Two new species of the genus Ochroconis, O. lascauxensis and O. anomala isolated from black stains in Lascaux Cave, France

• DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2012.02.006
• Publication Date: 2012-03-08T16:16:03Z
• Authors: Pedro Maria Marti...; Alena Nováková; Fabiola Bastian; Claude Alabouvette; Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
• Keywords: [SDE] Environmental Sciences; Black stains; 570; 0303 health sciences; Ochroconis anomala; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; Molecular Sequence Data; 590; Lascaux Cave; [SDV.MP.MYC] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Mycology; DNA, Ribosomal; [SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]; Caves; 03 medical and health sciences; Ochroconis lascauxensis; Ascomycota; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Paintings; France; DNA, Fungal; [SDV.MP.MYC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Mycology; Phylogeny

In the year 2001, some conspicuous black stains appeared on the walls of Lascaux Cave in France, which progressively disseminated throughout the cave. These black stains were so evident by 2007 that they have become one of the cave's major problems. In a mycological study of the black stains, Ochroconis strains were abundant among the isolates and constituted the major group of melanised fungi. Two new species of the genus Ochroconis, O. lascauxensis and O. anomala, were isolated and described. The description is based on the morphology of the fungi and the phylogenetic relationships of two of its gene regions internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and RNA polymerase II subunit B (RPB2). In addition, data on their physiology and cellular fatty acid profiles are reported. The development of these species was likely linked to the presence of unusual carbon and nitrogen organic sources provided by the intensive biocide treatments.