Five onygenalean fungi from Japan

Soils from various areas in Japan were screened for isolation of cleistothecial ascomycetes. From the recent collections, two new species of onygenalean fungi,Gymnascella japonica andGymnostellatospora frigida, are described and illustrated. Three interesting fungi,Aphanoascus saturnoideus, Arachnotheca glomerata andLeucothecium emdenii, are also described as the first records from Japan.     

Fibrinolytic activity of some fungi isolated from self-heated composted fertilizer

Mesophilic fungi isolated from organic fertilizer compost samples accounted for 70.94% of the total fungal count, while thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi constituted 29.05% of that count. Eight mesophilic fungal species, namelyAspergillus niger, Monilia sitophila, Paecilomyces divaricata, Penicillium chrysogenum, P. fellutanum, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, S. brumptii andZygorhynchus japonicus; two thermophilic fungiHumicola grisea andOidiodendron flavum and three thermotolerant speciesAspergillus fumigatus, Thermomyces lanuginosus andZygorhynchus vuilleminii were isolated during the study. Most of the tested fungi showed a proteolytic activity and liquified gelatin in the test tube method and in cup plates. The thermophilic fungusO. flavum was the most potent proteolytic fungus. The comparative fibrinolytic assay revealed the following sequence in the ability of the tested fungi to hydrolyse fibrin:O. fiavum>S. brevicaulis>H. grisea>A. fumigatus>T. lanuginosus.     

Bambusicolous fungi in Japan (8): a new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudolachnella from</Emphasis> Yakushima Island,southern Japan

A coelomycetous fungus occurring on culms of Pleioblastus sp. in Yakushima Island, southern Japan, is described and illustrated as a new species, Pseudolachnella yakushimensis. The species is characterized by cupulate, superficial black setose conidiomata, and cylindrical 3-septate conidia with two to five appendages at each end. Pseudolachnella yakushimensis is similar to P. indica and P. scolecospora by its 3-septate conidia, but is different from them by its smaller conidia with more than two appendages.     

Bambusicolous fungi in Japan (5): three species of Tetraploa

Three species of Tetraploa collected from Sasa, or bamboos, are described and illustrated. Among them, T. curviappendiculata on Sasa kurilensis and T. longissima on Pleioblastus chino are compared with hitherto known species and described as new species. In the nomenclature, T. javanica is substituted for T. biformis, formerly reported from the dead bark of a broad-leaved tree in Japan, as a correct name.     

Two new records of entolomatoid fungi associated with rosaceous plants from Japan

Two entolomatoid species associated with rosaceous plants, Entoloma saepium and E. clypeatum f. hybridum, are reported as new records from Japan, and their morphological characters are described and illustrated.     

Entomopathogenic fungi isolated from suspended-soil-inhabiting arthropods in East Kalimantan,Indonesia

As a preliminary survey to develop suspendedsoil arthropods as a new isolation source of entomopathogenic fungi, we investigated the entomopathogenic fungi of these arthropods. Fifty-five suspended-soil arthropods were collected from lowland tropical rainforests in East Kalimantan, and ten fungal isolates belonging to seven entomopathogenic species, including two undescribed species, were isolated from nine of the arthropods. Only two of the seven entomopathogenic species were commonly found from the arthropods inhabiting the ground soil in the same forests. The percentage of entomopathogenic fungi-positive arthropods from suspended soil was similar to that from ground soil of the same and another forest of the region, and lower than that from ground soil of Japan. However, the number of entomopathogenic species isolated from the suspended-soil arthropods was larger than that from ground-soil arthropods. This result suggests that suspended-soil arthropods can be a new isolation source of entomopathogenic fungi.     

Taxonomic studies on new or critical fungi of non-pathogenic Onygenales 1

From recent isolates of microfungi on soil materials collected at several localities in the world, five new taxa of the Onygenales are described and illustrated. A new monotypic genus,Kraurogymnocarpa lenticulospora, is proposed. New species are described inAmauroascus, Aphanoascus, andArachnomyces. A new variety ofPseudogymnoascus roseus is also proposed.     

Taxonomic studies of nectrioid fungi in Japan. I: The genus Neonectria

Five species of the genus Neonectria (Nectriaceae, Hypocreales) collected from Japan are described with discussion and illustrated. Among them, one found on dead twigs of a broad-leaved tree is described as a new species, Neonectria tokyoensis (anamorph: Cylindrocarpon tokyoense). Neonectria cinnamomea and Neo. discophora are newly added to the Japanese mycobiota. Nectria azureo-ostiolata, recorded in 1977 from Japan, is reexamined as a synonym of Neo. jungneri. Neonectria radicicola, teleomorph of Cy. destructans, a well-known soil-borne plant pathogen in Japan, is newly recorded from Japan. Additional distribution records are provided for the Neonectria species hitherto recorded in Japan.     

First records of Pythium aquatile and P. macrosporum isolated from soils in Japan

Pythium aquatile and P. macrosporum were isolated from the soil of a cultivated field in Gunma Prefecture and a forest in Nagano Prefecture for the first time in Japan. Their morphological characteristics are described, and their pathogenicity and taxonomy are discussed.     

Taxonomic study on nonpathogenic streptomycetes isolated from common scab lesions on potato tubers

Numerical analysis was carried out to compare sixteen nonpathogenic actinomycetes isolated from common scab lesions on potato tubers with Streptomyces scabiei type strain as well as with other streptomycete groups. These isolates were divided into two classes according to their level of similarity with S. scabiei. Isolates resembling S. scabiei were associated with S. griseoruber or with S. violaceusniger while isolates exhibiting less than 61% of similarity with S. scabiei were phenotypically related to S. albidoflavus or to S. atroolivaceus. Sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of each isolate was obtained and compared against the GenBank nucleotide database. No significant match could be established between the sequences of two potato isolates and the ones available in the GenBank database. The other isolates were closely related with S. setonii (S. griseus), S. mirabilis, S. fimbriatus, S. violaceoruber, S. melanosporofaciens and S. thermocarboxydus.     

Bambusicolous fungi in Japan (4): a new combination, Astrosphaeriella aggregata

Melanopsamma aggregata, described on culms of Phyllostachys bambusoides in Japan, is transferred to the genus Astrosphaeriella, and a new combination, A. aggregata, is proposed. Phyllostachys heterocycla var. pubescens and Sasa kurilensis are newly recorded as host plants of this species. The species produces a Pleurophomopsis-like microconidial state in culture media.     

Mycotoxin-producing potential of fungi isolated from red kidney beans

The predominant fungi present in samples of reject and retail red kidney beans were Aspergillus glaucus, Penicillium spp. and Alternaria spp. Together with A. ochraceus, A. flavus, Fusarium spp., and Trichoderma, these isolates from the reject beans were screened for numerous mycotoxins by TLC. The most consistently produced mycotoxins were penicillic acid (from A. ochraceus and Penicillium spp.) and Alternaria toxins (tenuazonic acid and alternariol). A. glaucus strains were tested for cytotoxicity in three tissue culture cell lines with positive results.     

Genetic characterization of Raffaelea quercivora isolates collected from areas of oak wilt in Japan

This study was undertaken to improve understanding of the phylogenetic position of pathogenic fungi implicated in the oak wilt in Japan. Sequences were obtained from three regions of partial nuclear ribosomal DNA of 25 isolates of Raffaelea quercivora including an ex-type strain, all of which were collected from seven areas of disease outbreak. All the isolates formed one clear clade with high bootstrap values, distinctly delimited from the closest species, R. montetyi. These results indicate that the R. quercivora is phylogenetically a well-defined taxon.     

Taxonomic studies of the genusPoa of Japan

With the aim of making clear the boundaries between species in thePoa acroleucahisauchii-nipponica aggregate, chromosomes and morphological features of 746 collections gathered from 125 localities in Japan were examined. For morphological observations, the voucher specimens of 95 collections whose chromosome numbers were reported previously (Tateoka, 1985) were also used. Tetraploids (2n=28) and hexaploids (2n=42), as well as a few pentaploids which were the hybrids between 4× and 6×, were found. By examining morphological features of these collections, two groups were recognized in tetraploids and one in hexaploids. The two tetraploid groups corresponded toPoa acroleuca Steud. andP. hisauchii Honda, and the hexaploid group toP. nipponica Koidz. It was confirmed that the hairiness on the internerve surface of lemma, ligule hairiness and the length ratio of anther/ lemma are the most important features for discriminating between these species; panicle shape, leaf shape and anther length are also helpful for the identification. The ambiguity of the boundaries between species which was hitherto present in the taxonomy of this species aggregate was unrelated to the creation of nature itself but was attributable to the insufficiency of our research work.     

Molecular diversity of bamboo-associated fungi isolated from Japan

Bamboos are common and useful plants in Japan but little information is available about their endophytes. In this study, 257 fungal strains were isolated from bamboo tissues, and 71 representative strains were characterized by 18S rRNA gene and internal transcriber spacer region sequence analysis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the fungal isolates were located in Sordariomycetes and Dothideomycetes. Xylariales was the dominant group within bamboos. Several rRNA gene sequences were not similar to any current sequence in the database and might be a novel species or genera that could represent sources of novel biological compounds. These findings reveal that bamboos are a huge reservoir of microorganisms that should be extensively investigated.     

Identification and characterization of yeast isolated from indonesian fermented food

Yeast strains with amylolytic activity were isolated from cassavatapé and its precursor,ragi. they were divided into two groups based on their characteristics: group 1, possessing high amylolytic activity and low ethanol yield; and group 2, possessing low amylolytic activity and high ethanol yield. The major strains of the group 1 were identified asEndomyces fibuliger, and those of group 2 were identified asPichia anomala. Based on 18S rDNA analysis, an isolate fromragi that had a high amylolytic activity was thought to be an undescribed species that was related to the basidiomycetous genera.     

Bambusicolous fungi in Japan (6): Katumotoa, a new genus of phaeosphaeriaceous ascomycetes

A new genus, Katumotoa, is established for a single species, K. bambusicola, collected from culms of Sasa kurilensis. Morphological differences between Katumotoa and some related genera are noted. Katumotoa is characterized by perithecioid ascomata, thin ascomal wall composed of small pseudoparenchymatous cells, cellular pseudoparaphyses, fissitunicate asci, and apiosporous fusiform ascospores with bipolar mucilaginous sheath. From these features, it is considered that the genus belongs to Phaeosphaeriaceae in Pleosporales.     

Bambusicolous fungi in Japan (3): a new combination, Kalmusia scabrispora

Leptosphaeria scabrispora collected from Phyllostachys bambusoides is reported from Japan. This species was described initially from China and has not been reported subsequently. Based on the morphological features of clypeate ascomata, long stipitate asci, and reddish-brown ascospores with median primary septum, it is transferred to the genus Kalmusia. The fungus produced a Leptodothiorella-like microconidial state in culture.     

Influence of nutritional conditions on exopolysaccharide production by submerged cultivation of the medicinal fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Shiraia bambusicola</Emphasis>

Maltose and yeast extract were the most favourable carbon and nitrogen sources for exopolysaccharide production by submerged culture of Shiraia bambusicola WZ-003, and initial maltose and yeast extract concentrations were at 30 and 3 g l⁻¹, respectively. Plant oils could increase the mycelial growth and exopolysaccharide production in tested concentration. K⁺ and Mg²⁺ could enhance the mycelial growth and exopolysaccharide biosynthesis. The optimal cultivation temperature and initial pH were found to be 26°C and 6.0, respectively. Exopolysaccharide concentration reached 0.53 g l⁻¹ in 15-l fermenter under optimal nutritional conditions.