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Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Woodpeckers exhibit selectivity when choosing tree cavities for nest development in forest ecosystems, and fungi play a significant and important role in this ecological...
Woodpeckers exhibit selectivity when choosing tree cavities for nest development in forest ecosystems, and fungi play a significant and important role in this ecological process. Therefore, there is a complex and intricate relationship between the various behaviors of woodpeckers and the occurrence of fungal species. Research into the complex bond between fungi and woodpeckers was undertaken to provide more information about this remarkable ecological relationship. Through the process of line transect sampling, woodpecker traces were searched for, and mist nets were set up to capture them. A total of 21 woodpeckers belonging to four species were captured. High-throughput sequencing of the ITS region was performed on fungal-conserved samples to enable an in-depth analysis of the fungal communities linked to the woodpeckers' nests. Members of Ascomycota were the most abundant in the samples, accounting for 91.96% of the total, demonstrating the importance of this group in the forest ecosystem of this station. The statistical results indicate significant differences in the fungal diversity carried by woodpeckers among the different groups. Species of were found to be the most prevalent of all the detected fungal genera, accounting for 49.3%. The top 15 most abundant genera were , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . The standard Bray-Curtis statistical technique was used in a hierarchical clustering analysis to compute inter-sample distances, allowing for the identification of patterns and correlations within the dataset. We discovered that in the grouped samples from woodpeckers, there were differences in the diversity of fungal communities carried by four woodpecker species, but the less dominant fungal species were still similar. The findings highlight the need to consider these diverse ecological linkages in woodpecker research and conservation efforts.
PubMed: 38921375
DOI: 10.3390/jof10060389 -
Mycologia 2016The diversity of culturable filamentous microfungi in peat and sediments of four peatlands at the coastal zone of Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea (Murmansk region,...
The diversity of culturable filamentous microfungi in peat and sediments of four peatlands at the coastal zone of Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea (Murmansk region, Russia) was studied by culture methods on standard and selective media. Annually 100 samples were collected from the bogs 2007-2010. Based on morphological, molecular markers and cultural features, 211 taxa were identified. Fungal communities observed at the peatlands were influenced mostly by their sea origin. We discovered a large difference between fungal communities from the peat and the sediments of the peatlands. In contrast to the sediments, the fungal community of the peat was found to be consistent throughout sampling sites. Fungi with specific ecophysiology, such as Sphagnum-decomposing species (Oidiodendron griseum, O. tenuissimum. Penicillium spinulosum, P. thomii, Talaromyces funiculosus), psychrotolerant and associated with insects species (Pseudogymnoascus pannorum, Tolypocladium spp.), typical marine species (Acremonium spp.) were found. In addition, different types of sterile mycelia were characteristic for the researched peatlands.
Topics: Demography; Fungi; Russia; Soil; Soil Microbiology
PubMed: 26742584
DOI: 10.3852/14-346 -
Mycorrhiza Mar 2023Most of our knowledge on the ericoid mycorrhizal (ErM) symbiosis comes from temperate heathlands characterized by acidic peaty soils and many experiments with a few...
Most of our knowledge on the ericoid mycorrhizal (ErM) symbiosis comes from temperate heathlands characterized by acidic peaty soils and many experiments with a few ascomycetous fungi. However, ericaceous plants thrive in many other ecosystems and in temperate coniferous forests, their seedlings often prosper on decomposing wood. While wood is typically exploited by basidiomycetous ectomycorrhizal (EcM) and saprobic fungi, the role of ErM fungi (ErMF) is much less clear. We explored the cultivable mycobiota of surface sterilized hair roots of Vaccinium spp. growing on decomposing wood in two coniferous forests in Mid-Norway (Scandinavia) and Northern Bohemia (Central Europe). Obtained isolates were identified using molecular tools and their symbiotic potential was tested in vitro. While the detected community lacked the archetypal ErMF Hyaloscypha hepaticicola and the incidence of dark septate endophytes and EcM fungi was negligible, it comprised other frequent asexual ascomycetous ErMF, namely H. variabilis and Oidiodendron maius, together with several isolates displaying affinities to sexual saprobic H. daedaleae and H. fuckelii. Ascomycete-suppressing media revealed representatives of the saprobic basidiomycetous genera Coprinellus, Gymnopilus, Mycena (Agaricales), and Hypochnicium (Polyporales). In the resyntheses, the tested basidiomycetes occasionally penetrated the rhizodermal cells of their hosts but never formed ericoid mycorrhizae and in many cases overgrew and killed the inoculated seedlings. In contrast, a representative of the H. daedaleae/H. fuckelii-related isolates repeatedly formed what morphologically appears as the ErM symbiosis and supported host's growth. In conclusion, while basidiomycetous saprobic fungi have a potential to colonize healthy-looking ericaceous hair roots, the mode(-s) of their functioning remain obscure. For the first time, a lineage in Hyaloscypha s. str. (corresponding to the former Hymenoscyphus ericae aggregate) where sexual saprobes are intermingled with root symbionts has been revealed, shedding new light on the ecology and evolution of these prominent ascomycetous ErMF.
Topics: Symbiosis; Mycorrhizae; Ericaceae; Vaccinium; Plant Roots; Wood; Ecosystem; Basidiomycota; Agaricales
PubMed: 36700963
DOI: 10.1007/s00572-023-01101-z -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2020The pine mushroom (; Agaricales, Tricholomataceae) is an ectomycorrhizal fungus that produces a commercially valuable, edible mushrooms. Attempts to artificially...
The pine mushroom (; Agaricales, Tricholomataceae) is an ectomycorrhizal fungus that produces a commercially valuable, edible mushrooms. Attempts to artificially cultivate has so far been unsuccessful. One method used to induce to produce fruiting bodies of in the wild is shiro (mycelial aggregations of ) transplantation. ectomycorrhization of with seedlings of has been successful, but field trials showed limited production of fruiting bodies. Few studies have been done to test what happens after transplantation in the wild, whether persists on the pine seedling roots or gets replaced by other fungi. Here, we investigated the composition and the interaction of the root fungal microbiome of seedlings inoculated with over a 3 year period after field transplantation, using high-throughput sequencing. We found a decline of colonization on pine roots and succession of mycorrhizal fungi as seedlings grew. Early on, roots were colonized by fast-growing, saprotrophic Ascomycota, then later replaced by early stage ectomycorrhiza such as . At the end, more competitive species dominated the host roots. Most of the major OTUs had negative or neutral correlation with , but several saprotrophic/plant pathogenic/mycoparasitic species in genera , , and had positive correlation with . Four keystone species were identified during succession; two species (, and ) had a positive correlation with , while the other two had a negative correlation (, ). These findings have important implications for further studies on the artificial cultivation of .
PubMed: 33101248
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.574146 -
Fungal Biology Aug 2014Fungi living in heavy metal polluted soils have evolved different cellular and molecular systems to adapt and survive in these harsh environments. Oidiodendron maius Zn...
Fungi living in heavy metal polluted soils have evolved different cellular and molecular systems to adapt and survive in these harsh environments. Oidiodendron maius Zn is an ericoid mycorrhizal fungus previously shown to be highly tolerant to zinc thanks to antioxidative enzymes and membrane transporters. A novel gene, OmFCR1, was recently identified from this fungus because it conferred strong cadmium tolerance when expressed in yeast. OmFCR1 codes for a protein belonging to the PLAC8 family and physically interacts in yeast with the mismatch repair system, involved in DNA damage repair. The O. maius Zn genome also contains another gene - named OmFCR2 - that codes for a protein sharing with OmFCR1, the PLAC8 domain and other sequence similarities. In this work, we analyzed gene expression of OmFCR1 and OmFCR2 in the fungus O. maius Zn when exposed to cadmium, the ability of OmFCR2 to confer cadmium tolerance when expressed in yeast, and the growth of OmFCR1-null mutants of O. maius Zn upon cadmium exposure. Although OmFCR2 was also able to confer some cadmium tolerance to yeast, the different expression pattern of these two genes would suggest different roles in O. maius Zn.
Topics: Ascomycota; Cadmium; Drug Tolerance; Fungal Proteins; Gene Expression Profiling
PubMed: 25110132
DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2014.04.011 -
Journal of the Royal Society, Interface Mar 2016Terrestrial plants host phylogenetically and functionally diverse groups of below-ground microbes, whose community structure controls plant growth/survival in both...
Terrestrial plants host phylogenetically and functionally diverse groups of below-ground microbes, whose community structure controls plant growth/survival in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Therefore, understanding the processes by which whole root-associated microbiomes are organized is one of the major challenges in ecology and plant science. We here report that diverse root-associated fungi can form highly compartmentalized networks of coexistence within host roots and that the structure of the fungal symbiont communities can be partitioned into semi-discrete types even within a single host plant population. Illumina sequencing of root-associated fungi in a monodominant south beech forest revealed that the network representing symbiont-symbiont co-occurrence patterns was compartmentalized into clear modules, which consisted of diverse functional groups of mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi. Consequently, terminal roots of the plant were colonized by either of the two largest fungal species sets (represented by Oidiodendron or Cenococcum). Thus, species-rich root microbiomes can have alternative community structures, as recently shown in the relationships between human gut microbiome type (i.e., 'enterotype') and host individual health. This study also shows an analytical framework for pinpointing network hubs in symbiont-symbiont networks, leading to the working hypothesis that a small number of microbial species organize the overall root-microbiome dynamics.
Topics: Fungi; Humans; Plant Roots; Rhizosphere; Symbiosis
PubMed: 26962029
DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2015.1097 -
PloS One 2020Endophytic fungi play an important role in plant growth. The composition and structure of endophytes vary in different plant tissues, which are specific habitats for...
Endophytic fungi play an important role in plant growth. The composition and structure of endophytes vary in different plant tissues, which are specific habitats for endophyte colonization. To analyze the diversity and structural composition of endophytic fungi from toothed clubmoss (Huperzia serrata) that was artificially cultivated for 3 years, we investigated endophytic fungi from the roots, stems and leaves using comparative sequence analysis of the ITS2 region of the fungal rRNA genes sequenced with high-throughput sequencing technology. Seven fungal phyla were identified, and fungal diversity and structure varied across different tissues, with the most distinctive community features found in the roots. A total of 555 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected, and 198 were common to all samples, and 43, 16, 16 OTUs were unique to the root, stem, leaf samples, respectively. Taxonomic classification showed that Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were dominant phyla, and Cladosporium, Oidiodendron, Phyllosticta, Sebacina and Ilyonectria were dominant genera. The relative abundance heat map at the genus level suggested that H. serrata had characteristic endophytic fungal microbiomes. Line discriminant analysis effect size analysis and principal coordinate analysis demonstrated that fungal communities were tissue-type and tissue-site specific. Overall, our study provides new insights into the complex composition of endophytic fungi in H. serrata.
Topics: Ascomycota; Basidiomycota; Fungi; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Huperzia; Phylogeny; Plant Leaves; Plant Roots; Plant Stems; Principal Component Analysis; RNA, Ribosomal; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 33211760
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242258 -
Microbes and Environments Jun 2016The root diameters as well as colonization and diversity of the root-associating fungi of Vaccinium oldhamii Miq. were investigated in order to obtain information on...
The root diameters as well as colonization and diversity of the root-associating fungi of Vaccinium oldhamii Miq. were investigated in order to obtain information on their mycorrhizal properties. The distal regions of roots had typical hair roots with diameters of less than 100 μm. Ericoid mycorrhizal fungi (ErMF) and dark septate endophytes (DSE) were frequently observed in the roots. Ascomycetes, particularly helotialean fungi, appeared to be dominant among the endophytic fungi of V. oldhamii roots. Furthermore, Rhizoscyphus ericae (Read) Zhuang & Korf and Oidiodendron maius Barron known as ErMF were detected more frequently than other fungal species.
Topics: Biodiversity; Endophytes; Japan; Mycorrhizae; Plant Roots; Vaccinium
PubMed: 27297892
DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.ME16011 -
Mycorrhiza Jul 2016In previous investigations, we found that Acremonium strictum (strain DSM 100709) developed intracellular structures with similarity to mycelia of ericoid mycorrhizal...
In previous investigations, we found that Acremonium strictum (strain DSM 100709) developed intracellular structures with similarity to mycelia of ericoid mycorrhizal fungi in the rhizodermal cells of flax plants and in hair roots of Rhododendron plantlets. A. strictum had also been isolated from roots of ericaceous salal plants and was described as an unusual ericoid mycorrhizal fungus (ERMF). As its mycorrhizal traits were doubted, we revised the hypothesis of a mycorrhizal nature of A. strictum. A successful synthesis of mycorrhiza in hair roots of inoculated ericaceous plants was a first step of evidence, followed by fluorescence microscopy with FUN(®)1 cell stain to observe the vitality of the host cells at the early infection stage. In inoculation trials with in vitro-raised mycorrhiza-free Rhododendron plants in axenic liquid culture and in greenhouse substrate culture, A. strictum was never observed in living hair root cells. As compared to the ERMF Oidiodendron maius and Rhizoscyphus ericae that invaded metabolically active host cells and established a symbiotic unit, A. strictum was only found in cells that were dead or in the process of dying and in the apoplast. In conclusion, A. strictum does not behave like a common ERMF-if it is one at all. A comparison of A. strictum isolates from ericaceous and non-ericaceous hosts could reveal further identity details to generalize or specify our findings on the symbiotic nature of A. strictum. At least, the staining method enables to discern between true mycorrhizal and other root endophytes-a tool for further studies.
Topics: Acremonium; Cell Survival; Mycorrhizae; Plant Roots; Rhododendron
PubMed: 26846148
DOI: 10.1007/s00572-016-0682-7 -
Data in Brief Feb 2024Mining activities in the Zambian Copperbelt Province have led to the release of heavy metal-containing waste, causing contamination in nearby areas. Despite this...
Mining activities in the Zambian Copperbelt Province have led to the release of heavy metal-containing waste, causing contamination in nearby areas. Despite this environmental challenge, limited knowledge exists regarding the mycobiota in copper mine sites. This study investigates fungal community structure in copper(Cu) and cobalt (Co) contaminated soils around decommisioned dams in Kitwe. Metagenomic analysis of the ITSF1 gene amplicons was used for the purpose. The composition of soil fungal communities was characterized, and the findings revealed significant insights. At the phylum level, dominated the fungal profiles in the tailings (64.59%), followed by (21.30%), (4.53%), and (0.0275%). Several fungal genera, including , P, and , were more abundant in contaminated tailings soils, suggesting their potential in leaching, absorbing, and transforming heavy metals. In contrast, the reference soil at Mwekera National Forest exhibited different dominance patterns with four fungal phyla identified, with and dominating most samples. , known for forming arbuscular mycorrhizae with plants, were found in contaminated soils, while , which can serve ecological roles in various ecosystems, were also present. Notable fungal species such as , and demonstrated resilience to Cu and Co, the primary contaminants in the Copperbelt.
PubMed: 38186741
DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2023.109951