The Diverse Mycorrizal Morphology of Rhododendron dauricum, the Fungal Communities Structure and Dynamics from the Mycorrhizosphere.

It is generally believed that mycorrhiza is a microecosystem composed of mycorrhizal fungi, host plants and other microscopic organisms. The mycorrhiza of Rhododendron dauricum is more complex and the diverse morphology of our investigated results displays both typical ericoid mycorrhizal characteristics and ectomycorrhizal traits. The characteristics of ectendoomycorrhiza, where mycelial invade from the outside into the root cells, have also been observed. In order to further clarify the mycorrhizal fungi members and other fungal communities of R. dauricum mycorrhiza, and explore the effects of vegetation and soil biological factors on their community structure, we selected two woodlands in the northeast of China as samples-one is a mixed forest of R. dauricum and Quercus mongolica, and the other a mixed forest of R. dauricum, Q. mongolica, and Pinus densiflor. The sampling time was during the local growing season, from June to September. High-throughput sequencing yielded a total of 3020 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), which were based on sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA (ITS rRNA) via the Illumina NovaSeq platform. In the different habitats of R. dauricum, there are differences in the diversity of fungi obtained from mycorrhizal niches, and specifically the mycorrhizal fungal community structure in the complex vegetation of mixed forests, where R. dauricum is found, exhibits greater stability, with relatively minor changes over time. Soil fungi are identified as the primary source of fungi within the mycorrhizal niche, and the abundance of mycorrhizal fungi from mycorrhizal niches in R. dauricum is significantly influenced by soil pH, organic matter, and available nitrogen. The relationship between soil fungi and mycorrhizal fungi from mycorrhizal niches is simultaneously found to be intricate, while the genus Hydnellum emerges as a central genus among mycorrhizal fungi from mycorrhizal niches. However, there is currently a substantial gap in the foundational research of this genus, including the fact that mycorrhizal fungi from mycorrhizal niches have, compared to fungi present in the soil, proven to be more sensitive to changes in soil moisture.

Indirect regulation of topsoil nutrient cycling by groundwater depth: impacts on sand-fixing vegetation and rhizosphere bacterial communities.

Introduction: The impact of groundwater table depth (GTD) on bacterial communities and soil nutrition in revegetated areas remains unclear. Methods: We investigated the impacts of plant growth and soil physicochemical factors on rhizosphere bacterial communities under different GTD. Results: The four plant growth indices (Pielou, Margalef, Simpson, and Shannon-Wiener indices) and soil water content (SWC) at the Artem and Salix sites all showed a decreasing trend with increasing GTD. Salix had a higher nutrient content than Artem. The response of plant rhizosphere bacterial communities to GTD changes were as follows. Rhizosphere bacteria at the Artem and Salix sites exhibited higher relative abundance and alpha diversity in SW (GTD < 5 m) compared than in DW (GTD > 5 m). Functional microbial predictions indicated that the rhizosphere bacterial communities of Artem and Salix promoted carbon metabolism in the SW. In contrast, Artem facilitated nitrogen cycling, whereas Salix enhanced both nitrogen cycling and phototrophic metabolism in the DW. Discussion: Mantel test analysis revealed that in the SW of Artem sites, SWC primarily governed the diversity of rhizosphere and functional bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle by affecting plant growth. In DW, functional bacteria increase soil organic carbon (SOC) to meet nutrient demands. However, higher carbon and nitrogen availability in the rhizosphere soil was observed in the SW of the Salix sites, whereas in DW, carbon nutrient availability correlated with keystone bacteria, and changes in nitrogen content could be attributed to nitrogen mineralization. This indicates that fluctuations in the groundwater table play a role in regulating microbes and the distribution of soil carbon and nitrogen nutrients in arid environments.

Forest Type and Climate Outweigh Soil Bank in Shaping Dynamic Changes in Macrofungal Diversity in the Ancient Tree Park of Northeast China.

The community structure of macrofungi is influenced by multiple complex factors, including climate, soil, vegetation, and human activities, making it challenging to discern their individual contributions. To investigate the dynamic changes in macrofungal diversity in an Ancient Tree Park located in Northeast China and explore the factors influencing this change, we collected 1007 macrofungi specimens from different habitats within the park and identified 210 distinct fungal species using morphological characteristics and ITS sequencing. The species were classified into 2 phyla, 6 classes, 18 orders, 55 families, and 94 genera. We found macrofungal compositions among different forest types, with the mixed forest displaying the highest richness and diversity. Climatic factors, particularly rainfall and temperature, positively influenced macrofungal species richness and abundance. Additionally, by analyzing the soil fungal community structure and comparing aboveground macrofungi with soil fungi in this small-scale survey, we found that the soil fungal bank is not the main factor leading to changes in the macrofungal community structure, as compared to the influence of climate factors and forest types. Our findings provide valuable insights into the dynamic nature of macrofungal diversity in the Ancient Tree Park, highlighting the influence of climate and forest type.

Hu'po Anshen decoction promotes fracture healing in mice with traumatic brain injury through BMP2-COX2-ATF4 signaling pathway.

Hu'po Anshen decoction (HPASD), a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat concussion and fracture, could regulate the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2). However, whether HPASD affects the fracture healing of traumatic brain injury (TBI) combined with a fracture through BMP2 and its downstream signals remains obscure. The chondrocyte-specific BMP2 conditional knockout mice and chondrocyte-specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) overexpression mice were generated. BMP2 conditional knockout mice were treated with fracture surgery, fracture combined with TBI, or fracture combined with TBI followed by different doses of HPASD (2.4, 4.8, and 9.6 g/kg), respectively. TBI was induced by Feeney's weight-drop technique. The fracture callus formation and fracture sites were determined by X-ray, micro-CT, and histological analyses. The expressions of chondrocyte-, osteoblast-, and BMP2/COX2 signal-related targets were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot assays. The specific absence of BMP2 in chondrocytes led to the prolonged formation of cartilage callus, a delay in the osteogenesis initiation and the downregulation of RUNX2, Smad1/5/9, EP4, ERK1/2, RSK2, ATF4. Overexpression of COX2 partially reverses the effects of chondrocyte-specific BMP2 knockout mice. HPASD promoted cartilage callus formation and osteogenesis initiation, as accompanied by upregulated expression levels of RUNX2, Smad1/5/9, EP4, ERK1/2, RSK2, and ATF4 in a time-dependent and concentration-dependent manner in chondrocyte-specific BMP2 knockout mice. Overall, our findings demonstrated that HPASD induced COX2 transcription through the BMP2-Smad1/5/9-RUNX2 axis, and then affected fracture healing through the COX2-mediated EP4-ERK1/2-RSK2-ATF4 axis.

Direct Anterior Approach Provides Superior Prosthesis Adaptability in the Early Postoperative Period of Total Hip Arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVES: Prosthesis awareness is the perception of foreign bodies, which has a critical effect on the function of the prosthetic joint. In total hip arthroplasty (THA), the direct anterior approach (DAA) has more advantages than the posterior approach (PA), including superior rehabilitation outcomes. This study was to evaluate the recovery of "prosthesis awareness" through these two approaches. METHODS: Three hundred and seventy-six patients who received THA with either DAA (n = 41) or PA (n = 335) from January 2016 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12), Harris hip score (HHS), and visual analog scale (VAS) analyses were used to evaluate the recovery of "prosthesis awareness" in these patients 2 weeks, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. The student t-test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, chi-square test, and MANOVA were used to compare the differences among groups. RESULTS: We found that DAA patients had higher FJS-12 scores than PA patients at 2 weeks (42.15 ± 3.36 vs. 38.09 ± 3.28, p = 0.042), 1 month (49.06 ± 5.14 vs. 41.11 ± 5.21, p = 0.038), and 3 months (53.23 ± 4.07 vs. 48.09 ± 3.71, t = 3.152, p = 0.045). And the recovery rates of FJS-12 scores in DAA and PA groups at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery were 75.46% ± 6.04%, 84.05% ± 6.57%, 91.37% ± 7.13%, and 74.14% ± 5.54%, 78.16% ± 6.01%, 88.23% ± 6.42%, respectively. To compare the recovery effects of the two procedures in more detail, we classified the 12 items in FJS-12 that evaluate different types of gravity center motions into three categories: low-movement group (LG), middle-movement group (MG), and high-movement group (HG). Interestingly, DAA patients had significantly higher HG than PA patients at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after operation (t = 3.225, p = 0.022 at 2 weeks, t = 3.081, p = 0.041 at 1 month and t = 2.783, p = 0.046 at 3 months), whereas no significant differences were observed in LG- and MG-related items. In addition, there were no significant differences in HHS and VAS scores between DAA and PA patients at 2 weeks (p = 0.102, p = 0.093), or from 1 month to 12 months (each p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DAA-mediated THA is superior to PA in terms of prosthesis adaptability and recovery of hip joint motion in the first 3 months after surgery, especially concerning high-movement gravity center motions.

Participation of patients during arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is conducive to postoperative rehabilitation and satisfaction: a single-center retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of patient participation in arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) on rehabilitation and patient satisfaction. METHODS: A total of 86 patients of traumatic longitudinal vertical meniscus tears, between January 2017 and December 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The patients in the intraoperative participation group (n = 33) were awake and could watch the screen during APM and communicate with the surgeon in the surgery; patients who underwent APM in the traditional mode were classified as the traditional group(n = 53). The differences in exercise adherence, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and satisfaction at follow-up were compared. In the intraoperative participation group, the mean age of the patients was 26.97 ± 5.63 years and the follow-up time was 25.12 ± 6.23 months. In the traditional group, the mean age of the patients was 29.21 ± 5.29 years and the follow-up time was 25.08 ± 6.70 months. RESULTS: The intraoperative participation group reported a better result in exercise adherence (78.79% VS 50.94%, p = 0.012). As secondary outcomes, Patients in the intraoperative participation group demonstrated better scores on the KOOS domains of pain (79.80 ± 6.38 VS 76.26 ± 5.33, p = 0.007), Symptoms (59.41 ± 5.27 VS 56.74 ± 5.97, p = 0.038), and QOL (65.91 ± 10.72 VS 60.26 ± 9.34, p = 0.012), as compared to these in the traditional group. There were no significant differences in the KOOS domains of Sport (72.88 ± 8.20 VS 72.64 ± 7.70, P = 0.892), and ADL (89.47 ± 3.50 VS 87.87 ± 4.50 p = 0.085). what's more, in the intraoperative participation group, the results of satisfaction (96.97% VS 81.13%, p = 0.025) were also significantly better. CONCLUSION: The mode of participation of patients during APM can improve patients' exercise adherence, reduce pain, improve symptoms and improve patients' satisfaction as well as the quality of life. More work is needed to develop this mode further.

Fungal-Bacterial Networks in the Habitat of SongRong (Tricholoma matsutake) and Driving Factors of Their Distribution Rules.

Soil origin, mycorrhizal plant partners and environmental factors affect the growth and development of SongRong (Tricholoma matsutake). In order to clarify the relationships of fungi-bacteria networks and various influence factors in the habitat of SongRong, we chose three collection sites with a Quercus mongolica pure forest (plot A without SongRong was used as the control sample site), Q. mongolica mixed Rhododendron dauricum (plot B) and Q. mongolica mixed with R. dauricum and Pinus densiflora (plot C). By using high-throughput sequencing, we obtained a total of 4930 fungal and 55501 bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) based on internally transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA (ITS rRNA) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequencing via the Illumina NovaSeq platform. In the habitat soil of SongRong (plot B and plot C), alpha or beta diversity and species compositions of fungi and bacteria were different from plot A. The fungal-bacterial networks follow the selection rule that few dominant genera account for the greater relative abundance. Forest types, but not the host itself, drove the fungal-bacterial networks of the forest soil, and soil physicochemical characteristics and texture affected their abundance. The abundance of Tricholoma was affected by the fungal and bacterial abundance in the habitat.

Morphological and Phylogenetic Evidence Reveal Five New Telamonioid Species of Cortinarius (Agaricales) from East Asia.

Five new Cortinarius species, C. neobalaustinus, C. pseudocamphoratus, C. subnymphatus, C. wuliangshanensis and C. yanjiensis spp. nov., are proposed based on a combination of morphological and molecular evidence. Cortinarius neobalaustinus is characterized by a very weakly hygrophanous and yellowish-brown to brown pileus and small and weakly verrucose basidiospores. Cortinarius pseudocamphoratus can be characterized by a viscid pileus, a strongly unpleasant smell, amygdaloid to somewhat ellipsoid basidiospores and lageniform to subfusiform cheilocystidia. Cortinarius subnymphatus is identified by a strongly hygrophanous pileus that is reddish-brown with a black-brown umbo, a yellowish universal veil and ellipsoid to subamygdaloid basidiospores. Cortinarius wuliangshanensis is characterized by a moderately to strongly hygrophanous, translucently striated and yellowish to reddish-brown pileus and rather weakly and moderately verrucose basidiospores. Cortinarius yanjiensis is distinguished by a weakly to moderately hygrophanous and yellowish to brown pileus and moderately to rather strongly verrucose basidiospores. The phylogenetic analyses were performed with maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods based on the data set of nuc rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS), D1-D2 domains of nuc 28S rDNA (28S) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), and the results show that C. neobalaustinus, C. wulianghsanensis and C. yanjiensis cluster in sect. Illumini, C. pseudocamporatus belongs to sect. Camphorati and C. subnymphatus belongs to sect. Laeti. In addition, a study of basidiospores under field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was conducted. An identification key for the five new species and related species from China is also provided.

Response of bacterial community structure to different ecological niches and their functions in Korean pine forests.

A healthy plant microbiome is diverse, taxonomically-structured, and gives its plant host moderate advantages in growth, development, stress tolerance, and disease resistance. The plant microbiome varies with ecological niches and is influenced by variables that are complex and difficult to separate from each other, such as the plant species, soil, and environmental factors. To explore the composition, diversity, and functions of the bacterial community of Korean pine forests, we used high-throughput sequencing to study five areas with different forest ages from June to October 2017 in northeast China. We obtained 3,247 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing via an Illumina Hi-seq platform. A total of 36 phyla and 159 known genera were classified. The Shannon index of the bacterial community from the rhizospheric soil was significantly higher (p < 0.01, n = 10) than that of the root tips. Beta-diversity analysis confirmed that the bacterial community of the rhizospheric soil was significantly different (p < 0.001) from the root tips. Nine bacterial phyla were dominant (relative richness > 1%) in the rhizospheric soil, but there were six dominant phyla in the root tips. Proteobacteria was the core flora in the root tips with a relative abundance of more than 50%. It is known that the formation of bacterial communities in the rhizospheric soil or the root is mainly caused by the processes of selection, and we found a relatively high abundance of a few dominant species. We further analyzed the correlations between the bacterial community from the rhizospheric soil with that of the root tips, as well as the correlations of the bacterial community with soil physicochemical properties and climate factors. We used Functional Annotation of the Prokaryotic Tax (FAPROTAX) to predict the functions of the bacterial community in the rhizospheric soil and root tips. Five related phototrophic functions, nine nitrogen cycle functions, two related chemoheterotrophic functions, and two others were predicted. The abundance of the bacteria phyla performing relevant functions was different in the rhizospheric soil than in the root tips. These functions were significantly influenced by the contents of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil habitat. The bacterial composition and functions in the rhizospheric soil and root tips of Korean pine were analyzed, and the results demonstrated the importance of soil and plant species on the bacterial community in the below ground plant microbiome.

Cortinarius subsalor and C. tibeticisalor spp. nov., two new species from the section Delibuti from China.

Cortinarius subsalor and C. tibeticisalor, belonging to the section Delibuti, are described from China as new to science. Cortinarius subsalor has been found to be associated with Lithocarpus trees in subtropical China and resembling C. salor, but it differs from the later by having slender basidiomata and the narrower basidiospores. Cortinarius tibeticisalor was collected from eastern Tibetan Plateau, associated with Abies. It differs from other species within sect. Delibuti by having olive tinge of mature or dried basidiomata and bigger basidiospores. The molecular data also support C. subsalor and C. tibeticisalor as new species. The phylogenetic analyses and biogeography of sect. Delibuti are discussed and a key to the species of this section currently known in the world is provided.

Three new species of Cortinarius subgenus Telamonia (Cortinariaceae, Agaricales) from China.

Cortinarius is an important ectomycorrhizal genus that forms a symbiotic relationship with certain trees, shrubs and herbs. Recently, we began studying Cortinarius in China and here we describe three new species of Cortinarius subg. Telamonia based on morphological and ecological characteristics, together with phylogenetic analyses. Cortinarius laccariphyllus sp. nov. (section Colymbadini) is associated with broadleaf trees, with strongly hygrophanous basidiomata, special Laccaria-like lamellae and white and extremely sparse universal veil. Cortinarius neotorvus sp. nov. (section Telamonia) is associated with broadleaf trees and is easily confused with C. torvus, but can be distinguished by the colour of the fresh basidiomes and the stipe usually somewhat tapering towards the base. Cortinarius subfuscoperonatus sp. nov. (section Fuscoperonati) is associated with coniferous trees, with subglobose to broadly ellipsoid spores and is closely related to C. fuscoperonatus. A key to the new species and similar species in sections Colymbadini, Telamonia and Fuscoperonati is provided.

The community composition variation of Russulaceae associated with the Quercus mongolica forest during the growing season at Wudalianchi City, China.

BACKGROUND: Most species of the Russulaceae are ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, which are widely distributed in different types of forest ecology and drive important ecological and economic functions. Little is known about the composition variation of the Russulaceae fungal community aboveground and in the root and soil during the growing season (June-October) from a Quercus mongolica forest. In this study, we investigated the changes in the composition of the Russulaceae during the growing season of this type of forest in Wudalianchi City, China. METHODS: To achieve this, the Sanger sequencing method was used to identify the Russulaceae aboveground, and the high-throughput sequencing method was used to analyze the species composition of the Russulaceae in the root and soil. Moreover, we used the Pearson correlation analysis, the redundancy analysis and the multivariate linear regression analysis to analyze which factors significantly affected the composition and distribution of the Russulaceae fungal community. RESULTS: A total of 56 species of Russulaceae were detected in the Q. mongolica forest, which included 48 species of Russula, seven species of Lactarius, and one species of Lactifluus. Russula was the dominant group. During the growing season, the sporocarps of Russula appeared earlier than those of Lactarius. The number of species aboveground exhibited a decrease after the increase and were significantly affected by the average monthly air temperature (r = -0.822, p = 0.045), average monthly relative humidity (r = -0.826, p = 0.043), monthly rainfall (r = 0.850, p = 0.032), soil moisture (r = 0.841, p = 0.036) and soil organic matter (r = 0.911, p = 0.012). In the roots and soils under the Q. mongolica forest, the number of species did not show an apparent trend. The number of species from the roots was the largest in September and the lowest in August, while those from the soils were the largest in October and the lowest in June. Both were significantly affected by the average monthly air temperature (r2 = 0.6083, p = 0.040) and monthly rainfall (r2 = 0.6354, p = 0.039). Moreover, the relative abundance of Russula and Lactarius in the roots and soils showed a linear correlation with the relative abundance of the other fungal genera.

[Effect of ectomycorrhizal fungi on the seedlings growth of Korea spruce].

To enhance the effects of ectomycorrhizal fungi to promote the growth of Korea spruce seedlings, based on previous research, the combinations of different ectomycorrhizal fungi strains were screened by dual culture method. 3 years transplanting seedlings of Korea spruce were inoculated by different combinations of ectomycorrhizal fungi strains using lister inoculating method in the field, and those were inoculated by different single strains were designed as control respectively. Thus the effects of different combinations and different single fungus strains to promote the growth of Korea spruces were studied. The results showed that all single strains and combinations in this experiment can promote the growth of Korea spruce seedlings. The growth characteristics of seedlings were observed 100 days after inoculation. The growth promoting effect of strain L15 was the best in all combinations and single strains. Comparing with control, the average height of seedlings inoculated by strain L15 was increased 30.88%, the average collar diameter of these was increased 15.29%. The growth promoting effect of combinations L15/025 or L15/009 were better than strain 009 or 025. Comparing with control, the leaf chlorophyll contents of seedling inoculated by strain 010 and combination L15/025 were increased significantly, the contents of chlorophyll a were increased 59.15% and 54.61% respectively, and the contents of chlorophyll b were increased 76.34% and 67.78% respectively. Except seedling inoculated by strain 010, the activities of hydrogen peroxidase of other treated seedlings were lower than one of control. The root activities of all treated seedlings were lower than one of control. In conclusion, inoculation by the mixture of high-effect strain and other single strain weakens the effect of high-effect strain to promote the growth of Korea spruce seedlings, the activity of hydrogen peroxidase and the root activity of seedling are not correlated with its biomass.