Species Of Ophiocordyceps Research Articles

Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal two new entomopathogenic species of Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) parasitic on termites from China.

Two new termite-pathogenic species, Ophiocordycepsglobiperitheciata and O.longistipes, are described from Yunnan Province, China. Six-locus (ITS, nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1 and rpb2) phylogenetic analyses in combination with morphological observations were employed to characterize these two species. Phylogenetically, O.globiperitheciata is most closely related to Hirsutellacryptosclerotium and O.communis, whereas O.longistipes shares a sister relationship with O.fusiformis. However, O.globiperitheciata differs from H.cryptosclerotium by parasitizing Blattodea and producing clavate, unbifurcated stromata. Ophiocordycepsglobiperitheciata is distinguished from O.communis by multiple stromata, shorter asci and ascospores. Ophiocordycepslongistipes differs from O.fusiformis in producing larger stromata, perithecia, asci and ascospores, as well as smaller citriform or oval conidia. Morphological descriptions of the two new species and a dichotomous key to the 19 termite-pathogenic Ophiocordyceps species are presented.

Mitogenomics, phylogeny and morphology reveal two new entomopathogenic species of Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from south-western China.

Ophiocordyceps encompasses over 300 species, demonstrating a wide range of morphological features, hosts and habitats within its species diversity. In this study, two novel species in Ophiocordyceps were revealed parasitising Hepialidae larva buried in soil. Ophiocordycepsalbastroma was morphologically characterised by white stromata, solitary and cylindrical conidiogenous cells and smooth ovoid or ellipsoidal conidia. Ophiocordycepsnigristroma was characterised by woody and dark brown stromata, monophialidic, swollen base and lageniform conidiogenous cells and smooth fusiform or oval conidia. The two new species formed a separate clade, respectively, based on the phylogenetic analyses of a combined dataset including nrSSU, nrLSU, rpb1, rpb2, and tef-1α, as well as a dataset of mitochondrial 14 protein coding genes (PCGs). They were all closely grouped with O.sinensis. The mitochondrial genomes of them were first reported. Their mitogenomes were all typical of circular molecules, with positive AT and GC skew, similar GC content, similar genetic composition, similar codon usage and conservative gene positions. However, the length of the mitogenomes varied. Changes in the length of the genes were the leading cause of changes in the length of mitochondrial genome of Ophiocordyceps. The discovery and identification of new Ophiocordyceps species and analysis their mitochondrial genomes may serve as foundations for phylogeny and diversity research within the genus Ophiocordyceps.

Interesting mycoparasites and Paradingleyomyceslepidopterorum gen. et sp. nov. (Hypocreales, Polycephalomycetaceae) from Yunnan Province, China.

A novel genus, Paradingleyomyces was introduced to accommodate Pa.lepidopterorum sp. nov., based on a multigene phylogenetic analysis and its distinct morphological characteristics. Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference analyses (BI) of ITS, SSU, LSU, tef-1α, rpb1, and rpb2 sequence data shown that Pa.lepidopterorum formed an independent lineage nested between Perennicordyceps and Dingleyomyces. Morphologically, Paradingleyomyces is distinguished from Perennicordyceps by the presence of a white subiculum on the stromata of Ophiocordycepscf.cochlidiicola. Perithecia are produced sporadically from the base to the apex of the stromata, and the secondary ascospores exhibit a notable length-to-width ratio. These characteristics distinguish Paradingleyomyces from Perennicordyceps which exhibits tortuous, branched, clavate to cylindrical stromata with rhizomorphs, parasitism of coleopteran and hemipteran larvae, and colonizes a broader range of fungal hosts. Additionally, perithecia in Perennicordyceps typically arise from the middle to the upper regions of the stromata, with secondary ascospores displaying a comparatively lower length-to-width ratio. Paradingleyomyces is morphologically identical to Dingleyomyces in its direct production of superficial perithecia on the stromata of Ophiocordyceps species. However, the phylogenetic analysis indicates that Paradingleyomyces and Dingleyomyces are not congeneric. Moreover, this study introduces another novel species, Polycephalomycestengchongensis, and a novel sexual morph of Pleurocordycepsyunnanensis. Dimorphic phialides and conidia of Pleurocordycepsparvicapitata were observed and described for the first time based on a fresh collection from Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, China.

Dingleyomyces lloydii (Hypocreales, Polycephalomycetaceae), gen. nov., comb. nov.

ABSTRACT Dingleyomyces is introduced as a new genus for the endemic New Zealand fungus, parasitic on the stromata of the large Ophiocordyceps species O. robertsii and O. hauturu, previously placed in Torrubiella as T. lloydii.

Systematic analyses with genomic and metabolomic insights reveal a new species, Ophiocordyceps indica sp. nov. from treeline area of Indian Western Himalayan region.

Ophiocordyceps is a species-rich genus in the order Hypocreales (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) depicting a fascinating relationship between microbes and insects. In the present study, a new species, Ophiocordyceps indica sp. nov., is discovered infecting lepidopteran larvae from tree line locations (2,202-2,653 m AMSL) of the Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, Indian Western Himalayan region, using combinations of morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. A phylogeny for Ophiocordyceps based on a combined multigene (nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α, and RPB1) dataset is provided, and its taxonomic status within Ophiocordycipitaceae is briefly discussed. Its genome size (~59 Mb) revealed 94% genetic similarity with O. sinensis; however, it differs from other extant Ophiocordyceps species based on morphological characteristics, molecular phylogenetic relationships, and genetic distance. O. indica is identified as the second homothallic species in the family Ophiocordycipitaceae, after O. sinensis. The presence of targeted marker components, viz. nucleosides (2,303.25 μg/g), amino acids (6.15%), mannitol (10.13%), and biological activity data, suggests it to be a new potential source of nutraceutical importance. Data generated around this economically important species will expand our understanding regarding the diversity of Ophiocordyceps-like taxa from new locations, thus providing new research avenues.

Six new species of zombie-ant fungi from Yunnan in China

Some Ophiocordyceps species infecting ants are able to manipulate the host behavior. The hosts are manipulated in order to move to location that are advantageous for fungal spore transmission. Ophiocordyceps species that are able to manipulate the ant's behavior are called "zombie-ant fungi". They are widespread within tropical forests worldwide, with relatively few reports from subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest. Zombie-ant fungi have been described and reported in different countries worldwide. However, there were a few reports from China. This study proposed six new species of zombie-ant fungi from China based on multi-gene (SSU, LSU, TEF, RPB1 and RPB2) phylogenetic analyses and morphological characteristics. Six novel species of Ophiocordyceps from China were identified as the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis core clade, forming a separate lineage with other species. Six novel species of Ophiocordyceps with hirsutella-like asexual morphs exclusively infecting ants were presented herein, namely, Ophiocordyceps acroasca, Ophiocordyceps bifertilis, Ophiocordyceps subtiliphialida, Ophiocordyceps basiasca, Ophiocordyceps nuozhaduensis and Ophiocordyceps contiispora. Descriptions and illustrations for six taxon were provided. Five of these species were collected from the subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest, and one was collected from the rainforest and subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest. This work proposes that the same host of Camponotus can be infected by multiple ant pathogenic fungi, while multiple ants of Polyrhachis can be infected by the same pathogenic fungi at the same time. This study contributes towards a better understanding of the evolutionary relationship between hosts and fungi, and provides novel insights into the morphology, distribution, parasitism, and ecology of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato. We have provided a method for obtaining living cultures of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis complex species and their asexual morphs based on the living cultures, which is of significant value for further studies of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis complex species in the future.

\(\textit{Ophiocordyceps xuansonae}\) a novel species of genus \(\textit{Ophiocordyceps}\) in Vietnam

The Ophiocordyceps is an important globally distributed genus that includes over 239-recorded species. Many species of the genus are famous for their significance in ecology, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. There have been 12 species of genus Ophiocordyceps found in Vietnam. In this study, the samples of Ophiocordyceps parasitizing the larva of order Lepidoptera at Xuan Son National Park in Phu Tho province were collected and characterized using both morphology and molecular analyses. The morphology comparison and ITS sequence analysis revealed that the fungus belongs to a new species of Ophiocordyceps. The paper presents the morphological and molecular description of the species.

Mitogenomic and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Ophiocordyceps lanpingensis and Comparative Analysis with Other Ophiocordyceps Species.

Ophiocordyceps lanpingensis (O. lanpingensis) belongs to the genus Ophiocordyceps, which is often found in Yunnan Province, China. This species is pharmacologically important for the treatment of renal disorders induced by oxidative stress and an inadequate immune response. In the present study, the mitogenome of O. lanpingensis was determined to be a circular molecule 117,560 bp in length, and to have 31% G + C content and 69% A + T content. This mitogenome comprised 82% of the whole genome that codes for significant genes. The protein-coding regions of the O. lanpingensis mitogenome, containing 24 protein-coding genes, were associated with respiratory chain complexes, such as 3 ATP-synthase complex F0 subunits (atp6, atp8, and atp9), 2 complex IV subunits/cytochrome c oxidases (cox2 and cox3), 1 complex III subunit (cob), 4 electron transport complex I subunits/NADH dehydrogenase complex subunits (nad1, nad4, nad5, and nad6), 2 ribosomal RNAs (rns, rnl), and 11 hypothetical/predicted proteins, i.e., orf609, orf495, orf815, orf47, orf150, orf147, orf292, orf127, orf349, orf452, and orf100. It was noted that all genes were positioned on the same strand. Further, 13 mitochondrial genes with respiratory chain complexes, which presented maximum similarity with other fungal species of Ophiocordyceps, were investigated. O. lanpingensis was compared with previously sequenced species within Ophiocordycepitaceae. Comparative analysis indicated that O. lanpingensis was more closely related to O. sinensis, which is one of the most remarkable and expensive herbs due to its limited availability and the fact that it is difficult to culture. Therefore, O. lanpingensis is an important medicinal resource that can be effectively used for medicinal purposes. More extensive metabolomics research is recommended for O. lanpingensis.

Unraveling the Secrets of a Double-Life Fungus by Genomics: Ophiocordyceps australis CCMB661 Displays Molecular Machinery for Both Parasitic and Endophytic Lifestyles.

Ophiocordyceps australis (Ascomycota, Hypocreales, Ophiocordycipitaceae) is a classic entomopathogenic fungus that parasitizes ants (Hymenoptera, Ponerinae, Ponerini). Nonetheless, according to our results, this fungal species also exhibits a complete set of genes coding for plant cell wall degrading Carbohydrate-Active enZymes (CAZymes), enabling a full endophytic stage and, consequently, its dual ability to both parasitize insects and live inside plant tissue. The main objective of our study was the sequencing and full characterization of the genome of the fungal strain of O. australis (CCMB661) and its predicted secretome. The assembled genome had a total length of 30.31 Mb, N50 of 92.624 bp, GC content of 46.36%, and 8,043 protein-coding genes, 175 of which encoded CAZymes. In addition, the primary genes encoding proteins and critical enzymes during the infection process and those responsible for the host-pathogen interaction have been identified, including proteases (Pr1, Pr4), aminopeptidases, chitinases (Cht2), adhesins, lectins, lipases, and behavioral manipulators, such as enterotoxins, Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases (PTPs), and Glycoside Hydrolases (GHs). Our findings indicate that the presence of genes coding for Mad2 and GHs in O. australis may facilitate the infection process in plants, suggesting interkingdom colonization. Furthermore, our study elucidated the pathogenicity mechanisms for this Ophiocordyceps species, which still is scarcely studied.

Ophiocordyceps ovatospora sp. nov. (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales), pathogenic on termites from China

A new species, Ophiocordyceps ovatospora, occurring on termites was collected from Yunnan Province, China, and is described based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic data. In a phylogenetic analysis of a combined dataset of multigene loci comprising the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), the small and large subunit of the ribosomal DNA (nrSSU and nrLSU), partial sequences of elongation factor 1-alpha (tef-1a) and the largest and second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase (rpb1, rpb2), O. ovatospora was clustered together with O. khokpasiensis to form a clade separate from other species of Ophiocordyceps. Morphologically, O. ovatospora is characterized by producing pseudo-immersed perithecia, filiform asci and ascospores, monophialidic phialides, and oval conidia. Ophiocordyceps ovatospora has smaller perithecia than those of O. khokpasiensis but its asci are larger.

Multigene phylogeny and morphology reveal Ophiocordycepshydrangea sp. nov. and Ophiocordycepsbidoupensis sp. nov. (Ophiocordycipitaceae).

Ophiocordyceps species have a wide range of insect hosts, from solitary beetle larva to social insects. However, among the species of Ophiocordyceps, only a few attack cicada nymphs. These species are mainly clustered in the Ophiocordycepssobolifera clade in Ophiocordyceps. A new entomopathogenic fungus parasitic on cicada nymphs, and another fungus parasitic on the larva of Coleoptera, are described in this study. The two new species viz. Ophiocordycepshydrangea and Ophiocordycepsbidoupensis were introduced based on morphology and multigene phylogenetic evidence. The phylogenetic framework of Ophiocordyceps was reconstructed using a multigene (nrSSU, nr LSU, tef-1α, rpb1, and rpb2) dataset. The phylogenetic analyses results showed that O.hydrangea and O.bidoupensis were statistically well-supported in the O.sobolifera clade, forming two separate subclades from other species of Ophiocordyceps. The distinctiveness of these two new species was strongly supported by both molecular phylogeny and morphology.

Phylogeny and morphology of Ophiocordyceps puluongensis sp. nov. (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales), a new fungal pathogen on termites from Vietnam

Termites are serious pests in agriculture and forestry, causing significant economic losses to property and the construction industry. However, only a few entomopathogenic fungi attack termites that are dominant members of most terrestrial biomes. This study contributes to the taxonomic knowledge of entomopathogenic fungi with the description of a new pathogen on termites collected from the Pu Luong Nature Reserve in Vietnam. The new termite pathogen, Ophiocordyceps puluongensis, is introduced on the basis of morphological and multigene phylogenetic evidence. Based on the combined dataset of five genes including the nuclear ribosomal small and large subunits (nrSSU and nrLSU), the elongation factor 1α (tef-1α), and the largest and the second largest subunits of RNA polymerase II (rpb1 and rpb2), phylogenetic analyses were performed by Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference methods to determine the phylogenetic position of O. puluongensis. Three samples of O. puluongensis are clustered in the Hirsutella thompsonii subclade of Hirsutella lineages in Ophiocordyceps, and clustered together with O. asiatica to form a separate clade from other Ophiocordyceps species. Morphologically, O. puluongensis differs from O. asiatica by its smaller and shorter perithecia, asci and ascospores, pink to reddish-orange stipes of stromata, as well as smaller fusiform or citriform conidia. The distinctiveness of this termite pathogen is strongly supported by both molecular phylogeny and morphology. The entomopathogenic fungus O. puluongensis could have the potential to be used as bioinsecticides to control termites.

Comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes of four cordyceps fungi.

Cordyceps is a large group of entomogenous, medicinally important fungi. In this study, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the entire mitochondrial genome of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis, in addition to comparing it against other three complete cordyceps mitogenomes that were previously published. Comparative analysis indicated that the four complete mitogenomes are all composed of circular DNA molecules, although their sizes significantly differ due to high variability in intron and intergenic region sizes in the Ophiocordyceps sinensis and O. xuefengensis mitogenomes. All mitogenomes contain 14 conserved genes and two ribosomal RNA genes, but varying numbers of tRNA introns. The Ka/Ks ratios for all 14 PCGs and rps3 were all less than 1, indicating that these genes have been subject to purifying selection. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using concatenated amino acid and nucleotide sequences of the 14 PCGs and rps3 using two different methods (Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analysis), revealing highly supported relationships between O. xuefengensis and other Ophiocordyceps species, in addition to a close relationship with O. sinensis. Further, the analyses indicated that cox1 and rps3 play important roles in population differentiation. These mitogenomes will allow further study of the population genetics, taxonomy, and evolutionary biology of medicinally important cordyceps species.

Mitogenomics, Phylogeny and Morphology Reveal Ophiocordyceps pingbianensis Sp. Nov., an Entomopathogenic Fungus from China

The new entomopathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps pingbianensis, collected from Southeast China, was described by mitogenomic, morphological, and phylogenetic evidence. The systematic position of O. pingbianensis was determined by phylogenetic analyses based on six nuclear gene (ITS, tef1-α, nrSSU, nrLSU, rpb1 and rpb2) and 14 mitochondrial protein-coding gene (PCGs) (cox1, cox2, cox3, atp6, atp8, atp9, cob, nad1, nad2, nad3, nad4, nad5, nad6 and nad4L) data. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that O. pingbianensis was belonged to the Hirsutella nodulosa clade in the genus Ophiocordyceps of Ophiocordycipiaceae. This fungus exhibits distinctive characteristics which differed from other related Ophiocordyceps species with slender and geminate stromata, monophialidic conidiogenous cells with an inflated awl-shaped base, a twisty and warty phialide neck and a fusiform or oval conidia, as well as being found on a tiger beetle of Coleoptera buried in moss at the cave. The complete mitochondrial genome of O. pingbianensis was a circular DNA molecule 80,359 bp in length, containing 15 PCGs, 24 open reading frames genes (ORFs), 25 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) and 27 introns. Ophiocordyceps pingbianensis, containing 27 introns, has the second largest mitogenome in Ophiocordycipiaceae and was next to O. sinensis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the mitogenome from a new entomopathogenic fungus, and thus provides an important foundation for future studies on taxonomy, genetics and evolutionary biology of Ophiocordycipiaceae.

Identification of Ophiocordyceps gracilioides by Its Anti-tumor Effects through Targeting the NFκB-STAT3-IL-6 Inflammatory Pathway.

Although more than 400 species of Cordyceps s.l. have been identified, most have not been well explored regarding their potential for medicinal use. In this study, the profiles of constituents of ten different species of Ophiocordyceps, which is an unexplored species of Cordyceps, were analyzed and their anti-tumor effects were further examined. Although all Ophiocordyceps samples exhibited similar peak patterns, Ophiocordyceps gracilioides (O. grac) had a distinct constituent profile from the other samples. Furthermore, O. grac was the most active in suppressing the transcriptional activities of both nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3, and the production of interleukin (IL)-6 from breast cancer cells. This study demonstrated that O. grac is a relatively unexplored Cordyceps s.l. that may have medicinal potential to inhibit the NFκB-STAT3-IL-6 inflammatory pathway in cancer.

Ophiocordyceps asiana and Ophiocordyceps tessaratomidarum (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales), two new species on stink bugs from Thailand

Two new Ophiocordyceps species from Thailand, which belong to Ophiocordyceps nutans species complex and attack adult and nymph of stink bugs, are described: Ophiocordyceps asiana and O. tessaratomidarum. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of ITS and a combined sequence data of LSU, RPB1 and TEF1 revealed that these two new species are distinct from other known species in Ophiocordyceps nutans species complex. Based on the findings on morphological studies, they further support the naming of these two novel species. Ophiocordyceps asiana is parasitic on adult and nymph stink bugs, members of Coreidae and Pentatomidae which were recorded from China, Japan and Thailand, while O. tessaratomidarum is reported from Thailand for the first time and is only found as a parasite on adult stink bug, Tessaratoma papillosa (Tessaratomidae, Hemiptera). The fertile heads of O. asiana are shorter than reported for O. tessaratomidarum, and the colours of fertile heads producing teleomorph of these two species differs from each other by having strong reddish orange or light yellowish pink in O. asiana and pale yellow in O. tessaratomidarum.

Ophiocordyceps salganeicola, a parasite of social cockroaches in Japan and insights into the evolution of other closely-related Blattodea-associated lineages

The entomopathogenic genus Ophiocordyceps includes a highly diverse group of fungal species, predominantly parasitizing insects in the orders Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. However, other insect orders are also parasitized by these fungi, for example the Blattodea (termites and cockroaches). Despite their ubiquity in nearly all environments insects occur, blattodeans are rarely found infected by filamentous fungi and thus, their ecology and evolutionary history remain obscure. In this study, we propose a new species of Ophiocordyceps infecting the social cockroaches Salganea esakii and S. taiwanensis, based on 16 years of collections and field observations in Japan, especially in the Ryukyu Archipelago. We found a high degree of genetic similarity between specimens from different islands, infecting these two Salganea species and that this relationship is ancient, likely not originating from a recent host jump. Furthermore, we found that Ophiocordyceps lineages infecting cockroaches evolved around the same time, at least twice, one from beetles and the other from termites. We have also investigated the evolutionary relationships between Ophiocordyceps and termites and present the phylogenetic placement of O. cf. blattae. Our analyses also show that O. sinensis could have originated from an ancestor infecting termite, instead of beetle larvae as previously proposed.

Morphological and genetic characteristics of the novel entomopathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps langbianensis (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from Lang Biang Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam

An entomopathogenic fungus newly named Ophiocordyceps langbianensis was collected from Lang Biang Biosphere Reserve, located in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. It is characterized as a species of Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) having the unique characteristics of a cylindrical fertile part and several branched apical appendices. Each ascospore develops as two swollen, constricted part-spores. A phylogenetic analysis of multiple genes, including nrLSU, nrSSU, Rpb1, ITS and Tef, supported its systematic position in the genus of Ophiocordyceps; it is related to O. brunneipunctata. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, O. langbianensis was confirmed as a new species from Vietnam.

Zombie-ant fungi cross continents: II. Myrmecophilous hymenostilboid species and a novel zombie lineage

ABSTRACT Ophiocordyceps species infecting ants are globally distributed, with diversity concentrated in the tropics and decreasing with increasing latitude. Among these myrmecophilous species, the ones exhibiting the ability to manipulate host behavior, the so-called “zombie-ant fungi” of the O. unilateralis clade, have been studied progressively over the last decade. However, we know very little about other myrmecophilous groups, such as species within the Ophiocordyceps subgenus Neocordyceps. Species within this group exhibit Hymenostilbe asexual morphs with the ascospores readily breaking into part-spores and regularly kill their hosts on the forest floor, with few records of behavioral manipulation. Here, we describe five new species of Ophiocordyceps belonging to the subgenus Neocordyceps infecting ants in the rainforests of the Brazilian Amazon and Ghana and analyze their ability to manipulate host behavior. We also propose a new status for a species previously described as a variety, providing its phylogenetic placement for the first time. The species proposed herein can readily be separated using classic taxonomic criteria, and this is further supported by ecological and molecular multiloci data.

Ophiocordyceps tianshanensis sp. nov. on ants from Tianshan mountains, PR China

Ophiocordyceps tianshanensis is a novel species introduced from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The taxon was discovered with its sexual and asexual specimens on Camponotus japonicus (Formicidae) under the bark of humid and decayed wood of Picea schrenkiana. With irregularly distorted stromata and distributed in the cold and high-altitude Tianshan Mountains, the species can be separated from other extant Ophiocordyceps species. Morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses support its novelty. We provide additional ecological data on this cordyceps species from northwestern China.