Whole-genome sequence of an strain isolated from Kenyan soil.

is an important aflatoxigenic fungus, frequently found in soil samples. Here, we report the sequencing of strain MRI410 using Illumina MiSeq and Oxford Nanopore platforms. This strain was isolated from soil of a Kenyan maize field.

Whole-Genome Sequences of Two Kenyan Aspergillus minisclerotigenes Strains.

Here, we report the sequencing of the whole genome, including the mitochondrial DNA, of the two highly aflatoxigenic Aspergillus minisclerotigenes strains MRI390 and MRI400 using the MiSeq and PacBio platforms and the generated assemblies. The strains were isolated from Kenyan maize kernels.

Formation of B- and M-group aflatoxins and precursors by Aspergillus flavus on maize and its implication for food safety.

Aflatoxins count to the most toxic known mycotoxins and are a threat to food safety especially in regions with a warm and humid climate. Contaminated food reaches consumers globally due to international trade, leading to stringent regulatory limits of aflatoxins in food. While the formation of aflatoxin (AF) B by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus flavus is well investigated, less is known about the formation kinetics of its precursors and further aflatoxins.

Draft Genome Sequence of an Aflatoxin-Producing Aspergillus flavus Strain Isolated from Food.

Aspergillus flavus is the main producer of carcinogenic aflatoxins and thus is one of the most important fungal food contaminants. Here, we report that the genome of A. flavus strain MRI19 was sequenced using MiSeq and PacBio platforms and that a hybrid assembly was generated.

Analysis of the competitiveness between a non-aflatoxigenic and an aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus strain on maize kernels by droplet digital PCR.

Non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus strains are used as a biocontrol system on maize fields to decrease the aflatoxin biosynthesis of aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains. A.

Longitudinal Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells in Colorectal Cancer Patients by a Cytological and Molecular Approach: Feasibility and Clinical Application.

Introduction: Liquid biopsies allowing for individualized risk stratification of cancer patients have become of high significance in individualized cancer diagnostics and treatment. The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTC) has proven to be highly relevant in risk prediction, e.g.

Influence of Light and Water Activity on Growth and Mycotoxin Formation of Selected Isolates of and .

and are the main causes of aflatoxin contamination in various foods, particularly grains, as they can thrive in environments with lower water activity and higher temperatures. The growth of and the formation of the mycotoxins aflatoxin and cyclopiazonic acid are strongly influenced by environmental stimuli and can be reduced by modulating parameters such as water activity, pH, temperature and light during the storage. This study has two objectives-on the one hand, to assess how global warming and an increase in exposure to sunlight affect growth and mycotoxin formation, and on the other hand, how the findings from these experiments can be used to reduce fungal growth and mycotoxin formation in stored foods.

Isolation and Enumeration of CTC in Colorectal Cancer Patients: Introduction of a Novel Cell Imaging Approach and Comparison to Cellular and Molecular Detection Techniques.

Circulating tumour cells (CTC) were proven to be prognostically relevant in cancer treatment, e.g., in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Whole-Genome Sequencing of the Fungus Penicillium citrinum Reveals the Biosynthesis Gene Cluster for the Mycotoxin Citrinin.

Penicillium citrinum is a food-contaminating ascomycete that consistently produces large amounts of the mycotoxin citrinin. Citrinin exhibits, besides its toxicity, antibiotic effects and thus potentially forces antibiotic resistance. Within the genome sequence, we identified the biosynthesis gene cluster for citrinin, which appears to be highly conserved within the genus .

Sequencing and Analysis of the Genome of the Filamentous Fungus BFE808, Which Produces the Mycotoxins Citrinin and Ochratoxin.

Penicillium verrucosum is a filamentous ascomycete that occurs worldwide. Various cereals and the products thereof are the main habitats of this fungal species, where it produces the mycotoxins ochratoxin and citrinin. Here, we report the first draft genome sequence of P.

Identifying patients with an unfavorable prognosis in early stages of colorectal carcinoma.

Background: In recent years, the concept of liquid biopsy diagnostics in detection and progress monitoring of malignant diseases gained significant awareness. We here report on a semi-quantitative real-time cytokeratin 20 RT-PCR-based assay, for detecting circulating tumor cells within a fraction of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: In total, 381 patients were included.

Trichoderma harzianum: Inhibition of mycotoxin producing fungi and toxin biosynthesis.

A quarter of the world-wide crop is spoiled by filamentous fungi and their mycotoxins and weather extremes associated with the climate change lead to further deterioration of the situation. The ingestion of mycotoxins causes several health issues leading in the worst case to cancer in humans and animals. Common intervention strategies against mycotoxin producing fungi, such as the application of fungicides, may result in undesirable residues and in some cases to a stress induction of mycotoxin biosynthesis.

Citrinin as an accessory establishment factor of P. expansum for the colonization of apples.

Penicillium expansum is the causal agent of blue mold decay of apples. This fungal species can produce the two important mycotoxins patulin and citrinin. It was previously shown that patulin represents a colonization factor for the infection of apples.

Influence of Environmental Factors on the Production of Penitrems A-F by Penicillium crustosum.

Filamentous fungi produce a multitude of secondary metabolites, some of them known as mycotoxins, which are toxic to vertebrates and other animal groups in low concentrations. Among them, penitrems, which belong to the group of indole-diterpene mycotoxins, are synthesized by Penicillium and Aspergillus genera and exhibit potent tremorgenic effects. This is the first complex study of the penitrems A-F production under the influence of different abiotic factors, e.

Sulfoglucosides as Novel Modified Forms of the Mycotoxins Alternariol and Alternariol Monomethyl Ether.

The mycotoxins alternariol and alternariol-9-O-methyl ether have recently been reported to be extensively conjugated with glucose and malonyl glucose in tobacco suspension cells. However, only trace amounts of glucosylated conjugates were detected in tomatoes inoculated with Alternaria alternata in the present study. Instead, mostly sulfate conjugates were observed.

Arginine acts as an inhibitor of the biosynthesis of several mycotoxins.

It is well known that the type and the availability of nitrogen have a great influence on the biosynthesis of certain mycotoxins. Here it is shown that some amino acids have no influence, some others strongly support and a third group inhibits the biosynthesis of ochratoxin (OTA) by Penicillium nordicum even in a complex medium, such as PDA. Arginine (Arg) is one of the strong OTA inhibiting amino acids.

Influence of Different Nanomaterials on Growth and Mycotoxin Production of Penicillium verrucosum.

Nanoparticles are ubiquitous in the environment. They originate from anthropogenic or natural sources or they are intentionally produced for different purposes. There exist manifold applications of nanoparticles in modern life leading unavoidably to a confrontation and interaction between nanomaterial and living organisms.

Effect of plastic mulching on mycotoxin occurrence and mycobiome abundance in soil samples from asparagus crops.

Plastic mulching (PM) is widely used in modern agriculture because of its advantageous effects on soil temperature and water conservation, factors which strongly influence the microbiology of the soil. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of PM on mycotoxin occurrence in relation with mycobiome abundance/diversity and soil physicochemical properties. Soil samples were collected from green (GA) and white asparagus (WA) crops, the last under PM.

Biological control as a strategy to reduce the impact of mycotoxins in peanuts, grapes and cereals in Argentina.

Mycotoxins including aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins and ochratoxin A are among the main fungal secondary metabolites detected as natural contaminants in South America in different commodities such as peanuts (aflatoxins), cereals (deoxynivalenol and fumonisins) or grapes (ochratoxin A). Different strategies including crop rotation, tillage practices, fungicide application and planting less susceptible cultivars are used in order to reduce the impact of these mycotoxins in both food and feed chains. The development of fungicide resistance in many fungal pathogens as well as rising of public concern on the risks associated with pesticide use led to the search for alternative environmentally friendly methods.

Impacts of environmental stress on growth, secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters and metabolite production of xerotolerant/xerophilic fungi.

This paper examines the impact that single and interacting environmental stress factors have on tolerance mechanisms, molecular ecology and the relationship with secondary metabolite production by a group of mycotoxigenic species of economic importance. Growth of these fungi (Aspergillus flavus, A.ochraceus, A.

Oxidative stress induces the biosynthesis of citrinin by Penicillium verrucosum at the expense of ochratoxin.

Penicillium verrucosum is a fungus that can produce ochratoxin A and citrinin, two structurally related nephrotoxic mycotoxins. P. verrucosum usually occurs on wheat but can occasionally also be found in NaCl rich habitats such as salted cheeses or olives, indicating that this fungus can adapt to different environments.

Benzopyrone coumarin leads to an inhibition of ochratoxin biosynthesis in representatives of Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. via a type of feedback response mechanism.

Growth and mycotoxin biosynthesis of the ochratoxin-producing fungal strains Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus steynii, Penicillium verrucosum, and Penicillium nordium were analyzed on standard laboratory growth medium supplemented with different amounts of coumarin, an organic compound of the benzopyrone class. Neither the growth nor the phenotypic morphology of the filamentous fungi analyzed was affected by using coumarin concentrations equivalent to 2.5 to 25 μg/ml of medium.

Comparative proteome analysis of Penicillium verrucosum grown under light of short wavelength shows an induction of stress-related proteins associated with modified mycotoxin biosynthesis.

In this study the differentially expressed protein population of Penicillium verrucosum grown either in the dark or under light with a wavelength of 450nm has been analyzed. Light of short wavelength led to oxidative stress in the fungal cell; under this condition the mycotoxin biosynthesis revealed a mutual shift from ochratoxin A to citrinin. Using a proteomic approach combining an optimized protein extraction method with 2-dimensional SDS-PAGE followed by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS/MS mass spectrometric analysis, initially 56 significantly differential proteins (light vs.

Fungicides effectively used for growth inhibition of several fungi could induce mycotoxin biosynthesis in toxigenic species.

Seven different commercial fungicides (Aliette, Rovral, Cantus, Ortiva, Luna Experience, Fenomenal and Mancozeb) were tested for their ability to inhibit the growth of the fungal species Penicillium nordicum, Penicillium verrucosum, Verticillium dahliae and Cladosporium sp. In case of the mycotoxigenic strains P. nordicum and P.