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Mycological Progress 2022Perylenequinones (PQs) are aromatic polyketides with an oxidized pentacyclic core that make up a family of natural compounds. Naturally occurring PQs mostly are produced... (Review)
Review
Perylenequinones (PQs) are aromatic polyketides with an oxidized pentacyclic core that make up a family of natural compounds. Naturally occurring PQs mostly are produced by phytopathogenic fungi, with few aphides, crinoids, and plants. PQs, also known as photosensitizers, absorb light energy which empowers them to produce reactive oxygen species that damage host cells. Therefore, PQs gained a considerable interest in pharmaceutical application notably in photodynamic therapy. This review presents a comprehensive overview of fungal PQs. Their occurrence, categorization, biosynthesis, structures, and bioactivities are all discussed in detail. After that, an analysis outlines their distribution across the kingdom of fungi. A total of 66 fungal PQs have been described from 22 ascomycete genera (, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and ). account for the majority of documented fungal PQs (82%), followed by (14%), (3%), and (1%). Herein, five families , , , , and are highlighted as potential sources of novel PQs due to their diversity. The review intends to pique bioprospectors' interest in fungal PQs. Indeed, the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries might gain greatly by exploiting fungal perylenequinones. Graphical abstract.
PubMed: 35401071
DOI: 10.1007/s11557-022-01790-4 -
Persoonia Jun 2020Fresh collections and their ascospore and conidial isolates backed up by type studies and molecular phylogenetic analyses of a multigene matrix of partial nuSSU-,...
Fresh collections and their ascospore and conidial isolates backed up by type studies and molecular phylogenetic analyses of a multigene matrix of partial nuSSU-, complete ITS, partial LSU rDNA, , and sequences were used to evaluate the boundaries and species composition of and related genera of the . Eight species, of which five are new, are recognised in s.str., 13 in with eight new species and two in the new genus with one new species. is combined in , in , and in . is distinct from and combined in . is a synonym of , which is combined in . is synonymous with , with , with , and is synonymous with , and the latter is lectotypified. , and are lecto- and epitypified, , , and are epitypified in order to stabilise the names in their phylogenetic positions. A neotype is proposed for . A determinative key to species is given. Asexual morphs of fenestelloid fungi are phoma-like and do not differ from those of other representatives of the . The phylogenetic structure of the fenestelloid clades is complex and can only be resolved at the species level by protein-coding genes, such as , and . All fungal species studied here occur, as far as has been possible to determine, on members of , most frequently on asexual and sexual morphs of .
PubMed: 33116334
DOI: 10.3767/persoonia.2020.44.01 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2022Coelomycetous fungi are among the emerging causes of infections and have been involved in many kinds of infections, including keratitis and endophtalmitis. Here, we...
Coelomycetous fungi are among the emerging causes of infections and have been involved in many kinds of infections, including keratitis and endophtalmitis. Here, we present the first case of keratitis caused by a coelomycetous fungus belonging to the family Cucurbitariaceae. In this case report, we describe the clinical presentation of a 56-year-old woman, a regular contact lens wearer, who was treated for pain in her right eye and fixed spot vision after an injury with plant debris. On examination, a corneal ulcer was observed, the foreign body was removed, and topical eye-drop therapy was started. After an initial improvement, the patient returned three weeks later due to a recurrence of discomfort in her right eye, observing the persistence of the corneal ulcer. Corneal scrapings were taken for culture, growing a filamentous fungus after seven days, which was identified by sequencing the fungal internal transcribed spacer region. It should be noted that microbiological identification of the coelomycetes in the clinical laboratory is not easy because of their difficulty in sporulating, making molecular techniques based on the amplification and sequencing of appropriate phylogenetic markers essential. Identification of these fungi is mandatory in order to optimise treatment due to the difficulty in eradicating them with antifungal treatment, requiring surgery in 50% of cases.
PubMed: 36675829
DOI: 10.3390/jof9010008 -
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Sep 2022Smokeless tobacco (SLT) alters the oral microbiome of smokeless tobacco users. Dysbiosis of oral bacteriome has been determined; however, the mycobiome of SLT users has...
Smokeless tobacco (SLT) alters the oral microbiome of smokeless tobacco users. Dysbiosis of oral bacteriome has been determined; however, the mycobiome of SLT users has not been characterized. The oral mycobiome was assayed by amplification and sequencing of the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region from oral swab samples of non-SLT users, SLT users (with or without oral lesions), and SLT with alcohol users. We observed that the richness and diversity of oral mycobiome were significantly decreased in SLT with oral lesions users than in non-users. The β-diversity analysis showed significant dissimilarity of oral mycobiome between non-users and SLT with oral lesions users. Linear discriminant analysis effect size and random forest analysis of oral mycobiome affirm that the genus Pichia was typical for SLT with oral lesions users. Prevalence of the fungal genus Pichia correlates positively with Starmerella, Mortierella, Fusarium, Calonectria, and Madurella, but is negatively correlated with Pyrenochaeta, Botryosporium, and Alternaria. Further, the determination of oral mycobiome functionality showed a high abundance of pathotroph-saprotroph-symbiotroph and animal pathogen-endophyte-epiphyte-undefined saprotroph at trophic and guild levels, respectively, indicating possibly major changes in normal growth repression of types of fungi. The oral mycobiome in SLT users was identified and comprehensively analyzed for the first time. SLT intake is associated with oral mycobiome dysbiosis and such alterations of the oral mycobiome may contribute to oral carcinogenesis in SLT users. This study will provide a basis for further large-scale investigations on the potential role of the mycobiome in SLT-induced oral cancer. KEY POINTS: • SLT induces dysbiosis of the oral microbiome that can contribute to oral cancer. • Oral mycobiome diversity is noticeably reduced in SLT users having oral lesions. • Occurrence of Pichia can be used as a biomarker for SLT users having oral lesions.
Topics: Dysbiosis; Humans; Mouth Neoplasms; Mycobiome; Pilot Projects; Tobacco Use; Tobacco, Smokeless
PubMed: 35913514
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12096-6 -
Molecular Biology Reports May 2023Shot hole is one of the important fungal diseases in stone fruits viz., peach, plum, apricot and cherry caused by Wilsonomyces carpophilus and almond among nut crops....
Whole genome sequencing of Wilsonomyces carpophilus, an incitant of shot hole disease in stone fruits: insights into secreted proteins of a necrotrophic fungal repository.
BACKGROUND
Shot hole is one of the important fungal diseases in stone fruits viz., peach, plum, apricot and cherry caused by Wilsonomyces carpophilus and almond among nut crops. Fungicides significantly decrease the disease. Pathogenicity studies proved a wide host range of the pathogen infecting all stone fruits and almond among the nut crops, however, the mechanism underlying host-pathogen interaction is still unknown. Molecular detection of the pathogen using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers is also unknown due to the unavailability of the pathogen genome.
METHODS AND RESULTS
We examined the morphology, pathology and genomics of the Wilsonomyces carpophilus. Whole genome sequencing of the W. carpophilus was carried out by Illumina HiSeq and PacBio high throughput sequencing plate-forms through hybrid assembly. Constant selection pressure alters the molecular mechanism of the pathogen causing disease. The studies revealed that the necrotrophs are more lethal with a complex pathogenicity mechanism and little-understood effector repositories. The different isolates of necrotrophic fungus W. carpophilus causing shot hole in stone fruits namely peach, plum, apricot and cherry, and almonds among the nut crops showed a significant variation in their morphology, however, the probability value (p = 0.29) suggests in-significant difference in the pathogenicity. Here, we reported draft genome of W. carpophilus of size 29.9 Mb (Accession number: PRJNA791904). A total of 10,901 protein-coding genes were predicted, including heterokaryon incompatibility genes, cytochrome-p450 genes, kinases, sugar transporters among others. We found 2851 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), tRNAs, rRNAs and pseudogenes in the genome. The most prominent proteins showing necrotrophic lifestyle of the pathogen were hydrolases, polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, esterolytic, lipolytic, and proteolytic enzymes accounted for 225 released proteins. Among the 223 fungal species, top-hit species distribution revealed the majority of hits against the Pyrenochaeta species followed by Ascochyta rabiei and Alternaria alternata.
CONCLUSION
Draft genome of W. carpophilus is 29.9 Mb based on Illumina HiSeq and PacBio hybrid assembly. The necrotrophs are more lethal with a complex pathogenicity mechanism. A significant variation in morphology was observed in different pathogen isolates. A total of 10,901 protein-coding genes were predicted in the pathogen genome including heterokaryon incompatibility, cytochrome-p450 genes, kinases and sugar transporters. We found 2851 SSRs, tRNAs, rRNAs and pseudogenes, and prominent proteins showing necrotrophic lifestyle such as hydrolases, polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, esterolytic, lipolytic and proteolytic enzymes. The top-hit species distribution were against the Pyrenochaeta spp. followed by Ascochyta rabiei.
Topics: Fruit; Prunus domestica; Whole Genome Sequencing; Peptide Hydrolases; Cytochromes; Sugars
PubMed: 36877348
DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08243-5 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2020Intensive greenhouse vegetable cultivation aggravates continuous cropping, resulting in the disturbance of the microbial community structure and the diversity of the...
Intensive greenhouse vegetable cultivation aggravates continuous cropping, resulting in the disturbance of the microbial community structure and the diversity of the soil matrix. In this study, we evaluated the diversity of the rhizosphere matrix fungi in rotation and continuous cropping systems by using high-throughput sequencing analysis of substrates under 6-years of continuous tomato cropping and rotation with cabbage, bean, or celery in greenhouse pots. The results showed that fungal richness in the Chinese cabbage rotation treatment (B) was significantly lower than that of other treatments, and fungal diversities of treatment B and the bean rotation treatment (D) were significantly lower than that of continuous tomato cropping (CK). Contrastingly, the celery rotation treatment (Q) increased the fungal diversity and richness. Furthermore, a principal coordinate analysis showed that the fungal soil community structure of each rotation treatment was different from that of CK. The relative abundances of several harmful fungi (such as , , and ) in control CK were significantly higher than those in rotation treatments. In addition, the matrix electrical conductivity, organic matter, total K, and available P in treatments B and D were significantly higher than those in control CK. Moreover, pH and total N of treatment Q were significantly higher than those of control CK. Most fungi were positively correlated with organic matter and available P and negatively correlated with pH. Therefore, rotation with celery could improve the abundance and diversity of fungi in continuous tomato cropping substrates and reduce the relative abundance of harmful fungi. These results indicated that the rotation of celery and tomato could effectively maintain the ecological balance of the substrate microenvironment and provide a more effective way to prevent the problems of continuous tomato cropping in greenhouse.
PubMed: 32508762
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00829 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2022Moso bamboo () has an extremely fast growth rate and major carbon sequestration potential. However, little information is available on the dynamics of soil C...
Moso bamboo () has an extremely fast growth rate and major carbon sequestration potential. However, little information is available on the dynamics of soil C accumulation and fungi communities related to different management practices. Here, we investigated changes in the soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions and fungal communities of a Moso bamboo plantation under three different management practices (M0: undisturbed; M1: extensively managed; and M2: intensively managed). Compared with M0, SOC levels were reduced by 41.2% and 71.5% in M1 and M2, respectively; furthermore, four SOC fractions (C1: very labile; C2: labile; C3: less labile; and C4: nonlabile) and the carbon management index (CMI) were also significantly reduced by plantation management. These practices further altered fungal communities, for example, by increasing and , and by decreasing and . , , , and were identified as keystone taxa. Soil fungal communities were significantly related to the pH, NH-N, AP, C3, and the C4 fractions of SOC. Random forest modeling identified soil C3 and as the most important predictors of the CMI. Our results suggest that reducing human interference would be beneficial for fungal community improvement and C sequestration in Moso bamboo plantations.
PubMed: 35736123
DOI: 10.3390/jof8060640 -
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology May 2020Phaeohyphomycosis, caused by opportunistic rare fungi, has increasingly been reported in diabetic and immunosuppressed patients. Pyrenochaeta unguis-hominis...
Phaeohyphomycosis, caused by opportunistic rare fungi, has increasingly been reported in diabetic and immunosuppressed patients. Pyrenochaeta unguis-hominis (P. unguis-hominis), a member of the dematiaceae group, has been identified to cause human nail infection. We report a rare case of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis in a diabetic female caused by P. unguis-hominis.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Ascomycota; Dermatomycoses; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Nail Diseases
PubMed: 31724160
DOI: 10.1111/ajd.13177 -
Microbiological Research Mar 2020Microbial diversity in Peruvian mountain areas is poorly know, specially endophytic microorganisms of medicinal native plants from the Cordillera Blanca. So, nine...
Microbial diversity in Peruvian mountain areas is poorly know, specially endophytic microorganisms of medicinal native plants from the Cordillera Blanca. So, nine bacterial and six fungal species were isolated from Gentianella weberbaueri and Valeriana pycnantha. According to 16S rDNA analysis, bacterial strains belong to genera Rahnella, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Rouxiella, and Bacillus; while ITS analysis showed that fungi belong to Pyrenochaeta, Scleroconidioma, Cryptococcus, and Plenodomus genera. Rahnella sp. GT24B and P. trivialis VT20B solubilized tricalcium phosphate and produced siderophores at 10 and 24 °C. Five bacteria strains produced indol-3-acetic acid (IAA) at 10 and 24 °C, where Rahnella sp. VT19B showed more production at 10 °C than 24 °C. Rahnella sp. GT24B, Serratia sp. VT28B, and Rahnella sp. GT25B inhibited Fusarium oxysporum growth up to 100, 78 and 74 %, respectively. R. inusitata VT25B and B. licheniformis GT10B showed high cellulolytic and proteolytic activities. On the other hand, only a few fungi moderately inhibited growth of F. oxysporum, and produced siderophores and cellulases. Most of bacteria inoculated on Medicago sativa "alfalfa" and Triticum aestivum "wheat" seeds got better root development, especially Rahnella sp. GT24B, Rouxiella sp.VT24B, Serratia sp. VT28B, and Rahnella sp. VT34B. Finally, this study is the first report of endophytic microorganisms associated to wild medicinal high-mountain Peruvian plants and it show a valuable microbial diversity and its possible role in promoting growth of crops and wild medicinal plants.
Topics: Bacteria; Crops, Agricultural; Endophytes; Fungi; Gentianella; Indoleacetic Acids; Peru; Phylogeny; Plant Roots; Plants, Medicinal; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Valerian
PubMed: 31981904
DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2020.126413 -
Medical Mycology Aug 2019Although there have been few reports of opportunistic infections (superficial and systemic) caused by coelomycetous fungi, they are becoming more frequent....
Although there have been few reports of opportunistic infections (superficial and systemic) caused by coelomycetous fungi, they are becoming more frequent. Neocucurbitaria keratinophila (formerly Pyrenochaeta keratinophila), characterized by producing pycnidial conidiomata and small hyaline conidia, seems to be an emergent opportunistic pathogen in Spain. Since this fungus was first reported from human keratitis, eight strains have been isolates from clinical cases in Spain. This is a retrospective study of these fungal strains, including phenotypic and molecular characterizations, and in vitro antifungal susceptibility assays. These clinical strains were identified by sequencing four phylogenetic markers such as the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and fragments of the 28S nrRNA (LSU), beta-tubulin (tub2), and RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2) genes, and by morphological characterization. All the strains tested were susceptible to the majority of antifungals, being isavuconazole the only drug that showed a poor antifungal activity.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Ascomycota; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; DNA, Fungal; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Dermatomycoses; Humans; Opportunistic Infections; Phenotype; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S; Retrospective Studies; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Spain
PubMed: 30496507
DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myy132