Abstract During a survey of mucoralean fungi in soil from an upland forest area located in Pernambuco, Brazil, a strain of Backusella (URM 8637) was isolated. Based on morphological, physiological, and molecular data [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA regions], it was recognized that this Backusella differed from all other species in the genus. Morphologically, the new species is characterized as forming varied-shaped columellae, including elongated, basally constricted, unisporate (rare) and multisporate sporangiola, and ellipsoidal sporangiospores. The maximum temperature growth of URM 8637 on malt extract agar and potato dextrose agar was 36 °C. In the phylogram, it was closely related to B. constricta. Based on the evidence from the analyzed datasets, a new species of Backusella is proposed. An updated identification key for Backusella from the Americas is provided.

ABSTRACT Piptocephalis includes mycoparasitic fungi, mainly targeting mucoralean species. Until now, there has been no compilation of data on the taxonomy and geographic distribution of Piptocephalis, which is a barrier to the proper identification of species of this genus by taxonomists. The present study provides an overview of Piptocephalis with taxonomic and occurrence data, in addition to reporting P. graefenhanii and P. xenophila for the first time in South America. Both species were observed parasitizing Mucor spp. The P. graefenhanii was observed growing on paca dung and P. xenophila was observed on guinea-pig dung in Recife, northeastern Brazil. Aspects of their morphology are discussed and a key for the genus is presented. fungi now taxonomists P America spp guineapig guinea pig Recife Brazil presented

ABSTRACT Two new Penicillium species are reported from soil of an agroforestry system and an Atlantic Rainforest fragment in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. Using a polyphasic approach, combining partial β-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM), internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) gene sequences and morphological characters, Penicillium gercinae sp. nov. (section Ramigena, series Georgiensia), and Penicillium stangiae sp. nov. (section Lanata-Divaricata, series Dalearum) are described. Descriptions based on morphological features are provided. Penicillium gercinae is phylogenetically closely related to P. georgiense; however, P. gercinae does not grow on Czapek yeast extract (CYA) and has monoverticillate and biverticillate conidiophores. Penicillium stangiae is phylogenetically closely related to P. penarojense and P. vanderhammenii. As diagnostic features, P. stangiae had slower growth on CYA (28-30 mm in 7 days) and on DG18 (6-7 mm in 7 days) and lacked the production of acid on creatine agar. This research contributes to the expansion of knowledge on the taxonomy and diversity of Penicillium species in Brazil.

ABSTRACT The knowledge of the geographical distribution of fungi is essential to promote the understanding of global and national fungal diversity patterns. In this study, we provide a literature-based checklist of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Talaromyces species recorded in the biomes of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and the Brazilian Pampa. Only Penicillium digitatum was reported for the Pampa biome. For the Atlantic Forest, a total of 169 species (68 Aspergillus, 79 Penicillium, and 22 Talaromyces) are reported, of which 20 are typified with specimens from this biome, including the novel species Penicillium nordestinense (section Lanata-Divaricata) that is described in this study. Penicillium nordestinense is phylogenetically related to the invalidly described species Penicillium setosum, and this species is validated here. Soil was the most common substrate from where species were reported. Several reported species are well known in biotechnological processes. Penicilliopsis zonata and Sclerocleista ornata, species previously treated in Aspergillus, are recorded. This checklist reflects the limited knowledge of fungal species in tropical environments, such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Pampa biomes. This information is a good framework for understanding the Brazilian diversity of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Talaromyces and provides data for future fungal biogeographical studies in tropical environments.

ABSTRACT As primary decomposers of organic matter, mucoralean fungi have an important ecological role in edaphic systems in the Atlantic Forest. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding how communities of Mucorales are structured in soils of Atlantic Forest areas, and whether these communities are influenced by edaphic attributes in this domain. Thus, the current study aimed to understand the influence of edaphic attributes linked to species richness, abundance and composition of Mucorales in dense ombrophilous forest, ‘tabuleiro’ forest, sandbank and mangrove ecosystems located in Pernambuco, Brazil. Altogether, twenty-three taxa, including seven new records, were reported from soil samples from the ecosystems. Species composition was similar among the ecosystems, except for mangrove, while species richness and diversity of Mucorales were highest in dense ombrophilous forest and ‘tabuleiro’. Together the soil variables were responsible for 35.5 % of the variation in species composition, with pH being responsible for 53.32 % and 47.24 % of the variation in richness and abundance of these communities, respectively. These data indicate that pH is the most important attribute in delimiting the structure of mucoralean communities in the study areas, with influence on the composition, richness, and abundance of these fungi.

ABSTRACT A literature-based checklist of species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Talaromyces recorded in the Brazilian tropical dry forest (Caatinga), the largest tropical dry forest region in South America, is provided. A total of 130 species (60 Aspergillus, 57 Penicillium, and 13 Talaromyces) are reported. Soil was the most common substrate, with 122 species records. Various reported species are well known in biotechnological processes. This checklist reflects the limited knowledge of fungal species in tropical dry environments. These data provide a good starting point for biogeographical studies on species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Talaromyces in dry environments worldwide. In addition, the new species Penicillium vascosobrinhous is introduced, an endophytic fungus isolated from cactus of the Caatinga forest in Brazil.

ABSTRACT Twenty-seven Tritirachium strains were present in the URM culture collection originally founded in Brazil by Augusto Chaves Batista. Fifteen freshly-prepared cultures were obtained from these original strains preserved under mineral oil. DNA was extracted for analysing phylogenetic relationships using the sequence information available from Tritirachium type materials and reference strains. Phylogenetic analysis using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal DNA sequences revealed that eight of these strains belong to the same clade as of T. oryzae and that the four other strains belong to the same clade as of T. candoliense. The strain URM 38, which was previously identified as “T. brumptii”, appeared to exist as a single lineage, related to T. roseum and T. candoliense. Based on morphological features and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis, including the analyses of ITS and LSU rDNA, and rpb2 sequences, we propose that URM 38 belongs to the new species T. batistae. This novel species exhibited velutinous to cottony colonies of varying colour, septate hyphae without clamp connections, conidiophores reduced to conidiogenous cells, conidiogenous cells with a distinct sympodial rachis, and single-cell conidia that was globose to subglobose, obovoid, smooth, and hyaline. The morphological features of species accepted in Tritirachium are included in this study.

RESUMO O feijão caupi, [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] tem uma grande importância em virtude do elevado teor proteico e energético na alimentação humana. Dentre as principais doenças da cultura do feijão, destaca-se a antracnose, causada pelo desenvolvimento do fungo hpsColletotrichum lindemuthianumhps. A indução de resistência torna-se uma alternativa para controle desse micro-organismo, entre os indutores mais utilizados, destaca-se o acibenzolar-S-metil (ASM). Dessa forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficiência do ASM em feijão caupi no controle da antracnose, causada pelo fungo hpsColletotrichum lindemuthianumhps URM 5771, bem como a ativação de enzimas relacionadas à patogenicidade. O estudo foi conduzido em casa de vegetação e os tratamentos foram dispostos em um esquema de delineamento inteiramente casualizado, sendo cinco tratamentos (Tratamento 1 - 0,15g L-1; Tratamento 2 - 0,30g L-1; Tratamento 3 - 0,45g L-1 e Tratamento 4 - 0,60g L-1), incluindo o controle (apenas água) e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos com maiores doses do ASM proporcionaram maior atividade enzimática e consequentemente maior resistência às plantas de feijão caupi.

ABSTRACT Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is of great importance due to its high protein and energy content for human diet. Among the major diseases of bean culture is anthracnose, caused by the development of the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. Resistance induction becomes an alternative to control this microorganism; among the most commonly used inducers is acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM). Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate ASM efficiency in controlling anthracnose in cowpea, which is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum URM 5771, as well as the activation of enzymes related to its pathogenicity. The study was conducted in a greenhouse and treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design, constituting 5 treatments (Treatment 1 - 0.15g L-1; Treatment 2 - 0.30g L-1; Treatment 3 - 0.45g L-1 and Treatment 4 - 0.60g L-1), including control (water only) and four replicates. Treatments with higher ASM levels provided higher enzymatic activity and, consequently, greater resistance to cowpea plants.

ABSTRACT We studied the fungal endophyte community of the leaves of Myracrodruon urundeuva in Brazil along with their potential to produce L-asparaginase. In total, 187 endophytes were isolated. The colonization rate of leaf fragments from caatinga (10.41 %) was lower than those from brejo de altitude (39.58 %). Sequences of ITS rDNA from all endophytes revealed relationships with Ascomycota (Botryosphaeriales, Chaetothyriales, Diaporthales, Eurotiales, Glomerellales, Hypocreales, and Pleosporales) and Basidiomycota (Polyporales). The most frequent endophytes were members of the genus Diaporthe. Talaromyces was an indicator genus for caatinga while Phyllosticta, Diaporthe, and Colletotrichum were for brejo de altitude. The composition of endophytic fungi in caatinga and brejo de altitude differed significantly, its richness and diversity (H' = 3.41) being significantly higher in brejo de altitude. Diaporthe sp. URM 7793 was the best producer of L-asparaginase (2.41 U/g), followed by Diaporthe sp. URM 7779 (2.00 U/g), Talaromyces sp. URM 7785 (1.91 U/g), and Diaporthe sp. URM 7792 (1.47 U/g). The composition of endophytic fungi assemblages is strongly influenced by the type of ecosystem. In its natural habitat, M. urundeuva harbors an important diversity of endophytes, which could be used to produce L-asparaginase.

ABSTRACT Here, Diaporthe myracrodruonis is introduced as new species from Brazil, isolated as endophyte from Myracrodruon urundeuva. Asterina mandaquiensis is epitypified and ilustrated for the first time. Serpula similis is reported as new to the Neotropics, while Perenniporia centrali-africana is reported for the first time as endophyte and Preussia africana as endophyte from Spondias tuberosa in Caatinga in Brazil.

Abstract Protein hydrolysates originating from egg white have already been reported to be bioactive and, among their biological activities, possess the antioxidant property that protects the body from early ageing and diseases linked to oxidation. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of hydrolysates obtained by the hydrolysis of egg white from hen poultry. The protease produced by Aspergillus avenaceus URM 6706 was purified and subsequently applied to hydrolysate the egg white, and the degree of hydrolysis was verified during the protease exposure time (4-24 h). The hydrolysis was intensified over time of exposure to the protease. It was possible to detect the antioxidant activities of eliminating the 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical (ABTS•+) from 97% to 99% and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) up to 27%, as well as the chelation of Cu2+ metal ions up to 62% and Fe2+ up to 54%. The elimination of ABTS•+ radical had a positive correlation with the degree of hydrolysis; however, all the other activities tested showed a negative correlation with the degree of hydrolysis. The results obtained suggest that the egg white of hen chicken represents a food source of animal origin with potential application in the functional food industry.

ABSTRACT Here, Quambalaria fabacearum and Neopestalotiopsis brasiliensis are introduced as new species from Brazil, isolated as endophyte from Mimosa tenuiflora and causing post-harvest rot disease on fruits of Psidium guajava, respectively. Diaporthe inconspicua is emended to include a more detailed morphological description. Neopestalotiopsis egyptiaca is reported as new to the Americas and as causing post-harvest rot disease on fruits of Psidium guajava, while Umbelopsis isabellina is reported as endophyte.

Abstract Different responses are observed in plants after infection by pathogens. The usage of systemic inducers, whether biotic or abiotic, has the function to increase the enzymatic production of the plant defense system. In that sense, our present research aims to evaluate the disease severity of anthracnose in the cowpea cultivar “sempre-verde” infected with Colletotrichum lindemuthianum URM 5771 and subjected to both biotic and abiotic resistance inducers, as well as evaluate the enzymatic activity of plant defense. The experiment was performed in a greenhouse with a completely randomized split-plot design with six treatments: four abiotic plant resistance inducers, acibenzolar-S-methyl, β-aminobutyric acid, chitosan, and salicylic acid; one biotic inducer, the filamentous fungi Trichoderma aureoviride URM 5158; and a control with only water. The plant leaves were sampled at four time points, 4, 8, 12 and 20 days after inoculation with the plant pathogen, to measure the enzymatic activity of β-1,3-glucanase, catalase, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, and protease. The abiotic inducers acibenzolar-S-methyl, β-aminobutyric acid, and chitosan and the biotic inducer presented the highest potential in reducing the anthracnose caused by C. lindemuthianum URM 5771 in cowpea plants by showing the lowest values of injury severity over time. The disease progression showed a proportionate shift in enzymatic activity in that the inducers salicylic acid and T. aureoviride URM 5158 promoted the highest enzymatic activity when compared to the other inducers. High correlations between the enzymatic activity of peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase and anthracnose severity were observed in cowpea plants. The use of abiotic and biotic resistance inducers presents high potential for anthracnose control in cowpea plants; however, more studies should be carried out covering different environments, plant cultivars and climatic conditions.

Resumen Se observan diferentes respuestas en la planta después de la infección por patógenos. El uso de inductores sistémicos ya sean bióticos o abióticos tiene la función de aumentar la producción enzimática del sistema de defensa de la planta. En ese sentido, nuestra presente investigación tiene como objetivo evaluar la severidad de la enfermedad en plantas de caupí cultivares “sempre-verde” infectadas con Colletotrichum lindemuthianum URM 5771, el agente de la antracnosis, y sometidas a inductores de resistencia tanto bióticos como abióticos, así como estimular la enzimática actividad de defensa de planta. El experimento se realizó en invernadero con un diseño de parcelas divididas completamente aleatorizado en el tiempo, con seis tratamientos: cuatro inductores de resistencia de plantas abióticas acibenzolar-S-metilo, ácido β-aminobutírico, quitosano y ácido salicílico, un inductor biótico, los hongos filamentosos Trichoderma aureoviride URM 5158, y un control con solo agua. Las hojas de la planta se muestrearon en cuatro puntos de tiempo, 4, 8, 12 y 20 días después de la inoculación del patógeno de la planta, para medir la actividad enzimática de la β-1,3-glucanasa, la catalasa, la peroxidasa, la polifenoloxidasa y la proteasa. Los inductores abióticos acibenzolar-S-metil, β-aminobutírico, quitosano y el inductor biótico presentaron el mayor potencial para reducir la antracnosis causada por C. lindemuthianum URM 5771 en las plantas de caupí al mostrar los valores más bajos en la escala de severidad de las lesiones a lo largo del tiempo. La progresión de la enfermedad proporcionó un cambio en la actividad enzimática donde los inductores de ácido salicílico y T. aureoviride URM 5158 promovieron la actividad enzimática más alta en comparación con los otros inductores. Se observaron altas correlaciones entre la actividad enzimática de la peroxidasa y la polifenoloxidasa y la severidad de la antracnosis en las plantas de caupí. El uso de inductores de resistencia abióticos y bióticos presenta un alto potencial para la lucha contra la antracnosis en las plantas de caupí, sin embargo, se deben realizar más estudios que cubran diferentes ambientes, variedades de plantas y condiciones climáticas.

ResumenEl suelo es un sistema biológico complejo, que desempeña un papel fundamental en las plantas y los animales, especialmente en los bosques secos como la Caatinga. Los hongos del suelo, tales como Aspergillus y Penicillium, pueden ser utilizados como bioindicadores para la conservación de la biodiversidad. El objetivo de este estudio fue aislar e identificar las especies de Aspergillus y Penicillium del suelo, en los municipios de Ibimirim y Tupanatinga en el Parque Nacional Catimbau. Cinco colecciones se llevaron a cabo en cada área durante la estación seca de 2012, un total de 25 muestras de suelos por área. Los hongos fueron aislados mediante la suspensión en agua destilada estéril y se sembraron en medio de cultivo Agar Sabouraud más Cloranfenicol y Rosa de Bengala, y también en el medio Agar Dicloran Glicerol. Los aislamientos fueron identificados en el Laboratorio de Colección de Hongos y se confirmaron por secuenciación del espaciador transcrito interno de ADN. Un total de 42 especies fueron identificadas, 22 de ellas pertenecientes al género Aspergillus y 20 al género Penicillium. Los aislamientos de Penicillium mostraron una distribución uniforme en Tupanatinga con índices de uniformidad entre 0.92 y 0.88 en Ibimirim. Entre los aislamientos de Aspergillus el valor encontrado en Tupanatinga (0.85) fue muy similar al encontrado en Ibimirim (0.86). Se observó una gran diversidad y bajo predominio de hongos en las muestras de suelo. Estos resultados contribuyen a la estimación de la diversidad de hongos en ambientes secos, especialmente en la Caatinga, donde la diversidad es decreciente en los suelos que han sufrido alteraciones.

Abstract Soil is a complex biological system that plays a key role for plants and animals, especially in dry forests such as the Caatinga.Fungi from soils, such as Aspergillus and Penicillium, can be used as bioindicators for biodiversity conservation. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify species of Aspergillus and Penicillium in soil, from the municipalities of Tupanatinga and Ibimirim, with dry forests, in the Catimbau National Park. Five collections were performed in each area during the drought season of 2012, totaling 25 soil samples per area. Fungi were isolated by suspending soil samples in sterile distilled water and plating on Sabouraud Agar media plus Chloramphenicol and Rose Bengal, and Glycerol Dicloran Agar. Isolates were identified by morphological taxonomy in the Culture Collection Laboratory and confirmed by sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer of rDNA. A total of 42 species were identified, of which 22 belong to the genus Aspergillus and 20 to Penicillium. Penicillium isolates showed uniform distribution from the collecting area in Tupanatinga, and the evenness indices found were 0.92 and 0.88 in Tupanatinga and Ibimirim, respectively. Among isolates of Aspergillus evenness, the value found in Tupanatinga (0.85) was very close to that found in Ibimirim (0.86). High diversity and low dominance of fungi in soil samples was observed. These results contributed to the estimation of fungal diversity in dry environments of the Caatinga, where diversity is decreasing in soils that have undergone disturbance. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (1): 45-53. Epub 2016 March 01.

Enzymes obtained by fermentation processes offer a number of advantages and have been widely researched and used throughout the world. This study aimed to partially characterise an inulinase produced from palm and cassava peel. The enzyme was produced via the solid-state fermentation of Aspergillus japonicus URM5633. The optimal temperatures were 50ºC and 55ºC, and the optimal pH values were 5.2 and 3.4 for inulinase fermentatively produced from palm and cassava peel, respectively. The thermostability measurements for inulinase produced in palm showed that the relative activity remained below 100% until 30 minutes of stability for all temperatures, but reached 106.8% at a temperature of 50ºC after 60 minutes. Inulinase from the crude extract of cassava peel was pH stable and only decreased to 55% of the maximal activity over the course of the assay, suggesting that this enzyme can be used in inulinase production and can be utilized in food industries.