Ima Fungus最新文献

Polyporales is a diverse group of Agaricomycetes that has received extensive attention and study. Species in Irpicaceae and Steccherinaceae (Polyporales) are important wood-decaying fungi that cause white rot on both angiosperm and gymnosperm wood. Recently, many studies have focused on the classification of Irpicaceae and Steccherinaceae, but the familial placements of some taxa remain unresolved. In the present study, phylogenies of species in the two families were reconstructed using multilocus DNA sequence data, including ITS, nLSU, mtSSU, tef1-α, and rpb2, as well as two combined datasets: ITS+nLSU+mtSSU+rpb2+tef1-α for Steccherinaceae and ITS+nLSU for Efibula and related species. Three new species of Efibula, one new species of Phanericium within the family Irpicaceae, and one new genus, Odentinium, including two new species, O. aurantium and O. cremeum, within the family Steccherinaceae, are described and illustrated. The genus Odentinium is characterized by resupinate basidiomata with an odontioid hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae, cylindrical cystidia that are strongly encrusted, and ellipsoid, smooth basidiospores. Furthermore, the evolutionary times of Polyporales, including Irpicaceae and Steccherinaceae, were inferred based on conserved regions of DNA sequences (ITS+nLSU+mtSSU+rpb2+tef1-α). Bayesian evolutionary analysis indicated that the ancestors of Irpicaceae and Steccherinaceae are estimated to have emerged with mean crown ages of 199.17 Mya and 142.95 Mya, respectively, followed by the genus Odentinium, with a mean crown age of 120.8 Mya.

Aspergillus flavus is a globally important human pathogen and agricultural contaminant, while its domesticated relative A. oryzae is widely used in food fermentation and biotechnology. Despite their importance, the evolutionary relationship, population structure and domestication history of these fungi remain unresolved. Here, we present the first global population genomic analysis of 639 A. flavus and A. oryzae isolates from clinical, environmental and food-fermentation sources across multiple continents. Our analyses reveal a complex evolutionary landscape comprising well-separated clades interspersed with highly admixed mosaic groups and potential evidence for multiple independent domestication events giving rise to A. oryzae. Clinical A. flavus isolates are distributed across several clades and mosaic groups, some overlapping with fermentation strains, highlighting an apparent role of domestication and admixture in shaping pathogen diversity. These results challenge current species boundaries and provide a framework for understanding evolutionary history, taxonomy and pangenomic architecture in these fungi, with broad implications for pathogenicity, food safety, biocontrol and metagenomic surveillance.

The family Epibryaceae is one of the early-diverging lineages within the order Chaetothyriales. Available molecular data show that most species are associated with mosses, liverworts, and lichens, typically inhabiting apparently psychrophilic environments. However, genomic information about this family remains scarce. This study presents whole-genome sequencing of six reference strains from the genus Epibryon (Chaetothyriales, Epibryaceae), aiming to elucidate their ecological adaptations and evolutionary relationships. Comparative analyses of CAZymes and MEROPS annotations showed that most members of Epibryaceae have a reduced set of enzymes associated with lignin degradation. Additionally, the presence of the CspA protein, linked to freezing tolerance, and the absence of the ClpA/B enzyme, associated with heat stress tolerance, suggest a strong preference for cold environments compared with other Chaetothyriales lineages. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses clarified species boundaries and resulted in the introduction of Epibryon brunneolum comb. nov. within the family. Based on phylogenetic analysis, ecological data regarding the preferred habitat of the family, and the presence of exclusive enzymes associated with extreme cold environments, the results indicate that this family is distinct from other chaetothyrialean fungi.

Pteridophytes are iconic symbols of the Earth's biodiversity and harbor diverse fungal communities. In this study, an investigation of saprobic fungi associated with pteridophytes in China identified several fascinating taxonomic groups within Dothideomycetes. A polyphasic approach based on morphology, along with multi-gene phylogenetic analysis using combined LSU, RPB2, SSU, and tef1-α sequence data, revealed nine new collections representing five species in Pleosporales and five new collections representing two species in Muyocopronales. Consequently, six new genera (Cyatheomyces, Microlepicola, Neoberkleasmium, Pseudopalawaniella, Synnematospora, and Xenopleopunctum), six new species (Cyatheomyces synnematosus, Microlepicola guizhouensis, Pseudopalawaniella woodwardiae, Synnematospora pronephrii, Xenopleopunctum guizhouense, and X. sporodochiale), and five new combinations, viz., Neoberkleasmium micronesiacum (≡ Berkleasmium micronesiacum), N. nigroapicale (≡ B. nigroapicale), Xenoberkleasmium crinisium (≡ B. crunisia), X. pandani (≡ B. pandani), and X. typhae (≡ B. typhae), are proposed. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis reveals that four species of Xenoberkleasmium form a distinct lineage within Pleosporales, and they are evolving in a newly proposed family, Xenoberkleasmiaceae. Detailed morphological descriptions and a phylogenetic tree revealing the taxonomic placements of these new taxa are provided.

Our planet is inhabited by an estimated 2.5 million species of fungi, of which fewer than 10% have been scientifically described. Some of the most understudied yet remarkable fungal species are those capable of parasitizing arthropods, notably insects and spiders. Here, we explore the hidden diversity of a spider-attacking (araneopathogenic) fungus and its associated microbiome in one of the world's most biodiverse yet threatened biomes, the Atlantic Forest. We apply a field-based "taxogenomic" approach, comprising the integration of classical fungal taxonomy and genomic characterization of a sample's endogenous, associated, and incidental DNA. The data we produced in the field reveal a new species of Purpureocillium fungus belonging to the P. atypicola group, parasitizing trapdoor spiders, and provide a snapshot of its associated bacterial and fungal microbiota. Molecular, morphological, and ecological data support P. atypicola as a complex of cryptic species infecting a variety of ecologically distinct spider species globally. We call for consolidated efforts to accelerate and facilitate the publication of both new species and the characterization of the genomic composition of their associated taxa.

Cordyceps species are widespread entomopathogens and promising biocontrol agents that produce diverse secondary metabolites, yet the roles of these molecules during the infection process remain unclear. To interpret how fungal chemistry contributes to host colonization, we compared the metabolomes and virulence traits of two strains of phylogenetically distinct Cordyceps species (C. javanica and C. blackwelliae) and assessed their effects on beet armyworms (fungiSpodoptera exigua). Virulence assays revealed species-dependent pathogenicity, with C. javanica showing the highest virulence. Combining untargeted metabolomics, feature-based molecular networking (FBMN), 3D electron-diffraction crystallography and comprehensive 1D/2D NMR, we gained insights into their metabolomic traits. For instance, C. javanica displayed notable beauveriolide diversity, including three previously undescribed derivatives (1-3), while C. blackwelliae produced mainly diketopiperazines in vitro. The FBMN results revealed putative beauveriolide analogs in the C. blackwelliae extracts, unlike the cadaver analysis, revealing beauvericins in infected corpses. Remarkably, the crude extracts obtained from authentic insect cadavers contained beauveriolides and beauvericins, providing in vivo chemical evidences of their production during infection for the first time. Moreover, bioassays with purified compounds showed that insecticidal activity cannot be attributed across all beauveriolides but depends on amino-acid composition, implying multifunctional roles beyond direct toxicity. Altogether, these results reveal context-dependent metabolic reprogramming and species-specific chemical strategies in entomopathogenic fungi, with implications for microbial ecology, host specificity, and the rational development of fungal biocontrol agents. The results of this study also give rise to the need for more intensified study on the chemical composition of the insect cadavers that are colonized by other entomopathogens.

Capnodiales s. lat., the second largest order within the Dothideomycetes, comprises a highly diverse group of species exhibiting considerable morphological and phylogenetic diversity. In this study, we examined more than 800 fungal isolates from shoots of three species of healthy pine trees (Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc., P. thunbergii Parl., and P. elliottii Engelm.) in China, leading to the establishment of several novel taxa with Capnodiales s. lat.. The species were identified through morphological characterisation and phylogenetic analyses based on concatenated sequence of seven loci: the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), the RNA polymerase II subunit B (RPB2), the actin gene (ACT), the calmodulin gene (CAL), the ß-tubulin gene (TUB) and the elongation factor 1-alpha gene (TEF1). As a result, three novel genera-Botryoconidia (Dissoconiaceae), Longisporomyces (Extremaceae), and Helianthoconium (Mycosphaerellaceae) are proposed, along with nine novel species: Botryoconidia globosus, Longisporomyces filisporum, Neocatenulostroma endophyticum, Rachicladosporium pennatum, Helianthoconium helianthosporum, Sphaerulina nanjingensis, Toxicocladosporium fusiforme, Zasmidium guttulatum, and Zasmidium longisporum. Furthermore, we employed fossil calibrations to estimate divergence times of these taxa within Capnodiales s. lat. The results suggest that the crown age of Capnodiales was around 241.9 Mya (95% HPD: 239.23-243.18 Mya), in the Middle Triassic. The major subclades such as Capnodiales s. str., Cladosporiales and Mycosphaerellales began diversifying during the Jurassic, with crown ages estimated at 169.56 Mya, 148.60 Mya, 187.18 Mya, respectively. This study provides comprehensive descriptions of these new endophytic taxa from pine hosts, contributing to the taxonomic and systematic understanding of the Capnodiales s. lat.

Background: As a globally distributed dermatophyte, Trichophyton mentagrophytes (T. mentagrophytes) causes diverse dermatophytoses in humans and animals. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), which serve as critical regulators of diverse biological processes, have been extensively characterized in numerous fungal species. However, the role of mRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs during T. mentagrophytes germination remains unexplored. Objectives: In this study, the molecular mechanisms involved in the germination of T. mentagrophytes were systematically investigated. Methods: RNA-sequencing technology, small RNA-sequencing technology, related bioinformatics methods, and qRT-PCR were used to systematically characterize the expression profiles of mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs in T. mentagrophytes spores and hyphae, and analyze the regulatory mechanisms of mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs during T. mentagrophytes germination. Results: In our study, RNA-sequencing was performed to identify mRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs in spores and hyphae of T. mentagrophytes. A total of 3,193 differentially expressed mRNAs, 409 differentially expressed lncRNAs, and 119 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, with qRT-PCR subsequently used to verify the dependability of the sequencing data. In addition, an mRNA-lncRNA-miRNA regulatory network containing 2,672 mRNAs, 107 miRNAs, and 329 lncRNAs was constructed. Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis suggested that mRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs may play important roles during spore germination, potentially participating in fundamental biosynthetic, cell wall remodelling, cell cycle regulation, cytoskeletal reorganization, epigenetic regulation, and metabolic processes. Conclusion: Our study revealed the characteristics of mRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs in T. mentagrophytes using transcriptomic methods, and set the stage for future pathogenicity studies and antifungal drug development for T. mentagrophytes.

Mitonuclear interactions are crucial in governing mitochondrial function, development and responses to stress in eukaryotic organisms. In this study, we explored how varying mitochondrial haplotypes affect the phenotype and oxidative stress response using hybrids of the basidiomycete Pleurotus ostreatus (P. ostreatus) as a model system. By performing reciprocal crosses between monokaryotic strains with distinct nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, we identified notable differences in growth rates, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and gene expression patterns. Hybrids with incompatible mitonuclear combinations displayed slower growth and elevated expression of genes - some showing transgressive inheritance - associated with the Electron Transport Chain (ETC) and antioxidant defences. Mitochondria-dependent heterosis was observed in hybrids sharing the same nuclear background, but differing in mitochondrial genome, suggesting that mitonuclear incompatibilities can result in oxidative imbalance and compromised fungal performance. This experimental approach opens wide possibilities for exploring mitonuclear interactions and highlights the significance of mitonuclear co-adaptation in an edible mushroom, offering valuable insights for enhancing hybrid breeding programmes by accounting for the role of mitonuclear interactions in shaping quantitative traits related to mushroom yield.