Diversity and taxonomy of Tricholoma species from Yunnan, China, and notes on species from Europe and North America.

Although taxonomic knowledge on Tricholoma (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) is fairly comprehensive in northwest Europe, knowledge of the global diversity and distribution of Tricholoma spp. is still sparse. In this study, the diversity and distribution of some Tricholoma spp.

Species diversity, distribution patterns, and substrate specificity of Strobilurus.

The fungal genus Strobilurus belongs to Physalacriaceae and contains approximately 11 species worldwide. Species of this genus grow and reproduce on cones of various conifers, seed pods or fruits of Magnolia and Liquidambar, and branches and wood of conifers. Previous studies focused mainly on samples from Europe and North America.

Out of Asia: Biogeography of fungal populations reveals Asian origin of diversification of the Laccaria amethystina complex, and two new species of violet Laccaria.

Purple Laccaria are ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes associated with temperate forests all over the Northern Hemisphere in at least two taxa: Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis in North America, and L. amethystina complex in Eurasia, as shown by Vincenot et al. (2012).

The taxonomic foundation, species circumscription and continental endemisms of Singerocybe: evidence from morphological and molecular data.

The genus Singerocybe (Tricholomataceae, Agaricales, Basidiomycota) has been the subject of controversy since its proposal in 1988. Its taxonomic foundation, species circumscription and geographical distribution have not yet been examined with molecular sequence data. In this study phylogenetic analyses on this group of fungi were conducted based on collections from Europe, eastern Asia, southern Asia, North America and Australia, with four nuclear markers, ITS, nrLSU, tef1-α and rpb2.

DNA sequence analyses reveal abundant diversity, endemism and evidence for Asian origin of the porcini mushrooms.

The wild gourmet mushroom Boletus edulis and its close allies are of significant ecological and economic importance. They are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but despite their ubiquity there are still many unresolved issues with regard to the taxonomy, systematics and biogeography of this group of mushrooms. Most phylogenetic studies of Boletus so far have characterized samples from North America and Europe and little information is available on samples from other areas, including the ecologically and geographically diverse regions of China.

Colonization of roots of cultivated Solanum lycopersicum by dark septate and other ascomycetous endophytes.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) roots from four different crop sites in Colombia were surface sterilized and 51 fungal isolates were obtained and conserved for further analysis. Based on microscopical observations and growth characteristics, 20 fungal isolates corresponded to genus Fusarium, six presented asexual conidia different from Fusarium, eight were sterile mycelia, seven of which had dark septate hyphae and 17 did not continue to grow on plates after being recovered from conservation.

Gene expression analysis of arbuscule development and functioning.

The arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is characterized by specific morphological structures of the fungus and the plant and by physiological adaptations which are mostly beneficial for both partners of the symbiosis. This review describes approaches to study the molecular basis of the interaction. RNA accumulation patterns have been monitored in Pisum sativum to analyse the plant response to arbuscule development.

Regulation of cell separation in the dimorphic fungus Ustilago maydis.

During its haploid phase the dimorphic fungus Ustilago maydis grows vegetatively by budding. We have identified two genes, don1 and don3, which control the separation of mother and daughter cells. Mutant cells form tree-like clusters in liquid culture and grow as ring-like (donut-shaped) colonies on solid medium.