Article
Plant Sciences
Lin Wang, Wei Dong, Jun-Xian Yang, Rong Zhu, Huang Zhang, Ze-Fen Yu
Summary: A new lignicolous freshwater species called Parafuscosporella xishuangbannaensis was described and illustrated in this study. The new species was identified based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of LSU, SSU, ITS, and rpb2 sequence data. Parafuscosporella xishuangbannaensis is characterized by reduced conidiophores, cylindrical conidiogenous cells, and obovoid to subglobose brown conidia with a septum near the base. It differs from its close relative P. pyriformis in lacking cylindrical or moniliform conidiophores.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Elizabeth R. Holzenthal, Meagan E. Wengrove, David F. Hill
Summary: The study shows that submerged aquatic vegetation has significant impacts on bed morphology through transformation of flow, affecting the long-term survival of habitats and engineering services. Experimental results indicate that the size and volume of vegetated patches are more influenced by patch diameter rather than stem density.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yi-Le Wan, Dan-Feng Bao, Zong-Long Luo, Darbhe-Jayarama Bhat, Yue-Xin Xu, Hong-Yan Su, Yu-E Hao
Summary: Three new species of Minimelanolocus were identified in northwestern Yunnan Province, China based on distinct morphological features and phylogenetic analyses. This study enhances the understanding of Minimelanolocus diversity and enriches freshwater fungal resources in the region.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zi-Rui Gu, Chang-Lin Zhao
Summary: Wood-decaying fungi, including the newly proposed species Rhizochaete fissurata and R. grandinosa, play important roles as decomposers in forest ecosystems. These two new species are distinguished by their morphological features and molecular evidence. Phylogenetic analyses show that they are closely related to other species within the genus Rhizochaete.
Article
Microbiology
Qian-Xin Guan, Chang-Lin Zhao
Summary: Three new wood-inhabiting fungi species, Hyphoderma crystallinum, H. membranaceum, and H. microporoides, have been proposed based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Phylogenetic analyses showed their relationships within the Hyphoderma genus, demonstrating their distinct characteristics and evolutionary connections. Additionally, a map of global distribution for Hyphoderma species and an identification key for Chinese Hyphoderma are provided in this study.
Article
Plant Sciences
Anton Glushchenko, Sergei Genkal, Irina Kuznetsova, Maxim Kulikovskiy
Summary: During the investigation in Mongolia, a total of 28 species of Sellaphora belonging to the genus Mereschowsky were identified, with 14 species previously described or mentioned in the Mongolian flora and 14 species discovered for the first time. One new taxonomic combination and one new species were proposed. Original light micrographs and scanning electronic photographs were used for illustration. The distribution of these identified species within Mongolia and globally was discussed.
Review
Microbiology
Zihan Gong, Song Zhang, Jun Liu
Summary: Metabolites produced by filamentous fungi are widely used in the food and drug industries. The morphological engineering of filamentous fungi has led to the application of various biotechnologies to enhance the production of target metabolites during submerged fermentation. Disrupting chitin biosynthesis can modify cell growth and mycelial morphology, and regulate metabolite biosynthesis. This review provides a comprehensive coverage of chitin biosynthesis in filamentous fungi and its relationship with cell growth and metabolism, aiming to increase awareness and provide insights into the application of morphological engineering to enhance metabolite production during submerged fermentation.
Article
Forestry
Courage Alorbu, Joshua Carey, Armando G. McDonald, Lili Cai
Summary: This study examined the effectiveness of lauric arginate (LAE) as a potential preservative against wood deteriorating fungi. The antifungal properties of LAE were tested on different types of fungi, and LAE-treated wood specimens were evaluated for biological resistance. Results showed that LAE inhibited the growth of fungi and increased weight gain in wood, but did not significantly improve thermal stability. Although LAE suppressed fungus growth, it also leached out from wood specimens during exposure.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Susan Washko, Nigel Willby, Alan Law
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of how beaver activity affects aquatic macroinvertebrates. The majority of studies found higher richness of aquatic macroinvertebrates in nearby lotic reaches compared to beaver-created ponds, but the addition of beaver ponds increased richness at coarser scales due to increased habitat heterogeneity. The patterns of functional feeding groups were highly dependent on the context of the study. The study highlights knowledge gaps and suggests the need for more long-term and systematic research.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Luisa M. Manici, Isabella De Meo, Maria Ludovica Sacca, Enrico Ceotto, Francesco Caputo, Alessandro Paletto
Summary: This study investigated the changes in fungal community of deadwood based on the host plants and wood degradation levels. The results showed that the composition of wood colonizing fungal communities varied depending on the host plants and wood decay. White rot fungal species were dominant in black locust and poplar, while lignin-degrading ascomycete Daldinia chilidiae colonized willow along with fungi associated with tree dieback.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Yang Yang, Qianquan Jiang, Qi Li, Jiawei Yang, Li Cha, Lijun Cheng, Shunqiang Yang, Changlin Zhao, Hongmin Zhou, Seung-Yoon Oh
Summary: This study proposes three new wood-inhabiting fungal taxa, Hyphoderma niveomarginatum, H. sordidum, and H. weishanense. Phylogenetic analysis using gene sequences confirmed their placement within the genus Hyphoderma.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Changjiang Huang, Xiaoqing Wu, Xiaoyu Liu, Yuting Fang, Lei Liu, Chuansheng Wu
Summary: The exposure situation and litter removal did not significantly affect wood decomposition, but there were differences among tree species. Fungal abundance had an impact on microbial respiration, and wood density was influenced by water content.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Grzegorz Worobiec, Elzbieta Worobiec, Przemyslaw Gedl, Jacek R. Kasinski, Danuta Peryt, Marek Widera
Summary: This study reports the discovery of fungal ascospores of Potamomyces affinities from four Miocene localities in Poland. The spores resemble those found in extinct species and a living species of Potamomyces, suggesting a preference for tropical to subtropical and humid climates. These findings also represent the first known fossil record of the genus Potamomyces from Europe.
ACTA PALAEONTOLOGICA POLONICA
(2022)
Article
Mycology
Teik-Khiang Goh, Jie-Hao Ou, Chang-Hsin Kuo
Summary: A new anamorphic taxon, Phaeonawawia diplocladielloidea gen. et sp. nov., was identified and illustrated from wood submerged in a freshwater stream in Malaysia. Through phylogenetic analyses, the fungus was classified into the Chaetosphaeriaceae family, and comparisons were made with similar fungi. Various forms of anamorphic chaetosphaeriaceous fungi were briefly discussed in the study.
MYCOLOGICAL PROGRESS
(2021)
Review
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Brendan Nicholas Marais, Christian Brischke, Holger Militz
Summary: Factors such as temperature, moisture, wood-decaying fungi, bacteria, subterranean insects, and marine borers are important in the degradation of wood used in ground and water contact. The durability of wood is influenced by its inherent characteristics, including heartwood and sapwood differences. Wood durability testing methods, classification, and models for regional-level modeling are discussed.
WOOD MATERIAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Laura Flores-Bocanegra, Huzefa A. Raja, Jeffrey W. Bacon, Amanda C. Maldonado, Joanna E. Burdette, Cedric J. Pearce, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: A series of new naphthoquinones, including two heterodimers, were isolated from Pyrenochaetopsis sp. During the study, the structure of these compounds was elucidated using various experimental methods, and their cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines was evaluated, with IC50 values ranging from 1 to 20 μM.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Tamam El-Elimat, Huzefa A. Raja, Mario Figueroa, Ahmed H. Al Sharie, Rick L. Bunch, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: This review summarizes the chemical diversity and biological activity of 199 out of 280 known freshwater fungal metabolites published from 1992 to 2020, representing at least seven structural classes. In addition to describing the metabolites themselves, strategies for the collection, isolation, and identification of fungi from freshwater habitats are discussed to enhance chemists' knowledge of mycological principles. The review is expected to serve as a springboard for future natural products studies from the underexplored group of Ascomycota.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Laura Flores-Bocanegra, Mario Augustinovic, Huzefa A. Raja, Steven J. Kurina, Amanda C. Maldonado, Joanna E. Burdette, Joseph O. Falkinham, Cedric J. Pearce, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: New bioactive fungal metabolites dasyscyphins F and G were isolated from a fungus of the Stictidaceae, along with the known dasyscyphin C. The structures were characterized, and a revision was made to the structure of dasyscyphin C based on NMR data. The compounds showed moderate cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity.
TETRAHEDRON LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sonja L. Knowles, Christopher D. Roberts, Mario Augustinovic, Laura Flores-Bocanegra, Huzefa A. Raja, Kimberly N. Heath-Borrero, Joanna E. Burdette, Joseph O. Falkinham, Cedric J. Pearce, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: Four new bislactones were isolated from cultures of two fungal strains and identified as Clonostachys spp. based on molecular data. These compounds showed antimicrobial activities, with compounds 1 and 4 being the most potent against Staphylococcus aureus.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Laura Flores-Bocanegra, Zeinab Y. Al Subeh, Joseph M. Egan, Tamam El-Elimat, Huzefa A. Raja, Joanna E. Burdette, Cedric J. Pearce, Roger G. Linington, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: This study evaluated the performance of MADByTE for compound dereplication and found that MADByTE is effective for detecting specific compound classes in complex mixtures and can successfully predict compound members in the sample set.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Zeinab Y. Al Subeh, Amy L. Waldbusser, Huzefa A. Raja, Cedric J. Pearce, Kin Lok Ho, Michael J. Hall, Michael R. Probert, Nicholas H. Oberlies, Shabnam Hematian
Summary: This study isolated and characterized the long-postulated biosynthetic precursor of class B fungal perylenequinones from a Shiraia-like sp. Furthermore, it investigated the structural relationship and redox behaviors of hypocrellins and hypomycins. The study found that hypocrellins can undergo reversible reduction and reoxidation under aerobic conditions, and can undergo ring closing metathesis under anaerobic conditions.
JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sonja L. Knowles, Huzefa A. Raja, Christopher D. Roberts, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: This review summarizes the development of fungal-fungal co-culture studies from 2002 to 2020. It has been found that growing fungi in co-culture in the laboratory, replicating the competitive environment, can lead to the discovery of new secondary metabolites. The review discusses principles for pairing fungal strains, methods for growing fungi in co-culture, approaches to screening for chemical diversity, determining the strain that produces secondary metabolites, and final thoughts on the fungal-fungal co-culture approach.
NATURAL PRODUCT REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Patricia Alves de Castro, Ana Cristina Colabardini, Maisa Moraes, Maria Augusta Crivelente Horta, Sonja L. Knowles, Huzefa A. Raja, Nicholas H. Oberlies, Yasuji Koyama, Masahiro Ogawa, Katsuya Gomi, Jacob L. Steenwyk, Antonis Rokas, Relber A. Goncales, Claudio Duarte-Oliveira, Agostinho Carvalho, Laure N. A. Ries, Gustavo H. Goldman
Summary: This study identified key genes that protect against the mycotoxin Gliotoxin (GT) in Aspergillus species, including the transcription factors RglT and KojR. By comparing the response to GT in a GT-producing Aspergillus species and a GT non-producing species, the researchers discovered additional genes that potentially play a role in GT protection.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kristof B. Cank, Robert A. Shepherd, Sonja L. Knowles, Manuel Rangel-Grimaldo, Huzefa A. Raja, Zoie L. Bunch, Nadja B. Cech, Christopher A. Rice, Dennis E. Kyle, Joseph O. Falkinham, Joanna E. Burdette, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: Studies on an organic extract of marine fungus Periconia sp. led to the discovery of three rare halogenated cyclopentenes. The structures and configurations of these compounds were determined using various analytical techniques. The compounds were found to be inactive in the tested activities.
Article
Microbiology
E. Anne Hatmaker, Manuel Rangel-Grimaldo, Huzefa A. Raja, Hadi Pourhadi, Sonja L. Knowles, Kevin Fuller, Emily M. Adams, Jorge D. Lightfoot, Rafael W. Bastos, Gustavo H. Goldman, Nicholas H. Oberlies, Antonis Rokas
Summary: This study characterizes the genomic, chemical, and phenotypic variation between strains of pathogenic Aspergillus flavus and its nonpathogenic relatives. The findings reveal extensive heterogeneity within both the pathogenic A. flavus and its close relatives, indicating that strain-level differences may play a major role in the ability of these fungi to cause disease. Surprisingly, strains from nonpathogenic species exhibit similar virulence to A. flavus, challenging the current perception of these species' clinical relevance.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zeinab Y. Al Subeh, Laura Flores-Bocanegra, Huzefa A. Raja, Joanna E. Burdette, Cedric J. Pearce, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: This article reports a relatively young class of fungal metabolites, macrocyclic alkaloids with a cyclopenta[b]fluorene ring system, which were first discovered in 2013. The structures of these compounds were identified by analyzing high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry data and one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR spectra. The relative and absolute configurations of these alkaloids were determined through various spectroscopic techniques. These compounds showed cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lindsay K. K. Caesar, Fatma A. A. Butun, Matthew T. T. Robey, Navid J. J. Ayon, Raveena Gupta, David Dainko, Jin Woo Bok, Grant Nickles, Robert J. J. Stankey, Don Johnson, David Mead, Kristof B. B. Cank, Cody E. E. Earp, Huzefa A. A. Raja, Nicholas H. H. Oberlies, Nancy P. P. Keller, Neil L. L. Kelleher
Summary: Natural products research increasingly applies -omics technologies to guide molecular discovery. While the combined analysis of genomic and metabolomic datasets has proved valuable for identifying natural products and their biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in bacteria, this integrated approach lacks application to fungi. The creation of a linked genomics-metabolomics dataset for 110 Ascomycetes and the optimization of gene cluster family (GCF) networking parameters and correlation-based scoring allowed for pairing fungal natural products with their BGCs. The platform identified associations between various natural products and validated BGCs, uncovering new pathways for future discovery.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Heather L. Winter, Laura Flores-Bocanegra, Kristof B. Cank, William J. Crandall, Fridah C. Rotich, Madeline N. Tillman, Daniel A. Todd, Tyler N. Graf, Huzefa A. Raja, Cedric J. Pearce, Nicholas H. Oberlies, Nadja B. Cech
Summary: Due to resistance, Acinetobacter baumannii is a top priority for drug development according to the World Health Organization. A library of extracts from 2500 fungi was screened for antimicrobial activity against a drug-resistant strain of A. baumannii, and an extract from the fungus Tolypocladium sp. was found to be the most potent. The extract produced pyridoxatin, which may serve as a lead compound for the development of antimicrobials against A. baumannii.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kathleen E. Kyle, Sara P. Puckett, Andres Mauricio Caraballo-Rodriguez, Jose Rivera-Chavez, Robert M. Samples, Cody E. Earp, Huzefa A. Raja, Cedric J. Pearce, Madeleine Ernst, Justin J. J. van der Hooft, Madison E. Adams, Nicholas H. Oberlies, Pieter C. Dorrestein, Jonathan L. Klassen, Marcy J. Balunas
Summary: This study reveals that Trichoderma spp. can act as previously unrecognized pathogens of Trachymyrmex septentrionalis fungus gardens. The ants detect and respond to Trichoderma infections through specific secondary metabolites called peptaibols. This discovery is important for understanding ant fungiculture behavior and the protective mechanisms of fungus gardens.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Robert A. Shepherd, Cody E. Earp, Kristof B. Cank, Huzefa A. Raja, Joanna Burdette, Steven P. Maher, Adriana A. Marin, Anthony A. Ruberto, Sarah Lee Mai, Blaise A. Darveaux, Dennis E. Kyle, Cedric J. Pearce, Nicholas H. Oberlies
Summary: A cyclic pentapeptide called sheptide A was discovered from a strain of Herpotrichiellaceae fungi. It showed antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro, as well as selective cytotoxicity against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
JOURNAL OF ANTIBIOTICS
(2023)
