Abstract
Paecilomyces lilacinus was described more than a century ago and is a commonly occurring fungus in soil. However, in the last decade this fungus has been increasingly found as the causal ...agent of infections in man and other vertebrates. Most cases of disease are described from patients with compromised immune systems or intraocular lens implants. In this study, we compared clinical isolates with strains isolated from soil, insects and nematodes using 18S rRNA gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF) sequences. Our data show that P. lilacinus is not related to Paecilomyces, represented by the well-known thermophilic and often pathogenic Paecilomyces variotii. The new genus name Purpureocillium is proposed for P. lilacinus and the new combination Purpureocillium lilacinum is made here. Furthermore, the examined Purpureocillium lilacinum isolated grouped in two clades based on ITS and partial TEF sequences. The ITS and TEF sequences of the Purpureocillium lilacinum isolates used for biocontrol of nematode pests are identical to those causing infections in (immunocompromised) humans. The use of high concentrations of Purpureocillium lilacinum spores for biocontrol poses a health risk in immunocompromised humans and more research is needed to determine the pathogenicity factors of Purpureocillium lilacinum.
Cordyceps, comprising over 400 species, was historically classified in the Clavicipitaceae, based on cylindrical asci, thickened ascus apices and filiform ascospores, which often disarticulate into ...part-spores. Cordyceps was characterized by the production of well-developed often stipitate stromata and an ecology as a pathogen of arthropods and Elaphomyces with infrageneric classifications emphasizing arrangement of perithecia, ascospore morphology and host affiliation. To refine the classification of Cordyceps and the Clavicipitaceae, the phylogenetic relationships of 162 taxa were estimated based on analyses consisting of five to seven loci, including the nuclear ribosomal small and large subunits (nrSSU and nrLSU), the elongation factor 1α (tef1), the largest and the second largest subunits of RNA polymerase II (rpb1 and rpb2), β-tubulin (tub), and mitochondrial ATP6 (atp6). Our results strongly support the existence of three clavicipitaceous clades and reject the monophyly of both Cordyceps and Clavicipitaceae. Most diagnostic characters used in current classifications of Cordyceps (e.g., arrangement of perithecia, ascospore fragmentation, etc.) were not supported as being phylogenetically informative; the characters that were most consistent with the phylogeny were texture, pigmentation and morphology of stromata. Therefore, we revise the taxonomy of Cordyceps and the Clavicipitaceae to be consistent with the multi-gene phylogeny. The family Cordycipitaceae is validated based on the type of Cordyceps, C. militaris, and includes most Cordyceps species that possess brightly coloured, fleshy stromata. The new family Ophiocordycipitaceae is proposed based on Ophiocordyceps Petch, which we emend. The majority of species in this family produce darkly pigmented, tough to pliant stromata that often possess aperithecial apices. The new genus Elaphocordyceps is proposed for a subclade of the Ophiocordycipitaceae, which includes all species of Cordyceps that parasitize the fungal genus Elaphomyces and some closely related species that parasitize arthropods. The family Clavicipitaceae s. s. is emended and includes the core clade of grass symbionts (e.g., Balansia, Claviceps, Epichloë, etc.), and the entomopathogenic genus Hypocrella and relatives. In addition, the new genus Metacordyceps is proposed for Cordyceps species that are closely related to the grass symbionts in the Clavicipitaceae s. s. Metacordyceps includes teleomorphs linked to Metarhizium and other closely related anamorphs. Two new species are described, and lists of accepted names for species in Cordyceps, Elaphocordyceps, Metacordyceps and Ophiocordyceps are provided.
Taxonomic novelties: New family: Ophiocordycipitaceae G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora. New genera: Elaphocordyceps G.H. Sung & Spatafora, Metacordyceps G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora. New species: Metacordyceps yongmunensis G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora; Ophiocordyceps communis Hywel-Jones & Samson. New combinations: Cordyceps confragosa (Mains) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, C. ninchukispora (C.H. Su & H.-H. Wang) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora; Elaphocordycepscapitata (Holmsk.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. delicatistipitata (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. fracta (Mains) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. inegoënsis (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. intermedia (S. Imai) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung& Spatafora, E. japonica (Lloyd) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung& Spatafora, E. jezoënsis (S. Imai) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. longisegmentis (Ginns) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. minazukiensis (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. miomoteana (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. ophioglossoides (Ehrh.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. paradoxa (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. ramosa (Teng) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. rouxii (Cand.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. subsessilis (Petch) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. szemaoënsis (M. Zang) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. tenuispora (Mains) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. toriharamontana (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. valliformis (Mains) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. valvatistipitata (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. virens (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora; infraspecific: E. intermedia f. michinokuënsis (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora, E. ophioglossoides f.alba (Kobayasi & Shimizu ex Y.J. Yao) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung& Spatafora, E. ophioglossoides f. cuboides (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora; Metacordycepsbrittlebankisoides (Z.Y. Liu, Z.Q. Liang, Whalley, Y.J. Yao & A.Y. Liu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, M. campsosterni (W.M. Zhang & T. H. Li) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, M. chlamydosporia (H.C. Evans) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, M. liangshanensis (M. Zang, D. Liu & R. Hu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, M. taii (Z.Q. Liang & A.Y. Liu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora; Ophiocordycepsagriotidis (A. Kawam.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. ainictos (A. Möller) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. amazonica (Henn.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. aphodii (Mathieson) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones& Spatafora, O. appendiculata (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. arachneicola (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. arbuscula (Teng) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. armeniaca (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. asyuënsis (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. aurantia (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. australis (Speg.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. barnesii (Thwaites) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones& Spatafora, O. bicephala (Berk.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. bispora (Stifler) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. brunneipunctata (Hywel-Jones) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. cantharelloides (Samson & H.C. Evans) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. carabidicola (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. cicadicola (Teng) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. clavata (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. coccidiicola (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. coccigena (Tul. & C. Tul.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. cochlidiicola (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. corallomyces (A. Möller) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. crassispora (M. Zang, D. R. Yang & C.D. Li) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. crinalis (Ellis ex Lloyd) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. cucumispora (H.C. Evans & Samson) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. curculionum (Tul. & C. Tul.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. cusu (Pat.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. cylindrostromata (Z.Q. Liang, A.Y. Liu & M.H. Liu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. dayiensis (Z.Q. Liang) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. dermapterigena (Z.Q. Liang, A.Y. Liu & M.H. Liu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. dipterigena (Berk. & Broome) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones& Spatafora, O. discoideicapitata (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. ditmarii (Quél.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. dovei (Rodway) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. elateridicola (Kobayasi& Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. elongata (Petch) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. elongatiperitheciata (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. elongatistromata (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. emeiensis (A.Y. Liu & Z.Q. Liang) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. engleriana (Henn.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. entomorrhiza (Dicks.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. evdogeorgiae (Koval) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. falcata (Berk.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. falcatoides (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. fasciculatistromata (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. ferruginosa (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. filiformis (Moureau) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones& Spatafora, O. formicarum (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. forquignonii (Quél.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. furcicaudata (Z.Q. Liang, A.Y. Liu & M.H. Liu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. gansuënsis (K. Zhang, C. Wang & M. Yan) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. geniculata (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. gentilis (Ces.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. glaziovii (Henn.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. goniophora (Speg.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. gracilioides (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones& Spatafora, O. gracilis (Grev.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. heteropoda (Kobayasi) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. hiugensis (Kobayasi & Shimizu) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. huberiana (Henn.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. humbertii (C.P. Robin) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, O. insignis (Cooke & Ravenel) G.H. Sung, J.M.
During the course of our search for novel biologically active metabolites from tropical fungi, we are using chemotaxonomic and taxonomic methodology for the preselection of interesting materials. ...Recently, three previously undescribed benzo
fluoranthenes (
-
) together with the known derivatives truncatones A and C (
,
) were isolated from the stromata of the recently described species
collected in Thailand. Their chemical structures were elucidated by means of spectral methods, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS). The new compounds, for which we propose the trivial names viridistratins A-C, exhibited weak-to-moderate antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities in cell-based assays.
Two new ascochlorin derivatives, nectchlorins A (1) and B (2), together with eight known compounds (3-10), were isolated from cultures of the leafhopper pathogen Microcera sp. BCC 17074. The ...structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data. The absolute configuration of 2 was determined by application of the modified Mosher's method. The absolute configuration of LL-Z 1272α epoxide (9), which is a plausible biosynthetic precursor of ascochlorins, was established by chemical correlations. Cytotoxic activities of these ascochlorin derivatives were evaluated.
The frequent occurrence of mushroom poisoning cases in the wet season in Thailand has long been recognized but has never been quantitatively analyzed. This study aims to analyze mushroom poisoning ...cases in Thailand between 2003 and 2017 and focused on their association with the rainfall. The results revealed 22,571 cases and 106 deaths in this period. Cases were higher for females than males, adults than children, and agriculturists than people in other occupations. Cases were higher in the northeastern and northern regions than in the central, south, and east regions. There are strong effects of seasonality on mushroom poisoning cases. Over the 15-y period, 17,337 cases occurred in the wet season (May-Sep) compared with 5,234 cases in the dry season (Oct-Apr). The number of monthly poisoning cases were high in men, mature adults, agriculturists, people living in the rural areas and people living in the Northeastern and Northern provinces. Moreover, a strong positive correlation was shown between the number of monthly poisoning cases and the amount of monthly rainfall.
Thailand is known to be a part of what is called the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, hosting a vast array of organisms across its diverse ecosystems. This is reflected by the increasing number of ...new species described over time, especially fungi. However, a very few fungal species from the specialized spider-parasitic genus
Gibellula
have ever been reported from this region. A survey of invertebrate-pathogenic fungi in Thailand over several decades has led to the discovery of a number of fungal specimens with affinities to this genus. Integration of morphological traits into multi-locus phylogenetic analysis uncovered four new species:
G. cebrennini
,
G. fusiformispora
,
G. pigmentosinum
, and
G. scorpioides
. All these appear to be exclusively linked with torrubiella-like sexual morphs with the presence of granulomanus-like asexual morph in
G. pigmentosinum
and
G. cebrennini
. A remarkably high host specificity of these new species towards their spider hosts was revealed, and for the first time, evidence is presented for manipulation of host behavior in
G. scorpioides
.
The genus Stromatoneurospora was erected in 1973 by Jong and Davis to accommodate the pyrophilic pyrenomycete Sphaeria phoenix and has traditionally been placed in the family Xylariaceae based on ...morphological features. However, no living culture of this genus has so far been available in the public domain. Molecular data were restricted to an internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence that only confirmed the familial position, and was generated from a strain that is not deposited in a public culture collection. We have recently collected fresh material and were able to culture this fungus from Thailand. The secondary metabolites of this strains were analysed after fermentation in multiple media. The the prominent components of these fermentation were purified, using preparative chromatography. Aside from two new eremophilane sesquiterpenoids named phoenixilanes A–B (1–2), four other components that are known from species of the xylariaceous genera Xylaria and Poronia were identified by spectral methods (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry). Notably, (−)-(R)-6-hydroxy-3-methyl-4-dihydroisocoumarin-5-carboxylic acid (6) has not been reported as a natural product before. Moreover, DNA sequences of Stromatoneurospora phoenix clustered with members of the genera Poronia and Podosordaria in a multi-locus molecular phylogeny. These results confirmed that the genus belongs to the same evolutionary lineage as the coprophilic Xylariaceae. The results also suggest that this lineage has evolved independently from the plant-inhabiting saprotrophs and endophytes that are closely related to the genus Xylaria. These findings are discussed in relation to some theories about the endophytic vs. the pyrophilic/coprophilic fungal life style.
Ophiocordycipitaceae is a diverse family comprising ecologically, economically, medicinally, and culturally important fungi. The family was recognized due to the polyphyly of the genus Cordyceps and ...the broad diversity of the mostly arthropod-pathogenic lineages of Hypocreales. The other two cordyceps-like families, Cordycipitaceae and Clavicipitaceae, will be revised taxonomically elsewhere. Historically, many species were placed in Cordyceps, but other genera have been described in this family as well, including several based on anamorphic features. Currently there are 24 generic names in use across both asexual and sexual life stages for species of Ophiocordycipitaceae. To reflect changes in Art. 59 in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), we propose to protect and to suppress names within Ophiocordycipitaceae, and to present taxonomic revisions in the genus Tolypocladium, based on rigorous and extensively sampled molecular phylogenetic analyses. When approaching this task, we considered the principles of priority, monophyly, minimizing taxonomic revisions, and the practical utility of these fungi within the wider biological research community.
During the rainy season in Thailand, specimens of coral fungi were collected from community forests in Chiang Mai and Kalasin Provinces. The species presented here,
Trechispora khokpasiensis
,
T
.
...saluangensis
, and
T
.
sanpapaoensis
are characterized by coralloid basidiomata and described as new taxa in
Hydnodontaceae
(
Trechisporales
) based on analyses of their morphological characters and phylogenetic relationships from the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU) as well as the internal transcribed spacer regions’ (ITS) sequence data. Morphological descriptions and illustrations, including color photographs, line drawings and phylogenetic trees, are presented. Comparisons with similar species are also provided.
A new cyclohexadepsipeptide, conoideocrellide A (1), its linear derivatives, conoideocrellides B−D (2−4), three new hopane triterpenoids (5−7), two new bioxanthracenes (9 and 10), and a new ...isocoumarin glycoside (13) were isolated from the scale insect pathogenic fungus Conoideocrella tenuis BCC 18627. Biological activities of the new compounds were evaluated.