The colorful fungi of the Chilean forests: Production, chemical characterization and possible applications of their pigments.

In Chile, as in the rest of the world, only a small fraction of the fungal diversity inhabiting the wide variety of its ecosystems is known. This diversity must hide an inestimable richness of species with interesting biotechnological potential, including fungal pigment producers. Recently, interest in filamentous fungi has increased significantly due to their importance as alternative sources of pigments and colorants that are environmentally and human health friendly. As a result, fungal pigments are gaining importance in various industrial applications, such as food, textiles, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc. The increasing consumer demand for "green label" natural colorants requires the exploration of different ecosystems in search of new fungal species that are efficient producers of different pigment with a wide range of colors and ideally without the co-production of mycotoxins. However, advances are also needed in pigment production processes through fermentation, scale-up from laboratory to industrial scale, and final product formulation and marketing. In this respect, the journey is still full of challenges for scientists and entrepreneurs. This chapter describes studies on pigment-producing fungi collected in the forests of central-southern Chile. Aspects such as the exploration of potential candidates as sources of extracellular pigments, the optimization of pigment production by submerged fermentation, methods of pigment extraction and purification for subsequent chemical characterization, and formulation (by microencapsulation) for potential cosmetic applications are highlighted. This potential use is due to the outstanding bioactivity of most fungal pigments, making them interesting functional ingredients for many applications. Finally, the use of fungal pigments for textile and spalting applications is discussed.

Antarctic fungi produce pigment with antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities.

Natural pigments have received special attention from the market and industry as they could overcome the harm to health and the environmental issues caused by synthetic pigments. These pigments are commonly extracted from a wide range of organisms, and when added to products they can alter/add new physical-chemical or biological properties to them. Fungi from extreme environments showed to be a promising source in the search for biomolecules with antimicrobial and antiparasitic potential. This study aimed to isolate fungi from Antarctic soils and screen them for pigment production with antimicrobial and antiparasitic potential, together with other previously isolated strains A total of 52 fungi were isolated from soils in front of the Collins Glacier (Southeast border). Also, 106 filamentous fungi previously isolated from the Collins Glacier (West border) were screened for extracellular pigment production. Five strains were able to produce extracellular pigments and were identified by ITS sequencing as Talaromyces cnidii, Pseudogymnoascus shaanxiensis and Pseudogymnoascus sp. All Pseudogymnoascus spp. (SC04.P3, SC3.P3, SC122.P3 and ACF093) extracts were able to inhibit S. aureus ATCC6538 and two (SC12.P3, SC32.P3) presented activity against Leishmania (L.) infantum, Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanossoma cruzii. Extracts compounds characterization by UPLC-ESI-QToF analysis confirmed the presence of molecules with biological activity such as: Asterric acid, Violaceol, Mollicellin, Psegynamide A, Diorcinol, Thailandolide A. In conclusion, this work showed the potential of Antartic fungal strains from Collins Glacier for bioactive molecules production with activity against Gram positive bacteria and parasitic protozoas.

Talaromyces marneffei infection with IFNGR1 gene mutation in a patient with negative Anti-Interferon-γ autoantibodies.

BACKGROUND: Talaromyces Marneffei (TM) is a rare opportunistic pathogen that mostly infects patients with low immunity compared to those with normal immunity. It may be related to immune deficiency or genetic factors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the gene mutation of a patient infected with TM in an endemic area with negative anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies, and negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. METHODS: Extract deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples from the patient's peripheral blood, detect the mutation gene by whole exome sequencing (WES), and carry out Sanger sequencing verification for the detected mutation gene. RESULTS: The authors detected a mutation in the IFNGR1 gene (NM_001363526.1) and validated the detected gene mutation using Sanger sequencing. The results showed a heterozygous mutation c.4C>T (p.L2F) located in the IFNGR1 gene (NM_001363526.1). STUDY LIMITATIONS: The mechanism of the IFNGR1 gene has not been further investigated in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The IFNGR1 gene mutation may be a potential risk factor for TM infection, and the presence of anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies can aggravate disease symptoms.

Evaluation of the efficacy of different concentrations of nano-capsules containing Talaromyces flavus with two forms of powder and suspension in reducing the incidence of cotton Verticillium wilt / Avaliação da eficácia de diferentes concentrações de nanocápsulas contendo Talaromyces flavus com duas formas de pó e suspensão na redução da incidência de murcha de Verticillium do algodoeiro

Previous domestic and foreign studies have shown the significant effect of Talaromyces flavus on growth inhibition of some important plant pathogens including Verticillium dahliae, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. In Iran, it is necessary to produce new formulations of this fungus based on modern technologies given the importance of attracting companies producing biological control agents and transferring the technical knowledge of mass production of formulations of these agents to them. In the present study, based on the method presented in the Pesticide Research Department of the Iranian Plant Protection Research Institute, two types of T. flavus formulations in the form of nano-capsules containing Talaromyces flavus with two forms of powder and suspension were prepared using nanotechnology. In the next step, during the greenhouse examination, the efficiency of each of these new formulations in concentrations of one to five per thousand for soil addition method and concentration of five per thousand for seed impregnation method (six treatments for each of the two new formulations) was compared with the registered formulation of Talaromin in two methods of seed impregnation and soil addition with healthy control and infected control to control cotton Verticillium wilt disease, in the form of a randomized complete block design with 16 treatments and 5 replications. After statistical analysis of the data obtained by Duncan's Multiple Range Test by MS TAT C software, the results showed that in terms of disease severity among treatments with the previous formulation (Talaromin) with each of the methods of soil addition and seed impregnation, there was no statistically significant difference between nano-suspension with each of the concentrations of one, four and five per thousand by the soil addition method and nano-powder with each of the concentrations of two and three per thousand by soil addition method, and the mentioned treatments were included in one statistical group in terms of disease severity with healthy control.

Estudos anteriores nacionais e internacionais mostraram o efeito significativo de Talaromyces flavus na inibição do crescimento de alguns importantes patógenos de plantas, incluindo Verticillium dahliae, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici e Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. No Irã, é necessário produzir novas formulações desse fungo com base em tecnologias modernas, dada a importância de atrair empresas produtoras de agentes de controle biológico e transferir para elas o conhecimento técnico de produção em massa das formulações desses agentes. No presente estudo, com base no método apresentado no Departamento de Pesquisa de Pesticidas, do Instituto Iraniano de Pesquisa em Proteção de Plantas, dois tipos de formulações de T. flavus, na forma de nanocápsulas contendo T. flavus com duas formas de pó e suspensão, foram preparados usando nanotecnologia. Na etapa seguinte, durante o exame em casa de vegetação, a eficiência de cada uma dessas novas formulações em concentrações de um a cinco por mil para o método de adição de solo e de cinco por mil para o método de impregnação de sementes (seis tratamentos para cada uma das duas novas formulações) foi comparada com a formulação registrada de Talaromin em dois métodos de impregnação de sementes e adição de solo com controle sadio e controle infectado para controle da murcha de Verticillium do algodoeiro, na forma de delineamento em blocos completos casualizados com 16 tratamentos e 5 repetições. Após análise estatística dos dados obtidos pelo Duncan's Multiple Range Test por meio do software MS TAT C, os resultados mostraram que, em termos de severidade da doença entre os tratamentos com a formulação anterior (Talaromin), com cada um dos métodos de adição de solo e impregnação de sementes, não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre a nanossuspensão com cada uma das concentrações de um, quatro e cinco por mil pelo método de adição de solo e entre o nanopó com cada uma das concentrações de dois e três por mil pelo método de adição de solo, e os tratamentos mencionados foram incluídos em um grupo estatístico em termos de gravidade da doença com controle saudável.

Talaromyces marneffei infection with IFNGR1 gene mutation in a patient with negative Anti-Interferon-γ autoantibodies

Abstract Background Talaromyces Marneffei (TM) is a rare opportunistic pathogen that mostly infects patients with low immunity compared to those with normal immunity. It may be related to immune deficiency or genetic factors. Objective To evaluate the gene mutation of a patient infected with TM in an endemic area with negative anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies, and negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Methods Extract deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples from the patient's peripheral blood, detect the mutation gene by whole exome sequencing (WES), and carry out Sanger sequencing verification for the detected mutation gene. Results The authors detected a mutation in the IFNGR1 gene (NM_001363526.1) and validated the detected gene mutation using Sanger sequencing. The results showed a heterozygous mutation c.4C>T (p.L2F) located in the IFNGR1 gene (NM_001363526.1). Study limitations The mechanism of the IFNGR1 gene has not been further investigated in this study. Conclusions The IFNGR1 gene mutation may be a potential risk factor for TM infection, and the presence of anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies can aggravate disease symptoms.

Red biocolorant from endophytic Talaromyces minnesotensis: production, properties, and potential applications.

Fungal colorants are gradually entering the global color market, given their advantages of being less harmful to human health, as well as having greater stability and biotechnological potential, compared to other natural sources. The present work concerns the isolation and identification of an endophytic filamentous fungus, together with the chemical characterization and assessment of the fluorescence, toxicity, stability, and application potential of its synthesized red colorant. The endophytic fungus was isolated from Hymenaea courbaril, a tree from the Brazilian savannah, and was identified as Talaromyces minnesotensis by phenotypic and genotypic characterization. Submerged cultivation of the fungus resulted in the production of approximately 12 AU500 of a red biocolorant which according to LC-DAD-MS analysis is characterized by being a complex mixture of molecules of the azaphilone class. Regarding cytotoxicity assays, activity against human hepatoblastoma (HepG2) cells was only observed at concentrations above 5.0 g L-1, while antimicrobial effects against pathogenic bacteria and yeast occurred at concentrations above 50.0 g L-1. The biocolorant showed high stability at neutral pH values and low temperatures (10 to 20 °C) and high half-life values (t1/2), which indicates potential versatility for application in different matrices, as observed in tests using detergent, gelatin, enamel, paint, and fabrics. The results demonstrated that the biocolorant synthesized by Talaromyces minnesotensis has potential for future biotechnological applications. KEY POINTS: • An endophytic fungus, which was isolated and identified, synthesize a red colorant. • The colorant showed fluorescence property, low toxicity, and application potential. • The red biocolorant was highly stable at pH 8.0 and temperatures below 20°C.

Antifungal antibodies present in intravenous immunoglobulin derived from China.

Fungal infections usually occur in immunocompromised patients. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been used as therapeutic interventions for many infectious diseases, but seldom applied in mycosis due to unknown antifungal specificity. This study aims to determine the presence of antifungal antibodies in IVIG. Binding reactivity of IVIG with crude and recombinant antigens of Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans and Talaromyces marneffei were observed in a dose-dependent manner, similar with mixed normal human sera. The antifungal specificity was further confirmed by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) inhibited by rabbit specific antifungal polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) and homogenous crude antigens with inhibitions of 65.5-87.2% and 73.1-94.2%, respectively. Moreover, IVIG also reacted with fungal glycoproteins (Csa2, Cpl1 and Mp1p) in a dose-dependent way, which was inhibited by specific rabbit PAbs and homogenous antigens with different inhibitions and pulled down 72.8-83.8% of specific antibodies if preabsorption IVIG with Dynabeads® coupled with homogenous glycoproteins. These results furthermore verified the antifungal specificity of IVIG. Among four brands of IVIG, there was different antifungal IgG against C. albicans (P < 0.05) and C. neoformans (P < 0.05), while no difference for A. fumigatus (P = 0.086) and T. marneffei (P = 0.057). IVIG contained a significantly higher level of specific IgG for C. albicans than other three fungi (P <0.001). In conclusion, we proved antifungal IgG against C. albicans, A. fumigatus, C. neoformans and T. marneffei present in IVIG, which might be expected to provide a possible immunoregulation choice for mycosis and an evaluation to humoral immunity against fungi.

Assessment of artificial neural networks to predict red colorant production by Talaromyces amestolkiae.

Consumer choice is typically influenced by color, leading to an increase in the use of artificial colorants by industry. However, several artificial colorants have been banned due to their harmful effects on human health and the environment, leading to increased interest in colorants from natural sources. Natural colorants can be found in plants, insects, and microorganisms. The importance of evaluating the technical and cost feasibility for the production of natural colorants are important factors for the replacement of artificial counterpart. Therefore, it is highly beneficial to predict the productivity of microbial colorants. The use of statistical methods that generate polynomial models through multiple regressions can provide information of interest about a bioprocess. However, modeling and control of biological processes require complex systems models, because they are nonlinear and non-deterministic systems. In this regard, artificial neural networks are suitable for estimating bioprocess variables with systems modeling. In this work, two different strategies were developed to predict the production of red colorants by Talaromyces amestolkiae, namely simulation by artificial neural networks (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM). The results showed that the colorant concentration predicted by ANN is closer to the experimental data than that predicted by polynomial models fitted by multiple regression. Thus, this work suggests that the use of ANN can identify the initial conditions of the culture parameters that have the greatest influence on colorant production and can be a tool to be employed to improve the production of biotechnological products, such as microbial colorants.

Talaromyces santanderensis: A New Cadmium-Tolerant Fungus from Cacao Soils in Colombia.

Inorganic pollutants in Colombian cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) agrosystems cause problems in the production, quality, and exportation of this raw material worldwide. There has been an increased interest in bioprospecting studies of different fungal species focused on the biosorption of heavy metals. Furthermore, fungi constitute a valuable, profitable, ecological, and efficient natural soil resource that could be considered in the integrated management of cadmium mitigation. This study reports a new species of Talaromyces isolated from a cocoa soil sample collected in San Vicente de Chucurí, Colombia. T. santanderensis is featured by Lemon Yellow (R. Pl. IV) mycelium on CYA, mono-to-biverticillade conidiophores, and acerose phialides. T. santanderensis is distinguished from related species by its growth rate on CYAS and powdery textures on MEA, YES and OA, high acid production on CREA and smaller conidia. It is differentiated from T. lentulus by its growth rate on CYA medium at 37 °C without exudate production, its cream (R. PI. XVI) margin on MEA, and dense sporulation on YES and CYA. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using a polyphasic approach, including different phylogenetic analyses of combined and individual ITS, CaM, BenA, and RPB2 gene sequences that indicate that it is new to science and is named Talaromyces santanderensis sp. nov. This new species belongs to the Talaromyces section and is closely related to T. lentulus, T. soli, T. tumuli, and T. pratensis (inside the T. pinophilus species complex) in the inferred phylogeny. Mycelia growth of the fungal strains was subjected to a range of 0-400 mg/kg Cd and incorporated into malt extract agar (MEA) in triplicates. Fungal radial growth was recorded every three days over a 13-day incubation period and In vitro cadmium tolerance tests showed a high tolerance index (0.81) when the mycelium was exposed to 300 mg/kg of Cd. Results suggest that T. santanderensis showed tolerance to Cd concentrations that exceed the permissible limits for contaminated soils, and it is promising for its use in bioremediation strategies to eliminate Cd from highly contaminated agricultural soils.

Xylanase Production by Talaromyces amestolkiae Valuing Agroindustrial Byproducts.

In general, agroindustrial byproducts can be easily assimilated by several microorganisms due to their composition, which is rich in carbohydrates. Therefore, they could be appropriate for use as raw materials in a sustainable refinery concept, including the production of hydrolytic enzymes with industrial applicability. In this work, xylanase production by the filamentous fungi Talaromyces amestolkiae in submerged culture was evaluated using five agroindustrial byproducts, namely, wheat bran, citrus pulp, rice bran, peanut skin, and peanut shell. Firstly, the aforementioned byproducts were characterized in terms of cellulose, xylan, lignin, and extractives. Next, production studies were performed, and wheat bran generated the highest enzymatic activity (5.4 U·mL-1), probably because of its large amount of xylan. Subsequently, a factorial design was performed to evaluate the independent variables yeast extract, wheat bran, K2HPO4, and pH, aiming to improve the variable response, xylanase activity. The condition that promoted the highest production, 13.02 U·mL-1 (141% higher than the initial condition), was 20 g·L-1 wheat bran, 2.5 g·L-1 yeast extract, 3 g·L-1 K2HPO4, and pH 7. Thus, industrial byproducts with a high content of xylan can be used as a culture medium to produce xylanase enzymes with a Talaromyces strain through an economical and sustainable approach.

Talaromyces amestolkiae uses organic phosphate sources for the treatment of uranium-contaminated water.

Fungi have received particular attention in regards to alternatives for bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated locales. Enzymes produced by filamentous fungi, such as phosphatases, can precipitate heavy metal ions in contaminated environments, forming metal phosphates (insoluble). Thus, this research aimed to analyze fungi for uranium biomineralization capacity. For this, Gongronella butleri, Penicillium piscarium, Rhodotorula sinensis and Talaromyces amestolkiae were evaluated. Phytate and glycerol 2-phosphate were used as the phosphate sources in the culture media at pH 3.5 and 5.5, with and without uranium ions. After 4 weeks of fungal growth, evaluated fungi were able to produce high concentrations of phosphates in the media. T. amestolkiae was the best phosphate producer, using phytate as an organic source. During fungal growth, there was no change in pH level of the culture medium. After 3 weeks of T. amestolkiae growth in medium supplemented with phytate, there was a reduction between 20 and 30% of uranium concentrations, with high precipitation of uranium and phosphate on the fungal biomass. The fungi analyzed in this research can use the phytic acid present in the medium and produce high concentrations of phosphate; which, in the environment, can assist in the heavy metal biomineralization processes, even in acidic environments. Such metabolic capabilities of fungi can be useful in decontaminating uranium-contaminated environments.

Identification of azaphilone derivatives of Monascus colorants from Talaromyces amestolkiae and their halochromic properties.

Currently, the ability to produce several kinds of water-soluble red natural colorants makes the genus Talaromyces particularly important to the dye industry, which can be an alternative to the use of harmful synthetic colorants. In this study, colored compounds produced by Talaromyces amestolkiae were extracted, characterized chemically and the color stability of the fermented broth without any extraction procedure was further evaluated over pH variation. Five azaphilones compounds were detected by Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry system, all being complexes of the fatty acid amino-hexanedioic acid and azaphilone Monascus colorants. The color of the fermented broth was stable at a wide range of pH (3-9). Furthermore, T. amestolkiae colorants precipitated through hydrolysis of key chemical groups at extremely acidic (pH 1) and lose red color in extremely basic (pH 13) medium, showing negative halochromism. Nevertheless, these findings enhance the industrial relevance of azaphilone colorants produced by biotechnological process.

Statistical optimization of cellulases by Talaromyces thermophilus utilizing Saccharum spontaneum, a novel substrate

BACKGROUND: At present, cellulases are the most important enzymes worldwide, and their demand has been increasing in the industrial sector owing to their notable hydrolysis capability. RESULTS: In the present study, contrary to conventional techniques, three physical parameters were statistically optimized for the production of cellulase by thermophilic fungi by using response surface methodology (RSM). Among all the tested thermophilic strains, the best cellulase producing fungus was identified as Talaromyces thermophilus ­ both morphologically and molecularly through 5.8S/ITS rDNA sequencing. The central composite design (CCD) was used to evaluate the interactive effect of the significant factors. The CCD was applied by considering incubation period, pH, and temperature as the model factors for the present investigation. A second-order quadratic model and response surface method revealed that the independent variables including pH 6, temperature 50 C, and incubation period 72 h significantly influenced the production of cellulases. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the established model was significant (P 0.05) and showed the high adequacy of the model. The actual and predicted values of CMCase and FPase activity showed good agreement with each other and also confirmed the validity of the designed model. CONCLUSIONS: We believe the present findings to be the first report on cellulase production by exploiting Kans grass (Saccharum spontaneum) as a substrate through response surface methodology by using thermophilic fungus, Talaromyces thermophilus.

Removal of bacterial dextran in sugarcane juice by Talaromyces minioluteus dextranase expressed constitutively in Pichia pastoris.

A gene construct encoding the mature region of Talaromyces minioluteus dextranase (EC 3.2.1.11) fused to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SUC2 signal sequence was expressed in Pichia pastoris under the constitutive glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoter (pGAP). The increase of the transgene dosage from one to two and four copies enhanced proportionally the extracellular yield of the recombinant enzyme (r-TmDEX) without inhibiting cell growth. The volumetric productivity of the four-copy clone in fed batch fermentation (51 h) using molasses as carbon source was 1706 U/L/h. The secreted N-glycosylated r-TmDEX was optimally active at pH 4.5-5.5 and temperature 50-60 °C. The addition of sucrose (600 g/L) as a stabilizer retained intact the r-TmDEX activity after 1-h incubation at 50-60 °C and pH 5.5. Bacterial dextran in deteriorated sugarcane juice was completely removed by applying a crude preparation of secreted r-TmDEX. The high yield of r-TmDEX in methanol-free cultures and the low cost of the fed batch fermentation make the P. pastoris pGAP-based expression system appropriate for the large scale production of dextranase and its use for dextran removal at sugar mills.

Management of swine mortalities through the use of a mixed composting-accelerating bio-inoculant.

A composting-accelerating bio-inoculant (Bacillus subtilis, Talaromyces sayulitensis (HC1), Steinernema sp., and Heterorhabditis sp.) was evaluated in a composting process made up of a different mix of wood chips, pig manure, urine, and swine mortality (raw material RM). Three different treatments (T1, T2, and T3) were assessed, and physicochemical, microbiological, and entomological evaluations were carried out at 0 and 45 days of the composting process. The highest organic nitrogen (1.34 %) concentration was detected in swine mortality, whereas the highest total oxidizable organic carbon (39.1 %) concentration was observed in wood chips. Salmonella spp., was not identified in any of the raw materials. Clostridium spp., count was 5.5, 2.0, and 1.0 Log10 unit, for pig manure, wood chips, and swine mortality, respectively. Pig manure, swine mortality, and wood chip total coliform count was 6.21, 5.32, and 1 Log10 unit, respectively. Helminth eggs were not detected in any of the RM and Cryptosporidium spp., oocysts were occasionally found in pig manure and wood chips. Several types of flies were identified, Musca domestica, Muscina stabulans, Stomoxys calcitrans, Fannia canicularis, Sarcophaga sp., and Calliphora sp. Treatment 3 (45.11 % swine mortality, 33.33 % wood chips, and 21.55 %, urine and bio-inoculant) had the greatest total oxidizable organic carbon availability, the highest carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio (20.67, p < 0.05), and the lowest dipterous larvae count. Moreover, Salmonella sp., was not observed and had only low Clostridium spp., and fecal coliform count. The bio-inoculant's effect on C/N ratio, cation exchange capacity, and electrical conductivity were beneficial, and resulted in production of a fertilizer complying with EPA 600/1-87-014, EPA 40 CFR Part 258, and NTC5167/11 norms. According to the characterization protocols used in this study the compost was apparently free from bacterial and parasitic pathogens and minimal dipteran counts. Last, maturation time was 15 days shorter compared with control (C4).

Using extended Bigelow meta-regressions for modelling the effects of temperature, pH, °Brix on the inactivation of heat resistant moulds.

The management of Heat Resistant Moulds (HRMs) is considered a great challenge for the juice fruit industry. Neosartorya, Byssochlamys and Talaromyces are three out of the main genera isolated from fruit juices that show great resistance to heat treatments. Several inactivation parameters can be found in the literature, however all of them were carried out in specific food matrices and using diverse inactivation methods. Thus, this meta-analysis study synthesizes the thermal resistance parameters of the three HRMs by adjusting extended Bigelow-based meta-regression models to data on inactivation experiments conducted in different liquid media. The meta-analytical data, extracted from publications between 1969 and 2017, was composed of decimal reduction time (D), inactivation method, temperature of inactivation, pH, °Brix, age of spores, and type of medium (model, juice, concentrates). Pooled D* values (D at 90 °C, pH 3.5 and 12° Brix) were estimated for B. fulva (1.95 min; 95% CI: 1.21-3.11 min), Talaromyces (4.03 min; 95% CI: 3.43-4.74 min), Neosartorya (0.5.35 min; 95% CI: 4.10-7.08 min), and B. nivea (10.32 min; 95% CI: 5.81-18.4 min). It was found that increasing the soluble solids in concentrates tends to cause a lower decrease in the heat resistance of Neosartorya and Talaromyces than increasing the soluble solids in model liquid or juices (p = 0.001; 0.012). In general, the screw-capped tubes and three neck round inactivation methods render higher D* values (p < 0.05) than the thermal death tubes, the polyethylene bag and the capillary methods. Spores of Talaromyces (overall zpH = 7.56; 95% CI: 5.13-13.5) and Neosartorya (overall zpH = 7.07; 95% CI: 5.04-10.8) appear to be more thermal sensitive to a decrease in medium pH than spores of Byssochlamys (overall zpH = 4.34; 95% CI: 3.20-6.73). The meta-regression models presented in this study can be valuable for estimating pooled inactivation kinetic parameters to be used by the fruit juice industry in the management of thermal processes and in the determination of shelf-life.

Unveiling Xylanolytic Enzymes Production of Talaromyces wortmannii DR49 on Industrial Agro Wastes

Abstract Xylan degradation is an important step in different industries, such as in biorefinery for biomass hydrolysis. Talaromyces wortmannii is a known fungus due to second metabolite production but only few works showed the xylanolytic potential of this fungus. In this way, the aim of this study was to evaluate the production of xylanolytic enzymes from T. wortmannii DR49 on industrial agro wastes. Cultivation in shake flask showed highest xylanase titration (10.3 U/mL; 9.5 U/mL) for wheat bran (WB) and hydrothermal pretreated sugar cane bagasse (HB); in β-xylosidase production WB and xylose were the best carbon sources (0.57 U/mL; 0.34 U/mL) respectively. STR cultivation revealed that 29°C and pH 6.0 were the best conditions for xylanase (14.5 U/mL) and β-xylosidase (1.7 U/mL) production. T. wortmannii DR49 showed to be a potential candidate for xylanolytic enzymes production using agro wastes in bioreactors, which has never been previously reported in this fungus.

Dimeric phenalenones from Talaromyces sp. (IQ-313) inhibit hPTP1B1-400: Insights into mechanistic kinetics from in vitro and in silico studies.

A critical biological event that contributes to the appearance and progress of cancer and diabetes is the reversible phosphorylation of proteins, a process controlled by protein tyrosine-kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine-phosphatases (PTPs). Within the PTPs, PTP1B has gained significant interest since it is a validated target in drug discovery. Indeed, several PTP1B inhibitors have been developed, from both, synthesis and natural products. However, none have been approved by the FDA, due to their poor selectivity and/or pharmacokinetic properties. One of the most significant challenges to the discovery of PTP1B inhibitors (in vitro or in silico) is the use of truncated structures (PTP1B1-300), missing valuable information about the mechanisms of inhibition, and selectivity of ligands. The present study describes the biochemical characterization of a full-length PTP1B (hPTP1B1-400), as well as the description of phenalenones 1-4 and ursolic acid (5) as allosteric modulators. Compounds 1-5 showed inhibitory potential on hPTP1B1-400, with IC50 values ranging from 12.7 to 82.1 µM. Kinetic studies showed that 1 and 5 behave as mixed and non-competitive inhibitors, respectively. Circular dichroism experiments confirmed that 1 and 5 induced conformational changes to hPTP1B1-400. Further insights into the structure of hPTP1B1-400 were obtained from a homology model, which pointed out that the C-terminus (residues 301-400) is highly disordered. Molecular docking with the homologated model suggested that compounds 1 and 3-5 bind to the C-terminal domain, likely inducing conformational changes on the protein. Docking positions of compounds 1, 4, and 5 were refined with molecular dynamics simulations. Importantly, these simulations confirmed the high flexibility of the C-terminus of hPTP1B1-400, as well as the changes to its rigidity when bound to 1, 4, and 5.

Water-soluble fluorescent red colorant production by Talaromyces amestolkiae.

The replacement of synthetic colors in food products by natural alternatives has been boosted by consumers willing to pay more for healthier products. However, the success of microbial colorants depends not only on its acceptability on the market but also its production costs. Talaromyces species can produce water-soluble red colorants induced by glucose and monosodium glutamate (MSG). In this study, the influence of several conditions was evaluated to produce natural red colorants by submerged culture of Talaromyces amestolkiae. Under optimal conditions (g/L: glucose 10, MSG 25, MgSO4 0.012, FeSO4 0.01, CaCl2 0.015; and initial pH of 5.0), a 30-fold increase in the production was achieved, reaching a red colorant production of 13.44 UA500nm. Depending on the initial pH, colorants with different hues and chroma values were obtained. Deep yellow colorants were derived from neutral and basic pH, while deep red colors were derived from acidic pH. The fluorescence spectrum of culture broth obtained before and after complexation with salts presented red colorants with yellow fluorescence spectra. The information generated in this study would be useful for the formulation of industrial media for large-scale cultivation of T. amestolkiae, which have the potential to produce Talaromyces fermented colorants for use in health foods and pharmaceutics.