Behle, Robert W; Wood, Bruce W

    2013-04-01

    The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn), is a key pest of pecan, Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch. Prior research indicated the potential for use of Hypocreales fungi to suppress C. caryae. We compared the efficacy of two fungal spp., Beauveria bassiana (GHA strain) and Metarhizium brunneum (F52), in their ability to cause C. caryae mortality. The fungus, B. bassiana, was applied to trunks of pecan trees (a method previously shown to be effective in C. caryae suppression) and efficacy was compared with M. brunneum applied to the ground or to the trunk with or without SoyScreen Oil as an ultraviolet protecting agent. Results indicated B. bassiana to be superior to M. brunneum regardless of application method; consequently, the potential for applying B. bassiana to control C. caryae was explored further. Specifically, the impact of different fertilizer regimes (as used by pecan growers) on the persistence of B. bassiana (GHA) in soil was determined. B. bassiana was applied to soil in a pecan orchard after one of several fertilizer treatments--i.e., ammonium nitrate, crimson clover, poultry litter, clover plus poultry litter, and a no-fertilizer control. B. bassiana persistence up to 49 d in 2009 and 2010 was assessed by plating soil onto selective media and determining the number of colony forming units, and by baiting soil with a susceptible host, Galleria mellonella (L.). Fertilizer treatments did not impact B. bassiana persistence. We conclude that standard fertilizers for nitrogen management, when applied according to recommended practices, are unlikely to negatively impact survival of B. bassiana in pecan orchards when the fungus is applied for C. caryae suppression during weevil emergence. Additional research on interactions between entomopathogenic fungi and fertilizer amendments (or other tree nutrition or soil management practices) is merited.

  13. Fungal communities in barren forest soil after amendment with different wood substrates and their possible effects on trees’, pathogens, insects and nematodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Małecka Monika

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Scots pine sawdust, composted bark or coarse, post-harvest woody debris from conifers had been spread over the surface of barren forest soil before planting with Scots pine. The effects of the Scots pine sawdust, composted bark or coarse, post-harvest woody debris from conifers on the abundance and diversity of culturable fungi were investigated. The amendments were aimed at increasing the soil suppressiveness to Armillaria and Heterobasidion. The classical soil-dilution method was chosen for qualitative and quantitative analyses of fungal communities in soils because of its proven reliability and consistency. The soil was inhabited by saprotrophic fungi from Ascomycota and Zygomycota, including species known to be potential antagonists of Armillaria or H. annosum (i.e. Clonostachys + Trichoderma spp., Penicillium commune, P. daleae, P. janczewskii or stimulants of Armillaria (i.e. Pseudogymnoascus roseus, Trichocladium opacum. Eleven years after treatment, the abundance and diversity of fungi, the abundance of P. commune, and locally the abundance of P. janczewskii increased, while Clonostachys + Trichoderma spp., and locally, P. daleae and T. opacum decreased. Amending the barren soil with organic matter does not guarantee effective, long-term suppressiveness of the sandy loam soil to Armillaria and Heterobasidion. Increased abundance of entomopathogenic and nematophagous species, 11 years after treatment, does suggest the long-term possibility of insect or nematode control in soil.

  14. Taxon-specific metagenomics of Trichoderma reveals a narrow community of opportunistic species that regulate each other’s development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedl, Martina A.

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, we report on the in situ diversity of the mycotrophic fungus Trichoderma (teleomorph Hypocrea, Ascomycota, Dikarya) revealed by a taxon-specific metagenomic approach. We designed a set of genus-specific internal transcribed spacer (ITS)1 and ITS2 rRNA primers and constructed a clone library containing 411 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs). The overall species composition in the soil of the two distinct ecosystems in the Danube floodplain consisted of 15 known species and two potentially novel taxa. The latter taxa accounted for only 1.5 % of all MOTUs, suggesting that almost no hidden or uncultivable Hypocrea/Trichoderma species are present at least in these temperate forest soils. The species were unevenly distributed in vertical soil profiles although no universal factors controlling the distribution of all of them (chemical soil properties, vegetation type and affinity to rhizosphere) were revealed. In vitro experiments simulating infrageneric interactions between the pairs of species that were detected in the same soil horizon showed a broad spectrum of reactions from very strong competition over neutral coexistence to the pronounced synergism. Our data suggest that only a relatively small portion of Hypocrea/Trichoderma species is adapted to soil as a habitat and that the interaction between these species should be considered in a screening for Hypocrea/Trichoderma as an agent(s) of biological control of pests. PMID:22075025

  15. [Organization and preservation of the collection of pathogenic and fungal symbionts of insects and other arthropods from CEPAVE (CONICET-UNLP), La Plata, Argentina].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutierrez, Alejandra Concepción; Tornesello-Galván, Julieta; Manfrino, Romina Guadalupe; Hipperdinger, Marcela; Falvo, Marianel; D'Alessandro, Celeste; López Lastra, Claudia Cristina

    The collection of fungal pathogens and symbionts of insects and other arthropods of the Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores, La Plata, Argentina, is unique because it preserves in vivo and in vitro cultures of fungal pathogens. This culture collection is open for research, teaching, consulting services, and strain deposit. It contains 421 strains belonging to 23 genera (16 Ascomycota, 4 Entomophthoromycotina, 2 Glomeromycota and 1 Oomycota), and the cultures are preserved by different methods such as cryopreservation in freezer at -20°C and -70°C, paper, distilled water and lyophilization. Fungi were isolated from insects, other arthropods, and soil (by using insect baits and selective media). Species were identified by morphological features and in a few strains by molecular taxonomy (PCR of rDNA). This collection is a reference center for species identification/certifications, research and teaching purposes, strain deposit, transference and consultancy services, and its overall goal is to preserve the fungal germplasm and ex situ diversity. Most of the strains are native of Argentina. The collection was originated in 1988 and is registered in the Latin American Federation for Culture Collections and in the World Federation of Culture Collections. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  16. Microbial Diversity in Cerrado Biome (Neotropical Savanna Soils.

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    Alinne Pereira de Castro

    Full Text Available The Cerrado, the largest savanna region in South America, is located in central Brazil. Cerrado physiognomies, which range from savanna grasslands to forest formations, combined with the highly weathered, acidic clay Cerrado soils form a unique ecoregion. In this study, high-throughput sequencing of ribosomal RNA genes was combined with shotgun metagenomic analysis to explore the taxonomic composition and potential functions of soil microbial communities in four different vegetation physiognomies during both dry and rainy seasons. Our results showed that changes in bacterial, archaeal, and fungal community structures in cerrado denso, cerrado sensu stricto, campo sujo, and gallery forest soils strongly correlated with seasonal patterns of soil water uptake. The relative abundance of AD3, WPS-2, Planctomycetes, Thermoprotei, and Glomeromycota typically decreased in the rainy season, whereas the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Ascomycota increased. In addition, analysis of shotgun metagenomic data revealed a significant increase in the relative abundance of genes associated with iron acquisition and metabolism, dormancy, and sporulation during the dry season, and an increase in the relative abundance of genes related to respiration and DNA and protein metabolism during the rainy season. These gene functional categories are associated with adaptation to water stress. Our results further the understanding of how tropical savanna soil microbial communities may be influenced by vegetation covering and temporal variations in soil moisture.

  17. Ignored fungal community in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants: diversity and altitudinal characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Lihua; Li, Yi; Xu, Lingling; Wang, Peifang; Zhang, Wenlong; Wang, Chao; Cai, Wei; Wang, Linqiong

    2017-02-01

    Fungi are important contributors to the various functions of activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs); however, the diversity and geographic characteristics of fungal populations have remained vastly unexplored. Here, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and 454 pyrosequencing were combined to investigate the abundance and diversity of the activated sludge fungal communities from 18 full-scale municipal WWTPs in China. Phylogenetic taxonomy revealed that the members of the fungal communities were assigned to 7 phyla and 195 genera. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the most abundant phyla, dominated by Pluteus, Wickerhamiella, and Penicillium. Twenty-three fungal genera, accounting for 50.1 % of the total reads, were shared by 18 WWTPs and constituted a core fungal community. The fungal communities presented similar community diversity but different community structures across the WWTPs. Significant distance decay relationships were observed for the dissimilarity in fungal community structure and altitudinal distance between WWTPs. Additionally, the community evenness increased from 0.25 to 0.7 as the altitude increased. Dissolved oxygen and the C/N ratio were determined to be the most dominant contributors to the variation in fungal community structure via redundancy analysis. The observed data demonstrated the diverse occurrence of fungal species and gave a marked view of fungal community characteristics based on the previously unexplored fungal communities in activated sludge WWTPs.

  18. Molecular and morphological characterization of Dothiorella species associated with dieback of Ostrya carpinifolia in Slovenia and Italy

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    Draginja PAVLIC-ZUPANC

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Isolates that resemble Dothiorella (Botryosphaeriaceae, Ascomycota species were isolated from dead twigs, asymptomatic and necrotized bark of European hop hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia Scop., Eurasian smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria Scop. and common juniper (Juniperus communis L. growing in western Slovenia and northern Italy. They were identified based on anamorph morphology and phylogenetic analyses of the ITS rDNA and EF-1α sequences, and previously designated as Dothiorella sp. A, B and C. This study has clarified the identity of these species by comparing them with other Dothiorella species known from culture based on gene sequence data, as well as morphological characters of the anamorphs. The phylogenetic results revealed three species, Dothiorella iberica, Dothiorella parva, and a Dothiorella sp. Isolates identified in the phylogenetic analyses as D. parva differed from the original description of this species and are thus described here based on the anamorph morphology. Isolates of D. parva were identified from O. carpinifolia in western Slovenia and northern Italy, and C. coggygria in western Slovenia, and coexist with Dothiorella sp. on O. carpinifolia in northern Italy. Dothiorella iberica was identified on J. communis in western Slovenia, thus expanding the geographic range of this species. This is the first record of D. parva from these hosts and countries. Our results indicate that these Dothiorella species occur widely across the Mediterranean region, and on a variety of hosts.

  19. High-Throughput Sequencing of Microbial Community Diversity and Dynamics during Douchi Fermentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Zong-cai; Wang, Xiao-lan

    2016-01-01

    Douchi is a type of Chinese traditional fermented food that is an important source of protein and is used in flavouring ingredients. The end product is affected by the microbial community present during fermentation, but exactly how microbes influence the fermentation process remains poorly understood. We used an Illumina MiSeq approach to investigate bacterial and fungal community diversity during both douchi-koji making and fermentation. A total of 181,443 high quality bacterial 16S rRNA sequences and 221,059 high quality fungal internal transcribed spacer reads were used for taxonomic classification, revealing eight bacterial and three fungal phyla. Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla, while Ascomycota and Zygomycota were the dominant fungal phyla. At the genus level, Staphylococcus and Weissella were the dominant bacteria, while Aspergillus and Lichtheimia were the dominant fungi. Principal coordinate analysis showed structural separation between the composition of bacteria in koji making and fermentation. However, multivariate analysis of variance based on unweighted UniFrac distances did identify distinct differences (p fermentation. This is the first investigation to integrate douchi fermentation and koji making and fermentation processes through this technological approach. The results provide insight into the microbiome of the douchi fermentation process, and reveal a structural separation that may be stratified by the environment during the production of this traditional fermented food. PMID:27992473

  20. Diversity and host range of foliar fungal endophytes: are tropical leaves biodiversity hotspots?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, A Elizabeth; Lutzoni, F

    2007-03-01

    Fungal endophytes are found in asymptomatic photosynthetic tissues of all major lineages of land plants. The ubiquity of these cryptic symbionts is clear, but the scale of their diversity, host range, and geographic distributions are unknown. To explore the putative hyperdiversity of tropical leaf endophytes, we compared endophyte communities along a broad latitudinal gradient from the Canadian arctic to the lowland tropical forest of central Panama. Here, we use molecular sequence data from 1403 endophyte strains to show that endophytes increase in incidence, diversity, and host breadth from arctic to tropical sites. Endophyte communities from higher latitudes are characterized by relatively few species from many different classes of Ascomycota, whereas tropical endophyte assemblages are dominated by a small number of classes with a very large number of endophytic species. The most easily cultivated endophytes from tropical plants have wide host ranges, but communities are dominated by a large number of rare species whose host range is unclear. Even when only the most easily cultured species are considered, leaves of tropical trees represent hotspots of fungal species diversity, containing numerous species not yet recovered from other biomes. The challenge remains to recover and identify those elusive and rarely cultured taxa with narrower host ranges, and to elucidate the ecological roles of these little-known symbionts in tropical forests.

  1. Rhizospheric microbial communities associated with wild and cultivated frankincense producing Boswellia sacra tree.

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    Abdul Latif Khan

    Full Text Available Boswellia sacra, a frankincense producing endemic tree, has been well known for its cultural, religious and economic values. However, the tree has been least explored for the associated microsymbiota in the rhizosphere. The current study elucidates the fungal and bacterial communities of the rhizospheric regions of the wild and cultivated B. sacra tree populations through next generation sequencing. The sequence analysis showed the existence of 1006±8.9 and 60.6±3.1 operational taxonomic unit (OTUs for bacterial and fungal communities respectively. In fungal communities, five major phyla were found with significantly higher abundance of Ascomycota (60.3% in wild population and Basidiomycota (52% in cultivated tree rhizospheres. Among bacterial communities, 31 major phyla were found, with significant distribution of Actinobacteria in wild tree rhizospheres, whereas Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were highly abundant in cultivated trees. The diversity and abundance of microbiome varied significantly depending upon soil characteristics of the three different populations. In addition, significantly higher glucosidases, cellulases and indole-3-acetic acid were found in cultivated tree's rhizospheres as compared to wild tree populations. for these plants to survive the harsh arid-land environmental conditions. The current study is a first comprehensive work and advances our knowledge about the core fungal and bacterial microbial microbiome associated with this economically important tree.

  2. Insight into the transcriptome of Arthrobotrys conoides using high throughput sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramesh, Pandit; Reena, Patel; Amitbikram, Mohapatra; Chaitanya, Joshi; Anju, Kunjadia

    2015-12-01

    Arthrobotrys conoides is a nematode-trapping fungus belonging to Orbiliales, Ascomycota group, and traps prey nematodes by means of adhesive network. Fungus has a potential to be used as a biocontrol agent against plant parasitic nematodes. In the present study, we characterized the transcriptome of A. conoides using high-throughput sequencing technology and characterized its virulence unigenes. Total 7,255 cDNA contigs with an average length of 425 bp were generated and 6184 (61.81%) transcripts were functionally annotated and characterized. Majority of unigenes were found analogous to the genes of plant pathogenic fungi. A total of 1749 transcripts were found to be orthologous with eukaryotic proteins of KOG database. Several carbohydrate active enzymes and peptidases were identified. We also analyzed classically and nonclassically secreted proteins and confirmed by BLASTP against fungal secretome database. A total of 916 contigs were analogous to 556 unique proteins of Pathogen Host Interaction (PHI) database. Further, we identified 91 unigenes homologous to the database of fungal virulence factor (DFVF). A total of 104 putative protein kinases coding transcripts were identified by BLASTP against KinBase database, which are major players in signaling pathways. This study provides a comprehensive look at the transcriptome of A. conoides and the identified unigenes might have a role in catching and killing prey nematodes by A. conoides. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Heavy metal pollution decreases microbial abundance, diversity and activity within particle-size fractions of a paddy soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Junhui; He, Feng; Zhang, Xuhui; Sun, Xuan; Zheng, Jufeng; Zheng, Jinwei

    2014-01-01

    Chemical and microbial characterisations of particle-size fractions (PSFs) from a rice paddy soil subjected to long-term heavy metal pollution (P) and nonpolluted (NP) soil were performed to investigate whether the distribution of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) regulates microbial community activity, abundance and diversity at the microenvironment scale. The soils were physically fractionated into coarse sand, fine sand, silt and clay fractions. Long-term heavy metal pollution notably decreased soil basal respiration (a measurement of the total activity of the soil microbial community) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) across the fractions by 3-45% and 21-53%, respectively. The coarse sand fraction was more affected by pollution than the clay fraction and displayed a significantly lower MBC content and respiration and dehydrogenase activity compared with the nonpolluted soils. The abundances and diversities of bacteria were less affected within the PSFs under pollution. However, significant decreases in the abundances and diversities of fungi were noted, which may have strongly contributed to the decrease in MBC. Sequencing of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis bands revealed that the groups Acidobacteria, Ascomycota and Chytridiomycota were clearly inhibited under pollution. Our findings suggest that long-term heavy metal pollution decreased the microbial biomass, activity and diversity in PSFs, particularly in the large-size fractions. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The microbial community characteristics of ancient painted sculptures in Maijishan Grottoes, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Yulong; Wu, Fasi; Wang, Wanfu; He, Dongpeng; Gu, Ji-Dong; Feng, Huyuan; Chen, Tuo; Liu, Guangxiu; An, Lizhe

    2017-01-01

    In this study, a culture-independent Illumina MiSeq sequencing strategy was applied to investigate the microbial communities colonizing the ancient painted sculptures of the Maijishan Grottoes, a famous World Cultural Heritage site listed by UNESCO in China. Four mixed samples were collected from Cave 4-4 of the Maijishan Grottoes, the so-called Upper Seven Buddha Pavilion, which was built during the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581AD). The 16/18S rRNA gene-based sequences revealed a rich bacterial diversity and a relatively low fungal abundance, including the bacterial groups Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia and the fungal groups Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Chytridiomycota. Among them, the bacteria genera of Pseudonocardia and Rubrobacter and unclassified fungi in the order of Capnodiales were dominant. The relative abundance of Pseudonocardia in the painted layer samples was higher than that in the dust sample, while Cyanobacteria dominated in the dust sample. Many of them have been discovered at other cultural heritage sites and associated with the biodeterioration of cultural relics. The presence and activity of these pioneering microorganisms may lead to an unexpected deterioration of the painted sculptures that are preserved in this heritage site. Thus, proper management strategies and potential risk monitoring should be used in the Maijishan Grottoes to improve the conservation of these precious painted sculptures.

  5. Screening Brazilian Macrophomina phaseolina isolates for alkaline lipases and other extracellular hydrolases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schinke, Claudia; Germani, José C

    2012-03-01

    Macrophomina phaseolina, phylum Ascomycota, is a phytopathogenic fungus distributed worldwide in hot dry areas. There are few studies on its secreted lipases and none on its colony radial growth rate, an indicator of fungal ability to use nutrients for growth, on media other than potato-dextrose agar. In this study, 13 M. phaseolina isolates collected in different Brazilian regions were screened for fast-growth and the production of hydrolases of industrial interest, especially alkaline lipases. Hydrolase detection and growth rate determination were done on citric pectin, gelatin, casein, soluble starch, and olive oil as substrates. Ten isolates were found to be active on all substrates tested. The most commonly detected enzymes were pectinases, amylases, and lipases. The growth rate on pectin was significantly higher (P media identified CMM 2105, CMM 1091, and PEL as the fastest-growing isolates. The lipase activity of four isolates grown on olive oil was followed for 4 days by measuring the activity in the cultivation broth. The specific lipolytic activity of isolate PEL was significantly higher at 96 h (130 mU mg protein(-1)). The broth was active at 37 °C, pH 8, indicating the potential utility of the lipases of this isolate in mild alkaline detergents. There was a strong and positive correlation (0.86) between radial growth rate and specific lipolytic activity.

  6. Phylogenetic congruence between subtropical trees and their associated fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xubing; Liang, Minxia; Etienne, Rampal S; Gilbert, Gregory S; Yu, Shixiao

    2016-12-01

    Recent studies have detected phylogenetic signals in pathogen-host networks for both soil-borne and leaf-infecting fungi, suggesting that pathogenic fungi may track or coevolve with their preferred hosts. However, a phylogenetically concordant relationship between multiple hosts and multiple fungi in has rarely been investigated. Using next-generation high-throughput DNA sequencing techniques, we analyzed fungal taxa associated with diseased leaves, rotten seeds, and infected seedlings of subtropical trees. We compared the topologies of the phylogenetic trees of the soil and foliar fungi based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region with the phylogeny of host tree species based on matK , rbcL , atpB, and 5.8S genes. We identified 37 foliar and 103 soil pathogenic fungi belonging to the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota phyla and detected significantly nonrandom host-fungus combinations, which clustered on both the fungus phylogeny and the host phylogeny. The explicit evidence of congruent phylogenies between tree hosts and their potential fungal pathogens suggests either diffuse coevolution among the plant-fungal interaction networks or that the distribution of fungal species tracked spatially associated hosts with phylogenetically conserved traits and habitat preferences. Phylogenetic conservatism in plant-fungal interactions within a local community promotes host and parasite specificity, which is integral to the important role of fungi in promoting species coexistence and maintaining biodiversity of forest communities.

  7. Exploring the potential of fungi isolated from PAH-polluted soil as a source of xenobiotics-degrading fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godoy, Patricia; Reina, Rocío; Calderón, Andrea; Wittich, Regina-Michaela; García-Romera, Inmaculada; Aranda, Elisabet

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this study was to find polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading fungi adapted to polluted environments for further application in bioremediation processes. In this study, a total of 23 fungal species were isolated from a historically pyrogenic PAH-polluted soil in Spain and taxonomically identified. The dominant groups in these samples were the ones associated with fungi belonging to the Ascomycota phylum and two isolates belonging to the Mucoromycotina subphylum and Basiodiomycota phylum. We tested their ability to convert the three-ring PAH anthracene in a 42-day time course and analysed their ability to secrete extracellular oxidoreductase enzymes. Among the 23 fungal species screened, 12 were able to oxidize anthracene, leading to the formation of 9,10-anthraquinone as the main metabolite, a less toxic one than the parent compound. The complete removal of anthracene was achieved by three fungal species. In the case of Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, extracellular enzyme independent degradation of the initial 100 μM anthracene occurred, whilst in the case of the ligninolytic fungus Fomes (Basidiomycota), the same result was obtained with extracellular enzyme-dependent transformation. The yield of accumulated 9,10-anthraquinone was 80 and 91 %, respectively, and Fomes sp. could slowly deplete it from the growth medium when offered alone. These results are indicative for the effectiveness of these fungi for pollutant removal. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

  8. Predation success by a plant-ant indirectly favours the growth and fitness of its host myrmecophyte.

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    Alain Dejean

    Full Text Available Mutualisms, or interactions between species that lead to net fitness benefits for each species involved, are stable and ubiquitous in nature mostly due to "byproduct benefits" stemming from the intrinsic traits of one partner that generate an indirect and positive outcome for the other. Here we verify if myrmecotrophy (where plants obtain nutrients from the refuse of their associated ants can explain the stability of the tripartite association between the myrmecophyte Hirtella physophora, the ant Allomerus decemarticulatus and an Ascomycota fungus. The plant shelters and provides the ants with extrafloral nectar. The ants protect the plant from herbivores and integrate the fungus into the construction of a trap that they use to capture prey; they also provide the fungus and their host plant with nutrients. During a 9-month field study, we over-provisioned experimental ant colonies with insects, enhancing colony fitness (i.e., more winged females were produced. The rate of partial castration of the host plant, previously demonstrated, was not influenced by the experiment. Experimental plants showed higher δ(15N values (confirming myrmecotrophy, plus enhanced vegetative growth (e.g., more leaves produced increased the possibility of lodging ants in leaf pouches and fitness (i.e., more fruits produced and more flowers that matured into fruit. This study highlights the importance of myrmecotrophy on host plant fitness and the stability of ant-myrmecophyte mutualisms.

  9. Fungi diversity in PM2. 5 and PM1 at the summit of Mt. Tai: abundance, size distribution, and seasonal variation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Caihong; Wei, Min; Chen, Jianmin; Zhu, Chao; Li, Jiarong; Lv, Ganglin; Xu, Xianmang; Zheng, Lulu; Sui, Guodong; Li, Weijun; Chen, Bing; Wang, Wenxing; Zhang, Qingzhu; Ding, Aijun; Mellouki, Abdelwahid

    2017-09-01

    Fungi are ubiquitous throughout the near-surface atmosphere, where they represent an important component of primary biological aerosol particles. This study combined internal transcribed spacer region sequencing and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to investigate the ambient fungi in fine (PM2. 5, 50 % cutoff aerodynamic diameter Da50 = 2.5 µm, geometric standard deviation of collection efficiency σg = 1.2) and submicron (PM1, Da50 = 1 µm, σg = 1.2) particles at the summit of Mt. Tai located in the North China Plain, China. Fungal abundance values were 9.4 × 104 and 1.3 × 105 copies m-3 in PM2. 5 and PM1, respectively. Most of the fungal sequences were from Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, which are known to actively discharge spores into the atmosphere. The fungal community showed a significant seasonal shift across different size fractions according to Metastats analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. The abundance of Glomerella and Zasmidium increased in larger particles in autumn, whereas Penicillium, Bullera, and Phaeosphaeria increased in smaller particles in winter. Environmental factors, namely Ca2+, humidity, and temperature, were found to be crucial for the seasonal variation in the fungal community. This study might serve as an important reference for fungal contribution to primary biological aerosol particles.

  10. Proteomic Insights on the Metabolism of Penicillium janczewskii during the Biotransformation of the Plant Terpenoid Labdanolic Acid

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    Isabel Martins

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Plant terpenoids compose a natural source of chemodiversity of exceptional value. Many of these compounds own biological/pharmacological activity, others are regarded as unique chemical skeletons for the synthesis of derivatives with improved properties. Functional chemical modification of terpenoids through biotransformation frequently relies on the use of Ascomycota strains, but information on major cellular responses is still largely lacking. Penicillium janczewskii mediates a stereo-selective hydroxylation of labdanolic acid (LA—terpenoid found abundantly in Cistus ladanifer—producing 3β-hydroxy-labdanolic acid with yields >90%. Herein, combined analyses of mycelial and extracellular differential proteomes demonstrated that the plant terpenoid increased stress responses, especially against oxidative stress (e.g., accumulation of superoxide dismutase and apparently altered mitochondria functioning. One putative cytochrome P450 monooxygenase differentially accumulated in the secretome and the terpenoid bioconversion was inhibited in vivo in the presence of a P450 inhibitor. The stereo-selective hydroxylation of the plant terpenoid is likely mediated by P450 enzymes, yet its unequivocal identity remains unclear. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that proteomics was used to investigate how a plant terpenoid impacts the metabolism of a filamentous fungus during its efficiently biotransformation. Our findings may encourage the development of new strategies for the valorization of plant natural resources through biotechnology.

  11. Do photobionts influence the ecology of lichens? A case study of environmental preferences in symbiotic green alga Asterochloris (Trebouxiophyceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peksa, Ondřej; Skaloud, Pavel

    2011-09-01

    The distribution patterns of symbiotic algae are thought to be conferred mainly by their hosts, however, they may originate in algal environmental requirements as well. In lichens, predominantly terrestrial associations of fungi with algae or cyanobacteria, the ecological preferences of photobionts have not been directly studied so far. Here, we examine the putative environmental requirements in lichenized alga Asterochloris, and search for the existence of ecological guilds in Asterochloris-associating lichens. Therefore, the presence of phylogenetic signal in several environmental traits was tested. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated set of internal transcribed spacer rDNA and actin type I intron sequences from photobionts associated with lichens of the genera Lepraria and Stereocaulon (Stereocaulaceae, Ascomycota) revealed 13 moderately to well-resolved clades. Photobionts from particular algal clades were found to be associated with taxonomically different, but ecologically similar lichens. The rain and sun exposure were the most significant environmental factor, clearly distinguishing the Asterochloris lineages. The photobionts from ombrophobic and ombrophilic lichens were clustered in completely distinct clades. Moreover, two photobiont taxa were obviously differentiated based on their substrate and climatic preferences. Our study, thus reveals that the photobiont, generally the subsidiary member of the symbiotic lichen association, could exhibit clear preferences for environmental factors. These algal preferences may limit the ecological niches available to lichens and lead to the existence of specific lichen guilds. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  12. Endohyphal bacterium enhances production of indole-3-acetic acid by a foliar fungal endophyte.

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    Michele T Hoffman

    Full Text Available Numerous plant pathogens, rhizosphere symbionts, and endophytic bacteria and yeasts produce the important phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, often with profound effects on host plants. However, to date IAA production has not been documented among foliar endophytes -- the diverse guild of primarily filamentous Ascomycota that live within healthy, above-ground tissues of all plant species studied thus far. Recently bacteria that live within hyphae of endophytes (endohyphal bacteria have been detected, but their effects have not been studied previously. Here we show not only that IAA is produced in vitro by a foliar endophyte (here identified as Pestalotiopsis aff. neglecta, Xylariales, but that IAA production is enhanced significantly when the endophyte hosts an endohyphal bacterium (here identified as Luteibacter sp., Xanthomonadales. Both the endophyte and the endophyte/bacterium complex appear to rely on an L-tryptophan dependent pathway for IAA synthesis. The bacterium can be isolated from the fungus when the symbiotic complex is cultivated at 36°C. In pure culture the bacterium does not produce IAA. Culture filtrate from the endophyte-bacterium complex significantly enhances growth of tomato in vitro relative to controls and to filtrate from the endophyte alone. Together these results speak to a facultative symbiosis between an endophyte and endohyphal bacterium that strongly influences IAA production, providing a new framework in which to explore endophyte-plant interactions.

  13. Effects of natural hybrid and non-hybrid Epichloë endophytes on the response of Hordelymus europaeus to drought stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberhofer, Martina; Güsewell, Sabine; Leuchtmann, Adrian

    2014-01-01

    Interspecific hybrid endophytes of the genus Epichloë (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) are prevalent in wild grass populations, possibly because of their larger gene variation, resulting in increased fitness benefits for host plants; however, the reasons are not yet known. We tested hypotheses regarding niche expansion mediated by hybrid endophytes, population-dependent interactions and local co-adaptation in the woodland grass Hordelymus europaeus, which naturally hosts both hybrid and non-hybrid endophyte taxa. Seedlings derived from seeds of four grass populations made endophyte free were re-inoculated with hybrid or non-hybrid endophyte strains, or left endophyte free. Plants were grown in the glasshouse with or without drought treatment. Endophyte infection increased plant biomass and tiller production by 10-15% in both treatments. Endophyte types had similar effects on growth, but opposite effects on reproduction: non-hybrid endophytes increased seed production, whereas hybrid endophytes reduced or prevented it completely. The results are consistent with the observation that non-hybrid endophytes in H. europaeus prevail at dry sites, but cannot explain the prevalence of hybrid endophytes. Thus, our results do not support the hypothesis of niche expansion of hybrid-infected plants. Moreover, plants inoculated with native relative to foreign endophytes yielded higher infections, but both showed similar growth and survival, suggesting weak co-adaptation. © 2013 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

  14. Assembly, Annotation, and Analysis of Multiple Mycorrhizal Fungal Genomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Initiative Consortium, Mycorrhizal Genomics; Kuo, Alan; Grigoriev, Igor; Kohler, Annegret; Martin, Francis

    2013-03-08

    Mycorrhizal fungi play critical roles in host plant health, soil community structure and chemistry, and carbon and nutrient cycling, all areas of intense interest to the US Dept. of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI). To this end we are building on our earlier sequencing of the Laccaria bicolor genome by partnering with INRA-Nancy and the mycorrhizal research community in the MGI to sequence and analyze dozens of mycorrhizal genomes of all Basidiomycota and Ascomycota orders and multiple ecological types (ericoid, orchid, and ectomycorrhizal). JGI has developed and deployed high-throughput sequencing techniques, and Assembly, RNASeq, and Annotation Pipelines. In 2012 alone we sequenced, assembled, and annotated 12 draft or improved genomes of mycorrhizae, and predicted ~;;232831 genes and ~;;15011 multigene families, All of this data is publicly available on JGI MycoCosm (http://jgi.doe.gov/fungi/), which provides access to both the genome data and tools with which to analyze the data. Preliminary comparisons of the current total of 14 public mycorrhizal genomes suggest that 1) short secreted proteins potentially involved in symbiosis are more enriched in some orders than in others amongst the mycorrhizal Agaricomycetes, 2) there are wide ranges of numbers of genes involved in certain functional categories, such as signal transduction and post-translational modification, and 3) novel gene families are specific to some ecological types.

  15. Yeast and yeast-like fungi associated with dry indehiscent fruits of Nothofagus nervosa in Patagonia, Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández, Natalia V; Mestre, M Cecilia; Marchelli, Paula; Fontenla, Sonia B

    2012-04-01

    Nothofagus nervosa (Raulí) is a native tree species that yields valuable timber. It was overexploited in the past and is currently included in domestication and conservation programs. Several research programs have focused on the characterization of epiphytic microorganisms because it has been demonstrated that they can affect plant-pathogen interactions and/or promote plant growth. Although the microbial ecology of leaves has been well studied, less is known about microorganisms occurring on seeds and noncommercial fruits. In this work, we analyzed the yeast and yeast-like fungi present on N. nervosa fruits destined for the propagation of this species, as well as the effects of fruit preservation and seed dormancy-breaking processes on fungal diversity. Morphological and molecular methods were used, and differences between fungal communities were analyzed using a similarity index. A total of 171 isolates corresponding to 17 species were recovered, most of which belong to the phylum Ascomycota. The majority of the species develop mycelia, produce pigments and mycosporines, and these adaptation strategies are discussed. It was observed that the preservation process considerably reduced yeast and yeast-like fungal diversity. This is the first study concerning microbial communities associated with this ecologically and economically important species, and the information presented is relevant to domestication programs. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Espécies de Parmotrema (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota do litoral centro-sul do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil: I. Grupos químicos girofórico e lecanórico Species of Parmotrema (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota of the central-southern coast of São Paulo Etate, Brazil: I. Gyrophoric and lecanoric chemical group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michel Navarro Benatti

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available O levantamento das espécies pertencentes aos gêneros de grandes parmélias do litoral centro-sul do Estado de São Paulo revelou a ocorrência de sete espécies de Parmotrema (talos foliosos de lobos arredondados em geral com mais de 0,5 cm larg. com margens inferiores não rizinadas contendo como constituintes químicos medulares os ácidos girofórico e lecanórico, tipicamente reconhecidos pela cor avermelhada que resulta dos testes de coloração com hipoclorito de cálcio. São apresentados uma chave de identificação, descrições, comentários e ilustrações baseados em material brasileiro.In a survey of the species pertaining to genera of large parmeliae occurring in the coastal areas of central-southern São Paulo state, Brazil, seven species of Parmotrema (foliose thalli with rounded lobes usually more than 0.5 cm wide with nude lower margins containing gyrophoric and lecanoric acids as main medullar substances were found. These are typically recognized by the red staining calcium hypochlorite spot tests. Identification key, descriptions, comments, and illustrations based on Brazilian material are provided for these species.

  17. Espécies de Parmotrema (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota do litoral centro-sul do Estado de São Paulo: II. Grupos químicos norstíctico e salazínico Species of Parmotrema sensu strict (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota of the south-central- coast of São Paulo state: II. Chemical groups norstictic and salazinic

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    Marcelo Pinto Marcelli

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available O levantamento das espécies pertencentes aos gêneros de grandes parmélias do litoral centro-sul do Estado de São Paulo revelou a ocorrência de nove espécies de Parmotrema sensu stricto (talos foliosos de lobos arredondados em geral com mais de 0,5 cm larg. com margens inferiores não rizinadas contendo como constituintes químicos medulares os ácidos norstíctico ou salazínico. São tipicamente reconhecidos pela cor amarela que se torna avermelhada resultante dos testes de coloração com hidróxido de potássio. São apresentados uma chave de identificação, descrições, comentários e ilustrações, baseados em material brasileiro.In a survey of the species pertaining to genera of large parmeliae occurring in the coastal areas of south-central São Paulo state, Brazil, nine species of Parmotrema sensu stricto (foliose thalli with rounded lobes usually more than 0,5 mm wide with nude lower margins containing norstictic or salazinic acids as main medullar substances were found. These are typically recognized by the yellow then red staining potassium hydroxide spot tests. Identification key, descriptions, comments, and illustrations based on Brazilian material are provided for these species.

  18. Espécies de Parmotrema (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota do litoral centro-sul do estado de São Paulo III: Grupos químicos equinocárpico e stíctico Species of Parmotrema sensu strict (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota from the central-southern coast of São Paulo state II: Chemical groups equinocarpic and stictic

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    Michel Navarro Benatti

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available O levantamento das espécies pertencentes aos gêneros de grandes parmélias do litoral centro-sul do Estado de São Paulo revelou a ocorrência de sete espécies de Parmotrema sensu stricto (talos foliosos de lobos arredondados em geral com mais de 0,5 cm larg. com margens inferiores não rizinadas contendo como constituintes químicos medulares os ácidos equinocárpico ou stíctico. São tipicamente reconhecidos pela forte cor amarela que resulta dos testes de coloração com hidróxido de potássio. São apresentados chave de identificação, descrições, comentários e ilustrações baseados em material brasileiro.In a survey of the species pertaining to genera of large parmeliae occurring in the coastal areas of the central-southern coast of São Paulo state, Brazil, seven species of Parmotrema sensu stricto (foliose thalli with rounded lobes usually more than 0.5 mm wide with nude lower margins containing equinocarpic or stictic acids as the main medullar substances were found. These are typically recognized by the strong yellow- staining potassium hydroxide spot test. An identification key, descriptions, comments, and illustrations based on Brazilian material are provided for these species.

  19. Online image databases as multi-purpose resources: discovery of a new host ant of Rickia wasmannii Cavara (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales by screening AntWeb.org

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    Ferenc Báthori

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Public awareness has been raised on the importance of natural history and academic collections for science and society in a time when reduced financial support and staff cuts are prevalent. In the field of biology, new species and new interspecies associations are constantly discovered by making use of museum collections, digitalised materials or citizen science programs. In our study, the Myrmica Latreille, 1804 image collection of AntWeb.org was screened for fungal ectoparasites. A total of 397 imaged specimens from 133 species were visually investigated. A single specimen of M. hellenica Finzi, 1926, collected in Greece by U. Sahlberg, showed a conspicuous fungal infection. The parasite was identified using microscopic methods as Rickia wasmannii Cavara, an ectoparasitic fungal species specialised to Myrmica ants. This finding represents a new country record and a new Myrmica species for the host spectrum of R. wasmannii. According to our results, online entomological databases can be screened relatively easily for ectoparasitic fungal infections from new hosts and new regions. However, depending on quality of the insect voucher photos, additional investigation of the material could be needed to confirm the identity of the parasite.

  20. The revision of specimens of the Cladonia pyxidata-chlorophaea group (lichenized Ascomycota from northeastern Poland deposited in the herbarium collections of University in Bialystok

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    Anna Matwiejuk

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In northeastern Poland, the chemical variation of the Cladonia chlorophaea-pyxidata group was much neglected, as TLC has not been used in delimitation of species differing in the chemistry. As a great part of herbal material of University in Bialystok from NE Poland was misidentified, I found my studies to be necessary. Based on the collection of 123 specimens deposited in Herbarium of University in Bialystok, nine species of the C. pyxidata-chlorophaea group are reported from NE Poland. The morphology, secondary chemistry, and ecology of examined lichens are presented and the list of localities is provided. The results revealed that C. fimbriata is the most common species in the northeastern Poland, comprising around 33% of the studied specimens. Cladonia conista, C. cryptochlorophaea, and C. merochlorophaea are known only from very few locations. This study shed light on the role of the lichens substances to diagnosis of the species of C. pyxidata-chlorophaea group.

  1. Proposals to conserve the names Chaetomium piluliferum (Botryotrichum piluliferum) against ……and Gnomonia intermedia (Ophiognomonia intermedia) against Gloeosporium betulae (Discula betulae) (Ascomycota: Sordariomycetes)

    Science.gov (United States)

    In the course of updating the scientific names of plant-associated fungi in the USDA-ARS U.S. National Fungus Collections Fungal Databases to conform with one scientific name for fungi as required by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN, McNeill & al. in Regnum Veg...

  2. Infectious intimacy and contaminated caves—three new species of ectoparasitic fungi (Ascomycota: Laboulbeniales) from blaniulid millipedes (Diplopoda: Julida) and inferences about their transmittal mechanisms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Enghoff, Henrik; Santamaria, S.

    2015-01-01

    Laboulbeniales is an order of more than 2000 species of small ascomycete fungi which are ectoparasites of insects, millipedes and mites. They are often highly hostspecific and often are also highly specific with regard to which body parts they infect. Laboulbeniales from millipedes are particular...

  3. Phylogenetic position of the yeast-like symbiotes of Tagosodes orizicolus (Homoptera: Delphacidae based on 18S ribosomal DNA partial sequences

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    Ana M Xet-Mull

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available Tagosodes orizicolus Muir (Homoptera: Delphacidae, the endemic delphacid species of tropical America carries yeast-like symbiotes (YLS in the abdominal fat bodies and the ovarial tissues, like other rice planthoppers of Asia. These YLS are obligate symbiotes, which are transmitted transovarially, and maintain a mutualistic relationship with the insect host. This characteristic has made in vitro culture and classification of YLS rather difficult using conventional methods. Nevertheless, microorganisms of similar characteristics have been successfully classified by using molecular taxonomy. In the present work, the YLS of Tagosodes orizicolus(YLSTo were purified on Percoll® gradients, and specific segments of 18S rDNA were amplified by PCR, cloned and sequenced. Sequences were aligned by means of the CLUSTAL V (DNASTAR program; phylogenetic trees were constructed with the Phylogeny Inference Package (PHYLIP, showing that YLSTo belong to the fungi class Pyrenomycetes, phylum Ascomycota. Similarities between 98% and 100% were observed among YLS of the rice delphacids Tagosodes orizicolus, Nilaparvata lugens, Laodelphax striatellus and Sogatella furcifera, and between 89.8% and 90.8% when comparing the above to YLS of the aphid Hamiltonaphis styraci. These comparisons revealed that delphacid YLS are a highly conserved monophyletic group within the Pyrenomycetes and are closely related to Hypomyces chrysospermus. Rev. Biol. Trop. 52(3: 777-785. Epub 2004 Dic 15.Tagosodes orizicolus Muir (Homoptera: Delphacidae es una especie endémica de América tropical que al igual que otros saltahojas de Asia, tiene simbiontes levaduriformes (YLS, por sus siglas en Inglés en los cuerpos grasos del abdomen y en los tejidos de los ovarios. Los YLS son simbiontes obligados que se transmiten transovarialmente y que mantienen relaciones mutualística con el insecto hospedero. Esta característica ha hecho muy difícil su cultivo in vitro y por ende su clasificaci

  4. Field efficacy of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae), Metarhizium brunneum (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), and chemical insecticide combinations for Diabrotica virgifera virgifera larval management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rauch, Hannes; Steinwender, Bernhardt Michael; Mayerhofer, Johanna

    2017-01-01

    A two-year field study using a blend of entomopathogens in conjunction with chemical insecticides was carried out to determine to which extent they affect western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, survival, maize root damages, and grain yield and to assess the potential for sid...... is considerably higher than the stipulated economic threshold under favourable growing conditions, but a systematic crop rotation is recommended as an integral part of the WCR management both as a prophylaxis and as a background for the best treatment....

  5. Fungal specificity and selectivity for algae play a major role in determining lichen partnerships across diverse ecogeographic regions in the lichen-forming family Parmeliaceae (Ascomycota).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leavitt, Steven D; Kraichak, Ekaphan; Nelsen, Matthew P; Altermann, Susanne; Divakar, Pradeep K; Alors, David; Esslinger, Theodore L; Crespo, Ana; Lumbsch, Thorsten

    2015-07-01

    Microbial symbionts are instrumental to the ecological and long-term evolutionary success of their hosts, and the central role of symbiotic interactions is increasingly recognized across the vast majority of life. Lichens provide an iconic group for investigating patterns in species interactions; however, relationships among lichen symbionts are often masked by uncertain species boundaries or an inability to reliably identify symbionts. The species-rich lichen-forming fungal family Parmeliaceae provides a diverse group for assessing patterns of interactions of algal symbionts, and our study addresses patterns of lichen symbiont interactions at the largest geographic and taxonomic scales attempted to date. We analysed a total of 2356 algal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences collected from lichens representing ten mycobiont genera in Parmeliaceae, two genera in Lecanoraceae and 26 cultured Trebouxia strains. Algal ITS sequences were grouped into operational taxonomic units (OTUs); we attempted to validate the evolutionary independence of a subset of the inferred OTUs using chloroplast and mitochondrial loci. We explored the patterns of symbiont interactions in these lichens based on ecogeographic distributions and mycobiont taxonomy. We found high levels of undescribed diversity in Trebouxia, broad distributions across distinct ecoregions for many photobiont OTUs and varying levels of mycobiont selectivity and specificity towards the photobiont. Based on these results, we conclude that fungal specificity and selectivity for algal partners play a major role in determining lichen partnerships, potentially superseding ecology, at least at the ecogeographic scale investigated here. To facilitate effective communication and consistency across future studies, we propose a provisional naming system for Trebouxia photobionts and provide representative sequences for each OTU circumscribed in this study. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Complex patterns of speciation in cosmopolitan "rock posy" lichens--discovering and delimiting cryptic fungal species in the lichen-forming Rhizoplaca melanophthalma species-complex (Lecanoraceae, Ascomycota).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leavitt, Steven D; Fankhauser, Johnathon D; Leavitt, Dean H; Porter, Lyndon D; Johnson, Leigh A; St Clair, Larry L

    2011-06-01

    A growing body of evidence indicates that in some cases morphology-based species circumscription of lichenized fungi misrepresents the number of existing species. The cosmopolitan "rock posy" lichen (Rhizoplaca melanophthalma) species-complex includes a number of morphologically distinct species that are both geographically and ecologically widespread, providing a model system to evaluate speciation in lichen-forming ascomycetes. In this study, we assembled multiple lines of evidence from nuclear DNA sequence data, morphology, and biochemistry for species delimitation in the R. melanophthalma species-complex. We identify a total of ten candidate species in this study, four of which were previously recognized as distinct taxa and six previously unrecognized lineages found within what has been thus far considered a single species. Candidate species are supported using inferences from multiple empirical operational criteria. Multiple instances of sympatry support the view that these lineages merit recognition as distinct taxa. Generally, we found little corroboration between morphological and chemical characters, and previously unidentified lineages were morphologically polymorphic. However, secondary metabolite data supported one cryptic saxicolous lineage, characterized by orsellinic-derived gyrophoric and lecanoric acids, which we consider to be taxonomically significant. Our study of the R. melanophthalma species-complex indicates that the genus Rhizoplaca, as presently circumscribed, is more diverse in western North American than originally perceived, and we present our analyses as a working example of species delimitation in morphologically cryptic and recently diverged lichenized fungi. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Identificación de Yarrowia lipolytica (Ascomycota: Hemiascomycetes como contaminante en la obtención de amplificados del gen 28S rRNA de moluscos

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    Jenny Chirinos

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available En el presente trabajo se identifica una secuencia de DNA no esperada proveniente de los amplificados del gen 28S rRNA de moluscos terrestres. Las extracciones de DNA se realizaron del tejido del pie de caracoles terrestres por el método del CTAB modificado. Las PCRs fueron llevadas a cabo con primers universales para el gen COI e iniciadores diseñados para moluscos, para el marcador 16S rRNA, 28S rRNA y la región ITS-2. Los tamaños aproximados de las bandas de los amplificados de moluscos fueron de 706 pb para el COI, 330 pb para el 16S rRNA, 900 pb para el ITS-2 y 583 pb para el 28S rRNA; un amplificado del último marcador fue de una longitud inesperada, ~340 pb. Las secuencias de DNA fueron comparadas con la base de datos del GenBank mediante el programa BLASTn y la muestra con la banda de tamaño inesperado resultó en un 100% de identidad y cobertura del 99% con el gen 26S rRNA de la levadura Yarrowia lipolytica. El análisis filogenético con Neighbour-Joining y los valores de divergencia confirmaron la identificación, proporcionando resultados que apoyan la ubicación taxonómica de la especie dentro del clado de los Hemiascomycetes.

  8. Several genes encoding enzymes with the same activity are necessary for aerobic fungal degradation of cellulose in nature.

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    Peter K Busk

    Full Text Available The cellulose-degrading fungal enzymes are glycoside hydrolases of the GH families and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases. The entanglement of glycoside hydrolase families and functions makes it difficult to predict the enzymatic activity of glycoside hydrolases based on their sequence. In the present study we further developed the method Peptide Pattern Recognition to an automatic approach not only to find all genes encoding glycoside hydrolases and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases in fungal genomes but also to predict the function of the genes. The functional annotation is an important feature as it provides a direct route to predict function from primary sequence. Furthermore, we used Peptide Pattern Recognition to compare the cellulose-degrading enzyme activities encoded by 39 fungal genomes. The results indicated that cellobiohydrolases and AA9 lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases are hallmarks of cellulose-degrading fungi except brown rot fungi. Furthermore, a high number of AA9, endocellulase and β-glucosidase genes were identified, not in what are known to be the strongest, specialized lignocellulose degraders but in saprophytic fungi that can use a wide variety of substrates whereas only few of these genes were found in fungi that have a limited number of natural, lignocellulotic substrates. This correlation suggests that enzymes with different properties are necessary for degradation of cellulose in different complex substrates. Interestingly, clustering of the fungi based on their predicted enzymes indicated that Ascomycota and Basidiomycota use the same enzymatic activities to degrade plant cell walls.

  9. Intercropped silviculture systems, a key to achieving soil fungal community management in eucalyptus plantations.

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    Caio T C C Rachid

    Full Text Available Fungi are ubiquitous and important contributors to soil nutrient cycling, playing a vital role in C, N and P turnover, with many fungi having direct beneficial relationships with plants. However, the factors that modulate the soil fungal community are poorly understood. We studied the degree to which the composition of tree species affected the soil fungal community structure and diversity by pyrosequencing the 28S rRNA gene in soil DNA. We were also interested in whether intercropping (mixed plantation of two plant species could be used to select fungal species. More than 50,000 high quality sequences were analyzed from three treatments: monoculture of Eucalyptus; monoculture of Acacia mangium; and a mixed plantation with both species sampled 2 and 3 years after planting. We found that the plant type had a major effect on the soil fungal community structure, with 75% of the sequences from the Eucalyptus soil belonging to Basidiomycota and 19% to Ascomycota, and the Acacia soil having a sequence distribution of 28% and 62%, respectively. The intercropping of Acacia mangium in a Eucalyptus plantation significantly increased the number of fungal genera and the diversity indices and introduced or increased the frequency of several genera that were not found in the monoculture cultivation samples. Our results suggest that management of soil fungi is possible by manipulating the composition of the plant community, and intercropped systems can be a means to achieve that.

  10. Contrasting responses of bacterial and fungal communities to aggregate-size fractions and long-term fertilizations in soils of northeastern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Hao; Zhang, Yuchen; Zuo, Qinyan; Du, Binbin; Chen, Wenli; Wei, Dan; Huang, Qiaoyun

    2018-04-20

    Soils, with non-uniform distribution of nutrients across different aggregate-size fractions, provide spatially heterogeneous microhabitats for microorganisms. However, very limited information is available on microbial distributions and their response to fertilizations across aggregate-size fractions in agricultural soils. Here, we examined the structures of bacterial and fungal communities across different aggregate-size fractions (2000-250 μm, 250-53 μm and fractions (>53 μm), especially 250-53 μm aggregates, which contain more soil C and N, are associated with greater microbial biomass and higher fungi/bacteria ratio. We firstly reported the fungal community composition in different aggregate-size fractions by HTS technology and found more Ascomycota but less Zygomycota in larger fractions with higher C content across all fertilization regimes. Fertilization and aggregate-size fractions significantly affect the compositions of bacterial and fungal communities although their effects are different. The bacterial community is mainly driven by fertilization, especially chemical fertilizers, and is closely related to the shifts of soil P (phosphorus). The fungal community is preferentially impacted by different aggregate-size fractions and is more associated with the changes of soil C and N. The distinct responses of microbial communities suggest different mechanisms controlling the assembly of soil bacterial and fungal communities at aggregate scale. The investigations of both bacterial and fungal communities could provide a better understanding on nutrient cycling across aggregate-size fractions. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Ligninolytic Activity at 0 °C of Fungi on Oak Leaves Under Snow Cover in a Mixed Forest in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyamoto, Toshizumi; Koda, Keiichi; Kawaguchi, Arata; Uraki, Yasumitsu

    2017-08-01

    Despite the importance of litter decomposition under snow cover in boreal forests and tundra, very little is known regarding the characteristics and functions of litter-decomposing fungi adapted to the cold climate. We investigated the decomposition of oak leaves in a heavy snowfall forest region of Japan. The rate of litter weight loss reached 26.5% during the snow cover period for 7 months and accounted for 64.6% of the annual loss (41.1%). Although no statistically significant lignin loss was detected, decolourization portions of oak leaf litter, which was attributable to the activities of ligninolytic fungi, were observed during snow cover period. This suggests that fungi involved in litter decomposition can produce extracellular enzymes to degrade lignin that remain active at 0 °C. Fungi were isolated from oak leaves collected from the forest floor under the snow layer. One hundred and sixty-six strains were isolated and classified into 33 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on culture characteristics and nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences. To test the ability to degrade lignin, the production of extracellular phenoloxidases by isolates was quantified at 0 °C. Ten OTUs (9 Ascomycota and 1 Basidiomycota) of fungi exhibited mycelial growth and ligninolytic activity. These results suggested that some litter-decomposing fungi that had the potential to degrade lignin at 0 °C significantly contribute to litter decomposition under snow cover.

  12. Spores of many common airborne fungi reveal no ice nucleation activity in oil immersion freezing experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pummer, B. G.; Atanasova, L.; Bauer, H.; Bernardi, J.; Druzhinina, I. S.; Fröhlich-Nowoisky, J.; Grothe, H.

    2013-12-01

    Fungal spores are ubiquitous biological aerosols, which are considered to act as ice nuclei. In this study the ice nucleation (IN) activity of spores harvested from 29 fungal strains belonging to 21 different species was tested in the immersion freezing mode by microscopic observation of water-in-oil emulsions. Spores of 8 of these strains were also investigated in a microdroplet freezing array instrument. The focus was laid on species of economical, ecological or sanitary significance. Besides common molds (Ascomycota), some representatives of the widespread group of mushrooms (Basidiomycota) were also investigated. Fusarium avenaceum was the only sample showing IN activity at relatively high temperatures (about 264 K), while the other investigated fungal spores showed no freezing above 248 K. Many of the samples indeed froze at homogeneous ice nucleation temperatures (about 237 K). In combination with other studies, this suggests that only a limited number of species may act as atmospheric ice nuclei. This would be analogous to what is already known for the bacterial ice nuclei. Apart from that, we selected a set of fungal strains from different sites and exposed them to occasional freezing stress during their cultivation. This was in order to test if the exposure to a cold environment encourages the expression of ice nuclei during growth as a way of adaptation. Although the total protein expression was altered by this treatment, it had no significant impact on the IN activity.

  13. Increased diversity of fungal flora in the vagina of patients with recurrent vaginal candidiasis and allergic rhinitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Renyong; Zheng, Nengneng; Lu, Haifeng; Yin, Hongfang; Yao, Jinmei; Chen, Yu

    2012-11-01

    Recurrent vaginal candidiasis (RVC) is considered to be a hypersensitivity disorder that is associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) in immune deficiencies; however, whether or not the composition of the vaginal fungal flora in patients with AR and RVC is altered and if such alterations in patients with AR are associated with the development of RVC remain unclear. In the present study, a cultivation-independent method with the 18S rRNA gene clone library was used to analyze the diversity and composition of the vaginal fungal flora in patients with AR and RVC and to explore the association. Three fungal phyla (Ascomycotae, 22 out of 28; Basidiomycetes, 5 out of 28; and Oomycetes, 1 out of 28) were identified from groups of healthy volunteers, patients with AR, patients with RVC, and patients with RVC complicated by AR, including 28 phylotypes of fungal flora (10, 15, 17, and 21 phylotypes for each group, respectively). The predominant genera of fungi identified in the vagina included Candida, uncultured fungi, and Dothideomycetes. An increased proportion of Candida albicans accompanied with decreased proportions of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and uncultured fungi was observed in patients with AR or RVC (P vaginal fungal diversity in patients with AR or RVC was significantly higher compared with healthy volunteers (P vaginal fungal flora in patients with AR and RVC and indicated that disturbed vaginal fungal flora in patients with AR might be correlated with disease progression in patients with RVC.

  14. Made for Each Other: Ascomycete Yeasts and Insects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackwell, Meredith

    2017-06-01

    Fungi and insects live together in the same habitats, and many species of both groups rely on each other for success. Insects, the most successful animals on Earth, cannot produce sterols, essential vitamins, and many enzymes; fungi, often yeast-like in growth form, make up for these deficits. Fungi, however, require constantly replenished substrates because they consume the previous ones, and insects, sometimes lured by volatile fungal compounds, carry fungi directly to a similar, but fresh, habitat. Yeasts associated with insects include Ascomycota (Saccharomycotina, Pezizomycotina) and a few Basidiomycota. Beetles, homopterans, and flies are important associates of fungi, and in turn the insects carry yeasts in pits, specialized external pouches, and modified gut pockets. Some yeasts undergo sexual reproduction within the insect gut, where the genetic diversity of the population is increased, while others, well suited to their stable environment, may never mate. The range of interactions extends from dispersal of yeasts on the surface of insects (e.g., cactus- Drosophila -yeast and ephemeral flower communities, ambrosia beetles, yeasts with holdfasts) to extremely specialized associations of organisms that can no longer exist independently, as in the case of yeast-like symbionts of planthoppers. In a few cases yeast-like fungus-insect associations threaten butterflies and other species with extinction. Technical advances improve discovery and identification of the fungi but also inform our understanding of the evolution of yeast-insect symbioses, although there is much more to learn.

  15. High-throughput sequencing for the detection of the bacterial and fungal diversity in Mongolian naturally fermented cow's milk in Russia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wenjun; Zheng, Yi; Kwok, Lai-Yu; Sun, Zhihong; Zhang, Jiachao; Guo, Zhuang; Hou, Qiangchuan; Menhe, Bilige; Zhang, Heping

    2015-02-22

    Traditional fermented dairy products are major components of the typical Mongolian diet since ancient times. However, almost all the previous studies on the microbial composition of traditional Mongolian fermented dairy products analyzed food samples from the Chinese Mongolian region and Mongolia but not the Russian Mongolian region. In this study, the bacterial and fungal community diversity of nineteen naturally fermented cow's milk (NFCM) samples from local Mongolian families residing in Kalmykia and Chita of Russia was investigated with pyrosequencing. Firmicutes and Ascomycota were the predominant phyla respectively for bacteria and fungi. The abundance of the bacterial phylum Acidobacteria was considerably different between the samples from the two regions. At genus level, Lactobacillus and Pichia were the predominating bacterial and fungal genera, respectively, while six bacterial genera significantly differed between the Kalmykia (enrichment of Aeromonas, Bacillus, Clostridium, Streptococcus, Vogesella) and Chita (enrichment of Lactococcus) samples. The results of principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) based on the bacterial or fungal composition of the Kalmykia and Chita samples revealed a different microbiota structure between the samples collected in these two locations. The redundancy analysis (RDA) identified 60 bacterial and 21 fungal OTUs as the key variables responsible for such microbiota structural difference. Our results suggest that structural differences existed in the microbiota of NFCM between Kalmykia and Chita. The difference in geographic environment may be an important factor influencing the microbial diversity of NFCM made by the Mongolians in Russia.

  16. Fungal communities in ancient peatlands developed from different periods in the Sanjiang Plain, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhenqing; Zhou, Xue; Tian, Lei; Ma, Lina; Luo, Shasha; Zhang, Jianfeng; Li, Xiujun; Tian, Chunjie

    2017-01-01

    Peatlands in the Sanjiang Plain could be more vulnerable to global warming because they are located at the southernmost boundary of northern peatlands. Unlike bacteria, fungi are often overlooked, even though they play important roles in substance circulation in the peatland ecosystems. Accordingly, it is imperative that we deepen our understanding of fungal community structure and diversity in the peatlands. In this study, high-throughput Illumina sequencing was used to study the fungal communities in three fens in the Sanjiang Plain, located at the southern edge of northern peatlands. Peat soil was collected from the three fens which developed during different periods. A total of 463,198 fungal ITS sequences were obtained, and these sequences were classified into at least six phyla, 21 classes, more than 60 orders and over 200 genera. The fungal community structures were distinct in the three sites and were dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. However, there were no significant differences between these three fens in any α-diversity index (p > 0.05). Soil age and the carbon (C) accumulation rate, as well as total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), C/N ratio, and bulk density were found to be closely related to the abundance of several dominant fungal taxa. We captured a rich fungal community and confirmed that the dominant taxa were those which were frequently detected in other northern peatlands. Soil age and the C accumulation rate were found to play important roles in shaping the fungal community structure.

  17. The Effect of Water Content of Medium Containing Oryctes rhinoceros Larvae on Metarhizium anisopliae Pathogenicity

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    Dyah Rini Indriyanti

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff Sorokin (Ascomycota: Hypocrealeswould effectively infect the target host on the appropriate medium water content. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of water content of medium on the effectiveness of M. anisopliae fungus infection on O. rhinoceros larvae in the laboratory. Fifty healthy third instar larvae of O. rhinoceros were  obtained from field. The M. anisopliae obtained from Estate Crop Protection Board in Salatiga. The conidia density and viability of M. anisopliae were examined before used. The medium for maintaining the larva was the sawdust that had been sterilized. A total of 50 plastic cups were prepared to place 50 larvae (1 larva/cup. Each cup was filled with 100 g medium  of sawdust plus 2 g of M. anisopliae which was then stirred until mixed, with different water content: P1 (20%, P2 (40%, P3 (60%, P4 (80% and P5 (98%. The result indicated that  the water content of the medium affected the effectiveness of M. anisopliae fungus infection on O. rhinoceros larvae. The water content influenced the duration of larval mortality at each treatment. An important finding in this study is that controlling O. rhineceros larvae  with M. anisopliae can be done by manipulating the water content of medium. The benefit of this study may be used for the recommendation of O. rhinoceros pest control using M. anisopliae  with an effective water media content.

  18. Roles of Forkhead-box Transcription Factors in Controlling Development, Pathogenicity, and Stress Response in Magnaporthe oryzae

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    Jaejin Park

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Although multiple transcription factors (TFs have been characterized via mutagenesis to understand their roles in controlling pathogenicity and infection-related development in Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of rice blast, if and how forkhead-box (FOX TFs contribute to these processes remain to be characterized. Four putative FOX TF genes were identified in the genome of M. oryzae, and phylogenetic analysis suggested that two of them (MoFKH1 and MoHCM1 correspond to Ascomycota-specific members of the FOX TF family while the others (MoFOX1 and MoFOX2 are Pezizomycotina-specific members. Deletion of MoFKH1 (ΔMofkh1 resulted in reduced mycelial growth and conidial germination, abnormal septation and stress response, and reduced virulence. Similarly, ΔMohcm1 exhibited reduced mycelial growth and conidial germination. Conidia of ΔMofkh1 and ΔMohcm1 were more sensitive to one or both of the cell cycle inhibitors hydroxyurea and benomyl, suggesting their role in cell cycle control. On the other hand, loss of MoFOX1 (ΔMofox1 did not show any noticeable changes in development, pathogenicity, and stress response. Deletion of MoFOX2 was not successful even after repeated attempts. Taken together, these results suggested that MoFKH1 and Mo-HCM1 are important in fungal development and that MoFKH1 is further implicated in pathogenicity and stress response in M. oryzae.

  19. Neogene-dominated diversification in neotropical montane lichens: dating divergence events in the lichen-forming fungal genus Oropogon (Parmeliaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leavitt, Steven D; Esslinger, Theodore L; Lumbsch, H Thorsten

    2012-11-01

    Diversification in neotropical regions has been attributed to both Tertiary geological events and Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. However, the timing and processes driving speciation in these regions remain unexplored in many important groups. Here, we address the timing of diversification in the neotropical lichenized fungal genus Oropogon (Ascomycota) and assess traditional species boundaries. We analyzed sequence data from three loci to assess phenotypically circumscribed Oropogon species from the Oaxacan Highlands, Mexico. We provide a comparison of dated divergence estimates between concatenated gene trees and a calibrated multilocus species-tree using substitution rates for two DNA regions. We also compare estimates from a data set excluding ambiguously aligned regions and a data set including the hyper-variable regions in two ribosomal markers. Phylogenetic reconstructions were characterized by well-supported monophyletic clades corresponding to traditionally circumscribed species, with the exception of a single taxon. Divergence estimates indicate that most diversification of the sampled Oropogon species occurred throughout the Oligocene and Miocene, although diversification of a single closely related clade appears to have occurred during the late Pliocene and into the Pleistocene. Divergence estimates calculated from a data set with ambiguously aligned regions removed were much more recent than those from the full data set. Overall, our analyses place the majority of divergence events of Oropogon species from the Oaxacan Highlands within the Neogene and provide strong evidence that climatic changes during the Pleistocene were not a major factor driving speciation in the lichenized genus Oropogon in neotropical highlands.

  20. Fungal communities in ancient peatlands developed from different periods in the Sanjiang Plain, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Lei; Ma, Lina; Luo, Shasha; Zhang, Jianfeng; Li, Xiujun

    2017-01-01

    Peatlands in the Sanjiang Plain could be more vulnerable to global warming because they are located at the southernmost boundary of northern peatlands. Unlike bacteria, fungi are often overlooked, even though they play important roles in substance circulation in the peatland ecosystems. Accordingly, it is imperative that we deepen our understanding of fungal community structure and diversity in the peatlands. In this study, high-throughput Illumina sequencing was used to study the fungal communities in three fens in the Sanjiang Plain, located at the southern edge of northern peatlands. Peat soil was collected from the three fens which developed during different periods. A total of 463,198 fungal ITS sequences were obtained, and these sequences were classified into at least six phyla, 21 classes, more than 60 orders and over 200 genera. The fungal community structures were distinct in the three sites and were dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. However, there were no significant differences between these three fens in any α-diversity index (p > 0.05). Soil age and the carbon (C) accumulation rate, as well as total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), C/N ratio, and bulk density were found to be closely related to the abundance of several dominant fungal taxa. We captured a rich fungal community and confirmed that the dominant taxa were those which were frequently detected in other northern peatlands. Soil age and the C accumulation rate were found to play important roles in shaping the fungal community structure. PMID:29236715

  1. Horizontal transfer of a nitrate assimilation gene cluster and ecological transitions in fungi: a phylogenetic study.

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    Jason C Slot

    Full Text Available High affinity nitrate assimilation genes in fungi occur in a cluster (fHANT-AC that can be coordinately regulated. The clustered genes include nrt2, which codes for a high affinity nitrate transporter; euknr, which codes for nitrate reductase; and NAD(PH-nir, which codes for nitrite reductase. Homologs of genes in the fHANT-AC occur in other eukaryotes and prokaryotes, but they have only been found clustered in the oomycete Phytophthora (heterokonts. We performed independent and concatenated phylogenetic analyses of homologs of all three genes in the fHANT-AC. Phylogenetic analyses limited to fungal sequences suggest that the fHANT-AC has been transferred horizontally from a basidiomycete (mushrooms and smuts to an ancestor of the ascomycetous mold Trichoderma reesei. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences from diverse eukaryotes and eubacteria, and cluster structure, are consistent with a hypothesis that the fHANT-AC was assembled in a lineage leading to the oomycetes and was subsequently transferred to the Dikarya (Ascomycota+Basidiomycota, which is a derived fungal clade that includes the vast majority of terrestrial fungi. We propose that the acquisition of high affinity nitrate assimilation contributed to the success of Dikarya on land by allowing exploitation of nitrate in aerobic soils, and the subsequent transfer of a complete assimilation cluster improved the fitness of T. reesei in a new niche. Horizontal transmission of this cluster of functionally integrated genes supports the "selfish operon" hypothesis for maintenance of gene clusters.

  2. Fungi diversity in PM2. 5 and PM1 at the summit of Mt. Tai: abundance, size distribution, and seasonal variation

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    C. Xu

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Fungi are ubiquitous throughout the near-surface atmosphere, where they represent an important component of primary biological aerosol particles. This study combined internal transcribed spacer region sequencing and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR to investigate the ambient fungi in fine (PM2. 5, 50 % cutoff aerodynamic diameter Da50 =  2.5 µm, geometric standard deviation of collection efficiency σg =  1.2 and submicron (PM1, Da50 =  1 µm, σg =  1.2 particles at the summit of Mt. Tai located in the North China Plain, China. Fungal abundance values were 9.4  ×  104 and 1.3  ×  105 copies m−3 in PM2. 5 and PM1, respectively. Most of the fungal sequences were from Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, which are known to actively discharge spores into the atmosphere. The fungal community showed a significant seasonal shift across different size fractions according to Metastats analysis and the Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test. The abundance of Glomerella and Zasmidium increased in larger particles in autumn, whereas Penicillium, Bullera, and Phaeosphaeria increased in smaller particles in winter. Environmental factors, namely Ca2+, humidity, and temperature, were found to be crucial for the seasonal variation in the fungal community. This study might serve as an important reference for fungal contribution to primary biological aerosol particles.

  3. Intercropped Silviculture Systems, a Key to Achieving Soil Fungal Community Management in Eucalyptus Plantations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachid, Caio T. C. C.; Balieiro, Fabiano C.; Fonseca, Eduardo S.; Peixoto, Raquel Silva; Chaer, Guilherme M.; Tiedje, James M.; Rosado, Alexandre S.

    2015-01-01

    Fungi are ubiquitous and important contributors to soil nutrient cycling, playing a vital role in C, N and P turnover, with many fungi having direct beneficial relationships with plants. However, the factors that modulate the soil fungal community are poorly understood. We studied the degree to which the composition of tree species affected the soil fungal community structure and diversity by pyrosequencing the 28S rRNA gene in soil DNA. We were also interested in whether intercropping (mixed plantation of two plant species) could be used to select fungal species. More than 50,000 high quality sequences were analyzed from three treatments: monoculture of Eucalyptus; monoculture of Acacia mangium; and a mixed plantation with both species sampled 2 and 3 years after planting. We found that the plant type had a major effect on the soil fungal community structure, with 75% of the sequences from the Eucalyptus soil belonging to Basidiomycota and 19% to Ascomycota, and the Acacia soil having a sequence distribution of 28% and 62%, respectively. The intercropping of Acacia mangium in a Eucalyptus plantation significantly increased the number of fungal genera and the diversity indices and introduced or increased the frequency of several genera that were not found in the monoculture cultivation samples. Our results suggest that management of soil fungi is possible by manipulating the composition of the plant community, and intercropped systems can be a means to achieve that. PMID:25706388

  4. Metabarcoding-based fungal diversity on coarse and fine particulate organic matter in a first-order stream in Nova Scotia, Canada [version 2; referees: 2 approved

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    Christian Wurzbacher

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Most streams receive substantial inputs of allochthonous organic material in the form of leaves and twigs (CPOM, coarse particulate organic matter. Mechanical and biological processing converts this into fine particulate organic matter (FPOM. Other sources of particles include flocculated dissolved matter and soil particles. Fungi are known to play a role in the CPOM conversion process, but the taxonomic affiliations of these fungi remain poorly studied. The present study seeks to shed light on the composition of fungal communities on FPOM and CPOM as assessed in a natural stream in Nova Scotia, Canada. Maple leaves were exposed in a stream for four weeks and their fungal community evaluated through pyrosequencing. Over the same period, four FPOM size fractions were collected by filtration and assessed. Particles had much lower ergosterol contents than leaves, suggesting major differences in the extent of fungal colonization. Pyrosequencing documented a total of 821 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTU, of which 726 were exclusive to particles and 47 to leaf samples. Most fungal phyla were represented, including yeast lineages (e.g., Taphrinaceae and Saccharomycotina, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota and Cryptomycota, but several classes of Pezizomycontina (Ascomycota dominated. Cluster dendrograms clearly separated fungal communities from leaves and from particles. Characterizing fungal communities may shed some light on the processing pathways of fine particles in streams and broadens our view of the phylogenetic composition of fungi in freshwater ecosystems.

  5. Mating type gene homologues and putative sex pheromone-sensing pathway in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, a presumably asexual plant root symbiont.

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    Sébastien Halary

    Full Text Available The fungal kingdom displays a fascinating diversity of sex-determination systems. Recent advances in genomics provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of sex, mating type determination, and evolution of sexual reproduction in many fungal species in both ancient and modern phylogenetic lineages. All major fungal groups have evolved sexual differentiation and recombination pathways. However, sexuality is unknown in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF of the phylum Glomeromycota, an ecologically vital group of obligate plant root symbionts. AMF are commonly considered an ancient asexual lineage dating back to the Ordovician, approximately 460 M years ago. In this study, we used genomic and transcriptomic surveys of several AMF species to demonstrate the presence of conserved putative sex pheromone-sensing mitogen-activated protein (MAP kinases, comparable to those described in Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. We also find genes for high mobility group (HMG transcription factors, homologous to SexM and SexP genes in the Mucorales. The SexM genes show a remarkable sequence diversity among multiple copies in the genome, while only a single SexP sequence was detected in some isolates of Rhizophagus irregularis. In the Mucorales and Microsporidia, the sexM gene is flanked by genes for a triosephosphate transporter (TPT and a RNA helicase, but we find no evidence for synteny in the vicinity of the Sex locus in AMF. Nonetheless, our results, together with previous observations on meiotic machinery, suggest that AMF could undergo a complete sexual reproduction cycle.

  6. Dynamics of Bacterial and Fungal Communities during the Outbreak and Decline of an Algal Bloom in a Drinking Water Reservoir.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haihan; Jia, Jingyu; Chen, Shengnan; Huang, Tinglin; Wang, Yue; Zhao, Zhenfang; Feng, Ji; Hao, Huiyan; Li, Sulin; Ma, Xinxin

    2018-02-18

    The microbial communities associated with algal blooms play a pivotal role in organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in freshwater ecosystems. However, there have been few studies focused on unveiling the dynamics of bacterial and fungal communities during the outbreak and decline of algal blooms in drinking water reservoirs. To address this issue, the compositions of bacterial and fungal communities were assessed in the Zhoucun drinking water reservoir using 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene Illumina MiSeq sequencing techniques. The results showed the algal bloom was dominated by Synechococcus, Microcystis, and Prochlorothrix. The bloom was characterized by a steady decrease of total phosphorus (TP) from the outbreak to the decline period (p Limnobacter sp., Synechococcus sp., and Roseomonas sp. The relative size of the fungal community also changed with algal bloom and its composition mainly contained Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Chytridiomycota. Heat map profiling indicated that algal bloom had a more consistent effect upon fungal communities at genus level. Redundancy analysis (RDA) also demonstrated that the structure of water bacterial communities was significantly correlated to conductivity and ammonia nitrogen. Meanwhile, water temperature, Fe and ammonia nitrogen drive the dynamics of water fungal communities. The results from this work suggested that water bacterial and fungal communities changed significantly during the outbreak and decline of algal bloom in Zhoucun drinking water reservoir. Our study highlights the potential role of microbial diversity as a driving force for the algal bloom and biogeochemical cycling of reservoir ecology.

  7. Intercropped silviculture systems, a key to achieving soil fungal community management in eucalyptus plantations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachid, Caio T C C; Balieiro, Fabiano C; Fonseca, Eduardo S; Peixoto, Raquel Silva; Chaer, Guilherme M; Tiedje, James M; Rosado, Alexandre S

    2015-01-01

    Fungi are ubiquitous and important contributors to soil nutrient cycling, playing a vital role in C, N and P turnover, with many fungi having direct beneficial relationships with plants. However, the factors that modulate the soil fungal community are poorly understood. We studied the degree to which the composition of tree species affected the soil fungal community structure and diversity by pyrosequencing the 28S rRNA gene in soil DNA. We were also interested in whether intercropping (mixed plantation of two plant species) could be used to select fungal species. More than 50,000 high quality sequences were analyzed from three treatments: monoculture of Eucalyptus; monoculture of Acacia mangium; and a mixed plantation with both species sampled 2 and 3 years after planting. We found that the plant type had a major effect on the soil fungal community structure, with 75% of the sequences from the Eucalyptus soil belonging to Basidiomycota and 19% to Ascomycota, and the Acacia soil having a sequence distribution of 28% and 62%, respectively. The intercropping of Acacia mangium in a Eucalyptus plantation significantly increased the number of fungal genera and the diversity indices and introduced or increased the frequency of several genera that were not found in the monoculture cultivation samples. Our results suggest that management of soil fungi is possible by manipulating the composition of the plant community, and intercropped systems can be a means to achieve that.

  8. Exploring fungal diversity in deep-sea sediments from Okinawa Trough using high-throughput Illumina sequencing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiao-Yong; Wang, Guang-Hua; Xu, Xin-Ya; Nong, Xu-Hua; Wang, Jie; Amin, Muhammad; Qi, Shu-Hua

    2016-10-01

    The present study investigated the fungal diversity in four different deep-sea sediments from Okinawa Trough using high-throughput Illumina sequencing of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS1). A total of 40,297 fungal ITS1 sequences clustered into 420 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with 97% sequence similarity and 170 taxa were recovered from these sediments. Most ITS1 sequences (78%) belonged to the phylum Ascomycota, followed by Basidiomycota (17.3%), Zygomycota (1.5%) and Chytridiomycota (0.8%), and a small proportion (2.4%) belonged to unassigned fungal phyla. Compared with previous studies on fungal diversity of sediments from deep-sea environments by culture-dependent approach and clone library analysis, the present result suggested that Illumina sequencing had been dramatically accelerating the discovery of fungal community of deep-sea sediments. Furthermore, our results revealed that Sordariomycetes was the most diverse and abundant fungal class in this study, challenging the traditional view that the diversity of Sordariomycetes phylotypes was low in the deep-sea environments. In addition, more than 12 taxa accounted for 21.5% sequences were found to be rarely reported as deep-sea fungi, suggesting the deep-sea sediments from Okinawa Trough harbored a plethora of different fungal communities compared with other deep-sea environments. To our knowledge, this study is the first exploration of the fungal diversity in deep-sea sediments from Okinawa Trough using high-throughput Illumina sequencing.

  9. Fungal Community Successions in Rhizosphere Sediment of Seagrasses Enhalus acoroides under PAHs Stress

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    Juan Ling

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Seagrass meadows represent one of the highest productive marine ecosystems and are of great ecological and economic values. Recently, they have been confronted with worldwide decline. Fungi play important roles in sustaining the ecosystem health as degraders of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, but fewer studies have been conducted in seagrass ecosystems. Hence, we investigated the dynamic variations of the fungal community succession under PAH stress in rhizosphere sediment of seagrasses Enhalus acoroides in this study. Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE, quantitative PCR (qPCR and a clone library have been employed to analyze the fungal community’s shifts. Sequencing results of DGGE and the clone library showed that the predominant species belong to phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. The abundance of three groups decreased sharply over the incubation period, whereas they demonstrated different fungal diversity patterns. Both the exposure time and the PAH concentrations affected the microbial diversity as assessed by PCR-DGGE analysis. Redundancy analysis (RDA indicated that significant factors driving community shifts were ammonium and pH (p < 0.05. Significant amounts of the variations (31.1% were explained by pH and ammonium, illustrating that those two parameters were the most likely ones to influence or be influenced by the fungal communities’ changes. Investigation results also indicated that fungal communities in seagrass meadow were very sensitive to PAH-induced stress and may be used as potential indicators for the PAH contamination.

  10. Microbiota Characterization of Compost Using Omics Approaches Opens New Perspectives for Phytophthora Root Rot Control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaya, Josefa; Marhuenda, Frutos C; Pascual, Jose A; Ros, Margarita

    2016-01-01

    Phytophthora root rot caused by Phytophthora nicotianae is an economically important disease in pepper crops. The use of suppressive composts is a low environmental impact method for its control. Although attempts have been made to reveal the relationship between microbiota and compost suppressiveness, little is known about the microorganisms associated with disease suppression. Here, an Ion Torrent platform was used to assess the microbial composition of composts made of different agro-industrial waste and with different levels of suppressiveness against P. nicotianae. Both bacterial and fungal populations responded differently depending on the chemical heterogeneity of materials used during the composting process. High proportions (67-75%) of vineyard pruning waste were used in the most suppressive composts, COM-A and COM-B. This material may have promoted the presence of higher relative abundance of Ascomycota as well as higher microbial activity, which have proved to be essential for controlling the disease. Although no unique fungi or bacteria have been detected in neither suppressive nor conducive composts, relatively high abundance of Fusarium and Zopfiella were found in compost COM-B and COM-A, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that studies compost metabolome. Surprisingly, composts and peat clustered together in principal component analysis of the metabolic data according to their levels of suppressiveness achieved. This study demonstrated the need for combining the information provided by different techniques, including metagenomics and metametabolomics, to better understand the ability of compost to control plant diseases.

  11. Archaea and fungi of the human gut microbiome: correlations with diet and bacterial residents.

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    Christian Hoffmann

    Full Text Available Diet influences health as a source of nutrients and toxins, and by shaping the composition of resident microbial populations. Previous studies have begun to map out associations between diet and the bacteria and viruses of the human gut microbiome. Here we investigate associations of diet with fungal and archaeal populations, taking advantage of samples from 98 well-characterized individuals. Diet was quantified using inventories scoring both long-term and recent diet, and archaea and fungi were characterized by deep sequencing of marker genes in DNA purified from stool. For fungi, we found 66 genera, with generally mutually exclusive presence of either the phyla Ascomycota or Basiodiomycota. For archaea, Methanobrevibacter was the most prevalent genus, present in 30% of samples. Several other archaeal genera were detected in lower abundance and frequency. Myriad associations were detected for fungi and archaea with diet, with each other, and with bacterial lineages. Methanobrevibacter and Candida were positively associated with diets high in carbohydrates, but negatively with diets high in amino acids, protein, and fatty acids. A previous study emphasized that bacterial population structure was associated primarily with long-term diet, but high Candida abundance was most strongly associated with the recent consumption of carbohydrates. Methobrevibacter abundance was associated with both long term and recent consumption of carbohydrates. These results confirm earlier targeted studies and provide a host of new associations to consider in modeling the effects of diet on the gut microbiome and human health.

  12. Endophytes as sources of antibiotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez-Klimova, Elena; Rodríguez-Peña, Karol; Sánchez, Sergio

    2017-06-15

    Until a viable alternative can be accessible, the emergence of resistance to antimicrobials requires the constant development of new antibiotics. Recent scientific efforts have been aimed at the bioprospecting of microorganisms' secondary metabolites, with special emphasis on the search for antimicrobial natural products derived from endophytes. Endophytes are microorganisms that inhabit the internal tissues of plants without causing apparent harm to the plant. The present review article compiles recent (2006-2016) literature to provide an update on endophyte research aimed at finding metabolites with antibiotic activities. We have included exclusively information on endophytes that produce metabolites capable of inhibiting the growth of bacterial, fungal and protozoan pathogens of humans, animals and plants. Where available, the identified metabolites have been listed. In this review, we have also compiled a list of the bacterial and fungal phyla that have been isolated as endophytes as well as the plant families from which the endophytes were isolated. The majority of endophytes that produce antibiotic metabolites belong to either phylum Ascomycota (kingdom Fungi) or to phylum Actinobacteria (superkingdom Bacteria). Endophytes that produce antibiotic metabolites were predominant, but certainly not exclusively, from the plant families Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae and Araceae, suggesting that endophytes that produce antimicrobial metabolites are not restricted to a reduced number of plant families. The locations where plants (and inhabiting endophytes) were collected from, according to the literature, have been mapped, showing that endophytes that produce bioactive compounds have been collected globally. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Host and geographic structure of endophytic and endolichenic fungi at a continental scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    U'Ren, Jana M; Lutzoni, François; Miadlikowska, Jolanta; Laetsch, Alexander D; Arnold, A Elizabeth

    2012-05-01

    Endophytic and endolichenic fungi occur in healthy tissues of plants and lichens, respectively, playing potentially important roles in the ecology and evolution of their hosts. However, previous sampling has not comprehensively evaluated the biotic, biogeographic, and abiotic factors that structure their communities. Using molecular data we examined the diversity, composition, and distributions of 4154 endophytic and endolichenic Ascomycota cultured from replicate surveys of ca. 20 plant and lichen species in each of five North American sites (Madrean coniferous forest, Arizona; montane semideciduous forest, North Carolina; scrub forest, Florida; Beringian tundra and forest, western Alaska; subalpine tundra, eastern central Alaska). Endolichenic fungi were more abundant and diverse per host species than endophytes, but communities of endophytes were more diverse overall, reflecting high diversity in mosses and lycophytes. Endophytes of vascular plants were largely distinct from fungal communities that inhabit mosses and lichens. Fungi from closely related hosts from different regions were similar in higher taxonomy, but differed at shallow taxonomic levels. These differences reflected climate factors more strongly than geographic distance alone. Our study provides a first evaluation of endophytic and endolichenic fungal associations with their hosts at a continental scale. Both plants and lichens harbor abundant and diverse fungal communities whose incidence, diversity, and composition reflect the interplay of climatic patterns, geographic separation, host type, and host lineage. Although culture-free methods will inform future work, our study sets the stage for empirical assessments of ecological specificity, metabolic capability, and comparative genomics.

  14. Enhancing Growth of Vigna radiata in the Presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biopolymer and Metarhizium anisopliae Spores

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    Bhagwan N. Rekadwad

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Exopolysaccharide producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM 2945 (PANCL belonging to gamma-proteobacterium and entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae MCC 1129 (MAMCC belonging to Ascomycota were studied for their morphological features biochemical characteristics and plant growth promotion ability. Optimum growth of PANCL was recorded after 24 h at temperature 30°C and pH 7.0. Gram-negative PANCL appeared as white in color, one mm size, circular, opaque, and nonconsistent elevated colonies with entire margin. It has utilized dextrose, fructose, maltose, and sorbitol as carbon source and produced acid in the medium. PANCL was sensitive to Polymyxin B (300 µgm/disc followed by Neomycin (30 µgm/disc, Gentamycin (10 µgm/disc, and Chloramphenicol (30 µgm/disc. PANCL has secreted extracellular lipase, amylase, protease, and exopolysaccharides (EPS. Another fungal strain MAMCC sporulated after 168 h at temperature 30°C and pH 7.0. MAMCC has septate-white mycelium and bears dirty green colored spores. Growth of MAMCC was enhanced in the presence of Neem and Karela-Amla oil (0.1 mL each. Extracellular polysaccharide produced by PANCL and spores of MAMCC promoted growth of dicotyledon Vigna radiata (Mung individually as well as in consortium. Considerable increase in dry weight of Vigna radiata was recorded. Thus, reported PANCL and MAMCC strains have promoted growth Vigna radiata and may be a solution for sustainable agriculture.

  15. Assessment of microbial communities in PM1 and PM10 of Urumqi during winter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gou, Huange; Lu, Jianjiang; Li, Shanman; Tong, Yanbin; Xie, Chunbin; Zheng, Xiaowu

    2016-01-01

    Recently, inhalable particulate matter has been reported to carry microorganisms responsible for human allergy and respiratory disease. The unique geographical environment and adverse weather conditions of Urumqi cause double pollution of dust and smog, but research on the microbial content of the atmosphere has not been commenced. In this study, 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequencing were conducted to investigate the microbial composition of Urumqi's PM 1 and PM 10 pollutants in winter. Results showed that the bacterial community is mainly composed of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria accounted for the most proportion which was significant difference in some aforementioned studies. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota constitute the main part of the fungal microbial community. The difference of bacterial relative abundance in sample point is greater than in particle sizes. The sequences of several pathogenic bacteria and opportunistic pathogens were also detected, such as Acinetobacter, Delftia, Serratia, Chryseobacterium, which may impact on immunocompromised populations (elderly, children and postoperative convalescence patients), and some fungal genera may cause several plant diseases. Our findings may serve an important reference value in the global air microbial propagation and air microbial research in desert. - Highlights: • Using 16 s rDNA double variable region (V3 + V4) sequencing to elucidate the bacterial communities. • Several potential microbial allergens and pathogens present in PM 1 and PM 10 were found. • Providing a great supplement to environmental science and human health assessment.

  16. Root-associated fungal community response to drought-associated changes in vegetation community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dean, Sarah L; Warnock, Daniel D; Litvak, Marcy E; Porras-Alfaro, Andrea; Sinsabaugh, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Recent droughts in southwestern USA have led to large-scale mortality of piñon (Pinus edulis) in piñon-juniper woodlands. Piñon mortality alters soil moisture, nutrient and carbon availability, which could affect the root-associated fungal (RAF) communities and therefore the fitness of the remaining plants. We collected fine root samples at a piñon-juniper woodland and a juniper savannah site in central New Mexico. Roots were collected from piñon and juniper (Juniperus monosperma) trees whose nearest neighbors were live piñon, live juniper or dead piñon. RAF communities were analyzed by 454 pyrosequencing of the universal fungal ITS region. The most common taxa were Hypocreales and Chaetothyriales. More than 10% of ITS sequences could not be assigned taxonomy at the phylum level. Two of the unclassified OTUs significantly differed between savanna and woodland, had few like sequences in GenBank and formed new fungal clades with other unclassified RAF from arid plants, highlighting how little study has been done on the RAF of arid ecosystems. Plant host or neighbor did not affect RAF community composition. However, there was a significant difference between RAF communities from woodland vs. savanna, indicating that abiotic factors such as temperature and aridity might be more important in structuring these RAF communities than biotic factors such as plant host or neighbor identity. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EM) were present in juniper as well as piñon in the woodland site, in contrast with previous research, but did not occur in juniper savanna, suggesting a potential shared EM network with juniper. RAF richness was lower in hosts that were neighbors of the opposite host. This may indicate competitive exclusion between fungi from different hosts. Characterizing these communities and their responses to environment and plant neighborhood is a step toward understanding the effects of drought on a biome that spans 19,000,000 ha of southwestern USA. © 2015 by The

  17. Evidence for Widespread Associations between Neotropical Hymenopteran Insects and Actinobacteria

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    Bernal Matarrita-Carranza

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The evolutionary success of hymenopteran insects has been associated with complex physiological and behavioral defense mechanisms against pathogens and parasites. Among these strategies are symbiotic associations between Hymenoptera and antibiotic-producing Actinobacteria, which provide protection to insect hosts. Herein, we examine associations between culturable Actinobacteria and 29 species of tropical hymenopteran insects that span five families, including Apidae (bees, Vespidae (wasps, and Formicidae (ants. In total, 197 Actinobacteria isolates were obtained from 22 of the 29 different insect species sampled. Through 16S rRNA gene sequences of 161 isolates, we show that 91% of the symbionts correspond to members of the genus Streptomyces with less common isolates belonging to Pseudonocardia and Amycolatopsis. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of filamentous bacteria with Streptomyces morphology in brood chambers of two different species of the eusocial wasps. Four fungal strains in the family Ophiocordycipitacea (Hypocreales known to be specialized insect parasites were also isolated. Bioassay challenges between the Actinobacteria and their possible targeted pathogenic antagonist (both obtained from the same insect at the genus or species level provide evidence that different Actinobacteria isolates produced antifungal activity, supporting the hypothesis of a defensive association between the insects and these microbe species. Finally, phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and gyrB demonstrate the presence of five Streptomyces lineages associated with a broad range of insect species. Particularly our Clade I is of much interest as it is composed of one 16S rRNA phylotype repeatedly isolated from different insect groups in our sample. This phylotype corresponds to a previously described lineage of host-associated Streptomyces. These results suggest Streptomyces Clade I is a Hymenoptera host-associated lineage spanning several new insect

  18. Evidence for Widespread Associations between Neotropical Hymenopteran Insects and Actinobacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matarrita-Carranza, Bernal; Moreira-Soto, Rolando D.; Murillo-Cruz, Catalina; Mora, Marielos; Currie, Cameron R.; Pinto-Tomas, Adrián A.

    2017-01-01

    The evolutionary success of hymenopteran insects has been associated with complex physiological and behavioral defense mechanisms against pathogens and parasites. Among these strategies are symbiotic associations between Hymenoptera and antibiotic-producing Actinobacteria, which provide protection to insect hosts. Herein, we examine associations between culturable Actinobacteria and 29 species of tropical hymenopteran insects that span five families, including Apidae (bees), Vespidae (wasps), and Formicidae (ants). In total, 197 Actinobacteria isolates were obtained from 22 of the 29 different insect species sampled. Through 16S rRNA gene sequences of 161 isolates, we show that 91% of the symbionts correspond to members of the genus Streptomyces with less common isolates belonging to Pseudonocardia and Amycolatopsis. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of filamentous bacteria with Streptomyces morphology in brood chambers of two different species of the eusocial wasps. Four fungal strains in the family Ophiocordycipitacea (Hypocreales) known to be specialized insect parasites were also isolated. Bioassay challenges between the Actinobacteria and their possible targeted pathogenic antagonist (both obtained from the same insect at the genus or species level) provide evidence that different Actinobacteria isolates produced antifungal activity, supporting the hypothesis of a defensive association between the insects and these microbe species. Finally, phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and gyrB demonstrate the presence of five Streptomyces lineages associated with a broad range of insect species. Particularly our Clade I is of much interest as it is composed of one 16S rRNA phylotype repeatedly isolated from different insect groups in our sample. This phylotype corresponds to a previously described lineage of host-associated Streptomyces. These results suggest Streptomyces Clade I is a Hymenoptera host-associated lineage spanning several new insect taxa and

  19. Espécies de Cladonia P. Browne (Cladoniaceae, Ascomycota dos Supergrupos Cocciferae, Crustaceae e Perviae em restingas e costões rochosos dos estados do Paraná e de Santa Catarina, Brasil Species of Cladonia P. Browne (Cladoniaceae, Ascomycota, of Supergroup Cocciferae, Crustaceae and Perviae, from restinga vegetation and rocky shores of Paraná and Santa Catarina, Brazil

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    Emerson Luiz Gumboski

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Pouco se conhece das espécies de Cladonia que ocorrem nos estados do Paraná e de Santa Catarina. Informações sobre a ocorrência de liquens em restingas são muito escassas e não há qualquer registro para costões rochosos. O objetivo do trabalho foi realizar um levantamento intensivo das espécies de Cladonia presentes em áreas de restingas e costões rochosos presentes nos estados do Paraná e de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil. Foram encontradas nove espécies pertencentes aos Supergrupos Cocciferae, Crustaceae e Perviae, sendo que Cladonia squamosa é nova citação para o Paraná e C. palmicola para Santa Catarina. Todas as espécies encontradas ocorrem em restingas e sete delas também em costões rochosos. São apresentadas chave de identificação, descrições, comentários e ilustrações.Little is known about the species of Cladonia that occur in the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. Information about the occurrence of lichens in restinga (a type of coastal vegetation in Brazil is very scarce and there are no records from rocky shores. The main goal of the present work was to make an intensive survey of Cladonia species that grow in restinga and on the rocky shores of this region. Nine species belonging to Supergroups Cocciferae, Crustaceae and Perviae were found, and two of them were new records: Cladonia squamosa for Paraná and C. palmicola for Santa Catarina. All of the species recorded occur in restinga and seven of them are also found along rocky shores. An identification key, descriptions, comments and illustrations are provided.

  20. Fungos conidiais associados ao folhedo de Clusia melchiorii Gleason e C. nemorosa G. Mey. (Clusiaceae em fragmento de Mata Atlântica, BA, Brasil Conidial fungi associated to leaf litter of Clusia melchiorii Gleason and C. nemorosa G. Mey (Clusiaceae in a fragment of Atlantic rainforest, Bahia State, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávia Rodrigues Barbosa

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Visando ampliar o conhecimento sobre diversidade de fungos conidiais, 10 folhas mortas de três indivíduos de C. melchiorii e de C. nemorosa foram coletadas bimestralmente na Serra da Jibóia, Bahia, no período de outubro/2005 a junho/2006. As folhas foram lavadas em água corrente e mantidas em câmara-úmida durante 30 dias. As estruturas fúngicas foram retiradas para estudo morfológico. Foram identificados 79 táxons de Ascomycota na forma anamórfica. Destes, 78 são hifomicetos e um celomiceto. Do total, 87% ocorreram sobre C. melchiorii e 55% sobre C. nemorosa. A maioria dos fungos apresentou freqüência esporádica e constância acidental. As espécies mais freqüentes foram: Beltrania rhombica Penz., Chaetopsina fulva Rambelli, Dactylaria ficusicola Paulus, Gadek & Hyde, Verticillium theobromae (Turconi Mason & Hughes e Volutella sp. 1 (sobre C. melchiorii e Atroseptaphiale flagelliformis Matsush., Pseudobeltrania sp., Zygosporium gibbum (Sacc., Rousseau & Bommer Hughes, Verticillium theobromae (Turconi Mason & Hughes e Volutella sp. 1 (sobre C. nemorosa. A similaridade de fungos entre as duas espécies de Clusia atingiu 60% e 11 táxons foram constantes nos dois hospedeiros: Atrosetaphiale flagelliformis, Beltraniella portoricensis (Stevens Piroz. & Patil, Chalara alabamensis Jones & Ingram., Cryptophiale kakombensis Piroz., Parasympodiella laxa (Subram. & Vittal, Speiropsis scopiformis Kuthub. & Nawawi, Thozetella cristata Piroz. & Hodges, Umbellidion radulans Sutton & Hodges, Verticillium theobromae, Volutella sp. 2 e Zygosporium gibbum. Os dados mostram que o folhedo produzido por C. melchiorii e C. nemorosa, na Serra da Jibóia, é rico em fungos conidiais. Esses fungos, como decompositores, são importantes para a dinâmica do ecossistema estudado.In order to increase the diversity knowledge of conidial fungi, 10 dead leaves from three individuals of C. nemorosa and C. melchiorii were bimonthly collected at the "Serra da Jib