Sinomyces: a new genus of anamorphic Pleosporaceae

Ecological Processes of Bacterial and Fungal Communities Associated with Typha orientalis Roots in Wetlands Were Distinct during Plant Development

Root-associated microbiomes are essential for the ecological function of the root system. However, their assembly mechanisms in wetland are poorly understood. In this study, we explored and compared the ecological processes of bacterial and fungal communities in water, bulk soil, rhizosphere soil, and root endosphere niches for 3 developmental stages of Typha orientalis at different wetland sites, and assessed the potential functions of root endosphere microbiomes with function prediction. Our findings suggest that the microbial diversity, composition, and interaction networks along the water-soil-plant continuum are shaped predominantly by compartment niche and developmental stage, rather than by wetland site. Source tracking analysis indicated that T. orientalis' root endosphere is derived primarily from the rhizosphere soil (bacteria 39.9%, fungi 27.3%) and water (bacteria 18.9%, fungi 19.1%) niches. In addition, we found that the assembly of bacterial communities is driven primarily by deterministic processes and fungal communities by stochastic processes. The interaction network among microbes varies at different developmental stages of T. orientalis, and is accompanied by changes in microbial keystone taxa. The functional prediction data supports the distribution pattern of the bacterial and fungal microbiomes, which have different ecological roles at different plant developmental stages, where more beneficial bacterial taxa are observed in the root endosphere in the early stages, but more saprophytic fungi in the late stages. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the assembly, sources, interactions, and potential functions of wetland plant root microbial communities and have significant implications for the future applications of plant microbiomes in the wetland ecosystem. IMPORTANCE Our findings provide empirical evidence for the assembly, sources, interactions, and potential functions of wetland plant root microbial communities, and have significant implications for the future applications of plant microbiomes in the wetland ecosystem.

Japanese species of Alternaria and their species boundaries based on host range

To clarify the diversity of plant-parasitic Alternaria species in Japan, diseased samples were collected, and fungal isolates established in culture. We examined 85 isolates representing 23 species distributed in 14 known sections based on conidial morphology and DNA phylogeny. Three species were found to be new, A. cylindrica, A. paragomphrenae and A. triangularis. Furthermore, a lectotype was designated for A. gomphrenae, and epitypes for A. cinerariae, A. gomphrenae, A. iridicola, and A. japonica. Species boundaries of isolates were also clarified by studying phenotypes and determining host ranges. Alternaria gomphrenae and related species in sect. Alternantherae were recognized as distinct species owing to their host specificity. Among the species infecting Apiaceae, the pathogenicity of A. cumini and a novel species, A. triangularis ex Bupleurum, were confirmed as host specific. Another novel species, A. cylindrica, proved to be host specific to Petunia. Alternaria iridicola was recognized as a large-spored species in sect. Alternaria, being host specific to Iris spp. On the other hand, the experimental host ranges of three morphologically and phylogenetically distinct species infecting Brassicaceae (A. brassicae, A. brassicicola, and A. japonica) showed almost no differences. Alternaria brassicicola and A. porri were even found on non-host plants. In general, host ranges of Alternaria species correlated with morphology and molecular phylogeny, and combining these datasets resulted in clearer species boundaries.

Alternaria redefined

Alternaria is a ubiquitous fungal genus that includes saprobic, endophytic and pathogenic species associated with a wide variety of substrates. In recent years, DNA-based studies revealed multiple non-monophyletic genera within the Alternaria complex, and Alternaria species clades that do not always correlate to species-groups based on morphological characteristics. The Alternaria complex currently comprises nine genera and eight Alternaria sections. The aim of this study was to delineate phylogenetic lineages within Alternaria and allied genera based on nucleotide sequence data of parts of the 18S nrDNA, 28S nrDNA, ITS, GAPDH, RPB2 and TEF1-alpha gene regions. Our data reveal a Pleospora/Stemphylium clade sister to Embellisia annulata, and a well-supported Alternaria clade. The Alternaria clade contains 24 internal clades and six monotypic lineages, the assemblage of which we recognise as Alternaria. This puts the genera Allewia, Brachycladium, Chalastospora, Chmelia, Crivellia, Embellisia, Lewia, Nimbya, Sinomyces, Teretispora, Ulocladium, Undifilum and Ybotromyces in synonymy with Alternaria. In this study, we treat the 24 internal clades in the Alternaria complex as sections, which is a continuation of a recent proposal for the taxonomic treatment of lineages in Alternaria. Embellisia annulata is synonymised with Dendryphiella salina, and together with Dendryphiella arenariae, are placed in the new genus Paradendryphiella. The sexual genera Clathrospora and Comoclathris, which were previously associated with Alternaria, cluster within the Pleosporaceae, outside Alternaria s. str., whereas Alternariaster, a genus formerly seen as part of Alternaria, clusters within the Leptosphaeriaceae. Paradendryphiella is newly described, the generic circumscription of Alternaria is emended, and 32 new combinations and 10 new names are proposed. A further 10 names are resurrected, while descriptions are provided for 16 new Alternaria sections.

The genera of Hyphomycetes - 2011 update

This supplement to the taxonomic monograph The Genera of Hyphomycetes summarises information on 23 accepted new genera and c. 160 species described in 2011. These include three dematiaceous genera (Funbolia, Noosia, Pyrigemmula, all related to Dothideomycetes), a bulbil-producing genus, Spiroplana (Pleosporales), and two endophytic genera, the sterile Periglandula (Clavicipitaceae), and the hyaline, sympodial Micronematobotrys (Pyronemataceae). Slow-growing, morphologically-reduced, darkly pigmented fungi continue to be the source of new taxa, including the new genus Atramixtia (Dothioraceae). Eight new genera of darkly pigmented chlamydospore-like anamorphs were described from marine or subtidal environments (Glomerulispora, Halozoön, Hiogispora, Matsusporium, Moheitospora, Moleospora, Moromyces), mostly associated with subclades of the Lulworthiales. Several genera that are morphologically similar to but phylogenetically distinct from genera of the Capnodiales (Pseudopassalora, Scleroramularia) were introduced, as well as segregates from the classical concepts of Alternaria (Sinomyces), Chalara and Phialophora (Brachyalara, Infundichalara, Lasiadelphia), and Paecilomyces (Purpureocillium for the former Paecilomyces lilacinus complex). In addition, in anticipation of the new nomenclatural rules, newly configured formerly-teleomorph genera were proposed as segregates from classical hyphomycete genera in the Hypocreales, namely Acremonium (Cosmospora), Fusarium (Cyanonectria, Dialonectria, Geejayessia, Macroconia, Stylonectria), and Volutella (Pseudonectria) and the Trichocomaceae, Eurotiales, Penicillium (Talaromyces for the former Penicillium subg. Biverticillium). Standardized generic mini-diagnoses are provided for the accepted new genera, along with details of distribution, substrates, numbers of new species and phylogenetic affinities within the Dikarya. GenBank accession numbers for ITS DNA-barcodes are provided where available. New information on generic concepts of previously recognised genera, phylogenetic relationships, and corrections of factual errors are also included. Only two newly described genera, Fecundostilbum and Utrechtiana, seem to be synonyms of previously described genera.