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Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Hydrophobin, Sa-HFB1, with Antifungal Activity from an Alkaliphilic Fungus, Sodiomyces alkalinus. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8070659. [PMID: 35887416 PMCID: PMC9322931 DOI: 10.3390/jof8070659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The adaptations that alkaliphilic microorganisms have developed due to their extreme habitats promote the production of active natural compounds with the potential to control microorganisms, causing infections associated with healthcare. The primary purpose of this study was to isolate and identify a hydrophobin, Sa-HFB1, from an alkaliphilic fungus, Sodiomyces alkalinus. A potential antifungal effect against pathogenic and opportunistic fungi strains was determined. The MICs of Sa-HFB1 against opportunistic and clinical fungi ranged from 1 to 8 µg/mL and confirmed its higher activity against both non- and clinical isolates. The highest level of antifungal activity (MIC 1 µg/mL) was demonstrated for the clinical isolate Cryptococcus neoformans 297 m. The hydrophobin Sa-HFB1 may be partly responsible for the reported antifungal activity of S. alkalinus, and may serve as a potential source of lead compounds, meaning that it can be developed as an antifungal drug candidate.
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Bains W, Petkowski JJ, Seager S, Ranjan S, Sousa-Silva C, Rimmer PB, Zhan Z, Greaves JS, Richards AMS. Phosphine on Venus Cannot Be Explained by Conventional Processes. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1277-1304. [PMID: 34283644 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The recent candidate detection of ∼1 ppb of phosphine in the middle atmosphere of Venus is so unexpected that it requires an exhaustive search for explanations of its origin. Phosphorus-containing species have not been modeled for Venus' atmosphere before, and our work represents the first attempt to model phosphorus species in the venusian atmosphere. We thoroughly explore the potential pathways of formation of phosphine in a venusian environment, including in the planet's atmosphere, cloud and haze layers, surface, and subsurface. We investigate gas reactions, geochemical reactions, photochemistry, and other nonequilibrium processes. None of these potential phosphine production pathways is sufficient to explain the presence of ppb phosphine levels on Venus. If PH3's presence in Venus' atmosphere is confirmed, it therefore is highly likely to be the result of a process not previously considered plausible for venusian conditions. The process could be unknown geochemistry, photochemistry, or even aerial microbial life, given that on Earth phosphine is exclusively associated with anthropogenic and biological sources. The detection of phosphine adds to the complexity of chemical processes in the venusian environment and motivates in situ follow-up sampling missions to Venus. Our analysis provides a template for investigation of phosphine as a biosignature on other worlds.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bains
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Janusz J Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sukrit Ranjan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Clara Sousa-Silva
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Paul B Rimmer
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Zhuchang Zhan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jane S Greaves
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Anita M S Richards
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Sysoev M, Grötzinger SW, Renn D, Eppinger J, Rueping M, Karan R. Bioprospecting of Novel Extremozymes From Prokaryotes-The Advent of Culture-Independent Methods. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:630013. [PMID: 33643258 PMCID: PMC7902512 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.630013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Extremophiles are remarkable organisms that thrive in the harshest environments on Earth, such as hydrothermal vents, hypersaline lakes and pools, alkaline soda lakes, deserts, cold oceans, and volcanic areas. These organisms have developed several strategies to overcome environmental stress and nutrient limitations. Thus, they are among the best model organisms to study adaptive mechanisms that lead to stress tolerance. Genetic and structural information derived from extremophiles and extremozymes can be used for bioengineering other nontolerant enzymes. Furthermore, extremophiles can be a valuable resource for novel biotechnological and biomedical products due to their biosynthetic properties. However, understanding life under extreme conditions is challenging due to the difficulties of in vitro cultivation and observation since > 99% of organisms cannot be cultivated. Consequently, only a minor percentage of the potential extremophiles on Earth have been discovered and characterized. Herein, we present a review of culture-independent methods, sequence-based metagenomics (SBM), and single amplified genomes (SAGs) for studying enzymes from extremophiles, with a focus on prokaryotic (archaea and bacteria) microorganisms. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive list of extremozymes discovered via metagenomics and SAGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksim Sysoev
- KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Stefan W. Grötzinger
- KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dominik Renn
- KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jörg Eppinger
- KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, University Clinic, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Magnus Rueping
- KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, University Clinic, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ram Karan
- KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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