Changes in mycelial dry weight and soluble protein amounts and acid phosphatase activities on a mycelial dry weight basis in the mycelia and culture supernatants during the Pi-supplied (P⁺) and Pi-depleted (P^-) cultures of three strains of Pholiota nameko were examined. Mycelial dry weights of the three strains were lower in the P^-culture than in the P⁺ culture. However, soluble protein amounts in the culture supernatants and acid phosphatase activities in the mycelia and culture supernatants of the three strains were higher on a mycelial dry weight basis in the P^-culture than in the P⁺ culture. Total proteins of strains N2 and N4 were analyzed by two-dimensional-PAGE. Comparison of electrophoretograms of the P⁺ and P^-cultures showed that many polypeptides in the two strains were induced and secreted by Pi deficiency, but more than half of them were specific to each strain. Activity staining of acid phosphatase also revealed that two isozymes with the same molecular weights in the three strains were induced and secreted by Pi deficiency. Adaptive mechanisms for Pi deficiency in the three strains were discussed.

Soil fungi in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands, Japan are surveyed, and among a total of 370 isolates studied, more than 81 fungus species belonging to 47 genera are identified. The significance of the flora is discussed.

A molecular phylogenetic study of selected species of three sub-genera of the genus Cordyceps was undertaken, along with representatives of the genera Akanthomyces, Aschersonia, Gibellula, Hymenostilbe, Hypocrella, Nomuraea, and Torrubiella, to examine their inter-relationship. Phylogenetic analyses of the data indicated that the Clavicipitaceae form a monophyletic group within the Hypocreales, while the monophyly of Cordyceps was not supported. Four clades were identified: Cor. militaris/Cor. pseudamilitaris; Cor. irangiensis/Cor. sphecocephala; Cor. intermedia/Cor. capitata; and Cor. cylindrica/Nom. atypicola. The sub-genus Neacordyceps was shown to be monophyletic while the sub-genera Eucordyceps and Ophiocordyceps do not form monophyletic groups. The genus Hypocrella appeared monophyletic, and radiated after the formation of the genera Cordyceps, and Torrubiella. Akanthomyces arachnophilus and Gi. pulchra, anamorphs of Torrubiella species, formed a distinct clade that was separate from one formed by the scale insect pathogens, To. luteorastrata and Paecilomyces cinnamomeus, suggesting that this genus may be polyphyletic.

Ornamental roses worldwide harbor 10 Phragmidium species. Among these, P. americanum, P. fusiforme, P. montivagum, P. mucronatum, P. rosae-pimpinellifoliae, P. rosae-rugosae and P. tuberculatum are frequently reported; however, these species are morphologically similar and difficult to distinguish. For better circumscription and correct identification of the species, this study examined morphological features in urediniospores and teliospores of the seven Phragmidium species collected on ornamental rose cultivars and wild species. The results indicated that some host-specific groups could be well circumscribed by the morphological properties of urediniospores and teliospores. However, without the precise identification of hosts, these morphological properties were not effective key characters for the identification of the species.

When Cryptococcus neoformans was grown in yeast nitrogen base (YNB) supplemented with 0.5% glucose, the medium was acidified to below pH 3 during the exponential growth phase, which caused early growth-phase death in susceptible strains. Even in resistant strains, 30-70% cells died if incubated for 2 d in YNB supplemented with 1.5% glucose, whereas the remaining cells survived long. Two types of fatal alterations have been observed in dead cells. In the first type, release of cytoplasm occurred through weakened parts of the cell wall; structures attached to cell walls of dead cells were shown to be rich in proteins by FITC staining, indicating their cytoplasmic origin. In the second type, cells shrank distinctly with no sign of wall rupture. The shrinkage may be due to dysfunction of the plasma membrane at low pH. The mechanism of cell survival in medium below pH 3 was also examined. Aniline blue alone, or calcofluor together with methylene blue, allowed cell wall glucan or chitin and dead cell cytoplasm to be stained simultaneously. In the later stages of incubation, cells showing bright staining for cell wall glucan and chitin emerged. These changes in cell wall synthesis could be considered as an adaptation mechanism to acidification of the medium, because such cells survived longer than cells showing no change in the cell wall staining pattern.

Three species of botryosphaeriaceous fungi, Botryosphaeria sp. isolate MAMB-5, Botryosphaeria ribis and Lasiodiplodia theobromae, were compared for the production of pycnidia and laccases. Laccases were produced both intra- and extra-cellularly when the fungi were cultivated on basal medium in the presence and absence of veratryl alcohol, with Botryosphaeria sp. MAMB-5 showing the highest enzyme titres. Electrophoretic examination of intracellular marker proteins (esterases and phosphatases) and laccases indicated that the three species were genetically distinctly different, although the laccase zymograms for the three fungi showed similarity. The production of pycnidia occurred under continuous lighting at 28°C, but conditions differed among the three fungal species. Production could be induced on artificial media (potato-dextrose and oat agar) under stress-induced conditions where the mycelium was stimulated by physical abrasion, and in the case of Botryosphaeria sp. isolate MAMB-5 on eucalypt woodchips. Evidence is presented that veratryl alcohol facilitated the secretion of intracellular-locailsed laccases into the extracellular medium.

Witches' broom on Rhododendron wadanum has been observed since 1994 in Nagano Pref. and recently, in 2000, it was found at Mt. Tsukuba, Ibaraki Pref., Japan. In comparison with the morphology, the mode of germination of basidiospores and the cultural characteristics of the 99 validly described taxa, this fungus was considered as a new species and named Exobasidium nobeyamense.

Polytretophora macrospora is introduced based on specimens from two species of Pandanus in Seychelles. The new species is compared with currently accepted species. A key and a comparative synopsis to Polytretophora species are provided. Numerous specimens of P. calcarata, collected on members of the Pandanaceae from Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Palau, Philippines, Seychelles and Solomon Islands are also reported, along with P. dendroidea on Pandanus sp. from Malaysia.

Two new species of hyphomycetes, Xenocylindrocladium guianense and X. subverticillatum, are described from plant debris collected in French Guiana and Singapore, respectively. The genus Xenocylindrocladium has thus far been known from one species, X. serpens, which was described from plant debris collected in Ecuador. The two new taxa are compared with and distinguished from X. serpens based on morphology, cultural characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence data of the 5.8S rDNA with flanking ITS1 and ITS2 regions and the 5' end of the β-tubulin gene. These species are also compared with other closely related hypocrealean taxa. Present collection data suggest that species of Xenocylindrocladium could be restricted to the tropics.

Cordyceps is one of the target genera for modern mycological studies. Among them Cordyceps sinensis is the most famous but poorly defined species because the fungus is endemic in districted regions of east Eurasia. We have explored the various growing regions and habitats where the fungus grows in the wild. We also examined authentic cultures for the species. We analyzed the sequences of ITS1, 2 and 5.8 S rDNA regions of C. sinensis materials collected from 11 localities of southwestern China. Phylogenetic analyses were performed with these sequences and with additional sequences obtained from GenBank. All sequences formed a single cluster, which comprised two subgroups. Our results strongly suggested that intraspecific variation was rather small and that some species that are morphologically similar to C. sinensis but with different names might be synonymous with C. sinensis. The difference in the pharmaceutical activity among these collected C. sinensis from different regions will be studied in the future.

The geographical distribution of a saprotrophic hyphomycete, Sporidesmium goidanichii was studied in pine forests of Japan. Using the data of 282 fungal communities of pine leaf litter collected over a wide range of climatic conditions, the relationships among two indexes of distribution of the species (constancy and abundance) and three climatic variables were analyzed by the multiple regression analysis. The results demonstrated that the mean annual air temperature and the mean annual range (the difference in monthly mean air temperatures between the coldest and warmest months at the study sites) were necessary variables for the prediction of the values of indexes of S. goidanichii in pine forests of Japan, while the mean annual precipitation was an unimportant factor. The distribution patterns of the fungus along the gradients of two temperature variables were analyzed graphically. The fungus has an optimal climatic area with high values of indexes where is restricted to the center of the warm temperate regions of the main islands. The relationship between the life strategy of the fungus and its temperature-dependent distribution pattern in Japan was also discussed.

Three new soil fungi from the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands, Japan are described: Acremonium macroclavatum, characterized by large clavate guttulate conidia; Cylindrocarpon boninense, characterized by 3-7-septate clavate macroconidia, terminal or intercalary chlamydospores, rarely produced unicellular clavate microconidia; and Verticillium hahajimaense, characterized by conidial heads bearing cylindrical conidia, and catenulate chlamydospores.

Six species of the genus Lachnum, Hyaloscyphaceae are described: Lachnum longispinum and L. radiatum spp. nov.; L. fuscescens, L. palmae, L. pulverulentum, and L. rhytismatis, new to Japan.

Five members of the family Hyaloscyphaceae with multiseptate hairs and lanceolate paraphyses (Lachnum-like members in broad sense) are described: Albotricha fagicola and Dasyscyphella longistipitata spp. nov.; Trichopeziza discolor, T. sulphurea, and Trichopezizella barbata, new to Japan.

Laccaria amethystina was judged to be an ammonia fungus in accordance with the definition proposed by Sagara (1975). In 72 urea-treated plots, L. amethystina was found to fruit in the succession of the ammonia fungi, and its fruit bodies appeared about 300 times more densely inside than outside the plots. Thus the author concluded that L. amethystina satisfies the definition of the ammonia fungi.

To recover degenerate schizostatin production in a Schizophyllum commune isolate, SANK 17785, we examined schizostatin production of 30 single-basidiospore isolates obtained from a basidiocarp of SANK 17785. One of the isolates showed high productivity (136-154 μg/ml) and maintained its high productivity for 26 mo. To explore other isolates with high schizostatin production, 76 single-basidiospore isolates from 7 wild basidiocarps were obtained and their schizostatin production was quantified. Four of the isolates produced more schizostatin than SANK 17785 did originally.

A rust fungus was described from Schrebera swietenioides (Oleaceae) collected in India. The fungus possessed densely paraphysate uredinia and subepidermal, crustose telia with irregulary 5-7-layered sessile teliospores. These morphologies are characteristic of Phakopsora, although no Phakopsora species had been reported from the family Oleaceae. The fungus was concluded to be a new species and a name, Phakopsora schreberae, was proposed for the new species.

A Dactylella isolate obtained from soil in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands, Japan is described and illustrated as a new species, D. chichisimensis. The fungus is characterized by single terminal multiseptate clavate or ellipsoidal conidia at the apex of simple conidiophores and mycelium that forms chlamydospores and sclerotia. A key is provided for six Dactylella species that produce primary clavate or ellipsoidal conidia at the apex of simple conidiophores.