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Diaporthpyran A ( 1 ), diaporthester E ( 2 ) and diaporthester F ( 3 ), three new compounds along with four known compounds ( 4 - 7 ) were isolated from the crude extract of Diaporthe biguttusis T-24, an endophytic fungus isolated from Ligularia fischeri . The planar structures of compounds 1 - 3 including the relative and absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of HRMS, NMR, J -based coupling constant analysis, CD, and calculated ECD analysis. In addition, compounds 1 and 3 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against four human cancer cell lines.

Mycoheterotrophic plants (MHPs) rely on their mycorrhizal fungus for carbon and nutrient supply, thus a shift in mycobionts may play a crucial role in speciation. This study aims to explore the mycorrhizal diversity of two closely related and sympatric fully MHPs, Monotropastrum humile var. humile (Mhh) and M. humile var. glaberrimum (Mhg), and determine their mycorrhizal associations. A total of 1,108,710 and 1,119,071 ectomycorrhizal fungal reads were obtained from 31 Mhh and 31 Mhg, and these were finally assigned to 227 and 202 operational taxonomic units, respectively. Results show that sympatric Mhh and Mhg are predominantly associated with different fungal genera in Russulaceae. Mhh is consistently associated with members of Russula, whereas Mhg is associated with members of Lactarius. Associating with different mycobionts and limited sharing of fungal partners might reduce the competition and contribute to their coexistence. The ectomycorrhizal fungal communities are significantly different among the five forests in both Mhh and Mhg. The distinct mycorrhizal specificity between Mhh and Mhg suggests the possibility of different mycobionts triggered ecological speciation between sympatric species., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Among the actinomycetes in the rare genera, Micromonospora is of great interest since it has been shown to produce novel therapeutic compounds. Particular emphasis is now on its isolation from plants since its population from soil has been extensively explored. The strain CR3 was isolated as an endophyte from the roots of Hieracium canadense, and it was identified as Micromonospora chokoriensis through 16S gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The in-vitro analysis of its extract revealed it to be active against the clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Candida tropicalis (15 mm). No bioactivity was observed against Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 706003. The Micromonospora chokoriensis CR3 extract was also analyzed through the HPLC-DAD-UV-VIS resident database, and it gave a maximum match factor of 997.334 with the specialized metabolite BagremycinA (BagA). The in-silico analysis indicated that BagA strongly interacted with the active site residues of the sterol 14-α demethylase and thymidylate kinase enzymes, with the lowest binding energies of - 9.7 and - 8.3 kcal/mol, respectively. Furthermore, the normal mode analysis indicated that the interaction between these proteins and BagA was stable. The DFT quantum chemical properties depicted BagA to be reasonably reactive with a HOMO-LUMO gap of (ΔE) of 4.390 eV. BagA also passed the drug-likeness test with a synthetic accessibility score of 2.06, whereas Protox-II classified it as a class V toxicity compound with high LD 50 of 2644 mg/kg. The current study reports an endophytic actinomycete, M. chokoriensis, associated with H. canadense producing the bioactive metabolite BagA with promising antimicrobial activity, which can be further modified and developed into a safe antimicrobial drug., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Plants roots are colonized by soil inhabitants known as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which increase plant productivity, and enhance carbon storage in the soil. We found mycorrhizal vesicles, arbuscles, and mycelium in the root of more than 89% of the selected plants of University of Rajshahi campus, Bangladesh. The rate of their presence differed in plant to plant of a family and different families. The highest root colonization (98±1.0%) was found to be present in Xanthium strumarium (Asteraceae). Mycorrhiza was not found in the root of Sphagneticola calendulacea (Asteraceae), Cestrun nocturnum (Solanaceae), Acacia nilotica and Acacia catechu (Mimosoidae), Rorippa nasturtium, Brassica oleracla var botrytis (Brasicaceae), Punica granatum (Lythraceae), Tecoma capensis (Bignoniacea), Spinacia oleracia (Chenopodiaceae), Chenopodium album (Goosefoot). Result of soil analysis reveals that the rhizospheric soils were deficient in nutrients which might be suitable for mycorrhizal symbiosis with plants. In the rhizospheric soils, 22 species of Glomus, Scutelospora, Gigaspora, Archaeospora, and Acullospora were found. We also found the genera 'Glomus' dominance in the plant root and rhizospheric soil. So, it can be concluded that the highly colonized roots as well as spores can be used to prepare mycorrhizal inoculum for future purposes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In the traditional medicine system, plants have been utilized as a rich source of anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral and anti-oxidant compounds. The biological properties of plant-based drugs depend on their interaction with endophytes which persist as an important provider of bioactive secondary metabolites. Bacterial endophytes secrete anti-inflammatory molecules whose activity can be the base for the anti-inflammatory property of the plant., Aim of the Study: During the screening of endophytes from Emilia sonchifolia, we isolated six different bacteria whose potential as the sources of anti-inflamamtory compounds have been aimed at in this study., Materials and Methods: Anti-inflammatory activity of the ethyl acetate extract of endophytes was studied by both in vitro and in vivo analyses. In vitro study was done using protein denaturation, COX, LOX, iNOS, myeloperoxidase and nitric oxide assays and in vivo analysis was carried out by carrageenan-induced and formalin-induced paw oedema tests. The expression level of anti-inflammatory genes such as COX-2 and NfKb was confirmed by real time PCR., Results: We confirmed anti-inflammatory activity of the ethyl acetate extract of bacterial endophytes of E sonchifolia by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Carrageenan- and formalin-induced inflammations in mice were effectively reduced by the administration of the bacterial extract. Among the isolates, strain ES1effectively reduced inflammation. Gene expression studies confirmed reduction in the expression of COX-2 and NfKb genes in the presence of ES1 extract., Conclusion: The present investigation demonstrated the anti-inflammatory property of the isolated bacterial endophyte ES1 (Bacillus subtilis strain-MG 692780) and thus justifies the possible role of endophytes in contributing anti-inflammatory property to E sonchifolia which is ethno-botanically important as a source of anti-inflammatory drug., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Three endophytic fungi isolated from Moquiniastrum polymorphum (Less.) G. Sancho (Asteraceae) were cultivated using the one strain many compounds (OSMAC) strategy to evaluate the production of griseofulvin derivatives. Extracts obtained were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS and the chromatographic and spectrometric data used to elaborate a feature-based molecular network (FBMN) through the GNPS platform. This approach allowed the observation of differences such as medium-specific and strain-specific production of griseofulvin derivatives and variations of cytotoxic activity in most extracts. To evaluate the efficiency of the OSMAC approach allied with FBMN analysis in the prospection of compounds of biotechnological interest, griseofulvin and 7-dechlorogriseofulvin were isolated, and the relative concentrations were estimated in all culture media using HPLC-UV, allowing for the inference of the best strain-medium combinations to maximize its production. Malt extract-peptone broth and Wickerham broth media produced the highest concentrations of both secondary metabolites.

A plant production system called Veggie was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014. In late 2015, during the growth of Zinnia hybrida cv. 'Profusion' in the Veggie hardware, plants developed chlorosis, leaf curling, fungal growth that damaged leaves and stems, and eventually necrosis. The development of symptoms was correlated to reduced air flow leading to a significant buildup of water enveloping the leaves and stems in microgravity. Symptomatic tissues were returned to Earth on 18 May 2016 and were immediately processed to determine the primary causal agent of the disease. The presumptive pathogen was identified as Fusarium oxysporum by morphological features of microconidia and conidiophores on symptomatic tissues; that is, by epifluorescent microscopy (EFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), metabolic microarrays, and ITS sequencing. Both EFM and SEM imaging of infected tissues showed that germinating conidia were capable of stomatal penetration and thus acted as the primary method for infecting host tissues. A series of ground-based pathogenicity assays were conducted with healthy Z. hybrida plants that were exposed to reduced-airflow and high-water stress ( i.e., encased in sealed bags) or were kept in an unstressed configuration. Koch's postulates were successfully completed with Z. hybrida plants in the lab, but symptoms only matched ISS-flown symptomatic tissues when the plants were stressed with high-water exposure. Unstressed plants grown under similar lab conditions failed to develop the symptoms observed with plants on board the ISS. The overall results of the pathogenicity tests imply that F. oxysporum acted as an opportunistic pathogen on severely high-water stressed plants. The source of the opportunistic pathogen is not known, but virulent strains of F. oxysporum were not recovered from unused materials in the Veggie plant pillow growth units assayed after the flight.

Key Message: Improved compact shoot architecture of Osteospermum fruticosum Ri lines obtained through Rhizobium rhizogenes transformation reduces the need for chemical growth retardants. Compactness is for many ornamental crops an important commercial trait that is usually obtained through the application of growth retardants. Here, we have adopted a genetic strategy to introduce compactness in the perennial shrub Cape daisy (Osteospermum fruticosum Norl.). To this end, O. fruticosum was transformed using six different wild type Rhizobium rhizogenes strains. The most effective R. rhizogenes strains Arqua1 and ATCC15834 were used to create hairy root cultures from six Cape daisy genotypes. These root cultures were regenerated to produce transgenic Ri lines, which were analyzed for compactness. Ri lines displayed the characteristic Ri phenotype, i.e., reduced plant height, increased branching, shortened internodes, shortened peduncles, and smaller flowers. Evaluation of the Ri lines under commercial production conditions showed that similar compactness was obtained as the original Cape daisy genotypes treated with growth retardant. The results suggest that the use of chemical growth retardants may be omitted or reduced in commercial production systems of Cape daisy through implementation of Ri lines in future breeding programs., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The mutualistic relationship between alien plant species and microorganisms is proposed to facilitate or hinder invasive success, depending on whether plants can form novel associations with microorganisms in the introduced habitats. However, this hypothesis has not considered seed endophytes that would move together with plant propagules. Little information is available on the seed endophytic bacteria of invasive species and their effects on plant performance. We isolated the seed endophytic bacteria of a xerophytic invasive plant, Lactuca serriola, and examined their plant growth-promoting traits. In addition, we assessed whether these seed endophytes contributed to plant drought tolerance. Forty-two bacterial species were isolated from seeds, and all of them exhibited at least one plant growth-promoting trait. Kosakonia cowanii occurred in all four tested plant populations and produced a high concentration of exopolysaccharides in media with a highly negative water potential. Notably, applying K. cowanii GG1 to Arabidopsis thaliana stimulated plant growth under drought conditions. It also reduced soil water loss under drought conditions, suggesting bacterial production of exopolysaccharides might contribute to the maintenance of soil water content. These results imply that invasive plants can disperse along with beneficial bacterial symbionts, which potentially improve plant fitness and help to establish alien plant species.

Five indole derivatives, 1 H -indol-7-ol ( 1 ), tryptophol ( 2 ), 3-indolepropionic acid ( 3 ), tryptophan ( 4 ), 3,3-di(1 H -indol-3-yl)propane-1,2-diol ( 5 ) and two diketopiperazines, cyclo(L-Pro-L-Tyr) ( 6 ), cyclo[L-(4-hydroxyprolinyl)-L-leucine ( 7 ) along with one dihydrocinnamic acid ( 8 ) were isolated from Pantoea ananatis VERA8, that endophytic bacteria derived from Baccharoides anthelmintica roots. This is a first report towards an isolation of endophytic strains (funji or bacteria) from the B. anthelmintica herb. The synergetic properties of the total extract compositions, as well as effects of the pure isolated secondary metabolites evaluated on their melanin synthesis in murine B16 cells towards for vitiligo treatment.

Background: RNA sequencing has been widely used to profile genome-wide gene expression and identify candidate genes controlling disease resistance and other important traits in plants. Gerbera daisy is one of the most important flowers in the global floricultural trade, and powdery mildew (PM) is the most important disease of gerbera. Genetic improvement of gerbera PM resistance has become a crucial goal in gerbera breeding. A better understanding of the genetic control of gerbera resistance to PM can expedite the development of PM-resistant cultivars., Results: The objectives of this study were to identify gerbera genotypes with contrasting phenotypes in PM resistance and sequence and analyze their leaf transcriptomes to identify disease resistance and susceptibility genes differentially expressed and associated with PM resistance. An additional objective was to identify SNPs and SSRs for use in future genetic studies. We identified two gerbera genotypes, UFGE 4033 and 06-245-03, that were resistant and susceptible to PM, respectively. De novo assembly of their leaf transcriptomes using four complementary pipelines resulted in 145,348 transcripts with a N50 of 1124 bp, of which 67,312 transcripts contained open reading frames and 48,268 were expressed in both genotypes. A total of 494 transcripts were likely involved in disease resistance, and 17 and 24 transcripts were up- and down-regulated, respectively, in UFGE 4033 compared to 06-245-03. These gerbera disease resistance transcripts were most similar to the NBS-LRR class of plant resistance genes conferring resistance to various pathogens in plants. Four disease susceptibility transcripts (MLO-like) were expressed only or highly expressed in 06-245-03, offering excellent candidate targets for gene editing for PM resistance in gerbera. A total of 449,897 SNPs and 19,393 SSRs were revealed in the gerbera transcriptomes, which can be a valuable resource for developing new molecular markers., Conclusion: This study represents the first transcriptomic analysis of gerbera PM resistance, a highly important yet complex trait in a globally important floral crop. The differentially expressed disease resistance and susceptibility transcripts identified provide excellent targets for development of molecular markers and genetic maps, cloning of disease resistance genes, or targeted mutagenesis of disease susceptibility genes for PM resistance in gerbera.

The screening and identification of hyperaccumulators is the key to the phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metal (HM). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) can improve plant growth and tolerance to HM; therefore, AMF-assisted phytoextraction has been regarded as a potential technique for the remediation of HM-polluted soils. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to determine whether Sphagneticola calendulacea is a Cd-hyperaccumulator and to investigate the effect of the AMF-Funneliformis mosseae (FM) on plant growth and on the accumulation, subcellular distribution and chemical form of Cd in S. calendulacea grown in soils supplemented with different Cd levels. At 25, 50 and 100 mg Cd kg -1 level, S. calendulacea showed high Cd tolerance, the translocation factor and the bioconcentration factor exceeded 1, and accumulation of more than 100 mg Cd kg -1 was observed in the aboveground parts of the plant, meeting the requirements for a Cd-hyperaccumulator. Moreover, FM colonization significantly increased both biomasses and Cd concentration in S. calendulacea. After FM inoculation, the Cd concentrations and proportions increased in the cell walls, but exhibited no significant change in the organelles of the shoots. Meanwhile, FM symbiosis contributed to the conversion of Cd from highly toxic chemical forms (extracted by 80% ethanol and deionized water) to less toxic chemical forms (extracted by 1 M NaCl, 2% acetic acid, 0.6 M HCl) of Cd in the shoots. Overall, S. calendulacea is a typical Cd-hyperaccumulator, and FM symbiosis relieved the phytotoxicity of Cd and promoted plant growth and Cd accumulation, and thus greatly increasing the efficiency of phytoextraction for Cd-polluted soil. Our study provides a theoretical basis and application guidance for the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil by the symbiont of S. calendulacea with FM., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: This study aimed to isolate Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis endophytic bacteria and evaluate the production of hydrolytic enzymes and antibiotics by these bacterial strains. The study also measured the antibacterial activity of P. brasiliensis., Methods and Results: Thirteen endophytic bacteria strains were isolated from stem and leaf fragments of P. brasiliensis. Extracellular enzyme production by the isolated endophytic bacteria was evaluated in an agar plate-based assay. The highest protease production was achieved by Bacillus subtilis P4 in alkaline medium. Antimicrobial activity of endophytic bacteria and P. brasiliensis extracts was investigated using microbroth dilution. An MIC value of 1000 μg ml -1 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found for B. subtilis P3, B. subtilis P5, Pseudomonas sp. P8 and Pseudomonas sp. P12. Leaf extract of P. brasiliensis showed the highest antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa, with an MIC value of 0·781 mg ml -1 ., Conclusions: Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis is a source of bacterial endophytes, which can produce antibacterial compounds and enzymes. This work also demonstrated the antibacterial potential of P. brasiliensis., Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first study that revealed the antibacterial activity of P. brasiliensis and bioactive metabolite production by P. brasiliensis endophytic bacteria., (© 2020 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Endophytic fungus is an important treasure trove for discovery of structurally unusual and biologically diverse compounds. A phytochemical investigation on a fungus Clonostachys rosea inhabits inner tissue of Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC. was initiatedrecently in our lab. Six pure compounds were isolated through silica gel column chromatography, sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC techniques, with bio-guided strategy. Their structures were characterized as verticillin A (1), (S)-(+)-fusarinolic acid (2), 8-hydroxyfusaric acid (3), cerebroside C (4), 3-Maleimide-5-oxime (5), and bionectriol A (6) by analyses of NMR and MS data. All compounds were tested in vitro antibacterial activities against four strains of bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and results revealed that 1, 4 and 6 display notableinhibition againstthree bacteria, with MIC values ranging from 2 to 16 μg/mL. Our findings provide references for mining novel antibiotics from endophytes originated from Li Minority medicinal plant B. balsamifera (L.) DC.

Cercospora leaf spot, caused by the fungal pathogen Cercospora beticola, is the most destructive foliar disease of sugar beet worldwide. This review discusses C. beticola genetics, genomics, and biology and summarizes our current understanding of the molecular interactions that occur between C. beticola and its sugar beet host. We highlight the known virulence arsenal of C. beticola as well as its ability to overcome currently used disease management strategies. Finally, we discuss future prospects for the study and management of C. beticola infections in the context of newly employed molecular tools to uncover additional information regarding the biology of this pathogen., Taxonomy: Cercospora beticola Sacc.; Kingdom Fungi, Phylum Ascomycota, Class Dothideomycetes, Order Capnodiales, Family Mycosphaerellaceae, Genus Cercospora., Host Range: Well-known pathogen of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) and most species of the Beta genus. Reported as pathogenic on other members of the Chenopodiaceae (e.g., lamb's quarters, spinach) as well as members of the Acanthaceae (e.g., bear's breeches), Apiaceae (e.g., Apium), Asteraceae (e.g., chrysanthemum, lettuce, safflower), Brassicaceae (e.g., wild mustard), Malvaceae (e.g., Malva), Plumbaginaceae (e.g., Limonium), and Polygonaceae (e.g., broad-leaved dock) families., Disease Symptoms: Leaves infected with C. beticola exhibit circular lesions that are coloured tan to grey in the centre and are often delimited by tan-brown to reddish-purple rings. As disease progresses, spots can coalesce to form larger necrotic areas, causing severely infected leaves to wither and die. At the centre of these spots are black spore-bearing structures (pseudostromata). Older leaves often show symptoms first and younger leaves become infected as the disease progresses., Management: Application of a mixture of fungicides with different modes of action is currently performed although elevated resistance has been documented in most employed fungicide classes. Breeding for high-yielding cultivars with improved host resistance is an ongoing effort and prudent cultural practices, such as crop rotation, weed host management, and cultivation to reduce infested residue levels, are widely used to manage disease. USEFUL WEBSITE: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/11237?genome_assembly_id=352037., (© 2020 The Authors. Molecular Plant Pathology published by British Society for Plant Pathology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The endophytic bacteria live in close nuptial relationship with the host plant. The stress experienced by the plant is expected to be transferred to the endophytes. Thus, plants thriving at polluted sites are likely to harbor pollutant-degrading endophytes. The present study reports the isolation of phenylurea herbicides assimilating Bacillus sps. from Parthenium weed growing at diuron-contaminated site. The isolated endophytes exhibited plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities. Among five isolated diuron-degrading endophytes, the most efficient isolate Bacillus licheniformis strain SDS12 degraded 85.60 ± 1.36% of 50 ppm diuron to benign form via formation of degradation intermediate 3, 4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA). Cell-free supernatant (CFS) obtained after diuron degradation by strain SDS12 supported algal growth comparable with the pond water. The chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency of green algae decreased significantly in the presence of diuron-contaminated water; however, no such change was observed in CFS of strain SDS12, thus, suggesting that strain SDS12 can be applied in aquatic bodies for degrading diuron and reducing diuron toxicity for primary producers. Further, the use of PGP and diuron-degrading bacteria in agriculture fields will not only help in remediating the soil but also support plant growth.

We performed a greenhouse experiment to assess how differences in AM fungal community composition affect competitive response of grassland plant species. We used a full factorial design to determine how inoculation with natural AM fungal communities from different habitats in Western Estonia affects the growth response of two grassland forbs (Leontodon hispidus L., Plantago lanceolata L.) to competition with a dominant grass (Festuca rubra L.). We used AM fungal inocula that were known to differ in AM fungal diversity and composition: more diverse AM fungal communities from open grasslands and less diverse AM fungal communities from former grassland densely overgrown by pines (young pine forest). The presence of AM fungi balanced competition between forb and grass species, by enhancing competitive response of the forbs. The magnitude of this effect was dependent on forb species identity and on the origin of the AM fungal inoculum in the soil. The grassland inoculum enhanced the competitive response of the forb species more effectively than the forest inoculum, but inoculum-specific competitive responses varied according to the habitat preference of the forb species. Our findings provide evidence that composition and diversity of natural AM fungal communities, as well as co-adaptation of plant hosts and AM-fungal communities to local habitat conditions, can determine plant-plant interactions and thus ultimately influence plant community structure in nature., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

A total amount of 116 fungal strains, belonging to 30 genera, were acquired from the rhizosphere soil and plant of Galinsoga parviflora. A strain SYPF 7336, isolated from the rhizospheric soil, was identified as Seltsamia galinsogisoli sp. nov., by morphological and molecular analyses, which displayed high antibacterial activity. In order to study the secondary metabolites of Seltsamia galinsogisoli sp. nov., nine compounds were successfully seperated from the strain fermentation broth, including two new compounds and seven known compounds. Their structures were elucidated based on spectral analysis including 1D and 2D NMR. All the seperated compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities. Compounds 2, 5 and 1 displayed antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 25, 32 and 75 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, morphological observation showed the coccoid cells of S. aureus to be swollen to a volume of 1.4 to 1.7-fold after treatment with compounds 1, 2 and 5, respectively. Molecular docking was carried out to investigate interactions of filamentous temperature-sensitive protein Z (FtsZ) with compounds 1, 2 and 5.

Nyjer oil seed cake supports high levels of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production. AFB1 is a secondary metabolite of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, classified as a Class 1A carcinogen. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of temperature (20, 27, and 35 °C) and water activity (0.82, 0.86, 0.90, 0.94, and 0.98 a w ) on fungal growth and AFB1 production of A. flavus and A. parasiticus on ground Nyjer seeds over a 30-day incubation period. Linear regression models indicated that both fungal growth and AFB1 production were significantly influenced by water activity of Nyjer seeds and incubation temperature. The two fungi did not grow on Nyjer seeds at 0.82 a w at the three incubation temperatures. The most favorable growth conditions for both fungi were 0.90-0.98 a w at 27 °C or 0.90-0.94 a w at 35 °C. The optimum temperature for AFB1 production was 27 °C for both A. flavus and A. parasiticus (with regression coefficients of 6.01 and 9.11, respectively). Both fungi were likely to produce high levels of AFB1 at 0.90 a w (with regression coefficients of 3.56 for A. flavus and 7.17 for A. parasiticus). Aspergillus flavus only produced AFB1 on seeds with 0.90-0.98 a w at 27 °C (in the range of 203-282 μg/kg) and on seeds with 0.90 a w at 35 °C (212 μg/kg). No detectable AFB1 was produced by this fungus in any other culture conditions that were studied. Aspergillus parasiticus, in contrast, was able to produce AFB1 under all of the growth conditions. At 20 °C, this fungus produced the highest level of AFB1 (212 μg/kg) at high water activity (0.98 a w ). At 27 °C, A. parasiticus produced high levels of AFB1 (in the range of 209-265 μg/kg) at a wide range of water activities (0.86-0.98 a w ). In the entire study, the highest AFB1 concertation for A. parasiticus was detected on seeds incubated at high temperature (35 °C) and low water activity (0.86 a w ). The findings of this study could help optimize the storage conditions of Nyjer oil seeds to reduce aflatoxin contamination., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are fructose-based oligosaccharides employed as additives to improve the nutritional and technological properties of foods. The rhizosphere of inulin-accumulating plants from the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) harbor fungi capable of synthesizing FOS from sucrose through the transfructosylating activity of β-fructosyltransferases and/or β-fructofuranosidases. Here, we investigated the ability of Penicillium janczewskii Zaleski CCIBt 3352, a fungus isolated from the rhizosphere of Chrysolaena obovata (Asteraceae), to produce FOS in a medium supplemented with sucrose concentrations of 30, 100, or 150 g L -1 . Hydrolytic activity on sucrose was observed in culture filtrates; however, at 150 g L -1 sucrose, the accumulation of 8 g L -1 1-kestose (inulin-type FOS) and 7.3 g L -1 neokestose (neolevan-type FOS) was observed, the latter being a type of FOS not commonly produced by filamentous fungi. In addition, minor amounts of four unidentified oligosaccharides, with a high degree of polymerization, were detected. The production of FOS was also observed in enzymatic assays, indicating the presence of extracellular enzymes with transfructosylating activity in the culture filtrates. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of isolating promising microorganisms, for the production of FOS-synthesizing enzymes, from the rhizosphere of fructan-producing plants of the Brazilian Cerrado., (© 2019 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped (0.2-0.4 µm×1.2-1.7 µm), endophytic bacterium, designated HBUM179779 T , was isolated from the stem of a medicinal plant,Gynura bicolor, collected from Pixian county in Sichuan province, China. The strain did not produce endospores and its cells could secrete mucus. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositolmannosides, two unknown aminolipids, two unknown glycolipids and an unknown phospholipid. Branched fatty acids (iso-) and hydroxy fatty acids were the main fatty acids, which mainly included iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 1 G and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain HBUM179779 T fell within the family Chitinophagaceae, and its closest neighbour was Pseudoflavitalea rhizosphaerae T16R-265 T (94.46 %). However, strain HBUM179779 T did not make a coherent clade with members of the recognized organisms. The average nucleotide identity value between strain HBUM179779 T and Pseudoflavitalea rhizosphaerae T16R-265 T was 67.1 %. On the basis of the phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics of this bacterium, a novel genus and species, Gynurincola endophyticus gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is HBUM179779 T (=CGMCC 1.15525 T =NBRC 112424 T ).

The huge applications of cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials in the various fields of life lead to accumulation of its wastes that became one of the major sources of environmental pollution. In this study, a Gram-positive cellulose-decomposing endophytic bacterium (Chi-04) was isolated from medicinal plant Chiliadenus montanus which inhabitant Saint Catherine (Sinai) region in Egypt. The bacterial strain was identified based on the sequence analysis of 16S rRNA genes as Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus. This isolate was capable of degrading 58% of cellulosic filter paper (100 g/l) within 15 days of incubation. The soluble and reduced sugars were spectrophotometrically determined as cellulose decomposition metabolites. The bacterial isolate exhibited an obvious activity toward cellulase enzyme production. The maximum cellulase activity (0.18 U/min) was detected after 12 days of incubation while the maximum release of soluble sugars (11.85 mg/ml) was detected after 15 days of incubation. CaCl 2 nanoparticles (100 nm) were chemically prepared to enhance the activity of the enzyme. The optimum concentration of CaCl 2 nanoparticles that showed the highest activity of cellulase (0.3 mg/ml reduced sugar) was 0.6%. The bacterial isolates showed potential convert of cellulose into reducing sugars which could be used in several applications.

Six yeast strains representing two novel Wickerhamiella species were isolated from plants and insects collected in Costa Rica, Brazil, and French Guiana. They belong to a subclade containing Wickerhamiella domercqiae and Wickerhamiella bombiphila, and differ by approximately 12 % in the D1/D2 sequences of the large subunit rRNA gene from these species. The intergenic spacer (ITS) regions of the two novel species differ by around 19 and 27 %, respectively, from those of W. domercqiae. The novel species exhibit 5 % divergence in the D1/D2 sequences among them (around 4 % in the ITS). The names Wickerhamiella dianesei f.a., sp. nov. and Wickerhamiella kurtzmanii f.a., sp. nov. are proposed to accommodate these species, for which a sexual cycle has not been observed. Wickerhamiella dianesei was isolated from the stingless bee, Trigona fulviventris, collected in an Asteraceae flower in Costa Rica, and from leaves of Sabicea brasiliensis (Rubiaceae) and a flower of Byrsonima crassifolia (Malpighiaceae) in Brazil. Wickerhamiellsa kurtzmanii was isolated from a flower of Ipomoea batatoides (Convolvulaceae) in Costa Rica, the surface of a fruit of B. crassifolia in Brazil, and flowers in French Guiana. The type strains are Wickerhamiella dianesei UWOPS 00-107.1 T (=CBS 14185=NRRL Y-63789; Mycobank number MB 827008) and Wickerhamiella kurtzmanii UWOPS 00-192.1 T (=CBS 15383=NRRL Y-63979; MB 827011).

Actinomycetes, a Gram positive bacteria, well reported as a source of antibiotics, also possess potential to control various plant pathogens, besides acting as plant growth promoting agent. Chemicals in different forms are extensively being used in vegetable farming, adversely affecting the environment and consumer health. Microbial agent like actinomycetes can substantially replace these harmful chemicals, and have now started finding a place as an important input in to farming practices. Only selected vegetable crops belonging to 11 different families have been explored with use of actinomycetes as biocontrol and plant growth promoting agent till now. It provides ample opportunities to vegetable researchers, to further explore with use of this very important group of microorganisms, in order to achieve even higher production level of safe vegetables. Mycostop and Actinovate are two actinomycetes based formulations globally available for use in vegetable farming as a substitute for chemical formulations. Present review article has summarized the literature available on use of actinomycetes in vegetable farming. Existing wide gap in knowledge, and potential thrust areas for future research have also been projected.

Microorganisms interact chemically in natural environments; however, the compounds and mechanisms involved in this phenomenon are still poorly understood. Using the cocultivation approach, changes in metabolic profiles due to interactions between endophytic fungal and actinobacterial strains isolated from the plant Lychnophora ericoides (Asteraceae) were assessed. The production of the cytotoxic compound cytochalasin H by the fungus Phomopsis sp. FLe6 was remarkably inhibited in solid and liquid co-cultures with the actinobacteria Streptomyces albospinus RLe7. This was a consequence of the fungal growth inhibition caused by antifungal compounds produced by S. albospinus RLe7, including amphotericin B. Cytochalasin H is not toxic to S. albospinus RLe7, suggesting that this microorganism does not require a defense mechanism to prevent the potentially harmful effects of such fungal compound. By exhibiting various competitive phenotypes, these microbes can control each other's growth when sharing an environment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Inoculation of plants with beneficial plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) emerges a valuable strategy for ecosystem recovery. However, drought conditions might compromise plant-microbe interactions especially in semiarid regions. This study highlights the effect of native PGPB after 1 year inoculation on autochthonous shrubs growth and rhizosphere microbial community composition and activity under drought stress conditions. We inoculated three plant species of semiarid Mediterranean zones, Thymus vulgaris, Santolina chamaecyparissus and Lavandula dentata with a Bacillus thuringiensis strain IAM 12077 and evaluated the impact on plant biomass, plant nutrient contents, arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) colonization, soil rhizosphere microbial activity and both the bacterial and fungal communities. Inoculation with strain IAM 12077 improved the ability of all three plants species to uptake nutrients from the soil, promoted L. dentata shoot growth (>65.8%), and doubled the AMF root colonization of S. chamaecyparissus. Inoculation did not change the rhizosphere microbial community. Moreover, changes in rhizosphere microbial activity were mainly plant species-specific and strongly associated with plant nutrients. In conclusion, the strain IAM 12077 induced positive effects on plant growth and nutrient acquisition with no impact on the rhizosphere microbiome, indicating a rhizosphere microbial community resilient to native bacteria inoculation.

Tithonia rotundifolia is an easily available and abundant inulin rich weed reported to be competitive and allelopathic. This weed inulin is hydrolyzed by inulinase into fructose. Response surface methodology was employed to optimize culture conditions for the inulinase production from Arthrobacter mysorens strain no.1 isolated from rhizospheric area of Tithonia weed. Initially, Plackett- Burman design was used for screening 11 nutritional parameters for inulinase production including inulin containing weeds as cost effective substrate. The experiment shows that amongst the 11 parameters studied, K 2 HPO 4 , Inulin, Agave sisalana extract and Tithonia rotundifolia were the most significant variables for inulinase production. Quantitative effects of these 4 factors were further investigated using Box Behnken design. The medium having 0.27% K 2 HPO 4 , 2.54% Inulin, 6.57% Agave sisalana extract and 7.27% Tithonia rotundifolia extract were found to be optimum for maximum inulinase production. The optimization strategies used showed 2.12 fold increase in inulinase yield (1669.45 EU/ml) compared to non-optimized medium (787 EU/ml). Fructose produced by the action of inulinase was further confirmed by spectrophotometer, osazone, HPTLC and FTIR methods. Thus Tithonia rotundifolia can be used as an eco-friendly, economically feasible and promising alternative substrate for commercial inulinase production yielding fructose from Arthrobacter mysorens strain no.1., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Leaf spots and stem lesions causing widespread mortality of Caspian Sea karelinia (Karelinia caspia) were observed in desert regions of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. Fifteen samples were collected from five widely distributed counties of Tarim and Junggar Basins in 2016. The pathogen was identified using morphological observations and phylogenetic analyses based on combined partial sequences from seven genes (Alt a 1, ATPase, calmodulin, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, internal transcribed spacer, RNA polymerase II, and translation elongation factor 1), and placed as a new species: Alternaria kareliniae sp. nov. in section Dianthicola. The fungus has a small conidium (24.3 to) 29.1 to 64.8 (to 75.8) by (9.3 to) 12.4 to 16.5 (to 21.7) μm with a long beak (130 to) 183.9 to 350.4 (to 378.2) μm, as well as four to eight transverse septa, which differs significantly from other species of Alternaria section Dianthicola. On potato carrot agar, it grew significantly more slowly than others of this section. Pathogenicity tests showed that the fungus could infect leaves and stems of K. caspia and cause the same symptoms as those observed in the field. The fungus was reisolated from inoculated leaves and stems of the host. The disease in desert regions appears to be increasing, and it may have future negative implications for desert ecology in these areas. Future research should concentrate on elucidating the disease cycle and disease management alternatives.

Praxelis clematidea is a very vigorous non-native weed in tropical and subtropical regions of China. P. clematidea plants showing symptoms of phyllody disease were found in an orchard located in Hainan province, PR China. The presence of phytoplasmas was confirmed by PCR of 16S rRNA gene using phytoplasma universal primers R16mF2/R16mR1 followed by R16F2n/R16R2. According to 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the P. clematidea phyllody (PCP) phytoplasma is a 'CandidatusPhytoplasma australasiae'-related strain (99.5 % similarity). The virtual RFLP pattern analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the PCP is a new subgroup within 16 Sr group II. The most similar RFLP pattern is the reference pattern of 16Sr group II, subgroup M, with a similarity coefficient of 0.94. These results were confirmed by phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA gene. These findings suggest that P. clematidea phyllody disease is caused by a new phytoplasma considered to be a novel subgroup, 16SrII-V.

Acinetobacter baumannii represents nowadays an important nosocomial opportunistic pathogen whose reservoirs outside the clinical setting are obscure. Here, we traced the origins of the collection strain A. baumannii DSM30011 to an isolate first reported in 1944, obtained from the enriched microbiota responsible of the aerobic decomposition of the resinous desert shrub guayule. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis based on core genes confirmed DSM30011 affiliation to A. baumannii. Comparative studies with 32 complete A. baumannii genomes revealed the presence of 12 unique accessory chromosomal regions in DSM30011 including five encompassing phage-related genes, five containing toxin genes of the type-6 secretion system, and one with an atypical CRISPRs/cas cluster. No antimicrobial resistance islands were identified in DSM30011 agreeing with a general antimicrobial susceptibility phenotype including folate synthesis inhibitors. The marginal ampicillin resistance of DSM30011 most likely derived from chromosomal ADC-type ampC and blaOXA-51-type genes. Searching for catabolic pathways genes revealed several clusters involved in the degradation of plant defenses including woody tissues and a previously unreported atu locus responsible of aliphatic terpenes degradation, thus suggesting that resinous plants may provide an effective niche for this organism. DSM30011 also harbored most genes and regulatory mechanisms linked to persistence and virulence in pathogenic Acinetobacter species. This strain thus revealed important clues into the genomic diversity, virulence potential, and niche ranges of the preantibiotic era A. baumannii population, and may provide an useful tool for our understanding of the processes that led to the recent evolution of this species toward an opportunistic pathogen of humans., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.)

A rare new tremulane sesquiterpenoid analogue, 11,12-epoxy-5,6-seco-1,6(13)-tremuladien-5,12-olide (1), together with five known altenuene derivatives (2-6) was isolated from the cultures of Colletotrichum capsici, which was isolated as an endophytic fungus from fresh leaves of Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino (Compositae). Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature data. All compounds isolated were reported for the first time from the fungus C. capsici.

The importance of microbial natural products has been widely demonstrated in the search for new antibiotics. However, the functional role of microbial metabolites in nature remains to be deciphered. Several natural products are known to mediate microbial interactions through metabolic exchange. One approach to investigate metabolic exchange in the laboratory is through microbial interactions. Here, we describe the chemical study of selected endophytes isolated from the Brazilian medicinal plant Lychnophora ericoides by pairwise inter-kingdom interactions in order to correlate the impact of co-cultivation to their metabolic profiles. Combining mass spectrometry tools and NMR analyses, a total of 29 compounds were identified. These compounds are members of polyene macrocycles, pyrroloindole alkaloids, angucyclines, and leupeptins chemical families. Two of the identified compounds correspond to a new fungal metabolite (29) and a new actinobacterial angucycline-derivative (23). Our results revealed a substantial arsenal of small molecules induced by microbial interactions, as we begin to unravel the complexity of microbial interactions associated with endophytic systems.

The taxonomic history of the common powdery mildew of Chrysanthemum × morifolium (chrysanthemum, florist's daisy), originally described in Germany as Oidium chrysanthemi, is discussed. The position of O. chrysanthemi was investigated on the basis of morphological traits and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Based on the results of this study, this species, which is closely related to Golovinomyces artemisae, was reassessed and reallocated to Golovinomyces. The phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic reassessment of the chrysanthemum powdery mildew is supplemented by a morphological description, a summary of its worldwide distribution data, and a brief discussion of the introduction of this fungus to North America. G. chrysanthemi differs from true G. artemisiae in that it has much longer conidiophores, is not constricted at the base, and has much larger and most importantly longer conidia. The close affinity of Golovinomyces to Artemisia and Chrysanthemum species signifies a coevolutionary event between the powdery mildews concerned and their host species in the subtribe Artemisiinae (Asteraceae tribe Anthemideae). This conclusion is fully supported by the current phylogeny and taxonomy of the host plant genera and the coevolution that occurred with the host and pathogen. The following powdery mildew species, which are associated with hosts belonging to the tribe Anthemideae of the Asteraceae, are epitypified: Alphitomorpha depressa β artemisiae (≡ Alphitomorpha artemisiae), Erysiphe artemisiae, and Oidium chrysanthemi. Erysiphe macrocarpa is neotypified. Their sequences were retrieved from the epitype collections and have been added to the phylogenetic tree. Golovinomyces orontii, an additional powdery mildew species on Chrysanthemum ×morifolium, is reported. This species is rarely found as a spontaneous infection and was obtained from inoculation experiments.

Plants usually interact with other plants, and the outcome of such interaction ranges from facilitation to competition depending on the identity of the plants, including their sexual expression. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have been shown to modify competitive interactions in plants. However, few studies have evaluated how AM fungi influence plant intraspecific and interspecific interactions in dioecious species. The competitive abilities of female and male plants of Antennaria dioica were examined in a greenhouse experiment. Females and males were grown in the following competitive settings: (i) without competition, (ii) with intrasexual competition, (iii) with intersexual competition, and (iv) with interspecific competition by Hieracium pilosella - a plant with similar characteristics to A. dioica. Half of the pots were grown with Claroideoglomus claroideum, an AM fungus isolated from the same habitat as the plant material. We evaluated plant survival, growth, flowering phenology, and production of AM fungal structures. Plant survival was unaffected by competition or AM fungi. Competition and the presence of AM fungi reduced plant biomass. However, the sexes responded differently to the interaction between fungal and competition treatments. Both intra- and interspecific competition results were sex-specific, and in general, female performance was reduced by AM colonization. Plant competition or sex did not affect the intraradical structures, extraradical hyphae, or spore production of the AM fungus. These findings suggest that plant sexual differences affect fundamental processes such as competitive ability and symbiotic relationships with AM fungi., (© 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.)

Berardia subacaulis Vill. is a monospecific genus that is endemic to the South-western Alps, where it grows on alpine screes, which are extreme habitats characterized by soil disturbance and limiting growth conditions. Root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is presumably of great importance in these environments, because of its positive effect on plant nutrition and stress tolerance, as well as on structuring the soil. However, there is currently a lack of information on this topic. In this paper, we tested which soil characteristics and biotic factors could contribute to determining the abundance and community composition of AMF in the roots of B. subacaulis, which had previously been found to be mycorrhizal. For such a reason, the influence of soil properties and environmental factors on AMF abundance and community composition in the roots of B. subacaulis, sampled on three different scree slopes, were analysed through microscopic and molecular analysis. The results have shown that the AMF community of Berardia roots was dominated by Glomeraceae, and included a core of AMF taxa, common to all three scree slopes. The vegetation coverage and dark septate endophytes were not related to the AMF colonization percentage and plant community did not influence the root AMF composition. The abundance of AMF in the roots was related to some chemical (available extractable calcium and potassium) and physical (cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity and field capacity) properties of the soil, thus suggesting an effect of AMF on improving the soil quality. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination of the AMF community composition showed that the diversity of AMF in the various sites was influenced not only by the soil quality, but also by the slope. Therefore, the slope-induced physical disturbance of alpine screes may contribute to the selection of disturbance-tolerant AMF taxa, which in turn may lead to different plant-fungus assemblages., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Four secondary metabolites (1-4), including a new benzamide derivative, namely fusarithioamide A (2-(2-aminopropanamido)-N-(1-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropyl) benzamide, 4) and three known compounds; 1-O-acetylglycerol (1), 8-acetylneosolaniol (2), and ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α,6β-triol (3) were characterized from the EtOAc extract of Fusarium chlamydosporium isolated from the leaves of Anvillea garcinii (Burm.f.) DC. (Asteraceae). The structures of the isolated metabolites were verified by using 1D and 2D NMR experiments as well as HRESIMS spectral data. Compounds 1-3 were firstly separated from this fungus. Compound 4 has been tested for their antibacterial and antifungal activity against different microorganisms using disc diffusion assay. It showed antibacterial potential towards B. cereus, S. aureus, and E. coli with inhibition zone diameters (IZDs) of 19.0, 14.1, and 22.7 mm, respectively and MICs values of 3.1, 4.4, and 6.9 μg ml -1 , respectively. Also, it exhibited the most potent antifungal activity towards C. albicans (IZD 16.2 mm) comparable to clotrimazole (IZD 18.5 mm, positive control). Furthermore, compounds 1-4 were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic effect against KB, BT-549, SK-MEL, and SKOV-3 cell lines. Compounds 4 possessed potent and selective activity towards BT-549 and SKOV-3 cell lines with IC 50 values of 0.4 and 0.8 μM, respectively compared to doxorubicin (IC 50 0.046 and 0.313 μM, respectively). Moreover, 3 exhibited significant activity towards all tested cell lines. Fusarithioamide A may provide new promising candidates for potential antimicrobial and cytotoxic agent., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Caciofiore della Sibilla is a speciality ewes' milk cheese traditionally manufactured in a foothill area of the Marche region (Central Italy) with a crude extract of fresh young leaves of Carlina acanthifolia All. subsp. acanthifolia as a coagulating agent. The fungal dynamics and diversity of this speciality cheese were investigated throughout the manufacturing and 20-day ripening process, using a combined PCR-DGGE approach. The fungal biota of a control ewes' milk cheese, manufactured with the same batch of milk coagulated with a commercial animal rennet, was also monitored by PCR-DGGE, in order to investigate the contribution of the peculiar vegetable coagulant to the fungal diversity and dynamics of the cheese. Based on the overall results collected, the raw milk and the dairy environment represented the main sources of fungal contamination, with a marginal or null contribution of thistle rennet to the fungal diversity and dynamics of Caciofiore della Sibilla cheese. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., (Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The endophytic fungal community associated with the ethnomedicinal plant Echinacea purpurea was investigated as well as its potential for providing antifungal compounds against plant pathogenic fungi. A total of 233 endophytic fungal isolates were obtained and classified into 42 different taxa of 16 genera, of which Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum dematium, and Stagonosporopsis sp. 2 are the most frequent colonizers. The extracts of 29 endophytic fungi displayed activities against important phytopathogenic fungi. Eight antifungal extracts were selected for chemical analysis. Forty fatty acids were identified by gas chromatography-flame-ionization detection (GC-FID) analysis. The compounds (-)-5-methylmellein and (-)-(3R)-8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin were isolated from Biscogniauxia mediterraneaEPU38CA crude extract. (-)-5-Methylmellein showed weak activity against Phomopsis obscurans, P. viticola, and Fusarium oxysporum, and caused growth stimulation of C. fragariae, C. acutatum, C. gloeosporioides, and Botrytis cinerea. (-)-(3R)-8-Hydroxy-6-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin appeared slightly more active in the microtiter environment than 5-methylmellein. Our results indicate that E. purpurea lives symbiotically with different endophytic fungi, which are able to produce bioactive fatty acids and aromatic compounds active against important phytopathogenic fungi. The detection of the different fatty acids and aromatic compounds produced by the endophytic community associated with wild E. purpurea suggests that it may have intrinsic mutualistic resistance against phytopathogen attacks in its natural environment., (© 2016 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zürich.)

The development of beverages with functional properties must consider the preservation of the bioactive or functional properties during storage. For this reason, the aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of a functional beverage of tropical fruits and yacon, stored under refrigeration. The beverage, composed by 50% of yacon and 50% of a blended tropical fruits (camu-camu, acerola, cashew-apple, yellow mombin, acai and pineapple), was pasteurized (90 seconds/ 85⁰C) and stored under refrigeration (5⁰C). After processing and on 45 day intervals until the end of storage, were assayed the bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid and total extractable polyphenols), antioxidant activity, total soluble solids, titratable total acidity, pH, color (L*, a* and b*), total sugar content, sucrose, glucose and fructose, and nd the physical and chemical analyzes were limited by decreased total antioxidant activity and their bioactive components. The beverage showed relative physical and chemical quality during storage period, and in the 225 days of storage, the total extractable polyphenols and total antioxidant activity showed a significantly decline, and thus , these parameters were evaluated only until this period. However, the main limitation for the beverage storage was due to. sensory acceptability and microbiological safety, which although in accordance with Brazilian legislation, limited storage period for 90 days.

Endophytic actinobacteria from the Brazilian medicinal plant Lychnophora ericoides were isolated for the first time, and the biological potential of their secondary metabolites was evaluated. A phylogenic analysis of isolated actinobacteria was accomplished with 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the predominance of the genus Streptomyces was observed. All strains were cultured on solid rice medium, and ethanol extracts were evaluated with antimicrobial and cytotoxic assays against cancer cell lines. As a result, 92% of the extracts showed a high or moderate activity against at least one pathogenic microbial strain or cancer cell line. Based on the biological and chemical analyses of crude extracts, three endophytic strains were selected for further investigation of their chemical profiles. Sixteen compounds were isolated, and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzamide (9) and 2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-4(1H)-quinazolinone (15) are reported as natural products for the first time in this study. The biological activity of the pure compounds was also assessed. Compound 15 displayed potent cytotoxic activity against all four tested cancer cell lines. Nocardamine (2) was only moderately active against two cancer cell lines but showed strong activity against Trypanosoma cruzi. Our results show that endophytic actinobacteria from L. ericoides are a promising source of bioactive compounds., (© 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.)

Two strains identified as Nocardia caishijiensis (SORS 64b) and Pseudonocardia carboxydivorans (AGLS 2) were isolated as endophytes from Sonchus oleraceus and Ageratum conyzoides respectively. The analysis of their extracts revealed them to be strongly bioactive. The N. caishijiensis extract gave an LC50 of 570 μg/ml(-1) in the brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay and an EC50 of 0.552 μg/ml(-1) in the DPPH antioxidant assay. Antimicrobial activity was observed against Methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (14 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 706003 (13 mm), S. aureus ATCC 25923 (11 mm) and Candida tropicalis (20 mm). For the extract of P. carboxydivorans the EC50 was 0.670 μg/ml(-1) and it was observed to be more bioactive against Bacillus subtilis DSM 10 ATCC 6051 (21 mm), C. tropicalis (20 mm), S. aureus ATCC 25923 (17 mm), MRSA (17 mm), E. coli K12 (W1130) (16 mm) and Chlorella vulgaris (10 mm). The genotoxicity testing revealed a 20 mm zone of inhibition against the polA mutant strain E. coli K-12 AB 3027 suggesting damage to the DNA and polA genes. The TLC and bioautography screening revealed a diversity of active bands of medium polar and nonpolar compounds. Metabolite analysis by HPLC-DAD via UV/vis spectral screening suggested the possibility of stenothricin and bagremycin A in the mycelium extract of N. caishijiensis respectively. In the broth and mycelium extract of P. carboxydivorans borrelidin was suggested along with α-pyrone. The HPLC-MS revealed bioactive long chained amide derivatives such as 7-Octadecenamide, 9, 12 octadecandienamide. This study reports the rare actinomycetes N. caishijiensis and P. carboxydivorans as endophytes and evaluates their bioactive metabolites., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Microbial populations residing in close contact with plants can be found in the rhizosphere, in the phyllosphere as epiphytes on the surface, or inside plants as endophytes. Here, we analyzed the microbiota associated with Espeletia plants, endemic to the Páramo environment of the Andes Mountains and a unique model for studying microbial populations and their adaptations to the adverse conditions of high-mountain neotropical ecosystems. Communities were analyzed using samples from the rhizosphere, necromass, and young and mature leaves, the last two analyzed separately as endophytes and epiphytes. The taxonomic composition determined by performing sequencing of the V5-V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene indicated differences among populations of the leaf phyllosphere, the necromass, and the rhizosphere, with predominance of some phyla but only few shared operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Functional profiles predicted on the basis of taxonomic affiliations differed from those obtained by GeoChip microarray analysis, which separated community functional capacities based on plant microenvironment. The identified metabolic pathways provided insight regarding microbial strategies for colonization and survival in these ecosystems. This study of novel plant phyllosphere microbiomes and their putative functional ecology is also the first step for future bioprospecting studies in search of enzymes, compounds, or microorganisms relevant to industry or for remediation efforts., (Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

Endophytic fungi represent ubiquitous microbial organisms able to live in the tissues of different plants around the world and represent a prolific source of bioactive metabolites. In the present study, the endophytic fungus Aspergillus calidoustus was isolated from the medicinal plant Acanthospermum australe (Asteraceae), and identified using molecular, physiological and morphological methods. A methylene chloride crude extract of A. calidoustus has been produced and subjected to antifungal bioassay-directed fractionation which resulted in the isolation of the two bioactive compounds: ophiobolin K and 6-epi-ophiobolin K. These pure compounds displayed antifungal activity against fungal plant pathogens, protozoal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, and cytotoxic activity against human tumoral cell lines. The results show that A. calidoustus was able to produce the antifungal and cytotoxic metabolites ophiobolin K and 6-epi-ophiobolin K, which may help the fungus to colonise and occupy the substratum as well as survive in natural environments.

The presence and composition of soil microbial communities has been shown to have a large impact on plant-plant interactions and consequently plant diversity and composition. The goal of the present study was to evaluate impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which constitutes an essential link between the soil and the plant's roots. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using selected microbes to improve Hieracium pilosella and Medicago sativa growth on Zn-Pb-rich site. Results of studies revealed that biomass, the dry mass of shoots and roots, increased significantly when plants were inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The addition of Azospirillum sp. and Nostoc edaphicum without mycorrhiza suppressed plant growth. Single bacterial inoculation alone does not have a positive effect on M. sativa growth, while co-inoculation with AMF improved plant growth. Plant vitality (expressed by the performance index) was improved by the addition of microbes. However, our results indicated that even dry heat sterilization of the substratum created imbalanced relationships between soil-plant and plants and associated microorganisms. The studies indicated that AMF and N2-fixers can improve revegetation of heavy metal-rich industrial sites, if the selection of interacting symbionts is properly conducted.

A Gram-stain-negative, yellow, motile by gliding, filamentous bacterium, designated SR 2-06T, was isolated from surface-sterilized root of garden cosmos. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that SR 2-06T was related most closely to Filimonas lacunae YT21T of the family Chitinophagaceae at a sequence similarity of 96.90 %, while levels of similarity to other related taxa were less than 93.08 %. Strain SR 2-06T exhibited similar features to F. lacunae in that it contained MK-7 as the major respiratory quinone, and iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0 and a summed feature consisting of C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c as the major fatty acids. However, strain SR 2-06T was distinguished from F. lacunae using a combination of physiological and biochemical properties. The cellular polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, unknown aminophospholipids, unknown aminolipids, an unknown phospholipid and unidentified polar lipids. The DNA G+C content was 46.0 mol%. The phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence clearly indicates that strain SR 2-06T represents a novel species of the genus Filimonas, for which the name Filimonas endophytica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SR 2-06T ( = KCTC 42060T = JCM 19844T).

Zinnia elegans Jacq. plants are infected by a fungus that causes dark red spots with necrosis on leaves, particularly in late spring to the middle of summer in the Mid-South of the United States. This fungal disease causes the leaves to wilt and eventually kills the plant. The fungus was isolated, cultured in potato dextrose broth, and identified as Nigrospora sphaerica by molecular techniques. Two major lactone metabolites (phomalactone and catenioblin A) were isolated from liquid culture of N. sphaerica isolated from Z. elegans. When injected into leaves of Z. elegans, phomalactone caused lesions similar to those of the fungus. The lesion sizes were proportional to the concentration of the phomalactone. Phomalactone, but not catenioblin A, was phytotoxic to Z. elegans and other plant species by inhibition of seedling growth and by causing electrolyte leakage from photosynthetic tissues of both Z. elegans leaves and cucumber cotyledons. This latter effect may be related to the wilting caused by the fungus in mature Z. elegans plants. Phomalactone was moderately fungicidal to Coletotrichum fragariae and two Phomopsis species, indicating that the compound may keep certain other fungi from encroaching into plant tissue that N. sphaerica has infected. Production of large amounts of phomalactone by N. sphaerica contributes to the pathogenic behavior of this fungus, and may have other ecological functions in the interaction of N. sphaerica with other fungi. This is the first report of isolation of catenioblin A from a plant pathogenic fungus. The function of catenioblin A is unclear, as it was neither significantly phyto- nor fungitoxic.

The prebiotic fructooligosaccharide content of yacon makes this root an attractive alternative for the supplementation of a variety of food products. The preservation of yacon by fermentation has been proposed as an alternative to increase the probiotic content of the root concomitantly with its shelf life. Thus the fermented yacon could have significant functional content. The objective of this research was to characterize the biochemistry and microbiology of spontaneous yacon fermentation with 2% NaCl and define the viability of the proposed process. The biochemical analysis of spontaneous heterolactic fermentation of yacon showed a progressive drop in pH with increased lactic and acetic acids, and the production of mannitol during fermentation. The microbial ecology of yacon fermentation was investigated using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Bacterial cell counts revealed a dominance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) over yeasts, which were also present during the first 2 days of the fermentation. Results showed that the heterofermentative LAB were primarily Leuconostoc species, thus it presents a viable method to achieve long term preservation of this root., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)