Monitoring Coptic Masonry Affected by Clay Minerals and Microorganisms at the Church of Virgin Mary, Wadi El-Natrun (Egypt)

This paper focuses on the role played by the clay minerals and microorganisms in the deterioration process of Coptic architecture units at the church of Virgin Mary, Wadi El-Natrun region. For this purpose building materials (mainly mortars and plasters) from the studied church were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS); in order to identify their composition and were investigated petro-graphically to determine the real response of the masonry structure to the deformation imposed at the endogenous factors. Wall gypsum mortars in the church contain halloysite as a dominant clay mineral while plaster is clay free; concerning microorganisms, the fungal flora Aspergillus glaucus represent the most dominant fungi constituting (22.22%), Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus occhraceus, and Aspergillus caudidus were also isolated.

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%.

Bioremediation of Spent Engine Oil Contaminated Soils Using Indigenous Fungi Species

Spent engine oil is derived from lubricating oil which has been used to lubricate various internal combustion engines and it is drained out for disposal during servicing of the engine. Spent engine oil causes great damage to soil and soil microflora when disposed indiscriminately. Thus, the bioremediation of spent engine oil contaminated soil was studied using indigenous degrading fungi isolated from hydrocarbon contaminated soils obtained from automobile mechanic workshops located at both Okpe and Uvwie Local Government Areas of Delta State, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Three (3) fungi isolates with high engine oil biodegradability potential were used for the spent engine oil (SEO) bioremediation study. The fungi isolates used for the test were identified as, <em>Aspergillus glaucus</em>, <em>Trichoderma polysporum</em> and <em>Talaromyces flavus</em>using the API 20C method. The test microcosms were incubated for four weeks at 28 ± 2^oC. Physicochemical parameters such as, Sulphate concentrations, Total petroleum hydrocarbon, Nitrate concentrations, Phosphate concentrations, Total organic carbon content, pH and Hydrocarbon utilizing fungi counts were monitored weekly using standard ASTM methods to assess the biodegradation of the spent engine oil. At the end of the test duration, <em>Talaromyces flavus </em>recorded the highest percentage spent engine oil biodegradation (69.66%) for the 5% SEO experimental set up. Similarly, <em>Aspergillus glaucus </em>recorded the highest percentage SEO biodegradation (66.16%) for the 10% experimental set up. Thus, <em>Talaromyces flavus </em>and <em>Aspergillus glaucus </em>could be used to effectively bioaugment the bioremediation process of spent engine oil contaminated soils to restore the soil to its original state within a short period of time.

Genome sequencing of Aspergillus glaucus ‘CCHA’ provides insights into salt-stress adaptation

Aspergillus, as a genus of filamentous fungi, has members that display a variety of different behavioural strategies, which are affected by various environmental factors. The decoded genomic sequences of many species vary greatly in their evolutionary similarities, encouraging studies on the functions and evolution of the Aspergillus genome in complex natural environments. Here, we present the 26 Mb de novo assembled high-quality reference genome of Aspergillus glaucus ‘China Changchun halophilic Aspergillus’ (CCHA), which was isolated from the surface of plants growing near a salt mine in Jilin, China, based on data from whole-genome shotgun sequencing using Illumina Solexa technology. The sequence, coupled with data from comprehensive transcriptomic survey analyses, indicated that the redox state and transmembrane transport might be critical molecular mechanisms for the adaptation of A. glaucus ‘CCHA’ to the high-salt environment of the saltern. The isolation of salt tolerance-related genes, such as CCHA-2114, and their overexpression in Escherichia coli demonstrated that A. glucus ‘CCHA’ is an excellent organism for the isolation and identification of salt tolerant-related genes. These data expand our understanding of the evolution and functions of fungal and microbial genomes, and offer multiple target genes for crop salt-tolerance improvement through genetic engineering.