Ima FungusPub Date : 2024-07-03DOI: 10.1186/s43008-024-00145-w
Paula Andrea Gómez-Zapata, Jorge Ronny Díaz-Valderrama, Samira Fatemi, Cristhian Orlando Ruiz-Castro, M Catherine Aime
{"title":"Characterization of the fungal genus Sphaerellopsis associated with rust fungi: species diversity, host-specificity, biogeography, and in-vitro mycoparasitic events of S. macroconidialis on the southern corn rust, Puccinia polysora.","authors":"Paula Andrea Gómez-Zapata, Jorge Ronny Díaz-Valderrama, Samira Fatemi, Cristhian Orlando Ruiz-Castro, M Catherine Aime","doi":"10.1186/s43008-024-00145-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s43008-024-00145-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sphaerellopsis species are putative hyperparasites of rust fungi and may be promising biological control agents (BCA) of rust diseases. However, few detailed studies limit potential BCA development in Sphaerellopsis. Here, we explored the biogeography, host-specificity, and species diversity of Sphaerellopsis and examined the early infection stage of one species, S. macroconidialis, to infer its trophic status. We randomly screened 5,621 rust specimens spanning 99 genera at the Arthur Fungarium for the presence of Sphaerellopsis. We identified 199 rust specimens infected with Sphaerellopsis species on which we conducted morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses. Five Sphaerellopsis species were recovered, infecting a total of 122 rust species in 18 genera from 34 countries. Sphaerellopsis melampsorinearum sp. nov. is described as a new species based on molecular phylogenetic data and morphological features of the sexual and asexual morphs. Sphaerellopsis paraphysata was the most commonly encountered species, found on 77 rust specimens, followed by Sphaerellopsis macroconidialis on 56 and S. melampsorinearum on 55 examined specimens. The type species, Sphaerellopsis filum, was found on 12 rust specimens and Sphaerellopsis hakeae on a single specimen. We also recovered and documented for the first time, the sexual morph of S. macroconidialis, from a specimen collected in Brazil. Our data indicate that Sphaerellopsis species are not host specific and furthermore that most species are cosmopolitan in distribution. However, S. paraphysata is more abundant in the tropics, and S. hakeae may be restricted to Australia. Finally, we confirm the mycoparasitic strategy of S. macroconidialis through in-vitro interaction tests with the urediniospores of Puccinia polysora. Shortly after germination, hyphae of S. macroconidialis began growing along the germ tubes of P. polysora and coiling around them. After 12 days of co-cultivation, turgor loss was evident in the germ tubes of P. polysora, and appressorium-like structures had formed on urediniospores. The interaction studies indicate that Sphaerellopsis species may be more effective as a BCA during the initial stages of rust establishment.</p>","PeriodicalId":54345,"journal":{"name":"Ima Fungus","volume":"15 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11223437/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141499647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ima FungusPub Date : 2024-06-27DOI: 10.1186/s43008-024-00144-x
Vedprakash G Hurdeal, Joyce E Longcore, E B Gareth Jones, Kevin D Hyde, Eleni Gentekaki
{"title":"Diversity of Rhizophydiales (Chytridiomycota) in Thailand: unveiling the hidden gems of the Kingdom.","authors":"Vedprakash G Hurdeal, Joyce E Longcore, E B Gareth Jones, Kevin D Hyde, Eleni Gentekaki","doi":"10.1186/s43008-024-00144-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s43008-024-00144-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chytrids, often overshadowed by their other fungal counterparts, take center stage as we unravel the mysteries surrounding new species within Rhizophydiales and explore their unique characteristics. In the broader spectrum of chytrids, their significance lies not only in their roles as decomposers but also as key players in nutrient cycling within aquatic ecosystems as parasites and saprobes. Baited soil and aquatic samples collected from various provinces of Thailand, yielded new species of the Rhizophydiales (Chytridiomycota), some of which expanded previously single species genera. Our investigation incorporated a combination of morphological and phylogenetic approaches, enabling us to identify these isolates as distinct taxa. The novel isolates possess distinguishing features, such as variations in size and shape of the sporangium and zoospores, that somewhat differentiate them from described taxa. To confirm the novelty of the species, we employed robust phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and bayesian methods. The results provided strong support for the presence of eight distinct lineages within the Rhizophydiales, representing our newly discovered species. Furthermore, we employed Poisson Tree Processes to infer putative species boundaries and supplement evidence for the establishment of our new Rhizophydiales species. By meticulously exploring their morphological characteristics and genetic makeup, we expand the known catalogue of fungal diversity by describing Alphamyces thailandicus, Angulomyces ubonensis, Gorgonomyces aquaticus, G. chiangraiensis, G. limnicus, Pateramyces pingflumenensis, Terramyces aquatica, and T. flumenensis and also provide valuable insights into the intricacies of this order. This newfound knowledge not only enriches our understanding of Rhizophydiales but also contributes significantly to the broader field of mycology, addressing a critical gap in the documentation of fungal species. The identification and characterization of these eight novel species mark a noteworthy stride towards a more comprehensive comprehension of fungal ecosystems and their vital role.</p>","PeriodicalId":54345,"journal":{"name":"Ima Fungus","volume":"15 1","pages":"17"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11210171/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141472600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ima FungusPub Date : 2024-06-24DOI: 10.1186/s43008-024-00148-7
Cony Decock, Milay Cabarroi-Hernández, Laura Guzmán-Dávalos, Paul M Kirk, José Ángel García-Beltrán, Mario Amalfi
{"title":"Fomes weberianus, 50 years of taxonomic confusion: lectotypification and taxonomic notes.","authors":"Cony Decock, Milay Cabarroi-Hernández, Laura Guzmán-Dávalos, Paul M Kirk, José Ángel García-Beltrán, Mario Amalfi","doi":"10.1186/s43008-024-00148-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s43008-024-00148-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fomes weberianus Bres. & Henn. ex Sacc. is currently the basionym of two very distinct polypores (Basidiomycota), Ganoderma weberianum (Polyporales) and Phylloporia weberiana (Hymenochaetales). This fact has led to almost fifty years of taxonomic confusion. Fomes weberianus was first lectotypified by Steyaert, who accepted the species as G. weberianum. However, studies of Weber's original material in B, duplicate material in S, the protologue, and early interpretations of the name have shown that Steyaert's choice conflicts with the protologue and early interpretations, and that his interpretation as a species of Ganoderma is erroneous. A new lectotype was designated and the species was re-described under the correct interpretation Phylloporia weberiana.</p>","PeriodicalId":54345,"journal":{"name":"Ima Fungus","volume":"15 1","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11194980/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141447609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The complete mitochondrial genomes of five critical phytopathogenic Bipolaris species: features, evolution, and phylogeny.","authors":"Xinzheng Song, Yuehua Geng, Chao Xu, Jiaxin Li, Yashuang Guo, Yan Shi, Qingzhou Ma, Qiang Li, Meng Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s43008-024-00149-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s43008-024-00149-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the present study, three mitogenomes from the Bipolaris genus (Bipolaris maydis, B. zeicola, and B. oryzae) were assembled and compared with the other two reported Bipolaris mitogenomes (B. oryzae and B. sorokiniana). The five mitogenomes were all circular DNA molecules, with lengths ranging from 106,403 bp to 135,790 bp. The mitogenomes of the five Bipolaris species mainly comprised the same set of 13 core protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNAs, and a certain number of tRNAs and unidentified open reading frames (ORFs). The PCG length, AT skew and GC skew showed large variability among the 13 PCGs in the five mitogenomes. Across the 13 core PCGs tested, nad6 had the least genetic distance among the 16 Pleosporales species we investigated, indicating that this gene was highly conserved. In addition, the Ka/Ks values for all 12 core PCGs (excluding rps3) were < 1, suggesting that these genes were subject to purifying selection. Comparative mitogenomic analyses indicate that introns were the main factor contributing to the size variation of Bipolaris mitogenomes. The introns of the cox1 gene experienced frequent gain/loss events in Pleosporales species. The gene arrangement and collinearity in the mitogenomes of the five Bipolaris species were almost highly conserved within the genus. Phylogenetic analysis based on combined mitochondrial gene datasets showed that the five Bipolaris species formed well-supported topologies. This study is the first report on the mitogenomes of B. maydis and B. zeicola, as well as the first comparison of mitogenomes among Bipolaris species. The findings of this study will further advance investigations into the population genetics, evolution, and genomics of Bipolaris species.</p>","PeriodicalId":54345,"journal":{"name":"Ima Fungus","volume":"15 1","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11167856/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141307431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ima FungusPub Date : 2024-06-11DOI: 10.1186/s43008-024-00146-9
Warre Van Caenegem, Danny Haelewaters
{"title":"New insights into the DNA extraction and PCR amplification of minute ascomycetes in the genus Laboulbenia (Pezizomycotina, Laboulbeniales).","authors":"Warre Van Caenegem, Danny Haelewaters","doi":"10.1186/s43008-024-00146-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s43008-024-00146-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Molecular studies of fungi within the order Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina) have been hampered for years because of their minute size, inability to grow in axenic culture, and lack of reliable and cost-efficient DNA extraction protocols. In particular, the genus Laboulbenia is notorious for low success with DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. This is attributed to the presence of melanin, a molecule known to inhibit PCR, in the cells. We evaluated the efficacy of a standard single cell-based DNA extraction protocol by halving the recommended amount of reagents to reduce the cost per extraction and adding bovine serum albumin (BSA) during the multiple displacement amplification step to reverse the effect of melanin. A total of 196 extractions were made, 111 of which were successful. We found that halving the reagents used in the single cell-based extraction kit did not significantly affect the probability of successful DNA extraction. Using the halved protocol reduces cost and resource consumption. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the probability of successfully extracting DNA based on whether BSA was added or not, suggesting that the amount of melanin present in cells of the thallus has no major inhibitory effect on PCR. We generated 277 sequences from five loci, but amplification of the internal transcribed spacer region, the mitochondrial small subunit rDNA, and protein-coding genes remains challenging. The probability of successfully extracting DNA from Laboulbeniales was also impacted by specimen storage methods, with material preserved in > 95% ethanol yielding higher success rates compared to material stored in 70% ethanol and dried material. We emphasize the importance of proper preservation of material and propose the design of Laboulbeniales-specific primers to overcome the problems of primer mismatches and contaminants. Our new insights apply not only to the genus Laboulbenia; Laboulbeniales generally are understudied, and the vast majority of species remain unsequenced. New and approachable molecular developments will benefit the study of Laboulbeniales, helping to elucidate the true diversity and evolutionary relationships of these peculiar microfungi.</p>","PeriodicalId":54345,"journal":{"name":"Ima Fungus","volume":"15 1","pages":"14"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11167896/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141307430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ima FungusPub Date : 2024-06-07DOI: 10.1186/s43008-024-00147-8
Andrés Felipe Lizcano Salas, Jorge Duitama, Silvia Restrepo, Adriana Marcela Celis Ramírez
{"title":"Phylogenomic approaches reveal a robust time-scale phylogeny of the Terminal Fusarium Clade.","authors":"Andrés Felipe Lizcano Salas, Jorge Duitama, Silvia Restrepo, Adriana Marcela Celis Ramírez","doi":"10.1186/s43008-024-00147-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s43008-024-00147-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Terminal Fusarium Clade (TFC) is a group in the Nectriaceae family with agricultural and clinical relevance. In recent years, various phylogenies have been presented in the literature, showing disagreement in the topologies, but only a few studies have conducted analyses on the divergence time scale of the group. Therefore, the evolutionary history of this group is still being determined. This study aimed to understand the evolutionary history of the TFC from a phylogenomic perspective. To achieve this objective, we performed a phylogenomic analysis using the available genomes in GenBank and ran eight different pipelines. We presented a new robust topology of the TFC that differs at some nodes from previous studies. These new relationships allowed us to formulate new hypotheses about the evolutionary history of the TFC. We also inferred new divergence time estimates, which differ from those of previous studies due to topology discordances and taxon sampling. The results suggested an important diversification process in the Neogene period, likely associated with the diversification and predominance of terrestrial ecosystems by angiosperms. In conclusion, we presented a robust time-scale phylogeny that allowed us to formulate new hypotheses regarding the evolutionary history of the TFC.</p>","PeriodicalId":54345,"journal":{"name":"Ima Fungus","volume":"15 1","pages":"13"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11161934/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141288939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ima FungusPub Date : 2024-06-03DOI: 10.1186/s43008-024-00142-z
Janneke Aylward, Andi M Wilson, Cobus M Visagie, Joseph Spraker, Irene Barnes, Carla Buitendag, Callin Ceriani, Lina Del Mar Angel, Deanné du Plessis, Taygen Fuchs, Katharina Gasser, Daniella Krämer, WenWen Li, Kiara Munsamy, Anja Piso, Jenna-Lee Price, Byron Sonnekus, Chanel Thomas, Ariska van der Nest, Alida van Dijk, Alishia van Heerden, Nicole van Vuuren, Neriman Yilmaz, Tuan A Duong, Nicolaas A van der Merwe, Michael J Wingfield, Brenda D Wingfield
{"title":"IMA Genome - F19 : A genome assembly and annotation guide to empower mycologists, including annotated draft genome sequences of Ceratocystis pirilliformis, Diaporthe australafricana, Fusarium ophioides, Paecilomyces lecythidis, and Sporothrix stenoceras.","authors":"Janneke Aylward, Andi M Wilson, Cobus M Visagie, Joseph Spraker, Irene Barnes, Carla Buitendag, Callin Ceriani, Lina Del Mar Angel, Deanné du Plessis, Taygen Fuchs, Katharina Gasser, Daniella Krämer, WenWen Li, Kiara Munsamy, Anja Piso, Jenna-Lee Price, Byron Sonnekus, Chanel Thomas, Ariska van der Nest, Alida van Dijk, Alishia van Heerden, Nicole van Vuuren, Neriman Yilmaz, Tuan A Duong, Nicolaas A van der Merwe, Michael J Wingfield, Brenda D Wingfield","doi":"10.1186/s43008-024-00142-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s43008-024-00142-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The pace at which Next Generation Sequence data is being produced continues to accelerate as technology improves. As a result, such data are increasingly becoming accessible to biologists outside of the field of bioinformatics. In contrast, access to training in the methods of genome assembly and annotation are not growing at a similar rate. In this issue, we report on a Genome Assembly Workshop for Mycologists that was held at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa and make available the 12 draft genome sequences emanating from the event. With the aim of making the process of genome assembly and annotation more accessible to biologists, we provide a step-by-step guide to both genome assembly and annotation, intended to encourage and empower mycologists to use genome data in their research.</p>","PeriodicalId":54345,"journal":{"name":"Ima Fungus","volume":"15 1","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11149380/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141238830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ima FungusPub Date : 2024-04-07DOI: 10.1186/s43008-024-00141-0
Trine Sørensen, Celine Petersen, Asmus T. Muurmann, Johan V. Christiansen, Mathias L. Brundtø, Christina K. Overgaard, Anders T. Boysen, Rasmus D. Wollenberg, Thomas O. Larsen, Jens L. Sørensen, Kåre L. Nielsen, Teis E. Sondergaard
{"title":"Apiospora arundinis, a panoply of carbohydrate-active enzymes and secondary metabolites","authors":"Trine Sørensen, Celine Petersen, Asmus T. Muurmann, Johan V. Christiansen, Mathias L. Brundtø, Christina K. Overgaard, Anders T. Boysen, Rasmus D. Wollenberg, Thomas O. Larsen, Jens L. Sørensen, Kåre L. Nielsen, Teis E. Sondergaard","doi":"10.1186/s43008-024-00141-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s43008-024-00141-0","url":null,"abstract":"The Apiospora genus comprises filamentous fungi with promising potential, though its full capabilities remain undiscovered. In this study, we present the first genome assembly of an Apiospora arundinis isolate, demonstrating a highly complete and contiguous assembly estimated to 48.8 Mb, with an N99 of 3.0 Mb. Our analysis predicted a total of 15,725 genes, with functional annotations for 13,619 of them, revealing a fungus capable of producing very high amounts of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and secondary metabolites. Through transcriptomic analysis, we observed differential gene expression in response to varying growth media, with several genes related to carbohydrate metabolism showing significant upregulation when the fungus was cultivated on a hay-based medium. Finally, our metabolomic analysis unveiled a fungus capable of producing a diverse array of metabolites.","PeriodicalId":54345,"journal":{"name":"Ima Fungus","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140562612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}