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PloS One 2024This study aimed to enhance sludge dewatering through sequential bioleaching, employing the filamentous fungus Mucor sp. ZG-3 and the iron-oxidizing bacterium...
Enhancing sludge dewaterability in sequential bioleaching: Degradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) by filamentous fungus Mucor sp. ZG-3 and the influence of energy source.
This study aimed to enhance sludge dewatering through sequential bioleaching, employing the filamentous fungus Mucor sp. ZG-3 and the iron-oxidizing bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LX5. The mechanism by which Mucor sp. ZG-3 alleviates sludge dissolved organic matter (DOM) inhibition of A. ferrooxidans LX5 was investigated, and the optimal addition of energy source for enhanced sludge dewaterability during sequential bioleaching was determined. Sludge dissolved organic carbon (DOC) decreased to 272 mg/L with a 65.2% reduction by Mucor sp. ZG-3 in 3 days, and the degraded fraction of sludge DOM was mainly low-molecular-weight DOM (L-DOM) which inhibited the oxidization of Fe2+ by A. ferrooxidans LX5. By degrading significant inhibitory low-molecular-weight organic acids, Mucor sp. ZG-3 alleviated DOM inhibition of A. ferrooxidans LX5. In the sequential bioleaching process, the optimal concentration of FeSO4·7H2O for A. ferrooxidans LX5 was 4 g/L, resulting in the minimum specific resistance to filtration (SRF) of 2.60×1011 m/kg, 40.0% lower than that in the conventional bioleaching process with 10 g/L energy source. Moreover, the sequential bioleaching process increased the sludge zeta potential (from -31.8 to -9.47 mV) and median particle size (d50) of the sludge particle (from 17.90 to 27.44 μm), contributing to enhanced sludge dewaterability. Inoculation of Mucor sp. ZG-3 during the bioleaching process reduced the demand for energy sources by A. ferrooxidans LX5 while improving sludge dewaterability performance.
Topics: Mucor; Sewage; Biodegradation, Environmental; Water; Organic Chemicals
PubMed: 38814929
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302311 -
Cureus Apr 2024Fosmanogepix, a prodrug of Manogepix (MGX), is a groundbreaking antifungal agent with broad-spectrum activity against yeasts, including and , as well as molds. It... (Review)
Review
Fosmanogepix, a prodrug of Manogepix (MGX), is a groundbreaking antifungal agent with broad-spectrum activity against yeasts, including and , as well as molds. It exhibits effectiveness against drug-resistant strains, such as strains resistant to and strains resistant to azoles. Furthermore, fosmanogepix shows activity against pathogens that typically resist other classes of drugs, such as , , and , although its efficacy against Mucorales varies. In animal models, fosmanogepix has demonstrated notable effectiveness against disseminated infections caused by various species, , and . It has also shown efficacy in pulmonary infection models involving , , , , and . Clinical trials have revealed excellent oral bioavailability (>90%), enabling a seamless transition between intravenous and oral formulations without compromising blood concentrations. Fosmanogepix exhibits favorable profiles in terms of drug interactions, tolerability, and extensive distribution in various tissues, making it an appealing choice for treating invasive fungal infections. This comprehensive review aims to examine the outcomes of published data on fosmanogepix, encompassing in vitro, in vivo, and clinical investigations.
PubMed: 38807795
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59210 -
Microbial Cell Factories May 2024Rhizomucor miehei (RM) lipase is a regioselective lipase widely used in food, pharmaceutical and biofuel industries. However, the high cost and low purity of the...
BACKGROUND
Rhizomucor miehei (RM) lipase is a regioselective lipase widely used in food, pharmaceutical and biofuel industries. However, the high cost and low purity of the commercial RM lipase limit its industrial applications. Therefore, it is necessary to develop cost-effective strategies for large-scale preparation of this lipase. The present study explored the high-level expression of RM lipase using superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP)-mediated Escherichia coli secretion system.
RESULTS
The sfGFP mutant was fused to the C-terminus of RM lipase to mediate its secretion expression. The yield of the fusion protein reached approximately 5.1 g/L with high-density fermentation in 5-L fermentors. Unlike conventional secretion expression methods, only a small portion of the target protein was secreted into the cell culture while majority of the fusion protein was still remained in the cytoplasm. However, in contrast to intracellular expression, the target protein in the cytoplasm could be transported efficiently to the supernatant through a simple washing step with equal volume of phosphate saline (PBS), without causing cell disruption. Hence, the approach facilitated the downstream purification step of the recombinant RM lipase. Moreover, contamination or decline of the engineered strain and degradation or deactivation of the target enzyme can be detected efficiently because they exhibited bright green fluorescence. Next, the target protein was immobilized with anion-exchange and macropore resins. Diethylaminoethyl sepharose (DEAE), a weak-basic anion-exchange resin, exhibited the highest bind capacity but inhibited the activity of RM lipase dramatically. On the contrary, RM lipase fixed with macropore resin D101 demonstrated the highest specific activity. Although immobilization with D101 didn't improve the activity of the enzyme, the thermostability of the immobilized enzyme elevated significantly. The immobilized RM lipase retained approximately 90% of its activity after 3-h incubation at 80 °C. Therefore, D101 was chosen as the supporting material of the target protein.
CONCLUSION
The present study established a highly efficient strategy for large-scale preparation of RM lipase. This innovative technique not only provides high-purity RM lipase at a low cost but also has great potential as a platform for the preparation of lipases in the future.
Topics: Lipase; Rhizomucor; Escherichia coli; Enzymes, Immobilized; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Fermentation
PubMed: 38802857
DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02432-y -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Wound-invasive fungal diseases (WIFDs), especially mucormycosis, have emerged as life-threatening infections during recent military combat operations. Many...
Development of a Combat-Relevant Murine Model of Wound Mucormycosis: A Platform for the Pre-Clinical Investigation of Novel Therapeutics for Wound-Invasive Fungal Diseases.
Wound-invasive fungal diseases (WIFDs), especially mucormycosis, have emerged as life-threatening infections during recent military combat operations. Many combat-relevant fungal pathogens are refractory to current antifungal therapy. Therefore, animal models of WIFDs are urgently needed to investigate new therapeutic solutions. Our study establishes combat-relevant murine models of wound mucormycosis using and , two species that cause wound mucormycosis worldwide. These models recapitulate the characteristics of combat-related wounds from explosions, including blast overpressure exposure, full-thickness skin injury, fascial damage, and muscle crush. The independent inoculation of both pathogens caused sustained infections and enlarged wounds. Histopathological analysis confirmed the presence of necrosis and fungal hyphae in the wound bed and adjacent muscle tissue. Semi-quantification of fungal burden by colony-forming units corroborated the infection. Treatment with liposomal amphotericin B, 30 mg/kg, effectively controlled growth and significantly reduced residual fungal burden in infected wounds ( < 0.001). This study establishes the first combat-relevant murine model of wound mucormycosis, paving the way for developing and evaluating novel antifungal therapies against combat-associated WIFDs.
PubMed: 38786719
DOI: 10.3390/jof10050364 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024During the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant increase in cases of mucormycosis was observed in COVID-19 patients, especially in India, but not exclusively. The presented...
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant increase in cases of mucormycosis was observed in COVID-19 patients, especially in India, but not exclusively. The presented cases highlight the heterogeneous nature of mucormycosis, emphasizing the importance of recognizing predisposing factors, such as immunosuppression, due to comorbidities or medication. Diagnosing mucormycosis poses a challenge due to nonspecific clinical manifestations, requiring a multidisciplinary approach for accurate diagnosis. Treatment involves a multi-pronged approach centered around the early initiation of antifungal therapy alongside surgical intervention and the management of underlying conditions, with an emphasis on controlling immunosuppression. Understanding the relationship between COVID-19 and predisposing factors for mucormycosis is fundamental for developing prevention and treatment strategies.
PubMed: 38786660
DOI: 10.3390/jof10050305 -
Choanephora infundibulifera Rhinosinusitis in Man with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Tennessee, USA.Emerging Infectious Diseases Jun 2024Choanephora infundibulifera is a member of the Mucorales order of fungi. The species is associated with plants as a saprophyte or parasite and may be responsible for...
Choanephora infundibulifera is a member of the Mucorales order of fungi. The species is associated with plants as a saprophyte or parasite and may be responsible for spoilage or disease but is an uncommon cause of human infection. We describe C. infundibulifera rhinosinusitis in a young man with leukemia in Tennessee, USA.
Topics: Humans; Male; Tennessee; Sinusitis; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Mucormycosis; Mucorales; Rhinitis; Adult; Antifungal Agents; Rhinosinusitis
PubMed: 38782142
DOI: 10.3201/eid3006.230794 -
Mitochondrial DNA. Part B, Resources 2024Tiegh. 1875 is widely used in a variety of industries, such as brewing, wine making, baking, and medicine production, as it has the capability to break down proteins...
Tiegh. 1875 is widely used in a variety of industries, such as brewing, wine making, baking, and medicine production, as it has the capability to break down proteins and generate surface-active agents. To date, the mitochondrial genome features of early evolved fungi from the genus have not been extensively studied. Our research obtained a full mitochondrial genome of species, which was 43,837 bp in size and had a GC content of 24.93%. This genome contained 14 core protein-coding genes, 3 independent ORFs, 7 intronic ORFs, 24 tRNAs, and 2 rRNA genes. Through the use of the BI phylogenetic inference method, we were able to create phylogenetic trees for 25 early differentiation fungi which strongly supported the major clades; this indicated that is most closely related to .
PubMed: 38774188
DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2024.2356133 -
Scientific Reports May 2024The biological control of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites using predatory fungi has been recently proposed as an accurate and sustainable approach in birds. The current...
The biological control of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites using predatory fungi has been recently proposed as an accurate and sustainable approach in birds. The current study aimed to assess for the first time the efficacy of using the native ovicidal fungus Mucor circinelloides (FMV-FR1) in reducing coccidia parasitism in peacocks. For this purpose, an in vivo trial was designed in the resident peacock collection (n = 58 birds) of the São Jorge Castle, at Lisbon, Portugal. These animals presented an initial severe infection by coccidia of the genus Eimeria (20106 ± 8034 oocysts per gram of feces, OPG), and thus received commercial feed enriched with a M. circinelloides suspension (1.01 × 10 spores/kg feed), thrice-weekly. Fresh feces were collected every 15 days to calculate the coccidia shedding, using the Mini-FLOTAC technique. The same bird flock served simultaneously as control (t0 days) and test groups (t15-t90 days). The average Eimeria sp. shedding in peacocks decreased up to 92% following fungal administrations, with significant reduction efficacies of 78% (p = 0.004) and 92% (p = 0.012) after 45 and 60 days, respectively. Results from this study suggest that the administration of M. circinelloides spores to birds is an accurate solution to reduce their coccidia parasitism.
Topics: Animals; Mucor; Coccidiosis; Feces; Eimeria; Coccidia; Poultry Diseases
PubMed: 38762506
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61816-7 -
Cureus Apr 2024The most common complication post COVID-19is mucormycosis. It is an opportunistic infection caused by the fungus mucormycetes which belongs to the order . This infection...
The most common complication post COVID-19is mucormycosis. It is an opportunistic infection caused by the fungus mucormycetes which belongs to the order . This infection can spread from the oral cavity to the nasal cavity and sometimes also involve the orbit. Surgical resection of the affected region followed by its prosthetic rehabilitation is one of the viable treatment options. In this case report, we will discuss the problems in designing and fabricating a hollow bulb obturator and its solutions.
PubMed: 38745795
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58220 -
Experimental and Clinical... Apr 2024Mucormycosis, a group of opportunistic mycoses caused by Mucorales, present a significant threat to immunocompromised patients. In this report, we present the case of a...
Mucormycosis, a group of opportunistic mycoses caused by Mucorales, present a significant threat to immunocompromised patients. In this report, we present the case of a 57-year-old male patient who underwent liver transplant for secondary biliary cirrhosis following inadvertent bile duct injury. Despite initial satisfactory postoperative evolution, the patient developed fever, and imaging revealed a suspicious lesion. Preliminary culture growth suggested a filamentous fungus, leading to initiation of liposomal amphotericin B. However, the lesion progressed, and a surgical debridement was necessary. During surgery, involvement of the liver dome and diaphragm was observed, and a nonanatomical hepatectomy was performed. Despite efforts, the patient's condition deteriorated, ultimately resulting in multiple organ failure and mortality. This case emphasizes the challenging nature of mucormycosis in livertransplant recipients.
Topics: Humans; Male; Mucormycosis; Middle Aged; Liver Transplantation; Antifungal Agents; Immunocompromised Host; Fatal Outcome; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary; Treatment Outcome; Opportunistic Infections; Debridement; Allografts; Hepatectomy; Amphotericin B; Multiple Organ Failure
PubMed: 38742324
DOI: 10.6002/ect.2023.0142