Publications by authors named "Brenda Koster"

Members of the mitosporic fungal form-genus Stachybotrys, including common indoor contaminants Stachybotrys chartarum, Stachybotrys echinata and Stachybotrys chlorohalonata, are capable of producing potent, protein synthesis-inhibiting, trichothecene mycotoxins. A combined multi-gene approach was used to investigate relationships among species of Stachybotrys against which the presence/absence of the trichothecene biosynthetic pathway gene, trichodiene synthase (tri5), was evaluated. Phylogenetic analyses partitioned species of Stachybotrys into three strongly supported lineages, two of which contained common indoor taxa.

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We reassessed the circumscription of the cantharelloid clade and identified monophyletic groups by using nLSU, nSSU, mtSSU and RPB2 sequence data. Results agreed with earlier studies that placed the genera Cantharellus, Craterellus, Hydnum, Clavulina, Membranomyces, Multiclavula, Sistotrema, Botryobasidium and the family Ceratobasidiaceae in that clade. Phylogenetic analyses support monophyly of all genera except Sistotrema, which was highly polyphyletic.

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Decipinin A (1), a new compound with antifungal and antibacterial activity, has been isolated from liquid cultures of the coprophilous fungus Podospora decipiens (JS 270). Two new tetracyclic sesquiterpene lactones, decipienolides A (2) and B (3), were also obtained from this isolate as an inseparable mixture of epimers that showed antibacterial activity. The structures of 1-3 were elucidated by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data, aided by chemical shift comparisons to related compounds.

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