Identification of volatile secondary metabolites from an endophytic microfungus Aspergillus nomius KUB105 [Pengenalpastian Metabolit Sekunder Meruap daripada Kulat Mikro Endofitik Aspergillus nomius KUB105]

Microfungi are a highly diverse group of micro-organisms and important components of the ecosystem with great potential for diverse metabolite production. During a survey of microfungi on leaves in a National Park in Sarawak, an uncommon endophytic microfungus Aspergillus nomius was encountered. The metabolite production of this microfungus was investigated by growing it in a liquid basal medium for 2 weeks. Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) profiling of the secondary metabolites produced by this microfungus in the liquid medium revealed the presence of 46 different secondary metabolites. The metabolites include saturated hydrocarbons, alkyl halides, alcohols and an unsaturated hydrocarbon. Majority of the metabolites produced were saturated hydrocarbons. Tetracosane, Icosane and 10-Methylicosane were the most abundant metabolites identified while heptadecane and 2,4-dimethylundecane were the least abundant respectively. This study is the first GC-MS and FTIR report of secondary metabolites from A. nomius. The results from this study confirm the ability of microfungi to produce diverse metabolites, including saturated hydrocarbon

In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Antioxidant Activities of Pestalotiopsis microspora Culture Filtrate

Endophytic fungi have been studied to provide protection and survival conditions to their host plant by producing a plethora of substances which, once isolated and characterized, may also have potential for use in industry, agriculture, and medicine. In this study, the culture filtrate of an endophytic fungus (Pestalotiopsis microspora (PM)) was evaluated for its cytotoxic and antioxidant activities in vitro. The cytotoxic activity of PM was determined using brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA), while its antioxidant effect was investigated against DPPH, reducing power and hydroxyl radicals. Judging by the LC50 value of 2.71 mgmL-1 for the BSLA, the culture filtrate could be considered highly potent. The PM also significantly scavenged free radicals and the effects elicited could be attributed to its phenolics and other phytoconstituents as revealed by the GC-MS results.  It is thereby evident from the data presented that PM is endowed with chemotherapeutic constituents that could be potentially useful for the development of new lead anticancer agents

Connecting the multiple dimensions of global soil fungal diversity

How the multiple facets of soil fungal diversity vary worldwide remains virtually unknown, hindering the management of this essential species-rich group. By sequencing high-resolution DNA markers in over 4000 topsoil samples from natural and human-altered ecosystems across all continents, we illustrate the distributions and drivers of different levels of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of fungi and their ecological groups. We show the impact of precipitation and temperature interactions on local fungal species richness (alpha diversity) across different climates. Our findings reveal how temperature drives fungal compositional turnover (beta diversity) and phylogenetic diversity, linking them with regional species richness (gamma diversity). We integrate fungi into the principles of global biodiversity distribution and present detailed maps for biodiversity conservation and modeling of global ecological processes

Notes for genera: basal clades of Fungi (including Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota)

Compared to the higher fungi (Dikarya), taxonomic and evolutionary studies on the basal clades of fungi are fewer in number. Thus, the generic boundaries and higher ranks in the basal clades of fungi are poorly known. Recent DNA based taxonomic studies have provided reliable and accurate information. It is therefore necessary to compile all available information since basal clades genera lack updated checklists or outlines. Recently, Tedersoo et al. (MycoKeys 13:1--20, 2016) accepted Aphelidiomycota and Rozellomycota in Fungal clade. Thus, we regard both these phyla as members in Kingdom Fungi. We accept 16 phyla in basal clades viz. Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota. Thus, 611 genera in 153 families, 43 orders and 18 classes are provided with details of classification, synonyms, life modes, distribution, recent literature and genomic data. Moreover, Catenariaceae Couch is proposed to be conserved, Cladochytriales Mozl.-Standr. is emended and the family Nephridiophagaceae is introduced

Bacterial biota associated with the invasive insect pest Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)

Peer reviewe

Thermal Tolerance Data and Molecular Identification Are Useful for the Diagnosis, Control and Modeling of Diseases Caused by Thielaviopsis paradoxa

Several economically important diseases of forest trees and agricultural crops in many parts of the world have been linked to the ascomycete fungal pathogen Thielaviopsis paradoxa. This study compared the growth rate of 41 isolates of T. paradoxa sourced from different hosts and two countries (Nigeria and Papua New Guinea (PNG)) under six temperature levels (22 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, 32 °C, 34 °C and 35 °C). Phylogenetic relationships were obtained from the analysis of their nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed sequence (ITS) data. While all the isolates from PNG and few from Nigeria grew optimally between 22 °C and 32 °C, the majority had their highest growth rate (2.9 cm/day) between 25 °C and 32 °C. Growth performances were generally low between 34 °C and 35 °C; no isolate from the sugar cane grew at these high temperatures. The oil palm isolate DA029 was the most resilient, with the highest growth rate (0.97 cm/day) at 35 °C. Phylogenetic analysis delineated five clusters: a very large clade which accommodates the majority (30 Nigerian and 3 PNG oil palm isolates) and four small clades containing two members each. To a large extent, the clustering pattern failed to address the temperature–isolate relationship observed. However, only the four small clades represent isolates with similar temperature tolerances. It is most likely that wider and robust analyses with more diverse isolates and genetic markers will provide better insight on thermal resilience of T. paradoxa. Additionally, future research to establish relationships between vegetative growth at different temperatures and of different pathogenicity and disease epidemiology merits being explored. The results might provide useful information for the formulation of effective management and control strategies against the pathogen, especially in this era of climate change

Cellulase enzyme production from filamentous fungi trichoderma reesei and aspergillus awamori in submerged fermentation with rice straw

Fungi are a diverse group of microorganisms that play many roles in human livelihoods. However, the isolation of potential fungal species is the key factor to their utilization in different sectors, including the enzyme industry. Hence, in this study, we used two different fungal repositories—soil and weed leaves—to isolate filamentous fungi and evaluate their potential to produce the cellulase enzyme. The fungal strains were isolated using dichloran rose bengal agar (DRBA) and potato dextrose agar (PDA). For cellulase enzyme production, a rice straw submerged fermentation process was used. The enzyme production was carried out at the different incubation times of 3, 5, and 7 days of culture in submerged conditions with rice straw. Fungal identification studies by morphological and molecular methods showed that the soil colonies matched with Trichoderma reesei, and the weed leaf colonies matched with Aspergillus awamori. These species were coded as T. reesei UMK04 and A. awamori UMK02, respectively. This is the first report of A. awamori UMK02 isolation in Malaysian agriculture. The results of cellulase production using the two fungi incorporated with rice straw submerged fermentation showed that T. reesei produced a higher amount of cellulase at Day 5 (27.04 U/mg of dry weight) as compared with A. awamori (15.19 U/mg of dry weight), and the concentration was significantly different (p < 0.05). Our results imply that T. reesei can be utilized for cellulase production using rice straw

Recent Advancements in Mitigating Abiotic Stresses in Crops

In recent years, the progressive escalation of climate change scenarios has emerged as a significant global concern. The threat to global food security posed by abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, waterlogging, temperature stress (heat stress, freezing, and chilling), and high heavy metal accumulation is substantial. The implementation of any of these stresses on agricultural land induces modifications in the morphological, biochemical, and physiological processes of plants, leading to diminished rates of germination, growth, photosynthesis, respiration, hormone and enzyme activity disruption, heightened oxidative stress, and ultimately, a reduction in crop productivity. It is anticipated that the frequency of these stresses will progressively escalate in the future as a result of a rise in climate change events. Therefore, it is crucial to develop productive strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of these challenges on the agriculture industry and improve crop resilience and yield. Diverse strategies have been implemented, including the development of cultivars that are resistant to climate change through the application of both conventional and modern breeding techniques. An additional application of the prospective and emerging technology of speed breeding is the acceleration of tolerance cultivar development. Additionally, plant growth regulators, osmoprotectants, nutrient and water management, planting time, seed priming, microbial seed treatment, and arbuscular mycorrhiza are regarded as effective methods for mitigating abiotic stresses. The application of biochar, kaolin, chitosan, superabsorbent, yeast extract, and seaweed extract are examples of promising and environmentally benign agronomic techniques that have been shown to mitigate the effects of abiotic stresses on crops; however, their exact mechanisms are still not yet fully understood. Hence, collaboration among researchers should be intensified to fully elucidate the mechanisms involved in the action of the emerging technologies. This review provides a comprehensive and current compilation of scientific information on emerging and current trends, along with innovative strategies to enhance agricultural productivity under abiotic stress conditions