ARS | Publication request: Penicillium menonorum, a new species related to P. pimiteouiense

Submitted to: IMA Fungus
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: June 15, 2011
Publication Date: September 29, 2011
Citation: Peterson, S.W., Orchard, S.S., Menon, S. 2011. Penicillium menonorum, a new species related to P. pimiteouiense. IMA Fungus. 2(2):121-125.

Interpretive Summary: A mold with potential usefulness for applications in biotechnology - specifically, for conversion of organic matter into high-value products such as lipid precursors to biofuels and animal feed formulations - was discovered in a survey of soil fungi. It could not be identified as any one of the known fungi. Because it needed to be characterized and named for patent purposes, we have named it and described how to distinguish this species from all other fungi. This information will be of value to industrial and academic taxonomists.

Technical Abstract: Penicillium menonorum is described as a new monoverticillate, non-vesiculate species that resembles P. restrictum and P. pimiteouiense. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from four loci, P. menorum occurs in a clade with P. pimiteouiense, P. vinaceum, P. guttulosum, E. rubidurum, and E. parvum. Genealogical concordance analysis was applied to P. pimiteouiense and E. parvum, substantiating the phenotypically defined species. The species P. rubidurum, P. guttulosum and P. menorum were on distinct branches statistically excluded from inclusion in other species and have distinct phenotypes.