Research

16 pages, 6114 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Properties and Fungal Communities of Different Soils for Growth of the Medicinal Asian Water Plantain, Alisma orientale, in Fujian, China

by Xiaomei Xu, Wenjin Lin, Nemat O. Keyhani, Sen Liu, Lisha Li, Yamin Zhang, Xuehua Lu, Qiuran Wei, Daozhi Wei, Shuaishuai Huang, Pengxi Cao, Lin Tian and Junzhi Qiu

J. Fungi 2024, 10(3), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10030187 - 29 Feb 2024

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Abstract

The Asian water plantain, Alisma orientale (Sam.) Juzep, is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant. The dried tubers of the Alisma orientale, commonly referred to as Alismatis rhizome (AR), have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a variety of diseases. [...] Read more.

The Asian water plantain, Alisma orientale (Sam.) Juzep, is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant. The dried tubers of the Alisma orientale, commonly referred to as Alismatis rhizome (AR), have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a variety of diseases. Soil properties and the soil microbial composition are known to affect the quality and bioactivity of plants. Here, we sought to identify variations in soil fungal communities and soil properties to determine which would be optimal for cultivation of A. orietale. Soil properties, heavy metal content, and pesticide residues were determined from soils derived from four different agricultural regions around Shaowu City, Fujian, China, that had previously been cultivated with various crops, namely, Shui Dao Tu (SDT, rice), Guo Shu Tu (GST, pecan), Cha Shu Tu (CST, tea trees), and Sang Shen Tu (SST, mulberry). As fungi can either positively or negatively impact plant growth, the fungal communities in the different soils were characterized using long-read PacBio sequencing. Finally, we examined the quality of A. orientale grown in the different soils. Our results show that fungal community diversity of the GST soil was the highest with saprotrophs the main functional modes in these and SDT soils. Our data show that GST and SDT soils were most suitable for A. orientale growth, with the quality of the AR tubers harvested from GST soil being the highest. These data provide a systematic approach at soil properties of agricultural lands in need of replacement and/or rotating crops. Based on our findings, GST was identified as the optimal soil for planting A. orientale, providing a new resource for local farmers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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18 pages, 7154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Three New Species of Russulaceae (Russulales, Basidiomycota) from Southern China

by Sen Liu, Mengjia Zhu, Nemat O. Keyhani, Ziyi Wu, Huajun Lv, Zhiang Heng, Ruiya Chen, Yuxiao Dang, Chenjie Yang, Jinhui Chen, Pengyu Lai, Weibin Zhang, Xiayu Guan, Yanbin Huang, Yuxi Chen, Hailan Su and Junzhi Qiu

J. Fungi 2024, 10(1), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10010070 - 15 Jan 2024

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Abstract

The characterization of natural fungal diversity impacts our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes and can lead to novel bioproduct discovery. Russula and Lactarius, both in the order Russulales, represent two large genera of ectomycorrhizal fungi that include edible as well as [...] Read more.

The characterization of natural fungal diversity impacts our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes and can lead to novel bioproduct discovery. Russula and Lactarius, both in the order Russulales, represent two large genera of ectomycorrhizal fungi that include edible as well as toxic varieties. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, including nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 28S large subunit of ribosomal RNA (LSU), the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2), the ribosomal mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU), and the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) gene sequences, we here describe and illustrate two new species of Russula and one new species of Lactarius from southern China. These three new species are: R. junzifengensis (R. subsect. Virescentinae), R. zonatus (R. subsect. Crassotunicatae), and L. jianyangensis (L. subsect. Zonarii). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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17 pages, 8109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Terpenoids from the Ambrosia Beetle Symbiont and Laurel Wilt Pathogen Harringtonia lauricola

by Zhiqiang Zhu, Chenjie Yang, Nemat O. Keyhani, Sen Liu, Huili Pu, Peisong Jia, Dongmei Wu, Philip C. Stevenson, G. Mandela Fernández-Grandon, Jieming Pan, Yuxi Chen, Xiayu Guan and Junzhi Qiu

J. Fungi 2023, 9(12), 1175; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9121175 - 07 Dec 2023

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Abstract

Little is known concerning terpenoids produced by members of the fungal order Ophiostomales, with the member Harringtonia lauricola having the unique lifestyle of being a beetle symbiont but potentially devastating tree pathogen. Nine known terpenoids, including six labdane diterpenoids (1–6 [...] Read more.

Little is known concerning terpenoids produced by members of the fungal order Ophiostomales, with the member Harringtonia lauricola having the unique lifestyle of being a beetle symbiont but potentially devastating tree pathogen. Nine known terpenoids, including six labdane diterpenoids (1–6) and three hopane triterpenes (7–9), were isolated from H. lauricola ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts for the first time. All compounds were tested for various in vitro bioactivities. Six compounds, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9, are described functionally. Compounds 2, 4, 5, and 9 expressed potent antiproliferative activity against the MCF-7, HepG2 and A549 cancer cell lines, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀s) ~12.54–26.06 μM. Antimicrobial activity bioassays revealed that compounds 4, 5, and 9 exhibited substantial effects against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Ralstonia solanacearum) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 3.13 and 12.50 μg/mL. Little activity was seen towards Gram-positive bacteria for any of the compounds, whereas compounds 2, 4, 7, and 9 expressed antifungal activities (Fusarium oxysporum) with MIC values ranging from 6.25 to 25.00 μg/mL. Compounds 4, 5, and 9 also displayed free radical scavenging abilities towards 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide (O²⁻), with IC₅₀ values of compounds 2, 4, and 6 ~3.45–14.04 μg/mL and 22.87–53.31 μg/mL towards DPPH and O²⁻, respectively. These data provide an insight into the biopharmaceutical potential of terpenoids from this group of fungal insect symbionts and plant pathogens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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23 pages, 4977 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Four New Species of Strobilomyces (Boletaceae, Boletales) from Hainan Island, Tropical China

by Hui Deng, Yi Wang, Jin-Rui Lei, Zong-Zhu Chen, Zhi-Qun Liang and Nian-Kai Zeng

J. Fungi 2023, 9(12), 1128; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9121128 - 22 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 931

Abstract

Strobilomyces, one of the most noticeable genera of Boletaceae (Boletales), is both ecologically and economically important. Although many studies have focused on Strobilomyces in China, the diversity still remains incompletely understood. In the present study, several collections of Strobilomyces from Hainan Island, [...] Read more.

Strobilomyces, one of the most noticeable genera of Boletaceae (Boletales), is both ecologically and economically important. Although many studies have focused on Strobilomyces in China, the diversity still remains incompletely understood. In the present study, several collections of Strobilomyces from Hainan Island, tropical China were studied based on morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Four species are described as new, viz. S. baozhengii, S. conicus, S. hainanensis, and S. pachycystidiatus. Detailed descriptions, color photos of fresh basidiomata, and line drawings of microstructures of the four species are presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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14 pages, 5225 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of an α-Amylase from the Honeybee Chalk Brood Pathogen Ascosphaera apis

by Jincheng Li, Sen Liu, Chenjie Yang, Nemat O. Keyhani, Huili Pu, Longbin Lin, Xiaoxia Li, Peisong Jia, Dongmei Wu, Jieming Pan, Philip C. Stevenson, G Mandela Fernández-Grandon, Liaoyuan Zhang, Yuxi Chen, Xiayu Guan and Junzhi Qiu

J. Fungi 2023, 9(11), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9111082 - 05 Nov 2023

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Abstract

The insect pathogenic fungus, Ascosphaera apis, is the causative agent of honeybee chalk brood disease. Amylases are secreted by many plant pathogenic fungi to access host nutrients through the metabolism of starch, and the identification of new amylases can have important biotechnological [...] Read more.

The insect pathogenic fungus, Ascosphaera apis, is the causative agent of honeybee chalk brood disease. Amylases are secreted by many plant pathogenic fungi to access host nutrients through the metabolism of starch, and the identification of new amylases can have important biotechnological applications. Production of amylase by A. apis in submerged culture was optimized using the response surface method (RSM). Media composition was modeled using Box–Behnken design (BBD) at three levels of three variables, and the model was experimentally validated to predict amylase activity (R² = 0.9528). Amylase activity was highest (45.28 ± 1.16 U/mL, mean ± SE) in media composed of 46 g/L maltose and1.51 g/L CaCl₂ at a pH of 6.6, where total activity was ~11-fold greater as compared to standard basal media. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity with a 2.5% yield and 14-fold purification. The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of 75 kDa and was thermostable and active in a broad pH range (> 80% activity at a pH range of 7–10), with optimal activity at 55 °C and pH = 7.5. Kinetic analyses revealed a K_m of 6.22 mmol/L and a V_max of 4.21 μmol/mL·min using soluble starch as the substrate. Activity was significantly stimulated by Fe²⁺ and completely inhibited by Cu²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Ba²⁺ (10 mM). Ethanol and chloroform (10% v/v) also caused significant levels of inhibition. The purified amylase essentially exhibited activity only on hydrolyzed soluble starch, producing mainly glucose and maltose, indicating that it is an endo-amylase (α-amylase). Amylase activity peaked at 99.38 U/mL fermented in a 3.7 L-bioreactor (2.15-fold greater than what was observed in flask cultures). These data provide a strategy for optimizing the production of enzymes from fungi and provide insight into the α-amylase of A. apis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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15 pages, 7262 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Disruption of the pcz1 Gene and Its Impact on Growth, Development, and Penicillin Production in Penicillium rubens

by Carlos Gil-Durán, Diego Palma, Yudethzi Marcano, José-Luis Palacios, Claudio Martínez, Juan F. Rojas-Aedo, Gloria Levicán, Inmaculada Vaca and Renato Chávez

J. Fungi 2023, 9(10), 1010; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9101010 - 13 Oct 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1282

Abstract

Penicillium rubens is a filamentous fungus of great biotechnological importance due to its role as an industrial producer of the antibiotic penicillin. However, despite its significance, our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing biological processes in this fungus is still limited. In fungi, [...] Read more.

Penicillium rubens is a filamentous fungus of great biotechnological importance due to its role as an industrial producer of the antibiotic penicillin. However, despite its significance, our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing biological processes in this fungus is still limited. In fungi, zinc finger proteins containing a Zn(II)₂Cys₆ domain are particularly interesting regulators. Although the P. rubens genome harbors many genes encoding proteins with this domain, only two of them have been investigated thus far. In this study, we employed CRISPR-Cas9 technology to disrupt the pcz1 gene, which encodes a Zn(II)₂Cys₆ protein in P. rubens. The disruption of pcz1 resulted in a decrease in the production of penicillin in P. rubens. This decrease in penicillin production was accompanied by the downregulation of the expression of pcbAB, pcbC and penDE genes, which form the biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for penicillin production. Moreover, the disruption of pcz1 also impacts on asexual development, leading to decreased growth and conidiation, as well as enhanced conidial germination. Collectively, our results indicate that pcz1 acts as a positive regulator of penicillin production, growth, and conidiation, while functioning as a negative regulator of conidial germination in P. rubens. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report involving a gene encoding a Zn(II)₂Cys₆ protein in the regulation of penicillin biosynthesis in P. rubens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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20 pages, 7486 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Regulation of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species Levels after the Development of Phallus rubrovolvatus Rot Disease Due to Trichoderma koningii Mycoparasitism

by Meiling Lu, Tingchi Wen, Ming Guo, Qihua Li, Xingcan Peng, Yan Zhang, Zhenghua Lu, Jian Wang, Yanjun Xu and Chao Zhang

J. Fungi 2023, 9(5), 525; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9050525 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1323

Abstract

Phallus rubrovolvatus is a unique mushroom used for medicinal and dietary purposes in China. In recent years, however, the rot disease of P. rubrovolvatus has seriously affected its yield and quality, becoming an economically important threat. In this study, samples of symptomatic tissues [...] Read more.

Phallus rubrovolvatus is a unique mushroom used for medicinal and dietary purposes in China. In recent years, however, the rot disease of P. rubrovolvatus has seriously affected its yield and quality, becoming an economically important threat. In this study, samples of symptomatic tissues were collected, isolated, and identified from five major P. rubrovolvatus production regions in Guizhou Province, China. Based on combined analyses of phylogenies (ITS and EF1-α), morphological characteristics and Koch’s postulates, Trichoderma koningiopsis and Trichoderma koningii were identified as the pathogenic fungal species. Among these, T. koningii exhibited stronger pathogenicity than the other strains; thus, T. koningii was used as the test strain in the follow-up experiments. Upon co-culturing T. koningii with P. rubrovolvatus, the hyphae of the two species were intertwined, and the color of the P. rubrovolvatus hyphae changed from white to red. Moreover, T. koningii hyphae were wrapped around P. rubrovolvatus hyphae, leading to their shortening and convolution and ultimately inhibiting their growth due to wrinkling; T. koningii penetrated the entire basidiocarp tissue of P. rubrovolvatus, causing serious damage to the host basidiocarp cells. Further analyses revealed that T. koningii infection resulted in the swelling of basidiocarps and significantly enhanced the activity of defense-related enzymes, such as malondialdehyde, manganese peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase. These findings offer theoretical support for further research on the infection mechanisms of pathogenic fungi and the prevention of diseases caused by them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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11 pages, 2611 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sesquiterpenes from the Fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea with Cytotoxicity and Antibacterial Activity

by Jinlei Ning, Feng Wu, Jikai Liu, Juan He and Tao Feng

J. Fungi 2023, 9(5), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9050521 - 28 Apr 2023

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Abstract

Eight new sesquiterpenes, namely, albocinnamins A−H (1−8), along with two known ones (9 and 10), have been isolated from the fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea. Compound 1 possesses a new backbone that might be derived from cadinane-type sesquiterpene. [...] Read more.

Eight new sesquiterpenes, namely, albocinnamins A−H (1−8), along with two known ones (9 and 10), have been isolated from the fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea. Compound 1 possesses a new backbone that might be derived from cadinane-type sesquiterpene. Structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic data analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and ECD calculations. Compounds 1a and 1b showed cytotoxicity against SW480 and MCF-7 cells, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 19.3 to 33.3 μM, while compound 2 displayed cytotoxicity against the HL-60 cell with an IC₅₀ value of 12.3 μM. In addition, compounds 5 and 6 exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 64 and 64 µg/mL, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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10 pages, 1375 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cytochalasans from the Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus sp. LE2: Their Structures, Antibacterial and NO Production Inhibitory Activities

by Yong-Chao Li, Jing Yang, Yuan-Zeng Zhao, Qin-Di Ma, Ben-Guo Liu and Jun-Liang Sun

J. Fungi 2023, 9(3), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9030374 - 19 Mar 2023

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Abstract

Six new cytochalasans—namely, aspergicytochalasins A–F (1–6)—together with five known analogs were isolated and characterized from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. from the medicinal plant Lonicera japonica. The structures of the new compounds were established by NMR and MS [...] Read more.

Six new cytochalasans—namely, aspergicytochalasins A–F (1–6)—together with five known analogs were isolated and characterized from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. from the medicinal plant Lonicera japonica. The structures of the new compounds were established by NMR and MS methods as well as single crystal X-ray diffractions. Compounds 3 and 4 showed weak antibacterial activities to Staphylococcus aureus, with MIC values of 128 and 64 μg/mL, respectively. Compounds 1, 3, 5 and 6 showed inhibitory activities on NO production, with IC₅₀ values less than 40 μM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and Biomedicine of Fungi)

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