Use of the Versatility of Fungal Metabolism to Meet Modern Demands for Healthy Aging, Functional Foods, and Sustainability

Aging-associated, non-transmissible chronic diseases (NTCD) such as cancer, dyslipidemia, and neurodegenerative disorders have been challenged through several strategies including the consumption of healthy foods and the development of new drugs for existing diseases. Consumer health consciousness is guiding market trends toward the development of additives and nutraceutical products of natural origin. Fungi produce several metabolites with bioactivity against NTCD as well as pigments, dyes, antioxidants, polysaccharides, and enzymes that can be explored as substitutes for synthetic food additives. Research in this area has increased the yields of metabolites for industrial applications through improving fermentation conditions, application of metabolic engineering techniques, and fungal genetic manipulation. Several modern hyphenated techniques have impressively increased the rate of research in this area, enabling the analysis of a large number of species and fermentative conditions. This review thus focuses on summarizing the nutritional, pharmacological, and economic importance of fungi and their metabolites resulting from applications in the aforementioned areas, examples of modern techniques for optimizing the production of fungi and their metabolites, and methodologies for the identification and analysis of these compounds.

21st century miniguide to fungal biotechnology

Realising the biotechnological potential of fungi requires full appreciation of the molecular biology and genetics of this kingdom. We review recent advances in our understanding of fungal genetic structure as it might influence biotechnology; including introns, alternative splicing of primary transcripts, transposons (transposable elements, or TEs), heterokaryosis, ploidy and genomic variation, sequencing, annotation and comparison of fungal genomes, and gene editing. We end by indicating under-researched, but unique, aspects of fungal cell biology that offer opportunities for developing new strategies to manage the activities of fungi to our benefit. As a closing example, we discuss the potential of bioengineering fungi specifically for bioremediation of plastic wastes.

Dual RNA-seq reveals large-scale non-conserved genotype x genotype specific genetic reprograming and molecular crosstalk in the mycorrhizal symbiosis

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) impact plant growth and are a major driver of plant diversity and productivity. We quantified the contribution of intra-specific genetic variability in cassava (Manihot esculenta) and Rhizophagus irregularis to gene reprogramming in symbioses using dual RNA-sequencing. A large number of cassava genes exhibited altered transcriptional responses to the fungus but transcription of most of these plant genes (72%) responded in a different direction or magnitude depending on the plant genotype. Two AMF isolates displayed large differences in their transcription, but the direction and magnitude of the transcriptional responses for a large number of these genes was also strongly influenced by the genotype of the plant host. This indicates that unlike the highly conserved plant genes necessary for the symbiosis establishment, plant and fungal gene transcriptional responses are not conserved and are greatly influenced by plant and fungal genetic differences, even at the within-species level. The transcriptional variability detected allowed us to identify an extensive gene network showing the interplay in plant-fungal reprogramming in the symbiosis. Key genes illustrated that the two organisms jointly program their cytoskeleton organisation during growth of the fungus inside roots. Our study reveals that plant and fungal genetic variation plays a strong role in shaping the genetic reprograming in response to symbiosis, indicating considerable genotype x genotype interactions in the mycorrhizal symbiosis. Such variation needs to be considered in order to understand the molecular mechanisms between AMF and their plant hosts in natural communities.

Dispersal, distribution and establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: a review

The aim of this paper is to review and assess scientific literature relevant to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) population dynamics: reproduction and dispersal mechanisms, and establishment and distribution in natural ecosystems. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligated root symbionts with an extraordinary capacity for growing, dispersing and surviving, but their life history is not well understood yet. Although there is information concerning AMF dispersal, distribution and establishment, some data are still ambiguous and contradictory. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) life cycle responds to surrounding environment but even when they only reproduce asexually, their populations encompass a high genetic and functional diversity within ecosystems. Environmental disturbances create new habitats for AMF dispersal, which can take place by root to root contact, animal transport and erosion processes. These agents are the common dispersal mechanisms of AMF in nature. Distribution of AMF is influenced mainly by the environment and soil and plant communities, but the specific AMF-host plant association is thought to be secondary because the AMF must invade and colonize any host root for establishment. Thus, inoculum density, host and fungal genetic compatibility, edaphic factors and plant-microbial activity determine the formation of mycorrhizal infections.