Are alkalitolerant fungi of the Emericellopsis lineage (Bionectriaceae) of marine origin?

Surveying the fungi of alkaline soils in Siberia, Trans-Baikal regions (Russia), the Aral lake (Kazakhstan), and Eastern Mongolia, we report an abundance of alkalitolerant species representing the Emericellopsis-clade within the Acremonium cluster of fungi (order Hypocreales). On an alkaline medium (pH ca. 10), 34 acremonium-like fungal strains were obtained. One of these was able to develop a sexual morph and was shown to be a new member of the genus Emericellopsis, described here as E. alkalina sp. nov. Previous studies showed two distinct ecological clades within Emericellopsis, one consisting of terrestrial isolates and one predominantly marine. Remarkably, all the isolates from our study sites show high phylogenetic similarity based on six loci (LSU and SSU rDNA, RPB2, TEF1-a, ß-tub and ITS region), regardless of their provenance within a broad geographical distribution. They group within the known marine-origin species, a finding that provides a possible link to the evolution of the alkaliphilic trait in the Emericellopsis lineage. We tested the capacities of all newly isolated strains, and the few available reference ex-type cultures, to grow over wide pH ranges. The growth performance varied among the tested isolates, which showed differences in growth rate as well as in pH preference. Whereas every newly isolated strain from soda soils was extremely alkalitolerant and displayed the ability to grow over a wide range of ambient pH (range 4–11.2), reference marine-borne and terrestrial strains showed moderate and no alkalitolerance, respectively. The growth pattern of the alkalitolerant Emericellopsis isolates was unlike that of the recently described and taxonomically unrelated alkaliphilic Sodiomyces alkalinus, obtained from the same type of soils but which showed a narrower preference towards high pH

Features of Psychological Selection of Biathletes to National Teams

У магістерській роботі досліджуються особливості здійснення психологічного відбору біатлоністів до юнацьких, юніорських та дорослих збірних команд України. Визначено типологічні особливості біатлоністів високої кваліфікації, такі як: пластичність, енергійність, темп, емоційність, екстраверсія-інтроверсія, нейротизм. На основі отриманих результатів розроблено гіпотетичну психологічну модель спортсмена жіночої і чоловічої статі, яка дозволяє здійснювати відбір в юному віці.In the master's thesis the peculiarities of psychological selection of biathletes to youth, junior and adult national teams of Ukraine are investigated. Typological features of highly qualified biathletes, such as: plasticity, energy, pace, emotionality, extraversion-introversion, neuroticism are determined. Based on the obtained results, a hypothetical psychological model of a female and male athlete was developed, which allows for selection at a young age

A comparative analysis of the cultured micromycetes in oligotrophic peatlands of natural biosphere reservations located in the northern and central parts of Russia

The current study addresses the fungal diversity of the peatlands that vary geographically and geologically, in the central and northern parts of Russia. The central (Smolenskaya area, National Park «Smolenskoye Poozerie») and northern (White Sea Biological Station area) peatlands have a different geological history, the former have a glacial origin, while the latter are of marine origin. Our aim was to investigate the fungal biota of these zones full of Sphagnum moss, and possibly reveal the species that are pertinent to these particular habitats. In both investigated areas, we found an overall poor species diversity with a high fraction of sterile mycelia. Many penicillia species were dominating in all peat samples – P. thomii, P. spinulosum, P. glabrum, P. funiculosum, P. aurantiogriseum (together with Geotrichum candidum), many of them are known to degrade Sphagnum. We were particularly interested in the dynamics of the species from the genus Oidiodendron that have been shown to be involved in primary Sphagnum degradation. The northern area contained a larger species diversity of Oidiodendron, as compared to the central zone. Interestingly, insect-associated species of the genus Tolypocladium and Beauveria, along with the psychrotolerant species of Geomyces and Tolypocladium were recovered only from the northern peatlands. Aspergillus spp. were found in peatlands of the central zone only. We link this result to the climatic features of the area, but also different invertebrate contents that may be utilized by fungi. We detected a tendency of an increasing diversity of Oidiodendron species, psychrotolerant and entomopathogenic fungal species as well as a proportion of sterile forms in the northern area

Features of Shooting in Biathlon

У статті визначено особливості здійснення стрільби в біатлоні. Розглянуто такі основні елементи, як підготовка до пострілу, прицілювання, затримки дихання і спуск гачка. З’ясовано, що всі ці дії знаходяться в чітко визначеному взаємозв’язку, мають окремі завдання, направлені на вирішення загального завдання – влучного виконання пострілу.The article identifies the features of shooting in biathlon. The main elements such as preparation for the shot, aiming, holding your breath and lowering the trigger are considered. It was found that all these actions are in a clearly defined relationship, have separate tasks aimed at solving a common task – accurate execution of the shot

Structure and Stages of Selection in Biathlon

У статті розглянуто структуру та етапи відбору в біатлоні. Визначено чотири основні етапи відбору в біатлоні. Серед аспектів спортивного відбору слід відмітити соціологічний, педагогічний, біологічний або медикобіологічний та психологічний.The article considers the structure and stages of selection in biathlon. Four main stages of selection in biathlon are identified. Among the aspects of sports selection should be noted sociological, pedagogical, biological or medical-biological and psychological

Mosaic structure of the fungal community in the Kislo-Sladkoe Lake that is detaching from the White Sea

The major part of the north polar region is intensely rising by postglacial crustal movement. This process gives rise to the separation of different basins from seas and oceans, which affects a combination of freshwater and marine organisms. Gradually losing contact with the seas, many near-shore lakes of the Arctic are mostly desalted and form bogs. Fungi as decomposers play an important role in all ecosystems. However, the diversity and role of fungi in Arctic aquatic ecosystems is largely unknown. It is also not clear how the taxonomic structure of the fungal community is affected by the process of gradual desalinization and waterlogging. We investigated the diversity of filamentous culturable fungi in different parts of the brackish Kislo-Sladkoe Lake (White Sea, Russia). Annually, 42 samples of the bottom and coastal soils have been collected at the lake from which fungi were recovered on standard and selective media. Based on morphological and molecular markers, a total of 127 taxa have been identified. The fungal community appeared to be influenced by its sea origin and comprised both marine (Paradendryphiella salina, Acremonium spp.) and terrestrial soil species of Penicillium, Talaromyces, Mucor, Umbelopsis, Cladosporium, Cadophora, Sistotrema, Helotiales, Pleosporales, sphagnum moss destructors (Oidiodendron spp.) and insect-associated species of Tolypocladium. The results indicate that the composition of the fungal community in the rising polar White Sea region reflects the dynamics of global changes in physical–chemical parameters and animal and plant associations because of separation from the sea.</p

On the diversity of fungi from soda soils

The diversity of filamentous fungi that can grow at high ambient pH values (i.e., 8–11) remains largely understudied. Here we study 100 alkalitolerant and alkaliphilic isolates from the soils around the basin of soda lakes in Asia and Africa to assess the major evolutionary lineages and morphologies pertinent to the alkaliphilic trait in filamentous fungi. The Emericellopsis lineage (Hypocreales, Hypocreomycetidae), along with Plectosphaerellaceae (Hypocreomycetidae), Pleosporaceae (Dothideomycetes), Chaetomiaceae (Sordariomycetidae) families appeared to be overrepresented with strong alkalitolerants and effective alkaliphiles. In particular, Sodiomyces species (Plectosphaerellaceae), Acrostalagmus luteoalbus (Plectosphaerellaceae), Emericellopsis alkalina (Hypocreales), Thielavia sp. (Chaetomiaceae), and Alternaria sect. Soda (Pleosporaceae) grew best at high ambient pH. The pH tolerance of Chordomyces antarcticum, Acrostalagmus luteoalbus and some other species was largely affected by the presence of extra Na+ in the growth medium. Moderate alkalitolerants included Scopulariopsis members (Microascales), Fusarium, Cladosporium, and many asexual acremonium-like species from Bionectriaceae. Weak alkalitolerants were represented by sporadic isolates of Penicillium, Purpureocillium lilacinum, and Alternaria alternata species, with the growth optimum at neutral or acidic pH. Weak alkalitolerants develop loose dry chains of spores easily dispersed by air. Their presence at low frequency with the growth optimum at neutral or acidic pH leads us to treat them as transient species in the alkaline soils, as those are also ubiquitous saprobes in normal soils. Our phylogenetic analyses show that the alkaliphilic trait in filamentous fungi has evolved several times. Several lineages harboring strong alkalitolerants derived from the known marine-borne fungi (Emericellopsis, Alternaria sect. Phragmosporae), or fall within the fungi associated with halophytic grasses (Pleosporaceae). Soda soils contain a diversity of fungi that range from weak alkalitolerant to alkaliphilic, which in few cases is associated with darkly pigmented mycelium and formation of microsclerotia. The alkaliphilic trait is spread throughout the Ascomycota, and usually juxtaposes with slime-covered polyphyletic acremonium-, verticillium-, gliocladium-types of asexual morphology, hyphae aggregating in chords, and enclosed fruit bodies

Sodiomyces alkalinus, a new holomorphic alkaliphilic ascomycete within the Plectosphaerellaceae

In this study we reassess the taxonomic reference of the previously described holomorphic alkaliphilic fungus Heleococcum alkalinum isolated from soda soils in Russia, Mongolia and Tanzania. We show that it is not an actual member of the genus Heleococcum (order Hypocreales) as stated before and should, therefore, be excluded from it and renamed. Multi-locus gene phylogeny analyses (based on nuclear ITS, 5.8S rDNA, 28S rDNA, 18S rDNA, RPB2 and TEF1-alpha) have displayed this fungus as a new taxon at the genus level within the family Plectosphaerellaceae, Hypocreomycetidae, Ascomycota. The reference species of actual Heleococcum members showed clear divergence from the strongly supported Heleococcum alkalinum position within the Plectosphaerellaceae, sister to the family Glomerellaceae. Eighteen strains isolated from soda lakes around the world show remarkable genetic similarity promoting speculations on their possible evolution in harsh alkaline environments. We established the pH growth optimum of this alkaliphilic fungus at c. pH 10 and tested growth on 30 carbon sources at pH 7 and 10. The new genus and species, Sodiomyces alkalinus gen. nov. comb. nov., is the second holomorphic fungus known within the family, the first one being Plectosphaerella – some members of this genus are known to be alkalitolerant. We propose the Plectosphaerellaceae family to be the source of alkaliphilic filamentous fungi as also the species known as Acremonium alcalophilum belongs to this group

An unusual sexual stage in the alkalophilic ascomycete Sodiomyces alkalinus

Exploring life cycles of fungi is insightful for understanding their basic biology and can highlight their ecology. Here, we dissected the sexual and asexual life cycles of the obligate alkalophilic ascomycete Sodiomyces alkalinus that thrives at extremely high pH of soda lakes. S. alkalinus develops acremonium-type asexual sporulation, commonly found in ascomycetous fungi. However, the sexual stage was unusual, featuring very early lysis of asci which release young ascospores inside a fruit body long before its maturation. In a young fruit body, a slimy matrix which originates from the combined epiplasm of asci and united cytoplasm of the pseudoparenchymal cells, surrounds pooled maturing ascospores. Upon maturity, the ascospores are forcibly released through a crack in the fruit body, presumably due to an increased turgor pressure. These features of the sexual stage development resemble the ones found in unrelated marine fungi, indicating convergent evolution of the trait. We hypothesise these developmental features of S. alkalinus to be adaptive in the conditions of periodically inundated rims of soda lakes where the fungus thrives.</p

Membrane lipids and soluble sugars dynamics of the alkaliphilic fungus Sodiomyces tronii in response to ambient pH

Alkaliphily, the ability of an organism to thrive optimally at high ambient pH, has been well-documented in several lineages: archaea, bacteria and fungi. The molecular mechanics of such adaptation has been extensively addressed in alkaliphilic bacteria and alkalitolerant fungi. In this study, we consider an additional property that may have enabled fungi to prosper at alkaline pH: altered contents of membrane lipids and cytoprotectant molecules. In the alkaliphilic Sodiomyces tronii, we showed that at its optimal growth pH 9.2, the fungus accumulates abundant cytosolic trehalose (4–10% dry weight) and phosphatidic acids in the membrane lipids, properties not normally observed in neutrophilic species. At a very high pH 10.2, the major carbohydrate, glucose, was rapidly substituted by mannitol and arabitol. Conversely, lowering the pH to 5.4–7.0 had major implications both on the content of carbohydrates and membrane lipids. It was shown that trehalose dominated at pH 5.4. Fractions of sphingolipids and sterols of plasma membranes rapidly elevated possibly indicating the formation of membrane structures called rafts. Overall, our results reveals complex dynamics of the contents of membrane lipids and cytoplasmic sugars in alkaliphilic S. tronii, suggesting their adaptive functionality against pH stress