Papers by Christian Lechat

Communications Biology
Fungal biotechnology is set to play a keystone role in the emerging bioeconomy, notably to addres... more Fungal biotechnology is set to play a keystone role in the emerging bioeconomy, notably to address pollution issues arising from human activities. Because they preserve biological diversity, Biological Resource Centres are considered as critical infrastructures to support the development of biotechnological solutions. Here, we report the first large-scale phenotyping of more than 1,000 fungal strains with evaluation of their growth and degradation potential towards five industrial, human-designed and recalcitrant compounds, including two synthetic dyes, two lignocellulose-derived compounds and a synthetic plastic polymer. We draw a functional map over the phylogenetic diversity of Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, to guide the selection of fungal taxa to be tested for dedicated biotechnological applications. We evidence a functional diversity at all taxonomic ranks, including between strains of a same species. Beyond demonstrating the tremendous potential of filamentous fungi, our resul...

Species of Calonectria are common saprobes and plant pathogens on a wide range of hosts occurring... more Species of Calonectria are common saprobes and plant pathogens on a wide range of hosts occurring in subtropical to tropical regions of the world. The aim of the present study was to resolve the status of new Calonectria collections obtained on Ilex leaves from France. Based on DNA sequence data of their b-tubulin and histone gene regions, as well as morphology, the new collections matched the ex-type strain of Cylindrocladium ilicicola. On the host and in culture, yellow to brownish-yellow perithecia were observed that did not strain red in 3 % KOH. Based on these results, C. ilicicola and its purported teleomorph, Ca. pyrochroa, were shown to represent two distinct species, as the latter has bright red perithecia that strain purple in KOH. A new combination, Ca. lauri, based on Tetracytum lauri, is subsequently proposed for C. ilicicola. Calonectria lauri is distinct from Ca. ilicicola, a pathogen commonly associated with Cylindrocladium black rot of peanut. Finally, Ca. canadiana is proposed as new name for Cy. canadiense, which is a nursery pathogen involved with root rot of several tree genera in Quebec, Canada.

Mycological …, 2008
The genus Entonaema comprises Xylariaceae with hollow, gelatinous stromata that accumulate liquid... more The genus Entonaema comprises Xylariaceae with hollow, gelatinous stromata that accumulate liquid. Some of its species, including the type species, appear related to Daldinia from a polyphasic approach, comprising morphological studies, comparisons of ribosomal DNA sequences, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiles with diode array and mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-DAD-MS). This methodology was used to study Entonaema pallidum. Its major stromatal constituent was identified as xylaral, a secondary metabolite known from Xylaria polymorpha. This compound was detected in several Xylaria spp., including the tropical X. telfairii and morphologically similar taxa, whose stromata may also become hollow and filled with liquid. Cultures of E. pallidum resembled those of Xylaria, substantially differing from other Entonaema spp., in their morphology, 5.8S/ITS nrDNA sequences, and HPLC profiles. The type specimen of E. mesentericum was located in the spirit collection of the herbarium B and found to agree morphologically with the nomenclatorily younger E. pallidum. Traces of xylaral were even detected by HPLC-DAD-MS in the spirit in which the fungus had been preserved. Entonaema pallidum is

Background : Environmental pollution is one of the major problems that the world is facing today.... more Background : Environmental pollution is one of the major problems that the world is facing today. Several approaches have been taken, from physical and chemical methods to biotechnological strategies (e.g. the use of oxidoreductases). Oxidative enzymes from microorganisms offer eco-friendly, cost–effective processes amenable to biotechnological applications, such as in industrial dye decolorization. The aim of this study was to screen marine-derived fungal strains isolated from three coastal areas in Tunisia to identify laccase-like activities, and to produce and characterize active cell-free supernatants of interest for dye decolorization.Results : Following the screening of 20 fungal strains isolated from the harbors of Sfax and Monastir (Tunisia), five strains were identified that displayed laccase-like activities. Molecular-based taxonomic approaches identified these strains as belonging to the species Trichoderma asperellum , Stemphylium lucomagnoense and Aspergillus nidulans ....

Background Environmental pollution is one of the major problems that world is facing to date. Sev... more Background Environmental pollution is one of the major problems that world is facing to date. Several approaches are been studied and oxidative enzymes from microbial organisms represent an eco-friendly and cost–effective processes, amenable to biotechnological applications, as for instance industrial dye decolorization. The aim of this study was to screen marine-derived fungal strains isolated from three coastal areas in Tunisia, to identify laccase-like activities, and to produce and characterize active fungal secretomes of interest for dye decolorization. Results Following the screening of twenty fungal strains isolated from the harbours of Sfax and Monastir (Tunisia), five strains were identified displaying laccase-like activities. Molecular based taxonomic approaches allowed us to identify these strains as belonging to the species Trichoderma asperellum , Stemphylium lucomagnoense and Aspergillus nidulans . Among these five isolates, one T. asperellum strain ( T. asperellum 1) ...
Bulletin Trimestriel De La Societe Mycologique De France, 2008
Bulletin Trimestriel De La Societe Mycologique De France, 2008

Persoonia - Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi, 2015
Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from Malaysia: Castan... more Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from Malaysia: Castanediella eucalypti from Eucalyptus pellita, Codinaea acacia from Acacia mangium, Emarcea eucalyptigena from Eucalyptus brassiana, Myrtapenidiella eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus pellita, Pilidiella eucalyptigena from Eucalyptus brassiana and Strelitziana malaysiana from Acacia mangium. Furthermore, Stachybotrys sansevieriicola is described from Sansevieria ehrenbergii (Tanzania), Phacidium grevilleae from Grevillea robusta (Uganda), Graphium jumulu from Adansonia gregorii and Ophiostoma eucalyptigena from Eucalyptus marginata (Australia), Pleurophoma ossicola from bone and Plectosphaerella populi from Populus nigra (Germany), Colletotrichum neosansevieriae from Sansevieria trifasciata, Elsinoë othonnae from Othonna quinquedentata and Zeloasperisporium cliviae (Zeloasperisporiaceae fam. nov.) from Clivia sp. (South Africa), Neodevriesia pakbiae, Phaeophleospora hymenocallidis and Phaeophleospora hymenocallidicola on leaves of a fern (Thailand), Melanconium elaeidicola from Elaeis guineensis (Indonesia), Hormonema viticola from Vitis vinifera (Canary Islands), Chlorophyllum pseudoglobossum from a grassland (India), Triadelphia disseminata from an immunocompromised patient (Saudi Arabia), Colletotrichum abscissum from Citrus (Brazil), Polyschema sclerotigenum and Phialemonium limoniforme from human patients (USA), Cadophora vitícola from Vitis vinifera (Spain), Entoloma flavovelutinum and Bolbitius aurantiorugosus from soil (Vietnam), Rhizopogon granuloflavus from soil (Cape Verde Islands), Tulasnella eremophila from Euphorbia officinarum subsp. echinus (Morocco), Verrucostoma martinicensis from Danaea elliptica (French West Indies), Metschnikowia colchici from Colchicum autumnale (Bulgaria), Thelebolus microcarpus from soil (Argentina) and Ceratocystis adelpha from Theobroma cacao (Ecuador). Myrmecridium iridis (Myrmecridiales ord. nov., Myrmecridiaceae fam. nov.) is also described from Iris sp. (The Netherlands). Novel genera include (Ascomycetes): Budhanggurabania from Cynodon dactylon (Australia), Soloacrosporiella, Xenocamarosporium, Neostrelitziana and Castanediella from Acacia mangium and Sabahriopsis from Eucalyptus brassiana (Malaysia), Readerielliopsis from basidiomata of Fuscoporia wahlbergii (French Guyana), Neoplatysporoides from Aloe ferox (Tanzania), Wojnowiciella, Chrysofolia and Neoeriomycopsis from Eucalyptus (Colombia), Neophaeomoniella from Eucalyptus globulus (USA), Pseudophaeomoniella from Olea europaea (Italy), Paraphaeomoniella from Encephalartos altensteinii, Aequabiliella, Celerioriella and Minutiella from Prunus (South Africa). Tephrocybella (Basidiomycetes) represents a novel genus from wood (Italy). Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.
Mycological Progress, 2008
... M. Stadler (*) InterMed Discovery GmbH, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany e-mail:... more ... M. Stadler (*) InterMed Discovery GmbH, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany e-mail: [email protected] ... T. Læssøe Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark e-mail: [email protected] ...

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2012
In this study, natural fungal diversity in wood-decaying species was explored for biomass deconst... more In this study, natural fungal diversity in wood-decaying species was explored for biomass deconstruction. In 2007 and 2008, fungal isolates were collected in temperate forests mainly from metropolitan France and in tropical forests mainly from French Guiana. We recovered and identified 74 monomorph cultures using morphological and molecular identification tools. Following production of fungal secretomes under inductive conditions, we evaluated the capacity of these fungal strains to potentiate a commercial Trichoderma reesei cellulase cocktail for the release of soluble sugars from biomass. The secretome of 19 isolates led to an improvement in biomass conversion of at least 23%. Of the isolates, the Trametes gibbosa BRFM 952 (Banque de Ressources Fongiques de Marseille) secretome performed best, with 60% improved conversion, a feature that was not universal to the Trametes and related genera. Enzymatic characterization of the T. gibbosa BRFM 952 secretome revealed an unexpected high activity on crystalline cellulose, higher than that of the T. reesei cellulase cocktail. This report highlights the interest in a systematic high-throughput assessment of collected fungal biodiversity to improve the enzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass. It enabled the unbiased identification of new fungal strains issued from biodiversity with high biotechnological potential.
A detailed description of Ijuhya fournieri sp. nov. is presented based on two collections on dead... more A detailed description of Ijuhya fournieri sp. nov. is presented based on two collections on dead palm leaves in French Guiana. The asexual state has been obtained in culture and sequenced. Molecular data indicate that it is an undescribed species of Ijuhya. A key to the species of Ijuhya with fasciculate hairs is provided.
Bulletin Trimestriel De La Societe Mycologique De France, 2008
dans le cadre de la première session mycologique dédiée aux Ascomycota aquatiques, les auteurs on... more dans le cadre de la première session mycologique dédiée aux Ascomycota aquatiques, les auteurs ont souhaité présenter, en complément de l'inventaire des récoltes, quelques descriptions de taxons intéressants ou caractéristiques du milieu aquatique ou de ses abords.

Abstract In June 2012, a field trip carried out over two weeks in two different localities in Fre... more Abstract In June 2012, a field trip carried out over two weeks in two different localities in French Guiana resulted in a collection of 256 specimens of pyrenomycetes, mostly Xylariaceae. Out of them 42 specimens of Hypoxylon were recorded, several of them could not be equated to known species. Specimens of Hypoxylon collected by C. Lechat during previous collecting trips in French Guiana in 2008 and 2010 are likewise included in this survey. As a result of the thorough morphological study of these specimens 13 taxa are presented herein, including six new species, H. aureolimbatum, H. leprieurianum, H. nudum, H. paracouense H. rhombisporum and H. verruciperisporium that are described, illustrated and commented upon. H. aureolimbatum strikingly resembles the temperate species H. subticinense but besides its different geographical distribution it deviates in the combination of morphological differences of stromata, asci, ascospores and asexual morph associated on natural substrate; H....
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Papers by Christian Lechat