Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity

A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Toxins".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 32229

Special Issue Editors

Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo Via Cintia 4, I-80126 Naples, Italy
Interests: secondary metabolites in plant–microbe interactions; isolation and structure elucidation of bioactive natural compounds from microorganisms and plants; chromatographic techniques; chemical derivatization; analytical and spectroscopic techniques
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo Via Cintia 4, I-80126 Naples, Italy
Interests: isolation and structure elucidation of bioactive natural compounds from microorganisms and plants; chromatographic techniques; mass spectrometry; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Phytopathogen fungi are responsible for serious plant diseases which might negatively affect crop productivity. Some of these fungi are also documented as opportunist human pathogens that cause infection in immunocompromised individuals. In this respect, fungal interaction with other organisms is of great interest because fungi employ an array of biochemical and mechanical strategies to infect the host in order to access nutrients. During infection, polymer-degrading enzymes or secondary metabolites are produced as virulence factors. Furthermore, fungi produce mycotoxins on crops, and this represents a considerable risk to human and animal health.

In addition, phytopathogen fungi have also been studied as biocontrol agents against pests or for the capacity to produce compounds with a wide variety of biological activity, such as herbicidal, antibiotic, and antifungal activities.

Studies of phytopathogen fungi might be interesting to understand the mechanism of fungal pathogenicity and virulence and to develop strategies for screening of disease and for the application of natural compounds with bioactivities.

Researchers are warmly invited to submit research and review papers covering, but not limited to, phytopathogen fungi and their toxic effects.

Dr. Anna Andolfi
Dr. Maria Michela Salvatore
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Plant–microbe interaction
  • Biological activity
  • Mycotoxins
  • Phytotoxins
  • Pathogenicity
  • Virulence
  • Structure and stereostructure elucidation

Published Papers (9 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 215 KiB  
Editorial
Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity
by Maria Michela Salvatore and Anna Andolfi
Toxins 2021, 13(10), 689; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13100689 - 28 Sep 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2714
Abstract
Phytopathogen fungi are responsible for serious plant diseases which might negatively affect crop productivity [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

25 pages, 2073 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Variability of the Airborne Eukaryotic Community Structure at a Coastal Site of the Central Mediterranean
by Mattia Fragola, Maria Rita Perrone, Pietro Alifano, Adelfia Talà and Salvatore Romano
Toxins 2021, 13(8), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13080518 - 24 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2441
Abstract
The atmosphere represents an underexplored temporary habitat for airborne microbial communities such as eukaryotes, whose taxonomic structure changes across different locations and/or regions as a function of both survival conditions and sources. A preliminary dataset on the seasonal dependence of the airborne eukaryotic [...] Read more.
The atmosphere represents an underexplored temporary habitat for airborne microbial communities such as eukaryotes, whose taxonomic structure changes across different locations and/or regions as a function of both survival conditions and sources. A preliminary dataset on the seasonal dependence of the airborne eukaryotic community biodiversity, detected in PM10 samples collected from July 2018 to June 2019 at a coastal site representative of the Central Mediterranean, is provided in this study. Viridiplantae and Fungi were the most abundant eukaryotic kingdoms. Streptophyta was the prevailing Viridiplantae phylum, whilst Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the prevailing Fungi phyla. Brassica and Panicum were the most abundant Streptophyta genera in winter and summer, respectively, whereas Olea was the most abundant genus in spring and autumn. With regards to Fungi, Botrytis and Colletotrichum were the most abundant Ascomycota genera, reaching the highest abundance in spring and summer, respectively, while Cryptococcus and Ustilago were the most abundant Basidiomycota genera, and reached the highest abundance in winter and spring, respectively. The genus community structure in the PM10 samples varied day-by-day, and mainly along with the seasons. The impact of long-range transported air masses on the same structure was also proven. Nevertheless, rather few genera were significantly correlated with meteorological parameters and PM10 mass concentrations. The PCoA plots and non-parametric Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficients showed that the strongest correlations generally occurred between parameters reaching high abundances/values in the same season or PM10 sample. Moreover, the screening of potential pathogenic fungi allowed us to detect seven potential pathogenic genera in our PM10 samples. We also found that, with the exception of Panicum and Physcomitrella, all of the most abundant and pervasive identified Streptophyta genera could serve as potential sources of aeroallergens in the studied area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 2334 KiB  
Article
The Inactivation by Curcumin-Mediated Photosensitization of Botrytis cinerea Spores Isolated from Strawberry Fruits
by Li Huang, Ken W. L. Yong, W. Chrishanthi Fernando, Matheus Carpinelli de Jesus, James J. De Voss, Yasmina Sultanbawa and Mary T. Fletcher
Toxins 2021, 13(3), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13030196 - 09 Mar 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2648
Abstract
Photosensitization is a novel environmentally friendly technology with promising applications in the food industry to extend food shelf life. In this study, the natural food dye curcumin, when combined with visible light (430 nm), was shown to be an effective photosensitizer against the [...] Read more.
Photosensitization is a novel environmentally friendly technology with promising applications in the food industry to extend food shelf life. In this study, the natural food dye curcumin, when combined with visible light (430 nm), was shown to be an effective photosensitizer against the common phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea (the cause of grey mould). Production of the associated phytotoxic metabolites botrydial and dihydrobotrydial was measured by our newly developed and validated HRAM UPLC-MS/MS method, and was also shown to be reduced by this treatment. With a light dose of 120 J/cm2, the reduction in spore viability was directly proportional to curcumin concentrations, and the overall concentration of both botrydial and dihydrobotrydial also decreased with increasing curcumin concentration above 200 µM. With curcumin concentrations above 600 µM, the percentage reduction in fungal spores was close to 100%. When the dye concentration was increased to 800 µM, the spores were completely inactive and neither botrydial nor dihydrobotrydial could be detected. These results suggest that curcumin-mediated photosensitization is a potentially effective method to control B. cinerea spoilage, and also to reduce the formation of these phytotoxic botryane secondary metabolites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 344 KiB  
Article
Phenotypic Differentiation of Two Morphologically Similar Aflatoxin-Producing Fungi from West Africa
by Pummi Singh, Hillary L. Mehl, Marc J. Orbach, Kenneth A. Callicott and Peter J. Cotty
Toxins 2020, 12(10), 656; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12100656 - 13 Oct 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2302
Abstract
Aflatoxins (AF) are hepatocarcinogenic metabolites produced by several Aspergillus species. Crop infection by these species results in aflatoxin contamination of cereals, nuts, and spices. Etiology of aflatoxin contamination is complicated by mixed infections of multiple species with similar morphology and aflatoxin profiles. The [...] Read more.
Aflatoxins (AF) are hepatocarcinogenic metabolites produced by several Aspergillus species. Crop infection by these species results in aflatoxin contamination of cereals, nuts, and spices. Etiology of aflatoxin contamination is complicated by mixed infections of multiple species with similar morphology and aflatoxin profiles. The current study investigates variation in aflatoxin production between two morphologically similar species that co-exist in West Africa, A. aflatoxiformans and A. minisclerotigenes. Consistent distinctions in aflatoxin production during liquid fermentation were discovered between these species. The two species produced similar concentrations of AFB1 in defined media with either urea or ammonium as the sole nitrogen source. However, production of both AFB1 and AFG1 were inhibited (p < 0.001) for A. aflatoxiformans in a yeast extract medium with sucrose. Although production of AFG1 by both species was similar in urea, A. minisclerotigenes produced greater concentrations of AFG1 in ammonium (p = 0.039). Based on these differences, a reliable and convenient assay for differentiating the two species was designed. This assay will be useful for identifying specific etiologic agents of aflatoxin contamination episodes in West Africa and other regions where the two species are sympatric, especially when phylogenetic analyses based on multiple gene segments are not practical. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)
16 pages, 3162 KiB  
Article
Diversity and Toxigenicity of Fungi that Cause Pineapple Fruitlet Core Rot
by Bastien Barral, Marc Chillet, Anna Doizy, Maeva Grassi, Laetitia Ragot, Mathieu Léchaudel, Noel Durand, Lindy Joy Rose, Altus Viljoen and Sabine Schorr-Galindo
Toxins 2020, 12(5), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12050339 - 21 May 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5034
Abstract
The identity of the fungi responsible for fruitlet core rot (FCR) disease in pineapple has been the subject of investigation for some time. This study describes the diversity and toxigenic potential of fungal species causing FCR in La Reunion, an island in the [...] Read more.
The identity of the fungi responsible for fruitlet core rot (FCR) disease in pineapple has been the subject of investigation for some time. This study describes the diversity and toxigenic potential of fungal species causing FCR in La Reunion, an island in the Indian Ocean. One-hundred-and-fifty fungal isolates were obtained from infected and healthy fruitlets on Reunion Island and exclusively correspond to two genera of fungi: Fusarium and Talaromyces. The genus Fusarium made up 79% of the isolates, including 108 F. ananatum, 10 F. oxysporum, and one F. proliferatum. The genus Talaromyces accounted for 21% of the isolated fungi, which were all Talaromyces stollii. As the isolated fungal strains are potentially mycotoxigenic, identification and quantification of mycotoxins were carried out on naturally or artificially infected diseased fruits and under in vitro cultures of potential toxigenic isolates. Fumonisins B1 and B2 (FB1-FB2) and beauvericin (BEA) were found in infected fruitlets of pineapple and in the culture media of Fusarium species. Regarding the induction of mycotoxin in vitro, F. proliferatum produced 182 mg kg⁻1 of FB1 and F. oxysporum produced 192 mg kg⁻1 of BEA. These results provide a better understanding of the causal agents of FCR and their potential risk to pineapple consumers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 5854 KiB  
Article
Expansion and Conservation of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Pathogenic Pyrenophora spp.
by Paula M. Moolhuijzen, Mariano Jordi Muria-Gonzalez, Robert Syme, Catherine Rawlinson, Pao Theen See, Caroline S. Moffat and Simon R. Ellwood
Toxins 2020, 12(4), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12040242 - 09 Apr 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3869
Abstract
Pyrenophora is a fungal genus responsible for a number of major cereal diseases. Although fungi produce many specialised or secondary metabolites for defence and interacting with the surrounding environment, the repertoire of specialised metabolites (SM) within Pyrenophora pathogenic species remains mostly uncharted. In [...] Read more.
Pyrenophora is a fungal genus responsible for a number of major cereal diseases. Although fungi produce many specialised or secondary metabolites for defence and interacting with the surrounding environment, the repertoire of specialised metabolites (SM) within Pyrenophora pathogenic species remains mostly uncharted. In this study, an in-depth comparative analysis of the P. teres f. teres, P teres f. maculata and P. tritici-repentis potential to produce SMs, based on in silico predicted biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), was conducted using genome assemblies from PacBio DNA reads. Conservation of BGCs between the Pyrenophora species included type I polyketide synthases, terpene synthases and the first reporting of a type III polyketide synthase in P teres f. maculata. P. teres isolates exhibited substantial expansion of non-ribosomal peptide synthases relative to P. tritici-repentis, hallmarked by the presence of tailoring cis-acting nitrogen methyltransferase domains. P. teres isolates also possessed unique non-ribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS)-indole and indole BGCs, while a P. tritici-repentis phytotoxin BGC for triticone production was absent in P. teres. These differences highlight diversification between the pathogens that reflects their different evolutionary histories, host adaption and lifestyles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)
Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2183 KiB  
Article
Toxicity of Recombinant Necrosis and Ethylene-Inducing Proteins (NLPs) from Neofusicoccum parvum
by Forough Nazar Pour, Rebeca Cobos, Juan José Rubio Coque, João Serôdio, Artur Alves, Carina Félix, Vanessa Ferreira, Ana Cristina Esteves and Ana Sofia Duarte
Toxins 2020, 12(4), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12040235 - 07 Apr 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3274
Abstract
Neofusicoccum parvum is a fungal pathogen associated with a wide range of plant hosts. Despite being widely studied, the molecular mechanism of infection of N. parvum is still far from being understood. Analysis of N. parvum genome lead to the identification of six [...] Read more.
Neofusicoccum parvum is a fungal pathogen associated with a wide range of plant hosts. Despite being widely studied, the molecular mechanism of infection of N. parvum is still far from being understood. Analysis of N. parvum genome lead to the identification of six putative genes encoding necrosis and ethylene-inducing proteins (NLPs). The sequence of NLPs genes (NprvNep 1-6) were analyzed and four of the six NLP genes were successfully cloned, expressed in E. coli and purified by affinity chromatography. Pure recombinant proteins were characterized according to their phytotoxic and cytotoxic effects to tomato leaves and to mammalian Vero cells, respectively. These assays revealed that all NprvNeps tested are cytotoxic to Vero cells and also induce cell death in tomato leaves. NprvNep2 was the most toxic to Vero cells, followed by NprvNep1 and 3. NprvNep4 induced weaker, but, nevertheless, still significant toxic effects to Vero cells. A similar trend of toxicity was observed in tomato leaves: the most toxic was NprvNep 2 and the least toxic NprvNep 4. This study describes for the first time an overview of the NLP gene family of N. parvum and provides additional insights into its pathogenicity mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

22 pages, 2478 KiB  
Review
Fusarium Cyclodepsipeptide Mycotoxins: Chemistry, Biosynthesis, and Occurrence
by Monika Urbaniak, Agnieszka Waśkiewicz and Łukasz Stępień
Toxins 2020, 12(12), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12120765 - 03 Dec 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3040
Abstract
Most of the fungi from the Fusarium genus are pathogenic to cereals, vegetables, and fruits and the products of their secondary metabolism mycotoxins may accumulate in foods and feeds. Non-ribosomal cyclodepsipeptides are one of the main mycotoxin groups and include beauvericins (BEAs), enniatins [...] Read more.
Most of the fungi from the Fusarium genus are pathogenic to cereals, vegetables, and fruits and the products of their secondary metabolism mycotoxins may accumulate in foods and feeds. Non-ribosomal cyclodepsipeptides are one of the main mycotoxin groups and include beauvericins (BEAs), enniatins (ENNs), and beauvenniatins (BEAEs). When ingested, even small amounts of these metabolites significantly affect human and animal health. On the other hand, in view of their antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity, they may be used as components in drug discovery and processing and are considered as suitable candidates for anti-cancer drugs. Therefore, it is crucial to expand the existing knowledge about cyclodepsipeptides and to search for new analogues of these compounds. The present manuscript aimed to highlight the extensive variability of cyclodepsipeptides by describing chemistry, biosynthesis, and occurrence of BEAs, ENNs, and BEAEs in foods and feeds. Moreover, the co-occurrence of Fusarium species was compared to the amounts of toxins in crops, vegetables, and fruits from different regions of the world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)
Show Figures

Figure 1

33 pages, 2759 KiB  
Review
Secondary Metabolites of Lasiodiplodia theobromae: Distribution, Chemical Diversity, Bioactivity, and Implications of Their Occurrence
by Maria Michela Salvatore, Artur Alves and Anna Andolfi
Toxins 2020, 12(7), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12070457 - 17 Jul 2020
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 5576
Abstract
Lasiodiplodia theobromae is a plant pathogenic fungus from the family Botryosphaeriaceae that is commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. It has been associated with many hosts, causing diverse diseases and being responsible for serious damages on economically important crops. A diverse array [...] Read more.
Lasiodiplodia theobromae is a plant pathogenic fungus from the family Botryosphaeriaceae that is commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. It has been associated with many hosts, causing diverse diseases and being responsible for serious damages on economically important crops. A diverse array of bioactive low molecular weight compounds has been described as being produced by L. theobromae cultures. In this review, the existing literature on secondary metabolites of L. theobromae, their bioactivity, and the implications of their occurrence are compiled. Moreover, the effects of abiotic factors (e.g., temperature, nutrient availability) on secondary metabolites production are highlighted, and possible avenues for future research are presented. Currently, a total of 134 chemically defined compounds belonging to the classes of secondary metabolites and fatty acids have been reported from over 30 L. theobromae isolates. Compounds reported include cyclohexenes and cyclohexenones, indoles, jasmonates, lactones, melleins, phenols, and others. Most of the existing bioactivity studies of L. theobromae metabolites have assessed their potential phytotoxic, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial activities. In fact, its host adaptability and its ability to cause diseases in plants as well as in humans may be related to the capacity to produce bioactive compounds directly involved in host–fungus interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytopathogenic Fungi and Toxicity)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop