Nonomuraea monospora sp. nov., an actinomycete isolated from cave soil in Thailand, and emended description of the genus Nonomuraea

A novel actinomycete, designated strain PT708T, was isolated from cave soil collected in Pha Tup Cave Forest Park, Nan province, Thailand. It produced compounds with antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Its chemotaxonomic properties were consistent with those of members of the genus Nonomuraea . The major menaquinone was MK-9(H4), with minor amounts of MK-9(H6), MK-9(H2), MK-10(H2) and MK-8(H4). The polar lipid profile contained phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, hydroxy-phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, hydroxy-phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and phosphatidylinositol. The major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, 10-methyl C17 : 0, C16 : 0 and C17 : 1ω6c. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain PT708T belonged to the genus Nonomuraea and was most closely related to Nonomuraea rhizophila YIM 67092T (98.50 % sequence similarity) and Nonomuraea rosea GW 12687T (98.30 %). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain PT708T was 73.3 mol%. Unlike the recognized members of the genus Nonomuraea , the novel strain formed single spores at the tips of aerial hyphae. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic evidence, strain PT708T represents a novel species of the genus Nonomuraea , for which the name Nonomuraea monospora sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PT708T ( = TISTR 1910T = JCM 16114T)

Microfungi on the Pandanaceae: Linocarpon lamiae sp. nov., L. siamensis sp. nov. and L. suthepensis sp. nov. are described with a key to Linocarpon species from the Pandanaceae

Linocarpon species are reported from Pandanaceae in Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Seychelles, Thailand and Vanuatu. Linocarpon lammiae sp. nov. were collected on decaying leaves of Pandanus tectorius in Hong Kong. Linocarpon siamensis sp. nov. and L. suthepensis sp. nov. were collected from decaying leaves of P. penetrans in Thailand. These taxa are described, illustrated and compared with Linocarpon species with similar ascospore morphology and dimensions. Included are a synoptic table, which compares the new species to similar known species, and a dichotomous key to species of Linocarpon known from members of the Pandanaceae.published_or_final_versio

Three new species of Pyricularia are isolated as Zingiberaceous endophytes from Thailand

A new taxon with Dyrithium-like characteristics was collected from Lake Fuxian in China. The taxon is typical of the Amphisphaeriaceae in that it has relatively large, ostiolate, immersed ascomata, unitunicate asci with a J+ subapical ring, and brown ascospores. It is similar to Dyrithium in that it has muriform ascospores, but considerable confusion surrounds this genus. In Dyrithium asci are bitunicate and lack a J+ subapical ring, while this was not true of our species. A new genus, Dyrithiopsis, therefore is established to accommodate this new taxon. Details of its anamorph also are provided, based on cultural studies. Parsimony analyses of part of the large-subunit rDNA provide further evidence to support the familial placement of this new genus in the Amphisphaeriaceae. The taxonomic position of Dyrithium also is discussed.published_or_final_versio

Acanthostigma and Tubeufia species, including T. claspisphaeria sp. nov., from submerged wood in Hong Kong

Acanthostigma scopulum, Tubeufia claspisphaeria sp. nov. and T. paludosa were identified from submerged wood collected in a small forest stream on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. The collections of Acanthostigma scopulum and Tubeufia paludosa differed slightly from the original descriptions. Tubeufia claspisphaeria differs from previously described species in that it has hook-shaped setae that form radially around the ostiole. This new species is described and illustrated and compared with the most similar species. A dichotomous key to the 16 accepted species in Tubeufia is provided.published_or_final_versio

Molecular and morphological characterization of Pyricularia and allied genera

The phylogenetic relationships of Pyricularia species and species from related genera were established from sequences of the internal transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis disclosed a consistent correlation with spore morphology. Most Pyricularia species studied, and two species of Dactylaria that have obpyriform conidia, fell within the Magnaporthaceae cluster with high bootstrap support. Pyricularia variabilis was more related to Dactylaria, Tumularia or Ochroconis species than to the Magnaporthaceae. Dactylaria and species of Nakataea, Ochroconis, Pyriculariopsis and Tumularia were distinct from the Magnaporthaceae, and the genus Dactylaria is polyphyletic. The combination of morphological and molecular characters, such as spore morphology and ITS ribosomal DNA sequences data, suggested that conidial shape could be a primary character to distinguish Pyricularia from related genera.published_or_final_versio

Enzymatic activity of endophytic fungi of six native seedling species from Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Thailand

Endophytic fungi were isolated from the stems, petioles, midribs, and leaves of seedlings of six native tree species collected from Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Thailand, Endophytes were isolated from all tissue samples investigated, and taxa included five ascomycetes, eight anamorphic taxa, and numerous sterile mycelia. Twenty-six strains were tested for their ability to produce cellulase, mannanase, proteinase, and xylanase. The ability to produce these enzymes was distributed amongst the strains tested. Rainforest seedlings supported a diverse array of endophytes that have a wide range of enzymatic activities. The implication of enzyme production in relation to lifestyle abilities of the endophytes is discussed.published_or_final_versio

Endophytic fungi from Amomum siamense

Endophytic fungi were isolated from apparently healthy organs of the wild ginger Amomum siamense Criab., including leaves, pseudostems, and rhizomes, collected from two sites in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Thailand. Endophytes were relatively common with an isolate prevalence of 70%-83% at the two sites sampled in the wet and dry seasons. The endophyte assemblages from the two sites were diverse and comprised 7 Ascomycetes and 26 mitosporic fungi. Colletotrichum 'gloeosporioides' (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz., Glomerella spp., xylariaceous fungi, and Phomopsis spp. were consistently dominant as endophytes on Amomum siamense, but many rare species and mycelia sterilia were also recorded. There was no significant difference between the number of isolates recovered from leaves containing vein tissues and those containing intervein tissues, independent of leaf age. Most taxa showed a preference for either leaf tissue or pseudostems. Two new Ascomycetes species, Gaeumannomyces amomi and Leiosphaerella amomi, were discovered from leaves and rhizomes, respectively, and four species of Pyricularia, including three new species, were isolated from leaves.published_or_final_versio

The mycorrhizal status of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of physic nut Jatropha curcas in Thailand

The dependence of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) on beneficial soil fungi for growth is not known. Therefore, the spore density and species diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) associated with physic nut was assessed by extracting spores from physic nut plantings from 10 sites across 6 provinces in northern and north-eastern Thailand. Approximately 700 AMF spores, obtained using the wet sieving and sucrose gradient centrifugation methods, were identified into morphospecies. Colonization by AMF was assessed under a compound microscope using root samples stained with trypan blue. The following 34 morphospecies of AMF were identifed: Acaulospora (16 species), Entrophospora (1 species), Gigaspora (2 species), Glomus (10 species) and Scutellospora (5 species). The diversity index ranged from 0.28 to 0.86 (average 0.64) and the species richness of AMF ranged from 3 to 11 (average 6.2). Roots of physic nut were colonized by AMF at all sites sampled and infection levels ranged from 38 to 94% of root length. The presence of mycorrhizas in soils varying in pH from acidic to calcareous, of low to moderate organic matter and of low to high available P suggests that physic nut may be highly dependent on AMF

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on a fallow enriching tree (Macaranga denticulata)

Macaranga denticulata is a fallow enriching species that is important in upland agriculture in parts of northern Thailand. The root zone of this tree supports a high biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and it has been postulated that these are important for Macaranga to rapidly establish in disturbed fields. To evaluate this, seedlings were inoculated with spores of AM fungi (Glomus spp., G. fasciculatum, Acaulospora spp. and mixed species of AM fungi) collected from the field, and then grown without P fertilizer. Growth of the host was compared with plants grown concurrently at six rates of phosphorus application (0 to 150 mg P/kg soil). The experiments were conducted in pots containing 5 kg sterilized soil. Arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation increased height and plant dry weight. Dry weights of M. denticulata inoculated with Acaulospora spp. or mixed species of AM fungi were equivalent to uninoculated plants given 150 mg P/kg soil, whereas plants inoculated with Glomus spp and G. fasciculatum were similar to those with 25 mg P/kg soil. Nutrient contents of plant inoculated with Acaulospora spp. and mixed species of AM fungi were higher than plants inoculated with Glomus spp and G. fasciculatum. Root colonization of plants inoculated with Acaulospora spp. and mixed species of AM fungi was not significantly different, and was higher than other inoculated treatments. These experiments have shown that M. denticulata is dependent on AM fungi for rapid growth in a low P soil. Acaulospora morrowiae appeared to be the dominant species sporulating in root zones of plants inoculated with either Acaulospora spp. or mixed species of AM fungi. Further work is required to identify the most effective AM species for M denticulata since the abundance of AM spores in the root zone may not be directly related to the effectiveness of root colonization in nutrient uptake of the tree

The family Pleosporaceae: intergeneric relationships and phylogenetic perspectives based on sequence analyses of partial 28S rDNA

The Pleosporaceae is an important loculoascomycete family. There has been disagreement, however, regarding the taxonomic placement of many genera within this family. This study investigates phylogenetic relationships among the genera Cochliobolus, Kirschsteiniothelia, Leptosphaerulina, Macroventuria, Pleospora, Pyrenophora, and Wettsteinina. Partial 28S rDNA sequences from taxa within these genera were analyzed with maximum parsimony, likelihood and Bayesian methods. Cochliobolus can be segregated broadly into two groups as previously proposed. Pleospora is polyphyletic in its current sense. Taxa with Stemphylium anamorphs are closely related to Cochliobolus and fit within the Pleosporaceae, whereas the affinities of Pleospora herbarum and P. ambigua are still ambiguous. Pyrenophora constitutes a monophyletic group within the Pleosporaceae, whereas Leptosphaerulina and Macroventuria appear to share phylogenetic affinities with the Leptosphaeriaceae and Phaeosphaeriaceae. Phylogenies indicate that Wettsteinina should be excluded from the Pleosporaceae. Similar findings are reported for Kirschsteiniothelia, which is probably polyphyletic. Anamorphic characters appear to be significant (especially in Cochliobolus) while ascospore morphologies, such as shape and color and substrate occurrence are poor indicators of phylogenetic relationships among these loculoascomycetes.published_or_final_versio