Airborne fungi spores distribution in various locations in Lagos, Nigeria

Exposure to outside air microorganisms especially fungi has been linked with illness such as allergic respiratory symptoms, rhinitis, asthma, and infection such as mycosis. Airborne fungal composition was sampled from five locations in Lagos State, Nigeria, between May 2014 and April 2016. Fungi spores were collected using the sedimentation plate method with the Petri dishes of dichloran-glycerol 18 (DG-18) and potato dextrose agar (PDA) media. Fungi sporulated faster on DG-18 agar plate as compared with PDA. The abundances of fungal spores collected monthly at the locations varied. The most abundant spores came from the fungi were Aspergillus niger (14.47%), Aspergillus sydowii (10.37%), and Aspergillus flavus (7.93%). Additional species were present in the collections including Ascomycetes: Penicillium funiculosum (5.49%), Neurospora crassa (5.32%), Penicillium oxalicum (4.71%), Penicillium pinophilum (2.88%), Fusarium verticillioides (3.05%), Penicillium simplicissimum (1.83%), Aphaderanum sp. (0.22%), Curvularia sp. (0.22%), Aspergillus oryzae (0.22%), and Paecilomyces sp. (0.61%) and the Mucoromycotina Zygomycetes: Rhizopus oryzae (4.10%) and Mucor sp. (3.44%). Fungal concentrations were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) during the rainy season compared with the dry season. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most predominant airborne fungal genera while Mucor, Alternaria, and Cladosporium were some of the least observed. Generally, abundance of fungi was significantly high during the wet season in all the studied locations.

Morphological and molecular identification of ten plant pathogenic fungi

Ten pathogenic fungi of Deuteromycetes were isolated from seven angiospermic hosts such as pointed gourd, tomato, rice, wheat, maize, chickpea and jute. Morphological characterization and molecular analyses were performed for accurate identification of the isolated pathogenic fungi. The sequence results obtained using the ITS1 and ITS4 primers were compared with NCBI GenBank and BOL database using BLAST analysis. Fusarium chlamydosporum and Penicillium pinophilum are recorded first time from Bangladesh.

Physicochemical Characterization and Biocompatibility of SPION@Plasmonic @Chitosan Core-Shell Nanocomposite Biosynthesized from Fungus Species

In this work we aim to manipulate green route for the synthesis of core-shell maghemite-based Ag nanoparticles functionalized with chitosan. Three fungal species, Aspergillus deflectus, Fusarium oxysporum, and Penicillium pinophilum, were used in the process of synthesis to select the best among them for the production. The physicochemical parameters of produced nanoparticles and mediated cytotoxicity assessment for their potential medical application have been performed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV/visible, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), EDAX, and MTT to plot a cytotoxicity assessment report. The results confirmed the formation of monodispersed γFe2O3@Ag@chitosan with low cytotoxicity against prostate (PC3), liver (HepG2), column (HCT116), and breast cancer (MCF7) ATCC cell lines. In conclusion, these results prove the success of the green route used for the biosynthesis of γFe2O3@Ag@chitosan with parameters necessary for bioimaging, drug and gene delivery, and biosensing.

EXTRACELLULAR COLD ACTIVE ENDOGLUCANASE AND PIGMENT PRODUCING PSYCHROTOLERANT PENICILLIUM PINOPHILUM

<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of the present study was on <em>Penicillium pinophilum </em>strain F2 from soil samples of Jammu city having the potentiality to produce alkaline cold active endoglucanase and pigment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong><em>Penicillium pinophilum </em>strain F2,<em> </em>a<em> </em>psychrotolerant micro-fungus was isolated from soil of Jammu city, India by taking Czapek’s Dox agar incubated at 15 °C. The strain was screened for production of cold active enzymes by taking various substrates at 15 °C. Final production was done for cold active endoglucanase by using sugarcane bagasse and ground nut shell as substrates. Besides, the strain was also able to produce red color pigment at a low temperature which was further studied to optimize its production by changing pH and growth medium. The produced pigment was used for dyeing of wool and silk, and absorption percentages were also calculated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Screening for the production of cold active enzymes revealed it as a good producer of cellulose followed by lipase and amylase. Endoglucanase production revealed the total enzyme titer (total enzyme activity) was found to be 5.032 folds higher in sugarcane bagasse (38.91 units) than groundnut shell (7.732 units). Endoglucanase activity was maximum 9.82±0.33 units/ml and 2.29±0.31 units/ml after 120 h of incubation at 15 °C by sugarcane bagasse and groundnut shells, respectively. Red color pigment production was maxima at pH 5 in Czapek’s Dox broth. Maximum absorption percentage was seen by the treatment soaked with mordant, i.e. 5% CuSO₄(51.52%) and without a mordant, it showed about 45.54%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Due to the above unique features and capability to produce cold active endoglucanase and pigment by strain F2, can be used significantly in various industries.</p>