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Anelli P, Dall'Asta C, Cozzi G, Epifani F, Carella D, Scarpetta D, Brasca M, Moretti A, Susca A. Analysis of composition and molecular characterization of mycobiota occurring on surface of cheese ripened in Dossena's mine. Food Microbiol 2024; 123:104587. [PMID: 39038900 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2024.104587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Accurate identification of the fungal community spontaneously colonizing food products, aged in natural and not controlled environments, provides information about potential mycotoxin risk associated with its consumption. Autochthonous mycobiota colonizing cheese aging in Dossena mines, was investigated and characterized by two approaches: microbial isolations and metabarcoding. Microbial isolations and metabarcoding analysis were conducted on cheese samples, obtained by four batches, produced in four different seasons of the year, aged for 90 and 180 days, by five dairy farms. The two approaches, with different taxonomical resolution power, highlighted Penicillium biforme among filamentous fungi, collected from 58 out of 68 cheeses, and Debaryomyces hansenii among yeasts, as the most abundant species (31 ÷ 65%), none representing a health risk for human cheese consumption. Shannon index showed that the richness of mycobiota increases after 180 days of maturation. Beta diversity analysis highlighted significant differences in composition of mycobiota of cheese produced by different dairy farms and aged for different durations. Weak negative growth interaction between P. biforme and Aspergillus westerdijkiae by in vitro analysis was observed leading to hypothesize that a reciprocal control is possible, also affected by natural environmental conditions, possibly disadvantageous for the last species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Anelli
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (CNR-ISPA), via Amendola 122/0, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Chiara Dall'Asta
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 17/A, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cozzi
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (CNR-ISPA), via Amendola 122/0, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Filomena Epifani
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (CNR-ISPA), via Amendola 122/0, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Daria Carella
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (CNR-ISPA), via Amendola 122/0, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Davide Scarpetta
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (CNR-ISPA), Via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Milena Brasca
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (CNR-ISPA), Via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Moretti
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (CNR-ISPA), via Amendola 122/0, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Antonia Susca
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (CNR-ISPA), via Amendola 122/0, 70126 Bari, Italy.
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Wang G, Wu W, Keller NP, Guo X, Li E, Ma J, Xing F. Metarhizium spp. encode an ochratoxin cluster and a high efficiency ochratoxin-degrading amidohydrolase revealed by genomic analysis. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00308-4. [PMID: 39089618 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ochratoxins (OTs) are worldwide regulated mycotoxins contaminating a variety of food-environment and agro-environment. Several Aspergillus and Pencillium species synthesize OTs from a six-gene biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) to produce the highly toxic final product OTA. Although many studies on OTA-degrading enzymes were performed, high efficiency enzymes with strong stability are extremely needed, and the OTA degrading mechanism is poorly understood. OBJECTIVES The study aimed to explore the OT-degradation enzyme and investigate its degradation mechanisms in Metarhizium, which contain an OT biosynthetic gene cluster. METHODS Phylogenomic relationship combined with RNA expression analysis were used to explore the distribution of OT BGC in fungi. Bioactivity-guided isolation and protein mass spectrometry were conducted to trace the degrading enzymes in Metarhizium spp., and the enzymes were heterologously expressed in E. coli and verified by in vitro assays. Structure prediction and point mutation were performed to reveal the catalytic mechanism of MbAmh1. RESULTS Beyond Aspergillus and Pencillium species, three species of the distant phylogenetic taxon Metarhizium contain an expressed OT-like BGC but lack an otaD gene. Unexpectedly, no OT BGC products were found in some Metarhizium species. Instead, Metarhizium metabolized both OTA and OTB to their non-toxic degradation products. This activity of M. brunneum was attributed to an intracellular hydrolase MbAmh1, which was tracked by bioactivity-guided proteomic analysis combined with in vitro reaction. Recombinant MbAmh1 (5 μg/mL) completely degraded 1 μg/mL OTA within 3 min, demonstrating a strong degrading ability towards OTA. Additionally, MbAmh1 showed considerable temperature adaptability ranging from 30 to 70 °C and acidic pH stability ranging from 4.0 to 7.0. Identification of active sites supported the crucial role of metal iron for this enzymatic reaction. CONCLUSION These findings reveal different patterns of OT synthesis in fungi and provide a potential OTA degrading enzyme for industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Wenqing Wu
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300392, PR China.
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Xu Guo
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300392, PR China.
| | - Erfeng Li
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300392, PR China.
| | - Junning Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Fuguo Xing
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China.
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Sidhoum W, Dib S, Alim Y, Anseur S, Benlatreche S, Belaidouni ZM, Chamouma FEZ. Growth-promoting effects of Aspergillus Elegans and the dark septate endophyte (DSE) Periconia macrospinosa on cucumber. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:226. [PMID: 38642120 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03958-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Cucurbits are subject to a variety of stresses that limit their sustainable production, despite their important role in ensuring food security and nutrition. Plant stress tolerance can be enhanced through fungal endophytes. In this study, two endophytes isolated from wild plant roots, were tested to determine their effect on the growth promotion of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the designated isolates were Aspergillus elegans and Periconia macrospinosa. The results of the Plant Growth Promoting Fungal (PGPF) tests showed that both Aspergillus elegans and Periconia macrospinosa have a zinc solubilizing capacity, especially A. elegans, with a solubilization index higher than 80%. Also, both have a high salt tolerance (10-15% NaCl for P. macrospinosa and A. elegans, respectively), cellulolytic activity, and inhibition indices of 40-64.53%. A. elegans and P. macrospinosa had antagonistic effects against the cucumber phytopathogenic fungi Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporum, respectively. However, A. elegans and P. macrospinosa didn't exhibit certain potential plant benefits, such as the production of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and phosphate solubilization. The chlorophyll content and growth parameters of two-month-old cucumber plants inoculated with the fungal species were significantly better than those of the controls (non-inoculated); the shoot dry weights of inoculated plants were increased by 138% and 170% for A. elegans and P. macrospinosa, respectively; and the root colonization by fungal endophytes has also been demonstrated. In addition to the fact that P. macrospinosa has long been known as PGPF, this is the first time that the ability of A. elegans to modulate host plant growth has been demonstrated, with the potential to be used as a biofertilizer in sustainable agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warda Sidhoum
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Microorganismes et Biotechnologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, University Oran 1, Es Senia, 31100, Algerie.
- Département de Biologie, Université de Mostaganem Abdel Hamid Ibn Badis, Mostaganem, 27000, Algerie.
| | - Soulef Dib
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Microorganismes et Biotechnologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, University Oran 1, Es Senia, 31100, Algerie
| | - Yousra Alim
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Microorganismes et Biotechnologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, University Oran 1, Es Senia, 31100, Algerie
| | - Sarra Anseur
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Microorganismes et Biotechnologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, University Oran 1, Es Senia, 31100, Algerie
| | - Sabrina Benlatreche
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Microorganismes et Biotechnologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, University Oran 1, Es Senia, 31100, Algerie
| | | | - Fatiha El Zahra Chamouma
- Département de Biologie, Université de Mostaganem Abdel Hamid Ibn Badis, Mostaganem, 27000, Algerie
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Chen L, Li E, Wu W, Wang G, Zhang J, Guo X, Xing F. The Secondary Metabolites and Biosynthetic Diversity From Aspergillus ochraceus. Front Chem 2022; 10:938626. [PMID: 36092677 PMCID: PMC9452667 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.938626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus ochraceus, generally known as a food spoilage fungus, is the representative species in Aspergillus section Circumdati. A. ochraceus strains are widely distributed in nature, and usually isolated from cereal, coffee, fruit, and beverage. Increasing cases suggest A. ochraceus acts as human and animal pathogens due to producing the mycotoxins. However, in terms of benefits to mankind, A. ochraceus is the potential source of industrial enzymes, and has excellent capability to produce diverse structural products, including polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, diketopiperazine alkaloids, benzodiazepine alkaloids, pyrazines, bis-indolyl benzenoids, nitrobenzoyl sesquiterpenoids, and steroids. This review outlines recent discovery, chemical structure, biosynthetic pathway, and bio-activity of the natural compounds from A. ochraceus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- Comprehensive Utilization of Edible and Medicinal Plant Resources Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology of Natural Products, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources Research, Huanghe Science and Technology College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Erfeng Li
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenqing Wu
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Comprehensive Utilization of Edible and Medicinal Plant Resources Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology of Natural Products, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources Research, Huanghe Science and Technology College, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaqian Zhang
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xu Guo
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fuguo Xing
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Wang G, Li Y, Yang B, Li E, Wu W, Si P, Xing F. AwAreA Regulates Morphological Development, Ochratoxin A Production, and Fungal Pathogenicity of Food Spoilage Fungus Aspergillus westerdijkiae Revealed by an Efficient Gene Targeting System. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:857726. [PMID: 35432249 PMCID: PMC9009206 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.857726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus westerdijkiae, the producer of ochratoxin A (OTA), which is of worldwide concern, is an import fungal species in agriculture, food, and industry. Here, we got the uridine auxotrophic mutant of A. westerdijkiae by deleting AwpyrG. The ΔAwpyrG could be used for bio-transformation with exogenous AfpyrG expression cassette as a selection marker. In order to enhance the efficiency of gene targeting, Awku70 and Awlig4 were homologously deleted from ΔAwpyrG. The efficiencies of homologous replacement for ΔAwku70 and ΔAwlig4 were 95.7 and 87.0% in the deletion of AwAreA, respectively, demonstrating a drastic increase from 4.3% of the wild type (WT) strain. Furthermore, the function of AwAreA was identified with AwAreA deletion mutant and the control strain ΔAwku70. AwAreA regulated the growth and conidiation of A. westerdijkiae in response to nitrogen sources. The concentration of OTA for ΔAwku70 was in the range of 19.4 to 186.9 ng/cm2 on all kinds of nitrogen sources. The OTA production influenced by the deletion of AwAreA was different based on nitrogen sources. Pathogenicity assays on pears, grapes, salted meat, and cheese showed that AwAreA acted as a negative regulator in the infection of food substrates. Therefore, the genetic methods and engineered strains enable us to substantially expand the use of A. westerdijkiae, one of more than twenty OTA-producing fungi, in the study of mycotoxin biosynthesis and regulation, and consequently to aim at providing new ways for controlling this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bolei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Erfeng Li
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenqing Wu
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Peidong Si
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fuguo Xing
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Zhang J, Li L, Yang Y, Zhao C, Hu J, Xue X, Gao Q, Wang D, Zhuang Z, Zhang Y. Deletion and Overexpression of the AnOTAbzip Gene, a Positive Regulator of Ochratoxin A Biosynthesis in Aspergillus niger. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:2169-2178. [PMID: 35143724 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c08160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The ochratoxin A (OTA) biosynthetic gene cluster includes a bZIP transcription factor (TF) gene (OTAbzip) that has been identified in different fungal species. However, most previous studies identified the OTAbzip gene in ochratoxigenic fungi using bioinformatics methods, while few studies focused on deleting the gene, let alone overexpressing it, to characterize the function of the OTAbZIP TF. Here, we characterized the AnOTAbZIP TF in an ochratoxigenic isolate of Aspergillus niger by deleting and overexpressing the AnOTAbzip gene and examining the role of AnOTAbZIP in morphological development, OTA biosynthesis, and pathogenicity. Chemical and gene expression analyses revealed that AnOTAbZIP positively regulates OTA biosynthesis, since the loss of OTA production and the downregulation of the OTA biosynthetic genes were observed in the ΔAnOTAbzip strain, compared with the wild-type (WT) and OE::AnOTAbzip strains. In terms of pathogenicity, the ΔAnOTAbzip strain produced a greater lesion on grape berries, especially with respect to the OE::AnOTAbzip strain, rather than WT. Finally, the ΔAnOTAbzip strain was also more tolerant to oxidative stress with respect to the OE::AnOTAbzip and WT strains in that order. These new findings improve our understanding of the AnOTAbZIP regulatory mechanism and help develop strategies to attenuate plant pathogenicity and reduce OTA biosynthesis of A. niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Linlin Li
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Yan Yang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Chaofan Zhao
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Jiuju Hu
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Xianli Xue
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Depei Wang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Zhenhong Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
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D’Assumpcao C, Heidari A. Respiratory Failure With Aspergillus submaranianii and Lymphoplasmacystic Vasculitis. J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep 2022; 10:23247096221140260. [PMID: 36519697 PMCID: PMC9761212 DOI: 10.1177/23247096221140260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus subramanianii is a very rare form of Aspergillus in section Circumdati. Aspergillus subramanianii has been rarely reported or ever published. IgG4 disease is an emerging disease entity that can be a diagnostic challenge. We report a critically ill patient who had invasive A subramanianii pulmonary aspergillosis and posthumous diagnosis of IgG subclass 4 interstitial lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos D’Assumpcao
- Kern Medical–University of California,
Los Angeles, Bakersfield, CA, USA
| | - Arash Heidari
- Kern Medical–University of California,
Los Angeles, Bakersfield, CA, USA
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Gonçalves MFM, Hilário S, Tacão M, Van de Peer Y, Alves A, Esteves AC. Genome and Metabolome MS-Based Mining of a Marine Strain of Aspergillus affinis. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:1091. [PMID: 34947073 PMCID: PMC8709101 DOI: 10.3390/jof7121091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus section Circumdati encompasses several species that express both beneficial (e.g., biochemical transformation of steroids and alkaloids, enzymes and metabolites) and harmful compounds (e.g., production of ochratoxin A (OTA)). Given their relevance, it is important to analyze the genetic and metabolic diversity of the species of this section. We sequenced the genome of Aspergillus affinis CMG 70, isolated from sea water, and compared it with the genomes of species from section Circumdati, including A. affinis's strain type. The A. affinis genome was characterized considering secondary metabolites biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), and transporters. To uncover the biosynthetic potential of A. affinis CMG 70, an untargeted metabolomics (LC-MS/MS) approach was used. Cultivating the fungus in the presence and absence of sea salt showed that A. affinis CMG 70 metabolite profiles are salt dependent. Analyses of the methanolic crude extract revealed the presence of both unknown and well-known Aspergillus compounds, such as ochratoxin A, anti-viral (e.g., 3,5-Di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid and epigallocatechin), anti-bacterial (e.g., 3-Hydroxybenzyl alcohol, l-pyroglutamic acid, lecanoric acid), antifungal (e.g., lpyroglutamic acid, 9,12,13-Trihydroxyoctadec-10-enoic acid, hydroxyferulic acid), and chemotherapeutic (e.g., daunomycinone, mitoxantrone) related metabolites. Comparative analysis of 17 genomes from 16 Aspergillus species revealed abundant CAZymes (568 per species), secondary metabolite BGCs (73 per species), and transporters (1359 per species). Some BGCs are highly conserved in this section (e.g., pyranonigrin E and UNII-YC2Q1O94PT (ACR toxin I)), while others are incomplete or completely lost among species (e.g., bikaverin and chaetoglobosins were found exclusively in series Sclerotiorum, while asperlactone seemed completely lost). The results of this study, including genome analysis and metabolome characterization, emphasize the molecular diversity of A. affinis CMG 70, as well as of other species in the section Circumdati.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micael F. M. Gonçalves
- CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.F.M.G.); (S.H.); (M.T.); (A.C.E.)
| | - Sandra Hilário
- CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.F.M.G.); (S.H.); (M.T.); (A.C.E.)
| | - Marta Tacão
- CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.F.M.G.); (S.H.); (M.T.); (A.C.E.)
| | - Yves Van de Peer
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium;
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
- College of Horticulture, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Artur Alves
- CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.F.M.G.); (S.H.); (M.T.); (A.C.E.)
| | - Ana C. Esteves
- CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.F.M.G.); (S.H.); (M.T.); (A.C.E.)
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Ferrara M, Gallo A, Cervini C, Gambacorta L, Solfrizzo M, Baker SE, Perrone G. Evidence of the Involvement of a Cyclase Gene in the Biosynthesis of Ochratoxin A in Aspergillus carbonarius. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13120892. [PMID: 34941729 PMCID: PMC8705981 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13120892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a well-known mycotoxin with wide distribution in food and feed. Fungal genome sequencing has great utility for identifying secondary metabolites gene clusters for known and novel compounds. A comparative analysis of the OTA-biosynthetic cluster in A. steynii, A. westerdijkiae, A. niger, A. carbonarius, and P. nordicum has revealed a high synteny in OTA cluster organization in five structural genes (otaA, otaB, ota, otaR1, and otaD). Moreover, a recent detailed comparative genome analysis of Aspergilli OTA producers led to the identification of a cyclase gene, otaY, located in the OTA cluster between the otaA and otaB genes, encoding for a predicted protein with high similarity to SnoaLs domain. These proteins have been shown to catalyze ring closure steps in the biosynthesis of polyketide antibiotics produced in Streptomyces. In the present study, we demonstrated an upregulation of the cyclase gene in A. carbonarius under OTA permissive conditions, consistent with the expression trends of the other OTA cluster genes and their role in OTA biosynthesis by complete gene deletion. Our results pointed out the involvement of a cyclase gene in OTA biosynthetic pathway for the first time. They represent a step forward in the understanding of the molecular basis of OTA biosynthesis in A. carbonarius.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Ferrara
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy; (L.G.); (M.S.); (G.P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Antonia Gallo
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR), 73100 Lecce, Italy;
| | - Carla Cervini
- Applied Mycology Group, Environment and AgriFood Theme, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK;
| | - Lucia Gambacorta
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy; (L.G.); (M.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Michele Solfrizzo
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy; (L.G.); (M.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Scott E. Baker
- Functional and Systems Biology Group, Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA;
- DOE Joint Bioenergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Giancarlo Perrone
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy; (L.G.); (M.S.); (G.P.)
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Gallo A, Perrone G. Current Approaches for Advancement in Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms of Mycotoxin Biosynthesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22157878. [PMID: 34360643 PMCID: PMC8346063 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22157878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi are able to synthesise a remarkable range of secondary metabolites, which play various key roles in the interaction between fungi and the rest of the biosphere, determining their ecological fitness. Many of them can have a beneficial activity to be exploited, as well as negative impact on human and animal health, as in the case of mycotoxins contaminating large quantities of food, feed, and agricultural products worldwide and posing serious health and economic risks. The elucidation of the molecular aspects of mycotoxin biosynthesis has been greatly sped up over the past decade due to the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies, which greatly reduced the cost of genome sequencing and related omic analyses. Here, we briefly highlight the recent progress in the use and integration of omic approaches for the study of mycotoxins biosynthesis. Particular attention has been paid to genomics and transcriptomic approaches for the identification and characterisation of biosynthetic gene clusters of mycotoxins and the understanding of the regulatory pathways activated in response to physiological and environmental factors leading to their production. The latest innovations in genome-editing technology have also provided a more powerful tool for the complete explanation of regulatory and biosynthesis pathways. Finally, we address the crucial issue of the interpretation of the combined omics data on the biology of the mycotoxigenic fungi. They are rapidly expanding and require the development of resources for more efficient integration, as well as the completeness and the availability of intertwined data for the research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Gallo
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA) National Research Council (CNR), 73100 Lecce, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Giancarlo Perrone
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA) National Research Council (CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.G.); (G.P.)
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Abdel-Hadi A, Alshehri B, Waly M, Aboamer M, Banawas S, Alaidarous M, Palanisamy M, Awad M, Baazeem A. Predictive Modeling and Validation on Growth, Production of Asexual Spores and Ochratoxin A of Aspergillus Ochraceus Group under Abiotic Climatic Variables. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1321. [PMID: 34204446 PMCID: PMC8235597 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to generate predictive models for growth, sporulation, and ochratoxin A (OTA) production under abiotic climatic variables, including temperatures (15-35 °C) and water activity levels (0.99-0.90 aw) by Aspergillus ochraceus group. The data were divided into three sets: one for training, one for testing, and the third one for model validation. Optimum growth occurred at 0.95 aw and 25 °C and 0.95 aw and 30 °C for A. westerdijkiae and A. steynii, respectively. Significantly improved A. westerdijkiae and A. steynii spore production occurred at 0.95 aw and 20 °C and 0.90 aw and 35 °C, respectively. A. steynii and A. westerdijkiae produced the majority of OTA at 35 °C and 0.95 aw and 25-30 °C at 0.95-0.99 aw, respectively. The accuracy of the third-order polynomial regression model reached 96% in growth cases, 94.7% in sporulation cases, and 90.9% in OTA production cases; the regression coefficients (R2) ranged from 0.8819 to 0.9978 for the Aspergillus ochraceus group. A reliable agreement was reached between the predicted and observed growth, sporulation, and OTA production. The effects of abiotic climatic variables on growth, sporulation, and OTA production of A. ochraceus group have been effectively defined, and the models generated were responsible for adequately predicted and validated models against data from other strains within A. ochraceus group that had been published in the literature under the current treatments. These models could be successfully implemented to predict fungal growth and OTA contamination on food matrices for these strains under these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Abdel-Hadi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; (B.A.); (S.B.); (M.A.); (M.P.)
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assuit Branch, Assuit 71524, Egypt;
| | - Bader Alshehri
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; (B.A.); (S.B.); (M.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Mohammed Waly
- Department of Medical Equipment Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; (M.W.); (M.A.)
| | - Mohammed Aboamer
- Department of Medical Equipment Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; (M.W.); (M.A.)
| | - Saeed Banawas
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; (B.A.); (S.B.); (M.A.); (M.P.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Mohammed Alaidarous
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; (B.A.); (S.B.); (M.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Manikandan Palanisamy
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia; (B.A.); (S.B.); (M.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Mohamed Awad
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assuit Branch, Assuit 71524, Egypt;
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Alaa Baazeem
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia;
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Gerin D, Garrapa F, Ballester AR, González-Candelas L, De Miccolis Angelini RM, Faretra F, Pollastro S. Functional Role of Aspergillus carbonariusAcOTAbZIP Gene, a bZIP Transcription Factor within the OTA Gene Cluster. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:111. [PMID: 33540740 PMCID: PMC7913050 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13020111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus carbonarius is the principal fungal species responsible for ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination of grapes and derived products in the main viticultural regions worldwide. In recent years, co-expressed genes representing a putative-OTA gene cluster were identified, and the deletion of a few of them allowed the partial elucidation of the biosynthetic pathway in the fungus. In the putative OTA-gene cluster is additionally present a bZIP transcription factor (AcOTAbZIP), and with this work, A. carbonarius ΔAcOTAbZIP strains were generated to study its functional role. According to phylogenetic analysis, the gene is conserved in the OTA-producing fungi. A Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription factor binding motif (TFBM) homolog, associated with bZIP transcription factors was present in the A. carbonarius OTA-gene cluster no-coding regions. AcOTAbZIP deletion results in the loss of OTA and the intermediates OTB and OTβ. Additionally, in ΔAcOTAbZIP strains, a down-regulation of AcOTApks, AcOTAnrps, AcOTAp450, and AcOTAhal genes was observed compared to wild type (WT). These results provide evidence of the direct involvement of the AcOTAbZIP gene in the OTA biosynthetic pathway by regulating the involved genes. The loss of OTA biosynthesis ability does not affect fungal development as demonstrated by the comparison of ΔAcOTAbZIP strains and WT strains in terms of vegetative growth and asexual sporulation on three different media. Finally, no statistically significant differences in virulence were observed among ΔAcOTAbZIP strains and WT strains on artificially inoculated grape berries, demonstrating that OTA is not required by A. carbonarius for the pathogenicity process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donato Gerin
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Giovanni Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.G.); (F.G.); (F.F.); (S.P.)
| | - Federica Garrapa
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Giovanni Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.G.); (F.G.); (F.F.); (S.P.)
| | - Ana-Rosa Ballester
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Calle Catedrático Agustín Escardino 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain; (A.-R.B.); (L.G.-C.)
| | - Luis González-Candelas
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Calle Catedrático Agustín Escardino 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain; (A.-R.B.); (L.G.-C.)
| | - Rita Milvia De Miccolis Angelini
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Giovanni Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.G.); (F.G.); (F.F.); (S.P.)
- SELGE Network of Public Research Laboratories, Via Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Faretra
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Giovanni Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.G.); (F.G.); (F.F.); (S.P.)
- SELGE Network of Public Research Laboratories, Via Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Pollastro
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Giovanni Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.G.); (F.G.); (F.F.); (S.P.)
- SELGE Network of Public Research Laboratories, Via Amendola, 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
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