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Indian Journal of Microbiology Mar 2018In the present investigation, a novel fungus was isolated from leather watch strap and identified as TANCK-1 by 18 s rRNA sequencing. The isolated fungus was evaluated...
ABSTRACT
In the present investigation, a novel fungus was isolated from leather watch strap and identified as TANCK-1 by 18 s rRNA sequencing. The isolated fungus was evaluated against three structurally different fungicides such as 2-(thiocyanomethylthio)benzothiazole (TCMTB), potassium dimethyldithiocarbamate (KDDC) and 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide (DBNP) to control the fungal growth. Among these, TCMTB was found to effectively inhibit the growth at a minimum concentration of 31.2 µg/mL as compared to 1250 and 625 µg/mL for KDDC and DBNP respectively. Increased membrane permeability in the fungicide treated samples was evident from cellular release and decrease in cellular ergosterol content. Nevertheless, SEM analysis revealed a considerable change in fungicide treated mycelium with the collapse of hyphae structure and shrunken spores, which was observed to be very pronounced in KDDC and DBNP. Results indicated that all three biocides bring about inhibition through membrane damage with almost negligible effect on the cell wall.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Schematic diagram explaining the fungicidal action on TANCK-1.
PubMed: 29434397
DOI: 10.1007/s12088-017-0696-7 -
Marine Drugs May 2022Fibrinolytic enzymes are important components in the treatment of thrombosis-associated disorders. A new bi-functional fibrinolytic enzyme, versiase, was identified from...
Fibrinolytic enzymes are important components in the treatment of thrombosis-associated disorders. A new bi-functional fibrinolytic enzyme, versiase, was identified from a marine-derived fungus ZLH-1. The enzyme was isolated from the fungal culture through precipitation with ammonium sulfate at 90% saturation. Additionally, it was further purified by DEAE-based ion-exchange chromatography, with a recovery of 20.4%. The fibrinolytic enzyme presented as one band on both SDS-PAGE and fibrin-zymogram, with a molecular mass of 37.3 kDa. It was elucidated as a member of metalloprotease in M35 family by proteomic approaches. The homology-modeling analysis revealed that versiase shares significant structural homology wuth the zinc metalloendopeptidase. The enzyme displayed maximum activity at 40 °C and pH 5.0. The activity of versiase was strongly inhibited by the metalloprotease inhibitors EDTA and BGTA. Furthermore, versiase hydrolyzed fibrin directly and indirectly via the activation of plasminogen, and it was able to hydrolyze the three chains (α, β, γ) of fibrin(ogen). Additionally, versiase demonstrated promising thrombolytic and anticoagulant activities, without many side-effects noticed. In conclusion, versiase appears to be a potent fibrinolytic enzyme deserving further investigation.
Topics: Anticoagulants; Aspergillus; Fibrin; Fibrinolytic Agents; Fungi; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Metalloproteases; Molecular Weight; Proteomics; Temperature
PubMed: 35736159
DOI: 10.3390/md20060356 -
International Journal of Occupational... 2016The main objective was analysis and assessment of toxinogenic capabilities of fungi isolated from moldy surfaces in residential rooms in an urban agglomeration situated...
OBJECTIVES
The main objective was analysis and assessment of toxinogenic capabilities of fungi isolated from moldy surfaces in residential rooms in an urban agglomeration situated far from flooded areas in moderate climate zone.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The assessment of environmental exposure to mycotoxins was carried out in samples collected from moldy surfaces in form of scrapings and airborne dust from 22 moldy dwellings in winter season. In each sample 2 mycotoxins were analyzed: sterigmatocystin and roquefortine C produced by Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillium chrysogenum, respectively. Mycotoxins were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in: scrapings from moldy surfaces, mixture of all species of fungi cultured from scrapings on microbiological medium (malt extract agar), pure cultures of Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillium chrysogenum cultured from scrapings on microbiological medium; mycotoxins in the indoor air dust were also analyzed.
RESULTS
The production of sterigmatocystin by individual strains of Aspergillus versicolor cultured on medium was confirmed for 8 of 13 isolated strains ranging 2.1-235.9 μg/g and production of roquefortine C by Penicillium chrysogenum for 4 of 10 strains ranging 12.9-27.6 μg/g. In 11 of 13 samples of the mixture of fungi cultured from scrapings, in which Aspergillus versicolor was found, sterigmatocystin production was at the level of 3.1-1683.2 μg/g, whereas in 3 of 10 samples in which Penicillium chrysogenum occurred, the production of roquefortine C was 0.9-618.9 μg/g. The analysis did not show in any of the tested air dust and scrapings samples the presence of analyzed mycotoxins in the amount exceeding the determination limit.
CONCLUSIONS
The capability of synthesis of sterigmatocystin by Aspergillus versicolor and roquefortine C by Penicillium chrysogenum growing in mixtures of fungi from scrapings and pure cultures in laboratory conditions was confirmed. The absence of mycotoxins in scrapings and air dust samples indicates an insignificant inhalatory exposure to mycotoxins among inhabitants in moldy flats of urban agglomeration situated far from flooded territories. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(5):823-836.
Topics: Air Microbiology; Air Pollution, Indoor; Aspergillus; Cities; Environmental Monitoring; Fungi; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; Housing; Indoles; Mycotoxins; Penicillium chrysogenum; Piperazines; Poland; Sterigmatocystin
PubMed: 27518891
DOI: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00601 -
The Science of the Total Environment Mar 2016Intact spores and submicrometer size fragments are released from moldy building materials during growth and sporulation. It is unclear whether all fragments originate...
Intact spores and submicrometer size fragments are released from moldy building materials during growth and sporulation. It is unclear whether all fragments originate from fungal growth or if small pieces of building materials are also aerosolized as a result of microbial decomposition. In addition, particles may be formed through nucleation from secondary metabolites of fungi, such as microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs). In this study, we used the elemental composition of particles to characterize the origin of submicrometer fragments released from materials contaminated by fungi. Particles from three fungal species (Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Penicillium brevicompactum), grown on agar, wood and gypsum board were aerosolized using the Fungal Spore Source Strength Tester (FSSST) at three air velocities (5, 16 and 27 m/s). Released spores (optical size, dp ≥ 0.8 μm) and fragments (dp ≤ 0.8 μm) were counted using direct-reading optical aerosol instruments. Particles were also collected on filters, and their morphology and elemental composition analyzed using scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) coupled with an Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Among the studied factors, air velocity resulted in the most consistent trends in the release of fungal particles. Total concentrations of both fragments and spores increased with an increase in air velocity for all species whereas fragment-spore (F/S) ratios decreased. EDX analysis showed common elements, such as C, O, Mg and Ca, for blank material samples and fungal growth. However, N and P were exclusive to the fungal growth, and therefore were used to differentiate biological fragments from non-biological ones. Our results indicated that majority of fragments contained N and P. Because we observed increased release of fragments with increased air velocities, nucleation of MVOCs was likely not a relevant process in the formation of fungal fragments. Based on elemental composition, most fragments originated from fungi, but also fragments from growth material were detected.
Topics: Air Microbiology; Air Pollution, Indoor; Construction Materials; Environmental Monitoring; Fungi; Spores, Fungal
PubMed: 26789361
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.095 -
IMA Fungus Jun 2012β-tubulin, calmodulin, internal transcribed spacer and partial lsu-rDNA, RNA polymerase 2, DNA replication licensing factor Mcm7, and pre-rRNA processing protein Tsr1...
β-tubulin, calmodulin, internal transcribed spacer and partial lsu-rDNA, RNA polymerase 2, DNA replication licensing factor Mcm7, and pre-rRNA processing protein Tsr1 were amplified and sequenced from numerous isolates belonging to Aspergillus sect. versicolor. The isolates were analyzed phylogenetically using the concordance model to establish species boundaries. Aspergillus austroafricanus, A. creber, A. cvjetkovicii, A. fructus, A. jensenii, A. puulaauensis, A. subversicolor, A. tennesseensis and A. venenatus are described as new species and A. amoenus, A. protuberus,A. sydowii, A. tabacinus and A. versicolor are accepted as distinct species on the basis of molecular and phenotypic differences. PCR primer pairs used to detect A. versicolor in sick building syndrome studies have a positive reaction for all of the newly described species except A. subversicolor.
PubMed: 23155501
DOI: 10.5598/imafungus.2012.03.01.07 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2022a raw material for preparation, is highly vulnerable to aflatoxin-producing fungi. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a one-year fermentation on...
a raw material for preparation, is highly vulnerable to aflatoxin-producing fungi. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a one-year fermentation on aflatoxins and aflatoxin-producing fungi in spiked with aflatoxins B1, G1, B2, and G2 and inoculated with toxigenic . A significant reduction in aflatoxins was observed after a year of fermentation, measuring 92.58%, 100%, 98.69%, and 100% of B1, G1, B2, and G2, respectively. After a year of fermentation, 6.95 ± 3.64 µg/kg of total aflatoxin was detected, which represents a 97.88% reduction in the total aflatoxin compared with the initial value (328.83 ± 36.60 µg/kg). Several aflatoxin-degrading fungi (, , ) and bacteria (, ) isolated from were identified as the major contributors to the reduction of aflatoxin. Furthermore, it was observed that most of the aflatoxin contamination in occurred during the stage, and this stage was found to be most susceptible to contamination and growth. These findings reveal that native microorganisms mediate aflatoxin clean-up in during fermentation and support the use of such microorganisms as a starter culture for the preparation of aflatoxin-free .
PubMed: 35205943
DOI: 10.3390/jof8020190 -
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. :... Oct 2012There is considerable evidence supporting a role for mold exposure in the pathogenesis and expression of childhood asthma. Aspergillus versicolor and Cladosporium... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
There is considerable evidence supporting a role for mold exposure in the pathogenesis and expression of childhood asthma. Aspergillus versicolor and Cladosporium cladosporioides are common molds that have been implicated in asthma. In a model of mold-induced asthma, mice were repeatedly exposed to either A. versicolor or C. cladosporioides spores. The two molds induced distinct phenotypes, and this effect was observed in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 strains. C. cladosporioides induced robust airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), eosinophilia, and a predominately Th2 response, whereas A. versicolor induced a strong Th17 response and neutrophilic inflammation, but very mild AHR. Neutralization of IL-17A resulted in strong AHR and eosinophilic inflammation following A. versicolor exposure. In Dectin-1-deficient mice, A. versicolor exposure resulted in markedly attenuated IL-17A and robust AHR compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, C. cladosporioides induced AHR and eosinophilic inflammation independent of IL-17A and Dectin-1. A. versicolor, but not C. cladosporioides, spores had increased exposure of β-glucans on their surface and were able to bind Dectin-1. Thus, the host response to C. cladosporioides was IL-17A- and Dectin-1-independent, whereas Dectin-1- and IL-17A-dependent pathways were protective against the development of asthma after exposure to A. versicolor.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Asthmatic Agents; Aspergillus; Asthma; Bronchial Hyperreactivity; Cladosporium; Eosinophils; Immunophenotyping; Inflammation Mediators; Interleukin-17; Lectins, C-Type; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Neutrophils; Spores, Fungal; Surface Properties; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 22962686
DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1200589 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2022The use of morphology to diagnose invasive mould infections in China still faces substantial challenges, which often leads to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. We...
The use of morphology to diagnose invasive mould infections in China still faces substantial challenges, which often leads to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. We developed a model called XMVision Fungus AI to identify mould infections by training, testing, and evaluating a ResNet-50 model. Our research achieved the rapid identification of nine common clinical moulds: complex, complex, complex, complex, , , , spp., and spp. In our study, the adaptive image contrast enhancement enabling XMVision Fungus AI as a promising module by effectively improve the identification performance. The overall identification accuracy of XMVision Fungus AI was up to 93.00% (279/300), which was higher than that of human readers. XMVision Fungus AI shows intrinsic advantages in the identification of clinical moulds and can be applied to improve human identification efficiency through training. Moreover, it has great potential for clinical application because of its convenient operation and lower cost. This system will be suitable for primary hospitals in China and developing countries.
PubMed: 36312928
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1021236 -
Marine Drugs Sep 2018Three new tetrahydroxanthone dimers, 5--asperdichrome (), versixanthones N (), and O (), were isolated from the mangrove-derived fungus HDN1009. Their structures,...
Three new tetrahydroxanthone dimers, 5--asperdichrome (), versixanthones N (), and O (), were isolated from the mangrove-derived fungus HDN1009. Their structures, including the absolute configurations, were elucidated by NMR, HRMS, and circular dichroism (CD) experiments. Among them, compound was the second example of tetrahydroxanthone dimers, which dimerized by a rare diaryl ether linkage and showed promising antibacterial activities against , , , and , with MIC values ranging from 100 μM to 200 μM; whilst compounds and exhibited extensive cytotoxicities against five cancer cell lines (HL-60, K562, H1975, MGC803, and HO-8910), with IC values ranging from 1.7 μM to 16.1 μM.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Aquatic Organisms; Aspergillus; Bacteria; Cell Line, Tumor; Dimerization; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Molecular Structure; Wetlands; Xanthones
PubMed: 30223483
DOI: 10.3390/md16090335 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2016In an area representative of a moderate climate zone (Lubuskie Province in Poland), mycological tests in over 270 flats demonstrated the occurrence of 82 species of...
In an area representative of a moderate climate zone (Lubuskie Province in Poland), mycological tests in over 270 flats demonstrated the occurrence of 82 species of moulds. Aspergillus versicolor Tiraboschi was often encountered on building partitions (frequency 4: frequently). The ability to synthesize the carcinogenic sterigmatocystin (ST) means that it poses a risk to humans and animals. Biotoxicological tests of biomasses of A. versicolor were conducted in the Microbiological and Toxicological Laboratory, using the planarians Dugesia tigrina (Girard). The obtained results of the tests covered a broad range of toxicity levels of isolated strains: from weakly toxic (100-1000 mg·L(-3)) to potently toxic (1-10 mg·L(-3)). The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) physicochemical method confirmed the ability of A. versicolor strains to synthesize sterigmatocystin. All of the samples of the air-dry biomasses of the fungi contained ST in the range between 0.03 and 534.38 mg·kg(-1). In the bio-safety level (BSL) classification A. versicolor belongs to category 1. Additionally, A. versicolor is an allergenic mould.
Topics: Air Pollution, Indoor; Aspergillus; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Colony Count, Microbial; Dust; Environmental Monitoring; Housing; Poland; Sterigmatocystin
PubMed: 27589778
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13090862