We reassessed the circumscription of the cantharelloid clade and identified monophyletic groups by using nLSU, nSSU, mtSSU and RPB2 sequence data. Results agreed with earlier studies that placed the genera Cantharellus, Craterellus, Hydnum, Clavulina, Membranomyces, Multiclavula, Sistotrema, Botryobasidium and the family Ceratobasidiaceae in that clade. Phylogenetic analyses support monophyly of all genera except Sistotrema, which was highly polyphyletic. Strongly supported monophyletic groups were: (i) Cantharellus-Craterellus, Hydnum, and the Sistotrema confluens group; (ii) Clavulina-Membranomyces and the S. brinkmannii-oblongisporum group, with Multiclavula being possibly sister of that clade; (iii) the Sistotrema eximum-octosporum group; (iv) Sistotrema adnatum and S. coronilla. Positions of Sistotrema raduloides and S. athelioides were unresolved, as were basal relationships. Botryobasidium was well supported as the sister taxon of all the above taxa, while Ceratobasidiaceae was the most basal lineage. The relationship between Tulasnella and members of the cantharelloid clade will require further scrutiny, although there is cumulative evidence that they are probably sister groups. The rates of molecular evolution of both the large and small nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (nuc-rDNA) are much higher in Cantharellus, Craterellus and Tulasnella than in the other cantharelloid taxa, and analyses of nuc-rDNA sequences strongly placed Tulasnella close to Cantharellus-Craterellus. In contrast analyses with RPB2 and mtSSU sequences placed Tulasnella at the base of the cantharelloid clade. Our attempt to reconstruct a "supertree" from tree topologies resulting from separate analyses that avoided phylogenetic reconstruction problems associated with missing data and/or unalignable sequences proved unsuccessful.

Decipinin A (1), a new compound with antifungal and antibacterial activity, has been isolated from liquid cultures of the coprophilous fungus Podospora decipiens (JS 270). Two new tetracyclic sesquiterpene lactones, decipienolides A (2) and B (3), were also obtained from this isolate as an inseparable mixture of epimers that showed antibacterial activity. The structures of 1-3 were elucidated by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data, aided by chemical shift comparisons to related compounds.

We reassessed the circumscription of the cantharelloid clade and identified monophyletic groups by using nLSU, nSSU, mtSSU and RPB2 sequence data. Results agreed with earlier studies that placed the genera Cantharellus, Craterellus, Hydnum, Clavulina, Membranomyces, Multiclavula, Sistotrema, Botryobasidium and the family Ceratobasidiaceae in that clade. Phylogenetic analyses support monophyly of all genera except Sistotrema, which was highly polyphyletic. Strongly supported monophyletic groups were: (i) Cantharellus-Craterellus, Hydnum, and the Sistotrema confluens group; (ii) Clavulina-Membranomyces and the S. brinkmannii-oblongisporum group, with Multiclavula being possibly sister of that clade; (iii) the Sistotrema eximum-octosporum group; (iv) Sistotrema adnatum and S. coronilla. Positions of Sistotrema raduloides and S. athelioides were unresolved, as were basal relationships. Botryobasidium was well supported as the sister taxon of all the above taxa, while Ceratobasidiaceae was the most basal lineage. The relationship between Tulasnella and members of the cantharelloid clade will require further scrutiny, although there is cumulative evidence that they are probably sister groups. The rates of molecular evolution of both the large and small nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (nuc-rDNA) are much higher in Cantharellus, Craterellus and Tulasnella than in the other cantharelloid taxa, and analyses of nuc-rDNA sequences strongly placed Tulasnella close to Cantharellus-Craterellus. In contrast analyses with RPB2 and mtSSU sequences placed Tulasnella at the base of the cantharelloid clade. Our attempt to reconstruct a "supertree" from tree topologies resulting from separate analyses that avoided phylogenetic reconstruction problems associated with missing data and/or unalignable sequences proved unsuccessful.

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Chemical studies of the coprophilous fungus Ascodesmis sphaerospora (JS 247) have led to the isolation of arugosin F (1), a new antifungal and antibacterial metabolite. The structure was determined based on NMR and MS data and on comparison with data for known members of the arugosin class. A known xanthone (2) was also isolated.

A chemical investigation of the coprophilous fungus Cercophorasordarioides has led to the isolation of arthrinone (1), a known fungal metabolite, and three new related compounds: 1-dehydroxyarthrinone (2), 3a,9a-deoxy-3a-hydroxy-1-dehydroxyarthrinone (3), and cerdarin (4). These metabolites were obtained from antifungal ethyl acetate extracts of liquid cultures of C. sordarioides through bioassay-guided fractionation, and their structures were assigned on the basis of 1D-NMR, HMQC, and HMBC results. Compounds 2 and 4 exhibited anti-Candida activity. Key words: antifungal, fungal metabolite, natural product, Cercophorasordarioides.

Pseudodestruxins A (1) and B (2), two new cyclic peptides, have been isolated from cultures of the coprophilous fungus Nigrosabulum globosum. The structure of pseudodestruxin A (1) was elucidated using 2D NMR techniques and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structure of 2 was assigned by comparing its NMR and FABMS data with those of compound 1. The known compounds ascochlorin and 5-chlorocollectorin B were also isolated from N. globosum. Although 1 and 2 display antibacterial effects, ascochlorin was found to be responsible for the antifungal activity of the crude extract.

Sporovexins A-C (1-3) and 3'-O-desmethyl-1-epipreussomerin C (4) have been isolated from liquid cultures of the coprophilous fungus Sporormiella vexans (JS 306). The structures of these new metabolites were elucidated on the basis of MS and NMR analysis. Compounds 1 and 4 show antifungal activity against competitor fungi, as well as antibacterial effects.