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Despite their global presence and ubiquity, members of the class Geoglossomycetes (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) are understudied systematically and ecologically. These fungi have long been presumed saprobic due to their occurrence in or near leaf litter and soils. Additionally, they lack an apparent association with other organisms, reinforcing this perception. However, observations of sporocarps near ericaceous shrubs have given rise to an alternative hypothesis that members of Geoglossomycetes may form ericoid mycorrhizae or ectomycorrhizae. This claim, however, has yet to be confirmed via microscopy or amplicon-based studies examining root communities. As a result, our current understanding of their ecology is based on cursory observations. This study presents a comparative analysis of genomic signatures related to ecological niche to investigate the hypothesis of an ericoid mycorrhizal or ectomycorrhizal ecology in the class. We compared the carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) and secondary metabolite contents of six newly sequenced Geoglossomycetes genomes with those of fungi representing specific ecologies across Pezizomycotina. Our analysis reveals CAZyme and secondary metabolite content patterns consistent with ectomycorrhizal (EcM) members of Pezizomycotina. Specifically, we found a reduction in CAZyme-encoding genes and secondary metabolite clusters that suggests a mutualistic ecology. Our work includes the broadest taxon sampling for a phylogenomic study of Pezizomycotina to date. It represents the first functional genomic and genome-scale phylogenetic study of the class Geoglossomycetes and improves the foundational knowledge of the ecology and evolution of these understudied fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veloporphyrellus is a genus known from North and Central America, southeastern Asia, and Africa. Because species of this genus are phenotypically similar to some taxa in several genera, such as Boletellus, Leccinum, Strobilomyces, Suillus and Tylopilus s.1. belonging to Boletales, its phylogenetic disposition has never been addressed. We analyzed four DNA regions, the nuclear ribosomal LSU and teflon, and the mitochondrial mtSSU and atp6 genes, to investigate the phylogenetic disposition of Veloporphyrellus. Although the monophyly of the genus and its systematic placement within the Boletaceae was well supported, its relationship to other genera was not resolved. Morphologically Veloporphyrellus is distinguished from other boletoid genera by the combination of the pinkish or grayish pink hymenophore, the membranous veil hanging on the pilea margin, the trichoderm-like pileus covering and the smooth basidiospores. Five species, including two new species and two new combinations, are described and illustrated. A key to the species of Veloporphyrellus also is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraglomus majewskii sp. nov. (Glomeromycota) is described and illustrated. It forms single spores, which are hyaline through their life cycle, globose to subglobose, (35-)63(-78) µm diam, sometimes egg-shaped, 50-70 x 65-90 µm, and have an unusually narrow, (3.2-)4.6(-5.9) µm, cylindrical to slightly flared subtending hypha. The spore wall of P. majewskii consists of an evanescent, short-lived outermost layer, a laminate middle layer, and a flexible innermost layer, which adheres tightly to the middle layer. None of the spore wall layers stain in Melzer's reagent. In single-species cultures with Plantago lanceolata as the host plant P. majewskii formed arbuscular mycorrhizae staining violet in trypan blue. P. majewskii has been isolated from several, distant geographic regions and from different habitats. In phylogenetic analyses of partial nrDNA SSU and LSU sequences the fungus formed monophyletic group with Paraglomus species; however it represents a well separated distinct lineage. Its nrDNA sequences are highly similar to in planta arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal sequences from different habitats in Spain and Ecuador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on arbuscular mycorrhizas has demonstrated that AM fungi play a significant role in plant phosphorus (P) uptake, regardless of whether the plant responds positively to colonization in terms of growth or P content. Here we focus particularly on implications of this finding for consideration of the balance between organic carbon (C) use by the fungi and P delivery (i.e. the C-P trade between the syrnbionts). Positive growth responses to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization are attributed frequently to increased P uptake via the fungus, which results in relief of P deficiency and increased growth. Zero AM responses, compared with non-mycorrhizal (NM) plants, have conventionally been attributed to failure of the fungi to deliver P to the plants. Negative responses, combined with excessive C use, have been attributed to this failure. The fungi were viewed as parasites. Demonstration that the AM pathway of P uptake operates in such plants indicates that direct P uptake by the roots is reduced and that the fungi are not parasites but mutualists because they deliver P as well as using C. We suggest that poor plant growth is the result of P deficiency because AM fungi lower the amount of P taken up directly by roots but the AM uptake of P does compensate for the reduction. The implications of interplay between direct root uptake and AM fungal uptake of P also include increased tolerance of AM plants to toxins such as arsenate and increased success when competing with NM plants. Finally we discuss the new information on C-P trade in the context of control of the symbiosis by the fungus or the plant, including new information (from NM plants) on sugar transport and on the role of sucrose in the signaling network involved in responses of plants to P deprivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular distinction between Rhizopogon vinicolor and R. vesiculosus has been made recently, but the diagnostic "yellow-brown (fresh) inflated cells" of R. vesiculosus, originally described by AH Smith, were not observed. These distinctive hyphal cells (vesicles) have not been reported since the type description. In that description they were said to collapse upon drying and described as being difficult to find. Here we report the rediscovery of these vesicles and describe their specific location on sporocarps of R. vesiculosus. We also report an original discovery that coiled, dark-walled hyphae on the sporocarps and in the mycorrhizae of R. vinicolor are of taxonomic value. The coiled hyphae, combined with the presence or absence of the elusive vesicles, allow R. vesiculosus and R. vinicolor to be morphologically distinguished with increased accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of rare fungal sites occurring on actively managed forest lands requires efficient site monitoring methods. In this study species-specific primers for the putatively mycorrhizal Albatrellus ellisii (Russulales) were developed so that DNA extracted from soil samples at known sites of this fungus could be tested for the presence of A. ellisii mycelium with PCR. This method was used to measure seasonal changes in the levels of A. ellisii mycelium at three study sites while the utility of this monitoring method was assessed. We found that A. ellisii maintained a constant level of soil occupancy over three seasons, except at one site where mycelium abundance increased in the fall. No reduction in abundance was seen in the summer, although all three sites experienced significant summer drought. We found species-specific genetic marker detection to be an effective and practical method for monitoring the mycelial distribution of a target fungus in soil. The ability to obtain this data from rare fungal sites advances our capability to conserve these fungi, particularly within the managed forest landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desert truffles belonging to Terfezia are well known mycorrhizal members of the mycota of the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. We aimed to test (i) whether the morphological criteria of Terfezia species regularly collected in Spain enable their separation and (ii) whether the previously hypothesized edaphic/biotic specificity of one group could be confirmed by study of a larger number of specimens. The species T. arenaria and T. claveryi can be identified unambiguously by morphological characters. We consider T. leptoderma as a distinct species while several lineages of similar spiny spored Terfezia truffles with cellular peridium were detected that have no obvious anatomical differences. Several species treated generally as synonyms of T: olbiensis have been described in this group, and because they cannot be unambiguously assigned to separate lineages we propose to consider the group as the T. olbiensis species complex. A high level of intrasporocarpic variation of the nrDNA ITS was detected in the T. olbiensis species complex, especially in one of its lineages. We detected no exclusive specificity to either plant associates or soil, except in T: leptoderma, which was associated with Quercus spp. and cistaceous plants on acidic soils. Nevertheless the clades showed a tendency either to associate with Quercus/Helianthemum/ Cistus or Pinus hosts. Specimens having distinct anatomical features, reticulate spores and cellular peridium formed a separate group in the molecular phylogenetic analyses of nrDNA ITS and LSU regions; for these specimens we propose a new species, Terfezia alsheikhii sp. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to describe the morphological and anatomical features of five unidentified ectomycorrhizal types of Alnus acuminata and to complement their identification based on ITS-rDNA sequence analysis. The combined approach of morphotyping and sequence analysis based on ITS sequence comparison with sequences contained in GenBank and the UNITE database let us assign three of the five field-collected ectomycorrhiza morphotypes to the tomentella-thelephora lineage that closely matched European and North American species. The sequencing results within Tomentella point toward alder specific clades within T. sublilacina, T. ellisii and T. stuposa sensu lato. The two other EcM morphotypes matched Lactarius omphaliiformis and a Russula sp. Better focused, concomitant fruit body surveys are needed for accurate identification of South American ectomycorrhizal fungi because of the evidence of cryptic speciation in both agaricoid and resupinate mycobionts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuber gibbosum Harkn., described from northern California, originally was thought to be a single, variable species that fruited from autumn through winter to spring. It has become popular as a culinary truffle in northwestern USA, where it is commercially harvested. Morphological studies suggested it might be a complex that includes at least two species. We conducted morphological and phylogenetic studies of the complex to determine how many species it might contain and how they differed morphologically, geographically and seasonally. We also provide the first LSU phylogeny for the genus Tuber. Phylogenetic analyses resolve nine major clades in the genus with high bootstrap support and distinguish the Gibbosum clade from the Aestivum, Excavatum, Macrosporum, Magnatum, Melanos-porum, Puberulum, Rufum and Spinoreticulatum clades. Further analyses of ITS and LSU regions revealed four distinct species in the Gibbosum complex. Although morphologically similar the four species differ in spore size and shape and in peridial anatomy. These species share the synapomorphy of having suprapellis hyphae with distinctive, irregular wall swellings at maturity; we have not seen this hyphal type in any other Tuber spp. worldwide. The three new species are named and described as T. bellisporum Bonito & Trappe, T. caslellanoi Bonito & Trappe and T. oregonense Trappe, Bonito & Rawlinson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nyctaginaceae includes species that are predominantly non-mycorrhizal or form arbuscular or ectomycorrhiza. Root-associated fungi were studied from P. grandis and P. sechellarum roots collected respectively on the islands of Cousin and Silhouette in Seychelles. In addition fungal sporocarps were collected from the sampling area. Fungal symbionts were identified from the roots by anatomotyping and rDNA sequencing; sporocarps collected were examined microscopically and sequenced. Three distantly related ectomycorrhizal fungal species belonging to Thelephoraceae were identified from the roots of P. grandis. Sporocarps also were found for two symbionts and described as new Tomentella species. In addition Tomentella species collected from other Seychelles islands were studied and described as new species if there was no close resemblance to previously established species. P. sechellarum was determined to be an arbuscular mycorrhizal plant; three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species were detected from the roots. P. grandis is probably associated only with species of Thelephoraceae throughout its area. Only five Tomentella species are known to form ectomycorrhiza with P. grandis and they never have been found to be associated with another host, suggesting adaptation of these fungi to extreme environmental conditions in host's habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genea and Genabea are considered ectomycorrhizal (EM) symbionts of higher plants, but because of their hypogeous habit, dark coloration and the small size of their ascomata, relatively little is known about these genera. Ascomata of six morphological species of Genea and one of Genabea were frequently collected at a single site in xeric Quercus woodlands of California's Sierra Nevada foothills. While most collections were easily referred to known species, those putatively identified as Genea harknessii and Genea arenaria were problematic. Genea harknessii collections appeared relatively homogenous based on morphology, but significant ITS variation revealed by rDNA sequencing suggested cryptic species diversity. Specimens of G. arenaria approximated the brief, original species description except for abundant clumps of septate setae formed at the apex of peridial warts. To verify the identity of this species we reexamined the holotype and analyzed morphology and ITS sequences of G. arenaria ascomata from a wide geographic range. To authenticate the EM status of Genea and Genabea with Quercus we collected healthy EM of Quercus douglasii and Quercus wislizenii and compared their ITS sequences to those from ascomata. We detected nine distinct ITS types of Genea and Genabea on roots. Two new species described here as Genea bihymeniata sp. nov. and Genea cazaresii sp. nov., were discovered during study of herbarium specimens. A phylogenetic analysis of 28 s rDNA from Genea and Genabea indicated three distinct lineages: Genea, Genabea and a third represented by Genea intermedia. For the latter we propose Gilkeya gen. nov. to accommodate the single known species, Gilkeya compacta comb. nov. A dichotomous key to all known Genea, Genabea and Gilkeya spp. from western North America is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant species in the subfamily Monotropoideae are mycoheterotrophs; they obtain fixed carbon from photosynthetic plants via a shared mycorrhizal network. Previous findings show mycoheterotrophic plants exhibit a high level of specificity to their mycorrhizal fungi. In this study we explore the association of mycorrhizal fungi and Monotropa uniflora (Monotropoideae: Ericaceae) in eastern North America. We collected M. uniflora roots and nearby basidiomycete sporocarps from four sites within a 100 km² area in eastern Massachusetts. We analyzed DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) from the fungal nuclear ribosomal gene to assess the genetic diversity of fungi associating with M. uniflora roots. In this analysis we included 20 ITS sequences from Russula sporocarps collected nearby, 44 sequences of Russula or Lactarius species from GenBank and 12 GenBank sequences of fungi isolated from M. uniflora roots in previous studies. We found that all 56 sampled M. uniflora mycorrhizal fungi were members of the Russulaceae, confirming previous research. The analysis showed that most of the diversity of mycorrhizal fungi spreads across the genus Russula. ITS sequences of the mycorrhizal fungi consisted of 20 different phylotypes: 18 of the genus Russula and two of Lactarius, based on GenBank searches. Of the sampled plants, 57% associated with only three of the 20 mycorrhizal fungi detected in roots, and of the 25 sporocarp phylotypes collected three, were associated with M. uniflora. Furthermore the results indicate that the number of different fungal phylotypes associating with M. uniflora of eastern North America is higher than that of western North America but patterns of fungal species abundance might be similar between mycorrhizae from the two locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alnicola cholea, a little-known species so far reported only from the two original localities in tile French Alps, is redefined here based on revision of herbarium materials and studies of recent field collections. A detailed morphological and anatomical description of fruit bodies of Alnicola cholea, including a discussion on its taxonomic status and distribution data is provided. Due to the unique combination of characters of Alnicola cholea within the genus, a new monospecific section is introduced for this species: Alnicola sect. Cholea, sect. nov. Mycorrhizal symbiosis of A. cholea with an arctic-alpine plant Polygonum viviparum was observed in the Tatra Mountains (Poland). A description of these mycorrhizae is given, providing first detailed data on an identified herbaceous plant mycorrhiza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the influence of tilling, N fertilization and crop stage on arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) fungal species diversity in a wheat monoculture in the Pampa region of Argentina. Glomalean spores were isolated by wet sieving and decanting from conventionally tilled and nontilled soils cropped with wheat with or without N fertilization, at three phenological stages of the crop (tilling, flowering and grain filling) and fallow. Morphological characterization yielded at least 24 AM fungi taxa in the field samples, belonging to six genera of AMF: Acaulospora Archaeospora, Entrophospora, Gigaspora, Glomus and Scutellospora. Tilling and fertilization treatments did not result in decreased spore biodiversity. Wheat phenology influenced AM communities, with highest spore biodiversity during grain filling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pisolithus is restricted in New Zealand to geothermal areas where it associates with Kunzea ericoides var. microflora (prostrate kanuka) and occasionally Leptospermum scoparium. Here we describe for the first time the ectomycorrhizal morphotypes of three New Zealand Pisolithus species and report the frequency and abundance of these morphotypes against other mycorrhizal fungi associated with these hosts in New Zealand geothermal areas. The three Pisolithus species form typical ectomycorrhizal associations with Kunzea ericoides var. microflora, and one also was observed forming typical ectomycorrhizal associations with Leptospermum scoparium. Although the morphotypes from the three Pisolithus species share many morphological and anatomical characteristics, they vary with regard to the abundance of rhizomorphs. The common occurrence of Pisolithus fruiting bodies at the geothermal sites was matched by frequent and abundant Pisolithus ectomycorrhizas. Pisolithus ectomycorrhizas were frequent (100% of soil cores) and abundant (between 55 and 88% of ectomycorrhizal tips) associates of prostrate kanuka in hot (50 C at 8 cm depth), highly acidic and N depleted soils. The levels of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of prostrate kanuka were lower than on K. ericoides and L. scoparium on cooler soils. The stressful conditions where prostrate kanuka dominates probably favor Pisolithus over the mycorrhizal fungi occurring in cooler geothermal areas. Questions about how several genetically similar Pisolithus species co-occur on prostrate kanuka in geothermal areas without mutual competitive exclusion are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]