Development,persistence and regeneration of foraging ectomycorrhizal mycelial systems in soil microcosms

Development of extraradical mycelia of two strains each of Paxillus involutus and Suillus bovinus in ectomycorrhizal association with Pinus sylvestris seedlings was studied in two dimensions in non-sterile soil microcosms. There were significant inter- and intra-specific differences in extraradical mycelial growth and morphology. The mycelial systems of both strains of P. involutus were diffuse and extended more rapidly than those of S. bovinus. Depending on the strain, P. involutus mycelia were either highly plane filled, with high mass fractal dimension (a measure of space filling) or sparse, low mass fractal dimension systems. Older mycelial systems persisted as linear cords interlinking ectomycorrhizal tips. S. bovinus produced either a mycelium with a mixture of mycelial cords and diffuse fans that rapidly filled explorable area, or a predominately corded mycelium of minimal area cover. In the soil microcosms, mass fractal dimension and mycelial cover tended to increase with time, mycelia encountering litter having significantly greater values. Results are discussed in terms of the ecology of these fungi, their foraging activities and functional importance in forest ecosystems.     

Encounter with New Resources Causes Polarized Growth of the Cord-Forming Basidiomycete Phanerochaete velutina on Soil

Abstract The development and physiology of cord-forming saprotrophic basidiomycetes, which form extensive and persistent mycelial networks in woodland ecosystems, can be conveniently studied on non-sterile soil in laboratory microcosms mimicking field conditions. Morphological responses of Phanerochaete velutina mycelial systems to resource encounters, and decay partitioning following encounters, varied according to whether simulated woody litter was unsterile or autoclaved and on whether encounter took place at the mycelial foraging front or behind the margin (simulating litter fall onto established systems in the field). Results show that encounter of discrete resources by P. velutina is rapidly communicated to the entire mycelial system; that resource capture takes high priority at the expense of continued system extension and decay-derived carbon reallocation; and that polarized growth toward newly encountered resources, previously considered to occur infrequently with this species, may be readily detected using image analysis techniques. Potential advantages of polarized development of P. velutina are discussed.     

Increased ectomycorrhizal fungal abundance after long-term fertilization and warming of two arctic tundra ecosystems

Shrub abundance is expected to increase with enhanced temperature and nutrient availability in the Arctic, and associated changes in abundance of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi could be a key link between plant responses and longer-term changes in soil organic matter storage. This study quantifies the response in EM fungal abundance to long-term warming and fertilization in two arctic ecosystems with contrasting responses of the EM shrub Betula nana. Ergosterol was used as a biomarker for living fungal biomass in roots and organic soil and ingrowth bags were used to estimate EM mycelial production. We measured 15N and 13C natural abundance to identify the EM-saprotrophic divide in fungal sporocarps and to validate the EM origin of mycelia in the ingrowth bags. Fungal biomass in soil and EM mycelial production increased with fertilization at both tundra sites, and with warming at one site. This was caused partly by increased dominance of EM plants and partly by stimulation of EM mycelial growth. We conclude that cycling of carbon and nitrogen through EM fungi will increase when strongly nutrient-limited arctic ecosystems are exposed to a warmer and more nutrient-rich environment. This has potential consequences for below-ground litter quality and quantity, and for accumulation of organic matter in arctic soils.     

Production and effects of volatile organic compounds during interspecific interactions

Competition between mycelia of saprotrophic cord-forming basidiomycetes occurs both within dead woody resources and in the soil-litter interface, and involves a variety of antagonistic mechanisms including the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The antagonistic potential of VOC profiles from interactions in wood blocks and in soil microcosms was assessed using shared headspace experiments, and the profile of VOCs emitted over the course of interactions elucidated using solid phase microextraction (SPME) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Quantitative and qualitative changes in VOC production occurred in interactions compared to self-pairing controls, with different VOC profiles from fungi growing in wood blocks compared to soil trays. There were both stimulatory and inhibitory effects of VOCs on target mycelial extension rate, hyphal coverage and fractal dimension. VOC-mediated effects were greater in self-pairing controls compared to interactions, and differed depending on the substratum in which the VOC-producing fungi were growing.     

Influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal mycelial exudates on soil bacterial growth and community structure

Plant root systems colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have previously been shown to influence soil bacterial populations; however, the direct influence of the AM extraradical mycelium itself on bacterial growth and community composition is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of exudates produced by AM extraradical mycelia on the growth and development of an extracted soil bacterial community in vitro. The chemical composition of the mycelial exudates was analysed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Following the addition of exudates to a bacterial community extracted from soil, bacterial growth and vitality were determined using a bacterial vitality stain and fluorescence microscopy. Changes in community composition were also analysed at various times over the course of 3 days by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, in combination with cloning and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Mycelial exudates increased bacterial growth and vitality and changed bacterial community composition. Several Gammaproteobacteria, including a taxon within the Enterobacteriaceae, increased in frequency of occurrence in response to AM mycelial exudates. This study is the first attempt to identify carbohydrates from the extraradical mycelium of an AM fungus, and demonstrates the direct effects of mycelial exudates on a soil bacterial community.     

A preliminary study on the effects of salicylic and jasmonic acids on Ganoderma boninense growth,mycelial hydrophobicity,and media pH under in vitro assays

Potato dextrose agar amended with salicylic acid (SA) suppressed growth of all Ganoderma boninense isolates. However, mycelial growth inhibitory effects varied with times, SA concentrations and G. boninense isolates. At 150 ppm of SA or higher, growth suppression diminished with time and mycelial growth recovery was observed. In contrast, jasmonic acid (JA) unexpectedly improved growth of G. boninense. At 21 day-after-inoculation, pH changes and hydrophobicity for the melanised mycelia were lower compared to non-melanised mycelia. The degree of inhibitory or promotional effects on the growth of G. boninense and the level of G. boninense mycelial hydrophobicity by SA and JA were isolate-dependent.     

Influence of carbon and nitrogen sources on glutathione catabolic enzymes inCandida albicans during dimorphism

The effect of carbon sources, glucose and sucrose, and nitrogen sources such as ammonia, glutamate andl-citrulline on the activities of glutathione metabolic enzymes has been studied. Yeast and mycelial cells were used to identify changes in activity levels of glutathione reductase (GSSGR), glutathione transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and -glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). Enzyme activities from cells grown in sucrose media were lower than in glucose media regardless of the enzyme tested, morphological form, or the growth interval. In all enzymes except GST, activity was higher in yeast form than in mycelia, regardless of nitrogen source, with lower activity from 24 to 72 h than at 96 h. In citrulline media, yeast form showed the maximum GST, GGT, and GPX activity. In ammonia-amended media, mycelia showed maximum activity in GGT, whereas in glutamate media, mycelia showed the maximum activity in GST. Also, the type of nitrogen source had no effect on GPX activity in the mycelial form. Finally, changing the nitrogen source showed no significant effect on GSSGR activity, either in the yeast or mycelial form.     

Water repellency,mat formation,and leaf-stimulated growth of some ectomycorrhizal fungi

Summary Ectomycorrhizal short roots, mycelia, rhizomorphs and mats from conifer soil were examined in relation to their hydrophobic properties. In some cases connected fruit bodies were included in the study. Mycorrhizal soils gathered from the forest and/or colonized in a laboratory rhizoscope were studied, as were mycelia in pure culture. Most forest-derived species were hydrophobic. The drought-resistant Cenococcum geophilum and the more ruderal and moisture-dependent Thelephora terrestris were both strongly hydrophilic. The hydrophobic mycelium seemed solely responsible for the water repellence properties, and adjacent soil and plant debris remained unaffected and hydrophilic. In hydrophobic fungi, mat formation was induced in the rhizoscope by hyphal contact with alder litter leaves. This stimulating effect was not found when the leaves were covered by water or when fresh, green alder leaves were used. Thelephora terrestris did not form such mats in vitro and spread sparsely in air pockets as well as in the adjacent water film. The possibility is discussed that many mycorrhizal fungi in the forest may partly control their soil environment via aeration created by their hydrophobia.     

Disproportionate abundance between ectomycorrhizal root tips and their associated mycelia

Extensive knowledge of various ectomycorrhizal fungal communities has been obtained over the past 10 years based on molecular identification of the fungi colonizing fine roots. In contrast, only limited information exists about the species composition of ectomycorrhizal hyphae in soil. This study compared the ectomycorrhizal external mycelial community with the adjacent root-tip community in a Danish beech forest. Sand-filled in-growth mesh bags were used to trap external mycelia by incubating the mesh bags in the soil for 70 days. The adjacent ectomycorrhizal root-tip communities were recorded at the times of insertion and retrieval of the mesh bags. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were identified by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer region. In total, 20, 31 and 24 ectomycorrhizal species were recorded from the two root-tip harvests and from the mesh bags, respectively. Boletoid species were significantly more frequent as mycelia than as root tips, while russuloid and Cortinarius species appeared to be less dominant as mycelia than as root tips. Tomentella species were equally frequent as root tips and as mycelia. These discrepancies between the root-tip and the mycelial view of the ectomycorrhizal fungal community are discussed within the framework of ectomycorrrhizal exploration types.     

Saprotrophic cord systems: dispersal mechanisms in space and time

In natural terrestrial environments, nutrients are often patchily and sparsely distributed, and the microclimate is constantly changing both temporally and spatially. To survive, fungi must be able to transfer to a new resource before the nutrient supplies in their current food base are exhausted. While the majority of fungi propagate as spores, some basidiomycetes can grow out of a resource as mycelium in search of new resources. The mycelium of these fungi typically aggregates to form linear organs, termed cords or rhizomorphs, that ramify at the soil-litter interface in forests, interconnecting disparate litter components to form extensive (many square meters or even hectares), long-lived (many years) systems. These mycelial systems form effective dispersal mechanisms in space and time. This article reviews the two main, but not mutually exclusive, mycelial dispersal (resource capture) strategies: (1) a “sit and wait” strategy, whereby a large mycelial network waits for resources to land on it and then actively colonises those resources; and (2) growing and searching actively for new resources. The way in which mycelia balance exploration and nutrient transport, and robustness to damage, against “cost” of production and speed with which an area can be colonised, is explored using techniques borrowed from graph theory and statistical mechanics.     

锌富集对蛹虫草菌丝体内虫草素、腺苷含量的影响

为了解蛹虫草菌丝体对锌的富集特性,研究锌富集对蛹虫草菌丝体内虫草素、腺苷含量的影响,通过在液体培养基中添加不同质量浓度的锌离子(0~35 g/L),探讨其对蛹虫草菌丝生物量、菌丝体内锌积累量,以及锌的富集对菌丝体内虫草素、腺苷含量产生的影响。结果表明:在0~35 g/L锌离子的梯度范围内,蛹虫草菌丝生物量与锌质量浓度呈显著负相关,锌质量浓度35 g/L为蛹虫草菌丝生长极限浓度。锌质量浓度40.0 g/L及以上菌丝生长受到完全抑制。菌丝体内锌的积累量随锌质量浓度的增加而显著升高,锌质量浓度为35.0 g/L时锌积累量可达到193.87 mg/g(干重)。蛹虫草菌丝体内腺苷的含量随锌质量浓度的增加而降低,在锌质量浓度为5 g/L时降幅显著,腺苷含量仅为对照组的17.24%,之后腺苷含量变化趋势趋于水平。腺苷含量的降低可能是因为锌的富集干扰了蛹虫草菌丝体内初生代谢的正常进行。虫草素的含量随锌质量浓度的增加而显著降低,可能是由于其直接前体腺苷含量的降低,或是Zn离子的加入,使得某些被刺激的酶和基因通过转录因子影响了虫草素的合成。     

Sporulation competence in Aspergillus nidulans: a role for iron in development.

There is a difference in the response of DNA from mycelial extracts of Aspergillus nidulans to hot acid hydrolysis depending upon the state of sporulation competence. The DNA in incompetent culture mycelia is not hydrolyzable while the DNA in competent culture is hydrolyzable. The inhibition of DNA hydrolysis is due to the presence of iron. Although the concentration of iron decreases in mycelia during growth, there is sufficient iron present in competent mycelia to inhibit DNA hydrolysis. The change in DNA hydrolyzability may be the result of a change in intracellular iron distribution, or a change in an iron binding component. We suggest that these changes are related to the altered capacity for gene expression which occurs at the time of acquisition of sporulation competence.     

Evidence for de novo synthesis of an aflatoxin pathway methyltransferase near the cessation of active growth and the onset of aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus parasiticus mycelia

The accumulation of both activity and protein of a methyltransferase (MTase) from Aspergillus parasiticus, which catalyzes conversion of sterigmatocystin to O-methylsterigmatocystin in the aflatoxin pathway, was detected in fungal mycelia slightly before the onset of aflatoxin biosynthesis in the same cultures. MTase protein was identified in mycelial postmicrosomal (soluble protein) fractions by electrophoresis and subsequent immunoblotting using antiserum raised against purified MTase protein; MTase activity was determined by measuring the rate of conversion of sterigmatocystin to O-methylsterigmatocystin in the presence of soluble protein fractions. Using the above technique, it was determined that MTase protein as well as MTase activity increased sharply in mycelia 30 to 45 h after inoculation, shortly after which, mycelial growth rate began to decline. During the subsequent time interval (45 to 70 h after inoculation), a sharp increase in aflatoxin levels was detected in the culture medium. Results obtained from an experiment in which cycloheximide was added to cultures at various times to inhibit protein synthesis and from an experiment in which mycelial proteins were radiolabelled to identify newly synthesized proteins indicated that accumulation of MTase activity and protein in late growth phase mycelia is due to de novo protein synthesis.     

信息素信号通路基因在斑玉蕈生长发育过程中的差异表达

为了更清楚地了解斑玉蕈菌丝成熟、原基形成和子实体发育的过程,本研究对不同菌丝培养时期的栽培瓶进行出菇实验,并对其不同培养时期和生长发育关键时期的信息素通路基因进行差异表达分析,以期揭示信息素信号通路基因参与调节斑玉蕈菌丝的生长、子实体形成和发育的作用。研究结果表明：斑玉蕈菌丝培养40-80d过程中,子实体产量呈上升的趋势,说明菌丝的成熟程度对产量会产生重要影响。对斑玉蕈基因组中的信息素信号通路基因进行分析鉴定共获得了8个关键基因。信息素通路基因差异表达分析表明：在菌丝培养40-80d过程中,大部分信息素信号通路基因在第60天时表达量最高,其中ste20、cdc24和ste12上调了4-20倍,而在第80天出现下降。从菌丝恢复到扭结形成原基和子实体发育的过程中,大多数基因在原基时期表达量最高,其中ste20、cdc24、ste11和ste12表达量上调最为显著,在子实体成熟期这些基因表达量下降。因此,这说明在菌丝营养生长过程中,在第60天菌丝细胞增殖生长最为旺盛,而在第80天菌丝细胞基本停止生长,菌丝也逐渐达到成熟。同时,在菌丝生殖生长过程中,斑玉蕈持续地上调信息素通路基因表达使菌丝细胞不断地分裂增殖,从而使新生的菌丝扭结形成原基,其中ste3、ste20、cdc24、ste11和ste12基因可能对斑玉蕈菌丝细胞的分裂增殖和诱导子实体形成起到关键的作用。     

Effect of fatty acids on the mycelial growth and polysaccharide formation by Ganoderma lucidum in shake flask cultures

Fatty acids were added into the media to investigate their effects on the mycelial growth and polysaccharide formation by Ganoderma lucidum. The experiments were carried out in freely suspended cultures or immobilized cultures using shake flasks. The results indicate that the extent of stimulation or inhibition were associated with the types and levels of fatty acids. Oleic acid at the level of 0.15 g/100 ml led to a significant increase in cell concentration from 0.20 to 0.46 g/100 ml in a suspended culture and palmitic acid was of great advantage to polysaccharide production. In contrast, linoleic acid (0.1 g/100 ml) drastically suppressed both mycelial growth and polysaccharide formation. In immobilized cultures with fatty acids, the stimulation of mycelial growth remained the same level, but the enhancement of polysaccharide production became less. In addition, the growth of G. lucidum in the pattern of immobilization might be beneficial to the production of mycelia and polysaccharide.     

Physiological and Morphological Modifications in Immobilized Gibberella fujikuroi Mycelia

Constraints created by immobilization conditions modified the physiological behavior and morphological characteristics of Gibberella fujikuroi mycelia in comparison with their development in free-cell conditions. G. fujikuroi mycelia were immobilized in different support matrices (polyurethane, carrageenan, and alginate) and showed a variety of reactions in response to the different microenvironmental factors encountered during and after immobilization. The best support with respect to gibberellic acid yield and biocatalyst stability was found to be an alginate with a high degree of polymerization. The most visible effects of immobilization included changes in growth development, morphological appearance, metabolite production, mycelial pigmentation, mycelial viability under starvation conditions, and induction of resting forms when previously immobilized mycelia were subcultured.     

Comparison of conditions for mycelial growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepista sordida</Emphasis> causing fairy rings on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zoysia matrella</Emphasis> turf to those on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrostis palustris</Emphasis> turf

Symptoms of fairy rings caused by Lepista sordida have been reported on Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) turf maintained at fairway height (2 cm), but not on bentgrass (Agrostis spp.) maintained at putting green height (0.5 cm). The mycelia of this fungus inhabit primarily the upper 0–2 cm layer of the soil extending into the thatch. To compare conditions for the mycelial growth in Z. matrella turf to those in A. palustris turf, we examined the effects of nutrients, temperature, water potential, and pH in the field as well as in the laboratory. Greater growth of the mycelia was observed in medium that included hot water extracts from soil of the 0–1 cm zone in Z. matrella turf compared to that from A. palustris. The upper soil layer in Z. matrella turf contained more organic matter from clippings than that in A. palustris. The temperature and water potential of the 0–2 cm soil zone in Z. matrella turf were also more favorable for the mycelial growth. The soil pH values of this zone in Z. matrella turf were less favorable compared to A. palustris but within the range for accelerating mycelial growth. Part of this study was presented orally at the 46th meeting of the Mycological Society of Japan in 2002     

产糖化酶黑曲霉的固定化研究

采用多孔聚酯材料作为固定化载体,考察并比较了载体吸附固定化黑曲霉菌丝细胞的条件,当菌丝体细胞与载体预培养的条件为pH值5.0、孢子浓度为105个/ml、固液比为1/75时,有利于菌丝体的生长、吸附固定及发酵产酶.在产糖化酶的发酵过程中,与游离菌丝体细胞相比,发酵过程持续产酶时间有一定程度的延长,产糖化酶活力始终高于游离菌丝体.     

Opposing developmental functions of Agrocybe aegerita galectin (AAL) during mycelia differentiation

Mycelia of basidiomycetes differentiating into fruiting body is a controlled developmental process, however the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. In previous work, a novel fungal Agrocybe aegerita galectin (AAL) was isolated from A. aegerita in our laboratory. AAL was shown to promote mycelial differentiation in A. aegerita and Auricularia polytricha, indicating that AAL might function as a conserved fruiting initiator during basidiomycete mycelia development. In the current work, we investigate the role of AAL in mycelia differentiation and fruiting body formation. First, the expression and localization of AAL in mycelia, primordium and fruiting body were assessed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. AAL was found to be ubiquitously expressed in the primordium and fruiting body but not in the mycelia. AAL facilitated mycelia congregation and promoted fruiting body production when AAL was applied on mycelia. At the same time, when AAL was spread on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium prior to mycelia inoculation, mycelia exhibited slowed growth rates, resulting in mycelia cords formation and inhibition of fruiting body formation. The 5' regulatory sequence of aal was cloned by 'genome walking'. Here, we show that aal lack introns in the coding region and the upstream 740 bp sequence was characterized by the existence of core promoter elements, which included: two CCAAT boxes (-535/-280), a GC box (-145), a TATA box (-30) and a fungal leader intron within the 5' UTR. The identification of regulatory expression elements may provide an explanation to the stage-specific and high-level expression of aal during fruiting development.