Neosartorya Species Research Articles

A New Record of Neosartorya aureola Isolated from Field Soil in Korea

A new species of Neosartorya was recovered during investigation of the fungal community in soil samples collected from different locations in Korea; Neosartorya aureola KNU14-7 was isolated for the first time from field soil in Korea and identified based on the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA and morphological characteristics. The species has not been officially reported from Korea and we report it here with description and figures.

Method for identifying heat-resistant fungi of the genus Neosartorya.

Species of the genus Neosartorya are heat-resistant fungi that cause the spoilage of heat-processed acidic foods due to the formation of heat-resistant ascospores, and they produce mycotoxins, such as fumitremorgins and gliotoxin. Their anamorphs are phylogenetically and morphologically very close to Aspergillus fumigatus, which has never been reported as a spoilage agent in heat-processed food products. Therefore it is important to discriminate between the species of Neosartorya and A. fumigatus in the food industry. In the present study, we examined β-tubulin and calmodulin genes to identify Neosartorya and A. fumigatus at the species level and found a region for specifically detecting these species. We succeeded in developing the PCR method of differentiating and identifying Neosartorya and A. fumigatus using specific primer sets. Moreover, we developed specific primer sets to identify Neosartorya species, N. fischeri, N. glabra, N. hiratsukae, N. pseudofischeri, and N. spinosa-complex, which are important in food spoilage; these fungi vary in heat resistance and productivity of mycotoxins, depending on the species. PCR using these primer sets did not detect other fungi involved in food spoilage and environmental contamination. These identification methods are rapid and simple with extremely high specificity.

Gibberellin producing Neosartorya sp. CC8 reprograms Chinese cabbage to higher growth

Gibberellins production by soil fungi received little attention, although substantial work has been carried out on other growth promoting aspects of soil borne fungi. We investigated gibberellins production and growth promoting capacity of a novel fungal strain of Neosartorya, which was isolated from the roots of Chinese cabbage ( Bassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis). Fungal culture filtrates (CF) obtained from pure cultures of 16 endophytic fungi were bioassayed on Waito-C, in order to investigate plant growth promoting capacity of these fungi. The fungal isolate CC-8 induced maximum shoot length of Waito-C (13.0 cm) as compared to control treatments. In a separate experiment, the CF of fungus CC-8 significantly promoted plant length and biomass of Chinese cabbage. The fungal CF also increased endogenous bioactive GA 1 and GA 4 contents of Chinese cabbage. Gibberellin analysis of CF of CC-8 showed presence of both physiologically active and non active gibberellins in higher concentrations (GA 1, 1.42 ng/ml; GA 3, 5.93 ng/ml; GA 4, 11.36 ng/ml; GA 7, 3.25 ng/ml; GA 9, 0.79 ng/ml; GA 15, 1.18 ng/ml). The culture filtrate of CC-8 produced higher amounts of GA 3, GA 4, GA 7 and GA 9 than wild type Fusarium fujikuroi, a well known gibberellins producing fungus. The fungal isolate CC-8 was later identified as a new strain of Neosartorya species on the basis of traditional and advance molecular techniques.

Two new species of Neosartorya isolated from soil in Xinjiang, China

Two new species, Neosartorya shendaweii and N. tsunodae, isolated from soil in Xinjing, China and in Pernambuco, Brazil, are described and illustrated. The first species is characterized by its ascospores with two widely separated equatorial crests and tuberculate to verrucose convex surfaces. This species has affinities with several known species of the genus, bearing ascospores with a similar ornamentation, but can be distinguished from these species by other morphological characteristics such as smaller cleistothecia and conidiophores, spathulate vesicles and rather ellipsoidal conidia. The second species is characterized by its unique ascospores with two low equatorial crests, an evident furrow as a deep depression, and finely reticulate convex surfaces. The validation of these new species is supported further by analyses of the β-tubulin, calmodulin and actin gene sequences.

New taxa of Neosartorya and Aspergillus in Aspergillus section Fumigati

Three new species of Neosartorya and one new Aspergillus of section Fumigati are proposed using a polyphasic approach based on morphology, extrolite production and partial β-tubulin, calmodulin, and actin gene sequences. The phylogenetic analyses using the three genes clearly show that the taxa grouped separately from the known species and confirmed the phenotypic differences. Neosartorya denticulata is characterized by its unique denticulate ascospores with a prominent equatorial furrow; N. assulata by well developed flaps on the convex surface of the ascospores which in addition have two distinct equatorial crests and N. galapagensis by a funiculose colony morphology, short and narrow conidiophores and ascospores with two wide equatorial crests with a microtuberculate convex surface. Aspergillus turcosus can be distinguished by velvety, gray turquoise colonies and short, loosely columnar conidial heads. The four new taxa also have unique extrolite profiles, which contain the mycotoxins gliotoxin and viriditoxin in N. denticulate; apolar compounds provisionally named NEPS in N. assulata and gregatins in N. galapagensis. A. turcosus produced kotanins. N.denticulata sp. nov., N. assulata sp. nov., N. galapagensis sp. nov., and A. turcosus sp. nov. are described and illustrated.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10482-007-9183-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Polyphasic taxonomy of Aspergillus section Fumigati and its teleomorph Neosartorya.

The taxonomy of Aspergillus section Fumigati with its teleomorph genus Neosartorya is revised. The species concept is based on phenotypic (morphology and extrolite profiles) and molecular (β-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences) characters in a polyphasic approach. Four new taxa are proposed: N. australensis N. ferenczii, N. papuaensis and N. warcupii. All newly described and accepted species are illustrated. The section consists of 33 taxa: 10 strictly anamorphic Aspergillus species and 23 Neosartorya species. Four other Neosartorya species described previously were not available for this monograph, and consequently are relegated to the category of doubtful species.

Taxonomic revision of Aspergillus section Clavati based on molecular, morphological and physiological data

Aspergillus section Clavati has been revised using morphology, secondary metabolites, physiological characters and DNA sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of β-tubulin, ITS and calmodulin sequence data indicated that Aspergillus section Clavati includes 6 species, A. clavatus (synonyms: A. apicalis, A. pallidus), A. giganteus, A. rhizopodus, A. longivesica, Neocarpenteles acanthosporus and A. clavatonanicus. Neocarpenteles acanthosporus is the only known teleomorph of this section. The sister genera to Neocarpenteles are Neosartorya and Dichotomomyces based on sequence data. Species in Neosartorya and Neocarpenteles have anamorphs with green conidia and share the production of tryptoquivalins, while Dichotomomyces was found to be able to produce gliotoxin, which is also produced by some Neosartorya species, and tryptoquivalines and tryptoquivalones produced by members of both section Clavati and Fumigati. All species in section Clavati are alkalitolerant and acidotolerant and they all have clavate conidial heads. Many species are coprophilic and produce the effective antibiotic patulin. Members of section Clavati also produce antafumicin, tryptoquivalines, cytochalasins, sarcins, dehydrocarolic acid and kotanins (orlandin, desmethylkotanin and kotanin) in species specific combinations. Another species previously assigned to section Clavati, A. ingratus is considered a synonym of Hemicarpenteles paradoxus, which is phylogenetically very distantly related to Neocarpenteles and section Clavati.

Novel Neosartorya species isolated from soil in Korea

Phenotypic and genotypic characters of strains of Neosartorya spinosa and related taxa were analysed. N. spinosa, Neosartorya botucatensis and Neosartorya paulistensis had identical partial beta-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences and could not be differentiated on macro- and micro-morphological characteristics, including by scanning electron microscopy. Based on partial beta-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences and ascospore morphology, two separate groups are distinguished and are proposed as novel species. Neosartorya laciniosa sp. nov. has microtuberculate ascospores with two bent crests and two distinct equatorial rings of small projections. Neosartorya coreana sp. nov. has rugose to weak reticulate ascospores with two often bent crests, but without the equatorial rings of small projections. The type strain of N. laciniosa is CBS 117721T (=NRRL 35589T=KACC 41657T) and the type strain of N. coreana is CBS 117059T (=NRRL 35590T=KACC 41659T).

Two new species of Neosartorya from Amazonian soil, Brazil

Neosartorya indohii and N. tsurutae, two new Neosartorya species isolated from tropical rainforest soil in the Amazonian area, Brazil, are described and illustrated. Neosartorya indohii is characterized by its spreading growth on Czapek's and malt extract agars, light yellow cleistothecia, broadly lenticular ascospores with two conspicuously serrate-incised equatorial crests and tuberculate convex surfaces, and globose to subglobose conidia with a smooth wall. Neosartorya tsurutae is characterized by its spreading growth on Czapek's and malt extract agars, white cleistothecia, broadly lenticular ascospores with four equatorial crests and rugulose-ruminate convex surfaces, and ovoid to broadly ellipsoidal conidia with a smooth wall.

Neosartorya takakii, a new species from soil in Brazil

Among the isolates from soil of grassland in Roraima State, Brazil, a new species ofNeosartorya, N. takakii is described and illustrated.Neosartorya takakii differs from the other known species of the genus in having lenticular ascospores with two distinct equatorial crests and with roughly circularly arranged projections on the convex walls. A comparative SEM view of ascospores from six relatedNeosartorya species is also provided.

Phylogenetic analysis of newly described Neosartorya species.

Isolates representing newly described Neosartorya species, and isolates with abnormal morphologies from Aspergillus section Fumigati were examined by phylogenetic analysis of sequences of part of their beta-tubulin gene. Phylogenetic analyses supported the earlier suggestions that heterothallism is a derived character, and that sexuality was lost several times during the evolution of Aspergillus section Fumigati. The heterothallic N. fennelliae and N. udagawae strains were found to be closely related to the homothallic Neosartorya sp. NRRL 4179 and N. aureola, respectively. Aspergillus sp. FRR 1266, which was earlier described as a variant of A. fumigatus, was found to be closely related to A. viridinutans. Another abnormal asexual isolate was found to be closely related to A. fumigatus and N. fischeri. Phylogenetic relationships among newly described Neosartorya species and other taxa were successfully established based on phylogenetic analysis of beta-tubulin sequences.

Neosartorya sublevispora, a new species of soil-borne Eurotiales

A new species ofNeosartorya, N. sublevispora (anam.Aspergillus sublevisporus), is described and photographed. The species is characterized by non-ostiolate ascomata covered loosely with a pale yellowish hyphal envelope, lenticular ascospores with two low equatorial crests, and subglobose to ellipsoidal, microtuberculate conidia. The ornamentation of ascospores, which is composed of two closely appreassed crests and small even-sized echines on their convex surfaces, particularly serves to distinguish this species from other recognized species. A revised key to all accepted species of the genus is provided.

Utility of random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR and TaqMan automated detection in molecular identification of Aspergillus fumigatus.

We developed a method for the identification of Aspergillus fumigatus fungal isolates by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR (RAPD-PCR) cloning and the TaqMan LS50B fluorogenic detection system (Perkin-Elmer Corp., Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.). DNA from seven clinically important Aspergillus species was screened by RAPD-PCR to identify section- or species-specific amplicons. With the OPZ19 RAPD primer a 1,264-bp product was amplified from all A. fumigatus strains initially examined but not from other species. A partial DNA sequence of this product was used to design a specific primer pair, which generated a single 864-bp fragment with DNA from 90 of 100 A. fumigatus isolates when a "touchdown" (65-->55 degrees C) annealing protocol was used. The TaqMan system, a fluorogenic assay which uses the 5'-->3' endonuclease activity of Taq DNA polymerase, detected this 864-bp product with DNA from 89 of these 90 A. fumigatus strains; 1 DNA sample generated an indeterminate result. With DNA from three morphologically typical A. fumigatus isolates, six white ("albino") A. fumigatus isolates, and five of six Neosartorya species (non-A. fumigatus members of the section Fumigati), the 864-bp product was amplified differentially at an annealing temperature of 56 degrees C but not with the touchdown annealing format. No amplicon was detected with DNA from 56 isolates of heterologous Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Paecilomyces species or from Neosartorya fennelliae; TaqMan assay results were either negative (51 isolates) or indeterminate (5 isolates) for all isolates. This RAPD-PCR and TaqMan assay offers promise as a nucleic acid-based system that can be used for the identification of filamentous fungal isolates and that requires no postamplification sample manipulations.

Isolation and identification of Neosartorya species from house dust as hazardous indoor pollutants

Isolation of ascomycetous microfungi from 58 house dust samples from detached and apartment dwellings around Kobe City revealed that species ofTalaromyces, Eurotium andNeosartorya were common ascomycetous propagules in the house dust.Neosartorya species accounted for 8.3% of the total identified isolates, of whichN. pseudofischeri was the main constituent, indicating that it may be a common potential fungal pathogen in the dwelling environment. Based on the specimens collected,N. pseudofischeri is described and illustrated as new to Japan.

Two new species of Neosartorya from Brazilian soil

Among the isolates from soil of corn and sugar cane plantations in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, two new species ofNeosartorya, N. botucatensis andN. paulistensis, are described and illustrated.Neosartorya botucatensis differs from the other known species of the genus in having ascospores with long spines on the convex walls.Neosartorya paulistensis is characterized by its ascospore walls with spinose and verruculose ornamentation. The former is compared with the closely related speciesN. spinosa, and the latter is closely related toN. glabra, N. pseudofischeri and N. stramenia.

New and interesting species of Neosartorya from Brazilian soil

Neosartorya udagawae, a new heterothallic species isolated from Brazilian soil, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by dull green colony on malt extract agar, light yellow large ascomata, broadly lenticular ascospores with two equatorial or several irregular crests and tuberculate convex surfaces, and with anAspergillus anamorph.Neosartorya aureola is also described as a new record from Brazilian soil.

A new species of Neosartorya from Taiwan soil

A new species ofNeosartorya, N. multiplicata (anam.Aspergillus multiplicatus), isolated from soil collected at Houli, Taichung, in Taiwan, is described and illustrated. The species is characterized by its restricted growth on Czapek agar, white ascomata, nearly globose ascospores with ribbed surface ornamentation of several linear ridges, and a limited development of conidia on common media. A key to all accepted species of the genus is provided.

A Second Heterothallic Aspergillus

SUMMARY A new heterothallic fungus, Neosartorya fennelliae (asexual state: Aspergillus fennelliae), was isolated from the eyeballs of laboratory rabbits. The conidial and ascosporic states resemble those of Neosartorya fischeri (Aspergillus fischeri). The strains occur in two mating types, A and a, of an allelic pair. Although interspecific crossing does not occur with any known members of the N. fischeri group, stimulation of the growth of N. fischeri var. glaber by the new species was observed. The fungus survives in mouse tissue for several weeks without evidence of multiplication. Heterothallism in the genus Aspergillus was first reported by Kwon, Fennell, and Raper (1) in A. heterothallicus. The ascosporic state of this fungus was later transferred to the genus Emericella as E. heterothallica (Kwon, Fennell & Raper) Malloch & Cain (7). A second heterothallic species of Aspergillus was isolated from the eyeballs of laboratory rabbits by one of the authors (K-C) in April, 1972. Morphological characteristics of the asexual and sexual fruiting structures place the new species in the A. fischeri series (11), for which Malloch and Cain have established the new generic name Neosartorya (8). This paper provides a description of the species, observations on ascocarp formation, proof of heterothallism, and a discussion of the relationship of the new species to the other species of Neosartorya.