Fomitiporia in sub-Saharan Africa: morphology and multigene phylogenetic analysis support three new species from the Guineo-Congolian rainforest

Fomitiporia nobilissima sp. nov., F. gabonensis sp. nov. and F. ivindoensis sp. nov., three species from the rainforest of the Guineo-Congolian phytogeographic region in Gabon, are described and illustrated. These species share a pileate basidiome, small basidiospores and an absence of setae. The critical morphological features that differentiate them are the pileus habit or shape, pore surface color, pore diameter and possibly ecology. Each new species forms distinct but closely related clades in phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from nuclear ribosomal LSU, ITS and translation elongation factor 1-α. Other species in sub-Saharan Africa are discussed briefly. A key to six species of Fomitiporia from sub-Saharan Africa is provided. The new combination Fomitiporia apiahyna is proposed.     

Anamorphic fungi from French Guyana: two undescribed Gliocephalotrichum species (Nectriaceae, Hypocreales)

Morphological and molecular studies of Gliocephalotrichum collections from rain forest leaf litter in French Guyana revealed the occurrence of two undescribed species, described here as G. bacillisporum and G. longibrachium. Both species have a whorl of sterile stipe extensions directly subtending the conidiogenous penicilli. Gliocephalotrichum bulbilium also was isolated from leaf litter in French Guyana. Two sequences in GenBank, of uncultured ascomycetes from Gabon, Africa, cluster in the Gliocephalotrichum clade, suggesting the probable existence of additional undescribed taxa from the Central African rainforest.     

Multiple cryptic species with divergent substrate affinities in the Serpula himantioides species complex

Serpula himantioides is a widespread saprotrophic morphospecies mainly colonising coniferous wood in nature, but it appears frequently in buildings as well. From an earlier study, it is known that at least three divergent lineages occur within the S. himantioides species complex. In this study, a broader sample of S. himantioides isolates has been analysed by multi-locus sequencing, including new isolates from Asia, North and South America. Altogether five phylogenetical species (PS1-5) were detected, all recognised across independent gene phylogenies. A new southern South American phylogenetic species (PS1) was found, representing an early diverging lineage within the S. himantioides species complex. The two closely related PS2 and PS3 lineages included isolates from North America only, and PS4 was also dominated by North American isolates. Most of the investigated isolates (76%) clustered into PS5, a lineage that has been found on most continents, including North America. Overall, little phylogeographical structure was found in PS5, indicating frequent and recent long-distance dispersal events within this widespread lineage. Our analyses indicate that South and North America are the centres of divergence for the S.?himantioides species complex. Some of the lineages seem adapted to various substrates, but PS5 is able to decay a wide array of angiosperms and gymnosperms, which may have facilitated the spread of this lineage throughout the world.     

Low genetic variation of foliar traits among Prosopis chilensis (Leguminosae) provenances

Journal of Plant Research - Prosopis chilensis (Molina) Stuntz (Leguminosae) is a valuable native species in Argentina that has been proposed to be used in reforestation, afforestation and...     

Biosynthesis, primary structure and molecular cloning of snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis L.) lectin.

Poly(A)-rich RNA isolated from ripening ovaries of snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis L.) yielded a single 17-kDa lectin polypeptide upon translation in a wheat-germ cell-free system. This lectin was purified by affinity chromatography. Translation of the same RNA in Xenopus leavis oocytes revealed a lectin polypeptide which was about 2 kDa smaller than the in vitro synthesized precursor, suggesting that the oocyte system had removed a 2-kDa signal peptide. A second post-translational processing step was likely to be involved since both the in vivo precursor and the Xenopus translation products were about 2 kDa larger than the mature lectin polypeptide. This hypothesis was confirmed by the structural analysis of the amino acid sequence of the mature protein and the cloned mRNA. Edman degradation and carboxypeptidase Y digestion of the mature protein, and structural analysis of the peptides obtained after chemical cleavage and modification, allowed determination of the complete 105 amino acid sequence of the snowdrop lectin polypeptide. Comparison of this sequence with the deduced amino acid sequence of a lectin cDNA clone revealed that besides the mature lectin polypeptide, the lectin mRNA also encoded a 23 amino acid signal-sequence and a C-terminal extension of 29 amino acids, which confirms the results from in vitro translation experiments.     

Endophytic fungi from leaves of Centella asiatica: occurrence and potential interactions within leaves

Fungal endophytes were isolated from leaves of Centella asiatica (Apiaceae) collected at Mangoro (middle eastern region of Madagascar, 200 km from Antananarivo). Forty- five different taxa were recovered. The overall foliar colonization rate was 78%. The most common endophytes were the non-sporulating species 1 (isolation frequency IF 19.2%) followed by Colletotrichum sp.1 (IF 13.2%), Guignardia sp. (IF 8.5%), Glomerella sp. (IF 7.7%), an unidentified ascomycete (IF 7.2%), the non-sporulating species 2 (IF 3.7%) and Phialophora sp. (IF 3.5%). Using sequences of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, major endophytes (IF > 7%) were identified as xylariaceous taxa or as Colletotrichum higginsianum, Guignardia mangiferae and Glomerella cingulata. Results from in vitro fungal disk experiments showed a strong inhibitory activity of the xylariaceous non-sporulating species 1 against G. mangiferae and C. higginsianum and of C. higginsianum against G. mangiferae. This can be explained by antagonism between dominant taxa.     

Fomitiporia tenuis and Fomitiporia aethiopica (Basidiomycetes, Hymenochaetales), two undescribed species from the Ethiopian highlands: taxonomy and phylogeny

Fomitiporia tenuis sp. nov. and Fomitiporia aethiopica sp. nov. from the Ethiopian highlands are described. Both are characterized by a resupinate habit, globose, dextrinoid basidiospores, cystidioles, and respectively scarcity or absence of hymenial setae. Fomitiporia pseudopunctata and F. robusta are reported also in the same area. The preliminary phylogenetic relationships of F. tenuis, F. aethiopica and F. pseudopunctata are inferred from parsimony analysis based on partial nuclear ribosomal large subunit (nrLSU). A preliminary key to the poroid Hymenochaetales with dextrinoid basidiospores (Fomitiporia, Phellinus s.l., Pseudoinonotus) is proposed.     

Comparison of two techniques for diagnosis of giardiasis in dogs

Giardiasis is an intestinal parasitosis affecting dogs and able to infect human beings. Its diagnosis can not be done with the only clinical signs, the main of which is non characteristic diarrhoea. It implicates to perform further tests to detect the parasite. The zinc sulfate concentration technique (ZSCT) is the more effective one if performed on two or three successive days. Fecal ELISA kits have been developed to detect Giardia in humans and were found to be less sensitive than the ZSCT in dogs. In this study, we used 30 infected Beagles to compare the sensitivity of one, two or three fecal examinations following ZSCT and one or two ELISA tests. We conclude that if a single ZSCT is insufficient, two or three ZSCT and one or two ELISA using the commercial kit ProSpecT Giardia have almost the same sensitivity.     

Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Synchaetomella Lunatospora, a New Genus and Species of Synnematous Fungi from Southeast Asia

The anamorphic fungus Synchaetomella lunatospora gen. et sp. nov. is described from a culture isolated from leaf litter in Singapore. The genus is characterized by the production of synnematous conidiomata with brown stipes, phialidic conidiogenesis with terminal and acropleurogenous conidiogenous cells, and falcate, 1-septate conidia, aggregating in white, mucilaginous heads. Its phylogenetic relationships, inferred from the partial nuclear small ribosomal subunit (18S) sequence, are with the coelomycetous genera Sphaerographium, Chaetomella, and Hainesia. However, the order and family affinities of this group are unclear.     

Multiple gene genealogies and AFLPs suggest cryptic speciation and long-distance dispersal in the basidiomycete Serpula himantioides (Boletales)

Serpula himantioides (Boletales, Basidiomycota) produces thin resupinate basidiocarps on dead coniferous wood worldwide and causes damage in buildings as well. In this study, we present evidence for the existence of at least three phylogenetically defined cryptic species (referred to as Sib I-III) within the morphospecies S. himantioides, a conclusion based on analyses of sequence data from four DNA regions and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPS). A low degree of shared sequence polymorphisms was observed among the three lineages indicating a long-lasting separation. The AFLPs revealed two additional subgroups within Sib III. Results from mating studies were consistent with the molecular data. In Sib III, no correspondence between genetic and geographical distance was observed among isolates worldwide, presumably reflecting recent dispersal events. Our results indicate that at least two of the lineages (Sib II and Sib III) have wide sympatric distributions. A population genetic analysis of Sib III isolates, scoring sequence polymorphisms as codominant SNP markers, indicates that panmictic conditions exist in the Sib III group. This study supports the view that cryptic speciation is a common phenomenon in basidiomycete fungi and that phylogenetic species recognition can be a powerful inference to detect cryptic species. Furthermore, this study shows that AFLP data are a valuable supplement to DNA sequence data in that they may detect a finer level of genetic variation.