Five new Camillea (Xylariales) species described from French Guiana.

BACKGROUND: The genus Camillea was created in 1849 from collections made in French Guiana with eight species included. Numerous species assigned to Camillea were subsequently discovered, especially in the forests of the Amazon basin, but new discoveries have not been reported from French Guiana since 1849. Recent fieldwork in French Guiana has begun to fill this gap by identifying five new species, most of which were collected in the vicinity of Saül village. RESULTS: Based on macro- and micromorphological study of their stromata, including SEM images of ascospore wall ornamentation, five new species were recognized, including C. cribellum, C. heterostomoides, C. nitida, C. rogersii and C. saulensis. Cultures could be obtained for C. heterostomoides and C. rogersii, and ITS and LSU sequences were obtained for all of the five new species. Camillea heterostoma and its variety microspora were shown to be conspecific. Provisional molecular phylogenetic analyses support the possible reinstatement of Hypoxylon melanaspis, currently regarded as merely an applanate form of C. leprieurii. CONCLUSION: The current study is based on a relatively limited fieldwork in its duration and sampling area but was able to substantially increase the number of Camillea species known from French Guiana. This augurs an exceptional and still unknown diversity of the genus in this area and by extension in the adjacent neotropical forests.

Xylaria species associated with fallen leaves and petioles.

BACKGROUND: Xylaria species growing on fallen leaves and petioles have not been treated systematically. One source of confusion in this group of Xylaria species has stemmed from X. filiformis, which is an ancient name published in 1805 as Sphaeria filiformis and has commonly labeled on specimen packets that contain leaf- and petiole-inhabiting Xylaria species. Here we clarified the identity of X. filiformis and distinguish it from the species that are easily confused with it, notably X. simplicissima, to which most specimens labeled as X. filiformis are referred. Our research also led us to encounter many other leaf- and petiole-inhabiting Xylaria species, prompting a comprehensive study of this group of fungi. RESULTS: Forty-five foliicolous and caulicolous species of Xylaria were studied, including nine newly described species-X. allima, X. appendiculatoides, X. hispidipes, X. minuscula, X. neblinensis, X. spiculaticlavata, X. vermiformis, X. vittatipiliformis, and X. vittiformis; three unnamed species-X. sp. AR1741, X. sp. GS7461A, and X. sp. GS7461B; X. simplicissima, a name newly combined with Xylaria from Rhizomorpha simplicissima; and X. noduliformis and X. imminuta, which are two new replacement names, respectively, for X. maitlandii var. nuda and X. hypsipoda var. microspora. The 45 taxa can be classified into three groups by stromatal shape and conspicuousness of perithecial mounds on the stromatal surface: (i) the X. filiformis group contains 10 species, (ii) the X. phyllocharis group contains 19 species, and (iii) the X. heloidea group contains 16 species. One of the newly described or unnamed species belongs to the X. filiformis group-X. vermiformis; nine of them belong to the X. phyllocharis group-X. allima, X. appendiculatoides, Xylaria minuscula, X. neblinensis, X. sp. AR1741, X. sp. GS7461B, X. spiculaticlavata, X. vittatipiliformis, and X. vittiformis; and three of them belong to the X. heloidea group-X. hispidipes, X. imminuta, and X. sp. GS7461A. CONCLUSION: The 45 species of Xylaria associated with fallen leaves and petioles can be identified by using the dichotomous identification key that we provided herein. It is important to note that most of the studied species are represented by only one or several specimens and many have not been recollected and cultured.

Xylaria furcata reconsidered and nine resembling species.

BACKGROUND: Xylaria collections from termite nests with dichotomously branched stromata have been identified as X. furcata. However, Léveillé's original material is no longer available, and the modern interpretation of X. furcata is based on a 1908 collection made by von Höhnel from termite nests at Buitenzorg Botanical Garden in Java. A packet of this von Höhnel material at FH was designated as the neotype by Rogers et al. in 2005. RESULTS: We reexamined the neotype from FH and its duplicates from various herbaria and found that three different species were mixed in these specimens. Despite that all of them have dichotomously branched stromata and tiny ascospores, only one fits the 2005 neotypification of X. furcata, where exposed perithecial mounds on the stromatal surface were unambiguously indicated. This portion of material is redesignated as the neotype, while the other two species with immersed perithecia are described as new: X. hoehnelii and X. robustifurcata. The ITS sequence obtained from the neotype helped us designate a specimen with cultures obtained from it as the epitype. From specimens identifiable as X. furcata, we describe four new species: X. brevifurcata, X. furcatula, X. insignifurcata, and X. tenellifurcata. Additionally, we recognize X. furcata var. hirsuta at the species level as X. hirsuta and consider X. scoparia a distinct species rather than a synonym of X. furcata. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on three protein-coding loci showed that X. furcata and resembling species were grouped into two clusters: the X. furcata cluster with half-exposed to fully exposed perithecial mounds and the X. hoehnelii cluster with largely immersed perithecial mounds. CONCLUSION: Ten species are recognized for X. furcata and resembling species, all of which could have been identified as X. furcata in the past. Its diversity has been overlooked primarily due to the small and similar stromata. Several additional species have been confirmed to be related to X. furcata by DNA sequences but are yet to be described due to the lack of mature stromata. While the species diversity of macrotermitine termites is equally high in Africa as in Asia, all of the species are primarily found in Asia, with X. hirsuta as the only exception. This suggests that there may be many more undiscovered species for this fungal group.

Medicinal Components in Edible Mushrooms on Diabetes Mellitus Treatment.

Mushrooms belong to the family "Fungi" and became famous for their medicinal properties and easy accessibility all over the world. Because of its pharmaceutical properties, including anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties, it became a hot topic among scientists. However, depending on species and varieties, most of the medicinal properties became indistinct. With this interest, an attempt has been made to scrutinize the role of edible mushrooms (EM) in diabetes mellitus treatment. A systematic contemporary literature review has been carried out from all records such as Science Direct, PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar with an aim to represents the work has performed on mushrooms focuses on diabetes, insulin resistance (IR), and preventive mechanism of IR, using different kinds of mushroom extracts. The final review represents that EM plays an important role in anticipation of insulin resistance with the help of active compounds, i.e., polysaccharide, vitamin D, and signifies α-glucosidase or α-amylase preventive activities. Although most of the mechanism is not clear yet, many varieties of mushrooms' medicinal properties have not been studied properly. So, in the future, further investigation is needed on edible medicinal mushrooms to overcome the research gap to use its clinical potential to prevent non-communicable diseases.

Wulingshen, the massive Xylaria sclerotia used as traditional Chinese medicine, is produced by multiple species.

Wulingshen, massive Xylaria sclerotia, was originally reported from Chengdu Plain in western Sichuan of China for medicinal application. Xylaria nigripes is commonly connected to these massive sclerotia produced within abandoned underground macrotermitine termite nests. We sequenced 54 Wulingshen samples procured from traditional Chinese medicine markets in Chengdu Plain and connected them to six different Xylaria species: X. nigripes, X. subescharoidea, two species newly described herein-X. neonigripes and X. rogersionigripes, and two species that are known only as sclerotia thus far. Only teleomorphs of X. subescharoidea and X. rogersionigripes have been collected in Chengdu Plain thus far. In Taiwan, teleomorphs of four of the six species, except for the two only known in sclerotial form, have been collected, and their cultures were obtained; we thus designate the holotypes of X. neonigripes and X. rogersionigripes on the basis of Taiwan specimens. During the collecting activities carried out in Chengdu Plain, a Xylaria species, which is newly described as X. mianyangensis herein, was also collected from termite nests but lacks a known connection to Wulingshen.

Ecological generalism drives hyperdiversity of secondary metabolite gene clusters in xylarialean endophytes.

Although secondary metabolites are typically associated with competitive or pathogenic interactions, the high bioactivity of endophytic fungi in the Xylariales, coupled with their abundance and broad host ranges spanning all lineages of land plants and lichens, suggests that enhanced secondary metabolism might facilitate symbioses with phylogenetically diverse hosts. Here, we examined secondary metabolite gene clusters (SMGCs) across 96 Xylariales genomes in two clades (Xylariaceae s.l. and Hypoxylaceae), including 88 newly sequenced genomes of endophytes and closely related saprotrophs and pathogens. We paired genomic data with extensive metadata on endophyte hosts and substrates, enabling us to examine genomic factors related to the breadth of symbiotic interactions and ecological roles. All genomes contain hyperabundant SMGCs; however, Xylariaceae have increased numbers of gene duplications, horizontal gene transfers (HGTs) and SMGCs. Enhanced metabolic diversity of endophytes is associated with a greater diversity of hosts and increased capacity for lignocellulose decomposition. Our results suggest that, as host and substrate generalists, Xylariaceae endophytes experience greater selection to diversify SMGCs compared with more ecologically specialised Hypoxylaceae species. Overall, our results provide new evidence that SMGCs may facilitate symbiosis with phylogenetically diverse hosts, highlighting the importance of microbial symbioses to drive fungal metabolic diversity.

Twelve New Taxa of Xylaria Associated with Termite Nests and Soil from Northeast Thailand.

The diversity of Xylaria species associated with termite nests in northeast Thailand was investigated. Among the 14 taxa included in this study, 11 species and one variety were described as new, and another two species resemble the existing taxa, X. escharoidea and X. nigripes. The newly described taxa are X. chaiyaphumensis, X. conica, X. fulvescens, X. ischnostroma, X. margaretae, X. minima, X. reinkingii var. microspora, X. siamensis, X. sihanonthii, X. subintraflava, X. thienhirunae, and X. vinacea. Their morphological and cultural characteristics are described and illustrated, and their ITS, α-actin and ß-tubulin sequences were analysed. A dichotomous key to the 17 species of Xylaria occurring in Thailand is provided.

Polyketides with Anti-neuroinflammatory Activity from Theissenia cinerea.

Theissenia cinerea 89091602 is a previously reported plant-derived bioactive fungal strain, and the active principles separated from the extracts of its submerged culture were shown to exhibit potent anti-neuroinflammatory activities in both cellular study and animal testing. In a continuation of our previous investigation on the bioactive entities from this fungus, solid state fermentation was performed in an attempt to diversify the bioactive secondary metabolites. In the present study, five previously unreported polyketides, theissenophenol (1), theissenepoxide (2), theissenolactone D (3), theissenone (4), and theissenisochromanone (5), together with the known theissenolactone B (6), theissenolactone C (7), and arthrinone (8), were isolated and characterized through spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the literature data. The configurations of theissenepoxide (2) and theissenisochromanone (5) were further corroborated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction data analysis. Theissenone (4), theissenolactone B (6), theissenolactone C (7), and arthrinone (8) exhibited potent nitric oxide production inhibitory activities in murine brain microglial BV-2 cells with IC50 values of 5.0 ± 1.0, 4.5 ± 0.6, 1.1 ± 0.1, and 3.2 ± 0.3 µM, respectively, without any significant cytotoxic effects.

Xylaria insolita and X. subescharoidea: two newly described species collected from a termite nesting site in Hua-lien, Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: A number of Xylaria species are exclusively associated with nests of macrotermitine termites. A nesting site of Odontotermes formosanus in eastern Taiwan, which is the only macrotermitine termite known on the island, had been inundated during the raining season of 2010, and hundreds of Xylaria stromata emerged from it thereafter. A thorough examination of these stromata showed that they represent a mixture of different species. RESULTS: Five Xylaria species were identified from the stromata collected from the nesting site, including two undescribed species, which are newly described as X. insolita and X. subescharoidea herein, and three known species X. brunneovinosa, X. escharoidea, and X. furcata. CONCLUSION: Totally, there are 28 Xylaria species growing on termite nests or ground in the world. Although O. formosanus is the only macrotermitine species known in Taiwan, the Xylaria diversity associated with its nests is fairly high; the species number has reached 12 with X. furcata, X. insolita, and X. subescharoidea added to the Taiwan mycobiota.

Isoprenyl phenolic ethers from the termite nest-derived medicinal fungus Xylaria fimbriata.

Seven new isoprenyl phenolic ethers, namely fimbriethers A‒G (1‒7), were isolated from the fermented broth of the termite nest-derived medicinal fungus Xylaria fimbriata YMJ491. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis and compared with those reported. The effects of all the isolates at a concentration of 100 µM on the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells were evaluated, and all of them exhibited NO production inhibitory activity with Emax values ranging from 4.6 ± 2.0% to 49.7 ± 0.5% without significant cytotoxicity. In addition, these seven compounds did not alter phenylephrine-induced vasocontraction in isolated intact thoracic aortic rings from C57BL/6J mouse, indicating 1‒7 were not involved in the regulation of endothelial NOS-mediated NO production.

Xylaria species associated with fallen fruits and seeds.

Twenty-five fructicolous and seminicolous species of Xylaria are classified into three groups by stromatal morphology: (i) the X. ianthinovelutina group; (ii) the X. carpophila group; and (iii) the X. heloidea group. Xylaria reevesiae, X. rossmanae, and X. vivantii are described as new species. Xylaria reevesiae belongs to the X. carpophila group, resembling X. euphorbiicola but differing from it mainly by having conspicuous perithecial mounds and growing on fallen fruits of a different host plant. Xylaria rossmanae and X. vivantii belong to the X. ianthinovelutina group. Xylaria rossmanae differs from the species of the group mainly by larger, paler, fusoid-inequilateral ascospores, and X. vivantii differs by larger ascospores with a slightly oblique germ slit. A dichotomous key is provided for identifying the 25 species. Doubtful names are also listed and annotated.

Medicinal components in Termitomyces mushrooms.

Termitomyces is a genus of edible mushrooms commonly consumed in Africa and Asia among the mushrooms collected from the wild. Termitomyces mushrooms grow as symbionts in the termite nests, where they produce various enzymes to help termites digest lignocellulosic substrates. Many species of Termitomyces are used by different ethnic groups with ethnomedicinal knowledge. Bioactive components that Termitomyces mushrooms contain have potential uses as antioxidants, immunomodulators, antitumors, and antimicrobials. Termitomyces also has a potential for treating neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we review the bioactive compounds from Termitomyces species that have been isolated and assayed in vitro and/or in vivo for their medicinal properties.

The survey of tinea capitis and scalp dermatophyte carriage in nursing home residents.

Tinea capitis is a contagious dermatophyte infection of scalp and associated hairs. On the other hand, asymptomatic carriage is a status of positive dermatophyte scalp culture, but without signs or symptoms of tinea capitis, and no evidence of hair shaft invasion confirmed by direct microscopy. Tinea capitis and asymptomatic carriage mostly occur in children, but adult females are becoming another population in recent decades. In this study, we focused on the prevalence and related fungi of tinea capitis and asymptomatic carriage in elderly by the shampoo brush method, as well as the source of transmission, in 10 nursing home residents. Two hundred and thirteen residents were screened, and 186 isolates were identified, of which only three were dermatophytes (1.4%). The scalp dermatophyte isolates were identified as Trichophyton rubrum by morphological characters and sequences comparisons in all three cases. After revisiting, these cases were proved to be asymptomatic carriers by negative microscopic and culture examination; however, two cases were found to have concurrent tinea pedis and onychomycosis, which were identified as T. rubrum and Trichophyton interdigitale. The source of the T. rubrum scalp carriage may come from tinea elsewhere on the body of the same subject or from other people in the same institute. Finding and treating the source of carriage, as well as treating scalp carriage patients according to the colony counts, may help prevent disease spreading.

Tinea folliculorum complicating tinea of the glabrous skin: an important yet neglected entity.

Dermatophytes are capable of infecting the skin and its appendages such as nails and hairs producing a variety of clinical conditions. Hair invasion by dermatophytes is a key feature of tinea capitis and tinea barbae but not of tinea of glabrous skin. In this project, we studied the clinico-mycological aspects of follicular involvement in patients with dermatophytosis of the glabrous skin. In total, 16 patients, eight males and eight females, were included in the study. All were adults except for one girl. The disease durations ranged from one month to more than ten years. Fourteen (78.5%) had multiple lesions, and most of them had undergone treatment with antifungals, antibiotics, or steroids. Dermoscopic examination showed infected hairs in the form of broken stubs, coily, curly, or as black dots on the surface of the lesions. Pathogens were either anthropophilic (seven cases of Trichophyton rubrum) or zoophilic (six cases Microsporum canis, three cases of the T. mentagrophytes). Patients responded well to oral griseofulvin or terbinafine, and topical antifungals. No antifungal resistance developed during the treatment course. Follicular involvement of glabrous skin is not as rare as previously thought and should be considered for systemic antifungal treatments.

A termite symbiotic mushroom maximizing sexual activity at growing tips of vegetative hyphae.

BACKGROUND: Termitomyces mushrooms are mutualistically associated with fungus-growing termites, which are widely considered to cultivate a monogenotypic Termitomyces symbiont within a colony. Termitomyces cultures isolated directly from termite colonies are heterokaryotic, likely through mating between compatible homokaryons. RESULTS: After pairing homokaryons carrying different haplotypes at marker gene loci MIP and RCB from a Termitomyces fruiting body associated with Odontotermes formosanus, we observed nuclear fusion and division, which greatly resembled meiosis, during each hyphal cell division and conidial formation in the resulting heterokaryons. Surprisingly, nuclei in homokaryons also behaved similarly. To confirm if meiotic-like recombination occurred within mycelia, we constructed whole-genome sequencing libraries from mycelia of two homokaryons and a heterokaryon resulting from mating of the two homokaryons. Obtained reads were aligned to the reference genome of Termitomyces sp. J132 for haplotype reconstruction. After removal of the recombinant haplotypes shared between the heterokaryon and either homokaryons, we inferred that 5.04% of the haplotypes from the heterokaryon were the recombinants resulting from homologous recombination distributed genome-wide. With RNA transcripts of four meiosis-specific genes, including SPO11, DMC1, MSH4, and MLH1, detected from a mycelial sample by real-time quantitative PCR, the nuclear behavior in mycelia was reconfirmed meiotic-like. CONCLUSION: Unlike other basidiomycetes where sex is largely restricted to basidia, Termitomyces maximizes sexuality at somatic stage, resulting in an ever-changing genotype composed of a myriad of coexisting heterogeneous nuclei in a heterokaryon. Somatic meiotic-like recombination may endow Termitomyces with agility to cope with termite consumption by maximized genetic variability.

Small agarics in Taiwan: Mycena albopilosa sp. nov. and Gloiocephala epiphylla.

BACKGROUND: Small agarics are poorly documented in Taiwan, with previously reported species either rudimentarily described or lacking a description or diagnosis in most cases. A survey on small agarics in a lowland forest of Taiwan revealed two species previously unrecorded. RESULTS: One agaric, which is characterized mainly by white hairs overlying the pileus, a conspicuous cup-shaped basal disc surrounding the stipe, and inamyloid basidiospores, fits the genus Mycena and appears undescribed. It readily produced abundant basidiomata in culture in three weeks. The other agaric is Gloiocephala epiphylla, being characterized by its reduced hymenium and conspicuous pileogloeocystidia. ITS sequences from the two agarics further corroborated the identifications. Their macroscopic and microscopic features and culture morphology are described. A dichotomous key is provided to the species of Mycena reported in Taiwan. CONCLUSION: The Mycena species is newly described as M. albopilosa herein. Gloiocephala epiphylla is new to Taiwan, being the only species of the genus known on the island.

A phytotoxic bicyclic lactone and other compounds from endophyte Xylaria curta.

A new compound, (3aS,6aR)-4,5-dimethyl-3,3a,6,6a-tetrahydro-2H-cyclopenta [b]furan-2-one (2), along with two known metabolites, myrotheciumone A (1) and 4-oxo-4H-pyron-3-acetic acid (3) was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of fermentation broth of Xylaria curta 92092022. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods (UV, IR, HRESITOFMS, 1D NMR, and 2D NMR). Compounds 1 and 2 showed moderate antibacterial and phytotoxic activities.

Recommendations for competing sexual-asexually typified generic names in Sordariomycetes (except Diaporthales, Hypocreales, and Magnaporthales).

With the advance to one scientific name for each fungal species, the generic names in the class Sordariomycetes typified by sexual and asexual morphs are evaluated based on their type species to determine if they compete with each other for use or protection. Recommendations are made for which of the competing generic names should be used based on criteria such as priority, number of potential names changes, and frequency of use. Some recommendations for well-known genera include Arthrinium over Apiospora, Colletotrichum over Glomerella, Menispora over Zignoëlla, Microdochium over Monographella, Nigrospora over Khuskia, and Plectosphaerella over Plectosporium. All competing generic names are listed in a table of recommended names along with the required action. If priority is not accorded to sexually typified generic names after 2017, only four names would require formal protection: Chaetosphaerella over Oedemium, Diatrype over Libertella, Microdochium over Monographella, and Phaeoacremonium over Romellia and Togninia. Concerning species in the recommended genera, one replacement name (Xylaria benjaminii nom. nov.) is introduced, and the following new combinations are made: Arthrinium sinense, Chloridium caesium, C. chloroconium, C. gonytrichii, Corollospora marina, C. parvula, C. ramulosa, Juncigena fruticosae, Melanospora simplex, Seimatosporium massarina, Sporoschisma daemonoropis, S. taitense, Torpedospora mangrovei, Xylaria penicilliopsis, and X. termiticola combs. nov.

Terpenoids from the Fermented Broths of Coprinellus radians.

One new sesquiterpenoid, namely coprinol (1), along with guanacastanes J (2), E (3) and N (4), were isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of the fermented broths of the fungal strain Coprinellus radians ≠1168. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. The growth inhibitory activities against A549 of 1-4 were evaluated, and only 4 exhibited moderate growth inhibitory activity with a GI50 value of 18.2 µM compared with fluorouracil (GI50 = 3.6 µM). All the compounds were also subjected to antifungal assay against Candida albicans ATCC 18804, C. albicans SC-5314, Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC 13690 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 2345; all showed mild antifungal activity with MIC values of 128.0 µg/mL for 1-3 and 64.0 µg/mL for 4 in comparison with amphotericin B (MIC = 0.25 µg/mL) and ketoconazole (MIC = 1.0 µg/mL).

Two rare ophiocordycipitaceous fungi newly recorded in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Ophiocordycipitaceae is a highly diverse fungal family parasitizing a wide range of arthropods and hypogeous fungi. We collected two ophiocordycipitaceous species previously unknown in Taiwan: one emerged from hypogeous fruiting bodies of an Elaphomyces fungus and the other was associated with dragonflies. RESULTS: Based on gross morphology, microscopic features, ITS sequences, and hosts, the two ophiocordycipitaceous fungi were identified as Tolypocladium japonicum and Ophiocordyceps odonatae. We isolated axenic cultures of these two fungi, and their anamorphs were obtained. The simplicillium-like anamorph of T. japonicum is described herein for the first time. The anamorph of O. odonatae produce conidia holoblastically in sympodial sequence and is assignable to Hymenostilbe. A dichotomous key to the species of Ophiocordycipitaceae reported in Taiwan is provided. CONCLUSION: A thorough literature study indicates that the two fungi reported herein have rarely been collected. Our identifications of T. japonicum and O. odonatae agree well with descriptions in the literature and are highly supported by DNA sequence analysis.