Corticioid fungi form effused basidiomata with various hymenophore configurations, mostly on woody substrates, and they are presently classified into 15 orders in Agaricomycotina in the phylum ...Basidiomycota. In this review, the corticioid fungi of Japan are treated on the basis of the current classification system, and all currently known species are listed and classified by order. Japanese corticioid fungi number 442 species in 160 genera belonging to 14 orders. Analysis of the distribution of Japanese corticioid species reveals that 375 species (85% of the total) have wide distributions, and that the Japanese corticioid fungal flora is composed of species with diverse patterns of distribution. In the subtropical regions, 146 corticioid species belonging to 77 genera are listed, including 100 species from the Nansei Islands and 76 from the Ogasawara Islands. Although these two island groups are located at similar latitudes, they share only 30 corticioid species―21% of the total reported from the subtropical regions. Along with this summary of the current status, this study presents future directions for the taxonomic research of the Japanese corticioid fungi.
Despite the economic and ecological importance of
Hydnum
species, in vitro synthesis of ectomycorrhizae of this genus has not been reported due to difficulties in establishing pure cultures. We ...inoculated pure cultures of 12 monokaryotic and 3 dikaryotic mycelial strains of an undescribed
Hydnum albidum
-like species on roots of axenic
Pinus densiflora
seedlings to synthesize ectomycorrhizae and to evaluate their mycorrhiza-forming ability. Six months after inoculation, both monokaryotic and dikaryotic strains formed ectomycorrhizae with Hartig net hyphae at the root cortex. Monokaryotic and dikaryotic strains exhibited similar morpho-anatomical characteristics of ectomycorrhizae, with the exception for clamped septa of emanating and outer mantle hyphae in the latter. Between monokaryotic and descendant dikaryotic strains, there were no significant differences in number of mycorrhizae in pine seedlings, whereas monokaryotic strains showed a greater total number of root tips and lower colonization rates than the descendant dikaryotic strains. These results indicate that both monokaryotic and dikaryotic mycelia of the
H. albidum
-like species can form mycorrhizae under axenic condition, and that can be applied toward the cultivation of hedgehog mushrooms.
Physisporinus, a genus in Polyporales, Basidiomycota, is a versatile fungus that lives as a wood decomposer, a potential pathogen of standing trees, and an orchid mycobiont. We previously reported ...that some Physisporinus species inhabiting wet wood in aquatic environments such as streams and waterfalls form synnema-like structures (SSs) bearing acanthophyses at their apices, and that they produce acanthophyses on vegetative hyphae when cultured on agar media. In this study, we investigated the acanthophysis-forming ability in Physisporinus and allied genera, and experimentally demonstrated the function of SSs. Phylogenetic analyses and observations of Meripilus, Physisporinus and Rigidoporus cultures showed that all of the strains forming acanthophyses belonged to Physisporinus, whereas strains of Meripilus and Rigidoporus did not produce acanthophyses. These findings suggest that SS/acanthophysis formation is a useful taxonomic character for members of Physisporinus. When Physisporinus strains were cultured under oxygen (O2) concentrations of 5, 10, 20 and 40%, most of those cultured under 20% O2 formed the most acanthophyses. According to these experimental data, the SSs/acanthophyses in Physisporinus were considered to have a respiratory function. Physisporinus probably acquired the SS/acanthophysis-forming ability to adapt to moist and/or aquatic habitats and to decay wet wood in which the O2 concentration is often low.
The white rot fungus Trametes hirsuta produced ethanol from a variety of hexoses: glucose, mannose, cellobiose and maltose, with yields of 0.49, 0.48, 0.47 and 0.47g/g of ethanol per sugar utilized, ...respectively. In addition, this fungus showed relatively favorable xylose consumption and ethanol production with a yield of 0.44g/g. T. hirsuta was capable of directly fermenting starch, wheat bran and rice straw to ethanol without acid or enzymatic hydrolysis. Maximum ethanol concentrations of 9.1, 4.3 and 3.0g/l, corresponding to 89.2%, 78.8% and 57.4% of the theoretical yield, were obtained when the fungus was grown in a medium containing 20g/l starch, wheat bran or rice straw, respectively. The fermentation of rice straw pretreated with ball milling led to a small improvement in the ethanol yield: 3.4g ethanol/20g ball-milled rice straw. As T. hirsuta is an efficient microorganism capable of hydrolyzing biomass to fermentable sugars and directly converting them to ethanol, it may represent a suitable microorganism in consolidated bioprocessing applications.
We induced basidioma formation of a fungus belonging to the Thelephoraceae that was isolated from the orchid Cephalanthera falcata. The mycobiont was isolated from root, cultured on modified ...Melin-Norkrans medium, and then inoculated onto fine roots of a Quercus serrata (Fagaceae) seedling. After observation of ectomycorrhiza formation, the Q. serrata seedling was grown in a pot. Thirty-six mo after ectomycorrhiza formation, basidioma formation was confirmed at the bottom of the pot. From comparisons in morphological characteristics between the mycobiont and known related Thelephoraceae species, and sequence similarities of internal transcribed spacer region in ribosomal DNA, we identified the mycobiont as Thelephora ellisii sensu lato in Thelephoraceae (Basidiomycota). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the related sequences came from ectomycorrhizae of trees of the Salicaceae, Pinaceae, and Fagaceae distributed in East Asia, the USA, central Africa, and Europe.
•Mycobiont was isolated from the mixotrophic orchid, Cephalanthera falcata.•Basidioma formation of the isolate was induced under artificial condition.•The isolate was identified as species level and phylogenetic status of the isolate was also revealed.•This is a first study to induce basidiomata formation in Thelephoraceae isolate from orchid.
Aleurodiscus sagittisporus sp. nov. is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by producing basidiomata with a monomitic hyphal system, clampless-septate hyphae, arrowhead-shaped, ...amyloid, finely verrucose basidiospores, gloeocystidia, dendrohyphidium-like branched paraphysoid hyphae, and variously shaped swelling cells in the hymenium. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear rDNA LSU and ITS sequences revealed that the species is distinct from the lineage of Aleurodiscus s. str. and related genera in the Aleurodiscus s. lat. clade. Basidiomata of A. sagittisporus have been collected only from dead petioles attached to living trees of Livistona chinensis var. subglobosa on Hachijo Island, Japan.
Since 2011, we have collected fungi that form synnema-like structures (SSs) bearing many acanthophyses at the apex on water-splashed wood in streams in various regions of Japan. A provisional ...phylogenetic analysis of strains isolated from SSs based on their nrDNA sequences implied affinity with Physisporinus (Polyporales, Basidiomycota). However, it has not been reported that this genus forms SSs in freshwater habitats. We found a fungus forming not only SSs on the water-boundary part of wood but also resupinate basidiocarps with poroid hymenophores on nonsubmerged parts, and the morphological characteristics of the basidiocarps matched those of Physisporinus. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between SS-forming fungi and their sexual states by taxonomic approaches. Phylogenetic analyses based on nrDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) sequences indicated that SS-forming fungi diverged into five clades in Physisporinus. Each clade was discriminated by the color of SSs, morphology of acanthophyses, and cultural characteristics. Of the five clades, Clade 1, which consisted only of sequences of strains isolated from SSs and basidiocarps produced on rhizomorphs, was closely related to P. eminens and P. undatus, but the morphology of basidiocarps and the manner of basidiocarp development differed. Clade 5 was closely related to P. castanopsidis, P. crocatus, P. pouzarii, P. sanguinolentus, P. subcrocatus, P. tibeticus, and P. vitreus, but the basidiocarp morphology differed. Therefore, Clades 1 and 5 were described as two new species. Regarding Clades 2, 3, and 4, further taxonomic studies with additional specimens are required. SS and acanthophysis formation in wet habitats in streams and in culture could be recognized as new taxonomic and ecological characters of Physisporinus.
Fifty-one fungal isolates were screened for their biological pretreatment of bamboo culms (Phyllostachys pubescence) by enzymatic saccharification. These fungi were isolated from the interior of ...decayed bamboo culms or from basidiomata on bamboo culms. The white rot basidiomycete Punctularia sp. TUFC20056 and an unidentified basidiomycete TUFC20057 showed high lignin degradation (>50%) and high lignin/holocellulose loss ratios (>6) after 12 weeks of treatment. Other Punctularia sp. strains also showed high lignin/holocellulose ratios (>4). In residual component of Punctularia sp. TUFC20056-treated bamboo, glucose and total sugar were increased (42.9 ± 10.9 and 60.3 ± 16.1%, respectively). Pretreatment of bamboo culms with Punctularia sp. TUFC20056 improved the effect of enzymatic hydrolysis. Total reducing sugar yields reached 10.1 ± 1.2% with 1 month of treatment, and higher than that of two famous white rot fungi. Punctularia sp. TUFC20056 may be suitable for the biological pretreatment of bamboo for bioethanol production.
► Punctularia sp. TUFC20056 that preferentially remove lignin from bamboo was obtained. ► 53.3% of lignin was removed from bamboo by Punctularia sp. TUFC20056. ► Pretreatment of bamboo with the fungus improved total sugar yield to 10.1%. ► We propose Punctularia sp. TUFC20056 is suitable for fermentation of bamboo.
Entoloma clypeatum
species complex (ECSC) forms ectomycorrhiza-like roots (EMLR) with host plant species of Rosaceae or Ulmaceae. The EMLR colonized with ECSC are characterized by a thick fungal ...mantle, absence of a Hartig net structure, and collapse of the apical meristem caused by hyphal invasion. Some researchers have suggested parasitism of ECSC because of this unique mode of colonization; however, the nature of the interaction between ECSC and host plants has not been investigated in co-culture because of the difficulty of culturing this group of fungi. We established a procedure to synthesize EMLR of ECSC on pear seedlings using fungal cultures. Three conspecific strains of ECSC isolated from basidiospores and one strain isolated from EMLR were tested. Cultured mycelia were inoculated onto a modified Norkrans’ C (MNC) or Hyponex-yeast-glucose (HYG) medium slant on the bottom of a polycarbonate jar and covered with autoclaved andosol or a vermiculite/sphagnum moss mixture (VSM); an axenically cultivated
Pyrus betulifolia
seedling was then planted in the jar. Five months after inoculation, the formation of EMLR with Hartig net-like hyphae was confirmed in all of the experimental plots. However, the rate of root colonization was significantly higher in experimental plots using andosol than in those using VSM. The growth of pear seedlings was similar irrespective of the level of root colonization, suggesting commensalism rather than parasitism of ECSC. One experimental plot using strain A3, an MNC slant, and andosol as a substrate produced ECSC fruiting bodies with mature basidia and basidiospores. The results suggested that our procedure enables the synthesis of EMLR of ECSC and cultivation of their fruiting bodies.
We describe two new species of resupinate Sistotrema sensu lato (Cantharellales) collected in Japan: S. flavorhizomorphae and S. chloroporum. Both species have urniform basidia with more than four ...sterigmata and monomitic hyphal system, oil-rich hyphae in subiculum, which is typical for this genus. Sistotrema chloroporum is characterized by poroid hymenophore partly yellowish-green, basidia 4-6-spored, medium-sized basidiospores (4.5-6.5 × 3.5-6 µm), and broadleaf forest habitat. Sistotrema flavorhizomorphae is characterized by hydnoid-irpicoid hymenophore, bright yellowish rhizomorphs, basidia 6-8-spored, small basidiospores (3-3.5 × 2.5-3 µm), and pine forest habitat. Phylogenetic trees inferred from the fungal nrDNA ITS and LSU and the rpb2 sequences supported that both species were distinct and grouped with other ectomycorrhizal Sistotrema and Hydnum species, but their generic boundary was unclear. Mycorrhizae underneath basidiomes of both species were identified and described via molecular techniques. Mycorrhizae of S. chloroporum have similar characteristics to those of other Sistotrema s.l. and Hydnum species, i.e., S. confluens and H. repandum, whereas S. flavorhizomorphae has a distinct morpho-anatomy, for example, a distinct pseudoparenchymatous mantle. Comprehensive characterizations of basidiomes and mycorrhizae improve the taxonomic analysis of mycorrhizal species of Sistotrema s.l.