High Diversity of the Fungal Community Structure in Naturally-Occurring Ophiocordyceps sinensis

BACKGROUND: Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Cordyceps sinensis), which is a parasite of caterpillars and is endemic to alpine regions on the Tibetan Plateau, is one of the most valuable medicinal fungi in the world. "Natural O. sinensis specimens" harbor various other fungi. Several of these other fungi that have been isolated from natural O. sinensis specimens have similar chemical components and/or pharmaceutical effects as O. sinensis. Nevertheless, the mycobiota of natural O. sinensis specimens has not been investigated in detail. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Based on the technique of PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP), the mycobiota of three different sections (stromata, sclerotia, and mycelial cortices) from natural O. sinensis specimens were investigated using both culture-dependent and -independent methods. For the culture-dependent method, 572 fungal strains were isolated, and 92 putative operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified from 226 sequenced strains with the threshold of 97%. For the culture-independent method, 490 fungal clones were identified from about 3000 clones of ITS fragments from the whole-community DNA; based on PCR-SSCP analyses, 266 of these clones were selected to be sequenced, and 118 putative OTUs were detected. The overwhelming majority of isolates/clones and OTUs were detected from mycelial cortices; only a few were detected from stromata and sclerotia. The most common OTUs detected with both methods belonged to Ascomycota; however, only 13 OTUs were detected simultaneously by both methods. Potential novel lineages were detected by each of the two methods. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: A great number of fungal species present in the mycobiota of naturally-occurring O. sinensis specimens were detected, and many of them may represent undescribed lineages. That only a few of the same OTUs were detected by both methods indicated that different methods should be used. This study increased our understanding about the fungal community structure of this valuable medicinal herb

Wheat Domestication Accelerated Evolution and Triggered Positive Selection in the β-Xylosidase Enzyme of Mycosphaerella graminicola

Plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) of plant pathogens are receiving increasing interest for their potential to trigger plant defense reactions. In an antagonistic co-evolutionary arms race between host and pathogen, PCWDEs could be under strong selection. Here, we tested the hypothesis that PCWDEs in the fungal wheat pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola have been positively selected by analyzing ratios of non-synonymous and synonymous nucleotide changes in the genes encoding these enzymes. Analyses of five PCWDEs demonstrated that one (β-xylosidase) has been under strong positive selection and experienced an accelerated rate of evolution. In contrast, PCWDEs in the closest relatives of M. graminicola collected from wild grasses did not show evidence for selection or deviation from a molecular clock. Since the genealogical divergence of M. graminicola from these latter species coincided with the onset of agriculture, we hypothesize that the recent domestication of the host plant and/or agricultural practices triggered positive selection in β-xylosidase and that this enzyme played a key role in the emergence of a host-specialized pathogen

Einfluss der inundativen Massenapplikation von Metarhizium brunneum BIPESCO 5 auf indigene Boden- Mikroorganismen (= Influence of Metarhizium brunneum BIPESCO 5 inundative mass application on indigenous soil microorganisms)

(VLID)3646804Version of recor

Isolation of Metarhizium spp. from root systems of different crops: Are specific genotypes associated with certain plants?

Isolation of Metarhizium spp. from root systems of different crops: Are specific genotypes associated with certain plants

Beauveria brongniartii: Persistenz und Co-Existenz in europäischen Maikäfer-Populationen (= Beauveria brongniartii: persistence and co-existence in European cockchafer populations)

(VLID)3646807Version of recor

Efficiency of phylloplane bacteria in controlling aerial tomato diseases under field conditions Eficiência de bactérias do filoplano no controle de doenças da parte aérea do tomateiro em condições de campo

The capacity of two bacteria isolated from the tomato phylloplane to control late blight (Phytophthora infestans) was investigated in the field, and compared against the effectiveness of spraying with the fungicide chlorothalonil (1.5 g a.i. L-1) or water (control). A 55% reduction in late blight intensity was observed in the leaves of the middle of the plant and 62% in those of the upper leaves when using the antagonist UFV-STB 6 (Novosphingobium capsulatum) as compared to the control. Isolate UFV-IEA 6 (Bacillus cereus) was able to reduce disease intensity by 55%, but only in the upper leaves of the tomato plants. Treatment with isolate UFV-STB 6 also led to a significant reduction in the percentage of fruits with late blight symptoms. The results demonstrate the potential of these two bacteria in controlling this disease.<br>A capacidade de dois isolados bacterianos obtidos do filoplano de tomateiro, em controlar a requeima (Phytophthora infestans) em condições de campo, foi comparada com o fungicida chlorothalonil (1,5 g l-1) e água (controle). Foi observada uma redução de 55% na intensidade da doença em folhas da do terço mediano da planta e de 62% nas folhas superiores, quando pulverizadas com o antagonista UFV-STB 6 (Novosphingobium capsulatum) em relação ao tratamento controle. O isolado UFV-IEA 6 (Bacillus cereus) foi capaz de reduzir a intensidade da doença em 55%, somente nas folhas do terço superior das plantas. As plantas pulverizadas com o isolado UFV-STB 6 também apresentaram redução significativa no percentual de frutos sintomáticos. Os resultados demonstram que os dois isolados bacterianos têm potencial no controle da doença