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Phaeoacremonium sp. FL0889
Phaeocremonium sp. FL0889 on 2% malt extract agar (MEA) [photo credit: J. M. U'Ren]

Phaeoacremonium sp. FL0889 was isolated in culture from a surface-sterilized thallus of the lichen Pyxine eschweileri (Physciaceae) in central Florida as part of a study examining endophytic and endolichenic fungal communities across North America (U'Ren et al., 2012). We identified this isolate as an unidentified species of Phaeocremonium (Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Calosphaeriales, Calosphaeriaceae) using ITS-partial LSU rDNA sequencing. Phaeoacremonium species typically are associated with decline and dieback diseases of woody plants, namely Petri disease in young grapevines and esca disease in adult grapevines (Mostert et al., 2006; Gramaje et al. 2009). Some Phaeoacremonium species also can cause infections in humans (i.e., phaeohyphomycoses; Mostert et al. 2005). As an endophyte, FL0889 is particularly useful for comparative genomic analyses to examine the evolution of pathogenicity and virulence.

References:

Gramaje D., J. Armengol, H. Mohammadi, Z. Banihashemi, L. Mostert. 2009. Novel Phaeoacremonium species associated with Petri disease and esca of grapevines in Iran and Spain. Mycologia 101: 920–929.

Mostert L., J.Z. Groenewald, R.C. Summerbell, W. Gams, P.W. Crous. 2006. Taxonomy and pathology of Togninia (Diaporthales) and its Phaeoacremonium anamorphs. Studies in Mycology 54: 1–115.

Mostert L., J.Z. Groenewald, R.C. Summerbell, V. Robert, D.A. Sutton, A.A. Padhye, P.W. Crous. 2005. Species of Phaeoacremonium associated with infections in humans and environmental reservoirs in infected woody plants. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 43: 1752–67.

U’Ren, J. M., F. Lutzoni, J. Miadlikowska, A. Laetsch & A. E. Arnold. 2012. Host- and geographic structure of endophytic and endolichenic fungi at a continental scale. American Journal of Botany. 99: 898–914.