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CEN Case Reports Jun 2024A 62-year-old man visited his primary care physician with the complaints of loss of appetite and fatigue. He was admitted to our hospital based on a diagnosis of acute...
A 62-year-old man visited his primary care physician with the complaints of loss of appetite and fatigue. He was admitted to our hospital based on a diagnosis of acute kidney injury, Fanconi syndrome as indicated by hypokalemia, hypouricemia, hypophosphatemia, elevated glucose levels in urine, and aminoaciduria. He had been taking multiple supplements, including Red Yeast Rice Cholesterol Help®, for one and a half years. After admission, all the supplements were stopped. Blood samples were collected; however, the samples were negative for diseases that could cause Fanconi syndrome. Renal biopsy revealed renal proximal tubular damage, mainly characterized by simplification of the proximal tubular epithelium. The mycotoxin, citrinin, which is reported to be produced by the mold used for producing red yeast rice, but not the mold Monascus pilosus used for Red Yeast Rice Cholesterol Help, reportedly causes proximal tubular damage. However, although the causative agent has not been identified, it was thought that a substance similar to citrinin, produced by the mold used for Red Yeast Rice Cholesterol Help®, caused proximal tubular damage, leading to acute kidney injury and Fanconi syndrome. Hence, all supplements were stopped, and the patient was treated with oral potassium and phosphorus preparations, leading to gradual recovery of his kidney function. We herein report the first case of acute kidney injury and Fanconi syndrome in a patient taking multiple health supplements, including Red Yeast Rice Cholesterol Help®. Early discontinuation of the oral supplements was probably useful in improving the patient's kidney function.
PubMed: 38900361
DOI: 10.1007/s13730-024-00903-0 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Enhancing the aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage is essential for producing high-quality silage. Our research assessed the effect of inoculation with or and...
Enhancing the aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage is essential for producing high-quality silage. Our research assessed the effect of inoculation with or and its modulation of the bacterial and fungal microbial community structure in an aerobic stage of whole-plant corn silage. Following treatment with a distilled sterile water control, , and (2 × 10 cfu/g), whole-plant corn was ensiled for 60 days. Samples were taken on days 0, 3, and 7 of aerobic exposure, and the results showed that inoculation with or improved the aerobic stability of silage when compared to the effect of the control ( < 0.05). Inoculation with attenuated the increase in pH value and the decrease in lactic acid in the aerobic stage ( < 0.05), reducing the filamentous fungal counts. On the other hand, inoculation with or increased the diversity of the fungal communities ( < 0.05), complicating the correlation between bacteria or fungi, reducing the relative abundance of and in bacterial communities, and inhibiting the tendency of to replace in fungal communities, thus delaying the aerobic spoilage process. Due to the prevention of the development of aerobic spoilage microorganisms, the silage injected with or exhibited improved aerobic stability.
PubMed: 38891280
DOI: 10.3390/plants13111471 -
Heliyon Jun 2024Exploring the symbiotic potential between fungal and yeast species, this study investigates the co-cultivation dynamics of , a prolific producer of pharmacologically...
Exploring the symbiotic potential between fungal and yeast species, this study investigates the co-cultivation dynamics of , a prolific producer of pharmacologically relevant secondary metabolites, and . The collaborative interaction between these microorganisms catalyzed a substantial elevation in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, prominently Monacolin K and natural pigments. Central to our discoveries was the identification and enhanced production of oxylipins (13S-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid,13S-HODE), putative quorum-sensing molecules, within the co-culture environment. Augmentation with exogenous oxylipins not only boosted Monacolin K production by over half but also mirrored morphological adaptations in , affecting both spores and mycelial structures. This augmentation was paralleled by a significant upregulation in the transcriptional activity of genes integral to the Monacolin K biosynthetic pathway, as well as genes implicated in pigment and spore formation. Through elucidating the interconnected roles of quorum sensing, G-protein-coupled receptors, and the G-protein-mediate signaling pathway, this study provides a comprehensive view of the molecular underpinnings facilitating these metabolic enhancements. Collectively, our findings illuminate the profound influence of co-culture on , advocating for oxylipins as a pivotal quorum-sensing mechanism driving the observed symbiotic benefits.
PubMed: 38845857
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31619 -
Food Chemistry May 2024Citrinin is a hepato-nephrotoxic mycotoxin produced by fungal species. The Monascus purpureus fungus plays a crucial role in the fermentation of red rice to produce red...
Development and validation of an analytical method for determination of citrinin in red rice and red yeast rice-based food supplements by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.
Citrinin is a hepato-nephrotoxic mycotoxin produced by fungal species. The Monascus purpureus fungus plays a crucial role in the fermentation of red rice to produce red yeast rice-based food supplements, which represent the primary source of human exposure to citrinin. In this study, a simple and sensitive analytical method was successfully developed and validated for the citrinin determination in these products. The extraction process involved a QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) step and citrinin determination by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The proposed method provided satisfactory linearity, percentage of recovery from 82 to 104% with relative standard deviations (RSD) lower than 14%, and limits of detection and quantification of 0.07 μg/Kg and 0.24 μg/kg, respectively. Among the 14 samples analyzed, citrinin was found in two red rice samples (0.24 and 0.46 μg/kg) and in six food supplements (from 0.44 to 87 μg/kg).
PubMed: 38843711
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139941 -
Animal Nutrition (Zhongguo Xu Mu Shou... Jun 2024This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of M-32 fermented soybean meal (MFSM) on growth, immunity, intestinal morphology, intestinal microbiota, and intestinal...
M-32 fermented soybean meal improves the growth, immunity parameters, intestinal morphology, disease resistance, intestinal microbiota and metabolome in Pacific white shrimp ().
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of M-32 fermented soybean meal (MFSM) on growth, immunity, intestinal morphology, intestinal microbiota, and intestinal metabolome of Pacific white shrimp (). Four groups of diets were formulated, including control group (30% fish meal and 30% soybean meal [SBM] included in the basal diet) and three experimental groups which MFSM replaced 20% (MFSM20), 40% (MFSM40), and 60% (MFSM60) of SBM in control group, respectively. Results showed that the soluble proteins larger than 49 kDa in MFSM were almost completely degraded. Meanwhile, the crude protein, acid-soluble protein, and amino acid in MFSM were increased. The results of shrimp culture experiment showed that the replacement of SBM with MFSM decreased FCR ( < 0.001) and content of malondialdehyde ( = 0.007) in the experimental groups, and increased weight gain rate ( = 0.006), specific growth rate ( = 0.002), survival rate ( = 0.005), intestinal villus height ( < 0.001), myenteric thickness ( = 0.002), the activities of superoxide dismutase ( = 0.002), and lysozyme ( = 0.006) in experimental groups, as well as increased content of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus () in blood and muscle, and enhanced resistance to infection. The gut microbiota of MFSM groups was significantly different from that of the control group, and the abundance of Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia increased significantly in the MFSM60 group, whereas Proteobacteria and Firmicutes decreased. Compared with the control group, there were significant changes in the levels of several intestinal metabolites in the MFSM60 group, including leukotriene C5, prostaglandin A1, taurochenodeoxycholic acid, carnosine, and itaconic acid. The fermentation of SBM by the strain M-32 has the potential to enhance the nutritional quality of SBM, promote the growth of , boost immune response, improve intestinal morphology and microbiota composition, as well as influence intestinal metabolites.
PubMed: 38800738
DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2024.03.009 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Red yeast rice dietary supplements have been proven to ameliorate hyperglycemia, but the mechanism was unclear. In this work, ankaflavin (AK) and monascin (MS), as...
Red yeast rice dietary supplements have been proven to ameliorate hyperglycemia, but the mechanism was unclear. In this work, ankaflavin (AK) and monascin (MS), as typical pigments derived from red yeast rice, were found to exert noteworthy inhibitory ability against α-glucosidase, with an IC of 126.5 ± 2.5 and 302.6 ± 2.5 μM, respectively, compared with acarbose (IC = 341.3 ± 13.6 μM). They also exhibited mixed-type inhibition of α-glucosidase in vitro and caused fluorescence quenching through the static-quenching process. Molecular-docking studies indicated that AK and MS bind to amino acid residues outside the catalytic center, which induces structural changes in the enzyme, thus influencing its catalytic activity. The anti-glycation ability of -fermented products was evaluated, and they exhibited a high inhibition rate of 87.1% in fluorescent advanced glycation end-product formation at a concentration of 0.2 mg mL, while aminoguanidine showed a rate of 75.7% at the same concentration. These results will be significant in broadening the application scope of pigments, especially AK and MS, in treating type 2 diabetes.
PubMed: 38790873
DOI: 10.3390/foods13101573 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024, one of the conidiation center regulatory genes in many filamentous fungi, plays an important role in promoting asexual spores (conidia) maturation. Our recent research...
, one of the conidiation center regulatory genes in many filamentous fungi, plays an important role in promoting asexual spores (conidia) maturation. Our recent research has found that knocking out or overexpressing (a homolog of ) in M7 does not affect the development of its asexual spores like other fungi, but both repress the development of its sexual spores (ascospores). However, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the function of on sexual reproduction and secondary metabolism in M7 was confirmed by a complementary experiment. Moreover, the regulatory roles of in modulating the expression of genes involved in sexual reproduction, meiosis, and biosynthesis of pigment and citrinin were analyzed based on the transcriptional data. These results not only contribute to clarifying the regulation of the reproduction and secondary metabolism of spp., but also to enriching the regulation molecular mechanism of reproduction in filamentous fungi.
PubMed: 38786694
DOI: 10.3390/jof10050338 -
Current Microbiology May 2024The fungus Monascus is a well-known source of secondary metabolites with interesting pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. In particular, Monascus pigments...
The fungus Monascus is a well-known source of secondary metabolites with interesting pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. In particular, Monascus pigments possess a wide range of biological activities (e.g. antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or antitumoral). To broaden the scope of their possible application, this study focused on testing Monascus pigment extracts as potential photosensitizing agents efficient in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) against bacteria. For this purpose, eight different extracts of secondary metabolites from the liquid- and solid-state fermentation of Monascus purpureus DBM 4360 and Monascus sp. DBM 4361 were tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative model bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli and further screened for ESKAPE pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To the bacterial culture, increasing concentration of extracts was added and it was found that all extracts showed varying antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria in dark, which was further increased after irradiation. Gram-negative bacteria were tolerant to the extracts' exposure in the dark but sensitivity to almost all extracts that occurred after irradiation. The Monascus sp. DBM 4361 extracts seemed to be the best potential candidate for aPDT against Gram-positive bacteria, being efficient at low doses, i.e. the lowest total concentration of Monascus pigments exhibiting aPDT effect was 3.92 ± 1.36 mg/L for E. coli. Our results indicate that Monascus spp., forming monascuspiloin as the major yellow pigment and not-forming mycotoxin citrinin, is a promising source of antimicrobials and photoantimicrobials.
Topics: Monascus; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Mycelium; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Photosensitizing Agents; Biological Products; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Complex Mixtures; Pigments, Biological; Photochemotherapy
PubMed: 38771359
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-024-03725-6 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Intercropping with Pleurotus ostreatus has been demonstrated to increase the tea yield and alleviate soil acidification in tea gardens. However, the underlying...
Intercropping with Pleurotus ostreatus has been demonstrated to increase the tea yield and alleviate soil acidification in tea gardens. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, high-throughput sequencing and Biolog Eco analysis were performed to identify changes in the community structure and abundance of soil microorganisms in the P. ostreatus intercropped tea garden at different seasons (April and September). The results showed that the soil microbial diversity of rhizosphere decreased in April, while rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil microbial diversity increased in September in the P. ostreatus intercropped tea garden. The diversity of tea tree root microorganisms increased in both periods. In addition, the number of fungi associated with organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling, such as Penicillium, Trichoderma, and Trechispora, was significantly higher in the intercropped group than in the control group. Intercropping with P. ostreatus increased the levels of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and available phosphorus (AP) in the soil. It also improved the content of secondary metabolites, such as tea catechins, and polysaccharides in tea buds. Microbial network analysis showed that Unclassified_o__Helotiales, and Devosia were positively correlated with soil TN and pH, while Lactobacillus, Acidothermus, and Monascus were positively correlated with flavone, AE, and catechins in tea trees. In conclusion, intercropping with P. ostreatus can improve the physical and chemical properties of soil and the composition and structure of microbial communities in tea gardens, which has significant potential for application in monoculture tea gardens with acidic soils.
Topics: Soil Microbiology; Pleurotus; Plant Roots; Tea; Microbiota; Soil; Rhizosphere; Camellia sinensis; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Fungi; Bacteria; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
PubMed: 38760401
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61883-w -
Biotechnology For Biofuels and... May 2024Taurine, a semi-essential micronutrient, could be utilized as a sulfur source for some bacteria; however, little is known about its effect on the accumulation of...
Taurine-mediated gene transcription and cell membrane permeability reinforced co-production of bioethanol and Monascus azaphilone pigments for a newly isolated Monascus purpureus.
BACKGROUND
Taurine, a semi-essential micronutrient, could be utilized as a sulfur source for some bacteria; however, little is known about its effect on the accumulation of fermentation products. Here, it investigated the effect of taurine on co-production of bioethanol and Monascus azaphilone pigments (MonAzPs) for a fungus.
RESULTS
A newly isolated fungus of 98.92% identity with Monascus purpureus co-produced 23.43 g/L bioethanol and 66.12, 78.01 and 62.37 U/mL red, yellow and orange MonAzPs for 3 d in synthetic medium (SM). Taurine enhanced bioethanol titer, ethanol productivity and ethanol yield at the maximum by 1.56, 1.58 and 1.60 times than those of the control in corn stover hydrolysates (CSH), and red, yellow and orange MonAzPs were raised by 1.24, 1.26 and 1.29 times, respectively. Taurine was consumed extremely small quantities for M. purpureus and its promotional effect was not universal for the other two biorefinery fermenting strains. Taurine intensified the gene transcription of glycolysis (glucokinase, phosphoglycerate mutase, enolase and alcohol dehydrogenase) and MonAzPs biosynthesis (serine hydrolases, C-11-ketoreductase, FAD-dependent monooxygenase, 4-O-acyltransferase, deacetylase, NAD(P)H-dependent oxidoredutase, FAD-dependent oxidoredutase, enoyl reductase and fatty acid synthase) through de novo RNA-Seq assays. Furthermore, taurine improved cell membrane permeability through changing cell membrane structure by microscopic imaging assays.
CONCLUSIONS
Taurine reinforced co-production of bioethanol and MonAzPs by increasing gene transcription level and cell membrane permeability for M. purpureus. This work would offer an innovative, efficient and taurine-based co-production system for mass accumulation of the value-added biofuels and biochemicals from lignocellulosic biomass.
PubMed: 38702823
DOI: 10.1186/s13068-024-02511-7