Antifeedant and Antifungal Activities of Metabolites Isolated from the Coculture of Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus tubingensis S1120 with Red Ginseng.

A new globoscinic acid derivative, aspertubin A (1) along with four known compounds, were obtained from the co-culture of Aspergillus tubingensis S1120 with red ginseng. The chemical structures of compounds were characterized by using spectroscopic methods, the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism. Panaxytriol (2) from red ginseng, and asperic acid (4) showed significant antifeedant effect with the antifeedant rates of 75 % and 80 % at the concentrations of 50 µg/cm2 . Monomeric carviolin (3) and asperazine (5) displayed weak attractant activity on silkworm. All compounds were assayed for antifungal activities against phytopathogens A. tubingensis, Nigrospora oryzae and Phoma herbarum and the results indicated that autotoxic aspertubin A (1) and panaxytriol (2) possessed selective inhibition against A. tubingensis with MIC values at 8 µg/mL. The co-culture extract showed higher antifeedant and antifungal activities against P. herbarum than those of monoculture of A. tubingensis in ordinary medium. So the medicinal plant and endophyte showed synergistic effect on the plant disease resistance by active compounds from the coculture of A. tubingensis S1120 and red ginseng.

Antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of Chenopodium glaucum L.

We evaluated phytochemical composition, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-oxidant and cytotoxic properties of aqueous (water) and organic extracts (methanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane) of Chenopodium glaucum. Highest phenolic content 45 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g d.w was found in aqueous extract followed by ethyl acetate (41mg GAE/g d.w) and methanol extract (34.46 mg GAE/g d.w). Antibacterial potential of aqueous and organic extracts of C. glaucum was examined against Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The aqueous, methanolic, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane extract showed antibacterial activity against A. baumannii, K. pneumoniae, E. coli and S. epidermidis. However, against A. baumannii significantly higher inhibition zone (19 mm and 18.96 mm respectively) was shown by ethyl acetate and methanol extracts. Aqueous extract possessed highest growth inhibition (11 mm) against E. coli. Aqueous, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts showed 9 mm, 10 mm, and 10.33 mm zone of inhibition against the K. pneumoniae. For antifungal activity, the extracts were less effective against Aspergillus niger but showed strong antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus). The antioxidant activity was measured as DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), H2O2 and ABTS (2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) scavenging activity of free radicals. All the organic extracts of C. glaucum possessed ABTS, DPPH and H2O2 scavenging properties. The highest cytotoxic activity measured as half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) against human lungs carcinoma cells was recorded for methanolic (IC50 = 16 µg/mL) and n-hexane (IC50 = 25 µg/mL) extracts, respectively. The Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed 4 major and 26 minor compounds in n-hexane extract and 4 major and 7 minor compounds in methanol extract of the C. glaucum. It is concluded that aqueous and organic extracts of C. glaucum would be potential therapeutic agents and could be exploited on a pilot scale to treat human pathogenic diseases.

Genome sequence analysis of deep sea Aspergillus sydowii BOBA1 and effect of high pressure on biodegradation of spent engine oil.

A deep-sea fungus Aspergillus sydowii BOBA1 isolated from marine sediment at a depth of 3000 m was capable of degrading spent engine (SE) oil. The response of immobilized fungi towards degradation at elevated pressure was studied in customized high pressure reactors without any deviation in simulating in situ deep-sea conditions. The growth rate of A. sydowii BOBA1 in 0.1 MPa was significantly different from the growth at 10 MPa pressure. The degradation percentage reached 71.2 and 82.5% at atmospheric and high pressure conditions, respectively, within a retention period of 21 days. The complete genome sequence of BOBA1 consists of 38,795,664 bp in size, comprises 2582 scaffolds with predicted total coding genes of 18,932. A total of 16,247 genes were assigned with known functions and many families found to have a potential role in PAHs and xenobiotic compound metabolism. Functional genes controlling the pathways of hydrocarbon and xenobiotics compound degrading enzymes such as dioxygenase, decarboxylase, hydrolase, reductase and peroxidase were identified. The spectroscopic and genomic analysis revealed the presence of combined catechol, gentisate and phthalic acid degradation pathway. These results of degradation and genomic studies evidenced that this deep-sea fungus could be employed to develop an eco-friendly mycoremediation technology to combat the oil polluted marine environment. This study expands our knowledge on piezophilic fungi and offer insight into possibilities about the fate of SE oil in deep-sea.

Integration of Nitrogen and Biofertilizer on the Agronomic Efficiency and Quality of Shallot (Allium ascalonicum L.) Plant in the Rainy Season.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In the rainy season farmers don't interest to cultivate shallot because in addition to providing a high dosage of fertilizer they are also sensitive to pathogenic attacks so they are afraid of crop failure and cause low shallot production. This study aimed to knew effect of agronomic component and quality of shallot under different concentrations of biofertilizer and Ammonium Sulphate (AS) fertilizer dose in the rainy season. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in Cangkring, Srandakan, Bantul, Special Region of Yogyakarta Indonesia from August to October 2019. The study was arranged in RCBD factorial with three replications. The first factor was a various dose of ammonium sulphate (100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1). The second factor was various concentrations of biofertilizer (2, 3 and 4%), and control. The observed variables were the analysis of growth yield and quality component of shallot plant. The analyzed using analysis of variance at 5% of significance then continued by DMRT at 5% of significance. RESULTS: There was the interaction between the application of AS dosage and biofertilizer concentration on all of variable observations. There was a significant difference between treatment with control on all of the observation variables. CONCLUSION: The combination of AS fertilizer 200 kg ha-1 dose and 3% biofertilizer concentration increased agronomic efficiency, growth, bulbs yields, and quality of bulbs include provitamin A, oleoresin compounds.

Development of One Pot Strategy for Hyper Production and In Vivo Evaluation of Lovastatin.

The aim of this project was to improve the Aspergillus terreus strain and pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse as carrier substrate for bulk production of lovastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, in solid state fermentation. Sugarcane bagasse was treated with alkali (1-3% NaOH) for the conversion of complex polysaccharides into simple sugars for better utilization of carrier substrate by microorganism for maximum lovastatin production. Ethidium bromide (time of exposure 30-180 min) was used to induce mutation in Aspergillus terreus and the best mutant was selected on the basis of inhibition zone appeared on petri plates. Fermented lovastatin was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The fermented lovastatin, produced by parent and mutant Aspergillus terreus strain, was checked on body weight, blood glucose and serum cholesterol, ALT, AST, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG and TC levels of rats for their cholesterol lowering capacity. Our results indicate that selected strain along with 2% NaOH treated sugar cane bagasse was best suitable for bulk production of lovastatin by fermentation and fermented lovastatin effectively lower the cholesterol level of rats.

Semi-pilot scale production of biodiesel from waste frying oil by genetically improved fungal lipases.

This paper addresses the issue of combining the usage of waste frying oil (WFO), as a feedstock, and a lipase produced in solid-state fermentation (SSF), as a biocatalyst, for semi-pilot scale production of biodiesel as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Two fungal mutants namely; Rhizopus stolonifer 1aNRC11 mutant F (1F) and Aspergillus tamarii NDA03a mutant G (3G) were used as a cocatalyst. The two mutants were cultivated separately by SSF in a tray bioreactor. The dried fermented solid of 1F and 3G mutants were used in a ratio of 3:1, respectively, for WFO transesterification. Optimization of several semi-pilot process stages including SSF and WFO transesterification reaction conditions resulted in 92.3% conversion of WFO to FAME. This FAME yield was obtained after 48 h using 10% cocatalyst (w/w of WFO), 10% water (w/w of WFO) and 3:1 methanol/ WFO molar ratio at 30 °C and 250 rpm. A preliminary economic evaluation of produced biodiesel price (190 $/Ton) is less than half the price of petroleum diesel in Egypt (401$/Ton) and is about 40.3% the price of biodiesel produced using a pure enzyme, which is a promising result. This strategy makes the biodiesel synthesis process greener, economical and sustainable.

ß-Mannanase Production Using Coffee Industry Waste for Application in Soluble Coffee Processing.

Soluble coffee offers the combined benefits of high added value and practicality for its consumers. The hydrolysis of coffee polysaccharides by the biochemical route, using enzymes, is an eco-friendly and sustainable way to improve the quality of this product, while contributing to the implementation of industrial processes that have lower energy requirements and can reduce environmental impacts. This work describes the production of hydrolytic enzymes by solid-state fermentation (SSF), cultivating filamentous fungi on waste from the coffee industry, followed by their application in the hydrolysis of waste coffee polysaccharides from soluble coffee processing. Different substrate compositions were studied, an ideal microorganism was selected, and the fermentation conditions were optimized. Cultivations for enzymes production were carried out in flasks and in a packed-bed bioreactor. Higher enzyme yield was achieved in the bioreactor, due to better aeration of the substrate. The best ß-mannanase production results were found for a substrate composed of a mixture of coffee waste and wheat bran (1:1 w/w), using Aspergillusniger F12. The enzymatic extract proved to be very stable for 24 h, at 50 °C, and was able to hydrolyze a considerable amount of the carbohydrates in the coffee. The addition of a commercial cellulase cocktail to the crude extract increased the hydrolysis yield by 56%. The production of ß-mannanase by SSF and its application in the hydrolysis of coffee polysaccharides showed promise for improving soluble coffee processing, offering an attractive way to assist in closing the loops in the coffee industry and creating a circular economy.

Investigation of the antifungal effects of algal extracts on apple-infecting fungi.

It is known that cell extracts of various algae have antifungal activity against microorganisms in vitro. Antifungal activities of Ulva lactuca, Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella minutissima, and Chlorella protothecoides were investigated against: Aspergillus niger, Alternaria alternata, and Penicillium expansum fungi to present their fungicide potentials. Aspergillus niger, Alternaria sp., and Penicillium expansum are typical soft-rotting fungi and cause important loss of apple fruit in the storage. In vitro antifungal activity was evaluated by agar disc diffusion assay against pathogenic apple rot fungi. As a result, almost all of the extracts obtained from algae species were revealed to have antifungal activity against selected fungal pathogens. Free radical-scavenging activity of the extracts was determined with 1,1-diphenyl-2 picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical-scavenging method. Extract of C. protothecoides was determined to have a stronger antioxidant activity than other algae extracts. This study reveals that the potential of algae should be investigated for the production of natural fungicide for pharmaceutical and food industries.

GC-EIMS analysis, antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic activity of Capsicum chinense and Piper nigrum fruits and their bioactive compounds capsaicin and piperine upon Aspergillus parasiticus.

GC-EIMS analysis, antifungal- and anti-aflatoxigenic activities of the ethanolic extract of Capsicum chinense and Piper nigrum fruits and their main bioactive compounds were evaluated upon Aspergillus parasiticus. The GC-EIMS analysis showed capsaicin (50.49%) and piperine (95.94%) as the major constituents in C. chinense and P. nigrum, respectively. MIC50 values revealed that capsaicin (39 µg/mL) and piperine (67 µg/mL) were lower than those from fruit extracts of C. chinense (381 µg/mL) and P. nigrum (68 µg/mL). Extracts and bioactive compounds showed anti-aflatoxigenic activity. Maximum aflatoxin inhibition occurred at 150 µg/mL of extracts and compounds. The present study showed satisfactory results concerning the effects of ethanolic extract of C. chinense and P. nigrum fruits upon A. parasiticus, showing the capabilities of inhibiting fungal growth development and altering aflatoxins production.

Phytochemical, antimicrobial and time-kill kinetics potentials of Euphorbia nivulia Buch.-Ham.: A Cholistan desert medicinal plant.

Euphorbia nivulia a locally occurring plant species possesses antiseptic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and is ethnopharmacologically used in various ailments like skin, ear disorders, boils, and worm infestation. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed presence of flavonoids, polyphenolics, glycosides, alkaloids, tannins and triterpenoids in (70% aqueous-ethanolic) Euphorbia nivulia crude extract (En cr) and its four fractions, i.e., hexane fraction (En hex), butanol fraction (En bt), chloroform fraction (En ch), and aqueous fraction (En aq). In current study, Agar well diffusion and time-kill kinetic assays were performed for antimicrobial activity. 300 mg/ml concentration showed maximum inhibitory zone. Highest zone of inhibition (15.5mm) was demonstrated by En ch fraction against Proteus mirabilis. Staphyllococcus aureus was the most sensitive bacteria against whom all fractions except En aq fraction were active. Maximum MIC (15.3 mg/ml) was shown by En ch fraction against Proteus mirabilis. Similarly, En ch fraction showed (15.1 mg/ml) remarkable MIC against Candida albicans. Significant higher antibacterial and antifungal activity was revealed in high concentration. Time-kill kinetics studies revealed bacteriostatic action. Noteworthy antimicrobial activity may be due to bioactive compounds of extract which may be a potential antibacterial and antifungal agent.

Recycling of Chinese herb residues by endophytic and probiotic fungus Aspergillus cristatus CB10002 for the production of medicinal valuable anthraquinones.

BACKGROUND: The global prevalence of traditional Chinese medicine stimulates the prosperous development of herb medicines, but the annual generation of massive herb residues becomes big issues about environmental pollution and waste of resources. Microbes play important roles in the circulation of substances in nature, and endophytes represent an underexplored microbial resource possessing the unique symbiotic relationship with plants, not only for discovery of secondary metabolites, but also for potential green recycling of herb residues. RESULTS: The recycling capacities of several endophytic strains were respectively evaluated via solid state fermentation with herb residues of commercial Huazhenghuisheng oral-liquid (HOL). Among them, Aspergillus cristatus CB10002, a probiotic fungus isolated from Chinese Fu-brick tea, was competent to recycle HOL residues for the production of medicinal valuable anthraquinones, in which four of them, especially citreorosein with significant anti-obesity activity, were first discovered in A. cristatus. Subsequent quantitative analysis showed that about 2.0 mg/g citreorosein and 7.5 mg/g total anthraquinones could be obtained after 35-day fermentation, which was very competitive and economically beneficial. Further nutritional comparisons also revealed that the recycling process indeed ameliorated the nutrients of HOL residues, and thus proposed a possibility to directly dispose the final leftovers as a compost organic fertilizer. CONCLUSIONS: The endophytic and probiotic fungus A. cristatus CB10002 isolated from Chinese Fu-brick tea was screened out to effectively reutilize HOL residues for the production of nine medicinal valuable anthraquinones, whose biosynthesis may be regulated by the induction of HOL residues. The competitive yields of these anthraquinones, as well as the certain composting properties of final leftovers, have made the microbial recycling of HOL residues economically beneficial. Our work demonstrated a promising applied potential of A. cristatus in reutilization of herb residues, and provided a practical strategy for sustainable and value-added microbial recycling of herb residues.

Sodium alginate-cinnamon essential oil coated apples and pears: Variability of Aspergillus carbonarius growth and ochratoxin A production.

The scope of the present study was to use selected fruits as model foods (wounded skin or slices of apples and pears), for the in situ assessment of the potential of natural antimicrobials to control fungal growth and OTA production and the investigation of alternative ways of their application, e.g., via edible coatings. Fresh fruits were cut: i) in halves or ii) across in round slices of ca. 1 cm thickness. Wounds were introduced into the skin and the center of the slice (5 mm deep; 4 mm diameter) and inoculated with a range of 2.0-7.5 × 103spores per wound of Aspergillus carbonarius. Following inoculation, samples were coated with Na - alginate supplemented with 0.3 (0.3% ECC) and 0.9% v/v (0.9% ECC) cinnamon ΕΟ. Inoculated samples without edible coating and EO (C) or with edible coating and without EO (EC) were used as negative or positive controls, respectively. All samples were stored under aerobic conditions at 15, 20, and 25 °C. Fungal growth was estimated by colony diameter measurements (n = 30), while OTA production was determined by HPLC (n = 4). Antimicrobial treatment with 0.9% EO was more effective on fungal growth when the inoculation took place on slices than in wounded skin (p < .05), regardless of storage temperature and fruit. The variability of µmax increased with EO concentration, except for the coated slices of apples with 0.9% v/v EO (at all temperatures), or pears with 0.3% and 0.9% v/v EO (at 15 and 20 °C), where no growth was observed. OTA was below the detection limit (1 ppb) on the majority of 0.9% ECC apples slices and in 0.3% ECC and 0.9% ECC pears slices, stored at 20 and 25 °C. However, the sample to sample variation in the produced amounts of OTA was remarkable. Thus, considering that inhibition of growth and toxin production do not always concur, the present study provided quantitative information on the variability in A. carbonarius growth and OTA production in real model foods in response to antimicrobial coating with natural active compounds. Such data could be of relevance to risk assessment and assist in designing effective control strategies for limiting OTA levels in foods and thus, protecting consumer health.

Mycovirus therapy for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis?

With the current revived interest in the use of bacteriophages for the treatment of bacterial infections, the study of mycoviruses as novel therapeutic solutions for invasive aspergillosis is the logical next step. Although ssRNA, dsRNA, and ssDNA mycoviruses have been identified, the majority of characterised mycoviruses have dsRNA genomes. Prevalence of dsRNA mycoviruses in Aspergillus spp. varies, and mycoviruses can have different effects on their fungal hosts: hypovirulence, hypervirulence, or a killer phenotype. Therapeutically, extracellular transmission of the mycovirus is essential. DsRNA mycoviruses lack an extracellular phase; however, a single ssDNA mycovirus with homologues in Aspergillus genomes has been described with an extracellular mode of transmission. Mycoviruses can induce hypovirulence or a killer phenotype, and both can be exploited therapeutically. Mycoviruses inducing hypovirulence have been used to control chestnut blight, however for aspergillosis no such mycovirus has been identified yet. Mycovirus encoded killer toxins or anti-idiotypic antibodies and killer peptides derived from these have been demonstrated to control fungal infections including aspergillosis in animals. This indicates that mycoviruses inducing both phenotypes could be exploited therapeutically as long as the right mycovirus has been identified.

Application of Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles in Aspergillus terreus Cultivations: Evaluating the Effects on Lovastatin Production and Fungal Morphology.

Aluminum oxide nanoparticles were supplemented to Aspergillus terreus ATCC 20542 precultures and the outcomes of the process were evaluated relative to the results of microparticle-enhanced and standard cultivations. The selected morphological parameters of fungal pellets (projected area, elongation, convexity, and shape factor) were monitored throughout the experiment, together with biomass, lactose, and lovastatin concentration. The qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis was performed with the use of liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry. The results of the study indicated that the application of nanoparticles was indeed associated with morphological consequences, most notably the decreased pellet size. However, it turned out that the term "nanoparticle-enhanced cultivation" could not be used in the context of lovastatin production, as no marked increase of product titer was observed in nanoparticle-influenced variants relative to standard and microparticle-enhanced cultivation. In addition, the concentration of biomass in the nanoparticle-influenced runs was relatively low. Comparative analysis of total ion chromatograms revealed the presence of a molecule of unknown structure that could be detected solely in broths from standard and microparticle-containing cultures. This study represents the first evaluation of nanoparticles as the tools of morphological engineering aimed at enhanced lovastatin biosynthesis in A. terreus cultures.

Removal and biodegradation of different petroleum hydrocarbons using the filamentous fungus Aspergillus sp. RFC-1.

Petroleum pollution inevitably occurs at any stage of oil production and exerts a negative impact on the environment. Some microorganisms can degrade petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs). Polluted sludge of Rumaila oil field was use to isolate the highly efficient hydrocarbon-degrading fungal strain. Aspergillus sp. RFC-1 was obtained and its degradation ability for petroleum hydrocarbons was evaluated through surface adsorption, cell uptake, hydrophobicity, surface tension, biosurfactant production, and emulsification activity. In addition, the degradation mechanism was investigated. The results indicated the strain RFC-1 showed high removal activity for PHs, including biodegradation, adsorption, and emulsifiability. On the day 7 of incubation, the removal efficiencies of crude oil, naphthalene (NAP), phenanthrene (PHE), and pyrene (PYR) reached 60.3%, 97.4%, 84.9%, and 90.7%, respectively. Biodegradation efficiencies of crude oil, NAP, PHE, and PYR were 51.8%, 84.6%, 50.3%, and 55.1%, respectively. Surface adsorption and cell absorption by live mycelial pellets followed a decreasing order: PYR ≥ PHE > NAP > crude oil. Adsorption by heat-killed mycelial pellets increased within 40 and 10 min for crude oil and PAHs, respectively, and remained constant thereafter. Effects of cell surface hydrophobicity, surface tension, and emulsification index were discussed. Intra- and extracellular enzymes of strain RFC-1 played important roles in PHs degradation. The strain RFC-1 is a prospective strain for removing PHs from aqueous environments.

In vitro pharmacological effects of Astragalus eremophilus and Melilotus parviflora.

Traditional medicines are composed of herbal formulations and their active ingredients and constituents which play a crucial role in the treatment of various human ailments. Astragalus eremophilus and Melilotus indicus (L.) All. (syn. Melilotus parviflora Desf.) are used traditionally as antiperspirant, tonic, diuretic, laxative and narcotic agents. The current study was designed to investigate the Astragalus eremophilus and Melilotus indicus (L.) All. (syn. Melilotus parviflora Desf.) methanol extracts for their antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activities. Fine powder of A. eremophilus and M. parviflora was extracted with 70% methanol to get crude methanol extract. Extract was characterized for antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activities. Antioxidant activity of various concentrations (3 mg/ml, 1.5 mg/ ml, 0.75 mg/ml, and 0.38 mg/ml) of both plant extracts was analyzed using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. Salmonella typhemorium, Klebsiella pneumoniae (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis (gram-positive) bacterial strains were used for assessment of antibacterial activities. Antifungal activities of 7.5 mg/ml, 5.0 mg/ml, 2.5 mg/ml (A. eremophilus and M. parviflora) were conducted using Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicons. At high concentration (3 mg/ml), all the tested fractions of A. eremophilus and M. parviflora methanol extracts showed potent antioxidant activities, ranging between 83.8 and 63.33%. Antibacterial activities revealed that A. eremophilus showed a maximum zone of inhibition (8.1 ± 0.1) on Salmonella typhenorium followed by Enterococcus faecalis (7.2 ± 0.1), Klebsellesa pneumonia (6.1 ± 0.6), and Staphylococcus aureus (5.1 ± 0.4), and at highest concentration (7.5 mg/ml), however, maximum zone of inhibition of Melilotus parviflora was at 7.5 mg/ml followed by 5.0 mg/ml and 2.5 mg/ml against Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhemorium and Enterococcus faecalis. Antifungal assessment of both plant extracts showed that the higher concentration (7.5 mg/ml) has significant inhibitory effect as compared to control. The results can lead to the conclusion that A. eremophilus and M. parviflora methanol extracts are indeed sources of potential therapeutic compounds against antibacterial, antifungal and free radical associated disorders.

Optimization of Storage Conditions of the Medicinal Herb Ilex asprella against the Sterigmatocystin Producer Aspergillus versicolor Using Response Surface Methodology.

The root of Ilex asprella is a commonly used herb in Southern China, and also constitutes the main raw material of Canton herbal tea. I. asprella is readily contaminated by mildew because of rich nutrients. Aspergillus versicolor producing sterigmatocystin is one of the most common molds that contaminate foodstuffs and medicinal herbs. Previous study on the evaluation of fungal contamination on samples of I. asprella revealed that A. versicolor was the dominant contaminant. In this study, experiments based on response surface methodology combined with central composite design were carried out to determine the optimal storage conditions of I. asprella to minimize the contamination of sterigmatocystin. The herb, manually innoculated with A. versicolor, was stored under different temperatures (20⁻40 °C) and humidity (80⁻95%) for seven days. The effects of temperature and humidity were evaluated using total saponin, polysaccharide and the sterigmatocystin levels as quality indexes. The results showed that A. versicolor grew quickly and produced large amounts of sterigmatocystin on I. asprella, at humidity ranging from 85% to 90% and temperatures above 26 °C. Meanwhile, total saponin and polysaccharide amounts were reduced significantly. These findings suggested that I. asprella samples should be stored in an environment with humidity and temperature below 85% and 26 °C, respectively, to reduce A. versicolor growth and sterigmatocystin production.

Polyvinyl acetate processing wastewater treatment using combined Fenton's reagent and fungal consortium: Application of central composite design for conditions optimization.

The Fenton reaction as an oxidative degradation process was used for industrial chemical wastewater (ICW) pretreatment. The biodegradation of pretreated ICW was performed, in aqueous environment under aerobic condition, by a defined fungal consortium. The central composite design (CCD) was used to study the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus addition and the concentration of the pollution on the removal of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and organic compounds. The interaction between parameters was modeled using the response surface methodology (RSM). Results of optimization showed COD, PVA and color removal yields of 97.8%, 98.5% and 99.75%, respectively with a supplementof 1.4 gL-1 of (NH4)2SO4, 1.2 gL-1 of KH2PO4 and 75% of concentrated ICW. Enzymatic analysis proved that laccase and lignin peroxidase were involved in the biodegradation with 45 UIL-1 and 450 UIL-1, respectively. Furthermore, the analysis of metabolic products using Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) showed clearly the mineralization of organic compounds and the formation of formic acid and ethanol. Therefore, the effective treatment of ICW was achieved by developing an integrated chemical and biological process which met the requirement for a safety effluent respectful for environment without risks for public health.

Biodegradation of caffeine by whole cells of tea-derived fungi Aspergillus sydowii, Aspergillus niger and optimization for caffeine degradation.

BACKGROUND: Pu-erh tea is a traditional Chinese tea and produced by natural solid-state fermentation. Several studies show that the natural microbiota influence caffeine level in pu-erh tea. Our previous research also found that the caffeine declined significantly (p < 0.05) in the fermentation, which suggested that the caffeine level could be influenced by specific strains. The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify microorganisms for caffeine degradation, and this research explored the degradation products from caffeine and optimal condition for caffeine degradation. RESULTS: 11 Fungi were isolated from pu-erh tea fermentation and 7 strains could survive in caffeine solid medium. Two superior strains were identified as Aspergillus niger NCBT110A and Aspergillus sydowii NRRL250 by molecular identification. In the substrate tests with caffeine, A. niger NCBT110A could use caffeine as a potential carbon source while glucose is absent, A. sydowii NRRL250 could degrade 600 mg/L caffeine completely in a liquid medium. During the degradation product analysis of A. sydowii NRRL250, theophylline and 3-methlxanthine were detected, and the level of theophylline and 3-methlxanthine increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the degradation of caffeine. The single factor analysis showed that the optimum conditions of caffeine degradation were 1) substrate concentration of 1200 mg/L, 2) reaction temperature at 30 °C, and 3) pH of 6. In the submerged fermentation of tea infusion by A. sydowii NRRL250, 985.1 mg/L of caffeine was degraded, and 501.2 mg/L of theophylline was produced. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this research indicate that Aspergillus sydowii NRRL250 was an effective strain to degrade caffeine. And theophylline and 3-methlxanthine were the main caffeine degradation products.

Antifungal activity of Gallesia integrifolia fruit essential oil.

Gallesia integrifolia (Phytolaccaceae) is native to Brazil and has a strong alliaceous odor. The objective of this study was to identify the chemical composition of G. integrifolia fruit essential oil and evaluate fungicidal activity against the main food-borne diseases and food spoilage fungi. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and identified by GC-MS. From 35 identified compounds, 68% belonged to the organosulfur class. The major compounds were dimethyl trisulfide (15.49%), 2,8-dithianonane (52.63%) and lenthionine (14.69%). The utilized fungi were Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus, Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium funiculosum, Penicillium ochrochloron, Penicillium verrucosum var. cyclopium, and Trichoderma viride. Minimal fungicidal concentration for the essential oil varied from 0.02 to 0.18mg/mL and bifonazole and ketoconazole controls ranged from 0.20 to 3.50mg/mL. The lower concentration of the essential oil was able to control P. ochrochloron, A. fumigatus, A. versicolor, A. ochraceus and T. viride. This study shows a high fungicidal activity of G. integrifolia fruit essential oil and can support future applications by reducing the use of synthetic fungicides.