Combined exposure of polystyrene microplastics and benzo[a]pyrene in rat: Study of the oxidative stress effects in the liver.

Microplastics (MPs) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) are prevalent environmental pollutants. Numerous studies have extensively reported their individual adverse effects on organisms. However, the combined effects and mechanisms of exposure in mammals remain unknown. Thus, this study aims to investigate the potential effects of oral administration of 0.5µm polystyrene (PS) MPs (1 mg/mL or 5 mg/mL), B[a]P (1 mg/mL or 5 mg/mL) and combined (1 mg/mL or 5 mg/mL) on 64 male SD rats by gavage method over 6-weeks. The results demonstrate that the liver histopathological examination showed that the liver lobules in the combined (5 mg/kg) group had blurred and loose boundaries, liver cord morphological disorders, and significant steatosis. The levels of AST, ALT, TC, and TG in the combined dose groups were significantly higher than those in the other groups, the combined (5 mg/kg) group had the lowest levels of antioxidant enzymes and the highest levels of oxidants. The expression of Nrf2 was lowest and the expression of P38, NF-κB, and TNF-α was highest in the combined (5 mg/kg) group. In conclusion, these findings indicate that the combination of PSMPs and B[a]P can cause the highest levels of oxidative stress and elicit markedly enhanced toxic effects, which cause severe liver damage.

MALDI(+) FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry (MS) Combined with Machine Learning toward Saliva-Based Diagnostic Screening for COVID-19.

Rapid identification of existing respiratory viruses in biological samples is of utmost importance in strategies to combat pandemics. Inputting MALDI FT-ICR MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry) data output into machine learning algorithms could hold promise in classifying positive samples for SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to develop a fast and effective methodology to perform saliva-based screening of patients with suspected COVID-19, using the MALDI FT-ICR MS technique with a support vector machine (SVM). In the method optimization, the best sample preparation was obtained with the digestion of saliva in 10 µL of trypsin for 2 h and the MALDI analysis, which presented a satisfactory resolution for the analysis with 1 M. SVM models were created with data from the analysis of 97 samples that were designated as SARS-CoV-2 positives versus 52 negatives, confirmed by RT-PCR tests. SVM1 and SVM2 models showed the best results. The calibration group obtained 100% accuracy, and the test group 95.6% (SVM1) and 86.7% (SVM2). SVM1 selected 780 variables and has a false negative rate (FNR) of 0%, while SVM2 selected only two variables with a FNR of 3%. The proposed methodology suggests a promising tool to aid screening for COVID-19.

Genomic Analysis Enlightens Agaricales Lifestyle Evolution and Increasing Peroxidase Diversity.

As actors of global carbon cycle, Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota) have developed complex enzymatic machineries that allow them to decompose all plant polymers, including lignin. Among them, saprotrophic Agaricales are characterized by an unparalleled diversity of habitats and lifestyles. Comparative analysis of 52 Agaricomycetes genomes (14 of them sequenced de novo) reveals that Agaricales possess a large diversity of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes for lignocellulose decay. Based on the gene families with the predicted highest evolutionary rates-namely cellulose-binding CBM1, glycoside hydrolase GH43, lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase AA9, class-II peroxidases, glucose-methanol-choline oxidase/dehydrogenases, laccases, and unspecific peroxygenases-we reconstructed the lifestyles of the ancestors that led to the extant lignocellulose-decomposing Agaricomycetes. The changes in the enzymatic toolkit of ancestral Agaricales are correlated with the evolution of their ability to grow not only on wood but also on leaf litter and decayed wood, with grass-litter decomposers as the most recent eco-physiological group. In this context, the above families were analyzed in detail in connection with lifestyle diversity. Peroxidases appear as a central component of the enzymatic toolkit of saprotrophic Agaricomycetes, consistent with their essential role in lignin degradation and high evolutionary rates. This includes not only expansions/losses in peroxidase genes common to other basidiomycetes but also the widespread presence in Agaricales (and Russulales) of new peroxidases types not found in wood-rotting Polyporales, and other Agaricomycetes orders. Therefore, we analyzed the peroxidase evolution in Agaricomycetes by ancestral-sequence reconstruction revealing several major evolutionary pathways and mapped the appearance of the different enzyme types in a time-calibrated species tree.

Noninvasive Diagnostic for COVID-19 from Saliva Biofluid via FTIR Spectroscopy and Multivariate Analysis.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the worst global health crisis in living memory. The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is considered the gold standard diagnostic method, but it exhibits limitations in the face of enormous demands. We evaluated a mid-infrared (MIR) data set of 237 saliva samples obtained from symptomatic patients (138 COVID-19 infections diagnosed via RT-qPCR). MIR spectra were evaluated via unsupervised random forest (URF) and classification models. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was applied following the genetic algorithm (GA-LDA), successive projection algorithm (SPA-LDA), partial least squares (PLS-DA), and a combination of dimension reduction and variable selection methods by particle swarm optimization (PSO-PLS-DA). Additionally, a consensus class was used. URF models can identify structures even in highly complex data. Individual models performed well, but the consensus class improved the validation performance to 85% accuracy, 93% sensitivity, 83% specificity, and a Matthew's correlation coefficient value of 0.69, with information at different spectral regions. Therefore, through this unsupervised and supervised framework methodology, it is possible to better highlight the spectral regions associated with positive samples, including lipid (∼1700 cm-1), protein (∼1400 cm-1), and nucleic acid (∼1200-950 cm-1) regions. This methodology presents an important tool for a fast, noninvasive diagnostic technique, reducing costs and allowing for risk reduction strategies.

A fungal family of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase-like copper proteins.

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are copper-containing enzymes that play a key role in the oxidative degradation of various biopolymers such as cellulose and chitin. While hunting for new LPMOs, we identified a new family of proteins, defined here as X325, in various fungal lineages. The three-dimensional structure of X325 revealed an overall LPMO fold and a His brace with an additional Asp ligand to Cu(II). Although LPMO-type activity of X325 members was initially expected, we demonstrated that X325 members do not perform oxidative cleavage of polysaccharides, establishing that X325s are not LPMOs. Investigations of the biological role of X325 in the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor revealed exposure of the X325 protein at the interface between fungal hyphae and tree rootlet cells. Our results provide insights into a family of copper-containing proteins, which is widespread in the fungal kingdom and is evolutionarily related to LPMOs, but has diverged to biological functions other than polysaccharide degradation.

Ultrarapid On-Site Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Using Simple ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy and an Analysis Algorithm: High Sensitivity and Specificity.

There is an urgent need for ultrarapid testing regimens to detect the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2] infections in real-time within seconds to stop its spread. Current testing approaches for this RNA virus focus primarily on diagnosis by RT-qPCR, which is time-consuming, costly, often inaccurate, and impractical for general population rollout due to the need for laboratory processing. The latency until the test result arrives with the patient has led to further virus spread. Furthermore, latest antigen rapid tests still require 15-30 min processing time and are challenging to handle. Despite increased polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-test and antigen-test efforts, the pandemic continues to evolve worldwide. Herein, we developed a superfast, reagent-free, and nondestructive approach of attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy with subsequent chemometric analysis toward the prescreening of virus-infected samples. Contrived saliva samples spiked with inactivated γ-irradiated COVID-19 virus particles at levels down to 1582 copies/mL generated infrared (IR) spectra with a good signal-to-noise ratio. Predominant virus spectral peaks are tentatively associated with nucleic acid bands, including RNA. At low copy numbers, the presence of a virus particle was found to be capable of modifying the IR spectral signature of saliva, again with discriminating wavenumbers primarily associated with RNA. Discrimination was also achievable following ATR-FTIR spectral analysis of swabs immersed in saliva variously spiked with virus. Next, we nested our test system in a clinical setting wherein participants were recruited to provide demographic details, symptoms, parallel RT-qPCR testing, and the acquisition of pharyngeal swabs for ATR-FTIR spectral analysis. Initial categorization of swab samples into negative versus positive COVID-19 infection was based on symptoms and PCR results (n = 111 negatives and 70 positives). Following training and validation (using n = 61 negatives and 20 positives) of a genetic algorithm-linear discriminant analysis (GA-LDA) algorithm, a blind sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 89% was achieved. This prompt approach generates results within 2 min and is applicable in areas with increased people traffic that require sudden test results such as airports, events, or gate controls.

Comparative genomics of Rhizophagus irregularis, R. cerebriforme, R. diaphanus and Gigaspora rosea highlights specific genetic features in Glomeromycotina.

Glomeromycotina is a lineage of early diverging fungi that establish arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis with land plants. Despite their major ecological role, the genetic basis of their obligate mutualism remains largely unknown, hindering our understanding of their evolution and biology. We compared the genomes of Glomerales (Rhizophagus irregularis, Rhizophagus diaphanus, Rhizophagus cerebriforme) and Diversisporales (Gigaspora rosea) species, together with those of saprotrophic Mucoromycota, to identify gene families and processes associated with these lineages and to understand the molecular underpinning of their symbiotic lifestyle. Genomic features in Glomeromycotina appear to be very similar with a very high content in transposons and protein-coding genes, extensive duplications of protein kinase genes, and loss of genes coding for lignocellulose degradation, thiamin biosynthesis and cytosolic fatty acid synthase. Most symbiosis-related genes in R. irregularis and G. rosea are specific to Glomeromycotina. We also confirmed that the present species have a homokaryotic genome organisation. The high interspecific diversity of Glomeromycotina gene repertoires, affecting all known protein domains, as well as symbiosis-related orphan genes, may explain the known adaptation of Glomeromycotina to a wide range of environmental settings. Our findings contribute to an increasingly detailed portrait of genomic features defining the biology of AM fungi.

Attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectral discrimination in human bodily fluids of oesophageal transformation to adenocarcinoma.

Diagnostic tools for the detection of early-stage oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) are urgently needed. Our aim was to develop an accurate and inexpensive method using biofluids (plasma, serum, saliva or urine) for detecting oesophageal stages through to OAC (squamous; inflammatory; Barrett's; low-grade dysplasia; high-grade dysplasia; OAC) using attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with variable selection methods, with successive projections or genetic algorithms (GA) combined with quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) were employed to identify spectral biomarkers in biofluids for accurate diagnosis in a hospital setting of different stages through to OAC. Quality metrics (Accuracy, Sensitivity, Specificity and F-score) and biomarkers of disease were computed for each model. For plasma, GA-QDA models using 15 wavenumbers achieved 100% classification for four classes. For saliva, PCA-QDA models achieved 100% for the inflammatory stage and high-quality metrics for other classes. For serum, GA-QDA models achieved 100% performance for the OAC stage using 13 wavenumbers. For urine, PCA-QDA models achieved 100% performance for all classes. Selected wavenumbers using a Student's t-test (95% confidence interval) identified a differentiation of the stages on each biofluid: plasma (929 cm-1 to 1431 cm-1, associated with DNA/RNA and proteins); saliva (1000 cm-1 to 1150 cm-1, associated with DNA/RNA region); serum (1435 cm-1 to 1573 cm-1, associated with methyl groups of proteins and Amide II absorption); and, urine (1681 cm-1 to 1777 cm-1, associated with a high frequency vibration of an antiparallel ß-sheet of Amide I and stretching vibration of lipids). Our methods have demonstrated excellent efficacy for a rapid, cost-effective method of diagnosis for specific stages to OAC. These findings suggest a potential diagnostic tool for oesophageal cancer and could be translated into clinical practice.

Sex differences in mandibular repositioning device therapy effectiveness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

PURPOSE: Mandibular repositioning devices (MRDs) are an effective treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), particularly in patients who refuse or cannot tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, sex differences in the response to therapy and predictors of response are not clearly defined. This analysis of data from the long-term prospective ORCADES trial compared MRD efficacy in men and women with OSAS. METHODS: The ORCADES study included patients with newly diagnosed mild-to-moderate or severe OSAS who refused or were non-compliant with CPAP. MRD therapy was titrated over 3-6 months. The primary endpoint was treatment success (≥ 50% decrease in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)). Complete response was defined using a range of AHI cut-off values (< 5/h, < 10/h, < 15/h). RESULTS: Overall treatment success rates were 89% in women and 76% in men (p = 0.019); corresponding rates in those with severe OSAS (AHI > 30/h) were 100% and 68% (p = 0.0015). In women vs. men, overall complete response rates at AHI cut-off values of < 5/h, <10/h, and < 15/h were 49 vs. 34% (p = 0.0052), 78 vs. 62% (p = 0.016), and 92 vs. 76% (p = 0.0032). On multivariate analysis, significant predictors of MRD treatment success were overbite and baseline apnea index in men, and neck circumference and no previous CPAP therapy in women. There were sex differences in the occurrence of side effects. Temporomandibular joint pain was the most common reason for stopping MRD therapy. CONCLUSIONS: MRD therapy was effective in women with OSA of any severity, with significantly higher response rates compared with men especially in severe OSAS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01326143).

Genetic Bases of Fungal White Rot Wood Decay Predicted by Phylogenomic Analysis of Correlated Gene-Phenotype Evolution.

Fungal decomposition of plant cell walls (PCW) is a complex process that has diverse industrial applications and huge impacts on the carbon cycle. White rot (WR) is a powerful mode of PCW decay in which lignin and carbohydrates are both degraded. Mechanistic studies of decay coupled with comparative genomic analyses have provided clues to the enzymatic components of WR systems and their evolutionary origins, but the complete suite of genes necessary for WR remains undetermined. Here, we use phylogenomic comparative methods, which we validate through simulations, to identify shifts in gene family diversification rates that are correlated with evolution of WR, using data from 62 fungal genomes. We detected 409 gene families that appear to be evolutionarily correlated with WR. The identified gene families encode well-characterized decay enzymes, e.g., fungal class II peroxidases and cellobiohydrolases, and enzymes involved in import and detoxification pathways, as well as 73 gene families that have no functional annotation. About 310 of the 409 identified gene families are present in the genome of the model WR fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium and 192 of these (62%) have been shown to be upregulated under ligninolytic culture conditions, which corroborates the phylogeny-based functional inferences. These results illuminate the complexity of WR and suggest that its evolution has involved a general elaboration of the decay apparatus, including numerous gene families with as-yet unknown exact functions.

Multi-omic Analyses of Extensively Decayed Pinus contorta Reveal Expression of a Diverse Array of Lignocellulose-Degrading Enzymes.

Fungi play a key role cycling nutrients in forest ecosystems, but the mechanisms remain uncertain. To clarify the enzymatic processes involved in wood decomposition, the metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics of extensively decayed lodgepole pine were examined by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively. Following de novo metatranscriptome assembly, 52,011 contigs were searched for functional domains and homology to database entries. Contigs similar to basidiomycete transcripts dominated, and many of these were most closely related to ligninolytic white rot fungi or cellulolytic brown rot fungi. A diverse array of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) representing a total of 132 families or subfamilies were identified. Among these were 672 glycoside hydrolases, including highly expressed cellulases or hemicellulases. The CAZymes also included 162 predicted redox enzymes classified within auxiliary activity (AA) families. Eighteen of these were manganese peroxidases, which are key components of ligninolytic white rot fungi. The expression of other redox enzymes supported the working of hydroquinone reduction cycles capable of generating reactive hydroxyl radicals. These have been implicated as diffusible oxidants responsible for cellulose depolymerization by brown rot fungi. Thus, enzyme diversity and the coexistence of brown and white rot fungi suggest complex interactions of fungal species and degradative strategies during the decay of lodgepole pine.IMPORTANCE The deconstruction of recalcitrant woody substrates is a central component of carbon cycling and forest health. Laboratory investigations have contributed substantially toward understanding the mechanisms employed by model wood decay fungi, but few studies have examined the physiological processes in natural environments. Herein, we identify the functional genes present in field samples of extensively decayed lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), a major species distributed throughout the North American Rocky Mountains. The classified transcripts and proteins revealed a diverse array of oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes involved in the degradation of lignocellulose. The evidence also strongly supports simultaneous attack by fungal species employing different enzymatic strategies.

The ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Laccaria bicolor releases a secreted ß-1,4 endoglucanase that plays a key role in symbiosis development.

In ectomycorrhiza, root ingress and colonization of the apoplast by colonizing hyphae is thought to rely mainly on the mechanical force that results from hyphal tip growth, but this could be enhanced by secretion of cell-wall-degrading enzymes, which have not yet been identified. The sole cellulose-binding module (CBM1) encoded in the genome of the ectomycorrhizal Laccaria bicolor is linked to a glycoside hydrolase family 5 (GH5) endoglucanase, LbGH5-CBM1. Here, we characterize LbGH5-CBM1 gene expression and the biochemical properties of its protein product. We also immunolocalized LbGH5-CBM1 by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy in poplar ectomycorrhiza. We show that LbGH5-CBM1 expression is substantially induced in ectomycorrhiza, and RNAi mutants with a decreased LbGH5-CBM1 expression have a lower ability to form ectomycorrhiza, suggesting a key role in symbiosis. Recombinant LbGH5-CBM1 displays its highest activity towards cellulose and galactomannans, but no activity toward L. bicolor cell walls. In situ localization of LbGH5-CBM1 in ectomycorrhiza reveals that the endoglucanase accumulates at the periphery of hyphae forming the Hartig net and the mantle. Our data suggest that the symbiosis-induced endoglucanase LbGH5-CBM1 is an enzymatic effector involved in cell wall remodeling during formation of the Hartig net and is an important determinant for successful symbiotic colonization.

Comparative Genomics of Early-Diverging Mushroom-Forming Fungi Provides Insights into the Origins of Lignocellulose Decay Capabilities.

Evolution of lignocellulose decomposition was one of the most ecologically important innovations in fungi. White-rot fungi in the Agaricomycetes (mushrooms and relatives) are the most effective microorganisms in degrading both cellulose and lignin components of woody plant cell walls (PCW). However, the precise evolutionary origins of lignocellulose decomposition are poorly understood, largely because certain early-diverging clades of Agaricomycetes and its sister group, the Dacrymycetes, have yet to be sampled, or have been undersampled, in comparative genomic studies. Here, we present new genome sequences of ten saprotrophic fungi, including members of the Dacrymycetes and early-diverging clades of Agaricomycetes (Cantharellales, Sebacinales, Auriculariales, and Trechisporales), which we use to refine the origins and evolutionary history of the enzymatic toolkit of lignocellulose decomposition. We reconstructed the origin of ligninolytic enzymes, focusing on class II peroxidases (AA2), as well as enzymes that attack crystalline cellulose. Despite previous reports of white rot appearing as early as the Dacrymycetes, our results suggest that white-rot fungi evolved later in the Agaricomycetes, with the first class II peroxidases reconstructed in the ancestor of the Auriculariales and residual Agaricomycetes. The exemplars of the most ancient clades of Agaricomycetes that we sampled all lack class II peroxidases, and are thus concluded to use a combination of plesiomorphic and derived PCW degrading enzymes that predate the evolution of white rot.

Extensive sampling of basidiomycete genomes demonstrates inadequacy of the white-rot/brown-rot paradigm for wood decay fungi.

Basidiomycota (basidiomycetes) make up 32% of the described fungi and include most wood-decaying species, as well as pathogens and mutualistic symbionts. Wood-decaying basidiomycetes have typically been classified as either white rot or brown rot, based on the ability (in white rot only) to degrade lignin along with cellulose and hemicellulose. Prior genomic comparisons suggested that the two decay modes can be distinguished based on the presence or absence of ligninolytic class II peroxidases (PODs), as well as the abundance of enzymes acting directly on crystalline cellulose (reduced in brown rot). To assess the generality of the white-rot/brown-rot classification paradigm, we compared the genomes of 33 basidiomycetes, including four newly sequenced wood decayers, and performed phylogenetically informed principal-components analysis (PCA) of a broad range of gene families encoding plant biomass-degrading enzymes. The newly sequenced Botryobasidium botryosum and Jaapia argillacea genomes lack PODs but possess diverse enzymes acting on crystalline cellulose, and they group close to the model white-rot species Phanerochaete chrysosporium in the PCA. Furthermore, laboratory assays showed that both B. botryosum and J. argillacea can degrade all polymeric components of woody plant cell walls, a characteristic of white rot. We also found expansions in reducing polyketide synthase genes specific to the brown-rot fungi. Our results suggest a continuum rather than a dichotomy between the white-rot and brown-rot modes of wood decay. A more nuanced categorization of rot types is needed, based on an improved understanding of the genomics and biochemistry of wood decay.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi decompose soil organic matter using oxidative mechanisms adapted from saprotrophic ancestors.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi are thought to have a key role in mobilizing organic nitrogen that is trapped in soil organic matter (SOM). However, the extent to which ectomycorrhizal fungi decompose SOM and the mechanism by which they do so remain unclear, considering that they have lost many genes encoding lignocellulose-degrading enzymes that are present in their saprotrophic ancestors. Spectroscopic analyses and transcriptome profiling were used to examine the mechanisms by which five species of ectomycorrhizal fungi, representing at least four origins of symbiosis, decompose SOM extracted from forest soils. In the presence of glucose and when acquiring nitrogen, all species converted the organic matter in the SOM extract using oxidative mechanisms. The transcriptome expressed during oxidative decomposition has diverged over evolutionary time. Each species expressed a different set of transcripts encoding proteins associated with oxidation of lignocellulose by saprotrophic fungi. The decomposition 'toolbox' has diverged through differences in the regulation of orthologous genes, the formation of new genes by gene duplications, and the recruitment of genes from diverse but functionally similar enzyme families. The capacity to oxidize SOM appears to be common among ectomycorrhizal fungi. We propose that the ancestral decay mechanisms used primarily to obtain carbon have been adapted in symbiosis to scavenge nutrients instead.

Genome sequence of the button mushroom Agaricus bisporus reveals mechanisms governing adaptation to a humic-rich ecological niche.

Agaricus bisporus is the model fungus for the adaptation, persistence, and growth in the humic-rich leaf-litter environment. Aside from its ecological role, A. bisporus has been an important component of the human diet for over 200 y and worldwide cultivation of the "button mushroom" forms a multibillion dollar industry. We present two A. bisporus genomes, their gene repertoires and transcript profiles on compost and during mushroom formation. The genomes encode a full repertoire of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes similar to that of wood-decayers. Comparative transcriptomics of mycelium grown on defined medium, casing-soil, and compost revealed genes encoding enzymes involved in xylan, cellulose, pectin, and protein degradation are more highly expressed in compost. The striking expansion of heme-thiolate peroxidases and ß-etherases is distinctive from Agaricomycotina wood-decayers and suggests a broad attack on decaying lignin and related metabolites found in humic acid-rich environment. Similarly, up-regulation of these genes together with a lignolytic manganese peroxidase, multiple copper radical oxidases, and cytochrome P450s is consistent with challenges posed by complex humic-rich substrates. The gene repertoire and expression of hydrolytic enzymes in A. bisporus is substantially different from the taxonomically related ectomycorrhizal symbiont Laccaria bicolor. A common promoter motif was also identified in genes very highly expressed in humic-rich substrates. These observations reveal genetic and enzymatic mechanisms governing adaptation to the humic-rich ecological niche formed during plant degradation, further defining the critical role such fungi contribute to soil structure and carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. Genome sequence will expedite mushroom breeding for improved agronomic characteristics.

The genome of the white-rot fungus Pycnoporus cinnabarinus: a basidiomycete model with a versatile arsenal for lignocellulosic biomass breakdown.

BACKGROUND: Saprophytic filamentous fungi are ubiquitous micro-organisms that play an essential role in photosynthetic carbon recycling. The wood-decayer Pycnoporus cinnabarinus is a model fungus for the study of plant cell wall decomposition and is used for a number of applications in green and white biotechnology. RESULTS: The 33.6 megabase genome of P. cinnabarinus was sequenced and assembled, and the 10,442 predicted genes were functionally annotated using a phylogenomic procedure. In-depth analyses were carried out for the numerous enzyme families involved in lignocellulosic biomass breakdown, for protein secretion and glycosylation pathways, and for mating type. The P. cinnabarinus genome sequence revealed a consistent repertoire of genes shared with wood-decaying basidiomycetes. P. cinnabarinus is thus fully equipped with the classical families involved in cellulose and hemicellulose degradation, whereas its pectinolytic repertoire appears relatively limited. In addition, P. cinnabarinus possesses a complete versatile enzymatic arsenal for lignin breakdown. We identified several genes encoding members of the three ligninolytic peroxidase types, namely lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and versatile peroxidase. Comparative genome analyses were performed in fungi displaying different nutritional strategies (white-rot and brown-rot modes of decay). P. cinnabarinus presents a typical distribution of all the specific families found in the white-rot life style. Growth profiling of P. cinnabarinus was performed on 35 carbon sources including simple and complex substrates to study substrate utilization and preferences. P. cinnabarinus grew faster on crude plant substrates than on pure, mono- or polysaccharide substrates. Finally, proteomic analyses were conducted from liquid and solid-state fermentation to analyze the composition of the secretomes corresponding to growth on different substrates. The distribution of lignocellulolytic enzymes in the secretomes was strongly dependent on growth conditions, especially for lytic polysaccharide mono-oxygenases. CONCLUSIONS: With its available genome sequence, P. cinnabarinus is now an outstanding model system for the study of the enzyme machinery involved in the degradation or transformation of lignocellulosic biomass.

Evaluation of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy with multivariate analysis to study the binding mechanisms of ZnO nanoparticles or Zn2+ to Chelex-100 or metsorb.

Advancements in nanotechnology and the expected increases in production of commercial products with incorporated manufactured nanomaterials will very likely lead to increasing contamination of nanoparticles (NPs) in the environment. Though studying adverse impacts of NPs in the environment and their ecotoxicological fate and behavior is not new, limited information is available. A major challenge in this respect is the lack of a proper sampling technique that could provide data on concentrations of these materials in the environment. Diffusive gradient in thin-films (DGT) is a well-established method that can measure available concentrations of trace metals in soils and waters. Using this approach, different binding resins are employed as a sink to collect targeted chemicals during fixed times. Here, we examine the suitability of two common types of the DGT binding agents, commercially available Chelex-100 and Metsorb, to investigate whether these materials could irreversibly retain a model nanoparticle, ZnO, and if so, what would be the difference between bound ZnO NP and Zn(2+) ion. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the binding materials before and after exposure to ZnO NP and Zn(2+). Based on computational analysis using principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA), it was demonstrated that both Chelex-100 and Metsorb form chemical bonds with ZnO NP and Zn(2+), however the binding mechanisms of these zinc species as inferred from their infrared (IR) spectra are statistically different (95% confidence level). The experimental results suggest that the binding resins hold ZnO NP with fewer and weaker chemical bonds compared to Zn(2+). This research shows the potential of the DGT method to measure available concentrations of nanoparticles in the environment and demonstrate how ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, when used with computational analysis, can differentiate between diverse chemical species that are simultaneously retained by the binding layer in a DGT device.

Insights into the Ecological Diversification of the Hymenochaetales based on Comparative Genomics and Phylogenomics With an Emphasis on Coltricia.

To elucidate the genomic traits of ecological diversification in the Hymenochaetales, we sequenced 15 new genomes, with attention to ectomycorrhizal (EcM) Coltricia species. Together with published data, 32 genomes, including 31 Hymenochaetales and one outgroup, were comparatively analyzed in total. Compared with those of parasitic and saprophytic members, EcM species have significantly reduced number of plant cell wall degrading enzyme genes, and expanded transposable elements, genome sizes, small secreted proteins, and secreted proteases. EcM species still retain some of secreted carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and have lost the key secreted CAZymes to degrade lignin and cellulose, while possess a strong capacity to degrade a microbial cell wall containing chitin and peptidoglycan. There were no significant differences in secreted CAZymes between fungi growing on gymnosperms and angiosperms, suggesting that the secreted CAZymes in the Hymenochaetales evolved before differentiation of host trees into gymnosperms and angiosperms. Nevertheless, parasitic and saprophytic species of the Hymenochaetales are very similar in many genome features, which reflect their close phylogenetic relationships both being white rot fungi. Phylogenomic and molecular clock analyses showed that the EcM genus Coltricia formed a clade located at the base of the Hymenochaetaceae and divergence time later than saprophytic species. And Coltricia remains one to two genes of AA2 family. These indicate that the ancestors of Coltricia appear to have originated from saprophytic ancestor with the ability to cause a white rot. This study provides new genomic data for EcM species and insights into the ecological diversification within the Hymenochaetales based on comparative genomics and phylogenomics analyses.

Direct identification and visualisation of real-world contaminating microplastics using Raman spectral mapping with multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares.

Microplastics (MPs) contamination is ubiquitous in environmental matrices worldwide. Moreover these pollutants can be ingested by organisms and transported to organs via the circulatory system. Although efficient methods for the analysis of MPs derived from environment matrices and organisms' tissue samples have been developed after special sample pre-treatment, there remains a need for an optimised approach allowing direct identification and visualisation these MPs in real environmental matrices and organismal samples. Herein, we firstly used a multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) analysis of Raman hyperspectral imaging data to direct identification and visualisation of MPs in a complex serum background. Four common MPs types including polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were identified and visualised either individually or in mixtures within spiked samples at an 8-µm spatial resolution. Moreover, Raman imaging based on MCR-ALS was successfully applied in fish faeces biological samples and environmental sand samples for in situ MPs identification directly without washing or removal of organic matter. The current results demonstrate Raman imaging based on MCR-ALS as a novel imaging approach for direct identification and visualisation of MPs, through extraction of MPs' chemical spectra within a complicated biological or environmental background whilst eliminating overlapping Raman bands and fluorescence interference.