A molecular and morphological re-examination of the generic limits of truffles in the tarzetta-geopyxis lineage - Densocarpa, Hydnocystis, and Paurocotylis.

Truffle species within the /tarzetta-geopyxis lineage share smooth, globose, hyaline spores, but differ in the amount of convolution of hymenia in ascomata. The relationships among truffle species in this lineage have historically been confused. Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS and 28S nuclear ribosomal DNA from recently collected members of the /tarzetta-geopyxis lineage from Asia, Austral Asia, North America, and South America prompted a reinvestigation of species and generic limits in the truffle genera Hydnocystis, Paurocotylis, and Stephensia. Our analyses support emendations of Hydnocystis and Paurocotylis, abandonment of Stephensia and the resurrection of the genus Densocarpa. Nomenclatural changes include the transfer of Stephensia bombycina to Hydnocystis, the transfer of Hydnocystis singeri and Stephensia bynumii to Paurocotylis, the reinstatement of Densocarpa for Stephensia shanori and transfer of Stephensia crocea to Densocarpa. This is the first detection of the genus Paurocotylis in the Americas. We describe three new species, Hydnocystis transitoria from North America, Paurocotylis patagonica from South America, and Paurocotylis watlingii from Australia. Our work highlights the unexplored diversity, morphological plasticity, and remaining taxonomic problems among truffles in the /tarzetta-geopyxis lineage.

Cellular organization in germ tube tips of Gigaspora and its phylogenetic implications.

Comparative morphology of the fine structure of fungal hyphal tips often is phylogenetically informative. In particular, morphology of the Spitzenkörper varies among higher taxa. To date no one has thoroughly characterized the hyphal tips of members of the phylum Glomeromycota to compare them with other fungi. This is partly due to difficulty growing and manipulating living hyphae of these obligate symbionts. We observed growing germ tubes of Gigaspora gigantea, G. margarita and G. rosea with a combination of light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For TEM, we used both traditional chemical fixation and cryo-fixation methods. Germ tubes of all species were extremely sensitive to manipulation. Healthy germ tubes often showed rapid bidirectional cytoplasmic streaming, whereas germ tubes that had been disturbed showed reduced or no cytoplasmic movement. Actively growing germ tubes contain a cluster of 10-20 spherical bodies approximately 3-8 µm behind the apex. The bodies, which we hypothesize are lipid bodies, move rapidly in healthy germ tubes. These bodies disappear immediately after any cellular perturbation. Cells prepared with cryo-techniques had superior preservation compared to those that had been processed with traditional chemical protocols. For example, cryo-prepared samples displayed two cell-wall layers, at least three vesicle types near the tip and three distinct cytoplasmic zones were noted. We did not detect a Spitzenkörper with either LM or TEM techniques and the tip organization of Gigaspora germ tubes appeared to be similar to hyphae in zygomycetous fungi. This observation was supported by a phylogenetic analysis of microscopic characters of hyphal tips from members of five fungal phyla. Our work emphasizes the sensitive nature of cellular organization, and the need for as little manipulation as possible to observe germ tube structure accurately.