Optimization of Extracellular Keratinase Production by Aspergillus terreus Isolated from Chicken's Litter

In this current study 45 fungal isolates were isolated from chicken's litter on Feather Agar Medium (FAM) were screened for determining the potent keratinase producing isolates. Out of these fungal isolates, twelve species and one species variety exhibited various degrees of keratinolytic activities from which A. terreus showed the highest keratinase production (12.6U/ml). The optimum temperature and initial pH for keratinase production by A. terreus were 40°C and 8, respectively. The highest keratinase production was observed for a period 25 days. The optimum ionic strength for the enzyme production was 80mM NaCl. Deprivation of K+, Fe2+, Mg2+, Ca2+ or Zn2+ from the culture medium drastically reduced the keratinase production by A. terreus. In contrast, sulfur deprivation did not significantly affect the keratinase production. The Km and Vmax values for A. terreus keratinase were 8.64mg keratin and 56.7U/mg proteins, respectively. The optimum temperature, pH and ionic strength for keratinase activity were 35°C, 7.8 and 80-100mM NaCl, respectively

Antifungal activity of Lysinibacillus macroides against toxigenic Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium proliferatum and analysis of its mycotoxin minimization potential

Abstract Background Toxigenic fungi (Aspergillus and Fusarium) and their metabolites represent the major cause of corn and corn-based products contamination and consequently lead to severe economic and health issues. Aim Our current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of using L. macroides Bac6 as a biological control agent against the toxigenic fungi; A. flavus f10 and F. proliferatum f30 and their mycotoxins. Results The results illustrated that A. flavus f10 produced the aflatoxins AFB1 and AFG2 with concentrations of 21.239 and 13.593 ppb, respectively. While F. proliferatum f30 produced fumonisin B1 (9600 ppb). Furthermore, L. macroides showed a high potential for inhibition of toxigenic fungal growth using a dual culture method. F. proliferatum f30 and A. flavus f10 were found to be inhibited by a percentage of 80 and 62.5%, respectively. The results were confirmed using the scanning electron microscope. The antagonistic bacteria, L. macroides, showed chitinase productivity and activity of 26.45 U/L and 0.12 U/mL/min, respectively, which illustrates its potential application as a biocontrol agent. The GC-MS analysis revealed an abundance of Pyrrolo[1,2-a] pyrazine-1,4-dione, Hexahydro in the bacterial supernatant that exhibited antifungal characteristics. L. macroides had a significant reduction of AFB1 and AFG2 produced by A. flavus f10, recording 99.25% and 99% inhibition, respectively. It also showed strong inhibition of fumonisin B1 (90% inhibition) produced by F. proliferatum f30. Conclusion: Thus, the current study is a prospective study evaluating for the first time the potential impact of L. macroides Bac6 against the toxigenic fungi and their toxins

Seasonal fluctuations and diversity of Ingoldian mycobiota in two water bodies receiving different effluents at Assiut Governorate (Upper Egypt)

Abstract In the current study, fifty-eight Ingoldain fungal species assignable to forty-one genera were recovered from two water bodies receiving the treated sewage and the effluents of oils and soaps factory at Assiut Governorate (Upper Egypt), of which Anguillospora, Amniculicola, Flagellospora, and Mycocentrospora were the most prevalent genera. The most widespread identified species were Anguillospora furtive, Amniculicola longissima and Flagellospora fusarioides. Forty-three species were identified for the first time in Egypt. The most Ingoldain taxa were estimated for El-Zinnar canal, with the highest recorded taxa in winter. Whereas, the highest dominance of Ingoldian fungi was estimated for the El-Ibrahimia canal. The highest Simpson and Shannon diversity indexes were estimated for El-Zinnar canal samples recording 0.9683 and 3.741, respectively. The poorest water sites with Ingoldian fungi were those exposed directly to either treated sewage or industrial effluents, with which relatively higher values of water conductivity, cations and anions. Water temperature was the main abiotic factor driving the seasonal occurrence of Ingoldian fungi. It is interesting to isolate some Ingoldian fungal species from the stressful water sites receiving the effluents which provide valuable insights regarding their adaptation, predictive and putative role as bioindicators and their potentiality in pollutants degradation, organic decomposition, and transformation of xenobiotic compounds

Inland Water Fungi in the Anthropocene: Current and Future Perspectives

Fungi are increasingly gaining interest from aquatic microbial ecologists. The application of new molecular tools has revealed that they are a ubiquitous and highly diverse organismic group in aquatic environments with essential contributions to aquatic food web dynamics and biogeochemical cycles at the global scale. However, there remain many open questions and knowledge gaps about the consequences of human activities for fungi in aquatic ecosystems. Urban development and anthropogenic pollution provide aquatic fungi with new habitats and substrates but also challenge their adaptive behavior to withstand toxicity and frequent disturbances. In this article, we focus on fungal metabolic capabilities in the light of increasing urbanization. In particular, we investigate the multiple and yet largely unknown effects of microplastics, a steadily increasing anthropogenic pollutant, on aquatic fungal communities. We also make the case that by studying the multiple ecological roles of aquatic fungi, we will better understand the impacts of urban development and anthropogenic pollution on human and environmental health.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de Biologí

Induction of defense mechanisms involved in disease resistance of onion blight disease caused by Botrytis allii

Abstract Botrytis umbel blight caused by Botrytis allii is a major disease that attacks onion crop. In vitro, Trichoderma viride, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and extract of bitter apple fruits (Citrullus colocynthis) showed antagonistic effect and inhibited the mycelial growth of B. allii. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of bitter apple fruits showed the existence of 37 compounds and their derivatives. Among them, 10 compounds constituted 58.66% of the total analyses. Greenhouse experiment approved that the extract of bitter apple fruits was the most effective in reducing disease incidence and severity, followed by P. chrysogenum, when they were applied 2 days pre-inoculation with the pathogen. All treatments significantly increased the total phenolic contents than the untreated control, but the highest increase was obtained when S. cerevisiae and P. chrysogenum were applied. A positive correlation was found between the activity of bioagents and improvement of peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzymes in onion plants to resist infection with the pathogen. P. chrysogenum caused the highest increase in polyphenoloxidase activity in infected onion plants, while S. cerevisiae showed the lowest level of this enzyme. The study approved that application of the bioagents not only protected the onions against Botrytis disease but also enhanced the content of antioxidant compounds in onions. This encourages the application of such preparations to manage the production of onion crop, especially in the organic farming that bans the application of any chemicals

Application of ZnO-nanoparticles to manage Rhizopus soft rot of sweet potato and prolong shelf-life

A reduction in crop spoilage and an increase in shelf-life is the goal of effective disease control methods. This study aimed to assess ZnO-nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as a safe, new protectant against Rhizopus soft rot of sweet potato. ZnO-NPs had a fungicidal effect against Rhizopus stolonifer when used at concentrations above 50 ppm. The results showed that tubers treated with ZnO-NPs exhibited fewer fungal populations (1.2 CFU per segment) than those that did not receive the treatment. Tubers infected with Rhizopus stolonifer and treated with ZnO-NPs showed no visible decay for up to 15 days, indicating that ZnO-NPs act as a coating layer on tuber surface. The greatest weight loss after 15 days of storage was reported in infected tubers (8.98%), followed by infected tubers treated with ZnO (6.54%) and infected tubers treated with ZnO-NPs (3.79%). The activity of cell-wall degrading enzymes, α-amylase and cellulase, were significantly increased in both infected tubers and those treated with ZnO, compared to the tubers treated with ZnO-NPs. These results confirm that coating with ZnO-NPs is an effective method of protecting sweet potato tubers from infection, maintaining their quality and increasing their shelf-life for up to 2 months in storage