Vicia ervilia lectin (VEA) has an antibiofilm effect on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria.

Bacterial growing resistance to antibiotics poses a critical threat to global health. This study investigates, for the first time, the antibiofilm properties of Vicia ervilia agglutinin (VEA) from six different V. ervilia accessions against pathogenic bacteria, and the yeast Candida albicans.

High genetic and chemical diversity of wild hop populations from Central Italy with signals of a genetic structure influenced by both sexual and asexual reproduction.

In order to investigate the intraspecific diversity of wild Humulus lupulus (hop) in Central Italy, 12 populations were evaluated for their genetic polymorphism by means of 13 SSR loci together with six commercial cultivars as a reference. High levels of polymorphism were found across the populations, being 140 the number of multilocus genotypes over 159 samples analyzed. Moreover, the observed heterozygosity was higher than expected in most of the populations.

Ribosomal DNA polymorphisms reveal genetic structure and a phylogeographic pattern in the Burgundy truffle Tuber aestivum Vittad.

Ectomycorrhizal ascomycetes belonging to the genus Tuber produce edible fruiting bodies known as truffles. Tuber aestivum, in particular, is a fungus appreciated worldwide and has a natural distribution throughout Europe. Most of the molecular studies conducted on this species have been focused on the question as to whether or not T.

Pezizomycetes genomes reveal the molecular basis of ectomycorrhizal truffle lifestyle.

Tuberaceae is one of the most diverse lineages of symbiotic truffle-forming fungi. To understand the molecular underpinning of the ectomycorrhizal truffle lifestyle, we compared the genomes of Piedmont white truffle (Tuber magnatum), Périgord black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum), pig truffle (Choiromyces venosus) and desert truffle (Terfezia boudieri) to saprotrophic Pezizomycetes. Reconstructed gene duplication/loss histories along a time-calibrated phylogeny of Ascomycetes revealed that Tuberaceae-specific traits may be related to a higher gene diversification rate.

Characterization of the reproductive mode and life cycle of the whitish truffle T. borchii.

Truffles are the fruiting structures of ascomycetes in the genus Tuber. Because of their economic importance, truffles have been cultivated for many years using artificially inoculated host plants. Nevertheless, the life cycle and reproductive mode of Tuber spp.

SSR-based identification of genetic groups within European populations of Tuber aestivum Vittad.

Tuber species are ectomycorrhizal ascomycetes establishing relationships with different host trees and forming hypogeous fruiting bodies known as truffles. Among Tuber species, Tuber aestivum Vittad. has a wide distributional range being found naturally all over Europe.

Impact of the competition between mating types on the cultivation of Tuber melanosporum: Romeo and Juliet and the matter of space and time.

Major breakthroughs in our understanding of the life cycles of the symbiotic ascomycetes belonging to the genus Tuber have occurred over the last several years. A number of Tuber species produce edible fruiting bodies, known as truffles, that are marketed worldwide. A better understanding of the basic biological characteristics of Tuber spp.

Mating type locus of Chinese black truffles reveals heterothallism and the presence of cryptic species within the T. indicum species complex.

Tuber spp. are filamentous ascomycetes which establish symbiosis with the roots of trees and shrub species. By virtue of this symbiosis they produce hypogeous ascocarps, known as truffles.

Fine-scale spatial genetic structure of the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) investigated with neutral microsatellites and functional mating type genes.

The genetic structure of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal populations results from both vegetative and sexual propagation. In this study, we have analysed the spatial genetic structure of Tuber melanosporum populations, a heterothallic ascomycete that produces edible fruit bodies. Ectomycorrhizas from oaks and hazels from two orchards were mapped and genotyped using simple sequence repeat markers and the mating type locus.

Comparison of ectomycorrhizal communities in natural and cultivated Tuber melanosporum truffle grounds.

Truffles are hypogeous ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi belonging to the genus Tuber. Although outplanting of truffle-inoculated host plants has enabled the realization of productive orchards, truffle cultivation is not yet standardized. Therefore, monitoring the distribution of fungal species in different truffle fields may help us to elucidate the factors that shape microbial communities and influence the propagation and fruiting of Tuber spp.

Tuber melanosporum: mating type distribution in a natural plantation and dynamics of strains of different mating types on the roots of nursery-inoculated host plants.

• In light of the recent finding that Tuber melanosporum, the ectomycorrhizal ascomycete that produces the most highly prized black truffles, is a heterothallic species, we monitored the spatial distribution of strains with opposite mating types (MAT) in a natural truffle ground and followed strain dynamics in artificially inoculated host plants grown under controlled conditions. • In a natural truffle ground, ectomycorrhizas (ECMs), soil samples and fruit bodies were sampled and genotyped to determine mating types. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were also used to fingerprint ECMs and fruit bodies.

Isolation and characterization of MAT genes in the symbiotic ascomycete Tuber melanosporum.

• The genome of Tuber melanosporum has recently been sequenced. Here, we used this information to identify genes involved in the reproductive processes of this edible fungus. The sequenced strain (Mel28) possesses only one of the two master genes required for mating, that is, the gene that codes for the high mobility group (HMG) transcription factor (MAT1-2-1), whereas it lacks the gene that codes for the protein containing the α-box- domain (MAT1-1-1), suggesting that this fungus is heterothallic.

The AD-type ectomycorrhizas, one of the most common morphotypes present in truffle fields, result from fungi belonging to the Trichophaea woolhopeia species complex.

Belowground ectomycorrhizal communities are often species rich. Characterization of the ectomycorrhizas (ECMs) underneath native truffle areas and/or cultivation sites is particularly relevant to identifying fungal species that might interfere with or promote truffle propagation and fruiting. Fungal identification at the genus/species level can now be achieved by combining detailed morphological and anatomical descriptions with molecular approaches.

Tuber melanosporum outcrosses: analysis of the genetic diversity within and among its natural populations under this new scenario.

Tuber melanosporum is an ectomycorrhizal ascomycete producing edible ascocarps. The prevalent view is that this species strictly selfs, since genetic analyses have never detected heterozygotic profiles in its putatively diploid/dikaryotic gleba. The selfing model has also forged the experimental approaches to assess the population genetic variability.

Tmt1: the first LTR-retrotransposon from a Tuber spp.

Retrotransposons are suitable targets for developing molecular markers for population genetics studies. Transposable elements have not yet been isolated from ectomycorrhizal fungi of the genus Tuber. In this paper, we report on the isolation and characterization of Tmt1, an LTR-retrotransposon from Tuber melanosporum.