Vyazniki biotic assemblage of the terminal Permian

A new unique and diverse biotic assemblage of the terminal Permian has recently been discovered in the town of Vyazniki (Central Russia). The Vyazniki terrestrial community is transitional between Permian and Triassic ones and represents the last, so far unknown stage of the global ecological crisis of the continental biota at the Permian-Triassic boundary. The successive development of land biotic crisis in the Late Permian, which was followed by mass extinction at the Permian-Triassic boundary, and long, successive postcrisis development and specialization of new Triassic groups as well as rearrangement and diversification of the biotic assemblage composition and community structure suggest predominance of intrinsic, biotic causes of this crisis, realized in destabilization, alteration, and new stabilization of continental communities and ecosystems.     

The Yeast Pseudozyma fusiformataVKM Y-2821 Producing an Antifungal Glycolipid

The yeast Pseudozyma fusiformata(Ustilaginales) produces an extracellular low-molecular-weight protease-resistant thermostable fungicide, which is active against more than 80% of the 280 yeast and yeast-like species tested under acidic conditions. The fungicide, extracted with methanol and purified by column and thin-layer chromatography, was found to consist of glucose and saturated fatty acids.     

A new basidiomycetous yeast species, Cryptococcus mycelialis, related to Holtermannia Saccardo et Traverso

A new species of the genus Cryptococcus, Cr. mycelialis (the type strain VKM Y-2863), is described based on the taxonomic study of four strains isolated from the soil and plant samples collected on the South Georgia and East Falkland islands. This species differs from the known Cryptococcus species in its ability to form a true monokaryotic mycelium with pseudoclamp connections and haustoria. The species can be distinguished from the phylogenetically related and phenotypically similar species Holtermannia corniformis and Cr. nyarrowii by some assimilatory reactions, maximum growth temperature, and sensitivity to mycocins.     

Wine yeast races maintained in the All-Russia Collection of Microorganisms (VKM IBPM RAS)

A list of pure cultures of over 70 races of wine yeast maintained in the Russian collection of micro-organisms is published. Publications on isolation and investigation of these races are indicated.     

Sanitary control of the territory: data bases on the spread of some quarantine infections

The data bases (DB) on the spread of plague, yellow fever and contagious virus hemorrhagic fevers (CVHF) in foreign countries have been created. These DB contain information on the main international air and sea ports and their relationships with natural focal territories. The data base "Sanitary control. Yellow fever" contains information on different species serving as vectors for yellow fever virus. Information on the circulation of the causative agents of Ebola fever, Lassa fever and Marburg disease in African countries has been introduced into DB, the differentiation of countries by the degree of the potential danger of the CVHF spread has been made.     

Mycocin sensitivity patterns of Kluyveromyces species: Kluyveromyces sensu lato vs. Kluyveromyces sensu stricto

The Kluyveromyces species reassigned to the genera Lachancea and Vanderwaltozyma are insensitive to five mycocins secreted by Pichia membranifaciens. The remaining Kluyveromyces species including species transferred to the genera Kazachstania, Nakaseomyces, and Tetrapisispora are sensitive to them. Only the neotype strain is insensitive to mycocins among Kluyveromyces lactis cultures.     

Taxonomic specificity of the sensitivity to the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wickerhamomyces bovis</Emphasis> fungistatic mycocin

Wickerhamomyces bovis type strain was found to secrete a mycocin with a fungistatic effect at pH from 3.5 to 6.0. The peak of its activity occurred at pH 5.0 in the presence of 3% NaCl. Yeast species sensitive to this mycocin were located within the family Wickerhamomycetaceae and belonged to phylogenetically related genera Ambrosiozyma, Nakazawaea, Ogataea, and Peterozyma.     

New Outbreak of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dendrolimus sibiricus</Emphasis> Tschetv. in Siberia (2012–2017): Monitoring,Modeling and Biological Control

The territory of the new mass outbreak of Dendrolimus sibiricius is northernmost Siberia. The present increase in the pest numbers started in 2011–2012, 14 years after the previous mass outbreak. As a result, the area of damage to dark coniferous forests exceeded 1.4 million ha. The reasons for the emergence of the pest population from a depressive state are insufficient moisture availability in May 2011, severe droughts in June–July 2012, and increased mean monthly temperature. A significant decrease in the vegetation index of SWVI occurred in 2011–2012. The hydrothermal regime of the spring–summer period in these years promoted the transition of most of the pest populations to development over 1-year generation. One exceptional feature of the current outbreak is low damage to D. sibiricus caterpillars by diseases and parasites. Favorable weather conditions and a low number of natural entomopathogens contribute to the rapid spread of the pest in northern and eastern directions. This creates a high risk of mass outbreak of D. sibiricus in dark coniferous forests, since the area of nearby dark coniferous stands suitable in structure, climatic, and forest-growing conditions for the pest dispersal is more than 2.7 million ha. Pure cultures of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana were isolated from dead caterpillars of D. sibiricus. Multistage screening made it possible to select a promising strain for the creation of a long-acting bioinsecticide for the preventive treatment of forests. The main selection criteria are high virulence, high entomopathogenic activity at low temperatures (7–10°C), and the ability for solid-phase fermentation of plant waste.