Effects of Five Filamentous Fungi Used in Food Processes on In Vitro and In Vivo Gut Inflammation

Fish Responses to Alternative Feeding Ingredients under Abiotic Chronic Stress

Aquaculture has become one of the most attractive food production activities as it provides high-quality protein for the growing human population. However, the abiotic chronic stress of fish in intensive fish farming leads to a detrimental condition that affects their health and somatic growth, comprising productive performance. This work aims to comprehensively review the impact of alternative and novel dietary protein sources on fish somatic growth, metabolism, and antioxidative capacity under environmental/abiotic stressors. The documental research indicates that ingredients from rendered animal by-products, insects, bacteria as single-cell proteins, and fungal organisms (e.g., yeast, filamentous fungus, and mushrooms) benefit fish health and performance. A set of responses allows fish growth, health, and survival to remain unaffected by feeding with alternative ingredients during chronic environmental stress. Those ingredients stimulate the production of enzymes such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and selenoproteins that counteract ROS effects. In addition, the humoral immune system promotes immunoglobulin production (IgM) and cortisol plasmatic reduction. Further investigation must be carried out to establish the specific effect by species. Additionally, the mixture and the pre-treatment of ingredients such as hydrolysates, solid fermentations, and metabolite extraction potentialize the beneficial effects of diets in chronically stressed fish.

New frontiers of soil fungal microbiome and its application for biotechnology in agriculture

The fungi-based technology provided encouraging scenarios in the transition from a conventionally based economic system to the potential security of sources closely associated with the agricultural sphere such as the agriculture. In recent years, the intensification of fungi-based processes has generated significant gains, additionally to the production of materials with significant benefits and strong environmental importance. Furthermore, the growing concern for human health, especially in the agriculture scenario, has fostered the investigation of organisms with high biological and beneficial potential for use in agricultural systems. Accordingly, this study offered a comprehensive review of the diversity of the soil fungal microbiome and its main applications in a biotechnological approach aimed at agriculture and food chain-related areas. Moreover, the spectrum of opportunities and the extensive optimization platform for obtaining fungi compounds and metabolites are discussed. Finally, future perspectives regarding the insurgency of innovations and challenges on the broad rise of visionary solutions applied to the biotechnology context are provided.

Core-predominant gut fungus Kazachstania slooffiae promotes intestinal epithelial glycolysis via lysine desuccinylation in pigs

BACKGROUND

Gut fungi are increasingly recognized as important contributors to host physiology, although most studies have focused on gut bacteria. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins play vital roles in cell metabolism. However, the contribution of gut fungi to host protein PTMs remains unclear. Mining gut fungi that mediate host protein PTMs and dissecting their mechanism are urgently needed.

RESULTS

We studied the gut fungal communities of 56 weaned piglets and 56 finishing pigs from seven pig breeds using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene amplicon sequencing and metagenomics. The results showed that Kazachstania slooffiae was the most abundant gut fungal species in the seven breeds of weaned piglets. K. slooffiae decreased intestinal epithelial lysine succinylation levels, and these proteins were especially enriched in the glycolysis pathway. We demonstrated that K. slooffiae promoted intestinal epithelial glycolysis by decreasing lysine succinylation by activating sirtuin 5 (SIRT5). Furthermore, K. slooffiae-derived 5'-methylthioadenosine metabolite promoted the SIRT5 activity.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide a landscape of gut fungal communities of pigs and suggest that K. slooffiae plays a crucial role in intestinal glycolysis metabolism through lysine desuccinylation. Our data also suggest a potential protective strategy for pigs with an insufficient intestinal energy supply. Video Abstract.

Effects of fungal based bioactive compounds on human health: Review paper

Since the first years of history, microbial fermentation products such as bread, wine, yogurt and vinegar have always been noteworthy regarding their nutritional and health effects. Similarly, mushrooms have been a valuable food product in point of both nutrition and medicine due to their rich chemical components. Alternatively, filamentous fungi, which can be easier to produce, play an active role in the synthesis of some bioactive compounds, which are also important for health, as well as being rich in protein content. Therefore, this review presents some important bioactive compounds (bioactive peptides, chitin/chitosan, β-glucan, gamma-aminobutyric acid, L-carnitine, ergosterol and fructooligosaccharides) synthesized by fungal strains and their health benefits. In addition, potential probiotic- and prebiotic fungi were researched to determine their effects on gut microbiota. The current uses of fungal based bioactive compounds for cancer treatment were also discussed. The use of fungal strains in the food industry, especially to develop innovative food production, has been seen as promising microorganisms in obtaining healthy and nutritious food.