Studies on the biogeography of Phellinotus piptadeniae (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota): Expanding the knowledge on its distribution and clarifying hosts relationships

Comparative genomics and stable isotope analysis reveal the saprotrophic-pathogenic lifestyle of a neotropical fungus

In terrestrial forested ecosystems, fungi may interact with trees in at least three distinct ways: (i) associated with roots as symbionts; (ii) as pathogens in roots, trunks, leaves, flowers, and fruits; or (iii) decomposing dead tree tissues on soil or even on dead tissues in living trees. Distinguishing the latter two nutrition modes is rather difficult in Hymenochaetaceae (Basidiomycota) species. Herein, we have used an integrative approach of comparative genomics, stable isotopes, host tree association, and bioclimatic data to investigate the lifestyle ecology of the scarcely known neotropical genus Phellinotus, focusing on the unique species Phellinotus piptadeniae. This species is strongly associated with living Piptadenia gonoacantha (Fabaceae) trees in the Atlantic Forest domain on a relatively high precipitation gradient. Phylogenomics resolved P. piptadeniae in a clade that also includes both plant pathogens and typical wood saprotrophs. Furthermore, both genome-predicted Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZy) and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) revealed a rather flexible lifestyle for the species. Altogether, our findings suggest that P. piptadeniae has been undergoing a pathotrophic specialization in a particular tree species while maintaining all the metabolic repertoire of a wood saprothroph.

IMPORTANCE

This is the first genomic description for Phellinotus piptadeniae. This basidiomycete is found across a broad range of climates and ecosystems in South America, including regions threatened by extensive agriculture. This fungus is also relevant considering its pathotrophic-saprotrophic association with Piptadenia goanocantha, which we began to understand with these new results that locate this species among biotrophic and necrotrophic fungi.

Corticioid and poroid fungi from Brazilian Cerrado: a history of research and a checklist of species

Corticioid and poroid fungi are widely known for wood decomposition which confers an important ecological role and biotechnological properties upon these species. Although being one of the most studied groups of fungi worldwide, data on diversity and geographic occurrence patterns in Brazil are insufficient, especially in poorly studied areas, including the Cerrado biome. Here we present an overview of the scientific literature concerning the corticioid and poroid fungi from Cerrado, along with a list of species found in the biome so far. The historic research at Cerrado comprised 47 articles published between 1876 and 2021, of which 55% were published in the last decade. We found 387 records and 223 species, while 94 species are new additions to the checklists published in the last decade. Six of the listed species are endemic to Cerrado. Furthermore, 29 species are only known from Cerrado in Brazil, although they occur in other regions of the world. The main research groups focused on these fungi in Brazil have already published at least one article with samples from Cerrado. Therefore, intensifying studies throughout Cerrado could help in a better understanding of its Funga, its evolutionary relationship, and its threatens status.

Disentangling the Taxonomy, Systematics, and Life History of the Spider-Parasitic Fungus Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales)

Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) is frequently observed growing on spiders, but little is known about their host range. One of the greatest challenges in describing these interactions is identifying the host, since the fungus often rapidly consumes the parasitised spiders and destroys important diagnostic taxonomic traits. Additionally, the global diversity of Gibellula remains unclear, as does the natural history and phylogenetic relationships of most of the species. Herein, we performed an extensive investigation on the species of Gibellula, reconstructed the most complete molecular phylogeny of the genus in the context of Cordycipitaceae, and performed a systematic review in order to provide the foundations towards a better understanding of the genus. Therefore, we have performed an integrative study to investigate the life history of the genus and to disentangle the questionable number of valid species proposed over time. We provided novel molecular data for published species that had not been sequenced before, such as G. mirabilis and G. mainsii, and evaluated all the original and modern morphological descriptions. In addition, we presented its global known distribution and compiled all available molecular data. We suggested a set of terms and morphological traits that should be considered in future descriptions of the genus and that a total of 31 species should be considered as accepted.

Neotropical Studies on Hymenochaetaceae: Unveiling the Diversity and Endemicity of Phellinotus

Phellinotus, a neotropical genus of wood-decay fungi commonly found on living members of the Fabaceae family, was initially described as containing two species, P. neoaridus and P. piptadeniae. The members of this genus, along with six other well-established genera and some unresolved lineages, are the current representatives of the ‘phellinotus clade’. On the other hand, based on a two-loci phylogenetic analysis, some entities/lineages of the ‘phellinotus clade’ have been found in Fomitiporella s.l. In this work, we performed four-loci phylogenetic analyses and based on our results the genera of the ‘phellinotus clade’ are shown to be monophyletic groups. In addition to the natural groups confirmed as different genera, morphological revisions, phylogenetic relationships, and host distribution of different specimens resembling P. neoaridus and P. piptadeniae revealed three new species in the Phellinotus genus, referred to here as P. magnoporatus, P. teixeirae and P. xerophyticus. Furthermore, for P. piptadeniae a narrower species concept was adopted with redefined morphological characters and a more limited distribution range. Both P. neoaridus and P. teixeirae have a distribution range restricted to seasonally dry tropical forests in South America. Additionally, based on detailed morphological revisions Phellinus badius, Phellinus resinaceus, and Phellinus scaber are transferred to the Phellinotus genus. The geographic distribution and host range of the genus are then discussed.

Species Diversity With Comprehensive Annotations of Wood-Inhabiting Poroid and Corticioid Fungi in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, located in Central Asia, harbors high diversity of woody plants. Diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi in the country, however, remained poorly known. This study summarizes the wood-inhabiting basidiomycte fungi (poroid and corticoid fungi plus similar taxa such as Merismodes, Phellodon, and Sarcodon) (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) that have been found in Uzbekistan from 1950 to 2020. This work is based on 790 fungal occurrence records: 185 from recently collected specimens, 101 from herbarium specimens made by earlier collectors, and 504 from literature-based records. All data were deposited as a species occurrence record dataset in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and also summarized in the form of an annotated checklist in this paper. All 286 available specimens were morphologically examined. For 138 specimens, the 114 ITS and 85 LSU nrDNA sequences were newly sequenced and used for phylogenetic analysis. In total, we confirm the presence of 153 species of wood-inhabiting poroid and corticioid fungi in Uzbekistan, of which 31 species are reported for the first time in Uzbekistan, including 19 that are also new to Central Asia. These 153 fungal species inhabit 100 host species from 42 genera of 23 families. Polyporales and Hymenochaetales are the most recorded fungal orders and are most widely distributed around the study area. This study provides the first comprehensively updated and annotated the checklist of wood-inhabiting poroid and corticioid fungi in Uzbekistan. Such study should be expanded to other countries to further clarify species diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi around Central Asia.