Leptotrichia hongkongensis sp.nov.,a novel Leptotrichia species with the oral cavity as its natural reservoir

A straight, non-sporulating, Gram-variable bacillus (HKU24T) was recovered from the blood culture of a patient with metastatic breast carcinoma. After repeated subculturing in BACTEC Plus Anaerobic/F blood culture broth, HKU24T grew on brucella agar as non-hemolytic, pinpoint colonies after 96 h of incubation at 37 °C in an anaerobic environment and aerobic environment with 5% CO2. Growth was enhanced with a streak of Staphylococcus aureus. HKU24T was non-motile and catalase-negative, but positive for alkaline phosphatase, β-glucosidase, and α-glucosidase. It hydrolyzed phenylphosphonate and reduced resazurin. 16S rRNA, groEL, gyrB, recA, and rpoB sequencing showed that HKU24T occupies a distinct phylogenetic position among the Leptotrichia species, being most closely related to Leptotrichia trevisanii. Using HKU24T groEL, gyrB, recA, and rpoB gene-specific primers, fragments of these genes were amplified from one of 20 oral specimens. Based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, we propose a new species, Leptotrichia hongkongensis sp. nov., to describe this bacterium.

Species diversity of Hygrophorus(Hygrophoraceae,Agaricales)in Shanxi Province and description of Hygrophorus brunneodiscoides sp.nov.

[Background]Hygrophorus,belonging to Basidiomycota,Agaricomycetes,Agaricales,Hygrophoraceae,is widely distributed all around the world.[Objective]To investigate the species of Hygrophorus and enrich the knowledge about the species diversity of this genus in Shanxi Province.[Methods]We collected fungal specimens,observed and characterized their morphology.After DNA extraction,the internal transcribed spacer(ITS)was sequenced.Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the maximum likelihood method and Bayesian inference.[Results]Eleven species of Hygrophorus were identified based on the morphological and molecular evidence,including ten known species and a new species.This article described the macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics of the new species Hygrophorus brunneodiscoides in detail.The basidiocarp photos of ten known species and a key to the species of Hygrophorus in Shanxi Province were provided.[Conclusion]We identified a new species,H.brunneodiscoides,in China,confirmed 11 species of Hygrophorus in Shanxi Province,and briefed their geographical distribution and associations with hosts according to the field observation.

Morphology,taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of three marine peritrich ciliates,including two new species:Zoothamnium apoarbuscula n.sp.and Z.apohentscheli n.sp.(Protozoa,Ciliophora,Peritrichia)

Zoothamnium is a speciose genus,most species of which have incomplete morphological data based on modern criteria.In the present study,the morphology of three species of Zoothamnium,i.e.,Z.apoarbuscula n.sp.,Z.apohentscheli n.sp.,and Z.alternans,collected in Qingdao,China,was revealed using living observation and silver staining.In addition,the SSU rDNA of each species was sequeneed for phylogenetic analyses.Zoothamnium apoarbuscula n.sp.is characterized by its umbellate colony which is up to 900 pm high,dichotomously branched stalk,differentiation of zooids,and infundibular polykinety 3 comprising three equal-length ciliary rows.Zoothamnium apohentscheli n.sp is characterized by its large colony up to 1700 pm high,alternately branched stalk,and infundibular polykinety 3 comprising three equal-length ciliary rows.A population of Z.altenums is described in detail.Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data revealed that species with an alternately branched stalk cluster together in gene trees and probably represent an independent lineage within the genus Zoothamnium.

A new hypotrich ciliate,Oxytricha xianica sp.nov.,with notes on the morphology and phylogeny of a Chinese population of Oxytricha auripunctata Blatterer&Foissner,1988(Ciliophora,Oxytrichidae)

The morphology and infraciliature of the new hypotrichous ciliate,Oxytricha xianica sp.nov.,and a Chinese population of Oxytricha auripunctata Blatterer&Foissner,1988,are investigated using live observation and protargol staining.Oxytricha xianica sp.nov.is defined by the body size 85-130µm×30-50µm in vivo,the typical oxytrichid 18 frontoventral-transverse cirri,cortical granules absent,undulating membranes reduced or absent,three caudal cirri,dorsal kineties in Oxytricha pattern,and two ellipsoidal macronuclear nodules.The Chinese population of O.auripunctata differs slightly from other populations in the arrangement and color of cortical granules and position of anterior end of dorsal kinety 4.Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU-rDNA sequences support the assertion that O.auripunctata belongs to Oxytricha and Oxytrichidae.