Biological characteristics of Punctularia atropurpurascens through morphological and molecular analyses during development

Abstract

In this study, further evidences of the presence of the (sub)tropical Punctularia atropurpurascens in Rome are reported. Besides its generally described saprotrophic behaviour, some of the new-found specimens revealed a parasitic ability of the fungus. Moreover, although reputed a quite rare fungal species in Italy, P. atropurpurascens shows great capacity to develop in its places of manifestation under favourable climatic and environmental conditions. A comparison of morphological and molecular analyses of the fungus under various conditions gives suggestive information on the underlying biology. Furthermore, proton NMR analyses of the biochemical composition of the red drops secreted by the fungus showed the presence of lipids involved in cellular signal transduction pathways as well as phlebiarubrone-related molecules

Keywords

• phlebiarubrone
• lipids
• nmr analysis, quercus spp.
• its region
• parasitic fungi