Impact of auxin-compounds produced by the antagonistic fungus Pythium oligandrum or the minor pathogen Pythium group F on plant growth

Plant growth promotion induced by the antagonistic fungus, Pythium oligandrum, is the result of a complex interaction which includes an indirect effect through control of pathogens in the rhizosphere and/or a direct one mediated by plant-induced resistance. The present study shows an increased plant growth associated with direct interaction between P. oligandrum and roots, which is mediated by a fungus-produced auxin compound, tryptamine (TNH₂). In vitro experiments provided evidence that P. oligandrum metabolised specifically indole derivatives, such as tryptophan and indole-3-acetaldehyde, to produce THN₂ through the tryptamine pathway. When P. oligandrum grew in sterile root exudates, it also produced an auxin-like compound. Additional experiments on P. oligandrum–root interaction showed that, in amended nutrient solution of plants, the antagonist metabolised Trp into TNH₂ and that root absorption of this newly formed auxin-compound in appropriate concentrations was associated with enhancement of plant growth. This phenomenon was observed only when nutrient solution was amended with low tryptophan (Trp) concentrations, i.e. 0.05 and 0.1 mM; higher concentration (0.5 and 1 mM Trp) induced abnormal root development. Similar experiments were performed with Pythium group F, a minor pathogen known for its ability to produce auxin-compounds through the tryptamine pathway. In this case, irregular root development was always noticed with all Trp concentrations added to the nutrient solution of plants. Moreover, Pythium group F colonization of roots was associated with leakage of auxin-compounds in the nutrient solution. Our results, therefore, highlight that the production of similar auxin-compounds by two Pythium species has contrary effects on plant development.     

The production of ectomycorrhizal mycelium in forests: Relation between forest nutrient status and local mineral sources

Due to acid rain and nitrogen deposition, there is growing concern that other mineral nutrients, primarily potassium and phosphorus, might limit forest production in boreal forests. Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi are important for the acquisition of potassium and phosphorus by trees. In a field investigation, the effects of poor potassium and phosphorus status of forest trees on the production of EcM mycelium were examined. The production of EcM mycelium was estimated in mesh bags containing sand, which were buried in the soil of forests of different potassium and phosphorus status. Mesh bags with 2% biotite or 1% apatite in sand were also buried to estimate the effect of local sources of nutrients on the production of EcM mycelium. No clear relation could be found between the production of EcM mycelium and nutrient status of the trees. Apatite stimulated the mycelial production, while biotite had no significant effect. EcM root production at the mesh bag surfaces was stimulated by apatite amendment in a forest with poor phosphorus status. The contribution of EcM fungi to apatite weathering was estimated by using rare earth elements (REE) as marker elements. The concentration of REE was 10 times higher in EcM roots, which had grown in contact with the outer surface of apatite-amended mesh bags than in EcM roots grown in contact with the biotite amended or sand-filled mesh bags. In a laboratory study, it was confirmed that REE accumulated in the roots with very low amounts <1 translocated to the shoots. The short-term effect of EcM mycelium on the elemental composition of biotite and apatite was investigated and compared with biotite- and apatite-amended mesh bags buried in trenched soil plots, which were free from EcM fungi. The mesh bags subjected to EcM fungi showed no difference in chemical composition after 17 months in the field. This study suggests that trees respond to phosphorus limitation by increased exploitation of phosphorus-containing minerals by ectomycorrhiza. However, the potential to ameliorate potassium limitation in a similar way appears to be low.     

The influence of dissolved nutrients and particulate organic matter quality on microbial respiration and biomass in a forest stream

1. Although dissolved nutrients and the quality of particulate organic matter (POM) influence microbial processes in aquatic systems, these factors have rarely been considered simultaneously. We manipulated dissolved nutrient concentrations and POM type in three contiguous reaches (reference, nitrogen, nitrogen + phosphorus) of a low nutrient, third‐order stream at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (U.S.A). In each reach we placed species of leaves (mean C : N of 68 and C : P of 2284) and wood (mean C : N of 721 and C : P of 60 654) that differed in elemental composition. We measured the respiration and biomass of microbes associated with this POM before and after nutrient addition. 2. Before nutrient addition, microbial respiration rates and biomass were higher for leaves than for wood. Respiration rates of microbes associated with wood showed a larger response to increased dissolved nutrient concentrations than respiration rates of microbes associated with leaves, suggesting that the response of microbes to increased dissolved nutrients was influenced by the quality of their substrate. 3. Overall, dissolved nutrients had strong positive effects on microbial respiration and fungal, but not bacterial, biomass, indicating that microbial respiration and fungi were nutrient limited. The concentration of nitrate in the enriched reaches was within the range of natural variation in forest streams, suggesting that natural variation in nitrate among forest streams influences carbon mineralisation and fungal biomass.     

Sur l’origine bactérienne et fongique de la pigmentation de l’Ammonitico Rosso (Jurassique, région de Vérone, Italie du nord)

Fourteen sections in the Ammonitico Rosso Veronese (Callovian to Tithonian, Trento altipiano) disclose the presence of diverse facies ranging from pelagic to outer platform. In spite of this diversity, red limestones are present at different levels. Many microfacies are similar to those observed in other Paleozoic and Mesozoic red carbonates with an abundance of hematitic bioconstructions. We therefore postulate that the origin of the pigmentation is similar in all the studied cases and due to the activity of iron-oxidizing bacteria. Nevertheless, 2 notable differences are observed: the presence in the Ammonitico Rosso of manganese and the existence of in situ bacterial-fungal mats in the matrix. These “algal” mats can represent up to 20% of the sediment. Their excellent preservation (absence of packing down or crushing) is due to the slow sedimentation rate of the pelagic sediments or of the hardgrounds.     

Breakdown of tussock grass in streams along a gradient of agricultural development in New Zealand

Summary 1. We measured the breakdown rate of tussock grass in 12 New Zealand streams in catchments that provided a gradient of agricultural development. We also examined the microbial and invertebrate communities associated with decomposing tussock litter.
2. Pristine streams in the study had low concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (<10  μ g L⁻¹) and dissolved reactive phosphate (<3  μ g L⁻¹), whereas streams in the most developed catchments had high concentrations of nitrate (>2500  μ g L⁻¹) and phosphate (35  μ g L⁻¹), as well as greater amounts of suspended sediment and fine sediment covering the streambed.
3. Breakdown rate and microbial respiration were significantly related across the sites, and both were positively related to concentrations of nitrate and phosphate. Fungal biomass, measured as ergosterol, was positively related to microbial respiration and was also higher at sites with higher concentrations of nutrients. Total and shredding invertebrates were most abundant at the sites with high nutrient concentrations, but abundance of shredding invertebrates was not significantly related to breakdown rate. Amphipods were the most common shredding invertebrate at most sites, but probably did not contribute greatly to high rates of breakdown in streams in agricultural catchments.
4. With the exception of one site, nutrients from agricultural development appeared to have larger positive effects on litter breakdown than negative effects from sedimentation. Litter breakdown can serve as a functional measure of ecosystem health in streams, but caution should be exercised when a stress, such as land use, can have both positive (nutrients) and negative (sedimentation) effects.     

The fungicidal activity of novel nanoemulsion (X8W60PC) against clinically important yeast and filamentous fungi

Surfactant nanoemulsions are water in oil preparations that proved to have a broad spectrum biocidal activity against a variety of microorganisms including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, spores and enveloped viruses. These preparations are non-toxic to the skin, mucous membrane and gastrointestinal tissues at biocidal concentrations. In this study, 0.1% of the nanoemulsion designated X8W₆₀PC has shown fungicidal activity against yeast including Candida albicans and C. tropicalis in 15 minutes. C. tropicalis was more sensitive than C. albicans, which required a longer time or a higher concentration of the nanoemulsion to achieve killing. Neutral to slightly alkaline pH was more effective in killing the yeast cells than acidic pH. Using the minimum inhibitory concentration assay, 0.08% of the nanoemulsion was inhibitory to C. albicans, and parapsilosis and filamentous fungi including Microsporum gypseum,Trichophyton mentagrophytes,Trichophyton rubrum,Aspergillus fumigatus andFusarium oxysporum.None of the individual ingredients was as effective a fungicidal as the nanoemulsion at equivalent concentration. This shows that the nanoemulsion structure is an important factor in the anti-fungal activity. The X8W₆₀PC has great potential as a topical anti-fungal agent and further investigation into the mechanism of fungicidal action is warranted.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Incidence of keratinophilic fungi from selected soils of Kerala state (India)

One hundred and fifty-eight soil samples were collected from various areas of four districts of Kerala and screened for prevalence of keratinophilic fungi and related dermatophytes. From the positive samples (60.75%), a total of eight genera with 15 species were isolated viz., Arthroderma simii (0.63%), Chrysosporium indicum (20.25%), C. keratinophilum (6.96%), C. lobatum (1.26%), C. pannicola (1.26%), C. tropicum (5.06%), Chrysosporium state of Arthroderma cuniculi (1.26%), Chrysosporium state of Ctenomyces serratus (2.53%), Gymnascella hyalinospora (1.26%), Malbranchea aurantiaca (0.63%) M. fulva (1.26%), Microsporum gypseum complex (12.65%), Pseudogymnoascus roseus (1.26%), Trichophyton mentragrophytes (1.26%), and T. terrestre (3.16%).This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

香菇顺式调控元件的克隆及其序列分析*

应用顺式调控元件探测载体G221构建了一个香菇Lentinula edodes基因组文库。G221为大肠杆菌-酿酒酵母穿梭载体,含有一个由酵母Cyc1基因基本启动子控制的lacZ标记基因,能以转录增强活性筛选香菇DNA片段。用这个基因组文库转化酵母菌,获得了一批lacZ阳性转化子。对其中表达较强的阳性转化子进行质粒抽提和双酶切鉴定,筛选到50个香菇顺式调控元件DNA片段。对其中部分片段进行了测序,并对其中一个序列进行了序列分析,鉴别了该序列上的几个与转录相关的特征序列。该研究也探讨了利用酵母表达系统克隆香菇顺式调控元件的可行性。     

应用PCR方法检测油菜菌核病菌对多菌灵的抗药性

通过保守的寡核苷酸引物B1/B3扩增出油菜菌核病菌MBCHR和MBCS菌株的部分β-微管蛋白基因,结果发现编码的198位氨基酸由Glu(GAG)突变为Ala(GCG),表现高水平抗药性。根据MBCHR菌株的突变设计2个快速检测方法:第一种方法是根据MBCHR菌株197和198位密码子(GACGAG→GACGCG)形成ThaI酶切位点(3’CGCG 5’),将B1/B3的扩增产物874bp片段酶切成193bp和681bp片段,而MBCS菌株的PCR产物不被酶切;第二种方法用198位突变密码子作为3’末端碱基设计2个等位基因特异性寡核苷酸引物(ASO)用于“nested”PCR或直接从基因组DNA扩增。通过PCR扩增和ThaI酶切能直接检测油菜菌核病菌的MBCHR和MBCS菌株,所得结果与传统菌落直径法相吻合。     

害虫防治用玫烟色拟青霉分生孢子粉的干燥工艺优化*

用液—固两相法生产的玫烟色拟青霉Paecilomyces fumosoroseus Pfr116菌株的分生孢子粉,在高真空冷冻干燥、高真空室温抽干、35℃下烘干和低真空低热干燥条件下进行不同程序的干燥处理,以筛选适合该菌孢子粉生产的干燥工艺条件。结果表明,低真空(0.1 MPa)低热(30℃)抽干20~24 h的干燥方法最适合用于该菌孢子粉的干燥,既能保证含水量在9.0%以下,又能保证87%以上的活孢率和1130亿~1310亿/g的含孢量,而且操作简便,成本较低,可作为高纯度孢子粉生产的首选干燥工艺。高真空(15.86 Pa)条件下无论冻干还是室温抽干,虽然孢子粉的含水量(2.2%~8.7%)和含孢量(1270亿~1360亿/g)指标符合生产要求,但活孢率仅62%,说明该菌孢子不适合在高真空条件下干燥。在35℃下烘干24 h所获孢子粉含水量、24 h萌发率和含孢量分别为9.6%、82.8%和1200亿/g,该方法也可在生产中应用,但其活孢率显著低于(P<0.05)低真空低热抽干24 h的孢子粉。