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There is increasing incidence of food spoilage and health hazards caused by heat-resistant fungi belonging to the genera Byssochlamys, Thermoascus, and Neosartorya, among others. Their ascospores cannot be sterilized by heating the food. The microbiological risk assessment studies of these fungi during the production of food and beverages indicated that these fungal species or genera in food are associated with different health risks. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish Byssochlamys, Thermoascus, and Neosartorya from other fungi in the food industry. These genera can be identified by sequence analysis of housekeeping genes such as ß-tubulin, but the process is costly and time-consuming. Therefore, rapid and simple PCR-based methods have been developed using specific primer sets for genus-or species-level identification. PCR amplification products are observed to be specific for each of these genera or species and do not cross-react with other fungi associated with food spoilage and environmental contamination. These identification methods are simple, rapid, and highly specific, making them feasible for use in the quality management of food production plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is a highly selective calcium channel localized to the inner mitochondrial membrane. Here, we describe the structure of an MCU orthologue from the fungus Neosartorya fischeri (NfMCU) determined to 3.8 Å resolution by phase-plate cryo-electron microscopy. The channel is a homotetramer with two-fold symmetry in its amino-terminal domain (NTD) that adopts a similar structure to that of human MCU. The NTD assembles as a dimer of dimers to form a tetrameric ring that connects to the transmembrane domain through an elongated coiled-coil domain. The ion-conducting pore domain maintains four-fold symmetry, with the selectivity filter positioned at the start of the pore-forming TM2 helix. The aspartate and glutamate sidechains of the conserved DIME motif are oriented towards the central axis and separated by one helical turn. The structure of NfMCU offers insights into channel assembly, selective calcium permeation, and inhibitor binding.

Fungi comprise the second most species-rich organism group after that of insects. Recent estimates hypothesized that the currently reported fungal species range from 3.5 to 5.1 million types worldwide. Fungi can grow in a wide range of habitats, from the desert to the depths of the sea. Most develop in terrestrial environments, but several species live only in aquatic habitats, and some live in symbiotic relationships with plants, animals, or other fungi. Fungi have been proved to be a rich source of biologically active natural products, some of which are clinically important drugs such as the β-lactam antibiotics, penicillin and cephalosporin, the immunosuppressant, cyclosporine, and the cholesterol-lowering drugs, compactin and lovastatin. Given the estimates of fungal biodiversity, it is easy to perceive that only a small fraction of fungi worldwide have ever been investigated regarding the production of biologically valuable compounds. Traditionally, fungi are classified primarily based on the structures associated with sexual reproduction. Thus, the genus Neosartorya (Family Trichocomaceae) is the telemorphic (sexual state) of the Aspergillus section known as Fumigati, which produces both a sexual state with ascospores and an asexual state with conidiospores, while the Aspergillus species produces only conidiospores. However, according to the Melbourne Code of nomenclature, only the genus name Aspergillus is to be used for both sexual and asexual states. Consequently, the genus name Neosartorya was no longer to be used after 1 January 2013. Nevertheless, the genus name Neosartorya is still used for the fungi that had already been taxonomically classified before the new rule was in force. Another aspect is that despite the small number of species (23 species) in the genus Neosartorya, and although less than half of them have been investigated chemically, the chemical diversity of this genus is impressive. Many chemical classes of compounds, some of which have unique scaffolds, such as indole alkaloids, peptides, meroterpenes, and polyketides, have been reported from its terrestrial, marine-derived, and endophytic species. Though the biological and pharmacological activities of a small fraction of the isolated metabolites have been investigated due to the available assay systems, they exhibited relevant biological and pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, antibacterial, antiplasmodial, lipid-lowering, and enzyme-inhibitory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi comprise the second most species-rich organism group after that of insects. Recent estimates hypothesized that the currently reported fungal species range from 3.5 to 5.1 million types worldwide. Fungi can grow in a wide range of habitats, from the desert to the depths of the sea. Most develop in terrestrial environments, but several species live only in aquatic habitats, and some live in symbiotic relationships with plants, animals, or other fungi. Fungi have been proved to be a rich source of biologically active natural products, some of which are clinically important drugs such as the β-lactam antibiotics, penicillin and cephalosporin, the immunosuppressant, cyclosporine, and the cholesterol-lowering drugs, compactin and lovastatin. Given the estimates of fungal biodiversity, it is easy to perceive that only a small fraction of fungi worldwide have ever been investigated regarding the production of biologically valuable compounds. Traditionally, fungi are classified primarily based on the structures associated with sexual reproduction. Thus, the genus Neosartorya (Family Trichocomaceae) is the telemorphic (sexual state) of the Aspergillus section known as Fumigati, which produces both a sexual state with ascospores and an asexual state with conidiospores, while the Aspergillus species produces only conidiospores. However, according to the Melbourne Code of nomenclature, only the genus name Aspergillus is to be used for both sexual and asexual states. Consequently, the genus name Neosartorya was no longer to be used after 1 January 2013. Nevertheless, the genus name Neosartorya is still used for the fungi that had already been taxonomically classified before the new rule was in force. Another aspect is that despite the small number of species (23 species) in the genus Neosartorya, and although less than half of them have been investigated chemically, the chemical diversity of this genus is impressive. Many chemical classes of compounds, some of which have unique scaffolds, such as indole alkaloids, peptides, meroterpenes, and polyketides, have been reported from its terrestrial, marine-derived, and endophytic species. Though the biological and pharmacological activities of a small fraction of the isolated metabolites have been investigated due to the available assay systems, they exhibited relevant biological and pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, antibacterial, antiplasmodial, lipid-lowering, and enzyme-inhibitory activities.

Fungi belonging to the genus Neosartorya (teleomorph of Aspergillus spp.) are of great concern in the production and storage of berries and fruit-based products, mainly due to the production of thermoresistant ascospores that cause food spoilage and possible secretion of mycotoxins. We initially tested the antifungal effect of six natural extracts against 20 isolates of Neosartorya spp. using a traditional inhibition test on Petri dishes. Tested isolates did not respond uniformly, creating 5 groups of descending sensitivity. Ten isolates best representing of the established sensitivity clusters were chosen for further investigation using a Biolog™ MT2 microplate assay with the same 6 natural extracts. Additionally, to test for metabolic profile changes, we used a Biolog™ FF microplate assay after pre-incubation with marigold extract. All natural extracts had an inhibitory effect on Neosartorya spp. growth and impacted its metabolism. Lavender and tea tree oil extracts at a concentration of 1000 µg mL -1 presented the strongest antifungal effect during the inhibition test, however all extracts exhibited inhibitory properties at even the lowest dose (5 µg mL -1 ). The fungal stress response in the presence of marigold extract was characterized by a decrease of amino acids and carbohydrates consumption and an uptake of carboxylic acids on the FF microplates, where the 10 studied isolates also presented differences in their innate resilience, creating 3 distinctive sensitivity groups of high, average and low sensitivity. The results confirm that natural plant extracts and essential oils inhibit and alter the growth and metabolism of Neosartorya spp. suggesting a possible future use in sustainable agriculture as an alternative to chemical fungicides used in traditional crop protection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The contamination of raw materials, packaging, or processing environments by fungal ascospores is a real concern for food industries, where variable rates of spoilage can be reached in pasteurized acidic products such as fruit juices, fruit jams, or soft drinks. The aim of this work was to assess the combined effect of aw and pH on the growth of six isolates from three genera of ascospore-forming molds that may occur in raw materials and in food industrial environments, in order to determine the environmental conditions that prevent the spoilage of pasteurized foods and beverages. Methods: Growth tests were carried out on 60-day-old ascospores from Aspergillus hiratsukae (≡Neosartorya hiratsukae), Aspergillus thermomutatus (≡Neosartorya pseudofischeri), Chaetomium flavoviride, Chaetomium globosum, Talaromyces bacillisporus, and Talaromyces trachyspermus. The tests were performed up to 90 days at 25 °C, using sucrose solutions at different aw (0.85, 0.88, 0.92, 0.95) and pH (3.20, 3.50, 3.80, 4.20, 4.60) values. Growth was characterized by fitting an ordinary logistic regression model to the collected growth data. Results: The explained percentage of the growth/no growth models ranged between 81.0 and 99.3%: aw exerted the largest influence on the growth of all tested species, while pH was significant only for Chaetomium isolates. The minimum conditions for germination and growth were aw 0.92 and pH 3.50 or 3.80, respectively, for C. flavoviride (46 days) and C. globosum (39 days), aw 0.92 and pH 3.20 for T. trachyspermus (13 days), aw 0.88 and pH 3.20 for T. bacillisporus (39 days), and aw 0.88 and pH 3.20 for the two aspergilli (33 and 27 days, respectively, for A. hiratsukae and A. thermomutatus). Conclusions: Most of the spoiling mycetes tested were well-adapted to the formulations considered; therefore, foods strategies aiming to inhibit their growth should explore also the hurdle effect exerted by other factors (e.g., antioxidants, organic acids, oxygen levels). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Different fungi, including the genera Aspergillus (Neosartorya), Paecilomyces (Byssochlamys) and Talaromyces , produce (asco)spores that survive pasteurization treatments and are regarded as the most stress-resistant eukaryotic cells. The sensitivity of the ascospores to treatments with industrial sanitizers containing chlorine dioxide and iodine (iodophors) has never been assessed before. Ascospores of 4 species of Eurotiales were tested and showed clear variations in sensitivity. The most resilient species, T. macrosporus and Pae. variotii (= B. spectabilis) survive 75, but not 200 ppm chlorine dioxide solution treatments. These species were able to survive 75 ppm iodine solution treatments, but relatively low amounts of ascospores (100–1000 spores) could be inactivated after 16 h of treatment. Inactivated spores did not show any sign of germination after 7 days following treatment on growth medium. As judged by microscopy, iodine inactivation resulted in visibly distorted ascospores. For the interpretation of results, the state of dormancy or activation of ascospores is highly important. Highlights • Ascospores of heat-resistant fungi are inactivated by acidified sodium chlorite, chlorine dioxide and iodine solutions. • There were differences among the heat-resistant mould species used in this study. • The status of dormancy of the ascospores is important for the interpretation of their inactivation by these sanitizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new meroditerpene, sartorypyrone C (5), was isolated, together with the known tryptoquivalines L (1a), H (1b), F (1c), 3′-(4-oxoquinazolin-3-yl) spiro [1H-indole-3,5′]-2,2′-dione (2) and 4(3H)-quinazolinone (3), from the culture of the marine sponge-associated fungus Neosartorya paulistensis (KUFC 7897), while reexamination of the fractions remaining from a previous study of the culture of the diseased coral-derived fungus N. laciniosa (KUFC 7896) led to isolation of a new tryptoquivaline derivative tryptoquivaline T (1d). Compounds 1a–d, 2, 3, and 5, together with aszonapyrones A (4a) and B (4b), chevalones B (6) and C (7a), sartorypyrones B (7b) and A (8), were tested for their antibacterial activity against four reference strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), as well as the environmental multidrug-resistant isolates. Only aszonapyrone A (4a) and sartorypyrone A (8) exhibited significant antibacterial activity as well as synergism with antibiotics against the Gram-positive multidrug-resistant strains. Antibiofilm assays of aszonapyrone A (4a) and sartorypyrone A (8) showed that practically no biofilm was formed in the presence of their 2× MIC and MIC. However, the presence of a sub-inhibitory concentration of ½ MIC of 4a and 8 was found to increase the biofilm production in both reference strain and the multidrug-resistant isolates of S. aureus.

This study focused on four different heat resistant aspergilli: two strains of Aspergillus hiratsukae (≡ Neosartorya hiratsukae ), one strain of Aspergillus neoglaber (≡ Neosartorya glabra ), and one strain of Aspergillus thermomutatus (≡ Neosartorya pseudofischeri ), all isolated from spoiled pasteurized products. Their heat-resistance, the sugar concentration limiting their germination and growth in berry-based media, and a possible relation between the contamination levels of the raw materials used and the spoilage incidence in strawberry jams were assessed. Heat resistance data obtained from thermal death curves showed that the D values of the strains tested ranged between 3.7 and 13.5 min at 87 °C; 1.5 and 3.5 min at 90 °C; and 0.3 and 0.4 min at 95 °C in glucose solution. Similarly, D values ranged between 3.3 and 15.4 min at 87 °C; 1.3 and 4.3 min at 90 °C; and 0.3 and 0.6 min at 95 °C in strawberry-based formulation. For all strains, the corresponding z -values ranged between 5.7 and 8.3 °C in glucose solution and from 5.7 to 8.4 °C in strawberry formulation. With regard to the limitation of fungal germination and growth in fruit-based media, sucrose concentrations required to avoid growth varied between 45.0 and 55.0% for strawberry medium and between 42.5% and 50.0% for blueberry medium. Spore inactivation was observed below aw 0.88–0.91 for strawberries and aw 0.87–0.90 for blueberries; above 49.7–56.5 °Bx for strawberries and 49.6–56.0 °Bx for blueberries. The threshold optical refractometric residue proved strain-dependent, but substrate-independent, as for each strain the highest Brix degree value at which germination occurred was the same on both media, despite their different sucrose concentrations. With regard to the relation between contamination of raw materials by heat-resistant mould spores and spoilage incidence on final product, an equation was modelled to estimate the occurrence of fungal spoilage in strawberry jams for low contamination levels (26–46 CFU/kg). Although it could not be used as a definitive tool to predict final spoilage in such of products, it could give important practical information to jam producers in preventing spoilage of their products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fumitremorgin C and verruculogen are mycotoxins produced by heat-resistant Neosartorya fischeri. Easy and fast monitoring of their production by selective and sensitive analytical methods is crucial for ensuring postharvest quality of fruit, food safety, and thus human health and well-being. A six-minute liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method (LC/MS/MS) was developed for quantification of fumitremorgin C and verruculogen in potato dextrose broth (PDB), strawberry juice, strawberry fruit, and soil. Mycotoxins were extracted from all media with the QuEChERS (Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged Safe) method. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of the method for both mycotoxins was 1 μg L −1 for PDB and strawberry juice and 1 μg kg −1 for strawberry fruit and soil. Collision-induced dissociation of protonated fumitremorgin C and verruculogen ions was also examined by high-resolution mass spectrometry to assist researchers in non-targeted screening for mycotoxins and in identification of these two toxins. The developed LC/MS/MS method was applied to examine mycotoxin production by 45 environmental Neosartorya strains: 5 well-known strains, included in the study as reference strains, and 40 strains that were newly isolated and identified by us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gypsum wallboard is a popular building material, but is also very frequently overgrown by Stachybotrys chartarum after severe and/or undetected water damage. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Stachybotrys and other fungi frequently isolated from wet gypsum wallboard are already present in the panels directly from the factory. Surface-disinfected gypsum disks were wetted with sterile water, sealed, and incubated for 70 days. The results showed that Neosartorya hiratsukae (≡ Aspergillus hiratsukae) was the most dominant fungus on the gypsum wallboard followed by Chaetomium globosum and Stachybotrys chartarum. Our results suggest that these three fungal species are already embedded in the materials, presumably in the paper/carton layer surrounding the gypsum core, before the panels reach the retailers/building site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crude ethyl acetate extracts of marine-derived fungi Neosartorya tsunodae KUFC 9213 (E1) and N. laciniosa KUFC 7896 (E2), and soil fungus N. fischeri KUFC 6344 (E3) were evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activities on a panel of seven human cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed, after 48 h treatments with different concentrations of extracts, to determine their concentration of the extract or Dox that inhibits cell viability by 50% for each cell line. The effects of the crude extracts on DNA damage, clonogenic potential and their ability to induce cell death were also assessed. Results: E1 was found to the void of anti-proliferative effects. E2 was shown to decrease the clonogenic potential in human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT116), human malignant melanoma cell line (A375), human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF7), and human caucasian colon adenocarcinoma Grade II cell line (HT29) cells, whereas E3 showed such effect only in HCT116 and MCF7 cells. Both extracts were found to increase DNA damage in some cell lines. E2 was found to induce cell death in HT29, HCT116, MCF7, and A375 cells while extract E3 increased cell death in MCF7 and HCT116 cell lines. Conclusion: The results reveal that E2 and E3 possess anticancer activities in human colon carcinoma, breast adenocarcinoma, and melanoma cells, validating the interest for an identification of molecular targets involved in the anticancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing incidence of food spoilage and health hazards caused by heat-resistant fungi belonging to the genera Byssochlamys , Thermoascus , and Neosartorya , among others. Their ascospores cannot be sterilized by heating the food. The microbiological risk assessment studies of these fungi during the production of food and beverages indicated that these fungal species or genera in food are associated with different health risks. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish Byssochlamys , Thermoascus , and Neosartorya from other fungi in the food industry. These genera can be identified by sequence analysis of housekeeping genes such as β-tubulin, but the process is costly and time-consuming. Therefore, rapid and simple PCR-based methods have been developed using specific primer sets for genus- or species-level identification. PCR amplification products are observed to be specific for each of these genera or species and do not cross-react with other fungi associated with food spoilage and environmental contamination. These identification methods are simple, rapid, and highly specific, making them feasible for use in the quality management of food production plants., (2023, by The Mycological Society of Japan.)

Soil-borne Neosartorya spp. are the highly resilient sexual reproductive stage (teleomorph) of Aspergillus spp. Fungi of this genus are relevant components of root-associated microbial community, but they can also excrete mycotoxins and exhibit great resistance to high temperatures. Their ascospores easily transfer between soil and crops; thus, Neosartorya poses a danger to horticulture and food production, especially to the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables. The spores are known to cause spoilage, mainly in raw fruit produce, juices, and pulps, despite undergoing pasteurization. However, these fungi can also participate in carbon transformation and sequestration, as well as plant protection in drought conditions. Many species have been identified and included in the genus, and yet some of them create taxonomical controversy due to their high similarity. This also contributes to Neosartorya spp. being easily mistaken for its anamorph, resulting in uncertain data within many studies. The review discusses also the factors shaping Neosartorya spp.'s resistance to temperature, preservatives, chemicals, and natural plant extracts, as well as presenting novel solutions to problems created by its resilient nature.

Heat-resistant fungi are often factors causing spoilage of heat-processed products. Contamination of agricultural raw materials is often a result of their contact with soil. Materials contaminated by spores of heat-resistant fungi can be a risk to consumers' health because of toxic metabolites (mycotoxins) produced by these microorganisms. Due to resistance of fungi to high temperatures they are able to survive industry pasteurization process. Therefore, the only way to prevent the growth of these microorganisms in the product is suitable selection of material by conducting tests for the presence of heat-resistant fungi. The use of traditional culture methods is long and, therefore, does not apply in the selection of raw materials for production. However, time is a critical factor in assessing the acceptance or rejection of a given batch of raw material, due to the necessity of processing it fresh, which is very important especially in the case of fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newly adopted International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN) demands that dimorphic fungi, in particular those with both sexual and asexual names, now bear a single name. Although priority is no longer associated with the mode of reproduction, the ICN requires justification for choosing an asexual name over an existing sexual one. The phylogenetic approach that made dual nomenclature for fungi obsolete can be used to help choose names for large groups of fungi that are best known by asexual names. Here we apply this approach to one of the largest and most diverse asexual genera, the genus Aspergillus. We find that existing sexual names may be given to well supported clades of fungi with distinct phenotypes, which include sexual morphology as well as physiological attributes associated with xerophily, thermophily and mycotoxin production. One group of species important to food production and food safety, Aspergillus subgen. Circumdati, lacks a well supported clade; here we propose that the name Aspergillus be retained for this group. Recognizing that nomenclature has economic and social implications, particularly for old, important genera, we discuss the consequences of various scenarios to implement the new "one name for one fungus" article in the ICN, showing that our approach requires the fewest appeals to the ICN while retaining the name Aspergillus for many of the most economically and socially important species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethyl acetate extracts of the culture of Eupenicillium parvum, Gelasinospora brevispora, Neosartoryap seudofischeri, N. quadricincta and N. multiplicata were assessed for their antifungal activity against ten economically important plant pathogenic fungi: Pythiumaphanidermatum, Phytophthorapalmivora, Alternaria sp., Fusariumoxysporum, Colletotrichumgloeosporioides, Lasiodiplodiatheobromae, Helminthosporiummaydis, Sclerotiumrolfsii and Rhizoctoniasolani, which arecausative agents of fruit and vegetable diseases. The bioassay for the antifungal activity of the fungal crude extracts was based on the dilution plate method. Although all the extracts exhibited a complete inhibition of the mycelial growth of some plant pathogenic fungi at the highest concentration tested (10,000 ppm), an interesting antifungal effect was observed for the crude extract of N. pseudofischeri KUFA 0060 against Ph. palmivora and C. capsiciat 100 ppm, as well as for N. quadricincta KUFA 0064 against Ph. palmivora and Alternaria sp. at 10 ppm. The results obtained from this screening allow us to identify new potential sources for the development of alternative fungicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new meroditerpene, sartorypyrone C (5), was isolated, together with the known tryptoquivalines L (1a), H (1b), F (1c), 3'-(4-oxoquinazolin-3-yl) spiro [1H-indole-3,5']-2,2'-dione (2) and 4(3H)-quinazolinone (3), from the culture of the marine sponge-associated fungus Neosartorya paulistensis (KUFC 7897), while reexamination of the fractions remaining from a previous study of the culture of the diseased coral-derived fungus N. laciniosa (KUFC 7896) led to isolation of a new tryptoquivaline derivative tryptoquivaline T (1d). Compounds 1a-d, 2, 3, and 5, together with aszonapyrones A (4a) and B (4b), chevalones B (6) and C (7a), sartorypyrones B (7b) and A (8), were tested for their antibacterial activity against four reference strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), as well as the environmental multidrug-resistant isolates. Only aszonapyrone A (4a) and sartorypyrone A (8) exhibited significant antibacterial activity as well as synergism with antibiotics against the Gram-positive multidrug-resistant strains. Antibiofilm assays of aszonapyrone A (4a) and sartorypyrone A (8) showed that practically no biofilm was formed in the presence of their 2× MIC and MIC. However, the presence of a sub-inhibitory concentration of 1/2 MIC of 4a and 8 was found to increase the biofilm production in both reference strain and the multidrug-resistant isolates of S. aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aspergillus is a genus of mold fungi that includes more than 200 described species. Many members of the group are relevant pathogens and other species are economically important. Only one species has been analyzed for codon usage, and this was performed with a small number of genes. In this paper, we report the codon usage patterns of eight completely sequenced genomes which belong to this genus. The results suggest that selection for translational efficiency and accuracy are the major factors shaping codon usage in all of the species studied so far, and therefore they were active in the last common ancestor of the group. Composition and molecular distances analyses show that highly expressed genes evolve slower at synonymous sites. We identified a conserved core of translationally optimal codons and study the tRNA gene pool in each genome. We found that the great majority of preferred triplets match the respective cognate tRNA with more copies in the respective genome. We discuss the possible scenarios that can explain the observed differences among the species analyzed. Finally we highlight the biotechnological application of this research regarding heterologous protein expression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A series of putative indole prenyltransferase genes could be identified in the genome sequences of different fungal strains including Aspergillus fumigatus and Neosartorya fischeri. The gene products show significant sequence similarities to dimethylallyltryptophan synthases from various fungi. These genes belong to different gene clusters and are involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Ten of them were cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and proven to be soluble proteins. They catalyse different prenyl transfer reactions onto indole moieties of various substrates and do not require divalent metal ions for their prenyl transfer reactions. These enzymes showed broad substrate specificities towards their aromatic substrates. Diverse simple tryptophan derivatives and tryptophan-containing cyclic dipeptides were accepted by several prenyltransferases as substrates and converted to prenylated derivatives. This feature of substrate flexibility was successfully used for regiospecific and stereospecific synthesis of different indole derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Aspergillus comprises a few hundred species sharing a common asexual spore forming structure, the aspergillum. Approximately one-third of these species also produce a sexual stage, all but five of which are known to be homothallic. Sexual stages associated with Aspergillus fall into approximately ten different genera, reflecting a tremendous degree of phylogenetic and biological diversity. Sexual stages in Aspergillus are plectomycetous, typical for the order in which it resides, the Eurotiales. Theoretically, a homothallic Aspergillus species can produce both asexual conidia and sexual ascospores in both clonal and recombinant fashion, although the actual significance of these potential modes of reproduction is unclear. Aspergillus species with known sexual stages tend to be minor players in infections of humans, perhaps because of their tendency to produce fewer asexual spores compared to their non-teleomorphic congeners. The discovery of population genetic and genomic evidence for sex in species with no known sexual stage indicates that no assumptions can be made about the clonal versus recombinant life histories of a species based on its known mitotic and/or meiotic reproductive modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here a case of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis caused by Neosartorya hiratsukae. This fungus was never previously been isolated from any case with fungal rhinosinusitis. The identification of this agent was confirmed by comparing the nucleotide sequence of the ITS region of ribosomal DNA with that in the GenBank DNA database. Identification of N. hiratsukae on the basis of colony morphology and microscopic feature may be difficult due to similarities with a few Aspergillus species. Scanning electron microscopy or DNA sequence analysis is essential for the accurate identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of age on high pressure resistance of the ascospores of heat resistant moulds Byssochlamys fulva, B. nivea, Neosartorya fischeri and N. spinosa were determined. Ascospores were harvested from cultures grown for 3–15 weeks at 30 °C on malt extract agar. Following filtration and determination of concentration, the ascospores were subjected to high pressure processing (HPP) at 600 MPa for 10 min in 0.1 M citrate phosphate buffer (pH 4 and 6) and mango puree (pH 5). The results supported our hypothesis that age (maturity) affects high pressure resistance of ascospores of heat resistant moulds. A reduction of log10 2.5 cfu mL−1 was achieved for three week old ascospores of B. nivea whereas for nine week old ascospores only a half log reduction was achieved. Similar results were observed for B. nivea and N. fischeri. The HPP treatment caused activation of ascospores of N. spinosa, with older ascospores showing increased activation. Industrial relevance: The observation of activation of some ascospores by HPP, indicates that HPP alone is insufficient for elimination of these problematic spoilage microorganisms. HPP would need to be combined with other hurdles in order to produce high quality pressure-treated shelf-stable fruit products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fungi secrete extracellular enzymes to enable them to harvest nutrients from the environment. In the case of pathogenic fungi these enzymes can also be pathogenesis factors. Here we report the identification in fungi of a complex family of extracellular phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes, homologous to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PLCH_PSEAE. Database searches and phylogenetic analysis showed that the PLCs clustered into two groups with different evolutionary histories. One group, subdivided into PLC-A, -B, -C and -D, was found only in aspergilli and Neosartorya fischeri. Each species only ever showed three of the four PLCs except N. fischeri which had all four PLCs plus duplicate PLC-A, -B and -C genes. Modelling studies indicated that these PLCs had mechanistic similarities to phosphoesterases and aryl sulphatases, but that they probably did not differ in substrate specificity. The second group, PLC-E, was seen in a wider range of fungi including some species of aspergilli and was always found in a head-to-head arrangement with a copper oxidase, similar to the laccases. The PLC genes appear to have arisen from separate gene transfer events from bacteria or lower eukaryotes. Thus, aspergilli have acquired PLCs twice in the course of evolution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Neosartorya pseudofischeri, a heat- resistant fungus, was isolated from contaminated blueberry juice in our laboratory. To obtain a better understanding of the cellular process of heat- resistant fungus, a quantitative proteomic investigation employing stable isotope labeling by peptide demethylation was conducted on changes in intracellular proteins of N. pseudofischeri ascospores subjected to heat treatment at 93 °C for 0, 1 or 8 min. In total, 811 proteins were identified and quantified. Using the normalized ratio of protein abundance, proteins that changed more than two- fold after heat treatment were identified as significantly increased or decreased proteins and grouped into four clusters based on their quantitative changes. Decreased proteins were found mainly involved in the central carbon metabolism, heat stress responses, reactive oxygen intermediates elimination and translation events. A group of proteins in relation to toxicant degradation and antibiotic neutralization linking to environmental adaptability and tolerance of heat- resistant, was also identified. These findings provide insights into protein changes of N. pseudofischeri ascospores and lay foundations for further investigations on heat- resistant molds using targeted quantitative approaches. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH: Heat- resistant fungi can survive pasteurization processes, and subsequently germinate and grow to cause spoilage of food products, leading to significant economic losses for the food industry and potential health risk for the consumers. To obtain a better understanding of the cellular process of heat- resistant fungi, a quantitative proteomic approach employing stable isotope labeling by peptide demethylation has been used to investigate the intracellular protein changes of N. pseudofischeri ascospores isolated from blueberry juice and subjected to heat treatment. 150 significantly changed proteins were grouped into four clusters based on their quantitative changes. The significant decrease in protein abundance in response to heat treatment revealed possible mechanism that N. pseudofischeri ascospores could survive the heat treatment. This is the first proteomic profile report for N. pseudofischeri. These findings provide insights into protein changes of N. pseudofischeri and lay foundations for further investigations on heat- resistant fungi using targeted quantitative approaches to evaluate the efficiency of thermal treatment for processed food products., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)