Diversity Of Filamentous Fungi Research Articles

Mycobiota and mycotoxins in various kinds of vegetables and fruits as potential health risk factors for consumers - summary of a multiyear study.

Between 2015-2020, the concentrations and diversity of filamentous fungi as well as the levels of mycotoxins in 4 classes of vegetables and fruits were studied in samples from farms located in eastern Poland. The short communication summarizes the results with the use of statistical analysis and indicates the potential health hazards associated with the consumption of the produce contaminated with fungi and/or mycotoxins. The concentrations of filamentous fungi in all examined samples were moderate (2.813 - 4.146 log10 CFU g -1). The highest values were noted in root vegetables, whereas the lowest values in fruit vegetables. The mycobiota revealed a marked biodiversity (67 species and 33 genera). Penicillium and Fusarium prevailed in the mycobiota of root vegetables, whereas Cladosporium and Alternaria in the remaining classes. Most of identified species (88.1%) were described as potentially pathogenic. The importance of mycotoxins as a potential health risk factor for vegetable consumers, was confirmed by the detection of a high prevalence (>55%) of total aflatoxin (AFT). The level of AFT in berry fruits was significantly higher than in other classes. The high prevalence (58.5%) of deoxynivalenol was noted in raspberries. Filamentous fungi present in the examined vegetables and fruits may pose a potential health risk for consumers due to a high prevalence of potentially pathogenic species, mostly those producing mycotoxins.

The diversity of fungal population from grape harvest to young wine in Small Carpathian wine region

The study aimed to identify the filamentous fungi and yeast mycobiota found on the surface and in grapes, grape must, and wine obtained from four red grape varieties: Alibernet, Dornfelder, Blue Frankish, Cabernet Sauvignon, and four white grape varieties: Green Veltliner, Rheinriesling, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon. Grapes from vineyard Vrbové located in southwestern Slovakia were used for the research in 2020. The identification of filamentous fungi was performed using the macroscopic and microscopic observations and yeasts were identified by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer. A total of 642 isolates were obtained. Grapes were rich in diversity of filamentous fungi (13 genera) and must on yeasts (8 genera). Penicillium, Botrytis, and Hanseniaspora uvarum were identified in both grapes and must. Three of the fungal genera identified by conventional or molecular techniques from the surface of red grape varieties were predominant: Alternaria (26%), Botrytis (21%), and Issatchenkia terricola (13%), two from endogenous mycobiota: Hanseniaspora uvarum (45%) and Botrytis (17%), four from the surface of white grape varieties: Penicillium (25%), Botrytis (21%), Alternaria (16%) and Hanseniaspora uvarum (15%), and three from endogenous mycobiota: Botrytis (44%), Hanseniaspora uvarum (23%) and Alternaria (20%). Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida krusei, C. utilis, and Cryptococcus neoformans were identified only in wine.

Characteristic of filamentous fungal diversity and dynamics associated with wheat Qu and the traditional fermentation of Chinese rice wine

SummaryChinese rice wine, a traditional alcoholic beverage, is fermented from steamed rice with a starter culture of wheat Qu which is either inoculated spontaneously with various microorganisms in natural environment or inoculated artificially with certain microorganisms. The diversity of filamentous fungi in wheat Qu and the fermentation mashes of Chinese rice wine was studied by high‐throughput sequencing. The results indicated that filamentous fungi varied in wheat Qu and fermentation periods. Moreover, Aspergillus was the dominant filamentous fungi at genus levels. On that basis, quantitative real‐time PCR was used to quantify some dominant Aspergillus species. It was found that Aspergillus species in wheat Qu were more abundant than that in various fermentation mashes and continually decreased until the end of rice wine fermentation. Furthermore, it was found that different organic acids were produced by microorganisms at different fermentation stages might due to the changes of oxygen and nutrient content.

Filamentous ascomycete and basidiomycete fungi from beach sand

The beach environment harbours filamentous fungi from several genera that played an important role as primary degraders of organic substrates in the beach ecosystem. In this study, filamentous fungi were isolated from beach sand collected along Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang beach areas, Penang Island, Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 260 isolates of filamentous fungi were isolated and identified based on ITS sequences. Based on the closest match of BLAST search, 90 sequences were identified to species level. Ascomycetes showed higher occurrences in the beach sand samples compared to basidiomycetes. Only seven species of basidiomycetes were recovered from the beach sand samples. The total number of filamentous fungal genera identified was 50 with highest occurrences of Aspergillus (39.6 %) and Penicillium (17.6 %). Filamentous fungi from other genera were detected at a relatively low occurrences ranging from 0.3 to 3.4 %. The present study showed that beach sand harbours a variety of filamentous fungi which can be saprotrophic and potentially pathogenic. This study contributes to the knowledge on the occurrence and diversity of filamentous fungi in beach sand in Malaysia providing information for future researches that involve human, marine, and plant pathology.

Filamentous fungi associated with the seagrass Zostera marina Linnaeus, 1753 of Rifovaya Bay (Peter the Great Bay, the Sea of Japan)

This paper presents data on the taxonomic diversity of filamentous fungi that are associated with the phylloplane, rhizoplane, and rhizosphere of Zostera marina, as well as with the submarine soils in seagrass beds. Twenty-eight species of anamorphic fungi belonging to nine genera were found. A comparative analysis of the fungal assemblages was carried out and the peculiarities of their zonal distribution in the Z. marina biotic environment were studied.

On the diversity of fungi from soda soils

The diversity of filamentous fungi that can grow at high ambient pH values (i.e., 8–11) remains largely understudied. Here we study 100 alkalitolerant and alkaliphilic isolates from the soils around the basin of soda lakes in Asia and Africa to assess the major evolutionary lineages and morphologies pertinent to the alkaliphilic trait in filamentous fungi. The Emericellopsis lineage (Hypocreales, Hypocreomycetidae), along with Plectosphaerellaceae (Hypocreomycetidae), Pleosporaceae (Dothideomycetes), Chaetomiaceae (Sordariomycetidae) families appeared to be overrepresented with strong alkalitolerants and effective alkaliphiles. In particular, Sodiomyces species (Plectosphaerellaceae), Acrostalagmus luteoalbus (Plectosphaerellaceae), Emericellopsis alkalina (Hypocreales), Thielavia sp. (Chaetomiaceae), and Alternaria sect. Soda (Pleosporaceae) grew best at high ambient pH. The pH tolerance of Chordomyces antarcticum, Acrostalagmus luteoalbus and some other species was largely affected by the presence of extra Na+ in the growth medium. Moderate alkalitolerants included Scopulariopsis members (Microascales), Fusarium, Cladosporium, and many asexual acremonium-like species from Bionectriaceae. Weak alkalitolerants were represented by sporadic isolates of Penicillium, Purpureocillium lilacinum, and Alternaria alternata species, with the growth optimum at neutral or acidic pH. Weak alkalitolerants develop loose dry chains of spores easily dispersed by air. Their presence at low frequency with the growth optimum at neutral or acidic pH leads us to treat them as transient species in the alkaline soils, as those are also ubiquitous saprobes in normal soils. Our phylogenetic analyses show that the alkaliphilic trait in filamentous fungi has evolved several times. Several lineages harboring strong alkalitolerants derived from the known marine-borne fungi (Emericellopsis, Alternaria sect. Phragmosporae), or fall within the fungi associated with halophytic grasses (Pleosporaceae). Soda soils contain a diversity of fungi that range from weak alkalitolerant to alkaliphilic, which in few cases is associated with darkly pigmented mycelium and formation of microsclerotia. The alkaliphilic trait is spread throughout the Ascomycota, and usually juxtaposes with slime-covered polyphyletic acremonium-, verticillium-, gliocladium-types of asexual morphology, hyphae aggregating in chords, and enclosed fruit bodies.

Diversity of filamentous fungi in leaf litter and aerial litter in semi-deciduous forest, Bahia, Brazil

The fungi have wide distribution in ecosystems and can be found colonizing various substrates, where they act as efficient decomposers, participating in cycling of nutrients. The present study aimed to assess the diversity, richness and composition of filamentous fungi in leaf litter and aerial litter in a semi-deciduous forest in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil. Samples of leaf litter and aerial litter were collected monthly from October/2009 to September/2010 in eight installments in the studied area. Those samples were washed, placed in moist chambers and incubated. 47 taxa were identified, 37 in leaf litter and 35 in aerial litter, with 25 species common to both. A similarity of 69 % according to Sorensen index. The similarity was considered low when the sample points were compared to the same litter. Most fungi showed sporadic intervals.

Phialosimplex salinarum, a new species of Eurotiomycetes from a hypersaline habitat.

Salt mines represent an extreme environment with hypersaline conditions, complete darkness, and low nutrient availability. The diversity of filamentous fungi in such habitats is largely unknown. Eight strains of an unknown fungus were isolated from water samples of the salt mine in Berchtesgaden (Bavaria, Germany). They could be assigned to the ascomycete genus Phialosimplex, based on their common characteristics of producing conidia in chains or in heads on single phialides. Species of this genus are hitherto known to cause mycoses in dogs and have been found in mummies. Using molecular and morphological methods, the isolates are established as a new species, Phialosimplex salinarum sp. nov. Basipetospora halophila is also transferred to Phialosimplex as P. halophila comb. nov.

Diversity of filamentous fungi in different systems of land use

Microbial population and activity can be influenced by changes in the physical and chemical conditions of the soil. The objective of this study was to compare fungal diversity under different agricultural management systems and associated differences in soil properties. This research was carried out in three areas, representing the Atlantic Forest, AFS and cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) monoculture system. Five composite samples were collected during the rainy and dry seasons from each area. Using the composite soil samples, fungal isolation was carried out using a serial dilution technique. Physical, chemical and DGGE analyses of the filamentous fungi community were performed. The fungal isolation data were used to calculate ecological indices of diversity, species richness, equitability, dominance, similarity and density. In general, Atlantic Forest soil presented the highest ecological indices followed by the AFS. The DGGE technique revealed that the structure of the soil mycobiota of the Atlantic Forest and AFS are more than 50% similar. The data indicate that the similarity of the structure and composition of soil mycobiota between AFS and Atlantic Forest is mainly due to the conservation of above-ground plant diversity, and the conservation of soil characteristics can be attributed to the absence of pesticides and fertilizers.

Diversity of filamentous fungi on coastal woody debris after tsunami on the southeast coast of India.

Five coastal locations on the southeast coast of India severely disturbed after the tsunami on December 26, 2004 were surveyed for the occurrence of filamentous fungi on woody debris by means of short-term (1 month) and long-term (12 months) damp incubation. Short-term incubation revealed 26 mitosporic fungi (8 genera) ranging from 14 to 17 taxa per location with a total frequency of occurrence between 0.4 and 5.6 %. Aspergillus taxa were dominant and six of them were common to all locations. Long-term incubation yielded 35 fungi (25 genera) (22 ascomycetes, 1 basidiomycete and 12 mitosporic fungi). The total fungal taxa per location ranged from 25 to 28 with a total frequency of occurrence of 0.8 to 46.8 %. Corollospora gracilis was the most dominant ascomycete (46.8 %), while Cirrenalia tropicalis and Dictyosporium pelagicum dominated among mitosporic fungi (18 %). The total frequency of occurrence of 11 ascomycetes and four mitosporic fungi was above 10 %. Twelve ascomycetes and two mitosporic fungi were common to all locations. The richness of fungi was higher after long-term than short-term incubation. The occurrence of 61 fungal taxa in this study suggests that the tsunami-dumped woody litter on the southeast coast of India might have at least partially originated from the ocean, thus representing a mosaic of fungi existing in seawater and sediments.

Mycobiota in the processing areas of two different meat products

Mould growth is not accepted on most types of North European meat products and is considered as both an economic and aesthetic problem for the producers. In order to determine the mycobiota in processing areas of fermented sausage and liver pâté, filamentous fungi were isolated from air, equipment and raw materials in the processing areas of two fermented sausage processing plants and two liver pâté processing plants. A total of 336 samples were examined. The diversity of filamentous fungi in the processing areas was high; at least 17 different genera were identified. The main isolated genera were identified as Aspergillus, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Eurotium, Penicillium, Phaeoacremonium and Phoma. Of these, Penicillium and Eurotium were the most important for contamination of fermented sausage, whereas Penicillium and Cladosporium were most important for liver pâté. Cladosporium was isolated more frequently in the processing plants examined in the autumn than in the spring. The seasonal variation indicates that outdoor air is an important source for this contamination. Eurotium was isolated frequently at one of the fermented sausage plants. Penicillium was isolated frequently at all four processing plants and was in addition found on moulded meat products. Sixteen Penicillium species were identified. The most frequently isolated were P. brevicompactum and the closely related P. bialowiezense, P. solitum, P. palitans, P. fagi and a new, not described species named P. “ milanense” (ined.; Frisvad, 2007 personal com.). Isolation of a new species illustrates that the mycobiota in the processing areas of North European meat products has not yet been intensively investigated. Several mycotoxin producing species were isolated; the most prevalent were P. brevicompactum/ P. bialowiezense and P. palitans. A screening for secondary metabolites showed that isolates of these species consistently produced mycophenolic acid and cyclopiazonic acid, respectively. Presence of these toxinogenic species in the processing areas implies a risk of mycotoxin contamination of the products if they are or has been subjected to mould growth. The ochratoxin A producing species P. nordicum and P. verrucosum were not isolated during the study. It was concluded that Penicillium species are the most important contaminants of the meat products because of their high prevalence in the production environment, their presence on meat products and their toxinogenic properties.

Diversity of filamentous fungi in organic layers of two forests in Zijin Mountain

A study was conducted to evaluate the cultivable filamentous fungal diversity in organic layers (L, F, and H layers) and A1 layer of two main forest types,Pinus massoniana andLiguidambar formasana mixed forest andQuercus variabilis forest, in Zijin Mountain(32°5′ N, 118°48′ E), Nanjing, China. A total of 67 taxa comprising 56 Deuteromycetes, 3 Zygomycetes, 5 Ascomycetes and 3 unidentified fungi were recognized from samples from the forest floor of the two forest types. The most abundant group was Deuteromycetes. The dominant genera in both forests wereAlternaria sp.,Aspergillus sp.,Cladosporium sp.,Mucor sp.,Penicillium sp.,Rhizopus sp.,Gliocladium sp. andTrichoderma spp. The fungal diversity was higher in the mixed forest than that inQ. variabilis forest. For both forest types, the maximum fungal diversity was found in layer F and there existed significantly different in fungal diversity between layer F and layer L. In the mixed forest, richness of fungi isolated from needle litter (P. massoniana) was lower than that from leaf litter (L. formasana). The richness of fungi from needle litter increased with the increase of forest floor depth, but for leaf litter, the fungal diversity decreased with the depth of forest floor. The co-species of fungi from the two forest types, as well as from two kinds of litters in mixed forest, increased with the depth of the forest floor. The succession of fungi along with the process of decomposition was discussed here. The results also showed that litter quality was a critical factor affecting fungal diversity.

Fungos filamentosos isolados de produtos derivados do milho comercializados em Recife, Pernambuco

Filamentous fungi isolated from corn derived products). The diversity of filamentous fungi was investigated in three corn derived products: corn meal, corn starch and pre-cooked corn flour. For isolation it was used the plating method, in surface and in depth, with Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol Medium (DRBC). Twenty three species of fungi, belonging to eight genera were identified. The highest percentage of species was found in corn meal (47%) followed by corn starch (29.5%) and pre-cooked corn flour (23.5%). Aspergillus flavus Link, Fusarium moniliforme Sheldon, Penicillium funiculosum Thom and P. duclauxii Delacroix were found in all substrates; Penicillium brevicompactum Dierckx was present in corn meal and corn starch, while P. aurantiogriseum Dierckx and Rhizopus oryzae Went & Prinsen Geerlings were detected in corn meal and pre-cooked corn flour. Fusarium moniliforme formed the highest number of colonies forming units (352). Monascus ruber van Tieghen is being cited for the first time to Brazil, in processed corn. Species of Absidia, Aspergillus, Curvularia, Emericella, Fusarium, Monascus, Penicillium and Rhizopus have been mentioned as contaminant of corn derived products.