Wheat Stem Rust Back in Europe: Diversity, Prevalence and Impact on Host Resistance

The objective of this study was to investigate the re-emergence of a previously important crop pathogen in Europe, Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici, causing wheat stem rust. The pathogen has been insignificant in Europe for more than 60 years, but since 2016 it has caused epidemics on both durum wheat and bread wheat in local areas in southern Europe, and additional outbreaks in Central- and West Europe. The prevalence of three distinct genotypes/races in many areas, Clade III-B (TTRTF), Clade IV-B (TKTTF) and Clade IV-F (TKKTF), suggested clonal reproduction and evolution by mutation within these. None of these genetic groups and races, which likely originated from exotic incursions, were detected in Europe prior to 2016. A fourth genetic group, Clade VIII, detected in Germany (2013), was observed in several years in Central- and East Europe. Tests of representative European wheat varieties with prevalent races revealed high level of susceptibility. In contrast, high diversity with respect to virulence and Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers were detected in local populations on cereals and grasses in proximity to Berberis species in Spain and Sweden, indicating that the alternate host may return as functional component of the epidemiology of wheat stem rust in Europe. A geographically distant population from Omsk and Novosibirsk in western Siberia (Russia) also revealed high genetic diversity, but clearly different from current European populations. The presence of Sr31-virulence in multiple and highly diverse races in local populations in Spain and Siberia stress that virulence may emerge independently when large geographical areas and time spans are considered and that Sr31-virulence is not unique to Ug99. All isolates of the Spanish populations, collected from wheat, rye and grass species, were succesfully recovered on wheat, which underline the plasticity of host barriers within P. graminis. The study demonstrated successful alignment of two genotyping approaches and race phenotyping methodologies employed by different laboratories, which also allowed us to line up with previous European and international studies of wheat stem rust. Our results suggest new initiatives within disease surveillance, epidemiological research and resistance breeding to meet current and future challenges by wheat stem rust in Europe and beyond.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p < 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p < 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p < 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p < 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice

Attività antifungina e composizione chimica di oli essenziali estratti da agrumi coltivati in Sicilia.

Risulta comprovata nell’industria agroalimentare l’efficacia di oli essenziali di agrumi quale tecnologia per esaltare la sapidità di cibi e bevande. Ad oggi, il rinnovato interesse verso gli oli essenziali deriva dalle loro proprietà antibatteriche ed antifungine, che possono trovare ampia applicazione in sistemi hurdle-technology ai fini di prolungare la shelf-life di agroprodotti, specie in cibi minimally-processed e di IV gamma. Infatti, la necessità di ricercare nuove sostanze non di sintesi con proprietà antimicrobiche deriva dai cambiamenti legislativi in campo alimentare, dalla tendenza dei consumatori ad acquistare cibi processati naturalmente e dalla crescente resistenza dei patogeni alimentari ai comuni composti antimicrobici usati nel comparto alimentare. Gli EOs sono sostanze “generalmente riconosciute come sicure” (“generally recognized as safe”, GRAS) dalla U.S. FDA, per cui il loro potenziale utilizzo negli alimenti soddisfa non solo i requisiti legali, le esigenze dell’industria di trasformazione ma anche la richiesta dei consumatori. L’applicazione di tali biotecnologie, però, non può prescindere dalla caratterizzazione preliminare delle proprietà chimiche ed antimicrobiche degli oli essenziali. A tal fine, sono stati estratti gli oli essenziali (EOs) presenti nelle bucce di agrumi appartenenti a tre specie differenti del genere Citrus. Gli EOs sono stati caratterizzati mediante Gas-Cromatografia accoppiata a Spettrometria di Massa (GC-MS) ed identificati per confronto con libreria NIST, nel caso in cui mostravano una similarità maggiore del 90%. Per valutare l’attività antimicrobica, gli EOs sono stati provati in-vitro tramite un saggio di diffusione in pozzetto. A tal fine, gli EOs estratti sono stati testati contro 47 ceppi fungini alterativi e/o patogeni, precedentemente isolati da matrici alimentari. Gli EOs di limone hanno dimostrato possedere in vitro un’attività inibente della crescita fungina nettamente maggiore confrontata con gli oli estratti da mandarino ed arancia. La differente composizione chimica, evidenziata tramite GC/MS, è responsabile della diversa attività antifungina. In particolare, la presenza di idrocarburi monoterpenici ossigenati e sequiterpeni negli EOs con maggiore attività inibente (EO L1 e EO L2), suggerisce che siano proprio queste classi di composti a possedere le proprietà antifungine evidenziate nei test microbiologici

CARATTERIZZAZIONE DEL PROFILO AROMATICO E PROVE PRELIMINARI DI INIBIZIONE MICROBICA PER L’OLIO ESSENZIALE ESTRATTO DALLE BUCCE DI CITRUS RETICULATA cv. “TARDIVO DI CIACULLI”

Il mandarino denominato “Tardivo di Ciaculli” ha avuto origine e viene prodotto in provincia di Palermo (Sicilia) nei pressi della contrada Ciaculli. Ha un’epoca di maturazione tardiva che si concentra nei mesi da febbraio ad aprile. I frutti sono piccoli e con buccia di medio spessore [1]. In generale gli oli essenziali di mandarino sono particolarmente apprezzati per le loro proprietà chimico-fisiche costituendo un fondamentale ingrediente nell’industria cosmetica e alimentare come esaltatori di sapore in cibi e bevande. Inoltre trovano un impiego sempre maggiore nelle biotecnologie applicate al settore agroalimentare per ottimizzare le proprietà nutrizionali degli alimenti e prolungarne la shelf life [2]. Nel presente lavoro è stata caratterizzata, mediante Gas Cromatografia accoppiata alla Spettrometria di Massa (GC-MS), la componente volatile dell’olio essenziale estratto dalle bucce dei frutti di Mandarino Tardivo di Ciaculli. Il pattern aromatico è stato poi confrontato con quello di un olio di mandarino commerciale. Sono state effettuate inoltre delle prove preliminari dell’attività antimicrobica sulla crescita di ceppi batterici Gram-positivi (Staphylococcus aureus e Listeria monocytogenes) e Gram-negativi (Salmonella enterica e Enterobacter hormaechei), mediante il metodo della “diffusione su disco di carta”. Per quanto riguarda le molecole volatili identificate, i risultati ottenuti presentano una significativa differenza nella classe dei monoterpeni ossigenati, con risaputa attività antimicrobica [4]. L’inibizione è risultata essere maggiore per i batteri Gram-positivi, in particolare per Listeria monocytogenes, rispetto ai Gram-negativi. L’olio essenziale di Mandarino Tardivo di Ciaculli potrebbe quindi rappresentare una buona alternativa all’utilizzo di additivi sintetici in campo alimentare

Effetto antimicrobico della componente volatile dell’olio essenziale di mandarino.

Gli oli essenziali, estratti dalle piante, sono composti lipofili contenenti una ampia varietà di elementi volatili. Vengono normalmente ottenuti per distillazione o estrazione con solventi. Trovano impiego nella preparazione di cosmetici, per aggiungere sapore ai cibi e alle bevande e per la formulazione di profumi sia personali che per l’ambiente. Gli oli essenziali hanno recentemente trovato impiego nelle biotecnologie applicate al settore agroalimentare. Sono stati, infatti, utilizzati per ottimizzare le proprietà nutrizionali degli alimenti e per prolungarne la shelf life [1,2]. Gli oli essenziali ottenuti da mandarino sono tradizionalmente usati come antidolorifici, sedativi e curativi per patologie dell’apparato circolatorio [3,4]. Le qualità antisettiche, già individuate agli inizi del secolo scorso, stanno oggi conquistando l’interesse dei ricercatori [5]. Lo scopo del presente lavoro è stato quello di testare l’attività antimicrobica di un olio essenziale estratto da mandarino prodotto in Sicilia (zona di Ciaculli, Palermo) come inibitore della crescita di ceppi batterici Gram-positivi (Staphylococcus aureus e Listeria monocytogenes) e Gram-negativi (Salmonella enterica e Enterobacter hormaechei). L’attività antimicrobica, testata con il metodo “paper disc diffusion” [7], è risultata maggiore contro i batteri Gram-positivi; l’attività più evidente, in termini di diametro della zona di inibizione, è stata registrata nei confronti dei ceppi appartenenti alla specie Listeria monocytogenes, in particolare contro gli isolati di origine alimentare L. monocytogenes 180 e 182. Interessante è anche l’inibizione osservata contro alcuni ceppi di Enterobacter hormaechei, sebbene inferiore a quella mostrata contro i batteri Gram-positivi. Analisi di Gas Cromatografia accoppiata alla Spettrometria di Massa (GC-MS) sono state, inoltre, effettuate per caratterizzare e identificare le molecole volatili dell’intero aroma. Molecole quali D-limonene , gamma.-terpinene, alpha.-terpineol e beta.-myrcene, sono risultate essere i maggiori costituenti dell’aroma. A tali molecole è già stata attribuita bibliograficamente attività antibatterica [6]. Gli oli essenziali di mandarino, pertanto, potrebbero rappresentare un’alternativa all’utilizzo di additivi sintetici in campo alimentare

Seasonal variations of antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of Citrus limon L. Burm. spp. essential oils

The interest towards the application of essential oils (EOs) is increasing due to the antimicrobial potential to be used as “natural” alternative to the chemical preservation of foods [1]. EOs are aromatic oily liquids produced as secondary metabolites in various plants exerting different biological properties, such as antibacterial, antiviral, antimycotic and insecticidal. EOs are complex mixtures of lipophilic substances and the chemical composition, thereby the biological activities, is influenced by the raw plant material (genotype, part of the plant, harvest time, geographical, ecological conditions and cultural techniques) and extraction method [2]

Seasonal variations of antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of essential oils extracted from three Citrus limon L. Burm. cultivars

In order to investigate the seasonal variations of antimicrobial properties and chemical composition of essential oils (EOs), three different cultivars of Citrus limon L. Burm. spp. (Femminello Santa Teresa, Monachello and Femminello Continella) were collected at 6-week intervals, from December 2012 to April 2013, for a total of four harvests. The EOs were extracted from lemon peel by hydro-distillation. The antimicrobial activity, tested by paper disc diffusion method, was evaluated against common food-related pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Enterobacter spp.). EOs were more effective against Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacteria at each collection time, but a strong strain dependence was evidenced. Monachello EOs showed the highest inhibition power. The chemical characterisation of the EOs performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry identified from 36 to 42 molecules. The chemical difference registered among samples and seasons may explain the different antimicrobial efficacies recorded

Seasonal variations of antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of essential oils extracted from three <i>Citrus limon</i> L. Burm. cultivars

<div><p>In order to investigate the seasonal variations of antimicrobial properties and chemical composition of essential oils (EOs), three different cultivars of <i>Citrus limon</i> L. Burm. spp. (Femminello Santa Teresa, Monachello and Femminello Continella) were collected at 6-week intervals, from December 2012 to April 2013, for a total of four harvests. The EOs were extracted from lemon peel by hydro-distillation. The antimicrobial activity, tested by paper disc diffusion method, was evaluated against common food-related pathogenic bacteria (<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>, <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Salmonella enterica</i> and <i>Enterobacter</i> spp.). EOs were more effective against Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacteria at each collection time, but a strong strain dependence was evidenced. Monachello EOs showed the highest inhibition power. The chemical characterisation of the EOs performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry identified from 36 to 42 molecules. The chemical difference registered among samples and seasons may explain the different antimicrobial efficacies recorded.</p></div

Human Hsp60 with its mitochondrial import signal occurs in solution as heptamers and tetradecamers remarkably stable over a wide range of concentrations.

It has been established that Hsp60 can accumulate in the cytosol in various pathological conditions, including cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. Part or all of the cytosolic Hsp60 could be naïve, namely, bear the mitochondrial import signal (MIS), but neither the structure nor the in solution oligomeric organization of this cytosolic molecule has still been elucidated. Here we present a detailed study of the structure and self-organization of naïve cytosolic Hsp60 in solution. Results were obtained by different biophysical methods (light and X ray scattering, single molecule spectroscopy and hydrodynamics) that all together allowed us to assay a wide range of concentrations of Hsp60. We found that Naïve Hsp60 in aqueous solution is assembled in very stable heptamers and tetradecamers at all concentrations assayed, without any trace of monomer presence

DataSheet2_Stem rust on barberry species in Europe: Host specificities and genetic diversity.xlsx

The increased emergence of cereal stem rust in southern and western Europe, caused by the pathogen Puccinia graminis, and the prevalence of alternate (sexual) host, Berberis species, have regained attention as the sexual host may serve as source of novel pathogen variability that may pose a threat to cereal supply. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the functional role of Berberis species in the current epidemiological situation of cereal stem rust in Europe. Surveys in 11 European countries were carried out from 2018 to 2020, where aecial infections from five barberry species were collected. Phylogenetic analysis of 121 single aecial clusters of diverse origin using the elongation factor 1-α gene indicated the presence of different special forms (aka formae speciales) of P. graminis adapted to different cereal and grass species. Inoculation studies using aecial clusters from Spain, United Kingdom, and Switzerland resulted in 533 stem rust isolates sampled from wheat, barley, rye, and oat, which confirmed the presence of multiple special forms of P. graminis. Microsatellite marker analysis of a subset of 192 sexually-derived isolates recovered on wheat, barley and rye from the three populations confirmed the generation of novel genetic diversity revealed by the detection of 135 multilocus genotypes. Discriminant analysis of principal components resulted in four genetic clusters, which grouped at both local and country level. Here, we demonstrated that a variety of Berberis species may serve as functional alternate hosts for cereal stem rust fungi and highlights the increased risks that the sexual cycle may pose to cereal production in Europe, which calls for new initiatives within rust surveillance, epidemiological research and resistance breeding.</p