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Wirth F, Staudt KJ, Araújo BV, Ishida K. Experimental models for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of antifungals used in cryptococcosis treatment. Future Microbiol 2022; 17:969-982. [PMID: 35694892 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2021-0291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on cryptococcosis in the mammal animal model have demonstrated the occurrence of central nervous system infection and similarities in fungal pathogenicity with clinical and immunological features of the human infection. Although there is still a lack of studies involving pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) in animal models of cryptococcosis in the literature, these experimental models are useful for understanding this mycosis and antifungal effectiveness in improving the therapeutic schemes. The scope of this review is to describe and discuss the main mammal animal models for PK and PD studies of antifungals used in cryptococcosis treatment. Alternative models and computational methods are also addressed. All approaches for PK/PD studies are relevant to investigating drug-infection interaction and improving cryptococcosis therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Wirth
- Laboratory of Antifungal Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Keli J Staudt
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Post-Graduation Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Bibiana V Araújo
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Post-Graduation Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Kelly Ishida
- Laboratory of Antifungal Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
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Oliveira LSDS, Pinto LM, de Medeiros MAP, Toffaletti DL, Tenor JL, Barros TF, Neves RP, Neto RGDL, Milan EP, Padovan ACB, Rocha WPDS, Perfect JR, Chaves GM. Comparison of Cryptococcus gattii/ neoformans Species Complex to Related Genera ( Papiliotrema and Naganishia) Reveal Variances in Virulence Associated Factors and Antifungal Susceptibility. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:642658. [PMID: 34277464 PMCID: PMC8281300 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.642658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is an infectious disease of worldwide distribution, caused by encapsulated yeasts belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota. The genus Cryptococcus includes several species distributed around the world. The C. gattii/neoformans species complex is largely responsible for most cases of cryptococcosis. However, clinical series have been published of infections caused by Papiliotrema (Cryptococcus) laurentii and Naganishia albida (Cryptococcus albidus), among other related genera. Here, we examined the pathogenic potential and antifungal susceptibility of C. gattii/neoformans species complex (clades I and II) and related genera (Papiliotrema and Naganishia) isolated from environmental and clinical samples. P. laurentii (clade III), N. liquefasciens/N. albidosimilis (clade IV); and N. adeliensis/N. albida (clade V) strains produced higher levels of phospholipase and hemolysins, whereas the C. gattii/neoformans species complex strains (clades I and II) had markedly thicker capsules, produced more biofilm biomass and melanin, which are known virulence attributes. Interestingly, 40% of C. neoformans strains (clade II) had MICs above the ECV established for this species to amphotericin B. Several non-C. gattii/neoformans species complex (clades III to V) had MICs equal to or above the ECVs established for C. deuterogattii and C. neoformans for all the three antifungal drugs tested. Finally, all the non-C. gattii/neoformans clinical isolates (clades III to V) produced more melanin than the environmental isolates might reflect their particularly enhanced need for melanin during in vivo protection. It is very clear that C. gattii/neoformans species complex (clades I and II) strains, in general, show more similar virulence phenotypes between each other when compared to non-C. gattii/neoformans species complex (clades III to V) isolates. These observations together with the fact that P. laurentii and Naganishia spp. (clades III to V) strains were collected from the outside of a University Hospital, identify features of these yeasts important for environmental and patient colonization and furthermore, define mechanisms for infections with these uncommon pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Sarita de Souza Oliveira
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Mycology, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Luciana Magalhães Pinto
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Mycology, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Mariana Araújo Paulo de Medeiros
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Mycology, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Dena L Toffaletti
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jennifer L Tenor
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Tânia Fraga Barros
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | | | - Eveline Pipolo Milan
- Department of Infectology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | | | - John R Perfect
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Guilherme Maranhão Chaves
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Mycology, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
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Seleem NM, Abd El Latif HK, Shaldam MA, El-Ganiny A. Drugs with new lease of life as quorum sensing inhibitors: for combating MDR Acinetobacter baumannii infections. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2020; 39:1687-1702. [PMID: 32328851 PMCID: PMC7180647 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-020-03882-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains is a major health problem worldwide. There is an urgent need for novel strategies to combat bacterial infections caused by MDR strains like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Quorum sensing (QS) is a critical communication system in bacterial community controlling survival and virulence. The awareness of the importance of QS in bacterial infections has stimulated research to identify QS inhibitors (QSIs) to defeat microbes. In this study, four FDA-approved drugs (besides azithromycin as positive QSI) were tested for potential QS inhibition against clinical A. baumannii isolates and P. aeruginosa (PAO1) standard strain. The inhibitory effect of these drugs on virulence factors of both microbes has been investigated. The studied virulence factors include biofilm formation, twitching and swarming motilities, proteolytic enzyme production, and resistance to oxidative stress. The four tested drugs (erythromycin, levamisole, chloroquine, and propranolol) inhibited QS in Chromobacterium violaceum by 84, 72, 55.1, and 37.3%, respectively. They also significantly inhibited virulence factors in both PAO1 and A. baumannii at sub-inhibitory concentrations. These findings were confirmed by qRT-PCR and mice mortality test, where tested drugs highly repressed the expression of abaI gene and showed significantly improved mice survival rates. In addition, molecular docking studies against AbaI and AbaR proteins of QS system in A. baumannii revealed the potential inhibition of QS by tested drugs. Beside their known activities, the tested drugs could be given new life as QSIs to combat A. baumannii nosocomial infections (alone or in combination with antimicrobials).
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Affiliation(s)
- Noura M Seleem
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Hemat K Abd El Latif
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Moataz A Shaldam
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafr-elsheikh University, Kafr El Sheikh, 33516, Egypt
| | - Amira El-Ganiny
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt.
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Genotypic Diversity Is Independent of Pathogenicity in Colombian Strains of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in Galleria mellonella. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4030082. [PMID: 29976849 PMCID: PMC6162678 DOI: 10.3390/jof4030082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a potentially fatal opportunistic mycosis that affects the lungs and central nervous system. It has been suggested that certain strains of C. neoformans/C. gattii may have the potential to be more virulent according to the molecular type. This study aims to investigate the association between virulence in the G. mellonella model and genotypic diversity of Colombian clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans/C. gattii. A total of 33 clinical and 12 environmental isolates were selected according to their geographical origin and sequence types (STs). Pathogenicity was determined using the G. mellonella model, and the cell and capsular size before and after inoculation was determined. For C. neoformans, virulence in G. mellonella revealed that death occurred on average on day 6 (p < 0.05) and that ST5C, 6C, 25C and 71C were the most virulent. In C. gattii, death occurred at 7.3 days (p < 0.05), and ST47C, 58C, 75A and 106C were the most virulent. Capsular size increased for both species after passage in G. mellonella. In conclusion, the pathogenicity of Cryptococcus strains in the G. mellonella invertebrate model is independent of molecular type or pathogenicity factor, even within the same ST, but it is possible to find variable degrees of pathogenicity.
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Andrade-Silva LE, Ferreira-Paim K, Ferreira TB, Vilas-Boas A, Mora DJ, Manzato VM, Fonseca FM, Buosi K, Andrade-Silva J, Prudente BDS, Araujo NE, Sales-Campos H, da Silva MV, Júnior VR, Meyer W, Silva-Vergara ML. Genotypic analysis of clinical and environmental Cryptococcus neoformans isolates from Brazil reveals the presence of VNB isolates and a correlation with biological factors. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193237. [PMID: 29505557 PMCID: PMC5837091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal infections are mainly caused by members of the Cryptococcus neoformans species complex (molecular types VNI, VNII, VNB, VNIV and the AD hybrid VNIII). PCR of the mating type loci and MLST typing using the ISHAM-MLST consensus scheme were used to evaluate the genetic relationship of 102 (63 clinical and 39 environmental) C. neoformans isolates from Uberaba, Brazil and to correlate the obtained genotypes with clinical, antifungal susceptibility and virulence factor data. All isolates were mating type alpha. MLST identified 12 known and five new sequence types (ST). Fourteen STs were identified within the VNI isolates, with ST93 (57/102, 56%) and ST77 (19/102, 19%) being the most prevalent. From the nine VNII isolates previously identify by URA5-RFLP only four (ST40) were confirmed by MLST. The remaining five grouped within the VNB clade in the phylogenetic analysis corresponding to the sequence type ST504. Other two environmental isolates also grouped within VNB clade with the new sequence type ST527. The four VNII/ST40 isolates were isolated from CSF. The two VNIV sequence types (ST11 and ST160) were isolated from blood cultures. Two of six patients evaluated with more than one isolates had mixed infections. Amongst the VNI isolates 4 populations were identified, which showed differences in their susceptibility profiles, clinical outcome and virulence factors. These results reinforce that ST93 is the most prevalent ST in HIV-infected patients in the Southeastern region of Brazil. The finding of the VNB molecular type amongst environmental Brazilian isolates highlights that this genotype is not restricted to the African continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Euripedes Andrade-Silva
- Infectious Disease Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
- Clinical Pathology Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Kennio Ferreira-Paim
- Infectious Disease Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
- Clinical Pathology Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, The University of Sydney, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Anderson Vilas-Boas
- Infectious Disease Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Delio José Mora
- Infectious Disease Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
| | | | | | - Kelli Buosi
- Infectious Disease Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Juliana Andrade-Silva
- Infectious Disease Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
| | | | - Natalia Evelyn Araujo
- Infectious Disease Department, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, The University of Sydney, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
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[Molecular characterization of Cryptococcus neoformans isolates from HIV patients, Guayaquil, Ecuador]. BIOMEDICA 2017; 37:425-430. [PMID: 28968020 DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.v37i3.3322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Revised: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurocryptococcosis is an opportunistic fungal infection that represents a high cost in human lives and for the economy of countries. Its causative agent, the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complex, has a sexual and an asexual phase, four major serotypes and seven molecular varieties with phenotypic, clinical-epidemiological and antifungal susceptibility differences. OBJECTIVE To characterize by molecular methods clinical isolates of C. neoformans from Guayaquil, Ecuador. MATERIALS AND METHODS We determined mating types, serotypes and molecular varieties by PCR and RFLP in 27 yeast isolates previously identified as C. neoformans by conventional methods. The isolates were recovered from cerebrospinal fluid of HIV seropositive patients with neurological syndrome admitted at "Dr. José Daniel Rodríguez Maridueña" Hospital from December, 2013, to January, 2015. RESULTS We established a wide prevalence of C. neoformans serotype A, MATα and genotype VNI among the studied isolates. CONCLUSIONS These data are similar to those obtained in other countries and the first identified by molecular characterization in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Therefore, they constitute an important contribution to the knowledge on cryptococcosis in this country.
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Serafin CF, Paris AP, Paula CR, Simão RCG, Gandra RF. Repression of Proteases and Hsp90 Chaperone Expression Induced by an Antiretroviral in Virulent Environmental Strains of Cryptococcus neoformans. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2017; 73:583-589. [PMID: 27909750 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0900-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of the antiretroviral ritonavir on protease secretion in different strains of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from the environment and investigated the expression of heat shock protein (Hsp90), classically described virulence factors in other yeast in the presence of the same antiretroviral. The presence of the enzyme was detected by the formation of a degradation of the halo around the colonies. The results were classified as follows: level 1 (without proteases), level 2 (positive for proteases), and level 3 (strongly positive for proteases). Total protein extract isolated from the cell walls of the 12 strains incubated in the absence and presence of ritonavir (0.3125 mg mL-1) were resolved by SDS-PAGE and analyzed by Western blot assays using an antiserum against Hsp90 from Blastocladiella emersonii. All strains tested showed inhibition of proteinase activity in the presence of ritonavir at 0.3125 to 1.25 mg mL-1. High levels of Hsp90 were observed in the absence of ritonavir (0.3125 mg mL-1), except for the non-virulent control cells. In contrast, in the presence of the antiretroviral, a drastic reduction in the expression of the chaperone was observed. The data suggest that ritonavir, in addition to containing viral replication, could inhibit the expression of virulence factors in opportunistic yeast, as proteases and Hsp90. According to our current knowledge, this is the first time that the inhibition of Hsp90 by an antiretroviral was reported for environmental isolates of C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cleber Fernando Serafin
- Hospital Universitário do Oeste do Paraná, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná - UNIOESTE, Av Tancredo Neves, 3224, Cascavel, PR, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Paris
- Hospital Universitário do Oeste do Paraná, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná - UNIOESTE, Av Tancredo Neves, 3224, Cascavel, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Rita Cássia Garcia Simão
- Laboratório de Bioquímica Molecular, Centro de Ciências Médicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, UNIOESTE, Cascavel, PR, Brazil
| | - Rinaldo Ferreira Gandra
- Hospital Universitário do Oeste do Paraná, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná - UNIOESTE, Av Tancredo Neves, 3224, Cascavel, PR, Brazil.
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Ferreira-Paim K, Andrade-Silva L, Mora DJ, Lages-Silva E, Pedrosa AL, da Silva PR, Andrade AA, Silva-Vergara ML. Antifungal susceptibility, enzymatic activity, PCR-fingerprinting and ITS sequencing of environmental Cryptococcus laurentii isolates from Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Mycopathologia 2011; 174:41-52. [PMID: 22116628 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-011-9500-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2011] [Accepted: 10/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcus laurentii has been classically considered a saprophytic species, although several cases of human infection have been already reported. This study aimed to evaluate the phospholipase, proteinase and hemolysins activity, the antifungal susceptibility profile, the genetic variability by M13 and (GACA)(4) fingerprinting and the internal transcribe spacer (ITS) sequencing of 38 C. laurentii isolates recovered from captive bird droppings and surrounding hospital areas. All of them exhibited phospholipase activity, while the hemolytic activity was evidenced in 34 (89.4%) isolates. None of them exhibited proteinase activity. Twenty-seven isolates (71.1%) presented susceptibility dose dependent to fluconazole. Most isolates (94.7%) were susceptible to voriconazole, while one (2.65%) was resistant to this drug. Twenty-one (55.3%) isolates showed reduced susceptibility to itraconazole while nine (23.7%) were resistant. Three (7.9%) and five (13.1%) isolates exhibited resistance to ketoconazole and amphotericin B, respectively. Most C. laurentii fingerprinting obtained with M13 and (GACA)(4) showed high heterogeneity. By using the two primers, seven (18.4%) isolates grouped as A (CL2, CL7, and CL8), B (CL35, CL38) and C (CL29, CL30) with 100% similarity. Different from most variable surrounding hospital isolates, all but one of the pet shops strains clustered with the two primers, although they had been recovered from different neighborhoods. All isolates were identified as C. laurentii phylogenetic group I by ITS sequencing. Thus, the presence of virulence factors, a decreased antifungal susceptibility and a heterogeneous molecular pattern of the C. laurentii isolates here described suggests this species can be a potential pathogen in the context of the immunocompromised population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kennio Ferreira-Paim
- Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Postal Code 118, Uberaba, MG, 38001-170, Brazil.
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Sánchez M, Colom F. Extracellular DNase activity of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Rev Iberoam Micol 2010; 27:10-3. [PMID: 20167522 DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2009.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2009] [Revised: 10/21/2009] [Accepted: 11/30/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular DNase activity was studied in 73 strains of Cryptococcus neoformans and 12 strains of Cryptococcus gattii. DNase activity was measured by DNase agar clearance with and without Methyl Green. All strains tested showed extracellular DNase activity and no significant difference was found betweenC. neoformans and C. gattii strains. DNase production was higher in strains from clinical origin (average radius of 6.2 mm) than among environmental strains (average radius of 2.9 mm). The extracellular enzyme may be detected by DNA substrate PAGE assays and its molecular weight was estimated at 31 kD. These results suggest that extracellular DNase could be considered as a virulence factor involved in C. neoformans-C. gattii species complex pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Sánchez
- Grupo BSM (Biotecnología, Salud y Medio Ambiente), Departamento de Producción Vegetal y Microbiología, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain.
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