Parasitic Fungi Research Articles

Optimisation of hypocrellin production in Shiraia-like fungi via genetic modification involving a transcription factor gene and a putative monooxygenase gene

ABSTRACT Shiraia-like fungi, which are rare parasitic fungi found around bamboo, play an important role in traditional medicine. Their main active component, hypocrellin, is widely used in medicine, food, and cosmetics. By comparing strains with different hypocrellin yields, we identified a transcription factor (SbTF) in the hypocrellin biosynthesis pathway. SbTF from high-yielding zzz816 and low-yielding CNUCC C72 differed in its protein structure. Subsequently, SbTF from high-yielding zzz816 was overexpressed in several strains. This stabilised the yield in zzz816 and significantly increased the yield in low-yielding CNUCC C72. Comparing downstream non-essential genes between wild type and SbTF-overexpressing CNUCC C72 showed that SbMNF was significantly up-regulated. Therefore, it was selected for further study. SbMNF overexpression increased the hypocrellin yield in low-yielding CNUCC C72 and altered the composition of compounds in high-yielding CNUCC 1353PR and zzz816. This involved an increased elsinochrome C yield in CNUCC 1353PR and an increased hypocrellin B yield in zzz816 (by 2 and 70.3 times that in the corresponding wild type, respectively). This study is the first to alter hypocrellin synthesis to alter the levels of one bioactive agent compared to another. The results provide new insights regarding genetic modification and will help to optimise fungal fermentation.

Geographical distribution and identification of fungi associated with soybean growing in Burkina Faso

Soybeans are a major crop in developing countries, mainly as seeds in human and animal nutrition and food processing. However, production is affected by various infectious diseases, particularly fungal diseases. This study aimed to analyse geographical distribution and identify fungal pathogens associated to soybean cultivation to help improve soybean health. A total of three soybean production regions were studied and 278 samples were collected in the provinces of Comoé, Houet, Kénédougou and Sissili. Samples were collected using the yield square method. Fungi associated with leaves, stems, roots and pods were cultured on blotting paper and PDA medium. The isolates were identified using the key of Mathur and Kongsdal (2003) and Champion (1997). Seventeen (17) genera were identified, including five dominant genera on leaves: Phoma (17.56%), Colletotrichum (12.88%), Fusarium (11.08%), Macrophomina (10.13%), Cercospora (8.21%). Ten (10) species of common parasitic fungi, namely Alternaria, Cercospora, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Curvularia, Fusarium, Macrophomina, Myrothecium, Phoma, Fusarium, Rhizopus were identified on leaves, stems, roots and pods. Fifteen (15) genera were identified, of which three dominated stems and roots: Phoma (20.23%), Fusarium (18.06%) and Colletotrichum (11.27%). Ten (10) genera were identified, including three dominant genera: Fusarium (28.80%), Colletotrichum (22.22%), Phoma (18.89%) and Cercospora (16.67%) in pods only.

Mycotoxic effects of entomopathogenic fungi of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) on poultry feed safety

This study was carried out to analyze mycotoxins of entomopathogenic fungi of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) and poultry feed safety. An experiment was set up to assess the types of mycotoxins produced by entomopathogenic fungal parasite of fall armyworm larvae and their subsequent effect on the safety of the larvae as a feed ingredient. Molecular characterization was done to estimate the diversity of entomopathogenic fungi on fall armyworm larvae specimens from the treatment plots. Sequenced data was analyzed and processed using Molecular Evolutionary Genetic Analysis 6.0 software. The results showed relative diversity of fall armyworm larvae with 11 species isolated belonging to Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichoderma, Bipolaris and Irpex genus. Some of these are potential mycotoxin producing fungi. Although isolated fungi potentially produce Ochratoxin, Fumonisin, Zearalenone and Trichothecene mycotoxins, only aflatoxins were analyzed in this study. About 3.98 μg /kg of aflatoxin was observed using the ELISA total assay which is within the threshold toxicity levels set in Kenya for feed of about 20 μg /kg. While this is under the threshold set by Kenya, it is still enough to cause concern as the cumulative exposure of even low doses can have impacts. This study therefore concludes that, Spodoptera frugiperda can be potentially contaminated with aflatoxins and when formulating poultry diets, there is need to monitor production so that the quality is not compromised and feed safety is ensured. Further studies are recommended to determine how much produced aflatoxins are then transferred into the poultry products such as eggs and meat.

FIRST DATA ON BACTERIAL, FUNGAL AND PARASITIC INFECTIONS OF BLACK RATS (RATTUS RATTUS) FROM THE PALM GROVES OF THE ALGERIAN SAHARA

The present study aimed to detect the parasitic fauna associated with black rats (Rattus rattus) from southeastern Algeria. It showed the presence of seven species of parasitic fungi namely Penicillium sp. (Prevalence Pr=91.3%), Aspergillus niger (Pr=91.3%), Alternaria sp. (Pr=58.7%), Cladosporium sp. (Pr=87%), Microsporum sp. (Pr=19.6%), Trichophyton sp. (Pr=21.7%) and Chrysosporium sp. (Pr=10.9%), noting that saprophytic fungi were the most recorded. On the other hand, according to the richness (S), adults (S = 7) and sub-adults (S = 7) of black rats were the most infested, with leaning for males compared to females, considering all the isolated species as satellites except the Chrysosporium sp. (2.9%) which is presented as a rare species. Concerning parasitic bacteria, aged rats were the most infected followed by adults and sub-adults where total coliforms were present in all individuals of the three classes tested. However, fecal streptococci were noted with a similar infestation rate in all age groups. Unlike this, clostridium sulfite-reducer (CSR) was mostly recorded on aged rats. Concerning the endoparasites found in the intestines of black rats, the pinworms (Syphacia muris, Syphacia obvelata, and Aspiculuris tetraptera) were more abundant than the other species. Hence, the current study allowed us to demonstrate that black rats can be considered an important reservoir of several microorganisms that can hold germs and represent a threat to biomedical and veterinary public health.

Nematode egg parasitic fungus, Purpureocillium lilacinum: efficacy of indigenous strains for the management of Meloidogyne incognita in chickpea

BackgroundNematode egg parasitic fungus, Purpureocillium lilacinum is the most effective biocontrol agent and has been widely used commercially in many countries for the management of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. Availability of indigenous potential strains specific to an agro ecosystem is very crucial for their successful commercial exploitation for suppression of nematode population. Hence, an attempt was made to isolate, characterize, evaluate and identify potential indigenous strains of P. lilacinum from pulse ecosystem for root-knot nematode management in chickpea.ResultsThe fungal colony was initially white and when spore was formed it turned into pink colour in 72 to 96 h. Hyphae was hyaline and septate, conidiophore was blunt, and phialides were with wide base and long neck bearing round to oval conidia in chains. Molecular identification of the species, P. lilacinum was carried out based on ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of the genomic DNA. In vitro bioassay of cultural filtrates on juvenile mortality revealed that maximum percentage of mortality was observed in IIPR-Pl-11 (88.36%). Spectrophotometric assay on chitinolytic activity showed that the strain IIPR-Pl-11 produced significantly high chitinolytic activity, chitinase enzyme and total protein content (0.139, 51.1 and173.75 µg/ml at 5days); (0.245, 90.1 and 272.67 µg/ml at 10 days) and (0.273, 100.4 and 306.25 µg/ml), respectively, at 15 days of culturing in colloidal chitin-enriched medium C. 2D gel electrophoresis of the crude chitinase suspension showed the presence of chitinase (32, 46 kDa size) in the sample from chitinase-induced medium C. In vitro bioassay of the cultural filtrates of the fungus grown in chitin-enriched medium C on inhibition on egg hatching revealed that the highest percent inhibition on egg hatching showed by IIPR-Pl-8 strain at 5 days of inoculation (42.6%) and IIPR-Pl-11 at 10 and 20 days of inoculation (62.80 and 93.50%), respectively. In vivo pot experiment revealed that among all strains, IIPR-Pl-11 was efficient in promoting plant growth very effectively by reducing gall number (41.3 per plant), egg mass (28.3 per plant) and soil population (284.3 per 200cc of soil) compared to control.ConclusionP. lilacinum strain IIPR-Pl-11 was the highest potential strain from pulse rhizosphere for the management of root-knot nematode, M. incognita in chickpea.

Parasitism of Hirsutella rhossiliensis on Different Nematodes and Its Endophytism Promoting Plant Growth and Resistance against Root-Knot Nematodes.

The endoparasitic fungus Hirsutella rhossiliensis is an important biocontrol agent of cyst nematodes in nature. To determine the potential parasitism of the fungus on a non-natural host, the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) living in pine trees and the endophytic ability of the fungus on plants, in this paper, we first constructed and utilized a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged H. rhossiliensis HR02 transformant to observe the fungal infection process on B. xylophilus and its colonization on Arabidopsis roots. Then, we compared the fungal parasitism on three species of nematodes with different lifestyles, and we found that the fungal parasitism is correlated with nematode species and stages. The parasitic effect of H. rhossiliensis on adults of B. xylophilus is similar to that on second-stage juveniles (J2) of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita after 24 h of inoculation, although the virulence of the fungus to second-stage juveniles of M. incognita is stronger than that to those of B. xylophilus and Caenorhabditis elegans. Moreover, the endophytism of H. rhossiliensis was confirmed. By applying an appropriate concentration of H. rhossiliensis conidial suspension (5 × 106 spores/mL) in rhizosphere soil, it was found that the endophytic fungus can promote A. thaliana growth and reproduction, as well as improve host resistance against M. incognita. Our results provide a deeper understanding of the fungus H. rhossiliensis as a promising biocontrol agent against plant-parasitic nematodes.

Four novel Pleurocordyceps (Polycephalomycetaceae) species from China.

Entomopathogenic fungi comprise an ecologically important group of specialized pathogens infecting other fungi, invertebrates, and plants. These fungi are species-rich with high diversity and broad distribution worldwide. The majority of entomopathogenic fungi belong to clavicipitoids, which consist of the hypocrealean families, Clavicipitaceae, Cordycipitaceae, Ophiocordycipitaceae, and Polycephalomycetaceae. The latter is a newly established entomopathogenic family that recently separated from the family Ophiocordycipitaceae to accommodate the genera, Perennicordyceps, Pleurocordyceps, and Polycephalomyces. In recent years, Polycephalomycetaceae has been enriched with parasitic and hyperparasitic fungi. With 16 species spread across China, Ecuador, Japan, and Thailand, Pleurocordyceps is the most speciose genus in the family. In this study, we expand the number of taxa in the genus by introducing four new Pleurocordyceps species from China, namely, P. clavisynnema, P. multisynnema, P. neoagarica, and P. sanduensis. We provide detailed descriptions and illustrations and infer genus-level phylogenies based on a combined 6-loci gene sequence dataset comprising the internal transcribed spacer gene region (ITS), small subunit ribosomal RNA gene region (SSU), large subunit rRNA gene region (LSU), translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene region (TEF-1α), RNA polymerase II largest subunit gene region (RPB1), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2). This study contributes to knowledge with regard to the diversity of Pleurocordyceps specifically and entomopathogenic Hypocreales more broadly.

Common Moths and Their Ecological Importance in Bisra Range, Rourkela Forest Division, Odisha, India

Rourkela Forest Division presents a sub-tropical climatic condition with high humidity and rainfall after the onset of the monsoon. Lepidopterans are a group of insects that are potent pollinators and protectors of different terrestrial ecosystems. Among all the Lepidopterans, moths are cosmopolitan and very important. Moths are mostly nocturnal pollinators and play a vital role in the pollination of different plant species and their seed production. Besides that, they play the important role of both prey and predator in a food chain. They are less known and have always been given less importance, unlike bees and butterflies, because very few studies have been done about moths and their importance in ecosystems. A field survey was done for the documentation of some common moths’ diversity in Bisra Range, Rourkela Forest Division, Odisha, India, during 2022–2023. About 20 species of common moths were reported from the study area. This study depicts the ecological importance of moths, how they are inevitable members of the food chain in different types of terrestrial ecosystems, and their interactions with other plant and animal species in the division. Macrobrochis gigas and Phocoderma velutina larvae are abundant and major defoliators of Shorea robusta during the rainy season; Lymantria mathura is a major defoliator of Mangifera indica, Shorea robusta, Terminalia, Mitragyna, and Eugenia spp.; Xyleutes strix and Xyleutes persona are stem borers; and Phocoderma velutina shows a relationship with a parasitic fungus.

Comparative proteomics analysis of Shiraia bambusicola revealed a variety of regulatory systems on conidiospore formation.

Shiraia bambusicola is a typical parasitic medicinal fungus of the family Shiraiaceae. The fruiting bodies of S. bambusicola cannot be cultivated artificially, and active substances can be effectively produced via fermentation. The mechanism of conidia production is a research hotspot in the industrial utilization and growth development of S. bambusicola. This study is the first to systematically study the proteomics of conidiospore formation from S. bambusicola. Near-spherical conidia were observed and identified by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence detection. A total of 2,840 proteins were identified and 1,976 proteins were quantified in the mycelia and conidia of S. bambusicola. Compared with mycelia, 445 proteins were differentially expressed in the conidia of S. bambusicola, with 165 proteins being upregulated and 280 proteins being downregulated. The Gene Ontology (GO) annotation results of differential proteomics showed that the biological process of S. bambusicola sporulation is complex. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathway analysis showed that the differential proteins were mainly involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, and other processes. Our in-depth speculative analysis showed that proteins related to carbohydrate metabolism were differentially expressed in conidiospore formation of S. bambusicola, suggesting the involvement of saccharides. Conidiation may increase the synthesis and release of ethanol and polysaccharide proteins such as glycoside hydrolase (GH), suppress host immunity, and facilitate S. bambusicola to infect and colonize of the host. In-depth analysis of differential proteomes will help reveal the molecular mechanism underlying the conidiospore formation of S. bambusicola, which has strong theoretical and practical significance.

The influence of powdery mildew (Sawadaea bicornis (Wallr.) Miyabe) on chlorophyll fluorescence in Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) seedlings

The article presents the results of research on impact of Sawadaea bicornis (Wallr.) Miyabe on the state of photosynthetic apparatus in Acer platanoides L. seedlings using a technique of chlorophyll fluorescence induction (ChlF) measurement, which at the present time can be implemented through the use of biosensors. The research was conducted in September 2022 in the territory of the Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University. To diagnose a violation of the native chlorophyll photosynthesis in fresh leaves of A. platanoides, a portable fluorometer “Floratest” was used (selected spectral range for fluorescence intensity measurement was 670–800 nm). The research was carried out on fresh leaves of Norway maple seedlings both not unaffected and affected with powdery mildew. Analysis of the data obtained indicates a high sensitivity of the parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence induction to damage by the disease regardless of environmental conditions of local growth of A. platanoides seedlings. The high informativeness of induction changes in chlorophyll fluorescence in the structural organization of chloroplasts in Norway maple leaves determined by the parameters Fo, Fm, Fv, Fv/Fо, Fv/Fm, (Fm–Fst)/Fst, (Fp–Fо)/Fv was revealed. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of using the studied chlorophyll fluorescence parameters to detect severe stress in Norway maple seedlings caused by powdery mildew exposure when the fungus affects more than 50% of the leaf blade area. It is further necessary to conduct dynamic studies throughout the growing season to determine the effectiveness of using these parameters to detect mild stress in the early stages of infection. Therefore, our research showed that the method of induction of chlorophyll fluorescence using the “Floratest” device allows you to quickly determine the general condition of the plant by evaluating photosynthesis, which is the main life process. Analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters is a powerful and effective tool for determining the effect of a parasitic fungus on a plant.

Nano-emulsion formulation of nematode egg parasitic fungus, Pochonia chlamydosporia to control Meloidogyne incognita infecting tomato

ABSTRACT A new nano formulation of the nematode egg parasitic fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia was developed and evaluated against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita on tomato. Initially, sunflower oil-based nanoemulsions were prepared by the process of sonication, i.e. the high-energy method. The emulsion contained 1% w/v carboxyl methyl cellulose (aqueous phase): sunflower oil (continuous phase): Tween 80 (surfactant) at 1: 0.5: 0.125 ratio. The emulsion was stable without phase separation for up to 8 weeks at room temperature (28 ± 4°C) and 4°C. Various aggregation tests such as particle size, zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that nanoemulsion had spherical shape particles with mean particle size 226.6 ± 1.1 nm and mean zeta potential of −54.80 ± 0.5 mV. The nanoemulsion formulation of P. chlamydosporia was derived by homogenising of emulsion with the spore suspension at a 1:1 v/v ratio. The egg parasitisation and juvenile mortality bioassays were carried out using the developed nanoemulsion of P. chlamydosporia under in vitro conditions. Exposure of eggs and juveniles to different level of concentrations in laboratory condition caused up to 100% parasitisation of M. incognita eggs and 96% juvenile mortality. Under glasshouse conditions, soil treatment with nanoformulation of P. chlamydosporia at 0.25–5.0 mL/L lead to reduce M. incognita populations in soil by 62.2–67.9% and in tomato root by 57.4–62.1%. Pochonia chlamydosporia nanoformulation treatments caused improvement of tomato plant growth with 19.5–34.2%, 24.5–48.4%, 16.9–38.5% and 25.6–46.6% increase of shoot length, root length, shoot weight and root weight, respectively.

Entomopathogenic fungi (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) on a termite (Blattodea: Mastotermitidae) trapped in Miocene amber from Chiapas, Mexico

ABSTRACT Palaeomycological material has rarely been reported in Mexican localities, especially parasitic fungi. In this paper, we present the first formal report of an interaction between an entomopathogenic fungus and an insect trapped in the Miocene amber from Chiapas, Mexico. The described syninclusion corresponds to two well-developed fungal fruiting bodies and a third one in development, assigned to the order Hypocreales (Ascomycota: Sordariomycetes), emerging from the thorax and abdomen of a termite (Blattodea: Mastotermitidae). This syninclusion represents a remarkable example of biological interactions in ancient tropical environments reflected in the fossil record.

Separation of anti-TMV active components and modes of action of Omphalia lapidescens

BackgroundOmphalia lapidescens is a saprophytic and parasitic fungus belonging to the Polypora genus of Tricholomataceae. It has repellent, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. ResultThis study found that the extract of O. lapidescens had significant anti-TMV activity, and the main active component was homopolysaccharide LW-1 by Bioassay-guided fractionation. LW-1 is a glucan with β-(1,3) glucoside bond as the main chain and β-(1,6) glucoside bond as the branch chain, with molecular weight in the range of 172,916–338,827 Da. The protective and inactive efficacies of LW-1(100 mg/L) against TMV were 78.10% and 48.20%, but had no direct effect on the morphology of TMV particles. The results of mechanism of action showed that LW-1 induced the increase of the activity of defense enzymes such as POD, SOD and PAL in Nicotiana glutinosa. The overexpression of resistance genes such as NPR1, PR1 and PR5, and the increase of SA content. Further transcriptome sequencing showed that LW-1 activated MAPK signaling pathway, plant-pathogen interaction pathway and glucosinolide metabolic pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana. Besides, LW-1 induced crops resistance against plant pathogenic fungi. ConclusionTaken together, the anti-TMV mechanism of LW-1 was to activate MAPK signaling pathway, inducing overexpression of resistance genes, activating plant immune system, and improving the synthesis and accumulation of plant defencins such as glucosinolide. LW-1-induced plant disease resistance has the advantages of broad spectrum and long duration, which has the potential to be developed as a new antiviral agent or plant immune resistance inducer.

Infection with a non-lethal fungal parasite is associated with increased immune investment in the ant Myrmica scabrinodis

Social insects, such as ants, are preferred host organisms of pathogens and parasites because colonies are densely populated, and the number of potential hosts is high in the same place and time. Within a colony, individuals are exposed differentially to risks according to their function and age. Thus, older individuals forage and are therefore the most exposed to infection, predation, or physical stress, while young workers mostly stay inside the sheltered nest being less exposed. Immune investment is considered to be dependent on an individual’s age and pathogen pressure. Long-term exposure to a parasite could affect the immune activity of individuals in an intriguing way that interferes with the age-dependent decline in immunocompetence. However, there are only few cases in which such interferences can be studied. The myrmecopathogenic fungus Rickia wasmannii, which infects entire colonies without killing the workers, is a suitable candidate for such studies. We investigated the general immunocompetence of Myrmica scabrinodis ant workers associated with non-lethal fungal infection by measuring the levels of active phenoloxidase (PO) and total PO (PPO) (reflecting the amount of both active and inactive forms of the enzyme) in two age classes. The level of PO proved to be higher in infected workers than in uninfected ones, while the level of PPO increased with age but was not affected by infection. Overall, these results indicate that a long-term infection could go hand in hand with increased immune activity of ant workers, conferring them higher level of protection.

Assessing the structure and diversity of fungal community in plant soil under different climatic and vegetation conditions

IntroductionUnderstanding microbial communities in diverse ecosystems is crucial for unraveling the intricate relationships among microorganisms, their environment, and ecosystem processes. In this study, we investigated differences in the fungal community structure and diversity in soils from two contrasting climatic and vegetation conditions: the Xinjiang western China plateau and the Fujian southeastern coastal province.MethodsA total of 36 soil samples collected from two climatic regions were subjected to high-throughput ITS gene sequencing for fungal community analysis. In conjunction soil physicochemical properties were assessed and compared. Analyses included an examination of the relationship of fungal community structure to environmental factors and functional profiling of the community structure was using the FUNGuild pipeline.ResultsOur data revealed rich fungal diversity, with a total of 11 fungal phyla, 31 classes, 86 orders, 200 families, 388 genera, and 515 species identified in the soil samples. Distinct variations in the physicochemical properties of the soil and fungal community structure were seen in relation to climate and surface vegetation. Notably, despite a colder climate, the rhizosphere soil of Xinjiang exhibited higher fungal (α-)diversity compared to the rhizosphere soil of Fujian. β-diversity analyses indicated that soil heterogeneity and differences in fungal community structure were primarily influenced by spatial distance limitations and vegetation type. Furthermore, we identified dominant fungal phyla with significant roles in energy cycling and organic matter degradation, including members of the Sordariomycetes, Leotiomycetes, Archaeosporomycetes, and Agaricomycetes. Functional analyses of soil fungal communities highlighted distinct microbial ecological functions in Xinjiang and Fujian soils. Xinjiang soil was characterized by a focus on wood and plant saprotrophy, and endophytes, whereas in Fujian soil the fungal community was mainly associated with ectomycorrhizal interactions, fungal parasitism, and wood saprotrophy.DiscussionOur findings suggest fungal communities in different climatic conditions adapt along distinct patterns with, plants to cope with environmental stress and contribute significantly to energy metabolism and material cycling within soil-plant systems. This study provides valuable insights into the ecological diversity of fungal communities driven by geological and environmental factors.

Wild Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) modulates inflammation, neural cell survival and inhibits proliferation of cancer cells

Background and AimInonotus obliquus (Ach. Ex. Pers), commonly known as Chaga, is a parasitic fungus that grows on birch trees. Indigenous North Americans and Northern Eurasians have used Chaga tea as a folk medicine for centuries, and there are currently significant interests in commercializing Chaga products, obtained either from conks (sclerotia) collected from nature or from laboratory cultured mycelia. The cultured mycelia's identity to date is based solely on chemical profiling and the morphologic characteristics; and genome identity are often overlooked and unreported in the literature. The aims of this study include: 1. To authenticate mycelium isolates derived from a Chaga sclerotium; 2. To determine Chaga sclerotium's bioactivities unreported previously. Experimental proceduresIdentification of Chaga conk was carried out by chemical analyses, culture characteristics, and genome identity. The Chaga extracts’ bioactivities were evaluated via effects on cytokine and reactive oxygen species production on normal and cancer cell survival and proliferation. Results and ConclusionThe features of this mycelium isolate conformed to I. obliquus mycology, with > 99 % DNA sequence identity to the known GenBank Chaga Ribosomal Internal Spacer (ITS) sequence. Water extracts of Chaga were effective in protecting against oxidative stress in mouse neuroblastoma-spinal motor neuron NSC-34 cells and inhibited the proliferation of human brain glioblastoma DBTRG-05MG and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma PANC-1 cancer cell lines in vitro. In addition, the water extract potently stimulated inflammatory cytokines release from human blood cells, consistent with the biological response modifier features of mushroom beta- glucan polysaccharides.

Knudsenia Flavoparmeliarum: A new Genus and Species of Lichenicolous Fungus Growing on Flavoparmelia Caperata and Flavopunctelia Flaventior (Parmeliaceae) from India

A new parasitic lichenicolous fungus Knudsenia, with the type species, K. flavoparmeliarum, growing on the thallus of the corticolous lichen Flavoparmelia caperata in subalpine and alpine regions of Central Himalaya (Uttarakhand, India) is described, illustrated, and compared with other morphologically similar lichenicolous fungi. It is characterised by having inconspicuous galls; stromatic ascomata with sterile brownish black to black tissue which is K+ majenta, N–, I–; hymenial gel K/I–; exciple evident; paraphyses simple to sparsely branched, apically not pigmented; asci bitunicate, elongate, clavate to subcylindrical with an indistinct ocular chamber with a very short stalk, 8-spored, K/I+ reddish brown; ascospores hyaline, spherical to ellipsoid at maturity, simple to rarely 1-pseudoseptate [(9.0–)9.5–10.5–11.5(–12.0) × (1.0–)1.2–1.5–2.0(–2.5) µm], I–, perispore absent. Since the species lacks molecular data, hence, it was tentatively placed in the family Planistromellaceae pending further studies.

Functional diversity of microbial eukaryotes in a meromictic lake: Coupling between metatranscriptomic and a trait-based approach.

The advent of high-throughput sequencing has led to the discovery of a considerable diversity of microbial eukaryotes in aquatic ecosystems, nevertheless, their function and contribution to the trophic food web functioning remain poorly characterized especially in freshwater ecosystems. Based on metabarcoding data obtained from a meromictic lake ecosystem (Pavin, France), we performed a morpho-physio-phenological traits-based approach to infer functional groups of microbial eukaryotes. Metatranscriptomic data were also analysed to assess the metabolic potential of these groups across the diel cycle, size fraction, sampling depth, and periods. Our analysis highlights a huge microbial eukaryotic diversity in the monimolimnion characterized by numerous saprotrophs expressing transcripts related to sulfur and nitrate metabolism as well as dissolved and particulate organic matter degradation. We also describe strong seasonal variations of microbial eukaryotes in the mixolimnion, especially for parasites and mixoplankton. It appears that the water mixing (occurring during spring and autumn) which benefits photosynthetic host communities also promotes parasitic fungi dissemination and over-expression of genes involved in the zoospore phototaxis and stage transition in the parasitic cycle. Mixoplanktonic haptophytes over-expressing photosynthesis-, endocytosis- and phagosome-linked genes under nutrient limitation also suggest that phagotrophy may provide them an advantage over non-phagotrophic phytoplankton.

The Difference in Diversity between Endophytic Microorganisms in White and Grey Zizania latifolia.

The Zizania latifolia is usually infected by the obligate parasitic fungus Ustilago esculenta to form an edible fleshy stem which is an aquatic vegetable called Jiaobai in China. The infection by the teliospore (T) strain of U. esculenta induces Z. latifolia forming gray fleshy stems, while the mycelia-teliospore (MT) strain of U. esculenta induces white fleshy stems which are more suitable for edibility than gray fleshy stems. The mechanism of this phenomenon is still largely unknown. One of the possible causes is the diversity of endophytic microbial communities between these two fleshy stems. Therefore, we utilized fungal ITS1 and bacterial 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing to investigate the diversity of endophytic microbial communities in the two different fleshy stems of Z. latifolia. The results revealed that the α diversity and richness of endophytic fungi in white Z. latifolia were significantly greater than in gray Z. latifolia. The dominant fungal genus in both fleshy stems was U. esculenta, which accounted for over 90% of the endophytic fungi. The community composition of endophytic fungi in gray and white Z. latifolia was different except for U. esculenta, and a negative correlation was observed between U. esculenta and other endophytic fungi. In addition, the dominant bacterial genus in gray Z. latifolia was Alcaligenaceae which is also negatively correlated with other bacterium communities. Additionally, the co-occurrence network of white Z. latifolia was found to have a stronger scale, connectivity, and complexity compared to that of gray Z. latifolia. And the detected beneficial bacteria and pathogens in the stems of Z. latifolia potentially compete for resources. Furthermore, the function of endophytic bacteria is more abundant than endophytic fungi in Z. latifolia. This research investigated the correlation between the development of Z. latifolia fleshy stems and endophytic microbial communities. Our findings indicate that the composition of endophytic microbial communities is closely related to the type of Z. latifolia fleshy stems. This research also suggests the potential utilization of specific microbial communities to enhance the growth and development of Z. latifolia, thereby contributing to the breeding of Z. latifolia.

Скрытое биоразнообразие в гербарных коллекциях: опыт поиска лихенофильных грибов в гербариях лишайников

Lichen herbaria contain a large number of parasitic fungi accidentally collected along with lichens. Various aspects of searching for lichenicolous fungi in lichen herbaria are discussed. The productivity of such searches, including the discovery of species new to science, may be higher than when these fungi are searched in nature. In one day’s work, 20–25 specimens of lichenicolous fungi can be found in the herbarium, and 2–15 specimens can be found in field studies.