ToxGen: an improved reference database for the identification of type B-trichothecene genotypes in .

Type B trichothecenes, which pose a serious hazard to consumer health, occur worldwide in grains. These mycotoxins are produced mainly by three different trichothecene genotypes/chemotypes: 3ADON (3-acetyldeoxynivalenol), 15ADON (15-acetyldeoxynivalenol) and NIV (nivalenol), named after these three major mycotoxin compounds. Correct identification of these genotypes is elementary for all studies relating to population surveys, fungal ecology and mycotoxicology.

Functional optics of glossy buttercup flowers.

Buttercup ( spp.) flowers are exceptional because they feature a distinct gloss (mirror-like reflection) in addition to their matte-yellow coloration. We investigated the optical properties of yellow petals of several and related species using (micro)spectrophotometry and anatomical methods.

Genome Sequence of Type Strain CBS 980.96, a Causal Agent of Feline Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis.

A draft genome sequence of type strain CBS 980.96 was obtained. This species was first isolated from a cat with cerebral phaeohyphomycosis in Queensland, Australia.

Candida parapsilosis in domestic laundry machines.

Candida parapsilosis, although a human commensal, acts as an opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infections, with a rising incidence worldwide. Its ecological characteristics are poorly understood. Human-made environments within dwellings, such as dishwashers and water distribution systems, represent major sources of fungi such as C.

Consistent high prevalence of Exophiala dermatitidis, a neurotropic opportunist, on railway sleepers.

Environmental isolation of black yeasts potentially causing human disorders is essential for understanding ecology and routes of infection. Several Exophiala species show prevalence for man-made environments rich in monoaromatic compounds, such as creosote-treated or petroleum-stained railway sleepers. Ambient climatic conditions play a role in species composition in suitable habitats.

Severe Chromoblastomycosis-Like Cutaneous Infection Caused by .

species are saprophytic filamentous fungi commonly found in the soil, dung, and animal fur. Subcutaneous infection caused by this organism is rare in humans. We report a case of subcutaneous fungal infection caused by in a 38-year-old woman.

Online Databases for Taxonomy and Identification of Pathogenic Fungi and Proposal for a Cloud-Based Dynamic Data Network Platform.

The increase in public online databases dedicated to fungal identification is noteworthy. This can be attributed to improved access to molecular approaches to characterize fungi, as well as to delineate species within specific fungal groups in the last 2 decades, leading to an ever-increasing complexity of taxonomic assortments and nomenclatural reassignments. Thus, well-curated fungal databases with substantial accurate sequence data play a pivotal role for further research and diagnostics in the field of mycology.

Novel taxa of thermally dimorphic systemic pathogens in the Ajellomycetaceae (Onygenales).

Recent discoveries of novel systemic fungal pathogens with thermally dimorphic yeast-like phases have challenged the current taxonomy of the Ajellomycetaceae, a family currently comprising the genera Blastomyces, Emmonsia, Emmonsiellopsis, Helicocarpus, Histoplasma, Lacazia and Paracoccidioides. Our morphological, phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses demonstrated species relationships and their specific phenotypes, clarified generic boundaries and provided the first annotated genome assemblies to support the description of two new species. A new genus, Emergomyces, accommodates Emmonsia pasteuriana as type species, and the new species Emergomyces africanus, the aetiological agent of case series of disseminated infections in South Africa.

Nomenclatural notes on Nadsoniella and the human opportunist black yeast genus Exophiala.

The opportunistic black yeast are particularly known through the genus Exophiala, characterised by annellidic budding cells. However, this phenotype is polyphyletic within the order Chaetothyriales. Seventeen generic names are available in the family Herpotrichiellaceae, one of which is Exophiala.

The genus Anthopsis and its phylogenetic position in Chaetothyriales.

The genus Anthopsis was introduced for a black fungus with peculiar, inverted phialides and triangular conidia. The genus accommodates, in addition to the type species Anthopsis deltoidea, which once was reported as a cause of human phaeohyphomycosis, two further taxa: A. catenata and A.

MLST-Based Population Genetic Analysis in a Global Context Reveals Clonality amongst Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii VNI Isolates from HIV Patients in Southeastern Brazil.

Cryptococcosis is an important fungal infection in immunocompromised individuals, especially those infected with HIV. In Brazil, despite the free availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the public health system, the mortality rate due to Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis is still high. To obtain a more detailed picture of the population genetic structure of this species in southeast Brazil, we studied 108 clinical isolates from 101 patients and 35 environmental isolates.

is monophyletic: Evidence from multiple gene phylogenies and extrolites profiles.

is one of the economically most important fungal genera. Recently, the ICN adopted the single name nomenclature which has forced mycologists to choose one name for fungi (e.g.

The forgotten collection: Pouring old wine into new bags.

The genus with its asexual morphs has been subject to several taxonomic revisions in the past. These have resulted in the recognition of 116 species, of which all but two species ( and ) are supported by ex-type cultures and supplemented with DNA barcodes. The present study is based on a large collection of unidentified isolates that have been collected over a period of 20 years from various substrates worldwide, which has remained unstudied in the basement of the CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre.

Diversity and taxonomy of and chaetomium-like fungi from indoor environments.

During a study of indoor fungi, 145 isolates belonging to were cultured from air, swab and dust samples from 19 countries. Based on the phylogenetic analyses of DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (), β-tubulin (), ITS and 28S large subunit (LSU) nrDNA sequences, together with morphological comparisons with related genera and species, 30 indoor taxa are recognised, of which 22 represent known species, seven are described as new, and one remains to be identified to species level. In our collection, 69 % of the indoor isolates with six species cluster with members of the species complex, representing .

Global food and fibre security threatened by current inefficiencies in fungal identification.

Fungal pathogens severely impact global food and fibre crop security. Fungal species that cause plant diseases have mostly been recognized based on their morphology. In general, morphological descriptions remain disconnected from crucially important knowledge such as mating types, host specificity, life cycle stages and population structures.

New species from indoor environments in China.

contains both asexual and sexually reproducing species. This genus is divided in seven sections and currently has 105 accepted species. In this study we investigated the isolates that were obtained during a study of indoor air collected in Beijing, China.

Wood staining fungi revealed taxonomic novelties in : New order and new species .

A culture-based survey of staining fungi on oil-treated timber after outdoor exposure in Australia and the Netherlands uncovered new taxa in . Their taxonomic novelty was confirmed by phylogenetic analyses of multi-locus sequences (ITS, nrSSU, nrLSU, mitSSU, , , and ) using multiple reference data sets. These previously unknown taxa are recognised as part of a new order () potentially closely related to (), and as a new species of , in () part of the mostly lichenised class .

DNA barcoding analysis of more than 9 000 yeast isolates contributes to quantitative thresholds for yeast species and genera delimitation.

DNA barcoding is a global initiative for species identification through sequencing of short DNA sequence markers. Sequences of two loci, ITS and LSU, were generated as barcode data for all (ca. 9k) yeast strains included in the CBS collection, originally assigned to ca.

Polyphasic taxonomy of section .

Species belonging to section are characterised by radiate or short columnar, fawn coloured, uniseriate conidial heads. The morphology of the taxa in this section is very similar and isolates assigned to these species are frequently misidentified. In this study, a polyphasic approach was applied using morphological characters, extrolite data, temperature profiles and partial , and sequences to examine the relationships within this section.

section (formerly ): Polyphasic taxonomy, chemistry and biology.

section includes species with striking morphological characters, such as biseriate conidiophores with brown-pigmented stipes, and if present, the production of ascomata embedded in masses of Hülle cells with often reddish brown ascospores. The majority of species in this section have a sexual state, which were named in the dual name nomenclature system. In the present study, strains belonging to subgenus were subjected to multilocus molecular phylogenetic analyses using internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), partial β-tubulin (), calmodulin () and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit () sequences.

The molecular response of the white-rot fungus Dichomitus squalens to wood and non-woody biomass as examined by transcriptome and exoproteome analyses.

The ability to obtain carbon and energy is a major requirement to exist in any environment. For several ascomycete fungi, (post-)genomic analyses have shown that species that occupy a large variety of habitats possess a diverse enzymatic machinery, while species with a specific habitat have a more focused enzyme repertoire that is well-adapted to the prevailing substrate. White-rot basidiomycete fungi also live in a specific habitat, as they are found exclusively in wood.

Cutaneous Exophiala oligosperma Infection in a Patient with Bullous Pemphigoid with a Review of the Literature.

Phaeohyphomycosis is an infection caused by a heterogeneous group of melanized fungi. Human infections due to members of genus Exophiala are rare but may occur at any part of the body. We herein report a case of an 85-year-old male with a history of bullous pemphigoid who presented with a chronic, non-healing wound on his right dorsal hand for a month.

Maturation of conidia on conidiophores of Aspergillus niger.

Conidia of Aspergillus niger are produced on conidiophores. Here, maturation of conidia on these asexual reproductive structures was studied. Pigmented conidia that had developed on conidiophores for 2, 5, and 8days were similarly resistant to heat and were metabolically active as shown by CO release and conversion of the metabolic probe Tempone.