Neostagonosporellasichuanensis gen. et sp. nov. (Phaeosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales) on Phyllostachysheteroclada (Poaceae) from Sichuan Province, China

Systematic identification and functional characterization of the CFEM proteins in fishscale bamboo rhombic-spot pathogen Neostagonosporella sichuanensis

Fungal effectors play a crucial role in the interaction between pathogenic fungi and their hosts. These interactions directly influence the invasion and spread of pathogens, and the development of diseases. Common in fungal extracellular membrane (CFEM) effectors are closely associated with the pathogenicity, cell wall stability, and pathogenic processes of pathogenic fungi. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of CFEM proteins in Neostagonosporella sichuanensis in pathogen-host interactions. We retrieved 19 proteins containing CFEM structural domains from the genome of N. sichuanensis. By systematic analysis, five NsCFEM proteins had signal peptides but lacked transmembrane structural domains, and thus were considered as potential effectors. Among them, NsCFEM1 and NsCFEM2 were successfully cloned and their functions were further investigated. The validation results show that NsCFEM1 was localized in the cell membrane and nucleus, whereas NsCFEM2 was exclusively observed in the cell membrane. Both were identified as secreted proteins. Additionally, NsCFEM1 inhibited Bax-induced programmed cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana, whereas NsCFEM2 did not induce or inhibit this response. NsCFEM1 was implicated as a virulence factor that contributes to fungal growth, development, stress response, and pathogenicity. NsCFEM2 was implicated in maintenance of cell wall stability. This study lays a foundation for elucidating the role of CFEM proteins in the pathogen of fishscale bamboo rhombic-spot caused by N. sichuanensis. In particular, the functional studies of NsCFEM1 and NsCFEM2 revealed their potential roles in the interaction between N. sichuanensis and the host Phyllostachys heteroclada.

Morpho-Molecular Characterization of Microfungi Associated with Phyllostachys (Poaceae) in Sichuan, China

In the present study, we surveyed the ascomycetes from bamboo of Phyllostachys across Sichuan Province, China. A biphasic approach based on morphological characteristics and multigene phylogeny confirmed seven species, including one new genus, two new species, and five new host record species. A novel genus Paralloneottiosporina is introduced to accommodate Pa. sichuanensis that was collected from leaves of Phyllostachys violascens. Moreover, the newly introduced species Bifusisporella sichuanensis was isolated from leaves of P. edulis, and five species were newly recorded on bamboos, four species belonging to Apiospora, viz. Ap. yunnana, Ap. neosubglobosa, Ap. jiangxiensis, and Ap. hydei, and the last species, Seriascoma yunnanense, isolated from dead culms of P. heterocycla. Morphologically similar and phylogenetically related taxa were compared. Comprehensive descriptions, color photo plates of micromorphology are provided.

Bambusicolous Fungi in Pleosporales: Introducing Four Novel Taxa and a New Habitat Record for Anastomitrabeculia didymospora

While conducting a survey of bambusicolous fungi in northern Thailand and southwestern China, several saprobic fungi were collected from dead branches, culms and twigs of bamboos, which were preliminarily identified as species belonging to Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes) based on a morphological approach. Multigene phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, SSU, rpb2, tef1-α and tub2 demonstrated four novel taxa belonging to the families Parabambusicolaceae, Pyrenochaetopsidaceae and Tetraploasphaeriaceae. Hence, Paramultiseptospora bambusae sp. et gen. nov., Pyrenochaetopsis yunnanensis sp. nov. and Tetraploa bambusae sp. nov. are introduced. In addition, Anastomitrabeculia didymospora found on bamboo twigs in terrestrial habitats is reported for the first time. Detailed morphological descriptions and updated phylogenetic trees of each family are provided herein.

Unlocking the Changes of Phyllosphere Fungal Communities of Fishscale Bamboo (Phyllachora heterocladae) under Rhombic-Spot Disease Stressed Conditions

As an important nonwood bioresource, fishscale bamboo (Phyllachora heterocladae Oliver) is widely distributed in the subtropical region of China. Rhombic-spot disease, caused by Neostagonosporella sichuanensis, is one of the most serious diseases that threatens fishscale bamboo health. However, there is limited knowledge about how rhombic-spot disease influences the diversity and structures of phyllosphere fungal communities. In this study, we investigated the phyllosphere fungal communities from stems, branches, and leaves of fishscale bamboo during a rhombic-spot disease outbreak using 18S rRNA sequencing. We found that only the phyllosphere fungal community from stems was significantly affected by pathogen invasion in terms of community richness, diversity, and structure. FUNGuild analysis revealed that the major classifications of phyllosphere fungi based on trophic modes in stems, branches, and leaves changed from symbiotroph-pathotroph, no obvious dominant trophic mode, and symbiotroph to saprotroph, saprotroph–pathotroph–symbiotroph, and saprotroph–symbiotroph, respectively, after pathogen invasion. The fungal community composition of the three tissues displayed significant differences at the genus level between healthy and diseased plants. The associations among fungal species in diseased samples showed more complex co-occurrence network structures than those of healthy samples. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of plant pathological conditions for the assembly of phyllosphere fungal communities in different tissues.

Reappraisal of Immotthia in Dictyosporiaceae, Pleosporales: Introducing Immotthia bambusae sp. nov. and Pseudocyclothyriella clematidis comb. et gen. nov. Based on Morphology and Phylogeny

Immotthia is a poorly known genus, and currently, no DNA sequence data are available to ascertain its proper phylogenetic placement and evolutionary relationships with other bitunicate fungi. To date, there are only two species accepted in the genus. During our ongoing research study of bambusicolous fungi in southwest China and Thailand, a fungus associated with stromata of Hypoxylon sp. was found on dead bamboo culms in Loei Province, Thailand. Preliminary morphological identification revealed that the fungal collection belongs to Immotthia. A novel species, Immotthia bambusae, is introduced herein based on a comparison of morphological characteristics with the type specimen of I. hypoxylon (≡ Amphisphaeria hypoxylon Ellis and Everh.), a synonym of I. atrograna (Cooke and Ellis) M. E. Barr. Phylogenetic analyses of a concatenated ITS, LSU, SSU, and TEF1-α DNA sequence matrix showed that Immotthia belongs to Dictyosporiaceae, Pleosporales. Despite I. bambusae strains constituting a supported subclade, they are nested with the genus Pseudocoleophoma. Pseudocoleophoma clematidis is morphologically different from all other Pseudocoleophoma species, while its conidial characteristics are similar to Cyclothyriella. Multigene phylogenetic analyses showed that P. clematidis formed a clade basal to Immotthia, separated from Pseudocoleophoma with strong statistical support. Therefore, we introduce a monotypic genus, Pseudocyclothyriella Phukhams. and Phookamsak, gen. nov. to accommodate the single species, Pseudocyclothyriella clematidis (Phukhams. and K. D. Hyde) Phukhams. and Phookamsak, comb. nov. Detailed descriptions, color micrographs, and phylogenetic trees to show the placement of the new taxa are provided. In addition, an updated taxonomic treatment of the genera Immotthia and Pseudocyclothyriella is also provided based on the study of the type materials and phylogeny generated from DNA sequence data.

Additions to Phaeosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales): Elongaticollum gen. nov., Ophiosphaerella taiwanensis sp. nov., Phaeosphaeriopsis beaucarneae sp. nov. and a new host record of Neosetophoma poaceicola from Musaceae

A novel ascomycetous genus, Elongaticollum, occurring on leaf litter of Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberaceae) in Taiwan, is described and illustrated. Elongaticollum is characterized by dark brown to black, superficial, obpyriform, pycnidial conidiomata with a distinct elongate neck, and oval to oblong, hyaline, aseptate conidia. Phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian) of combined ITS, LSU, SSU and tef1-α sequence data revealed Elongaticollum as a distinct genus within the family Phaeosphaeriaceae with high statistical support. In addition, Ophiosphaerella taiwanensis and Phaeosphaeriopsis beaucarneae are described as new species from dead leaves of Agave tequilana and Beaucarnea recurvata (Asparagaceae), respectively. Neosetophoma poaceicola is reported as a new host record from dead leaves of Musa acuminata (Musaceae). Newly described taxa are compared with other similar species and comprehensive descriptions and micrographs are provided.

Morpho-molecular diversity of Linocarpaceae (Chaetosphaeriales): Claviformispora gen. nov. from decaying branches of Phyllostachys heteroclada

In this paper, Claviformisporagen. nov. in Linocarpaceae is introduced from Phyllostachysheteroclada in Sichuan Province, China. The new genus is characterised by its distinct morphological characters, such as ostiole with periphyses, asci with a thick doughnut-shaped, J- apical ring and clavate ascospore without septum-like band and appendage. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference phylogenetic analyses, based on DNA sequence data from ITS, LSU, SSU and TEF-1α regions, provide further evidence that the fungus is a distinct genus within this family. The new genus is compared with similar genera, such as Linocarpon and Neolinocarpon. Descriptions, illustrations and notes are provided for the new taxon.

Morpho-molecular diversity of Linocarpaceae (Chaetosphaeriales): Claviformispora gen. nov. from decaying branches of Phyllostachys heteroclada

In this paper, Claviformisporagen. nov. in Linocarpaceae is introduced from Phyllostachys heteroclada in Sichuan Province, China. The new genus is characterised by its distinct morphological characters, such as ostiole with periphyses, asci with a thick doughnut-shaped, J- apical ring and clavate ascospore without septum-like band and appendage. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference phylogenetic analyses, based on DNA sequence data from ITS, LSU, SSU and TEF-1α regions, provide further evidence that the fungus is a distinct genus within this family. The new genus is compared with similar genera, such as Linocarpon and Neolinocarpon. Descriptions, illustrations and notes are provided for the new taxon.

Fungal diversity notes 1151–1276: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa

Fungal diversity notes is one of the important journal series of fungal taxonomy that provide detailed descriptions and illustrations of new fungal taxa, as well as providing new information of fungal taxa worldwide. This article is the 11th contribution to the fungal diversity notes series, in which 126 taxa distributed in two phyla, six classes, 24 orders and 55 families are described and illustrated. Taxa in this study were mainly collected from Italy by Erio Camporesi and also collected from China, India and Thailand, as well as in some other European, North American and South American countries. Taxa described in the present study include two new families, 12 new genera, 82 new species, five new combinations and 25 new records on new hosts and new geographical distributions as well as sexual-asexual reports. The two new families are Eriomycetaceae (Dothideomycetes, family incertae sedis) and Fasciatisporaceae (Xylariales, Sordariomycetes). The twelve new genera comprise Bhagirathimyces (Phaeosphaeriaceae), Camporesiomyces (Tubeufiaceae), Eriocamporesia (Cryphonectriaceae), Eriomyces (Eriomycetaceae), Neomonodictys (Pleurotheciaceae), Paraloratospora (Phaeosphaeriaceae), Paramonodictys (Parabambusicolaceae), Pseudoconlarium (Diaporthomycetidae, genus incertae sedis), Pseudomurilentithecium (Lentitheciaceae), Setoapiospora (Muyocopronaceae), Srinivasanomyces (Vibrisseaceae) and Xenoanthostomella (Xylariales, genera incertae sedis). The 82 new species comprise Acremonium chiangraiense, Adustochaete nivea, Angustimassarina camporesii, Bhagirathimyces himalayensis, Brunneoclavispora camporesii, Camarosporidiella camporesii, Camporesiomyces mali, Camposporium appendiculatum, Camposporium multiseptatum, Camposporium septatum, Canalisporium aquaticium, Clonostachys eriocamporesiana, Clonostachys eriocamporesii, Colletotrichum hederiicola, Coniochaeta vineae, Conioscypha verrucosa, Cortinarius ainsworthii, Cortinarius aurae, Cortinarius britannicus, Cortinarius heatherae, Cortinarius scoticus, Cortinarius subsaniosus, Cytospora fusispora, Cytospora rosigena, Diaporthe camporesii, Diaporthe nigra, Diatrypella yunnanensis, Dictyosporium muriformis, Didymella camporesii, Diutina bernali, Diutina sipiczkii, Eriocamporesia aurantia, Eriomyces heveae, Ernakulamia tanakae, Falciformispora uttaraditensis, Fasciatispora cocoes, Foliophoma camporesii, Fuscostagonospora camporesii, Helvella subtinta, Kalmusia erioi, Keissleriella camporesiana, Keissleriella camporesii, Lanspora cylindrospora, Loratospora arezzoensis, Mariannaea atlantica, Melanographium phoenicis, Montagnula camporesii, Neodidymelliopsis camporesii, Neokalmusia kunmingensis, Neoleptosporella camporesiana, Neomonodictys muriformis, Neomyrmecridium guizhouense, Neosetophoma camporesii, Paraloratospora camporesii, Paramonodictys solitarius, Periconia palmicola, Plenodomus triseptatus, Pseudocamarosporium camporesii, Pseudocercospora maetaengensis, Pseudochaetosphaeronema kunmingense, Pseudoconlarium punctiforme, Pseudodactylaria camporesiana, Pseudomurilentithecium camporesii, Pseudotetraploa rajmachiensis, Pseudotruncatella camporesii, Rhexocercosporidium senecionis, Rhytidhysteron camporesii, Rhytidhysteron erioi, Septoriella camporesii, Setoapiospora thailandica, Srinivasanomyces kangrensis, Tetraploa dwibahubeeja, Tetraploa pseudoaristata, Tetraploa thrayabahubeeja, Torula camporesii, Tremateia camporesii, Tremateia lamiacearum, Uzbekistanica pruni, Verruconis mangrovei, Wilcoxina verruculosa, Xenoanthostomella chromolaenae and Xenodidymella camporesii. The five new combinations are Camporesiomyces patagoniensis, Camporesiomyces vaccinia, Camposporium lycopodiellae, Paraloratospora gahniae and Rhexocercosporidium microsporum. The 22 new records on host and geographical distribution comprise Arthrinium marii, Ascochyta medicaginicola, Ascochyta pisi, Astrocystis bambusicola, Camposporium pellucidum, Dendryphiella phitsanulokensis, Diaporthe foeniculina, Didymella macrostoma, Diplodia mutila, Diplodia seriata, Heterosphaeria patella, Hysterobrevium constrictum, Neodidymelliopsis ranunculi, Neovaginatispora fuckelii, Nothophoma quercina, Occultibambusa bambusae, Phaeosphaeria chinensis, Pseudopestalotiopsis theae, Pyxine berteriana, Tetraploa sasicola, Torula gaodangensis and Wojnowiciella dactylidis. In addition, the sexual morphs of Dissoconium eucalypti and Phaeosphaeriopsis pseudoagavacearum are reported from Laurus nobilis and Yucca gloriosa in Italy, respectively. The holomorph of Diaporthe cynaroidis is also reported for the first time.