Secondary metabolite as therapeutic agent from endophytic fungi Alternaria longipes strain VITN14G of mangrove plant Avicennia officinalis

Endophytic fungi, especially from mangrove plants, are rich source of secondary metabolites, which plays a major role in various pharmacological actions preferably in cancer and bacterial infections. To perceive its role in antidiabetic activity we isolated and tested the metabolites derived from a novel strain Alternaria longipes strain VITN14G obtained from mangrove plant Avicennia officinalis. The crude extract was analyzed for antidiabetic activity and subjected to column chromatography. The isolated fractions were screened in vitro for α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities. The cytotoxicity of the isolated fractions was studied on L929 cell lines. Following which, the screened fraction 2 was allowed for structure elucidation using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, one-dimensional, two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, ultraviolet, and Fourier-transform infrared analysis. The binding energies of the isolated fraction 2 with glycolytic enzymes were calculated by molecular docking studies using AutoDock Vina. The isolated fraction 2 identified as 2,4,6-triphenylaniline, showed no significant difference in α-amylase inhibition rates and a significant difference of 10% in α-glucosidase inhibition rates than that of the standard drug acarbose. Further, the cytotoxicity assay of the isolated fraction 2 resulted in a cell viability of 73.96%. Supportingly, in silico studies showed 2,4,6-triphenylaniline to produce a stronger binding affinity toward the glycolytic enzyme targets. The compound 2,4,6-triphenylaniline isolated from A. longipes strain VITN14G exhibited satisfactory antidiabetic activity for type 2 diabetes in vitro, which will further be confirmed by in vivo studies. Successful outcome of the study will result in a natural substitute for existing synthetic antidiabetic drugs.     

Biosynthesis of pectinlyases in Penicillium adametzii,P. citrinum and P. janthinellum

Pectinlyase complexes of Penicillium adametzii, P. citrinum and P. janthinellum occur as multiple molecular forms distinguished by their biosynthetic control. AMP is involved in derepression of pectinlyase formation.The authors are with the Institute of Microbiology, Belarus Academy of Sciences, Zhodinskaya 2, 220141, Minsk, Republic of Belarus.     

独蒜兰种子共生萌发研究

采用从独蒜兰分离的菌根真菌与其种子在燕麦培养基上共生萌发。结果表明GN21、GN23和GN24的作用效果较好, 其中GN21萌发率84.6%, 高于对照7个百分点, 达到显著性。同时也表明, 从同一兰科植物分离到的属于同一属的不同菌根真菌种, 有的能明显促进种子萌发, 有的却不能促进萌发, 甚至产生病斑, 引起原球茎死亡。     

植物病原真菌过氧化物酶体的发生机制及功能

过氧化物酶体（peroxisome，P）是真核细胞中普遍存在的细胞器，参与多种重要的代谢过程。P的产生、增殖及降解是细胞器发生机理研究的重要部分。到目前已知的P发生相关基因有30多个，但其机制仍不完全清楚。作为一种多细胞真核生物，丝状真菌在P发生机制的研究中有重要价值。近年来，随着基因组序列的应用和真菌生物技术的进展，丝状真菌中P功能及发生机制的研究取得了较大进展。同时，作为丝状真菌真菌中的重要类群，植物病原真菌P在致病过程中的作用也引起关注。本文对P发生机制、在丝状真菌中的研究概况，以及与植物病原真菌致病性的关系进行了 综述。     

Vertical and horizontal distribution patterns of the giant sea anemone Heteractis crispa with symbiotic anemonefish on a fringing coral reef

The distribution patterns of the leathery sea anemone, Heteractis crispa, which contains an algal endosymbiont (zooxanthellae) and anemonefish, were investigated in relation to size distribution on a shallow fringing reef (3.2 ha, 0–4 m depth) in Okinawa, Japan. Individual growth and movements were also examined. Large individuals (>1,000 cm²) inhabited reef edges up to a depth of 4 m, while small anemone (<500 cm²) inhabited shallow reefs including inner reef flats. Individuals rarely moved, and their sizes were significantly correlated with their water depths. Growth of small anemones was negatively correlated with their distance from the reef edge, suggesting that reef edges provide more prey and lower levels of physiological stress. This study suggested that deep reef edges are suitable habitats for H. crispa. Large anemones were inhabited by large Amphiprion perideraion or large Amphiprion clarkii, both of which are effective defenders against anemone predators. Anemones that settle in deep reef edges may enjoy a higher survival rate and attain a large size because of their symbiotic relationship with anemonefish. However, early settlers do not harbor anemonefish. Their mortality rate would be higher in the deep edges than in shallow edges, the complicated topography of which provides refuge.     

Physical and Microbiological Analysis of Sandstone Deterioration in the Argentine Jesuit Missions

Mainly cyanobacteria, but also algae and fungi, were identified on the Jesuit missions San Ignacio Miní, Loreto, Santa María and Santa Ana, in NE Argentina. Many organisms were deeply pigmented, indicative of stressful conditions. San Ignacio samples of itacurú rock showed higher colonization and biodiversity, related to higher porosity allowing entry of water and nutrients. Sandstone from other locations was arenitous, containing 95% silicates. Physicochemical analyses suggested mobilization of ions, particularly Fe, from within the stone to the surface. This intense deteriorating colonization, together with climatic weathering, transforms the sandstone to a “protosoil,” for growth of bryophytes and higher plants.     

The extraradical proteins of Rhizophagus irregularis: A shotgun proteomics approach

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF, Glomeromycota) form obligate symbiotic associations with the roots of most terrestrial plants. Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms enabling AMF propagation and AMF-host interaction is currently incomplete. Analysis of AMF proteomes could yield important insights and generate hypotheses on the nature and mechanism of AMF-plant symbiosis. Here, we examined the extraradical mycelium proteomic profile of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis grown on Ri T-DNA transformed Chicory roots in a root organ culture setting. Our analysis detected 529 different peptides that mapped to 474 translated proteins in the R. irregularis genome. R. irregularis proteome was characterized by a high proportion of proteins (9.9 % of total, 21.4 % of proteins with functional prediction) mediating a wide range of signal transduction processes, e.g. Rho1 and Bmh2, Ca-signaling (calmodulin, and Ca channel protein), mTOR signaling (MAP3K7, and MAPKAP1), and phosphatidate signaling (phospholipase D1/2) proteins, as well as members of the Ras signaling pathway. In addition, the proteome contained an unusually large proportion (53.6 %) of hypothetical proteins, the majority of which (85.8 %) were Glomeromycota-specific. Forty-eight proteins were predicted to be surface/membrane associated, including multiple hypothetical proteins of yet-unrecognized functions. However, no evidence for the overproduction of specific proteins, previously implicated in promoting soil health and aggregation was obtained. Finally, the comparison of R. irregularis proteome to previously published AMF proteomes identified a core set of pathways and processes involved in AMF growth. We conclude that R. irregularis growth on chicory roots requires the activation of a wide range of signal transduction pathways, the secretion of multiple novel hitherto unrecognized Glomeromycota-specific proteins, and the expression of a wide array of surface-membrane associated proteins for cross kingdom cell-to-cell communications.