Coniolariella hispanica sp. nov. and other additions to Coniolariella.

Coniolariella hispanica, isolated as an endophyte from leaves of Eryngium campestre on the Iberian Peninsula, is established as a new cleistocarpous species. The perithecial species Rosellinia limoniispora is transferred to Coniolariella on morphological and molecular evidence. R.

Diversity of rhizobial bacteria isolated from nodules of the Gypsophyte Ononis tridentata L. growing in Spanish soils.

The aim of this work is to describe the diversity and phylogeny of rhizobial bacteria associated to nodules of Ononis tridentata L. in different geographical regions of Spain. Twenty-two bacterial isolates were characterized using several molecular techniques (16S amplified ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid restriction analysis, fingerprinting, and sequencing) and phylogenies were inferred from their 16S and nodC gene sequences.

Two new pycnidial members of the Atractiellales: Basidiopycnis hyalina and Proceropycnis pinicola.

Two new genera, Basidiopycnis and Proceropycnis, and two new species, Basidiopycnis hyalina and Proceropycnis pinicola, are described. An integrated analysis of morphological, ecological, ultrastructural and molecular data indicates that the new taxa belong to the Atractiellales. Relevant characteristics of the new genera and species are discussed and compared with those of related taxa.

Novel illudins from Coprinopsis episcopalis (syn. Coprinus episcopalis), and the distribution of illudin-like compounds among filamentous fungi.

The illudins are a family of fungal sesquiterpenes that have been studied as anti-tumor agents, and they also have antibacterial activity. Over a four-year period, 25 304 fungal isolates (approximately 97% ascomycetes and 3% basidiomycetes), were screened for antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Illudin-like compounds with antibacterial and cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines were observed in 10 basidiomycete strains.

Comparison of genotypic and phenotypic techniques for assessing the variability of the fungus Epicoccum nigrum.

Aims: The diversity within a collection of worldwide isolates of Epicoccum nigrum has been studied using several phenotypic approaches. In addition, the abilities of phenotypic and genotypic techniques for the differentiation of a set of isolates are compared.

Methods And Results: The methodology used include the study of isozymes (acetyl esterase and alkaline phosphatase), HPLC profile of metabolites and antibiotic activities against a panel of bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi, and cytotoxicity against three mammalian cell lines.

Unusual changing CT and MR appearance of an epithelial intracranial cyst.

Introduction: Epithelial cysts are infrequent intracranial lesions and may content cilia and mucosecretant cells that may be responsible for the protein concentration within the contents and the variable radiological appearance on CT and MRI.

Methods And Patients: We present a case of an extraaxial epithelial cyst with changing CT and MR characteristics.

Results: The appearance of our cyst on CT or MRI changed with size and morphology.

Screening of basidiomycetes for antimicrobial activities.

As a part of a screening programme developed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of basidiomycetes, 317 isolates representing 204 species collected in Spain were screened against a range of human clinical pathogens and laboratory controls. Extracts from 45% of the isolates, representing 109 species, showed antimicrobial activity. Antibacterial activity was more pronounced than antifungal activity.

Evaluation of different PCR-based DNA fingerprinting techniques for assessing the genetic variability of isolates of the fungus Epicoccum nigrum.

Thirty-six strains of the fungus Epicoccum nigrum, isolated from different substrata and ecosystems of Europe, America and Africa, were analysed using 14 molecular markers included in 5 different genetic fingerprinting techniques: AP-PCR, tDNA-PCR, microsatellite-primed PCR, ARDRA and AFLP. All of the techniques used were able to differentiate the isolates, showing a high genetic diversity within the species. However, the different techniques detected different levels of similarity among the strains; ARDRA shows the most homogeneous results whilst AP-PCR shows the most heterogeneous.