Abstract Detail

Mycological Section

Kijpornyongpan, Teeratas [1], Aime, M. Catherine [1].

The genus Ceraceosorus: rare members of Ustilaginomycotina.

Ceraceosorales is a monotypic order in subphylum Ustilaginomycotina (Basidiomycota). Its namesake, Ceraceosorus bombacis, was originally described in 1967 as a phytopathogen infecting Bombax ceiba in India, and to our knowledge has never been reported anywhere outside of the Indian subcontinent or on any other host. Nor have any records of this fungus appeared in any published studies that have generated environmental sequence data. We recently discovered a second species of Ceraceosorus, isolated from an asymptomatic leaf phylloplane on the South Pacific island of Guam, nearly 50 years after the initial discovery of C. bombacis. Herein, we fully describe this new species—including culture morphology, micromorphology, and physiological tests—and compare it to the ex-type strain of C. bombacis. Cytological studies using DAPI staining showed that, unlike most fungal species in Ustilaginomycotina, Ceraceosorus species appear to be monokaryotic and filamentous, producing conidia in culture on most agar media. However, both species exhibit yeast-like growth when cultured on corn meal agar. Of particular note is the fact that, for both species, the ITS region cannot be amplified using standard fungal ITS primers. Thus, it remains conceivable that members of this genus are more widespread than currently believed, but that their presence is overlooked due to their cryptic biology and failure to amplify with primers most commonly used for next generation environmental sampling.

1 - Purdue University, Botany & Plant Pathology, 915 W. State Street, Botany & Plant Pathology, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

Keywords:
Smut fungi
Island of Guam
Rare fungi
ITS region.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Hall D/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PMY030
Abstract ID:267
Candidate for Awards:MSA Best Poster Presentation Award by a Graduate Student