Journal of Fungi

Research

21 pages, 7038 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plant-Associated Novel Didymellaceous Taxa in the South China Botanical Garden (Guangzhou, China)

by Nuwan D. Kularathnage, Indunil C. Senanayake, Dhanushka N. Wanasinghe, Mingkwan Doilom, Steven L. Stephenson, Jiage Song, Wei Dong and Biao Xu

J. Fungi 2023, 9(2), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9020182 - 29 Jan 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1766

Abstract

The South China Botanical Garden (SCBG), one of the largest and oldest botanical gardens in China, conserves important plant germplasms of endangered species. Therefore, ensuring tree health and studying the associated mycobiome of the phyllosphere is essential to maintaining its visual aesthetics. During [...] Read more.

The South China Botanical Garden (SCBG), one of the largest and oldest botanical gardens in China, conserves important plant germplasms of endangered species. Therefore, ensuring tree health and studying the associated mycobiome of the phyllosphere is essential to maintaining its visual aesthetics. During a survey of plant-associated microfungal species in SCBG, we collected several coelomycetous taxa. Phylogenetic relationships were evaluated based on the analyses of ITS, LSU, RPB2, and β-tubulin loci. The morphological features of the new collections were compared with those of existing species, emphasizing close phylogenetic affinities. Based on the morphological comparisons and multi-locus phylogeny, we introduce three new species. These are Ectophoma phoenicis sp. nov., Remotididymella fici-microcarpae sp. nov., and Stagonosporopsis pedicularis-striatae sp. nov. In addition, we describe a new host record for Allophoma tropica in the Didymellaceae. Detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided along with notes comparing allied species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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14 pages, 4958 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novelties in Microthyriaceae (Microthyriales): Two New Asexual Genera with Three New Species from Freshwater Habitats in Guizhou Province, China

by Lingling Liu, Jing Yang, Si Zhou, Xiaofeng Gu, Jiulan Gou, Quanquan Wei, Meng Zhang and Zuoyi Liu

J. Fungi 2023, 9(2), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9020178 - 28 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1401

Abstract

Microthyriaceae is typified by the sexual genus Microthyrium, with eight asexual genera. Three interesting isolates were collected during our investigation of freshwater fungi from the wetlands in Guizhou Province, southwest China. Three new asexual morphs are identified. Phylogenetic analyses using ITS and [...] Read more.

Microthyriaceae is typified by the sexual genus Microthyrium, with eight asexual genera. Three interesting isolates were collected during our investigation of freshwater fungi from the wetlands in Guizhou Province, southwest China. Three new asexual morphs are identified. Phylogenetic analyses using ITS and LSU gene regions revealed the placement of these isolates in Microthyriaceae (Microthyriales, Dothideomycetes). Based on the morphology and phylogenetic evidence, two new asexual genera, Paramirandina and Pseudocorniculariella, and three new species, Pa. aquatica, Pa. cymbiformis, and Ps. guizhouensis, are introduced. Descriptions and illustrations of the new taxa are provided, with a phylogenetic tree of Microthyriales and related taxa. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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21 pages, 4535 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deep Genotypic Species Delimitation of Aspergillus Section Flavi Isolated from Brazilian Foodstuffs and the Description of Aspergillus annui sp. nov. and Aspergillus saccharicola sp. nov.

by Josué J. Silva, Maria H. P. Fungaro, Xinhui Wang, Thomas O. Larsen, Jens C. Frisvad, Marta H. Taniwaki and Beatriz T. Iamanaka

J. Fungi 2022, 8(12), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8121279 - 6 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2117

Abstract

Aspergillus section Flavi is a fungal group that is important in food because it contains spoilage and potentially aflatoxigenic species. Aflatoxins are metabolites that are harmful to human and animal health and have been recognized as the primary natural contaminant in food. Therefore, [...] Read more.

Aspergillus section Flavi is a fungal group that is important in food because it contains spoilage and potentially aflatoxigenic species. Aflatoxins are metabolites that are harmful to human and animal health and have been recognized as the primary natural contaminant in food. Therefore, recognizing the biodiversity of this group in food is necessary to reduce risks to public health. Our study aimed to investigate the diversity of Aspergillus section Flavi isolated from Brazilian foodstuffs such as cassava, sugarcane, black pepper, paprika, Brazil nuts, yerba-mate, peanuts, rice, and corn. A polyphasic approach integrating phenotypic data and multilocus genotypic analyses (CaM, BenA, and RPB2) was performed for 396 strains. Two new species in the Aspergillus subgenus Circumdati section Flavi are proposed using maximum-likelihood analysis, Bayesian inference, and coalescence-based methods: Aspergillus saccharicola sp. nov. and Aspergillus annui sp. nov. A. saccharicola sp. nov. belongs to the series Flavi, is a potentially aflatoxigenic species (B1, B2, G1, and G2), closely related to Aspergillus arachidicola, and was found mostly in sugarcane. A. annui sp. nov. was isolated from samples of sweet paprika. To accommodate A. annui sp. nov., a new series Annuorum was proposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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26 pages, 4918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Gene Phylogenetic Analyses Revealed Five New Species and Two New Records of Distoseptisporales from China

by Jian Ma, Jing-Yi Zhang, Xing-Juan Xiao, Yuan-Pin Xiao, Xia Tang, Saranyaphat Boonmee, Ji-Chuan Kang and Yong-Zhong Lu

J. Fungi 2022, 8(11), 1202; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8111202 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1811

Abstract

Eight hyphomycetes were collected as part of an investigation into the diversity of hyphomycetous fungi in China. Based on morphology and multi-loci (LSU, ITS, tef1α, and rpb2) phylogenetic analyses, five new taxa, including a new Aquapteridospora species A. hyalina and [...] Read more.

Eight hyphomycetes were collected as part of an investigation into the diversity of hyphomycetous fungi in China. Based on morphology and multi-loci (LSU, ITS, tef1α, and rpb2) phylogenetic analyses, five new taxa, including a new Aquapteridospora species A. hyalina and four novel Distoseptispora species, viz D. aquisubtropica, D. septata, D. tropica, and D. wuzhishanensis were introduced in Distoseptisporales (Sordariomycetes). Two new habitat records, viz Distoseptispora pachyconidia and D. xishuangbannaensis were firstly reported. Also provided in this study are detailed descriptions of eight new collections and a revised phylogenetic tree for the Distoseptisporales. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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27 pages, 8464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Species and Records of Dictyosporiaceae from Freshwater Habitats in China and Thailand

by Hongwei Shen, Danfeng Bao, Dhanushka N. Wanasinghe, Saranyaphat Boonmee, Jiankui Liu and Zonglong Luo

J. Fungi 2022, 8(11), 1200; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8111200 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2146

Abstract

China and Thailand are rich in fungal diversity with abundant freshwater resources that are favorable for numerous fungal encounters. Resulting from this, the majority of the Dictyosporiaceae species reported were from these two countries. During the investigation on the diversity of lignicolous freshwater [...] Read more.

China and Thailand are rich in fungal diversity with abundant freshwater resources that are favorable for numerous fungal encounters. Resulting from this, the majority of the Dictyosporiaceae species reported were from these two countries. During the investigation on the diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the Greater Mekong Subregion, eleven collections of cheirosporous species on submerged wood were collected from lentic and lotic habitats in China and Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis that combined nuclear small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU), internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU) and translation elongation factor 1α (tef 1-α) loci revealed six new species: Dictyocheirospora chiangmaiensis, D. multiappendiculata, D. suae, Digitodesmium aquaticum, Vikalpa grandispora and V. sphaerica. In addition, four known species were also identified and reported based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of these taxa are provided with an updated phylogenetic tree of Dictyosporiaceae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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30 pages, 7144 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification and Pathogenicity of Pestalotiod Fungi Associated with Woody Oil Plants in Sichuan Province, China

by Wen-Li Li, Asha J. Dissanayake, Tian Zhang, Sajeewa S. N. Maharachchikumbura and Jian-Kui Liu

J. Fungi 2022, 8(11), 1175; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8111175 - 8 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2068

Abstract

Pestalotiod fungi are associated with a wide variety of plants worldwide and occur as endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes. The present study provides an updated phylogeny for genera Neopestalotiopsis, Pestalotiopsis, and Seiridium using fresh collections from woody oil plants (Camellia oleifera, [...] Read more.

Pestalotiod fungi are associated with a wide variety of plants worldwide and occur as endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes. The present study provides an updated phylogeny for genera Neopestalotiopsis, Pestalotiopsis, and Seiridium using fresh collections from woody oil plants (Camellia oleifera, Olea europaea, Paeonia suffruticosa, Sapium sebiferum, and Vernicia fordii) in Sichuan Province, China. We coupled morphology and combined sequence data analyses of ITS, tub2, and tef1-α for Neopestalotiopsis and Pestalotiopsis, with ITS, LSU, tub2, tef1-α, and rpb2 for Seiridium. Three novel species of Neopestalotiopsis (N. mianyangensis, N. paeonia-suffruticosa, N. terricola) and three of Seiridium (S. guangyuanum, S. vernicola, S. oleae), were found. Three other species, Pestalotiopsis kenyana, Seiridium ceratosporum, and S. rosarum were identified and reported as new records. All isolated species are fully described and illustrated. Additionally, the sexual morph of Pestalotiopsis kenyana is described for the first time. Pathogenicity tests revealed that Neopestalotiopsis mianyangensis, N. paeonia-suffruticosa, N. terricola, Pestalotiopsis kenyana, Seiridium guangyuanum, S. vernicola, and S. oleae are pathogenic on detached olive leaves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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15 pages, 4912 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Species of Nectriaceae (Hypocreales) from China

by Zhao-Qing Zeng and Wen-Ying Zhuang

J. Fungi 2022, 8(10), 1075; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8101075 - 13 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2009

Abstract

Species of Nectriaceae commonly occur on living and decaying woody substrates, soil, fruitbodies of other fungi, and insects. Some of them are reported as endophytes, opportunistic pathogens of crops and humans, or producers of mycotoxins. To explore the species diversity of the family, [...] Read more.

Species of Nectriaceae commonly occur on living and decaying woody substrates, soil, fruitbodies of other fungi, and insects. Some of them are reported as endophytes, opportunistic pathogens of crops and humans, or producers of mycotoxins. To explore the species diversity of the family, specimens from different regions of China were collected and examined. Four novel taxa of Penicillifer, Pseudocosmospora, and Thelonectria were introduced on the basis of morphological characteristics and DNA sequence analyses of combined datasets of the act, ITS, LSU, rpb1, rpb2, tef1, and tub2 regions. Differences between the new species and their close relatives were compared and discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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22 pages, 3923 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Reassessment of Pyrgidium (Mycocaliciales) and Investigation of Ascospore Morphology

by Vinodhini Thiyagaraja, Damien Ertz, Robert Lücking, Dhanushka N. Wanasinghe, André Aptroot, Marcela Eugenia da Silva Cáceres, Kevin D. Hyde, Wanaporn Tapingkae and Ratchadawan Cheewangkoon

J. Fungi 2022, 8(9), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8090966 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2258

Abstract

Mycocaliciales comprise non-lichenized either saprotrophic or lichenicolous fungi which occur in temperate and tropical regions. The mazaediate, saprotrophic and monospecific genus, Pyrgidium, is currently assigned to this order, yet the phylogenetic placement of the genus has remained uncertain due to the absence [...] Read more.

Mycocaliciales comprise non-lichenized either saprotrophic or lichenicolous fungi which occur in temperate and tropical regions. The mazaediate, saprotrophic and monospecific genus, Pyrgidium, is currently assigned to this order, yet the phylogenetic placement of the genus has remained uncertain due to the absence of molecular data. In order to investigate the systematic position of Pyrgidium, two specimens collected in Brazil and Thailand, respectively, were used to generate mtSSU, SSU, LSU and ITS sequences. However, given that most other representatives of this order only have LSU and ITS sequences available, the phylogenetic reconstruction was limited to these two markers. The phylogenetic analyses confirmed placement of the genus within Mycocaliciales, the genus possessing a sister group relationship with the lichenicolous genus Sphinctrina. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations are provided, including those for type specimens of the various synonyms subsumed under the hitherto only accepted species, Pyrgidium montellicum (Beltr.) Tibell. The ascospore morphology was investigated using compound and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed for the ascospore size using PC-ORD 7. The molecular data and re-examination of the type specimens support the monospecific nature of this genus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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15 pages, 2020 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Next-Generation Sequencing of Ancient and Recent Fungarium Specimens

by Andrew N. Miller, Jason Karakehian and Daniel B. Raudabaugh

J. Fungi 2022, 8(9), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8090932 - 2 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1819

Abstract

Fungaria are an unmatched resource for providing genetic data from authoritative, taxonomically-correct fungal species, especially type specimens. These specimens serve to anchor species hypotheses by enabling the correct taxonomic placement of taxa in systematic studies. The DNA from ancient specimens older than 30 [...] Read more.

Fungaria are an unmatched resource for providing genetic data from authoritative, taxonomically-correct fungal species, especially type specimens. These specimens serve to anchor species hypotheses by enabling the correct taxonomic placement of taxa in systematic studies. The DNA from ancient specimens older than 30 years is commonly fragmented, and sometimes highly contaminated by exogenous, non-target fungal DNA, making conventional PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing difficult or impossible. Here, we present the results of DNA extraction, PCR amplification of the ITS2 region, and Illumina MiSeq Nano sequencing of nine recent and 11 ancient specimens, including seven type specimens. The taxa sampled included a range of large and fleshy, to small and tough, or small, melanized specimens of Discina, Gyromitra, Propolis, Stictis, and Xerotrema, with a culture of Lasiosphaeria serving as a positive control. DNA was highly fragmented and in very low quantity for most samples, resulting in inconclusive or incorrect results for all but five samples. Taxonomically-correct sequences were generated from the holotype specimens of G. arctica, G. korshinskii, and G. leucoxantha, from the neotype of G. ussuriensis, and from the positive control. Taxonomic assignments were confirmed through morphology, top BLASTn hits, and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses. Though this study was not cost-effective due to the small number of samples submitted and few generating correct sequences, it did produce short DNA barcode fragments for four type specimens that are essential for their correct taxonomic placement in our ongoing systematic studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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28 pages, 6902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fungal Species from Rhododendron sp.: Discosia rhododendricola sp.nov, Neopestalotiopsis rhododendricola sp.nov and Diaporthe nobilis as a New Host Record.

by Napalai Chaiwan, Rajesh Jeewon, Dhandevi Pem, Ruvishika Shehali Jayawardena, Nadeem Nazurally, Ausana Mapook, Itthayakorn Promputtha and Kevin D. Hyde

J. Fungi 2022, 8(9), 907; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8090907 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2243

Abstract

In the present study, we report two new asexual fungal species (i.e., Discosia rhododendricola, Neopestalotiopsis rhododendricola (Sporocadaceae) and a new host for a previously described species (i.e., Diaporthe nobilis; Diaporthaceae). All species were isolated from Rhododendron spp. in [...] Read more.

In the present study, we report two new asexual fungal species (i.e., Discosia rhododendricola, Neopestalotiopsis rhododendricola (Sporocadaceae) and a new host for a previously described species (i.e., Diaporthe nobilis; Diaporthaceae). All species were isolated from Rhododendron spp. in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. All taxa are described based on morphology, and phylogenetic relationships were inferred using a multigenic approach (LSU, ITS, RPB2, TEF1 and TUB2). The phylogenetic analyses indicated that D. rhododendronicola sp. nov. is phylogenetically related to D. muscicola, and N. rhododendricola sp. nov is related to N. sonnaratae. Diaporthe nobilis is reported herein as a new host record from Rhododendron sp. for China, and its phylogeny is depicted based on ITS, TEF1 and TUB2 sequence data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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29 pages, 4745 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity of Ascomycota in Jilin: Introducing Novel Woody Litter Taxa in Cucurbitariaceae

by Wenxin Su, Rong Xu, Chitrabhanu S. Bhunjun, Shangqing Tian, Yueting Dai, Yu Li and Chayanard Phukhamsakda

J. Fungi 2022, 8(9), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8090905 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1787

Abstract

Cucurbitariaceae has a high biodiversity worldwide on various hosts and is distributed in tropical and temperate regions. Woody litters collected in Changchun, Jilin Province, China, revealed a distinct collection of fungi in the family Cucurbitariaceae based on morphological and molecular data. Phylogenetic analyses [...] Read more.

Cucurbitariaceae has a high biodiversity worldwide on various hosts and is distributed in tropical and temperate regions. Woody litters collected in Changchun, Jilin Province, China, revealed a distinct collection of fungi in the family Cucurbitariaceae based on morphological and molecular data. Phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated matrix of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA, the RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2), the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α) and β-tubulin (β-tub) genes indicated that the isolates represent Allocucurbitaria and Parafenestella species based on maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian analysis (BPP). We report four novel species: Allocucurbitaria mori, Parafenestella changchunensis, P. ulmi and P. ulmicola. The importance of five DNA markers for species-level identification in Cucurbitariaceae was determined by Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning (ASAP) analyses. The protein-coding gene β-tub is determined to be the best marker for species level identification in Cucurbitariaceae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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23 pages, 3500 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Two Novel Genera, Neostemphylium and Scleromyces (Pleosporaceae) from Freshwater Sediments and Their Global Biogeography

by Daniel Torres-Garcia, Dania García, José F. Cano-Lira and Josepa Gené

J. Fungi 2022, 8(8), 868; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8080868 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2624

Abstract

Although the Pleosporaceae is one of the species-richest families in the Pleosporales, research into less-explored substrates can contribute to widening the knowledge of its diversity. In our ongoing survey on culturable Ascomycota from freshwater sediments in Spain, several pleosporacean specimens of taxonomic [...] Read more.

Although the Pleosporaceae is one of the species-richest families in the Pleosporales, research into less-explored substrates can contribute to widening the knowledge of its diversity. In our ongoing survey on culturable Ascomycota from freshwater sediments in Spain, several pleosporacean specimens of taxonomic interest were isolated. Phylogenetic analyses based on five gene markers (ITS, LSU, gapdh, rbp2, and tef1) revealed that these fungi represent so far undescribed lineages, which are proposed as two novel genera in the family, i.e., Neostemphylium typified by Neostemphylium polymorphum sp. nov., and Scleromyces to accommodate Scleromyces submersus sp. nov. Neostemphylium is characterized by the production of phaeodictyospores from apically swollen and darkened conidiogenous cells, the presence of a synanamorph that consists of cylindrical and brown phragmoconidia growing terminally or laterally on hyphae, and by the ability to produce secondary conidia by a microconidiation cycle. Scleromyces is placed phylogenetically distant to any genera in the family and only produces sclerotium-like structures in vitro. The geographic distribution and ecology of N. polymorphum and Sc. submersus were inferred from metabarcoding data using the GlobalFungi database. The results suggest that N. polymorphum is a globally distributed fungus represented by environmental sequences originating primarily from soil samples collected in Australia, Europe, and the USA, whereas Sc. submersus is a less common species that has only been found associated with one environmental sequence from an Australian soil sample. The phylogenetic analyses of the environmental ITS1 and ITS2 sequences revealed at least four dark taxa that might be related to Neostemphylium and Scleromyces. The phylogeny presented here allows us to resolve the taxonomy of the genus Asteromyces as a member of the Pleosporaceae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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12 pages, 1871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A New Cryptic Lineage in Parmeliaceae (Ascomycota) with Pharmacological Properties

by Elisa Garrido-Huéscar, Elena González-Burgos, Paul M. Kirika, Joël Boustie, Solenn Ferron, M. Pilar Gómez-Serranillos, Helge Thorsten Lumbsch and Pradeep K. Divakar

J. Fungi 2022, 8(8), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8080826 - 8 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1520

Abstract

We used molecular data to address species delimitation in a species complex of the parmelioid genus Canoparmelia and compare the pharmacological properties of the two clades identified. We used HPLC_DAD_MS chromatography to identify and quantify the secondary substances and used a concatenated data [...] Read more.

We used molecular data to address species delimitation in a species complex of the parmelioid genus Canoparmelia and compare the pharmacological properties of the two clades identified. We used HPLC_DAD_MS chromatography to identify and quantify the secondary substances and used a concatenated data set of three ribosomal markers to infer phylogenetic relationships. Some historical herbarium specimens were also examined. We found two groups that showed distinct pharmacological properties. The phylogenetic study supported the separation of these two groups as distinct lineages, which are here accepted as distinct species: Canoparmelia caroliniana occurring in temperate to tropical ecosystems of a variety of worldwide localities, including America, Macaronesia, south-west Europe and potentially East Africa, whereas the Kenyan populations represent the second group, for which we propose the new species C. kakamegaensis Garrido-Huéscar, Divakar & Kirika. This study highlights the importance of recognizing cryptic species using molecular data, since it can result in detecting lineages with pharmacological properties previously overlooked. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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28 pages, 6316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Endophytic Diaporthe Associated with Morinda officinalis in China

by Mei Luo, Wei Guo, Minping Zhao, Ishara S. Manawasinghe, Vladimiro Guarnaccia, Jiawei Liu, Kevin D. Hyde, Zhangyong Dong and Chunping You

J. Fungi 2022, 8(8), 806; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8080806 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2206

Abstract

Diaporthe species are endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes with a wide host range worldwide. However, little is known about endophytic Diaporthe species associated with Morinda officinalis. In the present study, 48 endophytic Diaporthe isolates were obtained from cultivated M. officinalis in Deqing, Guangdong [...] Read more.

Diaporthe species are endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes with a wide host range worldwide. However, little is known about endophytic Diaporthe species associated with Morinda officinalis. In the present study, 48 endophytic Diaporthe isolates were obtained from cultivated M. officinalis in Deqing, Guangdong Province, China. The nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial sequences of translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α), partial calmodulin (cal), histone H3 (his), and Beta-tubulin (β-tubulin) gene regions were sequenced and employed to construct phylogenetic trees. Based on morphology and combined multigene phylogeny, 12 Diaporthe species were identified, including five new species of Diaporthe longiconidialis, D. megabiguttulata, D. morindendophytica, D. morindae, and D. zhaoqingensis. This is the first report of Diaporthe chongqingensis, D. guangxiensis, D. heliconiae, D. siamensis, D. unshiuensis, and D. xishuangbanica on M. officinalis. This study provides the first intensive study of endophytic Diaporthe species on M. officinalis in China. These results will improve the current knowledge of Diaporthe species associated with this traditional medicinal plant. Furthermore, results from this study will help to understand the potential pathogens and biocontrol agents from M. officinalis and to develop a disease management platform. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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22 pages, 4186 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morpho-Phylogenetic Evidence Reveals Novel Pleosporalean Taxa from Sichuan Province, China

by Xian-Dong Yu, Sheng-Nan Zhang and Jian-Kui Liu

J. Fungi 2022, 8(7), 720; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8070720 - 9 Jul 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2118

Abstract

Pleosporales is the largest and most morphologically diverse order in Dothideomycetes, including a large proportion of saprobic fungi. During the investigation of microfungi from decaying wood in Sichuan Province, several novel fungal taxa of asexual and sexual morphs were collected, identified, and well-described. [...] Read more.

Pleosporales is the largest and most morphologically diverse order in Dothideomycetes, including a large proportion of saprobic fungi. During the investigation of microfungi from decaying wood in Sichuan Province, several novel fungal taxa of asexual and sexual morphs were collected, identified, and well-described. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU, ITS, LSU, RPB2 and TEF1α gene sequences suggested that these new taxa were related to Pleosporales and distributed in five families, viz. Amorosiaceae, Bambusicolaceae, Lophiostomataceae, Occultibambusaceae and Tetraplosphaeriaceae. The morphological comparison and molecular phylogeny evidence justify the establishment of six new taxa, namely Bambusicola guttulata sp. nov., Flabellascoma sichuanense sp. nov., Neoangustimassarina sichuanensis gen. et sp. nov., Occultibambusa sichuanensis sp. nov. and Pseudotetraploa bambusicola sp. nov. Among them, Neoangustimassarina was introduced as the second sexual morph genus in Amorosiaceae; Bambusicola guttulata, O. sichuanensis and P. bambusicola were isolated from bamboos, which contributed to the diversity of bambusicolous fungi. The detailed, illustrated descriptions and notes for each new taxon are provided, as well as a brief note for each family. The potential richness of fungal diversity in Sichuan Province is also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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39 pages, 7480 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morpho-Molecular Characterization of Microfungi Associated with Phyllostachys (Poaceae) in Sichuan, China

by Qian Zeng, Yi-Cong Lv, Xiu-Lan Xu, Yu Deng, Fei-Hu Wang, Si-Yi Liu, Li-Juan Liu, Chun-Lin Yang and Ying-Gao Liu

J. Fungi 2022, 8(7), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8070702 - 1 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2480

Abstract

In the present study, we surveyed the ascomycetes from bamboo of Phyllostachys across Sichuan Province, China. A biphasic approach based on morphological characteristics and multigene phylogeny confirmed seven species, including one new genus, two new species, and five new host record species. A [...] Read more.

In the present study, we surveyed the ascomycetes from bamboo of Phyllostachys across Sichuan Province, China. A biphasic approach based on morphological characteristics and multigene phylogeny confirmed seven species, including one new genus, two new species, and five new host record species. A novel genus Paralloneottiosporina is introduced to accommodate Pa. sichuanensis that was collected from leaves of Phyllostachys violascens. Moreover, the newly introduced species Bifusisporella sichuanensis was isolated from leaves of P. edulis, and five species were newly recorded on bamboos, four species belonging to Apiospora, viz. Ap. yunnana, Ap. neosubglobosa, Ap. jiangxiensis, and Ap. hydei, and the last species, Seriascoma yunnanense, isolated from dead culms of P. heterocycla. Morphologically similar and phylogenetically related taxa were compared. Comprehensive descriptions, color photo plates of micromorphology are provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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35 pages, 4185 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bambusicolous Fungi in Pleosporales: Introducing Four Novel Taxa and a New Habitat Record for Anastomitrabeculia didymospora

by Rungtiwa Phookamsak, Hongbo Jiang, Nakarin Suwannarach, Saisamorn Lumyong, Jianchu Xu, Sheng Xu, Chun-Fang Liao and Putarak Chomnunti

J. Fungi 2022, 8(6), 630; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8060630 - 13 Jun 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3049

Abstract

While conducting a survey of bambusicolous fungi in northern Thailand and southwestern China, several saprobic fungi were collected from dead branches, culms and twigs of bamboos, which were preliminarily identified as species belonging to Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes) based on a morphological approach. Multigene phylogenetic [...] Read more.

While conducting a survey of bambusicolous fungi in northern Thailand and southwestern China, several saprobic fungi were collected from dead branches, culms and twigs of bamboos, which were preliminarily identified as species belonging to Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes) based on a morphological approach. Multigene phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, SSU, rpb2, tef1-α and tub2 demonstrated four novel taxa belonging to the families Parabambusicolaceae, Pyrenochaetopsidaceae and Tetraploasphaeriaceae. Hence, Paramultiseptospora bambusae sp. et gen. nov., Pyrenochaetopsis yunnanensis sp. nov. and Tetraploa bambusae sp. nov. are introduced. In addition, Anastomitrabeculia didymospora found on bamboo twigs in terrestrial habitats is reported for the first time. Detailed morphological descriptions and updated phylogenetic trees of each family are provided herein. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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17 pages, 7515 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fungal Richness of Cytospora Species Associated with Willow Canker Disease in China

by Lu Lin, Meng Pan, Chengming Tian and Xinlei Fan

J. Fungi 2022, 8(4), 377; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8040377 - 7 Apr 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2670

Abstract

Species of Cytospora are considered important plant pathogens of a wide range of plant hosts, especially Salicaceae plants. Salix (Salicaceae, Malpighiales) has been widely cultivated in China because of its strong ecological adaptability, fast growth, and easy reproduction. In this study, a total [...] Read more.

Species of Cytospora are considered important plant pathogens of a wide range of plant hosts, especially Salicaceae plants. Salix (Salicaceae, Malpighiales) has been widely cultivated in China because of its strong ecological adaptability, fast growth, and easy reproduction. In this study, a total of eight species of Cytospora were discovered on Salix in China, including C. ailanthicola, C. alba, C. chrysosperma, C. gigaspora, C. nivea, C. paracinnamomea, C. rostrata, and C. sophoriopsis. Among them, C. alba and C. paracinnamomea were identified as novel species based on morphology and phylogenetic analyses of ITS, act, rpb2, tef1-α, and tub2 gene sequences and were confirmed as pathogens of willow canker disease by pathogenicity tests. The mycelial growth rates of strains from these two novel species (C. alba and C. paracinnamomea) had optimum temperatures of 21 to 22 °C and an optimum pH value of 5 to 6. The effectiveness of six carbon sources on the mycelial growth showed that fructose and maltose had the highest influence. Cytospora species richness was significantly positively correlated with dry and wet areas. This study represents a significant evaluation of Cytospora associated with willow canker disease in China and provides a theoretical basis for predicting the potential risk of willow canker disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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19 pages, 2132 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evolution of the Satratoxin and Atranone Gene Clusters of Stachybotrys chartarum

by Sebastian Ulrich, Katharina Lang, Ludwig Niessen, Christiane Baschien, Robert Kosicki, Magdalena Twarużek, Reinhard K. Straubinger and Frank Ebel

J. Fungi 2022, 8(4), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8040340 - 24 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2752

Abstract

Stachybotrys chartarum is frequently isolated from damp building materials or improperly stored animal forage. Human and animal exposure to the secondary metabolites of this mold is linked to severe health effects. The mutually exclusive production of either satratoxins or atranones defines the chemotypes [...] Read more.

Stachybotrys chartarum is frequently isolated from damp building materials or improperly stored animal forage. Human and animal exposure to the secondary metabolites of this mold is linked to severe health effects. The mutually exclusive production of either satratoxins or atranones defines the chemotypes A and S. Based upon the genes (satratoxin cluster, SC1-3, sat or atranone cluster, AC1, atr) that are supposed to be essential for satratoxin and atranone production, S. chartarum can furthermore be divided into three genotypes: the S-type possessing all sat- but no atr-genes, the A-type lacking the sat- but harboring all atr-genes, and the H-type having only certain sat- and all atr-genes. We analyzed the above-mentioned gene clusters and their flanking regions to shed light on the evolutionary relationship. Furthermore, we performed a deep re-sequencing and LC-MS/MS (Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry) analysis. We propose a first model for the evolution of the S. chartarum genotypes. We assume that genotype H represents the most ancient form. A loss of the AC1 and the concomitant acquisition of the SC2 led to the emergence of the genotype S. According to our model, the genotype H also developed towards genotype A, a process that was accompanied by a loss of SC1 and SC3. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny)

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