Search

The draft genome sequence and main genomic features of Penicillium pancosmium MUM 23.27, isolated from Portuguese raw honey are reported. The genome size is 34.82 Mb, containing a 48.99% GC content, 11,394 genes, with 39 rRNAs and 147 tRNAs/tmRNAs. Twenty-six BGCs were predicted with four exhibiting significant similarities with YWA1, chaetoglobosin A/chaetoglobosin C, squalestatin S1, and nidulanin A. Moreover, the whole-genome sequencing and in silico genomic analysis, allowed to further understand some aspects of this species habitat, resistance, and evolutionary genomic events. Altogether, the results obtained also allow to dwell deeper on particular Penicillia biological characteristics and genomic traits, permitting them to thrive in these honey substrates. In addition, this resource represents the first genome for the species and one of the first for raw honeys filamentous fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penicillium section Charlesia was established based on a multigene phylogeny of P. charlesii, P. coffeae, P. fellutanum, P. georgiense, P. indicum and P. phoeniceum. Since then, three additional species were described in the section. Species can occur on a wide range of substrata including soil, corn, coffee, water, air, deteriorating cloth and clinical samples. The majority of species in section Charlesia grow restricted on Czapek yeast extract agar and produce smooth-walled, vesiculate, monoverticillate conidiophores. A limited number of studies have reviewed the taxonomy of this section. In the present study, available strains belonging to section Charlesia were evaluated in a multilocus phylogenetic analysis using the ITS rDNA region, partial β-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) sequences. This analysis revealed 12 distinct species, including three that are newly described here as Penicillium aspericonidium, P. fusiforme and P. longiconidiophorum. The macromorphology on different media, vesicle width, stipe length and ornamentation, and conidial shape and size are important morphological characters for distinguishing species of section Charlesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ant pest Dolichoderus thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) has experienced population increases in Taiwan recently and has been shown to invade human settlements frequently. In addition, D. thoracicus has been found to be naturally infected by the fungus Aspergillus nomius Kurtzman et al. (Eurotiales: Trichocomaceae). Entomopathogenic fungi find it difficult to colonize social insects because of the challenge of penetrating the insect cuticle and because of social behaviors, including grooming, that eliminate invaders from the nest. However, A. nomius can evade these defenses and spread within the ant colony. In the present study, ant mortality increased in a dose-dependent manner upon cuticular infection with A. nomius conidia. Among four Aspergillus spp. examined, A. nomius was more virulent to worker ants and was the only fungus to produce conidia on the ant host. Allogrooming potentially promotes conidial invasion and spreading among hosts in a colony because ants treated with conidia on the cuticle increased the mortality of other members in the nest. Assessment of chitinase, esterase, and lipase activity suggested that A. nomius efficiently exploited the host for nutrients. Because A. nomius can cause human infections and environmental consequences, further studies are required to assess the potential impacts of utilizing A. nomius to control outbreaks of D. thoracicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Aspergillus nidulans, expression of sulfur metabolism genes is activated by the MetR transcription factor containing a basic region and leucine zipper domain (bZIP). Here we identified and characterized MetZ, a new transcriptional regulator in A. nidulans and other Eurotiales. It contains a bZIP domain similar to the corresponding region in MetR and this similarity suggests that MetZ could potentially complement the MetR deficiency. The metR and metZ genes are interrupted by unusually long introns. Transcription of metZ, unlike that of metR, is controlled by the sulfur metabolite repression system (SMR) dependent on the MetR protein. Overexpression of metZ from a MetR-independent promoter in a ΔmetR background activates transcription of genes encoding sulfate permease, homocysteine synthase and methionine permease, partially complementing the phenotype of the ΔmetR mutation. Thus, MetZ appears to be a second transcription factor involved in regulation of sulfur metabolism genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of fungal species diversity from marine algae is in its infancy; as now no studies have been carried out on the distribution and diversity of fungi on the surfaces of marine macroalgae where all fungal-algal interactions tend to begin. The aim of this study was to isolate and describe the culturable part of mycobiota associated with the surface of benthic marine macroalgae (epiphytic or epibiotic fungi). This is an important step in understanding their abundance, diversity and factors influencing their variability and composition. The fungal community was dominated by Ascomycetes (89%) with Eurotiales as the most abundant fungal order followed by Capnodiales, Pleosporales, and Hypocreales, while Zygomycetes was less frequent. The nature of occurrence of fungal genera on different macroalgal hosts suggests that a mix of generalists' framework applies to fungal epiphytes of seaweeds, but the abundance of fungal taxa varied among ecological functional groups of algae, as well as macroalgal taxonomic groups, which imply host filtering. The fungal assemblages were also characterized by temporal variation with variation in temperature, pH, and salinity as the most important abiotic factors. The structure of fungal assemblages showed high beta diversity and low similarity between hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the composition of the microflora that spoils foodstuffs (the surface of hard cheeses and sausages) at agribusiness factories. Mycelial fungi, mostly ascomycetes of the order Eurotiales belonging to the genus Penicillium play the main role in spoiling food. Most representatives of these fungi are mesophiles and possess the capacity for utilizing nutrient substrates in surface and submerged cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  A β-N-acetylglucosaminidase produced by a novel fungal source, the moderately thermophilic aerobic ascomycete Talaromyces emersonii, was purified to apparent homogeneity. Submerged fermentation of T. emersonii, in liquid medium containing algal fucoidan as the main carbon source, yielded significant amounts of extracellular N-acetylglucosaminidase activity. The N-acetylglucosaminidase present in the culture-supernatant was purified by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and preparative electrophoresis. The enzyme is a dimer with molecular weight and pI values of 140 and 3.85, respectively. Substrate specificity studies confirmed the glycan specificity of the enzyme for N-acetylglucosamine. Michaelis-Menten kinetics were observed during enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of the fluorescent substrate methylumbelliferyl-β-D-N-acetylglucosaminide at 50°C, pH 5.0 (Km value of 0.5 mM). The purified N-acetylglucosaminidase displayed activity over broad ranges of pH and temperature, yielding respective optimum values of pH 5.0 and 75°C. The T. emersonii enzyme was less susceptible to inhibition by N-acetylglucosamine and other related sugars than orthologs from other sources. The enzyme was sensitive to Hg2+, Co2+ and Fe3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numbers of microscopic fungi isolated from soil samples after anaerobic incubation varied from tens to several hundreds of CFU per one gram of soil; a total of 30 species was found. This group is composed primarily of mitotic fungi of the ascomycete affinity belonging to the orders Hypocreales ( Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum, Fusarium sp., Clonostachys grammicospora, C. rosea, Acremonium sp., Gliocladium penicilloides, Trichoderma aureoviride, T. harzianum, T. polysporum, T. viride, T. koningii, Lecanicillum lecanii, and Tolypocladium inflatum) and Eurotiales ( Aspergillus terreus, A. niger, and Paecilomyces lilacimus), as well as to the phylum Zygomycota, to the order Mucorales ( Actinomucor elegans, Absidia glauca, Mucor circinelloides, M. hiemalis, M. racemosus, Mucor sp., Rhizopus oryzae, Zygorrhynchus moelleri, Z. heterogamus, and Umbelopsis isabellina) and the order Mortierellales ( Mortierella sp.). As much as 10–30% of the total amount of fungal mycelium remains viable for a long time (one month) under anaerobic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquinone (coenzyme Q) systems were determined for 176 teleomorphic isolates, 14 anamorphic isolates, and three samples of fruit-bodies of Dendrosphaera eberhardtii, which belonged to Eurotiales, Onygenales, and related taxa. In Eurotiales, Ascosphaera had Q-9, whereas Bettsia had Q-10. All isolates of Monascaceae had the Q-10 system, whereas those of four genera of Pseudeurotiaceae had the Q-10(H2) system. The Q-10(H2) system was found in genera of Trichocomaceae, except for Aspergillus, Penicillium, Paecilomyces, and their related taxa. However, Thermoascus had the Q-9 system. In Onygenales, members of Arthrodermataceae had Q-9, and those of Gymnoascaceae had Q-10(H2). Isolates of Myxotrichaceae were characterized by Q-10(H2) with few exceptions, which had Q-10. The quinones of Onygenaceae belonged to complex systems, i.e., Q-9, 0-10 and 0-10(H2), and a combination of two systems. Families Onygenaceae and Trichocomaceae are likely a phylogenetic heterogeneity. Ubiquinone analysis provides a very useful criterion of great promise for classifying eurotialean taxa and also for identifying their isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Talaromyces, characterized by development of unusual deep green ascomata on common media, is described and given the name Talaromyces euchlorocarpius. This species, isolated from soil, also produces ellipsoidal, spinose ascospores, typically biverticillate penicilli, large ellipsoidal, smooth-walled conidia, and is assigned to the series Lutei of the section Talaromyces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]