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A new oxacyclododecindione-type macrolactone, (13R,14S,15R)-13-hydroxy-14-deoxyoxacyclododecindione (1), has been obtained from the solid cultures of the fungus Exserohilum rostratum, a fungal strain endophytic in Gymnadenia conopsea. Its structure, including the absolute configuration, was extensively established by 1D and 2D NMR data, the modified Mosher method, and a combination of experimental and theoretically calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compound 1 showed weak selective cytotoxicity against the A549 lung cell line with an IC50 value of 9.2 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In September 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began investigating an outbreak of fungal meningitis among patients who had received contaminated preservative-free methyl prednisolone acetate injections from the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Massachusetts. Thousands of patients were potentially exposed to tainted corticosteroids, but establishing the diagnosis of fungal meningitis during the nationwide outbreak was difficult because little was known about the natural history of the disease. Areas covered: The challenges associated with this outbreak highlighted the need for rapid and reliable methodologies to assist in the diagnosis of invasive mycoses of the central nervous system (IMCNS), which may be devastating and difficult to treat. In this paper, we review the causative agents of these potentially-lethal infections, which include cryptococcal meningitis, cerebral aspergillosis, and hematogenous Candida meningoencephalitis. Expert commentary: While microscopy, culture, and histopathologic identification of fungal pathogens remain the gold standard for diagnosis, new platforms and species-specific assays have recently emerged, including lateral flow immunoassays (LFA), matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and multiplex PCR in conjunction with magnetic resonance (MR) to potentially aid in the diagnosis of IMCNS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Setosphaeria rostrata, a common plant pathogen causing leaf spot disease, affects a wide range of plant species, mainly grasses. Fungi were isolated from brown spots on rice leaves throughout Peninsular Malaysia, and 45 isolates were identified as Setosphaeria rostrata. The isolates were then characterized using morphological and molecular approaches. The mating type was determined using PCR amplification of the mating type alleles, and isolates of opposite mating types were crossed to examine sexual reproduction. Based on nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region (ITS) and beta-tubulin (BT2) sequences, two phylogenetic trees were constructed using the maximum likelihood method; S. rostrata was clustered in one well-supported clade. Pathogenicity tests showed that S. rostrata isolates are pathogenic, suggesting that it is the cause of the symptoms. Mating-type analyses indicated that three isolates carried the MAT1-1 allele, and the other 42 isolates carried MAT1-2. After isolates with opposite mating types were crossed on Sach's medium and incubated for 3 wk, six crosses produced pseudothecia that contained eight mature ascospores, and 12 other crosses produced numerous pseudothecia with no ascospores. To our knowledge, this is the first report on S. rostrata isolated from leaf spots on rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green foxtail (Setaria viridis), one of the most common and troublesome weeds worldwide, is becoming very difficult to manage because of the lack of registered herbicides and the appearance of herbicide-resistant populations. Among the new and possible environment-friendly strategies, the use of biological control methods seems to have potential. Drechslera gigantea, Exserohilum rostratum and Exserohilum longirostratum have previously proved to be promising bioherbicide agents against several grass weeds in field trials. While previous studies have established the susceptibility of S. viridis under greenhouse conditions, so far no attempt has been made to establish the effectiveness and feasibility of these fungi as bioherbicides for green foxtail. When spore suspensions were applied as foliar sprays to green foxtail seedlings in a greenhouse, all three fungi caused severe damage by 1 day after application, and seedlings in most cases died within 1 week. The fungi were compatible with several agro-chemicals and host specific when tested against major vegetable crop species grown in the Mediterranean. The demonstrated technological feasibility of producing large amounts of quickly germinable conidia (i.e., asexual spores) on inexpensive solid media increases the potential of these fungi to be used as bioherbicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]