The effect of lichen secondary metabolites on Aspergillus fungi

A systematic review of literature data on the antifungal potential of extracted lichen compounds and individual secondary metabolites against mold species of the genus Aspergillus is provided. Crude extracts from 49 epiphytic, 16 epigeic and 22 epilithic species of lichens and 44 secondary metabolites against 10 species, Aspergillus candidus, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. nidulans, A. niger, A. ochraceus, A. parasiticus, A. restrictus, A. stellatus and A. ustus, were analysed. Several measuring techniques were employed for such analyses. Lichen substances were extracted with alcoholic and other organic solvents mainly using the Soxhlet apparatus. Among the three most-studied mold species, the results showed that the crude extracts from the thalli of the lichens Cladonia foliacea, Hypotrachyna cirrhata, Leucodermia leucomelos, Platismatia glauca and Pseudevernia furfuracea against Aspergillus flavus, from C. foliacea, Nephroma arcticum and Parmelia sulcata against A. fumigatus and from Evernia prunastri, Hypogymnia physodes, Umbilicaria cylindrica and Variospora dolomiticola against A. niger have the greatest antifungal potential. The lichen secondary metabolites showed a higher inhibitory potential, e.g. protolichesterinic acid against A. flavus, lecanoric acid against A. fumigatus and orsellinic acid against A. niger; the other seven species of Aspergillus have been poorly studied and require further investigation. A comparison of the inhibitory potential of the tested mixtures of lichen substances and their secondary metabolites shows that they can compete with commonly used antifungal substances, such as ketoconazole and clotrimazole against A. flavus, A. nidulans, A. niger and A. parasiticus and fluconazole in the case of A. fumigatus.

Isolation and identification of some pathogenic species of Fungi from Shatt-al-Arab River

This study aimed to isolation and identification of pathogenic fungi from Shatt – al-Arab River in Basra city, Fourteen water samples were collected from different area from Shatt-al-Arab River (AL Ashar, AL Tnoma, AL Makal, AL Qurna, AL Karma, AL Jabiluh, AL-Hartha), from October to December in 2017, with 250 ml volume, this samples centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 10 min at room temperature, the floating was removed and then take the precipitate and pour directly into the center of the media of SDA and PDA and then incubation in a temperature range25-27c for 4 days after that the growth on the media made pure culture and each fungi species diagnosed based on the cultural and microbiological phenotypes, smear prepared with lacto phenol cotton blue stain and the results show 57.1% of growth was Aspergillus niger, 85.7% Aspergillus flavus and 42.8% was Aspergillus candidus and 14.2% was Rhizopus, while the results show 42.8% of growth was Penicillium..

Sanity and Germination of Treated with Clove Extract Jurema-Preta and Faveleira Seeds

The Mimosa tenuiflora (jurema-preta) and Cnidoscolus quercifolius (faveleira) are quite common species in the Caatinga biome, being used from forage production to energy generation and in the recovery of degraded areas for reforestation purposes, among other uses. Considering the need and importance of studies related to forest seeds health, especially native seeds and taking into account the scarcity of studies in the literature regarding the association of pathogens to the seeds of the species studied, this work aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the hydroalcoholic extract of clove on germination and incidence of fungi associated with seeds of jurema-preta and faveleira. The experiment was conducted in the Laboratory of Forest Pathology, Center of Health and Rural Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brasil. For the germination test we performed the dormancy breaking of seeds that were then treated with clove plant extract, and as substrate, washed and sterilized sand was used. Germination percentage and Twinning speed index (SVI) were evaluated. The sanity test was performed using the filter paper method "Blotter Test" for the development of microorganisms. The treatments consisted of: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of clove extract, with 4 repetitions of 25 seeds. The design used was entirely randomized and the means were compared using Tukey's test at 5% probability. The clove extract, in higher concentrations, provided an increase in germination and SVI of the species. It was identified in the seeds of jurema-preta, the fungi Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus glaucous, Rhizopus sp, the genus Phoma sp. In the seeds of C. quercifolius the microflorea was composed by fungi Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus glaucous, Rhizopus sp, Aspergillus alutaceous and Aspergillus candidus.

Microbial Synthesis and Evaluation of Fungistatic Activity of 3-Butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide, the Mammalian Metabolite of 3-n-Butylidenephthalide

Phthalides are bioactive compounds that naturally occur in the family Apiaceae. Considering their potentially versatile applications, it is desirable to determine their physical properties, activity and metabolic pathways. This study aimed to examine the utility of whole-cell biocatalysts for obtaining 3-butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide, which is the metabolite formulated during mammalian metabolism of 3-n-butylidenephthalide. We performed transformations using 10 strains of fungi, five of which efficiently produced 3-butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide. The product yield, determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, reached 97.6% when Aspergillus candidus AM 386 was used as the biocatalyst. Increasing the scale of the process resulted in isolation yields of 29–45% after purification via reversed-phase thin layer chromatography, depending on the strain of the microorganism used. We proposed different mechanisms for product formation; however, hydration of 3-n-butylidenephthalide seems to be the most probable. Additionally, all phthalides were tested against clinical strains of Candida albicans using the microdilution method. Two phthalides showed a minimum inhibitory concentration, required to inhibit the growth of 50% of organisms, below 50 µg/mL. The 3-n-butylidenephthalide metabolite was generally inactive, and this feature in combination with its low lipophilicity suggests its involvement in the detoxification pathway. The log P value of tested compounds was in the range of 2.09–3.38.

Cytoprotective Activity of p-Terphenyl Polyketides and Flavuside B from Marine-Derived Fungi against Oxidative Stress in Neuro-2a Cells

The influence of p-terphenyl polyketides 1–3 from Aspergillus candidus KMM 4676 and cerebroside flavuside B (4) from Penicillium islandicum (=Talaromyces islandicus) against the effect of neurotoxins, rotenone and paraquat, on Neuro-2a cell viability by MTT and LDH release assays and intracellular ROS level, as well as DPPH radical scavenging activity, was investigated. Pre-incubation with compounds significantly diminished the ROS level in rotenone- and paraquat-treated cells. It was shown that the investigated polyketides 1–3 significantly increased the viability of rotenone- and paraquat-treated cells in two of the used assays but they affected only the viability of paraquat-treated cells in the LDH release assay. Flavuside B statistically increased the viability of paraquat-treated cells in both MTT and LDH release assays, however, it increased the viability of rotenone-treated cells in the LDH release assay. Structure–activity relationships for p-terphenyl derivatives, as well as possible mechanisms of cytoprotective action of all studied compounds, were discussed.

Fermentation and Extrusion effects on Nutritional and Organoleptic Compositions of Unripe Plantain and Pigeon Pea Blends

This research investigated effects of fermentation and extrusion on unripe plantain and pigeon pea blends. The samples were blended and prepared in three combinations (A=100g unripe plantain; B= 70g unripe plantain: 30g pigeon pea; C= 50g unripe plantain: 50g pigeon pea) and sectioned into four group (i.e. group 1 = preconditioned and fermented; group 2 = extruded; group three = fermented and extruded; and group 4 = unfermented/unextruded). Semi-solid state fermentation method was employed to ferment the blended samples for 96 hours. The physicochemical parameters (i.e pH, temperature and total titratable acidity) of these fermented samples were evaluated. The total microbial counts include; 9 bacteria, 2 yeasts and 4 molds were isolated and identified as; Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus mali, Streptococcus lactis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida utilis, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus candidus, and Mucor hiemalis. There were significant variations in the values of pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) during fermentation. This was also same for the proximate contents of the fermented and extruded flour blends when contrasted with the raw flour blends. The fermented unextruded group 1 (11.73±0.01%) has the highest moisture contents and least in the raw sample B (6.34±0.00%). The raw flour blends protein content increased from 2.57±0.03 to 10.17±0.00% and from 2.58±0.02 to 16.27±0.01% in the fermented extruded blends. The carbohydrate content in the raw flour blends was highest (67.97±0.02 to 74.32±0.00%) and least in fermented unextruded samples (38.28±0.01 to 62.72±0.01%). The fat content was highest in the fermented unextruded blends (2.52±0.01 to 6.33±0.00%) and least in raw blends (1.33±0.02 to 2.01±0.02%). The sensory evaluation of the samples showed a good preference for fermented-extruded samples. Findings from this research have established that fermented and extruded unripe plantain and pigeon pea blend enhanced nutritional value of food.

Neuronal Modulators from the Coral-Associated Fungi Aspergillus candidus

Three new p-terphenyl derivatives, named 4″-O-methyl-prenylterphenyllin B (1) and phenylcandilide A and B (17 and 18), and three new indole-diterpene alkaloids, asperindoles E–G (22-24), were isolated together with eighteen known analogues from the fungi Aspergillus candidus associated with the South China Sea gorgonian Junceela fragillis. The structures and absolute configurations of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, and DFT/NMR and TDDFT/ECD calculations. In a primary cultured cortical neuronal network, the compounds 6, 9, 14, 17, 18 and 24 modulated spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations and 4-aminopyridine hyperexcited neuronal activity. A preliminary structure–activity relationship was discussed.

Effect of the temperature and relative humidity in stored sotol (Dasylirion cedrosanum Trel.) seeds on fungi biodiversity

The objective of the research was to identify the fungi in sotol seeds at different conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Seeds were collected at Buñuelos, municipality, and taken to the Laboratory of the Center for Training and Development in Seed Technology (CCDTS) at Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro. The seed was stored for a period of 90 days, whit conditions of 60, 75, 80 and 85% of relative humidity kept at 5, 15 and 25 °C. Fungi identifying by morphological criteria. A completely randomized experiment using R software, with factorial arrangement whit two replications. Pathogens identified were: Aspergillus glaucus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp., Aspergillus candidus, Cladosporiun sp., Alternaria sp. and Aspergillus chraceus, the results showed that the higher the humidity, temperature and storage time, the incidence of fungi tends to be higher. Fungi with a higher presence in sotol seeds were: Aspergillus glaucus and Penicillium sp. Safe storage environments for sotol seeds reported in this work are 5 °C and a relative humidity of 60-75%. Sotol seeds tolerates conditions of 15 °C and a relative humidity up to 75%.