Evaluation of the Genetic Diversity, Haplotype, and Virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum Field Isolates from Alabama.

The United States is the third largest producer of cotton and the largest exporter of cotton globally. Fusarium wilt, caused by the soilborne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (Fov), was estimated to cause a $21 million cotton yield loss in 2022. Historically, Alabama was an important producer of cotton in the Southeastern United States and was the first state in which Fusarium wilt on cotton was described. To assess the genetic diversity of Fov field isolates in Alabama, 118 field isolates were collected from six counties across the state from 2014 to 2016. Phylogenetic analysis using TEF1 and RPB2 placed the Fov field isolates into 18 haplotypes. Upon profiling the Tfo1 transposon insertion in the NAT gene, it was determined that no race 4 isolates were recovered in Alabama. Representatives of all field isolate haplotypes caused disease on Upland cotton variety Rowden in a hydroponic test tube assay. Two haplotype A isolates were the most aggressive isolates recovered, and haplotype A isolate TF1 was more aggressive than the race 4 isolate 89-1A on Upland cotton and had similar symptom severity on Pima cotton. Karyotype profiling indicted an abundance of small chromosomes characteristic of karyotypes that include accessory chromosomes, with considerable variability between isolates. Collectively, our study indicates that Fov isolates from Alabama are genetically diverse, which may have been promoted by its persistence in cotton fields.

Redescription of Atopospira galeata (Kahl, 1927) nov. comb. and A. violacea (Kahl, 1926) nov. comb. with redefinition of Atopospira Jankowski, 1964 nov. stat. and Brachonella Jankowski, 1964 (Ciliophora, Armophorida).

The taxonomy of the Metopidae (Ciliophora, Armophorida) remains poorly understood since most of its members have not been studied by modern morphologic and molecular methods. Recent molecular investigations have indicated that the two most species-rich genera, Metopus and Brachonella, are likely nonmonophyletic with at least one well-supported 18S rDNA clade comprised of a species from each of these genera (Brachonella galeata and Metopus violaceus). We investigated these two species with silver impregnation and scanning electron microscopy. Both taxa share important morphologic characteristics not described in other species of Metopus or Brachonella. These synapomorphies include: (1) a diplostichomonad paroral membrane, (2) a bipartite adoral zone with a short buccal part composed of ordinary membranelles and a longer distal part composed of much smaller membranelles bearing a single cilium or none and extending the same length as the perzonal ciliary stripe. We transfer Brachonella galeata (Kahl, 1927) Jankowski, 1964 and Metopus violaceus Kahl, 1926 to genus Atopospira Jankowski, 1964 nov. stat. Pending detailed morphologic and molecular characterization, Brachonella campanula, B. cydonia and B. pyriforma, B. intercedens, and B. lemani remain in Brachonella Jankowski 1964.

Morphologic and molecular description of Metopus fuscus Kahl from North America and new rDNA sequences from seven metopids (Armophorea, Metopidae).

Most species in the large ciliate genus Metopus Claparède & Lachmann, 1858 lack detailed descriptions based on modern morphologic and molecular methods. This lack of data for the vast majority of species hampers application of a morphospecies approach to the taxonomy of Metopus and other armophorids. In this report we redescribe the large species, Metopus fuscusKahl, 1927 based on in vivo observation, silver impregnation, scanning electron microscopy, and single-cell 18S rDNA sequencing of a freshwater North American (Idaho) population. Metopus fuscus invariably has a perinuclear envelope of endosymbiotic bacteria not found in other species. Unlike the original description of a single row of coarse granules between ciliary rows, the Idaho population has five loose rows of small interkinetal granules. We discuss the possible importance of this character in metopids. We also provide a phylogenetic analysis including seven other new metopid 18S rDNA sequences: Brachonella spiralis, B. galeata, Metopus laminarius, M. setosus, M. striatus, M. violaceus, Palmarella lata. Metopus fuscus and M. setosus form a fully supported clade, challenging previous morphospecies groupings. We discuss some ambiguities of armophorid morphologic terminology in the earlier literature. Our phylogenetic analysis of Idaho metopids indicates that the genera Metopus and Brachonella are both nonmonophyletic.

Morphology and phylogeny of Bryophryoides ocellatus n. g., n. sp. (Ciliophora, Colpodea) from in situ soil percolates of Idaho, U.S.A.

We describe the morphology and 18S rDNA phylogeny of Bryophryoides ocellatus n. g., n. sp., a bryophryid ciliate inhabiting in situ soil percolates from Idaho, U.S.A. The new genus is distinguished from other bryophryid genera by a combination of the following features: (1) kreyellid (irregularly meshed) silverline pattern, (2) polymorphic adoral organelles in the preoral suture, (3) absence of vestibular kineties. In phylogenetic analyses, Bryophryoides ocellatus is most closely related to Bryophrya gemmea. The 18S rDNA sequence pairwise distance of 2% between these genera, while similar to that between many colpodidan species, exceeds that between some colpodidan genera (e.g. Mykophagophrys and Pseudoplatyophrya, 1.1%), further supporting establishment of the new genus. Topology hypothesis testing strongly supports the monophyly of the Colpodida including the bryophryids. Despite weak nodal support, tests of topology constraints narrowly reject the non-monophyly of the sequenced Bryophryidae (Bryophrya+Bryophryoides+Notoxoma). Likewise, the monophyletic origin of the sequenced Bryophryidae is indicated in the phylogenetic networks though with low support.