A case report of pulmonary Botrytis sp. infection in an apparently healthy individual.

BACKGROUND: Botrytis species are well known fungal pathogens of various plants but have not been reported as human pathogens, except as allergenic precipitants of asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. CASE PRESENTATION: The asymptomatic patient was referred because of a nodule revealed by chest X-ray. Computed tomography (CT) showed a cavitary nodule in the right upper lobe of the lung. He underwent wedge resection of the nodule, which revealed necrotizing granulomas and a fungus ball containing Y-shaped filamentous fungi, which was confirmed histopathologically. Culture of the specimen yielded white to grayish cotton-like colonies with black sclerotia. We performed multilocus gene sequence analyses including three single-copy nuclear DNA genes encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, heat-shock protein 60, and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit II. The analyses revealed that the isolate was most similar to Botrytis elliptica. To date, the pulmonary Botrytis sp. infection has not recurred after lung resection and the patient did not require any additional medication. CONCLUSIONS: We report the first case of an immunocompetent patient with pulmonary Botrytis sp. infection, which has not recurred after lung resection without any additional medication. Precise evaluation is necessary for the diagnosis of pulmonary Botrytis infection because it is indistinguishable from other filamentous fungi both radiologically and by histopathology. The etiology and pathophysiology of pulmonary Botrytis infection remains unclear. Further accumulation and analysis of Botrytis cases is warranted.

Phytochemicals of Apple Pomace as Prospect Bio-Fungicide Agents against Mycotoxigenic Fungal Species-In Vitro Experiments.

The phytochemical constituents of apple waste were established as potential antifungal agents against four crops pathogens, specifically, Botrytis sp., Fusarium oxysporum, Petriella setifera, and Neosartorya fischeri. Crude, purified extracts and fractions of apple pomace were tested in vitro to evaluate their antifungal and antioxidant properties. The phytochemical constituents of the tested materials were mainly represented by phloridzin and quercetin derivatives, as well as previously undescribed in apples, monoterpene-pinnatifidanoside D. Its structure was confirmed by 1D- and 2D-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analyses. The fraction containing quercetin pentosides possessed the highest antioxidant activity, while the strongest antifungal activity was exerted by a fraction containing phloridzin. Sugar moieties differentiated the antifungal activity of quercetin glycosides. Quercetin hexosides possessed stronger antifungal activity than quercetin pentosides.

[Gray mold disease of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis and its pathogen identification].

Gray mold disease is one of the most important diseases of planted Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, the disease appeared primarily as blossom blights and fruit rots, but also as stem rots, leaf rots.In this study, the pathogenetic fungi was isolated from plant tissue or sclerotia that covering the fruit of diseased P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, the pathogen was certified according to Koch's Postulation. The pathogen produced abundant black, irregular sclerotia on surface of diseased plants and potato dextrose agar. The conidiophores and clusters of oval conidia resembled a grape-like cluster, the size of conidia was 9.70-13.70 µm [average of (11.32±0.82)µm]×7.05-9.12 µm [average of (8.24±0.48)µm], the microconidia produced on potato dextrose agar were spherical,and the size was （3.34±0.31） µm,the pathogen was identified as Botrytis sp based on morphological characteristics. The DNA sequence analysis of the G3PDH, HSP60, RPB2 genes placed the pathogen in a single clade that outside defined species of Botrytis, so the pathogen could be identified as a new species of Botrytis. The pathogen requires 20 °C, pH 8, darkness or low light condition for the best growth.

Gray mold disease of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis and its pathogen identification / 中国中药杂志

Gray mold disease is one of the most important diseases of planted Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, the disease appeared primarily as blossom blights and fruit rots, but also as stem rots, leaf rots.In this study, the pathogenetic fungi was isolated from plant tissue or sclerotia that covering the fruit of diseased P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, the pathogen was certified according to Koch's Postulation. The pathogen produced abundant black, irregular sclerotia on surface of diseased plants and potato dextrose agar. The conidiophores and clusters of oval conidia resembled a grape-like cluster, the size of conidia was 9.70-13.70 μm [average of (11.32±0.82)μm]×7.05-9.12 μm [average of (8.24±0.48)μm], the microconidia produced on potato dextrose agar were spherical,and the size was （3.34±0.31） μm,the pathogen was identified as Botrytis sp based on morphological characteristics. The DNA sequence analysis of the G3PDH, HSP60, RPB2 genes placed the pathogen in a single clade that outside defined species of Botrytis, so the pathogen could be identified as a new species of Botrytis. The pathogen requires 20 °C, pH 8, darkness or low light condition for the best growth.

Gray mold in immature fig fruit: pathogenicity and growth temperature / Mofo cinzento em frutos imaturos de figo: patogenicidade e temperatura para crescimento

ABSTRACT: Several diseases can be associated with figs but recently a fruit rot was observed in green fruit. The purpose of this study was to determine the pathogenicity of Botrytis sp., to quantify incubation period (IP) and latent period (LP), to verify the optimum temperature for mycelial growth, and to identify the different species of Botrytis sp. isolated from immature figs. Botrytis sp. isolated from figs proved to be pathogenic to immature fruit with and without wounding the fruit surface and ostiole. The IP period was 3 days on fruit with wounds and 5 days on fruit inoculated within the ostiole (without wound). The LP was 6 days in all treatments. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth was 18°C. Inferred from sequences of a segment comprising the ITS region of ribosomal DNA concluded that the isolates are Botrytis cinerea.

RESUMO: Várias doenças podem estar associadas com figos, mas recentemente uma podridão dos frutos foi observada em frutos verdes. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a patogenicidade de Botrytis sp., quantificar o período de incubação (PI) e o período de latência (PL), verificar a temperatura ótima para o crescimento micelial e identificar as diferentes espécies de Botrytis sp. isoladas a partir de frutos imaturos de figo. Botrytis sp. isolado a partir de figos provou ser patogênico em frutos imaturos com e sem ferimento na superfície dos frutos e no ostíolo. O PI foi de 3 dias em frutos com ferimento e 5 dias em frutos inoculados no ostíolo e sem ferimento. O PL foi de 6 dias em todos os tratamentos. A temperatura ótima de crescimento micelial foi18°C. A partir de sequências de um segmento que compreende a região de ITS do DNA ribossomal, concluiu-se que os isolados são Botrytis cinerea.

Deciphering the hormonal signalling network behind the systemic resistance induced by Trichoderma harzianum in tomato.

Root colonization by selected Trichoderma isolates can activate in the plant a systemic defense response that is effective against a broad-spectrum of plant pathogens. Diverse plant hormones play pivotal roles in the regulation of the defense signaling network that leads to the induction of systemic resistance triggered by beneficial organisms [induced systemic resistance (ISR)]. Among them, jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET) signaling pathways are generally essential for ISR. However, Trichoderma ISR (TISR) is believed to involve a wider variety of signaling routes, interconnected in a complex network of cross-communicating hormone pathways. Using tomato as a model, an integrative analysis of the main mechanisms involved in the systemic resistance induced by Trichoderma harzianum against the necrotrophic leaf pathogen Botrytis cinerea was performed. Root colonization by T. harzianum rendered the leaves more resistant to B. cinerea independently of major effects on plant nutrition. The analysis of disease development in shoots of tomato mutant lines impaired in the synthesis of the key defense-related hormones JA, ET, salicylic acid (SA), and abscisic acid (ABA), and the peptide prosystemin (PS) evidenced the requirement of intact JA, SA, and ABA signaling pathways for a functional TISR. Expression analysis of several hormone-related marker genes point to the role of priming for enhanced JA-dependent defense responses upon pathogen infection. Together, our results indicate that although TISR induced in tomato against necrotrophs is mainly based on boosted JA-dependent responses, the pathways regulated by the plant hormones SA- and ABA are also required for successful TISR development.

Effect of two kinds of endophytic fungi on salt resistance of Chrysanthemum morifolium / 中草药

Objective: The NaCl stress conditions were simulated to study the effect of the endophytic fungi C1, C4 on antisalty characteristic of Chrysanthemum morifolium in the adverse circumstance. Methods: Endophytic Botrytis sp. (C1) and Chaetomium globosum (C4) were inoculated to the C. morifolium plantlets which were planted in the pots in order to research the effects of salt stress on physiological indicators of C. morifolium. Results: With the increase of NaCl concentration, the water content of root and leaf decreased in every group. The loss of root and leaf's water in fungi-treated group was smaller than that in the control group. SOD activities in every group increased with the increase of NaCl concentration, and achieved the peak value at 20 g/L NaCl. The SOD activity in fungi-treated group was higher than that in the control group. Soluble protein of fungi-treated group was higher than that in the control group, and C4 group surpassed C1 group. POD activity increased firstly and then decreased, and compared to the control group, the POD activities in C4 and C1 groups increased by 25.50% and 1.35%, respectively at 15 g/L NaCl. PAL activity of C4 treated group was seven folds compared to the control group at 15 g/L NaCl. Conclusion: Endophytic fungi could enhance the salt-tolerant ability of C. morifolium, and the effect in C4 group was better than C1 group.