User talk:Em.elle/sandbox

Hi Em.elle,

Great job on your fungus entry! You provided a lot of interesting and useful information, and I have the following suggestions:

the first sentence states the name of the fungus and its relation to another similar fungus. I would suggest not comparing fungi as part of your first sentence of the whole page and maybe instead providing more general information about the fungus that basically summarizes the information or the most important information about the fungus. For example, you can include how its a pathogen to common agricultural plants, that would be intriguing to a reader who wants to find out more about the fungus. I would also summarize the taxonomy of the fungus in the taxonomy section, for example you can include that it's an Ascomycota of the order Trichosphaeriales, or something similar. You also mentioned that it was classed under a different name, it would be better if you include more information on why it was classed under that category in the past, and why the classification was changed.

Under physiology, you also stated that the fungus was found in several areas in Singapore, that information would fit better under Habitat and Ecology. You also include that it's found from the ground to low altitudes which is sort of confusing, by low altitudes do you mean below sea level? The fungus also has similar characteristics to hyphomycetes, if so can it grow as a mold? In habitat and ecology, it says that Nigrospora was found in human and eye infections, it might be better to put the full name of the fungus or N. sphaerica. You also state that the fungus caused onychomycosis, it might be better to provide more information on what onychomycosis is for readers without a mycology background. You can also include more information on the diagnosis and symptoms. Also, in the section on plant-pathogen interaction, it jumped too quickly to the specific plants, I would put a sentence above introducing the topic, such as: below is a list of plants that the fungus has infected. You also mentioned in the section a conidial suspension spray, but if you can elaborate further it would be helpful, as most readers might not know what that is. In Wisteria sinensis, you stated that when healthy leaves were inoculated with the fungus, there was the development of leaf spots, which sounds like it could be any leaf spots, it would be better to say that the leaf spots that developed were the same as found in the original sample. As a last point, it seems like this fungus has negative effects on common agricultural plants, maybe you can add a section on the fungus' effect on commercial agriculture? I found this interesting article on the subject: http://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=95520

In the section on secondary metabolites, I would elaborate more on the metabolites' function. Such as aphidicolin, it's an antiviral compound, what's the implication? How does the fungus use it, and when does it use it? If there's no information, it would be better to state that the function is still unknown. Some metabolites also seem to inhibit the growth of other fungi, are they useful in competition? Reading this section, I had trouble understanding how the metabolites are used and in what context, so it would be helpful if you can include more information on that. I also found an link on how the fungus has the potential to be an allergen, that would be interesting to include: https://www.drugs.com/pro/allergenic-extract-nigrospora-sphaerica.html.

Hasa20171 (talk) 18:34, 28 October 2016 (UTC)

Peer Review by Wezck
Hi Em.elle,

Right off the bat I'll have to put a caveat on Hasa's first suggestion that the comparison in the first sentence is bad. I believe that if the confusion of these two species is very prevalent in the in the literature and they have different toxicities, then it is very appropriate to add that information first because you'd be doing a disservice to anyone who comes to your page looking for the other one while thinking that this one is the one they want.

Other than that Hasa got most of the talking points, but I just wanted to add that latin/greek meanings of your scientific classification names are important to the casual reader to get an understanding of your fungus and what makes it what it is since linguistics is more approachable to the average reader than scientific description.

Also, secondary metabolism is a physiological thing and I don't think it should go under Habitat and Ecology even though it flows better that way. I think the way to make that work is to describe the secondary metabolism and it's effects and then talk about it's parasitism in Habitat and Ecology and then the reader will have a better understanding of how it's physiology affects how it infects.

Keep up the good work! --Wezck (talk) 00:24, 29 October 2016 (UTC)

Peer review by zikynsk
Hi, Em.elle!

Your outline is well-developed and covers detailed information of Nigrospora sphaerica in every aspects. Below are some of my suggestion to you:

Firstly, I think you should start a new section of “Mycosis” and transfer the contents (starting from the second bullet point) of “Habitat and ecology” to “Mycosis”.

In case of describing host-pathogen interactions, you may also describe the mechanism N. sphaerica uses to invade the hosts, for example, some uses type three secretion system or haustorium etc. Besides, instead of just listing a bunch of host-pathogen interactions, you can specifically point out the interaction that have caused big incidents in nature, such as a serious amphibian declines that has been caused by the other fungal species Chytridiomycosis. Additionally, is there only host-pathogen interactions between N. sphaerica and the plants? Are there any healthy or mutual host-microbial interactions?

Same for the secondary metabolites section, you can also mention the importance of them in relation to N. sphaerica. Why does N. sphaerica produce them? For example, phomalactone inhibits mycelial growth of plat pathogenic fungi. Why are they helping the plant? Is N. sphaerica a mutualist to specific plants? Or is it a competition for N. sphaerica if it is producing phomalactone to inhibits spore germination of other fungi species? This may give you some directions to elaborate more on.

I found that N. sphaerica is also a seed-borne fungus recorded in Some seed-borne fungi from Pakistan from Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 38 (3), 240-242 (1955).

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23261420_Endophytic_fungi_found_in_association_with_Smallanthus_sonchifolius_Asteraceae_as_resourceful_producers_of_cytotoxic_bioactive_natural_products - This paper describes a potential for N. sphaerica to be industrially produce some bioactive chemical molecule and can build ecological relationship that is beneficial some plants.

Zikynsk (talk) 02:13, 29 October 2016 (UTC)