We have already found some Metarhizium isolates produce euvesperins A and B, which were circumventors of arbekacin resistance in MRSA. These isolates were obtained from soil samples collected from the Izu islands and Kannami town, Sizuoka, Japan. Using a combination of micro-morphological characteristics and multigene (SSU, LSU, TEF) phylogenics, the isolates were identified as a previously underscribed species of Metarhizium. Phylogenetically, the species is close to M. carneum but it is distinguished morphologically from M. carneum by size and the surface structure of conidia.

Tricholoma bakamatsutake, which forms its fruit body in oak forests, is similar to T. matsutake in shape and odor; therefore, it is expected to have a high economic value similar to T. matsutake. Recently, the fruit bodies of T. bakamatsutake were produced after planting of a Quercus phillyraeoides sapling with a pure culture of the fungal mycelia. This fungus forms pigmented thick-walled spores (chlamydospores [CSs]) terminally on the hyphae in culture and in the field settings. Abundant CS production in vitro seems to be advantageous for cultivating mycorrhizal trees inoculated with T. bakamatsutake CSs. We investigated the effects of adding 16 different nitrogen (N) compounds (three inorganic and 13 organic) to a culture medium on vegetative hyphal growth and CS formation. The growth of T. bakamatsutake was reduced by many of the N sources used. Conversely, the rate of CS formation was improved by the addition of valine or glutamine.

Tricholoma foliicola was taxonomically reevaluated based on analyses of the holotype and newly collected materials. Basidiospores of T. foliicola were irregularly ellipsoid, showing a cyanophilic reaction with or without tubercles. Phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit 28S regions of the fungal nuclear ribosomal RNA gene demonstrated that T. foliicola is a species of Gerhardtia characterized by irregularly shaped basidiospores. Thus, we transferred this species to Gerhardtia foliicola comb. nov. Cultured mycelia of G. foliicola on malt extract agar medium produced cystidia covered with granules and abundant thallic conidia (arthroconidia), with both schizolytic and rhexolytic secession.

Surface sterilization is generally used for isolating lichen-inhabiting fungi as well as endophytic fungi, and ethanol and sodium hypochlorite are commonly used as the sterilizer. However, there are few studies on whether the type of chemicals used for surface sterilization affects the isolation results of lichen-inhabiting fungi. In this study, the genus composition of the lichen-inhabiting fungi of two lichen species (Flavoparmelia caperata and Peltigera dilacerata) were investigated 1) to reveal how the isolation result changes before and after surface sterilization and 2) to examine the effect of the sterilizer (ethanol, sodium hypochlorite, or hydrogen peroxide) on the composition of the isolated fungi. We isolated 652 non-lichenized fungal isolates from the two-lichen species and identified 84 genera. It was found that 1) every sterilizer effectively removed the fungi on the lichen surface and that 2) the composition of isolated fungi varied depending on the type of surface sterilizer. It was also shown that, such as the genus Sarea, there were some lichen-inhabiting fungi which could not be isolated at all by surface sterilization with ethanol or sodium hypochlorite, which are commonly used. In addition, the genus Virgaria was detected as lichen-inhabiting fungi for the first time. Our results suggest that single surface sterilization alone may underestimate the genus composition of lichen-inhabiting fungi.

We induced basidioma formation of a fungus belonging to the Thelephoraceae that was isolated from the orchid Cephalanthera falcata. The mycobiont was isolated from root, cultured on modified Melin-Norkrans medium, and then inoculated onto fine roots of a Quercus serrata (Fagaceae) seedling. After observation of ectomycorrhiza formation, the Q. serrata seedling was grown in a pot. Thirty-six mo after ectomycorrhiza formation, basidioma formation was confirmed at the bottom of the pot. From comparisons in morphological characteristics between the mycobiont and known related Thelephoraceae species, and sequence similarities of internal transcribed spacer region in ribosomal DNA, we identified the mycobiont as Thelephora ellisii sensu lato in Thelephoraceae (Basidiomycota). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the related sequences came from ectomycorrhizae of trees of the Salicaceae, Pinaceae, and Fagaceae distributed in East Asia, the USA, central Africa, and Europe.

Transcriptional analysis showed that Pegpd1 was constitutively and highly expressed in various developmental stages of P. eryngii. The expression level of Pegpd2 was much lower than Pegpd1. The promoter of Pegpd1 contained the conserved cis-regulatory elements and could be used to drive heterologous gene expression in genetic transformation of P. eryngii.

Aspergillus takadae is characterized by its heterothallic reproduction, pale yellow cleistothecia, broadly lenticular ascospores with two short equatorial crests and smooth convex surfaces, and broadly ellipsoidal to ovate conidia with a smooth wall. The validation of these novel species is supported further by the analyses of the β-tubulin, calmodulin, actin, and RPB2 sequences. In addition, the phylogenetic tree and DDBJ accession numbers of all the species of Aspergillus section Fumigati are presented. We report on the crossing of A. takadae species and the result of crossing A. takadae with a closely related species, A. spathulatus.

A new species, Mortierella oedorhiza, is described as a fungus forming a dichotomously branched rhizoid with a bulbil-like mass of hyphae at the base of the sporangiophore. The species is morphologically and phylogenetically similar to M. rostafinskii, which has rarely been reported. A trace of a columella on dehiscence of the sporangium and a dichotomously branched rhizoid are distinguishing characteristics of this species compared with M. rostafinskii.