Acrostalagmus Luteoalbus Research Articles

Assessing fungi in Portuguese marine environments: how many species?

Abstract The present review documents the diversity of marine fungi collected in Portuguese marine environments (sandy beaches, salt marshes and marinas) from studies over the past 30 years and results from new data. One hundred and ninety fungal species are reported (mainly identified by morphology, with 63 species at the same time identified by molecular approaches), of which 156 are currently listed as marine fungi in www.marinefungi.org. Twenty-two new species are exclusive to Portugal. Substratum specificity was observed in Portugal for 77 marine species but reduced to 26 considering the occurrence on multiple substrata for some of these species reported in other parts of the world. Worldwide data also confirmed a core group of more than 20 generalist marine fungi, which colonized the different categories of substrata (woody, herbaceous, and other marine sources). Most marine species are exclusively saprobes (100) or saprobe/parasite/pathogen (27). Temperate (85) and cosmopolitan (45) species are dominant, but some species were also found in tropical or tropical/subtropical regions (7 and 4, respectively). Ascomycota species were the dominant group (184), mostly as asexual morphs (120); with few Basidiomycota (5 species) and Mucoromycota (1 species). Acrostalagmus luteoalbus, Cladosporium tenuissimum, Nigrospora sphaerica, Scedosporium boydii, Stemphylium vesicarium, and Trichoderma lixii are new records for Portugal. Other species were isolated in Portugal for the first time on new substrata: Stachybotrys chartarum (from seawater), Corollospora maritima and Zalerion maritima (from sand), and Lulworthia cf. purpurea (from a drift culm).

In Search of Clinical Markers: Indicators of Exposure in Dampness and Mold Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DMHS)

Potential markers were sought to diagnose mold hypersensitivity. Indoor air condensed water and human macrophage THP-1 test were applied to evaluate the buildings. Basophil activation tests (BAT) were conducted and mold-specific immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG, IgA, and IgD) were measured in study subjects' serum and feces. Exposed subjects reported markedly more symptoms from occupational air than controls. Basophils from exposed subjects died/lost activity at 225 times lower concentrations of toxic extracts from the target building than recommended in the common BAT protocol. Fecal IgG and IgD levels against Acrostalagmus luteoalbus and Aspergillus versicolor produced receiver operating curves (ROC) of 0.928 and 0.916, respectively, when plotted against the inflammation marker MRP8/14. Assaying serum immunoglobulin concentrations against the toxic Chaetomium globosum (MTAV35) from another building, a test control, did not differentiate study individuals. However, if liver metabolism produced the same core molecule from other Chaetomium globosum strains, this would explain the increased response in fecal immunoglobulins in the exposed. The altered immunoglobulin values in the samples of exposed when compared to controls revealed the route of mold exposure. The toxicity of indoor air condensed water samples, BAT and serology confirmed the severity of symptoms in the target building's employees, supporting earlier findings of toxicity in this building.

First report of potato tuber disease caused by Acrostalagmus luteoalbus

First report of potato tuber disease caused by Acrostalagmus luteoalbus

Rhizosphere 16S-ITS Metabarcoding Profiles in Banana Crops Are Affected by Nematodes, Cultivation, and Local Climatic Variations.

Agriculture affects soil and root microbial communities. However, detailed knowledge is needed on the effects of cropping on rhizosphere, including biological control agents (BCA) of nematodes. A metabarcoding study was carried out on the microbiota associated with plant parasitic and other nematode functional groups present in banana farms in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). Samples included rhizosphere soil from cv Pequeña Enana or Gruesa and controls collected from adjacent sites, with the same agroecological conditions, without banana roots. To characterize the bacterial communities, the V3 and V4 variable regions of the 16S rRNA ribosomal gene were amplified, whereas the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was used for the fungi present in the same samples. Libraries were sequenced with an Illumina MiSeq™ in paired ends with a 300-bp read length. For each sample, plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) and other nematodes were extracted from the soil, counted, and identified. Phytoparasitic nematodes were mostly found in banana rhizosphere. They included Pratylenchus goodeyi, present in northern farms, and Helicotylenchus spp., including H. multicinctus, found in both northern and southern farms. Metabarcoding data showed a direct effect of cropping on microbial communities, and latitude-related factors that separated northern and southern controls from banana rizosphere samples. Several fungal taxa known as nematode BCA were identified, with endophytes, mycorrhizal species, and obligate Rozellomycota endoparasites, almost only present in the banana samples. The dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria. The ITS data showed several operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to Sordariomycetes, including biocontrol agents, such as Beauveria spp., Arthrobotrys spp., Pochonia chlamydosporia, and Metarhizium anisopliae. Other taxa included Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Trichoderma virens, and Fusarium spp., together with mycoparasites such as Acrostalagmus luteoalbus. However, only one Dactylella spp. showed a correlation with predatory nematodes. Differences among the nematode guilds were found, as phytoparasitic, free-living, and predatory nematode groups were correlated with specific subsets of other bacteria and fungi. Crop cultivation method and soil texture showed differences in taxa representations when considering other farm and soil variables. The data showed changes in the rhizosphere and soil microbiota related to trophic specialization and specific adaptations, affecting decomposers, beneficial endophytes, mycorrhizae, or BCA, and plant pathogens.

Bioactivity-Guided Screening of Antimicrobial Secondary Metabolites from Antarctic Cultivable Fungus Acrostalagmus luteoalbus CH-6 Combined with Molecular Networking.

With the increasingly serious antimicrobial resistance, discovering novel antibiotics has grown impendency. The Antarctic abundant microbial resources, especially fungi, can produce unique bioactive compounds for adapting to the hostile environment. In this study, three Antarctic fungi, Chrysosporium sp. HSXSD-11-1, Cladosporium sp. HSXSD-12 and Acrostalagmus luteoalbus CH-6, were found to have the potential to produce antimicrobial compounds. Furthermore, the crude extracts of CH-6 displayed the strongest antimicrobial activities with 72.3–84.8% growth inhibition against C. albicans and Aeromonas salmonicida. The secondary metabolites of CH-6 were researched by bioactivity tracking combined with molecular networking and led to the isolation of two new α-pyrones, acrostalapyrones A (1) and B (2), along with one known analog (3), and three known indole diketopiperazines (4–6). The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were identified through modified Mosher’s method. Compounds 4 and 6 showed strong antimicrobial activities. Remarkably, the antibacterial activity of 6 against A. salmonicida displayed two times higher than that of the positive drug Ciprofloxacin. This is the first report to discover α-pyrones from the genus Acrostalagmus, and the significant antimicrobial activities of 4 and 6 against C. albicans and A. salmonicida. This study further demonstrates the great potential of Antarctic fungi in the development of new compounds and antibiotics.

Diversity and Plant Growth Promotion of Fungal Endophytes in Five Halophytes from the Buan Salt Marsh.

The diversity and plant growth-promoting ability of fungal endophytes that are associated with five halophytic plant species (Phragmites australis, Suaeda australis, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda glauca Bunge, and Suaeda maritima) growing in the Buan salt marsh on the west coast of South Korea have been explored. About 188 fungal strains were isolated from these plant samples' roots and were then studied with the use of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). The endophytic fungal strains belonged to 33 genera. Alternaria (18%) and Fusarium (12.8%), of the classes Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes, were most rampant in the coastal salt marsh plants. There was a higher diversity in fungal endophytes that are isolated from S. glauca Bunge than in isolates from other coastal salt marsh plants. Plant growth-promoting experiments with the use of Waito-C rice seedlings show that some of the fungal strains could encourage a more efficient growth than others. Furthermore, gibberellins (GAs) GA1, GA3, and GA9 were seen in the Sa-1-4-3 isolate (Acrostalagmus luteoalbus) culture filtrate with a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

First Records of Rare Ascomycete Fungi, Acrostalagmus luteoalbus, Bartalinia robillardoides, and Collariella carteri from Freshwater Samples in Korea

The distribution and occurrence of rare ascomycete fungi within freshwater samples in Korea was investigated. Three rare fungal strains, CNUFC-YR537-1, CNUFC-CNUP1-1, and CNUFC-NDR3-1, were isolated using serial dilution method. On the basis of their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of their internal transcribed spacer regions and 28S rDNA sequences, the three isolates were identified as Acrostalagmus luteoalbus, Bartalinia robillardoides, and Collariella carteri, respectively. To our knowledge, these are the first records of rare genera Acrostalagmus, Bartalinia, and Collariella from Korea, and the first reports of A. luteoalbus, B. robillardoides, and C. carteri from freshwater samples.

Dynamics of the cytosol soluble carbohydrates and membrane lipids in response to ambient pH in alkaliphilic and alkalitolerant fungi

Comparative composition of lipids and cytosol soluble carbohydrates at different ambient pH values was studied for two obligately alkaliphilic fungi (Sodiomyces magadii and S. alkalinus) and for two alkalitolerant ones (Acrostalagmus luteoalbus and Chordomyces antarcticus). The differences and common patterns were revealed in responses to pH stress for the fungi with different types of adaptation to ambient pH. While trehalose was one of the major cytosol carbohydrates in alkaliphilic fungi under optimal growth conditions (pH 10.2), pH decrease to 7.0 resulted in doubling its content. In alkalitolerant fungi trehalose was a minor component and its level did not change significantly at different pH. In alkalitolerant fungi, arabitol and mannitol were the major carbohydrate components, with their highest ratio observed under alkaline conditions and the lowest one, under neutral and acidic conditions. In alkaliphiles, significant levels of arabitol were revealed only under alkaline conditions, which indicated importance of trehalose and arabitol for alkaliphily. Decreased pH resulted in the doubling of the proportion of phosphatidic acids among the membrane lipids, which was accompanied by a decrease in the fractions of phosphatidylcholines and sterols. Alkalitolerant fungi also exhibited a decrease in sterol level at decreased pH, but against the background of increased proportion of one of phospholipids. Decreased unsaturation degree in the fatty acids of the major phospholipids was a common response to decreased ambient pH.

Alkalitolerant micromycetes in acidic and neutral soils of the temperate zone

A wide diversity of micromycetes from various taxonomic groups in acidic and neutral soils is known from the literature data. In the present work, the fungi isolated from these soils and capable of growth at high pH are analyzed. The fungi were isolated from acidic sod-podzol and neutral cultivated soils by plating on alkaline agar (pH 10.0–10.5). Their identification was carried out using morphological, cultural, and molecular genetic criteria. Phylogenetic analysis was performed and the rates of linear growth within a broad pH range (4.0–10.4) were determined. The isolates represented a polyphyletic group of ascomycetes (Sordariomycetes), which included members of Plectosphaerellaceae (5 species) and various families of Hypocreales (4 species). The most common species were Gibellulopsis nigrescens, Acrostalagmus luteoalbus, Chordomyces antarcticum, and Plectosphaerella spp. Investigation of fungal growth at different pH values revealed all isolates to be alkalitolerant, with no alkaliphilic fungi isolated from acidic sod-podzol and neutral cultivated soils. Although the group of isolates was polyphyletic and its members originated from different ecological and trophic niches, most alkalitolerant isolates exhibited common morphological traits with acremonium- and verticillium-like conidial spore formation, abundant slime formation, and a tendency for aggregation of their mycelium in bundles. Our research confirmed the presence of fungi with alkalitolerant adaptation to external pH in the sod-podzolic and cultivated soils of the Moscow region.

On the diversity of fungi from soda soils

The diversity of filamentous fungi that can grow at high ambient pH values (i.e., 8–11) remains largely understudied. Here we study 100 alkalitolerant and alkaliphilic isolates from the soils around the basin of soda lakes in Asia and Africa to assess the major evolutionary lineages and morphologies pertinent to the alkaliphilic trait in filamentous fungi. The Emericellopsis lineage (Hypocreales, Hypocreomycetidae), along with Plectosphaerellaceae (Hypocreomycetidae), Pleosporaceae (Dothideomycetes), Chaetomiaceae (Sordariomycetidae) families appeared to be overrepresented with strong alkalitolerants and effective alkaliphiles. In particular, Sodiomyces species (Plectosphaerellaceae), Acrostalagmus luteoalbus (Plectosphaerellaceae), Emericellopsis alkalina (Hypocreales), Thielavia sp. (Chaetomiaceae), and Alternaria sect. Soda (Pleosporaceae) grew best at high ambient pH. The pH tolerance of Chordomyces antarcticum, Acrostalagmus luteoalbus and some other species was largely affected by the presence of extra Na+ in the growth medium. Moderate alkalitolerants included Scopulariopsis members (Microascales), Fusarium, Cladosporium, and many asexual acremonium-like species from Bionectriaceae. Weak alkalitolerants were represented by sporadic isolates of Penicillium, Purpureocillium lilacinum, and Alternaria alternata species, with the growth optimum at neutral or acidic pH. Weak alkalitolerants develop loose dry chains of spores easily dispersed by air. Their presence at low frequency with the growth optimum at neutral or acidic pH leads us to treat them as transient species in the alkaline soils, as those are also ubiquitous saprobes in normal soils. Our phylogenetic analyses show that the alkaliphilic trait in filamentous fungi has evolved several times. Several lineages harboring strong alkalitolerants derived from the known marine-borne fungi (Emericellopsis, Alternaria sect. Phragmosporae), or fall within the fungi associated with halophytic grasses (Pleosporaceae). Soda soils contain a diversity of fungi that range from weak alkalitolerant to alkaliphilic, which in few cases is associated with darkly pigmented mycelium and formation of microsclerotia. The alkaliphilic trait is spread throughout the Ascomycota, and usually juxtaposes with slime-covered polyphyletic acremonium-, verticillium-, gliocladium-types of asexual morphology, hyphae aggregating in chords, and enclosed fruit bodies.

First Report of Acrostalagmus luteo-albus Causing Red Rust of Needle Mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) in China.

Needle mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) is an edible and medicinal mushroom with annual production yields for China exceeding 2 million metric tons. Hebei province is one of the biggest producers of needle mushrooms in China. From 2009 to 2010, red rust-colored sporulation (fungal mycelia and conidia) was found on the substrate surface of white needle mushroom bags in more than 10 mushroom cultivation operations in Hebei. The rust-colored sporulation covered the substrate surface, where the development of the fruiting bodies was inhibited; the stipes were sparse and became light brown when the substrate was slightly affected. The fruiting bodies on severely affected substrate were unable to complete development or shriveled and died off on the substrate. More than 30 to 40% substrate bags were contaminated with the red rust mold, with approximately a 40% yield reduction in each production house. Single conidia were isolated from the red rust mold and cultured on potato dextrose agar at 25°C in the dark. The colony was round, compact, reddish-brown, and slow-growing (2 to 3 mm/d). Main conidiophore axes were erect, often branched in five to seven layers, tapered from the base to the upper part, pale reddish brown at the base, and almost hyaline at the apex. Two to five phialides usually verticillated at each level along the main stipe and its branches. Phialides were narrowly flask-shaped and only very slightly swollen at the base. Conidia were oval, measured 3.5 to 5.4 (4.5) × 2.3 to 3.6 (3.0) μm, L/W = 1.2 to 2.0 (1.5), and formed pale reddish brown, slimy heads. The isolate was tentatively identified as Acrostalagmus luteo-albus based on its morphological characteristics (2). For molecular analysis, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal DNA from the isolate were PCR-amplified using universal primers ITS1 and ITS4. The resulting sequence (Accession No. KC127681) submitted to GenBank had a 99% identity to that of A. luteo-albus (JN545827) isolated from vineyard soil and Accession No. JQ387575 isolated from twig of declining persimmon tree. To confirm the pathogenicity of the isolate to needle mushroom, five bags of needle mushroom with stipes of 1 to 2 cm long were inoculated with a conidia suspension (105 conidia/ml) of the isolate and incubated at 13 to 15°C in the dark, while five non-inoculated bags (sprayed with sterile water only) were used as a control. Five days after inoculation, the development of the fruiting body was obviously inhibited, and a few growing fruiting bodies became light brown, compared with the non-inoculated fruiting bodies, which were growing healthily and fast and were white with no symptoms. The pathogen was re-isolated from the inoculated fruiting bodies. A. luteo-albus is primarily saprophytic but is sometimes pathogenic. Indeed, it has been associated with post-harvest rot of ginger rhizomes in Brazil (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. luteo-albus causing damage to needle mushroom in China.

ChemInform Abstract: Cytotoxic Indole Diketopiperazines from the Deep Sea‐Derived Fungus Acrostalagmus luteoalbus SCSIO F457.

AbstractTwo new indole diketopiperazines, luteoalbusin A (Ia) and B (Ib), are isolated along with eight known compounds from the fungus Acrostalagmus luteoalbus SCSIO F457.

Fungi and bacteria associated with post-harvest rot of ginger rhizomes in Espírito Santo, Brazil

The objective of this study was to identify fungi and bacteria associated with the post-harvest rot of ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in the Serrana region of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Rhizomes with symptoms of rot were sampled in the packing-house and in the field soon after harvest. In the packing-house, we report positive pathogenicity tests for Acremonium murorum, Acrostalagmus luteo-albus, Fusarium sp., Fusarium oxysporum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Sclerotium rolfsii. For the rhizomes sampled during harvest, the mean incidence of pathogens was as follows: F. oxysporum, 74%; Fusarium sp., 31%; Fusarium solani, 21%; Nigrospora oryzae, 5%; Fusarium semitectum and Nigrospora sphaerica, 6%; Alternaria tenuissima, 4%; Penicillium commune, Verticillium sp.(1) and Verticillium sp.(2), 3%; A. luteo-albus, Aspergillus niger, Chaetomium sp. and Epicoccum sp., 2%; and Curvularia geniculata and Mucor hiemalis, 1%. The mean incidence of bacteria that cause soft rot was as follows: Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae, 4%; and Pseudomonas fluorescens, 1%. The presence of Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae indicated probable fecal contamination. This is the first record of ginger rhizome rot caused by P. fluorescens in the world and the first from A. murorum, A. luteo-albus, L. theobromae and E. cloacae subsp. cloacae causing ginger rhizome rot in Brazil.

Cytotoxic indole diketopiperazines from the deep sea-derived fungus Acrostalagmus luteoalbus SCSIO F457

Two new indole diketopiperazines, namely luteoalbusins A–B (1–2), along with eight known ones (3–10), were isolated from the fungus Acrostalagmus luteoalbus SCSIO F457 originated from deep-sea sediment. Their structures were determined by 1D/2D NMR, MS, and CD data analyses. Each of these compounds was evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against SF-268, MCF-7, NCI-H460, and HepG-2 cell lines, and compounds 1–5 showed significant cytotoxicties against all four cancer cell lines. Moreover, new compounds 1 and 2 had more potent cytotoxicity than the other ones and cisplatin.

Purification and characterization of a novel alkaline α-L-rhamnosidase produced by Acrostalagmus luteo albus

Rhamnosidases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of terminal nonreducing L-rhamnose for the bioconversion of natural or synthetic rhamnosides. They are of great significance in the current biotechnological area, with applications in food and pharmaceutical industrial processes. In this study we isolated and characterized a novel alkaline rhamnosidase from Acrostalagmus luteo albus, an alkali-tolerant soil fungus from Argentina. We also present an efficient, simple, and inexpensive method for purifying the A. luteo albus rhamnosidase and describe the characteristics of the purified enzyme. In the presence of rhamnose as the sole carbon source, this fungus produces a rhamnosidase with a molecular weight of 109 kDa and a pI value of 4.6, as determined by SDS-PAGE and analytical isoelectric focusing, respectively. This enzyme was purified to homogeneity by chromatographic and electrophoretic techniques. Using p-nitrofenil-α-L-rhamnopiranoside as substrate, the enzyme activity showed pH and temperature optima of 8.0 and 55°C, respectively. The enzyme exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with K (M) and V (max) values of 3.38 mmol l(-1) and 68.5 mmol l(-1) min(-1), respectively. Neither divalent cations such as Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Mn(2+), and Co(2+) nor reducing agents such as β-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol showed any effect on enzyme activity, whereas this activity was completely inhibited by Zn(2+) at a concentration of 0.2 mM. This enzyme showed the capacity to hydrolyze some natural rhamnoglucosides such as hesperidin, naringin and quercitrin under alkaline conditions. Based on these results, and mainly due to the high activity of the A. luteo albus rhamnosidase under alkaline conditions, this enzyme should be considered a potential new biocatalyst for industrial applications.

The type species of Verticillium is not congeneric with the plant-pathogenic species placed in Verticillium and it is not the anamorph of ‘Nectria’ inventa

The monotype species of the genus Verticillium, Verticillium tenerum, is a synonym of the older name Sporotrichum luteo-album. Its purported teleomorph connection with 'Nectria' inventa is refuted and the preserved specimens of that species are considered as probably identical with Stephanonectria keithii (Bionectriaceae). V. luteo-album takes a unique position in the Glomerella clade of ascomycetes, as sister of the Verticillium-Plectosphaerella clade, which comprises plant-pathogenic species. V. luteo-album is not closely related to V. dahliae and its relatives, which are also situated in this clade. Conservation of the name Verticillium with V. dahliae as conserved type will be necessary to retain this generic name for the plant-pathogenic Verticillium species. In anticipation of this conservation, the new combination Acrostalagmus luteo-albus (syn. Sporotrichum luteo-album) is made.