Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-03-14DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101569
Arianna Petrucci , Isabel Vicente , Marco Cesarini , Antonia Susca , Sabrina Sarrocco , Giovanni Vannacci
{"title":"Fusarium graminearum regulates kp4l genes, encoding killer toxins, during competitive interaction with other plant pathogenic Fusarium species","authors":"Arianna Petrucci , Isabel Vicente , Marco Cesarini , Antonia Susca , Sabrina Sarrocco , Giovanni Vannacci","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Fusarium graminearum</em> (<em>Fg</em>) is one of the most virulent causal agents of Fusarium head blight (FHB) in Central Europe. The disease is also caused by other <em>Fusarium</em> species within the FHB Species Complex (FHBSC). Some <em>Fusarium</em> species secrete killer proteins (KPs) during host plant infection. <em>Fg</em> produces KP4-L killer toxins (FgKP4L), of which the clustered <em>Fgkp4l-1</em>, <em>-2</em>, <em>-3</em> genes and <em>Fgkp4l-4</em> (encoding for the heterodimeric KP4L-4 protein) are expressed in competitive interactions against the biocontrol agent <em>Trichoderma gamsii</em> T6085. We investigated the involvement of the four <em>Fgkp4l</em> genes in the competition with other plant-pathogenic <em>Fusarium</em> species either lacking KP4L proteins or carrying different combinations of them. <em>Fusarium sporotrichioides (Fs)</em> and <em>Fusarium langsethiae (Fl)</em> belonging to the FHBSC, and the outgroup <em>Fusarium verticillioides (Fv)</em>, were used for both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> tests. To monitor mycotoxin production, relative expression of <em>Tri4</em> gene included within the trichothecene biosynthetic pathway was also evaluated. In dual cultures, modulation of KP4L-encoding genes was tailored according to the facing species and the distance between fungi. Against <em>Fs</em>, the three clustered <em>Fgkp4l</em> genes were up-regulated but no changes on gene expression occurred with <em>Fl</em>. <em>Fgkp4l-2</em> was up-regulated facing <em>Fv</em> during the two contact independent stages (Early sensing and Sensing) of the interaction. The <em>Tri4</em> gene was expressed only during the <em>in vitro</em> interaction with <em>Fv,</em> but not on spikes. <em>Fgkp4l-2</em> and -<em>3</em> were up-regulated at 3 days post-inoculation on wheat heads inoculated with a mix of the four <em>Fusarium</em> species. Competition against the other <em>Fusarium</em> did not influence <em>Fg</em> growth rate on spikes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101569"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-03-13DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101570
Muhammad Salahudin Kheirel Anuar , Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah , Muhammad Farhan Nazarudin , Shamsu Ibrahim Ishaq , Mohammad Noor Amal Azmai , Annas Salleh , Ina Salwany Md Yasin , Mohd Termizi Yusof
{"title":"Talaromyces purpureogenus-mediated mycosynthesis of aluminium oxide nanoparticles and characterization of the physicochemical properties at different calcination temperatures","authors":"Muhammad Salahudin Kheirel Anuar , Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah , Muhammad Farhan Nazarudin , Shamsu Ibrahim Ishaq , Mohammad Noor Amal Azmai , Annas Salleh , Ina Salwany Md Yasin , Mohd Termizi Yusof","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101570","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101570","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study reports an environmentally friendly and simple green technique for the synthesis of aluminium oxide nanoparticles (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs). The green synthesis of Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs using natural products has garnered significant interest due to their non-toxic, cost-effective, convenient, and eco-friendly nature. However, there is limited literature on the green synthesis of Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs using fungal materials and the influence of calcination temperatures on the physicochemical characteristics of mycogenic nanoparticles (NPs). To date, no studies have explored the influence of calcination temperatures on the physicochemical characteristics of mycogenic Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs. This study aimed to compare and characterize the mycogenic synthesis of Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs and investigate how three different calcination temperatures influence the structural properties of the NPs. In this study, Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs were synthesized using the <em>Talaromyces purpureogenus</em> isolate SD7 through extracellular production. To study the effects of calcination temperatures on the physicochemical properties of the NPs, the mycogenic Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs were calcined at temperatures ranging from 550 °C to 750 °C based on thermogravimetric analysis. The samples were further characterized using various spectroscopic and imaging techniques. The analysis of ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) demonstrated that particle size escalated with elevated calcination temperatures. Characterization techniques using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), HR-TEM, and XRD confirmed that the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs exhibited both rod-like, spherical structures with irregular sizes, and showed the presence of nanocrystalline γ-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>. However, only the sample calcined at 550 °C remains within the nanoscale range, whereas samples treated at higher temperatures show considerable grain growth, exceeding the nanometer scale. This study showcases the potential of mycosynthesized Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs using fungal material as an eco-friendly alternative. It also emphasizes the significant influence of calcination temperatures on the structural and physicochemical properties of mycogenic Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-NPs, underscoring their suitability for a wide range of applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101570"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-03-13DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101566
Jamile Ambrósio de Carvalho , Ferry Hagen , Alexandro Bonifaz , Rui Kano , Zoilo Pires de Camargo , Anderson Messias Rodrigues
{"title":"Evaluation of genotyping methods for tracking the spread of Sporothrix during epidemics and outbreaks","authors":"Jamile Ambrósio de Carvalho , Ferry Hagen , Alexandro Bonifaz , Rui Kano , Zoilo Pires de Camargo , Anderson Messias Rodrigues","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101566","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101566","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sporotrichosis, a neglected mycosis caused by <em>Sporothrix</em> species, has shown notable increases in prevalence and geographic spread, driven largely by the rise of cat-transmitted cases. Robust molecular tools are crucial for tracking this emergence. This study compared the performance of four genotyping methods—calmodulin (<em>CAL</em>) sequencing, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), simple sequence repeat (SSR), and T3B-random amplified polymorphic DNA (T3B-RAPD)—in differentiating <em>Sporothrix</em>, determining intraspecific diversity, and recognizing genotypes, using a collection of 53 isolates. <em>CAL</em> sequencing, with 108 variable sites and 17 haplotypes, was highly effective for species identification (bootstrap values: 92–100) but offered limited insight into intraspecific diversity (<em>H</em> = 0.351–0.897). AFLP analysis, particularly with primer combination #5 (<em>Rp</em> = 40.6415; <em>H</em> = 0.3306), showed greater resolving power and identified intraspecific subgroups. A panel of 15 SSRs demonstrated superior strain differentiation (<em>MI</em> = 0.9153; <em>PIC</em> = 0.9094; <em>D</em> = 0.7424). T3B-RAPD showed moderate diversity (<em>H</em> = 0.3837; <em>PIC</em> = 0.3101), aligning with <em>CAL</em> for species differentiation but exhibiting limitations in detailed genetic analysis (<em>Rp</em> = 7.1320). The AFLP markers showed high congruence with each other (up to r = 88.4 %) and with the SSRs (up to r = 79.41 %), whereas they were poorly concordant with <em>CAL</em> and T3B (r = 47.05–69.87 %). A strategy using AFLP or SSR is recommended to dissect both deep- and fine-scale genetic structures, whereas <em>CAL</em> and T3B are suitable for species identification, particularly in resource-limited settings. This approach enhances molecular epidemiology and surveillance efforts, supporting the effective tracking of <em>Sporothrix</em> outbreaks and guiding public health interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101566"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143679149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-03-11DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101568
Jishou Wu , TingTing Hu , Lin Lin , Yan Yan , Tao Li , Wei Wei , Dongzhi Wei
{"title":"Enhancing mycophenolic acid production in Penicillium brevicompactum through Kozak-optimized 2A peptide multi-gene expression system","authors":"Jishou Wu , TingTing Hu , Lin Lin , Yan Yan , Tao Li , Wei Wei , Dongzhi Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although <em>Penicillium brevicompactum</em> is widely used for industrial mycophenolic acid (MPA) production, research on its metabolic engineering and gene regulation remains limited. Efficient, coordinated expression of multiple genes is crucial for optimizing biosynthetic circuits and metabolic pathways, yet current strategies often suffer from inefficiencies and imbalances. These challenges not only limit the production of the desired metabolic products but can also result in wasted resources and inhibited cell growth. In this study, we optimized the 2A peptide multi-gene expression system in <em>P. brevicompactum</em> by introducing the Kozak sequence. This modification significantly enhanced the transcription of two key genes in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway precursor farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP): the Acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase gene (<em>ERG10</em>) and the HMG-CoA synthetase gene (<em>ERG13</em>). In the PP-K10K13 strain, the transcription levels of the <em>ERG10</em> and <em>ERG13</em> genes increased by 77.02 % and 67.63 %, respectively, compared to the PP-1013 strain, which lacked the Kozak sequence. Consequently, the mycophenolic acid (MPA) production reached 4.30 g/L, representing a 49.31 % increase relative to the wild-type strain (WT). Additionally, observations of the engineered strains incorporating the introduced Kozak sequence showed improved growth, evident in an increase in mycelial dry weight, indicating reduced growth inhibition from metabolic engineering modifications. These results demonstrated that the optimized 2A peptide expression system not only effectively enhanced product synthesis efficiency but also helped restore the normal growth state of the engineered strains. This system is poised to serve as an effective tool for multi-gene expression and further genetic engineering modifications in <em>P. brevicompactum</em>. The study provides a new strategy for constructing more efficient 2A peptide multi-gene expression systems in <em>Penicillium</em> or filamentous fungi in future research endeavors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 3","pages":"Article 101568"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-03-09DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101567
Jakub Suchodolski, Mateusz Parol, Magdalena Cal-Smok, Agata Piecuch, Rafał Ogórek
{"title":"First report of increased amphotericin B resistance in Coniochaeta polymorpha isolates from Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus droppings in Spitsbergen","authors":"Jakub Suchodolski, Mateusz Parol, Magdalena Cal-Smok, Agata Piecuch, Rafał Ogórek","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101567","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101567","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study examines <em>Coniochaeta polymorpha</em> strains isolated from reindeer droppings in Spitsbergen, focusing on their growth characteristics, antifungal resistance profiles, and enzymatic activities. Notably, all strains exhibited high resistance to fluconazole (MIC, 256 μg/mL), suggesting an inherent trait. Amphotericin B sensitivity varied, with some strains showing high MIC values, indicating emerging resistance. This occurrence is notable in polar ecosystems, which are minimally impacted by human activity. Moreover, enzymatic assays revealed significant proteolytic and esterase activities, as well as partial α-hemolysis, suggesting enhanced virulence potential in <em>C. polymorpha</em>. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed genetic diversity among six isolated strains, highlighting distinct clades within the species. These findings contribute to understanding <em>C. polymorpha</em> pathogenic potential and ecological versatility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 3","pages":"Article 101567"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The candidate transcription factors PnAtfA, PnCrz1, and PnVf19 contribute to fungal morphogenesis, abiotic stress tolerance, and pathogenicity in the wheat pathogen Parastagonospora nodorum","authors":"Roya Choupannejad , Bahram Sharifnabi , Jérôme Collemare , Javad Gholami , Rahim Mehrabi","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101565","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101565","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The necrotrophic fungus <em>Parastagonospora nodorum</em>, the causal agent of wheat glume blotch, is responsible for substantial economic losses in many wheat-growing regions. Despite the high number of transcription factor (TF)-encoding genes in the genome of <em>P. nodorum</em>, very little is known about their regulatory functions. Here, we assessed the role of three TFs in the regulation of <em>P. nodorum</em> virulence on wheat. We identified encoded in the genome of <em>P. nodorum</em> PnAtfA, PnCrz1, and PnVf19, homologous candidate TFs to <em>Schizosaccharomyces pombe</em> Atf1, <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> CRZ1, and <em>S. cerevisiae</em> Msn2, respectively. Targeted gene replacement of each gene led to reduced mycelial vegetative growth and loss of pathogenicity on wheat. Deletion of <em>PnAtfA</em> resulted in phenotype alteration with <em>ΔPnCrz1</em> deletion mutants displayed abnormal colony morphology characterized by dense hyphal branching and loss of aerial hyphae development, showing that both PnAtfA and PnCrz1 regulate fungal morphogenesis. Additionally, deletion of <em>PnAtfA and PnVf19</em> genes abolished pycnidiospore production whereas Δ<em>PnCrz1</em> produced fewer pycnidiospores compared to the wild type. Furthermore, Δ<em>PnCrz1</em> and Δ<em>PnVf19</em> deletion mutants demonstrated increased sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide showing their involvement in oxidative stress response. The Δ<em>PnVf19</em> deletion mutants exhibited increased sensitivity to sodium chloride, suggesting that PnVf19 is essential for osmotic tolerance response. Taken together, these findings suggest that the selected candidate TFs play a key role in the fungal morphogenesis, sporulation, oxidative and osmotic stress tolerance response, and full virulence in <em>P. nodorum</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 3","pages":"Article 101565"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The involvement of bark canker fungal pathogens in cypress windbreak dieback in northern Tunisia","authors":"Chtioui Azza , Boutiti Meriem Zouaoui , Danti Roberto , Barberini Sara , Conti Niccolò , Frascella Arcangela , Abidi Ferid , Della Rocca Gianni","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101564","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101564","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Common cypress (<em>Cupressus sempervirens</em> L.) is a significant element in the Mediterranean region and Tunisia, present in both forest and agricultural windbreak for centuries. However, in recent decades, common cypresses in certain Tunisian areas have experienced dieback and mortality. Presently, many common cypress windbreaks display severe damage, possibly due to fungal pathogens. In the summer of 2022, a field survey was conducted in three regions of northern Tunisia (Menzel Bouzalfa, Morneg, El Alia) to investigate diseased common cypresses and identify the responsible pathogens: 935 trees belonging to 14 windbreaks were surveyed. Branches and twigs samples were collected from 47 affected trees showing symptoms such as yellowish-brown foliage, necrotic lesions, cankers, resin exudation and diebacks. Initially, isolates were morphologically characterized, and representative isolates were further analyzed using molecular methods. Using the traditional culture method, 41 fungal species associated with common cypress dieback were identified. Pathogenicity tests were performed on eight fungal species known as possible pathogens: <em>Phaeobotryon cupressi</em>, <em>Diplodia cupressi</em>, <em>Diplodia olivarum</em>, <em>Diplodia pseudoseriata</em>, <em>Seiridium cardinale</em>, <em>Pestalotiopsis funereoides</em>, <em>Neofusicoccum mediterraneum</em>, and <em>Didymosphaeria variabile</em>. <em>Phaeobotryon cupressi</em>, <em>D. cupressi</em>, and <em>S. cardinale</em> displayed the highest pathogenicity, followed by <em>P. funereoides</em> and <em>D. olivarum</em>, which caused smaller lesions. With the exception of <em>D. cupressi</em>, all of the identified fungal pathogens are being reported for the first time in Tunisia or in common cypress.</div><div>The pathogenic action of most of the isolated fungi could have been enhanced by the prolonged droughts that have repeatedly occurred over recent years.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 3","pages":"Article 101564"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143579522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101563
Mika H. Kirkhus , Andreas Frisch , Ann M. Evankow , Rakel Blaalid , Raffaele Zane , Mika Bendiksby , Marie L. Davey
{"title":"Diversity of tremellalean Pertusaria-associated fungi in Norway and the role of secondary metabolites in host specificity","authors":"Mika H. Kirkhus , Andreas Frisch , Ann M. Evankow , Rakel Blaalid , Raffaele Zane , Mika Bendiksby , Marie L. Davey","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The diversity and host relationships of lichen-inhabiting tremellalean fungi remain understudied, partly due to their asymptomatic yeast phase. This study employs ITS2 metabarcoding to investigate the diversity and colonization patterns of these fungi within 13 <em>Pertusaria</em> lichen species collected in Norway. We discovered a high prevalence, with tremellalean fungi present in 57 % of the examined specimens, representing 12 of the 13 species included, 10 of which were not previously recognized as hosts. Our findings suggest a broad host range for the presumed yeast phase of these fungi, though occurrences of the five most frequent OTUs appeared non-random across different host species. Additionally, negative-binomial general linear models indicated a negative correlation between the presence of tremellalean fungi and the occurrence of specific secondary metabolites, such as thiophaninic acid, fumarprotocetraric acid, and gyrophoric acid, in <em>Pertusaria</em> hosts. These results highlight previously undocumented genetic diversity within tremellalean fungi and suggest that host chemotype significantly influences colonization patterns. Our findings demonstrate a higher frequency of asymptomatic colonization than previously reported, emphasizing the need for further research into their ecological roles and interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 3","pages":"Article 101563"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143561951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-02-28DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101553
Yueyu Ye , Shiqing Li , Xiaomei Li , Man Chen , Haimin Chen , Qiang Yuan , Dongfeng Yang , Meiya Li , Fusheng Jiang , Chunchun Zhang
{"title":"Combined metabolome and transcriptome analyses reveal the pivotal role of mycorrhizal fungi Tulasnella sp. BJ1 in the growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reiehb.f.","authors":"Yueyu Ye , Shiqing Li , Xiaomei Li , Man Chen , Haimin Chen , Qiang Yuan , Dongfeng Yang , Meiya Li , Fusheng Jiang , Chunchun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The orchids usually coexist with mycorrhizal fungi during their growth and development. Numerous studies have substantiated the pivotal regulatory role of <em>Tulasnella</em> sp. mycorrhizal fungi in the germination and growth of orchid seeds. However, there remains a dearth of research elucidating the effects and underlying mechanisms of <em>Tulasnella</em> sp. on the growth, development, and metabolite accumulation in <em>Bletilla striata</em> seedlings. In the current study, metabolomics and transcriptomic analysis were used to reveal the key role of the mycorrhizal fungus <em>Tulasnella</em> sp.BJ1 in the growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in <em>B. striata</em>. The results demonstrated that the application of BJ1 significantly enhanced the growth and development of <em>B. striata</em> seedlings. In September, the plant weight, tuber diameter, and tuber weight in the BJ1 treatment group reached 44.27 ± 6.79 g, 6.13 ± 0.53 cm, and 23.35 ± 3.06 g, respectively, surpassing those in the control group. The polysaccharide content in the BJ1 treatment group and control group peaked in June, reaching 14.91 ± 2.26 % and 14.38 ± 0.25 %, respectively. Total phenol content in both groups decreased in May and June, and the total phenol content in BJ1 treatment group was significantly lower than that in control group. The significant decrease observed in total phenol content during May and June may be attributed to an increase in proportion of polysaccharides promoted by BJ1. The transcriptome results showed that BJ1 upregulated polysaccharide biosynthesis-related genes, such as mannose phosphatase, transferase, mannose 6-phosphate isomerase, hexokinase, fructose kinase, and glucose 6-phosphate isomerase, as well as genes involved in stilbenes biosynthesis, including hydroxycinnamyltransferase and transcinnamate 4-monooxygenase. Metabolomics data indicated that the content of mannose and seven stilbene compounds in the tubers increased significantly after BJ1 treatment. Interestingly, the accumulation of these compounds corresponds to the pathway of upregulated genes. These findings suggest that an upregulation in mannose synthesis may facilitate the accumulation of polysaccharides in <em>B. striata</em>. Therefore, the current study uncovered that the mycorrhizal fungus <em>Tulasnella</em> sp. BJ1 can not only promote the growth and development of <em>B</em>. <em>striata</em> seedlings and increase tuber yield but also promote the accumulation of polysaccharides and stilbenes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 3","pages":"Article 101553"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143549030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pleurotus ostreatus mek1 is essential for meiosis and basidiospore production","authors":"Takehito Nakazawa , Takeshi Kobukata , Fuga Yamasaki , Junko Sugano , Minji Oh , Moriyuki Kawauchi , Yoichi Honda","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101562","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Breeding strains without basidiospores is important for the mushroom industry. However, target genes for sporeless breeding remain limited. To identify a new gene essential for basidiospore production in <em>Pleurotus ostreatus</em>, the RNA sequencing data obtained in our previous study were re-analyzed. Among the 36 <em>P. ostreatus</em> genes that are exclusively expressed in the gills where basidiospores are formed and produced, candidate genes were narrowed down using transcriptome data during the fruiting stage of <em>Coprinopsis cinerea</em>, in which the meiotic steps progress synchronously. Three <em>C. cinerea</em> genes homologous to the gill-specific <em>P. ostreatus</em> genes were upregulated during meiosis. One of these three genes encodes a protein homologous to <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> Mek1p, a protein kinase important in the meiotic recombination checkpoint. Plasmids containing expression cassettes for hygromycin B-resistance screening, Cas9, and single-guide RNA targeting <em>mek1</em> were introduced into the protoplasts of the dikaryotic <em>P. ostreatus</em> strain PC9×#64, which showed that the obtained dikaryotic gene disruptant produced no basidiospores. Microscopic analysis suggests that meiosis is suspended during telophase I. These results suggested that <em>P. ostreatus</em> Mek1 is essential for meiosis II progression and basidiospore production. In addition, disturbed orientation and loss of negative gravitropism during fruiting were observed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 3","pages":"Article 101562"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143534758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}