Ali H. Bahkali

Bio: Ali H. Bahkali is an academic researcher from King Saud University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Dothideomycetes & Pleosporales. The author has an hindex of 50, co-authored 287 publications receiving 9411 citations. Previous affiliations of Ali H. Bahkali include Yeungnam University & Landcare Research.

Development of di‐ and tetranucleotide repeat primer for discrimination of fusarium species

Abstract: The genetic diversity profiles of 19 isolates of the fungal pathogen Fusarium species, 14 from Egypt and 5 from Germany, were analyzed based on morphological characteristics and microsatellite markers. Five microsatellites were selected and primers were designed. Microsatellite-primed polymerase chain reaction using the dinucleotide and tetranucleotide primers showed clear polymorphisms among the different Fusarium spp. isolates. Both primers gave similar results in phenetic analysis of genetic similarity between populations. Between Fusarium spp. isolates, similarities ranged from 38 to 62 for interspecific and 62 to 94 for intraspecific comparisons. Two major groups were observed in the dendrogram, which was divided into three subgroups. One of them consisted the five F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum isolates at the genetic similarity of 92. Isolates Fov1, Fov3 and Fov5 showed high genetic relatedness (100). With the second main cluster, at 62 similarity, one subcluster could be discerned; the subcluster contained F. oxysporum, F. solani, F. sambucinum, F. poae and Fusarium spp. isolates. These experiments reveal that microsatellite primers are reliable, sensitive and technically simple tools for assaying genetic variability in Fusaria.

Discopycnothyrium palmae gen. & sp. nov. (Asterinaceae)

Abstract: A new genus and species, Discopycnothyrium palmae, is described from palms (Arecaceae) in Narathiwat Province, southern Thailand, and is known only from its asexual morph. The genus is characterized by circular pycnothyria with darkened cells around the central ostiole, variably long hyphae at the margin, and pycnothyriospores that are 1-septate with the septum between a larger brown upper cell and hyaline lower cell. LSU gene sequence analysis clustered D. palmae in the Asterinaceae clade and supported (59% ML and 0.88 PP support) the taxon as phylogenetically distinct from other Asterinaceae. Morphological and phylogenetic differences confirm the new genus, here introduced and illustrated.

A new species

Abstract: We redescribe the only previously known species of Myrsidea from bulbuls, M. pycnonoti Eichler. Sixteen new species are described; they and their type hosts are: M. phillipsi ex Pycnonotus goiavier goiavier (Scopoli), M. gieferi ex P. goiavier suluensis Mearns, M. kulpai ex P. flavescens Blyth, M. finlaysoni ex P. finlaysoni Strickland, M. kathleenae ex P. cafer (L.), M. warwicki ex Ixos philippinus (J. R. Forster), M. mcclurei ex Microscelis amaurotis (Temminck), M. zeylanici ex P. zeylanicus (Gmelin), M. plumosi ex P. plumosus Blyth, M. eutiloti ex P. eutilotus (Jardine and Selby), M. adamsae ex P. urostictus (Salvadori), M. ochracei ex Criniger ochraceus F. Moore, M. borbonici ex Hypsipetes borbonicus (J. R. Forster), M. johnsoni ex P. atriceps (Temminck), M. palmai ex C. ochraceus, and M. claytoni ex P. eutilotus. A key is provided for the identification of these 17 species.

Ab initio calculation of vibrational absorption and circular dichroism spectra using density functional force fields

Abstract: : The unpolarized absorption and circular dichroism spectra of the fundamental vibrational transitions of the chiral molecule, 4-methyl-2-oxetanone, are calculated ab initio. Harmonic force fields are obtained using Density Functional Theory (DFT), MP2, and SCF methodologies and a 5S4P2D/3S2P (TZ2P) basis set. DFT calculations use the Local Spin Density Approximation (LSDA), BLYP, and Becke3LYP (B3LYP) density functionals. Mid-IR spectra predicted using LSDA, BLYP, and B3LYP force fields are of significantly different quality, the B3LYP force field yielding spectra in clearly superior, and overall excellent, agreement with experiment. The MP2 force field yields spectra in slightly worse agreement with experiment than the B3LYP force field. The SCF force field yields spectra in poor agreement with experiment.The basis set dependence of B3LYP force fields is also explored: the 6-31G* and TZ2P basis sets give very similar results while the 3-21G basis set yields spectra in substantially worse agreements with experiment. jg

A European Database of Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum Trichothecene Genotypes

Abstract: Fusarium species, particularly Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum, are the main cause of trichothecene type B contamination in cereals. Data on the distribution of Fusarium trichothecene genotypes in cereals in Europe are scattered in time and space. Furthermore, a common core set of related variables (sampling method, host cultivar, previous crop, etc.) that would allow more effective analysis of factors influencing the spatial and temporal population distribution, is lacking. Consequently, based on the available data, it is difficult to identify factors influencing chemotype distribution and spread at the European level. Here we describe the results of a collaborative integrated work which aims (1) to characterize the trichothecene genotypes of strains from three Fusarium species, collected over the period 2000–2013 and (2) to enhance the standardization of epidemiological data collection. Information on host plant, country of origin, sampling location, year of sampling and previous crop of 1147 F. graminearum, 479 F. culmorum, and 3 F. cortaderiae strains obtained from 17 European countries was compiled and a map of trichothecene type B genotype distribution was plotted for each species. All information on the strains was collected in a freely accessible and updatable database (www.catalogueeu.luxmcc.lu), which will serve as a starting point for epidemiological analysis of potential spatial and temporal trichothecene genotype shifts in Europe. The analysis of the currently available European dataset showed that in F. graminearum, the predominant genotype was 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON) (82.9%), followed by 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON) (13.6%), and nivalenol (NIV) (3.5%). In F. culmorum, the prevalent genotype was 3-ADON (59.9%), while the NIV genotype accounted for the remaining 40.1%. Both, geographical and temporal patterns of trichothecene genotypes distribution were identified.