Agro-Industrial Wastes: A Substrate for Multi-Enzymes Production by Cryphonectria parasitica

This study aims to produce a mix of enzymes through Solid State Fermentation (SSF) of raw materials. Four different, easily available, agro-industrial wastes were evaluated as SSF substrates for enzymes production by Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr. environmental strains named CpA, CpB2, CpC4, and CpC7. Among the tested wastes, organic wheat bran for human use and wheat bran for animal feed better supports C. parasitica growth and protease production without any supplements. SDS-PAGE analyses highlighted the presence of three bands corresponding to an extracellular laccase (77 kDa), to the endothiapepsin (37 kDa), and to a carboxylesterase (60.6 kDa). Protease, laccase, and esterase activities by C. parasitica in SSF were evaluated for 15 days, showing the maximum protease activity at day 9 (3955.6 AU/gsf,). Conversely, the best laccase and esterase production was achieved after 15 days. The C. parasitica hypovirulent CpC4 strain showed the highest laccase and esterase activity (93.8 AU/gsf and 2.5 U/gsf, respectively). These results suggest the feasibility of a large-scale production of industrially relevant enzymes by C. parasitica strains in SSF process on low value materials.

Effect of surfactant Tween 80 on growth and esterase production of Fusarium culmorum in liquid fermentation

Tween 80 is a widely used non-ionic surfactant that is added to culture media to make hydrophobic substrate available to microorganisms. Because of this surfactant widespread use, it is important to understand how it affects microbial growth and enzyme production. In this work, the effect of different concentrations (100, 400 and 600 l/L; v/v) of Tween 80 (as the sole carbon source) on the biomass production, esterase activities (assessed through biochemical tests and zymographic assays) and protein content of Fusarium culmorum grown in liquid fermentation was determined. The specific growth rate (μ), biomass yield (YX/S), esterase yield (YE/X), esterase productivity (P), maximal enzymatic activity (Emax), and specific rate of enzyme production (qp) were also estimated. A control medium added with glucose was used. The highest μ was showed in the medium added with 100 l of Tween 80/L. However, the greatest esterase activity was observed in those media containing the highest concentrations of Tween 80 ( energy source and it also induced the esterase production by F. culmorum. Tween 80 concentration is positively correlated with the number of esterase isoforms produced by this fungus. The higher the Tween 80 concentration (400 μl/L and 600 μl/L, v/v), the more number of esterase isoforms will be induced. However, lower concentration (100 μl/L) of Tween 80/L did not show a significant effect on the induction of the esterase activity.400 l/L and 600 l/L; v/v). These results show that Tween 80 was used as the sole carbon and

Esterase profiling and molecular identification of yeasts isolated from different environmental samples from Morocco

One hundred and six fungal strains were isolated from different environmental samples (fresh olive oil cake, exhausted olive oil cake, black olive, rancid butter samples, rotten bread and Roquefort) collected from the region of Meknes, Morocco (coordinates: 33°53′42″N 5°33′17″W). Yeast isolates were tested for their esterase production ability using a qualitative method based on Tween agar plate assay. Enzymatic activity was also confirmed by a quantitative method relying on esterase production in liquid medium (6 days at 28°C with shaking). Molecular characterization of the selected esterase-producing yeasts was performed by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), 5.8S and ITS2 region of the rDNA. A total of five different species were identified in this study: Candida aaseri (LE.26, LE.27 and LE.31 strains), Wickerhamomyces anomalus (LE.106, LE.112 and LE.115 strains), Metschnikowia rancensis (LE.153 strain), Pichia sp., (LE.102) and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (LE.171 strain). Esterase production in C. aaseri and W. anomalus was found to be straindependent, while for M. rancensis this represents the first study reporting this species as an esterase producer.

Determination of some virulence factors of Candida spp. isolated from locally produced cheese in Diyala Governorate-Iraq

Locally produced cheese which called (Gibin Al arab) is one of the most common dairy products in Iraq, it has an economic importance and great social value. This research aimed to identify yeast species from locally produced cheese (Gibin Al Arab) in Diyala city which traditionally made and sold in markets of old town in Baquba, and study some of virulence factors (Esterase production, Phospholipase and Hemolytic production) of yeasts belong to genus of Candida . All cheese samples showed contamination with varying number of yeast, total 88 yeast isolates obtained from 70 cheese samples, they were Geotrichum candidum(20.5%), Rhodotorela species(19.4%), Candida parapsilosis (18%), Candida albicans (13.6%), Candida tropicalis (10.5%), Candida krusei (8%), Saccharomyces cerevisice (3.3%) and mixed yeast (un identified) at rate of (6.7%). Species of Candida formed half of the total isolates and the most prevalent isolate of Candida spp. was Candida parapsilosis .According to the results determining of (Esterase production, Phospholipase and Hemolytic production) as a virulence factors identifying Candida spp. these activities referred that all isolates of Candida spp. show one or more of these activities and that isolates of medically important species Candida albicans were the most virulent isolates. this referred to the importance of take attention about consuming of such types of dairy products and need for applying more hygienic measures during handling, processing of milk and form of storage and/or selling of cheese.

Relationship between the Antifungal Susceptibility Profile and the Production of Virulence-Related Hydrolytic Enzymes in Brazilian Clinical Strains ofCandida glabrata

Candida glabratais a facultative intracellular opportunistic fungal pathogen in human infections. Several virulence-associated attributes are involved in its pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions, modulation of host immune defenses, and regulation of antifungal drug resistance. This study evaluated the in vitro antifungal susceptibility profile to five antifungal agents, the production of seven hydrolytic enzymes related to virulence, and the relationship between these phenotypes in 91 clinical strains ofC. glabrata. AllC. glabratastrains were susceptible to flucytosine. However, some of these strains showed resistance to amphotericin B (9.9%), fluconazole (15.4%), itraconazole (5.5%), or micafungin (15.4%). Overall,C. glabratastrains were good producers of catalase, aspartic protease, esterase, phytase, and hemolysin. However, caseinase and phospholipase in vitro activities were not detected. Statistically significant correlations were identified between micafungin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and esterase production, between fluconazole and micafungin MIC and hemolytic activity, and between amphotericin B MIC and phytase production. These results contribute to clarify some of theC. glabratamechanisms of pathogenicity. Moreover, the association between some virulence attributes and the regulation of antifungal resistance encourage the development of new therapeutic strategies involving virulence mechanisms as potential targets for effective antifungal drug development for the treatment ofC. glabratainfections.