Purpureocillium, a new genus for the medically important Paecilomyces lilacinus

Abstract

Paecilomyces lilacinus was described more than a century ago and is a commonly occurring fungus in soil. However, in the last decade this fungus has been increasingly found as the causal agent of infections in man and other vertebrates. Most cases of disease are described from patients with compromised immune systems or intraocular lens implants. In this study, we compared clinical isolates with strains isolated from soil, insects and nematodes using 18S rRNA gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF) sequences. Our data show that P. lilacinus is not related to Paecilomyces, represented by the well-known thermophilic and often pathogenic Paecilomyces variotii. The new genus name Purpureocillium is proposed for P. lilacinus and the new combination Purpureocillium lilacinum is made here. Furthermore, the examined Purpureocillium lilacinum isolated grouped in two clades based on ITS and partial TEF sequences. The ITS and TEF sequences of the Purpureocillium lilacinum isolates used for biocontrol of nematode pests are identical to those causing infections in (immunocompromised) humans. The use of high concentrations of Purpureocillium lilacinum spores for biocontrol poses a health risk in immunocompromised humans and more research is needed to determine the pathogenicity factors of Purpureocillium lilacinum.

A Rare Case of Nasal Septal Perforation Due to Purpureocillium lilacinum: Case Report and Review

“…The genus Purpureocillium [5], earlier known as Paecilomyces, was first described by Bainer in 1907 [6]. They are saprophytic fungi found worldwide in soil and decomposing vegetation.…”

Current nomenclatural changes inCordyceps sensu latoand its multidisciplinary impacts

“…Jansson, Harposporium Lohde, Hirsutella Pat., Hymenostilbe Petch, Paraisaria Samson & B.L. Brady, Polycephalomyces Kobayasi, Purpureocillium Luangsa-ard et al, Syngliocladium Petch and Tolypocladium W. Gams (Sung et al 2007; Luangsa-Ard et al 2011; Quandt et al 2014) (Table 1). Among them, Hirsutella, Hymenostilbe, Paraisaria and Syngliocladium are linked to Ophiocordyceps (Quandt et al 2014).…”

“…Purpureocillium was recently erected to delimit a Paecilomyces sp., P. lilacinus (Thom) Samson and closely allied taxa (Luangsa-Ard et al 2011). Currently, there are four spp.…”

“…in Purpureocillium (Figure 2). Among them, C. ryogamimontana Kobayasi & Shimizu (current name Purpureocillium takamizusanense (Kobayasi) S. Ban et al) and C. cylindrica Petch (current name Purpureocillium atypicolum (Petch) Spatafora et al) were recently transferred from Cordyceps based on their phylogenetic placement in Purpureocillium (Luangsa-Ard et al 2011; Ban et al 2015; Spatafora et al 2015). …”

Back to the future: cordycipitoid fungi in a postgenomic world

“…The phylogenetic revisions of the anamorphs of these cordycipitoid fungi began with the phylogenetic reclassifications of Verticillium section Prostrata as originally recognised by Gams (1971) into a series of phylogenetically based segregate genera (Zare et al 2000, 2001a; Gams and Zare 2001; Sung et al 2001; Zare and Gams 2001). Soon after the reworking of entomopathogenic Verticillium species, Samson’s (1974) classic taxonomy that recognised Paecilomyces section Isarioidea was also revised phylogenetically (Luangsa-ard et al 2004), with most species assigned to the genus Isaria (Luangsa-ard et al 2005) but also with another important species, P. lilacinus , later reclassified into the ophiocorydcipitaceous genus Purpureocillium (Luangsa-ard et al 2011). It appears that the new classifications under the 1F = 1N standard are now more or less in place for the entomopathogens in the Clavicipitaceae (Kepler et al 2014) and Ophiocordycipitaceae (Quandt et al 2014) that include some surprising amalgamations of genera; no new classification of the Cordycipitaceae has yet been published (partly because of continuing uncertainties about the final list of genera and subgenera to be accepted).…”