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Open Forum Infectious Diseases Aug 2023is an opportunistic mold that causes pulmonary infections in immunosuppressed humans that are often treated with triazole therapy. Lupus nephritis is a major cause of...
is an opportunistic mold that causes pulmonary infections in immunosuppressed humans that are often treated with triazole therapy. Lupus nephritis is a major cause of progressive kidney disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, often requiring cyclophosphamide-based therapies. Triazole-cyclophosphamide co-administration is challenging as triazoles increase cyclophosphamide concentrations, which can worsen cyclophosphamide toxicity. We describe herein a patient with pneumonia and concomitant lupus nephritis who was successfully treated with posaconazole and echinocandin-bridged interruptions to allow for cyclophosphamide therapy. This regimen was well-tolerated without cyclophosphamide toxicity and achieved improvements in both fungal pneumonia and renal function.
PubMed: 37564740
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad410 -
Food Chemistry: X Jun 2024In this study, a fortified Daqu (FF Daqu) was prepared using high cellulase-producing , and the effects of in situ fortification on the physicochemical properties,...
In this study, a fortified Daqu (FF Daqu) was prepared using high cellulase-producing , and the effects of in situ fortification on the physicochemical properties, flavor, active microbial community and metabolism of Daqu were analyzed. The saccharification power, liquefaction power, and cellulase activity of the FF Daqu were significantly increased compared with that of the traditional Daqu (CT Daqu). The overall differences in flavor components and their contents were not significant, but the higher alcohols were lower in FF Daqu. The relative abundance of dominant active species in FF Daqu was 85.08% of the total active microbiota higher than 63.42% in CT Daqu, and the biomarkers were and , respectively. The enzymes related to starch and sucrose metabolic pathways were up-regulated and expressed in FF Daqu. In the laboratory level simulation of baijiu brewing, the yield of baijiu was increased by 3.36% using FF Daqu.
PubMed: 38665634
DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101382 -
Molecular Biology Reports Mar 2024Paecilomyces variotii has important economic value in stimulating crop growth, biodegradation, and other aspects. Up to now, there are no research reports on its...
BACKGROUD
Paecilomyces variotii has important economic value in stimulating crop growth, biodegradation, and other aspects. Up to now, there are no research reports on its mitochondrial genome.
METHODS AND RESULTS
The mitochondrial genome of Paecilomyces variotii was determined with the next-generation sequencing method (Illumina, NovaSeq), and its characteristics were analyzed using various bioinformatics approaches. The length of complete mitochondrial genome sequence of P. variotii is 40,965 bp and consists of 14 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 1 ribosomal protein S3 gene, 26 transport RNA genes. The results of phylogenetics analysis using Bayesian inference and Maximum likelihood methods showed that P. variotii belongs to the Eurotiales order in the Thermoascaceae family, and 9 genera within the Eurotiomycetes class were effectively distinguished with high support rates (bootstrap value > 92% and posterior probabilities > 99%). The analysis of synonymous substitution rates and nonsynonymous substitution rates indicated that the Ka/Ks values of the 14 PCGs in the mitochondrial genomes of the two orders in the Eurotiomycetes class ranged from 0 to 0.4333.
CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed the structural and sequence information characteristics of the mitochondrial genome of P. variotii, and the phylogenetic results strongly support its classification within the family Thermoascaceae, consistent with traditional morphological taxonomy studies. The 14 PCGs in the mitochondrial genomes of the two orders in the Eurotiomycetes class are subject to strong purifying (negative) selection. The results of this research provides an important molecular basis for the development of genomics, evolutionary genetics and molecular markers of P. variotii in the future.
Topics: Genome, Mitochondrial; Phylogeny; Bayes Theorem; Fungi; Byssochlamys
PubMed: 38446255
DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09330-x -
Bioresources and Bioprocessing May 2024Biodetoxification fungus selectively degrades toxic inhibitors generated from pretreatment of lignocellulose without consuming fermentable sugars. However, one barrier...
Biodetoxification fungus selectively degrades toxic inhibitors generated from pretreatment of lignocellulose without consuming fermentable sugars. However, one barrier for practical application is the sustained cell viability in the consequent fermentation step to compete the fermentable sugars with fermenting strains, resulting in sugar loss and reduced target product yield. This study investigated the competitive growth property between the biodetoxification fungus Paecilomyces variotii FN89 and the L-lactic acid bacterium Pediococcus acidilactici ZY271 under varying temperature and lactic acid osmatic stress. The results show that the L-lactic acid bacterium Ped. acidilactici ZY271 showed less thermotolerance to Pae. variotii FN89 at high temperature of 45 °C to 50 °C in both synthetic medium and wheat straw hydrolysate. In the higher temperature environment, the growth of the biodetoxification strian failed to compete with the lactic acid fermentation strain and was quickly eliminated from the fermentation system. The high temperature fermentation facilitated a fast transition from the detoxification stage to the fermentation stage for higher production of L-lactic acid.
PubMed: 38780813
DOI: 10.1186/s40643-024-00772-6 -
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Feb 2024Manogepix is a potent new antifungal agent targeting the fungal Gwt1 enzyme. Manogepix has previously demonstrated potent activity against clinical isolates of both...
Manogepix is a potent new antifungal agent targeting the fungal Gwt1 enzyme. Manogepix has previously demonstrated potent activity against clinical isolates of both (except ) and species. This study determined the activity of manogepix and comparators against a large collection of infrequently encountered yeast and molds. Manogepix demonstrated potent activity against infrequently encountered yeasts exhibiting elevated MIC values to other drug classes, including spp. (MIC, 0.008/0.12 mg/L), () (MIC, 0.03/0.06 mg/L), (MIC, 0.016-0.06 mg/L), (MIC, 0.016 mg/L), and (MIC, 0.03/0.12 mg/L). Similarly, manogepix was active against infrequently encountered mold isolates and strains exhibiting elevated MIC/MEC values to echinocandins, azoles, and amphotericin B, including (MEC, 0.004 mg/L), spp. (MEC, 0.016/0.06 mg/L), () species complex (MEC, 0.016/0.03 mg/L), (MEC, 0.03/0.06 mg/L), (MEC, 0.008 mg/L), spp. (MEC, ≤0.008/0.016 mg/L), (MEC, 0.06 mg/L), (MEC range, 0.016-0.12 mg/L), and spp. (MEC, 0.03/0.06 mg/L). Manogepix demonstrated potent activity against a majority of the infrequently encountered yeast and mold isolates tested including strains with elevated MIC/MEC values to other drug classes. Additional clinical development of manogepix (fosmanogepix) in difficult-to-treat, resistant fungal infections is warranted.
Topics: Triazoles; Antifungal Agents; Fungi; Aminopyridines; Yeasts; Candida; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Isoxazoles
PubMed: 38205999
DOI: 10.1128/aac.01132-23 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2023Highly adapted obligate endoparasites of the root system, root-knot nematodes ( spp.), cause great damage to agricultural crops. Our research is aimed at the assessment...
Highly adapted obligate endoparasites of the root system, root-knot nematodes ( spp.), cause great damage to agricultural crops. Our research is aimed at the assessment of nematicidal activity and effectiveness of antagonist fungal and bacterial strains against the most common type of root-knot nematode in the south of Russia. By means of molecular genetic identification, it was found that in the south of Russia, the species Chitwood, 1949 and (Kofoid and White, 1919) Chitwood, 1949 cause galls on the roots of open-ground and greenhouse tomato. Screening of microbial agents against second-stage juvenile (J2) was carried out in the laboratory. At the end of the experiment, two liquid fungal cultures of BK-6 and BK-2 were isolated, the nematicidal activity of which reached 100.0 and 70.2%, and exceeded the values of the biological standard (Nemotafagin-Mikopro) by 38.4% and 8.8%. The highest biological efficacy was noted in the liquid cultures of BK-6, BK-2, and BK-8 when introduced into the soil before planting tomato. The number of formed galls on the roots was lower in comparison with the control by 81.0%, 75.5%, and 74.4%.
PubMed: 37765486
DOI: 10.3390/plants12183323 -
International Microbiology : the... Mar 2024The indiscriminate use of petroleum-based polymers and plastics for single-use food packaging has led to serious environmental problems due the non-biodegradable...
The indiscriminate use of petroleum-based polymers and plastics for single-use food packaging has led to serious environmental problems due the non-biodegradable characteristics. Thus, much attention has been focused on the research of new biobased and biodegradable materials. Yeast and fungal biomass are low-cost and abundant sources of biopolymers with highly promising properties for the development of biodegradable materials. This study aimed to select a preparation method to develop new biodegradable films using the whole biomass of Paecilomyces variotii subjected to successive physical treatments including ultrasonic homogenization (US) and heat treatment. Sterilization process had an important impact on the final filmogenic dispersion and mechanical properties of the films. Longer US treatments produced a reduction in the particle size and the application of an intermediate UT treatment contributed favorably to the breaking of agglomerates allowing the second US treatment to be more effective, achieving an ordered network with a more uniform distribution. Samples that were not filtrated after the sterilization process presented mechanical properties similar to plasticized materials. On the other hand, the filtration process after sterilization eliminated soluble and hydratable compounds, which produced a reduction in the hydration of the films.
PubMed: 38483746
DOI: 10.1007/s10123-024-00501-1 -
Stress Biology Aug 2023Gray mold is a destructive disease caused by Botrytis cinerea, a pervasive plant pathogen, which poses a threat to both tomato growth and postharvest storage. The...
Gray mold is a destructive disease caused by Botrytis cinerea, a pervasive plant pathogen, which poses a threat to both tomato growth and postharvest storage. The utilization of induced resistance presents a potential strategy for combating plant pathogenic attacks. ZNC (zhinengcong), an extract derived from the endophytic fungus Paecilomyces variotii, has been discovered to play a vital role in preventing diverse forms of bacterial infections. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism behind its ability to enhance tomato resistance to fungi remains unclear. In this study, we found that the exogenous spraying of ZNC could significantly improve the resistance of tomato plants to B. cinerea. The results of both the metabolomic analysis and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) demonstrated that tomato plants responded to ZNC treatment by accumulating high levels of rutin. Additional transcriptome analysis uncovered that rutin enhances tomato resistance possible by initiating the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPKs) related genes expression during the initial phase of invasion by B. cinerea. In addition, we also found that rutin might activate plant immunity by eliciting ethylene (ET) and jasmonic acid (JA)-mediated pathways. Therefore, plant immune inducer ZNC and rutin has bright application prospects and high utilization value to control gray mold.
PubMed: 37676331
DOI: 10.1007/s44154-023-00106-0 -
Mycologia 2024The entomopathogenic fungus has recently been implicated in natural epizootics among exotic elongate hemlock scale (EHS) insects in Christmas tree farms in the eastern...
The entomopathogenic fungus has recently been implicated in natural epizootics among exotic elongate hemlock scale (EHS) insects in Christmas tree farms in the eastern United States. Since 1913, has been reported from various plant feeding Hemiptera in the southeastern United States, but comprehensive morphological and phylogenetic studies of U.S. populations are lacking. The recovery of multiple strains of from mycosed EHS in North Carolina provided an opportunity to conduct pathogenicity assays and morphological and phylogenetic studies to investigate genus- and species-level boundaries among the Clavicipitaceae. Pathogenicity assays confirmed that causes mortality of EHS crawlers, an essential first step in developing this fungus as a biocontrol. Morphological studies revealed that conidia aligned with previous measurements of the -like asexual state of , with conidiophore morphology consistent with historical observations. Additionally, a -like synanamorph was observed in select strains. In both a four-locus, 54-taxon Clavicipitaceae-wide phylogenetic analysis including D1-D2 domains of the nuclear 28S rRNA region (28S), elongation factor 1 alpha (), DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit 1 (), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit 2 () and a two-locus, 38-taxon (28S and ) phylogenetic analysis, all three species were resolved as strongly supported monophyletic lineages across all loci and both methods (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) of phylogenetic inference except for 28S for . Despite the strong support for individual species, none of the analyses supported the monophyly of with the inclusion of . Due to the paucity of and sequence data, provided superior delimitation of intraspecies groupings for and should be used in future studies. Further development of as a biocontrol against EHS will require additional surveys across diverse Hemiptera and expanded pathogenicity testing to clarify host range and efficacy of this fungus.
Topics: Animals; United States; Phylogeny; Bayes Theorem; Hypocreales; Hemiptera; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; North Carolina
PubMed: 38275281
DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2023.2296337 -
Poultry Science Jan 2024Fungi are pathogens that infect all types of poultry and farmers, leading to economic losses in poultry production. Fungi can be isolated from environmental samples and...
Fungi are pathogens that infect all types of poultry and farmers, leading to economic losses in poultry production. Fungi can be isolated from environmental samples and are ubiquitous in the air. This study aimed to evaluate fungal contamination in domestic duck farm environments and analyze biosecurity risk factors associated with fungal infection incidence to assess the vulnerability of the farms to fungal infection. The average fungal concentration was 203 colony-forming units (CFU)/m in the air and 365 × 10 CFU/m in the wall surface samples. Sixteen fungal genera were recovered from air and wall surface samples from 19 duck-breeding farms, Aspergillus being the most frequently isolated (air: 43.2%; wall surface: 40%). Eleven additional fungal genera (Acrophialophora, Byssochlamys, Fusarium, Lichtheimia, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Polycephalomyces, Rhizomucor, Scopulariopsis, Talaromyces, and Thermoascus) were isolated from air samples. Also, 8 additional fungal genera (Chaetomium, Lichtheimia, Penicillium, Petriella, Rhizomucor, Rhizopus, Talaromyces, and Trichosporon) were isolated from wall surface samples. The characteristics of the poultry farms (geographic region, stocking density, breeding house type, affiliate, duck age, and season) and fungal concentrations in the air and wall surface samples were analyzed to evaluate the biosecurity risk of the farms. Fungal infections were significantly affected by high stocking density (>2 ducks/m), duck age (18-25 wk and >60 wk), and high fungal concentration in the wall surface samples (>300 × 10 CFU/m).
Topics: Animals; Ducks; Farms; Biosecurity; Chickens; Plant Breeding; Poultry; Mycoses; Risk Factors
PubMed: 37925771
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103197