Microsatellite loci from Russula brevipes,a common ectomycorrhizal associate of several tree species in North America

Six microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from genomic libraries enriched for (CA)_n (GA)_n (ATG)_n, and (CAG)_n, microsatellite motifs from Russula brevipes, a common ectomycorrhizal fungus that forms mutualisms with several species of trees in North America. The polymerase chain reaction primers were tested on 27 sporocarps of R. brevipes sampled in Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), grey pine (Pinus sabiniana), and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) stands. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 14 with expected heterozygosity values from 0.00 to 0.92 within populations. These are the first six microsatellite loci characterized from Russula brevipes that can be used for estimating genotypic diversity and population structure.     

Invasion biology of Australian ectomycorrhizal fungi introduced with eucalypt plantations into the Iberian Peninsula

In the last two centuries, several species of Australian eucalypts (e.g. Eucalyptus camaldulensis and E.␣globulus) were introduced into the Iberian Peninsula for the production of paper pulp. The effects of the introduction of exotic root-symbitotic fungi together with the eucalypts have received little attention. During the past years, we have investigated the biology of ectomycorrhizal fungi in eucalypt plantations in the Iberian Peninsula. In the plantations studied, we found fruit bodies of several Australian ectomycorrhizal fungi and identified their ectomycorrhizas with DNA molecular markers. The most frequent species were Hydnangium carneum, Hymenogaster albus, Hysterangium inflatum, Labyrinthomyces donkii, Laccaria fraterna, Pisolithus albus, P. microcarpus, Rhulandiella berolinensis, Setchelliogaster rheophyllus, and Tricholoma eucalypticum. These fungi were likely brought from Australia together with the eucalypts, and they seem to have facilitated the establishment of eucalypt plantations and their naturalization. The dispersion of Australian fungal propagules may be facilitating the spread of eucalypts along watercourses in semiarid regions increasing the water lost. Because ectomycorrhizal fungi are obligate symbionts, their capacity to persist after eradication of eucalypt stands, and/or to extend beyond forest plantations, would rely on the possibility to find compatible native host trees, and to outcompete the native ectomycorrhizal fungi. Here we illustrate the case of the Australasian species Laccaria fraterna, which fruits in Mediterranean shrublands of ectomycorrhizal species of Cistus (rockroses). We need to know which other Australasian fungi extend to the native ecosystems, if we are to predict environmental␣risks associated with the introduction of Australasian ectomycorrhizal fungi into the Iberian Peninsula. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High diversity and widespread occurrence of mitotic spore mats in ectomycorrhizal Pezizales

Fungal mitospores may function as dispersal units and/ or spermatia and thus play a role in distribution and/or mating of species that produce them. Mitospore production in ectomycorrhizal (EcM) Pezizales is rarely reported, but here we document mitospore production by a high diversity of EcM Pezizales on three continents, in both hemispheres. We sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial large subunit (LSU) nuclear rDNA from 292 spore mats (visible mitospore clumps) collected in Argentina, Chile, China, Mexico and the USA between 2009 and 2012. We collated spore mat ITS sequences with 105 fruit body and 47 EcM root sequences to generate operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Phylogenetic inferences were made through analyses of both molecular data sets. A total of 48 OTUs from spore mats represented six independent EcM Pezizales lineages and included truffles and cup fungi. Three clades of seven OTUs have no known meiospore stage. Mitospores failed to germinate on sterile media, or form ectomycorrhizas on Quercus, Pinus and Populus seedlings, consistent with a hypothesized role of spermatia. The broad geographic range, high frequency and phylogenetic diversity of spore mats produced by EcM Pezizales suggests that a mitospore stage is important for many species in this group in terms of mating, reproduction and/or dispersal.     

红花尔基不同龄级天然樟子松外生菌根真菌群落结构特征

红花尔基被誉为樟子松Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica的故乡,樟子松是我国北方主要的造林树种之一,也是典型的菌根依赖型树种。研究樟子松根围外生菌根真菌（ectomycorrhizal fungi,ECMF）群落结构特征对红花尔基沙地樟子松生态系统的保护具有重要意义。本研究以红花尔基天然樟子松根围土壤为研究对象,采用Illumina MiSeq测序技术研究了4个龄级（<10、11-20、21-30和31-40年,分别称作Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ龄级）天然樟子松根围土壤ECMF群落结构特征。结果表明：（1）测序共获得87 516条ECMF序列,划分为177个OTUs（operational taxonomic units,OTU）,隶属于2个门,4个纲,12个目,26个科,43个属。（2）Ⅳ龄级中Ace丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数均显著高于Ⅰ龄级（P<0.05）。（3）不同龄级根围ECMF优势属占比不同,Ⅰ龄级中占比最大的为Inocybe（42.55%）;Ⅱ和Ⅲ龄级中占比最大的均为Tricholoma,分别为31.64%和27.69%;Ⅳ龄级中占比最大的为Cortinarius（28.80%）。（4）冗余分析表明,土壤pH值对ECMF的影响程度最大,其次为速效钾和碱解氮;同时,不同理化因子对群落中优势属的影响也存在差异。     

锌胁迫对彩色豆马勃体内锌的分布和活性形态及其抗氧化系统的影响

彩色豆马勃Pisolithus tinctorius可广泛与林木建立外生菌根,其共生可促进植物生长,提高植物对重金属的耐受性。然而,关于彩色豆马勃对重金属锌(Zn)胁迫的生理响应还不完全清楚。本研究在纯培养条件下,测定了Zn胁迫对彩色豆马勃生物量、Zn的活性形态和亚细胞分布,超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性,谷胱甘肽(GSH)、抗坏血酸(AsA)和黑色素含量的影响。结果表明,Zn胁迫抑制了彩色豆马勃的生长,在浓度为563 μmol/L时,达到半数最大抑制浓度(IC₅₀),在浓度为600 μmol/L时,生物量降低42.6%。Zn在彩色豆马勃中以活性较低的草酸盐、难溶于水的磷酸盐、果胶酸盐以及与蛋白质呈结合态或吸着态的形式为主。Zn胁迫显著提高了彩色豆马勃菌丝中CAT、POD和SOD活性,增加了GSH和黑色素含量,但对AsA的含量没有显著影响。本研究表明,彩色豆马勃主要通过调节Zn的分布及抗氧化系统,增加黑色素含量,增强对Zn的耐受性,为外生菌根真菌修复重金属污染土壤提供了理论支持。