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Current Trends in Mycological Research in Southeast Asia
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Current Trends in Mycological Research in Southeast Asia

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2025 | Viewed by 7660

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Putarak Chomnunti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Science, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mah Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Interests: diversity and taxonomy of fungi; molecular phylogeny and evolution of fungi; plant pathology; biodiversity, phylogeny and biological activity of dothideomycetes; phylogeny, taxonomy relationships and biotechnological potential of sooty moulds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rungtiwa Phookamsak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming 650201, China
Interests: fungal systematics; plant pathogenic fungi; fungal conservation
Dr. Sinang Hongsanan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Interests: divergent time estimates; Dothideomycetes; fungal classification; fungal diversity; fungal evolution; novel species; phylogeny; Sordaiomycetes; taxonomy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to this Special Issue of our journal, which is dedicated to exploring the dynamic landscape of mycological research within the rich and diverse region of Southeast Asia. As the interconnectedness of ecosystems becomes increasingly apparent, understanding the role of fungi in these environments is paramount. This Special Issue serves as a platform to illuminate current trends, challenges, and discoveries within the realm of mycology, with specific reference to Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia, which is renowned for its breathtaking biodiversity, presents a treasure trove for mycologists. With its lush rainforests, mangroves, highlands, and diverse agricultural landscapes, the region hosts an unparalleled array of fungal species. From the towering dipterocarp forests of Borneo to the coral-rich waters of Indonesia, each ecosystem harbors a plethora of fungal diversity awaiting exploration.

One notable trend in mycological research in Southeast Asia is the exploration of fungal diversity in understudied habitats. While tropical rainforests have traditionally garnered attention, recent efforts have expanded into lesser explored ecosystems such as mangroves, limestone karsts, and peatlands. These efforts have unveiled a wealth of novel fungal species with unique ecological roles and biotechnological potential.

Moreover, mutualistic interactions involving fungi, plants, and insects in Southeast Asia have become a key area of study. Mycorrhizal partnerships, endophytic fungi, entomopathogenic fungi, and the interplay between plants and pathogens are all critical factors influencing the ecosystems and agricultural practices of the region. Comprehensive comprehension of these complex relationships is vital in promoting sustainable land management, implementing effective biological control methods, and advancing conservation endeavors amidst persistent environmental challenges.

Another significant aspect of mycological research in Southeast Asia is the exploration of fungal bioprospecting and biotechnology. Fungi produce an astonishing array of bioactive compounds with potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry. By harnessing the metabolic capabilities of fungi, researchers are uncovering novel enzymes, antibiotics, and biofuels that hold promise for addressing global challenges.

In this Special Issue, we feature a collection of articles that delve into these trends and other emerging ones in mycological research across Southeast Asia. We welcome submissions of original research articles, review papers, methodology studies, and other relevant contributions that advance our understanding of fungal diversity, ecology, biotechnology, and conservation in the region. We hope that this compilation will not only showcase the region's fungal diversity but also inspire further exploration and collaboration in this vibrant field.

Dr. Putarak Chomnunti
Dr. Rungtiwa Phookamsak
Dr. Sinang Hongsanan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • fungal bioprospecting
  • fungal bioremediation
  • mycorrhizal associations
  • novel fungal species
  • endophytic fungi
  • biotechnological potential
  • conservation
  • biological control
  • entomopathogenic fungi

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 5978 KiB  
Article
Fungal-Infected Weeds: A Potential Source of Leaf Spot Disease in Rubber Trees from Southern Thailand
by Narit Thaochan, Chaninun Pornsuriya, Thanunchanok Chairin, Kodeeyah Thoawan, Putarak Chomnunti and Anurag Sunpapao
J. Fungi 2025, 11(3), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11030220 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1384
Abstract
The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is an economically important crop in Thailand. Severe defoliation caused by emerging diseases has been reported to substantially reduce rubber yields during the leaf fall phase. The classical disease dispersal patterns of fungi in rubber tree [...] Read more.
The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is an economically important crop in Thailand. Severe defoliation caused by emerging diseases has been reported to substantially reduce rubber yields during the leaf fall phase. The classical disease dispersal patterns of fungi in rubber tree plantations might be derived from weeds in adjacent fields. However, this hypothesis remains untested. Therefore, in this study, we collected and isolated fungi from symptomatic weed samples in rubber tree plantations in Krabi Province in southern Thailand. We found that Parameria sp. were dominant, showing the development of conidiomata on leaves. A total of 25 symptomatic Parameria sp. leaves were collected and tested for their pathogenicity on rubber tree leaves. The tests produced six fungal isolates, WC001, WC002, WL001, WL002, WN001, and WN002, that caused spots on the rubber tree leaves similar to those observed on the weeds. Morphological characterization revealed that fungal isolates WC001 and WC002 were Colletotrichum sp., WL001 and WL002 were Lasiodiplodia sp., and WN001 and WN002 were Neopestalotiopsis sp. Multigene phylogenetic analyses of combined act, gapdh, ITS, and tub2 regions identified WC001 and WC002 as Colletotrichum siamense, while analyses of ITS, tub2, and tef1-α regions identified WL001 and WL002 as Lasiodiplodia brasiliensis and WN001 and WN002 as Neopestalotiopsis cubana. The occurrence of fungal diseases in rubber trees is significantly associated with leafy weeds in and around rubber tree plantations that could constitute reservoirs of fungal pathogens. The strategies used to control weeds have to be further considered in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Mycological Research in Southeast Asia)
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20 pages, 1496 KiB  
Article
Fungi Assessment in Indoor and Outdoor Environment of Four Selected Hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia
by Nurul Izzah Ahmad, Nurul Farehah Shahrir, Anis Syuhada Omar Hamdan, Nur Amalina Kamarudin, Noraishah Mohammad Sham, Jamilah Mahmood, Yin-Hui Leong and Ratna Mohd Tap
J. Fungi 2025, 11(3), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11030182 - 26 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 690
Abstract
Hospital buildings require special attention to protect patients and healthcare workers from hospital-acquired infections and sick building illnesses. This is the first study to assess the prevalence of fungus in indoor air, outdoor air, and their contamination on surfaces at selected locations in [...] Read more.
Hospital buildings require special attention to protect patients and healthcare workers from hospital-acquired infections and sick building illnesses. This is the first study to assess the prevalence of fungus in indoor air, outdoor air, and their contamination on surfaces at selected locations in four highly contaminated hospitals (A, B, C, and D) in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 294 indoor air samples, 106 scrapped and 169 swabbed, were collected from July 2019 to August 2020. Bioaerosol concentrations were calculated using the colony-forming unit (CFU)/m3. Molecular identification was performed on the cultures. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region in the rRNA gene of the isolates was amplified by PCR. Results showed that fungal burden was in the range between 18 and 2597 CFU/m3. Fungal load in selected locations at Hospital D were in the higher range between 106 and 2597 CFU/m3, with two locations exceeding the national guidelines. Fungal genera were highly identified in air samples (47) compared to swabbed (29) and scrapped (18) samples. The dominant species were C. halotolerans, C. tenuissimum, P. alfredii, P. brevicompactum, P. brocae, P. cataractarum, and A. aculeatus. Fungal loads were higher in the Orthopedic and Oral Surgeon Clinic, the On Call Emergency Room, wards, and pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Mycological Research in Southeast Asia)
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16 pages, 1313 KiB  
Article
Development of Aspergillus oryzae BCC7051 as a Robust Cell Factory Towards the Transcriptional Regulation of Protease-Encoding Genes for Industrial Applications
by Sarocha Panchanawaporn, Chanikul Chutrakul, Sukanya Jeennor, Jutamas Anantayanon and Kobkul Laoteng
J. Fungi 2025, 11(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11010006 - 25 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1055
Abstract
Enzyme-mediated protein degradation is a major concern in industrial fungal strain improvement, making low-proteolytic strains preferable for enhanced protein production. Here, we improved food-grade Aspergillus oryzae BCC7051 by manipulating the transcriptional regulation of protease-encoding genes. Genome mining of the transcription factor AoprtR and [...] Read more.
Enzyme-mediated protein degradation is a major concern in industrial fungal strain improvement, making low-proteolytic strains preferable for enhanced protein production. Here, we improved food-grade Aspergillus oryzae BCC7051 by manipulating the transcriptional regulation of protease-encoding genes. Genome mining of the transcription factor AoprtR and computational analysis confirmed its deduced amino acid sequence sharing evolutionary conservation across Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. The AoPrtR protein, which is classified into the Zn(II)2-Cys6-type transcription factor family, manipulates both intra- and extracellular proteolytic enzymes. Our transcriptional analysis indicated that the regulation of several protease-encoding genes was AoPrtR-dependent, with AoPrtR acting as a potent activator for extracellular acid-protease-encoding genes and a likely repressor for intracellular non-acid-protease-encoding genes. An indirect regulatory mechanism independent of PrtR may enhance proteolysis. Moreover, AoPrtR disruption increased extracellular esterase production by 2.55-fold, emphasizing its role in protein secretion. Our findings highlight the complexity of AoPrtR-mediated regulation by A. oryzae. Manipulation of regulatory processes through AoPrtR prevents secreted protein degradation and enhances the quantity of extracellular proteins, suggesting the low-proteolytic variant as a promising platform for the production of these proteins. This modified strain has biotechnological potential for further refinement and sustainable production of bio-based products in the food, feed, and nutraceutical industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Mycological Research in Southeast Asia)
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19 pages, 4807 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Protoplast Preparation Conditions in Lyophyllum decastes and Transcriptomic Analysis Throughout the Process
by Xiaobin Li, Ying Qin, Yufei Kong, Samantha Chandranath Karunarathna, Yunjiang Liang and Jize Xu
J. Fungi 2024, 10(12), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10120886 - 21 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 981
Abstract
Protoplasts are essential tools for genetic manipulation and functional genomics research in fungi. This study systematically optimized protoplast preparation conditions and examined transcriptional changes throughout the preparation and regeneration processes to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and regeneration of protoplasts in [...] Read more.
Protoplasts are essential tools for genetic manipulation and functional genomics research in fungi. This study systematically optimized protoplast preparation conditions and examined transcriptional changes throughout the preparation and regeneration processes to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and regeneration of protoplasts in Lyophyllum decastes. The results indicated an optimal protoplast yield of 5.475 × 106 cells/mL under conditions of fungal age at 10 days, digestion time of 2.25 h, enzyme concentration of 2%, and digestion temperature of 28 °C. The Z5 medium supplemented with L. decastes mycelial extract achieved a high regeneration rate of 2.86. RNA-seq analysis revealed 2432 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during protoplast formation and 5825 DEGs during regeneration. Casein kinase I, cytochrome P450 (CYP52), and redox-regulated input receptor (PEX5) were significantly upregulated during the protoplast stage, while β-1,3-glucan synthase (SKN1), chitin synthase (CHS2), hydrophobin-1, and hydrophobin-2 showed significant upregulation during the protoplast regeneration phase. These findings provide a reference for the efficient preparation and regeneration of protoplasts and offer new insights into the molecular mechanisms of protoplast formation and cell wall regeneration in fungi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Mycological Research in Southeast Asia)
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38 pages, 22179 KiB  
Article
Diversity of Pleosporalean Fungi Isolated from Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Northern Thailand and Descriptions of Five New Species
by Sahar Absalan, Alireza Armand, Ruvishika S. Jayawardena, Eric H. C. McKenzie, Kevin D. Hyde and Saisamorn Lumyong
J. Fungi 2024, 10(11), 763; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10110763 - 2 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1571
Abstract
Pleosporales represents the largest order within the class Dothideomycetes (Fungi), comprising phytopathogenic, saprobic, and endophytic taxa with a widespread presence in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Rice (Oryza sativa) is a primary economic crop in numerous tropical countries, particularly in Thailand. Studying [...] Read more.
Pleosporales represents the largest order within the class Dothideomycetes (Fungi), comprising phytopathogenic, saprobic, and endophytic taxa with a widespread presence in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Rice (Oryza sativa) is a primary economic crop in numerous tropical countries, particularly in Thailand. Studying fungal species associated with rice holds the potential to enhance our understanding of fungal diversity, lifestyles, and biology of rice, offering valuable insights for future research aimed at disease management and yield improvement. Thirty-nine pleosporalean isolates were obtained from various parts of rice plants collected across diverse regions in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. Species identification involved a combination of morphology and molecular phylogeny, utilizing multi-locus sequence analyses of the ITS, LSU, SSU, gapdh, rpb2, tef1, and tub2 genes. The isolates were identified in 18 taxa distributed across five families and ten genera, including five new species (Bipolaris chiangraiensis, Ophiosphaerella oryzae, Paraphaeosphaeria oryzae, Pyrenochaetopsis oryzicola, and Setophoma oryzicola). Additionally, six new host records and two new geographical records are documented. Photoplates, detailed morphological descriptions, and phylogenetic trees are provided to elucidate the placement of both known and novel taxa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Mycological Research in Southeast Asia)
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30 pages, 4017 KiB  
Article
Identification of Homeobox Transcription Factors in a Dimorphic Fungus Talaromyces marneffei and Protein-Protein Interaction Prediction of RfeB
by Monsicha Pongpom, Nopawit Khamto, Panwarit Sukantamala, Thitisuda Kalawil and Tanaporn Wangsanut
J. Fungi 2024, 10(10), 687; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10100687 - 30 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1327
Abstract
Talaromyces marneffei is a thermally dimorphic fungus that can cause life-threatening systemic mycoses, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Fungal homeobox transcription factors control various developmental processes, including the regulation of sexual reproduction, morphology, metabolism, and virulence. However, the function of homeobox proteins in T. [...] Read more.
Talaromyces marneffei is a thermally dimorphic fungus that can cause life-threatening systemic mycoses, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Fungal homeobox transcription factors control various developmental processes, including the regulation of sexual reproduction, morphology, metabolism, and virulence. However, the function of homeobox proteins in T. marneffei has not been fully explored. Here, we searched the T. marneffei genome for the total homeobox transcription factors and predicted their biological relevance by performing gene expression analysis in different cell types, including conidia, mycelia, yeasts, and during phase transition. RfeB is selected for further computational analysis since (i) its transcripts were differentially expressed in different phases of T. marneffei, and (ii) this protein contains the highly conserved protein-protein interaction region (IR), which could be important for pathobiology and have therapeutic application. To assess the structure-function of the IR region, in silico alanine substitutions were performed at three-conserved IR residues (Asp276, Glu279, and Gln282) of RfeB, generating a triple RfeB mutated protein. Using 3D modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, we compared the protein complex formation of wild-type and mutated RfeB proteins with the putative partner candidate TmSwi5. Our results demonstrated that the mutated RfeB protein exhibited increased free binding energy, elevated protein compactness, and a reduced number of atomic contacts, suggesting disrupted protein stability and interaction. Notably, our model revealed that the IR residues primarily stabilized the RfeB binding sites located in the central region (CR). This computational approach for protein mutagenesis could provide a foundation for future experimental studies on the functional characterization of RfeB and other homeodomain-containing proteins in T. marneffei. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Mycological Research in Southeast Asia)
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