Penicillium Vinaceum Research Articles

Compost Inoculated with Fungi from a Mangrove Habitat Improved the Growth and Disease Defense of Vegetable Plants

Municipal organic wastes could be exploited as fertilizers, having been given the ability to suppress plant diseases by the inoculation of the waste with certain fungi in the composting process. Our aim was to develop a novel fertilizer using composting in combination with fungi associated with mangrove forests. Nine fungal species were isolated from a mangrove forest habitat and screened for their activity against five phytopathogenic fungi, their plant-growth promotion ability, and their phosphate solubilization ability. Two fungal isolates, Penicillium vinaceum and Eupenicillium hirayama, were inoculated into organic waste before the composting experiment. After 90 days, the physico-chemical properties of the compost (color, moisture, pH, C:N ratio and cation exchange capacity (CEC)) indicated the maturity of the compost. The C:N ratio decreased and the CEC value increased most in the compost with the inoculum of both mangrove fungi. The vegetable plants grown in the mangrove fungi-inoculated composts had a higher vigor index than those grown in the control compost. The seeds collected from the plants grown in the fungi-inoculated composts had higher disease defense ability than the seeds collected from the control compost. The results indicated that the properties of the fungi shown in vitro (antagonistic and plant-growth promotion) remained in the mature compost. The seeds of the plants acquired disease defense ability, which is a remarkable observation that is useful in sustainable agriculture.

Microbial Modifications of Androstane and Androstene Steroids by Penicillium vinaceum.

The biotransformation of steroid compounds is a promising, environmentally friendly route to new pharmaceuticals and hormones. One of the reaction types common in the metabolic fate of steroids is Baeyer-Villiger oxidation, which in the case of cyclic ketones, such as steroids, leads to lactones. Fungal enzymes catalyzing this reaction, Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs), have been shown to possess broad substrate scope, selectivity, and catalytic performance competitive to chemical oxidation, being far more environmentally green. This study covers the biotransformation of a series of androstane steroids (epiandrosterone and androsterone) and androstene steroids (progesterone, pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, 19-OH-androstenedione, testosterone, and 19-nortestosterone) by the cultures of filamentous fungus Penicillium vinaceum AM110. The transformation was monitored by GC and the resulting products were identified on the basis of chromatographic and spectral data. The investigated fungus carries out effective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of the substrates. Interestingly, introduction of the 19-OH group into androstenedione skeleton has significant inhibitory effect on the BVMO activity, as the 10-day transformation leaves half of the 19-OH-androstenedione unreacted. The metabolic fate of epiandrosterone and androsterone, the only 5α-saturated substrates among the investigated compounds, is more complicated. The transformation of these two substrates combined with time course monitoring revealed that each substrate is converted into three products, corresponding to oxidation at C-3 and C-17, with different time profiles and yields.

Characterization, Antitumor and Antibacterial Potentials of Extracellular Pigment-Mediated Silver Nanoparticles Produced from Penicillium vinaceum AUMC 9402; Green Approach

This study aimed to a rapid, eco-friendly and low-cost method for green synthesis of pigment mediated silver nanoparticles by Penicillium vinaceum AUMC 9402 (Pp–AgNPs) as an alternative to chemical procedures. Pp–AgNPs were subjected to microscopic and spectrophotometric analysis to determine its shape and size as TEM, UV–Visible Spectrophotometer, XRD, FTIR and DLS. The TEM analysis has revealed the spherical shape of Pp–AgNPs with size ranged between 8.2 and 14.9 nm with the mean of 10.6 nm. Thermal stability of Pp–AgNPs was also studied by TGA and DSC analysis which revealed high thermal stability of theses nanoparticles. Moreover, Pp–AgNPs have been evaluated for their effect on the growth of some +ve and −ve bacterial strains as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Bacillus subtilis NCTC 10400, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC-10145 and Escherichia coli ATCC 8739. Results revealed that Pp–AgNPs significantly have inhibitory effect on the tested bacteria. Additionally, the antitumor effect of Pp–AgNPs was also studied and the results revealed that these particles can be used as a promising antitumor agent.

Penicillivinacine, antimigratory diketopiperazine alkaloid from the marine-derived fungus Penicillium vinaceum

In the course of our ongoing search for biologically active compounds from marine-derived fungi, the organic extract of the marine-derived fungus Penicillium vinaceum species was investigated. Seven compounds including a new alkaloid with an unprecedented carbon skeleton, penicillivinacine (1) together with six previously reported ones were isolated. The known compounds were identified as indol-3-carbaldehyde (2), α-cyclopiazonic acid (3), terretrione A (4), brevianamide F (5), cyclo-d-Trp-l-pro (6) and citreoisocoumarin (7). Their structures were established by different spectroscopic data including 1D (1H NMR and 13C NMR) and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) studies as well as high-resolution mass spectral data. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their antimigratory activity against the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 as well as antimicrobial activities against different pathogens. Compounds 1 and 4 displayed potent antimigratory activities against the highly metastatic triple negative human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 with IC50 of 18.4 and 17.7μM, respectively. Furthermore, compounds 1–7 showed different antimicrobial activities.

Identification of a quinazoline alkaloid produced by Penicillium vinaceum, an endophytic fungus from Crocus sativus

Context: Endophytic fungi are microorganisms living within the tissues of host plants, and have proven to be rich sources of biologically active secondary metabolites and therefore have attracted increasing attention in recent years.Objective: To isolate and characterize bioactive constituents from the endophytic fungus cultures of Crocus sativus Linn. (Iridaceae).Materials and methods: Endophytes were isolated from the corm of C. sativus. Endophytic fungus cultures were subjected to repeated column chromatography. Chemical structure was elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic methods and X-ray diffraction analysis. Several pathogenic fungi isolates and tumor cell lines were employed to evaluate the antifungal and cytotoxic activities of the isolated compound.Results: An isolate of Penicillium vinaceum (strain no. X17) was obtained from the corm of C. sativus. Chemical investigations of the endophyte culture broth afforded an unique quinazoline alkaloid (1), identified as (-)-(1R,4R)-1,4-(2,3)-indolmethane-1-methyl-2,4-dihydro-1H-pyrazino-[2,1-b]-quinazoline-3,6-dione, which showed cytotoxic (IC50 range 40.55–76.83 μg/mL) and antifungal (MIC80 range 16–64 μg/mL) activities.Discussion and conclusions: Endophytes in C. sativus can be a rich source of novel bioactive compounds, which prompts us to expand the medicinal resource of this valuable plant in another way. Compound 1 exhibited potential cytotoxic and antifungal activities and may be considered a lead compound for promising antifungal and anticariogenic agent.

A Biaryl Xanthone Derivative Having Axial Chirality from Penicillium vinaceum

A new xanthone derivative having axial chirality was isolated from Penicillium vinaceum. Owing to the axial chirality, its structure, including absolute configuration, was determined by means of extensive spectroscopic data, such as UV, IR, MS, and 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and computational chiroptical methods. The new compound, (a R)-2'-methoxyvinaxanthone, has a structure containing two aromatic moieties with substituents hindering rotation about the biaryl axis. The compound gave positive results in a sea urchin egg test ( Paracentrotus lividus) and a crown gall tumor on potato disks test (Agrobacterium tumefaciens).

Soil fungi of some low-altitude desert cotton fields and ability of their extracts to inhibit Aspergillus flavus.

Soil is presumed to be a major source of inoculum for Aspergillus flavus which contaminates cottonseed and produces the potent carcinogen, aflatoxin. Little is known about the mycoflora of the low desert soils of cotton fields where aflatoxin is a chronic problem. In this study, soils from cotton fields in southwestern Arizona and south-eastern California were assayed for filamentous fungi. Forty-two taxa, predominantly in the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium, were isolated. To determine whether or not compounds produced by these fungi could be potential inhibitors of A. flavus, extracts of strains of each taxon were tested for their ability to inhibit growth of A. flavus. Twelve taxa produced compounds inhibitory to A. flavus, including several strains of Fusarium solani, Penicillium vinaceum and Aspergillus auricomus.

Effects of Tuber metabolites on the rhizospheric environment

Several species of Tuber (Ascomycotina, Tuberales) produce a ‘burned’ area around their symbiotic plants as a result of a phytotoxic action. The volatile substances from Tuber sporophores, truffles, have been previously identified by gas chromatography coupled to gas mass spectrometry and then tested for their toxic effects on higher plants as well as soil micro-organisms. All tested organisms appeared to suffer a great inhibition when exposed to some of these substances evaporated into desiccators. Three aldehydes (2-methyl propanal, 2-methyl butanal and 3-methyl butanal) produced these effects on the two soil fungi tested ( Penicillium vinaceum and Aspergillus alliaceus ). In addition to some of these, two alcohols (2-methyl butanol and 3-methyl butanol) are also active on plants ( Triticum vulgare and Lens culinaris ). 2-Methyl butanol generally affects plants to a high degree, but the strongest effects to microfungi are caused by 3-methyl butanal. However, a strain of Pseudomonas isolated from truffle surface tolerated much higher concentrations of the three aldehydes. The substances affecting the soil micro-aerobic environment, where seeds germinate and roots live, are normal compounds of fungal metabolism produced via pyruvate pathway. Their toxic action could be a consequence of alterations caused both to the cellular membrane and to nucleic acids. The new term ‘hydnosphere’ has been proposed to define this peculiar case of soil relationships between truffle and neighbouring coenosis.

Structure of a novel phospholipase C inhibitor, vinaxanthone (Ro 09-1450), produced by penicillium vinaceum

Vinaxanthone is a novel phospholipase C inhibitor produced by Penicillium vinaceum Gilman and About NR6815. Its structre (MW 576, C 28H 16O 14) has been elucidated as a polycyclic xanthone with poly acidic functional groups based on various NMR studies including HMBC, COLOC, 2D-INADEQUATE and selective 1D-INADEQUATE.

Soil physical factors and the ecology of fungi. VI. Interaction between temperature and soil moisture

The active mycoflora of a soil from Katherine, Northern Territory, was studied at 15–35° G. and 75–100% r.h. , using a hair colonization technique. At any given relative humidity, both the rate of growth and the complexity of the mycoflora were maximal at 30°. At 75–90% r.h. , species of Aspergillus and Penicillium dominated the mycoflora, the former being of equal or greater prevalence relative to the latter at all humidities at 30–350 and at 75–80% r.h. at lower temperatures. For some species within these genera, there was a marked interaction between temperature and relative humidity in controlling competitive saprophytic ability and these species can be grouped on the basis of their activity patterns. Heating soil to 56° for 1 hr. reduced to half the number of colonies appearing on soil-plates. Relative humidity and the temperature of previous soil incubation were unimportant in determining survival when exposure to 56° was short, but loss of viability after longer periods of exposure (4–7 days) was less at lower relative humidities and in those samples previously incubated at higher temperatures (25–35°). Penicillium vinaceum was conspicuous for its ability to survive the heat-treatments.