Lysozyme activity of fungi of the genus Candida

The capacity of fungi belonging to the genus Candida to produce lysozyme was studied. All 60 strains under study were found to possess pronounced muramidase activity. Among these cultures highly active lysozyme producers were discovered, which would make it possible to use them for production purposes in future.     

Biological characters of human dermal fibroblasts derived from foreskin of male infertile patients

Dermal fibroblasts play a vital role in maintaining skin function. They not only synthesize and secrete extracellular matrix molecules, but also produce a complex mixture of bioactive factors, which both contribute to immune regulation and wound healing. Fibroblasts isolated from skin tissue exhibit wide range of potentials, especially in regenerative medicine. The use of fibroblast cultures for medical purposes requires standardization of cell preparations. To achieve this, we isolated and characterized dermal fibroblasts from human foreskin with a standardized method. The obtained cells grew as typical morphology of fibroblasts, and expressed intermediate filament protein vimentin and nestin. Immunophenotypic analysis indicated that the isolated fibroblasts expressed mesenchymal surface markers CD73, CD90, CD44 and CD105, and were negative for haematopoietic markers CD45 and CD34. Growth kinetics analysis of the cells showed high proliferative properties. Furthermore, cryopreservation had no influence on cell morphology and growth properties. Here, we describe a standardized, repeatable method for isolation of fibroblasts from human foreskin tissues and identify their biological characters according to morphologic, immunohistologic and proliferative criteria, which would be meaningful for future clinical trials and regenerative medicine purposes.     

Some highlights in the history of fungi in medicine – A personal journey

The history of the role of fungi in the development of medicine has largely been neglected. Here the early recognition of the germ theory will be discussed in relation to surface infections, the “cholera fungus theory” and recognition of the phenomenon of microbial antagonism. This leads to a short review of the history of those antibiotics produced by fungi, notably penicillin. Finally, the history of the recognition of the potential role fungi play as casual agents of cancer will be discussed; although currently neglected, this work may prove to be of future significance. This history of medical mycology is discussed from the standpoint of my own interest and research into this fascinating, and often overlooked area of medical history.     

Terpenoids in Buddleja: relevance to chemosystematics,chemical ecology and biological activity

The terpenoids reported from Buddleja species are described. The antifungal activity of chloroform extracts of B. cordata and B. davidii stembark against the soil fungi Fusarium culmorum and Sordari fimicola is reported, with buddledin A shown to be the major compound responsible. The terpenoids present support the view that the Buddlejaceae should be classified in a taxon with Scrophulariaceae rather than Loganiaceae. Ecological aspects of the terpenoids are considered in relation to insects and soil fungi and the role of terpenoids in the chemical basis of the use of Buddleja in traditional medicine is also discussed, especially with regard to their anti-inflammatory properties.     

中药成分抗真菌机制研究进展

目前,寻找新型抗真菌药物迫在眉睫。已有研究表明,有效中药成分具有良好的抗真菌作用,可能具有应用前景。本文综述了抗真菌中药及其抗真菌的主要机制,涉及干扰物质运输、酵母-菌丝相转化、宿主免疫和氧化还原等方面,为中药及其提取物在抗真菌中的应用提供了一定的指导。     

Dynamic of use of chemotherapeutic preparations: quantity, nomenclature, main trends and the problems in medical practice

Data on the amounts, nomenclature and trends in the dynamics of the use of chemotherapeutic drugs in medicine and agriculture in the RSFSR in 1971-1983 were examined. It was shown that the amounts of their use for these purposes permanently increased. The levels of the use of antibacterial drugs in agriculture markedly exceeded (1.5 to 9 times in different years) those in medicine. On the whole tetracyclines, penicillins and nitrofurans were the drugs most widely used in both medicine and agriculture. The proportions of their use amounted to 39.7-61.2, 9.8-28.1 and 8.3-17.9 per cent, respectively. The use of chloramphenicol and aminoglycosides was somewhat lower, i.e. 10.6-15.8 and 6.5-9.2 per cent, respectively. The proportion of the use of the drugs of other groups did not exceed 2.1 per cent. It was stated that the chemotherapeutic drugs used in medicine for treatment of patients were widely used for nonmedical purposes. Among them are tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, aminoglycosides and lately nitrofurans. The levels of the use of some chemotherapeutic drugs and variability in their MICs for the Shigella populations tested were compared. It was concluded that the level of the drug use was not the only factor influencing development of the resistance in Shigella spp.     

Production of recombinant proteins by filamentous fungi

The initial focus of recombinant protein production by filamentous fungi related to exploiting the extraordinary extracellular enzyme synthesis and secretion machinery of industrial strains, including Aspergillus, Trichoderma, Penicillium and Rhizopus species, was to produce single recombinant protein products. An early recognized disadvantage of filamentous fungi as hosts of recombinant proteins was their common ability to produce homologous proteases which could degrade the heterologous protein product and strategies to prevent proteolysis have met with some limited success. It was also recognized that the protein glycosylation patterns in filamentous fungi and in mammals were quite different, such that filamentous fungi are likely not to be the most suitable microbial hosts for production of recombinant human glycoproteins for therapeutic use. By combining the experience gained from production of single recombinant proteins with new scientific information being generated through genomics and proteomics research, biotechnologists are now poised to extend the biomanufacturing capabilities of recombinant filamentous fungi by enabling them to express genes encoding multiple proteins, including, for example, new biosynthetic pathways for production of new primary or secondary metabolites. It is recognized that filamentous fungi, most species of which have not yet been isolated, represent an enormously diverse source of novel biosynthetic pathways, and that the natural fungal host harboring a valuable biosynthesis pathway may often not be the most suitable organism for biomanufacture purposes. Hence it is expected that substantial effort will be directed to transforming other fungal hosts, non-fungal microbial hosts and indeed non microbial hosts to express some of these novel biosynthetic pathways. But future applications of recombinant expression of proteins will not be confined to biomanufacturing. Opportunities to exploit recombinant technology to unravel the causes of the deleterious impacts of fungi, for example as human, mammalian and plant pathogens, and then to bring forward solutions, is expected to represent a very important future focus of fungal recombinant protein technology.     

同位素示踪技术在丛枝菌根真菌生态学研究中的应用

丛枝菌根(arbuscular mycorrhizal,AM)真菌是生态系统中重要的土壤微生物之一。AM真菌菌丝体网络是由AM真菌菌丝体在土壤生态系统中连接两株或两株以上植物根系所形成的菌丝体网络。随着菌根学研究的深入,如何直观的揭示AM真菌的生态学功能已经成为相关领域关注的热点问题。研究发现,利用同位素示踪技术可以开展AM真菌与宿主植物对土壤矿质营养的吸收、转运等方面的研究,以及菌丝体网络对不同宿主植物之间营养物质的分配研究和AM真菌在生态系统生态学中的功能研究。基于此,为了阐明同位素示踪技术在AM真菌研究中的价值,围绕菌根学最新研究进展,系统回顾了利用同位素示踪技术探究AM共生体对不同元素吸收和转运的机制、同位素示踪技术在AM真菌菌丝体网络研究中的价值和利用同位素示踪技术研究AM真菌在生态系统中的功能,为AM真菌生态学功能的研究提供理论基础,并对本领域未来的研究方向和应用前景进行展望。     

Major challenges and perspectives in the diagnostics and treatment of dermatophyte infections

Dermatophytes are the aetiological factors of a majority of superficial fungal infections. What distinguishes them from other pathogenic filamentous fungi is their unique ability to degrade keratin. The remarkable ability of this group of fungi to survive in different ecosystems results from their morphological and ecological diversity as well as high adaptability to changing environmental conditions. Paradoxically, despite the progress in medicine, the prevalence of dermatophyte infections is increasing from year to year. At the beginning of the third millennium, practical diagnostic and therapeutic options are still very limited. This review focuses on understanding the major problems in this aspect of dermatophyte infections and indicates future strategies and perspectives for novel approaches to identification and drugs for elimination of dermatophytes. Particular importance is placed on development of a strategy for a diagnostic pathway and implementation of rapid and reliable diagnostics methods designed by international teams. Furthermore, among compounds that currently arouse great interest, representatives of terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and essential oils deserve attention. Many of these compounds are undergoing clinical trials as potential antifungal agents, and future research should focus on attempts at determination of the applicability of tested substances. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages in implementation of new diagnostic paths and medicinal substances for routine use are indicated.     

How the Electronic Health Record Will Change the Future of Health Care

Genetic testing is expected to play a critical role in patient care in the near future. Advances in genomic research have the potential to impact medicine in very tangible and direct ways, from carrier screening to disease diagnosis and prognosis to targeted treatments and personalized medicine. However, numerous barriers to widespread adoption of genetic testing continue to exist, and health information technology will be a critical means of addressing these challenges. Electronic health records (EHRs) are a digital replacement for the traditional paper-based patient chart designed to improve the quality of patient care. EHRs have become increasingly essential to managing the wealth of existing clinical information that now includes genetic information extracted from the patient genome. The EHR is capable of changing health care in the future by transforming the way physicians use genomic information in the practice of medicine.     

Using Species Distribution Models For Fungi

Species distribution models (SDMs) are an emerging tool in the study of fungi, and their use is expanding across species and research topics. To summarise progress to date and to highlight important considerations for future users, we review 283 studies that apply SDMs to fungi. We found that macrofungi, lichens, and pathogenic microfungi are most often studied. While many studies only aim to model species response to environmental covariates, the use of SDMs for explicitly predicting fungal occurrence in space and time is growing. Many studies collect fungal occurrence data, but the use of pre-collected records from reference collections and citizen science programs is increasing. Challenges of applying SDMs to fungi include detection and sampling biases, and uncertainties in identification and taxonomy. Further, finding environmental covariates at appropriate spatial and temporal scales is important, as fungi can respond to fine-scale environmental patterns. Fine-scale covariate data can be difficult to gather across space, but we show remote-sensing measurements are viable for fungi SDMs. For those fungi interacting with host species, host information is also important, and can be used as covariates in SDMs. We also highlight that competition among fungi, and dispersal, can affect observed distributions, with the latter particularly prominent for invasive fungi. We show how one can account for these processes in models, when suitable data are available. Finally, we note that environmental DNA records create new opportunities and challenges for future modelling efforts, and discuss the difficulties in predicting invasions and climate change impacts. The application of SDMs to fungi has already provided interesting lessons on how to adapt modelling tools for specific questions, and fungi will continue to be relevant test subjects for further technical development of SDMs.     

An ecological perspective of microbial secondary metabolism

Bacteria and fungi produce a remarkable array of bioactive small molecules. Many of these have found use in medicine as chemotherapies to treat diseases ranging from infection and cancer to hyperlipidemia and autoimmune disorders. The applications may or may not reflect the actual targets for these compounds. Through careful studies of microbes, their associated molecules and their targets, a growing understanding of the ecology of microbial secondary metabolism is emerging that exposes the central role of secondary metabolites in many complex biological systems.     

Translocation induced outgrowth of fungi in nutrient-free environments

The study of alternatives to chemical methods of nematode control in agriculture has received significant recent interest. One such method is biological control using nematode trapping fungi such as Arthrobotrys superba. To understand how these fungi can be implemented as effective nematicides, it is essential to study their outgrowth into soil from localized nutrient resources. In this paper, we use a mathematical model to investigate the outgrowth of fungi into an environment essentially without available nutrients capable of supporting net growth. By comparing model solutions with experimental results, we show that in such circumstances, continual mycelial expansion can only be obtained if internal metabolites are actively translocated through the mycelium. Predictions are made concerning the maximal extension possible from a given quantity of nutrients and a testable functional relationship between the two is derived. Using this modelling technique we are able to map not only biomass extent but also biomass distribution at each stage. The type of environmental heterogeneity investigated here is encountered by many species of fungi in nature and is of relevance for the introduction of specific fungi into soil for biological control or bioremediation purposes.     

云南真菌学与苔藓植物学研究百年记———回顾与展望

A general introduction to the mycological and bryological researches in Yunnan during the last about 100 years was made . Although several contributors such as Lan Mao (1397 - 1476) and Li Shi-zhen (1518 - 1593) paid their attention to fungi and bryophytes for medical purposes in as early as the Ming Dynasty, much of scientific researches were done in the last one hundred years .Western missionaries and biological explorers, and domestic experts, such as F. L. Tai, T. N. Liou, S. T. Teng , W. F. Chiu. D. F. Yu and J. C. Chou, traveled and collected from different localities of Yunnan and its adjacent areas . Collections of fungi and bryophytes were then studied by mycologists and bryologists from both home and abroad .Many new species of fungi and bryophytes from Yunnan have been discovered and described. The bryophytes in Yunnan are now relatively well-known. However, much mycological work should be done in the future before the diversity of fungi in the region can be recognized and understood.     

Mycetes and urban areas

Mycetes are ubiquitous organisms that can cause mycoses in human and animals. The role of animals in the epidemiology of human mycoses in urban areas is multiform, but here will be discuss only two features: A) animals as vectors of mycoses and B) animal substrates as growth factor of pathogenic fungi. A) Animals as vectors of mycoses: this role is important as zoofilic dermatophytes are very important agents of zoonosis; the urban dermatophytozoonoses are prevalent caused by Microsporum canis which is prevalent in cats and dogs. Cats are often asymptomatic carriers. The pattern of human dermatomycoses has changed in Italy during the past century: at the beginning of the century anthropophilic fungi were prevalent while at present the zoophilic fungi are the most important causes. B) Animal substrata as growth factor of pathogenic fungi: soil "animalization" (i.e., the addition of such debris as hair, skin scales, dropping and other organic matters) creates an optimal substratum for the growth and the multiplication of geophilic or saprophyitic fungi, such as Microsporum gypseum and Cryptococcus neoformans. The present human lifestyle, which favours a an overpopulation of birds, wild animals, domestic mammals and sinanthropic together with man in crowded areas seems to favour the formation of environments adapted to the abundant growth of some pathogenic fungi with consequent infection for man and animals. Finally, an environment heavily populated by fungi can cause allergic pulmonary reactions as well as reactions in other organs and tissues. The control of human and animal fungi, and the efficient use of a monitoring system require ample knowledge of mycological problems both in human and veterinary medicine and of efficient laboratories capable of resolving the needs of both disciplines. Close collaboration between veterinarians, doctors and mycologists is necessary in order to resolve health problems linked to mycosis.     

真菌环状RNA鉴定及研究展望

环状RNA是一类具有丰富调节潜力的闭合环状单链RNA,其可以通过竞争性结合内源RNA、充当蛋白质支架以及翻译模板等方式,从而参与基因表达调控。本文综述了真菌环状RNA的鉴定流程和难点,为后续解析环状RNA在真菌发育与代谢等过程中的调节作用提供理论支持。     

Are white-rot fungi a real biotechnological option for the improvement of environmental health?

The use of white-rot fungi as a biotechnological tool for cleaning the environment of recalcitrant pollutants has been under evaluation for several years. However, it is still not possible to find sufficiently detailed investigations of this subject to conclude that these fungi can decontaminate the environment. In the present review, we have summarized and discussed evidence about the potential of white-rot fungi to degrade such pollutants as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dyes or antibiotics as an example of the complex structures that these microorganisms can attack. This review also discusses field experiment results and limitations of white-rot fungi trials from contaminated sites. Moreover, the use of catabolic potential of white-rot fungi in biopurification systems (biobeds) is also discussed. The current status and future perspectives of white-rot fungi, as a viable biotechnological alternative for improvement of environmental health are noted.     

真菌介导纳米银生物合成的研究进展

纳米银(Silver nanoparticles,AgNPs)是指三维结构中至少有一维在1-100 nm范围内的金属银材料,在光学、电学、催化和医药等领域得到了广泛应用.利用真菌生物合成AgNPs相比于传统的化学、物理合成方法,具有反应条件温和、绿色低毒、环境友好等优势备受关注.综述了近年来合成AgNPs真菌种类的研究...     

Myco-remediation of Chlorinated Pesticides: Insights Into Fungal Metabolic System

Synthetic chemicals including organochlorine pesticides pose environment and health hazard due to persistent and bio-accumulation property. Majority of them are recognized as endocrine disruptors. Fungi are ubiquitous in nature and employs efficient enzymatic machinery for the biotransformation and degradation of toxic, recalcitrant pollutants. This review critically discusses the organochlorine biotransformation process mediated by fungi and highlights the role of enzymatic system responsible for biotransformation, especially distribution of dehalogenase homologs among fungal classes. It also explores the potential use of fungal derived biomaterial, mainly chitosan as an adsorbing biomaterial for pesticides and heavy metals removal. Further, prospects of employing fungus to over-come the existing bioremediation limitations are discussed. The study highlights the potential scope of utilizing fungi for initial biotransformation purposes, preceding final biodegradation by bacterial species under environmental conditions.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12088-021-00940-8.     

嗜角蛋白真菌的界定、研究方法及其应用价值

嗜角蛋白真菌(keratinophilic fungi)是指能降解角蛋白并能利用其作为唯一营养源的真菌类群,大部分隶属于爪甲团囊菌目(Onygenales)、散囊菌目(Eurotiales)和肉座菌目(Hypocreales).由于该类群分布广、种类多、营养方式多样,其研究方法和技术手段也在不断进步,加深了其研究的深度...