Project description:Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Coniferiporia sulphurascens and Coniferiporia weirii, two well-defined and distinguishable fungal species of the family Hymenochaetaceae. The pathogens are regulated in Council Directive 2000/29/EC (Annex IAI, under the previous name Inonotus weirii for both species) as a harmful organism whose introduction into the EU is banned. The two pathogens are native to North America, where C. sulphurascens causes laminated root rot primarily in Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and grand fir (Abies grandis), while C. weirii causes cedar laminated root and butt rot mainly in cedars (Thuja plicata and Cupressus nootkatensis). C. weirii has been reported from Japan and China, and C. sulphurascens from China, Russia and Turkey. Neither species has been reported from the EU. C. sulphurascens may infect all conifers, while C. weirii is reported to mainly cause disease in tree species of Thuja spp. and Cupressus spp. The two pathogens could enter the EU mainly via wood with bark, isolated bark and plants for planting (including artificially dwarfed plants) of Pinaceae and Cupressaceae. Both fungi could establish in the EU, as hosts are present and climatic conditions are favourable. The two pathogens would be able to spread following establishment by the pathways mentioned for entry and also by dissemination of basidiospores and root contact with infected root/wood. Should the pathogen be introduced in the EU, impacts can be expected on coniferous woodlands, plantations and ornamental trees, thus leading to reduced tree growth and ecosystem service provision. The key uncertainties concern (i) the distribution of the two pathogens in Asia, (ii) the level of susceptibility of conifers native to Europe and (iii) the role of plants for planting as a pathway of entry and spread. For both pathogens, the criteria assessed by the Panel for consideration as a potential quarantine pest are met. As the two pests are not present in the EU, not all the criteria for consideration as regulated non-quarantine pests are met.
Project description:Four new sesquiterpenoids, namely 12-hydroxy-3-oxodrimenol (1), 11-hydroxyacetoxydrim-7-en-3β-ol (2), 2,6-dimethyl-7,10-epoxy-10-hydroxymethyldodeca-2,11-dien-6-ol (3), and 7,10-epoxy-2,6,10-trimethyldodeca-2,11-diene-4,6-diol (4), along with fourteen known compounds, were isolated from the cultures of Phellinidium sulphurascens. The structures of compounds 1-4 were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. All of them were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities.
Project description:BackgroundPhellinus sulphurascens is a fungal pathogen that causes laminar root rot in conifers, one of the most damaging root diseases in western North America. Despite its importance as a forest pathogen, this fungus is still poorly studied at the genomic level. An understanding of the molecular events involved in establishment of the disease should help to develop new methods for control of this disease.ResultsWe generated over 4600 expressed sequence tags from two cDNA libraries constructed using either mycelia grown on cellophane sheets and exposed to Douglas-fir roots or tissues from P. sulphurascens-infected Douglas-fir roots. A total of 890 unique genes were identified from the two libraries, and functional classification of 636 of these genes was possible using the Functional Catalogue (FunCat) annotation scheme. cDNAs were identified that encoded 79 potential virulence factors, including numerous genes implicated in virulence in a variety of phytopathogenic fungi. Many of these putative virulence factors were also among 82 genes identified as encoding putatively secreted proteins. The expression patterns of 86 selected fungal genes over 7 days of infection of Douglas-fir were examined using real-time PCR, and those significantly up-regulated included rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase, 1,4-benzoquinone reductase, a cyclophilin, a glucoamylase, 3 hydrophobins, a lipase, a serine carboxypeptidase, a putative Ran-binding protein, and two unknown putatively secreted proteins called 1 J04 and 2 J12. Significantly down-regulated genes included a manganese-superoxide dismutase, two metalloproteases, and an unknown putatively secreted protein called Ps0058.ConclusionsThis first collection of Phellinus sulphurascens EST sequences and its annotation provide an important resource for future research aimed at understanding key virulence factors of this forest pathogen. We examined the expression patterns of numerous fungal genes with potential roles in virulence, and found a collection of functionally diverse genes that are significantly up- or down-regulated during infection of Douglas-fir seedling roots by P. sulphurascens.