Maria C Gonzalez

• Doctorate
• National Autonomous University of Mexico

A comprehensive literature review of mycodiversity in sandy beaches and oceanic environments in Mexico is presented through the analysis of published works from 1949 to early 2023. In addition, four unexplored sandy beaches in the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of California were sampled in order to fill knowledge gaps in terms of sampling biases. Marine f...

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,...

As an ecotone, sandy beaches exist within a multi-dimensional mesh of environmental gradients, shaped by numerous parameters (e.g. temperature, humidity, wave action, sand particle size and salinity). These limit the proliferation of a narrow group of fungal species. Obligate arenicolous marine fungi are an ecological assemblage of sand-associated...

Globally, marine sandy beaches face increasing anthropogenic pressures. Long-term maintenance of their functional capacities depends strongly on robust autochthonous biotic community baseline data. However, fine-scale temporal patterns remain poorly understood in human-impacted sites, limiting our knowledge of beach response to stressors. Marine ar...

Natural products are a valuable source of anticancer agents, with many naturally derived compounds currently used in clinical and preclinical treatments. This study aims to investigate the antiproliferative activity and potential mechanism of action of the xanthoquinodin JBIR-99, isolated from fungi Parengyodontium album MEXU 30,054 and identified...

During our ongoing research on fungal strains from unexplored sources, the reinvestigation of the CHCl 3 −MeOH extract of the marine-facultative Aspergillus sp. MEXU 27854 yielded a new N-methyl cyclic pentapeptide (1) along with known butyrolactone II and PF1233 A. In addition, from the marine-facultative Gymnoascus hyalinosporus MEXU 29901, a new...

Two new dioxomorpholines, 1 and 2, three new derivatives, 3–5, and the known compound PF1233 B (6) were isolated from a marine-facultative Aspergillus sp. MEXU 27854. Their structures were established by 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS data analysis. The absolute configuration of 1 and 2 was elucidated by comparison of experimental and DFT-calculated vib...

Marine fungi are an ecological, not a taxonomic, grouping, known primarily as saprotrophs from intertidal zones where they represent an important food source for invertebrates. These osmotrophs also play important roles as mutualists and pathogens in marine systems, and provide a wealth of antimicrobial and bioactive compounds. Currently, our knowl...

The study of genetic variation in fungi has been poor since the development of the theoretical underpinnings of population genetics, specifically in marine taxa. Corollospora maritima sensu lato is an abundant cosmopolitan marine fungus, playing a crucial ecological role in the intertidal environment. We evaluated the extent and distribution of the...

An interesting endophytic fungus was isolated from the leaves of Bursera simaruba, a tree in the semi-deciduous dry tropical forest at El Eden Ecological Reserve. The cultured strain developed the morphology characteristic of the genus Acremonium—tapered phialides and small aseptate conidia clustered in slimy heads. A detailed morphological examina...

Marine arenicolous fungi constitute a valuable resource inhabiting deteriorated ecosystems, where diversity is threatened by human-related activities. Though, information regarding their genetic diversity remains poor. Therefore, the aim of this study was to suggest inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers as an accessible tool to conduct screen...

Marine sandy beaches represent dynamic environments often subject to harsh conditions and climate fluctuations, where natural and anthropogenic inputs of freshwater from fluvial and pluvial source alter salinity, which has been recognized as a key variable affecting the distribution of aquatic organisms and influencing critical physiological proces...

Two new compounds, pestalotin 4'-O-methyl-β-mannopyranoside (1) and 3S,4R-(+)-4-hydroxymellein (2), were isolated from an organic extract of a Xylaria feejeensis, which was isolated as an endophytic fungus from Hintonia latiflora. In addition, the known compounds 3S,4S-(+)-4-hydroxymellein (3), 3S-(+)-8-methoxymellein (4), and the quinone derivativ...

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the organic mycelium extract of the endophytic fungus Acremonium camptosporum W. Gams (Clavicipitaceae), isolated from the leaves of Bursera simaruba (Burseraceae), led to the isolation of six major heterodimeric polyketides, including one not previously characterized acremoxanthone derivative. In addition, the...

Globally marine fungal diversity is poorly known, especially in Mexico. We evaluated the diversity of marine ascomycetes on five tourist beaches on Cozumel Island in September 2004, and in February 2007. Fifty sample units were collected randomly from each beach during each sampling time. Seven species were recovered, of which Lindra thalassiae and...

Over the past 20 years, the biodiversity associated with shaded coffee plantations and the role of diverse agroforestry types in biodiversity conservation and environmental services have been topics of debate. Endophytic fungi, which are microorganisms that inhabit plant tissues in an asymptomatic manner, form a part of the biodiversity associated...

Diversity of marine fungi in the Gulf of Mexico remains unknown for the most part, therefore the geographical distribution patterns of these microorganisms are mostly unknown too. Twelve sandy beaches located in this sea were sampled to evaluate the diversity of marine fungi, revealed by fruiting on natural substrata incubated in the laboratory for...

An extract of the solid cultures of Sporormiella minimoides (Sporormiaceae) isolated as an endophytic fungus from Hintonia latiflora (Rubiaceae), yielded three polyketides, 3,6-dimethoxy-8-methyl-1H,6H-benzo[de]isochromene-1,9-dione, 3-hydroxy-1,6,10-trimethoxy-8-methyl-1H,3H-benzo[de]isochromen-9-one, and 5-hydroxy-2,7-dimethoxy-8-methylnaphthoqui...

A common leaf spot disease on Vaccinium arboreum in the southeastern United States has been attributed to Ophiodothella vaccinii. The leaves are infected in early spring and during the summer abundant acervular conidia are produced. In addition to O. vaccinii, two names have been applied to this fungus in the literature, Septoria angustissima and A...

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an extract prepared from the culture medium and mycelium of Purpureocillium lilacinum allowed the isolation of two calmodulin (CaM) inhibitors, namely, acremoxanthone C (1) and acremonidin A (2). The absolute configuration of 1 was established as 2R, 3R, 1'S, 11'S, and 14'R through extensive NMR spectroscopy and mol...

The published literature suggests differences in presenting symptoms for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), management, and outcomes according to gender and age. However, limited information exists on this topic among Hispanics. In Puerto Rican patients hospitalized with an initial AMI, we examined differences in presenting symptoms, effective card...

We developed a quantitative scale for estimating disturbance level on 10 public-access tourist beaches. For this purpose, we estimated frequency of occurrence values for sand-inhabiting obligate ascomycetes annually through 10 years (2000-2009). In particular, we determined the presence of Corollospora maritima on each beach. A positive correlation...

The diversity of freshwater Ascomycetes was determined in the touristic channel Santa Cruz, Xochimilco, Mexico. Two surveys were conducted in 2007 during the dry and wet season. Four sampling sites were selected in the channel margin, based on the level of urbanization. At each sampling site, wood panels of Tabebuia donnell–smithii, Bucida buceras,...

Muscodor yucatanensis, an endophytic fungus, was isolated from the leaves of Bursera simaruba (Burseraceae) in a dry, semideciduous tropical forest in the Ecological Reserve El Eden, Quintana Roo, Mexico. We tested the mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by M. yucatanensis for allelochemical effects against other endophytic fungi,...

During a survey of fungal biodiversity from Mexican sand beaches, an uncommon fungus of the subphylum Mucoromycotina was isolated from the intertidal area of Playa Paraiso, State of Tabasco. A study of culture isolates demonstrated that it is a mucoraceous species belonging to the genus Circinella characterized by sporangiophores bearing circinate...

During a study on the fungal endophytic associations with some trees of the secondary forest of El Eden Ecological Reserve located in the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, a new fungal species was isolated as an endophyte of a tree named chakah, chachah, or hukup (Bursera simaruba) by indigenous Mayas. This fungus is characterized by produc...

A thermotolerant and halotolerant strain of Pycnoporus sanguineus was isolated from an oil-polluted site in a tropical area located in Veracruz, Mexico. This strain was able to grow at 47 degrees C and in culture medium containing 500 mM NaCl. The strain was also tolerant to the presence of 30,000 ppm of crude Maya oil. A 68-kDa protein purified fr...

In the course of our studies to identify novel natural calmodulin inhibitors [1], the new xanthones 15-chlorotajixanthone hydrate (1), 14-methoxytajixanthone (2), shamixanthone (3) and tajixanthone hydrate (4) were isolated and identified from the new fungus Emericella sp. strain 25379. The activation of the calmodulin-sensitive cAMP phosphodiester...

Two new indole alkaloids, namely malbrancheamides B (1) [1] and C (2), were isolated from the culture medium and mycelia of the ascomycete Malbranchea aurantiaca, along with malbrancheamide (3). Structure elucidation of 1 and 2 was carried out by a combination of mass spectrometry (MS) and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy analyses, as well as by compari...

Chemical investigation of the mycelium of Edenia gomezpompae, a newly discovered endophytic fungus isolated from the leaves of Callicarpa acuminata (Verbenaceae) collected from the ecological reserve El Eden, Quintana Roo, Mexico, resulted in the isolation of four naphthoquinone spiroketals, including three new compounds and palmarumycin CP2 (4). W...

Mexico, with a land surface area of 1.97 M sq. km., has a topography that varies from high plains in the north, to tall volcanic mountains in the south-central region, to lowlands in the south, as well as extensive coastlines. Southern Mexico is the area where the temperate climate of North America unites with the tropical climate of Central and So...

During a preliminary survey to report the biodiversity of endophytic fungi associated with leaves of some woody plants from El Eden Ecological Reserve in Mexico, a new fungus was isolated from Callicarpa acuminata leaves. Cultures of this fungus on PDA form a white floccose colony with a reddish-brown reverse and a mycelium that develops by 90° ang...

Bioassay-directed fractionation of an ethyl acetate extract from cultures of the fungus Malbranchea aurantiaca led to the isolation of two phytotoxic compounds, namely, 1-hydroxy-2-oxoeremophil-1(10),7(11),8(9)-trien-12(8)-olide (1) and penicillic acid (2). The structure of 1 was established by spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic analyses. Met...

Poroleprieuria gen. nov. is described and illustrated to accommodate P. rogersii in the Xylariaceae, Xylariales. This ascomycete, known only from the type collection, is characterized by reniform, light brown, smooth ascospores with a germ pore; cylindrical, persistent asci lacking an apical apparatus, septate persistent paraphyses, and erumpent, e...

Poroleprieuria gen. nov. is described and illustrated to accommodate P. rogersii in the Xylariaceae, Xylariales. This ascomycete, known only from the type collection, is characterized by reniform, light brown, smooth ascospores with a germ pore; cylindrical, persistent asci lacking an apical apparatus, septate persistent paraphyses, and erumpent, e...

A preliminary survey of the Cuban marine fungi was undertaken. Twenty six marine fungi are reported from 12 beaches located on the Atlantic Coast, of which, 19 (16 ascomycetes and 3 mitosporic fungi) are new for this country. This brings the total number of known higher marine fungi for Cuba to 29.

 Ophiodothella caseariae sp. nov. from leaves of Casearia tremula in Venezuela is described and illustrated.

Ophiodothella caseariae sp. nov. from leaves of Casearia tremula in Venezuela is described and illustrated.

A checklist of Mexican higher marine fungi is presented, containing 47 ascomycetes, 1 basidiomycete and 14 mitosporic fungi. The fungi are listed from 17 localities on the Pacific Coast, 12 localities from the Gulf of Mexico Coast, and from 15 localities on the Caribbean Coast. Eleven new specimens from 18 Mexican beaches have been merged with the...

A new genus is described to accommodate a species isolated from bat dung. This fungus forms a membranous ascoma with a long neck that is ornamented with lateral glandular hairs and terminal aglandular hairs; filamentous, septate paraphyses and deliquescent asci with hyaline, unicellular ascospores are formed in the base of the centrum. In order to...

A new genus is described to accommodate a species isolated from bat dung. This fungus forms a membranous ascoma with a long neck that is ornamented with lateral glandular hairs and terminal aglandular hairs; filamentous, septate paraphyses and deliquescent asci with hyaline, unicellular ascospores are formed in the base of the centrum. In order to...

The abundance of hair-bait colonizing fungi was investigated on the beaches of Caracoles, Mocambo, and lcacos, located on the coasts of the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean, respectively. On each beach a sample of sandy soil was collected. The samples were analyzed by two selective isolation methods for keratinophilic fungi resulting...

The abundance and diversity of species of microfungi was investigated on the beaches of Delfines, Km 24 Veracruz-Alvarado Highway, and El Coco, located on the coasts of the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Ocean, respectively. On each beach a sample composed of sand, subtidal wood or washed-up detritus with moist sand was collected. T...