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Background: The symbiosis between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plants often stimulates plant growth, increases agricultural yield, reduces costs, thereby providing significant economic benefits. AMF can also benefit plants through affecting the rhizosphere microbial community, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using Rhizophagus intraradices as a model AMF species, we assessed how AMF influences the bacterial composition and functional diversity through 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics analysis in the rhizosphere of aluminum-sensitive soybean that were inoculated with pathogenic fungus Nigrospora oryzae and phosphorus-solubilizing fungus Talaromyces verruculosus in an acidic soil. Results: The inoculation of R. intraradices, N. oryzae and T. verruculosus didn't have a significant influence on the levels of soil C, N, and P, or various plant characteristics such as seed weight, crude fat and protein content. However, their inoculation affected the structure, function and nutrient dynamics of the resident bacterial community. The co-inoculation of T. verruculosus and R. intraradices increased the relative abundance of Pseudomonas psychrotolerans, which was capable of N-fixing and was related to cry-for-help theory (plants signal for beneficial microbes when under stress), within the rhizosphere. R. intraradices increased the expression of metabolic pathways associated with the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, which was known to enhance plant resistance under adverse environmental conditions. The inoculation of N. oryzae stimulated the stress response inside the soil environment by enriching the polyene macrolide antifungal antibiotic-producing bacterial genus Streptomyces in the root endosphere and upregulating two antibacterial activity metabolic pathways associated with steroid biosynthesis pathways in the rhizosphere. Although inoculation of pathogenic fungus N. oryzae enriched Bradyrhizobium and increased soil urease activity, it had no significant effects on biomass and N content of soybean. Lastly, the host niches exhibited differences in the composition of the bacterial community, with most N-fixing bacteria accumulating in the endosphere and Rhizobium vallis only detected in the endosphere. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that intricate interactions between AMF, associated core fungi, and the soybean root-associated ecological niches co-mediate the regulation of soybean growth, the dynamics of rhizosphere soil nutrients, and the composition, function, and metabolisms of the root-associated microbiome in an acidic soil. Highlights: AMF R. intraradices improved soybean stress resistance by recruiting specific PGPR and upregulating plant resistance promotion metabolic pathway. The pathogenic fungus N. oryzae stimulated the stress response by enriching the antifungal antibiotic production bacteria and upregulating the antibacterial reaction-associated metabolic pathways. The utility evaluation of some microbial agents on host plants should consider their potential impact on Olsen-P content in acidic soils with limited P availability. The sampling compartments (i.e., host niches of the soybean rhizosphere) exerted greater influence on the assembly and shift of the bacterial community than the application of microbial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The symbiosis between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plants often stimulates plant growth, increases agricultural yield, reduces costs, thereby providing significant economic benefits. AMF can also benefit plants through affecting the rhizosphere microbial community, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using Rhizophagus intraradices as a model AMF species, we assessed how AMF influences the bacterial composition and functional diversity through 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics analysis in the rhizosphere of aluminum-sensitive soybean that were inoculated with pathogenic fungus Nigrospora oryzae and phosphorus-solubilizing fungus Talaromyces verruculosus in an acidic soil. Results The inoculation of R. intraradices, N. oryzae and T. verruculosus didn’t have a significant influence on the levels of soil C, N, and P, or various plant characteristics such as seed weight, crude fat and protein content. However, their inoculation affected the structure, function and nutrient dynamics of the resident bacterial community. The co-inoculation of T. verruculosus and R. intraradices increased the relative abundance of Pseudomonas psychrotolerans, which was capable of N-fixing and was related to cry-for-help theory (plants signal for beneficial microbes when under stress), within the rhizosphere. R. intraradices increased the expression of metabolic pathways associated with the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, which was known to enhance plant resistance under adverse environmental conditions. The inoculation of N. oryzae stimulated the stress response inside the soil environment by enriching the polyene macrolide antifungal antibiotic-producing bacterial genus Streptomyces in the root endosphere and upregulating two antibacterial activity metabolic pathways associated with steroid biosynthesis pathways in the rhizosphere. Although inoculation of pathogenic fungus N. oryzae enriched Bradyrhizobium and increased soil urease activity, it had no significant effects on biomass and N content of soybean. Lastly, the host niches exhibited differences in the composition of the bacterial community, with most N-fixing bacteria accumulating in the endosphere and Rhizobium vallis only detected in the endosphere. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that intricate interactions between AMF, associated core fungi, and the soybean root-associated ecological niches co-mediate the regulation of soybean growth, the dynamics of rhizosphere soil nutrients, and the composition, function, and metabolisms of the root-associated microbiome in an acidic soil.

Fusarium circinatum, the causative agent of pine pitch canker disease, is a pathogenic fungus that poses a significant threat to pine forests globally. It infects various Pinus species, causing resinous cankers, needle discoloration, and tree death. The disease severely impacts forest ecosystems, necessitating cost-effective and environmentally friendly management strategies. Contaminated pine seeds and seedlings are the main pathways for introducing this fungus to disease-free areas. To mitigate this disease and prevent its spread, it is crucial to implement new processes in forest plant production systems that align with the existing conditions of forest nurseries, ensuring effective and sustainable management. With this in mind, a national collaborative study involving 14 Portuguese partners was initiated to develop new prevention and mitigation strategies. In this work, four different treatments—MennoFlorades, Captan, ethanol, and hot water—were tested for their ability to eliminate F. circinatum from contaminated Pinus seeds in vitro. The most effective treatments were selected for further in vitro assays and real-context nursery germination trials to assess their impacts on seed germination, plant production, and certification. MennoFlorades, Captan, and hot water were tested in the nursery, with hot water showing the most promising results due to its negligible impact on seedlings, eco-friendly nature, ease of implementation, and cost-effectiveness. These findings offer promising prospects for preventing pine pitch canker outbreaks in nurseries and, consequently, in forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Stem rot caused by Fusarium concentricum is a new disease of Paris polyphylla reported by our research group. The present study investigates the growth inhibitory and apoptotic effects of Bacillus velezensis FJAT-54560 lipopeptide against F. concentricum. Methods and Results HPLC preparation and LC-MS analysis results show that the crude lipopeptides secreted by Bacillus velezensis FJAT-54560 isolated from Jasminum sambac consist of C14–17 iturin A, C14 fengycin B, C16 fengycin A/A2, C18 fengycin A, C20 fengycin B2, C21 fengycin A2, C22–23 fengycin A, C12–16 surfactin A, and C15 surfactin A derivatives. The mass ratios (g/g) of iturin, fengycin, and surfactin in lipopeptides are 2.40, 67.51, and 30.08%, respectively. Through inhibition zone and inhibition rate experiments, we found that crude lipopeptides and purified fengycin exhibit strong antifungal activity against F. concentricum , including accumulation of reactive oxygen species, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation, Ca2+ accumulation, chromatin condensation, and phosphatidylserine externalization. Transcriptomic analysis indicates that crude lipopeptide-induced apoptosis in F. concentricum cells may be mediated by apoptosis-inducing factors and apoptosis mediators and can serve as a metacaspase-independent model. Conclusion Lipopeptides from Bacillus velezensis FJAT-54560 can control the pathogenic fungus F. concentricum by inducing apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The postharvest decay of chestnuts (Castanea mollissima Blume) limits their industrial utilization, and pathogenic fungi are the main cause for chestnut decay. In this study, the physiological changes and their correlation with the rotting degree of chestnuts were investigated during single or mixed infection by Fusarium proliferatum, Penicillium crustosum, and Alternaria alternata. During the infection period, the activities of cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) and antioxidant enzymes firstly increased and then decreased, the contents of nutrients decreased, but the levels of physiological indexes increased. The mycelium and spores of pathogenic fungi colonized the intercellular space, and then the mycelium covered the entire tissue surface of chestnuts, leading to the disappearance of cell structure. Notably, the most prominent changes in physiological indexes and ultrastructure were observed in chestnuts infected with three pathogenic fungi. Furthermore, the rotting degree of chestnuts was positively correlated with the levels of CWDEs, antioxidant enzymes and malondialdehyde.

Konjac (Amorphophallus konjac) is a horticultural plant with high nutritional and medicinal values. Soft rot is a severe disease in production of konjac and it is also the main factor restricting the development of the konjac industry. It has been reported that the soft rot of konjac is mainly caused by pathogenic bacteria (mainly including Pectobacterium aroidearum, P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, P. chrysanthemi and Enterobacter sp.), and there is rare reports on pathogenic fungi that cause konjac soft rot. In order to clarify the pathogenic types and infection characteristics of the soft rot in Qujing City, Yunnan Province, the diseased corms were collected for fungal isolation by tissue isolation methods. The isolated fungi were identified by morphological and molecular identification methods based on ITS and LSU sequence analyses, and pathogenicity was determined according to Koch's rule. The infection characteristic was analyzed by mixed inoculation using the identified pathogenic fungi and the pathogenic bacteria of konjac soft rot. The results were as follows: (1) Three species of Fusarium spp. (Fusarium concentricum, F. oxysporum and F. ambrosium), one species of Mucor sp., one species of Rhizopus sp., one species of Penicillium sp. and one species of Clonostachys sp. were identified. (2) Statistics analysis found that Fusarium concentricum had the highest relative abundance (45.45%). (3) Koch postulates tests showed that inoculation with F. concentricum caused obvious soft rot symptoms of konjac corms within three days. (4) In addition, mixed Pectobacterium aroidearum and Fusarium concentricum together inoculation promoted the disease development, and the weight of rotten tissue was significantly higher than that of single inoculation using F. concentricum or Pectobacterium aroidearum. Overall, these results indicate that konjac soft rot may be caused by a combination of fungus and bacterium infection. The results provide a theoretical reference for the prevention and management of konjac soft rot.

Konjac (Amorphophallus konjac) is a horticultural plant with high nutritional and medicinal values. Soft rot is a severe disease in production of konjac and it is also the main factor restricting the development of the konjac industry. It has been reported that the soft rot of konjac is mainly caused by pathogenic bacteria (mainly including Pectobacterium aroidearum, P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, P. chrysanthemi and Enterobacter sp.）, and there is rare reports on pathogenic fungi that cause konjac soft rot. In order to clarify the pathogenic types and infection characteristics of the soft rot in Qujing City, Yunnan Province, the diseased corms were collected for fungal isolation by tissue isolation methods. The isolated fungi were identified by morphological and molecular identification methods based on ITS and LSU sequence analyses, and pathogenicity was determined according to Koch’s rule. The infection characteristic was analyzed by mixed inoculation using the identified pathogenic fungi and the pathogenic bacteria of konjac soft rot. The results were as follows: (1) Three species of Fusarium spp. (Fusarium concentricum, F. oxysporum and F. ambrosium）, one species of Mucor sp., one species of Rhizopus sp., one species of Penicillium sp. and one species of Clonostachys sp. were identified. (2) Statistics analysis found that Fusarium concentricum had the highest relative abundance (45.45%). (3) Koch postulates tests showed that inoculation with F. concentricum caused obvious soft rot symptoms of konjac corms within three days. (4) In addition, mixed Pectobacterium aroidearum and Fusarium concentricum together inoculation promoted the disease development, and the weight of rotten tissue was significantly higher than that of single inoculation using F. concentricum or Pectobacterium aroidearum. Overall, these results indicate that konjac soft rot may be caused by a combination of fungus and bacterium infection. The results provide a theoretical reference for the prevention and management of konjac soft rot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated the antifungal activity of a methanolic extract of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. root, which inhibited the growth of the plant pathogens Fusarium oxysporum and Phytophthora capsici. The EC50 values of the G. uralensis Fisch. extract three, six, and nine days after treatment were 113.4, 150.6, and 191.4 µg/ml for F. oxysporum and 84.7, 148.6, and 190.1 µg/ml for P. capsici, respectively, and the antifungal activity exhibited a dose-dependent response. The MIC value of G. uralensis Fisch. extract was found to be 100, 200, and 400 μg/ml at three, six, and nine days after treatment for F. oxysporum. In contrast, for P. capsici, the MIC value was 50, 100, and 100 μg/ml at three, six, and nine days after treatment. After three days of incubation with 400 µg/ml G. uralensis Fisch. extract, the hyphae of F. oxysporum exhibited abnormalities and atrophy, leading to mycelial collapse. In contrast, the hyphae of P. capsici displayed swelling with increased branching. These results furnish valuable insights into the antifungal metabolites present in G. uralensis Fisch. extract, contributing to the development of environmentally friendly products aimed at controlling the growth of pathogenic fungi.

Paramyrothecium foliicola is a species of ascomycete in the family Stachybotryaceae. In recent years, it has been reported as a threat to crop production in different countries. Because of its wide host range and high virulence, this pathogen may present as a major global concern in the near future. Despite its importance, there is no sufficient genomic information for P. foliicola. Our work introduces the initial PacBio-Illumina hybrid draft genome for TJWQPF1, the P. foliicola strain, together with the related annotations. This genome was assembled into 18 contigs, with the largest contig size of 8,042,417 bp. Genome annotation identified 13,330 protein-coding genes. The draft genome data will aid in understanding the pathogenic mechanism of P. foliicola, which is a valuable resource to explore the genetic diversity, pathogenicity, and evolution of this important pathogen. [Figure: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Fusarium circinatum, the causative agent of pine pitch canker disease, is a pathogenic fungus that poses a significant threat to pine forests globally. It infects various Pinus species, causing resinous cankers, needle discoloration, and tree death. The disease severely impacts forest ecosystems, necessitating cost-effective and environmentally friendly management strategies. Contaminated pine seeds and seedlings are the main pathways for introducing this fungus to disease-free areas. To mitigate this disease and prevent its spread, it is crucial to implement new processes in forest plant production systems that align with the existing conditions of forest nurseries, ensuring effective and sustainable management. With this in mind, a national collaborative study involving 14 Portuguese partners was initiated to develop new prevention and mitigation strategies. In this work, four different treatments—MennoFlorades, Captan, ethanol, and hot water—were tested for their ability to eliminate F. circinatum from contaminated Pinus seeds in vitro. The most effective treatments were selected for further in vitro assays and real-context nursery germination trials to assess their impacts on seed germination, plant production, and certification. MennoFlorades, Captan, and hot water were tested in the nursery, with hot water showing the most promising results due to its negligible impact on seedlings, eco-friendly nature, ease of implementation, and cost-effectiveness. These findings offer promising prospects for preventing pine pitch canker outbreaks in nurseries and, consequently, in forests.

ABSTRACT Microbial community imbalance is the main cause of soybean intercropping, but the mechanism of soybean soil fungal community diversity change induced by continuous cropping is still unclear. This study analyzes the fungal community diversity and the change of fungal communities in compartments of different root systems of intercropped soybeans by high-throughput sequencing (endosphere, rhizoplane, and rhizosphere) between continuous cropping and maize-soybean rotation. The results showed that the community composition and the diversity of compartments of different root systems of intercropped soybeans are different, and fungal diversities showed a decreasing trend from rhizosphere to endosphere. Continuous cropping significantly increased fungal community diversities in different root compartments and changed their formation, enrichment, and depletion processes. Continuous cropping brings about the enrichment of soil pathogens, but only partial soil pathogens could colonize from the rhizosphere to the endosphere. All these suggested that root compartments had selective effects on root-associated fungal community diversity. Additionally, metabolomics assay revealed that continuous cropping soybean markedly altered soil metabolic profiling. Correlation analysis results showed that fungal community diversity was significantly correlated with soil metabolites. To sum up, under different planting patterns, the diversity and the functional mode of soybean soil microbial community have changed. Continuous cropping has increased the abundance of pathogenic fungi in soybean soil, resulting in changes in the correlation between soil fungi and metabolites, and then changed the soil metabolic spectrum. IMPORTANCE Soybean yield can be affected by soybean soil fungal communities in different tillage patterns. Soybean is an important food crop with great significance worldwide. Continuous cultivation resulted in soil nutrient deficiencies, disordered metabolism of root exudates, fungal pathogen accumulation, and an altered microbial community, which brought a drop in soybean output. In this study, taking the soybean agroecosystem in northeast China, we revealed the microbial ecology and soil metabolites spectrum, especially the diversity and composition of soil fungi and the correlation of pathogenic fungi, and discussed the mechanisms and the measures of alleviating the obstacles.

The microorganisms associated with a plant influence its growth and fitness. These microorganisms accumulate on the aerial and root surfaces of plants, as well as within the plants, as endophytes, although how the interaction between microorganisms protects the plant from pathogens is still little understood. In the current study, the impact of assembled the bacterial communities against the pathogenic fungus to promote Artemisia annua L. growths was investigated. We established a model of bacterium-fungus-plant system. Eight bacterial strains and a fungal pathogen Globisporangium ultimum (Glo) were isolated from wild A. annua roots and leaves, respectively. We assembled the sixbacteria community (C6: Rhizobium pusense, Paracoccus sp., Flavobacterium sp., Brevundimonas sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., and Bacillus sp.) with inhibition, and eight-bacteria community (C8) composing of C6 plus another two bacteria (Brevibacillus nitrificans and Cupriavidus sp.) without inhibition against Glo in individually dual culture assays. Inoculation of seedlings with C8 significantly reduced impact of Glo. The growth and disease suppression of A. annua seedlings inoculated with C8 + Glo were significantly better than those of seedlings inoculated with only Glo. C8 had more inhibitory effects on Glo, and also enhanced the contents of four metabolites in seedling roots compared to Glo treatment only. Additionally, the inhibitory effects of root extracts from A. annua seedlings showed that Glo was most sensitive, the degree of eight bacteria sensitivity were various with different concentrations. Our findings suggested that the non-inhibitory bacteria played a vital role in the bacterial community composition and that some bacterial taxa were associated with disease suppression. The construction of a defined assembled bacterial community could be used as a biological fungicide, promoting biological disease control of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the biological control of white mistletoe (European mistletoe) additional detailed information on Botryosphaeria visci infection, its basic nutritional requirements, growth, and in vitro growth characteristics is needed. The objectives of this study were to isolate and identify the fungus B. visci associated with Viscum album from Sorbus aucuparia, to provide information on its in vitro introduction and growth characteristics on different media, and to test the pathogenicity of the isolated fungus. To achieve these goals, the morphology of conidiophores from infected parts of mistletoe was evaluated by microscopy. The isolate from fresh collections of V. album was identified as Sphaeropsis visci anamorph of ascomycete Botryosphaeria visci. The morphology of the vegetative mycelium and growth of B. visci varied depending on the media used. The best medium supporting growth and sporulation was oatmeal. Re-infection of European mistletoe in laboratory conditions showed positive results on liquid media, and in field conditions but only after mechanical damage to the mistletoe leaves. Our results expand the knowledge regarding the optimal cultivation of this fungus. This may facilitate further mycological and pathological studies involving B. visci isolates, and the results have a theoretical basis for the implementation of measures for the prevention and control of mistletoe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta) is one of the perennial herbaceous and ornamental bulbous crops that is used as a cut flower garden plant and potted plant. Fungal diseases are one of the harmful factors of this ornamental plant in different parts of the world. In 2018, symptoms of Narcissus leaf spot (NLS) were observed in some planting areas of this plant in South Khorasan province. This study was carried out to identify the casual and associated fungi with NLS in Southern Khorasan province. Materials and Methods Samples with leaf spot symptoms were collected from two regions, Khoosf and Tabas, from 2018 to 2019. Plant tissues were transferred to the laboratory of the Department of Plant Protection in separate paper bags. The tissues were cultured on a Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and purification was performed on a 2% wateragar medium using the Hyphal tip method. Fungal agents were isolated and identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. The DNA of representative fungal isolates was extracted according to the CTAB method. To molecularly confirm the species, part of the rDNA gene was amplified using ITS5 (5'- GGAAGTAAAAGTCGTAACAAGG-3') and ITS4 (5'-TCCTCCGCTTATTGATATGC-3') primers. Sequencing of PCR products was done by Pishgam Biotechnology Company and deposited in the GenBank with Accession number: MN829259. Sequences were edited with Chromas software and the edited sequences were saved in FASTA format. The ITS-based phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Maximum Likelihood Method with MEGA ver6.0 software. For the pathogenicity test, the Narcissus plant was inoculated with mycelia plugs. In order to maintain moisture and establish the fungus, the inoculation area was covered with parafilm. The plants were covered with polythene bags for 24 hours. The bags were removed after 24 hours. In the control plants, the potato-dextrose-agar culture medium without fungal mycelium was used. All plants were examined after 3 to 14 days and the pathogen was re-isolated from the inoculated plant that showed leaf spot. Results and Discussion Symptoms of narcissus leaf spot (NLS) disease in the sampled areas included elongated, elliptical, and red to brown circles on the leaf. A total of 50 samples of different leaf spot symptoms were collected. In this study, 20 fungal strains were isolated and identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. The growth rate of this isolate on the PDA medium was relatively fast and the average growth rate after 7 days was 6.6 cm. Pycnidia were formed abundantly on the PDA medium after 7 days. The pycnidiospores were transparent, mostly single-celled (3-4 x 5-7), sometimes two-celled (11.5-15 x 5.8), round to oval and curved. Chlamydospores (8-15) were dark brown, unicellular and multicellular, intercellular and rarely terminal. Based on morphological characteristics, the strains were finally identified as Phoma narcissi. The NCBI blast search revealed that the ITS region Phoma narcissi in our study had similarities to Didymella curtisii, Phoma narcissi, and Phoma sp. 100%, 100%, and 99% respectively. Phylogenetic analysis confirms that the examined strain belongs in a clade with strains of Ph. narcissi. In Pathogenicity tests, symptoms of the disease were observed on all plants 7 days after inoculation. No symptoms developed on non-inoculated plants. The original pathogen was re-isolated from the leaf spots of inoculated plants. Phoma s.l. is one of the most ubiquitous fungal genera, characterized by its great ecological diversity and difficult identification. According to our knowledge, the main cause of NLS disease in the east of the country is the Ph. Narcissi, Fusarium sp. and Cladosporium sp. were associated agents with this disease. Since the identification of the disease agent is effective in choosing effective and efficient strategies for disease control, the results can help to adopt effective methods in disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop fungal diseases are a major threat to crop health and food security worldwide. The epidemiology is the basis for effective and sustainable control of crop fungal diseases. Safe, effective, sustainable, and eco-friendly disease control measures have important economic, ecological, and social significances. This Special Issue, "Epidemiology and Control of Fungal Diseases of Crop Plants", collected one communication and nine original research articles focusing on the identification and detection of the causal agents of alfalfa Fusarium root rot, strawberry black spot, and barley leaf stripe; the semantic segmentation of wheat stripe rust images; the image-based identification of wheat stripe rust and wheat leaf rust; the image-based identification of the severity of wheat Fusarium head blight; the development process of vanilla Fusarium wilt; the regional migration of wheat leaf rust pathogen; the early prediction of potato early blight; the screening of alternative fungicides for the control of alfalfa Fusarium root rot; and the biocontrol potential of endophytic fungi to control of cumin root rot, presenting the progress of research on the epidemiology and control of crop fungal diseases. The studies contained in this Special Issue facilitated the development of epidemiology of the related crop fungal diseases and provided some basis for control of the diseases, which is conducive to the sustainable management of these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant xylem colonization is the hallmark of vascular wilt diseases caused by phytopathogens within the Fusarium oxysporum species complex. Recently, xylem colonization has also been reported among endophytic F. oxysporum strains, resulting in some uncertainty. This study compares xylem colonization processes by pathogenic versus endophytic strains in Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum, using Arabidopsis pathogen Fo5176, tomato pathogen Fol4287, and the endophyte Fo47, which can colonize both plant hosts. We observed that all strains were able to advance from epidermis to endodermis within 3 days postinoculation (dpi) and reached the root xylem at 4 dpi. However, this shared progression was restricted to lateral roots and the elongation zone of the primary root. Only pathogens reached the xylem above the primary-root maturation zone (PMZ). Related to the distinct colonization patterns, we also observed stronger induction of callose at the PMZ and lignin deposition at primary-lateral root junctions by the endophyte in both plants. This observation was further supported by stronger induction of Arabidopsis genes involved in callose and lignin biosynthesis during the endophytic colonization (Fo47) compared with the pathogenic interaction (Fo5176). Moreover, both pathogens encode more plant cell wall–degrading enzymes than the endophyte Fo47. Therefore, observed differences in callose and lignin deposition could be the combination of host production and the subsequent fungal degradation. In summary, this study demonstrates spatial differences between endophytic and pathogenic colonization, strongly suggesting that further investigations of molecular arm-races are needed to understand how plants differentiate friend from foe. [Graphic: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Objective: This study aimed to provide strategy for controlling the fungal diseases of postharvest blueberry in Sichuan province. Methods: The pathogenic bacteria from 14 planting bases in Sichuan Province were isolate, identified, pathogenicity determination. Moreover, the effects of temperature and light on mycelia growth of the dominant and subdominant strains of blueberry after harvest were studied, and the effective natural antibacterial components against them were screened. Results: The blueberry postharvest rot diseases were caused by the following nine kinds of fungi: Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus tubingensis, Neofusicoccum parvum, Neopestalotiopsis sp., Fusarium graminearum, Alternaria alternata, Mucor fragilis, Penicillium sp., Cladosporium xylophilum. Aspergillus niger was the dominant species with the highest isolation frequency and the most pathogenic, and Neopestalotiopsis sp., Alternaria alternata, Penicillium sp., Cladosporium xylophilum were the subdominant species with isolation frequencies greater than 10%. The optimum growth temperature ranged from 20 ℃to 35 ℃of dominant and subdominant strains of blueberry postharvest. The effects of light on the mycelia growth of A. niger，Neopestalotiopsis sp., A. alternata, and C. xylophilum were significant，but that was insignificant on the growth of Penicillium sp. strains. Thymol showed good broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, the EC50 values of dominant and subdominant strains of blueberry postharvest was 30~50 mg/L, while the thymol applied directly to blueberry postharvest fungal control in aqueous solution should not be higher than 50 mg/L. Conclusion: Thymol is more effective on postharvest diseases of blueberry in Sichuan province.

Microorganisms co-exist and evolve in saline environment for a long time and have unique adaptability and biological properties, which make them the first choice in the microbial improvement of saline land. A saline-alkali tolerant fungal strain SYAT-1 was isolated from a typical soda saline soil in Songyuan city, Jilin province. It was identified by morphological characteristics observation and ITSrDNA sequence analysis. The growth characteristics at different pH, salt tolerance, antagonistic activity against phytopathogenic fungi and potential pathogenicity of the strain were investigated. The results showed that it was identified as Aspergillus terreus and grew under alkaline （pH=7.0-12.0）medium conditions, with an optimal pH range of 7.0-9.0. It grew well on both 0-17.5 mg/mL NaCl PDA medium and 0-4 mg/mL NaHCO3 PDA medium. Antagonistic phytopathogenic fungi assay results revealed that strain SYAT-1 presented some inhibitory effect on the test phytopathogenic fungi. Potential pathogenicity test results demonstrated that strain SYAT-1 had no potential pathogenicity to the test plants. In sum, A. terreus strain SYAT-1 belongs to a fungus with high salt tolerance characteristics and suppressing phytopathogenic fungi. This study provides new strain resources and theoretical support for the use of microorganisms to improve saline soils and biological control of plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma sichuanense is a prominent medicinal fungus extensively cultivated across China. In 2022, symptoms of yellow rot were observed on the fruiting bodies of G. sichuanense in a mushroom farm located in Panshi City, Jilin Province, China. We isolated and purified a pathogenic fungus, identified as Xylogone ganodermophthora through morphological characteristics and multigene phylogenetic analysis. Pathogenicity of X. ganodermophthora was confirmed through inoculation of G. sichuanense fruiting bodies. This represents the first report of X. ganodermophthora causing yellow rot disease in G. sichuanense. Fungicide sensitivity tests were conducted using a mycelial growth assay, revealing high sensitivity of X. ganodermophthora to Carbendazim, Chlorothalonil, Fludioxonil, Prochloraz, and Prochlorza-Mn, with EC 50 values ranging from 0.003 to 0.046 μg mL−1. These findings offer valuable insights into the effective management of yellow rot of G. sichuanense. • Ganoderma sichuanense exhibited yellow rot symptoms in Jilin, China. • The pathogen was identified as Xylogone ganodermophthora. • Prochloraz-manganese is effective fungicide against X. ganodermophthora. • An integrated approach to yellow rot management is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrobium officinale is a rare and precious medicinal plant. Southern blight is a destructive disease in the artificial cultivation of D. officinale , and one of its pathogens is Sclerotium delphinii. S. delphinii is a phytopathogenic fungus with a wide host range with extremely strong pathogenicity. In this study, S. delphinii was isolated from D. officinale with southern blight. Subsequently, this specific strain underwent thorough whole-genome sequencing using the PacBio Sequel II platform, which employed single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology. Comprehensive annotations were obtained through functional annotation of protein sequences using various publicly available databases. The genome of S. delphinii measures 73.66 Mb, with an N90 contig size of 2,707,110 bp, and it contains 18,506 putative predictive genes. This study represents the first report on the genome size assembly and annotation of S. delphinii , making it the initial species within the Sclerotium genus to undergo whole-genome sequencing, which can provide solid data and a theoretical basis for further research on the pathogenesis, omics of S. delphinii. • This study marks the inaugural description of the genome of S. delphinii. • The investigation uncovers potential pathogenic factors associated with S. delphinii. • The findings furnish a theoretical foundation for subsequent multi-omics research on S. delphinii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop fungal diseases are a major threat to crop health and food security worldwide. The epidemiology is the basis for effective and sustainable control of crop fungal diseases. Safe, effective, sustainable, and eco-friendly disease control measures have important economic, ecological, and social significances. This Special Issue, “Epidemiology and Control of Fungal Diseases of Crop Plants”, collected one communication and nine original research articles focusing on the identification and detection of the causal agents of alfalfa Fusarium root rot, strawberry black spot, and barley leaf stripe; the semantic segmentation of wheat stripe rust images; the image-based identification of wheat stripe rust and wheat leaf rust; the image-based identification of the severity of wheat Fusarium head blight; the development process of vanilla Fusarium wilt; the regional migration of wheat leaf rust pathogen; the early prediction of potato early blight; the screening of alternative fungicides for the control of alfalfa Fusarium root rot; and the biocontrol potential of endophytic fungi to control of cumin root rot, presenting the progress of research on the epidemiology and control of crop fungal diseases. The studies contained in this Special Issue facilitated the development of epidemiology of the related crop fungal diseases and provided some basis for control of the diseases, which is conducive to the sustainable management of these diseases.

Abstract Sustainable fungal materials have a high potential to replace non-sustainable materials such as those used for packaging or as an alternative for leather and textile. The properties of fungal materials depend on the type of fungus and substrate, the growth conditions and post-treatment of the material. So far, fungal materials are mainly made with species from the phylum Basidiomycota, selected for the mechanical and physical properties they provide. However, for mycelium materials to be implemented in society on a large scale, selection of fungal species should also be based on a risk assessment of the potential to be pathogenic, form mycotoxins, attract insects, or become an invasive species. Moreover, production processes should be standardized to ensure reproducibility and safety of the product.

Phytopathogenic fungi have attracted great attention as a promising source for new drug discovery. In the progress of our ongoing study for bioactive natural products from an in-house phytopathogenic fungi library, a pathogenic fungus, Fusarium proliferatum strain 13294 (FP13294), was selected for chemical investigation. Two novel aliphatic unsaturated alcohols named fusariumnols A and B (1 and 2), together with one previously characterized sesquiterpenoid lignoren (3) were identified. Structures of 1–3 were assigned by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. Their bioactivities were assessed against Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited weak antibacterial activity against S. epidermidis (MIC = 100 μM).

Candida albicans is a pathogenic yeast that causes candidiasis in immunocompromised patients. The overuse of antifungal drugs has led to the development of resistance to such drugs by this fungus, which is a major challenge in antifungal chemotherapy. One approach to this problem involves the utilization of new natural products as an alternative source of antifungals. Curcumin, one such natural product, has been widely studied as a drug candidate and is reported to exhibit antifungal activity against C. albicans. Although studies of the mechanism of curcumin against human cancer cells have shown that it inhibits heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), little is known about its function against C. albicans. In this paper, using a doxycycline-mediated HSP90 strain and an HSP90-overexpressing strain of C. albicans, we demonstrated that the curcumin triggered a decrease in Hsp90 by affecting it at the post-transcriptional level. This also led to the downregulation of HOG1 and CDR1, resulting in a reduction of the stress response and efflux pump activity of C. albicans. However, the inhibition of HSP90 by curcumin was not due to the inhibition of transcription factors HSF1 or AHR1. We also found that curcumin can not only decrease the transcriptional expression of CDR1, but also inhibit the efflux pump activity of Cdr1. Hence, we conclude that disruption of HSP90 by curcumin could impair cell growth, stress responses and efflux pump activity of C. albicans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While some pathogens are limited to single species, others can colonize many hosts, likely contributing to the emergence of novel disease outbreaks. Despite this biodiversity threat, traits associated with host niche expansions are not well understood in multihost pathogens. Here, we aimed to uncover functional machinery driving multihost invasion by focusing on Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a pathogen that infects the skin of hundreds of amphibians worldwide. We performed a meta‐analysis of Bd gene expression using data from published infection experiments and newly generated profiles. We analysed Bd transcriptomic landscapes across the skin of 14 host species, reconstructed Bd isolates phylogenetic relationships, and inferred the origin and evolutionary history of differentially expressed genes under a phylogenetic framework comprising other 12 zoosporic fungi. Bd displayed plastic infection strategies when challenged by hosts with different disease susceptibility. Our analyses identified sets of differentially expressed genes under host environments with similar infection outcome. We stressed nutritional immunity and gene silencing as important processes required to overcome challenging skin environments in less susceptible hosts. Overall, Bd genes expressed during amphibian skin exploitation have arisen mainly via gene duplications with great family expansions, increasing the gene copy events previously described for this fungal species. Finally, we provide a comprehensive gene data set that can be used to further examine eco‐evolutionary hypotheses for this host‐pathogen system. Our study supports the idea that host environments exert contrasting selective pressures, such that gene expression plasticity could be one of the evolutionary keys leading to the success of multihost pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biological control using entomopathogenic fungi is a promising alternative to the chemical control of locusts. The current study collected many trains of Beauveria bassiana and tested their suitablility for migratory locust management. Twenty fungal stains were isolated from the soil (collected from three different climatic zones in China) using the Galleria mellonella bait protocol. The phylogenetic analysis of the collected fungal strains based on ITS1 and ITS4 sequences revealed that they all belonged to B. bassiana. The results of pathogenicity testing against the third nymphal instar of Locusta migratoria showed that eight strains were highly pathogenic, causing 100% mortality within 10 days of treatment. The LC50 values of the strains B. bassiana BJ (BbBJ), B. bassiana ZJ1(BbZJ1), and B. bassiana HN1 (BbHN1) were 2.27 × 105, 0.16 × 105 and 1.02 × 105 conidia/mL, respectively indicating the lowest LC50 values for strains collected from Beijing, Zhejiang, and Hainan, respectively. The LT50 values for fourth and fifth instar larvae and the horizontal transmission ability of strain BbZJ1 were 4.62 days, 8.69 days and 91.7% respectively proving to be the best among the three selected strains. In addition, analysis of virulence factors of the three regionally best strains showed that BbZJ1 had the highest germination rate, fastest growth (by 7.06 mm day−1), produced the most conidia (16.03 × 106 conidia mm−2), had higher protease activity, and a hydrophobicity value of 97.31%. BbZJ1 strain has an excellent pathogenicity against local migratory locust, and has the potential for developing fungal biopesticide for controlling local locusts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eichhornia crassipes has become one of the most serious malignant aquatic weeds in recent years due to its separation from the restriction of natural enemies and natural factors, in addition to its extremely strong ability to reproduce and spread. The use of biological control method to control Eichhornia crassipes is recognized as a safe and effective method at home and abroad. Eichhornia crassipes has been introduced in Quanzhou for several decades, and it may produce microbial natural enemies in the adaptation process of Eichhornia crassipes. The disease investigation of Eichhornia crassipes was carried out in the agricultural science and technology park of Quanzhou Institute of Agricultural Sciences. It was found that the leaf blight of Eichhornia crassipes was the most obvious in the water area, which could cause the large area of Eichhornia crassipes leaves to wilt. Two pathogenic fungi causing the leaf blight of Eichhornia crassipes were isolated and obtained by means of isolation, pur辻ication and ident辻ication of pathogenic fungi. Combined with the morphological analysis of strains and ITS sequence analysis, they were identified as Alternaria alternate YQ21 and Alternaria brassicicola YQ36. Alternaria brassicicola YQ36 was the first discovered pathogen of Eichhornia crassipes in Fujian Province, which enriched the resource library of natural enemy microorganisms of Eichhornia crassipes in Fujian Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucurbits are an important vegetable crop of the gourd family. Unfortunately, gummy stem blight (GSB) causes a major fungal disease on Cucurbitaceous vegetable crops. It is also known as black root when affecting fruits, and it is found all over the world. GSB is caused by the fungal pathogen Didymella bryoniae. Research efforts have investigated the different developmental stages and various parts of Cucurbits affected with this disease. In the present paper, we have completed a systematic review for the disease's symptomatic, pathogenic microbes, resistance resources, resistance inheritance regularity, molecular biology and genomic study of resistance gene and control method, etc., on Cucurbits. This review provides the background and rationale for future studies aiming to address the issues existing in gummy stem blight research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paecilomyces penicillatus is one of the pathogens of morels, which greatly affects the yield and quality of Morchella spp.. In the present study, we de novo assembled the genome sequence of the fungus P. penicillatus SAAS_ppe1. We analyzed the transcriptional profile of P. penicillatus SAAS_ppe1 infection of Morchella importuna at different stages (3 days and 6 days after infection) and the response of M. importuna using the transcriptome. The assembled genome sequence of P. penicillatus SAAS_ppe1 was 39.78 Mb in length (11 scaffolds; scaffold N50, 6.50 Mb), in which 99.7% of the expected genes were detected. A total of 7.48% and 19.83% clean transcriptional reads from the infected sites were mapped to the P. penicillatus genome at the early and late stages of infection, respectively. There were 3,943 genes differently expressed in P. penicillatus at different stages of infection, of which 24 genes had increased expression with the infection and infection stage, including diphthamide biosynthesis, aldehyde reductase, and NAD (P)H-hydrate epimerase (P

The small number of fungi that commonly cause disease in normal people share the capacity to grow as mycelia in the soil at 25°C and as yeast (or spherules) in mammals at 37°C. This remarkable conversion has long been a topic of interest in medical mycology. The conidia to yeast conversion has been studied by transcription profiling in several fungal species, including Histoplasma capsulatum, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, Coccidioides spp., Blastomyces dermatitidis, and Talaromyces marneffei One limitation of transcriptional profiling is determining which genes are involved in the process of conversion to yeast as opposed to a result of conversion to yeast. If there are genes that are up-regulated in the yeast phase of more than one dimorphic, pathogenic fungus they might be required for conversion to yeast (or spherules). To address this issue, 24 up-regulated genes common to Coccidioides spp spherules and H. capsulatum yeasts were identified. Four homologs of these genes were also found in P. brasiliensis, B. dermatitidis or T. marneffei genes that were up-regulated in yeast. 4-hydroxyphenylpurvate dioxygenase, a gene involved in tyrosine metabolism and melanin synthesis that has been shown to be required for yeast conversion, is conserved and up-regulated in yeast in all five species. Another up-regulated gene that is conserved in all five species is a MFS sugar porter. These results suggest that a minority of up-regulated yeast (or spherule) genes are conserved across species and raises the possibility that conserved up-regulated genes may be of special interest for differentiation of mycelium into yeast.

Cucurbits are an important vegetable crop of the gourd family. Unfortunately, gummy stem blight (GSB) causes a major fungal disease on Cucurbitaceous vegetable crops. It is also known as black root when affecting fruits, and it is found all over the world. GSB is caused by the fungal pathogen Didymella bryoniae. Research efforts have investigated the different developmental stages and various parts of Cucurbits affected with this disease. In the present paper, we have completed a systematic review for the disease’s symptomatic, pathogenic microbes, resistance resources, resistance inheritance regularity, molecular biology and genomic study of resistance gene and control method, etc., on Cucurbits. This review provides the background and rationale for future studies aiming to address the issues existing in gummy stem blight research and development.

The postharvest decay of chestnuts ( Castanea mollissima Blume ) limits their industrial utilization, and pathogenic fungi are the main cause for chestnut decay. In this study, the physiological changes and their correlation with the rotting degree of chestnuts were investigated during single or mixed infection by Fusarium proliferatum , Penicillium crustosum , and Alternaria alternata . During the infection period, the activities of cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) and antioxidant enzymes firstly increased and then decreased, the contents of nutrients decreased, but the levels of physiological indexes increased. The mycelium and spores of pathogenic fungi colonized the intercellular space, and then the mycelium covered the entire tissue surface of chestnuts, leading to the disappearance of cell structure. Notably, the most prominent changes in physiological indexes and ultrastructure were observed in chestnuts infected with three pathogenic fungi. Furthermore, the rotting degree of chestnuts was positively correlated with the levels of CWDEs, antioxidant enzymes and malondialdehyde., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Fusarium wilt is a worldwide soil-borne fungal disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum that causes serious damage to agricultural products. Therefore, preventing and treating fusarium wilt is of great significance. In this study, we purified ten single lipopeptide fengycin components from Bacillus subtilis FAJT-4 and found that C 17 fengycin B inhibited the growth of F. oxysporum FJAT-31362. We observed early apoptosis hallmarks, including reactive oxygen species accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and phosphatidylserine externalization in C 17 fengycin B-treated F. oxysporum cells. Further data showed that C 17 fengycin B induces cell apoptosis in a metacaspase-dependent manner. Importantly, we found that the expression of autophagy-related genes in the TOR signaling pathway was significantly upregulated; simultaneously, the accumulation of acidic autophagy vacuoles in F. oxysporum cell indicated that the autophagy pathway was activated during apoptosis induced by C 17 fengycin B. Therefore, this study provides new insights into the antifungal mechanism of fengycin.

Copper is an essential micronutrient for the performance of important biochemical processes such as respiration detoxification, and uptake of metals like iron. Studies have shown that copper deprivation is a strategy used by the host against pathogenic fungi such as Cryptoccocus neoformans and Candida albicans during growth and development of infections in the lungs and kidneys. Although there are some studies, little is known about the impact of copper deprivation in members of the Paracoccidioides genus. Therefore, using isobaric tag labeling (iTRAQ)-Based proteomic approach and LC-MS/MS, we analyzed the impact of in vitro copper deprivation in the metabolism of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. One hundred and sixty-four (164) differentially abundant proteins were identified when yeast cells were deprived of copper, which affected cellular respiration and detoxification processes. Changes in cellular metabolism such as increased beta oxidation and cell wall remodeling were described.

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many fungi in the Diaporthe genus across the world are pathogenic. Diaporthe capsici. is a pathogenic fungus that can infect peppers and walnuts, causing their death. The aim of this study was to develop a genomic resource to provide substantial data and a theoretical basis for research on molecular pathogenesis, transcriptome, proteome, and metabonome of D. capsici. The whole genome of D. capsici was sequenced using the PacBio RSII sequencing platform, and functional annotation was performed using different public databases. The genome was found to be 57.56 Mb in size, with an N50 contig size of 5,171,887 bp, and encodes 14,425 putative genes. This is the first genome-scale assembly and annotation for D. capsici , which is the eighth species in Diaporthe to be sequenced. • The genome of Diaporthe capsici was sequenced, assembled and annotated. • The size of the genome is 57.56 Mb, ecoding 14,425 putative predicted genes. • The genes that may be involved in pathogenicity were searched throughout the genome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potent inhibitors of an essential microbial enzyme have been shown to be effective growth inhibitors of Candida albicans, a pathogenic fungus. C. albicans is the main cause of oropharyngeal candidiasis, and also causes invasive fungal infections, including systemic sepsis, leading to serious complications in immunocompromised patients. As the rates of drug‐resistant fungal infections continue to rise novel antifungal treatments are desperately needed. The enzyme aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (ASADH) is critical for the functioning of the aspartate biosynthetic pathway in microbes and plants. Because the aspartate pathway is absent in humans, ASADH has the potential to be a promising new target for antifungal research. Deleting the asd gene encoding for ASADH significantly decreases the survival of C. albicans, establishing this enzyme as essential for this organism. Previously developed ASADH inhibitors were tested against several strains of C. albicans to measure their possible therapeutic impact. The more potent inhibitors show a good correlation between enzyme inhibitor potency and fungal growth inhibition. Growth curves generated by incubating different C. albicans strains with varying enzyme inhibitor levels show significant slowing of fungal growth by these inhibitors against each of these strains, similar to the effect observed with a clinical antifungal drug. The most effective inhibitors also demonstrated relatively low cytotoxicity against a human epithelial cell line. Taken together, these results establish that the ASADH enzyme is a promising new target for further development as a novel antifungal treatment against C. albicans and related fungal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey is thought to act against microbes and regulates microbiota balance, and this is mainly attributed to the enzymatic production of hydrogen peroxide, high osmolarity, and nonperoxidase factors, for example, lysozyme and botanical sources of nectar, while the effect of honey's probiotic is recently considered. The study of honey as source of beneficial microbes is understudied. The purpose of this study was to screen for the beneficial microorganisms in honey with antagonistic property against important pathogens and the mechanism of antimicrobial activity and thus play a beneficial role as probiotics. The results showed that one out of the fourteen bacterial isolates had antimicrobial activity and was identified as Bacillus Sp. A2 by 16S rRNA sequence and morphology. Antimicrobial activity of the isolate against C. albicans, E. coli, and S. aureus was confirmed by Agar well diffusion and liquid coculture assays, and the propagation of those microbes was significantly inhibited after treatment with the isolate Bacillus sp. A2 (p <.05) in comparison with untreated negative control and positive control (fluconazole, chloramphenicol, L. plantarum). The morphological changes including the distorted shape with indentations and leakages (SEM), damaged cell membrane, and cell wall with the disintegration and attachment of the Bacillus sp. A2 (TEM) in treated C. albicans were observed. Meanwhile, reactive oxygen species accumulation and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential were detected in treated C. albicans. These results revealed that the isolate Bacillus sp. A2 from honey has significant antimicrobial activity (p <.05) against C. albicans in comparison with untreated negative control and positive control L. plantarum, which depends on the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage, and the cell apoptosis. We concluded that the Bacillus sp. A2 possess the antimicrobial property, which may contribute to regulation of host's microbiota as a beneficial microbe or probiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper is an essential micronutrient for the performance of important biochemical processes such as respiration detoxification, and uptake of metals like iron. Studies have shown that copper deprivation is a strategy used by the host against pathogenic fungi such as Cryptoccocus neoformans and Candida albicans during growth and development of infections in the lungs and kidneys. Although there are some studies, little is known about the impact of copper deprivation in members of the Paracoccidioides genus. Therefore, using isobaric tag labeling (iTRAQ)-Based proteomic approach and LC-MS/MS, we analyzed the impact of in vitro copper deprivation in the metabolism of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. One hundred and sixty-four (164) differentially abundant proteins were identified when yeast cells were deprived of copper, which affected cellular respiration and detoxification processes. Changes in cellular metabolism such as increased beta oxidation and cell wall remodeling were described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diaporthe (syn. Phomopsis) species have often been reported as plant pathogens, endophytes or saprobes, commonly isolated from a wide range of hosts. In Brazil, in orchards located in Monte Azul, Minas Gerais, flowers and unripe fruits of Passiflora edulis were found with very severe and typical Phomopsis rot symptoms. The aim of this study was to prove the pathogenicity of the fungus isolated from symptomatic flowers and fruits, and to identify the pathogen's species. The isolate was identified on the basis of DNA sequence analyses based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region and part of the translation elongation factor-1α. On culture media the colonies were sterile and pycnidia appear only on the surface of fruits. The first symptoms of the disease appeared 5 days after inoculation in flowers and after 11 days in ripe and unripe fruits inoculated at wounded sites. The pathogen was identified as Diaporthe infecunda and was re-isolated from those lesions, confirming Koch's postulates. D. infecunda has been reported only as plant endophytic fungus and to our knowledge, this is the first confirmed report as a plant pathogenic fungus, causing rot in flowers and, in ripe and unripe fruits of P. edulis in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungus, Diaporthe toxica, anamorph Phomopsis sp., previously classified as P. leptostromiformis, is a plant endophyte and occasional pathogen, causing Phomopsis stem blight. This disease is damaging not only to lupins but also to the animals grazing on infected plants, due to the toxic secondary metabolites called phomopsins. The aim of this work was to validate markers for resistance to Phomopsis stem blight in narrow-leafed lupins and identify novel germplasm with increased levels of resistance to the disease. Plant inoculations were performed using ten isolates of D. toxica, originating from Australia and Poland. The European core collection of L. angustifolius was evaluated both in a controlled environment and with field experiments to classify the accessions based on their resistance to the disease. Simultaneously, the accessions were assayed with disease resistance markers to identify donors of hypothetical resistance alleles. We have found that the European lupin germplasm collection preserves wild and domesticated donors of at least two resistance genes to Phomopsis stem blight, including Phr1 and PhtjR. Molecular markers PhtjM7, InDel2, and InDel10, tagging PhtjR gene, were applicable for marker-assisted selection targeting the European gene pool with an expected accuracy of 95%. None of diagnostic markers for the Phr1 locus was found useful for European breeding programs; two existing markers Ph258M1 and Ph258M2 were unreliable, due to a high percentage of false-positive results (up to 58%) and a high recombination rate between markers (~ 30%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arthrinium phaeospermum (Corda) M.B. Ellis is a globally distributed pathogenic fungus with a wide host range; its hosts include not only plants, but also humans and animals. This study aimed to develop genomic resources for A. phaeospermum to provide solid data and a theoretical basis for further studies of its pathogenesis, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and RNA genomics. The genome was obtained from the mycelia of the strain AP-Z13 using a combination of analyses with the high-throughput Illumina HiSeq 4000 system and PacBio RSII LongRead sequencing platform. Functional annotation was performed by BLASTing protein sequences against those in different publicly available databases to obtain their corresponding annotations. The genome is 48.45 Mb in size, with an N90 scaffold size of 1,931,147 bp, and encodes 19,836 putative predicted genes. This is the first report of the genome-scale assembly and annotation for A. phaeospermum , the first species in the genus Arthrinium to be subjected to whole genome sequencing. • The genome of Arthrinium phaeospermum was sequenced, assembled and annotated. • The size of the genome is 48.45 Mb, ecoding 19,836 putative predicted genes. • The genome contains a large number of genes involved in vital movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lygodium Sw. is the only genus of the family Lygodiaceae, with around 25 to 40 species inhabiting mostly tropical regions worldwide. In Argentina two species develop; one of them, L. venustum, grows in the Northeast of the country. Some species of Lygodium are invasive whereas medicinal uses have been reported for some taxa. As part of a project to ascertain on the reproductive biology of native ferns in Argentina, a fungus was found during in vitro spore culture of L. venustum. Dark brown spots and eruptive pustules were also observed in fertile leaves. Thus, emerged as objectives of this work: 1) to retrieve and identify the fungus from the sporophyte and from the spores cultures, 2) to inquire on the impact of the fungus on gametophyte generation, and 3) to perform experiments with untreated spores to demonstrate that the fungus is associated to the spores collected from infested sporophytes. Phytopathological techniques were applied in order to isolate the fungus and then to achieve monosporic cultures. The morpho-biometric features of the conidia corresponded with those of Pestalotiopsis maculans (Corda) Nag Raj [= Pestalotiopsis guepinii (Desm.) Steyaert] (Amphisphaeriales, Ascomycota). Re-inoculation of conidia on healthy gametophytes conducted to their necrosis and death. The percentages of spore germination were initially higher in unsterilized cultures, suggesting that disinfection protocol may have affected spore germination. This is the first report of Pestalotiopsis maculans on the sporophytes of Lygodium venustum. The information that emerges from our work could be useful for the biocontrol of other species of Lygodium, considered weeds in other regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sporothrix globosa (S. globosa) is an agricultural activity-related but neglected pathogenic fungus responsible for sporotrichosis. Timely detection is crucial for managing and preventing its spread. However, due to the lack of efficient recognition elements for enriching S. globosa , the current approaches for detecting S. globosa are not simple and/or sensitive enough. This hinders their wider application of fast screening. Herein, we successfully prepared immunoglobulin Y (IgY) targeting S. globosa , and developed a rapid and accurate detection method, improving upon current limited and inadequate detection approaches. Our method combined the use of IgY and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to enhance detection sensitivity and specificity simultaneously. The IgY was fabricated on magnetic beads to specifically concentrate S. globosa in samples, while LAMP amplified the captured target after simple boiling DNA extraction. By using our method, as low as 4.66 × 102 Cells mL−1 S. globosa was accurately detected in soil and corn straw samples. We further integrated this assay into a portable toolbox for sample-to-result detection in resource-limited areas. By using this toolbox, we have colorimetrically detected soil and corn straw samples contaminated by S. globosa , suggesting the promising on-site detection potential. A new IgY recognizing S. globosa was prepared. Through the combination of IgY enrichment and LAMP amplification, the detection sensitivity and specificity were improved simultaneously. This method eliminated thermal cycling, simplified the operation, and reduced the analysis time. Compared to existing methods, our approach is more suitable for on-site detection and can significantly improve public health responses to sporotrichosis outbreaks. [Display omitted] • We present a detection assay for Sporothrix globosa , a neglected fungal pathogen. • We prepared a new IgY to specifically recognize Sporothrix globosa. • Combination of IgY and LAMP enhanced both detection sensitivity and specificity. • Assay's performance was verified by testing soil and corn straw samples. • Sample-to-result assay was integrated into a portable toolbox for on-site detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi belong to the major plant pathogens and investigation of plant resistance genes is a quite important task. During the last years many wheat resistance genes were identified. However, the sequencing of the Triticum aestivum L. genome is still going on and the nucleotide sequences of most resistance genes are not yet known. In addition, the study of allelic variants of resistance genes is important for better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of their action. In this paper we present an information resource for accumulation of data on sequenced genes of wheat and its relatives providing resistance against diseases caused by fungal pathogens. The database (Pathogenesis-Related Genes, PRG) contains information on gene chromosomal localizations and functional activities, nucleotide sequences and single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with their effects. PRG provides data on the proteins encoded, pathogens and diseases, as well as on the resistance gene expression patterns in response to pathogen inoculations, exposure to hormones and various external stimuli. It also has cross-references with related entries from the databases on nucleotide sequences (GenBank) and proteins (UniProt). Information entered into the database is a result of the annotation of scientific publications and manual curation. Currently PRG compiles data on 75 allelic variants of 66 resistance genes. The PRG database was developed on the basis of the SRS (Sequence Retrieval System) platform. This system allows the use of complex queries and visualization tools and automatically generates www-interface with the information in table or text formats. PRG may be useful for researchers studying plant biology or breeding new plant cultivars resistant to fungal diseases. It is available at the address: http://srs6.bionet.nsc.ru/srs6bin/cgi-bin/wgetz?-page+top+-newId.