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Marine Drugs Sep 2023Marine natural products are well-recognized as potential resources to fill the pipeline of drug leads to enter the pharmaceutical industry. In this circumstance,... (Review)
Review
Marine natural products are well-recognized as potential resources to fill the pipeline of drug leads to enter the pharmaceutical industry. In this circumstance, marine-derived fungi are one of the unique sources of bioactive secondary metabolites due to their capacity to produce diverse polyketides and peptides with unique structures and diverse biological activities. The present review covers the peptides from marine-derived fungi reported from the literature published from January 1991 to June 2023, and various scientific databases, including Elsevier, ACS publications, Taylor and Francis, Wiley Online Library, MDPI, Springer, Thieme, Bentham, ProQuest, and the Marine Pharmacology website, are used for a literature search. This review focuses on chemical characteristics, sources, and biological and pharmacological activities of 366 marine fungal peptides belonging to various classes, such as linear, cyclic, and depsipeptides. Among 30 marine-derived fungal genera, isolated from marine macro-organisms such as marine algae, sponges, coral, and mangrove plants, as well as deep sea sediments, species of were found to produce the highest number of peptides (174 peptides), followed by (23 peptides), (22 peptides), (18 peptides), (18 peptides), (17 peptides), and (12 peptides). The cytotoxic activity against a broad spectrum of human cancer cell lines was the predominant biological activity of the reported marine peptides (32%), whereas antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and various enzyme inhibition activities ranged from 7% to 20%. In the first part of this review, the chemistry of marine peptides is discussed and followed by their biological activity.
Topics: Humans; Aspergillus; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Peptides; Biological Products; Aquatic Organisms; Fungi
PubMed: 37888445
DOI: 10.3390/md21100510 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2023Fungi produce surface-active proteins, among which hydrophobins are the most characterized and attractive also for their ability to form functional amyloids. Our most...
Fungi produce surface-active proteins, among which hydrophobins are the most characterized and attractive also for their ability to form functional amyloids. Our most recent findings show that these abilities are shared with other classes of fungal proteins. Indeed, in this paper, we compared the characteristics of a class I hydrophobin (Vmh2 from ) and an unknown protein (named PAC3), extracted from the marine fungal strain which does not belong to the same protein family based on its sequence features. They both proved to be good biosurfactants, stabilizing emulsions in several conditions (concentration, pH, and salinity) and decreasing surface tension to a comparable value to that of some synthetic surfactants. After that, we observed for both Vmh2 and PAC3 the formation of giant fibers without the need for harsh conditions or long incubation time, a remarkable ability herein reported for the first time.
Topics: Cysteine; Fungal Proteins; Membrane Proteins; Pleurotus; Salinity
PubMed: 37762146
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813843 -
ACS Omega Sep 2023The purpose of this study was to compare and explore the potential of two distinct lipases at industrial levels after their production using wheat bran substrate in...
The purpose of this study was to compare and explore the potential of two distinct lipases at industrial levels after their production using wheat bran substrate in solid-state fermentation. Lipases from () and () were characterized to assess their compatibility and suitability for use in laundry detergents. The effects of pH, temperature, metal ions, inhibitors, organic solvents, and various commercially available detergents on these lipases were studied in order to compare their activity and stability profiles and check their stain removal ability. Both lipases remained stable across the wide pH (7-10) and temperature (30-50 °C) ranges. lipase exhibited optimum activity (51.66 U/mL) at pH 7.0 and 37 °C, while lipase showed optimum activity (52.12 U/mL) at pH 8.0 and 40 °C. The addition of Ca and Mg ions enhanced their activities, while sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) reduced their activities. Lipase from both strains showed tolerance to various organic solvents and considerable stability and compatibility with commercially available laundry detergents (>50%); however, lipase performed slightly better. Characterization of these crude lipases showed nearly 60% relative activity after incubation for 2 h in various detergents, thus suggesting their potential to be employed in the formulation of laundry detergents with easy and efficient enzyme production. The production of thermostable and alkaline lipases from both strains makes them an attractive option for economic gain by lowering the amount of detergent to be used, thus reducing the chemical burden on the environment.
PubMed: 37720795
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c03644 -
Mycobiology 2023The aim of this study was to characterize a new fungal species, , isolated from air samples collected in Wando, South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the internal...
The aim of this study was to characterize a new fungal species, , isolated from air samples collected in Wando, South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer and large subunit regions revealed its unique position within the genus . The isolated strain displayed distinct morphological characteristics, including ellipsoid or bent-ellipsoid conidia formed in clusters on the phialides. These features differentiate the new species from closely related species within the genus. This study describes the morphological and molecular characteristics of and emphasizes its phylogenetic relationships with other spp. The identification of this novel species contributes to our understanding of the diversity and ecological role of .
PubMed: 37711986
DOI: 10.1080/12298093.2023.2242646 -
MicrobiologyOpen Aug 2023Patulin is a toxic secondary metabolite synthesized by various fungal strains. This mycotoxin is generally toxic to microorganisms as well as mammals due to its...
Patulin is a toxic secondary metabolite synthesized by various fungal strains. This mycotoxin is generally toxic to microorganisms as well as mammals due to its reactivity with the important cellular antioxidant glutathione. In this study, we explored the presence of microorganisms capable of degrading patulin. Microorganisms were screened for the ability to both grow in culture medium containing patulin and reduce its concentration. Screening of 510 soil samples resulted in the isolation of two filamentous fungal strains, one of which, Acremonium sp. TUS-MM1 was characterized in detail. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses revealed that TUS-MM1 cells degraded patulin to desoxypatulinic acid. In addition, extracellular components of strain TUS-MM1 also exhibited patulin-transforming activity. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that the extracellular components generated several products from patulin. Disc diffusion assay using Escherichia coli cells revealed that the patulin-transformation products by the extracellular components are less toxic than patulin. We also demonstrated that a thermostable, low-molecular-weight compound within the extracellular components was responsible for the patulin-transforming activity. These results suggest that strain TUS-MM1 transforms patulin into less-toxic molecules by secreting a highly reactive compound. In addition, once patulin enters the cells, strain TUS-MM1 can transform it into desoxypatulinic acid to reduce its toxicity.
Topics: Animals; Patulin; Fungi; Antioxidants; Biological Transport; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Escherichia coli; Mammals
PubMed: 37642482
DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1373 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023Morels ( spp.) are highly prized and popular edible mushrooms. The outdoor cultivation of morels in China first developed at the beginning of the 21st century. Several...
Morels ( spp.) are highly prized and popular edible mushrooms. The outdoor cultivation of morels in China first developed at the beginning of the 21st century. Several species, such as , , and , have been commercially cultivated in greenhouses. However, the detriments and obstacles associated with continuous cropping have become increasingly serious, reducing yields and even leading to a complete lack of fructification. It has been reported that the obstacles encountered with continuous morel cropping may be related to changes in the soil microbial community. To study the effect of dazomet treatment on the cultivation of morel under continuous cropping, soil was fumigated with dazomet before morel sowing. Alpha diversity and beta diversity analysis results showed that dazomet treatment altered the microbial communities in continuous cropping soil, which decreased the relative abundance of soil-borne fungal pathogens, including , , , , and , increased the relative abundance of beneficial soil bacteria, including and . In addition, the dazomet treatment significantly increased the relative abundance of morel mycelia in the soil and significantly improved morel yield under continuous cropping. These results verified the relationship between the obstacles associated with continuous cropping in morels and the soil microbial community and elucidated the mechanism by which the obstacle is alleviated when using dazomet treatment.
PubMed: 37614603
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1200226 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Aug 2023Mycetoma is one of the six Neglected Tropical Diseases that are prevalent in Turkana County (northwest Kenya). The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of...
Mycetoma is one of the six Neglected Tropical Diseases that are prevalent in Turkana County (northwest Kenya). The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of mycetoma in the county, as well as to describe the main causative agents involved in the disease using methods affordable locally. Based on the data collected by the team of cooperative medicine Cirugia en Turkana (Surgery in Turkana), a specific study for mycetoma was started during the 16th humanitarian medicine campaign in February 2019. Patients with suspected mycetoma were studied at the Lodwar County Referral Hospital (LCRH). After informing the patient and getting their consent, the lesions were examined and sampled (mainly by biopsy) and clinical data were recorded. Samples were washed in sterile saline solution and cut in fragments. Some of these were inoculated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, Malt Extract Agar, and diluted Nutrient Agar plates. One fragment of each sample was used for DNA extraction. The DNA and the rest of the fragments of samples were kept at -20°C. All cultures were incubated at room temperature at the LCRH laboratory. The DNA obtained from clinical samples was submitted to PCR amplification of the ITS-5.8S and the V4-V5 16S rRNA gene region, for the detection and identification of fungi and bacteria respectively. From February 2019 till February 2022, 60 patients were studied. Most of them were men (43, 74,1%) between 13 and 78 y.o. (mean age 37). Half of the patients were herdsmen but, among women 40% (6) were housewives and 26.7% (4) charcoal burners. Lesions were mainly located at the feet (87.9%) and most of the patients (54; 93.1%) reported discharge of grains in the exudate, being 27 (46.6%) yellow or pale colored and 19 (32.8%) of them dark grains. Culture of clinical samples yielded 35 fungal and bacterial putative causative agents. Culture and molecular methods allowed the identification of a total of 21 causative agents of mycetoma (39.6% of cases studied). Most of them (17) corresponded to fungi causing eumycetoma (80.9%) being the most prevalent the genus Madurella (7; 41.2%), with two species involved (M. mycetomatis and M. fahalii), followed by Aspergillus (2; 11.8%). Other minority genera detected were Cladosporium, Fusarium, Acremonium, Penicillium, and Trichophyton (5.9% each of them). Actinobacteria were detected in 19.1% of samples, but only Streptomyces somaliensis was identified as a known agent of mycetoma, the rest being actinobacteria not previously described as causative agents of the disease, such as Cellulosimicrobium cellulans detected in two of the patients. Although Kenya is geographically located in the mycetoma belt, to our knowledge this is the first report on mycetoma in this country from 1973, and the first one for Turkana County.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Adult; Mycetoma; Kenya; Agar; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Madurella
PubMed: 37578968
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011327 -
BMC Biology Aug 2023The extracellular space between the cell wall and plasma membrane is a battlefield in plant-pathogen interactions. Within this space, the pathogen employs its secretome...
BACKGROUND
The extracellular space between the cell wall and plasma membrane is a battlefield in plant-pathogen interactions. Within this space, the pathogen employs its secretome to attack the host in a variety of ways, including immunity manipulation. However, the role of the plant secretome is rarely studied for its role in disease resistance.
RESULTS
Here, we examined the secretome of Verticillium wilt-resistant Gossypium hirsutum cultivar Zhongzhimian No.2 (ZZM2, encoding 95,327 predicted coding sequences) to determine its role in disease resistance against the wilt causal agent, Verticillium dahliae. Bioinformatics-driven analyses showed that the ZZM2 genome encodes 2085 secreted proteins and that these display disequilibrium in their distribution among the chromosomes. The cotton secretome displayed differences in the abundance of certain amino acid residues as compared to the remaining encoded proteins due to the localization of these putative proteins in the extracellular space. The secretome analysis revealed conservation for an allotetraploid genome, which nevertheless exhibited variation among orthologs and comparable unique genes between the two sub-genomes. Secretome annotation strongly suggested its involvement in extracellular stress responses (hydrolase activity, oxidoreductase activity, and extracellular region, etc.), thus contributing to resistance against the V. dahliae infection. Furthermore, the defense response genes (immunity marker NbHIN1, salicylic acid marker NbPR1, and jasmonic acid marker NbLOX4) were activated to varying degrees when Nicotina benthamiana leaves were agro-infiltrated with 28 randomly selected members, suggesting that the secretome plays an important role in the immunity response. Finally, gene silencing assays of 11 members from 13 selected candidates in ZZM2 displayed higher susceptibility to V. dahliae, suggesting that the secretome members confer the Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton.
CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate that the cotton secretome plays an important role in Verticillium wilt resistance, facilitating the development of the resistance gene markers and increasing the understanding of the mechanisms regulating disease resistance.
Topics: Gossypium; Disease Resistance; Secretome; Verticillium; Ascomycota; Plant Diseases; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins
PubMed: 37542270
DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01650-x -
Horticulture Research Jun 2023The dwarfing rootstocks-mediated high-density apple orchard is becoming the main practice management. Currently, dwarfing rootstocks are widely used worldwide, but their...
The dwarfing rootstocks-mediated high-density apple orchard is becoming the main practice management. Currently, dwarfing rootstocks are widely used worldwide, but their shallow root system and drought sensitivity necessitate high irrigation requirements. Here, the root transcriptome and metabolome of dwarfing (M9-T337, a drought-sensitive rootstock) and vigorous rootstocks (, a drought-tolerant species, is commonly used as a rootstock) showed that a coumarin derivative, 4-Methylumbelliferon (4-MU), was found to accumulate significantly in the roots of vigorous rootstock under drought condition. When exogenous 4-MU was applied to the roots of dwarfing rootstock under drought treatment, the plants displayed increased root biomass, higher root-to-shoot ratio, greater photosynthesis, and elevated water use efficiency. In addition, diversity and structure analysis of the rhizosphere soil microbial community demonstrated that 4-MU treatment increased the relative abundance of putatively beneficial bacteria and fungi. Of these, , , , and bacterial strains and , , and fungal strains known for root growth, or systemic resistance against drought stress, were significantly accumulated in the roots of dwarfing rootstock after 4-MU treatment under drought stress condition. Taken together, we identified a promising compound-4-MU, as a useful tool, to strengthen the drought tolerance of apple dwarfing rootstock.
PubMed: 37427035
DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad099 -
Plant Disease Jun 2023In Mexico City, the Canary Island date palm ( Chabaud) is an important plant forming part of its landscape identity. In February 2022, pink rot disease symptoms were...
In Mexico City, the Canary Island date palm ( Chabaud) is an important plant forming part of its landscape identity. In February 2022, pink rot disease symptoms were observed on 16 plants in Mexico City (19°25'43.98"N, 99° 9'49.41"W). The incidence was 27%, while the severity 12%. External symptoms included necrotic lesions that advanced from the petiole towards the rachis. Internal symptoms were rotted, dark brown discoloration in bud, petiole, and rachis. Abundant conidial masses were developed on the infected tissues. Pieces of diseased tissues (5-mm cubes) were surface sterilized for 2 min in 3% sodium hypochlorite, rinsed with sterilized distilled water, plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 24°C and 12-h photoperiod, 20 pink fungal colonies were developed with sparse aerial mycelia on PDA. Conidiophores were hyaline, dimorphic, penicillate, and -like. Conidia were dimorphic, typically with somewhat truncated ends, 4.5 to 5.7 × 1.9 to 2.3 μm (mean 4.99 × 2.15, n = 100), borne in long chains on penicillate conidiophores; on -like conidiophores conidia were cylindrical, straight, and slightly curved, 4.55 to 10.1 × 1.2 to 2.35 μm (mean 8.2 × 1.7, n = 100). These morphological characteristics resembled those of (Biourge) Schroers (Schroers . 2005). Genomic DNA was extracted from the mycelia of a representative isolate CP-SP53. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the large subunit of ribosomal ribonucleic acid (LSU) were amplified and sequenced. The sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers OQ581472 (ITS) and OQ581465 (LSU). Phylogenetic trees based on ITS and LSU sequences of species were reconstructed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Isolate CP-SP53 was placed in the clade of . The pathogenicity test was carried out twice with isolate CP-SP53 on five 3-year-old plants. Four petioles per plant were surface disinfected with 75% ethanol, and wounded with a sterilized scalpel (shallow cuts 0.5 cm wide). A mycelial plug (5 mm in diam.) of a 1-week-old PDA culture was placed on each wounded site. Sterile PDA plugs were used for five non-inoculated control plants. All plants were maintained at 22 ± 2°C and a 12-h photoperiod. Twenty-five days after inoculation (dai), wounded petioles showed the same symptoms observed in the field, whereas control plants remained healthy. Forty-five dai, all inoculated plants died. Pink conidial masses developed on symptomatic tissues. To fulfill Koch's postulates, the pathogen was reisolated by placing the pink conidial masses onto PDA. The colony characteristics and morphometric measurements were identical to those of isolate CP-SP53. has been reported on in Greece and United States (Feather . 1979; Ligoxigakis . 2013) and in Egypt (Mohamed . 2016). To our knowledge, this is the first report of as the causal agent of pink rot on in Mexico. This plant is the most commonly planted ornamental palm in Mexico City. The spread of could be a threat for the estimated 15 thousand palms, therefore dramatically change the urban landscape.
PubMed: 37368449
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-03-23-0585-PDN