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Current Microbiology Jun 2024Microbial degradation of keratin is characterized by its inherent safety, remarkable efficiency, and the production of copious degradation products. All these attributes...
Microbial degradation of keratin is characterized by its inherent safety, remarkable efficiency, and the production of copious degradation products. All these attributes contribute to the effective management of waste materials at high value-added and in a sustainable manner. Microbial degradation of keratin materials remains unclear, however, with variations observed in the degradation genes and pathways among different microorganisms. In this study, we sequenced the transcriptome of Purpureocillium lilacinum GZAC18-2JMP mycelia on control medium and the medium containing 1% feather powder, analyzed the differentially expressed genes, and revealed the degradation mechanism of chicken feathers by P. lilacinum GZAC18-2JMP. The results showed that the chicken feather degradation rate of P. lilacinum GZAC18-2JMP reached 64% after 216 h of incubation in the fermentation medium, reaching a peak value of 148.9 μg·mL at 192 h, and the keratinase enzyme activity reached a peak value of 211 U·mL at 168 h, which revealed that P. lilacinum GZAC18-2JMP had a better keratin degradation effect. A total of 1001 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the transcriptome database, including 475 upregulated genes and 577 downregulated genes. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of the DEGs revealed that the metabolic pathways related to keratin degradation were mainly sulfur metabolism, ABC transporters, and amino acid metabolism. Therefore, the results of this study provide an opportunity to gain further insight into keratin degradation and promote the biotransformation of feather wastes.
Topics: Keratins; Hypocreales; Animals; Transcriptome; Feathers; Chickens; Gene Expression Profiling; Fungal Proteins; Peptide Hydrolases; Mycelium; Fermentation; Biodegradation, Environmental
PubMed: 38879855
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-024-03757-y -
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology Jun 2024Citrus sour rot is a common postharvest citrus disease caused by Geotrichum citri-aurantiiti, which has led to enormous economic losses, particularly during rainy...
Citrus sour rot is a common postharvest citrus disease caused by Geotrichum citri-aurantiiti, which has led to enormous economic losses, particularly during rainy seasons. In this study, we aimed to clarify the impact of berberine hydrochloride (BH), the hydrochloride form of an isoquinoline alkaloid, on the control efficiency of citrus sour rot and its antifungal mode against G. citri-aurantii. Results demonstrated that BH markedly impede the propagation of G. citri-aurantii by delaying the spores development from dormant stage into swollen and germinating stages, with the MIC and MFC value of 0.08 and 0.16 g L, respectively. When the artificially inoculated citrus fruit in control group were totally rotted, the disease incidence of BH-treated groups decreased by 35.00%-73.30%, which effectively delayed the disease progression and almost did not negatively affect fruit quality. SEM observation, CFW and PI staining images revealed that BH caused significant damage to both the cell membrane and cell wall of G. citri-aurantii spores, whereas only the cell membrane of the mycelium was affected. The impact of cell wall was related to the block of chitin and β-1,3-glucan synthesis. Transcriptome results and further verification proved that 0.5 × MIC BH treatment affected the glycolysis pathway and TCA cycle mainly by inhibiting the production of acetyl-CoA and pyruvate. Subsequently, the activities of key enzymes declined, resulting in a further decrease in ATP levels, ultimately inhibiting the germination of spores. In conlusion, BH delays citrus sour rot mainly by disrupting carbohydrate and energy metabolism of G. citri-aurantii spores.
Topics: Citrus; Geotrichum; Plant Diseases; Berberine; Energy Metabolism; Spores, Fungal; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Fungicides, Industrial
PubMed: 38879325
DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2024.105933 -
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology Jun 2024The marine antifungal peptide epinecidin-1 (EPI) have been shown to inhibit Botrytis cinerea growth, while the molecular mechanism have not been explored based on omics...
The marine antifungal peptide epinecidin-1 (EPI) have been shown to inhibit Botrytis cinerea growth, while the molecular mechanism have not been explored based on omics technology. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of EPI against B. cinerea by transcriptome technology. Our findings indicated that a total of 1671 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in the mycelium of B. cinerea treated with 12.5 μmol/L EPI for 3 h, including 773 up-regulated genes and 898 down-regulated genes. Cluster analysis showed that DEGs (including steroid biosynthesis, (unsaturated) fatty acid biosynthesis) related to cell membrane metabolism were significantly down-regulated, and almost all DEGs involved in DNA replication were significantly inhibited. In addition, it also induced the activation of stress-related pathways, such as the antioxidant system, ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC) and MAPK signaling pathways, and interfered with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and oxidative phosphorylation pathways related to mitochondrial function. The decrease of mitochondrial related enzyme activities (succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and adenosine triphosphatase), the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential and the increase content of hydrogen peroxide further confirmed that EPI treatment may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Based on this, we speculated that EPI may impede the growth of B. cinerea through its influence on gene expression, and may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress.
Topics: Transcriptome; Antifungal Agents; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Botrytis; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Hydrogen Peroxide; Gene Expression; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; Mitochondria; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 38879298
DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2024.105932 -
The Science of the Total Environment Sep 2024Sustainable agriculture involves adopting best practices in food production to promote environmental and economic sustainability. Its implementation primarily aims to...
Sustainable agriculture involves adopting best practices in food production to promote environmental and economic sustainability. Its implementation primarily aims to utilise organic residues to increase yield, diversify production, and reduce costs. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate different substrates for Hypsizygus ulmarius production and, from its residual substrate, to develop formulations for lettuce seedling growth and subsequent greenhouse cultivation. For mushroom production, substrates were prepared from sawdust with the addition of wheat bran, rice bran, soybean meal, and calcite, resulting in four distinct substrate formulations. The spent mushroom substrate (SMS), obtained at the end of cultivation, was used for lettuce seedling production along with the commercial substrate Carolina Soil® and the soil conditioner BacSol®. The top five formulations were selected for transplanting in the greenhouse. Regarding mushroom production, substrates with higher carbon/nitrogen ratios, around 66: 1, resulted in higher yields. For seedling production, SMS showed lower efficiency compared to the commercial substrate Carolina Soil®, which also benefited from the addition of the soil conditioner BacSol®. However, after transplanting lettuce seedlings, the formulation containing SMS showed superior results in almost all evaluated parameters. Therefore, we concluded that despite the inefficiency of using H.ulmarius SMS for lettuce seedling production, it favours the establishment of seedlings in greenhouse cultivation environments.
Topics: Lactuca; Agriculture; Agaricales; Mycelium; Seedlings; Sustainable Development; Soil
PubMed: 38879028
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173976 -
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Jun 20242-Phenylethanol (2-PE) is an aromatic compound with a rose-like fragrance that is widely used in food and other industries. Yeasts have been implicated in the...
2-Phenylethanol (2-PE) is an aromatic compound with a rose-like fragrance that is widely used in food and other industries. Yeasts have been implicated in the biosynthesis of 2-PE; however, few studies have reported the involvement of filamentous fungi. In this study, 2-PE was detected in Annulohypoxylon stygium mycelia grown in both potato dextrose broth (PDB) and sawdust medium. Among the 27 A. stygium strains investigated in this study, the strain "Jinjiling" (strain S20) showed the highest production of 2-PE. Under optimal culture conditions, the concentration of 2-PE was 2.33 g/L. Each of the key genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae shikimate and Ehrlich pathways was found to have homologous genes in A. stygium. Upon the addition of L-phenylalanine to the medium, there was an upregulation of all key genes in the Ehrlich pathway of A. stygium, which was consistent with that of S. cerevisiae. A. stygium as an associated fungus provides nutrition for the growth of Tremella fuciformis and most spent composts of T. fuciformis contain pure A. stygium mycelium. Our study on the high-efficiency biosynthesis of 2-PE in A. stygium offers a sustainable solution by utilizing the spent compost of T. fuciformis and provides an alternative option for the production of natural 2-PE. KEY POINTS: • Annulohypoxylon stygium can produce high concentration of 2-phenylethanol. • The pathways of 2-PE biosynthesis in Annulohypoxylon stygium were analyzed. • Spent compost of Tremella fuciformis is a potential source for 2-phenylethanol.
Topics: Phenylethyl Alcohol; Culture Media; Mycelium; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Phenylalanine
PubMed: 38878128
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13226-y -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024In filamentous fungi, microtubules are important for polar growth and morphological maintenance and serve as rails for intracellular trafficking. The molecular...
In filamentous fungi, microtubules are important for polar growth and morphological maintenance and serve as rails for intracellular trafficking. The molecular mechanisms associated with microtubules have been analyzed. However, little is known about when and where tubulin, a component of microtubules, is biosynthesized in multinuclear and multicellular filamentous fungi. In this study, we visualized microtubules based on the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-labeled α-tubulin and β-tubulin mRNA tagged by the EGFP-mediated MS2 system in living yellow Koji mold Aspergillus oryzae cells in order to understand the spatiotemporal production mechanism of tubulin. We found that mRNA of btuA, encoding for β-tubulin, localized at dot-like structures through the apical, middle and basal regions of the hyphal cells. In addition, some btuA mRNA dots showed microtubule-dependent motor protein-like dynamics in the cells. Furthermore, it was found that btuA mRNA dots were decreased in the cytoplasm just before mitosis but increased immediately after mitosis, followed by a gradual decrease. In summary, the localization and abundance of β-tubulin mRNA is spatiotemporally regulated in living A. oryzae hyphal cells.
Topics: Aspergillus oryzae; Tubulin; RNA, Messenger; Microtubules; Hyphae; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Fungal Proteins
PubMed: 38877139
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64531-5 -
Fungal Biology Jun 2024In the development of fungal based materials for applications in construction through to biomedical materials and fashion, understanding how to regulate and direct...
In the development of fungal based materials for applications in construction through to biomedical materials and fashion, understanding how to regulate and direct growth is key for gaining control over the form of material generated. Here, we show how simple 'chemical food' cues can be used to manipulate the growth of fungal networks by taking Aspergillus niger as an exemplar species. Chemotrophic responses towards a range of nitrogen and carbon containing biomolecules including amino acids, sugars and sugar alcohols were quantified in terms of chemotrophic index (CI) under a range of basal media compositions (low and high concentrations of N and C sources). Growth of filamentous networks was followed using fluorescence microscopy at single time points and during growth by an AI analytical approach to explore chemo sensing behaviour of the fungus when exposed to pairs (C-C, C-N, N-N) of biomolecules simultaneously. Data suggests that the directive growth of A. niger can be controlled towards simple biomolecules with CI values giving a good approximation for expected growth under a range of growth conditions. This is a first step towards identifying conditions for researcher-led directed growth of hyphae to make mycelial mats with tuneable morphological, physicochemical, and mechanical characteristics.
Topics: Aspergillus niger; Hyphae; Culture Media; Nitrogen; Carbon; Amino Acids; Microscopy, Fluorescence
PubMed: 38876539
DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2024.05.010 -
Fungal Biology Jun 2024Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by yeasts can positively affect crops, acting as antifungals or biostimulants. In this study, Aureobasidium pullulans and...
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by yeasts can positively affect crops, acting as antifungals or biostimulants. In this study, Aureobasidium pullulans and Metschnikowia pulcherrima were evaluated as potential antagonists of Trichoderma spp., common fungal pathogen in mushroom cultivation. To assess the biocontrol ability and biostimulant properties of the selected yeast species, in vitro co-culture and VOCs exposure assays were conducted. In both assays, VOCs produced by Aureobasidium spp. showed the stronger antifungal activity with a growth inhibition up to 30 %. This result was further confirmed by the higher volatilome alcohol content revealed by solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS). Overall, Aureobasidium strains can be potentially used as biocontrol agent in Pleorotus ostreatus and Cyclocybe cylindracea mycelial growth, without affecting their development as demonstrated by VOCs exposure assay and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Conversely, M. pulcherrima was characterized by a lower or absent antifungal properties and by a volatilome composition rich in isobutyl acetate, an ester often recognized as plant growth promoter. As confirmed by FT-IR, Lentinula mycelia exposed to M. pulcherrima VOCs showed a higher content of proteins and lipids, suggesting an improvement of some biochemical properties. Our study emphasizes that VOCs produced by specific yeast strains are potentially powerful alternative to synthetic fungicide in the vegetative growth of mushroom-forming fungi and also able to modify their biochemical composition.
Topics: Volatile Organic Compounds; Mycelium; Agaricales; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Antifungal Agents; Biological Control Agents; Metschnikowia; Antibiosis; Aureobasidium; Trichoderma; Solid Phase Microextraction
PubMed: 38876538
DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2024.05.007 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024is a popular edible fungus with high economic and nutritional value. However, the rot disease caused by , pose a serious threat to the quality and yield of . Biological...
INTRODUCTION
is a popular edible fungus with high economic and nutritional value. However, the rot disease caused by , pose a serious threat to the quality and yield of . Biological control is one of the effective ways to control fungal diseases.
METHODS AND RESULTS
In this study, an effective endophytic A9 for the control of rot disease was screened, and its biocontrol mechanism was studied by transcriptome analysis. In total, 122 strains of endophytic bacteria from , of which the antagonistic effect of A9 on G1 reached 72.2% tests. Biological characteristics and genomic features of A9 were analyzed, and key antibiotic gene clusters were detected. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation showed that A9 affected the mycelium and spores of G1. In field experiments, the biological control effect of A9 reached to 62.5%. Furthermore, the transcritome profiling provides evidence of A9 bicontrol at the molecular level. A total of 1,246 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the treatment and control group. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that a large number of DEGs were related to antioxidant activity related. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that the main pathways were Nitrogen metabolism, Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PPP) and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPK) signal pathway. Among them, some important genes such as carbonic anhydrase CA (H6S33_007248), catalase CAT (H6S33_001409), tRNA dihydrouridine synthase DusB (H6S33_001297) and NAD(P)-binding protein NAD(P) BP (H6S33_000823) were found. Furthermore, A9 considerably enhanced the activity of Polyphenol oxidase (POD), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Phenylal anineammonia lyase (PAL) and Catalase (CAT).
CONCLUSION
This study presents the innovative utilization of A9, for effectively controlling rot disease. This will lay a foundation for biological control in , which may lead to the improvement of new biocontrol agents for production.
PubMed: 38873148
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1388669 -
Cell Host & Microbe Jun 2024In a recent issue of Nature, Zhao et al. have demonstrated that Streptomyces spp. produce "umbrella"-shaped polymorphic toxin particles, a novel class of non-lethal...
In a recent issue of Nature, Zhao et al. have demonstrated that Streptomyces spp. produce "umbrella"-shaped polymorphic toxin particles, a novel class of non-lethal toxins that gently inhibit competitors by arresting hyphal growth in closely related bacteria, unveiling a unique bacterial defense strategy in microbial ecological interactions..
Topics: Streptomyces; Bacterial Toxins; Antibiosis; Hyphae; Microbial Interactions
PubMed: 38870893
DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.05.014