Yu-Cheng Dai

Hymenochaetaceae (Basidiomycota) in China.

An account of the Chinese species of Hymenochaetaceae based on most recent phylogenetic analysis is presented. One hundred and seventy species from 23 genera are recognized; descriptions are provided based on the Chinese collections. Keys to genera and species are given. Phellinopsis gen. nov. is introduced. Coltricia abieticola sp. nov., Coltricia crassa sp. nov., Coltricia macropora sp. nov., Coltricia spina sp. nov., Coltriciella subglobosa sp. nov., Fuscoporia yunnanensis sp. nov. and Inonotus magnisetus sp. nov. are described here as new. Eighteen new combinations, Fulvifomes cesatii, F. chinensis, F. collinus, F. glaucescens, F. inermis, F. johnsonianus, F. kanehirae, F. macgregorii, F. minisporus, F. pullus, F. umbrinellus, Fuscoporia setifera, Inonotus lonicericola, I. tricolor, Phellinopsis conchata, P. occidentalis, Porodaedalea himalayensis and P. yamanoi are proposed. The taxonomy of all species is discussed. Spore dimensions given in this study derive from at least 30 spores of each species, and 10 386 spores were measured from 347 specimens. Two thousand specimens were examined, and they are listed after each species. Colour photos for 140 species are supplied.This report provides a modern treatment of the Hymenochaetaceae of China. To further support the results of morphology, nuclear large subunit (nuc-LSU) sequences from some typical species were selected to reconstruct their phylogeny.

The Faces of Fungi database: fungal names linked with morphology, phylogeny and human impacts

Taxonomic names are key links between various databases that store information on different organisms. Several global fungal nomenclural and taxonomic databases (notably Index Fungorum, Species Fungorum and MycoBank) can be sourced to find taxonomic details about fungi, while DNA sequence data can be sourced from NCBI, EBI and UNITE databases. Although the sequence data may be linked to a name, the quality of the metadata is variable and generally there is no corresponding link to images, descriptions or herbarium material. There is generally no way to establish the accuracy of the names in these genomic databases, other than whether the submission is from a reputable source. To tackle this problem, a new database (FacesofFungi), accessible at www.facesoffungi.org (FoF) has been established. This fungal database allows deposition of taxonomic data, phenotypic details and other useful data, which will enhance our current taxonomic understanding and ultimately enable mycologists to gain better and updated insights into the current fungal classification system. In addition, the database will also allow access to comprehensive metadata including descriptions of voucher and type specimens. This database is user-friendly, providing links and easy access between taxonomic ranks, with the classification system based primarily on molecular data (from the literature and via updated web-based phylogenetic trees), and to a lesser extent on morphological data when molecular data are unavailable. In FoF species are not only linked to the closest phylogenetic representatives, but also relevant data is provided, wherever available, on various applied aspects, such as ecological, industrial, quarantine and chemical uses. The data include the three main fungal groups (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Basal fungi) and fungus-like organisms. The FoF webpage is an output funded by the Mushroom Research Foundation which is an NGO with seven directors with mycological expertise. The webpage has 76 curators, and with the help of these specialists, FoF will provide an updated natural classification of the fungi, with illustrated accounts of species linked to molecular data. The present paper introduces the FoF database to the scientific community and briefly reviews some of the problems associated with classification and identification of the main fungal groups. The structure and use of the database is then explained. We would like to invite all mycologists to contribute to these web pages.

Wood-inhabiting fungi in southern China 1. Polypores from Hunan Province

Extensive surveys on wood-rotting fungi were recently carried out in Hainan Province, southern China. Around 2500 specimens of poroid wood-inhabiting fungi were collected during ten field trips, and 235 polypores were identified. Four species, Grammothelopsis asiatica Y.C. Dai & B.K. Cui, Inonotus latemarginatus Y.C. Dai, Perenniporia hattorii Y.C. Dai & B.K. Cui and Wrightoporia austrosinensis Y.C. Dai, are described and illustrated as new. Of the 235 species, 99 were found from the province for the first time.

Phylogenetic relationships of Sparassis inferred from nuclear and mitochondrial ribosomal DNA and RNA polymerase sequences.

Sparassis species show extensive morphological variation, especially when materials from eastern Asia and Australia are compared with collections from North America and Europe. We have been studying the taxonomy of Sparassis from eastern Asia, North America, Australia and Europe, using both morphological and molecular data. DNA was extracted from 32 recent collections of Sparassis from Australia, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The report of a Sparassis taxon from Australia is the first report of this genus from the Southern Hemisphere. Sequences of nuclear and mitochondrial rDNA and the gene encoding RNA polymerase subunit II (RPB2) were used to examine relationships both within the genus Sparassis and between Sparassis species and other members of the polyporoid clade. Equally weighted parsimony analyses and Bayesian analyses were performed using independent datasets and combined datasets of sequences from different regions. Our results suggest that: (i) Polyporoid fungi producing a brown rot may form a clade; (ii) as suggested in a previous study, Sparassis and Phaeolus form a monophyletic group, which is united by the production of a brown rot, the presence of a bipolar mating system and the frequent habit of growing as a root and butt rot on living trees; (iii) at least seven lineages are within Sparassis, represented by S. spathulata, S. brevipes, S. crispa, S. radicata and three taxa that have not been described, which can be distinguished on the basis of fruiting body structure, presence or absence of clamp connections, presence or absence of cystidia and spore size.

Current advances in Phellinus sensu lato: medicinal species, functions, metabolites and mechanisms

Twenty-six species of Phellinus sensu lato, reported as medicinal mushrooms, are enumerated in this review. The species’ names were checked and revised according to contemporary taxonomy and the latest version of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna Code); two misapplied names of Phellinus baumii Pilát and Phellinus himalayensis Y.C. Dai in previous reports are also discussed. Of the 20 types of medicinal functions, the most shared functions are antitumor and improving immunity, both of which may be viewed as the basal functions of Phellinus s. l. In addition, alleviating septic shock, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidation are also a routine functions mentioned often. The main medicinal metabolites, including several kinds of polysaccharides and polyphenols, are introduced. Different methods and conditions could purify various polysaccharides with difference in activity level even from the same species, while all polyphenols are hispidin and its derivatives in general. Three aspects of mechanism contribute to antitumor activities of polysaccharides: (1) promoting an immune response, (2) inducing cell apoptosis, and (3) inhibiting metastasis. Other general mechanisms of the metabolites in antioxidant activity, and in treating diabetes, as well as complications are summarized. We also elaborate on potential scientific strategies for obtaining the medicinal metabolites from Phellinus s. l., such as artificial cultivation, the discoveries of more species with medicinal functions, the utilization of species growing quickly, and the optimization of culture conditions and media supplements in fermentation.

Chemical diversity of biologically active metabolites in the sclerotia of Inonotus obliquus and submerged culture strategies for up-regulating their production

Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pilat is a white rot fungus belonging to the family Hymenochaetaceae in the Basidiomycota. In nature, this fungus rarely forms a fruiting body but usually an irregular shape of sclerotial conk called ‘Chaga’. Characteristically, I. obliquus produces massive melanins released to the surface of Chaga. As early as in the sixteenth century, Chaga was used as an effective folk medicine in Russia and Northern Europe to treat several human malicious tumors and other diseases in the absence of any unacceptable toxic side effects. Chemical investigations show that I. obliquus produces a diverse range of secondary metabolites including phenolic compounds, melanins, and lanostane-type triterpenoids. Among these are the active components for antioxidant, antitumoral, and antiviral activities and for improving human immunity against infection of pathogenic microbes. Geographically, however, this fungus is restricted to very cold habitats and grows very slowly, suggesting that Chaga is not a reliable source of these bioactive compounds. Attempts for culturing this fungus axenically all resulted in a reduced production of bioactive metabolites. This review examines the current progress in the discovery of chemical diversity of Chaga and their biological activities and the strategies to modulate the expression of desired pathways to diversify and up-regulate the production of bioactive metabolites by the fungus grown in submerged cultures for possible drug discovery.

Species of Heterobasidion host a diverse pool of partitiviruses with global distribution and interspecies transmission

We investigated the geographic occurrence and genetic diversity of partitiviruses among 247 Heterobasidion specimens representing seven species and originating from Europe, Asia, and North America. Based on sequence analysis, partitiviruses were relatively rare, and occurred only in about 5 % of the Heterobasidion isolates analyzed, constituting a minority (about 28 %) of all virus-infected [double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-positive] isolates. Altogether ten virus strains were characterized in sequence: one complete genome sequence of 3893 bp, six complete RNA-dependent RNA polymerase sequences of 2000-2033 bp, and three partial polymerase sequences. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the virus strains were assigned into three putative partitivirus species: HetRV1 (Heterobasidion RNA virus 1), HetRV4, and HetRV5. Degenerate consensus primers were designed for RT-PCR detection of these virus species. HetRV1 occurred in five different Heterobasidion species, and resembled the previously described Heterobasidion annosum virus (HaV). Highly similar HetRV1 strains with 98 % nucleotide level similarity were found from H. parviporum (member of the H. annosum species complex) and H. australe (member of the H. insulare complex) growing in the same region in Bhutan. This observation suggests recent virus transmission between these taxonomically distant Heterobasidion species in nature. It was also shown that HetRV1 can be transmitted by mycelial contact between the H. annosum and H. insulare complexes. The two other virus species, HetRV4 and HetRV5, were closely related to the Amasya Cherry Disease-associated mycovirus, to Heterobasidion parviporum partitivirus Fr110B, and also to several plant-infecting alphacryptoviruses. These results are in accordance with the view of a close evolutionary relationship between partitiviruses of plants and fungi.

Production of antioxidant and antitumor metabolites by submerged cultures of Inonotus obliquus cocultured with Phellinus punctatus

While Inonotus obliquus produces a diverse range of bioactive metabolites in its natural habitats, it accumulates less in its submerged cultures. We show here that coculture of I. obliquus with Phellinus punctatus resulted in less production of mycelial biomass but an increased accumulation of phenolic compounds, melanins, and lanostane-type triterpenoids. Metabolites increased in production by coculture include phelligridin C, phelligridin H, methyl inoscavin A, inoscavin C, inoscavin B, davallialactone, methyl davallialactone, foscoparianol D, 21,24-cyclopentalanosta-3β,21,25-triol-8-en, lanosta-7,9(11),23-triene-3β,22,25-triol, and inotodisaccharide and melanins. Metabolites from coculture also showed an increased potential for scavenging free radicals and inhibiting the proliferation of HeLa 229 cells. Davallialactone, methyl davallialactone, and minor phenolic components are the major contributors for scavenging DPPH and hydroxyl radical in monoculture, and phelligridin C, phelligridin H, methyl inoscavin A, inoscavin C, methyl davallialactone, foscoparianol D, and inotodisaccharide are those for scavenging the tested radicals in coculture. Lanostane-type triterpenoids indicated limited roles in scavenging free radicals. Nearly all the detected metabolites correlate positively with inhibiting proliferation of HeLa 229 cells. Thus, coculture of I. obliquus with other fungi seems to be a cost-effective strategy for upregulating biosynthesis of bioactive metabolites.

Global diversity of the Ganoderma lucidum complex (Ganodermataceae, Polyporales) inferred from morphology and multilocus phylogeny.

Species of the Ganoderma lucidum complex are used in many types of health products. However, the taxonomy of this complex has long been chaotic, thus limiting its uses. In the present study, 32 collections of the complex from Asia, Europe and North America were analyzed from both morphological and molecular phylogenetic perspectives. The combined dataset, including an outgroup, comprised 33 ITS, 24 tef1α, 24 rpb1 and 21 rpb2 sequences, of which 19 ITS, 20 tef1α, 20 rpb1 and 17 rpb2 sequences were newly generated. A total of 13 species of the complex were recovered in the multilocus phylogeny. These 13 species were not strongly supported as a single monophyletic lineage, and were further grouped into three lineages that cannot be defined by their geographic distributions. Clade A comprised Ganoderma curtisii, Ganoderma flexipes, Ganoderma lingzhi, Ganoderma multipileum, Ganoderma resinaceum, Ganoderma sessile, Ganoderma sichuanense and Ganoderma tropicum, Clade B comprised G. lucidum, Ganoderma oregonense and Ganoderma tsugae, and Clade C comprised Ganoderma boninense and Ganoderma zonatum. A dichotomous key to the 13 species is provided, and their key morphological characters from context, pores, cuticle cells and basidiospores are presented in a table. The taxonomic positions of these species are briefly discussed. Noteworthy, the epitypification of G. sichuanense is rejected.

Taxonomy and phylogeny of Hymenochaete and allied genera of Hymenochaetaceae (Basidiomycota) in China

The taxonomy and phylogeny of Hymenochaete and its allied genera in Hymenochaetaceae in China are studied based on morphological characters and molecular analysis. The morphology of more than 1200 specimens were studied and 123 ITS sequences (including 104 new sequences) of 71 taxa and 94 nLSU rDNA sequences (including 51 new sequences) of 78 taxa of Hymenochaetaceae were used in the phylogenetic analysis. Three new species, Hymenochaete huangshanensis, H. minor and H. tropica are introduced. The genus Pseudochaete is supported by the data presented here, with inclusion of an additional seven species transferred herein from Hymenochaete, Hydnochaete and Cyclomyces. Three species of Hydnochaete and two species of Cyclomyces studied nested within the Hymenochaete clade, and combinations of five species from the two former genera to Hymenochaete are proposed. According to our results, Hymenochaete is a morphologically variable genus composed of taxa with corticioid, hydnoid, lamellate and poroid hymenophores, and this would be the same for Pseudochaete with more taxa included. Fifty species of Hymenochaete and eight species of Pseudochaete have so far been found in China, and identification keys to the two genera are provided.