Environment Health Techniques Editorial
S1
Editorial Special issue: Fungi
Fungi constitute the sister kingdom to the Metazoa within the domain of Eukarya, with basidiomycetes, ascomycetes, zygomycetes (including the Glomeromycota and Mucoromycotina without clearly dissolved distinction) and chytridiomycetes (encompassing Entomophtoromycotina, Blastocladiomycota, Neocallimastigomycota and Chytridiomycota, again without a clear distinction into different origin from the main tree). This phylogeny has recently been updated using 99 genomes and 109 expressed sequence tags that were available [1]. On the other hand, oomycetes and myxomycetes are no true fungi; phylogenetically they are associated with brown algae and amoebae, respectively. The fungal kingdom with expected 5.1 million species [2] is the or the second largest group within the Eukarya, while for insects are estimated with 2–30 million species. They also comprise the largest and oldest organisms, with Armillaria ostoyae covering an area of 3.4 km2 and an age estimated over 1500 or 2400 years [3]. Hence, their importance cannot be overestimated. This is reflected in this special issue which focuses on the fungal kingdom. Fungi are important as food source, in environmental and ecological interactions, for production of secondary metabolites and with respect to biotechnology, as well as model organisms for genetics and cell biology. The first of these areas is represented in this Special Issue on Fungi with articles highlighting Fungal Biology: The submerged fermentation using edible fungi, deciphering the mating types of another edible fungus, Lentinula edodes or using fungal models for cell biology research, i.e. phylogenetic analysis on Isaria, characterization of dynein and mitochondrial function and stress response are covered. Environmental and ecological interactions also are prominently present in this Special Issue. Here, the interactions with plants such as yeasts colonizing fruit trees, biological control of a parasitic weed, phytopathogenic Alternaria or an endophytic fungus improving plant growth, fungal improvement of plant iron acquisition, as well as biocontrol and induction of plant defense are reported. The specifics of an opportunistic life style in a fungus is shown to be linked to cellulolytic activity and other interactions with the biotic environment include interactions with bacteria used to control Fusarium, identification of antiproliferative molecules from mushrooms and nematophagous fungi. In interaction with abiotic factors, fungi useful in decontamination of petroleum, copper induced stress response, protein production induced with cadmium may serve as examples for specific environmental interactions of fungi. Fungi represent organisms with high impact on biotechnology and secondary metabolite screening and production. This is shown with examples of ligninolytic enzymes including laccase, xylanase, pectin lyase, polygalacturonase, halostable endoglucanase, phytase, or bioactive peptide synthesis. An HIV inhibitory ribonuclease is among these biotechnologically important examples. Fungi, in their own right, can be highly appreciated since their specific life-style and mycelial growth is necessary to allow for plant interactions as well as allowing for handling in fermentation technology. All in all, this broad scope of basic fungal biology shows the highly important research assembled with these 30 articles featuring fungi. Hence, this microbial group should not be underestimated any longer and be used for microbial research with high impact. Erika Kothe Editor-in-Chief
References [1] Ebersberger, I., de Matos Simoes, R., Kupoczok, A., Kothe, E., Voigt, K., von Haeseler, A., 2012. A consistent phylogenetic backbone for the fungi. Mol. Biol. Evol., 29, 1319–1334. [2] Blackwell, M., 2011. The fungi: 1, 2, 3 … 5.1 million species? Am. J. Bot., 98, 426–438. [3] Smith, M, Bruhn, J, Anderson, J., 1992. The fungus Armillaria bulbosa is among the largest and oldest living organisms. Nature, 356, 428–431.
ß 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA,Weinheim
www.jbm-journal.com
J. Basic Microbiol. 2014, 54, S1
S1
Editorial Special issue: Fungi
Fungi constitute the sister kingdom to the Metazoa within the domain of Eukarya, with basidiomycetes, ascomycetes, zygomycetes (including the Glomeromycota and Mucoromycotina without clearly dissolved distinction) and chytridiomycetes (encompassing Entomophtoromycotina, Blastocladiomycota, Neocallimastigomycota and Chytridiomycota, again without a clear distinction into different origin from the main tree). This phylogeny has recently been updated using 99 genomes and 109 expressed sequence tags that were available [1]. On the other hand, oomycetes and myxomycetes are no true fungi; phylogenetically they are associated with brown algae and amoebae, respectively. The fungal kingdom with expected 5.1 million species [2] is the or the second largest group within the Eukarya, while for insects are estimated with 2–30 million species. They also comprise the largest and oldest organisms, with Armillaria ostoyae covering an area of 3.4 km2 and an age estimated over 1500 or 2400 years [3]. Hence, their importance cannot be overestimated. This is reflected in this special issue which focuses on the fungal kingdom. Fungi are important as food source, in environmental and ecological interactions, for production of secondary metabolites and with respect to biotechnology, as well as model organisms for genetics and cell biology. The first of these areas is represented in this Special Issue on Fungi with articles highlighting Fungal Biology: The submerged fermentation using edible fungi, deciphering the mating types of another edible fungus, Lentinula edodes or using fungal models for cell biology research, i.e. phylogenetic analysis on Isaria, characterization of dynein and mitochondrial function and stress response are covered. Environmental and ecological interactions also are prominently present in this Special Issue. Here, the interactions with plants such as yeasts colonizing fruit trees, biological control of a parasitic weed, phytopathogenic Alternaria or an endophytic fungus improving plant growth, fungal improvement of plant iron acquisition, as well as biocontrol and induction of plant defense are reported. The specifics of an opportunistic life style in a fungus is shown to be linked to cellulolytic activity and other interactions with the biotic environment include interactions with bacteria used to control Fusarium, identification of antiproliferative molecules from mushrooms and nematophagous fungi. In interaction with abiotic factors, fungi useful in decontamination of petroleum, copper induced stress response, protein production induced with cadmium may serve as examples for specific environmental interactions of fungi. Fungi represent organisms with high impact on biotechnology and secondary metabolite screening and production. This is shown with examples of ligninolytic enzymes including laccase, xylanase, pectin lyase, polygalacturonase, halostable endoglucanase, phytase, or bioactive peptide synthesis. An HIV inhibitory ribonuclease is among these biotechnologically important examples. Fungi, in their own right, can be highly appreciated since their specific life-style and mycelial growth is necessary to allow for plant interactions as well as allowing for handling in fermentation technology. All in all, this broad scope of basic fungal biology shows the highly important research assembled with these 30 articles featuring fungi. Hence, this microbial group should not be underestimated any longer and be used for microbial research with high impact. Erika Kothe Editor-in-Chief
References [1] Ebersberger, I., de Matos Simoes, R., Kupoczok, A., Kothe, E., Voigt, K., von Haeseler, A., 2012. A consistent phylogenetic backbone for the fungi. Mol. Biol. Evol., 29, 1319–1334. [2] Blackwell, M., 2011. The fungi: 1, 2, 3 … 5.1 million species? Am. J. Bot., 98, 426–438. [3] Smith, M, Bruhn, J, Anderson, J., 1992. The fungus Armillaria bulbosa is among the largest and oldest living organisms. Nature, 356, 428–431.
ß 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA,Weinheim
www.jbm-journal.com
J. Basic Microbiol. 2014, 54, S1
