Electricity generation and oxidoreductase potential during dye discoloration by laccase-producing Ganoderma gibbosum in fungal fuel cell.

Color chemicals contaminate pure water constantly discharged from different points and non-point sources. Physical and chemical techniques have certain limitations and complexities for bioenergy production, which motivated the search for a novel sustainable production approaches during dye wastewater treatment. The emerging environmental problem of dye decolorization has attracted scientist's attention to a new, cheap, and economical way to treat dye wastewater and power production via fungal fuel cells. Ganoderma gibbosum was fitted in the cathodic region with laccase secretion in the fuel cell. At the same time, dye water was placed in the anodic region to move electrons and produce power. This study treated wastewater using the oxidoreductase enzymes released extracellularly from Ganoderma gibbosum for dye Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) degradation via fungal-based fuel cell. The maximum power density of 14.18 mW/m2 and the maximum current density of 35 mA/m2 were shown by the concentration of 5 ppm during maximum laccase activity and decolorization of RBBR. The laccase catalysts have gained considerable attention because of eco-friendly and alternative easy handling approaches to chemical methods. Fungal Fuel Cells (FFCs) are efficiently used in dye treatment and electricity production. This article also highlighted the construction of fungal catalytic cells and the enzymatic performance of fungal species in energy production during dye water treatment.

Agitation role (Dissolved Oxygen) in production of laccase from newly identified Ganoderma multistipitatum sp. nov. and its effect on mycelium morphology.

BACKGROUND: Agitation speed influenced the production rate of laccase. Orbital speed not only influenced the enzyme production, but was also effective to dissolve the oxygen during growth of mycelium, spores, and chlamydospores. Shear effects of speed greatly influenced the morphology of mycelium. METHODS: Ganoderma multistipitatum was identified by ITS marker. Phylogenetic tree was constructed for species identification. Qualitatively by plate method contained guaiacol indicator, while quantitatively by submerged fermentation and Central Composite Design applied on agitation parameter for maximum laccase potential of this species. The effects of agitation speed on mycelium morphology were observed under compound and scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: Statistical optimization of agitation conditions were performed by using response surface methodology to enhance the production of laccase from Ganoderma multistipitatum sp. nov. Maximum laccase yield (19.44 × 105 ± 0.28 U/L) was obtained at 150 rpm grown culture, which was higher than predicted value of laccase production (19.18 × 105 U/L) under aerobic conditions (150 rpm). The 150 rpm provided the continuous flush of oxygen. The DO (dissolved oxygen) was maximum (65%) for "27 h" incubation at 150 rpm during laccase synthesis. The statistical value of laccase production was minimum under anaerobic or nearly static condition of 50 rpm. The predicted (12.78 × 105 U/L) and obtained (12.82 × 105 U/L) yield was low at 50 rpm. Optimization of orbital shaking for aeration conditions were performed by the use of "Response Surface Methodology". The submerged shaking flasks were utilized as a nutrients growth medium to maximize the production of laccase from G. multistipitatum. The minimum incubation time highly influenced the laccase yield from 7 to 15 days via utilization of less cost-effective medium under a promising and eco-friendly method. The morphological effects of rpm on mycelium were examined under compound and scanning electron microscopy. Higher rpm (200, 230) shear the mycelium, while 150 to 200 rpm exhibited smoother and highly dense branches of mycelia. CONCLUSION: The shear forces of 200 rpm caused the damages of mycelium and cells autolysis with less laccase production. This study concluded that 150 rpm saved the life of mycelium and enhanced the production rate of enzymes.

Biological and proteomic analysis of a new isolate of the nematophagous fungus lecanicillium sp.

BACKGROUND: In our continuing search for biologically active natural enemies from North of Africa with special reference to Tunisian fungi, our teamwork screened fungi from different ecological habitats in Tunisia. Our previous study on the comparative effectiveness of filamentous fungi in the biocontrol of Meloidogyne javanica, a taxon (Lecanicillium) showed high potentiality against M. javanica. We undertook the present study to evaluate the ability and understand the mechanism of this fungal parasite as a biological control candidate against the root-knot nematode M. javanica. This study used in vitro bioassays with fungal filtrate cultures, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, and isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) methodology to characterize the biological and molecular features of this fungus. RESULTS: The microscopic and SEM observation revealed that Lecanicillium sp. exhibited exceptional hyperparasitism against M. javanica eggs. The hyphae of this fungi penetrated the eggs, causing destructive damage to the outer eggshell. The exposure to five concentrations of Lecanicillium sp. filtrate cultures showed high inhibition of egg hatching, which increases depending on the exposure time; the best results are recorded at 50%, 75%, and 100% dilutions after seven days of exposure. The SEM observation of nematode-parasitized eggs and juveniles suggests that the production of lytic enzymes degrades the egg cuticle and fungal hyphae penetrate unhatched M.javanica juveniles. Forty-seven unique proteins were identified from the Lecanicillium sp. isolate. These proteins have signalling and stress response functions, bioenergy, metabolism, and protein synthesis and degradation. CONCLUSION: Collectively, Lecanicillium sp. had ovicidal potentiality proved by SEM and proteomic analysis against root-knot nematode' eggs. This study recommended applying this biological control candidate as a bio-agent on vegetable crops grown in situ.

Diversity of Toxigenic Fungi in Livestock and Poultry Feedstuffs.

The purpose of this study was to discover how abundant toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins are in animal feedstuff samples. A total of ninety samples representing various types of animal feedstuff samples were collected from ninety sites in Egypt. Isolation, identification, and determination of mycotoxins (aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, and ochratoxin A) were performed. The results revealed that 79 (87.77%) of the samples were contaminated with fungi, and 1.1 × 105 CFU/g were recovered, including 41 fungal species belonging to 18 genera, such as Zygomycota, which was represented by three species (7.31% of the total species number), teleomorphic Ascomycota (10 species, 24.39%), and anamorphic Ascomycota (28 species, 69.29%). When taxonomically investigated, these species were categorized into 2 phyla, 4 classes, 6 orders, and 12 families (one of them with an uncertain position). Moreover, the genus Aspergillus exhibited 16 species (39.02%). Notably, site no. 6 showed the highest Margalef species richness index at 10.87 followed by site no. 4, while the Shannon diversity index (H) of the recovered taxa was 2.20. Based on the frequency of occurrence, Aspergillus flavus recorded the highest percentage (65.56%) followed by A. niger (50%) and Penicillium chrysogenum (40%). Genus Aspergillus was recorded in 75 samples (88.33%), while Penicillium appeared only in 43 samples, accounting for 47.77% out of 90 samples. The High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was recorded in two animal feedstuff samples at a ratio of 0.851 and 1.363 µg/kg, While AFB2 was discovered in only one animal feedstuff sample at a ratio of 0.479 g/kg. The aflatoxins levels in the positive samples (AFB1 and AFB2) Beef cattle sample components were below the permissible limit for animal feedstuff which is (20 g/kg). Although aflatoxins were found in certain samples, the amounts were much below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) defined by the international authorities or Egyptian guidelines. toxigenic fungi found in contaminated animal feed samples pose a major threat to animal and poultry health, productivity, and even human health. Therefore, periodic monitoring is an excellent way to keep track of their existence and mitigate their hazards.

Harnessing of phytomicrobiome for developing potential biostimulant consortium for enhancing the productivity of chickpea and soil health under sustainable agriculture.

The main aim of the present work was to explore culturable bacteria and to develop potential microbial consortium as bio-inoculants for enhancing plant productivity, nutritional content, and soil health. For this study, we selected two bacterial strains e.g., Enterobacter hormaechei (BHUJPCS-15) and Brevundimonas naejangsanensis (BHUJPVCRS-1) based on plant growth-promoting activities We developed a consortium of both strains and estimated plant growth promotion (PGP) activity which recorded significant better production of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (61.53 µg/ml), siderophore (12.66%), ammonia (98.66 µg/ml), phosphate solubilisation (942.64 µg/ml), potassium solubilisation, and antagonistic activity against Fusarium sp. than individual bacterial strains. Bacterial consortium (E. hormaechei + B. naejangsanensis) treatment significantly enhanced plant growth attributes, grain yields, nutritional content in plant and seed, followed by E. hormaechei as compared to control. Seed treated with consortium recorded a significant increase in available N P K, enzymes and microbial communities in soils. Microbiome analysis revealed that the dominance of bacterial group and its functional properties is directly correlated with plant growth attributes, nutrient content, soil N P K, and enzyme activity. The relative abundance of bacterial phyla Proteobacteria (98%) was dominantly recorded in all treatments. The microbiome of seed and soil, treated with consortium (E. hormaechei + B. naejangsanensis) showed high amount of diversity of bacterial phyla Verrucomicrobia, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Proteobacteria than E. hormaechei (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria) and control (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria). In soil, root and shoot, E. hormaechei treatment enriched ligninolytic, nitrogen fixation, cellulolytic, nitrate ammonification among other pathways. The main finding is that the consortium treated seed of chickpea recorded significant enhancement of plant growth attributes, productivity, nutritional content, and soil health as well as microbial colonization in soil and seed part.

Native Rhizospheric and Endophytic Fungi as Sustainable Sources of Plant Growth Promoting Traits to Improve Wheat Growth under Low Nitrogen Input.

Wheat crops require effective nitrogen fertilization to produce high yields. Only half of chemical N2 fertilizers are absorbed into plants while the rest remains in the soil, causing environmental problems. Fungi could maximize nitrogen absorption, and from an environmental and biodiversity point of view, there is an urgent necessity for bioprospecting native fungi associated with wild plants growing in harsh environments, e.g., St. Katherine Protectorate (SKP) in the arid Sinai. Recovered taxa, either endophytic and/or rhizospheric, were screened for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits. Eighteen fungal isolates (15 rhizospheric and 3 endophytic) belonging to anamorphic ascomycetes were recovered from 9 different wild plants, and their PGP traits (indole-3-acetic acid [IAA] production, phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, and hydrolytic enzyme production) were measured. Rhizospheric isolate NGB-WS14 (Chaetosphaeronema achilleae) produced high levels of IAA (119.1 µg mL-1) in the presence of tryptophan, while NGB-WS 8 (Acrophialophora levis) produced high IAA levels (42.4 µg mL-1) in the absence of tryptophan. The highest phosphate-solubilizing activity (181.9 µg mL-1) was recorded by NGB-WFS2 (Penicillium chrysogenum). Endophytic isolate NGB-WFE16 (Fusarium petersiae) exhibited a high percentage level of Siderophore Unit (96.5% SU). All isolates showed variability in the secretion of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes. Remarkably, all isolates had antagonistic activity (55.6% to 87.3% suppression of pathogen growth) against the pathogenic taxon Alternaria alternata (SCUF00001378) in the dual-assay results. Out of the 18 isolates, 4 rhizospheric and 1 endophytic isolate showed significant increases in shoot dry weight and shoot nitrogen and chlorophyll content of wheat plants subjected to low inputs of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizers (50% reduction) compared with the non-inoculated control in a pot experiment. Potent taxa were subjected to sequencing for molecular confirmation of phenotypic identification. The retrieved ITS sequences in this study have been deposited in GenBank under accession numbers from LC642736 to LC642740. This study considered the first report of endophytic fungi of Cheilanthes vellea, a wild plant with PGPF which improves wheat growth. These results recommend using PGPF as inoculants to alleviate low nitrogen fertilization.

Insights into Asparaginase from Endophytic Fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae: Purification, Characterization and Antileukemic Activity.

Endobiotic fungi are considered as a reservoir of numerous active metabolites. Asparaginase is used as an antileukemic drug specially to treat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The presented study aims to optimize the media conditions, purify, characterize, and test the antileukemic activity of the asparaginase induced from Lasiodiplodia theobromae. The culture medium was optimized using an experiment designed by The Taguchi model with an activity ranging from 10 to 175 IU/mL. Asparaginase was induced with an activity of 315 IU/mL. Asparaginase was purified with a specific activity of 468.03 U/mg and total activity of 84.4 IU/mL. The purified asparaginase showed an approximate size of 70 kDa. The purified asparaginase showed an optimum temperature of 37 °C and an optimum pH of 6. SDS reduced the activity of asparaginase to 0.65 U/mL while the used ionic surfactants enhanced the enzyme activity up to 151.92 IU/mL. The purified asparaginase showed a Km of 9.37 µM and Vmax of 127.00 µM/mL/min. The purified asparaginase showed an IC50 of 35.2 ± 0.7 IU/mL with leukemic M-NFS-60 cell lines and CC50 of 79.4 ± 1.9 IU/mL with the normal WI-38 cell line. The presented study suggests the use of endophytic fungi as a sustainable source for metabolites such as asparaginase, provides an opportunity to develop a facile, eco-friendly, cost-effective, and rapid synthesis of antileukemic drugs, which have the potential to be used as alternative and reliable sources for potent anticancer agents.

Microbial polysaccharides: An emerging family of natural biomaterials for cancer therapy and diagnostics.

Microbial polysaccharides (MPs) offer immense diversity in structural and functional properties. They are extensively used in advance biomedical science owing to their superior biodegradability, hemocompatibility, and capability to imitate the natural extracellular matrix microenvironment. Ease in tailoring, inherent bio-activity, distinct mucoadhesiveness, ability to absorb hydrophobic drugs, and plentiful availability of MPs make them prolific green biomaterials to overcome the significant constraints of cancer chemotherapeutics. Many studies have demonstrated their application to obstruct tumor development and extend survival through immune activation, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle arrest by MPs. Synoptic investigations of MPs are compulsory to decode applied basics in recent inclinations towards cancer regimens. The current review focuses on the anticancer properties of commercially available and newly explored MPs, and outlines their direct and indirect mode of action. The review also highlights cutting-edge MPs-based drug delivery systems to augment the specificity and efficiency of available chemotherapeutics, as well as their emerging role in theranostics.

Comparative Effectiveness of Filamentous Fungi in Biocontrol of Meloidogyne javanica and Activated Defense Mechanisms on Tomato.

The nematicidal potential of five filamentous fungi as biological control agents (BCAs) against the root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne javanica, infecting tomato was assessed in vitro and in pot experiments. The five promising native taxa, namely Trichoderma longibrachiatum, T. harzainum, T. asperellum, Lecanicillium spp., and Metacordyceps chlamydosporia, were selected to compare their effectiveness against both chemical (Mocap, 10% ethoprophos) and biological (abamectin) nematicides on M. javanica reproduction indices and plant growth parameters. The stimulation of defense mechanisms was assessed by monitoring changes in the enzymatic activities of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), lipid peroxidation (MDA), phenols, and proteins content of tomato roots. The laboratory assays revealed that T. longibrachiatum, M. chlamydoporia, and Lecanicillium spp. seemed to be the most effective under laboratory conditions, with more than 60% of juvenile mortality. The egg infection rate was above 62%, and the egg hatching rate was below 32%. The direct parasitism by the five taxa was confirmed by scanning electron microscope observation. The results of this study found a similar parasitism mechanism for T. longibrachiatum, T. harzianum, and M. chlamydosporia, where their hyphae and spores adhered to the M. javanica juveniles cuticle layer and formed trapping rings around them. The pot experiment results showed that T. harzianum and Lecanicillium spp. enhanced the plant growth parameters. Trichoderma longibrachiatum, abamectin, and the ethoprophos-based nematicides effectively decreased the reproduction rates of the nematode. The Trichoderma species and M. chlamydosporia significantly reduced the gall index and female fecundity of RKN. The treatment with BCAs and chemical nematicides involved a significant increase in the antioxidant activities of nematode-infected plants. The ethoprophos and fungal treatments decreased the MDA and total phenols content compared with the nematode-infested seedlings. This paper analyzes the advancements made towards the effective and efficient biocontrol of M. javanica using different fungal taxa, especially T. longibrachiatum and M. chlamydosporia, and the implications of these advancements for sustainable agriculture and food security.

A Comprehensive Review about the Molecular Structure of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): Insights into Natural Products against COVID-19.

In 2019, the world suffered from the emergence of COVID-19 infection, one of the most difficult pandemics in recent history. Millions of confirmed deaths from this pandemic have been reported worldwide. This disaster was caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is the last discovered member of the family of Coronaviridae. Various studies have shown that natural compounds have effective antiviral properties against coronaviruses by inhibiting multiple viral targets, including spike proteins and viral enzymes. This review presents the classification and a detailed explanation of the SARS-CoV-2 molecular characteristics and structure-function relationships. We present all currently available crystal structures of different SARS-CoV-2 proteins and emphasized on the crystal structure of different virus proteins and the binding modes of their ligands. This review also discusses the various therapeutic approaches for COVID-19 treatment and available vaccinations. In addition, we highlight and compare the existing data about natural compounds extracted from algae, fungi, plants, and scorpion venom that were used as antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, we discuss the repurposing of select approved therapeutic agents that have been used in the treatment of other viruses.

Insights into the Bioprospecting of the Endophytic Fungi of the Medicinal Plant Palicourea rigida Kunth (Rubiaceae): Detailed Biological Activities.

A multitude of plants from the Brazilian savanna are known for their medicinal properties. Many plants contain endophytic fungi, which lead to the production of bioactive compounds by both the fungi and their hosts. This study investigated the bioprospecting of endophytic fungi recovered from the leaves of Palicourea rigida, a native medicinal plant of the Brazilian savanna. Four fungal taxa (Colletotrichum sp. SXS649, Pestalotiopsis sp. SXS650, the order Botryosphaeriales SXS651, and Diaporthe sp. SXS652) were recovered. The phenolic, flavonoid, extracellular degrading enzymes (amylase, cellulase, protease, and tannase) and antioxidant activity of these taxa were determined. Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity showed that the Botryosphaeriales SXS651 extract displays a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 23.20 mg mL-1 against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the Diaporthe sp. SXS652 extract exhibited an MIC of 27.00 mg mL-1 against Escherichia coli. The Colletotrichum sp. SXS649 isolate inhibited tumors in potato discs by 69% at a concentration of 9.70 mg mL-1. All isolates had potential bioremediation criteria against soil contaminated with soybean oil, as proved by a high percentage of germination of Lactuca sativa and a reduction in phytotoxicity. Furthermore, the taxa under investigation demonstrated antagonistic action to phytopathogenic fungi, namely, Aspergillus niger, Inonotus rickii, Pestalotiopsis mangiferae, and Coniophora puteana, with an inhibition range between 34.2% and 76.9%. The preliminary toxicity assessment showed that all isolates possessed an LC50 of less than 100 mg mL-1 to the microcrustacean Artemia salina. These results indicate that the endophytic fungi of the Brazilian savanna are promising candidates for biotechnological and industrial applications and, in agricultural applications, for the biological control of phytopathogenic fungi.

Inonotus rickii (Agaricomycetes, Hymenochaetaceae) in Brazilian Cerrado: Expanding Its Geographic Distribution and Host List.

Inonotus rickii (Pat.) Reid (Agaricomycetes: Hymenochaetaceae) is a poroid fungus characterized by the expressive production of chlamydospores, in vivo and in vitro, especially during its anamorphic stage. The species plays important ecological roles, standing out as a phytopathogen, affecting several species of ornamental and wild trees, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. The infected trees develop canker and white rot of the wood, showing symptoms of reduced vegetative vigor and decline of leaves and branches which causes death in some cases. The first record of I. rickii for the Cerrado biome (Brazilian Savanna) and the first record as causal agent of canker in Schinus molle L. in Brazil is reported here. In addition, we present a checklist of its worldwide geographical distribution and known hosts, from an extensive bibliographic search in Google Scholar, SciELO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The species is widespread in tropical and subtropical zones; common in the American continent, especially in Central and South America and the Mediterranean region, and rare in temperate zones. We found specimens growing in both living and dead hosts, totalizing 70 species of hosts, distributed in 43 genera and 22 families. Of these, Acer negundo L. (10.5%), Celtis australis L. (6.5%), and Platanus acerifolia (Aiton) Willd. (4.8%), and the Fabaceae (30%), Fagaceae (10%), and Sapindaceae (8.6%) families were the most frequent. We present morphological descriptions and illustrations, as well as the growth characteristics in culture medium. Our study expands the known geographical distribution of I. rickii, including the Cerrado biome, as well as its structural, physiological characteristics, and its hosts.

Biological Nanofactories: Using Living Forms for Metal Nanoparticle Synthesis.

Metal nanoparticles are nanosized entities with dimensions of 1-100 nm that are increasingly in demand due to applications in diverse fields like electronics, sensing, environmental remediation, oil recovery and drug delivery. Metal nanoparticles possess large surface energy and properties different from bulk materials due to their small size, large surface area with free dangling bonds and higher reactivity. High cost and pernicious effects associated with the chemical and physical methods of nanoparticle synthesis are gradually paving the way for biological methods due to their eco-friendly nature. Considering the vast potentiality of microbes and plants as sources, biological synthesis can serve as a green technique for the synthesis of nanoparticles as an alternative to conventional methods. A number of reviews are available on green synthesis of nanoparticles but few have focused on covering the entire biological agents in this process. Therefore present paper describes the use of various living organisms like bacteria, fungi, algae, bryophytes and tracheophytes in the biological synthesis of metal nanoparticles, the mechanisms involved and the advantages associated therein.

Calligonum polygonoides L. Shrubs Provide Species-Specific Facilitation for the Understory Plants in Coastal Ecosystem.

Plant facilitation has a pivotal role in regulating species coexistence, particularly under arid environments. The present study aimed to evaluate the facilitative effect of Calligonum polygonoides L. on its understory plants in coastal habitat. Forty Calligonum shrubs were investigated and the environmental data (soil temperature, moisture, pH, salinity, carbon and nitrogen content, and light intensity), vegetation composition, and diversity of associated species were recorded under- and outside canopies. Eight of the most frequent understory species were selected for evaluating their response to the facilitative effect of C. polygonoides. Bioactive ingredients of Calligonum roots were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and mycorrhizal biodiversity in their rhizosphere soil was also assessed. The effect of Calligonum on understory plants ranged between facilitation and inhibition in an age-dependent manner. Old shrubs facilitated 18 and inhibited 18 associated species, while young shrubs facilitated 13 and inhibited 9 species. Calligonum ameliorated solar radiation and high-temperature stresses for the under canopy plants. Moreover, soil moisture was increased by 509.52% and 85.71%, while salinity was reduced by 47.62% and 23.81% under old and young shrubs, respectively. Soil contents of C and N were increased under canopy. This change in the microenvironment led to photosynthetic pigments induction in the majority of understory species. However, anthocyanin, proline contents, and antioxidant enzyme activities were reduced in plants under canopy. Thirteen mycorrhizal fungal species were identified in the rhizospheric soil of Calligonum with the predominance of Funneliformis mosseae. Thirty-one compounds were identified in Calligonum root extract in which pyrogallol and palmitic acid, which have antimicrobial and allelopathic activities, were the major components. The obtained results demonstrated that facilitation provided by Calligonum is mediated with multiple mechanisms and included a set of interrelated scenarios that took place in a species-specific manner.

Enhancement of disease resistance, growth potential, and photosynthesis in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) by inoculation with an endophytic actinobacterium, Streptomyces thermocarboxydus strain BPSAC147.

Biotic stresses in plants have a significant impact on agricultural productivity. In the present study, in vivo experiments were conducted to determine the physiological responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings by inoculation with an endophytic actinobacterium, Streptomyces thermocarboxydus isolate BPSAC147 under greenhouse conditions. Further, photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) (Fv/Fm), photochemical quenching (qP) and non-photochemical (NPQ) were calculated in seedlings inoculated with S. thermocarboxydus (T1) and were compared with control (T0) plants. Furthermore, the electron transport rate (ETR) of PSII exhibited a significant increase in T1 plants, relative to T0 plants. These results indicate that inoculation of tomato seedlings with S. thermocarboxydus had a positive effect on the process of photosynthesis, resulting in enhanced chlorophyll fluorescence parameters due to increased ETR in the thylakoid membrane. GC-MS analysis showed significant differences in the volatile compounds in the different treatments performed under greenhouse conditions. The present study suggests that S. thermocarboxydus can be used as new biocontrol agent to control Fusarium wilt in tomato crops and enhance productivity by enhancing photosynthesis.

Assessment of biodegradation in ancient archaeological wood from the Middle Cemetery at Abydos, Egypt.

Abydos is a large, complex archaeological site located approximately 500 km south of Cairo in Upper Egypt. The site has served as a cemetery for thousands of years and is where most of the Early Dynastic royal tombs are located. North Abydos includes the Middle Cemetery and the North Cemetery, which are separated from each other by a wadi. The Middle Cemetery was the burial ground for important Sixth Dynasty (2407-2260 BC) officials and over time for thousands of elite and non-elite individuals as well. Excavations at the core area of the Old Kingdom mortuary landscape have revealed many culturally important wooden objects but these are often found with extensive deterioration that can compromise their preservation. The objectives of this study were to characterize the biodegradation that has taken place in excavated wooden objects, elucidate the type of wood degradation present, obtain information on soil properties at the site and identify fungi currently associated with the wood and soils. Light and scanning electron microscopy studies were used to observe the micromorphological characteristics of the wood, and culturing on different media was done to isolate fungi. Identification of the fungi was done by examining morphological characteristics and extracting rDNA from pure cultures and sequencing the ITS region. Wooden objects, made from Cedrus, Juniperus and Acacia as well as several unidentified hardwoods, were found with extensive degradation and were exceedingly fragile. Termite damage was evident and frass from the subterranean termites along with sand particles were present in most woods. Evidence of soft rot attack was found in sections of wood that remained. Fungi isolated from wood and soils were identified as species of Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium, Stemphylium Talaromyces and Trichoderma. Results provide important information on the current condition of the wood and gives insights to the identity of the fungi in wood and soils at the site. These results provide needed information to help develop conservation plans to preserve these degraded and fragile wooden objects.

Chrysophanol: A Natural Anthraquinone with Multifaceted Biotherapeutic Potential.

Chrysophanol is a unique anthraquinone having broad-spectrum therapeutic potential along with ecological importance. It is the first polyketide that has been reported to be biosynthesized in an organism-specific manner. The traditional Chinese and Korean medicinal systems provide evidence of the beneficial effects of chrysophanol on human health. The global distribution of chrysophanol encountered in two domains of life (bacteria and eukaryota) has motivated researchers to critically evaluate the properties of this compound. A plethora of literature is available on the pharmacological properties of chrysophanol, which include anticancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, and antimicrobial activities. However, the pharmacokinetics and toxicity studies on chrysophanol demand further investigations for it to be used as a drug. This is the first comprehensive review on the natural sources, biosynthetic pathways, and pharmacology of chrysophanol. Here we reviewed recent advancements made on the pharmacokinetics of the chrysophanol. Additionally, we have highlighted the knowledge gaps of its mechanism of action against diseases and toxicity aspects.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal strategy for zinc mycoremediation and diminished translocation to shoots and grains in wheat.

Mycoremediation is an on-site remediation strategy, which employs fungi to degrade or sequester contaminants from the environment. The present work focused on the bioremediation of soils contaminated with zinc by the use of a native mycorrhizal fungi (AM) called Funneliformis geosporum (Nicol. & Gerd.) Walker & Schüßler. Experiments were performed using Triticum aestivum L. cv. Gemmeza-10 at different concentrations of Zn (50, 100, 200 mg kg-1) and inoculated with or without F. geosporum. The results showed that the dry weight of mycorrhizal wheat increased at Zn stressed plants as compared to the non-Zn-stressed control plants. The concentrations of Zn also had an inhibitory effect on the yield of dry root and shoot of non-mycorrhizal wheat. The photosynthetic pigment fractions were significantly affected by Zn treatments and mycorrhizal inoculation, where in all treatments, the content of the photosynthetic pigment fractions decreased as the Zn concentration increased in the soil. However, the level of minerals of shoots, roots, and grains was greatly influenced by Zn-treatment and by inoculation with F. geosporum. Treatment with Zn in the soil increased Cu and Zn concentrations in the root, shoot and grains, however, other minerals (P, S, K, Ca and Fe) concentration was decreased. Inoculation of wheat with AM fungi significantly reduced the accumulation of Zn and depressed its translocation in shoots and grains of wheat. In conclusion, inoculation with a native F. geosporum-improves yields of wheat under higher levels of Zn and is possible to be applied for the improvement of zinc contaminated soil.

Anti-rheumatoid Activity of Secondary Metabolites Produced by Endophytic Chaetomium globosum.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-rheumatoid activity of secondary metabolites produced by endophytic mycobiota in Egypt. A total of 27 endophytic fungi were isolated from 10 dominant medicinal plant host species in Wadi Tala, Saint Katherine Protectorate, arid Sinai, Egypt. Of those taxa, seven isolates of Chaetomium globosum (CG1-CG7), being the most frequent taxon, were recovered from seven different host plants and screened for production of active anti-inflammatory metabolites. Isolates were cultivated on half - strength potato dextrose broth for 21 days at 28°C on a rotatory shaker at 180 rpm, and extracted in ethyl acetate and methanol, respectively. The probable inhibitory effects of both extracts against an adjuvant induced arthritis (AIA) rat model were examined and compared with the effects of methotrexate (MTX) as a standard disease-modifying anti-rheumatoid drug. Disease activity and mobility scoring of AIA, histopathology and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to evaluate probable inhibitory roles. A significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the severity of arthritis was observed in both the methanolic extract of CG6 (MCG6) and MTX treatment groups 6 days after treatment commenced. The average arthritis score of the MCG6 treatment group was (10.7 ± 0.82) compared to (13.8 ± 0.98) in the positive control group. The mobility score of the MCG6 treatment group (1.50 ± 0.55) was significantly lower than that of the positive control group (3.33 ± 0.82). In contrast, the ethyl acetate extract of CG6 (EACG6) treatment group showed no improvements in arthritis and mobility scores in AIA model rats. Histopathology and TEM findings confirmed the observation. Isolate CG6 was subjected to sequencing for confirmation of phenotypic identification. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1-5.8 s - ITS2 rDNA sequences obtained were compared with those deposited in the GenBank Database and registered with accession number KC811080 in the NCBI Database. The present study revealed that the methanol extract of endophytic fungus C. globosum (KC811080) recovered from maidenhair fern has an inhibitory effect on inflammation, histopathology and morphological features of rheumatoid arthritis in an AIA rat model.