Первое обнаружение щелочеустойчивых грибов на побережье хлоридного озера Баскунчак

This is the first study of alkali-resistant fungi in the conditions of neutral salinization at the Lake Baskunchak (Astrakhan region, Russia). Fungi were isolated from the lake coast chloride soils on alkaline agar medium (pH 10.0-10.5); isolates were characterized by morphological, cultural, and molecular genetic features; phylogenetic analysis and analysis of adaptation to pH and salinity were performed. It has been shown that alkali-resistant fungi at the lake coast is a polyphyletic group of Ascomycetes from Sordariomycetes (9 species), Dothideomycetes (5 species), Eurotiomycetes (3 species), and also sterile mycelium (15 isolates). The study of the growth rates in a wide range of pH has shown that among the isolates there are both alkalotolerant fungi and alkaliphilic one. The tolerance of isolates to elevated concentrations of sodium chloride was confirmed. The discovery of obligate alkaliphiles, under conditions of neutral salinization, was unexpected. Phylogenetic reconstructions were carried out, obligate alkaliphilic isolates were characterized as a new species of the genus Sodiomyces. In the article, we discuss the possible ecological role of alkali-resistant fungi in saline habitats.