Maria Filomena Caeiro

The dinoflagellate genus Gambierdiscus was detected for the first time in the Azores Archipelago, representing its northernmost record to date (> 39°N). Two strains were isolated from macroalgal substrates on Corvo and Faial Islands during the summer of 2024, coinciding with a marine heatwave in which sea‐surface temperature anomalies exceeded +2°C. Morphological and molecular analyses identified both isolates as Gambierdiscus carolinianus , extending further North the known range of this genus in the Atlantic and complementing previous records from other Macaronesian archipelagos. The Azorean isolate from Corvo clustered more closely with western Atlantic populations than with Madeira or the Canary Islands strains, suggesting long‐range connectivity potentially driven by oceanographic processes. Although no ciguatera poisoning (CP) cases have been reported in the Azores, the occurrence of Gambierdiscus highlights the need for sustained monitoring and ecological assessments to evaluate the risk of CP emergence in this remote temperate archipelago under shifting environmental conditions.

This study re-evaluates the classification of the Halosphaeriaceae (Microascales, Hypocreomycetidae) based on phylogenetic analyses of 18S and 28S regions of rDNA and protein coding genes (rDNA, RPB1, RPB2, TEF1-ɑ, MCM7) along with comprehensive morphological comparisons. Halosphaeriaceae are worldwide in distribution and commonly found in marine habitats. A natural classification was not possible when the family was introduced, since it predated molecular phylogenetic studies; therefore, morphology-based descriptions only were provided. This study recognises 77 genera with 202 species which includes seven new genera ( Neoaniptodera , Neogesasha , Neohalosarpheia , Pangia , Remisporiopsis , Sheareromyces , Shiiraspora ), and one new species Ocostaspora japonica . The new taxonomic combinations include Halosarpheia australiensis , Halosphaeriopsis alopallonella , Neoaniptodera juncicola , Neogesasha mangrovei , Neohalosarpheia marina , Pangia limnetica , Remisporiopsis macrocephala , R. quadri-remis , R. spitsbergenensis , R. stellatus , R. submersa , Sheareromyces aquibella , Shiiraspora salsuginosa and Thalassogena unicellularis . Divergent time estimation of Halosphaeriaceae, based on combined 18S, 28S rDNA, RPB1, RPB2, TEF1-ɑ, MCM7 sequences, indicates that the family originated in the Paleozoic at ~545 MYA. Ecologically, Halosphaeriaceae species occur widely on different substrates and play an important role in the recycling of complex organic material. They are often early colonizers of wood in the marine environment and are the source of a wide range of enzymes and antimicrobials.

Helicobacter pylori infection, a leading cause of gastric ulcers and gastric cancer, presents a major health challenge, exacerbated by rising antibiotic resistance. This study investigated the antibacterial potential of plant-derived compounds, isolated from different plant species, against H. pylori. Thus, a library of 153 natural compounds and derivatives, including monoterpene indole and bisindole alkaloids, obtained from the African medicinal plant Tabernaemontana elegans was screened in vitro for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) against H. pylori. Active compounds (1–7) were tested for anti-biofilm activity and cytotoxicity on VERO cells to determine their half-maximal cytotoxic concentrations (CC₅₀). Six monoterpene indole alkaloid azine derivatives (1–6) and vobasinyl-iboga type bisindole alkaloid (7) displayed antibacterial activity, with MICs between 10 and 20 µM. Compounds 2, 3, and 6 exhibited bactericidal activity, with MBCs of 20 µM. Notably, compounds 1 to 4 inhibited H. pylori biofilm formation at sub-inhibitory concentrations. Cytotoxicity assays revealed CC₅₀ values above MICs, indicating a favorable safety profile for potential therapeutic use. This study highlights the potential of T. elegans monoterpene indole alkaloids as antibacterial agents and supports further exploration of plant-derived compounds as alternative treatments for H. pylori, offering a promising approach to address antibiotic resistance in gastrointestinal diseases.

This study re-evaluates the classification of the Lulworthiomycetidae based on phylogenetic analyses of 18S, 28S and ITS (internal transcribed spacers and 5.8S) regions of rDNA and protein coding genes (TEF1α, RPB1, RPB2, TUB2, MCM7) along with comprehensive morphological comparisons. Based on the current phylogenetic data we consider the genus Spathulospora as a member of the Lulworthiales, Lulworthiomycetidae, and redundancy of the taxon Spathulosporales. This study confirms Lulworthia as polyphyletic with the characteristic filiform, long ascospores with an end chamber, which is found in many genera: Halazoon, Halophilomyces, Lulwoana, Lulwoidea, Matsusporium, Paralulworthia, Paramoleospora, Rostrupiella, and Sammeyersia. These genera can be distinguished by morphology, their asexual morphs and molecular phylogeny. The Lulworthiomycetidae includes 23 genera and 69 species. One new genus (Lindriella) and eight new species (Hydea mangrovei, Lulworthia norwegica, Matsusporium japonica, Moromyces mangrovis, Paralulworthia lignicola, Rostrupiella longispora, Sammeyersia yanbuensis, S. thailandica) are introduced, with four new combinations

This correction refers to two new genera (Corollosporella and Corollosporopsis) and three new species combinations published in Journal of Fungi

The present review documents the diversity of marine fungi collected in Portuguese marine environments (sandy beaches, salt marshes and marinas) from studies over the past 30 years and results from new data. One hundred and ninety fungal species are reported (mainly identified by morphology, with 63 species at the same time identified by molecular approaches), of which 156 are currently listed as marine fungi in www.marinefungi.org. Twenty-two new species are exclusive to Portugal. Substratum specificity was observed in Portugal for 77 marine species but reduced to 26 considering the occurrence on multiple substrata for some of these species reported in other parts of the world. Worldwide data also confirmed a core group of more than 20 generalist marine fungi, which colonized the different categories of substrata (woody, herbaceous, and other marine sources). Most marine species are exclusively saprobes (100) or saprobe/parasite/pathogen (27). Temperate (85) and cosmopolitan (45) species are dominant, but some species were also found in tropical or tropical/subtropical regions (7 and 4, respectively). Ascomycota species were the dominant group (184), mostly as asexual morphs (120); with few Basidiomycota (5 species) and Mucoromycota (1 species). Acrostalagmus luteoalbus, Cladosporium tenuissimum, Nigrospora sphaerica, Scedosporium boydii, Stemphylium vesicarium, and Trichoderma lixii are new records for Portugal. Other species were isolated in Portugal for the first time on new substrata: Stachybotrys chartarum (from seawater), Corollospora maritima and Zalerion maritima (from sand), and Lulworthia cf. purpurea (from a drift culm).

The present study, initially to resolve the cryptic species within Corollospora maritima, is to determine how to attain taxonomic discrimination at species and generic levels. Multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) of the ITS, 28S, and 18S regions of the nuclear ribosomal cistron were separately subjected to pairwise distance assessments, Bayesian, and Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses. Morphological descriptions of 15 type strains of Corollospora species, along with MSAs involving representatives of the whole genus Corollospora (268 isolates, many from C. maritima sensu lato) totaling 355 published sequences, allowed phylogenetic assessments conducted to the following p-distance thresholds in the ITS/28S regions: ≥3%/1% for species segregation and ≥8%/2% for generic segregation. This resulted in the introduction of 10 new genera encompassing 13 new combinations of current Corollospora species: Ajigaurospora pseudopulchella, Corollosporella anglusa, Corollosporella ramulosa, Corollosporopsis portsaidica, Garethelia parvula, Honshuriella fusca, Keraliethelia pulcehlla, Nakagariella filiformis, Paracorollospora angusta, Paracorollospora luteola, Paracorollospora marina, Shirahamella gracilis, and Tokuratelia colossa. Furthermore, seven undefined genera considered putative new genera (pNGenus A to G), and 16 undefined putative new species (seven spp. come from the resolution of the C. maritima complex), await re-assessment of their morphology and additional molecular data, which may result in the recognition of new taxa.

Early research on marine fungi was mostly descriptive, with an emphasis on their diversity and taxonomy, especially of those collected at rocky shores on seaweeds and driftwood. Subsequently, further substrata (e.g. salt marsh grasses, marine animals, seagrasses, sea foam, seawater, sediment) and habitats (coral reefs, deep-sea, hydrothermal vents, mangroves, sandy beaches, salt marshes) were explored for marine fungi. In parallel, research areas have broadened from micro-morphology to ultrastructure, ecophysiology, molecular phylogenetics, biogeography, biodeterioration, biodegradation, bioprospecting, genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics. Although marine fungi only constitute a small fraction of the global mycota, new species of marine fungi continue to be described from new hosts/substrata of unexplored locations/habitats, and novel bioactive metabolites have been discovered in the last two decades, warranting a greater collaborative research effort. Marine fungi of Africa, the Americas and Australasia are under-explored, while marine Chytridiomycota and allied taxa, fungi associated with marine animals, the functional roles of fungi in the sea, and the impacts of climate change on marine fungi are some of the topics needing more attention. In this article, currently active marine mycologists from different countries have written on the history and current state of marine fungal research in individual countries highlighting their strength in the subject, and this represents a first step towards a collaborative inter- and transdisciplinary research strategy.

Santolina impressa is an aromatic Asteraceae species endemic to Portugal, traditionally used for its anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to characterize S. impressa secretory structures, analyze the essential oil (EO) from the aerial organs, and evaluate its antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses HSV-1 and HSV-2. Secretory structures were investigated by light and scanning microscopy, and the secretion was histochemically characterized. The EO from the aerial organs in full blooming was analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Antiviral assays were performed by direct contact with viral suspensions (virucidal effect), and in infected Vero E6 cells, at different time periods during the viral replication cycle. Two types of secretory structures were described, biseriate glandular trichomes and secretory ducts, producing an oleoresin and a resin rich in flavonoids, respectively. Fifty compounds were identified in S. impressa EO, accounting for 87% of the total constituents. Monoterpenes constituted the main EO fraction (82%), with β-pinene (13%) and β-phellandrene (10%) being their major components. The EO interacted with HSV-1 and HSV-2 in a dose-dependent manner, thereby inactivating both viral infections. The EO did not evidence a virucidal effect but inhibited the HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection in Vero cells in a dose-dependent manner. However, further studies are needed to investigate the mode of action in the replication cycle.