Mortierella Alpina Research Articles (Page 1)

Mortierella alpina bioinoculant potentiates native microbiota for soil borne disease suppression in Panax notoginseng cultivation.

Erosion barriers act as potential reservoirs for soil fungal species key for restoring areas affected by high-severity wildfire in Sierra de la Culebra (NW Spain).

Lipid degradation is generally considered an antagonistic pathway to lipid synthesis, so this pathway is often removed to improve lipid production. In this study, triacylglycerol (TAG) cycling formed by lipid degradation is found to be crucial for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) biosynthesis; this result contradicts the notion that lipid degradation is a useless process. Specifically, we demonstrate that TAG cycling promoting PUFA biosynthesis occurred in Yarrowia lipolytica and Mortierella alpina via the desaturase/elongase pathway but not in Schizochytrium sp. with the polyketide synthase (PKS) pathway. Exploiting the TAG cycling mechanism, a strategy of decoupling the TAG biosynthesis and degradation is developed. Using this strategy, the titers of C20:5, C22:5 and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) in Y. lipolytica are improved by 116.2%, 99.4% and 41.7%, respectively. Our findings highlight the potential of the TAG cycling for related biochemical synthesis in the construction of excellent oleaginous engineered strains.

Solid-state fermentation (SSF), an eco-friendly technology, has shown the high-yield ability to produce products such as biodiesel, pharmaceuticals, and enzymes. However, it has not yet demonstrated an advantage in ARA-containing lipids production. This study demonstrated that agar-supported SSF (AgSF) could induce Mortierella alpina M0223 to yield higher ARA-rich lipids than submerged fermentation (SmF), and elucidated the underlying mechanisms by the comparative transcriptome. AgSF-M0223 formed a mycelial network consisting mainly of surface (SH) and aerial hyphae (AH). The attenuated citrate cycle of SH compared to SmF was coupled with enhanced triglyceride biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and underlying increases in NADPH supply, prompting more glucose flux towards ARA-rich lipid synthesis. Besides, AH has high initial lipid and ARA amounts, while its primary metabolism was weakened due to nutrient scarcity, demonstrating attenuated lipid synthesis. The unique ARA and lipid synthesis characteristics of SH and AH enabled AgSF-M0223 to achieve high-yield ARA-rich lipids. By supplementing nutrients to AH through a spraying strategy and optimizing nutrients for SH, lipid yields reached 12.64 g/L comprising 70.41% ARA, 1.63 times higher than before optimization. These findings provided new insights into fungal physiology under SSF, and presented a promising eco-friendly paradigm for ARA production with advances in mechanical automation.

Solid-state fermentation is an efficient and economically viable biotechnological approach for converting low-cost substrates into high-value fermented bioproducts. This study used the filamentous fungus Mortierella alpina to directly enrich wheat bran substrate with a myriad of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and natural antioxidants, including phenolic acids and flavonoids. These PUFAs, with long carbon chains containing two or more unsaturated double bonds, are highly susceptible to oxidation, which can deteriorate the quality of the fermented bioproduct. Consequently, biochemical alterations during three distinct storage conditions were evaluated. Over 2 months of storage, the total fatty acid content decreased slightly. The inert nitrogen atmosphere showed a strong ability to preserve PUFAs, as only an 8% reduction in total fatty acid content was observed. Even the most valuable C20-PUFAs remained abundant after 2 months of storage. During the storage period, other organic compounds, specifically phenolic acids, accumulated, enhancing the thermo-oxidative stability of the fermented bioproducts, which were already enriched with various PUFAs. These findings were also confirmed by conducting differential scanning calorimetry. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This research article detailed the assessment of the stability and quality of fermented products produced through solid-state fermentation using the filamentous fungus Mortierella alpina. The fermented product is enriched with microbial oils and additional bioactive compounds, which enhance its thermo-oxidative stability, thus increasing its application in the feed and food industries.

Dynamic changes in lipid composition reveal the mechanism of arachidonic acid accumulation in Mortierella alpina

The xenic strain Chlorella sorokiniana was grown together with selected fungal strains to investigate the effect of fungi on the algal photosynthetic performance during cultivation. The introduction of well-selected fungal strains can potentially increase algal cultivation efficiency. The bacteria that inhabited the algae were identified and the coexistence of the fungi with the algae and bacteria in liquid and solid media was examined. Chlorophyll a fluorescence measurement, a commonly used method for determining the efficiency of plant photosynthesis under stressful conditions, was used to assess the condition of the algae. The algae were cultivated for eight weeks without supplementing the nutrient solution. The experiments showed that the fungal strains Clonostachys rosea, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Mortierella alpina formed stable interactions with the microalga C. sorokiniana and the bacteria in the microalgal culture. The time of the measurement and treatments caused changes in the fluorescence curve patterns. Differences in the profiles of the curves in different phases revealed modifications in the operation of the light-dependent photochemical reactions. Generally, the most positive changes in the chlorophyll a fluorescence induction curves (OJIP) were recorded in the double inoculation of C. sorokiniana with R. mucilaginosa + M. alpina and R. mucilaginosa + C. rosea. The results show that selected combinations of fungal strains can be a tool to improve the photosynthetic efficiency of C. sorokiniana.

BackgroundMucoromycota fungi are promising for the production of second-generation biofuel from single-cell oils (SCOs) using lignocellulose biomass. Despite the lack of enzymatic capability for efficiently degrading lignocellulose in Mucoromycota fungi, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) offers an attractive solution by combining enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation in the same procedure. This study explored specific traits of various Mucoromycota species to evaluate their suitability for SSF, due to the frequent and significant gap between the microorganism and enzyme optimal conditions.ResultsThe suitability of nine oleaginous fungal strains from the Mucoromycota phylum for use in lignocellulose-based simultaneous saccharification and fermentation was evaluated. Several traits, such as thermal tolerance, biochemical composition changes in response to incubation temperature, cellobiose and cellulose response and induction of β-glucosidase and endoglucanase, were evaluated. Lichtheimia corymbifera was the most suitable species for SSF due to its ability to grow up to 45 °C, with a consequent decrease in lipid unsaturation, and good uptake of cellobiose with induction of β-glucosidase and endoglucanase expression. The Cunninghamella blackesleeana and Mucor circinelloides strains were also considered good candidates; despite the cultivation should not exceed 35 °C, their good uptake of cellobiose and the expression of extracellular β-glucosidase induced by cellobiose indicated that they could increase the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency. C. blakesleeana outperformed all the other tested strains in terms of β-glucosidase activity expression. In addition, both endoglucanase and β-glucosidase activities of Rhizopus stolonifer and M. circinelloides were induced by cellobiose. Mortierella alpina and Mortierella hyalina were not considered suitable for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation due to their reduced tolerance to high temperatures and poor response to cellobiose utilization.ConclusionsThis study identified beneficial traits of Mucoromycota species for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using lignocellulose, contributing to an optimal selection for producing lipid-derived second-generation biofuels.

Arachidonic acid production by Mortierella alpina MA2-2: Optimization of combined nitrogen sources in the culture medium using mixture design

Modulating the fatty acid composition of black soldier fly larvae via substrate fermentation

Mortierella alpina is a mold fungus that has gained attention for its positive correlation with soil health, plant growth, and applications as a crop biocontrol agent to suppress the threats of nematode pests. To date, the mechanisms underlying the protective traits of M. alpina against these plant parasites have remained elusive. Here we report that abundantly produced peptidic biosurfactants, malpinin A-D, exhibit robust inhibitory activity against nematodes. Nematode assays with malpinin congeners and chemically synthesized analogues revealed that the dehydro amino acid is critical for activity, whereas the N-terminal amino acid residues modulate the lipophilicity. Complementary imaging by fluorescence microscopy and Raman microspectroscopy, using externally fluorescence-labeled, semisynthetic malpinin or a biosynthetically alkyne-tagged probe generated by precursor-directed biosynthesis, visualized the translocation and enrichment of malpinin in the gut of the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Our findings provide valuable insight into the use of M. alpina as a biocontrol agent, emphasizing the ecologically significant role of malpinins as a protective trait. In addition to solving a long-standing riddle, these findings have translational value for applications in agriculture.

Protective role of Mortierella alpina-derived lipids in resisting root rot in Panax ginseng

Thamnidium elegans and Mortierella alpina are two oleaginous fungi that belong to Mucoromycota that synthesize polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are credited with multiple health benefits and possible anticancer properties. These fungi were cultivated on culture media, with glucose or glycerol as a carbon source. After extracting the lipids, we transformed them into fatty acid lithium salts (FALSs), which are water-soluble and absorbable mammalian cells, including DU-145 and PC-3 cancer cells. The two cell lines, both long-established prostate cancer models, were treated with FALSs and indicated increased susceptibility to the lipid derivatives. The viability and proliferation rates were significantly reduced, as well as their migratory capabilities, which were significantly impaired compared to olive oil-derived FALS, which was used as a control substance. We conclude that the FALS derivatives of microbial lipids from these organisms exhibit anticancer effects, by suppressing the proliferation and migration of human prostate cancer cell lines.

The study concerned the abundance and species composition of cultivated microfungi from peat soils and hollows of flat-palsa bogs in the mountain landscapes of the sub-Polar Urals (the northern part of National Park Yugyd Va). The number of fungi in the studied peat soils varied from 0.4 to 242 thousand CFUs/g a.d.s. with maximum values in the upper layer of live mosses of Bog I – 242±66.2 thousand CFUs/g a.d.s.. In the bog hollows, the abundance of micromycetes had relatively low values, in hollow of Bog I – 28.6±7.1 thousand CFUs/g a.d.s., in hollow of Bog II – 32.9±25.5 thousand CFUs/g a.d.s. The taxonomic list of cultivated micromycetes included 61 species of fungi from 15 genera, two divisions and Mycelia sterilia. The Mucoromycota division was represented by 17 species from the genera Absidia, Actinomucor, Mucor, Mortierella, and Umbelopsis. The majority if cultivated fungi belonged to the division Ascomycota (43 species from 10 genera). The genus Penicillium dominates by species number (21 species). Reasoning from the frequency of occurrence, the structure of the complex of microfungi included rare and random species by 53%. The share of frequent and dominant fungi accounted for 34 and 13%, respectively. The dominating group consisted of Pseudogymnoascus pannorum and sterile mycelium. Frequent species were Mortierella alpina, Mucor hiemalis, Umbelopsis ramanniana, U. vinacea, Penicillium canescens, P. granulatum, P. lividum, P. simplicissimum, P. spinulosum, P. thomii, P. verrucosum, Talaromyces funiculosus. Most abundant in the layer of live mosses were Penicillium spinulosum (17%), P. thomii (18%), Talaromyces funiculosus (19%). In the seasonally thawed peat layers, the following species were highly abundant as Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (11%), Talaromyces funiculosus (14%), and sterile mycelium (16%). In the gley soil horizons, Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (78%) dominated by abundance. Only single colonies of sterile mycelium were found in frozen peat layers.

Canola meal extract as a low-cost substrate in Mortierella alpina culture for the production of arachidonic acid

Mortierella alpina is popular for lipid production, but the low carbon conversion rate and lipid yield are major obstacles for its economic performance. Here, external addition of organic acids involved in tricarboxylic acid cycle was used to tune carbon flux and improve lipid production. Citrate was determined to be the best organic acid that can be used for enhancing lipid production. By the addition of citrate, the lipid titer and content were approximately 1.24 and 1.34 times higher, respectively. Meanwhile, citrate supplement also promoted the accumulation of succinate, an important value-added platform chemical. Owing to the improved lipid and succinate production through adding citrate, the carbon conversion rate of M. alpina reached up to 52.17%, much higher than that of the control group (14.11%). The addition of citrate could redistribute carbon flux by regulating the expression level of genes related to tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolism. More carbon fluxes flow to lipid and succinate synthesis, which greatly improved the carbon conversion efficiency of M. alpina. This study provides an effective and straightforward strategy with potential economic benefits to improve carbon conversion efficiency in M. alpina.

Arachidonic acid (ARA) is an integral constituent of cell structures and is instrumental for the nervous, muscular, and immune systems' functions. The sore need for this nutrient may be fulfilled via production based on the fungus Mortierella alpina. The identity of the M. alpina culture obtained from Assiut University, Egypt, was confirmed based on internal transcribed spacer DNA barcoding and elongation enzyme RNA sequencing. Liquid media glucose and peptone as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, and diverse micronutritional factors were adjusted for optimal biomass and ARA production. Shake flask cultivation at 25 °C for 7 days produced around 0.570 g of ARA per liter of culture. M. alpina treatment using mutagen 5-fluorouracil and octyl gallate-supplemented glucose-yeast-agar screening plates and shake-flask incubation at 25 °C, then at 20 °C, followed by aging at 10 °C, led to >3 g ARA/liter culture, a yield considered suitable for potential commercial production.

Abstraсt. The impact of climatic changes in external conditions on the terroirs of the planet forces the grape plant to acquire new properties and characteristics that can negatively affect the quality of the wine made from them. Many countries around the world are faced with the problem of producing grape raw materials with high sugar content and insufficient ripening of phenols. One of the effective methods of reducing the negative impact of unfavorable terroir factors is the use of various fertilizers, including foliar fertilizers. In viticulture at the present stage, there is no systematic scientific knowledge about the mechanisms of action of certain drugs on the quality parameters of grapes and wine. The objects of study are preparations of various spectrums of foliar action: complex amino acid-humic fertilizer with vitamins and microelements of the CAGS brand; Chlorella extract (amino acid complex, highly effective natural biostimulator of plant growth.); Agrumax (mineral complex); biodux – growth regulator arachidonic acid, a complex of biologically active polyunsaturated fatty acids of the fungus Mortierella alpina; must and wine from the Krasnostop AZOS variety. The work used: modern instrumental and analytical methods for studying fruit crops and grapes; methods of technochemical and microbiological control in winemaking; wine parameters were determined according to GOST methods and original certified methods of the winemaking center of the NCFSCHVW; polyphenolic and anthocyanin substances in wine were studied using the technique of V.G. Gerzhikova, Research Institute "Magarach". Agricultural technology is generally accepted, adapted to the local terroir. Work on studying the impact of foliar preparations on the quality of must and wine, analysis of wine materials from the Krasnostop AZOS variety and their organoleptic evaluation, allows us to conclude that with an increase in the concentration of the extract, phenolic substances, and the total content of biologically active substances in it, the hygienic value and general quality of the wine itself; the highest tasting score was given to wine samples from the variants of treating grapes with foliar preparations from the group of biologically active substances: Chlorella algae extract and Biodux. Keywords: grape quality, microfertilizers, microwinemaking, wine quality, tasting analysis Financing source: The research was carried out within the State Task of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation for the FSBSI NCFSCHVW.

Seed treatment with Mortierella alpina M01 promotes tomato growth and mitigates verticillium wilt and bacterial speck disease infections by potentiating plant antioxidant responses

ABSTRACT Millions of tons of plastic products are produced globally each year; however, the low degradation rate of plastics results in an accumulation of these products in almost every ecosystem on the planet, causing enormous environmental harm. In this study, we isolated three fungal strains found growing on a piece of foam and sought to determine if these fungi have the capacity to degrade plastic. According to multigene (ITS, LSU, TEF1-α and TUB2) phylogenetic analyses and morphological studies, the three fungal strains were identified as two distinct species: Lasiodiplodia iraniensis and Mortierella alpina. The strains were inoculated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), malt extract agar (MEA), and malt agar medium containing chloramphenicol (CMEA) and covered with polyurethane (PU) films and incubated for four months. It was found that Mortierella alpina (ZHKUCC 22–0283) contributed to the PU mass loss of 26.30% on CMEA at 32°C, while Lasiodiplodia iraniensis (ZHKUCC 22–0282) accounted for the PU mass loss of 13.55% on MEA at 32°C. The surface hyphae were washed off by the PU films, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging was used to check the fungal degradation of the PU films. Full descriptions, illustrations, phylogenetic trees to show the position of the two fungal species and SEM images of PU films are provided.