Stroudgotfredsen8429
As a potential protein kinase C inhibitor, the fungus metabolite balanol has become more attractive in recent decades. In our previous work, we revealed its biosynthetic pathway through overexpression of the cluster-situated regulator gene blnR in Chinese herb fungus Tolypocladium ophioglossoides. However, information on the regulation of blnR is still largely unknown. In this study, we further investigated the regulation of balanol biosynthesis by BlnR through the analysis of affinity binding using EMSA and RNA-seq analysis. The results showed that BlnR positively regulates balanol biosynthesis through binding to all promoters of bln gene members, including its own promoter. Microscopic observation revealed blnR overexpression also affected spore development and hypha growth. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis suggested that BlnR can regulate other genes outside of the balanol biosynthetic gene cluster, including those involved in conidiospore development. Finally, balanol production was further improved to 2187.39 mg/L using the optimized medium through statistical optimization based on response surface methodology.The rapid spread of late wilt disease among maize cultivations has resulted in serious economic losses in many countries. Harpophora maydis is the main cause of this destructive vascular disease. Here we evaluate the fungicidal activity of chitosan and nano-chitosan against six aggressive isolates of H. maydis collected from different Egyptian governorates. Pathogenicity tests for these isolates show that the highest disease severity was found for the Giza isolate. The isolates were tested for their response to the fungicide Permis, chitosan, and nano-chitosan treatments in vitro and in vivo. Nano-chitosan treatments fully inhibited the radial growth of H. maydis isolates at concentrations of 5 and 10 mM, compared to the full control growth (9 cm in diameter). On the other hand, in vitro, in vivo, and molecular diagnosis results showed high antifungal activity of chitosan and nano-chitosan compared to the Permis fungicide. Chitosan at the nano and normal scales proved a potent ability to enhance plant resistance in response to H. maydis. Disease severity (DS%) was extremely decreased among the tested cultivars by using nano-chitosan; the highest percentage was obtained on Giza 178 cv, where the DS% was 21.7% compared to 42.3% for the control. Meanwhile, the lowest percentage was obtained on Giza 180 cv with DS% 31.2 and the control with 41.3%. The plants treated with nano-chitosan showed the highest growth parameters for all cultivars. Such natural treatments could reduce the impact on the environment as they are non-pollutant natural compounds, protect the plants by reducing fungal activity, and induce plant resistance.Fluconazole is the drug of choice for cryptococcal meningitis (CM) monoprophylaxis in resource-limited settings such as Uganda. Emerging fluconazole resistance linked to mutations in the Cryptococcus neoformansERG11 gene (CYP51) has been observed in clinical isolates. Currently, the single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] in the Cryptococcus spp. ERG11 gene that could be responsible for fluconazole resistance are poorly characterized within Ugandan C. neoformans clinical isolates. If available, this information would be useful in the management of cryptococcosis among HIV patients. This cross-sectional study investigates the SNPs present in the coding region of the C. neoformansERG11 gene to determine the relationship between the SNPs identified and fluconazole susceptibility of the clinical isolates. 310 C. neoformans isolates recovered from the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) of patients with HIV and cryptococcal meningitis were examined. The fluconazole half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50 range 0.25-32 μg/mL) was determined using the microbroth dilution method. A total of 56.1% of the isolates had low IC50 values of <8 μg/mL while 43.9% had high IC50 values ≥ 8 μg/mL. We amplified and sequenced 600 bp of the ERG11 coding sequence from 40 of the clinical isolates. Novel synonymous and 2 missense mutations, S460T and A457V, were identified in the ERG11 gene. The identified SNPs were not associated with differences in fluconazole IC50 values in vitro (p = 0.179).Fungal keratitis is caused by a wide spectrum of fungal genera, including molds and yeasts. We report a 42-year-old patient with mycotic keratitis after a direct trauma by a wood fragment. The fungal isolate was identified as Roussoella neopustulans by molecular methods. The treatment with topic natamycin showed progressive improvement of the visual manifestations, and following three months of therapy, the patient regained sight. We report the first case of keratitis associated with R. neopustulans.The rice planthopper Sogatella furcifera is a unique vector of the southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV). The feeding behavior of S. furcifera should directly affect the diffusion of this virus. In this study, we noted that the infection of Metarhizium anisopliae CQMa421 on S. furcifera disturbed the feeding behavior of this pest to SRBSDV-infected rice, from preference to non-preference. Then, we further investigated the potential targets of M. anisopliae CQMa421 on the feeding behavior of S. furcifera after 0 h, 24 h and 48 h of infection by transcriptomic analysis via Illumina deep sequencing. A total of 93.27 GB of data was collected after sequencing, from which 91,125 unigenes were annotated, including 75 newly annotated genes. There were 1380 vs. 2187 and 137 vs. 106 upregulated and downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) detected at 24 h and 48 h, respectively. The biological functions and associated metabolic processes of these genes were determined with the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases. The results suggested that major of DEGs are involved in energy metabolism, biosynthesis, immune response, the FoxO signaling pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway and apoptosis in response to the fungal infection. Noteworthily, several olfactory-related genes, including odorant receptors and odorant binding proteins, were screened from these differentially expressed genes, which played critical roles in regulating the olfactory behavior of insects. Taken together, these results provide new insights for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying fungus and host insect interaction, especially for olfactory behavior regulated by fungus.The diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment against invasive fungal infections depend upon accurate identification of pathogens by pathologists and clinical microbiologists. Histopathology is often critical in providing diagnostic insight in patients with suspected fungal infections, and such findings are incorporated into the definitions of proven or probable disease caused by certain pathogens. Such examinations can offer provisional identifications of fungal organisms, which can help guide initial therapy while laboratory results are pending. Common etiologic agents of invasive mycoses may be recognized based on morphologic characteristics observed in tissue and biologic fluids, such as those obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchial washings. However, care should be taken in the interpretation of these findings, as there may be a false sense of the ability to correctly categorize fungal organisms to the genus or species level by morphologic features alone. Studies have demonstrated discordant results between histopathology and laboratory results due to overlapping morphologic features, morphologic mimics, and sampling errors. Thus, histopathology plays an integral role in providing a differential of potential fungal pathogens but must be combined with results from laboratory studies, including cultures, antigen tests, serology, and molecular assays, in order to improve accuracy in the identification of etiologic agents of fungal infections. Inaccurate identification of the infecting organism can lead to inappropriate antifungal therapy and possibly poor clinical outcomes.Fungi are renowned as a fountainhead of bio-metabolites that could be employed for producing novel therapeutic agents, as well as enzymes with wide biotechnological and industrial applications. Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold) (Stachybotriaceae) is a toxigenic fungus that is commonly found in damp environments. This fungus has the capacity to produce various classes of bio-metabolites with unrivaled structural features, including cyclosporins, cochlioquinones, atranones, trichothecenes, dolabellanes, phenylspirodrimanes, xanthones, and isoindoline and chromene derivatives. Moreover, it is a source of various enzymes that could have variable biotechnological and industrial relevance. The current review highlights the formerly published data on S. chartarum, including its metabolites and their bioactivities, as well as industrial and biotechnological relevance dated from 1973 to the beginning of 2022. In this work, 215 metabolites have been listed and 138 references have been cited.Twelve new lanostane triterpenoids (1-5, 7-13) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of the fungus Ganoderma australe. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR, and HRESIMS spectroscopic analysis. All the triterpenes are featured by 20(22)E configurations which are uncommon in the Ganoderma triterpene family. Nemtabrutinib in vitro The absolute configuration of the C-25 of compounds 1, 2, and 6 were determined by the phenylglycine methyl ester (PGME) method. A postulated biosynthetic pathway for compound 1 was discussed. This study opens new insights into the secondary metabolites of the chemically underinvestigated fungus G. australe.Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is the most prevalent systemic mycosis in Brazil. The disease is caused by dimorphic fungi nested within the Paracoccidioides genus. We described 106 PCM cases (47.1 cases/year) at the Tropical Diseases Public Hospital of Tocantins State. PCM was prevalent in males and rural workers over 50 years; the chronic pulmonary form predominated in 67% of cases. The male-to-female ratio was 2.651, with more women affected than other endemic regions of Brazil. Urban or indoor activities were reported in women and are ascribed to disease urbanization. qPCR-based assays confirmed the identification of Paracoccidioides DNA in 37 biological specimens. Paracoccidioides sp. DNA was found in 53% of the environmental samples, suggesting autochthonous infections. Therefore, the Tocantins-Araguaia basin must be considered a novel hyperendemic area of PCM in Brazil, reinforcing the importance of including PCM as a notifiable disease, requiring specific diagnosis and health measures.Two new wood-inhabiting fungi Hermanssonia fimbriata sp. nov. and Phlebia austroasiana sp. nov. in the Meruliaceae family are described and illustrated from southwestern China based on molecular and morphological evidence. The characteristics of H. fimbriata include annual, resupinate basidiomata, the absence of cystidia and cystidioles, oblong ellipsoid basidiospores of 5-6 × 2.4-3 μm, and growth on rotten gymnosperm wood in the east Himalayas. Its basidiomata change drastically upon drying, from being a light-coloured, juicy, papillose-to-wrinkled hymenophore, to a dark-coloured, corky-to-gelatinous, and more or less smooth hymenophore. The characteristics of Ph. austroasiana include annual, resupinate basidiomata, a hydnoid hymenophore, 2-3 spines per mm, the presence of tubular cystidia of 20-25 × 3-3.5 µm, oblong ellipsoid basidiospores of 4.4-5.2 × 2.1-3 μm, and growth on angiosperm wood in tropical forests in the southern Yunnan Province. The phylogenetic analyses based on the combined 2-locus dataset (ITS1-5.