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PeerJ 2024A new myxomycete species, , was described based on morphological evidence and phylogenetic analyses. The species was discovered in the arid region at the confluence of...
A new myxomycete species, , was described based on morphological evidence and phylogenetic analyses. The species was discovered in the arid region at the confluence of the Badain Jaran desert and Tengger desert on the leaves of and was cultivated in a moist chamber culture. Morphologically, the species is distinguished by the greenish-yellow calcium carbonate crystals on the surface and the spores covered with small warts, some of which are connected into a short line. A phylogenetic analysis of strongly supports its classification as a separate clade. The spore to spore agar culture of . requires 23 days, and this study provides a detailed description of its life cycle.
Topics: Myxomycetes; Phylogeny; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Desert Climate; Spores, Protozoan; Physarida
PubMed: 38213774
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16725 -
Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 2024The family Physaraceae (Physarales, Myxomycetes) is represented in Brazil by eight genera and 75 species. Based on data obtained from the GBIF, SpeciesLink, Flora and...
The family Physaraceae (Physarales, Myxomycetes) is represented in Brazil by eight genera and 75 species. Based on data obtained from the GBIF, SpeciesLink, Flora and Funga do Brasil platforms, collections from the IPA and URM Herbaria and material collected since 1960 deposited in the UFP Herbarium, the microhabitats and distribution of Badhamiopsis (1sp.) and Badhamia (10 spp.) in Brazilian biomes are commented. An identification key for the species and the first report of B. melanospora from the state of Paraíba, B. panicea from the state of Paraná and B. ovispora from Brazil are presented.
Topics: Myxomycetes; Brazil; Ecosystem
PubMed: 38451623
DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202420220698 -
The Science of the Total Environment Nov 2023The bright coniferous forest area in the cold temperate zone of China is a terrestrial ecosystem primarily dominated by low mountain Larix gmelinii trees. Limited...
The bright coniferous forest area in the cold temperate zone of China is a terrestrial ecosystem primarily dominated by low mountain Larix gmelinii trees. Limited information is available regarding the assembly mechanisms and interactions of microbial communities in the soil in this region. This study employed high-throughput techniques to obtain DNA from myxomycetes, bacteria, and fungi in the soil, evaluated their diversity in conjunction with environmental factors, associated them with the assembly process, and explored the potential interaction relationships between these microorganisms. The findings of our study showed that environmental factors had a more significant influence on the α and β diversity of bacteria compared to myxomycetes and fungi. Microbial communities were influenced by environmental selection and geographical diffusion, although environmental selection appeared to have a more significant impact than geographical diffusion. Our study suggested that different microorganisms exhibited unique evolutionary patterns and may have different assembly modes within phylogenetic groups. Myxomycetes and fungi exhibited a similar assembly process that was mainly influenced by stochastic dispersal limitation and drift. In contrast, bacteria's assembly process was primarily influenced by stochastic drift and deterministic homogeneous selection. The community of myxomycetes and fungi is greatly influenced by spatial distribution and random events, while bacteria have a relatively stable population composition in specific regions and may also be subject to environmental constraints. Finally, this study revealed that Humicolopsis cephalosporioides, a fungus that exclusively resided in cold environments, may play a critical role as a keystone species in maintaining molecular ecological networks and was considered a core member of the microbiome.
Topics: Soil; Ecosystem; Phylogeny; Tracheophyta; Soil Microbiology; Forests; Fungi
PubMed: 37437627
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165429 -
Applications in Plant Sciences 2024Traditional moist chamber cultures (MCs) prepared in aseptic laboratory environments using sterile Petri dishes are commonly used to quantify the microbiota of...
PREMISE
Traditional moist chamber cultures (MCs) prepared in aseptic laboratory environments using sterile Petri dishes are commonly used to quantify the microbiota of rough-bark tree species and woody vines. MCs are typically expensive and may be difficult to make, so a less expensive option made from easily available supplies was developed. These cost-friendly MCs were compared with standard laboratory methods to demonstrate their efficacy.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Modified MCs were made using inexpensive, store-bought supplies; compared to a standard laboratory setting, the modified MCs are shown to be less expensive with a faster setup time and larger size that facilitates a variety of tree and woody vine species. MC use resulted in the discovery of new species of fungi and myxomycetes with associated locality records. We provide detailed instructions for creating modified MCs, as well as a list of myxomycete species and their associated bark characteristics, pH values, and water-holding capacity.
CONCLUSIONS
This new, low-cost MC technique makes the study of microbiota more inclusive and accessible for those in research laboratories, classrooms, and homes, including both amateurs and professionals. MCs are easy to prepare, versatile, and applicable for many areas of botany and the biological sciences, potentially allowing exploration into unexplored areas in urban ecosystems.
PubMed: 38638615
DOI: 10.1002/aps3.11578 -
Biodiversity Data Journal 2024As a result of the ten years (2012-2022) work under the critical revision of the genera of Reticulariaceae, a set of papers was published. Collection data of hundreds of...
BACKGROUND
As a result of the ten years (2012-2022) work under the critical revision of the genera of Reticulariaceae, a set of papers was published. Collection data of hundreds of specimens, used as a material for these studies, were provided as supplements of corresponding papers, but remained unpublished in biodiversity databases.
NEW INFORMATION
Here, we represent an occurrence dataset "Barcoded Reticulariaceae of the World", published in GBIF. It includes data on 523 myxomycete collections (including 36 types) gathered from five continents and spanning 24 countries. The dataset encompasses 43 distinct species and one subspecies of myxomycetes, including rare, endemic, and recently-described taxa. Species included to the database mainly belong to the genera , , , , and (Reticulariaceae), but as well and (Cribrariaceae). Nearly all of the research material, with the exception of several old collections, underwent molecular barcoding, primarily involving the 18S rDNA gene, but also the elongation factor 1α gene and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. For those sequences that are stored in the NCBI GenBank, accession numbers are provided in the dataset. Newly-described species make up a significant part of the studied herbarium collections; many of them can be characterised as common for their region. A particularly high level of taxonomic novelty is observed in Australia, which may be explained by the endemism of the local myxomycete biota.
PubMed: 38469226
DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e115630 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Mar 2024Many cells face search problems, such as finding food, mates, or shelter, where their success depends on their search strategy. In contrast to other unicellular...
Many cells face search problems, such as finding food, mates, or shelter, where their success depends on their search strategy. In contrast to other unicellular organisms, the slime mold forms a giant network-shaped plasmodium while foraging for food. What is the advantage of the giant cell on the verge of multicellularity? We experimentally study and quantify the migration behavior of plasmodia on the time scale of days in the absence and presence of food. We develop a model which successfully describes its migration in terms of ten data-derived parameters. Using the mechanistic insights provided by our data-driven model, we find that regardless of the absence or presence of food, achieves superdiffusive migration by performing a self-avoiding run-and-tumble movement. In the presence of food, the run duration statistics change, only controlling the short-term migration dynamics. However, varying organism size, we find that the long-term superdiffusion arises from self-avoidance determined by cell size, highlighting the potential evolutionary advantage that this macroscopically large cell may have.
Topics: Physarum polycephalum; Plasmodium; Movement
PubMed: 38517977
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312611121 -
Distribution characteristics and diversity of myxomycetes in three parallel rivers in Yunnan, China.PloS One 2024Three Parallel Rivers is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. However, the research on myxomycetes diversity is scarce in this area. Random sampling was used to...
Three Parallel Rivers is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. However, the research on myxomycetes diversity is scarce in this area. Random sampling was used to investigate myxomycetes' diversity and distribution characteristics in this area. One hundred and seventeen species, including three varieties, were obtained, belonging to 28 genera, nine families, and six orders, with Arcyria cinerea and Physarum viride being the dominant species. Moreover, four species and one variety were first reported in China. Twenty-six species and one variety were first reported in Yunnan Province. The species' most commonly utilized substrate for fruiting bodies was decaying wood, and Cribraria was the dominant genus. The species diversity was most abundant in mixed broadleaf-conifer forests. Species similarity between coniferous and broad-leaved forests was much higher than the pairwise comparison of other forest types. NMDS analysis shows that substrate and forest types had insignificant effects on myxomycetes communities, while river valley had a significant effect. The myxomycetes community similarity between river valleys is unrelated to geographical proximity.
Topics: Humans; Myxomycetes; Rivers; China; Forests; Biodiversity; Tracheophyta; Trees
PubMed: 38165993
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293260 -
European Journal of Protistology Jun 2024After Gulielmina was erected and Ophiotheca was resurrected based on some species originally included in Perichaena (Trichiaceae, Trichiales, Myxomyxetes), some...
After Gulielmina was erected and Ophiotheca was resurrected based on some species originally included in Perichaena (Trichiaceae, Trichiales, Myxomyxetes), some specimens from the Herbarium of Fungi of Nanjing Normal University previously identified as Perichaena species were reexamined from morphological and two-gene (nuclear 18S rDNA and elongation factor-1 alpha) phylogenetic perspectives. In this study, two new myxomycete species, Gulielmina subreticulospora and Ophiotheca dictyospora, are described. Gulielmina subreticulospora shows the following character combination: branched plasmodiocarps, single peridium with circular protrusions in the inner surface, capillitium (2.4-)2.8-3.0(-3.4) μm in diameter, spores (7.4-)8.0-8.5(-9.0) μm in diameter and sub-reticulated. Ophiotheca dictyospora shows the following character combination: sessile sporocarps to short plasmodiocarps, single peridium with a densely irregular network and protrusions in the inner surface, capillitium (2.7-)3.5-5.0(-7.1) μm in diameter, uneven, decorated with spines of uneven size, spores (7.7-)8.2-8.6(-9.4) μm in diameter including obviously complete cristate reticulation with serrated edges, with deep and clear grids. Both new taxa were compared with related species and their genetic isolation was statistically tested. Moreover, a comprehensive morphological description and a detailed figure plate are provided for Perichaena verrucifera, and its phylogenetic position is determined.
PubMed: 38908307
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126105 -
Optics Express Feb 2024Brilliant colors in nature arise from the interference of light with periodic nanostructures resulting in structural color. While such biological photonic structures...
Brilliant colors in nature arise from the interference of light with periodic nanostructures resulting in structural color. While such biological photonic structures have long attracted interest in insects and plants, they are little known in other groups of organisms. Unexpected in the kingdom of Amoebozoa, which assembles unicellular organisms, structural colors were observed in myxomycetes, an evolutionary group of amoebae forming macroscopic, fungal-like structures. Previous work related the sparkling appearance of Diachea leucopodia to thin film interference. Using optical and ultrastructural characterization, we here investigated the occurrence of structural color across 22 species representing two major evolutionary clades of myxomycetes including 14 genera. All investigated species showed thin film interference at the peridium, producing colors with hues distributed throughout the visible range that were altered by pigmentary absorption. A white reflective layer of densely packed calcium-rich shells is observed in a compound peridium in Metatrichia vesparium, whose formation and function are still unknown. These results raise interesting questions on the biological relevance of thin film structural colors in myxomycetes, suggesting they may be a by-product of their reproductive cycle.
Topics: Myxomycetes; Amoebozoa; Calcium; Nanostructures; Photons
PubMed: 38439270
DOI: 10.1364/OE.511875 -
Biodiversity Data Journal 2024A significant body of valuable data about the myxomycetes of Ukraine lies in a "grey zone". This encompasses undigitised historical books and articles published in...
BACKGROUND
A significant body of valuable data about the myxomycetes of Ukraine lies in a "grey zone". This encompasses undigitised historical books and articles published in languages such as Polish, French or German, as well as proceedings from local conferences, articles featured in local scientific journals and annual reports submitted to public authorities by employees of protected areas, published in Ukrainian or Russian. Yet, due to their exclusive existence in print and often the Cyrillic alphabet, these publications remain neither findable nor accessible to a wider audience.
NEW INFORMATION
The datasets presented here aim to summarise over 150 years of myxomycetes research in Ukraine. The majority of the data has been extracted from published literature sources spanning the years 1842 to 2023, with a minor supplement from unpublished herbarium specimens. The datasets include 5036 georeferenced occurrences, 339 taxa and 91 literature sources. Seventy-one of the used literature sources, mostly published before 2010, were uploaded to Zenodo and are available in open access.
PubMed: 38645470
DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e120891