Ochroconis constricta
Ochroconis constricta (E.V. Abbott) de Hoog & Arx, Kavaka 1: 57 (1974) [1973].
≡ Scolecobasidium constrictum E.V. Abbott, Mycologia 19(1): 30 (1927).
Index Fungorum number: IF 318847; Facesoffungi number: FoF 12042, Fig. 1
Description: see Samerpitak et al. (2014, 2015); Crous et al. (2015).
Material considered: see Samerpitak et al. (2014, 2015); Crous et al. (2015).
Fig. 1 Ochroconis ailanthi (MFLUCC 17-0923, ex-type). a Top view of culture. b Reverse view of culture. c, d Hyphal coils and anastomosing hyphae. e–g Conidia. Scale bars: a, b = 1 mm, c, d = 10 μm, e–g = 5 μm.
Importance and distribution
Ochroconis are common environmental contaminants and cause opportunistic infections (Samerpitak et al. 2015). Some species are endophytes and occur in roots on plants without causing any disease (Tazik et al. 2020). Naturally, species of Ochroconis are found in soils and decaying plant material while other taxa grow in very low pH and extreme temperatures such as thermal soils or plants undergoing composting, hot springs, cave rocks amongst others (Yarita et al. 2010). Some species are also found on moist bathroom walls (Xin and de Hoog 2010). Ochroconis produces melanins that can be used in bio-inspired melanin-based materials for biomedical, environmental and technological applications (De la Rosa et al. 2017). Ochroconis is an opportunistic vertebrate pathogen and fatal to humans and animals (Singh et al. 2006). O. gallopava can cause epidemic fatal encephalitis in fowls, and poultry, and in humans affecting kidney, liver, heart, and lung (Meridien et al. 2012; Bernasconi et al. 2017). Bowyer et al. (2000) reported endogenous endophthalmitis in patient post-treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Ochroconis humicola is the causal agent of muscular black spot disease of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) (Schaumann and Priebe 2011). Ochroconis lascauxensis produces melanins (De la Rosa et al. 2017). Shushuai et al. (2020) reported Ochuscins A‒G, highly oxygenated usnic acid derivatives from deep-sea-derived Ochroconis sp. FS449. Saiz-Jimenez et al. (2021) reported that the melanin of Ochroconis spp. is a type of pyomelanin, that depend on the polymerization of homogentisic acid and other phenolic compounds. There are 38 Ochroconis epithets in Index Fungorum (2022), but numerous species have been transferred to Scolecobasidium, Veronaeopsis and Verruconis. Ochroconis comprises 24 species known on a wide range of plants such as Asparagus falcatus (Asparagaceae), Capsicum annuum (Solanaceae), Caryota plumosa (Arecaceae), Chamaecyparis obtusa (Cupressaceae), Cryptocarya mackinnoniana (Lauraceae), Dracaena reflexa (Asparagaceae), Ficus pleurocarpa (Moraceae), Hibiscus elatus (Malvaceae) and Pinus (Pinaceae). Ochroconis is reported from Africa (Kenya), Asia (Japan, Malaysia, Thailand), Australia, Europe (Italy) and North America (Caribbean (Cuba), The United States).
References
Abbott EV. 1927 – Scolecobasidium, a new genus of soil fungi. Mycologia 19, 29–31.
Bernasconi M, Voinea C, Hauser PM, Nicod LP, Lazor R. 2017 ‒ Ochroconis gallopava bronchitis mimicking haemoptysis in a patient with bronchiectasis. Respiratory Medicine Case Reports 22, 215–217.
Bhatt G, Kendrick B. 2011 – The generic concept of Diplorhinotrichum and Dactylaria, and a new species of Dactylaria from soil. Canadian Journal of Botany 46, 1253–1257.
Bowyer J, Johnson E, Horn E, Gregson R. 2000 ‒ Ochroconis gallopava endophthalmitis in fludarabine treated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The British journal of ophthalmology 84, 117.
Chen S, Liu H, Ye W, Li S, Li D, Liu Z, Zhang W. 2020 – Ochuscins A‒G, highly oxygenated usnic acid derivatives from the deep-sea-derived fungus Ochroconis sp. FS449. Tetrahedron 76, 131066.
Crous PW, Wingfield MJ, Le Roux JJ, Richardson DM et al. 2015 – Fungal Planet description sheets: 371–399. Persoonia 35, 264–327.
de Hoog GS, von Arx JA. 1973 – Revision of Scolecobasidium and Pleurophragmium. Kavaka 1, 55–60.
de Hoog GS. 1985 – Taxonomy of the Dactylaria complex IV. Dactylaria, Neta, Subulispora and Scolecobasidium. Studies in Mycology 26, 52–53.
De la Rosa J, Martin-Sanchez P, Sanchez-Cortes S, Hermosin B, Knicker H, Saiz-Jimenez C. 2017– Structure of melanins from the fungi Ochroconis lascauxensis and Ochroconis anomala contaminating rock art in the Lascaux Cave. Scientific Reports 7, 13441.
Ellis MB. 1971 – Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes. Commonwealth Mycological Institute, Kew, UK.
Georg LK, Bierer BW, Cooke WB. 1964 – Encephalitis in turkey poults due to a new fungus species. Sabouraudia 3, 239–244.
Kralovic SM, Rhodes JC. 1995 – Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Dactylaria (human dactylariosis): report of a case with review of the literature. The Journal of infection 31, 107–113.
Machouart M, Samerpitak K, de Hoog GS, Gueidan C. 2014 – A multigene phylogeny reveals that Ochroconis belongs to the family Sympoventuriaceae (Venturiales, Dothideomycetes). Fungal Diversity 65, 77–88.
Meriden Z, Marr KA, Lederman HM, Illei PB et al. 2012 ‒ Ochroconis gallopava infection in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease: case report and review of the literature. Medical Mycology 50, 883‒889. https://doi.org/10.3109/13693786.2012.681075
Saiz-Jimenez C, Martin-Sanchez P, González-Pérez J, Hermosin B. 2021 – Analytical Pyrolysis of the Fungal Melanins from Ochroconis spp. Isolated from Lascaux Cave, France. Applied Sciences 11, 1198.
Samerpitak K, Duarte AP, Attili-Angelis D, Pagnocca FC et al. 2015 – A new species of the oligotrophic genus Ochroconis (Sympoventuriaceae). Mycological Progress 14, 6.
Samerpitak K, Linde EVD, Choi HJ, Gerrits van den Ende AHG et al. 2014 – Taxonomy of Ochroconis, genus including opportunistic pathogens on humans and animals. Fungal Diversity 65, 89–126.
Schaumann K, Priebe K. 2011 – Ochroconis humicola causing muscular black spot disease of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Canadian Journal of Botany 72, 1629–1634.
Singh K, Flood J, Welsh RD, Wyckoff JH, Snider TA, Sutton DA. 2006 ‒ Fatal systemic phaeohyphomycosis caused by Ochroconis gallopavum in a dog (Canis familaris). Veterinary Pathology 43, 988–992.
Tazik Z, Rahnama K, White J, Soltanloo H. 2020 – Ochroconis ferulica sp. nov. (Venturiales), a fungal endophyte from Ferula ovina. Nova Hedwigia 110, 3.
Xin L, de Hoog GS. 2010 – Indoor wet cells harbor melanized agents of cutaneous infection. Medical Mycology 48, 622–628.
Yarita K, Sano A, Samerpitak K, Kamei K, Hoog S, Nishimura K. 2010 – Ochroconis calidifluminalis, a Sibling of the Neurotropic Pathogen O. gallopava, Isolated from Hot Spring. Mycopathologia 170, 21–30.
Zhang X, Wang KY, Ren PP, Jiang YL. 2020 – Ochroconis terricola sp. nov. from China. Mycotaxon 135, 143–150. https://doi.org/10.5248/135.143
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