Evolutionary relationships among aquatic anamorphs and teleomorphs: Lemonniera, Margaritispora, and Goniopila

The hypothesis that similar conidial morphologies in aquatic hyphomycetes are a result of convergent evolution was tested using molecular sequence data. Cladistic analyses were performed on partial sequences of 28S rDNA of seven species of Lemonniera, one species of Margaritispora and one species of Goniopila. Lemonniera has tetraradiate conidia with long arms, whereas Margaritispora and Goniopila have typically globose (isodiametric) conidia, with short conical protuberances in a stellate or quadrangular arrangement. Lemonniera and Margaritispora have phialidic conidiogenesis and both produce dark, minute sclerotia in culture whereas Goniopila has holoblastic conidiogenesis and does not produce sclerotia in culture. Goniopila produces a microconidial phialidic synanamorph in culture. All three genera have schizolytic conidial secession. Molecular analyses demonstrate that Lemonniera species are placed in two distinct clades: one within Leotiomycetes; the other within Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes. Margaritispora is placed with Lemonniera species within Leotiomycetes. Goniopila and Lemonniera pseudofloscula are placed within Dothideomycetes. No morphological character was entirely congruent with the molecular derived phylogeny. This suggests that for the group of species studied, conidial shape is not a reliable indicator of phylogeny but more likely the result of convergent evolution in response to the aquatic environment.     

甘菊ClHSP70与ClHSP90基因的克隆及表达分析

该研究以甘菊(Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium)为实验材料,通过RT-PCR方法从甘菊转录组数据中分离出热激蛋白合成相关基因,命名为ClHSP70和ClHSP90。序列分析表明,ClHSP70基因ORF全长为2 559bp,编码852个氨基酸,蛋白功能区预测表明含有典型的HSP70蛋白NBD和SBD保守结构域;ClHSP90基因ORF全长为2 094bp,编码697个氨基酸,含有HATPase结构域和HSP90保守结构域。生物信息学分析表明,甘菊ClHSP70与大豆(Glycine max)和烟草(Nicotiana tomentosiformis)HSP70蛋白有较高的一致性,ClHSP90基因编码的氨基酸序列与紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora)HSP90高度相似;实时荧光定量表达分析表明,在42℃处理不同时间,甘菊叶片中ClHSP70和ClHSP90基因表达均在0.5h时显著增加,1h达到最大值,2h后缓慢下降;不同组织表达分析表明,甘菊在42℃处理1h后,ClHSP70在成熟叶中的表达量显著高于嫩叶和根等其他组织;ClHSP90在成熟茎中的表达量最高。研究说明,ClHSP70和ClHSP90基因具有热激蛋白特征,参与了甘菊热胁迫应答过程,该研究结果为以后深入研究其基因功能奠定了基础。     

中国四川报春花属一新种

报道了中国四川报春花属(Primula L.)一新种——小繸瓣报春(P.hydrocotylifolia G.Hao,C.M.Hu&Y.Xu)。小繸瓣报春植株无毛、无粉,叶片多少呈圆形,具纤细的叶柄,开花期叶丛基部无鳞片,球形蒴果藏于宿存花萼,成熟时裂成不规则碎片,显然属于脆蒴报春组(sect.Petiolares Pax)革叶报春亚组(subsect.Chartacea W.W.Sm.&Forrest),并与该亚组的川西繸瓣报春(P.veitchiana Petitm.)最为接近,但后者植物体的各部分均远大于此新种,花序多花,花亦较大,二者之间无过渡类型。     

基因CfATG6和CfATG14参与调控果生刺盘孢细胞自噬和致病力

【目的】炭疽病是油茶的主要病害,由刺盘孢属的多种真菌引起,其中果生刺盘孢分布范围最广、分离率最高,是油茶炭疽病的主要致病菌。研究自噬相关蛋白CfAtg6和CfAtg14的生物学功能,为进一步揭示果生刺盘孢通过细胞自噬调控致病的分子机制,并为油茶炭疽病的防治提供理论基础。【方法】根据同源重组原理,通过聚乙二醇(polyethylene glycol, PEG)介导的方法,在果生刺盘孢中敲除基因CfATG6和CfATG14,并进一步获得回补菌株ΔCfatg6-C和ΔCfatg14-C。【结果】酵母双杂交试验结果显示,果生刺盘孢蛋白CfAtg6和CfAtg14可能存在互作关系。生物学表型测定结果表明,相较于野生型和回补菌株,突变体ΔCfatg6和ΔCfatg14均表现出营养生长速率显著减慢,附着胞形成率分别只有野生型的5%和18%;突变体ΔCfatg6和ΔCfatg14致病力均极显著减弱,造成的油茶叶片病斑面积少于野生型和回补菌株的1/3;CfATG6和CfATG14基因缺失突变体均丧失转运和降解CfAtg8蛋白的能力,并对细胞壁胁迫更敏感。突变体ΔCfatg6的分生孢子产量显著降低,仅为野生型的20%左右;氧化胁迫试验结果表明,相较于野生型和回补菌株,过氧化氢对突变体的生长抑制率升高10%左右。内质网压力胁迫试验表明,ΔCfatg14对二硫苏糖醇抑制率升高5%以上。【结论】自噬相关基因CfATG6和CfATG14参与调控了果生刺盘孢生长发育、细胞自噬和致病力。     

下延叉蕨和芽胞叉蕨配子体发育的研究

利用光学显微镜详细观察了叉蕨属(Tectaria)下延叉蕨(Tectaria decurrens)和芽胞叉蕨(T.fauriei)的配子体发育过程,记录了配子体各发育阶段的特征。结果表明:(1)下延叉蕨和芽胞叉蕨的孢子均为单裂缝,具周壁,由周壁形成纹饰,孢子极面观椭圆形,赤道面观豆形或肾形。(2)孢子萌发方式为向心型。(3)原叶体发育方式为三叉蕨型。(4)成熟原叶体心脏形,两翼向斜上方扩展。(5)均具单细胞和多细胞毛状体,在丝状体或片状体阶段出现。研究认为,从配子体发育角度看,叉蕨属是较进化的陆生真蕨类;毛状体的类型、位置和出现时间等特征在叉蕨属种间存在差异,可作为该属种间分类的特征。     

The phylogenetic placement of the Leucogastrales, including Mycolevis siccigleba (Cribbeaceae), in the Albatrellaceae using morphological and molecular data

The morphology of many hypogeous fungi converges on a homogeneous reduced form, suggesting that disparate lineages are subject to a uniform selection pressure. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the morphology and infer the phylogeny of the Leucogastrales with Mycolevis siccigleba using a Bayesian methodology. A comprehensive morphological assessment was used for an a priori phylogenetic inference to guide the sequencing effort. All structures except spore ornamentation pointed to the Albatrellaceae as the most likely sister taxon. Polyporoletus sublividus, a close relative of Albatrellus, produces ornamented basidiospores with a similar structure to M. siccigleba basidiospores. The ITS from 30 taxa was used for the molecular phylogenetic analysis. P. sublividus was found sister to Mycolevis. Leucophleps spinispora and L. magnata formed a group sister to the Polyporoletus/Mycolevis group, whereas Leucogaster was polyphyletic with respect to the core of the Leucogastrales and sister to A. caeruleoporus. This relationship was expected as previously undescribed chlamydospores produced by members of Albatrellus had a similar morphology to the basidiospores of L. rubescens.     

Genome Analysis inNeurospora crassa;Cloning of Four Lociarginine-1(arg-1),methionine-6(met-6),unknown-7(un-7), andribosome production-1(rip-1) and Associated Chromosome Walking

We have cloned fourNeurospora crassagenes by complementation analysis. Cloned genes include thearginine-1(arg-1),methionine-6(met-6),unknown-7(un-7), andribosome production-1(rip-1) loci. Chromosome walks were initiated in ordered cosmid libraries from the cloned loci. A total of about 700 kb of theNeurosporagenome is covered in these walks.     

Molecular and morphological characterization of Leveillula (Ascomycota: Erysiphales) on monocotyledonous plants

Leveillula on monocotyledonous plants have been recorded as L. taurica by several authors, whereas the fungus on Allium has been described as an independent species, namely L. allii, by some authors. We sequenced ca 600 bp of the rDNA ITS region for two Leveillula specimens from Allium and Polianthes (both from monocotyledons) and compared them with several already published sequences from Leveillula isolates from dicotyledons. Pair-wise percentages of sequence divergences were calculated for all Leveillula isolates. The ITS sequence of the Polianthes isolate was identical to L. taurica on Helianthus and Vicia. The sequence of the Allium isolate was 99.5 % identical to L. taurica on Euphorbia, Haplophylum, Peganum, etc. These results suggest close relationships between monocot and dicot pathogenic Leveillula species. The identity between two monocot isolates was 98.4 %. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two monocot isolates do not group into a clade together. This result suggests that Leveillula acquired parasitism to monocots at least twice independently.     

Evaluation of Beauveria bassiana and B. brongniartii strains and four wild-type fungal species against adults of Bactrocera oleae and Ceratitis capitata

The virulence of two isolates of the hyphomycete fungi, Beauveria bassianaand B. brongniartii, and additional fungal species isolated from diseased Bactrocera oleae pupae and Sesamia nonagrioideslarvae were assessed against adults of the olive fruit fly B. oleae and the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae). Contact and oral bioassays revealed that moderate to high mortality rates for the olive fruit fly occurred when the adults were exposed to conidia of Mucor hiemalis, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, P. chrysogenum and B. bassianaisolates. A strain of M. hiemalis isolated from S. nonagrioides larvae was the most toxic resulting in 85.2% mortality to the olive fruit fly adults. B. brongniartiiand B. bassiana were the most pathogenic to the C. capitataadults causing 97.4 and 85.6% mortality. Metabolites collected from the M. hiemalis and P. chrysogenum isolates were toxic to adults of both species.     

马尾松PmPGK1和PmGPIC基因的克隆和表达分析

为了解马尾松（Pinus massoniana）磷酸甘油酸激酶1（PGK1）与胞质溶胶葡萄糖磷酸异构酶（GPIC）的功能，采用RACE技术克隆了PmPGK1和PmGPIC基因，并进行了生物信息学分析与亚细胞定位，采用实时荧光定量PCR技术分析PmPGK1和PmGPIC的表达特性。结果表明，PmPGK1和PmGPIC全长为2 106和1 848 bp，分别编码507和566个氨基酸。PmPGK1和PmGPIC分别定位于叶绿体和胞质溶胶。PmPGK1表达量为新叶 > 老叶 > 新茎 > 根 > 花；而PmGPIC为老叶 > 花 > 新叶 > 新茎 > 根。低温胁迫24 h，PmPGK1和PmGPIC的表达量均随时间延长先降低后升高，且PmGPIC的表达量在处理2 h后即降至较低水平；高浓度CO₂胁迫24 h，PmPGK1的表达量随时间延长呈降低-升高-再降低的变化趋势，PmGPIC的表达下调但变化较不显著。因此，推测PmPGK1主要参与卡尔文循环及叶绿体/质体糖酵解，PmGPIC主要参与细胞质基质糖酵解；PmPGK1、PmGPIC活性在低温胁迫下均受抑制；PmPGK1活性在CO₂胁迫下受到显著抑制，而PmGPIC活性的影响不大。     

Characterisation of cell wall polysaccharides, arabinogalactans-proteins (AGPs) and phenolics of Cola nitida, Cola acuminata and Garcinia kola seeds

Many Cola plant species are endemic to West and Central Africa. Cola acuminata and Cola nitida are used as masticatory when fresh, while the dried nuts are used for beverages and pharmaceutical purposes in Europe and North America. Garcinia kola seeds, that serve as a substitute for the true kola nuts, are used in African traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases, including colic, headache and liver cirrhosis. Seeds extracts of G. kola are also known for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral properties. To gain information on the chemical properties of the kolas, we have isolated and analyzed cell wall polysaccharides, arabinogalactan-proteins and phenolic substances from the seeds of the three kola species. The sugar composition of cell wall material of C. acuminata, C. nitida and G. kola revealed that Gal (up to 30%), Ara, GalA and Glc as the predominant monosaccharides, representing approximately 90% by mol of the total hydrolysable sugar present in this material. In Ammonium oxalate cell wall fraction, GalA was found to be the major sugar present in all kola species. In the alkali-soluble fraction, there were significant differences in the level of Glc and Gal. The level of Glc was high in C. acuminata and C. nitida while the level of Gal and Xyl were high in C. nitida and G. cola. Isolation and quantification of arabinogalactan-proteins demonstrate that G. kola seeds contained four to eight times more of these proteoglycans than the seeds of the other two species. Finally, analysis of soluble phenolic substances shows that caffeine and catechin were largely represented in C. acumina and C. nitida seeds, with caffeine accounting for 50% of all soluble phenolics. These findings indicate that the three Kola seeds are highly enriched in pectins and proteoglycans and that C. acuminata and C. nitida can be used as a possible source of caffeine and catechin.     

The phylogenetic placement of Ostropales within Lecanoromycetes (Ascomycota) revisited

Results of molecular studies regarding the phylogenetic placement of the order Ostropales and related taxa within Lecanoromycetes were thus far inconclusive. Some analyses placed the order as sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes, while others inferred a position nested within Lecanoromycetes. We assembled a data set of 101 species including sequences from nuLSU rDNA, mtSSU rDNA, and the nuclear protein-coding RPB1 for each species to examine the cause of incongruencies in previously published phylogenies. MP, minimum evolution, and Bayesian analyses were performed using the combined three-region data set and the single-gene data sets. The position of Ostropales nested in Lecanoromycetes is confirmed in all single-gene and concatenated analyses, and a placement as sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes is significantly rejected using two independent methods of alternative topology testing. Acarosporales and related taxa (Acarosporaceae group) are basal in Lecanoromycetes. However, if the these basal taxa are excluded from the analyses, Ostropales appear to be sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes, suggesting different ingroup rooting as the cause for deviating topologies in previously published phylogenies.     

A polysaccharide from Lichina pygmaea and L. confinis supports the recognition of Lichinomycetes

The lichen-forming order Lichinales, generally characterized by prototunicate asci and the development of thalli with cyanobacteria, has recently been recognized as a separate class of ascomycetes, Lichinomycetes, as a result of molecular phylogenetic studies. As alkali and water-soluble (F1SS) polysaccharides reflect phylogeny in other ascomycetes, a polysaccharide from Lichina pygmaea and L. confinis was purified and characterized to investigate whether these F1SS compounds in the Lichinomycetes were distinctive. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and chemical analyses revealed this as a galactomannan comprising a repeating unit consisting of an α-(1→6)-mannan backbone, mainly substituted by single α-galactofuranose residues at the O-2- or the O-2,4- positions linked to a small mannan core. With the exception of the trisubstituted mannopyranose residues previously described in polysaccharides from other lichens belonging to orders now placed in Lecanoromycetes, the structure of this galactomannan most closely resembles those found in several members of the Onygenales in Eurotiomycetes. Our polysaccharide data support molecular studies showing that Lichina species are remote from Lecanoromycetes as the galactofuranose residues are in the α-configuration. That the Lichinomycetes were part of an ancestral lichenized group can not be established from the present data because the extracted polysaccharide does not have the galactofuranose residue in the β configuration; however, the data does suggest that an ancestor of the Lichinomycetes contained a mannan and was part of an early radiation in the ascomycetes.     

New species of Phaeoramularia, Pseudocercospora and Stenella from Western Ghats of India

Four new species of the hyphomycete genera Phaeoramularia viz. Ph. caesalpinae, Pseudocercospora viz., Ps. tiliacearum, Stenella, viz. S. argyreiae and S. grewiae occurring on Caesalpinia bonducella Fleming (Caesalpiniaceae), Grewia sp. (Tiliaceae), Argyrea sp. Lour (Convolvulaceae) and Grewia sp. L. (Tiliaceae), respectively are described and illustrated here. All these fungi were collected from Western Ghats of India.     

Hydroxylation of steroids by Fusarium oxysporum, Exophiala jeanselmei and Ceratocystis paradoxa

The potential of Fusarium oxysporum var. cubense UAMH 9013 to perform steroid biotransformations was reinvestigated using single phase and pulse feed conditions. The following natural steroids served as substrates: dehydroepiandrosterone (1), pregnenolone (2), testosterone (3), progesterone (4), cortisone (5), prednisone (6), estrone (7) and sarsasapogenin (8). The results showed the possible presence of C-7 and C-15 hydroxylase enzymes. This hypothesis was explored using three synthetic androstanes: androstane-3,17-dione (9), androsta-4,6-diene-3,17-dione (10) and 3α,5α-cycloandrost-6-en-17-one (11). These fermentations of non-natural steroids showed that C-7 hydroxylation was as a result of that position being allylic. The evidence also pointed towards the presence of a C-15 hydroxylase enzyme.The eleven steroids were also fed to Exophialajeanselmei var. lecanii-corni UAMH 8783. The results showed that the fungus appears to have very active 5α and 14α-hydroxylase enzymes, and is also capable of carrying out allylic oxidations.Ceratocystis paradoxa UAMH 8784 was grown in the presence of the above-mentioned steroids. The results showed that monooxygenases which effect allylic hydroxylation and Baeyer–Villiger rearrangement were active. However, redox reactions predominated.     

马齿苋内生菌橘青霉和波兰青霉中抗青枯菌的活性物质

为了挖掘农作物病害生物防治新资源,以药用植物马齿苋(Portulaca oleracea)为材料,通过培养基种植法分离和纯化其根、茎、叶中的内生菌,以青枯菌(Ralstonia solanacearum)的抑菌试验评价其活性,采用菌落形态观察和ITS序列分析鉴定菌种。结果表明,从马齿苋筛选出2种具有抑制青枯菌的内生菌橘青霉(Penicillium citrinum)和波兰青霉(P. polonicum),采用液相与四极杆飞行时间串联质谱(UPLC-QTOF-MS)鉴定2种内生菌的主要活性物质为橘霉素,其对青枯菌的抑制效果比链霉素更好。因此,这为植物青枯病的生物防治提供科学依据。     

巴西橡胶树HbSUT3和HbSUT5 mRNA在嫩茎和中脉中的原位杂交分析

为研究巴西橡胶树(Hevea brasiliensis)中HbSUT3和HbSUT5基因的功能,采用地高辛标记的RNA探针与橡胶树嫩茎和中脉两种组织切片分别进行RNA原位杂交,对这2种SUT基因在组织中的表达区域与表达特点进行了分析。结果表明,在橡胶树嫩茎中,两个SUT基因主要在树皮的韧皮部和皮层细胞中表达;在中脉中,两个SUT基因在除木质部导管系统外的其它部位均有表达;HbSUT3基因在嫩茎和中脉中的表达量相近,而HbSUT5基因在嫩茎中的表达量远高于中脉。这些揭示HbSUT3和HbSUT5基因可能广泛参与韧皮部装载、蔗糖运输与库细胞供给等活动,同时两个SUT基因也存在功能分化。     

Effect on prolactin secretion of Echinacea purpurea, Hypericum perforatum and Eleutherococcus senticosus

It has been recently reported that prolactin (PRL) plays an important role in immune system regulation. In this study we investigated the activity of three natural drugs with immunomodulatory activity: Echinacea purpurea (EP), Hypericum perforatum (HP) and Eleutherococcus senticosus (ES) on PRL production. Male rats were orally treated with two different doses (30 and 100 mg/kg) of extract of these drugs for 3 or 15 days. A 3-day treatment was not able to modify PRL serum levels, whereas a 15-day treatment with EP and HP at the higher dose significantly inhibits PRL production. A treatment with ES was always ineffective. A possible mechanism for this effect could be that both HP and EP extracts display a direct dopaminergic activity, although an involvement of the GABA-ergic system cannot be excluded.