pH/pectinase dual-responsive pectin-chitosan nanoparticles for pathogen-activated delivery of α-Terthienyl against Botrytis cinerea.

Antifungal, antioxidant activity, and preservation effect of caffeic acid quaternary ammonium salt-modified chitosan.

Ethyl caproate is a key aroma compound in Chinese strong-flavor Baijiu, yet its biosynthesis remains inefficient in pure cultures due to metabolic bottlenecks. This study investigated the regulatory mechanisms of ester production in Monascus purpureus XTQ under co-cultivation with Caproicibacterium amylolyticum JSJ through transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis. A total of 340 differentially expressed genes were identified in co-cultures, which were significantly enriched in pathways such as glycolysis, fatty acid metabolism and ester biosynthesis. Notably, acetyltransferase, lipase and the Zn(II)2Cys6 transcription factors were markedly upregulated (3.5-, 4.5- and 28.2-fold, respectively), functioning as core regulatory elements. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that the total ester content in the co-culture significantly increased to 21.74% (P < 0.05), with specific elevation of characteristic flavor esters including ethyl caproate. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the specific adhesion of C. amylolyticum to fungal hyphae, suggesting potential metabolic interactions mediated through physical contact. These findings provide molecular insights into interspecies metabolic cooperation and offer a theoretical foundation for optimizing microbial co-culture strategies to enhance flavor profiles in Baijiu fermentation. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Self-healable behaviour of dynamic hydrophobized hydrogels as a tool for the design of a delivery system of poorly water-soluble drugs for personalized dual therapy of estrogen-deficiency-related vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Postharvest fungal decay is a primary cause of losses in blueberries, motivating the development of sustainable alternatives to conventional fungicides. This study aimed to develop and evaluate antifungal active films based on polylactic acid (PLA) enriched with citronella essential oil to control phytopathogenic fungi associated with blueberry spoilage. PLA films containing 7.5, 10, and 12.5% (w/w) citronella essential oil were produced by solvent casting and characterized for water vapor transmission rate and nanomechanical properties. The antifungal effect was tested in vitro against Epicoccum nigrum, Alternaria alternata, and Cladosporium herbarum. Active films exhibited concentration-dependent antifungal activity, with C. herbarum being the most sensitive fungus. The incorporation of citronella essential oil did not significantly alter the water vapor barrier properties of PLA, while mechanical analysis revealed a reduction in elastic modulus only at the highest concentration. The antifungal mechanism was elucidated using scanning electron microscopy, fatty acid profiling, absorbance at 260 nm, and conductivity measurements. The results indicate that the released citronella essential oil induced membrane disruption and morphological damage in fungal hyphae, with species-specific responses. Overall, PLA-citronella essential oil films represent a promising biodegradable packaging solution to control postharvest blueberry losses.

Verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus (VCE) is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma that poses diagnostic challenges due to nonspecific endoscopic and histologic findings. Its typical Candida overgrowth and hyperkeratotic, non-malignant superficial layer, combined with biopsy results showing fungal hyphae and minimal cytological atypia, are often misleading. Consequently, VCE is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages, limiting curative treatment options and contributing to poor outcomes. Clinicians should consider VCE in patients with persistent verrucous or hyperkeratotic esophageal lesions, especially in the setting of chronic Candida esophagitis. In this commentary, we reflect on seven cases diagnosed at a Dutch tertiary referral center to illustrate diagnostic pitfalls, discuss various treatment options, and offer guidance for improved recognition of VCE. By facilitating earlier diagnosis, curative treatment through endoscopic resection becomes more feasible, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Fungal Hyphae Upcycling: A Green Bio-adsorbent for Sustainable Lithium Recovery from Salt Lake Brines

Tobacco is rich in natural bioactive compounds, yet the antifungal potential of its essential oil remains largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that tobacco essential oil exhibits significant antifungal activity against the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. At high concentrations, the oil effectively inhibits hyphal growth and suppresses conidial production. Chemical profiling identified nootkatone as the principal active compound. Nootkatone exerts a concentration-dependent dual antifungal effect, simultaneously inhibiting hyphal elongation and spore formation. Mechanistic analyses revealed that the calcium signaling pathway, particularly the crzA and cchA genes, plays a central regulatory role in mediating fungal resistance to nootkatone. Deletion of either gene (ΔcrzA or ΔcchA) led to significantly increased sensitivity to nootkatone, highlighting their role in nootkatone stress response. Furthermore, under nootkatone stress, CrzA was found to regulate the expression of multiple efflux pump genes (abcC, abcE, atrA, mdr1, and atrB), uncovering a previously unrecognized link between calcium signaling and nootkatone efflux. In addition to targeting cellular signaling, nootkatone also disrupted fungal cell wall integrity and triggered the release of host immune mediators, suggesting a synergistic antifungal mechanism that combines structural disruption with immune activation. In the Galleria mellonella infection model, nootkatone significantly enhanced host survival and reduced fungal burden. Notably, treatment of ΔcrzA-infected larvae resulted in a 70% survival rate, markedly higher than that observed in wild-type (WT) infections. Moreover, nootkatone retained strong inhibitory activity against itraconazole-resistant isolates, underscoring its potential as a novel, broad-spectrum antifungal agent. KEY POINTS: • Nootkatone inhibits fungal growth-suppresses Aspergillus fumigatus hyphae and spores via dual concentration-dependent action • Targets calcium signaling-key genes (crzA/cchA) regulate resistance; deletion enhances susceptibility and links to efflux pump activation. • Dual antifungal mechanisms and drug resistance overcoming-disrupts cell wall integrity, activates host immunity, and is effective against azole-resistant strains, boosting survival in infection models.

Objective: To evaluate the capacity of dermatophytes, non-dermatophyte, and yeast to invade nails.Materials and Methods: Nine normal nails were clipped from healthy volunteers and sterilized in an autoclave. Each nail was inoculated with one of nine fungal species, including dermatophytes, non-dermatophyte (Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, N. dimidiatum), and yeast (Candida albicans, C. albicans) for two, four, and eight weeks at 26 °C. A positive result was determined by the presence of fungal hyphae or pseudohyphae penetrating the nail plate.Results: Fungal penetration increased with longer durations. At two weeks, Trichophyton mentagrophytes (T. mentagrophytes) variety mentagrophytes, Nannizzia gypsea, Microsporum canis, and N. dimidiatum showed positive nail perforation. At four weeks, T. mentagrophytes variety interdigitale also tested positive. The remaining fungi (Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton tonsurans, Epidermophyton floccosum, and C. albicans) demonstrated negative test results at eight weeks.Conclusion: This in vitro study confirmed the highly virulent dermatophytes can penetrate the nail plate in a short time. Furthermore, this study highlighted the significant virulence of N. dimidiatum in nail invasion

Gliotoxin of Aspergillus fumigatus has been extensively studied for its role in pathogenesis in animals and humans. It triggers pathogenesis by its immunosuppressive and cytotoxic effects. Biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) consisting of 13 genes regulates its biosynthesis. We targeted gliZ, gliP and gliA genes of this BGC using CRISPR/Cas9 system in a multigene editing approach to check the pathogenesis in broilers. crRNAs were designed using EuPaGDT and 3 single guide RNAs (sgRNA) were commercially synthesized. Each sgRNA was combined with Cas9 to form ribonucleoprotein complexes which were then used for simultaneously transfecting fungal protoplasts. Thin-layer chromatography showed the absence of gliotoxin on silica plate and DNA sequencing showed various indels in target genes. These indels caused amino acid substitutions in all three gene products but, the gliP mutation, since it was synonymous, was likely not functionally relevant. Regenerated protoplasts were matured to form fungal hyphae and spore production was induced. These spores were inoculated intra-air sac in broiler chicks. During one-week infection trial, birds infected with the wild-type spores (group 1) showed morbidity and their mortality rate was 30%. Birds inoculated with RNP-treated spores (group 2) showed mild clinical signs and no mortality. No morbidity or mortality was recorded in birds in negative control group (group 3). Histopathological analysis of lungs showed necrosis and congestion, and presence of mixed population of inflammatory cells in wild-type infected birds, while no such lesions were seen in birds infected with RNP-treated spores. These results show that multigene editing approach was successful in creating indels simultaneously in 3 gliotoxin genes which resulted in amino acid substitution which negatively impacted gliotoxin biosynthesis and export. In vivo experiment results show that RNP-treated fungal spores were unable to cause A. fumigatus pathogenicity in broiler. Targeting gliotoxin biosynthesis could thus be a promising approach to develop antifungal therapy.

Since 1956, Aspergillus versicolor has been recognized to produce structurally diverse natural products. To address the need for novel antifungal agents, a phytochemical investigation was conducted on the tobacco-derived A. versicolor YNCA0363, focusing on diphenyl ethers (DPEs) with unprecedented structures and antifungal activities. Seven previously unreported DPEs (compounds 1-7) and two known DPEs (compounds 8 and 9) were isolated from A. versicolor YNCA0363. Compounds 1-3 possess a rare phenyl-indole structure, compounds 4 and 5 feature a phenyl-isoindoline hybrid, and compounds 6 and 7 exhibit a phenyl-isochromene linkage that is distinct from previously reported DPEs. Compound 5 showed the strongest inhibition (86.1 ± 6.4%, median inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 132.2 μg/mL) against Golovinomyces cichoracearum. Molecular docking revealed that DPEs interact with key tubulin residues (Ser243, Phe257, and Thr241). Microscopic analysis confirmed that compound 5 damaged the fungal conidia and hyphae. In addition, compound 5 induced tobacco defence enzymes and resistance-related genes to enhance plant resistance. This study expands the structural diversity of DPEs from A. versicolor, highlights their potential as effective antifungal agents, and underscores the importance of structural uniqueness in discovering emerging fungicides, providing valuable insights for agricultural antifungal development. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis is a rare fungal infection caused by Basidiobolus ranarum, increasingly recognized as an intestinal pathogen in children. Its clinical features closely mimic malignancy or inflammatory bowel disease, leading to frequent diagnostic delays. Although endemic in regions such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Oman, sporadic cases occur worldwide. Amphotericin B-liposomal remains a cornerstone therapy for invasive fungal disease, but no standardized treatment protocol for pediatric gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis has been established. We report a 6-year-old Asian girl, born preterm with very low birth weight, who presented with persistent abdominal pain without organomegaly, alternating diarrhea and constipation, fever, and anorexia. Initial ultrasonography revealed colonic wall thickening with aneurysmal dilation at the splenic flexure. Colon biopsy confirmed Basidiobolus ranarum. The patient received intravenous liposomal amphotericin B (90 mg daily), with partial radiologic improvement but persistent symptoms, prompting exploratory laparotomy. Adhesiolysis, left hemicolectomy, and resection of jejunal and colonic masses were performed. Histopathology demonstrated dense eosinophil-rich granulomatous inflammation with multinucleated giant cells and a solitary fungal hypha, without classic Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon, likely due to prior antifungal therapy. Postoperatively, the patient was discharged on oral itraconazole for 28 days with adjunctive cotrimoxazole. At 1-year follow-up, she remained asymptomatic with no evidence of recurrence. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of pediatric gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis and demonstrates successful management with liposomal amphotericin B followed by itraconazole. It underscores the ongoing gap in establishing standardized treatment and supports further prospective studies to define optimal antifungal and surgical strategies for this rare entity.

The colonization of fungal hyphae and spores by bacteria represents a widespread phenomenon with significant ecological and biotechnological implications across all surveyed fungal phyla. First thought to be restricted to Mollicutes and Burkholderiaceae-Related Endobacteria, these endofungal associations exhibit remarkable diversity, from simple uniform populations to complex communities, contradicting earlier assumptions of uniform populations. Acquisition dynamics demonstrate both ancient co-evolutionary relationships and recent horizontal transfer events, with environmental factors driving strain-level variation in symbiont presence even within the same fungal species. Fungi can harbor either uniform or diverse bacterial communities, sometimes within specialized structures, and exhibit varying degrees of dependence on their symbionts. These interactions can be mutualistic, commensal, or parasitic, influencing fungal physiology, metabolism, and ecological function. Yet the underlying mechanisms have been thoroughly characterized in only a few model systems in which endofungal bacteria have been shown to affect nutrient acquisition, stress tolerance, secondary metabolite production, and even fungal pathogenicity. In return, fungi offer a protective niche and promote dispersion. These concepts collectively illustrate the evolutionary flexibility and ecological importance of fungi-bacteria partnerships across terrestrial ecosystems. This review synthesizes emerging paradigms in endofungal bacteria research, integrating recent discoveries that challenge traditional assumptions about these symbioses. We examine host specificity patterns, acquisition mechanisms, and functional impacts while identifying critical knowledge gaps requiring investigation. A deeper understanding of these associations is essential to establish standardized frameworks for their applications in agriculture, medicine, and environmental sustainability.

Microorganisms, particularly filamentous fungi, have become the dominant platforms for industrial enzyme production due to their rapid growth, low cost, and adaptability. However, current production technologies face limitations in yield and cost-efficiency, prompting the need for innovative enhancement strategies. Non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma has emerged as a promising tool for stimulating microbial enzyme production. In this study, we have employed micro-surface dielectric barrier discharge (MS-DBD) plasma, which operates in a completely different manner from jet plasma, and evaluated its potential for enhancing the production of cellulolytic enzymes in Neurospora crassa. The extracellular activity of cellulases increased (maximum 10.41 ± 3.44% increase) after MS-DBD plasma treatment. The transcription levels of the four cellulase genes were significantly elevated (highest in the 120 s treatment). The fungal hyphal membrane was depolarized and chemically altered after plasma treatment. The levels of intracellular Ca2+ and nitric oxide (NO) were elevated, and a high-affinity Ca2+ influx system was activated after plasma treatment. Ca2+ channel inhibitors reduced fungal cellulase production by downregulating intracellular NO levels. Plasma-mediated enhancement of enzyme production seemed to occur at plasma energies below 500–600 J. However, the combination of the plasma source type and treatment time can affect the efficiency of enzyme production. We also observed the promotion of fungal cellulase production when jet plasma was applied to larger volume of fungal hyphae. Our results suggest that plasma may be a genetically and environmentally safe tool for fungal enzyme production on an industrial scale and can be applied to bioreactors.Graphical Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40643-025-01006-z.

Mucormycosis (zygomycosis, black fungus), is an emerging, noncontagious, opportunistic, life-threatening disease of sinuses, lungs, skin and brain of immunocompromised individuals, caused by the mucoraceous fungi. Friedrich Küchenmeister, a German physician, discovered the first case of mucormycosis in 1855. The fungal infections of humans, called mycoses, are a growing global health concern affecting more than one billion people causing over 3.75 million deaths each year. Due to the global surge in mucormycosis incidence with a marked increase in India and China especially among patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM), it is designed as an emerging fatal mycosis of the 21st century. Globally, 39 fungal species belonging to 11 genera of Mucoromycetes (Mucoromycota) are involved in mucormycosis. Seventy-five percent incidences of mucormycosis are caused by the 3 genera Rhizopus, Mucor, Lichtheimia, and Rhizopus arrhizus (R. oryzae) alone is the main causative agent involved in 50 % of all cases of mucormycosis globally. The mortality rate is much higher in mucormycosis, considered to be an emerging mycosis, compared to aspergillosis and candidiasis, the two other fatal emerging mycoses. The infection mainly occurs when the fungal spores (sporangiospores) are inhaled by humans from the environment of the saprophytic mucoraceous fungi occurring in soil and decomposing plant residues. The inhalation is the most common mode of transmission compared to inoculation and ingestion. The epidemiology and mortality, despite antifungal therapy, has shown an exponential rise, the disease named as “black fungus” in 2021 following the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Prevalence of mucormycosis in India is nearly 80 times higher than global picture. Histopathological microscopic examination of stained biopsy samples for nonseptate wide hyphae and identification of fungi based on fungal culturing are often used in diagnosing mucormycosis. Molecular (PCR- based fungal DNA), qPCR kits, protein homolog in spore coating, serology, and imaging techniques are the other diagnostic techniques. Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of antifungal therapy along with surgery and control of risk factors are needed for successful management of mucormycosis. Antifungal drugs to treat mucormycosis include: amphotericin B, Isavuconazole, posaconazole and itraconazole, the former two recommended by the USFDA for the primary therapy. Amphotericin B, preferably liposomal amphotericin B (L- AMB), is the drug of choice globally for managing mucormycosis of various types: rhino-orbital-cerebral, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, cutaneous, renal, disseminated and COVID-19-associated mucormycosis.

In nutrient-limited high-elevation ecosystems, plants rely on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to provide mineral phosphorus (P) in the form of phosphate (PO43-). AM fungi gather these nutrients from phosphorus-cycling bacteria (PCBs) that can mineralize PO43- from organic matter and solubilize mineral-bound P. How climate, soil factors, and nutrient limitation influence AM fungi and PCB assembly remains unclear. We collected soil from montane meadows across a 1,000-m elevation gradient on three replicate mountainsides and analyzed AM fungal marker genes, P-cycling genes from shotgun metagenomes, and edaphic measurements. High-elevation soils had nearly 50-fold less soil PO₄³⁻ and 60% more AM fungal hyphae than low-elevation soils. AM fungal turnover was linked to changes in pH, organic carbon, and PO₄³-. The composition of 198 P-cycling genes was influenced by the AM fungal community structure. Drivers of individual PCB functional genes, including pH and organic carbon, varied with gene phylogeny. We found a trade-off in P-cycling strategies across elevation: P-rich, low-elevation soils supported root-colonizing AM fungi and organic P-mineralizing bacteria. P-poor, high-elevation soils were dominated by stress-tolerant AM fungi and mineral P-solubilizing bacteria. Our results suggest that AM fungi and PCB community turnover across elevation are both shaped by pH, organic carbon, and P availability. With continued climate warming, the structure and function of mountaintop ecosystems might shift to resemble lower elevations, disrupting long-established and specialized microbial assemblages, with consequences for P-cycling dynamics and the total P available to plant communities.IMPORTANCEPhosphorus (P) limits plant productivity in high-elevation ecosystems, yet the microbial networks that mobilize P, including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and phosphorus-cycling bacteria (PCBs), remain under-characterized in these nutrient-poor soils. We show that across a 10,00-m elevation gradient, AM fungi and P-cycling gene assemblages shift predictably with pH, organic carbon, and phosphate availability. Higher elevations, with less available P, select for stress-tolerant AM fungal taxa and PCB strategies geared toward mineral solubilization, while low-elevation sites favor root colonization by AM fungi and organic P mineralization. These results suggest that nutrient limitation can constrain microbial community assembly in consistent ways across landscapes. High mountain soils are low in P and rely on a network of underground AM fungi and PCB to deliver nutrients to plants. This study shows how those underground relationships reorganize with elevation and how climate change could collapse long-standing microbial strategies by pushing high-elevation ecosystems toward lowland conditions. As soils warm and dry, the microbial scaffolding that supports alpine plant life may become increasingly unstable.

To discover a novel succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) inhibition fungicide, a series of 4-(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)but-3-en-2-amides were designed by a combination of 3D-QSAR and substructure splicing of fluxapyroxad and pydiflumetofen. In vitro fungicidal bioassays demonstrated that 5a exhibited a broad-spectrum of fungicidal activity against Alternaria solani, Cercospora arachidicola, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium verticillioides, Rhizoctonia solani, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, with EC50 values falling between 3.74 and 19.8 μg/mL. Enzymatic activity assays revealed that the inhibition of 5a was lower than that of fluxapyroxad, with an IC50 of 12.5 vs 0.04 μg/mL, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy showed that 5a was effective in inhibiting fungal hyphae growth. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that 5a exhibited binding patterns similar to those of fluxapyroxad and pydiflumetofen. Binding free energy calculations and decomposition analyses provided insight into the residue interactions of 5a during the MD simulation. These findings suggest that 5a is a novel fungicidal candidate for further investigation.

Histopathologic features have been proposed as clues to potential dermatophyte infection. The inter-observer reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy of these features has not been rigorously studied. Four blinded assessors at different levels of experience and training evaluated a cohort of 97 hematoxylin-eosin slides for 12 clues which might indicate dermatophytosis. Interobserver concordance, diagnostic accuracy metrics, and confidence intervals were calculated. Machine learning was used to develop predictive models. Model performance was compared with five-fold cross-validation. Interobserver agreement between two board-certified pathologists was moderate to substantial for most clues (nine predictors with kappa values of 0.40-0.64). In contrast, agreement was only slight for the sandwich sign and compact red corneum (kappa ≤ 0.05). Among all features, the presence of structures suspicious for dermatophytes was the only significant predictor of PAS positivity on multiple logistic regression (balanced accuracy = 0.88, p < 0.001). In machine learning models with 5-fold cross-validation, logistic regression using only the presence of suspected fungal hyphae as a predictor outperformed more complex approaches, including random forest, k-nearest neighbors, latent factor analysis, and support vector machines. Using penalized maximum likelihood, the estimated probability of a positive PAS result was 0.93 when possible hyphae were identified and 0.03 when they were not. Possible fungal hyphae in the stratum corneum on H&E-stained sections is the most reliable histopathologic clue to dermatophytosis.

Amidst the escalating demand for biocompatible, biodegradable, and ecologically responsible materials in clinical biomaterial science, filamentous fungal hyphae have emerged as a compelling and underexplored resource for the development of medical sutures. This review consolidates and critically evaluates the utilization of fungal mycelial networks, primarily from filamentous fungi within the Zygomycota phylum, as structural frameworks for biofunctional surgical sutures. The hyphal architecture, characterized by its hierarchical organization, tensile robustness, and inherent biodegradability, presents a biologically congruent alternative to traditional synthetic polymers and animal-derived fibers. Emphasis is placed on fabrication methodologies such as wet-spinning and bioextrusion, which enable the morphological refinement and mechanical tuning of fungal filaments into monofilament and multifilament suture constructs. Furthermore, this review delineates the biocompatibility profiles, degradation kinetics, and sterilization challenges associated with fungal-based materials, while addressing regulatory considerations and translational hurdles. Collectively, the synthesis of interdisciplinary insights highlights the potential of filamentous fungal hyphae as a paradigm-shifting innovation in surgical sutures and sustainable medical textiles.

The present case describes a 42-year-old previously healthy male who presented with two weeks of dull epigastric pain, nausea, and melena. On examination, he was pale but haemodynamically stable. Laboratory evaluation revealed iron deficiency anaemia, while other haematological, renal, and liver parameters were within normal limits. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy demonstrated two large antral ulcers with irregular margins, necrotic bases, and surrounding mucosal oedema. Histopathology confirmed gastric mucormycosis, showing broad aseptate fungal hyphae with right-angle branching, highlighted by Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) and Grocott’s Methenamine Silver (GMS) staining. The patient was treated with intravenous liposomal amphotericin B (5 mg/kg/day) for 21 days, followed by oral posaconazole (300 mg daily) for six weeks. Clinical improvement occurred within 10 days. Followup endoscopy at three months showed complete ulcer healing, and at six months, the patient remained asymptomatic with no evidence of recurrence. The present case emphasises that gastric mucormycosis, although rare, can occur in immunocompetent individuals. Early endoscopic biopsy and prompt initiation of antifungal therapy are crucial, and selected cases may achieve successful outcomes with medical management alone, without surgical intervention.