Ima Fungus最新文献

Phytophthoracryptogea Pethybr. & Laff. and P.erythroseptica Pethybr. are oomycetes that cause root rot diseases of multiple plant species, including serious diseases of potato. These two species of Phytophthora were originally reported in Ireland more than 100 years ago and are closely related phylogenetically and morphologically similar. Both species have wide host ranges and can hybridise with each other. In this study, we sequenced whole genomes of the ex-type strain of P.cryptogea (CBS 113.19) and the authentic strain of P.erythroseptica (P6180). The genomes of the two isolates were assembled into 52.5 Mb and 74.7 Mb, respectively. A total of 11,654 protein-encoding genes were predicted for P.cryptogea and 15,970 for P.erythroseptica. Phylogenomic analyses of 2012 single-copy orthologous genes and 99 BUSCO genes from the stramenopiles dataset confirmed that they are sister species and show that they belong to Phytophthora clade 8. The secretome analysis of P.erythroseptica P6180, P.cryptogea CBS 418.71 and P.cryptogea CBS 113.19 may provide information for future research on resistance-breeding targets and strategies for pathogen control. This genomic characterisation of the two Phytophthora species provides additional reference data that might be useful for future studies on Phytophthora genetic variation, pathogenicity and biological traits.

The occurrence of cryptic species is well documented in fungi but the extent of their diversity is not fully understood. This study assessed the fungal diversity within a part of the Larry F. Grand Mycological Herbarium (NCSLG), a small, well-maintained collection at North Carolina State University, with a focus on the powdery mildew fungi (Erysiphaceae). Erysiphaceae were selected due to their economic impact as plant pathogens and availability of extensive DNA sequence data for multiple barcode loci. Our research objectives included determining the number of phylogenetic species compared with those identified morphologically, and to identify undescribed species. We generated sequence data for 220 of the 299 powdery mildew specimens (73% success rate) in the herbarium, which represented 60 species in 10 genera, collected from 134 host plant species. Our analyses revealed that ~83% (183/220) of the sequenced specimens had identifications that were incorrect and/or outdated based on current genus/species concepts. Additionally, four new species are described: Erysipheamphicarpaeicola, E.ulmi-alatae, E.quercus-virginianae, and Takamatsuellagrandii. A specimen deposited at NCSLG is designated as an epitype for Phyllactinialiriodendri, and a species of Phyllactinia identified on Carpinuscaroliniana, as well as multiple species infecting Quercus spp., likely represent additional undescribed species that require more data. This research highlights the critical role of herbarium collections in uncovering fungal biodiversity, and underscores the importance of preserving these valuable resources, particularly with the growing trend to discard herbaria due to financial and space constraints.

Pine forest is important in China. However, its health has been increasingly threatened by pine needle blight caused by Pestalotiopsis species. Although several fungal species residing in this genus have been recorded, the diversity of Pestalotiopsis species inhabiting pine trees remains largely unresolved. In this study, a total of 209 diseased pine needle samples were collected from three provinces including Shandong, Zhejiang and Guangdong representing different climate zones in China. Subsequently, 100 isolates resembling Pestalotiopsis were obtained and 74 selected for characterisation, based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α) and beta-tubulin (tub2) regions, as well as a combination of morphological characteristics. Ten Pestalotiopsis species were characterised including four known species (Pes.clavata, Pes.disseminata, Pes.guangxiensis and Pes.lushanensis) and six new to science, of which (Pes.jiangmenensis, Pes.massoniana, Pes.ningboensis, Pes.shanweiensis, Pes.thunbergii and Pes.wenzhouensis) are described here. This study further represents the first report of Pes.clavata and Pes.guangxiensis on Pinus. The results enhance our understanding and knowledge on the diversity of Pestalotiopsis inhabiting pines in China.

With the increase in cross-border transmission in the context of globalization, the necessity for developing rapid and accurate detection methods for plant pathogens has become critical. This study introduces a recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) technique combined with CRISPR/Cas12a cleavage and fluorescence-based detection systems (FRB) or paper-based lateral flow strips (PLFS) for the rapid on-site detection of invasive alien fungi, specifically Alternariatriticina and Plenodomuslibanotidis, which pose significant threats to agriculture and biodiversity. The results demonstrate that either RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FRB or RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a-PLFS can accurately detect the target species within 30 min, with a sensitivity of up to 10 pg/μL. These portable and easy-to-use assays are suitable for rapid on-site screening of plant pathogenic fungi in plant tissues, enabling applications in disease control and port quarantine.

The genus Parasola, a significant lineage of coprinoid fungi, represents a basal clade within the family Psathyrellaceae, with species saprotrophic on soil, wood, or occasionally on dungs. While the infrageneric classification of Parasolahas been established into two sections,sect.Conopileae and sect.Parasola, based on phylogenetic studies, the corresponding morphological differentiation criteria remain poorly defined, and the species diversity of Parasola in China is poorly understood, with only eight known species previously recorded. Through extensive fieldwork across ten provinces in China, this study discovered eight proposed new species and three new records to the country, each accompanied by detailed description and line drawings. A molecular phylogenetic analysis, incorporating samples from China and other species confirmed by previous studies, was performed using multiple loci, including the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA (nrLSU), the translation elongation factor EF-1 alpha gene (tef1-α), and the beta-tubulin gene (β-tublin), and integrated with morphological features and geographic data. The results confirmed the current infrageneric classification of Parasola into two sections and established morphological differentiation criteria: (1) species in sect.Conopileae exhibit psathyrelloid basidiomata, while those in sect.Parasola display parasoloid basidiomata; (2) the formation of pileus plication due to the growth of secondary pileipellis at maturity distinguishes sect.Parasola, whereas its absence characterizes sect.Conopileae; and (3) the two sections differ in lamellae-stipe attachment types, influenced by the arrangement of caulocystidia at stipe's upper part- adjacent in sect.Conopileae without accumulated caulocystidia, and free in sect.Parasola with enlongated stipepellis hyphae bearing terminal cystidia. Notably, the presence or absence of sclerocystidia, a previously used classification criterion, no longer aligns with monophyletic grouping system of this genus. The study also explores the formation mechanism of the pileus plication and the free-type lamellae-stipe attachment in Parasola, highlighting evolutionary trends such as the emergence of secondary pileipellis, the increased distance between the stipe and gills, loss of sclerocystidia, transition from monomorphic to dimorphic basidia, the flattening and polygonalization of basidiospores, and the partialization of germ pores, all mapped onto phylogenetic framework. A taxonomic key to the species of Parasola, validated by phylogenetic results, is provided, enhancing our understanding of the morphological and phylogenetic diversity of Parasola and offering new insights into its infrageneric classification and evolutionary path.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcM) are critical to the health and sustainability of many African ecosystems that include EcM-associated tree species. In Sub-Saharan Africa, three major EcM-dominated vegetation types can be distinguished: the Central African Guineo-Congolian rainforests, the West African Sudanian woodlands and the East African Zambezian Miombo woodlands. While the rainforests feature humid conditions with isolated patches of EcM trees amongst predominantly arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) communities, the woodlands are characterised by drier soils and more vast continuous areas of EcM trees. We hypothesise that the isolation of EcM tree patches within the rainforest promotes a unique and potentially endemic EcM fungal community, while riparian forests found along rivers in woodland areas may serve as corridors, facilitating the spread of such rare taxa into woodland regions. In this study, we employ root tip metabarcoding combined with Species Hypothesis (SH) matching to characterise the EcM communities across these three vegetation types. Consistent with previous findings from fruit-body surveys and eDNA studies, our results show that Russulaceae is the most abundant EcM clade across all three regions. Other clades reveal greater discrepancy compared to their above-ground abundances, with notably high abundances of Inocybaceae, Thelephoraceae and Sebacinaceae, especially in woodlands. Conversely, Amanitaceae and Boletaceae appear under-represented. Both Boletaceae and Elaphomycetaceae are found to be more prevalent in rainforest and riparian zones, illustrating the unique EcM community of the Guineo-Congolian rainforest. Our findings highlight the corridor potential of riparian areas in facilitating the spread of these rainforest endemics. This suggests that local edaphic and climatic conditions can override broad spatial patterns, such as distance decay, in community structure of African EcM. Moreover, we suggest a stronger effect of EcM host specificity than previously suggested for African fungal communities. Lastly, we assess the level of species-level representation and accuracy of taxonomic annotation of SHs within African Lactifluus. We confirm it to be one of the most thoroughly described and collected fungal genera on the continent, with over 80% of identified SHs represented in our herbarium collections.

Like most Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, mycology has been dominated by white male scientists, while representation of marginalised groups (e.g., women, persons from different racial and ethnic groups, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community) remains low. Here, we discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion in mycology and report on the last decade's efforts to improve diversity in this field. We highlight changes and initiatives implemented by the Mycological Society of America and assess their success. We conclude by making recommendations for the next steps required to achieve non-discrimination and balanced representation in mycology.

In recent years, significant advancements have been made in the taxonomy and phylogenetics of Lycogala, leading to the description of numerous new species. However, Lycogala in China has never been systematically revised, and only eight species have been recorded. In this study, specimens of Lycogala from 22 sites in 11 provinces or cities of subtropical China were studied in terms of morphology, two-gene phylogenetic analysis (nuclear 18S rDNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I), and ASAP species delimitation. We provide a checklist, which includes 21 species of Lycogala collected in subtropical China. These species include (1) seven species already known from the country, for which we report new localities, (2) four species, new to China (Lycogalaalisaulianovae, L.fossiculatum, L.skovorodaense, and L.succineum) and (3) ten species new to science, including L.annulatum sp. nov., L.chinense sp. nov., L.convexum sp. nov., L.fasciculovesiculiferum sp. nov., L.helvolum sp. nov., L.indirubinum sp. nov., L.nigrum sp. nov., L.planovesiculiferum sp. nov., L.projectum sp. nov., and L.uviforme sp. nov. A comprehensive morphological description, detailed illustrations, molecular barcoding data, and putative position in phylogenies are provided for the newly described taxa.

Diaporthales is an important fungal order comprising plant-associated pathogens, endophytes, and saprobes in commercial crops and forest trees. Over the past decades, utilizing multiple gene phylogeny has substantially advanced our understanding of taxonomic relationships within this order, leading to the recognition of 35 morphologically and molecularly well-supported families. Among these, Pseudoplagiostoma (Pseudoplagiostomataceae) and Pyrispora (Pyrisporaceae) form two phylogenetically closely related lineages that exhibit distinct morphological characteristics. In this study, we conducted comprehensive morphological and phylogenetic analyses of fungal specimens associated with Fagaceae hosts and proposed four new species and two new combinations: Ps.fagaceaearum sp. nov., Ps.neocastanopsidis sp. nov., Ps.quercus sp. nov., Py.humilis comb. nov., Py.myracrodruonis comb. nov., and Py.quercicola sp. nov. Furthermore, based on detailed morphological comparisons and molecular evidence, we synonymized Neoplagiostoma with Pyrispora, Ps.castaneae and N.castaneae with Py.castaneae, Ps.ilicis with Ps.wuyishanense and Ps.diaoluoshanense with Ps.mangiferae. This study provides substantial morphological and molecular data that significantly contribute to our understanding of Pseudoplagiostomataceae and Pyrisporaceae, thereby establishing a robust foundation for future taxonomic revisions and systematic investigations within Diaporthales. The findings not only expand our knowledge of fungal diversity associated with Fagaceae but also enhance our comprehension of evolutionary relationships within these important fungal families.

The phylogeny of the vertebrate pathogen Histoplasmacapsulatum and its varieties was analyzed on the basis of GenBank data, comparing preceding papers that distinguished lineages on the basis of a much smaller dataset, partly dating back two decades. The aim was to establish the predictive value of individual research papers on biodiversity, which eventually may lead to altered nomenclature with large clinical consequences. A total of 1985 sequences of ITS, ARF, OLE and H-anti were downloaded. ITS showed insufficient resolution, and the sequences of the H-anti gene were too short to provide reliable conclusions. Ten major lineages from the seven reports were selected for comparison. Compared to the currently available global data, several earlier studies applied somewhat skewed datasets, biased towards the Americas. Possible separation of Indian and Indonesian lineages were consequently overlooked. Previously distinguished lineages were again recognized, but because of low bootstrap values and extensive genetic exchange, several of these do not deserve species status. No recombination was observed with North American H.mississippiense and H.ohiense. An African clade (var. duboisii) was individualized. Despite its position in close association with South American clades, histopathology and clinical course of this entity underlines that it has other evolutionary drivers. This might also hold true for the North African donkey disease caused by var. farciminosum, although strains analyzed thus far are indistinguishable from South American strains. On the basis of phylogenetic data, Indian and Indonesian clades are separate, but more clinical data are needed to establish their value as individual species.