Fungal spores and plant pollen cause respiratory diseases in susceptible individuals, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Aeroallergen monitoring networks are an ...important part of treatment strategies, but unfortunately traditional analysis is time consuming and expensive. We have explored the use of infrared spectroscopy of pollen and spores for an inexpensive and rapid characterization of aeroallergens.
The study is based on measurement of spore and pollen samples by single reflectance attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SR-ATR FTIR). The experimental set includes 71 spore (Basidiomycota) and 121 pollen (Pinales, Fagales and Poales) samples. Along with fresh basidiospores, the study has been conducted on the archived samples collected within the last 50 years.
The spectroscopic-based methodology enables clear spectral differentiation between pollen and spores, as well as the separation of confamiliar and congeneric species. In addition, the analysis of the scattering signals inherent in the infrared spectra indicates that the FTIR methodology offers indirect estimation of morphology of pollen and spores. The analysis of fresh and archived spores shows that chemical composition of spores is well preserved even after decades of storage, including the characteristic taxonomy-related signals. Therefore, biochemical analysis of fungal spores by FTIR could provide economical, reliable and timely methodologies for improving fungal taxonomy, as well as for fungal identification and monitoring. This proof of principle study shows the potential for using FTIR as a rapid tool in aeroallergen studies. In addition, the presented method is ready to be immediately implemented in biological and ecological studies for direct measurement of pollen and spores from flowers and sporocarps.
This paper investigates the composition of major, trace, and rare earth elements in 15 different species of wild edible mushrooms and the possible effect of urban pollution on elemental uptake. The ...collected mushrooms include different species from the green areas of the city, exposed to urban pollution, and from the forests, with limited anthropogenic influence. Through a comprehensive approach that included the analysis of 46 elements, an attempt was made to expand knowledge about element uptake by mushroom fruiting bodies. The results showed a wide variability in the composition of mushrooms, suggesting a number of factors influencing their element uptake capacity. The data obtained do not indicate significant exposure to anthropogenic influences, regardless of sampling location. While major elements' levels appear to be influenced more by species-specific affinities, this is not true for trace elements, whose levels presumably reflect the geochemical characteristics of the sampling site. However, the risk assessment showed that consumption of excessive amounts of the mushrooms studied, both from urban areas and from forests, may have adverse health effects.
The lignicolous saprotrophic genus Entonaema contains six formally accepted species: E. liquescens (type species), E. cinnabarinum, E. globosum, E. dengii, E. moluccanum, and E. siamensis. Its ...stromatic ascomata develop on the surface of dead wood remnants; they are rather large, globose to irregularly shaped, and vividly coloured. The fresh stroma interior is filled with a liquid matter. In early studies, the genus was considered to have a preference for tropical habitats, while in more recent field research, numerous collections have been added from warm, temperate areas of Europe, North America, and Asia. Our taxonomic and phylogenetic studies were based on freshly collected E. cinnabarinum from Croatia and E. liquescens from the USA. A phylogenetic study of the sequence alignment of four concatenated gene regions (ITS, LSU, rpb2, and β-tub) revealed the true taxonomic position of Entonaema within Hypoxylaceae (Xylariales), a sister to Hypoxylon carneum. Detailed macroscopic and microscopic descriptions of E. cinnabarinum are accompanied by drawings and colour photographs, while the study of E. liquescens is focused on stromatal microchemical reaction. With new information, the worldwide identification key to the putative species of Entonaema is proposed. Ecological data and biogeographical patterns were studied using all available and reliable sources of recorded data. Climatic preferences of the two most widespread Entonaema species, E. liquescens and E. cinnabarinum, are discussed in detail.
Mushrooms or macrofungi comprise 15,000 species with visible sporocarps. Many of them are used for culinary purposes and in traditional medicine. Only a small fraction of the overall estimated fungal ...diversity has been explored for bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to analyze bioactive compounds in 23 samples of less studied wild mushrooms from Croatia. Their identification was difficult just using the conventional morphological approach so, it was complemented with molecular identification using DNA barcoding. The integrated approach allowed an identification of 14 different species and two species belonging to species complexes. All samples were evaluated for polyphenolic, alkaloid, and triterpenoid compounds and their antioxidant activity was determined. Psathyrella piluliformis, stands out as a species with the highest phenolic acid and alkaloids content as well as the highest antioxidant activity. Using multivariate statistical analysis, grouping of samples from the same species grown at different localities close to each other was noticed. The results suggested that production of bioactive compounds may be under genetic influence and especially alkaloids may be good chemotaxonomic markers. Therefore, correct species identification of mushrooms should preferably be done using a combination of morphological and molecular approaches.
Seventeen collections of the genus Parasola from Croatia were studied with integrative taxonomic methods. Parasola papillatospora is described as a new species, based on morphology and multigene ...phylogenetic analyses. Its basidiomata were growing on soil in temperate deciduous forests (Quercus petraea, Fagus sylvatica, and Carpinus betulus) on two different localities in NW Croatia. Based on publicly available molecular data, the species is also recorded in Hungary. The most distinctive morphological features of the new species are the characteristics of its basidiospores, (1) the papillate apex and (2) central germ pore (both present in most spores), as well as (3) a highly variable shape. A morphological description of P. papillatospora is accompanied by colour photographs of basidiomata, basidiospores, and cystidia. In this study, a total of 64 DNA sequences from 17 specimens belonging to 10 Parasola species were newly generated. As a result of Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated ITS, LSU, tef-1α, and β-tub gene alignment of Parasola species, P. papillatospora was resolved as an independent clade, a sister to the clade comprising the P. plicatilis species complex. Eight Parasola species (P. auricoma, P. crataegi, P. cuniculorum, P. kuehneri, P. malakandensis, P. megasperma, P. nudiceps, P. plicatilis-similis) are reported for the first time for Croatia and P. malakandensis also for Europe. Colour photographs of basidiomata are provided for all Parasola species new to Croatia except P. kuehneri.
Two genera (Chamaemyces and Hydropus) and 20 species of fungi were recorded for the first time for the Montenegrin funga (mycobiota), comprising 27 records from seven municipalities. Basic ...geographical and ecological data are given for all the records. Each species is shown with a photograph of the basidiomata in the field and is briefly annotated.
Integrative taxonomic studies of macrofungal diversity in the Brijuni National Park (Istria County, Croatia) led to the discovery of a second species of Inocybe (Agaricales, Inocybaceae) new to ...science. Inocybe istriaca sp. nov. is described on the basis of morphological, ecological, and multigene phylogenetic analyses, and its placement within the family Inocybaceae is discussed. The combination of most important morphological characters that distinguish I. istriaca from the other similar Inocybe species are smooth, (sub)amygdaliform, (sub)phaseoliform, or ellipsoid basidiospores (ca. 8.5–12 × 5–7 μm), large basidia (36–45 × 9–15 μm), mostly (sub)fusiform and weakly thick-walled (up to 1.5 μm) metuloid pleurocystidia, and lamellar edge and stipe apex partially covered by a dark resinous substance. The species was collected on the edge of grassland and Mediterranean evergreen holm oak (Quercus ilex) forest. In this study, a total of 14 DNA sequences from four Inocybe species were generated. Two-gene (ITS, LSU) and four-gene (ITS, LSU, rpb2, tef1) phylogenetic analyses confirmed the status of I. istriaca as an independent species.
A new ectomycorrhizal species was discovered during the first survey of fungal diversity at Brijuni National Park (Croatia), which consists of 14 islands and islets. The National Park is located in ...the Mediterranean Biogeographical Region, a prominent climate change hot-spot.
sp. nov., from sect.
(Agaricales, Inocybaceae), is described based on morphology and multilocus phylogenetic data. The holotype collection was found at the edge between grassland and
forest with a few planted
trees, on Veli Brijun Island, the largest island of the archipelago. It is easily recognized by a conspicuous orange to orange-red-brown membranaceous surface layer located at or just above the basal part of the stipe. Other distinctive features of
are the medium brown, radially fibrillose to rimose pileus; pale to medium brown stipe with fugacious cortina; relatively small, amygdaliform to phaseoliform, and smooth basidiospores, measuring ca. 6.5-9 × 4-5.5 µm; thick-walled, utriform, lageniform or fusiform pleurocystidia (lamprocystidia) with crystals and mostly not yellowing in alkaline solutions; cheilocystidia of two types (lamprocystidia and leptocystidia); and the presence of abundant caulocystidia only in the upper 2-3 mm of the stipe. Phylogenetic reconstruction of a concatenated dataset of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the nuclear 28S rRNA gene (nrLSU), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (
) resolved
and
as sister species.
As a result of the first research on macrofungi on peat moss habitats in Montenegro, three species new to the Montenegrin mycobiota are presented and described: Entoloma conferendum, Hygrocybe ...coccineocrenata, and Hypholoma ericaeum. The descriptions are accompanied
by photographs of the basidiomata on site and some microscopic characters. Additionally, the second Montenegrin record of Bovista paludosa is presented and described, for the first time with locality and habitat data. Species identifications were checked by comparing ITS rDNA sequences
from samples with the sequences in GenBank.
Type specimens of Marasmius nigroimplicatus and M. subrigidichorda were studied. Based on morphological studies, both species belong to Gymnopus, sect. Androsacei. Color photographs of dried ...basidiomata and microscopic characters accompany the detailed descriptions.
New combinations are proposed for these two taxa. Nine related marasmioid species are transferred to Gymnopus.
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