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Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters 2009Genetic manipulation of the filamentous fungus Penicillium camemberti has been limited by a lack of suitable genetics tools for this fungus. In particular, there is no...
Genetic manipulation of the filamentous fungus Penicillium camemberti has been limited by a lack of suitable genetics tools for this fungus. In particular, there is no available homologous transformation system. In this study, the nitrate reductase (niaD) and orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (pyrG) genes from Penicillium camemberti were characterized, and their suitability as metabolic molecular markers for transformation was evaluated. The genes were amplified using PCR-related techniques, and sequenced. The niaD gene is flanked by the nitrite reductase (niiA) gene in a divergent arrangement, being part of the putative nitrate assimilation cluster in P. camemberti. pyrG presents several polymorphisms compared with a previously sequenced pyrG gene from another P. camemberti strain, but almost all are silent mutations. Southern blot assays indicate that one copy of each gene is present in P. camemberti. Northern blot assays showed that the pyrG gene is expressed in minimal and rich media, and the niaD gene is expressed in nitrate, but not in reduced nitrogen sources. The functionality of the two genes as transformation markers was established by transforming A. nidulans pyrG- and niaD-deficient strains. Higher transformation efficiencies were obtained with a pyrG-containing plasmid. This is the first study yielding a molecular and functional characterization of P. camemberti genes that would be useful as molecular markers for transformation, opening the way for the future development of a non-antibiotic genetic transformation system for this fungus.
Topics: Genetic Markers; Nitrate Reductase; Ornithine Decarboxylase; Penicillium; Polymorphism, Genetic; Transformation, Genetic
PubMed: 19562269
DOI: 10.2478/s11658-009-0028-y -
Marine Drugs Jan 2021Seven new deoxyisoaustamide derivatives (-) together with known compounds (-) were isolated from the coral-derived fungus KMM 4689. Their structures were established...
Seven new deoxyisoaustamide derivatives (-) together with known compounds (-) were isolated from the coral-derived fungus KMM 4689. Their structures were established using spectroscopic methods, X-ray diffraction analysis and by comparison with related known compounds. The absolute configurations of some alkaloids were determined based on CD and NOESY data as well as biogenetic considerations. The cytotoxic and neuroprotective activities of some of the isolated compounds were examined and structure-activity relationships were pointed out. New deoxyisoaustamides - at concentration of 1 µM revealed a statistical increase of PQ(paraquat)-treated Neuro-2a cell viability by 30-39%.
Topics: Animals; Anthozoa; Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Crystallography, X-Ray; Humans; Indoles; Penicillium
PubMed: 33445521
DOI: 10.3390/md19010032 -
Journal of Microbiology and... Jun 2013Application of rhizospheric fungi is an effective and environmentally friendly method of improving plant growth and controlling many plant diseases. The current study...
Application of rhizospheric fungi is an effective and environmentally friendly method of improving plant growth and controlling many plant diseases. The current study was aimed to identify phytohormone-producing fungi from soil, to understand their roles in sesame plant growth, and to control Fusarium disease. Three predominant fungi (PNF1, PNF2, and PNF3) isolated from the rhizospheric soil of peanut plants were screened for their growth-promoting efficiency on sesame seedlings. Among these isolates, PNF2 significantly increased the shoot length and fresh weight of seedlings compared with controls. Analysis of the fungal culture filtrate showed a higher concentration of indole acetic acid in PNF2 than in the other isolates. PNF2 was identified as Penicillium sp. on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequence similarity. The in vitro biocontrol activity of Penicillium sp. against Fusarium sp. was exhibited by a 49% inhibition of mycelial growth in a dual culture bioassay and by hyphal injuries as observed by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, greenhouse experiments revealed that Fusarium inhibited growth in sesame plants by damaging lipid membranes and reducing protein content. Co-cultivation with Penicillium sp. mitigated Fusarium-induced oxidative stress in sesame plants by limiting membrane lipid peroxidation, and by increasing the protein concentration, levels of antioxidants such as total polyphenols, and peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase activities. Thus, our findings suggest that Penicillium sp. is a potent plant growthpromoting fungus that has the ability to ameliorate damage caused by Fusarium infection in sesame cultivation.
Topics: Biomass; Cluster Analysis; DNA, Fungal; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Fusarium; Indoleacetic Acids; Microbial Interactions; Molecular Sequence Data; Oxidative Stress; Penicillium; Pest Control, Biological; Phylogeny; Plant Shoots; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sesamum; Soil Microbiology
PubMed: 23676921
DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1209.09045 -
Journal of Agricultural and Food... Dec 2023Naringenin is a natural product with several reported bioactivities and is the key intermediate for the entire class of plant flavonoids. The translation of flavonoids...
Naringenin is a natural product with several reported bioactivities and is the key intermediate for the entire class of plant flavonoids. The translation of flavonoids into modern medicine as pure compounds is often hampered by their low abundance in nature and their difficult chemical synthesis. Here, we investigated the possibility to use the filamentous fungus as a host for flavonoid production. is a well-characterized, highly engineered, traditional "workhorse" for the production of β-lactam antibiotics. We integrated two plant genes encoding enzymes in the naringenin biosynthesis pathway into the genome of the secondary metabolite-deficient 4xKO strain. After optimization of the fermentation conditions, we obtained an excellent molar yield of naringenin from fed coumaric acid (88%) with a titer of 0.88 mM. Along with product accumulation over 36 h, however, we also observed rapid degradation of naringenin. Based on high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis, we propose a naringenin degradation pathway in 4xKO, which is distinct from other flavonoid-converting pathways reported in fungi. Our work demonstrates that is a promising host for recombinant flavonoid production, and it represents an interesting starting point for further investigation into the utilization of plant biomass by filamentous fungi.
Topics: Flavanones; Flavonoids; Penicillium; Fungi
PubMed: 38103029
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c06755 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Dec 1990The production of patulin and griseofulvin by 49 different isolates of Penicillium griseofulvum Dierckx was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Eleven...
The production of patulin and griseofulvin by 49 different isolates of Penicillium griseofulvum Dierckx was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Eleven isolates were obtained from pistachio nuts, 37 were obtained from wheat seeds, and 1 was obtained from the American Type Culture Collection. Activities of 19 enzymes were also assayed by the API ZYM system. From these results it may be deduced that there are two different groups among the strains tested which cannot be distinguished by morphological and cultural characteristics. One group of isolates did not produce detectable amounts of patulin and griseofulvin when grown in sucrose-yeast extract and Wickerham media, while enzymatic activities were quantitatively distinct from the other group, which produced patulin and griseofulvin in variable proportions. Leucine arylamidase, phosphoamidase, and beta-D-glucosidase are the main enzymes with differing activities between the two groups. Differences in physiological characteristics among isolates of a single species reveal shortcomings in the classification of the penicillia based only on morphological criteria. Thus, determination of the ability to yield mycotoxins and antibiotics as well as determination of enzymatic activities appear to be very valuable tools in the taxonomy of these fungi and for food toxicology.
Topics: Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Culture Media; Griseofulvin; Hydrolases; Leucyl Aminopeptidase; Patulin; Penicillium; beta-Glucosidase
PubMed: 2128009
DOI: 10.1128/aem.56.12.3718-3722.1990 -
Evolution; International Journal of... Sep 2016Genetic differentiation occurs when gene flow is prevented, due to reproductive barriers or asexuality. Investigating the early barriers to gene flow is important for...
Genetic differentiation occurs when gene flow is prevented, due to reproductive barriers or asexuality. Investigating the early barriers to gene flow is important for understanding the process of speciation. Here, we therefore investigated reproductive isolation between different genetic clusters of the fungus Penicillium roqueforti, used for maturing blue cheeses, and also occurring as food spoiler or in silage. We investigated premating and postmating fertility between and within three genetic clusters (two from cheese and one from other substrates), and we observed sexual structures under scanning electron microscopy. All intercluster types of crosses showed some fertility, suggesting that no intersterility has evolved between domesticated and wild populations despite adaptation to different environments and lack of gene flow. However, much lower fertility was found in crosses within the cheese clusters than within the noncheese cluster, suggesting reduced fertility of cheese strains, which may constitute a barrier to gene flow. Such degeneration may be due to bottlenecks during domestication and/or to the exclusive clonal replication of the strains in industry. This study shows that degeneration has occurred rapidly and independently in two lineages of a domesticated species. Altogether, these results inform on the processes and tempo of degeneration and speciation.
Topics: Adaptation, Biological; Cheese; Domestication; Fertility; Gene Flow; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Penicillium; Reproductive Isolation
PubMed: 27470007
DOI: 10.1111/evo.13015 -
The Journal of Antibiotics Sep 1989The phenylacetic acid (PA) transport system in Penicillium chrysogenum is an inducible-system (see Fernández-Cañón et al.; preceding papers) which is repressed by...
The phenylacetic acid (PA) transport system in Penicillium chrysogenum is an inducible-system (see Fernández-Cañón et al.; preceding papers) which is repressed by free amino acids when these molecules are added to the complex fermentation broths at the induction time. L-Tyrosine, L-alpha-aminoadipic acid, L-tryptophan, L-phenylalanine and L-methionine are the molecules that cause the greatest delay in induction. The addition of Krebs-cycle intermediates to the complex fermentation broth did not affect the rate of induction with the exception of oxalacetic acid and citric acid which strongly increased it. Ammonium salts and acetate also repressed the biosynthesis of the enzymes involved in the PA uptake.
Topics: Amino Acids; Biological Transport; Isocitrate Lyase; Penicillin G; Penicillium; Penicillium chrysogenum; Phenylacetates; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
PubMed: 2507495
DOI: 10.7164/antibiotics.42.1416 -
Microbiology (Reading, England) Jan 2005Melanins are found universally in nature and are implicated in the pathogenesis of several important human fungal pathogens. This study investigated whether the conidia...
Melanins are found universally in nature and are implicated in the pathogenesis of several important human fungal pathogens. This study investigated whether the conidia and the yeast cells of the thermally dimorphic fungal pathogen Penicillium marneffei produce melanin or melanin-like compounds in vitro and during infection. Treatment of conidia with proteolytic enzymes, denaturant and concentrated hot acid yielded dark particles that were similar in size and shape to the conidia. A melanin-binding monoclonal antibody (mAb) labelled pigmented conidia, yeast cells and the isolated particles as determined by immunofluorescence microscopy. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy revealed that particles derived from pigmented conidia contained a stable free radical compound, consistent with their identification as melanins. Skin tissue from penicilliosis marneffei patients contained yeast cells that were labelled by melanin-binding mAb. Additionally, sera from P. marneffei-infected mice developed a significant antibody response (both IgG and IgM) against melanin. Phenoloxidase activity capable of synthesizing melanin from l-DOPA was detected in cytoplasmic yeast cell extracts. These findings indicate that P. marneffei conidia and yeast cells can produce melanin or melanin-like compounds in vitro and that the yeast cells can synthesize pigment in vivo. Accordingly this pigment may play some role in the virulence of P. marneffei.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Fungal; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Melanins; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Mycoses; Penicillium; Virulence
PubMed: 15632446
DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.27433-0 -
The Journal of Biological Chemistry Nov 1958
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Citrinin; Penicillium
PubMed: 13598763
DOI: No ID Found -
Research in Microbiology Sep 2004The stability of taxonomy within Penicillium is reviewed with respect to mycotoxin production. Identification remains difficult despite the availability of modern... (Review)
Review
The stability of taxonomy within Penicillium is reviewed with respect to mycotoxin production. Identification remains difficult despite the availability of modern methods. Proficiency testing is rare and conventional identifications do not inform reliably as to whether mycotoxins were detected/produced. A solution which consists of identifying a Penicillium strain as terverticillate and then undertaking mycotoxin analysis is described.
Topics: Health; Mycotoxins; Penicillium; Species Specificity
PubMed: 15313249
DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2004.04.001