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Anush KOSAKYAN

Ricercatore t.d. art. 24 c. 3 lett. A
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita sede ex-Biologia

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Pubblicazioni

2024 - Global distribution modelling of a conspicuous Gondwanian soil protist reveals latitudinal dispersal limitation and range contraction in response to climate warming [Articolo su rivista]
Bruni Estelle, P.; Rusconi, Olivia; Broennimann, Olivier; Adde, Antoine; Jauslin, Raphaël; Krashevska, Valentyna; Kosakyan, Anush; Armynot , du ; Châtelet, Eric; Alcino João, P. B.; Beyens, Louis; Blandenie, r Quentin; Bobrov, Anatoly; Burdman, Luciana; Duckert, Clément; Fernández Leonardo, D.; Gomes , e ; Souza Maria, Beatriz; Heger Thierry, J.; Koenig, Isabelle; Lahr Daniel, J. G.; Mckeown, Michelle; Meisterfeld, Ralf; Singer, David; Voelcker, Eckhard; Wilmshurst, Janet; Wohlhauser, Sebastien; Wilkinson David, M.; Guisan, Antoine; Mitchell Edward, A. D.
abstract

2024 - RNAi-directed knockdown in the cnidarian fish blood parasite Sphaerospora molnari [Articolo su rivista]
Kyslík, Jiří; Born-Torrijos, Ana; Holzer, Astrid S.; Kosakyan, Anush
abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) is an effective approach to suppress gene expression and monitor gene regulation. Despite its wide application, its use is limited in certain taxonomic groups, including cnidarians. Myxozoans are a unique group of cnidarian parasites that diverged from their free-living ancestors about 600 million years ago, with several species causing acute disease in farmed and wild fish populations. In this pioneering study we successfully applied RNAi in blood stages of the myxozoan Sphaerospora molnari, combining a dsRNA soaking approach, real-time PCR, confocal microscopy, and Western blotting. For proof of concept, we knocked down two unusual actins, one of which is known to play a critical role in S. molnari cell motility. We observed intracellular uptake of dsRNA after 30 min and accumulation in all cells of the typical myxozoan cell-in-cell structure. We successfully knocked down actin in S. molnari in vitro, with transient inhibition for 48 h. We observed the disruption of the cytoskeletal network within the primary cell and loss of the characteristic rotational cell motility. This RNAi workflow could significantly advance functional research within the Myxozoa, offering new prospects for investigating therapeutic targets and facilitating drug discovery against economically important fish parasites.

2023 - Evolutionary trajectories of the reproductive system of the Gastrotricha genus Urodasys (Macrodasyida, Gastrotricha) inferred from morphological and molecular data [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Cesaretti, Agata; Kosakyan, Anush; Antonio Todaro, M.
abstract

2022 - Abiotic Factors from Different Ecuadorian Regions and Their Contribution to Antioxidant, Metabolomic and Organoleptic Quality of Theobroma cacao L. Beans, Variety "Arriba Nacional" [Articolo su rivista]
Mihai, Raluca A; Landazuri Abarca, Pablo A; Tinizaray Romero, Bryan A; Florescu, Larisa I; Catană, Rodica; Kosakyan, Anush
abstract

Fine flavor cocoa is a unique category of cocoa that produces almonds with high aromatic potential and several sensory benefits that make it different from the basic or ordinary cocoas. Ecuador is the world's leader in the production and export of fine flavor cocoa, responsible for 63% of the world's total production due to the commercialization of the Arriba Nacional variety, known to possess an intense aroma that is unique in the cocoa world market. Besides its organoleptic specificity, this variety represents a source of important bioactive compounds associated with both sensory and health properties. This study evaluates the influence of an abiotic factor, nutritional soil status, on the phytochemical composition (methylxantines and phenolic compounds), and antioxidant and sensory properties of Arriba variety cocoa beans originating from three different geographical regions of Ecuador. We used the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS), Folin-Ciocalteau, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ABTS free-radical-scavenging activity, the alpha, alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl free-radical-scavenging method (DPPH), and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) analysis to reveal a significant correlation between Mn ions and total phenolic content, a positive implication of N in methylxanthine composition and antioxidant properties, and the importance of Ca, Mg, and K ions in increasing the flavonoid and anthocyanin content of raw cocoa beans. We showed that these nutritional elements can interfere with the nutraceutical and sensory properties of cocoa beans, as Cu, Mg, and K are correlated with anthocyaninic content, while Fe, Ca, P and Zn influenced the flavonoid content. We underline that the Arriba variety is suitable not only for the production of high-quality chocolate, but also for the increasing worldwide nutraceutical market, generating qualitative and competitive products.

2022 - Biodiversity, Distribution and Conservation of Plants and Fungi [Altro]
Kosakyan, Anush; Catana, Rodica; Biketova, Alona Yu.
abstract

2022 - Biodiversity, Distribution, and Conservation of Plants and Fungi: Effects of Global Warming and Environmental Stress [Articolo su rivista]
Biketova, Alona Yu; Catana, Rodica; Kosakyan, Anush
abstract

: The estimation of global biodiversity and its conservation is an old, but still unresolved, concern in biology [...].

2022 - Method for Isolation‬ ‪of Myxozoan proliferative stages‬ ‪from fish at high yield and purity:‬ ‪An essential prerequisite for in vitro,‬ ‪in vivo and genomics-based‬ ‪research developments. [Articolo su rivista]
Born-Torrijos, A; Kosakyan, A; Patra, S; Pimentel-Santos, J; Panicucci, B; Chan, Jth; Korytar‬, ‪T; Holzer, As.
abstract

Myxozoans are a diverse group of microscopic cnidarian parasites and some representatives are associated with important diseases in fish, in both marine and freshwater aquaculture systems. Research on myxozoans has been largely hampered by the inability to isolate myxozoan parasites from their host tissues. In this study, we developed and optimized a method to isolate the myxozoan proliferative stages of different size and cellularity from fish blood, using DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography. We optimized several parameters and obtained 99–100% parasite purity, as well as high survival and infectivity. Using polyclonal pan-carp blood cell-specific antibodies, we further developed a rapid cytometric assay for quantification of the proliferative stages, not only in highly concentrated DEAE-C isolates but also in dilute conditions in full blood. Early developmental stages of myxozoans are key to parasite proliferation, establishment, and pathology in their hosts. The isolation of these stages not only opens new possibilities for in vivo and in vitro studies, but also for obtaining purified DNA and protein extracts for downstream analyses. Hence, we provide a long-desired tool that will advance the functional research into the mechanisms of host exploitation and immune stimulation/evasion in this group, which could contribute greatly to the development of therapeutic strategies against myxozoans.

2021 - The myxozoan minicollagen gene repertoire was not simplified by the parasitic lifestyle: computational identification of a novel myxozoan minicollagen gene [Articolo su rivista]
Kyslík, Jiří; Kosakyan, Anush; Nenarokov, Serafim; Holzer, Astrid S; Fiala, Ivan
abstract

Background Lineage-specific gene expansions represent one of the driving forces in the evolutionary dynamics of unique phylum traits. Myxozoa, a cnidarian subphylum of obligate parasites, are evolutionarily altered and highly reduced organisms with a simple body plan including cnidarian-specific organelles and polar capsules (a type of nematocyst). Minicollagens, a group of structural proteins, are prominent constituents of nematocysts linking Myxozoa and Cnidaria. Despite recent advances in the identification of minicollagens in Myxozoa, the evolutionary history and diversity of minicollagens in Myxozoa and Cnidaria remain elusive. Results We generated new transcriptomes of two myxozoan species using a novel pipeline for filtering of closely related contaminant species in RNA-seq data. Mining of our transcriptomes and published omics data confirmed the existence of myxozoan Ncol-4, reported only once previously, and revealed a novel noncanonical minicollagen, Ncol-5, which is exclusive to Myxozoa. Phylogenetic analyses support a close relationship between myxozoan Ncol-1-3 with minicollagens of Polypodium hydriforme, but suggest independent evolution in the case of the myxozoan minicollagens Ncol-4 and Ncol-5. Additional genome- and transcriptome-wide searches of cnidarian minicollagens expanded the dataset to better clarify the evolutionary trajectories of minicollagen. Conclusions The development of a new approach for the handling of next-generation data contaminated by closely related species represents a useful tool for future applications beyond the field of myxozoan research. This data processing pipeline allowed us to expand the dataset and study the evolution and diversity of minicollagen genes in Myxozoa and Cnidaria. We identified a novel type of minicollagen in Myxozoa (Ncol-5). We suggest that the large number of minicollagen paralogs in some cnidarians is a result of several recent large gene multiplication events. We revealed close juxtaposition of minicollagens Ncol-1 and Ncol-4 in myxozoan genomes, suggesting their common evolutionary history. The unique gene structure of myxozoan Ncol-5 suggests a specific function in the myxozoan polar capsule or tubule. Despite the fact that myxozoans possess only one type of nematocyst, their gene repertoire is similar to those of other cnidarians.

2020 - Amoeboid protist systematics: A report on the "Systematics of amoeboid protists" symposium at the VIIIth ECOP/ISOP meeting in Rome, 2019 [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Lara, Enrique; Dumack, Kenneth; García-Martín, Joaquina María; Kudryavtsev, Alexander; Kosakyan, Anush
abstract

Amoeboid protists are extremely abundant and diverse in natural systems where they often play outstanding ecological roles. They can be found in almost all major eukaryotic divisions, and genomic approaches are bringing major changes in our perception of their deep evolutionary relationships. At fine taxonomic levels, the generalization of barcoding is revealing a considerable and unsuspected specific diversity that can be appreciated with careful morphometric analyses based on light and electron microscopic observations. We provide examples on the difficulties and advances in amoeboid protists systematics in a selection of groups that were presented at the VIIIth ECOP/ISOP meeting in Rome, 2019. We conclude that, in all studied groups, important taxonomical rearrangements will certainly take place in the next few years, and systematics must be adapted to incorporate these changes. Notably, nomenclature should be flexible enough to integrate many new high level taxa, and a unified policy must be adopted to species description and to the establishment of types. (C) 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2020 - Case 3782 – Nebela militaris Penard, 1890 (Arcellinida, Hyalospheniidae): proposed conservation of the specific name by giving it precedence over Nebela bursella Taranek, 1881 [Altro]
Duckert, Clément; Blandenier, Quentin; Kupferschmid, Fanny A. L.; Kosakyan, Anush; Mitchell, Edward A. D.; Lara, Enrique; Singer, David
abstract

The purpose of this application, under Article 23.9.3 of the Code, is to conserve the specific name Nebela militaris Penard, 1890, a junior subjective synonym of Nebela bursella Taranek, 1881 – referred to as Nebela bursella Vejdovský in the literature. Due to the absence of any type or reference specimen and due to the confusing original description, doubts about the taxonomic status of N. bursella persist. A review of the literature revealed that the names N. militaris and N. bursella originally referred to the same species, with the name N. bursella later being applied erroneously to another species. According to the Principle of Priority, N. bursella is the valid name of the species generally known as N. militaris, but there has been no mention of the former taxon since 1964 and its name is unknown to most active testate amoeba researchers. To avoid confusion, we propose to conserve the widely used species name Nebela militaris Penard, 1890 by granting it conditional precedence over Nebela bursella Taranek, 1881, and to designate a neotype.

2020 - Chapter 2 - Protozoa [Capitolo/Saggio]
Küppers, Gabriela C.; Kosakyan, Anush; Siemensma, Ferry; Cristina Claps, María; da Silva Paiva, Thiago; Fernández, Leonardo D.; Burdman, Luciana; Krashevska, Valentyna; Lara, Enrique; Damborenea, Cristina
abstract

This chapter provides identification keys to free-living ciliates, amebida, and flagellated protozoa. Special detail is included for Ciliophora and Amoebida. Also, information on preparation methods, definition of the most relevant morphological terms, and current limitations in our knowledge of the group are provided. Additional information on the “Ecology and General Biology” of Protozoa can be found in Volume I of this book series (Thorp and Rogers, 2015, Elsevier).

2020 - Protistological science dissemination [Articolo su rivista]
Buonanno, Federico; Dolan, John R; Esteban, Genoveva F; Hines, Hunter N; Kamra, Komal; Kosakyan, Anush; Miceli, Cristina; Samaritani, Emanuela; Vannini, Claudia; Warren, Alan
abstract

It is rare to meet protistologists who are not passionate about their study subject. The vast majority of people, however, never get the chance to hear about the work of these researchers. Although every researcher working on protists is likely to be aware of this situation, efforts made and tools employed for dissemination of knowledge are rarely documented. Following a proposal by the Italian Society of Protistology, a workshop at the 2019 VIII European Congress of Protistology in Rome, Italy, was dedicated to protistological knowledge dissemination. Through the many interventions, we discovered the diversity of efforts to reveal the protistan world to the general public, including museum exhibitions and activities, public understanding of science events, citizen science projects, specific book publications, the use of protists in teaching at all levels from primary school children to university undergraduate students, and to a global audience via social media. The participation of the workshop delegates in the discussions indicated that presentations on the wonderful world of protists to the public not only increase the visibility and accessibility of protistology research but are also very important for the scientific community. Here we report on some of the key aspects of the presentations given in the dissemination workshop. (C) 2020 Published by Elsevier GmbH.

2020 - Testate Amoeba Functional Traits and Their Use in Paleoecology [Articolo su rivista]
Marcisz, Katarzyna; Jassey, Vincent E. J.; Kosakyan, Anush; Krashevska, Valentyna; Lahr, Daniel J. G.; Lara, Enrique; Lamentowicz, ??ukasz; Lamentowicz, Mariusz; Macumber, Andrew; Mazei, Yuri; Mitchell, Edward A. D.; Nasser, Nawaf A.; Timothy Patterson, R.; Roe, Helen M.; Singer, David; Tsyganov, Andrey N.; Fournier, Bertrand
abstract

This review provides a synthesis of current knowledge on the morphological and functional traits of testate amoebae, a polyphyletic group of protists commonly used as proxies of past hydrological changes in paleoecological investigations from peatland, lake sediment and soil archives. A trait-based approach to understanding testate amoebae ecology and paleoecology has gained in popularity in recent years, with research showing that morphological characteristics provide complementary information to the commonly used environmental inferences based on testate amoeba (morpho-)species data. We provide a broad overview of testate amoeba morphological and functional traits and trait-environment relationships in the context of ecology, evolution, genetics, biogeography, and paleoecology. As examples we report upon previous ecological and paleoecological studies that used trait-based approaches, and describe key testate amoebae traits that can be used to improve the interpretation of environmental studies. We also highlight knowledge gaps and speculate on potential future directions for the application of trait-based approaches in testate amoeba research.

2020 - Transcriptome of Sphaerospora molnari (Cnidaria, Myxosporea) blood stages provides proteolytic arsenal as potential therapeutic targets against sphaerosporosis in common carp [Articolo su rivista]
Hartigan, Ashlie; Kosakyan, Anush; Pecková, Hana; Eszterbauer, Edit; Holzer, Astrid S
abstract

Background Parasites employ proteases to evade host immune systems, feed and replicate and are often the target of anti-parasite strategies to disrupt these interactions. Myxozoans are obligate cnidarian parasites, alternating between invertebrate and fish hosts. Their genes are highly divergent from other metazoans, and available genomic and transcriptomic datasets are limited. Some myxozoans are important aquaculture pathogens such asSphaerospora molnarireplicating in the blood of farmed carp before reaching the gills for sporogenesis and transmission. Proliferative stages cause a massive systemic lymphocyte response and the disruption of the gill epithelia by spore-forming stages leads to respiratory problems and mortalities. In the absence of aS. molnarigenome, we utilized a de novo approach to assemble the first transcriptome of proliferative myxozoan stages to identifyS. molnariproteases that are upregulated during the first stages of infection when the parasite multiplies massively, rather than in late spore-forming plasmodia. Furthermore, a subset of orthologs was used to characterize 3D structures and putative druggable targets. Results An assembled and host filtered transcriptome containing 9436 proteins, mapping to 29,560 contigs was mined for protease virulence factors and revealed that cysteine proteases were most common (38%), at a higher percentage than other myxozoans or cnidarians (25-30%). Two cathepsin Ls that were found upregulated in spore-forming stages with a presenilin like aspartic protease and a dipeptidyl peptidase. We also identified downregulated proteases in the spore-forming development when compared with proliferative stages including an astacin metallopeptidase and lipases (qPCR). In total, 235 transcripts were identified as putative proteases using a MEROPS database. In silico analysis of highly transcribed cathepsins revealed potential drug targets within this data set that should be prioritised for development. Conclusions In silico surveys for proteins are essential in drug discovery and understanding host-parasite interactions in non-model systems. The present study ofS. molnari's protease arsenal reveals previously unknown proteases potentially used for host exploitation and immune evasion. The pioneering dataset serves as a model for myxozoan virulence research, which is of particular importance as myxozoan diseases have recently been shown to emerge and expand geographically, due to climate change.

2019 - Dispersal limitations and historical factors determine the biogeography of specialized terrestrial protists [Articolo su rivista]
Singer, David; Mitchell, Edward A D; Payne, Richard J; Blandenier, Quentin; Duckert, Clément; Fernández, Leonardo D; Fournier, Bertrand; Hernández, Cristián E; Granath, Gustaf; Rydin, Håkan; Bragazza, Luca; Koronatova, Natalia G; Goia, Irina; Harris, Lorna I; Kajukało, Katarzyna; Kosakyan, Anush; Lamentowicz, Mariusz; Kosykh, Natalia P; Vellak, Kai; Lara, Enrique
abstract

Recent studies show that soil eukaryotic diversity is immense and dominated by micro-organisms. However, it is unclear to what extent the processes that shape the distribution of diversity in plants and animals also apply to micro-organisms. Major diversification events in multicellular organisms have often been attributed to long-term climatic and geological processes, but the impact of such processes on protist diversity has received much less attention as their distribution has often been believed to be largely cosmopolitan. Here, we quantified phylogeographical patterns in Hyalosphenia papilio, a large testate amoeba restricted to Holarctic Sphagnum-dominated peatlands, to test if the current distribution of its genetic diversity can be explained by historical factors or by the current distribution of suitable habitats. Phylogenetic diversity was higher in Western North America, corresponding to the inferred geographical origin of the H. papilio complex, and was lower in Eurasia despite extensive suitable habitats. These results suggest that patterns of phylogenetic diversity and distribution can be explained by the history of Holarctic Sphagnum peatland range expansions and contractions in response to Quaternary glaciations that promoted cladogenetic range evolution, rather than the contemporary distribution of suitable habitats. Species distributions were positively correlated with climatic niche breadth, suggesting that climatic tolerance is key to dispersal ability in H. papilio. This implies that, at least for large and specialized terrestrial micro-organisms, propagule dispersal is slow enough that historical processes may contribute to their diversification and phylogeographical patterns and may partly explain their very high overall diversity.

2019 - Phylogenomics and Morphological Reconstruction of Arcellinida Testate Amoebae Highlight Diversity of Microbial Eukaryotes in the Neoproterozoic [Articolo su rivista]
Lahr, Daniel J G; Kosakyan, Anush; Lara, Enrique; Mitchell, Edward A D; Morais, Luana; Porfirio-Sousa, Alfredo L; Ribeiro, Giulia M; Tice, Alexander K; Pánek, Tomáš; Kang, Seungho; Brown, Matthew W
abstract

Life was microbial for the majority of Earth's history, but as very few microbial lineages leave a fossil record, the Precambrian evolution of life remains shrouded in mystery. Shelled (testate) amoebae stand out as an exception with rich documented diversity in the Neoproterozoic as vase-shaped microfossils (VSMs). While there is general consensus that most of these can be attributed to the Arcellinida lineage in Amoebozoa, it is still unclear whether they can be used as key fossils for interpretation of early eukaryotic evolution. Here, we present a well-resolved phylogenomic reconstruction based on 250 genes, obtained using single-cell transcriptomic techniques from a representative selection of 19 Arcellinid testate amoeba taxa. The robust phylogenetic framework enables deeper interpretations of evolution in this lineage and demanded an updated classification of the group. Additionally, we performed reconstruction of ancestral morphologies, yielding hypothetical ancestors remarkably similar to existing Neoproterozoic VSMs. We demonstrate that major lineages of testate amoebae were already diversified before the Sturtian glaciation (720 mya), supporting the hypothesis that massive eukaryotic diversification took place in the early Neoproterozoic and congruent with the interpretation that VSM are arcellinid testate amoebae.

2019 - Selection of suitable reference genes for gene expression studies in myxosporean (Myxozoa, Cnidaria) parasites [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, Anush; Alama-Bermejo, Gema; Bartošová-Sojková, Pavla; Born-Torrijos, Ana; Šíma, Radek; Nenarokova, Anna; Eszterbauer, Edit; Bartholomew, Jerri; Holzer, Astrid S
abstract

Myxozoans (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) are an extremely diversified group of endoparasites some of which are causative agents of serious diseases in fish. New methods involving gene expression studies have emerged over the last years to better understand and control myxozoan diseases. Quantitative RTPCR is the most extensively used approach for gene expression studies. However, the accuracy of the results depends on the normalization of the data to reference genes. We studied the expression of eight commonly used reference genes, adenosylhomocysteinase (AHC1), beta actin (ACTB), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 (EF2), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT1), DNA-directed RNA polymerase II (RPB2), 18S ribosomal RNA (18S), 28S ribosomal RNA (28S) across different developmental stages of three myxozoan species, Sphaerospora molnari, Myxobolus cerebralis and Ceratonova shasta, representing the three major myxozoan linages from the largest class Myxosporea. The stable reference genes were identified using four algorithms: geNorm, NormFinder, Bestkeeper and Delta Cq method. Additionally, we analyzed transcriptomic data from S. molnari proliferative and spore-forming stages to compare the relative amount of expressed transcripts with the most stable reference genes suggested by RT-qPCR. Our results revealed that GAPDH and EF2 are the most uniformly expressed genes across the different developmental stages of the studied myxozoan species.

2019 - Using Testate Amoebae Communities to Evaluate Environmental Stress: A Molecular Biology Perspective [Capitolo/Saggio]
Kosakyan, Anush; Lara, Enrique
abstract

2018 - En garde! Redefinition of Nebela militaris (Arcellinida, Hyalospheniidae) and erection of Alabasta gen. nov [Articolo su rivista]
Duckert, Clément; Blandenier, Quentin; Kupferschmid, Fanny A L; Kosakyan, Anush; Mitchell, Edward A D; Lara, Enrique; Singer, David
abstract

Molecular data have considerably contributed to building the taxonomy of protists. Recently, the systematics of Hyalospheniidae (Amoebozoa; Tubulinea; Arcellinida) has been widely revised, with implications extending to ecological, biogeographical and evolutionary investigations. Certain taxa, however, still have an uncertain phylogenetic position, including the common and conspicuous species Nebela militaris. A phylogenetic reconstruction of the Hyalospheniidae using partial sequences of the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) gene shows that N. militaris does not belong to genus Nebela, but should be placed in its own genus. The morphological singularities (strongly curved pseudostome and a marked notch in lateral view) and phylogenetic placement of our isolates motivated the creation of a new genus: Alabasta gen. nov. Based on their morphology, we include in this genus Nebela kivuense and Nebela longicollis. We discuss the position of genus Alabasta within Hyalospheniidae, and the species that could integrate this new genus based on their morphological characteristics. (C) 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2018 - Environmental filtering and phylogenetic clustering correlate with the distribution patterns of cryptic protist species [Articolo su rivista]
Singer, David; Kosakyan, Anush; Seppey, Christophe V W; Pillonel, Amandine; Fernández, Leonardo D; Fontaneto, Diego; Mitchell, Edward A D; Lara, Enrique
abstract

The community composition of any group of organisms should theoretically be determined by a combination of assembly processes including resource partitioning, competition, environmental filtering, and phylogenetic legacy. Environmental DNA studies have revealed a huge diversity of protists in all environments, raising questions about the ecological significance of such diversity and the degree to which they obey to the same rules as macroscopic organisms. The fast-growing cultivable protist species on which hypotheses are usually experimentally tested represent only a minority of the protist diversity. Addressing these questions for the lesser known majority can only be inferred through observational studies. We conducted an environmental DNA survey of the genus Nebela, a group of closely related testate (shelled) amoeba species, in different habitats within Sphagnum-dominated peatlands. Identification based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene, allowed species-level resolution as well as phylogenetic reconstruction. Community composition varied strongly across habitats and associated environmental gradients. Species showed little overlap in their realized niche, suggesting resource partitioning, and a strong influence of environmental filtering driving community composition. Furthermore, phylogenetic clustering was observed in the most nitrogen-poor samples, supporting phylogenetic inheritance of adaptations in the group of N.guttata. This study showed that the studied free-living unicellular eukaryotes follow to community assembly rules similar to those known to determine plant and animal communities; the same may be true for much of the huge functional and taxonomic diversity of protists.

2017 - Between a Pod and a Hard Test: The Deep Evolution of Amoebae [Articolo su rivista]
Kang, Seungho; Tice, Alexander K; Spiegel, Frederick W; Silberman, Jeffrey D; Pánek, Tomáš; Cepicka, Ivan; Kostka, Martin; Kosakyan, Anush; Alcântara, Daniel M C; Roger, Andrew J; Shadwick, Lora L; Smirnov, Alexey; Kudryavtsev, Alexander; Lahr, Daniel J G; Brown, Matthew W
abstract

Amoebozoa is the eukaryotic supergroup sister to Obazoa, the lineage that contains the animals and Fungi, as well as their protistan relatives, and the breviate and apusomonad flagellates. Amoebozoa is extraordinarily diverse, encompassing important model organisms and significant pathogens. Although amoebozoans are integral to global nutrient cycles and present in nearly all environments, they remain vastly understudied. We present a robust phylogeny of Amoebozoa based on broad representative set of taxa in a phylogenomic framework (325 genes). By sampling 61 taxa using culture-based and single-cell transcriptomics, our analyses show two major clades of Amoebozoa, Discosea, and Tevosa. This phylogeny refutes previous studies in major respects. Our results support the hypothesis that the last common ancestor of Amoebozoa was sexual and flagellated, it also may have had the ability to disperse propagules from a sporocarp-type fruiting body. Overall, the main macroevolutionary patterns in Amoebozoa appear to result from the parallel losses of homologous characters of a multiphase life cycle that included flagella, sex, and sporocarps rather than independent acquisition of convergent features.

2017 - Genetic Determinism vs. Phenotypic Plasticity in Protist Morphology [Articolo su rivista]
Mulot, Matthieu; Marcisz, Katarzyna; Grandgirard, Lara; Lara, Enrique; Kosakyan, Anush; Robroek, Bjorn J M; Lamentowicz, Mariusz; Payne, Richard J; Mitchell, Edward A D
abstract

Untangling the relationships between morphology and phylogeny is key to building a reliable taxonomy, but is especially challenging for protists, where the existence of cryptic or pseudocryptic species makes finding relevant discriminant traits difficult. Here we use Hyalosphenia papilio (a testate amoeba) as a model species to investigate the contribution of phylogeny and phenotypic plasticity in its morphology. We study the response of H. papilio morphology (shape and pores number) to environmental variables in (i) a manipulative experiment with controlled conditions (water level), (ii) an observational study of a within-site natural ecological gradient (water level), and (iii) an observational study across 37 European peatlands (climate). We showed that H. papilio morphology is correlated to environmental conditions (climate and water depth) as well as geography, while no relationship between morphology and phylogeny was brought to light. The relative contribution of genetic inheritance and phenotypic plasticity in shaping morphology varies depending on the taxonomic group and the trait under consideration. Thus, our data call for a reassessment of taxonomy based on morphology alone. This clearly calls for a substantial increase in taxonomic research on these globally still under-studied organisms leading to a reassessment of estimates of global microbial eukaryotic diversity.

2017 - Quadrulella texcalense sp. nov. from a Mexican desert: An unexpected new environment for hyalospheniid testate amoebae [Articolo su rivista]
Pérez-Juárez, Horacio; Serrano-Vázquez, Angélica; Kosakyan, Anush; Mitchell, Edward A D; Rivera Aguilar, Víctor M; Lahr, Daniel J G; Hernández Moreno, Mayra M; Cuellar, Humberto Macías; Eguiarte, Luis E; Lara, Enrique
abstract

Quadrulella Amoebozoa, Arcellinida, Hyalospheniidae) is a genus of testate amoebae with unmistakable morphology, which secretes characteristic square plates to reinforce the test. They are mainly known from fens and freshwater habitats and have never been documented in deserts. We describe a new species, Quadrulella texcalense, from biological soil crusts in the intertropical desert of Tehuacan (state of Puebla, Mexico). Quadrulella texcalense occurred only at altitudes between 2140 and 2221 m.a.s.l., together with the bryophyte genera Pseudocrossidium, Weissia, Bryum, Didymodon, Neohyophyla and Aloina. The soil was extremely dry (moisture of 1.97-2.6%), which contrasts sharply with previous reports for the Quadrulella genus. Single cell mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) barcoding of thirteen isolated cells showed an important morphological variability despite having all the same COI barcode sequence. Quadrulella texcalense was placed in a tree containing other Hyalsopheniidae, including a newly barcoded South African species, Q. elegans. Q. texcalense unambiguously branched within genus Quadrulella in a compact clade but with a long branch, suggesting accelerated evolution due to a transition towards anew environment and/or under-sampling. (C) 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2016 - Current and future perspectives on the systematics, taxonomy and nomenclature of testate amoebae [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, Anush; Gomaa, Fatma; Lara, Enrique; Lahr, Daniel J G
abstract

Testate amoebae are a polyphyletic assemblage of at least three major, unrelated taxonomic groups of unicellular amoeboid eukaryotes exhibiting a test. The focus on testate amoebae in scientific research has greatly increased in the past 20 years: from an average of about 5 papers a year in the mid-1990s to the current rate of more than 50 papers published yearly. The application range of these organisms is rapidly expanding as well: from the traditional fields of environmental monitoring and paleoecology, to forensic sciences and ecotoxicology studies. These developments are nevertheless strongly dependent on reliable taxonomy and nomenclature. However, scientometric data reveal that despite an ever-increasing necessity for the use of names (the product of taxonomy), the corresponding effort has not been achieved for improving testate amoebae systematics. As a consequence, inaccurate taxonomy yields to misinterpretations in the diversity of the organisms and to potentially incorrect conclusions. These and related problems are discussed in this study, highlighting the outcome of poor taxonomic expertise in accurate classification and phylogeny of testate amoebae, and the consequences derived from it. Additionally, this study is aimed to discuss the current status of testate amoebae classification, and to present all nomenclature and taxonomic changes in higher and lower taxonomic levels of testate amoebae, as a result of recent molecular reconstructions. Finally, we conclude with a list of the needs and suggestions toward a unified and modernized taxonomy of testate amoebae. (C) 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2016 - Nebela jiuhuensis nov. sp. (Amoebozoa; Arcellinida; Hyalospheniidae): A New Member of the Nebela saccifera - equicalceus - ansata Group Described from Sphagnum Peatlands in South-Central China [Articolo su rivista]
Qin, Yangmin; Man, Baiying; Kosakyan, Anush; Lara, Enrique; Gu, Yansheng; Wang, Hongmei; Mitchell, Edward A D
abstract

Hyalospheniids are among the most common and conspicuous testate amoebae in high-latitude peatlands and forest humus. These testate amoebae were widely studied as bioindicators and are increasingly used as models in microbial biogeography. However, data on their diversity and ecology are still very unevenly distributed geographically: notably, data are lacking for low-latitude peatlands. We describe here a new species, Nebela jiuhuensis, from peatlands near the Middle Yangtze River reach of south-central China with characteristic morphology. The test ( shell) has hollow horn-like lateral extensions also found in N. saccifera, N. equicalceus (= N. hippocrepis), and N. ansata, three large species restricted mostly to Sphagnum peatlands of Eastern North America. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase ( COI) data confirm that N. jiuhuensis is closely related to the morphologically very similar North American species N. saccifera and more distantly to N. ansata within the N. penardiana group. These species are all found in wet mosses growing in poor fens. Earlier reports of morphologically similar specimens found in South Korea peatlands suggest that N. jiuhuensis may be distributed in comparable peatlands in Eastern Asia ( China and Korea). The discovery of such a conspicuous new species in Chinese peatlands suggests that many new testate amoebae species are yet to be discovered, including potential regional endemics. Furthermore, human activities ( e. g., drainage, agriculture, and pollution) have reduced the known habitat of N. jiuhuensis, which can thus be considered as locally endangered. We, therefore, suggest that this very conspicuous micro-organism with a probably limited geographical distribution and specific habitat requirement should be considered as a flagship species for microbial biogeography as well as local environmental conservation and management.

2016 - New, noteworthy, and rare species of the genus Boletus in Israel [Articolo su rivista]
Biketova, Ay; Kosakyan, A; Wasser, Sp; Nevo, E
abstract

This paper presents information about Boletus poikilochromus, B. pulchrotinctus, and B. pulverulentus in Israel. These species are reported for the first time in Israel, and also B. pulchrotinctus and B. poikilochromus are reported for the first time in Asia. Furthermore, these three species are reported for the first time in association with Quercus calliprinos. Macro- and microscopical characteristics, distribution, ecology, and illustrations related to morphology and anatomy of the species are provided.

2016 - Phylogenetic reconstruction based on COI reshuffles the taxonomy of hyalosphenid shelled (testate) amoebae and reveals the convoluted evolution of shell plate shapes [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, Anush; Lahr, Daniel J G; Mulot, Matthieu; Meisterfeld, Ralf; Mitchell, Edward A D; Lara, Enrique
abstract

Species diversity in most protistan groups has been underestimated. Many morpho-species are in fact complexes that require detailed morphometric studies to be discriminated. However, which traits can be used for species descriptions remains in many cases unclear. The testate amoeba genus Quadrulella produces self-secreted, siliceous plates with a very characteristic square shapesuch plates were assumed to be synapomorphic of the genus. Here we demonstrate that Quadrulella symmetrica (the most common Holarctic species) is not monophyletic. Square plate size and arrangement, test size and general shape are efficient criteria for species discrimination. Based on morphology and sequence data, we describe Quadrulella variabilis sp. nov. from Switzerland, and Quadrulella madibai sp. nov. from South Africa, and confirm the validity of Q.alata. The former species Q.subcarinata does not belong to the genus Quadrulella. We therefore transfer this species to the new genus Mrabella gen. nov. Our results show that hyalosphenids presenting siliceous square shell plates do not form a monophyletic clade. Several possible hypotheses about the origins of square plates are discussed. Additionally, this comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the family Hyalospheniidae confirms that the genus Nebela is paraphyletic and needs to be divided into genera based on general shell shape: Nebela sensu stricto, Longinebela gen. nov., Planocarina gen. nov., Gibbocarina gen. nov., Cornutheca gen. nov. and Mrabella gen. nov.

2015 - A New Species from Mountain Forest Soils in Japan: Porosia paracarinata sp nov., and Taxonomic Concept of the Genus Porosia Jung, 1942 [Articolo su rivista]
Bobrov, A; Kosakyan, A
abstract

A new species, Porosia paracarinata, is described from mountain forest litter, Bijodaira, Japan. This is the second species in the genus Porosia; until now, the genus was monospecific with the type species Porosia bigibbosa. P. paracarinata sp. nov. is distinguished from P. bigibbosa by the presence of a wide lateral keel. Test ultrastructure of P. paracarinata sp. nov. was documented using light and scanning electron microscopy. Morphometric analyses showed that this species is only slightly variable. The main morphological variability is due to the size of the lateral keel, which can vary from very wide (13.13 mu m) to very narrow (3.75 mu m). Ecological notes and morphological comparisons between P. paracarinata and other closely related species are discussed. The taxonomic concept of previously monospecific genus Porosia is expended.

2015 - Eight species in the Nebela collaris complex: Nebela gimlii (Arcellinida, Hyalospheniidae), a new species described from a Swiss raised bog [Articolo su rivista]
Singer, David; Kosakyan, Anush; Pillonel, Amandine; Mitchell, Edward A D; Lara, Enrique
abstract

We describe here a new species of sphagnicolous testate amoeba found abundantly in the forested part of the Le Cachot peatland (Jura Mountains, Neuchatel, Switzerland) based on microscopical observations (LM, SEM). The new species, called Nebela gimlii was placed in a phylogenetic tree based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase sequences (COI), and branched robustly within the N. collaris complex next to the morphologically similar N. guttata and N. tincta. It is however genetically clearly distinct from these two species, and differs morphologically from them by its smaller size and stouter shape of the shell. This new species completes the phylogeny of the Nebela collaris species complex, with now eight species described, mostly from peatlands and acidic forest litter, and further demonstrates the existence of an unknown diversity within testate amoebae. Improving the taxonomy of testate amoebae in peatlands and clarifying the ecology of newly discovered species should make these organisms even more valuable as bioindicators and for palaeoecological reconstruction. (C) 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2015 - Environmental DNA COI barcoding for quantitative analysis of protists communities: A test using the Nebela collaris complex (Amoebozoa; Arcellinida; Hyalospheniidae) [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, Anush; Mulot, Matthieu; Mitchell, Edward A D; Lara, Enrique
abstract

Environmental DNA surveys are used for screening eukaryotic diversity. However, it is unclear how quantitative this approach is and to what extent results from environmental DNA studies can be used for ecological studies requiring quantitative data. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI) is used for species-level taxonomic studies of testate amoebae and should allow assessing the community composition from environmental samples, thus bypassing biases due to morphological identification. We tested this using a COI clone library approach and focusing on the Nebela collaris complex. Comparisons with direct microscopy counts showed that the COI clone library diversity data matched the morphologically identified taxa, and that community composition estimates using the two approaches were similar. However, this correlation was improved when microscopy counts were corrected for biovolume. Higher correlation with biovolume-corrected community data suggests that COI clone library data matches the ratio of mitochondria and that within closely-related taxa the density of mitochondria per unit biovolume is approximately constant. Further developments of this metabarcoding approach including quantifying the mitochondrial density among closely-related taxa, experiments on other taxonomic groups and using high throughput sequencing should make if possible to quantitatively estimate community composition of different groups, which would be invaluable for microbial food webs studies. (C) 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2014 - One alga to rule them all: unrelated mixotrophic testate amoebae (amoebozoa, rhizaria and stramenopiles) share the same symbiont (trebouxiophyceae) [Articolo su rivista]
Gomaa, Fatma; Kosakyan, Anush; Heger, Thierry J; Corsaro, Daniele; Mitchell, Edward A D; Lara, Enrique
abstract

Endosymbiosis is a central and much studied process in the evolution of eukaryotes. While plastid evolution in eukaryotic algae has been extensively studied, much less is known about the evolution of mixotrophy in amoeboid protists, which has been found in three of the five super groups of Eukaryotes. We identified the green endosymbionts in four obligate mixotrophic testate amoeba species belonging to three major eukaryotic clades, Hyalosphenia papilio and Heleopera sphagni (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida), Placocista spinosa (Rhizaria: Euglyphida), and Archerella flavum (Stramenopiles: Labyrinthulomycetes) based on rbcL (ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit) gene sequences. We further investigated whether there were different phylotypes of algal endosymbionts within single H. papilio cells and the degree of host-symbiont specificity by amplifying two genes: COI (mitochondrial cytochrome oxydase subunit 1) from the testate amoeba host, and rbcL from the endosymbiont. Results show that all studied endosymbionts belong to genus Chlorella sensu stricto, closely related to Paramecium bursaria Chlorella symbionts, some lichen symbionts and also several free-living algae. Most rbcL gene sequences derived from symbionts from all testate amoeba species were almost identical (at most 3 silent nucleotides difference out of 780 bp) and were assigned to a new Trebouxiophyceae taxon we named TACS (Testate Amoeba Chlorella Symbionts). This "one alga fits all mixotrophic testate amoeba" pattern suggests that photosynthetic symbionts have pre-adaptations to endosymbiosis and colonise diverse hosts from a free-living stage. (C) 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2013 - Using DNA-barcoding for sorting out protist species complexes: a case study of the Nebela tincta-collaris-bohemica group (Amoebozoa; Arcellinida, Hyalospheniidae) [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, Anush; Gomaa, Fatma; Mitchell, Edward A D; Heger, Thierry J; Lara, Enrique
abstract

Species identification by means of morphology is often problematic in protists. Nebela tincta-collaris-bohemica (Arcellinida) is a species complex of small to medium-sized (ca. 100 mu m) testate amoebae common in peat bogs and forest soils. The taxonomic validity of characters used to define species within this group is debated and causes confusion in studies of biogeography, and applications in palaeoecology.We examined the relationship between morphological and genetic diversity within this species complex by combined analyses of light microscopy imaging and Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1(COI) sequences obtained from the same individual amoeba cells. Our goals were (1) to clarify the taxonomy and the phylogenetic relationships within this group, and (2) to evaluate if individual genotypes corresponded to specific morphotypes and the extent of phenotypic plasticity.We show here that small variations in test morphology that have been often overlooked by traditional taxonomy correspond to distinct haplotypes. We therefore revise the taxonomy of the group. We redefine Nebela tincta (Leidy) Kosakyan et Lara and N. collaris (Ehrenberg 1848) Kosakyan et Gomaa, change N. tincta var. rotunda Penard to N. rotunda (Penard 1890), describe three new species: N. guttata n. sp. Kosakyan et Lara, N. pechorensis n. sp. Kosakyan et Mitchell, and N. aliciae n. sp. Mitchell et Lara. (C) 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2012 - COI barcoding of Nebelid testate amoebae (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida): extensive cryptic diversity and redefinition of the Hyalospheniidae Schultze [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, Anush; Heger, Thierry J; Leander, Brian S; Todorov, Milcho; Mitchell, Edward A D; Lara, Enrique
abstract

We used Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) to assess the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of Nebela sensu stricto and similar taxa (Nebela group, Arcellinida) in order to clarify the taxonomic validity of morphological characters. The COI data not only successfully separated all studied morphospecies but also revealed the existence of several potential cryptic species. The taxonomic implications of the results are: (1) Genus Nebela is paraphyletic and will need to be split into at least two monophyletic assemblages when taxon sampling is further expanded. (2) Genus Quadrulella, one of the few arcellinid genera building its shell from self-secreted siliceous elements, and the mixotrophic Hyalosphenia papilio branch within the Nebela group in agreement with the general morphology of their shell and the presence of an organic rim around the aperture (synapomorphy for Hyalospheniidae). We thus synonymise Hyalospheniidae and Nebelidae. Hyalospheniidae takes precedence and now includes Hyalosphenia, Quadrulella (previously in the Lesquereusiidae) and all Nebelidae with the exception of Argynnia and Physochila. Leptochlamys is Arcellinida incertae sedis. We describe a new genus Padaungiella Lara et Todorov and a new species Nebela meisterfeldi n. sp. Heger et Mitchell and revise the taxonomic position (and rank) of several taxa. These results show that the traditional morphology-based taxonomy underestimates the diversity within the Nebela group, and that phylogenetic relationships are best inferred from shell shape rather than from the material used to build the shell. (C) 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

2011 - Phylogenetic Analysis within Genera Morchella (Ascomycota, Pezizales) and Macrolepiota (Basidiomycota, Agaricales) Inferred from rDNA ITS and EF-1a Sequences [Capitolo/Saggio]
Barseghyan, Gs; Kosakyan, A; Didukh, M; Wasser, Sp; Nevo, E; Isikhuemhen, Os.
abstract

The relationships among species within Morchella and Macrolepiota were studied using nrDNA ITS and EF-1α sequences from 50 samples belonging to genera Gyromitra, Distiotis, Morchella, and Verpa; and 58 samples belonging to genera Macrolepiota, Leucoagaricus, and Chlorophyllum species from diff erent Fungi-ch-7.indd-15-02-2011.indd 159 31-10-2011 14:11:26 160 Systematics and Evolution of Fungi geographical areas. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and the Bayesian approach were conducted in order to build the phylogeny of these genera. Both genera appeared to be monophyletic; however, several ingroups appeared to be polyphyletic. The relationship of species within the genus Morchella was investigated using both molecular (nrDNA ITS and EF-1α) and morphological characteristics in order to re-evaluate the taxonomic position of several controversial species for which the taxonomic status is still unclear. Results showed that the genus Morchella is a complex of several species, which was separated into two main distinct groups: yellow (M. crassipes, M. esculenta s. str. and M. spongiola) and black morels [(M. elata s. str., M. costata, M. gigas, and M. vulgaris (= M. conica)]. Results supported evidence that Morchella elata and M. angusticeps are identical taxa, which was proposed in earlier publications. Morphological data together with molecular data did not support the proposals that M. esculenta and M. crassipes are the same species. After phylogenetic studies, the list of Morchella species of Israel was re-evaluated, and are currently represented by Morchella elata, M. esculenta, M. rufobrunnea, and M. vulgaris (=M. conica). Th e relationship of Macrolepiota species to one another within the genus was investigated using both molecular (nrDNA ITS and EF-1 alpha sequences) and morphological characteristics. Th e results supported evidence to transfer M. rachodes into the genus Chlorophyllum, which was proposed by earlier publications. M. fuliginosa and M. rhodosperma appear to be identical. Morphological data together with molecular data did not support the proposals to treat M. mastoidea and its closely related species as one taxon. Th e list of Macrolepiota species of Israel was re-evaluated, which is currently represented by M. affi nis, M. excoriata, M. excoriata var. rubescens, M. fuligineosquarrosa, M. konradii, M. mastoidea, M. procera, M. procera var. mediterranea, M. prominens, M. psammophila, M. rickenii, and M. subsquarrosa. Macrolepiota oliveri and M. rachodes were transferred to the genus Chlorophyllum. It was shown that for Morchella, EF-1α is informative, whereas for Macrolepiota – this is hardly so. With the topology presented for Macrolepiota based on EF-1α, it is logical to conclude that this marker is not that suitable for the resolution of species complexes that are closely related in this particular taxon, genus Macrolepiota. However, assuming that the complexes should be treated as the same species is probably premature.

2008 - Lepiota (agaricaceae, basidiomycota) species diversity in Israel [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, A.; Didukh, M.; Ur, Y.; Wasser, S. P.; Nevo, E.
abstract

Species diversity for Lepiota in Israel is presented. The 18 Lepiota species recorded from Israel include L. apatelia, L. brunneoincarnata, L. brunneolilacea, L. castanea, L. clypeolaria, L. cortinarius, L. echinella, L. erminea, L. forquignonii, L. helveola, L. ignivolvata, L. lilacea, L. locquinii, L. micropholis, L. oreadiformis, L. pallida, L. subgracilis, and L. subincarnata. Eight species —L. cortinarius, L. echinella, L. forquignonii, L. helveola, L. ignivolvata, L. locquinii, L. oreadiformis, and L. pallida — are reported for the first time for Israel. Israeli locations and collection dates, habitat data, general distribution, and taxonomic remarks are provided for all species. Detailed macro- and micromorphological descriptions and illustrations are given for the eight species newly recorded from Israel.

2008 - Rare and noteworthy lepiotaceous species (Basidiomycota, Agaricales, Agaricaceae) from Israel [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, A.; Ur, Y.; Wasser, S. P.; Nevo, E.
abstract

Although the family Agaricaceae has been the focus of interest for many studies (e.g. Kühner 1936, Babos 1979, Wasser 1980, Bon 1981, Candusso & Lanzoni 1990, Guzmán & Guzmán-Dávalos 1992, Vellinga 2001), it has not been included in inventories of Israeli mycobiota. However, three out of the four agaricaceous tribes as delimited by Singer (1986) and Wasser (1980) are represented in Israel: Agariceae Pat., Leucocoprineae Singer, and Lepioteae Fayod. Wasser (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002) has published his reevaluations of earlier data regarding Israeli taxa in the tribe Agariceae and reported on 43 taxa representing four genera in Agariceae (Wasser 2002). Other tribes, which have not been well studied, require further study. Fragmentary data on some Leucocoprineae and Lepioteae species is available in more general publications on the higher basidiomycetes of Israel (Avizohar-Hershenzon 1967, Binyamini 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976a,b,c, 1984, 1989; Didukh et al. 2002, 2004; Reichert & Avizohar-Hershenzon 1953, 1955, 1959). Our literature review identified the following 28 lepiotaceous species: Chlorophyllum molybdites (G. Mey.) Massee, Macrolepiota excoriata (Schaeff.) M.M. Moser, M. fuligineosquarrosa Malençon, M. mastoidea (Fr.) Singer, M. procera (Scop.) Singer, M. prominens (Fr.) M.M. Moser, M. rachodes (Vittad.) Singer, Leucoagaricus carneifolius (Gillet) Wasser, La. leucothites (Vittad.) Wasser, La. littoralis (Menier) M. Bon & Boiffard, La. wichanskyi (Pilát) M. Bon & Boiffard, Chamaemyces carmelensis M. Didukh & Wasser, Ch. fracidus (Fr.) Donk, Leucocoprinus birnbaumii (Corda) Singer, Lc. cretatus Locq. ex Lanzoni, Lepiota alba (Bres.) Sacc., L. brunneoincarnata Chodat & C. Martin, L. brunneolilacea M. Bon & Boiffard, L. castanea Quél., L. clypeolaria (Bull.) P. Kumm., L. echinella Quél. & G. E. Bernard, L. helveola Bres., L. lilacina (Quél.) Boud., L. micropholis (Berk. & Broome) Sacc., L. oreadiformis Velen., L. scobinella (Fr.) Gillet, L. serena (Fr.) Sacc., and L. setulosa J.E. Lange. As a result of our investigation, four species of lepiotaceous fungi are reported from Israel for the first time: Leucoagaricus pilatianus, Lepiota apatelia, L. subgracilis and Macrolepiota konradii.

2008 - The genus Cystolepiota (Agaricaceae, Basidiomycetes) in Israel [Articolo su rivista]
Kosakyan, Anush; Didukh, Marina; Wasser, Solomon P.; Nevo, Eviatar
abstract

The genus Cystolepiota is new for Israel. In Israel it is represented by two species: Cystolepiota bucknallii and C. moelleri. Locations, dates of collections in Israel, general distribution, detailed macro- and micromorphological descriptions and illustrations are given.