Fungi

Source: www.msnbc.msn.com --- 23 days ago
Scientists have measured the fastest launch acceleration known in nature — a tiny fungal spore that is squirted eight feet away from its home on a dung heap to greener pastures. ...

Source: news.bbc.co.uk --- 2 days ago
Several species of Fungi new to the UK have been unearthed by mushroom experts at the National Trust's Clumber Park. ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 3 days ago
Related Articles Anaerobic denitrification in Fungi from the coastal marine sediments off Goa, India. Mycol Res. 2008 Sep 13; Authors: Cathrine SJ, Raghukumar C Denitrification is a microbial process during which nitrate or nitrite is reduced under anaerobic condition to gaseous nitrogen. The Arabian Sea contains one of the major pelagic denitrification zones and in addition to this, denitrification also takes places along the continental shelf. Prokaryotic microorganisms were considered to be the only players in this process. However recent studies have shown that higher microeukaryotes such as Fungi can also adapt to anaerobic mode of respiration and reduce nitrate to harmful green house gases such as NO and N(2)O. In this study we examined the distribution and biomass of Fungi in the sediments of the seasonal anoxic region off Goa from two stations. The sampling was carried out in five different periods from October 2005, when dissolved oxygen levels were near zero in bottom waters to March 2006. We isolated mycelial Fungi, thraustochytrids and yeasts. Species of Aspergillus and thraustochytrids were dominant. Fungi were isolated under aerobic, as well as anaerobic conditions from different seasons. Four isolates were examined for their denitrification activity. Two cultures obtained from the anoxic sediments showed better growth under anaerobic condition than the other two cultures that were isolated from oxic sediments. Our prelim ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 8 days ago
Related Articles New Organoselenium Compounds Active against Pathogenic Bacteria, Fungi and Viruses. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2008 Oct;56(10):1423-7 Authors: Pietka-Ottlik M, Wójtowicz-Młochowska H, Kołodziejczyk K, Piasecki E, Młochowski J Different N-substituted benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-ones, analogues of ebselen were designed as new antiviral and antimicrobial agents. We report their synthesis, chemical properties as well as study on biological activity against broad spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus simulans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger) and viruses (herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)), in vitro. Most of them exhibited high activity against viruses (HSV-1, EMCV) and gram-positive bacteria strains (S. aureus, S. simulans), while their activity against gram-negative bacteria strains (E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae) was substantially lower. Some of tested compounds were active against yeast C. albicans and filamentous fungus A. niger. PMID: 18827382 [PubMed - in process] ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 5 days ago
Related Articles Isolation of autochthonous non-white rot Fungi with potential for enzymatic upgrading of Venezuelan extra-heavy crude oil. Biocatal Biotransformation. 2007 3;25(2-4):341-349 Authors: Naranjo L, Urbina H, De Sisto A, Leon V The increasing world demand for fuels makes it necessary to exploit the largest reserve of extra-heavy crude oil (EHCO) of the Orinoco Oil Belt from Venezuela. We propose the use of extracellular oxidative enzymes, in particular, lignin-degrading enzyme systems (LDS) of Fungi, for enzymatic improvement of EHCO. Autochthonous non-white rot fungal strains able to use EHCO, and several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as sole carbon source and energy, were isolated from EHCO-polluted soils and identified as belonging to the genera Fusarium, Penicillium , Trichoderma , Aspergillus , Neosartorya, Pseudallescheria, Cladosporium, Pestalotiopsis , Phoma and Paecillomyces. Phenotypic and biochemical assays revealed the ability of these filamentous Fungi to synthesize extracellular oxidative enzymes, and suggested a relationship between the LDS and EHCO bioconversion. This work reports, for the first time, the use of o-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (OPD) as substrate to measure extracellular ligninolytic peroxidases (ELP) in culture broths of filamentous Fungi (Fusarium solani HP-1), and constitutes the first formal study of the fungal community associated with the EHCO of the Orinoco Oil Belt. PMID ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 5 days ago
Related Articles Filamentous Fungi isolated from sand and water of "Bairro Novo" and "Casa Caiada" beaches, Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil. Braz J Biol. 2008 Aug;68(3):577-82 Authors: Gomes DN, Cavalcanti MA, Fernandes MJ, Lima DM, Passavante JZ Fungi comprehend a heterogeneous group of heterotrophic microorganisms that act as saprobes or parasites or, less frequently, as symbionts living in association with other organisms. They are cosmopolitan and important components of ecosystems. Considering the small number of Brazilian papers on the filamentous mycota in marine environments, and the need to improve knowledge of the diversity of these microfungi in "Casa Caiada" and "Bairro Novo" beaches, Olinda, PE, the aim of this work was to isolate and identify the Fungi from sand and water samples of these ecosystems. Thirty two samplings of sand (surface and 20 cm deep) and water (surface and 1 m deep) were carried out during the dry and rainy seasons, in low and high tide. From each sand sample, a suspension was made with 50 g of sand diluted in 90 mL of sterilized distilled water. From each sand suspension and water sample, 0.5 mL was spread, in triplicate, onto Petri dishes containing Sabouraud Agar added of chloramphenicol. The plates were incubated at 28 degrees C (+/-2 degrees C). Fifty seven species were isolated, identified, and classified in 20 genera. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most frequent genera in both sand and water, ...

Source: www.gamespy.com --- 1 day ago
Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi (DS) ...

Source: environment.newscientist.com --- 24 days ago
To ensure a good start in life, Fungi have developed biological guns that accelerate their spores faster than anything else in the living world ...

Source: www.moreover.com --- 4 days ago
GameCube Europe Oct 6 2008 2:55AM GMT ...

Source: www.moreover.com --- 8 days ago
thogenic Fungi unknowingly carried on back of pine beetles are killing trees In Focus Join the fight against childhood obesity by logging on to our webchat. ...

Source: www.sciencedaily.com --- 32 days ago
Some of the world's top experts on Fungi recently collected Fungi and mushrooms above tree line in the Beartooth Mountains near Red Lodge, Mont. ...

Source: blog.cleveland.com --- 19 hours ago
Adults and children 6 and older are invited to learn more about the world of Fungi with a special fall walk in the Cleveland Metroparks Brecksville Reservation. From 9:30-11 a.m. Saturday, naturalist John Miller will lead a 1.5-mile walk,... ...

Source: smokymountainsentinel.com --- 30 days ago
Debra Davis is returning to the Moss Memorial Library to present a program on Mushrooms followed by a Sunday walk to search our woodlands for examples of these unique Fungi. She is an award winning Photographer. Initially, she was a recognized and widely published sports photographer in both local and national newspapers, magazines and media guides. ...

Source: www.sciencefriday.com --- 30 days ago
In this hour of Science Friday, we'll take a look at all things fungal -- from shiitakes to mold, and everything in between. ...

Source: www.producer.com --- 28 days ago
How do insects and Fungi manage to invade grain bins year after year? ...

Source: dx.doi.org --- 8 days ago
BACKGROUND: The ability of the Fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Phanerochaete chrysosporium to decolourize and detoxify 11 (mono-, dis-, poly- azo, and anthraquinonic type) dyes, widely used across the textile and leather industries, was tested.RESULTS: Different substrate specificities were revealed between P. ostreatus and P. chrysosporium in decolourization experiments. The latter fungus provided almost complete decolourization of the tested azo dyes up to 600 ppm and dis-azo dyes up to 1000 ppm, and 80% decolourization of the tris-azo dye DBU1L38 at 1000 ppm, after 6 days. P. ostreatus provided almost total decolourization of the anthraquinone type dye ABU62 (1000 ppm) after just 1 day. P. ostreatus also showed the ability to decolourize the tested dis-azo and tris-azo dyes, giving the best performances against the dis-azo DBU1U1 (600 ppm) dye, which was 100% decolourized after 6 days. Laccases proved to be the main enzymatic activities acting in P. ostreatus decolourization.CONCLUSION: The potential of the Fungi P. ostreatus and P. chrysosporium as efficient bio-systems for decolourization and detoxification of several toxic industrial dyes was demonstrated. The role of laccases in the decolourization of dis-azo dyes by P. ostreatus was demonstrated for the first time. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry ...

Source: www.thewest.com.au --- 7 days ago
Customs investigators have charged two German nationals accused of trying to smuggle a large quantity of endangered Fungi out of Australia. A 48-year-old man and a 67-year-old man were stopped by ...

Source: www.moldova.org --- 1 day ago
New types of mushrooms, some tasty, some possibly deadly, are cropping up in Britain, experts say.Dr. Peter Roberts of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, told the BBC at least 10 species new to the United Kingdom have been reported in the last two weeks alone. It may be the Fungi have always existed in the country but weren't spotted until they flourished because of the wet summer and recent warmer winters, the network reported Thursday. Or it's possible the mushroom spores reached Britain's shores by air or water.Among the new species is one called Tuber mesentericum, or Bagnoli truffle, which is loved in Italy for its pungent flavor. But another new type, known as pinkgills, has some very poisonous variations. ...

Source: rep-am.com --- 34 days ago
All the rain we've enjoyed this year has had several absolutely marvelous side benefits. The wild berry crop — red raspberries, blackberries, blueberries — late to ripen, has been spectacular. Also, mushrooms are sprouting absolutely everywhere. ...