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World Journal of Microbiology &... May 2024Jojoba shrubs are wild plants cultivated in arid and semiarid lands and characterized by tolerance to drought, salinity, and high temperatures. Fungi associated with...
Jojoba shrubs are wild plants cultivated in arid and semiarid lands and characterized by tolerance to drought, salinity, and high temperatures. Fungi associated with such plants may be attributed to the tolerance of host plants against biotic stress in addition to the promotion of plant growth. Previous studies showed the importance of jojoba as jojoba oil in the agricultural field; however, no prior study discussed the role of jojoba-associated fungi (JAF) in reflecting plant health and the possibility of using JAF in biocontrol. Here, the culture-independent and culture-dependent approaches were performed to study the diversity of the jojoba-associated fungi. Then, the cultivable fungi were evaluated for in-vitro antagonistic activity and in vitro plant growth promotion assays. The metagenome analysis revealed the existence of four fungal phyla: Ascomycota, Aphelidiomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota. The phylum Ascomycota was the most common and had the highest relative abundance in soil, root, branch, and fruit samples (59.7%, 50.7%, 49.8%, and 52.4%, respectively). Alternaria was the most abundant genus in aboveground tissues: branch (43.7%) and fruit (32.1%), while the genus Discosia had the highest abundance in the underground samples: soil (24%) and root (30.7%). For the culture-dependent method, a total of 14 fungi were isolated, identified, and screened for their chitinolytic and antagonist activity against three phytopathogenic fungi (Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternata and Rhizoctonia solani) as well as their in vitro plant growth promotion (PGP) activity. Based on ITS sequence analysis, the selected potent isolates were identified as Aspergillus stellatusEJ-JFF3, Aspergillus flavus EJ-JFF4, Stilbocrea sp. EJ-JLF1, Fusarium solani EJ-JRF3, and Amesia atrobrunneaEJ-JSF4. The endophyte strain A. flavus EJ-JFF4 exhibited the highest chitinolytic activity (9 Enzyme Index) and antagonistic potential against Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternata, and Rhizoctonia solani phytopathogens with inhibitory percentages of 72, 70, and 80 respectively. Also, A. flavus EJ-JFF4 had significant multiple PGP properties, including siderophore production (69.3%), phosphate solubilization (95.4 µg ml). The greatest production of Indol-3-Acetic Acid was belonged to A. atrobrunnea EJ-JSF4 (114.5 µg ml). The analysis of FUNGuild revealed the abundance of symbiotrophs over other trophic modes, and the guild of endophytes was commonly assigned in all samples. For the first time, this study uncovered fungal diversity associated with jojoba plants using a culture-independent approach and in-vitro assessed the roles of cultivable fungal strains in promoting plant growth and biocontrol. The present study indicated the significance of jojoba shrubs as a potential source of diverse fungi with high biocontrol and PGP activities.
Topics: Fungi; Alternaria; Soil Microbiology; Metagenome; Rhizoctonia; Phylogeny; Plant Diseases; Fusarium; Antibiosis; Plant Roots; Biodiversity; Biological Control Agents; Ascomycota; Plant Development
PubMed: 38755302
DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03986-0 -
Biomedical Chromatography : BMC Jul 2024Spices are food flavouring agents that are highly used in Iraq. However, they may be contaminated by toxicogenic fungi and subsequent production of mycotoxins. The aim...
Spices are food flavouring agents that are highly used in Iraq. However, they may be contaminated by toxicogenic fungi and subsequent production of mycotoxins. The aim of this study was to investigate the contamination of commonly used spices with fungi using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and to detect fungal mycotoxin using high-performance liquid chromatography. Thirty-five spices (seven samples from each black pepper, red pepper, turmeric, cumin and ginger) were cultured on an appropriate medium to identify various fungi species. Later on, the toxigenicity of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger was determined using a PCR assay. The fungal mycotoxins, including aflatoxins and ochratoxins, were then determined through a high-performance liquid chromatography using the validated Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuECHERS) method. Aspergillus species were the predominantly isolated fungi, followed by Penicillium and Fusarium. The PCR results indicate the high toxigenicity of A. flavus as 85.7% of the strains had aflQ/aflR genes and 79% had PKS15KS/PKS15C-MeT genes. Regarding mycotoxin contamination in spices, the highest rates of aflatoxins and ochratoxins were found in black pepper (5.913 μg/kg) and red chilli (6.9055 μg/kg), respectively. Spices are susceptible substrates for the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi. Thus, regular effective surveillance and quality control procedures are highly recommended.
Topics: Spices; Mycotoxins; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Fungi; Reproducibility of Results; Limit of Detection; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Linear Models
PubMed: 38752546
DOI: 10.1002/bmc.5889 -
BMC Genomics May 2024Carotenoid cleavage oxygenases (CCOs) enzymes play a vital role in plant growth and development through the synthesis of apocarotenoids and their derivative. These...
Carotenoid cleavage oxygenases (CCOs) enzymes play a vital role in plant growth and development through the synthesis of apocarotenoids and their derivative. These chemicals are necessary for flower and fruit coloration, as well as the manufacture of plant hormones such as abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactones, which control a variety of physiological processes. The CCOs gene family has not been characterized in Arachis hypogaea. Genome mining of A. hypogaea identifies 24 AhCCO gene members. The AhCCO gene family was divided into two subgroups based on the recent study of the Arabidopsis thaliana CCO gene family classification system. Twenty-three AhCCO genes, constituting 95.8% of the total, were regulated by 29 miRNAs, underscoring the significance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in governing gene expression in peanuts. AhCCD19 is the only gene that lacks a miRNA target site. The physicochemical characteristics of CCO genes and their molecular weights and isoelectric points were studied further. The genes were then characterized regarding chromosomal distribution, structure, and promoter cis-elements. Light, stress development, drought stress, and hormone responsiveness were discovered to be associated with AhCCO genes, which can be utilized in developing more resilient crops. The investigation also showed the cellular location of the encoded proteins and discovered that the peanut carotenoid oxygenase gene family's expansion was most likely the result of tandem, segmental, and whole-genome duplication events. The localization expresses the abundance of genes mostly in the cytoplasm and chloroplast. Expression analysis shows that AhCCD7 and AhCCD14 genes show the maximum expression in the apical meristem, lateral leaf, and pentafoliate leaf development, while AhNCED9 and AhNCED13 express in response to Aspergillus flavus resistance. This knowledge throws light on the evolutionary history of the AhCCO gene family and may help researchers better understand the molecular processes behind gene duplication occurrences in plants. An integrated synteny study was used to find orthologous carotenoid oxygenase genes in A. hypogaea, whereas Arabidopsis thaliana and Beta vulgaris were used as references for the functional characterization of peanut CCO genes. These studies provide a foundation for future research on the regulation and functions of this gene family. This information provides valuable insights into the genetic regulation of AhCCO genes. This technology could create molecular markers for breeding programs to develop new peanut lines.
Topics: Arachis; Stress, Physiological; Multigene Family; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Oxygenases; Carotenoids; MicroRNAs; Phylogeny; Genome, Plant; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Plant Proteins
PubMed: 38745121
DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10351-w -
BMC Plant Biology May 2024Wheat is one of the essential crops for the human and animal nutrition, however, contamination with aflatoxigenic fungi, due to the improper storage conditions and high...
Wheat is one of the essential crops for the human and animal nutrition, however, contamination with aflatoxigenic fungi, due to the improper storage conditions and high humidity, was the main global threats. So, preventing the growth of aflatoxigenic fungi in stored wheat grains, by using different essential oils was the main objective of this work. Aspergillus flavus EFBL-MU12 PP087400, EFBL-MU23 PP087401 and EFBL-MU36 PP087403 isolates were the most potent aflatoxins producers inhabiting wheat grains. The effect of storage conditions of wheat grains "humidity, temperature, incubation period, and pH" on growth of A. flavus, was assessed by the response surface methodology using Plackett-Burman design and FCCD. The highest yield of aflatoxins EFBL-MU12 B and B by A. flavus grown on wheat grains were 145.3 and 7.6 μg/kg, respectively, at incubation temperature 35°C, 16% moisture contents, initial pH 5.0, and incubated for 14 days. The tested oils had a powerful antifungal activity for the growth and aflatoxins production by A. flavus in a concentration-dependent manner. Among these oils, cinnamon oil had the highest fungicidal activity for A. flavus at 0.125%, with about 85-90 % reduction to the aflatoxins B and B, conidial pigmentation and chitin contents on wheat grains. From the SEM analysis, cinnamon oils had the most deleterious effect on A. flavus with morphological aberrations to the conidial heads, vegetative mycelia, alteration in conidiophores identity, hyphae shrank, and winding. To emphasize the effect of the essential oils on the aflatoxins producing potency of A. flavus, the molecular expression of the aflatoxins biosynthetic genes was estimated by RT-qPCR. The molecular expression of nor-1, afLR, pKsA and afLJ genes was suppressed by 94-96%, due to cinnamon oil at 0.062% compared to the control. Conclusively, from the results, cinnamon oils followed by the peppermint oils displayed the most fungicidal activity for the growth and aflatoxins production by A. flavus grown on wheat grains.
Topics: Aspergillus flavus; Triticum; Oils, Volatile; Aflatoxins; Cinnamomum zeylanicum; Antifungal Agents; Fungicides, Industrial; Food Storage; Edible Grain
PubMed: 38741071
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05065-w -
International Journal of Food... Jun 2024Plant volatile organic compounds (PVOCs) have gained increasing attention for their role in preventing fungal spoilage and insect contamination in postharvest...
Plant volatile organic compounds (PVOCs) have gained increasing attention for their role in preventing fungal spoilage and insect contamination in postharvest agro-products owing to their effectiveness and sustainability. In this study, the essential oil was extracted from fresh M. alternifolia (tea tree) leaves, and the fumigation vapor of tea tree oil (TTO) completely inhibited the growth of Aspergillus flavus on agar plates at a concentration of 1.714 μL/mL. Terpinen-4-ol was identified as the major component (40.76 %) of TTO volatiles analyzed using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Terpinen-4-ol vapor completely inhibited the A. flavus growth on agar plates and 20 % moisture wheat grain at 0.556 and 1.579 μL/mL, respectively, indicating that terpinen-4-ol serves as the main antifungal constituent in TTO volatiles. The minimum inhibitory concentration of terpinen-4-ol in liquid-contact culture was 1.6 μL/mL. Terpinen-4-ol treatment caused depressed, wrinkled, and punctured mycelial morphology and destroyed the plasma membrane integrity of A. flavus. Metabolomics analysis identified significant alterations in 93 metabolites, with 79 upregulated and 14 downregulated in A. flavus mycelia exposed to 1.6 μL/mL terpinen-4-ol for 6 h, involved in multiple cellular processes including cell membrane permeability and integrity, the ABC transport system, pentose phosphate pathway, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Biochemical analysis and 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate staining showed that terpinen-4-ol induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in A. flavus mycelia. This study provides new insights into the antifungal effects of the main TTO volatile compounds terpinen-4-ol on the growth of A. flavus.
Topics: Aspergillus flavus; Tea Tree Oil; Terpenes; Triticum; Antifungal Agents; Volatile Organic Compounds; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Edible Grain; Food Preservation
PubMed: 38733636
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110741 -
International Journal of Biological... Jun 2024The present investigation entails the first report on entrapment of Carum carvi essential oil (CCEO) into chitosan polymer matrix for protection of stored herbal raw...
The present investigation entails the first report on entrapment of Carum carvi essential oil (CCEO) into chitosan polymer matrix for protection of stored herbal raw materials against fungal inhabitation and aflatoxin B (AFB) production. Physico-chemical characterization of nanoencapsulated CCEO was performed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopy. The nanoencapsulated CCEO displayed improved antifungal and AFB suppressing potentiality along with controlled delivery over unencapsulated CCEO. The encapsulated CCEO nanoemulsion obstructed the ergosterol production and escalated the efflux of cellular ions, thereby suggesting plasma membrane as prime target of antifungal action in Aspergillus flavus cells. The impairment in methyglyoxal production and modeling based carvone interaction with Afl-R protein validated the antiaflatoxigenic mechanism of action. In addition, CCEO displayed augmentation in antioxidant potentiality after encapsulation into chitosan nanomatrix. Moreover, the in-situ study demonstrated the effective protection of Withania somnifera root samples (model herbal raw material) against fungal infestation and AFB contamination along with prevention of lipid peroxidation. The acceptable organoleptic qualities of W. somnifera root samples and favorable safety profile in mice (animal model) strengthen the application of nanoencapsulated CCEO emulsion as nano-fungitoxicant for preservation of herbal raw materials against fungi and AFB mediated biodeterioration.
Topics: Aflatoxin B1; Chitosan; Oils, Volatile; Emulsions; Carum; Aspergillus flavus; Antifungal Agents; Animals; Mice; Food Contamination; Antioxidants
PubMed: 38729502
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132248 -
PloS One 2024Candida represents a prevalent fungal infection, notable for its substantial implications on morbidity and mortality rates. In the landscape of prospective treatments,...
BACKGROUND
Candida represents a prevalent fungal infection, notable for its substantial implications on morbidity and mortality rates. In the landscape of prospective treatments, quinoxaline derivatives emerge as a category of compact compounds exhibiting notable potential in addressing infections. These derivatives showcase promising antimicrobial efficacy coupled with favorable pharmacokinetic and safety characteristics.
AIMS
The central aim of this investigation was to examine the antifungal characteristics of 2-Chloro-3-hydrazinylquinoxaline against diverse strains of Candida and Aspergillus in vitro. Additionally, we endeavored to assess the in vivo efficacy of 2-Chloro-3-hydrazinylquinoxaline using a murine model for oral candidiasis induced by C. albicans cells ATCC 10231.
RESULTS
2-Chloro-3-hydrazinylquinoxaline demonstrated noteworthy effectiveness when tested against various reference strains of Candida species. It exhibited heightened efficacy, particularly against Candida krusei isolates. However, its performance against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida auris isolates exhibited variability. Notably, 2-Chloro-3-hydrazinylquinoxaline manifests variable efficacy against Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus flavus and no effect against Aspergillus brasiliensis. In a murine model, 2-Chloro-3-hydrazinylquinoxaline exhibited significant efficacy in combating the C. albicans cells ATCC 10231 strain, underscoring its potential as a viable treatment option.
CONCLUSION
2-Chloro-3-hydrazinylquinoxaline has demonstrated substantial potential in effectively addressing various Candida and Aspergillus species, showcasing dual attributes of antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. However, to attain a more comprehensive understanding of its therapeutic capabilities, further investigations, incorporating additional tests and experiments, are imperative.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Quinoxalines; Animals; Candida; Mice; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Disease Models, Animal; Candidiasis; Female
PubMed: 38728271
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303373 -
Stress Biology May 2024Maize (Zea mays), a major food crop worldwide, is susceptible to infection by the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus flavus that can produce the carcinogenic metabolite...
MicroRNA (miRNA) profiling of maize genotypes with differential response to Aspergillus flavus implies zma-miR156-squamosa promoter binding protein (SBP) and zma-miR398/zma-miR394-F -box combinations involved in resistance mechanisms.
Maize (Zea mays), a major food crop worldwide, is susceptible to infection by the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus flavus that can produce the carcinogenic metabolite aflatoxin (AF) especially under climate change induced abiotic stressors that favor mold growth. Several studies have used "-omics" approaches to identify genetic elements with potential roles in AF resistance, but there is a lack of research identifying the involvement of small RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) in maize-A. flavus interaction. In this study, we compared the miRNA profiles of three maize lines (resistant TZAR102, moderately resistant MI82, and susceptible Va35) at 8 h, 3 d, and 7 d after A. flavus infection to investigate possible regulatory antifungal role of miRNAs. A total of 316 miRNAs (275 known and 41 putative novel) belonging to 115 miRNA families were identified in response to the fungal infection across all three maize lines. Eighty-two unique miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed with 39 miRNAs exhibiting temporal differential regulation irrespective of the maize genotype, which targeted 544 genes (mRNAs) involved in diverse molecular functions. The two most notable biological processes involved in plant immunity, namely cellular responses to oxidative stress (GO:00345990) and reactive oxygen species (GO:0034614) were significantly enriched in the resistant line TZAR102. Coexpression network analysis identified 34 hubs of miRNA-mRNA pairs where nine hubs had a node in the module connected to their target gene with potentially important roles in resistance/susceptible response of maize to A. flavus. The miRNA hubs in resistance modules (TZAR102 and MI82) were mostly connected to transcription factors and protein kinases. Specifically, the module of miRNA zma-miR156b-nb - squamosa promoter binding protein (SBP), zma-miR398a-3p - SKIP5, and zma-miR394a-5p - F-box protein 6 combinations in the resistance-associated modules were considered important candidates for future functional studies.
PubMed: 38727957
DOI: 10.1007/s44154-024-00158-w -
Mycologia 2024The ascomycete fungus infects and contaminates corn, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts with toxic and carcinogenic aflatoxins. Subdivision between soil and host plant...
The ascomycete fungus infects and contaminates corn, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts with toxic and carcinogenic aflatoxins. Subdivision between soil and host plant populations suggests that certain strains are specialized to infect peanut, cotton, and corn despite having a broad host range. In this study, the ability of strains isolated from corn and/or soil in 11 Louisiana fields to produce conidia (field inoculum and male gamete) and sclerotia (resting bodies and female gamete) was assessed and compared with genotypic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences between whole genomes. Corn strains produced upward of 47× more conidia than strains restricted to soil. Conversely, corn strains produced as much as 3000× fewer sclerotia than soil strains. strains, typified by sclerotium diameter (small S-strains, <400 μm; large L-strains, >400 μm), belonged to separate clades. Several strains produced a mixture (M) of S and L sclerotia, and an intermediate number of conidia and sclerotia, compared with typical S-strains (minimal conidia, copious sclerotia) and L-strains (copious conidia, minimal sclerotia). They also belonged to a unique phylogenetic mixed (M) clade. Migration from soil to corn positively correlated with conidium production and negatively correlated with sclerotium production. Genetic differences correlated with differences in conidium and sclerotium production. Opposite skews in female (sclerotia) or male (conidia) gametic production by soil or corn strains, respectively, resulted in reduced effective breeding population sizes when comparing male:female gamete ratio with mating type distribution. Combining both soil and corn populations increased the effective breeding population, presumably due to contribution of male gametes from corn, which fertilize sclerotia on the soil surface. Incongruencies between aflatoxin clusters, strain morphotype designation, and whole genome phylogenies suggest a history of sexual reproduction within this Louisiana population, demonstrating the importance of conidium production, as infectious propagules and as fertilizers of the soil population.
Topics: Zea mays; Aspergillus flavus; Plant Diseases; Soil Microbiology; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Spores, Fungal; Louisiana; Phylogeny; Genotype
PubMed: 38727560
DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2343645 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Jul 2024High levels of bioaerosols may exist in the air of municipal solid waste (MSW) management facilities, constituting a significant occupational hazard for workers. In this...
High levels of bioaerosols may exist in the air of municipal solid waste (MSW) management facilities, constituting a significant occupational hazard for workers. In this study, we investigated the potential association between exposure to bioaerosols and inflammatory biomarkers among municipal solid waste workers (MSWWs) at both the landfill site and the municipal solid waste transfer station (MSWTS), in comparison to a control group without exposure. Air sampling was conducted at six points around the landfill, two points at the MSWTS, and one point in a public park (as a control area) during the spring and summer of 2019. The results of our study revealed that airborne pathogens were highly prevalent at the sampling points, especially in the active zone and leachate collection pond. Aspergillus species were the predominant fungal species detected in this study, with the highest occurrence observed for Aspergillus flavus (83.3%), Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus fumigatus (75.0%). Furthermore, Staphylococcus species accounted for over 75% of the total bacterial bioaerosols detected across all study areas. The blood test results of workers revealed a significant increase in platelets (PLT), immunoglobulin G (IgG), white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, basophils, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) compared to the control group. Conversely, platelet distribution width (PDW), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR) in the exposed subjects exhibited a decreasing trend compared to the control group. These findings suggest a potential association between exposure to bioaerosols, particularly in the vicinity of open dumpsites, and elevated levels of hematologic and inflammatory markers in circulation. Furthermore, the influence of smoking status and confounding factors appears to be significant in both the control and exposure groups.
Topics: Aerosols; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Air Pollution; Waste Disposal Facilities; Occupational Groups; Humans; Biomarkers; C-Reactive Protein; Occupational Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Male; Female; Adult; Adolescent; Young Adult; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38723706
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124124