Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Galena Angelova, Petya Stefanova, Mariya Brazkova, Albert Krastanov
Summary: This study reports the first isolation of Xylaria karsticola from the basidiocarp of Macrolepiota procera in Bulgaria and the second report of the species in Europe. The isolated fungal strain was identified as Xylaria karsticola based on morphology and molecular analysis. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate was closely related to other Xylaria karsticola isolates, although its DNA sequence showed some differences.
Article
Mycology
Javier Isaac de la Fuente, Jesus Garcia-Jimenez, Tania Raymundo, Marcos Sanchez-Flores, Ricardo Valenzuela, Gonzalo Guevara-Guerrero, Erika Cecilia Perez-Ovando, Cesar Ramiro Martinez-Gonzalez
Summary: Two new species of sequestrate fungi from south Mexico are described, Elaphomyces castilloi characterized by yellowish mycelial mat, dull blue gleba, and ascospores of 9.7-11.5 μm and Entoloma secotioides characterized by secotioid basidiomata, sulcate, pale cream pileus, and basidiospores of 7-13 x 5-9 μm. These fungi grow in montane cloud forest under Quercus sp. in Chiapas, Mexico. Descriptions, photographs, and multilocus phylogeny are provided.
Review
Mycology
Mao-Qiang He, Rui-Lin Zhao, Dong-Mei Liu, Teodor T. Denchev, Dominik Begerow, Andrey Yurkov, Martin Kemler, Ana M. Millanes, Mats Wedin, A. R. McTaggart, Roger G. Shivas, Bart Buyck, Jie Chen, Alfredo Vizzini, Viktor Papp, Ivan Zmitrovich, Naveed Davoodian, Kevin D. Hyde
Summary: This study reviews the species diversity of Basidiomycota in different lifestyles and habitats, highlighting the higher publication rate of new species in lichenicolous yeast-like taxa and the lower discovery rate of plant parasitic basidiomycetes. The establishment of a comprehensive taxonomic system through a global initiative by mycologists is found to be important for promoting and standardizing the recognition of taxa. Estimates suggest that over 54,000 species of Basidiomycota will be discovered by 2030, highlighting the significant gap between described and unknown diversity in this phylum.
Article
Biology
Fabiola Lucini, Guilherme Afonso Kessler de Andrade, Filipe de Carvalho Victoria, Margeli Pereira de Albuquerque
Summary: This study characterized fungi isolated from the leaves of two plant species in Antarctica. The identified fungi were associated with the plants and showed characteristics of both plant pathogens and endophytic fungi. These findings provide important information about the relationship between endemic Antarctic biota.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joana O. P. A. Coutinho, Taynara S. Peixoto, Graciele C. A. de Menezes, Camila R. Carvalho, Mayara B. Ogaki, Eldon C. Q. Gomes, Carlos A. Rosa, Luiz H. Rosa, Rosa M. E. Arantes, Jacques R. Nicoli, Fabiana C. P. Tiago, Flaviano S. Martins
Summary: This study aimed to screen putative probiotics among 254 yeasts isolated from Antarctica, and two yeasts, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UFMGCB 18377 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFMGCB 11120, were selected for in vivo evaluation using mice challenged with S. Typhimurium. The results indicated that R. mucilaginosa UFMGCB 18377 presented probiotic potential by protecting mice against Salmonella infection. This is the first study to screen yeasts from Antarctic environments and of Rhodotorula genus for probiotic use.
PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Hong-Min Zhou, Hong-Gao Liu, Genevieve M. Gates, Fang Wu, Yu-Cheng Dai, Jerry A. Cooper
Summary: Four new species of toothed jelly fungus have been discovered in samples from Asia and Oceania, along with a new combination of a previously known species. These new taxa can be differentiated based on their morphology, hosts, and geographical distribution.
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
Microbiology
Yun-Lin Xu, Yan Tian, Shuang-Hui He
Summary: In this study, we conducted a taxonomic and phylogenetic study on Peniophora. Through analysis of ITS and 28S sequence data of all available species, we found that Peniophora should be considered a large genus instead of three small genera. We also discovered four new species. This study reveals the rich species diversity of corticioid fungi in Asia and calls for further research.
Article
Microbiology
Kai-Yue Luo, Zhuo-Yue Chen, Chang-Lin Zhao
Summary: This study discovered three new fungal species in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China, and identified their taxonomic positions through morphology and phylogenetic analysis. Additionally, further research on the phylogeny at the genus level suggested that six genera should accommodate members of Hyphodontia sensu lato.
Review
Mycology
Nalin N. Wijayawardene, Alan J. L. Phillips, Diana Santos Pereira, Dong-Qin Dai, Andre Aptroot, Josiane S. Monteiro, Irina S. Druzhinina, Feng Cai, Xinlei Fan, Laura Selbmann, Claudia Coleine, Rafael F. Castaneda-Ruiz, Martin Kukwa, Adam Flakus, Patricia Oliveira Fiuza, Paul M. Kirk, Kunhiraman C. Rajesh Kumar, Ilesha S. Ieperuma Arachchi, Nakarin Suwannarach, Li-Zhou Tang, Teun Boekhout, Chen Shuhui Tan, R. P. Prabath K. Jayasinghe, Marco Thines
Summary: Asexually reproducing fungi play significant roles in ecosystems and have implications for plant and animal health, food production, biotechnology, and medicine. However, the diversity and extent of asexually reproducing taxa are not well-known. Recent reports suggest that there may be more asexual fungi than sexually-reproducing ones. Evaluating the diversity of different types of fungi, such as speciose and pleomorphic taxa, as well as those from less studied life modes and biodiversity-rich areas, is necessary to obtain more reliable estimates.
Article
Forestry
Jiri Kout, Fang Wu
Summary: A new species of wood-inhabiting fungus, Auricularia cerrina, was discovered and characterized through morphological and molecular methods. It shows distinct differences from other Auricularia species and a preliminary phylogenetic analysis was conducted.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Adam Staniszewski, Monika Kordowska-Wiater
Summary: One approach to maintaining a healthy microbiota in the human gastrointestinal tract is through the consumption of probiotics. This study examined the probiotic potential of yeast strains isolated from Polish wines. The tested strains belonged to six different species and were evaluated for their probiotic properties, safety, enzymatic activity, and antioxidant properties. The results showed that certain strains of H. uvarum, M. pulcherrima, and S. cerevisiae exhibited promising probiotic characteristics.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Camelia Filofteia Diguta, Constanta Mihai, Radu Cristian Toma, Carmen Cimpeanu, Florentina Matei
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the probiotic potential of three yeast strains isolated from agro-food natural sources, comparing them with a reference Saccharomyces boulardii. The yeast strains showed tolerance to different temperatures, salt concentrations, and pH ranges. S. cerevisiae BB06 exhibited strong antagonistic activity, high auto-aggregation ability, good surface hydrophobicity, and excellent antioxidant properties. The yeast strains also demonstrated resistance to antibacterial antibiotics and high survival rates during freeze-drying. Among them, S. cerevisiae BB06 was found to have valuable probiotic traits.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Douglas M. Couceiro, Sheyla Regina M. Couceiro
Summary: Hymenochaetales and Polyporales are important macrofungi for the maintenance of tropical forests, as they are directly involved in the nutrient cycling of wood decomposition. Through collection studies in the Brazilian Amazon region, 91 species were identified, and their association with environmental conditions was discovered.
ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Massimo Iorizzo, Francesca Coppola, Francesco Letizia, Bruno Testa, Elena Sorrentino
Summary: In the beer industry today, the quality of beer is closely tied to the fermentation activity of yeasts, with researchers and brewers now focusing on selecting new yeast strains with specific technological and metabolic characteristics to meet the growing demand for innovative and specialty beers. Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts are being used in brewing to produce beers with unique properties, highlighting a new biotechnological approach in the field of beer production.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
D. Libkind, D. Peris, F. A. Cubillos, J. L. Steenwyk, D. A. Opulente, Q. K. Langdon, A. Rokas, C. T. Hittinger
FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
(2020)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
D. Libkind, N. Cadez, D. A. Opulente, Q. K. Langdon, C. A. Rosa, J. P. Sampaio, P. Goncalves, C. T. Hittinger, M. A. Lachance
FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Kimberly Schmitt, James Curlin, Leila Remling-Mulder, Ryan Moriarty, Kelly Goff, Shelby O'Connor, Mark Stenglein, Preston Marx, Ramesh Akkina
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Virology
Ryan V. Moriarty, Nicolas Fesser, Matthew S. Sutton, Vanessa Venturi, Miles P. Davenport, Timothy Schlub, Shelby L. O'Connor
Summary: This study modified a multiplex PCR and sequencing approach to characterize populations of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) isolated from nonhuman primates. The results showed that increasing starting template numbers improved reproducibility and decreased false positive identification, especially when using cDNA as the starting material. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the importance of rigorously validating methods to prevent overinterpretation of low frequency variants in a sample.
Review
Virology
Ryan V. Moriarty, Amy L. Ellis, Shelby L. O'Connor
Summary: Tuberculosis is a common disease, and its replication is often uncontrolled during HIV infection. MAIT cells may help control mycobacterial infections, but there are still gaps in research in this area.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abigail Leavitt LaBella, Dana A. Opulente, Jacob L. Steenwyk, Chris Todd Hittinger, Antonis Rokas
Summary: Reverse ecology involves inferring ecological information from patterns of genomic variation, with a focus on codon optimality. The study found a positive correlation between optimal codon usage in the galactose metabolism pathway and quantitative growth on galactose, as well as associations with human-associated and dairy-associated ecological niches in yeasts. This suggests that codon optimization can provide insights into the metabolic ecology of microbial eukaryotes, particularly for studying fungal dark matter species.
Article
Immunology
Erica C. Larson, Amy Ellis-Connell, Mark A. Rodgers, Alexis J. Balgeman, Ryan Moriarty, Cassaundra L. Ameel, Tonilynn M. Baranowski, Jaime A. Tomko, Chelsea M. Causgrove, Pauline Maiello, Shelby L. O'Connor, Charles A. Scanga
Summary: SIV infection exacerbates TB disease in HIV-infected individuals, influencing T cell responses and causing rapid progression of TB.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Ellie K. Bohm, Jennifer T. Vangorder-Braid, Anna S. Jaeger, Ryan Moriarty, John J. Baczenas, Natalie C. Bennett, Shelby L. O'Connor, Michael K. Fritsch, Nicole A. Fuhler, Kevin K. Noguchi, Matthew T. Aliota
Summary: Zika virus causes congenital Zika syndrome with varying rates of adverse fetal outcomes in different regions. Research indicates that differences in ZIKV strains may impact phenotypic outcomes, highlighting the importance of understanding underlying mechanisms. This understanding is critical in comprehending global implications of ZIKV infection during pregnancy.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Simon G. P. Funnell, Babak Afrough, John James Baczenas, Neil Berry, Kevin R. Bewley, Rebecca Bradford, Clint Florence, Yann Le Duff, Mark Lewis, Ryan Moriarty, Shelby L. O. Connor, Karen L. Osman, Steven Pullan, Sujatha Rashid, Kevin S. Richards, Kimberly J. Stemple, Ivana Knezevic
Summary: Serial propagation of SARS-CoV-2 in Vero cells leads to rapid genetic variants increase, while propagation in other cell lines mitigates this risk, improving overall genetic stability of working stocks. Researchers are advised to monitor genetic variants carefully when propagating SARS-CoV-2 in Vero cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryan Moriarty, Athena E. Golfinos, Dane D. Gellerup, Hannah Schweigert, Jaffna Mathiaparanam, Alexis J. Balgeman, Andrea M. Weiler, Thomas C. Friedrich, Brandon F. Keele, Miles P. Davenport, Vanessa Venturi, Shelby L. O'Connor
Summary: Little is known about how specific individual viral lineages persist during acute HIV/SIV infection into chronic infection. This study used molecularly barcoded SIV to track distinct viral lineages in macaques and found that the challenge route may restrict the transmission of individual viral lineages. Additionally, the emergence of escape variants in acutely targeted epitopes can occur on multiple virus templates simultaneously, but elimination of some templates may be due to additional host factors.
Article
Microbiology
Ryan Moriarty, Mark A. Rodgers, Amy L. Ellis, Alexis J. Balgeman, Erica C. Larson, Forrest Hopkins, Michael R. Chase, Pauline Maiello, Sarah M. Fortune, Charles A. Scanga, Shelby L. O'Connor
Summary: Individuals co-infected with HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are more likely to develop severe tuberculosis (TB) disease. Chronic pre-existing SIV infection impairs the immune response to Mtb, leading to increased Mtb dissemination and T cell dysfunction. These findings are important for understanding the pathophysiology of HIV and TB co-infection.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Max A. B. Haase, Jacek Kominek, Dana A. Opulente, Xing-Xing Shen, Abigail L. LaBella, Xiaofan Zhou, Jeremy DeVirgilio, Amanda Beth Hulfachor, Cletus P. Kurtzman, Antonis Rokas, Chris Todd Hittinger
Summary: Dollo's law suggests that evolutionary losses are irreversible, but a study on yeast shows that traits lost millions of years ago can be reacquired through horizontal gene transfer, demonstrating that reversals to ancestral states are possible.