Phosphatidylcholines (PC) are the main membrane lipid constituents comprising more than 50% of total glycerophospholipids. They coordinate a number of cell functions, particularly cell growth, homeostasis, secretion, recognition and communication. In basidial fungi PC are synthesized via the Kennedy pathway as well as through methylation of phosphatidylethanolamines (PE) and then undergo remodeling in Lands cycle that replaces fatty acids in PC molecules. The molecular profile of PC is determined by the genetic features that are characteristic for every species and depend on the environment. Here we present the results of ESI-MS based analyses of PC profiles of 38 species of basidiomycetes belonging to Agaricales (12), Polyporales (17), Russulales (5), Gleophyllales (2), Cantharellales (1), Auriculariales (1), Phallales (1). Although the variety of PC molecular species of basidiomycetes is rather diverse (20–38 molecular species in every profile), only 1–3 main molecular species represent 70–90% of total PC content. The most abundant of them are C36:4 and C36:3, followed by C34:1, C34:2, C36:5, C36:2. In the majority of basidiomycetes, C36:4 reaches up to 50–70% of total PC molecular species. Based on the results of hierarchical cluster analysis four main types of PC profiles which characterized the studied fungi independently from their taxonomic position, ecology, trophic status, and hyphal differentiation have been revealed. Comparative analyses of studied fungi using PCA method have shown that species of Polyporales differ from those of Agaricales by higher variability of PC profiles.

Aim. To summarise and analyse data on the species diversity, distribution and substrate spectra of wood-inhabiting basidial macromycetes growing on fruit trees in the Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Oryol and Tambov Regions.Material and Methods. The work involved a critical examination of literature sources, LE, OHHI, and VU herbaria. We undertook field researches in 2019-2020, identified specimens collected based on light microscopy techniques and isolated the basidial fungi in a pure culture.Results. Data on 97 species of basidial macrofungi from 68 genera associated withMalus, PyrusandPrunuswood in the Central Black Earth Region are summarised.Antrodia serpensandCeriporia torpidaare newly known to Russia. 65 new dikaryot-ic strains for 22 species of Agaricomycetes have been introduced into the LE-BIN. A total of 65 species are associated with Malus, 34 species withPyrusand 29 species withPrunus. Five species (Lyomyces crustosus, Stereum hirsutum, Trametes hirsuta, T. ochraceaandT. versicolor) grow on all three genera of host. These species specialise in fruit trees includeSarcodontia croceaandPhellinus pomaceus.Conclusion. Pathogenic activity has been clearly observed for 32 species of fungi found on trunks and branches of living trees, causing necrosis and trunk rot. Furthermore, it is recommended that regular phytopathological monitoring of orchards should be carried out, taking the group of xylotrophic fungi into account.

Culture collections (CCs) play an important role in the ex situ conservation of biological material and maintaining species and strains, which can be used for scientific and practical purposes. The Komarov Botanical Institute Basidiomycetes Culture Collection (LE-BIN) preserves a large number of original dikaryon strains of various taxonomical and ecological groups of fungi from different geographical regions. Started in the late 1950s for the investigation of Basidiomycetes’ biological activity, today, in Russia, it has become a unique specialized macromycetes collection, preserving 3680 strains from 776 species of fungi. The Collection’s development is aimed at ex situ conservation of fungal diversity, with an emphasis on preserving rare and endangered species, ectomycorrhizal fungi, and strains useful for biotechnology and medicine. The main methods applied in the collection for maintaining and working with cultures are described, and the results are presented. Some problems for the isolation and cultivation of species are discussed. The taxonomical structure and variety of the strains in the collection fund are analyzed, and they show that the taxonomical diversity of fungi in the LE-BIN is commensurable with the largest CCs in the world. The achievements from the ex situ conservation of the diversity of macromycetes and the main results from the screening and investigation of the collection’s strains demonstrate that a number of strains can be prospective producers of enzymes (oxidoreductases and proteases), lipids, and biologically active compounds (terpenoids, phthalides, etc.) for biotechnology and medicine.

A total of 83 fungal species including one ascomycete (Helvella macropus) and 82 basidiomycete species have been recorded for the first time from 18 administrative regions of Russia: Republic of Buryatia (2), Republic of Dagestan (7), Republic of Mordovia (30), Republic of Tyva (6), Primorsky Krai (1), Zabaykalsky Krai (3), Arkhangelsk Oblast (5), Irkutsk Oblast (4), Kaluga Oblast (1), Leningrad Oblast (1), Murmansk Oblast (7), Nizhny Novgorod Oblast (1), Novgorod Oblast (3), Novosibirsk Oblast (2), Pskov Oblast (1), Tyumen Oblast (10), Saint Petersburg Federal City (1), and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (1 species). An annotated species list containing the data on locality, substrate, habitat type, date of collection, and voucher numbers is provided. Pluteus vellingae is reported as the first record in Russia. Aurantiporus priscus, Bolbitius sibiricus, and Mycopan scabripes are recorded in Russia for the second time. Hypsizygus marmoreus is reported for the third time. New data on little-collected fungal species such as Botryobasidium botryoideum, Fibrodontia gossypina, Lycoperdon rupicola, Neohypochnicium cremicolor, Postia luteocaesia, Psathyrella gordonii, and Xylodon pruinosus, is presented. Complete sequences of ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 nuclear ribosomal DNA for 16 species reported have been generated and submitted to the GenBank database.