New records of lichens and allied fungi from the Leningrad Region, Russia. VIII

Thirteen species and one variety of lichens, nine lichenicolous and two saprobic fungi are reported for the first time for St. Petersburg, the whole Leningrad Region or its western or eastern parts. The lichens Bacidina brandii, B. neosquamulosa, Porina leptalea, Rinodina aspersa and the lichenicolous fungus Scutula dedicata are reported for the first time for Russia, lichenicolous fungus Lichenoconium aeruginosum – for European Russia, the lichen Tetramelas chloroleucus, lichenicolous fungi Lichenoconium pyxidatae and Tremella cetrariicola are new for the North-Western European Russia. The most interesting records are briefly discussed.

Taxonomy and nomenclature of seven names in Bacidia (Ramalinaceae, Lecanorales) described from Russia

We aim to increase understanding and improve taxonomy of seven names currently treated in Bacidia that were described from Russian territory based on material collected during 19th-century expeditions: Bacidia alborussula, B. freshfieldii, B. graminum, B. indigens, B. primigenia, B. subabbrevians, and B. xylophila. B. alborussula, B. graminum, and B. indigens are transferred here to Haematomma, Lecania, and Bacidina, respectively. Bacidia freshfieldii and B. subabbrevians belong in the Ramalinaceae and are provisionally kept in Bacidia even though none of them is congeneric with the type of that genus. B. primigenia belongs in Arthrorhaphis, but we refrain from making any new combination owing to its questionable status as a species distinct from A. grisea. B. xylophila is a younger synonym of Lecania subfuscula. We designate lectotypes for names previously not typified and for which syntypes exist: Lecidea alborussula, L. graminum, L. indigens, and L. subabbrevians

Magnon mode in α‐MnS Raman spectrum

Представлены спектры комбинационного рассеяния моносульфида марганца (α‐MnS) со структурой NaCl в температурном интервале 5–300 К. При низких темпепературах обнаружен новый пик 22 cm–1. Температурная зависимость этого пика позволяет отнести его к магнонной моде при k = 0. Это хорошо согласуется с волновым числом магнона, рассчитанного с использованием программного пакета Munich SPRKKR

High Diversity of Type I Polyketide Genes in Bacidia rubella as Revealed by the Comparative Analysis of 23 Lichen Genomes

Fungi involved in lichen symbioses produce a large array of secondary metabolites that are often diagnostic in the taxonomic delimitation of lichens. The most common lichen secondary metabolites—polyketides—are synthesized by polyketide synthases, particularly by Type I PKS (TI-PKS). Here, we present a comparative genomic analysis of the TI-PKS gene content of 23 lichen-forming fungal genomes from Ascomycota, including the de novo sequenced genome of Bacidia rubella. Firstly, we identify a putative atranorin cluster in B. rubella. Secondly, we provide an overview of TI-PKS gene diversity in lichen-forming fungi, and the most comprehensive Type I PKS phylogeny of lichen-forming fungi to date, including 624 sequences. We reveal a high number of biosynthetic gene clusters and examine their domain composition in the context of previously characterized genes, confirming that PKS genes outnumber known secondary substances. Moreover, two novel groups of reducing PKSs were identified. Although many PKSs remain without functional assignments, our findings highlight that genes from lichen-forming fungi represent an untapped source of novel polyketide compounds

Luminescent Water-Dispersible Nanoparticles Engineered from Copper(I) Halide Cluster Core and P,N-Ligand with an Optimal Balance between Stability and ROS Generation

The present work introduces the solvent exchange procedure as a route for conversion of the Cu4I4L2 complex, where the Cu4I4 cluster core is coordinated with two P,N-ligands (L), into an aqueous colloid. The analysis of both colloidal and supernatant phases revealed some losses in CuI going from the initial Cu4I4L2 complex to Cu2I2L3-based nanoparticles. The comparative analysis of IR, 31P NMR spectroscopy, ESI mass-spectrometry and luminescence data argued for a contribution of the “butterfly”-like structures of the Cu2I2 cluster core to Cu2I2L3-based nanoparticles, although the amorphous nature of the latter restricted structure evaluation from the PXRD data. The green luminescence of the colloids revealed their chemical stability under pH variations in the solutions of some amino acids and peptides, and to specify the temperature and concentration conditions triggering the oxidative degradation of the nanoparticles. The spin trap-facilitated ESR study indicated that the oxidative transformations were followed by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The physiological temperature level (310 K) enhanced the ROS generation by nanoparticles, but the ROS level was suppressed in the solution of GSH at pH = 7.0. The cytotoxicity of nanoparticles was evaluated in the M-HeLa cell line and is discussed in correlation with their cell internalization and intracellular oxidative transformations