Deuteromycetes from Jabalpur-I

Summary In the present paper twelve fungi belonging to the form class Deuteromycetes are described from Jabalpur (M.P.) India. Among these the new host records areMonochaetia carissae Munjal &Kapoor onCarissa spinarum L.,Pestalotia neglecta Thuem. onAtylosia scarabaeoides,Benth.,Pestalotia japonica Syd. onCelastrus paniculatus Willd.,Pestalotia theae Sawada var.minor Stey. onButea monosperma (Lam.)Kuntze,Pestalotia versicolor Speg. onBuchanania lanzan Spreng.,Colletotrichum dematium (Pers. exFr.)Grove onAmorphophallus sp.,Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Sacc. &Mag.)Bri. &Cav. onCassia tora L.,Coniella diplodiella (Speg.)Petrak &Syd. on.Anogeissus latifolia Wall.,Hendersonula toruloidea Nattrass onPhilodendron bipinnatifidum Schott. andMyrothecium roridum Tode exFr. onCasearia tomentosa roxb. The above fungi include two species (Pestalotia neglecta Thuem. andPestalotia theae Sawada var.minor Stey.) which have been described for the first time from this country.Sphaeropsis tumefasciens Hedges onCitrus medica L. var.acida L. is a new record from this state; andExcipularia narsapurensis Subramanian, also a new record from the state, is reported for the first time on a named host.     

A phylogenetic analysis of the lichen familySphaerophoraceae (Caliciales); a new generic classification and notes on character evolution

A phylogenetic analysis of the familySphaerophoraceae (Caliciales, lichenized ascomycetes) has resulted in a new generic classification. Notes on character evolution are given. The generaSphaerophorus s. str.,Bunodophoron andLeifidium, gen. nov., are accepted.Pleurocybe andPseudosphaerophorus are considered synonyms ofBunodophoron andThysanophoron is considered synonym toSphaerophorus. The following new combinations are proposed:Bunodophoron coomerense (Ohlsson)Wedin,B. diplotypum (Vain.)Wedin,B. dodgei (Ohlsson)Wedin,B. flaccidum (Kantvilas & Wedin)Wedin,B. formosanum (Zahlbr.)Wedin,B. imshaugii (Ohlsson)Wedin,B. insigne (Laurer)Wedin,B. kinabaluense (M. Satô)Wedin,B. macrocarpum (Ohlsson)Wedin,B. madagascareum (Nyl.)Wedin,B. microsporum (Ohlsson)Wedin,B. murrayi (Ohlsson)Wedin,B. notatum (Tibell)Wedin,B. ohlssonii (Wedin)Wedin,B. patagonicum (C. W. Dodge)Wedin,B. ramuliferum (I. M. Lamb)Wedin,B. scrobiculatum (C. Bab.)Wedin,B. tibellii (Wedin)Wedin,B. whakapapaense (Wedin)Wedin, andLeifidium tenerum (Laurer)Wedin.     

Some foliicolous ectoparasites and associated fungi from Jabalpur (M.P.) — I

Summary The present paper describes nine ectoparasitic foliicolous fungi from Jabalpur (M.P.) India. These include four new species viz.Asterina woodfordiae Sahni onWoodfordia fruticosa (L.)Kurz.,Schiffnerula fici Sahni, onFicus infectoria Roxb.,Sarcihella fumosus Sahni onAegle marmelos Corr. andSarcinella odinae Sahni onOdina wodier Roxb.,Acremoniella sarcinellae Pat. &Har.,Fumago vagans Pers.,Stigmella palawanensis Syd. andSchiffnerula cassiae are new fungus records for this country.Mitteriella zizyphina Syd. has been recorded onZizyphus xylopyra Willd., for the first time from this state.Z. xylopyra is a new host record forM. zizyphina.     

On subspecific taxa ofHypericum empetrifolium (Hypericaceae) from Crete

The morphology, altitudinal distribution and phytocoenology ofHypericum empetrifolium Willd., var.oliganthum Rech. fil. and var.tortuosum Rech. fil. are reassessed and as a result, the taxa are treated at subspecific rank. Essential characters proved to be growth form, number of flowers, foliage and epidermal surface characters, shape of seeds and testa sculpturing.The different growth forms can be interpreted as adaptations to the local habitats.Hypericum empetrifolium Willd. subsp.empetrifolium is a low subshrub of various vegetation types known as phrygana whereasHypericum empetrifolium Willd. subsp.oliganthum (Rech. f.)Hagemann grows as a cushion-like dwarf shrub in chasmophyte associations rich in relic species.Hypericum empetrifolium Willd. subsp.tortuosum (Rech. f.)Hagemann is confined in the high mountain regions and grows as a true dwarf espalier shrub with low spreading shoots.Dedicated to Hofrat Univ.-Prof. DrK. H. Rechinger on the occasion of his 80th birthday.     

Fungi causing plant diseases at jabalpur (madhya pradesh)-IX

Summary The present paper describes 6 foliicolous fungi from Jabalpur (India). These includeAsterina lawsoniae Syd. on leaves ofLawsonia alba, Diplocarpon rosae Wolf. onRosa sp.,Cercospora jujubae Chowdhury onZizyphus jujuba andCercospora subsessilis Henn. &Nym. onAzadirachta indica, new fungus records for Madhya Pradesh;Asterostomella strophanti Henn. on leaves ofFlacourtia ramontchii, a new fungus for the country andCorynespora cassiicola (Berk. &Curt.)Wei. onClerodendron inerme, a new host record.     

Chromosome numbers of some species of the genus<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hieracium</Emphasis> s.str. (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Asteraceae</Emphasis>) from Turkey

Results of a karyological analysis of eight species collected from northeast Anatolia, Turkey are presented. The following chromosome numbers were determined:H. medianiforme (Litv. etZahn)Juxip 2n=36,H. karagollense (Zahn)P.D. Sell etC. West 2n=36,H. argillaceoides (Litv. etZahn)Juxip 2n=36,H. amblylepis Boiss. 2n=27,H. lanceolatum Vill. 2n=27,H. asterodermum (Woronow etZahn)Juxip 2n=27,H. umbellatum L. 2n=18,H. laevigatum Willd. 2n=27. The chromosome numbers of five of these seven species are presented for the first time. The results show a high proportion of triploids and tetraploids within the taxa studied.     

Zwei neue Heliotropium-Arten aus Afghanistan

Summary Two new species ofHeliotropium sect.Catimas DC. from the desert Registan in south-eastern Afghanistan are described, one of which,H. arenicolum Rech. f. et H.Riedl, is very closely related toH. Rechingeri H.Riedl (1967) and different from it only in the colour of the stems and the longer basal part of the style. The other one,H. leucocladum H.Riedl, belongs to a very natural group of xerophytic and halophytic species includingH. digynum (Forssk.)Aschers.,H. eremobium Bge.,H. Aucheri DC.,H. halame Boiss. etBuhse,H. Popovii H.Riedl andH. carmanicum Bge. Adaptations to the extremely dry habitat are discussed.     

Zur taxonomischen Stellung und Nomenklatur vonMicropus longifolius (Compositae-Inuleae)

Zusammenfassung Die unter den NamenMicropus longifolius Boiss. etReut. bzw.Cymbolaena longifolia (Boiss. etReut.)Smoljan. gut bekannte Art wurde zuerst alsStylocline griffithii A.Gray beschrieben. Ihre taxonomische Stellung in bezug auf die GattungenMicropus undStylocline wird diskutiert. Es erscheint am richtigsten, die Art in eine eigene monotypische Gattung zu stellen, ihr korrekter Name ist dannCymbolaena griffithii (A.Gray)Wagenitz, comb. nov.

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Summary The species usually known asMicropus longifolius Boiss. etReut. orCymbolaena longifolia (Boiss. etReut.)Smoljan. was described for the first time in 1873 asStylocline griffithii A.Gray. The taxonomic position in relation to the generaMicropus andStylocline is discussed. It seems most appropriate to regard this species as belonging to a monotypic genus. In this case its correct name isCymbolaena griffithii (A.Gray)Wagenitz, comb. nov.

     

The supraspecific taxonomy and evolution of the fern genusAzolla (Azollaceae)

The systematics of the aquatic fern genusAzolla Lam. is revised at the supraspecific level. Published morphological data are reviewed, and cytological and cladistic analyses of the genus conducted, enabling a discussion of the putative evolutionary trends in the genus, and a revision of the current taxonomy. A phylogenetically more acceptable subgeneric and sectional classification is proposed, viz. subg.Azolla sect.Azolla (comprisingA. filiculoides Lam.,A. rubra R. Br.,A caroliniana auct. nonWilld.,A. microphylla auct. nonKaulf. andA. mexicana Presl), subg.Azolla sect.Rhizosperma (Mey.)Mett. (comprisingA. pinnata R. Br.), and subg.Tetrasporocarpia subg. nov. (comprisingA. nilotica Decne. exMett.).     

Utilization of d-amino acids by dadR mutants of Salmonella typhimurium

Utilization of d-amino acids being substrates of d-amino acid dehydrogenase of Salmonella typhimurium was examined. The experiments were done with wild type strains and the mutants dadA missing the enzyme activity and dadR in which its synthesis is released from catabolite repression. Growth on d-tryptophan, d-histidine and d-methionine used as precursors of the l-amino acids was faster when the respective auxotrophs carried dadR mutations. The dadR mutants grew faster when d-or l-alanine was present as a sole source of nitrogen. Experiments with d-amino acid dehydrogenase in vitro provided evidence that d-tryptophan is its substrate with a very low affinity to the dehydrogenase.     

Bemerkungen zu einigenStipagrostis-Arten (Gramineae) aus Afrika und Arabien

Summary A new species from Egypt (Sinai) and Arabia is described asStipagrostis multinerva H.Scholz. Stipagrostis arabiaefelicis Bor 1967 is a synonym ofSt. drarii (V.Täckholm)de Winter 1963 (Aristida drarii V.Täckholm 1941). The taxonomic status ofStipagrostis foexiana (Maire etWilczek)de Winter (Aristida obtusa subsp.pubescens Andreánszky) in North and South Africa is discussed. Furthermore some new data on taxonomy and distribution of the following species are recorded:Stipagrostis acutiflora subsp.algeriensis (Henrard) comb, nov. et stat. nov.,St. ciliata (Desf.)de Winter,St. lanata (Forsk.)de Winter,St. libyca (H.Scholz) comb, nov.,St. papposa (Trin. etRupr.)de Winter,St. raddiana (Savi)de Winter,St. shawii (H.Soholz) comb, nov., andSt. sokotrana (Vierhapper)de Winter.      

Notes on fungi from north-east India — XXII some species of hypoxylon from Assam

Summary Hypoxylon stygium (Lév)Sacc.,H. archeri Berk.,H. bovei Speg. var.microspora Miller,H. truncatum (Schw.ex Fr.)Miller,H. nummularium Bull. ex Fr. var.merillii Miller (=Hypoxylon asarcodes (Theissen)Miller?) andH. deustum (Hoff. ex Fr.)Grev. (=Ustulina zonata (Lév.)Sacc.), occurring in the tea gardens of Assam are illustrated and described. In addition, the following species ofHypoxylon hitherto reported from this country are enlisted:H. multiforme Fr. (=H. atropurpureum Fr., =H. hookeri Berk.)H. fragiforme (Pers. ex Fr.)Kickx. (=H. coccineum Bull.),H. rubiginosum Pers. ex Fr. (=H. fusco-purpureum (Schw.)Berk. et Curt., =H. nectrioides Speg., =H. perforatum Schw. ex Fr.),H. hypomiltum Mont.,H. indicum (=H. haematostroma Mont.? =H. distillatum Berk. et Fr.),H. investiens (Schw.)Curt.,H. crocopeplum Berk. et Curt. (=H. ochraceo-flavum Berk. et Cooke),H. pistillare Pers. ex Fr.,H. haematostroma Mont. (=H. vividum Berk. et Br.).H. jecorium Berk. et Rav. (=Nummularia cinnabarina P. Henn.),H. suborbiculare (=Nummularia suborbicularis (Welw. et Currey() =H. sclerophaeum Berk. et Curt? Sacc.),H. truncatum (Schw. ex Fr.)Miller (=H. annulatum (Schw.)Mont.) andH. stygium (Lév.)Sacc.     

On the Lichen generaPlacocarpus andPlacidiopsis (Verrucariaceae)

Verrucaria schaereri (Fr.)Nyl. is accorded generic status asPlacocarpus Trev. emend.O. Breuss. The main differences between the two genera concern the thallus anatomy and the spores which are halonate inPlacocarpus. The following new combinations are proposed:Placocarpus schaereri (Fr.)O. Breuss andPlacidiopsis cinerascens (Nyl.)O. Breuss.     

Deuteromycetes from jabalpur-II

Summary In this paper eighteen fungi belonging to the form class Deuteromycetes are described from Jabalpur (M.P.) India. Of these one, viz.Sarcinella palawanensis (Syd.)V. P. Sahni (=Stigmella palawanensis Syd.) is described as a new combination. Among the new fungus records for India may be citedSeptoria cassiicola Kell. &Swingle onCassia fistula L.,Coniothyrium fuckelii Sacc. onAnogeissus latifolia Wall.,Phomopsis bakeri Syd. onFicus bengalensis L.,Cercospora woodfordiae Petch. onWoodfordia fruticosa (L.)Kurz.,Cercospora guanicencis Young onCaesalpinia sepiaria Roxb., andCercospora chevalieri P. Saccardo onAmorphophallus companulatus Blume.Phyllosticta buteae Syd. onButea monosperma (Lam.)Kuntze,Colletotrichum dracaenae-fragrentis (Mori)Petrak &Sydow onDracaena brachystachys Hook.,Pithomyces chartarum (Berk. &Curt.)M. B. Ellis onCassia fistula L. andCassia tora L.,Cladosporium herbarum (Pers.)Link. onButea monosperma (Lam.)Kuntze andCercospora bougainvilleae P. N. Rao onBougainvillea glabra Choisy are new state records.Discosia artocreas Tode exFr. onHolarrhena antidysentrica Wall.,Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat. onButea monosperma (Lam.)Kuntze,Colletotrichum capsici (Syd.)Butler &Bisby onButea monosperma (Lam.)Kuntze,Alternaria tenuis Nees exFr. onYucca alofolia L.,Alternaria tenuissima (Nees exFr.)Wiltshire onBougainvillea glabra Choisy, andCurvularia lunata (Wakker)Boed. onCassia tora L. are new host records.     

Cloning,sequencing, overexpression and characterization of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-rhamnose isomerase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus pallidus</Emphasis> Y25 for rare sugar production

The l-rhamnose isomerase gene (L -rhi) encoding for l-rhamnose isomerase (l-RhI) from Bacillus pallidus Y25, a facultative thermophilic bacterium, was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli with a cooperation of the 6×His sequence at a C-terminal of the protein. The open reading frame of L -rhi consisted of 1,236 nucleotides encoding 412 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 47,636 Da, showing a good agreement with the native enzyme. Mass-produced l-RhI was achieved in a large quantity (470 mg/l broth) as a soluble protein. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity by a single step purification using a Ni-NTA affinity column chromatography. The purified recombinant l-RhI exhibited maximum activity at 65°C (pH 7.0) under assay conditions, while 90% of the initial enzyme activity could be retained after incubation at 60°C for 60 min. The apparent affinity (K _m) and catalytic efficiency (k _cat/K _m) for l-rhamnose (at 65°C) were 4.89 mM and 8.36 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ min⁻¹, respectively. The enzyme demonstrated relatively low levels of amino acid sequence similarity (42 and 12%), higher thermostability, and different substrate specificity to those of E. coli and Pseudomonas stutzeri, respectively. The enzyme has a good catalyzing activity at 50°C, for d-allose, l-mannose, d-ribulose, and l-talose from d-psicose, l-fructose, d-ribose and l-tagatose with a conversion yield of 35, 25, 16 and 10%, respectively, without a contamination of by-products. These findings indicated that the recombinant l-RhI from B. pallidus is appropriate for use as a new source of rare sugar producing enzyme on a mass scale production.     

Vegetation history of the SE section of the Zagros Mountains during the last five millennia; a pollen record from the Maharlou Lake, Fars Province, Iran

A pollen diagram was derived from a 150 cm core taken from the shallow hypersaline Lake Maharlou in the south-eastern part of the Zagros Mountains, SW Iran. The pollen record shows that Quercus brantii woodland and Pistacia–Amygdalus scrub dominated the area during the late Holocene. The record starts at around 5700 cal b.p. with a dry period during which both Pistacia–Amygdalus scrub and Quercus brantii woodland were at their minimum extent. This period was followed by the expansion of Pistacia–Amygdalus scrub in the area and the spread of Quercus brantii woodlands at higher altitudes. An important occupation phase, characterized by the appearance of several cultivated tree species such as Juglans, Olea, Vitis and Platanus, started at ca. 4300 cal b.p., coinciding with the onset of the Bronze Age civilization of Jiroft in Central Iran. Human activities become very clear after 3700 cal b.p. Around 2700 cal b.p., extensive stands of Pistacia–Amygdalus scrub became profoundly degraded, presumably under strong human pressure coinciding with the beginning of the Persian Empires. The maximum expansion of the Quercus brantii woodland occurred about 2100 to 1700 cal b.p. This woodland remained relatively stable until the end of the diagram at 400 cal b.p.     

Additions to the fungi of Jabalpur. (Madhya Pradesh) - I

Summary The present paper describes eight Foliicolous Fungi imperfecti from Jabalpur (India). These include four new species viz.Ramularia alangii Hasija onAlangium lamarckii, Colletotrichum holopteleae Hasija onHoloptelea integrifolia, Gloeosporium wendlandiae Hasija onWendlandia exserta andPhyllosticta macropycnidiai Hasija onSolanum melongena. Discosia artocreas Tode exFr. onTerminalia sp. is a new fungus record for the country raising the total number ofDiscosia from India to five.Heteropogon contortus forCurvularia lunata (Wakker)Boed. andBarleria priniotes forCercospora barlericola Payak &Thirum. are new hosts record from India, andCercospora tridacis-procumbentis Govindu &Thirum. onTridax procumbens is a new record for the state.     

On the taxonomic position ofSilene thebana (Caryophyllaceae)

Silene thebana Orph. exBoiss. is transferred as a subspecies toS. fabaria (L.)Sm., resulting in the new combinationS. fabaria (L.)Sm. subsp.thebana (Orph. exBoiss.)Melzh. The chromosome count of 2n = 24 is recorded for the first time for this taxon.Dedicated to Prof. DrK. H. Rechinger on the occasion of his 80th birthday, 16th October 1986.     

The alternative<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps"> d</Emphasis>-galactose degrading pathway of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Aspergillus nidulans</Emphasis> proceeds via<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps"> l</Emphasis>-sorbose

The catabolism of d-galactose in yeast depends on the enzymes of the Leloir pathway. In contrast, Aspergillus nidulans mutants in galactokinase (galE) can still grow on d-galactose in the presence of ammonium—but not nitrate—ions as nitrogen source. A. nidulans galE mutants transiently accumulate high (400 mM) intracellular concentrations of galactitol, indicating that the alternative d-galactose degrading pathway may proceed via this intermediate. The enzyme degrading galactitol was identified as l-arabitol dehydrogenase, because an A. nidulans loss-of-function mutant in this enzyme (araA1) did not show NAD⁺-dependent galactitol dehydrogenase activity, still accumulated galactitol but was unable to catabolize it thereafter, and a double galE/araA1 mutant was unable to grow on d-galactose or galactitol. The product of galactitol oxidation was identified as l-sorbose, which is a substrate for hexokinase, as evidenced by a loss of l-sorbose phosphorylating activity in an A. nidulans hexokinase (frA1) mutant. l-Sorbose catabolism involves a hexokinase step, indicated by the inability of the frA1 mutant to grow on galactitol or l-sorbose, and by the fact that a galE/frA1 double mutant of A. nidulans was unable to grow on d-galactose. The results therefore provide evidence for an alternative pathway of d-galactose catabolism in A. nidulans that involves reduction of the d-galactose to galactitol and NAD⁺-dependent oxidation of galactitol by l-arabitol dehydrogenase to l-sorbose.     

l-Galactose replaces l-fucose in the pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan II synthesized by the l-fucose-deficient mur1 Arabidopsis mutant

Arabidopsis thaliana mur1 is a dwarf mutant with altered cell-wall properties, in which l-fucose is partially replaced by l-galactose in the xyloglucan and glycoproteins. We found that the mur1 mutation also affects the primary structure of the pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II). In mur1 RG-II a non-reducing terminal 2-O-methyl l-galactosyl residue and a 3,4-linked l-galactosyl residue replace the non-reducing terminal 2-O-methyl l-fucosyl residue and the 3,4-linked l-fucosyl residue, respectively, that are present in wild-type RG-II. Furthermore, we found that a terminal non-reducing l-galactosyl residue, rather than the previously reported d-galactosyl residue, is present on the 2-O-methyl xylose-containing side chain of RG-II in both wild type and mur1 plants. Approximately 95% of the RG-II from wild type and mur1 plants is solubilized as a high-molecular-weight (>100 kDa) complex, by treating walls with aqueous potassium phosphate. The molecular mass of RG-II in this complex was reduced to 5–10 kDa by treatment with endopolygalacturonase, providing additional evidence that RG-II is covalently linked to homogalacturonan. The results of this study provide additional information on the structure of RG-II and the role of this pectic polysaccharide in the plant cell wall.Abbreviations AIR Alcohol-insoluble residue - d-Gal d-Galactosyl - EPG Endopolygalacturonase - ESI–MS Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry - GC–MS Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry - ¹H-NMR Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy - l-Fuc l-Fucosyl - l-Gal l-Galactosyl - 2-O-MeFuc 2-O-Methyl l-fucosyl - 2-O-MeGal 2-O-Methyl l-galactosyl - 2-O-MeXyl 2-O-Methyl d-xylosyl - MWCO Molecular weight cut-off - RG-II Rhamnogalacturonan II - ppm Parts per million - RI Refractive index - SEC Size-exclusion chromatography - TFA Trifluoroacetic acid - WT Wild type