Application of Low-Fermenting Yeast Lachancea thermotolerans for the Control of Toxigenic Fungi Aspergillus parasiticus, Penicillium verrucosum and Fusarium graminearum and Their Mycotoxins

Volatilome of the maize phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium verticillioides: potential applications in diagnosis and biocontrol

BACKGROUND

Fusarium verticillioides is a maize fungal phytopathogen and a producer of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fumonisin B1 (FB1). Our aim was to study the volatilome, conidial production, ergosterol and FB1 biosynthesis in maize cultures over a 30-day incubation period (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 days post inoculation [DPI]). The effect of pure VOCs on the same parameters was then evaluated to study their potential role as biocontrol agents.

RESULTS

In total, 91 VOCs were detected, with volatile profiles being more similar between 5 and 10 DPI compared with 15, 20, 25 and 30 DPI. Ergosterol content increased steadily with incubation time, and three growth stages were identified: a lag phase (0 to 15 DPI), an exponential phase (15 to 20 DPI) and a stationary phase (20 to 30 DPI). The maximum concentration of FB1 was detected at 25 (0.030 μg FB1/μg ergosterol) and 30 DPI (0.037 μg FB1/μg ergosterol), whereas conidial production showed a maximum value at 15 DPI (4.3 ± 0.2 × 105 conidia/μg ergosterol). Regarding pure VOCs, minimal inhibitory concentration values ranged from 0.3 mm for 4-hexen-3-one to 7.4 mm for 2-undecanone. Pure VOCs reduced radial growth, conidial production and ergosterol and FB1 biosynthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

The marked resemblance between VOC profiles at 5 and 10 DPI suggests that they could act as early indicators of fungal contamination, particularly 4-ethylguaiacol, 4-ethyl-2-methoxyanisole, heptanol and heptyl acetate. On the other hand, their role as inhibitors of fungal growth and FB1 biosynthesis prove their great potential as safer alternatives to control phytopathogenic fungi. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Epiphytic Yeasts from South Romania for Preventing Food Microbial Contamination

Epiphytic yeasts represent an important source for the development of novel strategies aiming to combat food microbial contamination. The present study deals with the characterization of nine yeast strains belonging to Starmerella, Candida, Metschinikowia, Lachancea, Kodamaea and Pichia genera, isolated from the surface of plants from the Botanical Garden "Dimitrie Brandza" (Bucharest, Romania) for use as antimicrobial and probiotic agents. The tests involved the determination of the safe status, cell growth under stress conditions, and activity against pathogenic Candida and bacteria strains, respectively, as well as phytopathogenic filamentous fungi and lipolytic activity. None of the nine strains showed all the characteristics for virulence and pathogenicity, with the rare positive results being explained rather by their adaptability to the habitats of origin. The strains Lachancea thermotolerans CMGB-ST12 and Kodamaea ohmeri CMGB-ST19 grew at 37 °C; Metschnikowia reukaufii CMGB-ST21.2, M. reukaufii CMGB-ST.8.1 and M. reukaufii CMGB ST10 grew in the presence of 10% NaCl, while L. thermotolerans CMGB-ST12 and K. ohmeri CMGB-ST19 tolerated both acidic and alkaline pH values well (3.0 to 12.0). The studied yeast strains showed good antimicrobial activity against Candida krusei, Candida albicans and Gram-negative bacterial strains, with K. ohmeri CMGB-ST19 and Pichia membranaefaciens CMGB-ST53 inhibiting up to 100% the development of filamentous fungi. All the strains produced lipases for tributyrin hydrolysis, the best producer being Starmerella bombi CMGB-ST1, and only Candida magnoliae CMGB-ST8.2 tested positive against other probiotic yeasts. Overall, our nine yeast strains show high potential for industrial applications, for obtaining probiotic products and for preventing the development of a wide range of microbial food contaminants.

Effects of climate change on the distribution of Fusarium spp. in Italy

This work studies the incidence of Fusarium spp. on wheat kernels about current and future climatic conditions in Italy. Epidemiological analyses were performed from 2007 to 2013 and the resulting dataset was used to find correlations between the disease incidence of five important Fusarium species monitored in Italy (Fusarium graminearum, F. langsethiae, F. sporotrichioides, F. poae and F. avenaceum) and climatic and geographical parameters. Probabilistic-based modelling of the actual distribution of Fusarium spp. was achieved by using the Zero-inflated Poisson regression. The probabilistic geographical distribution of the Fusarium species was assessed by applying future climatic scenarios (RCPs 4.5 and 8.5). The shift from current to future climatic scenarios highlighted changes on a national and regional scale. The tightening of environmental conditions from the RCP4.5 to 8.5 scenarios resulted in a sporadic presence of F. avenaceum only in the northern region of Italy. Fusarium graminearum was plentifully present in the current climate, but the tightening of minimum and maximum temperatures and the decrease of precipitation between May-June in the RCP8.5 no longer represents the optimum conditions for it. Fusarium langsethiae was currently distributed in all of Italy, showing an increase in the probability of detecting it by moving from high to low latitudes and from low to high longitudes in the RCP8.5. Fusarium poae, unlike other Fusarium species, grows and develops in arid climatic conditions. High values of F. poae were recorded at low latitudes and longitudes. Under the RCP scenarios, it showed high incidence probabilities in the southeast and northeast areas of Italy. Fusarium sporotrichioides is scarcely present in Italy, found at high latitudes and in the central areas. Climate change altered this distribution, and the chances of discovering it increased significantly moving to southern Italy. Overall, the study shows that climate change conditions are likely to lead to an increase in the incidence of Fusarium species on wheat kernels in Italy, highlighting the importance of developing strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on wheat production, quality, and safety.

Perfume Guns: Potential of Yeast Volatile Organic Compounds in the Biological Control of Mycotoxin-Producing Fungi

Pathogenic fungi in the genera Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Gloeosporium, Monilinia, Mucor, Penicillium, and Rhizopus are the most common cause of pre- and postharvest diseases of fruit, vegetable, root and grain commodities. Some species are also able to produce mycotoxins, secondary metabolites having toxic effects on human and non-human animals upon ingestion of contaminated food and feed. Synthetic fungicides still represent the most common tool to control these pathogens. However, long-term application of fungicides has led to unacceptable pollution and may favour the selection of fungicide-resistant mutants. Microbial biocontrol agents may reduce the incidence of toxigenic fungi through a wide array of mechanisms, including competition for the ecological niche, antibiosis, mycoparasitism, and the induction of resistance in the host plant tissues. In recent years, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been proposed as a key mechanism of biocontrol. Their bioactivity and the absence of residues make the use of microbial VOCs a sustainable and effective alternative to synthetic fungicides in the management of postharvest pathogens, particularly in airtight environments. In this review, we will focus on the possibility of applying yeast VOCs in the biocontrol of mycotoxigenic fungi affecting stored food and feed.

Occurrence of Mycotoxins and Toxigenic Fungi in Cereals and Application of Yeast Volatiles for Their Biological Control

Fungal infections in cereals lead to huge economic losses in the food and agriculture industries. This study was designed to investigate the occurrence of toxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins in marketed cereals and explore the effect of the antagonistic yeast Cyberlindnera jadinii volatiles against key toxigenic fungal strains. Aspergillus spp. were the most frequent contaminating fungi in the cereals, with an isolation frequency (Fr) of 100% in maize, followed by wheat (88.23%), rice (78.57%) and oats (14.28%). Morphological and molecular identification confirmed the presence of key toxigenic fungal strains in cereal samples, including A. carbonarius, A. flavus, A. niger, A. ochraceus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxins (AFs) were detected in all types of tested cereal samples, with a significantly higher level in maize compared to wheat, rice, oats and breakfast cereals. Ochratoxin A (OTA) was only detected in wheat, rice and maize samples. Levels of mycotoxins in cereals were within EU permissible limits. The volatiles of Cyberlindnera jadinii significantly inhibited the growth of A. parasiticus, A. niger and P. verrucosum. The findings of this study confirm the presence of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in cereals within the EU permissible limits and the significant biocontrol ability of Cyberlindnera jadinii against these toxigenic fungi.

Invited review: Remediation strategies for mycotoxin control in feed

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of different species of fungi. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) are the main mycotoxins contaminating animal feedstuffs. These mycotoxins can primarily induce hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, consequently cause adverse effects on the health and performance of animals. Therefore, physical, chemical, biological and nutritional regulation approaches have been developed as primary strategies for the decontamination and detoxification of these mycotoxins in the feed industry. Meanwhile, each of these techniques has its drawbacks, including inefficient, costly, or impractically applied on large scale. This review summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the different remediation strategies, as well as updates of the research progress of these strategies for AFB1, DON, ZEN and FB1 control in the feed industry.

Prevalence of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in Arabic coffee (Coffea arabica): Protective role of traditional coffee roasting, brewing and bacterial volatiles

Fungal infection and synthesis of mycotoxins in coffee leads to significant economic losses. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of toxigenic fungi, their metabolites, and the effect of traditional roasting and brewing on ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxins (AFs) contents of naturally contaminated coffee samples. In addition, in vivo biocontrol assays were performed to explore the antagonistic activities of Bacillus simplex 350–3 (BS350-3) on the growth and mycotoxins synthesis of Aspergillus ochraceus and A. flavus. The relative density of A. niger, A. flavus, Penicillium verrucosum and A. carbonarius on green coffee bean was 60.82%, 7.21%, 3.09% and 1.03%, respectively. OTA contents were lowest in green coffee beans (2.15 μg/kg), followed by roasted (2.76 μg/kg) and soluble coffee (8.95 μg/kg). Likewise, AFs levels were highest in soluble coffee (90.58 μg/kg) followed by roasted (33.61 μg/kg) and green coffee (9.07 μg/kg). Roasting naturally contaminated coffee beans at three traditional methods; low, medium and high, followed by brewing resulted in reduction of 58.74% (3.50 μg/kg), 60.88% (3.72 μg/kg) and 64.70% (4.11 μg/kg) in OTA and 40.18% (34.65 μg/kg), 47.86% (41.17 μg/kg) and 62.38% (53.73 μg/kg) AFs contents, respectively. Significant inhibitions of AFs and OTA synthesis by A. flavus and A. carbonarius, respectively, on infected coffee beans were observed in presence of Bacillus simplex BS350-3 volatiles. Gas chromatography mass spectrochemistry (GC-MS/MS) analysis of head-space BS350-3 volatiles showed quinoline, benzenemethanamine and 1-Octadecene as bioactive antifungal molecules. These findings suggest that marketed coffee samples are generally contaminated with OTA and AFs, with a significant level of roasted and soluble coffee contaminated above EU permissible limits for OTA. Further, along with coffee roasting and brewing; microbial volatiles can be optimized to minimize the dietary exposure to mycotoxins.

Research advance in gas detection of volatile organic compounds released in rice quality deterioration process

Rice quality deterioration will cause grievous waste of stored grain and various food safety problems. Gas detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by deterioration is a nondestructive detection method to judge rice quality and alleviate rice spoilage. This review discussed the research advance of VOCs detection in terms of nondestructive detection methods of rice quality deterioration, applications of VOCs in grain detection, inspection of characteristic gas produced during rice spoilage, rice deterioration prevention and control, and detection of VOCs released by rice mildew and insect attack. According to the main causes of rice quality deterioration and major sources of VOCs with off-odor generated during rice storage, deterioration can be divided into mold and insect infection. The results of literature manifested that researches mainly focused on the infection of Aspergillus in the mildew process and the attack of certain pests in recent years, thus the research scope was limited. In this paper, the gas detection methods combined with the chemometrics to qualitatively analyze the VOCs, as well as the correlation with the number of colonies and insects were further studied based on the common dominant strains during rice mildew, that is, Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi, and the common pests during storage, that is, Sitophilus oryzae and Rhyzopertha dominica. Furthermore, this paper pointed out that the quantitative determination of characteristic VOCs, the numeration relationship between VOCs and the degree of mildew and insect infestation, the further expansion of detection range, and the application of degraded rice should be the spotlight of future research.

Mycotoxins Biocontrol Methods for Healthier Crops and Stored Products

Contamination of crops with phytopathogenic genera such as Fusarium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Penicillium usually results in mycotoxins in the stored crops or the final products (bread, beer, etc.). To reduce the damage and suppress the fungal growth, it is common to add antifungal substances during growth in the field or storage. Many of these antifungal substances are also harmful to human health and the reduction of their concentration would be of immense importance to food safety. Many eminent researchers are seeking a way to reduce the use of synthetic antifungal compounds and to implement more eco-friendly and healthier bioweapons against fungal proliferation and mycotoxin synthesis. This paper aims to address the recent advances in the effectiveness of biological antifungal compounds application against the aforementioned fungal genera and their species to enhance the protection of ecological and environmental systems involved in crop growing (water, soil, air) and to reduce fungicide contamination of food derived from these commodities.

Biocontrol Activity of Bacillus megaterium BM344-1 against Toxigenic Fungi

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of some fungal species and represent important contaminants of food and feed. This study aimed to explore the biological control activity of Bacillus megaterium BM344-1 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on the growth and mycotoxin production of single representatives of the toxigenic species Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus carbonarius, Penicillium verrucosum, and Fusarium verticillioides. In vitro co-incubation experiments indicated the P. verrucosum isolate as the most sensitive one, with a growth inhibition ratio of 66.7%, followed by A. flavus (29.4%) and F. verticillioides (18.2%). Exposure of A. flavus, P. verrucosum, and F. verticillioides to BM344-1 VOCs resulted in complete inhibition of aflatoxins (AFB₁, AFG₁, and AFG₂), ochratoxin A, and fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) synthesis on artificial media, respectively. In vivo experiments on maize kernels showed 51% inhibition of fungal growth on ears simultaneously infected with A. flavus spores and exposed to BM344-1 volatiles. Likewise, AF synthesis by A. flavus was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited (25.34 ± 6.72 μg/kg) by bacterial volatiles as compared to that in control maize ears (91.81 ± 29.10 μg/kg). Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based analysis of headspace volatiles revealed hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (palmitic acid) and tetracosane as bioactive compounds in the BM344-1 volatilome. Bacterial volatiles have promising potential to control the growth and mycotoxin synthesis of toxigenic fungi and may present valuable aid in the efforts to warrant food and feed safety.

Novel Prosopis juliflora leaf ethanolic extract as natural antimicrobial agent against food spoiling microorganisms

Fresh produces spoilage is a worldwide concern that accompany the global increase in food demand. Adverse human health and environmental effects of commercial spoilage control agents are major public concern. In this study, Prosopis juliflora leaves and fruit extracts had their antimicrobial activities evaluated against the growth of selected bacteria and yeast, and against mycelial growth and conidial germination of selected mycotoxins-producing fungi. P. juliflora water-soluble leaf ethanolic (PJ-WS-LE) extract with its novel extraction method showed the strongest antibacterial activity. Antimicrobial tests showed total inhibition of Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria alternata, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans with MICs ranging between 0.125 and 1 mg/ml. Percent inhibition of mycelial growth (PIMG) of the extract was also determined against seven other fungal strains with highest value against Geotrichum candidum (66.2%). Even the least affected fungal strain showed alterations in their hyphae and spores exposed to PJ-WS-LE extract when observed using scanning electron microscope (SEM), alterations include exfoliated flakes, pores, vacuolation and applanation. Small-scale fruit bioassays controlled experiment showed high efficacy of the extract in protecting inoculated cherry tomato samples from B. cinerea and A. alternata infections. In conclusion, PJ-WS-LE extract is a feasible, natural antifungal agent that can replace common anti-spoiling chemicals.

Isolation of a Novel Kluyveromyces marxianus Strain QKM-4 and Evidence of Its Volatilome Production and Binding Potentialities in the Biocontrol of Toxigenic Fungi and Their Mycotoxins

To overcome the economic losses associated with fungi and their toxic metabolites, environmentally safe and efficient approaches are needed. To this end, biological control using yeasts and safe bacterial strains and their products are being explored to replace synthetic fungicides. In the present study, the biocontrol effect of a yeast strain of Kluyveromyces marxianus, QKM-4, against the growth and mycotoxin synthesis potential of key toxigenic fungi was evaluated. In vitro assays were performed to find the application of yeast volatile organic compounds (VOCs) against fungal contamination on important agricultural commodities. The removal of ochratoxin A (OTA) and deoxynivalenol (DON) by living and heat-inactivated yeast cells was also explored. VOCs produced by strain QKM-4 were able to significantly limit the fungal growth of 17 fungal species belonging to genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium. Yeast VOCs were able to reduce OTA biosynthesis potential of Penicillium verrucosum and Aspergillus carbonarius by 99.6 and 98.7%, respectively. In vivo application of QKM-4 VOCs against Fusarium oxysporum and A. carbonarius infection on tomatoes and grapes, respectively, determined a complete inhibition of fungal spore germination. GC/MS-based analysis of yeast VOCs identified long-chain alkanes, including nonadecane, eicosane, docosane, heptacosane, hexatriacontane, and tetracosane. In vitro testing of the mycotoxin-binding potential of the living and heat-inactivated QKM-4 cells showed a reduction of OTA and DON up to 58 and 49%, respectively, from artificially contaminated buffers. Our findings clearly demonstrate the strong antifungal potential of K. marxianus QKM-4 and propose this strain as a strong candidate for application in agriculture to safeguard food and feed products.

Fighting Fusarium Pathogens in the Era of Climate Change: A Conceptual Approach

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium pathogens is one of the most devastating fungal diseases of small grain cereals worldwide, substantially reducing yield quality and food safety. Its severity is increasing due to the climate change caused by weather fluctuations. Intensive research on FHB control methods has been initiated more than a decade ago. Since then, the environment has been rapidly changing at regional to global scales due to increasing anthropogenic emissions enhanced fertilizer application and substantial changes in land use. It is known that environmental factors affect both the pathogen virulence as well as plant resistance mechanisms. Changes in CO2 concentration, temperature, and water availability can have positive, neutral, or negative effects on pathogen spread depending on the environmental optima of the pathosystem. Hence, there is a need for studies of plant-pathogen interactions in current and future environmental context. Long-term monitoring data are needed in order to understand the complex nature of plants and its microbiome interactions. We suggest an holobiotic approach, integrating plant phyllosphere microbiome research on the ecological background. This will enable the development of efficient strategies based on ecological know-how to fight Fusarium pathogens and maintain sustainable agricultural systems.

Mycotoxin toxicity and residue in animal products: Prevalence, consumer exposure and reduction strategies - A review

Mycotoxin residues are transferred from feed to animal products, yet, less attention has been paid to it in developing countries. There is a need to find alternative alleviation material for reducing the impact of mycotoxin. This review is meant to elucidate different additives that can reduce mycotoxin residue in animal products in the world, especially in developing countries. There is evidence of relationship between mycotoxin residue in breast milk of nursing mothers and mycotoxin exposure through crop and animal product (egg and milk) intake, especially in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Latin America, and some parts of Europe. Younger livestock tends to have more toxin residues in their tissue compared to older ones. Grazing animal are also exposed to mycotoxin intake which corresponds to high level of mycotoxins in their products including meat and milk. This review shows that phytogenic, probiotic, and prebiotic additives can decrease mycotoxin residues in milk, eggs, meat liver and other tissues of livestock. Specifically, bentonites, difructose anhydride III, yeast (Trichosporon mycotoxinivorans), Bacillus spp., or their biodegradable products can reduce mycotoxin residue in animal products. In addition, Ally isothiocyanates from mustard seed were able to mitigate mycotoxins in silo-simulated system. Evidence shows that there are now low-cost, accessible, and eco-friendly additives, which could alleviate the effect of mycotoxin in feed and food. In addition, there is need for aggressive public awareness and farmers' education on the prevalence, and danger caused by mycotoxins, as well as detoxification strategies that can reduce toxin absorption into animal products.

In-vitro Application of a Qatari Burkholderia cepacia strain (QBC03) in the Biocontrol of Mycotoxigenic Fungi and in the Reduction of Ochratoxin A biosynthesis by Aspergillus carbonarius

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain filamentous fungi, causing human and animal health issues upon the ingestion of contaminated food and feed. Among the safest approaches to the control of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxin detoxification is the application of microbial biocontrol agents. Burkholderiacepacia is known for producing metabolites active against a broad number of pathogenic fungi. In this study, the antifungal potential of a Qatari strain of Burkholderia cepacia (QBC03) was explored. QBC03 exhibited antifungal activity against a wide range of mycotoxigenic, as well as phytopathogenic, fungal genera and species. The QBC03 culture supernatant significantly inhibited the growth of Aspergillus carbonarius, Fusarium culmorum and Penicillium verrucosum in PDA medium, as well as A. carbonarius and P. verrucosum biomass in PDB medium. The QBC03 culture supernatant was found to dramatically reduce the synthesis of ochratoxin A (OTA) by A. carbonarius, in addition to inducing mycelia malformation. The antifungal activity of QBC03’s culture extract was retained following thermal treatment at 100 °C for 30 min. The findings of the present study advocate that QBC03 is a suitable biocontrol agent against toxigenic fungi, due to the inhibitory activity of its thermostable metabolites.

Effective Biopesticides and Biostimulants to Reduce Aflatoxins in Maize Fields

The presence of ear rots in maize caused by Aspergillus flavus that are also associated with the production of aflatoxins has evolved into an increasing problem over the last few years. Since no commercial biological control products are still available to control A. flavus in maize in Europe, this study targets to the evaluation of six biopesticides/biostimulants (Botector®, Mycostop®, Serenade Max®, Trianum®, Vacciplant®, and zeolite) for the control of A. flavus and the derived aflatoxins in in vitro and maize field bioassays. Mycostop®, Serenade Max®, Vacciplant®, and zeolite reduced significantly A. flavus conidia production by 38.8–63.1%, and most of them were able to reduce aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production in laboratory studies. Mycostop®, Trianum®, and Botector® were effective in reducing AFB1, in vitro. In the field, Mycostop® and Botector® treatments resulted in significant reduction of the disease severity (16.5 and 21.9%, respectively) and decreased significantly AFB1 content in maize kernels by 43.05 and 43.09%, respectively. For the first time, these results demonstrated the potential of commercial non-chemical products to suppress disease symptoms and aflatoxin content caused by A. flavus in maize under laboratory and field conditions.

Candida utilis ATCC 9950 Cell Walls and β(1,3)/(1,6)-Glucan Preparations Produced Using Agro-Waste as a Mycotoxins Trap

Mycotoxins are harmful contaminants of food and feed worldwide. Feed additives with the abilities to trap mycotoxins are considered substances which regulate toxin transfer from feed to tissue, reducing its absorption in animal digestive tract. Market analysis emphasizes growing interest of feed producers in mycotoxins binders obtained from yeast biomass. The aim of the study was to prescreen cell walls (CW) and β(1,3)/(1,6)-glucan (β-G) preparations isolated from Candida utilis ATCC 9950 cultivated on waste potato juice water with glycerol as adsorbents for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), T-2 toxin (T-2) and fumonisin B1 (FB1). The adsorption was studied in single concentration tests at pH 3.0 and 6.0 in the presence of 1% of the adsorbent and 500 ng/mL of individual toxin. Evaluated CW and β-G preparations had the potential to bind ZEN, OTA and AFB1 rather than DON, NIV, T-2 toxin and FB1. The highest percentage of adsorption (about 83%), adsorption capacity (approx. 41 µg/ g preparation) and distribution coefficient (458.7mL/g) was found for zearalenone when CW preparation was used under acidic conditions. Higher protein content in CW and smaller particles sizes of the formulation could influence more efficient binding of ZEN, OTA, DON and T-2 toxin at appropriate pH compared to purified β-G. Obtained results show the possibility to transform the waste potato juice water into valuable Candida utilis ATCC 9950 preparation with mycotoxins adsorption properties. Further research is important to improve the binding capacity of studied preparations by increasing the active surface of adsorption.

Ochratoxin A suppresses proliferation of Sertoli and Leydig cells in mice

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin originating from Penicillium and Aspergillus. In addition to toxic effects in various tissues and cells, including neurons, immune cells, hepatocytes, and nephrons, it also causes carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. Although the negative effects of OTA with respect to the pathogenesis of diseases and the malfunction of various organs have been studied widely, the biological signaling mechanisms in testicular cells are less well known. Therefore, we determined the hazardous effect of OTA in two types of testicular cells: TM3 (mouse Leydig cells) and TM4 (mouse Sertoli cells). Treatment with OTA led to a significant decrease in the proliferation of both cell lines, as revealed by an increased proportion of cells in the sub-G1 phase. In addition, the phosphorylation of signaling molecules belonging to the PI3K (Akt, P70S6K, and S6) and MAPK (ERK1/2 and JNK) pathways was regulated by OTA in a dose-dependent manner in TM3 and TM4 cells. Furthermore, the combination treatment of OTA and signaling inhibitors (LY294002, U0126, or SP600125) exerted synergistic antiproliferative effects in TM3 and TM4 cells. OTA also reduced the concentration of calcium ions in the cytosol and mitochondria, which disrupted the calcium homeostasis necessary for maintaining the normal physiological functions of testicular cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrate the mechanism underlying the antiproliferative effects of OTA in mouse testicular cells. Exposure to OTA may result in abnormal sperm maturation and the failure of spermatogenesis, which leads to male infertility.

Lachancea yeast species: Origin, biochemical characteristics and oenological significance

The genus Lachancea, first proposed in 2003, currently comprises 12 valid species, all found to have eight chromosomes. Lachancea spp. occupy a myriad of natural and anthropic habitats, and their geographic as well as ecological origin have been identified as key drivers in the genetic variations amongst strains of several of the species. Lachancea thermotolerans is the type species of the genus and also the most widely explored, especially for its role in fermentation environments. Indeed, L. thermotolerans is desired for its ability to acidify beer and wine through the production of lactic acid, and to enhance aroma and flavor through increased production of various compounds. Similarly, L. fermentati has been characterized for its potential contribution to the chemical composition of these beverages, albeit to a lesser extent, while other species have received little attention. Overall, members of the genus Lachancea form part of the microbiomes in many fermentation ecosystems and contribute directly or indirectly to the modulation of aroma and flavor of different products. The current review provides an overview of this genus, including the latest reports on the genetic and biochemical characteristics of member species, as well as their biotechnological potential.