Diversity, distribution and phytotoxic and anti-Trypanosoma activities of cultivable fungi associated with Magellan sub-Antarctic strait and Maritime Antarctic macroalgae.

We isolated and characterized the community of cultivable fungi associated with marine macroalgae present in the Magellan sub-Antarctic straits and the South Shetland Islands, Maritime Antarctica, and evaluated their production of bioactive metabolites. A total of 201 filamentous fungal isolates were obtained. The genera Antarctomyces, Pseudogymnoascus, Microdochium, Trichoderma, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Neoascochyta, Entomortierella and Linnemannia were associated with Antarctic macroalgae, with Neoascochyta paspali being the most abundant taxon. In contrast, 12 taxa representing Cadophora, Microdochium, Penicillium, Pseudogymnoascus were associated with macroalgae from the Magellan sub-Antarctic, with Penicillium dominating the assemblages. The diversity indices of the fungal communities associated with macroalgae in the two regions were similar. Among 177 fungal extracts assessed for metabolite production, 31 (17.5%) showed strong phytotoxic activity and 17 (9.6%) showed anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity. Penicillium showed the highest phytotoxic and anti-Trypanosoma activity values. The detection of taxa in common between the polar and cold temperate zones reinforces the need for further investigations of the distribution of species in these distinct ecoregions. The detection of bioactive extracts produced particularly by Penicillium representatives reinforces the potential to obtain active molecules that can be explored as natural products or as sources of bioactive compounds with application in agriculture and biomedicine.

Exploring extremophilic fungi in soil mycobiome for sustainable agriculture amid global change.

As the Earth warms, alternatives to traditional farming are crucial. Exploring fungi, especially poly extremophilic and extremotolerant species, to be used as plant probiotics, represents a promising option. Extremophilic fungi offer avenues for developing and producing innovative biofertilizers, effective biocontrol agents against plant pathogens, and resilient enzymes active under extreme conditions, all of which are crucial to enhance agricultural efficiency and sustainability through improved soil fertility and decreased reliance on agrochemicals. Yet, extremophilic fungi's potential remains underexplored and, therefore, comprehensive research is needed to understand their roles as tools to foster sustainable agriculture practices amid climate change. Efforts should concentrate on unraveling the complex dynamics of plant-fungi interactions and harnessing extremophilic fungi's ecological functions to influence plant growth and development. Aspects such as plant's epigenome remodeling, fungal extracellular vesicle production, secondary metabolism regulation, and impact on native soil microbiota are among many deserving to be explored in depth. Caution is advised, however, as extremophilic and extremotolerant fungi can act as both mitigators of crop diseases and as opportunistic pathogens, underscoring the necessity for balanced research to optimize benefits while mitigating risks in agricultural settings.

Molecular analysis of cutaneous yeast isolates in the mycobiota of children with atopic dermatitis.

The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) has a greater diversity of mycobiota. An observational, prospective, cross-sectional, analytical, and comparative study was conducted involving 80 patients with AD Group (ADG) and 50 individuals without AD (wADG) in a tertiary hospital in Brazil. Skin scale samples were collected from the frontal, cervical, fossae cubital, and popliteal regions and identified using molecular biology techniques. The results showed that 47.5% of ADG had identified yeasts compared to 0% of wADG (P < .001). The yeasts Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Candida parapsilosis were the most abundant. The probability of colonization increased with age, showing values of 40% at 60 months and 80% at 220 months (P = .09). The cervical region (12.5%) was colonized to the greatest extent. Our findings revealed that positive mycology was not more probable when the scoring of atopic dermatitis or eczema area and severity index value increased (P = .23 and .53, respectively). The results showed that the sex, age, and different population types directly affected the composition of the mycobiota in the population analyzed. A higher frequency of colonization and greater diversity of yeast species were detected in the cutaneous mycobiota of children with AD.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin disease that can be colonized by microorganisms. We evaluated patients with and without the disease and found a higher frequency of colonization by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Candida parapsilosis on the skin of children with AD.

Endosphere mycobiome in mature rice roots originate from both seedlings and soils.

Plant-fungus symbioses have functional relevance during plant growth and development. However, it is still unknown whether the endosphere fungi in mature plants originated from soils or seeds. To elucidate the origination of endosphere fungi in mature rice roots, the fungal communities in surface sterilized roots and shoots of mature rice plants germinated in soils, rhizosphere soils and seedlings germinated under sterile conditions were analyzed by Illumina-based sequencing and compared. Total 62 fungal OTUs shared in the seedlings, shoots and roots, 126 OTUs shared in the rhizosphere soils, shoots and roots. Fungal OTUs coexisted in the four types of samples belonged to genera of Rhizophagus, Trichoderma, Fusarium, Atractiella, Myrmecridium, Sporothrix, Microdochium, Massariosphaeria, and Phialemonium. The principle component analysis (PCA) and NMDS plot suggested that the fungal community structure in rhizosphere soils was different from that in seedlings significantly. Rhizosphere soil, shoot and root contained more similar fungal community. The fungal community in seedling was similar to that in shoot and root of mature plants. The results suggested that endophytic fungal communities in mature rice plants originated from both seedlings and rhizosphere soils, and more fungal taxa originated from rhizosphere soils. Mature rice plants contain mycobiome transmitted vertically from seeds, which suggests that inoculation of endophytic fungi isolated from seedlings might be an effective way to introduce beneficial fungal inoculants into rice plants successfully.

Foliar mycobiome remains unaltered under urban air-pollution but differentially express stress-related genes.

Air pollution caused by tropospheric ozone contributes to the decline of forest ecosystems; for instance, sacred fir, Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham. forests in the peri-urban region of Mexico City. Individual trees within these forests exhibit variation in their response to ozone exposure, including the severity of visible symptoms in needles. Using RNA-Seq metatranscriptomic data and ITS2 metabarcoding, we investigated whether symptom variation correlates with the taxonomic and functional composition of fungal mycobiomes from needles collected in this highly polluted area in the surroundings of Mexico City. Our findings indicate that ozone-related symptoms do not significantly correlate with changes in the taxonomic composition of fungal mycobiomes. However, genes coding for 30 putative proteins were differentially expressed in the mycobiome of asymptomatic needles, including eight genes previously associated with resistance to oxidative stress. These results suggest that fungal communities likely play a role in mitigating the oxidative burst caused by tropospheric ozone in sacred fir. Our study illustrates the feasibility of using RNA-Seq data, accessible from global sequence repositories, for the characterization of fungal communities associated with plant tissues, including their gene expression.

Grazing exclusion-induced changes in soil fungal communities in a highly desertified Brazilian dryland.

Soil desertification poses a critical ecological challenge in arid and semiarid climates worldwide, leading to decreased soil productivity due to the disruption of essential microbial community processes. Fungi, as one of the most important soil microbial communities, play a crucial role in enhancing nutrient and water uptake by plants through mycorrhizal associations. However, the impact of overgrazing-induced desertification on fungal community structure, particularly in the Caatinga biome of semiarid regions, remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the changes in both the total fungal community and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community (AMF) across 1. Natural vegetation (native), 2. Grazing exclusion (20 years) (restored), and 3. affected by overgrazing-induced degradation (degraded) scenarios. Our assessment, conducted during both the dry and rainy seasons in Irauçuba, Ceará, utilized Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) gene sequencing via Illumina® platform. Our findings highlighted the significant roles of the AMF families Glomeraceae (∼71% of the total sequences) and Acaulosporaceae (∼14% of the total sequences) as potential key taxa in mitigating climate change within dryland areas. Moreover, we identified the orders Pleosporales (∼35% of the total sequences) and Capnodiales (∼21% of the total sequences) as the most abundant soil fungal communities in the Caatinga biome. The structure of the total fungal community differed when comparing native and restored areas to degraded areas. Total fungal communities from native and restored areas clustered together, suggesting that grazing exclusion has the potential to improve soil properties and recover fungal community structure amid global climate change challenges.

Fungal diversity present in snow sampled in summer in the north-west Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, Maritime Antarctica, assessed using metabarcoding.

We assessed the fungal diversity present in snow sampled during summer in the north-west Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, maritime Antarctica using a metabarcoding approach. A total of 586,693 fungal DNA reads were obtained and assigned to 203 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). The dominant phylum was Ascomycota, followed by Basidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, Chytridiomycota and Mucoromycota. Penicillium sp., Pseudogymnoascus pannorum, Coniochaeta sp., Aspergillus sp., Antarctomyces sp., Phenoliferia sp., Cryolevonia sp., Camptobasidiaceae sp., Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Bannozyma yamatoana were assessed as abundant taxa. The snow fungal diversity indices were high but varied across the different locations sampled. Of the fungal ASVs detected, only 28 were present all sampling locations. The 116 fungal genera detected in the snow were dominated by saprotrophic taxa, followed by symbiotrophic and pathotrophic. Our data indicate that, despite the low temperature and oligotrophic conditions, snow can host a richer mycobiome than previously reported through traditional culturing studies. The snow mycobiome includes a complex diversity dominated by cosmopolitan, cold-adapted, psychrophilic and endemic taxa. While saprophytes dominate this community, a range of other functional groups are present.

Metabarcode insights into the airborne fungal diversity in the indoor and outdoor environments in archives from Yunnan, Southwestern China.

Monitoring dynamics of airborne fungal species and controlling of harmful ones are of vital importance to conservation of cultural relics. However, the evaluation of air quality and the community structure characteristics of microorganisms, especially fungi, in the atmosphere of archives is in a stage of continuous exploration though more than 4,000 archives were constructed in China. Seventy-two air samples were collected in this study under different spatial and weather conditions from the archives of Kunming Medical University, located in the Kunming metropolitan area, Yunnan province, southwestern China. A total of 22 airborne fungal classes, 160 genera and 699 ASVs were identified, the species diversity is on the rise with the strengthening of air circulation with the outside space, and thus the intensive energy metabolism and activity were found in the spaces with window and sunny weather, except for the higher lipid synthesis of indoor samples than that of outdoor ones. Furthermore, there were significant differences in fungal community composition and abundance between sunny and rainy weathers. A considerable number of species have been identified as indicator in various environmental and weather conditions of the archives, and temperature and humidity were thought to have significant correlations with the abundance of these species. Meanwhile, Cladosporium and Alternaria were the dominant genera here, which may pose a threat to the health of archive professionals. Therefore, monitoring and controlling the growth of these fungal species is crucial for both conservation of paper records and health of archive professionals.

Distinct orchid mycorrhizal fungal communities among co-occurring Vanilla species in Costa Rica: root substrate and population-based segregation.

Despite being the second largest family of flowering plants, orchids represent community structure variation in plant-microbial associations, contributes to niche partitioning in metacommunity assemblages. Yet, mycorrhizal communities and interactions remain unknown for orchids that are highly specialized or even obligated in their associations with their mycorrhizal partners. In this study, we sought to compare orchid mycorrhizal fungal (OMF) communities of three co-occurring hemiepiphytic Vanilla species (V. hartii, V. pompona, and V. trigonocarpa) in tropical forests of Costa Rica by addressing the identity of their OMF communities across species, root types, and populations, using high-throughput sequencing. Sequencing the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) yielded 299 fungal Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) from 193 root samples. We showed distinct segregation in the putative OMF (pOMF) communities of the three coexisting Vanilla hosts. We also found that mycorrhizal communities associated with the rare V. hartii varied among populations. Furthermore, we identified Tulasnellaceae and Ceratobasidiaceae as dominant pOMF families in terrestrial roots of the three Vanilla species. In contrast, the epiphytic roots were mainly dominated by OTUs belonging to the Atractiellales and Serendipitaceae. Furthermore, the pOMF communities differed significantly across populations of the widespread V. trigonocarpa and showed patterns of distance decay in similarity. This is the first report of different pOMF communities detected in roots of wild co-occurring Vanilla species using high-throughput sequencing, which provides evidence that three coexisting Vanilla species and their root types exhibited pOMF niche partitioning, and that the rare and widespread Vanilla hosts displayed diverse mycorrhizal preferences.

Trends in Antarctic soil fungal research in the context of environmental changes.

Antarctic soils represent one of the most pristine environments on Earth, where highly adapted and often endemic microbial species withstand multiple extremes. Specifically, fungal diversity is extremely low in Antarctic soils and species distribution and diversity are still not fully characterized in the continent. Despite the unique features of this environment and the international interest in its preservation, several factors pose severe threats to the conservation of inhabiting ecosystems. In this light, we aimed to provide an overview of the effects on fungal communities of the main changes endangering the soils of the continent. Among these, the increasing human presence, both for touristic and scientific purposes, has led to increased use of fuels for transport and energy supply, which has been linked to an increase in unintentional environmental contamination. It has been reported that several fungal species have evolved cellular processes in response to these soil contamination episodes, which may be exploited for restoring contaminated areas at low temperatures. Additionally, the effects of climate change are another significant threat to Antarctic ecosystems, with the expected merging of previously isolated ecosystems and their homogenization. A possible reduction of biodiversity due to the disappearance of well-adapted, often endemic species, as well as an increase of biodiversity, due to the spreading of non-native, more competitive species have been suggested. Despite some studies describing the specialization of fungal communities and their correlation with environmental parameters, our comprehension of how soil communities may respond to these changes remains limited. The majority of studies attempting to precisely define the effects of climate change, including in situ and laboratory simulations, have mainly focused on the bacterial components of these soils, and further studies are necessary, including the other biotic components.

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.

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE FUNGAL MICROBIOTA IN THE NOSTRILS AND RECTUM OF AMAZONIAN MANATEES (TRICHECHUS INUNGUIS) FROM A REHABILITATION PROGRAM IN BRAZIL.

The present study characterized the filamentous and yeast-like fungal microbiota of the nasal cavity and rectum of Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis) undergoing rehabilitation at the Laboratory of Aquatic Mammals, National Institute of Amazonian Research, Manaus, Amazonas, and determined the antifungal susceptibility of these organisms. Nasal and rectal swabs were collected from 22 calves and three juveniles. The samples were seeded in Sabouraud agar supplemented with chloramphenicol 10%, incubated at 26°C, and observed daily for up to 7 d. The growth of different filamentous and yeast-like fungi was observed among the two anatomical sites. Filamentous fungi were categorized by macro- and microscopic characteristics of the colonies. Representatives of each group were selected for molecular identification based on the internal transcribed spacer region. Yeast identification was performed using MALDI-TOF MS and molecular analyses. Thirteen genera of filamentous fungi and six genera of yeasts were isolated and identified. The dominant filamentous species were Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Cochliobolus lunatus in the nostril samples and Aspergillus melleus in the rectal samples. Candida was the dominant genus among the identified yeasts at both anatomical sites. In the antifungal susceptibility test, 28 isolates showed resistance to fluconazole (78%), itraconazole (39%), and nystatin (42%). The knowledge of fungal microbiota composition of Amazonian manatees provides information that assists in monitoring the health status of individuals maintained in captivity, as these organisms can behave either as opportunists or as primary pathogens. Moreover, the composition and resistance of these organisms may vary among different rehabilitation institutions or different time frames of search, reinforcing the importance of constant in loco surveillance of these microorganisms. This study provides new perspectives on the fungal diversity in the microbiota of manatees and supports future studies concerning the clinical and epidemiological aspects and the impacts of these agents on the health of Amazonian manatees undergoing rehabilitation.

Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in natural and urban ecosystems: Quercus humboldtii as a study case in the tropical Andes.

Worldwide urban landscapes are expanding because of the growing human population. Urban ecosystems serve as habitats to highly diverse communities. However, studies focusing on the diversity and structure of ectomycorrhizal communities are uncommon in this habitat. In Colombia, Quercus humboldtii Bonpl. is an ectomycorrhizal tree thriving in tropical montane forests hosting a high diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Q. humboldtii is planted as an urban tree in Bogotá (Colombia). We studied how root-associated fungal communities of this tree change between natural and urban areas. Using Illumina sequencing, we amplified the ITS1 region and analyzed the resulting data using both OTUs and Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) bioinformatics pipelines. The results obtained using both pipelines showed no substantial differences between OTUs and ASVs for the community patterns of root-associated fungi, and only differences in species richness were observed. We found no significant differences in the species richness between urban and rural sites based on Fisher's alpha or species-accumulation curves. However, we found significant differences in the community composition of fungi present in the roots of rural and urban trees with rural communities being dominated by Russula and Lactarius and urban communities by Scleroderma, Hydnangium, and Trechispora, suggesting a high impact of urban disturbances on ectomycorrhizal fungal communities. Our results highlight the importance of urban trees as reservoirs of fungal diversity and the potential impact of urban conditions on favoring fungal species adapted to more disturbed ecosystems.

Diversity of fungal endophytes from mangrove plants of Santa Catarina Island, Brazil.

The mangrove ecosystem plays a crucial role in preserving the biodiversity of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are essential for materials cycles. However, the exploration of endophytic fungi isolated from mangroves, particulary in Santa Catarina (SC, Brazil), remains limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the biodiversity of endophytic fungi found in Avicennia schaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa, Rhizophora mangle, and Spartina alterniflora from two mangroves on the Island of Santa Catarina: one impacted by anthropic action (Itacorubi mangrove) and the other environmentally preserved (Ratones mangrove). Samplings were carried out between January 2020 and May 2021. Fungi were isolated from leaves, stems, and roots, identified, and clustered into groups through morphological characteristics. Further, a representative strain of each group was identified through ITS1 sequencing. A total of 373 isolates were obtained from plant tissues, of which 96 and 277 isolates were obtained from Itacorubi and Ratones mangroves, respectively. Molecular identification showed that the endophytic fungal community comprised at least 19 genera. The data on fungal community diversity revealed comparable diversity indices for genera in both mangroves. However, we observed differences in the total frequency of fungal genera between impacted (27.38%) and non-impacted (72.62%) mangroves. These findings suggest that anthropic activities in and around the Santa Catarina mangroves have had negative impact on the frequency of endophytic fungi. This emphasizes the reinforcing the significance of preserving these environments to ensure the maintenance of fungal community diversity.

Analysis of fungal microbiota of ambient air in an intensive care unit in Rio Branco, Acre, Western Amazon, Brazil.

Fungi exhibit three adverse effects on human health: inflammatory, allergic and toxic effects, these implications affect mainly immunodepressed patients. The objective of this work was to analyze the fungal microbiota of the ambient air of an Intensive Care Unit. Three collections were carried out in an Intensive Care Unit in the city of Rio Branco, Acre, Western Amazon, Brazil from March to May 2017. 126 Petri dishes were exposed with the culture medium Agar Sabouraud with chloramphenicol and Agar Mycosel, considering the distribution of the 21 air conditioners, split residential model. The plates were incubated for seven days at room temperature and the growth of Colony Forming Units was observed. Colony counting and isolation for the morphological characterization of the granted fungi was performed. After quantification, the concentration of fungi per cubic meters of air (CFU.m-3) was settled. The third collection had a larger number of colony forming units with 48.6%. In the total of the analyzed samples, filamentous fungi (85.5%) and yeasts (14.5%) were isolated. Thirteen genera of fungi were identified, with the most frequent filaments being Cladosporium spp. 33.0%, Aspergillus spp. 30.4% and Penicillium spp. 19.6%, and yeasts Candida spp. 52.6%, Trichosporon spp. 36.9%. The colony-forming unit per cubic meter (CFU.m-3) did not shown any difference between the Cores in the same collection period, however in the 1st and 3rd collection, Core 1 had the highest average. The fungal microbiota of this Unit presented thirteen different genera potentially pathogenic, revealing the need for monitoring microorganisms and prevention actions.

Fungal microbiota isolated from native stingless bee species inhibited pathogens of Apis mellifera.

Social bees can establish interactions with microorganisms to keep their colonies free of pathogens and parasites by developing different protection strategies. We explored the fungal microbiota isolated from three species of stingless bees, Tetragonisca fiebrigi, Plebeias sp., and Scaptotrigona jujuyensis, and its potential ability to suppress pathogenic microorganisms of A. mellifera, namely Paenibacillus larvae, Ascosphaera apis and Aspergillus flavus, which were tested and evaluated. Six filamentous fungal strains, Trametes hirsuta, Alternaria alternata, Curvularia spicifera, Skeletocutis sp., Alternaria tenuissima, Monascus spp., as well as the yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus, were selected for trials and isolated from the heads of foraging bees. The fungal strains were identified by macroscopic and microscopic taxonomic characteristics and by sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of ribosomal DNA. All fungal strains inhibited these pathogens of A. mellifera. We also evaluated the effect of the secondary metabolites extracted with and without ethanol. Both metabolites showed antimicrobial properties, and our results suggest that fungi isolated from stingless bees produce bioactive compounds with antibacterial and antifungal effects that could be used to treat Apis mellifera colony diseases and maintain colony health.

Mycorrhizal fungal communities associated with three metal accumulator plants growing in an abandoned Pb smelting factory.

Plants associated with mycorrhizal fungi has the ability to establish on metal-contaminated soils playing an important role in phytoremediation programs. The objective of this study was to examine the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (spores density, diversity, indicator species, and root colonization) and dark septate endophytic fungi (DSE fungal root colonization) in three metal accumulator plants (Sorghum halepense, Bidens pilosa, and Tagetes minuta) growing in soils with high Pb content. The Pb content in AMF spores and plant biomass were also assessed. Rhizosphere soil samples were taken from the three dominant plant species at six study sites surrounding the abandoned Pb smelter and one uncontaminated site. The three studied plants were colonized by AMF and DSE fungi. A total of 24 AMF morphospecies were present in the Pb-contaminated areas. The AMF indicator species in the control site (non-contaminated area) was Funneliformis mosseae and in the most contaminated site were Gigaspora decipiens and Denticustata biornata. There was an increase in mycorrhizal variables such as the number of AMF vesicles, spore number, Pb content in AMF spores and plant biomass and DSE colonization (in Sorghum) with increasing soil Pb contamination, but a decrease in AMF diversity and richness was found. For upcoming soil restoration projects, it is crucial to understand the mycorrhizal fungi as well as the plant community that has adapted to the highly contaminated environment.

New frontiers of soil fungal microbiome and its application for biotechnology in agriculture.

The fungi-based technology provided encouraging scenarios in the transition from a conventionally based economic system to the potential security of sources closely associated with the agricultural sphere such as the agriculture. In recent years, the intensification of fungi-based processes has generated significant gains, additionally to the production of materials with significant benefits and strong environmental importance. Furthermore, the growing concern for human health, especially in the agriculture scenario, has fostered the investigation of organisms with high biological and beneficial potential for use in agricultural systems. Accordingly, this study offered a comprehensive review of the diversity of the soil fungal microbiome and its main applications in a biotechnological approach aimed at agriculture and food chain-related areas. Moreover, the spectrum of opportunities and the extensive optimization platform for obtaining fungi compounds and metabolites are discussed. Finally, future perspectives regarding the insurgency of innovations and challenges on the broad rise of visionary solutions applied to the biotechnology context are provided.

Biochemical characterization and mycorrhizal fungal community of plant species in the Brazilian seasonal dry forest.

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) have the ability to change the biochemical properties and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community structure in their rhizosphere. Organic acids, microbial activity, and AMF play a key role in the invader's spread and also has interactions with the soil chemical factors. Our aim here was to assess the rhizosphere's biochemical factors, AMF community composition, and soil chemical properties associated with Cryptostegia madagascariensis (IAPS) and Mimosa tenuiflora (endemic plant species) from the Brazilian Seasonal Dry Forest. The highest values of total glomalin (5.87 mg g-1 soil), root colonization (54.5%), oxalic and malic acids (84.21 and 3.01 µmol g-1 , respectively), microbial biomass C (mg kg-1 ), Na+ (0.080 cmolc kg-1 ), Ca2+ (7.04 cmolc kg-1 ), and soil organic carbon (4.59 g kg-1 ) were found in the rhizosphere of C. madagascariensis. We found dissimilarities on AMF community structure considering the studied plant species: (i) Racocetra coralloidea, Dentiscutata heterogama, Dentiscutata cerradensis, Gigaspora decipiens, and AMF's richness were highly correlated with the rhizosphere of M. tenuiflora; and (ii). The rhizosphere of C. madagascariensis was highly correlated with the abundance of Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Rhizoglomus aggregatum, Funneliformis mosseae, and Funneliformis geosporum. The results of our study highlight the importance of considering C. madagascariensis as potential hosts for AMF species from Glomerales, and a potential plant species that increase the bioavailability of exchangeable Na and Ca at semi-arid conditions.

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.