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Toxins Aug 2019Citrus are vulnerable to the postharvest decay caused by , , and , which are responsible for the green mold, blue mold, and sour rot post-harvest disease, respectively.... (Review)
Review
Citrus are vulnerable to the postharvest decay caused by , , and , which are responsible for the green mold, blue mold, and sour rot post-harvest disease, respectively. The widespread economic losses in citriculture caused by these phytopathogens are minimized with the use of synthetic fungicides such as imazalil, thiabendazole, pyrimethanil, and fludioxonil, which are mainly employed as control agents and may have harmful effects on human health and environment. To date, numerous non-chemical postharvest treatments have been investigated for the control of these pathogens. Several studies demonstrated that biological control using microbial antagonists and natural products can be effective in controlling postharvest diseases in citrus, as well as the most used commercial fungicides. Therefore, microbial agents represent a considerably safer and low toxicity alternative to synthetic fungicides. In the present review, these biological control strategies as alternative to the chemical fungicides are summarized here and new challenges regarding the development of shelf-stable formulated biocontrol products are also discussed.
Topics: Citrus; Fungicides, Industrial; Geotrichum; Penicillium; Pest Control, Biological
PubMed: 31390769
DOI: 10.3390/toxins11080460 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2021Marine fungi produce many halogenated metabolites with a variety of structures, from acyclic entities with a simple linear chain to multifaceted polycyclic molecules.... (Review)
Review
Marine fungi produce many halogenated metabolites with a variety of structures, from acyclic entities with a simple linear chain to multifaceted polycyclic molecules. Over the past few decades, their pharmaceutical and medical application have been explored and still the door is kept open due to the need of new drugs from relatively underexplored sources. Biological properties of halogenated compounds such as anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antifouling, and insecticidal activity have been investigated. This review describes the chemical structures and biological activities of 217 halogenated compounds derived mainly from and marine fungal strains reported from 1994 to 2019.
Topics: Aquatic Organisms; Aspergillus; Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; Penicillium
PubMed: 33467200
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020458 -
Scientific Reports Sep 2019Members of the genus Penicillium are commonly isolated from various terrestrial and marine environments, and play an important ecological role as a decomposer. To gain...
Members of the genus Penicillium are commonly isolated from various terrestrial and marine environments, and play an important ecological role as a decomposer. To gain insight into the ecological role of Penicillium in intertidal zones, we investigated the Penicillium diversity and community structure using a culture-dependent technique and a culture independent metagenomic approach using ITS (ITS-NGS) and partial β-tubulin (BenA-NGS) as targets. The obtained isolates were tested for halotolerance, enzyme activity, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) degradation. A total of 96 Penicillium species were identified from the investigated intertidal zones. Although the BenA-NGS method was efficient for detecting Penicillium, some species were only detected using conventional isolation and/or the ITS-NGS method. The Penicillium community displayed a significant degree of variation relative to season (summer and winter) and seaside (western and southern coast). Many Penicillium species isolated in this study exhibited cellulase and protease activity, and/or degradation of PAHs. These findings support the important role of Penicillium in the intertidal zone for nutrient recycling and pollutant degradation.
Topics: Classification; DNA, Fungal; Enzyme Activation; Geologic Sediments; Penicillium; Phylogeny; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Tidal Waves
PubMed: 31537866
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49966-5 -
Nature Communications Mar 2018Glycoside Hydrolase Family 7 cellobiohydrolases (GH7 CBHs) catalyze cellulose depolymerization in cellulolytic eukaryotes, making them key discovery and engineering...
Glycoside Hydrolase Family 7 cellobiohydrolases (GH7 CBHs) catalyze cellulose depolymerization in cellulolytic eukaryotes, making them key discovery and engineering targets. However, there remains a lack of robust structure-activity relationships for these industrially important cellulases. Here, we compare CBHs from Trichoderma reesei (TrCel7A) and Penicillium funiculosum (PfCel7A), which exhibit a multi-modular architecture consisting of catalytic domain (CD), carbohydrate-binding module, and linker. We show that PfCel7A exhibits 60% greater performance on biomass than TrCel7A. To understand the contribution of each domain to this improvement, we measure enzymatic activity for a library of CBH chimeras with swapped subdomains, demonstrating that the enhancement is mainly caused by PfCel7A CD. We solve the crystal structure of PfCel7A CD and use this information to create a second library of TrCel7A CD mutants, identifying a TrCel7A double mutant with near-equivalent activity to wild-type PfCel7A. Overall, these results reveal CBH regions that enable targeted activity improvements.
Topics: Catalytic Domain; Cellulose 1,4-beta-Cellobiosidase; Fungal Proteins; Kinetics; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Penicillium; Protein Conformation; Protein Engineering; Trichoderma
PubMed: 29567941
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03501-8 -
Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek Oct 2018Penicillium and Talaromyces species have a worldwide distribution and are isolated from various materials and hosts, including insects and their substrates. The aim of...
Penicillium and Talaromyces species have a worldwide distribution and are isolated from various materials and hosts, including insects and their substrates. The aim of this study was to characterize the Penicillium and Talaromyces species obtained during a survey of honey, pollen and the inside of nests of Melipona scutellaris. A total of 100 isolates were obtained during the survey and 82% of those strains belonged to Penicillium and 18% to Talaromyces. Identification of these isolates was performed based on phenotypic characters and β-tubulin and ITS sequencing. Twenty-one species were identified in Penicillium and six in Talaromyces, including seven new species. These new species were studied in detail using a polyphasic approach combining phenotypic, molecular and extrolite data. The four new Penicillium species belong to sections Sclerotiora (Penicillium fernandesiae sp. nov., Penicillium mellis sp. nov., Penicillium meliponae sp. nov.) and Gracilenta (Penicillium apimei sp. nov.) and the three new Talaromyces species to sections Helici (Talaromyces pigmentosus sp. nov.), Talaromyces (Talaromyces mycothecae sp. nov.) and Trachyspermi (Talaromyces brasiliensis sp. nov.). The invalidly described species Penicillium echinulonalgiovense sp. nov. was also isolated during the survey and this species is validated here.
Topics: Animals; Bees; Environmental Microbiology; Genes, Fungal; Honey; Molecular Typing; Penicillium; Phylogeny; Pollen; Talaromyces
PubMed: 29654567
DOI: 10.1007/s10482-018-1081-1 -
Polish Journal of Microbiology 2016Gamma irradiation is used on Penicillium cyclopium in order to obtain mutant cells of high L-asparaginase productivity. Using gamma irradiation dose of 4 KGy, P....
Gamma irradiation is used on Penicillium cyclopium in order to obtain mutant cells of high L-asparaginase productivity. Using gamma irradiation dose of 4 KGy, P. cyclopium cells yielded L-asparaginase with extracellular enzyme activity of 210.8 ± 3 U/ml, and specific activity of 752.5 ± 1.5 U/mg protein, which are 1.75 and 1.53 times, respectively, the activity of the wild strain. The enzyme was partially purified by 40-60% acetone precipitation. L-asparaginase was immobilized onto Amberlite IR-120 by ionic binding. Both free and immobilized enzymes exhibited maximum activity at pH 8 and 40 degrees C. The immobilization process improved the enzyme thermal stability significantly. The immobilized enzyme remained 100% active at temperatures up to 60 degrees C, while the free asparaginase was less tolerant to high temperatures. The immobilized enzyme was more stable at pH 9.0 for 50 min, retaining 70% of its relative activity. The maximum reaction rate (V(max)) and Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m)) of the free form were significantly changed after immobilization. The K(m) value for immobilized L-asparaginase was about 1.3 times higher than that of free enzyme. The ions K+, Ba2+ and Na+ showed stimulatory effect on enzyme activity with percentages of 110%, 109% and 106% respectively.
Topics: Asparaginase; Enzymes, Immobilized; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Metals; Mutation; Penicillium
PubMed: 27281993
DOI: 10.5604/17331331.1197274 -
PloS One 2022Fludioxonil and iprodione are effective fungicides widely used for crop protection and are essential for controlling plant pathogenic fungi. The emergence of...
Fludioxonil and iprodione are effective fungicides widely used for crop protection and are essential for controlling plant pathogenic fungi. The emergence of fungicide-resistant strains of targeted pathogens is regularly monitored, and several cases have been reported. Non-targeted fungi may also be exposed to the fungicide residues in agricultural fields. However, there are no comprehensive reports on fungicide-resistant strains of non-targeted fungi. Here, we surveyed 99 strains, representing 12 Penicillium species, that were isolated from a variety of environments, including foods, dead bodies, and clinical samples. Among the Penicillium strains, including non-pathogenic P. chrysogenum and P. camembertii, as well as postharvest pathogens P. expansum and P. digitatum, 14 and 20 showed resistance to fludioxonil and iprodione, respectively, and 6 showed multi-drug resistance to the fungicides. Sequence analyses revealed that some strains of P. chrysogenum and Penicillium oxalicum had mutations in NikA, a group III histidine kinase of the high-osmolarity glycerol pathway, which is the mode of action for fludioxonil and iprodione. The single nucleotide polymorphisms of G693D and T1318P in P. chrysogenum and T960S in P. oxalicum were only present in the fludioxonil- or iprodione-resistant strains. These strains also exhibited resistance to pyrrolnitrin, which is the lead compound in fludioxonil and is naturally produced by some Pseudomonas species. This study demonstrated that non-targeted Penicillium strains distributed throughout the environment possess fungicide resistance.
Topics: Aminoimidazole Carboxamide; Cadaver; Crops, Agricultural; Dioxoles; Drug Resistance, Fungal; Food Analysis; Fungal Proteins; Fungicides, Industrial; Humans; Hydantoins; Mycoses; Penicillium; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Pyrroles
PubMed: 35100282
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262521 -
Molecular Plant Pathology Nov 2020Blue mould, caused primarily by Penicillium expansum, is a major threat to the global pome fruit industry, causing multimillion-dollar losses annually. The blue mould... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
Blue mould, caused primarily by Penicillium expansum, is a major threat to the global pome fruit industry, causing multimillion-dollar losses annually. The blue mould fungus negatively affects fruit quality, thereby reducing fresh fruit consumption, and significantly contributes to food loss. P. expansum also produces an array of mycotoxins that are detrimental to human health. Management options are limited and the emergence of fungicide-resistant Penicillium spp. makes disease management difficult, therefore new approaches and tools are needed to combat blue mould in storage. This species profile comprises a comprehensive literature review of this aggressive pathogen associated with pomes (apple, pear, quince), focusing on biology, mechanisms of disease, control, genomics, and the newest developments in disease management.
TAXONOMY
Penicillium expansum Link 1809. Domain Eukaryota, Kingdom Fungi, Phylum Ascomycota, Subphylum Pezizomycotina, Class Eurotiomycetes, Subclass: Eurotiomycetidae, Order Eurotiales; Family Trichocomaceae, Genus Penicillium, Species expansum.
BIOLOGY
A wide host range necrotrophic postharvest pathogen that requires a wound (e.g., stem pull, punctures, bruises, shoulder cracks) or natural openings (e.g., lenticel, stem end, calyx sinus) to gain ingress and infect.
TOXINS
Patulin, citrinin, chaetoglobosins, communesins, roquefortine C, expansolides A and B, ochratoxin A, penitrem A, rubratoxin B, and penicillic acid.
HOST RANGE
Primarily apples, European pear, Asian pear, medlar, and quince. Blue mould has also been reported on stone fruits (cherry, plum, peach), small fruits (grape, strawberry, kiwi), and hazel nut.
DISEASE SYMPTOMS
Blue mould initially appears as light tan to dark brown circular lesions with a defined margin between the decayed and healthy tissues. The decayed tissue is soft and watery, and blue-green spore masses appear on the decayed area, starting at the infection site and radiating outward as the decayed area ages.
DISEASE CONTROL
Preharvest fungicides with postharvest activity and postharvest fungicides are primarily used to control decay. Orchard and packinghouse sanitation methods are also critical components of an integrated pest management strategy.
USEFUL WEBSITES
Penn State Tree Fruit Production Guide (https://extension.psu.edu/forage-and-food-crops/fruit), Washington State Comprehensive Tree Fruit (http://treefruit.wsu.edu/crop-protection/disease-management/blue-mold/), The Apple Rot Doctor (https://waynejurick.wixsite.com/applerotdr), penicillium expansum genome sequences and resources (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/browse/#!/eukaryotes/11336/).
Topics: Drug Resistance, Fungal; Fruit; Fungicides, Industrial; Genome, Fungal; Host Specificity; Malus; Mycotoxins; Patulin; Penicillium; Plant Diseases; Pyrus; Rosaceae
PubMed: 32969130
DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12990 -
Journal of Industrial Microbiology &... Dec 2021Heterologous expression of eukaryotic gene clusters in yeast has been widely used for producing high-value chemicals and bioactive secondary metabolites. However,...
Heterologous expression of eukaryotic gene clusters in yeast has been widely used for producing high-value chemicals and bioactive secondary metabolites. However, eukaryotic transcription cis-elements are still undercharacterized, and the cross-species expression mechanism remains poorly understood. Here we used the whole expression unit (including original promoter, terminator, and open reading frame with introns) of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylases from 14 Penicillium species as a showcase, and analyzed their cross-species expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found that pyrG promoters from the Penicillium species could drive URA3 expression in yeast, and that inefficient cross-species splicing of Penicillium introns might result in weak cross-species expression. Thus, this study demonstrates cross-species expression from Penicillium to yeast, and sheds light on the opportunities and challenges of cross-species expression of fungi expression units and gene clusters in yeast without refactoring for novel natural product discovery.
Topics: Carboxy-Lyases; Industrial Microbiology; Microorganisms, Genetically-Modified; Penicillium; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Saccharomyces cerevisiae
PubMed: 34387324
DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuab054 -
Toxins May 2010Ochratoxin A (OTA) producing fungi are members of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. Nowadays, there are about 20 species accepted as OTA producers, which are... (Review)
Review
Ochratoxin A (OTA) producing fungi are members of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. Nowadays, there are about 20 species accepted as OTA producers, which are distributed in three phylogenetically related but distinct groups of aspergilli of the subgenus Circumdati and only in two species of the subgenus Penicillium. At the moment, P. verrucosum and P. nordicum are the only OTA producing species accepted in the genus Penicillium. However, during the last century, OTA producers in this genus were classified as P. viridicatum for many years. At present, only some OTA producing species are known to be a potential source of OTA contamination of cereals and certain common foods and beverages such as bread, beer, coffee, dried fruits, grape juice and wine among others. Penicillium verrucosum is the major producer of OTA in cereals such as wheat and barley in temperate and cold climates. Penicillium verrucosum and P. nordicum can be recovered from some dry-cured meat products and some cheeses.
Topics: Food Contamination; Food Microbiology; Ochratoxins; Penicillium
PubMed: 22069629
DOI: 10.3390/toxins2051111