Nematotoxicity of Marasmius oreades agglutinin (MOA) depends on glycolipid binding and cysteine protease activity

Fruiting body lectins have been proposed to act as effector proteins in the defense of fungi against parasites and predators. The Marasmius oreades agglutinin (MOA) is a Galα1,3Gal/GalNAc-specific lectin from the fairy ring mushroom that consists of an N-terminal ricin B-type lectin domain and a C-terminal dimerization domain. The latter domain shows structural similarity to catalytically active proteins, suggesting that, in addition to its carbohydrate-binding activity, MOA has an enzymatic function. Here, we demonstrate toxicity of MOA toward the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. This toxicity depends on binding of MOA to glycosphingolipids of the worm via its lectin domain. We show further that MOA has cysteine protease activity and demonstrate a critical role of this catalytic function in MOA-mediated nematotoxicity. The proteolytic activity of MOA was dependent on high Ca(2+) concentrations and favored by slightly alkaline pH, suggesting that these conditions trigger activation of the toxin at the target location. Our results suggest that MOA is a fungal toxin with intriguing similarities to bacterial binary toxins and has a protective function against fungivorous soil nematodes.     

Stable low molecular weight RNA analyzed by staircase electrophoresis, a molecular signature for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms

Low-molecular weight RNA (LMW RNA) analysis using staircase electrophoresis was performed for several species of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms. According to our results, the LMW RNA profiles of archaea and bacteria contain three zones: 5S RNA, class 1 tRNA and class 2 tRNA. In fungi an additional band is included in the LMW RNA profiles, which correspond to the 5.8S RNA. In archaea and bacteria we found that the 5S rRNA zone is characteristic for each genus and the tRNA profile is characteristic for each species. In eukaryotes the combined 5.8S and 5S rRNA zones are characteristic for each genus and, as in prokaryotes, tRNA profiles are characteristic for each species. Therefore, stable low molecular weight RNA, separated by staircase electrophoresis, can be considered a molecular signature for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Analysis of the data obtained and construction of the corresponding dendrograms afforded relationships between genera and species; these were essentially the same as those obtained with 16S rRNA sequencing (in prokaryotes) and 18S rRNA sequencing (in eukaryotes).     

Naturally occurring bioactive Cyclobutane-containing (CBC) alkaloids in fungi,fungal endophytes,and plants

This article focuses on the occurrence and biological activities of cyclobutane-containing (CBC) alkaloids obtained from fungi, fungal endophytes, and plants. Naturally occurring CBC alkaloids are of particular interest because many of these compounds display important biological activities and possess antitumour, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and immunosuppressive properties. Therefore, these compounds are of great interest in the fields of medicine, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and the pharmaceutical industry. Fermentation and production of CBC alkaloids by fungi and/or fungal endophytes is also discussed. This review presents the structures and describes the activities of 98 CBC alkaloids.     

Compositions of fungal secretomes indicate a greater impact of phylogenetic history than lifestyle adaptation

Background

Since the first fungal genome sequences became available, investigators have been employing comparative genomics to understand how fungi have evolved to occupy diverse ecological niches. The secretome, i.e. the entirety of all proteins secreted by an organism, is of particular importance, as by these proteins fungi acquire nutrients and communicate with their surroundings.

Results

It is generally assumed that fungi with similar nutritional lifestyles have similar secretome compositions. In this study, we test this hypothesis by annotating and comparing the soluble secretomes, defined as the sets of proteins containing classical signal peptides but lacking transmembrane domains of fungi representing a broad diversity of nutritional lifestyles. Secretome size correlates with phylogeny and to a lesser extent with lifestyle. Plant pathogens and saprophytes have larger secretomes than animal pathogens. Small secreted cysteine-rich proteins (SSCPs), which may comprise many effectors important for the interaction of plant pathogens with their hosts, are defined here to have a mature length of ≤ 300 aa residues, at least four cysteines, and a total cysteine content of ≥5%. SSCPs are found enriched in the secretomes of the Pezizomycotina and Basidiomycota in comparison to Saccharomycotina. Relative SSCP content is noticeably higher in plant pathogens than in animal pathogens, while saprophytes were in between and closer to plant pathogens. Expansions and contractions of gene families and in the number of occurrences of functional domains are largely lineage specific, e.g. contraction of glycoside hydrolases in Saccharomycotina, and are only weakly correlated with lifestyle. However, within a given lifestyle a few general trends exist, such as the expansion of secreted family M14 metallopeptidases and chitin-binding proteins in plant pathogenic Pezizomycotina.

Conclusions

While the secretomes of fungi with similar lifestyles share certain characteristics, the expansion and contraction of gene families is largely lineage specific, and not shared among all fungi of a given lifestyle.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-722) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

中国鹅膏菌属(担子菌)的物种多样性

鹅膏菌属（Ａｍａｎｉｔａ）是一个近世界性广布的大属,全球已被描述而又被承认的有近５００种。在文献中,我国此属已记载约２００种。然而,许多种都是原初描述于欧洲或北美的种类。近来的研究表明,东亚的鹅膏菌独特且有其自身的分布范围。东亚的有些种虽与产于欧洲或北美的某些种相似,但仔细的野外观察,详尽的形态解剖学和分子进化生物学研究结果表明,东亚的鹅膏菌是独立的分类群。在欧洲,人们有采集著名食菌恺撒鹅膏菌的习     

Arachidonic acid production by Mortierella alpina with growth-coupled lipid synthesis

The fungus Mortierella alpina LPM 301, a producer of arachidonic acid (ARA), was found to possess a unique property of a growth-coupled lipid synthesis. An increase in specific growth rate (μ) from 0.03 to 0.05 h⁻¹ resulted in a two-fold increase in the specific rate of lipid synthesis (milligram lipid (gram per lipid-free biomass) per hour). Under batch cultivation in glucose-containing media with urea or potassium nitrate as nitrogen sources, the ARA content was 46.0 and 60.4% of lipid; 16.4 and 18.8% of dry biomass; and 4.2 and 4.5 g l⁻¹, respectively. Under continuous cultivation of the strain, the productivity of ARA synthesis was 16.2 and 19.2 mg l⁻¹ h⁻¹ at μ=0.05 and 0.03 h⁻¹, respectively.     

一株纤维素降解真菌的筛选、鉴定及酶学性质分析

通过对富含枯枝败叶的土壤样品进行富集培养,利用刚果红纤维素培养基初筛和酶活测定复筛得到产纤维素酶的一株真菌,将其命名为GC2-2,并对该菌株进行鉴定及酶学性质研究。结果表明该菌株是一株耐高温、碱性纤维素酶的真菌GC2-2。通过18S rDNA分子克隆测定,该菌为球孢枝孢菌,其滤纸酶的活力优于CMC酶的活力。该菌所产酶的最适反应条件为温度35°C,最适pH值7.5。     

耐辐射的产黑色素酵母状真菌

从1945年7月美国第一次核试验至今,全世界已进行了几千次的核试验,对周边环境造成了不同程度的污染,对人类及其生存环境造成了极大危害。而耐辐射微生物因其惊人的耐辐射能力,以及特殊的生命现象和生理机制,使其不仅成为研究生命起源、物种进化等理论科学的重要材料,而且也在环境工程、人类健康、生物技术等方面具有极大的应用前景,从而成为世界各国竞相发掘的重要资源。     

云南干巴菌子实体内可培养微生物

【背景】微生物在菌根真菌的孢子萌发、菌丝体生长、菌根形成以及子实体发育等过程中起到一定作用。【目的】对采自云南省昆明市嵩明县和楚雄彝族自治州禄丰县的8个干巴菌子实体内的微生物进行分离培养鉴定,为后期研究微生物与干巴菌之间的相互作用奠定基础。【方法】采用传统平板分离法从干巴菌子实体内分离获得微生物群落,t检验分析不同地区采集的干巴菌子实体内微生物菌落总数的差异,16S r RNA基因和ITS序列进行系统发育树构建和微生物多样性分析。【结果】采自嵩明县和禄丰县的8个干巴菌子实体内共分离获得282株可培养的细菌,两个地区的细菌菌落总数无显著差异(P=0.22)。所有细菌分属2门12属15种。其中80%的细菌属于变形菌门,且以γ-变形菌为优势菌群,假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)为优势菌属。其余20%的细菌属于拟杆菌门。从干巴菌子实体中分离获得114株真菌,两个地区的真菌菌落总数无显著差异(P=0.65)。所有真菌分属2门10属10种。其中62%的真菌属于子囊菌门(Ascomycota),并以分离自禄丰县干巴菌子实体内的Lophiostoma为优势属。38%的真菌属于担子菌门(Basidiomycota),并以Asterotremella为优势属。【结论】两个不同地区采集的干巴菌子实体内细菌和真菌在菌落总数上无显著差异。所有细菌都以γ-变形菌为优势菌群,假单胞菌属为优势菌属。嵩明干巴菌子实体内真菌以担子菌门为优势菌群,Asterotremella为优势属。而禄丰干巴菌子实体内真菌则以子囊菌门为优势菌群,Lophiostoma为优势属。     

外科深部真菌感染的病原学分析

目的分析外科住院患者合并真菌感染状况。方法分离的真菌用API 20C AUX真菌鉴定条,用ATB FUNGUS-2进行药敏试验。结果真菌的种类分布中第1位是白色念珠菌占53%,第2位是热带念珠菌占20%,第3位是光滑念珠菌占14%,第4位是近平滑念珠菌占4%,第5位是其余念珠菌占2%;真菌在外科各区分布中,外科ICU占42%,移植外科占25%;真菌在各类标本分布中,痰占43%,尿液占13%,粪便占10%,引流液占9%,血液占7%;真菌对药物5-氟胞嘧啶、两性霉素B、氟康唑、伊曲康唑的药物敏感性分别是93%、98.9%、90.8%、59.8%。结论外科真菌感染集中在重症病区(ICU),分离的致病真菌主要是白色念珠菌、热带念珠菌、光滑念珠菌,真菌对两性霉素B敏感性最高。