Ophiostoma Piliferum Research Articles

Soil-borne Ophiostomatales species (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) in beech, oak, pine, and spruce stands in Poland with descriptions of Sporothrixroztoczensis sp. nov., S.silvicola sp. nov., and S.tumida sp. nov.

Ophiostomatales (Ascomycota) contains many species, most of which are associated with bark beetles. Some members of this order are plant or animal pathogens, while others colonize soil, different plant tissues, or even carpophores of some Basidiomycota. However, little is known about soil-inhabiting Ophiostomatales fungi. A survey of these fungi associated with soil under beech, oak, pine, and spruce stands in Poland yielded 623 isolates, representing 10 species: Heinzbutiniagrandicarpa, Leptographiumprocerum, L.radiaticola, Ophiostomapiliferum, O.quercus, Sporothrixbrunneoviolacea, S.dentifunda, S.eucastaneae, and two newly described taxa, namely Sporothrixroztoczensissp. nov. and S.silvicolasp. nov. In addition, isolates collected from fallen shoots of Pinussylvestris that were pruned by Tomicus sp. are described as Sporothrixtumidasp. nov. The new taxa were morphologically characterized and phylogenetically analyzed based on multi-loci sequence data (ITS, β-tubulin, calmodulin, and translation elongation factor 1-α genes). The Ophiostomatales species were especially abundant in soil under pine and oak stands. Leptographiumprocerum, S.silvicola, and S.roztoczensis were the most frequently isolated species from soil under pine stands, while S.brunneoviolacea was the most abundant in soil under oak stands. The results highlight that forest soil in Poland has a wide diversity of Ophiostomatales taxa, but further studies are required to uncover the molecular diversity and phylogenetic relationships of these fungi, as well as their roles in soil fungal communities.

The Mitogenomes of Ophiostoma minus and Ophiostoma piliferum and Comparisons With Other Members of the Ophiostomatales.

Fungi assigned to the Ophiostomatales are of economic concern as many are blue-stain fungi and some are plant pathogens. The mitogenomes of two blue-stain fungi, Ophiostoma minus and Ophiostoma piliferum, were sequenced and compared with currently available mitogenomes for other members of the Ophiostomatales. Species representing various genera within the Ophiostomatales have been examined for gene content, gene order, phylogenetic relationships, and the distribution of mobile elements. Gene synteny is conserved among the Ophiostomatales but some members were missing the atp9 gene. A genome wide intron landscape has been prepared to demonstrate the distribution of the mobile genetic elements (group I and II introns and homing endonucleases) and to provide insight into the evolutionary dynamics of introns among members of this group of fungi. Examples of complex introns or nested introns composed of two or three intron modules have been observed in some species. The size variation among the mitogenomes (from 23.7 kb to about 150 kb) is mostly due to the presence and absence of introns. Members of the genus Sporothrix sensu stricto appear to have the smallest mitogenomes due to loss of introns. The taxonomy of the Ophiostomatales has recently undergone considerable revisions; however, some lineages remain unresolved. The data showed that genera such as Raffaelea appear to be polyphyletic and the separation of Sporothrix sensu stricto from Ophiostoma is justified.

Ophiostomatoid fungi isolated from three different pine species in Argentinian Patagonia

SummaryPine plantations in Argentinian Patagonia cover ca. 95,000 ha in Chubut, Río Negro and Neuquén provinces. Exotic bark beetles (Orthotomicus laricis, Hylastes ater and Hylurgus ligniperda) commonly occur in freshly cut logs, stumps and slash. These beetles are vectors of “ophiostomatoid” fungi which include primary tree pathogens as well as important agents of blue stain. The aim of this study was to identify these beetle‐associated fungi. Sawing mills and pine plantations were surveyed three consecutive years. Fungal isolates from stained logs, processed wood and insect galleries were identified based on morphological and DNA sequence comparisons of ITS and β‐tubulin gene regions. Two Grosmannia, one Graphilbum and three Ophiostoma species were identified. Ophiostoma piliferum and O. peregrinum sp. nov. were the most frequently isolated taxa. O. peregrinum occurred in all provinces, colonizing different conifer species and, interestingly, also the native broadleaved species Nothofagus dombeyi. Pine plantation forestry in southern South America includes Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Emerging data from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay revealed some coincidences between these countries, but also several differences, probably, as a result of multiple introduction events.

The diversity of mtDNA rns introns among strains of Ophiostoma piliferum, Ophiostoma pluriannulatum and related species.

BackgroundBased on previous studies, it was suspected that the mitochondrial rns gene within the Ophiostomatales is rich in introns. This study focused on a collection of strains representing Ophiostoma piliferum, Ophiostoma pluriannulatum and related species that cause blue-stain; these fungi colonize the sapwood of trees and impart a dark stain. This reduces the value of the lumber. The goal was to examine the mtDNA rns intron landscape for these important blue stain fungi in order to facilitate future annotation of mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) and to potentially identify mtDNA introns that can encode homing endonucleases which may have applications in biotechnology.ResultsComparative sequence analysis identified five intron insertion sites among the ophiostomatoid fungi examined. Positions mS379 and mS952 harbor group II introns, the mS379 intron encodes a reverse transcriptase, and the mS952 intron encodes a potential homing endonuclease. Positions mS569, mS1224, and mS1247 have group I introns inserted and these encode intact or eroded homing endonuclease open reading frames (ORF). Phylogenetic analysis of the intron ORFs showed that they can be found in the same insertion site in closely and distantly related species.ConclusionsBased on the molecular markers examined (rDNA internal transcribed spacers and rns introns), strains representing O. pilifera, O. pluriannulatum and Ophiostoma novae-zelandiae could not be resolved. Phylogenetic studies suggest that introns are gained and lost and that horizontal transfer could explain the presence of related intron in distantly related fungi. With regard to the mS379 group II intron, this study shows that mitochondrial group II introns and their reverse transcriptases may also follow the life cycle previously proposed for group I introns and their homing endonucleases. This consists of intron invasion, decay of intron ORF, loss of intron, and possible reinvasion.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40064-016-3076-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effect of Albino ophiostoma strains on Eucalyptus nitens extractives

Wood extractives promote pitch formation during pulp and paper manufacturing. To date, this problem has been controlled by extended storage of the chips and/or chemical additives. Biotreatment of the wood prior to pulping provides an alternative that not only decreases the negative impact of the extractives but may also improve the kraft pulping efficiency. This initiative seeks to verify the quantity and chemical composition of Eucalyptus nitens wood extractives following biotreatment with three albino fungi species (Ophiostoma floccosum, Ophiostoma piceae and Ophiostoma piliferum). Eucalyptus nitens wood chips were sprayed with spore suspensions of Ophiostoma piliferum, Ophiostoma piceae and Ophiostoma floccosum albino strains (1 × 108 spore concentration). After 7 and 21 days of fungal treatment, the extractive content was determined via Soxhlet extraction with an 80:20% n-hexane:ethyl acetate solvent mixture. The Ophiostoma floccosum F1A94, Ophiostoma piliferum F2D8 and Ophiostoma piceae F2A68 strains proved to be most capable of bioreduction with reductions of 35,1%, 33,2% and 29,3%, respectively. The chemical composition of the extract was analyzed via gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, which demonstrated that most of the tested strains could reduce the s- sitosterol content.

Pulping of Sugarcane Bagasse Using Ceriporiopsis subvermispora SS-33 and Ophiostoma piliferum as a Fungal Bio-agents

Pulping of Sugarcane Bagasse Using Ceriporiopsis subvermispora SS-33 and Ophiostoma piliferum as a Fungal Bio-agents

Diversity of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with the large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis, and infested Scots pine seedlings in Poland

Bark beetles are known to be associated with fungi, especially the ophiostomatoid fungi. However, very little is known about role of pine weevils, e.g., Hylobius abietis, as a vector of these fungi in Europe. The aims of our study were to demonstrate the effectiveness of H. abietis as a vector of ophiostomatoid fungi in Poland and to identify these fungi in Scots pine seedlings damaged by weevil maturation feeding. Insects and damaged Scots pine seedlings were collected from 21 reforestation sites in Poland. The fungi were identified based on morphology, DNA sequence comparisons for two gene regions (ITS, β-tubulin) and phylogenetic analyses. Sixteen of the ophiostomatoid species were isolated and identified. In all insect populations, Leptographium procerum was the most commonly isolated fungus (84 %). Ophiostoma quercus was also found at a relatively high frequency (16 %). Other ophiostomatoid fungi were found only rarely. Among these rarer fungi, four species, Leptographium lundbergii, Ophiostoma floccosum, Ophiostoma piliferum and Sporothrix inflata, were isolated above 3 %. L. procerum was isolated most frequently and was found in 88 % of the damaged seedlings. S. inflata was isolated from 26 %, while O. quercus occurred in 10 % of the seedlings. This study confirmed that L. procerum and O. quercus were common associates of H. abietis, while others species were found inconsistently and in low numbers, indicating causal associations. H. abietis also acted as an effective vector transmitting ophiostomatoid species, especially L. procerum and S. inflata, to Scots pine seedlings.

Preliminary evaluation of storax and its constituents: Fungal decay, mold and termite resistance

Essential oils and their derivatives might be one of the promising preserving agents to prevent fungal decay and termite/insect attack in wood since such compounds have a long history of safe usage as antimicrobial agents in various industries. Considerable research has focused on utilizing bioactive essential oils and wood extractives based on green technologies to develop environmentally friendly wood preservatives. This study evaluated biological activities of storax from Liquidambar orientalis tree, some storax constituents and commercial styrax against wood-decaying fungi, mold fungi, and termites in laboratory conditions. Scots pine sapwood specimens were treated with various concentrations of styrax, storax and storax constituents i.e. cinnamyl acetate, cinnamyl alcohol and ethyl cinnamate. Treated specimens were subjected to leaching followed by soil block decay tests using two brown rot and two white rot fungi. Specimens were also subjected to two different laboratory termite resistance tests based on the standards methods by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). Inhibitory effects of the compounds were evaluated in vitro against Basidiomycetes, mold, and staining fungi. Treated wood specimens were also tested for mold growth. The storax constituents, storax and styrax did not inhibit fungal decay by the brown rot fungi. The constituents and storax-treated specimens resulted in mostly “moderate resistance” to fungal decay by the white rot fungi based on the ASTM D2017 classification. Styrax only was effective against the Basidiomycetes fungi in vitro tests; however, the mold and staining fungi tested were not completely inhibited. Natural storax at the concentration level of 0.5% inhibited all fungi except Trametes versicolor and Ceratocystis pilifera. Cinnamyl alcohol inhibited fungal growth with the exception of Aspergillus niger. In mold tests, complete inhibition was not observed for any of the test fungi; however, cinnamyl alcohol reduced mold growth considerably on treated wood specimens. Cinnamyl alcohol was also effective against termites in unleached specimens; however, styrax and natural storax at the concentration level of 10% reduced wood consumption in treated specimens.

Albino strains of Ophiostoma spp. fungi effect on radiata pine permeability

Albino strains of Ophiostoma piliferum, Ophiostoma piceae and Ophiostoma floccosum used as single strain and in mixtures are tested for their abilities to increase the permeability of radiata pine sapwood after 2 and 4 weeks of incubation. The bio-treatments yielded permeability increments up to 1.9 and 2.4 times controls after 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. The fungus type involved in the treatments as well as the incubation time appeared as significant factors. Results also suggest that combinations of albino Ophiostoma spp. fungi could increase permeability to higher levels than individual ones, hinting at a possible synergistic relationship among them. Furthermore, treatments with a high concentration of O. floccosum seem particularly successful. Simultaneously to the increment of permeability such bio-treatment might also offer protection against blue sap-stain. Further research is recommended to refine and find an optimum time of incubation, as well as the most effective combination and concentration of fungi.

Fungal pretreatment of pine wood to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds

Abstract Sterilized pine wood strands were treated with the ascomycete Ophiostoma piliferum (Cartapip 97™) in an attempt to reduce aldehyde emissions through degradation of aldehyde-forming precursors. Wooden boards were then produced from the treated strands by means of a laboratory press. VOC emissions of these boards were characterized and the concentrations of seven major substances were followed for a period of 28 days in Markes μ-CTE micro-chambers employing Tenax-TDAS/GC/MS analytics. Boards made from treated strands showed a highly significant (P<0.001) reduction in aldehyde emissions by 70% compared to the control boards, while differences in the monoterpene emissions were not significant (P>0.05). Wood extractives from treated and untreated strands were also analyzed by GC/MS after milling and acetone/water extraction. A marked decrease of C18 unsaturated fatty acids was detected in agreement with the reduction of aldehyde emissions, and the monosaccharides as indicators of fungal growth were depleted and stilbenes and lignans were partially degraded.

Fungal associates of the lodgepole pine beetle, Dendroctonus murrayanae

Bark beetles are well known vectors of ophiostomatoid fungi including species of Ophiostoma, Grosmannia and Ceratocystis. In this study, the most common ophiostomatoid fungi associated with the lodgepole pine beetle, Dendroctonus murrayanae, were characterized. Pre-emergent and post-attack adult beetles were collected from lodgepole pines at four sites in British Columbia, Canada. Fungi were isolated from these beetles and identified using a combination of morphology and DNA sequence comparisons of five gene regions. In all four populations, Grosmannia aurea was the most common associate (74-100% of all beetles) followed closely by Ophiostoma abietinum (29-75%). Other fungi isolated, in order of their relative prevalence with individual beetles were an undescribed Leptographium sp. (0-13%), Ophiostoma ips (0-15%), Ophiostoma piliferum (0-11%), a Pesotum sp. (0-11%) and Ophiostoma floccosum (0-1%). Comparisons of the DNA sequences of Leptographium strains isolated in this study, with ex-type isolates of G. aurea, Grosmannia robusta, Leptographium longiclavatum, and Leptographium terebrantis, as well as with sequences from GenBank, revealed a novel lineage within the Grosmannia clavigera complex. This lineage included some of the D. murrayane isolates as well as several isolates from previous studies referred to as L. terebrantis. However, the monophyly of this lineage is not well supported and a more comprehensive study will be needed to resolve its taxonomic status as one or more novel taxa.

Biocontrol of decay in seasoning utility poles. I. Growth rate and colonizing ability of bluestain and decay fungi in vivo and in vitro

SummarySeasoning (air drying) of utility poles for 6–12 months is essential before preservative treatment can be achieved. However, during seasoning, pine sapwood is often colonized by decay fungi, thereby compromising the performance and service life of the poles. This study investigated the potential of bluestain fungi to act as short‐term biocontrol agents against decay during seasoning. An important attribute for biocontrol is rapid growth, so growth rates of common bluestain (Ceratocystis coerulescens, Ophiostoma minus, Ophiostoma piceae, Ophiostoma piliferum, Sphaeropsis sapinea) and decay fungi (Heterobasidion annosum, Phlebiopsis gigantea, Stereum sanguinolentum) were compared on agar medium and pine in logs at various temperatures. On agar, the growth temperature optimum of most bluestain fungi and all the decay fungi was ∼25°C, with little growth at ≤5°C or above 32.5°C. Overall, the fastest growing were S. sapinea and O. minus. In logs, the most effective colonizers were S. sapinea and O. minus with pathogenic abilities that made them well fitted to colonize the sapwood of freshly felled pine. Within these species, certain isolates produced much larger lesions in phloem and the sapwood tangential plane than all the decay fungi. Notably, there was significant variation in colonizing ability between different isolates within a species, emphasizing the need for testing a range of isolates when selecting a potential biocontrol agent.

Effects of substrate on laboratory spalting of sugar maple

Abstract Spalting is the coloration of wood caused by fungal colonization. Woodturners, craftspeople, and artists appreciate spalted wood for its aesthetic appeal and uniqueness. Laboratory-induced spalting aims at a repeatable procedure in which wood is inoculated with selected fungi to obtain natural color with high aesthetic appeal, low weight loss and good machinability. Vermiculite (a natural clay with a high capacity for water holding and cation exchange) has been the primary incubation substrate for spalting research despite soil being the standard substrate for soil block decay testing. In this research, we explored the differences between these two substrates and their effects on the growth of spalting fungi on sugar maple (Acer saccharum) wood. Five fungi, Trametes versicolor, Xylaria polymorpha, Arthrographis cuboidea, Ceratocystis pilifera, and Ceratocystis virescens, were tested for their weight loss and spalting abilities on 14-mm sugar maple cubes incubated in both soil and vermiculite. Weight losses from all fungi were either unaffected or reduced by incubation in vermiculite compared to soil. In vermiculite, X. polymorpha produced more zone lines and A. cuboidea produced more pigment than blocks incubated in soil. Growth in vermiculite decreased weight loss of blocks inoculated with T. versicolor and X. polymorpha, while bleaching was unaffected regardless of substrate. External blue stain was higher on blocks inoculated with either Ceratocystis species and incubated in soil. These results indicate that vermiculite is a better substrate for spalting regardless of fungus due to the higher external pigmentation, lower weight loss, and better color contrast on the sugar maple blocks incubated in this substrate.

Fungistatic Activity Of Essential Oils Extracted from Peumus boldus Mol., Laureliopsis philippiana (Looser) Schodde and Laurelia sempervirens (Ruiz & Pav.) Tul. (Chilean Monimiaceae)

Components of essential oils from the Chilean Monimiaceae, boldo (Peumus boldus Mol.), tepa (Laureliopsis philippiana (Looser) Schodde), and laurel (Laurelia sempervirens (Ruiz & Pav.) Tul.) were determined using Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and fungistatic activity of the essential oils was tested against Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn (Donk), Pythium irregulare Buisman, Ceratocystis pilifera (Fr.) C. Moreau, Phragmidium violaceum (Schultz) G. Winter, and Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl. The essential oils of the Monimiaceae species shared some common components; all three had the 3-carene, α-phellandrene, and α-pinene terpenes. L. philippiana and L. sempervirens also had safrole.The main components were ascaridol in P. boldus oil, 3-carene in L. philippiana, and safrole in L. sempervirens. The essential oil from L. sempervirens showed the highest fungistatic activity with significant differences in dose as well as exposure. P. violaceum was the most sensitive strain and P. irregulare the most resistant of all the essential oils (P. boldus extract affected growth by only 19%). Therefore, essential oils from these three plants could be used to control the fungal strains studied.

Controlled Seasoning of Scots Pine Chips Using an Albino Strain of Ophiostoma

Traditional seasoning of wood chips normally results in significant yield losses and brightness reduction due to the uncontrolled action of microorganisms. Techniques for reduction of the amount of wood extractives with minimal yield and brightness loss are therefore of interest for the pulp and paper industry. To study a biotechnological approach for reduction of wood extractives, wood chips from sapwood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) were treated with a commercial albino strain of the sap stain fungus Ophiostoma piliferum. During 2 weeks of controlled seasoning, the content of wood extractives decreased by approximately 40% for Scots pine and 25% for Norway spruce, where the triglyceride contents were degraded to a greater degree. Thermomechanical pulps were produced from untreated and pretreated pine chips. The properties of these pulps and corresponding laboratory sheets were investigated. The pretreated pulps showed less shortened fibers, lower amounts of triglycerides, and enhanced strength properties. The mechanisms behind these effects are discussed. Furthermore, the ability of the albino Ophiostoma piliferum to displace mould growth from wood chips was investigated in a series of experiments. It was concluded that the fungus should preferably be inoculated on fresh chips in order to repress mould growth.

Antifungal and Antibacterial Activities of Araucaria araucana (Mol.) K. Koch Heartwood Lignans

Five lignans (secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, eudesmin, lariciresinol, and lariciresinol-4-methyl ether) were isolated from an MeOH extract from Araucaria araucana (Mol.) K. Koch wood for the first time in this species and their structures determined with spectroscopic methods. The antimicrobial activities of these compounds were determined for the bacteria Citrobacter sp., Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and for the white rooting and staining fungi Mucor miehei, Paecilomyces variotii, Ceratocystis pilifera, Trametes versicolor, and Penicillium notatum, and in addition, the MeOH extract was evaluated against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Fusarium moniliforme, F. sporotrichum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The most sensitive bacteria against pinoresinol were the Gram-positive. However, secoisolariciresinol exhibited a significant antifungal activity on fungi of white rooting and wood staining and this compound completely inhibited the mycelial growth of T. versicolor and C. pilifera at 300 and 400 microg per disc, respectively, whereas pinoresinol showed a moderate inhibitory activity. On the other hand, the MeOH extract had the highest activity against rooting and staining and pathogenic fungi as well as T. versicolor, Fusarium spp. and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, inhibiting completely the growth at 400 microg per disc.

Ophiostomatoid fungi isolated fromPinus radiatalogs imported from New Zealand to Korea

Ophiostomatoid fungi discolor lumber, logs, and tree sapwood. Stained wood has a lower market value and can be refused by importing customers because such products can potentially carry pathogenic fungi. Little information is available on the ophiostomatoid fungi that colonize Pinus radiata D. Don (radiata pine) logs imported from New Zealand into Korea. In this work, we attempted to identify the native and non-native fungi colonizing wood imported into Korea. At least 12 species of ophiostomatoid fungi, including an unknown Ophiostoma sp. A, were identified among the fungi-staining radiata pine. They were Leptographium procerum (Kendr.) Wingf., Leptographium bistatum Kim & Kim, Ophiostoma floccosum Mathiesen, Ophiostoma huntii (Rob.) Hoog & Scheff., Ophiostoma ips (Rumbold) Nannf., Ophiostoma nigrocarpum (David.) Hoog, Ophiostoma piceae (Münch) H. & P. Sydow, Ophiostoma piliferum (Fries) H. & P. Sydow, Ophiostoma quercus (Georgév.) Nannf., Ophiostoma radiaticola Kim et al., and Ophiostoma setosum Uzunovic et al. Of these species, O. floccosum was the dominant species in both logs and boards. We confirmed that many of the sapstain species that we isolated have been previously reported in Korea. However, four species, O. radiatcola, O. setosum, O. huntii, and O. nigrocarpum have not been reported previously in Korea. We also found the new species, L. bistatum, along with an unknown Ophiostoma sp. A.Key words: radiata pine, ophiostomatoid fungi, New Zealand, non-native organisms, β-tubulin gene.

Isolation of wood-inhabiting fungi from Canadian hardwood logs

Wood-inhabiting fungi include many molds, wood-staining fungi, and decay fungi. Most of these fungal species can result in economic losses to wood users. Studies on molds, staining fungi, and decay fungi are necessary to be able to control their growth on wood and wood products. In this study, wood-inhabiting fungi were isolated from logs of 3 major Canadian hardwood species: sugar maple, white birch, and yellow birch. Two media were used for isolation. From these 3 wood species, a total of 1198 fungal cultures were obtained from summer- and winter-harvested logs in dry storage and under water sprinkling. The results showed that most fungal species were not host specific and affected all of the wood species tested. Frequently isolated molds were Alternaria alternata, Trichoderma species, and Mucor/Rhizopus (Zygomycota) species, frequently isolated staining fungi were Ophiostoma piceae and Ophiostoma piliferum, a frequently isolated bark saprophyte was Nectria cinnabarina, and frequently isolated decay fungi were taxa of the phylum Basidiomycota. More fungal species were isolated from summer-harvested logs than from winter-harvested logs. Fewer fungal cultures, especially decay fungi, were isolated from logs in early storage than from logs in late storage.

Disruption of the subtilase gene, albin1, in Ophiostoma piliferum.

Wood sapstaining fungi produce multiple proteases that break down wood protein. Three groups of subtilases have been identified in sapstaining fungi; however, it is not known if these groups have distinct physiological roles (B. Hoffman and C. Breuil, Curr. Genet. 41:168-175, 2002). In this work we examined the role of the subtilase Albin1 from Ophiostoma piliferum. Reamplification of cDNA ends PCR was used to obtain the albin1 gene sequence. The encoded subtilase is probably extracellular and involved in nutrient acquisition. This gene was disrupted with an Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation system. Two of the disruptants obtained had significantly lower levels of proteolytic activity, slower growth in bovine serum albumin, and significantly reduced growth on wood. Thus, albin1 plays an important role in O. piliferum's ability to acquire nitrogen from wood proteins.

ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL TERPENES FROM Pilgerodendron uviferum (D. DON) FLORIN

Ten sesquiterpenes (a-cubebene, copaene, a-caryophyllene, caryophyllene-4,5-epoxide, d-cadinene, cubenol, epicubenol, torreyol, humulene-1,2-epoxide, 15-copaenol) and six diterpenes (hinokione, hinokiol, ferruginol, 6,7-dehydroferruginol, totarol, sugiol) were isolated and identified from Pilgerodendron uviferum (D. Don) Florin wood and bark. The molecular structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Twelve pure compounds were tested for antimicrobial activity against standard bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aureginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes) and fungal strains (Ophiostoma piliferum, Rhizoctonia solani, Phragmidium violaceum, Fusarium graminearum, Pythium irregulare, Botrytis cinerea, Schizophyllum commune), as were crude total extracts, n-hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate partial extracts. All the compounds tested exhibited biological activity, with the most active being ferruginol, hinokiol, 15-copaenol, cubenol, torreyol, and n-hexane wood extracts and ethyl acetate bark extract