Fungi Commons^™

Aquastella Gen. Nov.: A New Genus Of Saprolegniaceous Oomycete Rotifer Parasites Related To Aphanomyces, With Unique Sporangial Outgrowths, Daniel P. Molloy, Sally L. Glockling, Clifford A. Siegfried, Gordon W. Beakes, Timothy Y. James, Sergey E. Mastitsky, Elizabeth S. Wurdak, Laure Giamberini, Michael J. Gaylo, Michael J. Nemeth

Biology Faculty Publications

The oomycete genus Aquastella is described to accommodate two new species of parasites of rotifers observed in Brooktrout Lake, New York State, USA. Three rotifer species – Keratella taurocephala,Polyarthra vulgaris, and Ploesoma truncatum – were infected, and this is the first report of oomycete infection in these species. Aquastella attenuata was specific to K. taurocephala and Aquastella aciculariswas specific to P. vulgaris and P. truncatum. The occurrence of infections correlated with peak host population densities and rotifers were infected in the upper layers of the water column. Sequencing of 18S rRNA and phylogenetic analysis of …

The Development Of A Comprehensive Antifungal Susceptibility Testing Assay For Vulvovaginal Candidiasis Therapy, David Hardaker

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Vulvovaginal candidiasis is the most common fungal infection of the female urogenital tract, commonly caused by Candida albicans and C. glabrata. However, treatment can be difficult when caused by non-albicans strains due to resistance to the oral antifungal drug fluconazole. The mechanism through which strains of Candida, particularly C. glabrata, develop resistance to different antifungal classes has not been completely characterized. The ergosterol biosynthesis pathway, an important component of the cell membrane, is the major target of antifungals such as fluconazole, an inhibitor of the ERG 11 gene. Current research shows that an upregulation of specific genes in C. glabrata …

Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Infection And Common Mycelial Network Formation On Invasive Plant Competition, Rachael Elizabeth Workman

Dissertations and Theses

Understanding the biotic factors influencing invasive plant performance is essential for managing invaded land and preventing further exotic establishment and spread. I studied how competition between both conspecifics and native co-habitants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) impacted the success of the invasive bunchgrass Brachypodium sylvaticumin early growth stages. I examined whether invasive plants performed and competed differently when grown in soil containing AMF from adjacent invaded and noninvaded ranges in order to determine the contribution of AMF to both monoculture stability and spread of the invasive to noninvaded territory. I also directly manipulated common mycelial network (CMN) formation by AMF …

Regional Dust Storm Modeling For Health Services: The Case Of Valley Fever, William A. Sprigg, Slobodan Nickovic, John N. Galgiani, Goran Pejanovic, Slavo Petkovic, Mirjam Vujadinovic, Ana Vukovic, Milan Dacic, Scott Dibiase, Anup K. Prasad, Hesham El-Askary

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

On 5 July 2011, a massive dust storm struck Phoenix, Arizona (USA), raising concerns for increased cases of valley fever (coccidioidomycosis, or, cocci). A quasi-operational experimental airborne dust forecast system predicted the event and provides model output for continuing analysis in collaboration with public health and air quality communities. An objective of this collaboration was to see if a signal in cases of valley fever in the region could be detected and traced to the storm - an American haboob. To better understand the atmospheric life cycle of cocci spores, the DREAM dust model (also herein, NMME-DREAM) was modified to …

Sampling Local Fungal Diversity In An Undergraduate Laboratory Using Dna Barcoding, A. H. Harrington, A. F. Bigott, B. W. Anderson, M. J. Boone, S. M. Brick, J. F. Delsol, R. A. Hotchkiss, R. A. Huddleston, E. H. Kasper, J. J. Mcgrady, M. L. Mckinnie, M. V. Ottenlips, N. E. Skinner, K. C. Spatz, A. J. Steinberg, F. Van Den Broek, C. N. Wilson, A. M. Wofford, A. M. Willyard

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Traditional methods for fungal species identification require diagnostic morphological characters and are often limited by the availability of fresh fruiting bodies and local identification resources. DNA barcoding offers an additional method of species identification and is rapidly developing as a critical tool in fungal taxonomy. As an exercise in an undergraduate biology course, we identified 9 specimens collected from the Hendrix College campus in Conway, Arkansas, USA to the genus or species level using morphology. We report that DNA barcoding targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region supported several of our taxonomic determinations and we were able to contribute 5 …

Development Of Novel Antifungal Peptides Based On A Natural Model Of Histatin-5 Peptide, Duy Tu Nguyen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Our research group is working toward the development of novel antifungal peptides based on a natural model of peptide histatin-5. Histatin-5 is found in human saliva and known to protect our body against oral infections by Candida species. Candidiasis, or an infection caused by Candida species, is considered one of the most medically important fungal infections worldwide. Blood stream infections caused by Candida species are the fourth leading cause of hospital-acquired fungal infections that is associated with high mortality rates and high costs of treatment. This study investigated the modes of action of histatin-5 with the use of one 16-mer …

Regulation Of Morphogenesis In Filamentous Fungi, Haoyu Si

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

One of the distinguishing features of fungal cells is their highly polarized model of growth. Both yeast cells and hyphal cells grow by cell surface expansion at specified cortical sites. Although the same general mechanisms are likely to be involved in controlling the establishment of hyphal polarity in budding yeast and filamentous fungi, it is noticeable that hyphal cells are organized in a fundamentally different manner to yeast dells. For example, hyphal cells organize formins, septins and actins at the division site while simultaneously retain the same machinery at the tip; whereas yeast cells undergo a transient period of isotropic …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa-Candida Albicans Interactions: Localization And Fungal Toxicity Of A Phenazine Derivative, Jane Gibson, Arpanah Sood, Deborah A. Hogan

Dartmouth Scholarship

Phenazines are redox-active small molecules that play significant roles in the interactions between pseudomonads and diverse eukaryotes, including fungi. When Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were cocultured on solid medium, a red pigmentation developed that was dependent on P. aeruginosa phenazine biosynthetic genes. Through a genetic screen in combination with biochemical experiments, it was found that a P. aeruginosa-produced precursor to pyocyanin, proposed to be 5-methyl-phenazinium-1-carboxylate (5MPCA), was necessary for the formation of the red pigmentation. The 5MPCA-derived pigment was found to accumulate exclusively within fungal cells, where it retained the ability to be reversibly oxidized and reduced, and its …

N-Glycan Modification In Aspergillus Species, Elke Kainz, Andreas Gallmetzer, Christian Hatzl, Juergen H. Nett, Huijuan Li, Thorsten Schinko, Robert Pachlinger, Harald Berger, Yazmid Reyes-Dominguez, Andreas Bernreiter, Tillmann Gerngross, Stefan Wildt, Joseph Strauss

Dartmouth Scholarship

The production by filamentous fungi of therapeutic glycoproteins intended for use in mammals is held back by the inherent difference in protein N-glycosylation and by the inability of the fungal cell to modify proteins with mammalian glycosylation structures. Here, we report protein N-glycan engineering in two Aspergillus species. We functionally expressed in the fungal hosts heterologous chimeric fusion proteins containing different localization peptides and catalytic domains. . This strategy allowed the isolation of a strain with a functional -1,2-mannosidase producing increased amounts of N-glycans of the Man 5 GlcNAc 2 type. This strain was further engineered by the introduction of …

Synthesis And Antifungal Properties Of Alpha-Methoxy And Alpha-Hydroxyl Substituted 4-Thiatetradecanoic Acids, Nestor Carballeira, Rosann O'Neill, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

4-Thiatetradecanoic acid exhibited weak antifungal activities against Candida albicans (ATCC 60193), Cryptococcus neoformans (ATCC 6603 1), and Aspergillus niger (ATCC 16404) (MIC = 4.8-12.7 mM). It has been demonstrated that alpha-methoxylation efficiently blocks P-oxidation and significantly improve the antifungal activities of fatty acids. We examined whether antifungal activity of 4-thiatetradecanoic acid can be improved by a-substitution. The unprecedented (+/-)-2-tiydroxy-4-thiatetradecanoic acid was synthesized in four steps (20% overall yield), while the (+/-)-2-methoxy-4-thiatetradecanoic acid was synthesized in five steps (14% overall yield) starting from 1-decanethiol. The key step in the synthesis was the hydrolysis of a trimethylsilyloxynitrile. In general, the novel (+/-)-2-methoxy-4-thiatetradecanoic …

Natural And Synthetic Viniferins Associated With The Grapevine Disease Young Vine Decline, David Michael Mcginnis

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Grapevine disease has been thc subject of intense research amongst viticulturists over the last few decades, especially during the 1990's. There has been discoveries that suggest grapevine disease is commonly caused by fungal pathogens. One of the most common fungi that the vine may become infected by is known as Botrytis cinerea. B. cinerea is capable of attacking the grapevine which in turn will lead to bunch rot in the grape clusters. This disease has been researched in great detail during the past several years and is one of only few microorganisms that have actually been identified. Phaeoacremrmium chnlmydospnrum …

Submerged And Solid-State Phytase Fermentation By Aspergillus Niger: Effects Of Agitation And Medium Viscosity On Phytase Production, Fungal Morphology And Inoculum Performance, Maria Papagianni, Sue E. Nokes, Keith Filer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Qualitative relationships between agitation levels and medium viscosity, Aspergillus niger morphology and phytase production were investigated in submerged and solid-state fermentations. Overall phytase production increased with increasing shaker speeds from 150 to 300 rpm, although specific growth rates and phytase production rates were higher at 150 rpm for 72 h from inoculation. Fungal morphology was greatly influenced by agitation with the morphological forms of small pellets and entangled mycelia predominating at 150 rpm, while the free filamentous form was obtained at 300 rpm. Upon inoculation of SSF, increased productivities were obtained from inocula grown at 150 rpm. A shift towards …

Characterization Of A PorosTm-Fumonisin B1 Affinity Column For Isolating Ceramide Synthase From Rat Liver, S. Jernigan, W. B. Melchior Jr., G. R. Jenkins, K. L. Rowland, D. W. Roberts, P. C. Howard, H. Tolleson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Fumonisin B1 is a mycotoxin produced by fungi of the genus Fusarium, common pathogens of corn and other grain plants. Toxic effects associated with fumonisin B1 include equine leukoencephalomacia, porcine pulmonary edema, rat renal carcinoma, and murine hepatocellular carcinoma. Increased risk for esophageal cancer in humans has been epidemiologically associated with consumption of corn contaminated with Fusarium, suggesting that fumonisin B1 may be involved. The biological effects of fumonisin B1 exposure result primarily from disruption of de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis via inhibition of ceramide synthase. Exposure of animals or cultured cells to fumonisin B1 results in the characteristic accumulation of …

Bulletin 4406a - Fungal Diseases Of Canola In Western Australia, Martin Barbetti, Ravjit Khangura

Bulletins 4000 -

GRDC - Grains Research & Development Corporation.

There has been dramatic growth in the canola industry in Western Australia, from 35,000 hectares in 1993 to 920,000 hectares in 1999. Along with this expansion in the area sown the incidence and severity of various fungal diseases have also increased, especially blackleg. This Bulletin describes the most important and most prevalent fungal diseases of canola in Western Australia.

Influence Of A Mycorrhizal Fungus And/Or Rhizobium On Growth And Biomass Partitioning Of Subterranean Clover Exposed To Ozone, Joseph E. Miller, Steven R. Shafer, Michele M. Schoeneberger, Walter A. Pursley, Stephanie J. Horton, Charles B. Davy

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The influence of soilborne symbionts such as rhizobia or mycorrhizal fungi on plant response to ozone (O₃) has not been well defined. Leguminous plants in the field are infected by both types of organisms, which influence plant nutrition and growth. We studied the effects of infection with Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii and/or Gigaspora margarita on response of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. cv Mt. Barker) to O₃. Exposures were conducted in greenhouse CSTR chambers using four O₃ concentrations [charcoal-filtered (CF), 50, 100, or 150 ppb; 6 h day^-1, 5 day wk^{-1 …}

Role Of Endophytes In Tall Fescue, E. L. Piper, C. P. West

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is the most commonly grown cool season grass used for pastures in Arkansas. Most tall fescue contains a fungal endophyte (Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones & Gams), which causes fescue toxicosis in livestock and costs cattle producers millions of dollars annually in lost production. Endophyte presence is known to reduce wild mammal populations in areas where tall fescue is prevalent. The endophyte spends its entire life cycle within the plant and is transmitted through the seed. The association is mutualistic with the plant providing nutrients for the endophyte and the endophyte conferring drought, insect, and nematode resistance …

Biodegradation Of Crude Oil By Marine Higher Fungi, Brian J. Dyer

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Four experiments were performed to determine the ability of marine higher fungi to grow in and degrade crude oil. Eight species, previously determined to be hydrocarbonoclastic, were grown in artificial sea water medium (ASM) and southern Louisiana crude oil. The dry mycelial weights were measured and consumption of crude oil was measured gravimetrically. The two species with the best growth, Corollospora maritima and Zalerion maritimum, were grown in ASM containing crude oil spiked with three known hydrocarbons. To this was added glucose (0.15%) and incubated 49 days to test for possible cometabolism of hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons remaining in the growth …

Revival Of Metabolism In Rehydrated Marasmius Oreades, Lorie J. Warren

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Mushrooms from the genus Marasmius have the ability to revive -- viz., dried specimens regain their original shape when moistened. The purpose of this study was to determine if the basidiocarps are metabolically active upon revival or whether they simply absorb moisture like a sponge. The reduction of tetrazolium chloride to a red, water-insoluble formazan pigment was used as a measure of respiratory activity. Basidiocarp samples were incubated in a phosphate buffer containing 1% tetrasolium chloride. After a suitable period, the samples were extracted with MeOH to remove any formazan pigment and the absorbance measured at 530 nm. Fresh M. …

Evaluation Of Aposphaeria Amaranthi As A Bioherbicide For Pigweed (Amaranthus Spp.), A. S. Mintz, G. J. Weidmann

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Studies were conducted to determine the potential of the fungus, Aposphaeria amaranth!, as a bioherbicide for pigweeds (Amaranthus spp.). Experiments to establish the environmental parameters necessary for control of tumble pigweed (A. albus) demonstrated that an 8-hr dew period was sufficient for control of seedlings with four to six leaves, and that temperatures ranging from 20 to 28 C were conducive for disease development. Conidial concentrations as lowas 1x 10s conidia per ml also were sufficient for plant mortality. Host range tests demonstrated pathogenicity of A. amaranthi to several other species of Amaranthus, including biotypes resistant to triazine herbicides. Disease …

Biological Control Of Doublegee, Dane Panetta

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Doublegee (Emex australis) is one of the worst agricultural weeds in Western Australia. To date, however, biological control of this weed has proved elusive. Multiple releases of two weevils which attack doublegee have not led to insect establishment. For one of these species, further research has shown that doublegee control would probably not be achieved in the wheatbelt even if insect establishment were enhanced by growing its host during the summer months. A joint Western Australian Department of Agriculture/ CSIRO project is investigating the virulence and host specificity of an undescribed South African species o/Phomopsis fungus. Should this pathogen prove …

Bulletin 4133 - Fungal Diseases Of Pasture Legumes In Western Australia, M. J. Barbetti

Bulletins 4000 -

Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) is the most important annual pasture legume in Western Australia, forming the basis of some 6.5 million ha of annual pastures. The success of subterranean clover may be attributed to its ability to increase soil fertility as a consequence of nitrogen fixed, to withstand heavy grazing, to control soil erosion and, with some cultivars, to tolerate waterlogging. Fungal diseases have been a major limitation to the productivity of subterranean clover, affecting both the amount of plant matter and the quantity of seed produced.

Annual medic (Medicago spp., in particular M. polymorpha L.) is also an …

Long Season Wheat, W. R. Smith, K. Anderson

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Agronomy of long season wheats, 87AL9, 87AL10, 87ES3, 87ES4, 87JE2, 87JE3, 87MT8, 87MT9 and 87NA9. Septoria control in long season wheat, 87E4 and 87MT10. Nitrogen response by long season wheat, 87ES5 and 87JE4. Phenology of long season wheats, 87E5 and 87MT11.

High Input Barley Production Systems In The High Rainfall Zone., G. J. Parlevliet

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Barley systems in the high rainfall zone effect of nitrogen fungicides and seeding rate on barley yield, 87BR2.

Grain Legumes Evaluation., G. H. Walton, T. R. Trent

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Lupin agronomy, 87AL14. Nitrogen fertilizer for legume crops, 87BA2. Pea variety evaluation, 87C59, 87M08, 87ME1, 87N012, 87SG8, 87KA7, 87N2. Interstate pea variety trials, 87N096, 87N099, 87KA6. Disease Resistance Pea Variety Testing, 87JE1. Grain legume species comparisons, 87A2, 87C2, 87KA37, 87M09, 87MA1, 87NA15. Legume species variety trials, 87LG2. Faba bean evaluation, 87MC34 and 87KA8. Faba bean 'synthetic' variety yield trial, 87MC36. Faba bean screening nursery, 87MC35. Preliminary agronomy of faba bean, chickpea and lentil, 87A21. Seeding date, 87A22. Legume species herbicide tolerance, 87KA82.

Barley Foliar Diseases And Blackspot Of Field Peas., T. N. Kahn, M. Judges, K. Embry

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Barley foliar diseases, Blackspot of field peas. 86BA15, 86C13, 86BA12, 86MT10, 86M10, 86BA13, 86BA14, 86M029-31, 86N079, 86GE27, 86M029, 86GE28, 86TS28, 86WH12, 86C4, 86C11, 86C5, 86C6, 86C12, 86C7, 86KA56, 86M45, 86BA15, 86MT13, 86C13, 86BA16, 86MD35, 86MT14, 86MD36.

Fruit Diseases., P. Mcr Wood

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Apple Powdery Mildew, 86BY42. Peach Leaf Curl, 86MN6. Pear Scab, 86MN7.

Foliar Wheat Diseases And Cereal Smuts., R. Loughman, A. E. Twigg

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Chemical control of leaf spots of wheat, 86BA41, 86MT49. Semi-natural inoculum for plant breeders plots, 86MD2. Chemical control of soil-borne flag smut, 86ME73, 86M032. Chemical control of barley loose smut, 86AL50, 86KA59, 86MT47. Chemical control of loose smut in barley with different levels of seed infections, 86MT48. Disease characterisation of cereal variety trial stage 4 sites.

Fungicide Testing, M. J. Barbetti

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Fungicidal control of Phoma blackstem disease in medic, 86 KA 11. Medic cultivar susceptibility to Phoma blackstem disease, 85 KA 56. Role of Phoma seed infection in medic, 85 KA 57. Effect of soil pasteurization on damage caused by six fungal root pathogens, 86 PE 53. Susceptibility of 18 sub-clover cultivars to isolates of the clover scorch fungus, Kabatiella caulivora, 86 PE 54. Effect of plant age or growth stage of subterranean clover on susceptibility to infection by the clover scorch fungus, Kabatiella caulivora, 86 PE 55. Susceptibility of rapeseed lines to blackleg crown canker, 86 MT 1, 86 MT …

Lupin Root Rot, Lupin Hypocotyl Rot, Rhizoctonia Coleoptile Rot Of Wheat, Rhizoctonia Root Rots In Long Term Wheat-Pasture Rotation Trials., M. Sweetingham

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Lupin Root Rot: 86Cl4, 86WH15, 86ME85, 86LG63, 85C63, 86WH14. Lupin Hypocotyl rot, 86BA49, 86BA21. Rhizoctonia coleoptile rot of wheat, 86BA19, 86BA20 Rhizoctonia root rots in long term wheat-pasture rotation trials.

Phomopsis Pod And Seed Infection Of Stem-Resistant Lupin Lines., P Mcr. Wood

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

85BA36 - Competitive potential of Type B Phomopsis inoculum. 85BA38 - Phomopsis pod and seed infection of stem-resistant lupin lines 85WH50 - Survival of Phomopsis