In vitro analysis of postbiotic antimicrobial activity against Candida Species in a minimal synthetic model simulating the gut mycobiota in obesity.

Gut fungal imbalances, particularly increased Candida spp., are linked to obesity. This study explored the potential of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum cell-free extracts (postbiotics) to modulate the growth of Candida albicans and Candida kefyr, key members of the gut mycobiota. A minimal synthetic gut model was employed to evaluate the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum postbiotics on fungal growth in mono- and mixed cultures. Microreactors were employed for culturing, fungal growth was quantified using CFU counting, and regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of postbiotics on fungal growth. Postbiotics at a concentration of 12.5% significantly reduced the growth of both Candida species. At 24 h, both C. albicans and C. kefyr in monocultures exhibited a decrease in growth of 0.11 log CFU/mL. In contrast, mixed cultures showed a more pronounced antifungal effect, with C. albicans and C. kefyr reductions of 0.62 log CFU/mL and 0.64 log CFU/mL, respectively. Regression analysis using the Gompertz model supported the antifungal activity of postbiotics and revealed species-specific differences in growth parameters. These findings suggest that L. plantarum postbiotics have the potential to modulate the gut mycobiota by reducing Candida growth, potentially offering a therapeutic approach for combating fungal overgrowth associated with obesity.

Associations between bacterial and fungal communities in the human gut microbiota and their implications for nutritional status and body weight.

This study examined the interplay between bacterial and fungal communities in the human gut microbiota, impacting on nutritional status and body weight. Cohorts of 10 participants of healthy weight, 10 overweight, and 10 obese individuals, underwent comprehensive analysis, including dietary, anthropometric, and biochemical evaluations. Microbial composition was studied via gene sequencing of 16S and ITS rDNA regions, revealing bacterial (bacteriota) and fungal (mycobiota) profiles. Bacterial diversity exceeded fungal diversity. Statistically significant differences in bacterial communities were found within healthy-weight, overweight, and obese groups. The Bacillota/Bacteroidota ratio (previously known as the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio) correlated positively with body mass index. The predominant fungal phyla were Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, with the genera Nakaseomyces, Kazachstania, Kluyveromyces, and Hanseniaspora, inversely correlating with weight gain; while Saccharomyces, Debaryomyces, and Pichia correlated positively with body mass index. Overweight and obese individuals who harbored a higher abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, demonstrated a favorable lipid and glucose profiles in contrast to those with lower abundance. The overweight group had elevated Candida, positively linked to simple carbohydrate consumption. The study underscores the role of microbial taxa in body mass index and metabolic health. An imbalanced gut bacteriota/mycobiota may contribute to obesity/metabolic disorders, highlighting the significance of investigating both communities.

Ecological competition in the oral mycobiome of Hispanic adults living in Puerto Rico associates with periodontitis.

Background: Fungi are a major component of the human microbiome that only recently received attention. The imbalance of indigenous fungal communities and environmental fungi present in the oral cavity may have a role in oral dysbiosis, which could exacerbate oral inflammatory diseases. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study and recruited 88 participants aged 21 to 49 from sexually transmitted infection clinics in Puerto Rico. A full-mouth periodontal examination following the NHANES protocol defined periodontal severity (CDC/AAP). ITS2 (fungal) genes were amplified and sequenced for mycobiota characterization of yeast and environmental fungi. Environmental outdoor spore levels were measured daily by the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology San Juan station and defined by quartiles as spore scores. Results: Our data indicate polymicrobial colonization of yeast and environmental fungi in the oral cavity. Dominant taxa associated with periodontal disease included Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rigidoporus vinctus, and Aspergillus penicilloides, while Candida albicans were found to be ubiquitous. Fungal aerosols were found to impact the oral cavity biofilm, likely due to competition and neutralization by inhaled outdoor and indoor fungal spores. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report showcasing the ecological competition of measured outdoor environmental fungi with the human oral mycobiota.

Feed Regime Slightly Modifies the Bacterial but Not the Fungal Communities in the Intestinal Mucosal Microbiota of Cobia Fish (Rachycentron canadum).

The bacterial community of the intestinal microbiota influences many host functions, and similar effects have been recently reported for the fungal community (mycobiota). Cobia is a tropical fish that has been studied for its potential in marine aquaculture. However, the study of its bacterial community has been underreported and the mycobiota has not been investigated. We analyzed the gut bacterial and fungal profile present in the intestinal mucosa of reared adult cobias fed two diets (frozen fish pieces (FFPs) and formulated feed (FF)) for 4 months by sequencing the 16S rRNA (V3-V4) and internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS2) regions using Illumina NovaSeq 6000. No significant differences in the alpha diversity of the bacterial community were observed, which was dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria (~96%) and Firmicutes (~1%). Cobia fed FF showed higher abundance of 10 genera, mainly UCG-002 (Family Oscillospiraceae) and Faecalibacterium, compared to cobia fed FFPs, which showed higher abundance of 7 genera, mainly Methylobacterium-Methylorubrum and Cutibacterium. The inferred bacterial functions were related to metabolism, environmental information processing and cellular processes; and no differences were found between diets. In mycobiota, no differences were observed in the diversity and composition of cobia fed the two diets. The mycobiota was dominated by the phyla Ascomycota (~88%) and Basidiomycota (~11%). This is the first study to describe the gut bacterial and fungal communities in cobia reared under captive conditions and fed on different diets and to identify the genus Ascobulus as a new member of the core fish mycobiota.

Gut mycobiota changes in liver diseases: A systematic review.

Intestinal fungi play an important role in the health-disease process. We observed that in liver diseases, fungal infections lead to high mortality. In this review, we were able to gather and evaluate the available scientific evidence on intestinal mycobiota and liver diseases. We searched PubMed and Embase, using a combination of several entry terms. Only studies in adults ≥ 18 years old with liver disease and published after 2010 were included. We observed that individuals with liver disease have an altered intestinal mycobioma, which accompanies the progression of these diseases. In cirrhotic patients, there are a high number of Candida sp. strains, especially Candida albicans. In early chronic liver disease, there is an increase in alpha diversity at the expense of Candida sp. and conversely, in advanced liver disease, there is a negative correlation between alpha diversity and model for end-stage liver disease score. On the other hand, patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease demonstrate greater diversity compared to controls. Our study concluded that the evidence on the subject is sparse, with few studies and a lack of standardization of outcome measures and reporting, and it was not possible to perform a meta-analysis capable of synthesizing relevant parameters of the human mycobiotic profile. However, certain fungal genera such as Candida play an important role in the context of liver disease and that adults with liver disease have a distinct gut mycobiotic profile from healthy controls.

In people with end-stage liver disease, there is a high mortality from fungal infections. In this context, the genus Candida plays an important role in the context of liver disease, and adults with liver disease have a distinct gut mycobiota profile from healthy controls.

How Deep Can the Endophytic Mycobiome Go? A Case Study on Six Woody Species from the Brazilian Cerrado.

Elucidating the complex relationship between plants and endophytic fungi is very important in order to understand the maintenance of biodiversity, equity, stability, and ecosystem functioning. However, knowledge about the diversity of endophytic fungi from species of the native Brazilian Cerrado biome is poorly documented and remains largely unknown. These gaps led us to characterize the diversity of Cerrado endophytic foliar fungi associated with six woody species (Caryocar brasiliense, Dalbergia miscolobium, Leptolobium dasycarpum, Qualea parviflora, Ouratea hexasperma, and Styrax ferrugineus). Additionally, we investigated the influence of host plant identities on the structure of fungal communities. Culture-dependent methods coupled with DNA metabarcoding were employed. Irrespective of the approach, the phylum Ascomycota and the classes Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes were dominant. Using the cultivation-dependent method, 114 isolates were recovered from all the host species and classified into more than 20 genera and 50 species. Over 50 of the isolates belonged to the genus Diaporthe, and were distributed into more than 20 species. Metabarcoding revealed the phyla Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota, and Zoopagomycota. These groups are reported for the first time as components of the endophytic mycobiome of Cerrado plant species. In total, 400 genera were found in all host species. A unique leaf endophytic mycobiome was identified in each host species, which differed not only by the distribution of fungal species, but also by the abundance of shared species. These findings highlight the importance of the Brazilian Cerrado as a reservoir of microbial species, and emphasize how endophytic fungal communities are diversified and adapted.

Filamentous fungi in artisanal cheeses: A problem to be avoided or a market opportunity?

The microbial diversity of artisanal cheeses has been ever more extensively explored over recent years. Many new studies have been particularly focused on the detection and identification of fungi associated with cheese rinds. This is not surprising given that the composition and abundance of fungi on the cheese surface can significantly contribute to desirable sensory qualities, while also contributing to defects, particularly during ripening, and risks associated with the production of mycotoxins. Here we critically review the impact of fungi on the quality of artisanal cheeses, as well as the risks associated with the presence of particular species or strains with specific phenotypes. Ultimately, we address the question; should fungi be predominantly considered villains when it comes to artisanal cheese safety or could their presence be better exploited by producers in order to generate innovative products with greater added value? Such discussions will be increasingly important from the perspective of the future commercialization and regulation of artisanal cheeses that frequently contain a high abundance of moulds.

Malassezia spp. and Candida spp. from patients with psoriasis exhibit reduced susceptibility to antifungals.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects over 125 million people worldwide. Many studies have shown the importance of the microbiome for psoriasis exacerbation. AIM: Explore the fungal load and species composition of cultivable yeasts on the skin of psoriatic patients (PP) and healthy volunteers living in a tropical area and evaluate the susceptibility to antifungals. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study with 61 participants (35 patients and 26 healthy controls) was performed during August 2018 and May 2019. Clinical data were collected from patient interviewing and/or medical records review. Samples were collected by swabbing in up to five anatomic sites. Suggestive yeast colonies were counted and further identified by phenotypical tests, PCR-REA, and/or MALDI-TOF. Susceptibility of Malassezia spp. and Candida spp. to azoles, terbinafine, and amphotericin B was evaluated by broth microdilution. RESULTS: Nearly 50% of the patients had moderate to severe psoriasis, and plaque-type psoriasis was the most common clinical form. Yeast colonies count was significantly more abundant among PP than healthy controls. Malassezia and Candida were the most abundant genus detected in all participants. Higher MIC values for ketoconazole and terbinafine were observed in Malassezia strains obtained from PP. Approximately 42% of Candida isolates from PP showed resistance to itraconazole in contrast to 12.5% of isolates from healthy controls. MIC values for fluconazole and amphotericin B were significantly different among Candida isolates from PP and healthy individuals. CONCLUSION: This study showed that Malassezia and Candida strains from PP presented higher MIC values to widespread antifungal drugs than healthy individuals.

Fungal communities in Brazilian cassava tubers and food products.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is one of the most widely cultivated foods in the world and is of great socio-economic importance, especially in developing countries. It is predominantly consumed in boiled form, but also is used to produce a number of products, including cassava starch, sour starch, cassava flour and tapioca flour (hydrated cassava starch). Fungal spoilage can occur throughout the production chain, impairing both productivity and quality, as well as posing a potential risk of contamination by mycotoxins. We used multidisciplinary approaches based on phenotypic and molecular data (ITS/BenA/TEF-1a/RPB2 loci) to investigate the mycobiota of 101 samples (including roots, soil and products) collected in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 20 fungal groups/genera were morphologically characterized, and 37 different species were molecularly identified. The predominant groups in cassava tubers were Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp. and Trichoderma spp. In cassava products, the most frequent groups were Penicillium spp. and Paecilomyces spp. Potentially toxigenic species were also found, including Paecilomyces saturatus, Penicillium citrinum, P. paneum, P. brevicompactum, P. chrysogenum, Fusarium foetens and Fusarium mundagurra. In soil-cultivated cassava samples, the groups found most frequently were Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp. and Fusarium spp. Some of the species found in cassava tubers and/or product samples were also present in the soil, including F. mundagurra, Neocosmospora solani, P. citrinum and P. brevicompactum. In general, there was a higher occurrence of Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp. and Trichoderma spp., and the predominant species were F. fabacearum and P. citrinum. The mycobiota of Brazilian cassava proved to be extremely diverse, and the occurrence of several species in cassava tubers and/or products are reported herein for the first time. Potentially toxigenic species were found in cassava tubers, cassava products and soil, showing how important it is to constantly monitor these substrates.

Fungal community and physicochemical profiles of ripened cheeses from the Canastra of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Canastra's Minas artisanal cheese [QMA (Minas artisanal cheese)] is a protected geographical indication traditional food. The influence of fungi on the cheese ripening process is of great importance. This study aimed to apply culture-dependent and -independent methods to determine the mycobiota of QMA produced in the Canastra region, as well as to determine its physicochemical characteristics. Illumina-based amplicon sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry were the culture-independent methods used. The physicochemical analysis results showed that the QMA has a moisture content ranging 18.4-28.2%, fat content ranging 20.5-40%, sodium chloride percentage of approximately 0.9%, and pH ranging 5.2-5.5. The population of fungi ranged between 6.3 and 8 log colony-forming unit/g. Fusarium spp., Geotrichum candidum, Paecilomyces spp., Trichosporon coremiiforme, Candida catenulata, Aspergillus spp., Trichosporon japonicum, Aspergillus oryzae, Kluyveromyces spp., Torulaspora spp., and Debaryomyces spp. were the most prevalent fungi. The methods used to evaluate the mycobiota provide a better understanding of which species are present in the final product and eventually contribute to the characteristics of QMA. Geotrichum candidum and C. catenulata were identified as promising species for future studies on product quality.

Insights into taxonomic diversity and bioprospecting potential of Cerrado endophytic fungi: a review exploring an unique Brazilian biome and methodological limitations.

Cerrado is the second largest biome in Brazil, and it is known for harboring a wide variety of endemic plant and microbial species, among which are endophytic fungi. Endophytic fungi are microorganisms capable of colonizing the interior of plant tissues without causing disease in host plants. Especially in the Cerrado biome, this group of microorganisms is still poorly studied and information on species estimation, ecological and evolutionary importance is not accurate and remains unknown. Also, it is extremely important to emphasize that great part of studies available on Cerrado endophytic fungi are national literature, including master's dissertations, course conclusion works or unpublished doctoral theses. The majority of these studies has highlighted that the endemic plant species are an important habitat for fungal endophytes, and new species have increasingly been described. Due to the lack of international literature on Cerrado endophytic fungi, the present review brings a bibliographic survey on taxonomic diversity and bioprospecting potential of fungal endophytes from a unique environment. This review also emphasizes the importance of studying Brazilian endophytic fungi from Cerrado as a source of new technologies (biofertilizer and biocontroller), since they are secondary metabolite-producing organisms with different biological activities for biotechnological, agricultural and pharmaceutical applications.

Fungal communities in feces of the frugivorous bat Ectophylla alba and its highly specialized Ficus colubrinae diet.

BACKGROUND: Bats are important long-distance dispersers of many tropical plants, yet, by consuming fruits, they may disperse not only the plant's seeds, but also the mycobiota within those fruits. We characterized the culture-dependent and independent fungal communities in fruits of Ficus colubrinae and feces of Ectophylla alba to determine if passage through the digestive tract of bats affected the total mycobiota. RESULTS: Using presence/absence and normalized abundance data from fruits and feces, we demonstrate that the fungal communities were significantly different, even though there was an overlap of ca. 38% of Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs). We show that some of the fungi from fruits were also present and grew from fecal samples. Fecal fungal communities were dominated by Agaricomycetes, followed by Dothideomycetes, Sordariomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, and Malasseziomycetes, while fruit samples were dominated by Dothideomycetes, followed by Sordariomycetes, Agaricomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, and Laboulbeniomycetes. Linear discriminant analyses (LDA) show that, for bat feces, the indicator taxa include Basidiomycota (i.e., Agaricomycetes: Polyporales and Agaricales), and the ascomycetous class Eurotiomycetes (i.e., Eurotiales, Aspergillaceae). For fruits, indicator taxa are in the Ascomycota (i.e., Dothideomycetes: Botryosphaeriales; Laboulbeniomycetes: Pyxidiophorales; and Sordariomycetes: Glomerellales). In our study, the differences in fungal species composition between the two communities (fruits vs. feces) reflected on the changes in the functional diversity. For example, the core community in bat feces is constituted by saprobes and animal commensals, while that of fruits is composed mostly of phytopathogens and arthropod-associated fungi. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides the groundwork to continue disentangling the direct and indirect symbiotic relationships in an ecological network that has not received enough attention: fungi-plants-bats. Findings also suggest that the role of frugivores in plant-animal mutualistic networks may extend beyond seed dispersal: they may also promote the dispersal of potentially beneficial microbial symbionts while, for example, hindering those that can cause plant disease.

Culex quinquefasciatus Holobiont: A Fungal Metagenomic Approach.

Microorganisms associated with mosquitoes have fundamental roles, not only in their nutrition, but also in physiological and immunological processes, and in their adaptation to the environment as well. Studies on mosquito hologenomes have increased significantly during the last years, achieving important advances in the characterization of the "core bacteriome" of some species of health importance. However, the fungal mycobiome has not been exhaustively researched, especially throughout the life cycle of some hematophagous mosquito species. In this work, the diversity and composition of fungal communities in different developmental stages, sexes, and adult nutrition of Culex quinquefasciatus reared on laboratory conditions were characterized, using internal transcribed spacer high throughput amplicon sequencing. Larvae presented a higher fungal richness, while sucrose-fed males and females showed a similar diversity between them. Blood-fed females presented few operational taxonomic units with an even distribution. Results are consistent with the reduction of larval microbiota after molting, observed for the bacterial microbiome in other mosquito species. The filamentous Ascomycota Penicillium polonicum and Cladosporium sp. were present in all stages of the mosquitoes; in addition, the presence of yeasts in the insects or their subsequent colonization associated with their diet is also discussed. These results suggest that some species of fungi could be essential for the nutrition and development of mosquitoes throughout their life cycle.

Soil Fungal Diversity of the Aguarongo Andean Forest (Ecuador).

Fungi represent an essential component of ecosystems, functioning as decomposers and biotrophs, and they are one of the most diverse groups of Eukarya. In the tropics, many species are unknown. In this work, high-throughput DNA sequencing was used to discover the biodiversity of soil fungi in the Aguarongo forest reserve, one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in Ecuador. The rDNA metabarcoding analysis revealed the presence of seven phyla: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Glomeromycota, Chytridiomycota, and Monoblepharomycota. A total of 440 identified species were recorded. They mainly belonged to Ascomycota (263) and Basidiomycota (127). In Mortierellomycota, 12 species were recorded, among which Podila verticillata is extremely frequent and represents the dominant species in the entire mycobiota of Aguarongo. The present research provides the first account of the entire soil mycobiota in the Aguarongo forest, where many fungal species exist that have strong application potential in agriculture, bioremediation, chemical, and the food industry. The Aguarongo forest hides a huge number of unknown fungal species that could be assessed, and its protection is of the utmost importance.

Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Podoserpula and description of P. aliweni, a new species from Chile.

Phylogenetic analyses based on a three-locus nuclear data set (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, the 5' end of the 28S, and the largest subunit of RNA polymerase I) supported the pagoda fungus (Podoserpula, Amylocorticiales) as a monophyletic group most closely related to species of Anomoporia, which is nonmonophyletic, and Amyloathelia. Phylogenetic relationships inferred from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of specimens sampled in Australia, Chile, China, Madagascar, and New Zealand divided Podoserpula into two major lineages: Clade A containing Australian and New Zealand collections designated P. pusio and the Chinese species P. ailaoshanensis, which have basidiospores with no reaction to Melzer's reagent, and Clade B, which includes a species described from Chile, P. aliweni, and specimens originating from Australia, Chile, Madagascar, and New Zealand with dextrinoid basidiospores. Podoserpula aliweni forms a unique branch in the phylogenetic tree and differs from its most closely related taxon by 1.8-2.1% in the ITS region. The new species exhibits a tree-like habit with a white to concolorous stipe-like base with the hymenophore's main subcylindrical axis bearing up to 18 superimposed pilei, slightly enrolled white margins shading from yellowish white to orange-yellow toward the center, and ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 4.0-4.5 × 3.5 µm. Ecologically, P. aliweni occurs during the rainy season, often gregariously on dried branches or wet soil under Nothofagus dombeyi or N. obliqua and has a distribution range of more than 600 km in southern Chile. This study extends the known distributional range and increases our knowledge on the phylogenetic diversity and taxonomy in Podoserpula.

Fungal Endophytes of Tahiti Lime (Citrus citrus × latifolia) and Their Potential for Control of Colletotrichum acutatum J. H. Simmonds Causing Anthracnose.

Colletotrichum acutatum is one of the causal agents of anthracnose in several crops, and of post-flowering fruit drop (PFD) in citrus and key lime anthracnose (KLA). The pathogen normally attacks flowers, causing lesions only in open flowers. Under very favorable conditions, however, it can also affect flower buds and small fruits, causing complete rotting of the fruit and a premature fall, resulting in major economic crop losses. We isolated endophytic fungi from Tahiti lime to evaluate its diversity, verify its antagonistic capacity against the phytopathogen Colletotrichum acutatum C-100 in dual tests, and evaluate the ability of various endophytic agents to control flowers with induced anthracnose. 138 fungal isolates were obtained from 486 fragments of branches, leaves, and fruit; from which 15 species were identified morphologically. A higher isolation frequency was found in branches and leaves, with a normal level of diversity compared to other citrus species. Of the 15 morphospecies, 5 were trialed against C. acutatum in antagonism tests, resulting in a finding of positive inhibition. 2 endophytic fungi from the antagonism tests demonstrated high inhibition of the phytopathogen, and were thus used in in vivo tests with Tahiti lime flowers, applied in a spore solution. Spore solutions of two molecularly identified species, Xylaria adscendens, and Trichoderma atroviride, reduced the lesions caused by the phytopathogen in these in vivo tests. The finding that these endophytes react antagonistically against C. acutatum may make them good candidates for further biological control research in an agroindustry that requires environmental sustainability.

Ochratoxin A and related fungi in Brazilian black pepper (Piper nigrum L.).

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin with nephrotoxic, genotoxic, teratogenic and carcinogenic properties, produced by several species of Aspergillus, mainly those belonging to the A. section Circumdati and A. section Nigri. Although this toxin has been detected in spices and condiments, in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) few studies have investigated the mycobiota (based on a molecular approach) and the presence of OTA in this food. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of potentially ochratoxigenic species and ochratoxin A in black pepper marketed in Brazil, one of the largest producers in the world. A total of 60 samples of black pepper (29 in powder and 31 in grain) were collected in markets. The presence of OTA was investigated in black pepper samples using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), OTA was detected in 55% of the samples, with levels ranging from 0.05 to 13.15 µg/kg, all of which were below the Brazilian legal tolerances. A. section Nigri and A. section Circumdati were found in 80% of the samples, but the species of A. section Nigri were significantly more frequent than those of A. section Circumdati. The potential for OTA production by fungal isolates was tested using the agar plug technique and confirmed by HPLC. Among the isolates belonging to A. section Nigri (n = 1,083) and A. section Circumdati (n = 129), 3.7% and 3.8%, respectively, were able to produce OTA in Yeast Extract Sucrose Agar (YESA). A total of 25 strains from A. section Circumdati and 64 from A. section Nigri were identified using molecular data. The following potentially ochratoxigenic species were found in black pepper: A. niger, A. welwitschiae, A. carbonarius, A. westerdijkiae and A. ochraceus. The occurrence of these species denotes the need for continuous monitoring of black pepper by regulatory bodies in order to safeguard consumers' health.

The intestinal mycobiota and its relationship with overweight, obesity and nutritional aspects.

BACKGROUND: The fungal community of the gastrointestinal tract has recently become of interest, and knowledge of its relationship with the development of obesity is scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the cultivable fungal fraction from the microbiota and to analyze its relationship with obesity. METHODS: Samples were taken from 99 participants with normal weight, overweight and obesity (n = 31, 34 and 34, respectively) and were cultivated in selective medium, and the cultivable yeasts were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Anthropometric and biochemical measures were also evaluated. RESULTS: Eutrophic, overweight and obese groups presented concentrations of 1.6, 2.16 and 2.19 log10  colony-forming units g-1 yeast, respectively. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the two identified phyla. At the genus level, Candida spp. showed a relatively high prevalence, and 10 different species were detected: Candida glabrata, Candida orthopsilosis, Candida lambica, Candida kefyr, Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Candida valida, Candida parapsilosis, Candida utilis and Candida humilis (with relative abundances of 71.72%, 5.05%, 21.21%, 6.06%, 29.29%, 27.27%, 8.08%, 16.16%, 1.01% and 2.02%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The obese group presented a higher prevalence of Candida albicans. Furthermore, Candida albicans, Candida kefyr and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa showed a high positive correlation with obesity, weight gain and fat mass and showed a negative correlation with high-density lipoprotein and lean mass, parameters related to weight loss.

Fungal literature records database of the sub-Antarctic Region of Aysén, Chile.

BACKGROUND: To this day, merely 8% of all estimated fungi species are documented and, in certain regions, its biodiversity is practically unknown. Inside the Fungi Kingdom, macrofungi and lichens assume a critical part in the ecosystem functionality and have a historical connection to mankind's social, clinical and nutritious uses. Despite their importance, the diversity of these groups has been widely overlooked in the sub-Antarctic Region of Chile, a crucial area in the study of climate change due to its extraordinary biodiversity and its proximity to Antarctica. Few studies regarding both groups have been conducted in this sub-Antarctic Region and the data are still scarce and inaccessible, as these are only published in specialised journals, unreachable to local communities. NEW INFORMATION: This publication presents a records compilation available in previous published scientific and technical reports on macrofungi and lichen diversity. In total, 1263 occurrence records of 618 species (341 records of 251 macrofungi species and 922 records of 367 lichen species) were digitised and integrated into the regional platform Biodiversity Information System for Aysén (SIB-Aysén) and into GBIF. Here, we provide the fullest dataset on one of the most diverse group of living beings in one of the the least-known world regions.

Madre Monte Natural Conservation Area in the Colombian Andes as Model for Preservation of Fungi in Quercus humboldtii Forests

Abstract Few conservation studies have been done with Agaricales fungi (mushrooms) of the Andes and conservation areas created in many countries have no priorities in protecting fungi. Small areas can be also very important to preserve rare and unknown fungi species, but evaluations are still needed. Applying the technique of the transects in the natural reserve of Madre Monte in Arcabuco, Boyacá Province, in the Colombian Andes (a characteristic oak forest - Quercus humboldtii - Fagaceae), the diversity and ecological data were collected and compared to the fungi already known in the country and their conservation status, to understand how fungi are protected indirectly with the creation of preservation areas. The samples were identified at the Laboratorio del Grupo de Investigación Biología para la Conservación de la Universidad Pedagogica y Tecnológica of Colombia. A total of 331 specimens and 46 species of Agaricales were collected and identified. The presence of rare species, like Lactifluus gerardii, Cortinarius violaceus and Cortinarius boyacensis, reinforces the importance of creating more small areas in the preservation of mushroom species. Only 43 species of Agaricales were reported to the province, being 19 new citations to the area, what is an indication that the diversity in the Colombian Andes is higher than suspected and that even small conservation areas have of profound impact in fungi conservation. Some of the mushrooms found are also first references to Colombia, like Panaeolus rickenii and Protostropharia dorsipora, but these were found growing in horse manure, being introduced. The impact of domestic animals and exotic trees in the mycobiota of preservation areas needs to be better evaluated.