Journal of Fungi最新文献

FLOCponics systems combine biofloc-based aquaculture with nutrient recycling and are considered sustainable for intensive aquaculture. However, fungal community dynamics in these systems and their links to water quality remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined temporal changes in fungal communities in a FLOCponics system-based Japanese eel aquaculture by integrating metabarcoding with weekly water quality monitoring. Electrical conductivity (EC), nitrite, and pH displayed significant temporal variation, whereas other water quality parameters remained stable. Metabarcoding yielded 217 fungal operational taxonomic units across all samples. Alpha diversity indices exhibited no significant differences among weeks, indicating stable richness and evenness. In contrast, beta diversity analyses revealed consistent temporal shifts in fungal community composition with time exerting a significant effect after accounting for tank identity. Community changes were significantly EC-associated, with associations to nitrite and nitrate. Variation partitioning indicated that time and water quality primarily explained variation through their overlapping contribution rather than independent effects. Beta diversity decomposition revealed that temporal differences were driven primarily by species replacement rather than nestedness. Environmentally responsive taxa were mainly composed of Rozellomycota, with fewer Ascomycota, including Metapochonia. These results demonstrate structured short-term temporal fungal community reassembly in FLOCponics systems and highlight fungal turnover as a potential indicator of water quality-linked microbial dynamics in sustainable aquaculture.

Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have significantly enhanced the accuracy of phylogenetic inference, enabling comprehensive genome-wide analyses. Fusarium fungi, which include numerous agriculturally and medically important species, are typically classified at the species complex (SC) level. Clarifying the evolutionary relationships and distinctiveness of these SCs is therefore essential for accurate identification and understanding of their biology. Recent large-scale phylogenetic studies based on genomic data have provided a more resolved understanding of the evolutionary relationships among Fusarium SCs, supporting the view that most represent evolutionarily coherent and stable lineages. However, the phylogenetic position of Fusarium commune has not been explicitly examined, despite incongruence between phylogenies inferred from nucleotide and amino acid sequence data. This study aimed to clarify the phylogenetic placement of F. commune at the SC level by re-examining its position using a genome dataset independent of those employed in previous studies. Our results are largely consistent with previously reported genome-scale phylogenetic analyses of the genus Fusarium and support the stability of most SCs. However, F. commune was not clearly included in any of the currently recognized SCs and instead formed an independent lineage. These findings provide insights into the evolutionary history of Fusarium SCs and contribute to a better understanding of the taxonomic position of F. commune.

Microscopic fungi constitute one of the most varied and ecologically significant groups of organisms on Earth; nonetheless, a substantial portion of their richness remains uncharted and little studied [...].

Vulvovaginal candidosis is an affliction caused by yeasts. Symptoms in the vulva are generally associated with the spreading of infected vaginal fluid. To better understand the role of the vulva in these dynamics, in this study we aim to fully identify and characterize non-Candida albicans vulvar yeast isolates. Fifty-four vulvar swabs were obtained from 31 women attending a gynecological consultation. After species identification, fluconazole susceptibility was assessed by the microdilution broth method. Biofilm biomass was quantified using crystal violet staining, and phospholipase and hemolysin production were assessed by plating a calibrated suspension in suitable culture media. Finally, adherence to cervical cells was assessed by infecting a monolayer of HeLa cells. Among the 54 vulvar isolates obtained, 12 different species were identified. About 54% (29/54) of vulvar isolates were resistant to fluconazole. All isolates were able to produce a high amount of biofilm biomass. Pichia kudriavzevii and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa were the only species that produced phospholipase; hemolysin production was detected in isolates belonging to almost all species. Almost all species had the ability to adhere to HeLa cells. These results indicate that the vulva act as a reservoir for fluconazole-resistant yeasts, which are also potentially virulent.

Esteya vermicola is a nematophagous fungus with strong parasitic ability against the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) and shows great potential for the biological control of pine wilt disease. However, this fungus is highly sensitive to environmental stress factors and often exhibits early necrosis when cultured on conventional nutrient-rich media, limiting its large-scale application. In this study, we optimized the long-term cultivation and conidiation conditions of E. vermicola CBS115803 by supplementing minimal medium (MM) with amino acids, and evaluated its stress tolerance and infectivity against the pinewood nematode. Among 20 tested amino acids, histidine significantly increased total conidia production, while arginine, glutamine, and proline markedly promoted the formation of lunate conidia. The combination of arginine, histidine, glutamine, and proline (AHGP) produced the highest overall conidia yield and lunate conidia proportion. The MM + AHGP medium maintained long-term colony viability, whereas colonies on PDA and CM media showed obvious degeneration. This formulation also improved mycelial growth, total conidiation, and the proportion of lunate conidia. Moreover, conidia produced on MM + AHGP exhibited the highest germination rates and infectivity under various stress conditions, including cold, heat, oxidative, osmotic, and UV stresses. Conidia germination was significantly enhanced following treatment at 0 °C, suggesting that low temperatures may activate dormancy-breaking pathways. This amino acid-optimized medium offers an effective technical foundation for stable large-scale production and storage of E. vermicola conidia, providing a new avenue for the biocontrol of pine wilt disease.

The regulatory mechanisms by which AMF modulate the integrated carbon (C)-nitrogen (N)-phosphorus (P) metabolic network in woody plant leaves remain unclear. We investigated how varying nitrate (NO₃^-) and phosphate (Pi) supply, with or without AMF inoculation, reshapes the leaf metabolic network in poplar seedlings. Key findings reveal that AMF acts as a central metabolic hub, optimizing C-N-P coordination in an environment-dependent manner. Under low Pi, NO₃^- supply enhanced P remobilization and photosynthetic efficiency, boosting growth. AMF further optimized low-Pi adaptation by promoting P storage and buffering, significantly improving photosynthesis and biomass. Under high Pi, NO₃^- supply shifted focus towards enhancing Rubisco-mediated carbon assimilation. AMF synergistically improved carbon assimilation efficiency and suppressed non-essential P recycling. N metabolism effects of Pi were contingent on NO₃^- availability, and AMF reprogrammed N assimilation pathways accordingly, balancing uptake and utilization under different N regimes. Critically, AMF orchestrated environment-specific metabolic adjustments, reinforcing P buffering and photosynthetic gain under Pi limitation, and enhancing C assimilation efficiency while minimizing P waste under Pi sufficiency. This study demonstrates that poplar leaf C-N-P networks are reconfigured through N-P synergisms modulated by AMF, positioning AMF as a pivotal integrator of nutrient acquisition and allocation. These insights provide a physiological foundation for developing efficient forestry nutrient management and mycorrhizal application strategies.

Invasive pulmonary fungal infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised and critically ill patients. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for improving outcomes, yet conventional methods such as culture and histopathology suffer from limited sensitivity and slow turnaround times. Recently, significant progress has been made in the development and standardization of serological and molecular biomarkers that enhance the early detection of the key pulmonary fungal diseases, particularly invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and pneumocystosis. Diagnostic tools for mucormycosis, however, remain scarce. PCR tools have strong potential to significantly improve early detection, but they are not yet widely implemented, and standardized commercial assays remain limited. Accessible antigen-based tests with robust performance are highly anticipated and expected to become available soon. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding the optimal use of galactomannan, β-D-glucan and PCR-based assays, emphasizing how their performance varies according to the pathogen, the type of specimen and the host population. Specific challenges, such as differentiating colonization from infection in non-HIV Pneumocystis pneumonia or interpreting galactomannan and PCR in patients receiving mold-active prophylaxis, are highlighted. We also discuss how combining biomarkers can enhance diagnostic accuracy and support timely therapeutic decisions. A clear understanding of the strengths, limitations and appropriate interpretation of these diagnostic tools is crucial in an era of increasing host complexity, shifting fungal epidemiology, and expanding antifungal options.

Pleurotus ostreatus, a globally cultivated oyster mushroom, is susceptible to viral infections that threaten yield and quality. This study reports the identification and characterization of three novel viruses from a symptomatic P. ostreatus strain K3: Pleurotus ostreatus deltaflexivirus 2, 3, and 4 (PoDFV2, PoDFV3, PoDFV4). Complete genome sequencing revealed that they are single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses with lengths of 7809 nt, 7771 nt, and 7786 nt, encoding 5, 2, and 4 open reading frames (ORFs), respectively. The largest open reading frame (ORF1) encodes a putative replication-associated polyprotein (RP) containing three conserved domains-viral RNA methyltransferase (Mtr), viral RNA helicase (Hel), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Based on genomic sequence analysis, multiple sequence alignments, and phylogenetic analysis, PoDFV2-4 were identified as novel viruses of the genus Deltaflexivirus within the family Deltaflexiviridae. PoDFV2-4 had no significant effects on mycelial growth rate, plate mycelial biomass, or laccase activity. However, they significantly inhibited mycelial cellulase activity and resulted in malformed fruiting bodies, as well as a substantial reduction in yield.

Fungi are a critical component of microbial biomass in agricultural soils, but their distribution across soil depths under different cover crops remains poorly understood. We used high-throughput sequencing of fungal ITS1 amplicons to characterize fungal communities across four soils depths (0-2, 2-4, 4-10, and 10-20 cm) in experimental field plots under four cover crop treatments: winter fallow reference (REF), cereal rye (CRYE), wild pennycress (WPEN), and a mixture of pea, crimson clover, radish, and oat (PCRO). There was no significant interaction between soil depth and cover crop treatment on both alpha diversity and beta diversity. CRYE and PCRO cover crops had low abundance of Fusarium, a genus including many important plant pathogens, and different fungal community composition relative to REF. Fungal diversity was significantly higher at 4-10 cm compared to 0-2 cm depth, but fungal richness was not affected by soil depth. Fungal community composition differed significantly between 0-4 and 10-20 cm soil depths. The relative abundance of Mortierella and unclassified Basidiomycota increased with increasing soil depth while that of Calvatia, Cryptococcus, Fusarium, and Idriella decreased with increasing soil depth. Most fungal taxa were assigned to more than one guild, but the few taxa that were classified as strict saprophytes decreased with increasing soil depth while those classified as strict symbionts increased with increasing soil depth. These differences were associated with low pH and high content of OM, K, S, P, and Zn in the topsoil layer compared to the deeper soil layer. The findings may inform the development of targeted soil management practices to promote beneficial fungi, but additional studies covering multiple study sites and sampling dates are needed for clarity.

Freshwater fungi remain insufficiently documented in the Mediterranean river systems despite their key roles in organic-matter turnover. Here, we surveyed filamentous fungi associated with submerged decaying plant debris in the Zújar River (Extremadura, southwestern Spain) using a culture-based approach combined with phenotypic characterization and multilocus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, LSU, rpb1, rpb2 and tef-1α). A total of 49 strains were isolated and identified, revealing a diverse assemblage of Ascomycota. Five taxa are described as new to science: Arachnopeziza torrehermosensis, Conioscypha clavatispora, Neoanungitea torrehermosensis, Ophioceras diversisporum and Polyscytalum submersum. Notably, Polyscytalum submersum represents the first record of the genus for the Iberian Peninsula, while Arachnopeziza torrehermosensis, Neoanungitea torrehermosensis and Ophioceras diversisporum constitute the first records of their respective genera for Spain (and Neoanungitea torrehermosensis also for Europe). In addition, phylogenetic evidence supports taxonomic refinements within the orders Magnaporthales and Conioscyphales, including the establishment of Protophioceras to accommodate Ophioceras sichuanense and the establishment of Protoconioscypha for two previously misclassified Conioscypha species. Overall, this first mycological report of submerged plant debris in the Zújar River substantially expands knowledge of freshwater fungal diversity in the region and provides a refined framework for the taxonomy of several lineages of aquatic-associated ascomycetes.