Polytolypa
| Polytolypa | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Eurotiomycetes |
| Order: | Onygenales |
| Family: | Ajellomycetaceae |
| Genus: |
Polytolypa J.A.Scott & Malloch (1993) |
| Type species | |
|
Polytolypa hystricis J.A.Scott & Malloch (1993) |
|
Polytolypa is a monotypic genus of fungus containing the single species Polytolypa hystricis. First classified in the Onygenaceae family, as of 2008 it is considered to be in the Ajellomycetaceae, although there is still uncertainty as to its phylogenetic relationships with other similar genera. This species is only known from a single specimen derived in the laboratory from a specimen of dung of the North American porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum, collected in Ontario, Canada.Polytolypa hystricis contains bioactive compounds that have antifungal activity.
The genus was first described in 1993 by University of Toronto botanists J.A. Scott and D.W. Malloch, who grew the fungus in moist chamber cultures of porcupine dung collected in Stoneleigh, Ontario, Canada. The generic name Polytolypa is from the Greek word poly (πολυ) meaning "many", and tolype (τολυπη), meaning "skein of yarn". The specific epithet hystricis comes from the Greek hystrix (υστριξ), or "porcupine".
The genus has been classified in the Onygenaceae, a fungal family characterized by species capable of digesting human hair in vitro, and with spores that are (with minute surface punctures) when viewed with scanning electron microscopy. However, as Scott and colleagues demonstrated using traditional laboratory tests to determine keratinolytic activity, P. hystricus is not able to digest hair. There is still uncertainty as to its phylogenetic relationships with other similar genera. Polytolypa is thought to be evolutionarily most closely related to the genera Malbranchea and Spiromastix. The grouping of Polytolypa and Spiromastix represent a sister clade to the Ajellomyces clade, based on analysis of partial nuclear LSU sequence data. However, the phylogenetics of Polytolypa are still unclear and await further study. The 10th edition of the Dictionary of the Fungi (2008) considers the genus to be in the Ajellomycetaceae family, although uncertainty with this classification is indicated in the entry; in contrast, the online mycological database MycoBank classifies the genus in the Onygenaceae.
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