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Fungal Spores (fungal + spore)
Selected AbstractsCONCEPTUAL CLUSTERING AND CASE GENERALIZATION OF TWO-DIMENSIONAL FORMSCOMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, Issue 3-4 2006Silke Jänichen Case-based object recognition requires a general case of the object that should be detected. Real-world applications such as the recognition of biological objects in images cannot be solved by one general case. A case base is necessary to handle the great natural variations in the appearance of these objects. In this paper, we will present how to learn a hierarchical case base of general cases. We present our conceptual clustering algorithm to learn groups of similar cases from a set of acquired structural cases of fungal spores. Due to its concept description, it explicitly supplies for each cluster a generalized case and a measure for the degree of its generalization. The resulting hierarchical case base is used for applications in the field of case-based object recognition. We present results based on our application for health monitoring of biologically hazardous material. [source] Airborne fungal spores, pollen grains, and vegetable cells in routine Papanicolaou smearsDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2004Ph.D., Rafael Martínez-Girón M.D. Abstract The objective was to demonstrate the presence of airborne fungal spores, pollen grains, and vegetable cells in smears and establish their significance. Microscopic examination was of smears stained by the Papanicolaou technique. We found several types of airborne spores (Alternaria, Exserohilum, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Curvularia, and Ascosmycete), pollen grains (Lilium, bullrush, Pinus, Acacia, hazelnut, and oak), and several types of vegetable cells. The existence of these structures may be due to intrinsic or to extrinsic contamination of the sample. Anemophilous fungi spores and pollen grains have been shown to possess great allergenic capacity. Pollen grains and vegetable cells may be mistaken for certain microorganisms or malignant cells. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2004;30:381,385. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] External exoskeletal cavities in Coleoptera and their possible mycangial functionsENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010Vasily V. GREBENNIKOV Abstract This paper reviews the occurrence of external exoskeletal cavities in beetles and provides critical reassessment of their possible mycangial function. In most reported cases, the decision to attribute mycangial function to exoskeletal cavities was based solely on the combination of two factors: (i) observation of these cavities on beetle's body; and (ii) knowledge that this particular beetle species uses fungi as a food source. Such reasoning resulted in the assumption, occasionally premature and not supported by other evidence, that exoskeletal pits in the following families may function as mycangia: Rhysodidae, Ptiliidae, Staphylinidae, Hybosoridae, Scarabaeidae, Derodontidae, Ptinidae, Jacobsoniidae, Boganiidae, Cryptophagidae, Endomychidae, Erotylidae, Latridiidae, Nitidulidae, Phloeostichidae, Silvanidae, Sphindidae, Pyrochroidae, Anthribidae, Attelabidae and Curculionidae. We conclude that only two beetle families include species with adequately documented cases of external exoskeletal mycangia: (i) Curculionidae (some Scolytinae and Platypodinae); and (ii) the structurally complex mycangia of Attelabidae (Euops females). One or more species of Sphindidae, Erotylidae, Silvanidae, and Latridiidae have likely functional mycangia. Exoskeletal pits with uncertain function are additionally reported from the following families: Cupedidae, Ommatidae, Lepiceridae, Carabidae, Histeridae, Hydraenidae, Leiodidae, Elmidae, Artematopodidae, Throscidae, Elateridae, Rhinorhipidae, Biphyllidae, Cerylonidae, Cyclaxyridae, Monotomidae, Mycetophagidae and Zopheridae. We also discuss the transport of fungal spores and conidia by waxy exudates or debris build up on beetle exoskeleton, as well as their passive attachment to the body. [source] Fungal biodiversity, pollen morphology and leaf surface of some native species in EgyptFEDDES REPERTORIUM, Issue 1 2001S. I. I. Abdel-Hafez Five native species of the flora of Egypt: Adonis dentata Delile, Ranunculaceae; Papaver dubium L., Papaveraceae; Matthiola longipetala (Vent.) DC., Brassicaceae; Malva parviflora L., Malvaceae; and Erodium laciniatum (Cav.) Willd., Geraniaceae have been investigated morphologically, palynologically and mycologically. The total counts of phyllosphere fungi fluctuated between 223 and 388 colonies/100 leaf segments giving maximum on Malva parviflora followed by Matthiola longipetala, Erodium laciniatum, Papaver dubium and Adonis dentata. The widest spectrum of genera (20) and species (39 and l variety) was recorded on Malva parviflora and the narrowest on Adonis dentata (9, 14). Sixty species and one variety belonging to 27 genera were collected from leaves (24 genera and 56 species and 1 variety) and anthers/pollen (16 genera and 27 species) of the five studied plants with the most frequently species were some members of Alternaria, Cladosporium, Fusarium and Mucor. Members of Aspergillus and Penicillium were prevalent only on leaves of Matthiola longipetala and Malva parviflora, while these members were infrequently recorded on leaf surfaces of Adonis dentata and Papaver dubium. Results revealed that density of hairs on the leaf surface and size of leaf blade, almost seem to be the most reliable factors of the biodiversity of the fungal spores on the studied taxa. On the other hand, reticulate or striate pollen surface had a wider spectrum of fungal biodiversity and higher densities of spores compared with echinate and scabrate surface. Pilz-Biodiversität, Pollen-Morphologie und die Blattoberfläche einiger einheimischer Arten in Ágypten Aus der Flora Ágyptens wurden die fünf einheimischen Arten Adonis dentata Delile, Ranunculaceae; Papaver dubium L., Papaveraceae; Matthiola longipetala (Vent.) DC., Brassicaceae; Malva parviflora L., Malvaceae; und Erodium laciniatum (Cav.) Willd., Geraniaceae morphologisch, palynologisch und mykologisch untersucht. Die Gesamtzahl an phyllosphären Pilzen schwankte zwischen 223 und 388 Kolonien/100 Blattsegementen. Das Maximum lag bei Malva parviflora, gefolgt von Matthiola longipetala, Erodium laciniatum, Papaver dubium und Adonis dentata. Das größte Spektrum an Gattungen (20) und Arten (39 und 1 Varietät) wurde bei Malva parviflora verzeichnet, das Minimum hingegen bei Adonis dentata (9, 14). An den fünf Arten wurden insgesamt 60 Arten und eine Varietät aus 27 Gattungen an Blättern (24 Gattungen, 56 Arten und eine Varietät) und Antheren/Pollen (16 Gattungen, 27 Arten) verzeichnet. Die häufigsten Arten gehörten zu den Gattungen Alternaria, Cladosporium, Fusarium und Mucor. Arten von Aspergillus und Penicillium wurden nur an Blättern von Matthiola longipetala und Malva parviflora nachgewiesen, während sie an den Blattoberflächen von Adonis dentata und Papaver dubium seltener waren. Aus den erzielten Resultaten ergibt sich, dass die Dichte des Haarbesatzes an der Blattoberfläche und die Größe der Blattspreite die entscheidenden Faktoren zur Biodiversität der Pilzsporen an den untersuchten Taxa sind. Anderseits kann man sagen, dass reticulate und striate Pollen im Vergleich zu einer echinaten und skabraten Oberfläche ein größeres Spektrum der Pilz-Biodiversität und eine höhere Sporendichte aufwiesen. [source] Using GIS to relate small mammal abundance and landscape structure at multiple spatial extents: the northern flying squirrel in Alberta, CanadaJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2005MATTHEW WHEATLEY Summary 1It is common practice to evaluate the potential effects of management scenarios on animal populations using geographical information systems (GIS) that relate proximate landscape structure or general habitat types to indices of animal abundance. Implicit in this approach is that the animal population responds to landscape features at the spatial grain and extent represented in available digital map inventories. 2The northern flying squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus is of particular interest in North American forest management because it is known from the Pacific North-West as a habitat specialist, a keystone species of old-growth coniferous forest and an important disperser of hypogeous, mycorrhizal fungal spores. Using a GIS approach we tested whether the relative abundance of flying squirrel in northern Alberta, Canada, is related to old forest, conifer forest and relevant landscape features as quantified from management-based digital forest inventories. 3We related squirrel abundance, estimated through live trapping, to habitat type (forest composition: conifer, mixed-wood and deciduous) and landscape structure (stand height, stand age, stand heterogeneity and anthropogenic disturbance) at three spatial extents (50 m, 150 m and 300 m) around each site. 4Relative abundances of northern flying squirrel populations in northern and western Alberta were similar to those previously reported from other regions of North America. Capture rates were variable among sites, but showed no trends with respect to year or provincial natural region (foothills vs. boreal). 5Average flying squirrel abundance was similar in all habitats, with increased values within mixed-wood stands at large spatial extents (300 m) and within deciduous-dominated stands at smaller spatial extents (50 m). No relationship was found between squirrel abundance and conifer composition or stand age at any spatial extent. 6None of the landscape variables calculated from GIS forest inventories predicted squirrel abundance at the 50-m or 150-m spatial extents. However, at the 300-m spatial extent we found a negative, significant relationship between average stand height and squirrel abundance. 7Synthesis and applications. Boreal and foothill populations of northern flying squirrel in Canada appear unrelated to landscape composition at the relatively large spatial resolutions characteristic of resource inventory data commonly used for management and planning in these regions. Flying squirrel populations do not appear clearly associated with old-aged or conifer forests; rather, they appear as habitat generalists. This study suggests that northern, interior populations of northern flying squirrel are probably more related to stand-level components of forest structure, such as food, microclimate (e.g. moisture) and understorey complexity, variables not commonly available in large-scale digital map inventories. We conclude that the available digital habitat data potentially exclude relevant, spatially dependent information and could be used inappropriately for predicting the abundance of some species in management decision making. [source] An antifungal compound produced by Bacillus subtilis YM 10,20 inhibits germination of Penicillium roqueforti conidiosporesJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2003G.S. Chitarra Abstract Aims: To identify and characterize an antifungal compound produced by Bacillus subtilis YM 10-20 which prevents spore germination of Penicillium roqueforti. Methods and Results: The antifungal compound was isolated by acid precipitation with HCl. This compound inhibited fungal germination and growth. Identification by HPLC and mass spectrometry analysis showed high similarity to iturin A. Permeabilization and morphological changes in P. roqueforti conidia in the presence of the inhibitor were revealed by fluorescence staining and SEM, respectively. Conclusions: The iturin-like compound produced by B. subtilis YM 10-20 permeabilizes fungal spores and blocks germination. Significance and Impact of the Study: Fluorescence staining in combination with flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy are efficient tools for assessing the action of antifungal compounds against spores. Iturin-like compounds may permeabilize fungal spores and inhibit their germination. [source] Airborne fungal spores at the Belgrad forest near the city of Istanbul (Turkey) in the year 2001 and their relation to allergic diseasesJOURNAL OF BASIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2003Günay Çolako, lu Prof. Dr. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between airborne fungal spores and allergic diseases; for this reason, the airborne fungal spores that were obtained from five different locations of Belgrad Forest were isolated, determined and studied quantitatively. Totally 120 samples were examined by using the Petri Plate Gravitational Method, and fungi obtained from these samples were isolated and 600 colonies were counted. By identification of these isolations, 13 genera (Mucor, Rhizopus, Absidia, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Trichothecium, Stemphylium, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Ulocladium, Aureobasidium and Fusarium), 25 species and 10 different sterile fungi were determined. The identifications of these fungi were made according to their microscopic, macromorphological features and references. [source] Vegetation dynamics in western Uganda during the last 1000 years: climate change or human induced environmental degradation?AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2009Julius B. Lejju Abstract A multi-proxy analysis of microfossils from sedimentary records, together with evidence from historical and archaeological data, has provided evidence of vegetation dynamics and human environment interactions in western Uganda for the last 1000 years. Pollen, fungal spores and phytoliths extracted from sediment cores obtained from a papyrus swamp at Munsa archaeological site indicate a relatively wet and forested environment in western Uganda prior to ca 1000 yr bp (cal 977,1159 ad). A subsequent decline in forest vegetation occurred from ca 920 yr bp (cal 1027,1207 ad). However, the deforestation period occurred during a wet period as registered in the River Nile water records, suggesting a human induced deforestation at Munsa rather than reduced precipitation. Increased numbers of herbivores, presumably domesticated cattle, postdeforestation are evidenced by the presence of dung fungal spores and broad accord with the archaeological evidence for initial occupation of the site at Munsa and the establishment of a mixed economy based on crops, cattle and iron working between 1000 and 1200 ad. From ca 200 yr bp (cal 1647,1952 ad), forest recovery occurred at Munsa site and appears to reflect abandonment of the site, as suggested by archaeological evidence, possibly following a period of prolonged drought and famine between 1600 and 1800 ad, as recounted in the oral rich traditions of western Uganda and also reflected by low water levels of River Nile. [source] Fresh insights into long-term changes in flora, vegetation, land use and soil erosion in the karstic environment of the Burren, western IrelandJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Ingo Feeser Summary 1. ,The study focuses on species-rich, upland, heathy vegetation with arctic-alpine floristic affinities and Sesleria grasslands in the karstic Burren region, western Ireland. The investigations aimed at reconstructing the long-term development of these high conservation-value communities and the role of farming in their formation and long-term survival. 2. ,The methods used included pollen analysis and 14C-dating of short monoliths and investigation of grykes (fissures in karstic limestone) for evidence of soil erosion. Special attention was paid to fossil, coprophilous fungal spores as indicators of local grazing. The strong local character of the pollen records facilitated identification of inter-site differences as well as regional patterns. It is shown that open pine woodland characterized the Cappanawalla uplands between c. 1500 BC and 500 BC. It is proposed that such woodlands, with floristic affinities to Scandinavian open pine woodlands on calcareous soils, provided a suitable environment for the present-day, open heath vegetation with species such as Dryas octopetala, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Geranium sanguineum and Empetrum nigrum. 3. ,Burning of vegetation as a management tool was important in the uplands over most of the last two millennia. Firing seems to have ceased with the onset of more intensive grazing regimes in the 18th century. 4. ,Synthesis. Upland palaeoarchives, derived from shallow peaty deposits, show that the upland Burren supported mainly plagioclimax Corylus -dominated woody vegetation and grasslands from c. 1500 BC (beginning of present record), until possibly as late as the 17th century AD. In the uplands of the north-western Burren, open, species-rich pinewoods with hazel dominated. The northern-arctic elements in the present-day upland flora survived clearances, involving initially Pinus sylvestris (c. 500 BC) and subsequently Corylus avellana (c. AD 1600). Colluvial material retrieved from grykes supports the idea of considerable soil loss occurring as late as the first and early 2nd millennium AD. The investigations highlight the potential of upland palaeoarchives, consisting of short sequences, for elucidating vegetation and land-use dynamics in karstic environments such as the Burren. [source] Male and female Silene latifolia plants differ in per-contact risk of infection by a sexually transmitted diseaseJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Oliver Kaltz Summary 1,Behavioural, physiological or immunological constraints often render one sex more susceptible to parasites, thereby potentially generating sex-specific trade-offs between traits associated with infection risk and other life-history characters. 2,The fungal pathogen Microbotryum violaceum systemically infects the dioecious plant Silene latifolia when pollinators deposit fungal spores on the flowers of healthy plants. Male plants produce many short-lived flowers, whereas females produce few flowers that remain connected with the plant after fertilization. We investigated how variation in flower production and flower longevity affects the infection risk for males and females. 3,In glasshouse experiments, we varied the number of flowers inoculated (4 vs. 16 per plant) with spores and the time until these flowers were removed (1 or 2 days for both sexes, 14 days for females only). We also measured the longevity of male flowers receiving simulated visits, with or without spores, to test for an abscission response to visitation and/or contamination. In a field survey, we measured male and female disease prevalence in 17 natural populations. 4,Varying the number of inoculated flowers did not affect infection probability, but females retaining inoculated flowers for 14 days became diseased more often (20.0%) than did plants with flowers removed within 2 days (7.3%). 5,Males that had dropped more inoculated flowers prematurely were more likely to remain uninfected. Spore-bearing visits shortened male flower longevity (38.4 ± 2.8 h) relative to non-spore visits (47.9 ± 5.2 h). 6,Female field disease prevalence (19.7 ± 3.5%) was higher than that of males (14.3 ± 2.6%), especially in populations with a high disease incidence. 7,Continuing physical connection during fruit ripening appears to increase invasion time and thus the per-contact infection risk in females. This is consistent with higher female field prevalences, although other explanations, unrelated to disease transmission, are possible. These results illustrate how interactions between plant reproductive behaviour and pollinator activity may affect disease spread. Female mating behaviour may evolve towards lower attractiveness to pollinators to minimize infectious contacts, while males can afford to be more promiscuous with an attractive, but disposable, floral display. [source] The Effects of Oligosaccharide and Spores from Aspergillus niger on the Defence Responses of Taxus chinensis Leaves In vitroJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 10 2003M. Y. Li Abstract Spores and oligosaccharide of a strain of Aspergillus niger, which had been isolated from the inner bark of Taxus chinensis, were used to treat T. chinensis leaves. The spores decreased the dry weight and chlorophyll content of the leaves, but increased their malondialdehyde content; oligosaccharide induced similar but more moderate changes. The changes in soluble protein, phenolic content, and peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity were also analysed. Oligosaccharide significantly increased all these, whereas the spores had contrary effects. Results indicate that oligosaccharide, but not the fungal spores, elicited a defence reaction in T. chinensis. Possible reasons for these different effects on T. chinensis leaves in vitro are discussed. [source] Technique for visual demonstration of germinating arbuscular mycorrhizal spores and their multiplication in potsJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2007Jitendra Panwar Abstract We describe a simple technique for the germination of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM),fungal spores and their multiplication in pots. Glomus fasciculatum, G. mosseae, and Gigaspora margarita were used. A single wheat seedling was tied to a glass slide, previously covered with filter paper with the help of thread. One single surface-sterilized AM-fungal spore was placed on the middle portion of the root of the wheat seedling using a sterilized syringe. The slide was placed vertically in a 100,mL glass beaker filled with 25,mL of root exudates,water (1:4, v/v) solution, which was collected by growing twenty wheat seedlings in a 150,mL beaker filled with 100,mL sterilized distilled water for 7 d. The slide was observed daily using a compound microscope to follow the time course of germination. In this technique, the spore is directly in contact with the host root, and a visualization of spore germination, hyphal development, and appressorium formation is possible without disrupting fungal growth or the establishment of the symbiosis. The method allows to document the germination events and to assess hyphal-elongation rates by photographing the same spore on consecutive days. The inoculated seedling was used to initiate single-spore multiplication in a sterilized (autoclave on 3 alternate days at 120°C for 120,min at 1.05,kg,cm,2 pressure) potted sandy soil (150,mL volume) into which the slide with the inoculated seedling was inserted carefully through a previously made slit. The wheat seedlings in all pots (4 treatments and 15 replications) became colonized by mycorrhiza, confirming that the establishment of the AM-fungal symbiosis is highly reproducible. Our technique permits the relatively undisturbed growth of the symbiotic partners, the visualization of germinating AM-fungal spores, and their multiplication in pots. This simple and low-cost method facilitates the production of pure lines of AM fungi from single spores, allowing for the study of intraspecific variation and potentiality for cytological, biochemical, physiological, and taxonomical studies. [source] Phenols in spikelets and leaves of field-grown oats (Avena sativa) with different inherent resistance to crown rust (Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae)JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 11 2009Lena H Dimberg Abstract BACKGROUND: Avenanthramides, health-beneficial phenols in oats, are produced in response to incompatible races of the crown rust fungus, Puccinia coronata, in seedlings of greenhouse-grown oats. This study aimed to elucidate whether avenanthramides and/or other phenolic compounds, together with the activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), phenoloxidase (PO) and the avenanthramide biosynthetic enzyme hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:hydroxyanthranilate- N -hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HHT), are associated with crown rust infection in mature field-grown oats. Nine oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes with wide variation in crown rust resistance were exposed to naturally occurring fungal spores during the growth period. RESULTS: In the spikelets avenanthramides as well as HHT activities were more abundant in the crown rust resistant genotypes, whereas p -coumaric and caffeic acids were more abundant in the susceptible ones. In the leaves avenanthramides were not associated with resistance. Instead two unknown compounds correlated negatively with the rust score. Phenols released by alkaline hydrolysis and PAL and PO activities were not related to rust infection, either in spikelets or in the leaves. CONCLUSION: Because grains of crown rust-resistant oat genotypes seemed to have higher endogenous levels of health-promoting avenanthramides, use of resistant oats may contribute to a food raw material with health-beneficial effects. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Comparative and functional morphology of the buccal cavity of Diplogastrina (Nematoda) and a first outline of the phylogeny of this taxon*JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH, Issue 1 2000A. Fürst Von Lieven The Diplogastrina include about 290 species of free living nematodes. Traditional classifications of this taxon are not based upon hypotheses of phylogenetic relationships. The highly variable structures of the buccal cavity were examined in 21 species using light microscopy and SEM. The function of the stomatal structures was studied with the aid of video recordings of living worms. The morphological data were used to reconstruct a first outline of the phylogenetic relationships of the Dipolgastrina. A rhabditoid gymnostomatal tube which is longer than wide, a short stegostom and a small dorsal tooth as in Pseudodiplogasteroides belong to the stem species pattern of Diplogastrina. Diplogastrina with a ,Rhabditis'-like gymnostomatal tube feed on bacteria and small fungal spores. A short and broad gymnostom as well as a right subventral tooth which forms a functional unit with the dorsal tooth were acquired step by step in the ancestral line leading to Mononchoides and Tylopharynx. The cuticularized cheilostom was divided into six plates connected by pliable regions twice independently within the Diplogastrina. The teeth-bearing posterior part of the buccal capsule can move forewards by pushing apart the plates of the cheilostom so that the teeth can get in contact with food items that are too big to be sucked into the buccal cavity. Diplogastrina with a divided cheilostom can feed not only on bacteria, but also on larger fungal spores, ciliates or other nematodes. Tylopharynx is specialized to rip apart the cell wall of fungal hyphae with the movements of a dorsal and a subventral tooth in order to suck out the contents of the fungus. This shows that the transformation of the buccal cavity in Diplogastrina is linked with an expansion of ecological niches. [source] Glowworms: a review of Arachnocampa spp. and kinLUMINESCENCE: THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL LUMINESCENCE, Issue 3 2007V. B. Meyer-Rochow Abstract The term ,glowworm' is used in connection with the flightless females of lampyrid fireflies and to describe the luminescent larvae of certain fungus gnats that belong to the subfamilies Arachnocampinae, Keroplatinae and Macrocerinae of the dipteran family Keroplatidae. This review focuses on the luminescent larval fungus gnats. The weakly luminescent species of the Holarctic feed mainly on fungal spores, but some, such as Orfelia fultoni, have turned to a carnivorous diet. Larval Australian and New Zealand Arachnocampa spp. produce brighter in vivo (but not necessarily in vitro) lights, live in cool, damp and dark places and are exclusively predatory. They lure their prey (usually small flying insects) with the help of their blue-green light emissions towards snares consisting of vertical silk threads coated with sticky mucus droplets. Fungus gnats with similar ,fishing lines' are found in the Neotropics, but they are not luminescent. The larval stage is longest in the life cycle of Arachnocampa, lasting up to a year, depending on climatic conditions such as temperature and humidity as well as food supply. In A. luminosa, but not the Australian A. flava, female pupae and even female imagines are luminescent. However, it remains to be demonstrated whether it is the light of the female, a pheromone or both that attract the males. Light organs and the chemical reactions to produce light differ between the holarctic and the Australian/New Zealand species. Prey is attracted only by the glowworm's light; odours of the fishing lines or the glowworms themselves are not involved. Recognition of the prey by the glowworm involves mechano- and chemoreception. The eyes of both larval and adult glowworms are large and functional over a spectral range covering UV to green wavelengths. Adults are poor fliers, live only for a few days, have degenerate mouth parts and do not feed. Maintenance of glowworms in captivity is possible and the impact of tourism on glowworms in natural settings can be minimized through appropriate precautions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Molecular and immunological characterization of Asp f 34, a novel major cell wall allergen of Aspergillus fumigatusALLERGY, Issue 8 2009A. G. Glaser Background:, Although fungal spores have been recognized as triggers of respiratory allergy and asthma, only two allergenic fungal cell wall components have so far been described. Methods:, Eighty-one sequences derived from an Aspergillus fumigatus cDNA library encoding putative allergens were examined for the presence of cell wall components. A new allergen (Asp f 34) was evaluated by Western blots, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation assays, and skin prick test (SPT). Results:, The cDNA encoding Asp f 34 contained an open reading frame predicting a protein of 185 amino acids with a molecular weight of 19.38 kDa, showing sequence homology to phiA, an essential protein for the formation of conidia in the genus Aspergillus. The recombinant Asp f 34 was binding IgE from sensitized individuals in Western blots. An ELISA survey showed that 94% of the ABPA and 46% of the A. fumigatus -sensitized individuals tested had Asp f 34-specific serum IgE. Asp f 34 induced allergen-specific proliferation exclusively of PBMCs from patients sensitized to the allergen. Eight patients with anti-Asp f 34 serum IgE tested reacted positively in SPT, whereas four A. fumigatus -sensitized individuals without Asp f 34-specific IgE and eight healthy controls scored negatively. Conclusions:, A cell wall protein of the phialides of A. fumigatus was identified as a major allergen. Asp f 34 belongs to the Aspergillus -specific proteins of the phiA family and has relevant potential for a specific diagnosis of Aspergillus sensitization. [source] Detection of pollen grains in multifocal optical microscopy images of air samplesMICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 6 2009Sander H. Landsmeer Abstract Pollen is a major cause of allergy and monitoring pollen in the air is relevant for diagnostic purposes, development of pollen forecasts, and for biomedical and biological researches. Since counting airborne pollen is a time-consuming task and requires specialized personnel, an automated pollen counting system is desirable. In this article, we present a method for detecting pollen in multifocal optical microscopy images of air samples collected by a Burkard pollen sampler, as a first step in an automated pollen counting procedure. Both color and shape information was used to discriminate pollen grains from other airborne material in the images, such as fungal spores and dirt. A training set of 44 images from successive focal planes (stacks) was used to train the system in recognizing pollen color and for optimization. The performance of the system has been evaluated using a separate set of 17 image stacks containing 65 pollen grains, of which 86% was detected. The obtained precision of 61% can still be increased in the next step of classifying the different pollen in such a counting system. These results show that the detection of pollen is feasible in images from a pollen sampler collecting ambient air. This first step in automated pollen detection may form a reliable basis for an automated pollen counting system. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Reproductive strategies, relichenization and thallus development observed in situ in leaf-dwelling lichen communitiesNEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 3 2002William B. Sanders Summary ,,Suppositions about lichen reproductive strategies were investigated and elusive early stages of lichen ontogeny documented in a foliicolous lichen community. ,,Plastic coverslips attached to supportive netting were placed among foliicolous lichen communities within a neotropical lowland forest. The germination and development of diverse lichen propagules colonizing the coverslips were studied with light microscopy. ,,Foliicolous lichens were observed to begin development from lichenized vegetative propagules, aposymbiotic fungal spores, fungal spores dispersed together with attached phycobionts, and diahyphae. Aposymbiotically dispersed spores and diahyphae were capable of associating with compatible phycobionts encountered upon the substratum, following germination. ,,Many developing thalli produced characteristic structures (discoid isidia, thalline setae, pycnidia, etc.) which permitted their recognition as typical members of the foliicolous lichen community. Thalline setae in Tricharia were produced upon the prothallus, and subsequently incorporated into the thallus proper by advance of the lichenized thallus margin. Tricharia and other members of the Gomphillaceae showed a distinctive organization of symbionts in thallus growth, whereby the unicellular green phycobiont cells were positioned at the tips of advancing fascicles of mycobiont hyphae. In Coenogonium sp., branching filaments of the phycobiont Trentepohlia grew along prothallic paths initiated by the mycobiont. [source] Cold adaptation in Arctic and Antarctic fungiNEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 2 2001Clare H. Robinson Summary Growth and activity at low temperatures and possible physiological and ecological mechanisms underlying survival of fungi isolated from the cold Arctic and Antarctic are reviewed here. Physiological mechanisms conferring cold tolerance in fungi are complex; they include increases in intracellular trehalose and polyol concentrations and unsaturated membrane lipids as well as secretion of antifreeze proteins and enzymes active at low temperatures. A combination of these mechanisms is necessary for the psychrotroph or psychrophile to function. Ecological mechanisms for survival might include cold avoidance; fungal spores may germinate annually in spring and summer, so avoiding the coldest months. Whether spores survive over winter or are dispersed from elsewhere is unknown. There are also few data on persistence of basidiomycete vs microfungal mycelia and on the relationship between low temperatures and the predominance of sterile mycelia in tundra soils. Acclimation of mycelia is a physiological adaptation to subzero temperatures; however, the extent to which this occurs in the natural environment is unclear. Melanin in dark septate hyphae, which predominate in polar soils, could protect hyphae from extreme temperatures and play a significant role in their persistence from year to year. [source] Photodynamic Treatment of the Dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum and its Microconidia with Porphyrin Photosensitizers,PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Threes G. M. Smijs ABSTRACT The application of photosensitizers for the treatment of fungal infections is a new and promising development within the field of photodynamic treatment (PDT). Dermatophytes, fungi that can cause infections of the skin, hair and nails, are able to feed on keratin. Superficial mycoses are probably the most prevalent of infectious diseases in all parts of the world. One of the most important restrictions of the current therapeutic options is the return of the infection and the duration of the treatment. This is especially true in the case of infections of the nail (tinea unguium) caused by Trichophyton rubrum, an anthropophilic dermatophyte with a worldwide distribution. Recently, we demonstrated that 5,10,15-tris(4-methylpyridinium)-20-phenyl-[21H,23H]-porphine trichloride (Sylsens B) and deuteroporphyrin monomethylester were excellent photosensitizers toward T. rubrum when using broadband white light. This study demonstrates the photodynamic activity of these photosensitizers with red light toward both a suspension culture of T. rubrum and its isolated microconidia. The higher penetration depth of red light is important for the PDT of nail infections. In addition, we tested the photodynamic activity of a newly synthesized porphyrin, quinolino-[4,5,6,7-efg]-7-demethyl-8-deethylmesoporphyrin dimethylester, displaying a distinct peak in the red part of the spectrum. However, its photodynamic activity with red light toward a suspension culture of T. rubrum appeared to be only fungistatic. Sylsens B was the best photosensitizer toward both T. rubrum and its microconidia. A complete inactivation of the fungal spores and destruction of the fungal hyphae was found. In studies into the photostability, Sylsens B appeared to be photostable under the conditions used for fungal PDT. A promising result of this study is the demonstration of the complete degradation of the fungal hyphae in the time after the PDT and the inactivation of fungal spores, both with red light. These results offer the ingredients for a future treatment of fungal infections, including those of the nail. [source] Mammal mycophagy and fungal spore dispersal across a steep environmental gradient in eastern AustraliaAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2009KARL VERNES Abstract We examined changes in the types of fungi consumed by six species of small mammals across a habitat gradient in north-eastern New South Wales that graded from swamp, to woodland, to open forest and then to rainforest. All mammals ate some fungus, but only bush rats (Rattus fuscipes) regularly did so, and their diet included most of the fungal taxa that we identified across all mammals in the study. The composition of bush rat diet changed significantly with each change in habitat from woodland, to forest, to rainforest. In particular, there was a significant difference in the diets of rats caught either side of the open forest-rainforest ecotone, which marks the change in fungal community from one dominated by ectomycorrhizal fungi, to a community dominated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Movement patterns of bush rats living around the open forest-rainforest ecotone suggest that they transport fungal spores between these contrasting fungal communities. Therefore, bush rats have the potential, by way of spore dispersal, to influence the structure of vegetation communities. [source] Records of hypogeous mycorrhizal fungi in the diet of some Western Australian bolboceratine beetles (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae, Bolboceratinae)AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Terry F Houston Abstract In order to assess the possible contribution of bolboceratine beetles to the dispersal of mycorrhizal fungal spores, faeces and/or gut contents of adults of several species and genera obtained from burrows or collected at lights at night were examined microscopically. Two species of Blackbolbus (frontalis and fucinus) were found to have fed on different species of hypogeous sporocarps (truffles). Furthermore, adults of Bbo. frontalis were found in burrows with truffles of the genera Amarrendia, Hysterangium and Scleroderma. Specimens of some Blackburnium, Bolboleaus and Bolborhachium species, on the other hand, were found to have ingested diffuse glomeralean mycelium and spores along with varying quantities of soil. Limited evidence of broad-scale distribution of spores was obtained. Some Scleroderma truffles found in burrows of Bbo. frontalis were honeycombed and inhabited by numerous nitidulid beetles identified as Thalycrodes mixta. Two truffles identified as Hysterangium found in soil close to a burrow of Bbo. frontalis were infested with nematodes. [source] Immunoglobulin E-binding and skin test reactivity to hydrophobin HCh-1 from Cladosporium herbarum, the first allergenic cell wall component of fungiCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 1 2003M. Weichel Summary Background For many years, fungal spores have been recognized as potential causes of respiratory allergies. All fungal allergens cloned so far represent either secreted or cytoplasmatic proteins, but nothing is known about the involvement of fungal surface proteins in allergic diseases. Methods A phage surface displayed cDNA-library from the mould Cladosporium herbarum was constructed and phage displaying IgE-binding proteins were selectively enriched with immobilized serum IgE from C. herbarum -sensitized individuals. Inserts encoding putative allergens were sequenced, subcloned and used to produce recombinant proteins. Allergenicity of the proteins was evaluated by IgE binding in Western blots, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and skin prick test in a total of 84 patients sensitized to either C. herbarum or Aspergillus fumigatus and three healthy controls. Results After four rounds of affinity selection, the cDNA-library was enriched for clones displaying IgE-binding molecules. Sequencing of inserts showed that one clone contained an open reading frame predicting a protein of 105 amino acids and a calculated molecular weight of 10.5 kDa showing the classical signature of members of the hydrophobin family. The recombinant protein, termed HCh-1, was able to bind IgE from six patients sensitized to fungi in vitro. Two of those patients were also included in a skin prick test survey and showed strong type I skin reactions to HCh-1, demonstrating the allergenic nature of C. herbarum hydrophobin and indicating a prevalence of sensitization in the range of 8,9%. In contrast, the hydrophobin HYP1 from Aspergillus fumigatus was not recognized by the sera of the same patients and controls investigated with HCh-1. ConclusionC. herbarum hydrophobin represents the first component of the cell wall of fungi demonstrated to act as a rare but clinically relevant allergen in vitro and in vivo. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||