Tracking new insights into antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic properties of a biofilm forming Pediococcus pentosaceus strain isolated from grain silage.

The present study offers detailed insights into the antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic potential of a biofilm forming lactic acid bacterium (Pediococcus pentosaceus) against one atoxigenic (Aspergillus flavus) and two toxigenic (Aspergillus nomius and Fusarium verticillioides) fungal strains. The antifungal effect of P. pentosaceus LBM18 strain was initially investigated through comparative analysis of fungi physiology by macroscopic visual evaluations and scanning electron microscopy examinations.

Prospects for fungal bioremediation of unburied waste packages from the Goiânia radiological accident.

Goiânia, the Goiás State capital, starred in 1987, where one of the largest radiological accidents in the world happened. A teletherapy machine was subtracted from a derelict radiotherapy clinic and disassembled by scavengers who distributed fragments of the 50 TBq CsCl source among relatives and acquaintances, enchanted by the blue shine of the substance. During the 15 days before the accident was acknowledged, contaminated recycling materials were delivered to recycling factories in four cities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, in the form of recycling paper bales.

Evaluating the potential of Pediococcus pentosaceus as a biocontrol agent against tenuazonic acid-producing Alternaria alternata on livestock feeds.

Aims: This study aims to demonstrate the potential of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Pediococcus pentosaceus LBM18 against the mycotoxin-producing Alternaria alternata TEF-1A and highlight its application as an effective grain silage inoculant to control mycotoxin contamination.

Methods And Results: The antifungal properties of Ped. pentosaceus lyophilized (PPL) were assessed by evaluating its effect on A.

Bacteriocinogenic probiotic bacteria isolated from an aquatic environment inhibit the growth of food and fish pathogens.

The conditions of aquatic environments have a great influence on the microbiota of several animals, many of which are a potential source of microorganisms of biotechnological interest. In this study, bacterial strains isolated from aquatic environments were bioprospected to determine their probiotic profile and antimicrobial effect against fish and food pathogens. Two isolates, identified via 16S rRNA sequencing as Lactococcus lactis (L1 and L2) and one as Enterococcus faecium 135 (EF), produced a bacteriocin-like antimicrobial substance (BLIS), active against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Choleraesuis and Salmonella Typhimurium.

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.

Survey of Freshly Harvested Oat Grains from Southern Brazil Reveals High Incidence of Type B Trichothecenes and Associated Species.

The current study investigated the fungal diversity in freshly harvested oat samples from the two largest production regions in Brazil, Paraná (PR) and Rio Grande do Sul (RS), focusing primarily on the genus and the presence of type B trichothecenes. The majority of the isolates belonged to the species complex, and were identified as sensu stricto (s.s.

Histone H3K27 Methylation Perturbs Transcriptional Robustness and Underpins Dispensability of Highly Conserved Genes in Fungi.

Epigenetic modifications are key regulators of gene expression and underpin genome integrity. Yet, how epigenetic changes affect the evolution and transcriptional robustness of genes remains largely unknown. Here, we show how the repressive histone mark H3K27me3 underpins the trajectory of highly conserved genes in fungi.

Wild rice (O. latifolia) from natural ecosystems in the Pantanal region of Brazil: Host to Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex and highly contaminated by zearalenone.

We assessed the mycobiota diversity and mycotoxin levels present in wild rice (Oryza latifolia) from the Pantanal region of Brazil; fundamental aspects of which are severely understudied as an edible plant from a natural ecosystem. We found multiple fungal species contaminating the rice samples; the most frequent genera being Fusarium, Nigrospora and Cladosporium (35.9%, 26.

Bioremediation of water contaminated with uranium using Penicillium piscarium.

Penicillium piscarium can be indicated as promising in the treatment of sites contaminated with uranium. Thus, this research aimed to analyze the P. piscarium dead biomass in uranium biosorption.

Resistant fungi isolated from contaminated uranium mine in Brazil shows a high capacity to uptake uranium from water.

The Osamu Utsumi uranium mine occupies a 20 km area in the city of Caldas, which is located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Since mining activities ended at Osamu Utsumi 24 years ago, the surrounding area has become contaminated by acid effluents containing high concentrations of uranium. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the uranium bioremediation capacity of 57 fungi isolated from the mine area.

Cellular, physiological and molecular approaches to investigate the antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic effects of thyme essential oil on Aspergillus flavus.

Several approaches, including the detection of apoptotic-like cell death, aflatoxin B (AFB) production and gene expression analysis, were carried out to provide insights into the antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic effects of thyme essential oil (EO) on Aspergillus flavus. At 0.5 µL mL, thyme EO completely inhibited A.

Effect of temperature on growth, gene expression, and aflatoxin production by Aspergillus nomius isolated from Brazil nuts.

Aspergillus nomius is a potent producer of aflatoxins B and G and is one of the most common species of fungi found in Brazil nuts. Temperature is considered a major abiotic factor that influences fungal colonization and aflatoxin production in nuts during pre- and post-harvest. Therefore, assessment of the response of aflatoxigenic species to different temperatures is important to add information about the understanding of aflatoxin production by Aspergillus nomius and may help in the development of new strategies to prevent aflatoxin contamination.

Complex Evolutionary Origins of Specialized Metabolite Gene Cluster Diversity among the Plant Pathogenic Fungi of the Fusarium graminearum Species Complex.

Fungal genomes encode highly organized gene clusters that underlie the production of specialized (or secondary) metabolites. Gene clusters encode key functions to exploit plant hosts or environmental niches. Promiscuous exchange among species and frequent reconfigurations make gene clusters some of the most dynamic elements of fungal genomes.

Correction: Multi-Method Approach for Characterizing the Interaction between Fusarium verticillioides and Bacillus thuringiensis Subsp. Kurstaki.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Mycotoxins Stability during the Malting and Brewing Processes.

Mycotoxins are widely studied by many research groups in all aspects, but the stability of these compounds needs further research for clarification. The objective of this study is to evaluate deoxynivalenol and zearalenone stability during all steps of the malting and brewing processes. The levels of these compounds decreased significantly during the production process (barley to beer).

Copper biosorption from an aqueous solution by the dead biomass of Penicillium ochrochloron.

The present study investigated the effect of contact time, the initial concentration of metal ions, and the biomass dose on the Cu(II) biosorption from an aqueous solution using dead biomass of filamentous fungus Penicillium ochrochloron, which was isolated at the Sossego mine, a copper-contaminated site located in Canaã dos Carajás city, Brazil. The Cu(II) biosorption started rapidly and increased gradually until the equilibrium was reached at 20 min. The Cu(II) uptake decreased as the initial Cu(II) concentration increased, reaching the saturation at 200 mg/L.

Assessment of Toxigenic Fusarium Species and Their Mycotoxins in Brewing Barley Grains.

species threaten yield and quality of cereals worldwide due to their ability to produce mycotoxins and cause plant diseases. Trichothecenes and zearalenone are the most economically significant mycotoxins and are of particular concern in barley, maize and wheat. For this reason, the aim of this study was to characterize the isolates from brewing barley and to assess deoxynivalenol and zearalenone contamination in grains.

Polyphasic characterization of Epicoccum sorghinum: A tenuazonic acid producer isolated from sorghum grain.

Epicoccum sorghinum isolates from sorghum grain grown in Brazil were characterized using a polyphasic approach based on morphological, genetic and physiologic features. A considerable intraspecific variability was observed. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the 53 isolates studied formed four distinct clades, and their morphological features revealed a high variability in culture.

Influence of environmental factors on tenuazonic acid production by Epicoccum sorghinum: An integrative approach of field and laboratory conditions.

Sorghum is the fifth most cultivated and consumed grain in the world. However, this grain is frequently contaminated with toxins from fungi. The present study evaluated the effects of environmental factors on tenuazonic acid (TeA) production by Epicoccum sorghinum in the field and in controlled laboratory conditions.

Incidence of toxigenic fungi and zearalenone in rice grains from Brazil.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important food crops worldwide. In Brazil, the southern region is the area with the highest production of rice in the country and also has a high average daily intake of rice by the population.

Dead biomass of Amazon yeast: A new insight into bioremediation and recovery of silver by intracellular synthesis of nanoparticles.

This investigation was undertaken to describe a natural process for the removal of silver and the simultaneous recovery of Ag/AgO nanoparticles by dead biomass of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. The removal of silver ions from aqueous solution and the synthesis of Ag/AgO nanoparticles were analyzed based on physicochemical factors and equilibrium concentration, combined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A successful process for the synthesis of Ag/AgO nanoparticles was obtained, following the Langmuir isotherm model, showing a high biosorption capacity of silver (49.

Molecular and mycotoxigenic biodiversity of Aspergillus flavus isolated from Brazil nuts.

The objective of this study was to carry out a transcription analysis of eight genes belonging to the aflatoxin (AF) and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) biosynthesis pathway, and to detect aflatoxin B (AFB) and CPA production in Aspergillus flavus strains isolated from Brazil nuts. Additionally, these genes were correlated with the different mycotoxigenic profiles of the same strains. Four previously identified A.

Natural occurrence of tenuazonic acid and Phoma sorghina in Brazilian sorghum grains at different maturity stages.

A survey of 100 samples of sorghum grains was carried out to determine Phoma spp. and tenuazonic acid (TA) contamination using molecular tools and LC-MS/MS. Sorghum samples were obtained at the following four grain maturity stages: milk (S1), soft dough (S2), hard dough (S3), and physiological maturity (S4).

Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisin contamination in Bt and non-Bt maize cultivated in Brazil.

Fusarium verticillioides is one of the main pathogens of maize, causing ear and stalk rots. This fungus is also able to produce high levels of fumonisins, which have been linked to various illnesses in humans and animals. Previous studies have shown that maize hybrids genetically modified with the cry genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) presented lower incidence of F.