Polypore Fungi Research Articles

Research on Chaga hypoglycemic functional foods

Chaga, also known as Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pilát, belongs to the genera Basidiomycotina, Hymenomycetes, Hymenochaetales, Hymenochaetaceae, and Inonotus. Chaga is a brown polypore fungus that mostly grows under the bark of white birch and silver birch trees. It forms sarcoma-like sclerotia when the bark is damaged. It mainly grows in Northern Europe at the 40° to 50° north latitude, Siberia and the Far East in Russia, Hokkaido in Japan, and the Changbai Mountain area of the Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province in China. Chaga has various pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory. Inonotus obliquus, an edible fungus with the same origin as medicine and food, has attracted more and more attention. At present, Chaga has become a raw material with great potential for developing functional foods. In this article, Chaga’s blood sugar-lowering function, functional ingredients, and blood sugar-lowering mechanism and the development status of Chaga functional foods are reviewed and Chaga’s future development is analyzed and forecast.

Polypore fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Tetratomidae) in a remnant of semi-deciduous forest of the Brazilian Cerrado: checklist and the description of a new species of Eustrophopsis Champion, 1889

Tetratomidae Billberg, 1820 is a small family of tenebrionoid beetles that primarily feed on polypore fungi. Their Neotropical diversity remains poorly known, with most recent studies concentrating on Nearctic and Palearctic species. The few records from the neotropics are from samplings in the Atlantic Forest or Amazon Rainforest. Here we present illustrations of genitalia and photos of two species of Eustrophopsis Champion, 1889, E. laurae sp. nov. and E. bilunulata Pic, 1912. The samplings were carried out with malaise traps in the Parque Estadual Altamiro de Moura Pacheco (PEAMP), Goiás, Brazil, a remnant Cerrado mostly covered by semi-deciduous forest. These species represent the first records of Tetratomidae for the Brazilian Cerrado since their original descriptions, elucidating the paucity of studies on the fauna of Coleoptera in Brazil. This research is part of our ongoing efforts to better understand the insect diversity of this region, especially in current scenarios of rapid deforestation and biodiversity loss.

Qualitative Analysis of Bioactive Compounds from different Polypores from Kolhapur District

It is now widely recognized that biological activity occurs throughout the fungal kingdom. Since ancient times so called mushrooms belonging to Basidiomycota have been used for medicinal purpose. Various bioactive compounds show important biological activities such as antioxidative, free radical scavenging, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, antiviral, and antibacterial etc. In earlier times, mushrooms were originally regarded as a significant source of medicinal in oriental regions. Discovering new major medicines is becoming a great challenge for scientific community. The present study deals with qualitative analysis and identifies the different classes of bioactive compounds as well as their potential therapeutic properties in three different polypores viz. Earliella scabrosa, Podoscypha petalodes and Polyporus grammocephalous. This information can provide insight about the bioactivity and metabolite production from these Polypore fungi, which can potentially lead to the development of new drugs. Keywords: Bioactive compounds, Polypores fungi, Therapeutic properties

How important is Forest Age in explaining the species composition of Near-natural Spruce Forests?

Multiple ecological drivers, along with forest age, determine the species composition of boreal forest ecosystems. However, the role of age in successional changes in forests cannot be understood without taking site conditions, the disturbance regime and forest structure into account. In this study, we ask two research questions: 1. What is the relationship between forest age and overall species composition in older near-natural spruce forests, i.e. forests of age beyond harvest maturity? 2. Do species associated with different forest habitats respond similarly to variation in forest age? Data were collected in 257 Norway spruce dominated 0.25 ha plots from three study areas in Southeastern and Central Norway. Species inventories were conducted for lichens and bryophytes on trees and rocks, vascular plants on the forest floor, and for deadwood-associated bryophytes and polypore fungi. Although NMDS ordination analyses of the total species composition identified a main axis related to the age of the oldest trees in two of the study areas, variation partitioning analyses showed that age explained a small fraction of variation of the species composition compared to site conditions, logging history, forest structure, and differences between the sites in all habitats. The unique variation explained by forest age species was, however, significant for all habitats. The fraction of variation in species composition explained by forest age was the largest for lichens and bryophytes on trees, and for deadwood-associated bryophytes and polypore fungi. Our results suggest that practical mapping of near-natural forests for management purposes inventories should include site conditions, forest structure and between site differences in addition to forest age.

Phylogenomic delineation of two new species of ascomycetous yeasts, Wickerhamiella koratensis sp. nov. and Wickerhamiella limtongiae sp. nov., and proposal of two synonyms, Wickerhamiella infanticola and Wickerhamiella tropicalis.

Two novel ascomycetous yeast species of the genus Wickerhamiella are proposed based on isolates obtained in Thailand from food waste and the fruiting body of a polypore fungus, and on a combination of conventional DNA-barcode sequence analyses and whole-genome phylogenies. We focus on a particular subclade of the genus Wickerhamiella that contains species found in anthropic environments and describe Wickerhamiella limtongiae sp. nov. (DMKU-FW31-5T=PYCC 9022T=TBRC 15055T), found on food waste samples. In an adjacent clade, we describe Wickerhamiella koratensis sp. nov. (DMKU-KO16T=PYCC 8908T=TBRC 14869T), which represents the closest relative of Wickerhamiella slavikovae and was isolated from the fruiting body of Bjerkandera sp. In the subclade of W. limtongiae sp. nov., we propose that Wickerhamiella infanticola should be regarded as a synonym of Wickerhamiella sorbophila and that Wickerhamiella tropicalis should be regarded as a synonym of Wickerhamiella verensis.

Taxonomic study and diversity of Postia s.lat. in Swat, Pakistan: addition of five brown rot Polypores to the country.

Brown rot Polypores are ecologically significant as they play a crucial role in maintaining the carbon cycle and contribute to humus formation in forest ecosystems through their lignocellulose degradation ability. It is important to note that some species can significantly impact timber, potentially causing decay in economically valuable wood. Many Asian countries including Pakistan are still under the exploratory phase and have undocumented species diversity in Polypore fungi. In the current study, collections representing five different species belonging to two families, Postiaceae and Adustoporiaceae, were subjected to detailed morphoanatomical and molecular analyses. A combined matrix of two gene datasets (ITS and nrLSU) was analyzed using three different phylogenetic methods viz. Maximum Parsimony (MP), Maximum Likelihood (ML), and Bayesian inference (BI). Our study presents descriptions of five previously undocumented brown rot Polypore species from the country including Fuscopostia fragilis (Fr.) B.K. Cui, L.L. Shen & Y.C. Dai, Amaropostia stiptica (Pers.) B.K. Cui, L.L. Shen & Y.C. Dai, Cyanosporus piceicola B.K. Cui, L.L. Shen & Y.C. Dai, Spongiporus balsameus (Peck) A. David, Rhodonia placenta (Fr.) Niemelä, K.H. Larss. & Schigel. Regarding the molecular data, nodes of our subject sequences were substantially supported and fell under their respective species clades with high ML bootstrap values (≥ 95), MP bootstrap ≥ 74 and BI probabilities ≥ 0.98. Findings of the study will not only contribute to our understanding of local Polypores species diversity but also enhance knowledge of geographical distribution in global context.

Antiproliferative and Antibacterial Activity of Polyporoid Fungi from Veracruz, Mexico.

Polyporoid fungi represent a vast source of bioactive compounds with potential pharmacological applications. The importance of polyporoid fungi in traditional Chinese medicine has led to an extensive use of some species of Ganoderma for promoting health and longevity because their consumption is associated with several bioactivities. Nevertheless, bioactivity of some other members of the Polyporaceae family has also been reported. This work reports the antiproliferative and antibacterial activity of crude extracts obtained from fruiting bodies of polypore fungi collected from the central region of Veracruz, Mexico, aimed at understanding the diversity of polypore species with potential pharmacological applications. 29 collections were identified macro- and microscopically in 19 species of polyporoid fungi, belonging to 13 genera. The antiproliferative activity screening of extracts against solid tumor cell lines (A549, SW1573, HeLa, HBL-100, T-47D, WiDr) allow us to identify four extracts with strong bioactivity [half-maximal growth inhibition (GI50) ≤ 50 μg/mL]. After this, a phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from the ITS region obtained from bioactive specimens allowed us to identify three extracts as Pycnoporus sanguineus (GI50 = ≤ 10 μg/mL) and the fourth bioactive extract as Ganoderma oerstedii (GI50 = < 50 μg/mL. Likewise, extracts from P. sanguineus showed mild or moderate antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Xanthomonas albilineas. Bioprospecting studies of polyporoid fungi add to the knowledge of the diversity of macrofungi in Mexico and allow us to select one of the bioactive P. sanguineus to continue the pursuit of bioactive compounds through mycochemical studies.

Comparative study of phytochemicals, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of infusion and decoction extracts from Pycnoporus sanguineus (L.) Murril collected in West Bengal

Mushrooms are well-known pharmaceutical agents as they possess bioactive secondary metabolites along with a large amount of proteins, carbohydrates, crude fiber, fat and other beneficial compounds. Due to their remarkable pharmacological property, they are used in traditional medicine in different countries of Asia. Pycnoporus sanguineus is a polypore fungus having a wide variety of bioactive substances and therapeutic activities that are reported previously in different countries of the world. The present study is focused to estimate different bioactive compounds and evaluate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of P. sanguineus using two different extraction procedures (infusion and decoction). In this study, total phenol, total flavonoid, β-carotene, lycopene and ascorbic acid contents are estimated. Antioxidant and inti-inflammatory activities are investigated by total antioxidant capacity, DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, chelating of ferrous ion (Fe2+), reducing power assays and protein denaturation assay respectively. The aim of the study is to establish P. sanguineus as a natural drug that could be used against oxidative stress and inflammation-related diseases substituting commercial drugs.

&lt;i&gt;SIDERA TIBETICA&lt;/i&gt; (&lt;i&gt;HYMENOCHAETALES&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;BASIDIOMYCOTA&lt;/i&gt;), A NEW SPECIES TO RUSSIA

The first findings of recently described polypore fungus Sidera tibetica are revealed in the Caspian lowland forests of the Samursky National Park in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. Basidiomata collected on Pinus brutia var. eldarica were studied by both light microscopy and molecular methods. Detailed information on new localities and habitats of Sidera tibetica as well as the collection numbers of specimens deposited in the Mycological Herbarium of the Komarov Botanical Institute of RAS (LE) are provided. Two complete sequences of ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 nuclear ribosomal DNA for Caucasian specimens of S. tibetica have been obtained and submitted to the GenBank database. Newly generated sequences are formed a separate well-supported clade in the Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analysis together with all available ITS nrDNA sequences of S. tibetica originated from Belarussian and Chinese collections including the reference sequence from a holotype.

Exploring the potential of Bornean polypore fungi as biological control agents against pathogenic Ganoderma boninense causing basal stem rot in oil palm

Basal stem rot due to a fungal pathogen, Ganoderma boninense, is one of the most devastating diseases in oil palm throughout the major palm oil producer countries. This study investigated the potential of polypore fungi as biological control agents against pathogenic G. boninense in oil palm. In vitro antagonistic screening of selected non-pathogenic polypore fungi was performed. Based on in planta fungi inoculation on oil palm seedlings, eight of the 21 fungi isolates tested (GL01, GL01, RDC06, RDC24, SRP11, SRP12, SRP17, and SRP18) were non-pathogenic. In vitro antagonistic assays against G. boninense revealed that the percentage inhibition of radial growth (PIRG) in dual culture assay for SRP11 (69.7%), SRP17 (67.3%), and SRP18 (72.7%) was relatively high. Percentage inhibition of diameter growth (PIDG) in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in dual plate assay of SRP11, SRP17, and SRP18 isolates were 43.2%, 51.6%, and 52.1%, respectively. Molecular identification using the internal transcribed spacer gene sequences of SRP11, SRP17, and SRP18 isolates revealed that they were Fomes sp., Trametes elegans, and Trametes lactinea, respectively.

New records and barcode sequence data of wood-inhabiting polypores in Benin with notes on their phylogenetic placements and distribution.

Wood-inhabiting fungi (WIF), such as polypores, are extremely species-rich and play vital roles in the functioning of forest ecosystems as decomposers. Despite the importance of polypores, our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of these fungi is still poor in general and especially for West Africa. To advance our knowledge we here summarise results from field collections between 2017 and 2021 and present (i) a taxonomic overview, (ii) phylogenetic placements and (iii) an illustrated catalogue of wood-inhabiting polypore fungi with colour pictures. During the field sampling campaigns, we collected 647 specimens. Based on morphological characteristics and molecular barcode data, 76 polypore species belonging to six orders, 15 families and 39 genera were identified. Of the 76 species, 30 are new to the West Africa, 69 new to Benin, and two new combinations Fuscoporia beninensis and Megasporia minuta are proposed. With this summary, we provide new data for further research. Citation: Olou BA, Langer E, Ryvarden L, Krah F-S, Hounwanou GB, Piepenbring M, Yorou NS (2023). New records and barcode sequence data of wood-inhabiting polypores in Benin with notes on their phylogenetic placements and distribution. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 11: 11-42. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2023.11.02.

Exploring the potential of Bornean polypore fungi as biological control agents against pathogenic Ganoderma boninense causing basal stem rot in oil palm

Exploring the potential of Bornean polypore fungi as biological control agents against pathogenic Ganoderma boninense causing basal stem rot in oil palm

A new, morphologically and ecologically unusual Lasioseius mite (Acari: Blattisociidae) associated with Diaperis boleti (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) and wood-decomposing fungi in Slovakia

On the basis of females and males found on the adult beetles of the mycophagous tenebrionid Diaperis boleti (L.) and on the polypore fungi Fomitopsis betulina, Laetiporus sulphureus, and Cerioporus squamosus infested with this beetle, which serve as a specific phoretic host for the new species, a new blattisociid mite, Lasioseius boleti sp. nov. was described. The new species is characterised by a pronounced sexual dimorphism of the dorsal chaetotaxy, which is unusual for the genus, and by several features more typical of other highly specialized fungicoles among the mesostigmatic mites than of other species of Lasioseius Berlese, such as the genera Hoploseius Berlese (Blattisociidae), Mycomelichares Mašán and Joharchi (Melicharidae), and Bulbolaelaps Faraji, Zare and Rahmani (Digamasellidae). The new species is unusual among the known congeners mainly because of its unusual bionomy, sexual dimorphism, presence of unequal setae that vary greatly in length and form in both sexes, moderately shortened peritremes, sharp cheliceral teeth, and brush-like tritosternum.

An Immunomodulatory Polysaccharide-Protein Complex Isolated from the Polypore Fungus Royoporus badius.

Many wild edible polypore mushrooms have medicinal value. In this study, we investigate the potential medicinal properties of the wild polypore mushroom Royoporus badius collected from north-central British Columbia, Canada. Water extract from R. badius was found to exhibit potent immunomodulatory activity. The extract was purified using DEAE-Sephadex anion-exchange chromatography as well as Sephacryl S-500 and HPLC BioSEC5 size-exclusion chromatography, to yield a novel polysaccharide-protein complex (IMPP-Rb).IMPP-Rb has a peak maxima molecular weight (Mp) of 950 kDa. GC-MS analyses showed that IMPP-Rb is composed predominantly of glucose (49.2%), galactose (11.3%), mannose (10.8%), rhamnose (9.6%), and galacturonic acid (8.2%), with smaller amounts of xylose (5.2%), fucose (2.8%), N-acetyl glucosamine (1.8%), and arabinose (1.2%). IMPP-Rb has multiple linkages, with 4-Glcp, 4-Manp, 6-Manp, 3,4-Manp, 4-Xylp, and 2-Rhap being the most prominent. IMPP-Rb is capable of inducing many cytokines in vitro and the protein component is indispensable for its immunomodulatory activity. IMPP-Rb has potential application as an immuno-stimulatory agent with pharmaceutical value.

A new species of Blattisocius (Acari: Mesostigmata: Blattisociidae) from China, with a key to species of the genus recorded from that country

ABSTRACT We describe a new species, Blattisocius trifuricpilus sp. nov., collected from polypore fungi on dead trees from Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the presence of 36 pairs of setae on the dorsal shield, of which 20 pairs of setae (j1, j3, z3, z4, z6, s3-s6, r3, Z1-Z5, S1-S5) are relatively stout and trifurcate, opisthogastric setae JV5 relatively stout and trifurcate, and the peritreme reaching anteriorly to level of j2. A key is presented to the seven recognizable Chinese species of the genus Blattisocius. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EB8FEC91-7831-4BF0-B13F-88964F795B31

Polyacetylene Derivatives from the Polypore Fungus (Fistulina hepatica, Agaricomycetes) and Their Antimicrobial Activity

Chemical investigation of the polypore fungus &lt;i&gt;Fistulina hepatica &lt;/i&gt;resulted in the isolation of five compounds, including four new polyacetylenic fatty acid derivatives - isocinnatriacetin B (1), isocinnatriacetin A (2), cinna-triacetin C (3) and ethylcinnatriacetin A (4) together with one known polyacetylene fatty acid derivative - cinnatriacetin A (5). The structures were elucidated using spectroscopic methods (UV, NMR, HR-ESIMS) along with comparison to literature data. Antibacterial activity screening of compounds &lt;b&gt;1-5&lt;/b&gt; against ESKAPE bacterial strains &lt;i&gt;in vitro&lt;/i&gt; with zones of inhibition (ZOI) was performed and MIC values were established for the most active compounds (&lt;b&gt;3 &lt;/b&gt;and &lt;b&gt;4&lt;/b&gt;). Together with that morphological and growth parameters under solid-phase cultivation were also researched.

Detecting Ganoderma basal stem rot disease on oil palm using artificial neural network method

The oil palm tree is one of the essential plants with a major contribution to the Indonesian economy but is also vulnerable to pathogen infection, such as Ganoderma. Ganoderma boninense is a group of polyporous fungi which is responsible for Basal Stem Rot disease. The disease is extremely serious and easily spreads, posing a significant threat to the economy, so early detection of the disease becomes vital. However, the current detection techniques for the disease are expensive and time-consuming; hence, they are not ideal for large plantation areas. The development of image processing technology could be utilized to predict Ganoderma infection, using the images that are captured by a drone. This research aims to predict the spread of Ganoderma infection, in the oil palm tree plantation area in North Sumatra, Indonesia, by utilizing image processing and Artificial Neural Network methods. Our model results showed the prediction accuracy (with Green color) was 73,8%. In addition, we also showed the distribution of Ganoderma infection in the area: score 0 was 229 trees, score 1 was 295 trees, score 2 was 112 trees, score 3 was 238 trees, and score 4 was 23 trees. Overall, our research provided a non-destructive method to detect Basal Stem Rot disease in the oil palm plantation sites.

Eco-Physiological Adaptations of the Xylotrophic Basidiomycetes Fungi to CO2 and O2 Mode in the Woody Habitat.

The aim of this research is to study of eco-physiological adaptations of xylotrophic fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) to hypoxia, anoxia and hypercapnia as the main environmental factors that determine the activity of fungi in woody habitat. The study was carried out on seven species of polypore fungi widespread in the preforest-steppe pine-birch forests of the Central Urals, including both white (D. tricolor, D. septentrionalis, F. fomentarius, H. rutilans, T. biforme) and brown (F. betulina, F. pinicola) rot. Their CO2 and O2 gas exchange were analyzed in natural samples of woody substrates (Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris) and basidiocarps by the chamber method using a CO2/O2 gas analyzer. It was shown that the intensity of O2 gas exchange is positively related to the oxygen concentration but is not very sensitive to a decrease in its content in the woody habitat. Xylotrophic fungi are able to completely exhaust the O2 in the habitat, and this process is linear, indicating that they do not have threshold values for oxygen content. Oxygen consumption is accompanied by an adequate linear increase in CO2 concentration up to 18-19%. At a concentration of 5-10%, carbon dioxide does not affect the gas exchange of xylotrophic fungi and can even enhance it, but at 20% it significantly reduces its intensity. Xylotrophic fungi are resistant to high CO2 concentrations and remain viable at 100% CO2 concentration and are capable of growth under these conditions. In an oxygen-free habitat, anaerobic CO2 emissions are recorded; when O2 appears, its consumption is restored to the level preceding anoxia. Xylotrophic fungi are the specialized group of saprotrophic microaerophilic and capnophilic facultative anaerobes adapted to develop at low oxygen and high carbon dioxide concentration, anoxia.

Contribution to the knowledge of Polypores (Agaricomycetes) in the Amazonian Forest, with 16 new records for the state of Pará, Brazil

We present an inventory of polypore fungi (Basidiomycota; Hymenochaetales and Polyporales) with the aim of knowing the diversity of an area of 8 km2 of Brazilian Amazon rainforest, in the surroundings of HPP Sílvio Braga, in the west of Pará, where 91 species were collected (545 specimens), with 16 of these new records for the state of Pará, and 1 for America. These numbers tend to increase, given the projected occurrence of 118 species for the area. 87 species were considered occasional or rare, with only four considered frequent and none abundant. The richness observed in the study area was similar to other conservation units in the Amazon, for example, Caxiuanã National Forest (74 species). This observation, added to the potential increase in the number of species, the number of species with low representativeness (relative frequency) and the number of new records for the state, demonstrate the need to expand studies on polypore fungi in the region to learn about their biodiversity and the need for conservation of that area.

Exploring the potential of Bornean polypore fungi as biological control agents against pathogenic Ganoderma boninense causing basal stem rot in oil palm

Exploring the potential of Bornean polypore fungi as biological control agents against pathogenic Ganoderma boninense causing basal stem rot in oil palm