A phylogenetic re-evaluation of Phyllosticta (Botryosphaeriales).

Phyllosticta is a geographically widespread genus of plant pathogenic fungi with a diverse host range. This study redefines Phyllosticta, and shows that it clusters sister to the Botryosphaeriaceae (Botryosphaeriales, Dothideomycetes), for which the older family name Phyllostictaceae is resurrected. In moving to a unit nomenclature for fungi, the generic name Phyllosticta was chosen over Guignardia in previous studies, an approach that we support here. We use a multigene DNA dataset of the ITS, LSU, ACT, TEF and GPDH gene regions to investigate 129 isolates of Phyllosticta, representing about 170 species names, many of which are shown to be synonyms of the ubiquitous endophyte P. capitalensis. Based on the data generated here, 12 new species are introduced, while epitype and neotype specimens are designated for a further seven species. One species of interest is P. citrimaxima associated with tan spot of Citrus maxima fruit in Thailand, which adds a fifth species to the citrus black spot complex. Previous morphological studies lumped many taxa under single names that represent complexes. In spite of this Phyllosticta is a species-rich genus, and many of these taxa need to be recollected in order to resolve their phylogeny and taxonomy. TAXONOMIC NOVELTIES: New species - Phyllosticta abieticola Wikee & Crous, P. aloeicola Wikee & Crous, P. citrimaxima Wikee, Crous, K.D. Hyde & McKenzie, P. leucothoicola Wikee, Motohashi & Crous, P. mangifera-indica Wikee, Crous, K.D. Hyde & McKenzie, P. neopyrolae Wikee, Motohashi, Crous, K.D. Hyde & McKenzie, P. pachysandricola Wikee, Motohashi & Crous, P. paxistimae Wikee & Crous, P. podocarpicola Wikee, Crous, K.D. Hyde & McKenzie, P. rhaphiolepidis Wikee, C. Nakash. & Crous, P. rubra Wikee & Crous, P. vacciniicola Wikee, Crous, K.D. Hyde & McKenzie; New combinations - P. foliorum (Sacc.) Wikee & Crous, P. philoprina (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Wikee & Crous; Epitypifications (basionyms) - P. concentrica Sacc., P. cussoniae Cejp, P. owaniana G. Winter; Neotypifications (basionyms) - Phyllosticta cordylinophila P.A. Young, Physalospora gregaria var. foliorum Sacc., Sphaeropsis hypoglossi Mont., Sphaeropsis minima Berk. & M.A. Curtis.

Phyllosticta ophiopogonis sp. nov. from Ophiopogon japonicus (Liliaceae).

A leaf spotting disease of an ornamental variety of Ophiopogon japonicus was discovered at several locations in northern Thailand. In all cases a species of Phyllosticta was associated with the lesions. Phyllosticta ophiopogonis sp. nov. is distinguished from Phyllosticta species from Liliaceae in conidia size, mucilaginous sheath and appendage thus the species is introduced as new in this paper. The new species which causes unsightly lesions on this ornamental plant is described, illustrated and compared with other similar Phyllosticta species.

Molecular and morphological characterization of Pyricularia and allied genera.

The phylogenetic relationships of Pyricularia species and species from related genera were established from sequences of the internal transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis disclosed a consistent correlation with spore morphology. Most Pyricularia species studied, and two species of Dactylaria that have obpyriform conidia, fell within the Magnaporthaceae cluster with high bootstrap support. Pyricularia variabilis was more related to Dactylaria, Tumularia or Ochroconis species than to the Magnaporthaceae. Dactylaria and species of Nakataea, Ochroconis, Pyriculariopsis and Tumularia were distinct from the Magnaporthaceae, and the genus Dactylaria is polyphyletic. The combination of morphological and molecular characters, such as spore morphology and ITS ribosomal DNA sequences data, suggested that conidial shape could be a primary character to distinguish Pyricularia from related genera.

Microfungi on the Pandanaceae: Linocarpon lammiae sp. nov., L. siamensis sp. nov. and L. suthepensis sp. nov. are described with a key to Linocarpon species from the Pandanaceae.

Linocarpon species are reported from Pandanaceae in Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Seychelles, Thailand and Vanuatu. Linocarpon lammiae sp. nov. were collected on decaying leaves of Pandanus tectorius in Hong Kong. Linocarpon siamensis sp. nov. and L. suthepensis sp. nov. were collected from decaying leaves of P. penetrans in Thailand. These taxa are described, illustrated and compared with Linocarpon species with similar ascospore morphology and dimensions. Included are a synoptic table, which compares the new species to similar known species, and a dichotomous key to species of Linocarpon known from members of the Pandanaceae.

Endophytic fungi from Amomum siamense.

Endophytic fungi were isolated from apparently healthy organs of the wild ginger Amomum siamense Criab.. including leaves, pseudostems, and rhizomes, collected from two sites in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Thailand. Endophytes were relatively common with an isolate prevalence of 70%-83% at the two sites sampled in the wet and dry seasons. The endophyte assemblages from the two sites were diverse and comprised 7 Ascomycetes and 26 mitosporic fungi. Colletotrichum "gloeosporioides" (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz., Glomerella spp., xylariaceous fungi, and Phomopsis spp. were consistently dominant as endophytes on Amomum siamense, but many rare species and mycelia sterilia were also recorded. There was no significant difference between the number of isolates recovered from leaves containing vein tissues and those containing intervein tissues, independent of leaf age. Most taxa showed a preference for either leaf tissue or pseudostems. Two new Ascomycetes species. Gaeumannomyces amomi and Leiosphaerella amomi, were discovered from leaves and rhizomes, respectively, and four species of Pyricularia, including three new species, were isolated from leaves.

Evaluation of alkylated derivatives of 99mTc-propylene amine oxime (99mTc-PnAO).

Several lipophilic di-alkylated derivatives of propylene amine oxime (PnAO were complexed to 99mTc. Assessment of the 99mTc-PnAO derivatives included biodistribution and qualitative autoradiography. All of the derivatives studied penetrated the intact blood-brain-barrier, with the 99mTc-dibutyl-PnAO complex exhibiting the lowest initial brain uptake while the 99mTc-diethyl-PnAO and the 99mTc-dipropyl-PnAO complexes possessing nearly identical initial brain uptake as compared to 99mTcPnAO. Qualitative autoradiographs revealed significant loss of image resolution with extended time post injection indicative of rapid radiopharmaceutical washout. Although increasing alkyl chain length did not enhance initial brain uptake, the data demonstrates that limited modification of the PnAO ligand structure can be performed without decreasing cerebral uptake of the respective 99mTc complex.

In vivo skeletal localization properties of 99mTc complexes of large phosphonate ligands.

Tetramethylenephosphonate derivatives of norborane (TPNB) and dicyclopentadiene (TPDCPD) were shown to readily form stable chelates with 99mTc that had high and selective bone uptake. The skeletal uptake and blood clearance properties of 99mTc-TPNB were similar to 99mTc-MDP in both rats and rabbits. This suggests additional studies to further evaluate 99mTc-TPNB or perhaps other large-organic based multidentate phosphonate ligands as potential bone imaging agents is warranted.

Biodistribution of [14C]PnAO in rats.

The biodistribution of [14C]3,3'-(1,3-propanediyldiimino)-bis(3-methy 1-2-butanone)-dioxime, [( 14C]PnAO) was determined in anesthetized rats. The results of this study show that there is no significant brain accumulation or retention of the uncomplexed ligand in the brain.

The behavior of neutral amine oxime chelates labelled with Tc at tracer level.

Neutral 99mTc-chelates were formed with propylene amine oxime, 3,3'-(1,3-propanediyldiimino)bis-(3-methyl-2-butanone)-dioxime and other PnAO analogues. Even though the other amine oxime ligands form neutral chelates with 99mTc, the stability, lipophilic and the brain uptake characteristics are less desirable than [99mTc]-PnAO. These results demonstrate that slight modifications in the amine oxime ligand backbone produces significant effects on the chemical and biological behavior of the [99mTc]dioxime chelates.