Penicillium marneffei infection after renal transplantation: one case report / 中华器官移植杂志

Clinical data were retrospectively reviewed for one case of penicillium marneffei infection after renal transplantation (RT) to explore a proper management of peniciliosis marneffei (PSM)transplantation.This case had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis and underwent RT due to uremia.After discharging, postoperative recovery was excellent.Recurrent cough occurred at Month 7 post-operation.Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and pulmonary CT indicated a possibility of pulmonary tuberculosis.However, a definite diagnosis of PSM was confirmed by next generation sequencing (NGS) and pathogenic bacteria culture of alveolar lavage fluid.After adjusting immunosuppressive agents and regular antifungal treatment with voriconazole, respiratory symptoms improved and pulmonary CT hinted at a resorption of lesion.Features of pulmonary CT and bronchoscopic examination were nearly similar to those of tuberculosis.Thus early bacterium culture and NGS may aid an definite diagnosis.Voriconazole is an effective treatment of the disease.

Amazonian soil fungi are efficient degraders of glyphosate herbicide; novel isolates of Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Trichoderma / Os fungos do solo amazônico são degradadores eficientes do herbicida glifosato; novos isolados de Penicillium, Aspergillus e Trichoderma

Pesticide residues that contaminate the environment circulate within the hydrological cycle can accumulate within the food chain and cause problems to both environmental and human health. Microbes, however, are well known for their metabolic versatility and the ability to degrade chemically stable substances, including recalcitrant xenobiotics. The current study focused on bio-prospecting within Amazonian rainforest soils to find novel strains fungi capable of efficiently degrading the agriculturally and environmentally ubiquitous herbicide, glyphosate. Of 50 fungal strains isolated (using culture media supplemented with glyphosate as the sole carbon-substrate), the majority were Penicillium strains (60%) and the others were Aspergillus and Trichoderma strains (26 and 8%, respectively). All 50 fungal isolates could use glyphosate as a phosphorous source. Eight of these isolates grew better on glyphosate-supplemented media than on regular Czapek Dox medium. LC-MS revealed that glyphosate degradation by Penicillium 4A21 resulted in sarcosine and aminomethylphosphonic acid.

Resíduos de agrotóxicos que contaminam o meio ambiente circulam no ciclo hidrológico, podendo se acumular na cadeia alimentar e causar problemas tanto à saúde ambiental quanto humana. Por sua vez, microrganismos são bem conhecidos por sua versatilidade metabólica e capacidade de degradar substâncias quimicamente estáveis, incluindo xenobióticos recalcitrantes. O estudo atual se concentrou na bioprospecção nos solos da floresta amazônica para encontrar novas linhagens de fungos capazes de degradar com eficiência o herbicida onipresente na agricultura e no meio ambiente, o glifosato. Entre os 50 fungos isolados (usando meio de cultura suplementado com glifosato como única fonte de carbono), a maioria eram isolados do gênero Penicillium (60%) e os outros eram isolados de Aspergillus e Trichoderma (26 e 8%, respectivamente). Todos os 50 isolados de fungos foram capazes de usar glifosato como fonte de fósforo. Oito desses isolados cresceram melhor em meio suplementado com glifosato do que em meio Czapek Dox regular. LC-MS revelou que a degradação do glifosato por Penicillium 4A21 resultou nos metabólitos sarcosina e ácido aminometilfosfônico.

Amazonian soil fungi are efficient degraders of glyphosate herbicide; novel isolates of Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Trichoderma

Abstract Pesticide residues that contaminate the environment circulate within the hydrological cycle can accumulate within the food chain and cause problems to both environmental and human health. Microbes, however, are well known for their metabolic versatility and the ability to degrade chemically stable substances, including recalcitrant xenobiotics. The current study focused on bio-prospecting within Amazonian rainforest soils to find novel strains fungi capable of efficiently degrading the agriculturally and environmentally ubiquitous herbicide, glyphosate. Of 50 fungal strains isolated (using culture media supplemented with glyphosate as the sole carbon-substrate), the majority were Penicillium strains (60%) and the others were Aspergillus and Trichoderma strains (26 and 8%, respectively). All 50 fungal isolates could use glyphosate as a phosphorous source. Eight of these isolates grew better on glyphosate-supplemented media than on regular Czapek Dox medium. LC-MS revealed that glyphosate degradation by Penicillium 4A21 resulted in sarcosine and aminomethylphosphonic acid.

Resumo Resíduos de agrotóxicos que contaminam o meio ambiente circulam no ciclo hidrológico, podendo se acumular na cadeia alimentar e causar problemas tanto à saúde ambiental quanto humana. Por sua vez, microrganismos são bem conhecidos por sua versatilidade metabólica e capacidade de degradar substâncias quimicamente estáveis, incluindo xenobióticos recalcitrantes. O estudo atual se concentrou na bioprospecção nos solos da floresta amazônica para encontrar novas linhagens de fungos capazes de degradar com eficiência o herbicida onipresente na agricultura e no meio ambiente, o glifosato. Entre os 50 fungos isolados (usando meio de cultura suplementado com glifosato como única fonte de carbono), a maioria eram isolados do gênero Penicillium (60%) e os outros eram isolados de Aspergillus e Trichoderma (26 e 8%, respectivamente). Todos os 50 isolados de fungos foram capazes de usar glifosato como fonte de fósforo. Oito desses isolados cresceram melhor em meio suplementado com glifosato do que em meio Czapek Dox regular. LC-MS revelou que a degradação do glifosato por Penicillium 4A21 resultou nos metabólitos sarcosina e ácido aminometilfosfônico.

Amazonian soil fungi are efficient degraders of glyphosate herbicide; novel isolates of Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Trichoderma / Os fungos do solo amazônico são degradadores eficientes do herbicida glifosato; novos isolados de Penicillium, Aspergillus e Trichoderma

Abstract Pesticide residues that contaminate the environment circulate within the hydrological cycle can accumulate within the food chain and cause problems to both environmental and human health. Microbes, however, are well known for their metabolic versatility and the ability to degrade chemically stable substances, including recalcitrant xenobiotics. The current study focused on bio-prospecting within Amazonian rainforest soils to find novel strains fungi capable of efficiently degrading the agriculturally and environmentally ubiquitous herbicide, glyphosate. Of 50 fungal strains isolated (using culture media supplemented with glyphosate as the sole carbon-substrate), the majority were Penicillium strains (60%) and the others were Aspergillus and Trichoderma strains (26 and 8%, respectively). All 50 fungal isolates could use glyphosate as a phosphorous source. Eight of these isolates grew better on glyphosate-supplemented media than on regular Czapek Dox medium. LC-MS revealed that glyphosate degradation by Penicillium 4A21 resulted in sarcosine and aminomethylphosphonic acid.

Resumo Resíduos de agrotóxicos que contaminam o meio ambiente circulam no ciclo hidrológico, podendo se acumular na cadeia alimentar e causar problemas tanto à saúde ambiental quanto humana. Por sua vez, microrganismos são bem conhecidos por sua versatilidade metabólica e capacidade de degradar substâncias quimicamente estáveis, incluindo xenobióticos recalcitrantes. O estudo atual se concentrou na bioprospecção nos solos da floresta amazônica para encontrar novas linhagens de fungos capazes de degradar com eficiência o herbicida onipresente na agricultura e no meio ambiente, o glifosato. Entre os 50 fungos isolados (usando meio de cultura suplementado com glifosato como única fonte de carbono), a maioria eram isolados do gênero Penicillium (60%) e os outros eram isolados de Aspergillus e Trichoderma (26 e 8%, respectivamente). Todos os 50 isolados de fungos foram capazes de usar glifosato como fonte de fósforo. Oito desses isolados cresceram melhor em meio suplementado com glifosato do que em meio Czapek Dox regular. LC-MS revelou que a degradação do glifosato por Penicillium 4A21 resultou nos metabólitos sarcosina e ácido aminometilfosfônico.

Optimization of the medium and fermentation condition for the Penicillium aurantiocandidum Z12 strain with molluscicidal actions against Oncomelania hupensis / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To optimize the culture and fermentation conditions of the Penicillium aurantiocandidum Z12 strain, a fungal strain with molluscicidal actions against Oncomelania hupensis, so as to provide the basis for the research and development of molluscicidal active substances from the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain and its fermentation broth and large-scale fermentation. Methods The carbon source, nitrogen source and mineral salts were identified in the optimal culture medium for the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain with a single-factor experiment to determine the best fermentation condition for the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain. Factors that significantly affected the growth of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain were identified using the Plackett-Burman design, and the best range of each factor was determined using the steepest climb test. Response surface analyses of temperature, pH value, seeding amount and liquid-filling quantity were performed using the Box-Behnken design to create a regression model for fermentation of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain to identify the optimal culture medium. Results Single-factor experiment preliminarily identified the best culture medium and conditions for the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain as follows: sucrose as the carbon source at approximately 20 g/L, tryptone as the nitrogen source at approximately 5 g/L, K2HPO4 as the mineral salt at approximately 5 g/L, initial pH at approximately 8, temperature at approximately 28 °C, seeding amount at approximately 6%, and liquid-filling quantity at approximately 50 mL/100 mL. Plackett-Burman design showed that factors that significantly affected the growth of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain included temperature (t = −5.28, P < 0.05), seeding amount (t = 5.22, P < 0.05), pH (t = −4.30, P < 0.05) and liquid-filling quantity (t = −4.39, P < 0.05). Steepest climb test showed the highest mycelial growth at pH of 7.5, seeding amount of 8%, and liquid-filling quantity of 40 mL/100 mL, and this condition was selected as the central point of response surface analysis for the subsequent optimization of fermentation conditions. Response surface analyses using the Box-Behnken design showed that the optimal conditions for fermentation of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain included sucrose at 15 g/L, tryptone at 5 g/L, K2HPO4 at 5 g/L, temperature at 28.2 °C, pH at 7.5, seeding amount at 10%, and liquid-filling quantity at 35.8 mL/100.0 mL, resulting in 0.132 g yield of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain. Conclusion The optimal culture condition for the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain has been identified, and the optimized culture medium and fermentation condition may effectively improve the fermentation yield of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain.

Enhancement of mangiferin by fungal endophytes isolated from Salacia chinensis L. and Salacia oblonga Wall.

Microbes residing in the internal tissues of a plant are called endophytes, and are known for producing phytochemicals such as taxol, podophyllotoxin, azadirachtin and vinca alkaloids. In this study, out of five isolates from Salacia species, two fungi Penicillium capsulatum and Aspergillus fumigatus have been evaluated and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification for their endophytic action to produce mangiferin. Mangiferin has been reported to possess protective properties, including antioxidant, antidiabetic and immunomodulatory. It has been reported that the content of mangiferin is 7-9% in Mangifera indica, and is also present in other plants like Swertia chirata, Salacia chinensis, and Hypericum aucheri. Therefore, an attempt was made to explore the biotechnological approach and regulation studies to increase the production of mangiferin in S. chinensis and S. oblonga. Endophytes were isolated, screened, and analyzed, to evaluate the mangiferin in fungal extracts in comparison with crude plant extracts. An HPLC analysis was used to determine the mangiferin content present in the fungal extract of S. chinensis stem (74.74 g/mL), followed by fungi extracts of S. oblonga root (33.75 g/mL) and S. chinensis root (30.50 g/mL), compared with the plant extracts. These results were confirmed by FTIR analyses

Application of Syzygium aromaticum, Ocimum sanctum, and Cananga odorata essential oils for management of Ochratoxin A content by Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum: An in vitro assessment in maize grains

The study is directed to establish the minimizing effects of Syzygium aromaticum, Ocimum sanctum, and Cananga odorata essential oils on the growth and ochratoxin A (OTA) level of Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum in maize grains. S. aromaticum essential oil (SAEO), O. sanctum essential oil (OSEO), and C. odorata essential oil (COEO) were extracted by hydro-distillation technique, and a total of 50, 44, and 48 chemical constituents were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively.The SAEO and OSEO belong to the chemotype of eugenol, whereas, COEO was found to be the chemotype of thymol, limonene, and ?-ylangene. The antifungal activity of essential oils (EOs) was determined by the micro-well dilution technique. The SAEO showed superior antifungal activity compared to OSEO, COEO, and synthetic antifungal agent nystatin, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values against A. ochraceous and P. verrucosum were noticed as 1251 ± 42.32 and 1878 ± 28.47 µg/mL, and 0815 ± 22.69 and 1146 ± 51.19 µg/mL, respectively.The antifungal mechanism of EOs was unveiled by assessing the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), ergosterol content, and membrane integrity. The antifungal investigations found that EOs caused fungal mortality by increasing the intracellular ROS, depleting ergosterol synthesis, and distracting membrane integrity. Finally, antifungal and antimycotoxin activity of EOs was demonstrated in maize grains. The SAEO, OSEO, and COEO have reduced the complete fungal growth and OTA level of A. ochraceous and P. verrucosum correspondingly at 2500 and 2500, 3500 and 2500, and 3500 and 3500 µg/g in maize. The EOs could act as natural antifungal agents; protect foodstuffs from fungal infection and mycotoxins during storage.

Hexane Extract from Tradescantia pallida (Rose) D.R. Hunt (Commelinaceae): Its Volatile Constituents and in vitro Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activities

Abstract: Tradescantia pallida (Commelinaceae) has shown promising antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer activities. This study aimed at extracting hexane from T. pallida (HE-TP) aerial parts to identify and quantify its volatile compounds by GC-MS and GC-FID and at evaluating its antifungal and antiproliferative activities. (E)-4-Methoxycynnamic acid (50.2%), 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone (13.7%) and epijuvabione (10.4%) were the major components identified in HE-TP. HE-TP was incorporated into PDA medium, poured into Petri dishes and transferred to mycelial discs of pathogens. Percentages of inhibition of fungal growth were determined. HE-TP showed remarkable antifungal potential at the dose of 400 µL since it inhibited 100% of Penicillium digitatum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum growth and 92.6% of Rhizopus stolonifer growth. Besides, HE-TP demonstrated cytotoxic activity against different human tumor cell lines with IC50 values between 231.43 and 428.76 µg/mL. Therefore, results showed that HE-TP has potential against fungi of agronomic interest and tumor cells.

Plant metabolite 5-pentadecyl resorcinol is produced by the Amazonian fungus Penicillium sclerotiorum LM 5679 / O metabólito vegetal 5-pentadecil resorcinol é produzido pelo fungo amazônico Penicillium sclerotiorum LM 5679

Since the classic studies of Alexander Flemming, Penicillium strains have been known as a rich source of antimicrobial substances. Recent studies have identified novel metabolites produced by Penicillium sclerotiorum that have antibacterial, antifouling and pharmaceutical activities. Here, we report the isolation of a P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679) from Amazonian soil and carry out a culture-based study to determine whether it can produce any novel secondary metabolite(s) that are not thus-far reported for this genus. Using a submerged culture system, secondary metabolites were recovered by solvent extract followed by thin-layer chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectroscopy. One novel secondary metabolite was isolated from P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679); the phenolic compound 5-pentadecyl resorcinol widely known as an antifungal, that is produced by diverse plant species. This metabolite was not reported previously in any Penicillium species and was only found once before in fungi (that time, in a Fusarium). Here, we discuss the known activities of 5-pentadecyl resorcinol in the context of its mode-of-action as a hydrophobic (chaotropicity-mediated) stressor.

Desde os estudos clássicos de Alexander Flemming, as cepas de Penicillium são conhecidas como uma fonte rica em substâncias antimicrobianas. Estudos recentes identificaram novos metabólitos produzidos pela espécie Penicillium sclerotiorum com atividades antibacteriana, anti-incrustante e farmacêutica. Aqui, relatamos o isolamento de uma colônia de P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679) do solo amazônico e relatamos também o estudo baseado em cultura para determinar se ele pode produzir qualquer novo metabólito (s) secundário (s) que não foram relatados até agora para este gênero. Usando um sistema de cultura submerso, os metabólitos secundários foram recuperados por extrato de solvente seguido por cromatografia em camada delgada, ressonância magnética nuclear e espectroscopia de massa. Um novo metabólito secundário foi isolado de P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679); o composto fenólico 5-pentadecil resorcinol que é amplamente conhecido como um antifúngico que é produzido por diversas espécies de plantas. Este metabólito não foi relatado anteriormente em nenhuma espécie de Penicillium, e foi encontrado apenas uma vez em fungos (Fusarium). Aqui, discutimos as atividades conhecidas do 5-pentadecil resorcinol no contexto de seu modo de ação como um estressor hidrofóbico (mediado pela caotropicidade).

Plant metabolite 5-pentadecyl resorcinol is produced by the Amazonian fungus Penicillium sclerotiorum LM 5679

Abstract Since the classic studies of Alexander Flemming, Penicillium strains have been known as a rich source of antimicrobial substances. Recent studies have identified novel metabolites produced by Penicillium sclerotiorum that have antibacterial, antifouling and pharmaceutical activities. Here, we report the isolation of a P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679) from Amazonian soil and carry out a culture-based study to determine whether it can produce any novel secondary metabolite(s) that are not thus-far reported for this genus. Using a submerged culture system, secondary metabolites were recovered by solvent extract followed by thin-layer chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectroscopy. One novel secondary metabolite was isolated from P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679); the phenolic compound 5-pentadecyl resorcinol widely known as an antifungal, that is produced by diverse plant species. This metabolite was not reported previously in any Penicillium species and was only found once before in fungi (that time, in a Fusarium). Here, we discuss the known activities of 5-pentadecyl resorcinol in the context of its mode-of-action as a hydrophobic (chaotropicity-mediated) stressor.

Resumo Desde os estudos clássicos de Alexander Flemming, as cepas de Penicillium são conhecidas como uma fonte rica em substâncias antimicrobianas. Estudos recentes identificaram novos metabólitos produzidos pela espécie Penicillium sclerotiorum com atividades antibacteriana, anti-incrustante e farmacêutica. Aqui, relatamos o isolamento de uma colônia de P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679) do solo amazônico e relatamos também o estudo baseado em cultura para determinar se ele pode produzir qualquer novo metabólito (s) secundário (s) que não foram relatados até agora para este gênero. Usando um sistema de cultura submerso, os metabólitos secundários foram recuperados por extrato de solvente seguido por cromatografia em camada delgada, ressonância magnética nuclear e espectroscopia de massa. Um novo metabólito secundário foi isolado de P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679); o composto fenólico 5-pentadecil resorcinol que é amplamente conhecido como um antifúngico que é produzido por diversas espécies de plantas. Este metabólito não foi relatado anteriormente em nenhuma espécie de Penicillium, e foi encontrado apenas uma vez em fungos (Fusarium). Aqui, discutimos as atividades conhecidas do 5-pentadecil resorcinol no contexto de seu modo de ação como um estressor hidrofóbico (mediado pela caotropicidade).

Plant metabolite 5-pentadecyl resorcinol is produced by the Amazonian fungus Penicillium sclerotiorum LM 5679 / O metabólito vegetal 5-pentadecil resorcinol é produzido pelo fungo amazônico Penicillium sclerotiorum LM 5679

Since the classic studies of Alexander Flemming, Penicillium strains have been known as a rich source of antimicrobial substances. Recent studies have identified novel metabolites produced by Penicillium sclerotiorum that have antibacterial, antifouling and pharmaceutical activities. Here, we report the isolation of a P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679) from Amazonian soil and carry out a culture-based study to determine whether it can produce any novel secondary metabolite(s) that are not thus-far reported for this genus. Using a submerged culture system, secondary metabolites were recovered by solvent extract followed by thin-layer chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectroscopy. One novel secondary metabolite was isolated from P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679); the phenolic compound 5-pentadecyl resorcinol widely known as an antifungal, that is produced by diverse plant species. This metabolite was not reported previously in any Penicillium species and was only found once before in fungi (that time, in a Fusarium). Here, we discuss the known activities of 5-pentadecyl resorcinol in the context of its mode-of-action as a hydrophobic (chaotropicity-mediated) stressor.

Desde os estudos clássicos de Alexander Flemming, as cepas de Penicillium são conhecidas como uma fonte rica em substâncias antimicrobianas. Estudos recentes identificaram novos metabólitos produzidos pela espécie Penicillium sclerotiorum com atividades antibacteriana, anti-incrustante e farmacêutica. Aqui, relatamos o isolamento de uma colônia de P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679) do solo amazônico e relatamos também o estudo baseado em cultura para determinar se ele pode produzir qualquer novo metabólito (s) secundário (s) que não foram relatados até agora para este gênero. Usando um sistema de cultura submerso, os metabólitos secundários foram recuperados por extrato de solvente seguido por cromatografia em camada delgada, ressonância magnética nuclear e espectroscopia de massa. Um novo metabólito secundário foi isolado de P. sclerotiorum (LM 5679); o composto fenólico 5-pentadecil resorcinol que é amplamente conhecido como um antifúngico que é produzido por diversas espécies de plantas. Este metabólito não foi relatado anteriormente em nenhuma espécie de Penicillium, e foi encontrado apenas uma vez em fungos (Fusarium). Aqui, discutimos as atividades conhecidas do 5-pentadecil resorcinol no contexto de seu modo de ação como um estressor hidrofóbico (mediado pela caotropicidade).

Progress of diagnosis and treatment of penicillium marneffei infection in children / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Penicillium marneffei (PM) is the only thermally dimorphic species as a Penicillium that causes the transmitted penicilliosis marneffei (PSM). PM infection is more common in immunodeficient children.Due to the lack of specific clinical manifestations, PSM is easily misdiagnosed as pulmonary plasmacycosis, tuberculosis or pulmonary aspergillosis.Because of the rapid progress and multiple complications of transmitted PSM, its mortality remains high without timely and effective treatment.Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are of great significance, and the diagnosis of PSM mainly relies on the immune function examination, measurement of serum markers, pathogen detection and imaging examinations.There is no standard antifungal regimen, and Amphoterus B and Itraconazole are used as the first-line treatment.This study aims to review the progress of diagnosis and treatment of PM infection in children.

GKK1032B from endophytic Penicillium citrinum induces the apoptosis of human osteosarcoma MG63 cells through caspase pathway activation / 中国天然药物

Chemical investigation of the culture extract of an endophytic Penicillium citrinum from Dendrobium officinale, afforded nine citrinin derivatives (1-9) and one peptide-polyketide hybrid GKK1032B (10). The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined for the first time by calculation of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. Among them, GKK1032B (10) showed significant cytotoxicity against human osteosarcoma cell line MG63 with an IC50 value of 3.49 μmol·L-1, and a primary mechanistic study revealed that it induced the apoptosis of MG63 cellsvia caspase pathway activation.

Occurrence and identification of Penicillium and Talaromyces species from beach sand

Aims@#Penicillium and Talaromyces were among the species of microfungi that inhabit beach sand in Batu Ferringhi Beach, Penang Island, Malaysia. Previously, Talaromyces was described as the sexual stage of Penicillium, but both are now accepted as separate genera based on molecular phylogeny. The aim of the present study was to identify species of Penicillium and Talaromyces that are present in beach sand in Malaysia.@*Methodology and results@#Species identities were confirmed according to similarities of the internal transcribed spacer regions and β-tubulin gene sequences and a phylogenetic analysis based on both regions/gene. Nine Penicillium spp. were identified as P. georgiense, P. chermesinum, P. pimiteouiense, P. citrinum, P. oxalicum, P. daleae, P. rolfsii and Penicillium sp. and the four Talaromyces spp. were T. siamense, T. atroroseus, T. minioluteus and T. fusiformis.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#These findings showed that beach sand harboured a variety of Penicillium and Talaromyces species. The occurrence of Penicillium and Talaromyces in beach sands is associated with the organic matter in the sand, which provides suitable substrates and nutrient sources. Due to this, beach sand might harbour many potentially pathogenic or opportunistic species that may pose a health concern to immunocompromised individuals.

Historia de la penicilina: más allá de los héroes, una construcción social / History of penicillin: Beyond heroes, a social construction

RESUMEN El hecho científico conocido como "penicilina" se ha considerado tradicionalmente como el producto del ingenio de Alexander Fleming, ganador del Premio Nobel por descubrir esta "droga milagrosa". Apartándose de esta idea popular, se hace necesario resaltar el desarrollo de la penicilina como un constructo social, producto del trabajo invaluable de varios científicos, sumado a un contexto social excepcional que motivó la voluntad política y el apoyo de la industria farmacéutica; en ausencia de cualquiera de estos, la penicilina no sería lo que significa hoy para nosotros o, simplemente, no existiría en el arsenal terapéutico. Los conceptos epistemológicos de "estilo de pensamiento" y "colectivo de pensamiento" como fundamentos en la construcción del conocimiento, presentes en la obra epistemológica de Ludwick Fleck, apoyan la conclusión, a partir del recuento histórico, de la necesidad de apartarnos de la penicilina como el producto de un descubrimiento de un único héroe, para verla como una construcción social, que además es un ejemplo clásico de serendipia. La penicilina, además, tiene otras facetas menos conocidas históricamente como el uso de ella de manera cruda, producida y usada por médicos generales, o la búsqueda de información para su producción durante la segunda guerra mundial; estas se abordan en este breve recuento histórico.

SUMMARY The scientific breakthroug we know as "penicillin", has been traditionally considered as the result of the genius of Alexander Fleming, awarded with the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the "miracle drug". Standing aside from this popular idea, it is important to highlight the development of penicillin as a social construct and the product of the invaluable work of several scientists, in addition to an exceptional social framework that raised the political desire and the pharmaceutical industry support; without any of these, penicillin wouldn't even have the meaning it has today, or it wouldn't even exist. The epistemological concepts of "style of thinking" and "collectivity of thought" as basis in the construction of knowledge, present in Ludwick Fleck's epistemological work, support the conclusion, based the historical account, about the need of standing aside from the idea of penicillin as the discovery of a single hero, and considering it a social construction instead, and a classical example of serendipity. Other aspects less known about penicillin history, such as the use of crude penicillin by general practitioners, or the seeking of information about how to produce it during World War II, which are addressed in this brief historical account.

Hydrothermal Pretreatment as a Strategy for the Improvement of Sugarcane Bagasse Saccharification by Fungal Enzyme Blend

Abstract Obtaining low cost lignocellulolytic enzymes and efficient biomass pretreatment are key to increase the competitiveness of second-generation ethanol in comparison with fossil fuels. The enzymatic cocktail produced by the Chrysoporthe cubensis fungus as well as the mixture prepared with the cocktails of the Chrysoporthe cubensis and Penicillium pinophilum fungi have already proven to be efficient for hydrolyzing biomass pretreated with alkali. In this study, they were evaluated in saccharification of sugarcane bagasse pretreated with dilute acid or hot water at 121°C using an enzyme loading equal to 8 filter paper units per gram of biomass. The most promising results were obtained from the hydrolysis of biomass pretreated with hot water by the C. cubensis-P. pinophilum enzymes blend. In this condition, the glucose and xylose production were 25.2 g.L-1 and 4.6 g.L-1, respectively, that resulted in the conversion of 68% of glucan and 23% of xylan in only 48 hours. This study shows that the hydrothermal pretreatment is a promising alternative to improve the enzymes performance, produced by the fungi C. cubensis and P. pinophilum, in the sugarcane bagasse hydrolysis without the need of chemical compounds, generally used in the acid and alkali pretreatments. Furthermore, the hydrothermal pretreatment for 60 min allowed all cocktails applied to convert the cellulose efficiently with only 24 h of saccharification, which contributes to the energy savings employed in the process.

Genome mining combined metabolic shunting and OSMAC strategy of an endophytic fungus leads to the production of diverse natural products

Endophytic fungi are promising producers of bioactive small molecules. Bioinformatic analysis of the genome of an endophytic fungus

Progress in the production of lignocellulolytic enzyme systems using Penicillium species / 生物工程学报

The efficient production of lignocellulolytic enzyme systems is an important support for large-scale biorefinery of plant biomass. On-site production of lignocellulolytic enzymes could increase the economic benefits of the process by lowering the cost of enzyme usage. Penicillium species are commonly found lignocellulose-degrading fungi in nature, and have been used for industrial production of cellulase preparations due to their abilities to secrete complete and well-balanced lignocellulolytic enzyme systems. Here, we introduce the reported Penicillium species for cellulase production, summarize the characteristics of their enzymes, and describe the strategies of strain engineering for improving the production and performance of lignocellulolytic enzymes. We also review the progress in fermentation process optimization regarding the on-site production of lignocellulolytic enzymes using Penicillium species, and suggest prospect of future work from the perspective of building a "sugar platform" for the biorefinery of lignocellulosic biomass.

Evaluation on the effectiveness of combination of biocontrol agents in managing Ganoderma boninense of oil palm

Aims@#The development of an effective biocontrol formulation for inhibition of Ganoderma boninense, a well-known destructive pathogen in oil palm plantation is important to prolong the palm’s lifespan and reduce the losses due to this disease. In this paper, we present some new bioformulations with combination of different types of biocontrol agents in managing basal stem rot (BSR) disease. @*Methodology@#The effectiveness of the treatments designed as T1 (Trichoderma harzianum + Lecanicillium spp. + Streptomyces sundarbansensis + Pseudomonas aeruginosa), T2 (Penicillium simplicissimum + Lecanicillium sp. + S. sundarbansensis + P. aeruginosa), T3 (P. simplicissimum + P. aeruginosa) and T4 (LEStani®) was evaluated through treatment on the oil palm seedlings artificial infected by G. boninense and the results were expressed in disease severity index (DSI), bole severity index (BSI) and ergosterol content.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#All tested treatments (T1-T4) managed to control the severity of the Ganoderma infection from continuously increasing when the treatments were applied either one month before or after artificial inoculation. The disease severity of infected seedlings without treatments had increased for almost 2-fold at the end of the trial. Moreover, T1 had the greatest inhibition of G. boninense with the lowest ergosterol content (a bioindicator of Ganoderma colonization) detected (676.67 g/mL), which is about 1.9-fold lower than control (1273.33 ug/mL) without treatments and a BSI score of 1. Based on the effectiveness among the four tested biocontrol formulations, T1 is the most promising formulation to be further evaluated in the field for control of BSR disease. However, more research is needed in the future to estimate the effective amount for application in open environment.

Moringa straw as cellulase production inducer and cellulolytic fungi source / Residuo de moringa como inductor de la producción de celulasas y como fuente de hongos celulolíticos

Abstract Currently, the valorization of agroindustrial waste is of great interest. Moringa oleifera is a multipurpose tree whose softwood residues could be used as raw material for low-cost cellulase production. The aim of this study was to isolate, identify, and characterize microorganisms with cellulolytic activity in different carbon sources. We isolated and puri-fied 42 microorganisms from M. oleifera biomass. Fungi presenting the largest hydrolytic halos in carboxymethylcellulose as a substrate were molecularly identified as Penicillium funiculosum (FG1), Fusarium verticillioides (FG3) and Cladosporium cladosporioides (FC2). The ability of these fungal strains to break down cellulose was assessed in a submerged fermentation using either amorphous CMC or crystalline form (Avicel). P. funiculosum and C. cladosporioides displayed similar endoglucanase (606 U/l) and exoglucanase (205 U/l) activities in the Avicel-containing medium, whereas F. verticillioides showed the highest level of p-glucosidase activity (664 U/l) in the carboxymethylcellulose medium. In addition, the effect of three culture media (A, B, and C) on cellulase production was evaluated in P. funiculosum using moringa straw as a carbon source. The results showed a volumetric productivity improvement of cellulases that was 2.77-, 8.26-, and 2.30-fold higher for endoglucanase, exoglucanase and p-glucosidase, respectively when medium C containing moringa straw was used as a carbon source. The enzymatic extracts produced by these fungi have biotechnological potential especially for second-generation bioethanol production (2G) from moringa straw. This is the first report on the use of M. oleifera biomass to induce the production of various cellulases in P. funiculosum. © 2019 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Resumen Actualmente, la valorización de los residuos agroindustriales es de gran interés. En este trabajo se emplearon residuos de madera blanda de Moringa oleifera para la producción de celulasas de bajo costo. El objetivo fue aislar, identificar y caracterizar microorganismos con actividad celulolítica en diferentes fuentes de carbono. A partir de la biomasa de M. oleifera, se aislaron e identificaron 42 microorganismos productores de celulasas. Los hongos que presentaron los mayores halos de hidrólisis en carboximetilcelulosa como sustrato fueron identificados molecularmente como Penicillium funiculosum (FG1), Fusarium verticillioides (FG3) y Cladosporium cladosporioides (FC2). Mediante fermentación sumergida, se evaluó la capacidad de estas cepas en la producción de celulasas utilizando celulosa cristalina (Avicel) y amorfa (CMC) como fuentes de carbono. P. funiculosum y C. cladosporioides presentaron las mayores actividades de endoglucanasa (606 U/l) y exoglucanasa (205 U/l) en medio Avicel, mientras que F. verticillioides mostró la mayor actividad de p-glucosidasa (664 U/l) en medio CMC. Además, se evaluó el efecto de tres medios de cultivo (A, B y C) sobre la producción de celulasas en P. funiculosum empleando residuos de moringa como fuente de carbono. Los resultados mostraron que en el medio C, la productividad volumétrica de celulasas se incrementó en 2,77; 8,26 y 2,30 veces para las actividades de endoglucanasa, exoglucanasa y p-glucosidasa, respectivamente. Los extractos enzimáticos producidos tienen gran potencial para su utilización biotecnológica, especialmente en la sacarificación de residuos de moringa y la producción de bioetanol de segunda generación. Este es el primer estudio del uso de la biomasa de M. oleifera para inducir la producción de diversas celulasas en P. funiculosum.