New teleomorph combinations in the entomopathogenic genus <i>Metacordyceps</i>

Kepler, R.M.,Sung, G.-H.,Ban, S.,Nakagiri, A.,Chen, M.-J.,Huang, B.,Li, Z.,Spatafora, J.W. Informa UK (TaylorFrancis) 2012 Mycologia Vol.104 No.1

<P>The genus Metacordyceps contains arthropod pathogens in Clavicipitaceae (Hypocreales) that formerly were classified in Cordyceps sensu Kobayasi et Mains. Of the current arthropod pathogenic genera of Hypocreales, the genus Metacordyceps remains one of the most poorly understood and contains a number of teleomorphic morphologies convergent with species of Cordyceps s.s. (Cordycipitaceae) and Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae). Of note, the anamorph genera Metarhizium and Pochonia were found to be associated only with Metacordyceps and demonstrated to be phylogenetically informative for the clade. Several species of Cordyceps considered to have uncertain placements (incertae sedis) in the current taxonomic framework of clavicipitoid fungi were collected during field expeditions mostly in eastern Asia. Species reclassified here in Metacordyceps include Cordyceps atrovirens Kobayasi & Shimizu, Cordyceps indigotica Kobayasi & Shimizu, Cordyceps khaoyaiensis Hywel-Jones, Cordyceps kusanagiensis Kobayasi & Shimizu, Cordyceps martialis Speg., Ophiocordyceps owariensis Kobayasi, Cordyceps pseudoatrovirens Kobayasi & Shimizu and Ophicordyceps owariensis f. viridescens (Uchiy. & Udagawa) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora. Incorporation of these species in a multigene phylogenetic framework of the major clades of clavicipitoid fungi more than doubled the number of species in Metacordyceps and allowed for refinement of morphological concepts for the genus consistent with the phylogenetic structure. Based on these findings we then discuss evolution of this genus, subgeneric relationships, anamorph connections, and suggest additional species that should be confirmed for possible inclusion in Metacordyceps.</P>

Bipolar Heterothallism, a Principal Mating System of Cordyceps militaris In Vitro

Joseph W. Spatafora,성기호,Bhushan Shrestha,김호경,성재모 한국생물공학회 2004 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.9 No.6

Interest in in vitro study of entomopathogenic fungi, including Cordyceps species, has been increasing due to their valuable bioactive compounds and biocontrol effects. Among Cordyceps species, in vitro stromata of C. militaris has been successfully produced and cultivated for industrial purposes. However, genetic study on in vitro stromata formation of C. militaris has not been carried out yet. Here, relationship between mating system and perithecial stromata formation of C. militaris is reported. Mating system was determined by observing perithecial stromata formation from mono-ascospore cultures and their pair-wise combinations. Certain combinations of mono-ascospore strains produced perithecial club-shaped stromata, whereas other combinations produced either no stromata or only abnormal non-perithecial stromata. Similarly, mono-ascospore cultures without combination produced either no stromata or only abnormal non-perithecial stromata. Despite obvious heterothallism, self-fertility was occasionally observed in few strains of C. militaris. These observations indicated that C. militaris behaves as a bipolar heterothallic fungus and requires two mating compatible strains in order to produce regular club-shaped perithecial stromata, a fundamental requirement for its industrial cultivation.

A Velocity-Based Approach to Noninvasive Methodology for Urodynamic Analysis

Lorenzo Lotti,Pietro Spatafora,Vincenzo Li Marzi,Giulio Nicita,Enio Paris,Sergio Serni 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2023 International Neurourology Journal Vol.27 No.1

Purpose: To date, invasive urodynamic investigations have been used to define most terms and conditions relating to lower urinary tract symptoms. This invasiveness is almost totally due to the urethral catheter. In order to remove this source of discomfort for patients, the present study investigated a noninvasive methodology able to provide diagnostic information on bladder outlet obstruction or detrusor underactivity without any contact with the human body. Methods: The proposed approach is based on simultaneous measurements of flow rate and jet exit velocity. In particular, the jet exit kinetic energy appears to be strongly related to bladder pressure, providing useful information on the lower urinary tract functionality. We developed a new experimental apparatus to simulate the male lower urinary tract, thus allowing extensive laboratory activities. A large amount of data was collected regarding different functional statuses. Results: Experimental results were compared successfully with data in the literature in terms of peak flow rate and jet exit velocity. A new diagram based on the kinetic energy of the exit jet is proposed herein. Using the same notation as a Schäfer diagram, it is possible to perform noninvasive urodynamic studies. Conclusions: A new noninvasive approach based on the measurement of jet exit kinetic energy has been proposed to replace current invasive urodynamic studies. A preliminary assessment of this approach was carried out in healthy men, with a specificity of 91.5%. An additional comparison using a small sample of available pressure-flow studies also confirmed the validity of the proposed approach.

Bipolar Heterothallism, a Principal Mating System of Cordyceps militaris In Vitro

Shrestha Bhushan,Kim Ho Kyung,Sung Gi Ho,Spatafora Joseph W.,Sung Jae Mo The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengine 2004 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.9 No.6

Interest in in vitro study of entomopathogenic fungi, including Cordyceps species, has been increasing due to their valuable bioactive compounds and biocontrol effects. Among Cordyceps species, in vitro stromata of C militaris has been successfully produced and cultivated for industrial purposes. However, genetic study on in vitro stromata formation of C militaris has not been carried out yet. Here, relationship between mating system and perithecial stromata formation of C militaris is reported. Mating system was determined by observing perithecial stromata formation from mono-ascospore cultures and their pair-wise combinations. Certain combinations of mono-ascospore strains produced perithecial club-shaped stromata, whereas other combinations produced either no stromata or only abnormal non-perithecial stromata. Similarly, mono­ascospore cultures without combination produced either no stromata or only abnormal non­perithecial stromata. Despite obvious heterothallism, self-fertility was occasionally observed in few strains of C militaris. These observations indicated that C militaris behaves as a bipolar het­erothallic fungus and requires two mating compatible strains in order to produce regular club­shaped perithecial stromata, a fundamental requirement for its industrial cultivation.

Phylogenetic classification of <i>Cordyceps</i> and the clavicipitaceous fungi

Sung, Gi-Ho,Hywel-Jones, Nigel L.,Sung, Jae-Mo,Luangsa-ard, J. Jennifer,Shrestha, Bhushan,Spatafora, Joseph W. CBS PUBLICATIONS 2007 STUDIES IN MYCOLOGY Vol.- No.57

<P><I>Cordyceps</I>, comprising over 400 species, was historically classified in the <I>Clavicipitaceae</I>, based on cylindrical asci, thickened ascus apices and filiform ascospores, which often disarticulate into part-spores. <I>Cordyceps</I> was characterized by the production of well-developed often stipitate stromata and an ecology as a pathogen of arthropods and <I>Elaphomyces</I> with infrageneric classifications emphasizing arrangement of perithecia, ascospore morphology and host affiliation. To refine the classification of <I>Cordyceps</I> and the <I>Clavicipitaceae</I>, the phylogenetic relationships of 162 taxa were estimated based on analyses consisting of five to seven loci, including the nuclear ribosomal small and large subunits (<I>nrSSU</I> and <I>nrLSU</I>), the elongation factor 1α (<I>tef1</I>), the largest and the second largest subunits of RNA polymerase II (<I>rpb1</I> and <I>rpb2</I>), β-tubulin (<I>tub</I>), and mitochondrial ATP6 (<I>atp6</I>). Our results strongly support the existence of three clavicipitaceous clades and reject the monophyly of both <I>Cordyceps</I> and <I>Clavicipitaceae</I>. Most diagnostic characters used in current classifications of <I>Cordyceps</I> (e.g., arrangement of perithecia, ascospore fragmentation, etc.) were not supported as being phylogenetically informative; the characters that were most consistent with the phylogeny were texture, pigmentation and morphology of stromata. Therefore, we revise the taxonomy of <I>Cordyceps</I> and the <I>Clavicipitaceae</I> to be consistent with the multi-gene phylogeny. The family <I>Cordycipitaceae</I> is validated based on the type of <I>Cordyceps</I>, <I>C. militaris,</I> and includes most <I>Cordyceps</I> species that possess brightly coloured, fleshy stromata. The new family <I>Ophiocordycipitaceae</I> is proposed based on <I>Ophiocordyceps</I> Petch, which we emend. The majority of species in this family produce darkly pigmented, tough to pliant stromata that often possess aperithecial apices. The new genus <I>Elaphocordyceps</I> is proposed for a subclade of the <I>Ophiocordycipitaceae</I>, which includes all species of <I>Cordyceps</I> that parasitize the fungal genus <I>Elaphomyces</I> and some closely related species that parasitize arthropods. The family <I>Clavicipitaceae</I><I>s. s.</I> is emended and includes the core clade of grass symbionts (e.g., <I>Balansia</I>, <I>Claviceps</I>, <I>Epichloë</I>, etc.), and the entomopathogenic genus <I>Hypocrella</I> and relatives. In addition, the new genus <I>Metacordyceps</I> is proposed for <I>Cordyceps</I> species that are closely related to the grass symbionts in the <I>Clavicipitaceae</I><I>s. s.</I><I>Metacordyceps</I> includes teleomorphs linked to <I>Metarhizium</I> and other closely related anamorphs. Two new species are described, and lists of accepted names for species in <I>Cordyceps</I>, <I>Elaphocordyceps</I>, <I>Metacordyceps</I> and <I>Ophiocordyceps</I> are provided.</P>

유충노랑곰보동충하초(Cordyceps staphylindaecola)의 불완전세대와 자실체 형성

성재모 ( Jae Mo Sung ),홍성준 ( Sung Jun Hong ),( R. A. Humber ),( J. W. Spatafora ) 한국균학회 2003 韓國菌學會誌 Vol.31 No.1

Host jumping onto close relatives and across kingdoms by <i>Tyrannicordyceps</i> (Clavicipitaceae) gen. nov. and <i>Ustilaginoidea</i> _(Clavicipitaceae)

Kepler, Ryan M.,Sung, Gi-Ho,Harada, Yukio,Tanaka, Kazuaki,Tanaka, Eiji,Hosoya, Tsuyoshi,Bischoff, Joseph F.,Spatafora, Joseph W. Wiley (John WileySons) 2012 American journal of botany Vol.99 No.3

<P>This research seeks to advance understanding of conditions allowing movement of fungal pathogens among hosts. The family Clavicipitaceae contains fungal pathogens exploiting hosts across three kingdoms of life in a pattern that features multiple interkingdom host shifts among plants, animals, and fungi. The tribe Ustilaginoideae potentially represents a third origin of plant pathogenesis, although these species remain understudied. Fungal pathogens that cause ergot are linked morphologically with Clavicipitaceae, but are not yet included in phylogenetic studies. The placement of Ustilaginoideae and ergot pathogens will allow differentiation between the host habitat and host relatedness hypotheses as mechanisms of phylogenetic diversification of Clavicipitaceae.</P>

Genome sequence of a white rot fungus Schizopora paradoxa KUC8140 for wood decay and mycoremediation

Min, B.,Park, H.,Jang, Y.,Kim, J.J.,Kim, K.H.,Pangilinan, J.,Lipzen, A.,Riley, R.,Grigoriev, I.V.,Spatafora, J.W.,Choi, I.G. Elsevier Science Publishers 2015 Journal of biotechnology Vol.211 No.-

Schizopora paradoxa KUC8140 is a white rot wood degrader commonly found in Korea. Tolerance to heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dye decolorization activity make this strain a potential candidate for mycoremediation. We report the genome sequence of S. paradoxa KUC8140 containing 44.4Mbp. Based on ab initio gene prediction, homology search and RNA-seq, total 17,098 gene models were annotated. We identified 17 lignin-modifying peroxidases and other 377 carbohydrate-active enzymes for modeling lignocellulose deconstruction and mycoremediation.