Antonietta Mello

• Researcher at Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Italian National Research Council

Pleurotus tuber-regium was isolated from a dead trunk of Raphia farinifera (arecaceae) in a lowland moist forest in antsohihy, Mmadagascar, and the species was confirmed by molecular analysis and morphological observations. the main bioactive metabolites of the mycelium extracts were identified by mass spectrometry techniques. Five structural diver...

Forests are increasingly threatened by climate change and the Anthropocene seems to have favored the emergence and adaptation of pathogens. Robust monitoring methods are required to prevent biodiversity and ecosystems losses, and this imposes the choice of bioindicators of habitat health. Fungal communities are increasingly recognized as fundamenta...

Although Astragalus nebrodensis plays a fundamental ecological role, mycorrhizal fungi associated with this species have never been investigated in natural habitats. Our aim was to check the presence and occurrence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) in roots of A. nebrodensis in a natural habitat and to screen the fungal diversity in the surroun...

Ink disease is a devastating disease of chestnut (Castanea sativa) worldwide, caused by Phytophthora species. The only management measures of this disease are chemical and agronomic interventions. This work focuses on the evaluation of the in vitro antagonistic capacity of 20 isolates of Trichoderma spp. selected in a diseased chestnut orchard in T...

Roots of the European hazelnut (Corylus avellana), i.e., one of the most economically important nut species, form symbiosis with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, including truffles. Although physical interactions only occur in roots, the presence of mycorrhizal fungi can lead to metabolic changes at systemic level, i.e., in leaves. However, how root co...

Soil fungal diversity was studied by next-generation sequencing and compared in two different Malagasy ecosystems, the first a New Protected Area (Maromizaha NAP) that is a rich humid evergreen forest and the second a degraded and declined deciduous forest (Andaravina) whose area has been also eroded. Both areas, however, have comparable annual rai...

The true truffles, Tuber aestivum Vittad., T. borchii Vittad., T. magnatum Picco and T. melanosporum Vittad., are among the most studied fungal species; they also have a high economic value due to their special aromatic and nutritional properties that make them a much sought delicacy. Despite this, their identification has been based on morphologic...

Decomposition of animal bodies in the burial environment plays a key role in the biochemistry of the soil, altering the balance of the local microbial populations present before the introduction of the carcass. Despite the growing number of studies on decomposition and soil bacterial populations, less is known on its effects on fungal communities....

Background One of the most debated questions in forensic science is the estimation of the post-mortem interval (PMI). Despite the large amount of research currently performed to improve the PMI estimation, there is still the need for additional improvements, particularly in cases of severely decomposed buried remains. A novel alternative to the mor...

Recently, some strategies focused on the control of climatic parameters or the study of beneficial native bacteria, have been carried out in order to improve the desert truffle cultivation between Helianthemum almeriense x Terfezia claveryi [1]. In order to increase the field production of ascocarps is necessary to know how the microorganisms inter...

Purpose: Madagascar is worldwide recognized as one of the top biodiversity hotspots. Our purpose was to investigate a fungal species found in Madagascar as a sclerotial mass. Methods: A fungal sample consisting of a sclerotium was collected on a Raphia farinifera log in Antsohihy (North Madagascar) and sent to our lab for characterization. Morpholo...

Tuberaceae is one of the most diverse lineages of symbiotic truffle-forming fungi. To understand the molecular underpinning of the ectomycorrhizal truffle lifestyle, we compared the genomes of Piedmont white truffle (Tuber magnatum), Périgord black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum), pig truffle (Choiromyces venosus) an...

Tunisian desert truffles have been identified on the basis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) locus as Tirmania nivea, Terfezia bouderii and T. arenaria. ITS and, for the first time, β-tubulin gene were employed in the phylogenetic analyses of these species to assess whether β-tubulin gene could be a complementary molecular tool for resolutio...

In order to link microbial community composition to ecological processes happening in the brûlé, a metaproteomics analysis was applied to a brûlé previously characterized by metagenomics. The metagenomics data had showed a reduced fungal biodiversity, a dominance of Tuber melanosporum and a reduced presence both of ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota and...

A major goal in ecology is to understand how interactions among organisms influence ecosystem services. This work compares the effects of two Lepidoptera defoliators, one non-native (Hyphantria cunea) and one native (Lymantria dispar) to Europe, on the colonization of black poplar (the Populus nigra clone "Jean Pourtet") roots by an arbuscular myco...

For some truffle species of the Tuber genus, the symbiotic phase is often associated with the presence of an area of scant vegetation, commonly known as the brûlé, around the host tree. Previous metagenomics studies have identified the microorganisms present inside and outside the brûlé of a Tuber melanosporum truffle-ground, but the molecular mech...

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi form association with relatively small number of plants that dominate boreal, temperate, Mediterranean, and some subtropical forest ecosystems. These plant species have been able to acquire metabolic capabilities through symbioses with ECM fungi, thus improving their mineral nutrition and growth in several ecological nic...

The results originated in the frame of the genome sequencing project of the black truffle of Périgord (Tuber melanosporum) were published in 2010. Taking advantages from the sequencing project, which included automatic and manual annotation steps, specific studies were developed, in order to focus on specific gene categories (e.g. cell wall-related...

The development of the fruiting body (truffle) of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Tuber melanosporum is associated with the production of an area (commonly referred to with the French word brûlé) around its symbiotic plant that has scanty vegetation. As truffles produce metabolites that can mediate fungal-plant interactions, the authors wondered whether...

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different 4 °C post-harvest storage periods on the quality of the white truffle Tuber magnatum. The expression of selected genes and the profiles of non-volatile metabolites have been analyzed. The up-regulation of genes related to cell wall metabolism and to a putative laccase points to cell w...

Background The development of Tuber melanosporum mycorrhizal symbiosis is associated with the production of an area devoid of vegetation (commonly referred to by the French word ‘brûlé’) around the symbiotic plants and where the fruiting bodies of T. melanosporum are usually collected. The extent of the ecological impact of such an area is still be...

Heatmap of the OTUs that were both significantly different and had nearly a 2-fold difference in average intensity between inside and outside the brûlé for Riemerella. In_1, In_2, In_3 and Out_1, Out_2, Out_3, respectively, were pools from inside and outside the brûlé and were used as replicate samples. (PDF)

Heatmap of the OTUs that were both significantly different and had nearly a 2-fold difference in average intensity between inside and outside the brûlé for Chryseobacterium. In_1, In_2, In_3 and Out_1, Out_2, Out_3, respectively, were pools from inside and outside the brûlé and were used as replicate samples. (PDF)

Heatmap of the OTUs that were both significantly different and had nearly a 2-fold difference in average intensity between inside and outside the brûlé for Flavobacterium. In_1, In_2, In_3 and Out_1, Out_2, Out_3, respectively, were pools from inside and outside the brûlé and were used as replicate samples. (EPS)

Heatmap of the OTUs that were both significantly different and had nearly a 2-fold difference in average intensity between inside and outside the brûlé for Pseudomonas. In_1, In_2, In_3 and Out_1, Out_2, Out_3, respectively, were pools from inside and outside the brûlé and were used as replicate samples. (EPS)

Details of each considered truffle-ground and soil chemical parameters for inside (IN) and outside (OUT) the four brûlés sampled. (DOC)

Heatmap of the OTUs that were both significantly different and had nearly a 2-fold difference in average intensity between inside and outside the brûlé for Pedobacter. In_1, In_2, In_3 and Out_1, Out_2, Out_3, respectively, were pools from inside and outside the brûlé and were used as replicate samples. (PDF)

Heatmap of the OTUs that were both significantly different and had nearly a 2-fold difference in average intensity between inside and outside the brûlé for Bacillus. In_1, In_2, In_3 and Out_1, Out_2, Out_3, respectively, were pools from inside and outside the brûlé and were used as replicate samples. (EPS)

Living organisms establish complex networks of mutualistic and antagonistic interactions in nature, which impact strongly on their own survival and on the stability of the whole population. Fungi, in particular, can shape natural as well as man-managed ecosystems due to their ubiquitous occurrence and the range of interactions they establish with p...

Abstract: Identifying a soil core microbiome is crucial to appreciate the established microbial consortium, which is not usually subjected to change and, hence, possibly resistant/resilient to disturbances and a varying soil context. Fungi are a major part of soil biodiversity, yet the mechanisms driving their large-scale ecological ranges and dist...

Background A number of Tuber species are ecologically important. The fruiting bodies of some of these also have value as a cooking ingredient due to the fact that they possess exceptional flavor and aromatic properties. In particular, T. magnatum fruiting bodies (commonly known as truffles), are greatly appreciated by consumers. These grow naturall...

Abstract: Identifying a soil core microbiome is crucial to appreciate the established microbial consortium, which is not usually subjected to change and, hence, possibly resistant/resilient to disturbances and a varying soil context. Fungi are a major part of soil biodiversity, yet the mechanisms driving their large-scale ecological ranges and dist...

Truffles, such as Tuber magnatum and Tuber melanosporum, are greatly appreciated throughout the world, both as fresh fruiting bodies and as ingredients in processed products. Diagnostic methods are therefore required to check the identity of truffles in this kind of food. The present paper reports the application of microscopic and molecular techni...

Truffles are hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungi. Of all the different species, Tuber melanosporum is one of the most popular on the truffle market. The aim of this work was to set up a protocol in order to check the fertility of a T. melanosporum ground. The correlation between its abundance in soil, the presence of mating type genes and productivity...

Among the sections of the genus Boletus, the species belonging to the B. edulis complex have received the most attention because of their commercial importance. This chapter focuses on the state of the art in research pertaining to these ectomycorrhizal fungi, from a taxonomic to an ecological point of view. The availability of specific primers for...

In a recent study pyrosequencing of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) has validated the effectiveness of such technology in the survey of soil fungal diversity. Here we compare the two ITS regions, ITS-1 and ITS-2, of the fungal populations occurring in Tuber melanosporum/Quercus pubescens truffle grounds and sampled in two areas,...

Truffles (Tuber spp.) are symbiotic fungi that develop underground in association with plant roots. Food connoisseurs describe their scent as sensual, seductive and unique. These mysterious fungi, however, do not produce their aroma for the mere pleasure of humans. Truffle volatiles act as odorant cues for mammals and insects which are thus able to...

Truffles are hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungi of ecological interest for forestry in soils of the northern hemisphere, and of economical relevance for food markets worldwide. The molecular mechanisms that control truffle body formation are largely unknown, as well as the environmental factors that are likely involved. Among the latter, it has been h...

The Périgord black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vittad.) and the Piedmont white truffle dominate today's truffle market. The hypogeous fruiting body of T. melanosporum is a gastronomic delicacy produced by an ectomycorrhizal symbiont endemic to calcareous soils in southern Europe. The worldwide demand for this truffle has fuelled intense efforts at...

The fruiting bodies of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungus Tuber melanosporum are usually collected in an area devoid of vegetation which is defined as a 'burnt area' (brulé in French). Here, the soil fungal populations of inside and outside brulé were compared in order to understand whether the scanty plant cover was related to a change in fungal bio...

Truffles are hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungi. They belong to the genus Tuber and are currently considered a hot spot in fungal biology due to their ecological and economic relevance. Among all the species, Tuber magnatum is the most appreciated because of its special taste and aroma. The aim of this work was to set up a protocol to detect T. magnat...

Truffles are hypogeous Ascomycete fungi belonging to the genus Tuber and forming fruiting bodies highly prized for their taste and aroma. The identification of the genus Tuber and its species is important to investigate their ecology and avoid fraud in the food market. As genus-specific primers are not available, the aims of this work were (1) to a...

The word Rhizosphere describes the part of the soil which is immediately adjacent to and affected by plant roots. This is a very dynamic environment where plants, soil and microorganisms interact. The plant releases, in addition to biologically active substances, nutritive substances (exudates), which create a privileged habitat for many microbial...

Invasive organisms (especially plants and animal species) are considered to be one of the main causes of global biodiversity loss. Up to now, few papers have dealt with the spreading of fungi. The establishment of the geographic origin of alien organisms could be useful to assess their impact on the environment. Favolaschia calocera is a basidiomyc...

In mid-2005, 6.5 billion people shared the planet and, according to 2004 estimates by the population division of the UN Secretariat, world population is expected to rise in the next 45 years by 2.6 billion, to reach a total of 9.1 billion in 2050 (www.unfpa.org). Consequently, one of the main challenges of the twenty-first century will be to produc...

Truffles are hypogeous fungi which live in symbiosis with plant host roots in order to accomplish their life cycle. Some species, such as Tuber magnatum Pico, the 'white truffle', and Tuber melanosporum Vittad., the 'black truffle', are highly appreciated in many countries because of their special taste and smell. The great demand for the black and...

Boletus species belonging to the section Boletus are the most frequently eaten fungi among those harvested in natural conditions in Europe. This section groups 10 taxa which are hardly distinguishable on the basis of their morphology. Some of them have been shown to induce allergic IgE-mediated symptoms either through inhalation, ingestion or conta...

The aims of the work were to elucidate the distribution of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Tuber magnatum Pico during its symbiotic stage, and to identify the root-associated fungi in a natural truffle-ground located in North Italy. Ectomycorrhizal root tips were harvested in the truffle ground, sorted in morphotypes and analyzed by ITS. Morphological a...

The aim of this work was to clarify the genetic structure of the ectomycorrhizal fungus, Tuber magnatum Pico, in a natural truffle ground located in north Italy. Ascomata of this population of T. magnatum were collected over a period of up to 5 years. For comparative analysis, T. magnatum fruit bodies of different geographical origin were also cons...

Genetic variability is one of the major survival strategies developed by symbiotic fungi. We focused on the ectomycorrhizal fungus Tuber uncinatum Chatin that produces edible ascomata. In order to understand the degree of its variability and its relatedness to another morphologically‐similar truffle, T. aestivum Vittad., ascomata of T. uncinatum we...

Tuber magnatum Pico is an ectomycorrhizal fungus whose mycorrhizas can be barely distinguished morphologically from those of other related white truffles. Here we describe the use of specific primers based on the T. magnatum ITS sequence for screening mycorrhizas from a large number of growth chambers, greenhouse and nursery samples taken in a long...

Two similar truffle species described by Vittadini, Tuber borchii and T. maculatum, were compared. We designate neotypes for both species, which were described microscopically and compared with fresh samples both morphologically and by DNA analysis. The results show that the collections, originally described by Vittadini on macroscopic characters a...

Two similar truffle species described by Vittadini, Tuber borchii and T. maculatum, were compared. We designate neotypes for both species, which were described microscopically and compared with fresh samples both morphologically and by DNA analysis. The results show that the collections, originally described by Vittadini on macroscopic characters a...

During their symbiotic phase, white truffles are barely distinguishable morphologically, and molecular probes are needed for their identification. Here we report the design of species-specific primers for two white truffles (Tuber magnatum and T. borchii) on the basis of their ITS sequence. Their efficiency has been successfully tested on fruit bod...

Truffles are Ascomycetous fungi that need to form a symbiotic association (mycorrhiza) with the roots of a host plant to be able to produce their fruitbodies. Many of the morphological characters used to identify a truffle fruitbody, however, are lost during this phase. DNA analyses have therefore been devised for the typing of truffle species. The...

Mycorrhizal fungi interact symbiotically with the roots of about 90% of land plants forming different types of mycorrhiza. The total number of soil fungi involved in this symbiosis is still unknown, but in order to evaluate their biodiversity it is first necessary to make an identification at species and isolate level. This goal has received substa...

DNA analyses were developed to type mycorrhizas of two Tuber species of commercial value (T. melanosporum, T. borchii) and a competitive fungus (Sphaerosporella brunnea) which forms ectomycorrhizas with plants usually considered hosts for truffles. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA isolated from fruitbodies, mycelia, mycorrhizas...