Fungal and oomycete parasites of Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae and Simuliidae (Culicomorpha, Diptera)
Publication date: May 2014 Source:Fungal Biology Reviews, Volume 28, Issue 1 Author(s): José I. de Souza , Frank H. Gleason , Minshad A. Ansari , Claudia C. López Lastra , Juan J. Garcia , Carmen L.A. Pires-Zottarelli , Agostina V. Marano Members of the families Chironomidae (chironomids or non-biting midges), Ceratopogonidae (ceratopogonids or biting midges) and Simuliidae (simulids or blackflies) are ubiquitous dipterans of the infraorder Culicomorpha. They are extremely diversified in ecological strategies. Their larvae play major roles in aquatic food webs as detritivores or predators, whereas their adults...
Source: Fungal Biology Reviews - October 13, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: research
The evolving fungal genome
Publication date: May 2014 Source:Fungal Biology Reviews, Volume 28, Issue 1 Author(s): Eva H. Stukenbrock , Daniel Croll Fungal genomes vary considerably in size and organization. The genome of Microsporidium contains less than 3 Mb while the genomes of several Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes greatly exceed 100 Mb. Likewise chromosome numbers and ploidy levels can differ even between closely related species. The differences in genome architecture among fungi reflect the interplay of different mutational processes as well as the population biology of the different species. Comparative genome studies have elucidated ...
Source: Fungal Biology Reviews - October 13, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: research
The mechanism of ascus firing – Merging biophysical and mycological viewpoints
Publication date: October 2014 Source:Fungal Biology Reviews, Volume 28, Issues 2–3 Author(s): Frances Trail , Agnese Seminara The actively discharging ascus is the unique spore-bearing cell that is responsible to dispatch spores into the atmosphere. From a physical perspective, this type of ascus is a sophisticated pressure gun that reliably discharges the spores at an extremely high velocity, without breaking apart. We identify four essential steps in discharge of spores whose order and timing may vary across species. First, asci that fire are mature, so a cue must be present that prevents discharge of immature s...
Source: Fungal Biology Reviews - October 13, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Calcineurin as a multifunctional regulator: Unraveling novel functions in fungal stress responses, hyphal growth, drug resistance, and pathogenesis
Publication date: October 2014 Source:Fungal Biology Reviews, Volume 28, Issues 2–3 Author(s): Praveen R. Juvvadi , Frédéric Lamoth , William J. Steinbach Calcineurin signaling plays diverse roles in fungi in regulating stress responses, morphogenesis and pathogenesis. Although calcineurin signaling is conserved among fungi, recent studies indicate important divergences in calcineurin-dependent cellular functions among different human fungal pathogens. Fungal pathogens utilize the calcineurin pathway to effectively survive the host environment and cause life-threatening infections. The immunosuppressive calcineu...
Source: Fungal Biology Reviews - October 13, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Oxalate production by fungi: significance in geomycology, biodeterioration and bioremediation
Publication date: October 2014 Source:Fungal Biology Reviews, Volume 28, Issues 2–3 Author(s): Geoffrey Michael Gadd , Jaleh Bahri-Esfahani , Qianwei Li , Young Joon Rhee , Zhan Wei , Marina Fomina , Xinjin Liang Oxalate is a key metabolite that plays a significant role in many metal and mineral transformations mediated by fungi. Metal and mineral transformations are central to geomycological processes including nutrient and element cycling, rock, mineral and metal transformations, bioweathering and mycogenic biomineral formation. Some fungal transformations have potential applications in environmental biotech...
Source: Fungal Biology Reviews - October 13, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Endoplasmic reticulum stress and fungal pathogenesis
Publication date: October 2014 Source:Fungal Biology Reviews, Volume 28, Issues 2–3 Author(s): Karthik Krishnan , David S. Askew The gateway to the secretory pathway is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an organelle that is responsible for the accurate folding, post-translational modification and final assembly of up to a third of the cellular proteome. When secretion levels are high, errors in protein biogenesis can lead to the accumulation of abnormally folded proteins, which threaten ER homeostasis. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an adaptive signaling pathway that counters a buildup in misfolded and unfold...
Source: Fungal Biology Reviews - October 13, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: research
