New species of Talaromyces isolated from maize, indoor air, and other substrates

Talaromides A-C, Bioactive Cyclic Heptapeptides from Talaromyces siglerae Isolated from a Marine Sponge

Three new cyclic heptapeptides, talaromides A-C (1-3), were isolated from cultures produced by the fungus Talaromyces siglerae (Ascomycota), isolated from an unidentified sponge. The structures, featuring an unusual proline-anthranilic moiety, were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and chemical transformations, including the advanced Marfey's method and GITC derivatization. Talaromides A and B inhibited migration activity against PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells without significant cytotoxicity.

Culturable fungi from urban soils in China II, with the description of 18 novel species in Ascomycota (Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Leotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes)

As China's urbanisation continues to advance, more people are choosing to live in cities. However, this trend has a significant impact on the natural ecosystem. For instance, the accumulation of keratin-rich substrates in urban habitats has led to an increase in keratinophilic microbes. Despite this, there is still a limited amount of research on the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in urban areas. Fortunately, our group has conducted in-depth investigations into this topic since 2015. Through our research, we have discovered a significant amount of keratinophilic fungi in soil samples collected from various urban areas in China. In this study, we have identified and characterised 18 new species through the integration of morphological and phylogenetic analyses. These findings reveal the presence of numerous unexplored fungal taxa in urban habitats, emphasising the need for further taxonomic research in urban China.

Stochastic Inoculum, Biotic Filtering and Species-Specific Seed Transmission Shape the Rare Microbiome of Plants

A plant’s health and productivity is influenced by its associated microbes. Although the common/core microbiome is often thought to be the most influential, significant numbers of rare or uncommon microbes (e.g., specialized endosymbionts) may also play an important role in the health and productivity of certain plants in certain environments. To help identify rare/specialized bacteria and fungi in the most important angiosperm plants, we contrasted microbiomes of the seeds, spermospheres, shoots, roots and rhizospheres of Arabidopsis, Brachypodium, maize, wheat, sugarcane, rice, tomato, coffee, common bean, cassava, soybean, switchgrass, sunflower, Brachiaria, barley, sorghum and pea. Plants were grown inside sealed jars on sterile sand or farm soil. Seeds and spermospheres contained some uncommon bacteria and many fungi, suggesting at least some of the rare microbiome is vertically transmitted. About 95% and 86% of fungal and bacterial diversity inside plants was uncommon; however, judging by read abundance, uncommon fungal cells are about half of the mycobiome, while uncommon bacterial cells make up less than 11% of the microbiome. Uncommon-seed-transmitted microbiomes consisted mostly of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteriodetes, Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes, which most heavily colonized shoots, to a lesser extent roots, and least of all, rhizospheres. Soil served as a more diverse source of rare microbes than seeds, replacing or excluding the majority of the uncommon-seed-transmitted microbiome. With the rarest microbes, their colonization pattern could either be the result of stringent biotic filtering by most plants, or uneven/stochastic inoculum distribution in seeds or soil. Several strong plant–microbe associations were observed, such as seed transmission to shoots, roots and/or rhizospheres of Sarocladium zeae (maize), Penicillium (pea and Phaseolus), and Curvularia (sugarcane), while robust bacterial colonization from cassava field soil occurred with the cyanobacteria Leptolyngbya into Arabidopsis and Panicum roots, and Streptomyces into cassava roots. Some abundant microbes such as Sakaguchia in rice shoots or Vermispora in Arabidopsis roots appeared in no other samples, suggesting that they were infrequent, stochastically deposited propagules from either soil or seed (impossible to know based on the available data). Future experiments with culturing and cross-inoculation of these microbes between plants may help us better understand host preferences and their role in plant productivity, perhaps leading to their use in crop microbiome engineering and enhancement of agricultural production.

Transcontinental Dispersal of Nonendemic Fungal Pathogens through Wooden Handicraft Imports

This study examined the viability and diversity of fungi harbored in imported wooden handicraft products sold in six retail stores in Florida, United States. Despite being subjected to trade regulations that require various sterilization/fumigation protocols, our study demonstrates high survival and diversity of fungi in wood products originating from at least seven countries on three continents. Among these fungi were nonendemic plant and human pathogens, as well as mycotoxin producers. Several products that are sold for use in food preparation and consumption harbored a novel (to North America) plant and human pathogen, Paecilomyces formosus. In addition, a high number of species isolated were thermophilic and included halophilic species, suggesting adaptability and selection through current wood treatment protocols that utilize heat and/or fumigation with methyl-bromide. This research suggests that current federal guidelines for imports of wooden goods are not sufficient to avoid the transit of potential live pathogens and demonstrates the need to increase safeguards at both points of origin and entry for biosecurity against introduction from invasive fungal species in wood products. Future import regulations should consider living fungi, their tolerance to extreme conditions, and their potential survival in solid substrates. Mitigation efforts may require additional steps such as more stringent fumigation and/or sterilization strategies and limiting use of wood that has not been processed to remove bark and decay. IMPORTANCE This study, the first of its kind, demonstrates the risk of importation of nonendemic foreign fungi on wooden handicrafts into the United States despite the application of sanitation protocols. Previous risk assessments of imported wood products have focused on potential for introduction of invasive arthropods (and their fungal symbionts) or have focused on other classes of wood products (timber, wooden furniture, garden products, etc.). Little to no attention has been paid to wooden handicrafts and the fungal pathogens (of plants and humans) they may carry. Due to the large size and diversity of this market, the risk for introduction of potentially dangerous pathogens is significant as illustrated by the results of this study.

Fine Identification and Classification of a Novel Beneficial Talaromyces Fungal Species from Masson Pine Rhizosphere Soil

Rhizosphere fungi have the beneficial functions of promoting plant growth and protecting plants from pests and pathogens. In our preliminary study, rhizosphere fungus JP-NJ4 was obtained from the soil rhizosphere of Pinus massoniana and selected for further analyses to confirm its functions of phosphate solubilization and plant growth promotion. In order to comprehensively investigate the function of this strain, it is necessary to ascertain its taxonomic position. With the help of genealogical concordance phylogenetic species recognition (GCPSR) using five genes/regions (ITS, BenA, CaM, RPB1, and RPB2) as well as macro-morphological and micro-morphological characters, we accurately determined the classification status of strain JP-NJ4. The concatenated phylogenies of five (or four) gene regions and single gene phylogenetic trees (ITS, BenA, CaM, RPB1, and RPB2 genes) all show that strain JP-NJ4 clustered together with Talaromyces brevis and Talaromyces liani, but differ markedly in the genetic distance (in BenA gene) from type strain and multiple collections of T. brevis and T. liani. The morphology of JP-NJ4 largely matches the characteristics of genes Talaromyces, and the rich and specific morphological information provided by its colonies was different from that of T. brevis and T. liani. In addition, strain JP-NJ4 could produce reduced conidiophores consisting of solitary phialides. From molecular and phenotypic data, strain JP-NJ4 was identified as a putative novel Talaromyces fungal species, designated T. nanjingensis.

Discovery and Extrolite Production of Three New Species of Talaromyces Belonging to Sections Helici and Purpurei from Freshwater in Korea

Three novel fungal species, Talaromyces gwangjuensis, T. koreana, and T. teleomorpha were found in Korea during an investigation of fungi in freshwater. The new species are described here using morphological characters, a multi-gene phylogenetic analysis of the ITS, BenA, CaM, RPB2 regions, and extrolite data. Talaromyces gwangjuensis is characterized by restricted growth on CYA, YES, monoverticillate and biverticillate conidiophores, and globose smooth-walled conidia. Talaromyces koreana is characterized by fast growth on MEA, biverticillate conidiophores, or sometimes with additional branches and the production of acid on CREA. Talaromyces teleomorpha is characterized by producing creamish-white or yellow ascomata on OA and MEA, restricted growth on CREA, and no asexual morph observed in the culture. A phylogenetic analysis of the ITS, BenA, CaM, and RPB2 sequences showed that the three new taxa form distinct monophyletic clades. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic trees are provided.

New section and species in Talaromyces

Talaromyces is a monophyletic genus containing seven sections. The number of species in Talaromyces grows rapidly due to reliable and complete sequence data contributed from all over the world. In this study agricultural soil samples from Fujiang, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Shandong, Tibet and Zhejiang provinces of China were collected and analyzed for fungal diversity. Based on a polyphasic approach including phylogenetic analysis of partial ITS, BenA, CaM and RPB2 gene sequences, macro- and micro-morphological analyses, six of them could not be assigned to any described species, and one cannot be assigned to any known sections. Morphological characters as well as their phylogenetic relationship with other Talaromyces species are presented for these putative new species. Penicillium resedanum is combined in Talaromyces section Subinflati as T. resedanus.

Aspergillus olivimuriae sp. nov., a halotolerant species isolated from olive brine

A facultative halo-tolerant Aspergillus strain was isolated from olive brine waste, the effluent from the debittering process of table olives. Phenotypic and molecular characteristics showed clearly that the isolate represents a novel species. Based on the source of isolation, the new species has been named Aspergillus olivimuriae. It was found tolerant to high concentrations of NaCl (15 %) or sucrose (60 %) and it exhibits substantial growth under these conditions. Although the new species grew profusely at 37 °C, no growth was observed at 40 °C, conidia en masse were avellaneous on all media. The description of the new species Aspergillus olivimuriae brings the total species of Aspergillus sect. Flavipedes to 15. The type strain of A. olivimuriae sp. nov. is NRRL 66783 (CCF 6208), its whole genome has been deposited as PRJNA498048.

Morphology and multigene phylogeny of Talaromycesamyrossmaniae, a new synnematous species belonging to the section Trachyspermi from India

A new Talaromyces species, T.amyrossmaniae, isolated from decaying fruit and litter of Terminalia bellerica, is described and illustrated. On the natural substrate, the new species produces determinate synnemata, with a well-defined, vivid orange red to orange red cylindrical stipe, and a greyish green capitulum. Conidiophores are typically biverticillate, or sometimes have subterminal branches, with acerose phialides that produce globose to subglobose, smooth to slightly roughened conidia. Multigene phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), and partial sequences of β-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM), and DNA directed RNA polymerase second large subunit (RPB2) genes, along with morphological characterization, revealed that these isolates are distinct and form a unique lineage of Talaromyces in section Trachyspermi, closely allied to T.aerius, T.albobiverticillius, T.heiheensis, T.erythromellis, and T.solicola. The new species T.amyrossmaniae is the first species in section Trachyspermi with determinate synnemata.

Taxonomy and evolution of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces in the omics era - Past, present and future

Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces are diverse, phenotypically polythetic genera encompassing species important to the environment, economy, biotechnology and medicine, causing significant social impacts. Taxonomic studies on these fungi are essential since they could provide invaluable information on their evolutionary relationships and define criteria for species recognition. With the advancement of various biological, biochemical and computational technologies, different approaches have been adopted for the taxonomy of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces; for example, from traditional morphotyping, phenotyping to chemotyping (e.g. lipotyping, proteotypingand metabolotyping) and then mitogenotyping and/or phylotyping. Since different taxonomic approaches focus on different sets of characters of the organisms, various classification and identification schemes would result. In view of this, the consolidated species concept, which takes into account different types of characters, is recently accepted for taxonomic purposes and, together with the lately implemented 'One Fungus - One Name' policy, is expected to bring a more stable taxonomy for Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces, which could facilitate their evolutionary studies. The most significant taxonomic change for the three genera was the transfer of Penicillium subgenus Biverticillium to Talaromyces (e.g. the medically important thermally dimorphic 'P. marneffei' endemic in Southeast Asia is now named T. marneffei), leaving both Penicillium and Talaromyces as monophyletic genera. Several distantly related Aspergillus-like fungi were also segregated from Aspergillus, making this genus, containing members of both sexual and asexual morphs, monophyletic as well. In the current omics era, application of various state-of-the-art omics technologies is likely to provide comprehensive information on the evolution of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces and a stable taxonomy will hopefully be achieved.

Three new species of Talaromyces sect. Talaromyces discovered from soil in China

Three new Talaromyces species isolated from soil are reported here, namely T. dimorphus (ex-type strain AS3.15692 ^T), T. lentulus (ex-type strain AS3.15689 ^T) and T. mae (ex-type strain AS3.15690 ^T). T. dimorphus is characterized by biverticillate and monoverticillate penicilli, ampulliform phialides, slimy texture with sparse mycelial funicles and absent conidiogenesis on MEA. T. lentulus is featured by vivid yellow mycelium on Cz and MEA, absent conidiogenesis on CYA, and globose smooth-walled conidia. T. mae presents sparse conidia on CYA and YES, funiculous and floccose texture on MEA, and ovoid smooth-walled conidia. Both morphological and molecular characters show that T. dimorphus is unique and has no close relatives. Although T. lentulus and T. mae resembles T. adpressus and T. pinophilus very much, phylogenetic analyses of CaM, BenA, ITS and Rpb2 sequences all support their status as novel species.