Ainhoa Arana-Cuenca

Isolation of bacteria with antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungi Stenocarpella maydis and Stenocarpella macrospora.

Stenocarpella maydis and Stenocarpella macrospora are the causal agents of ear rot in corn, which is one of the most destructive diseases in this crop worldwide. These fungi are important mycotoxin producers that cause different pathologies in farmed animals and represent an important risk for humans. In this work, 160 strains were isolated from soil of corn crops of which 10 showed antifungal activity against these phytopathogens, which, were identified as: Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas spp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Pantoea agglomerans by sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and the phylogenetic analysis. From cultures of each strain, extracellular filtrates were obtained and assayed to determine antifungal activity. The best filtrates were obtained in the stationary phase of B. subtilis cultures that were stable to the temperature and extreme pH values; in addition they did not show a cytotoxicity effect against brine shrimp and inhibited germination of conidia. The bacteria described in this work have the potential to be used in the control of white ear rot disease.

Screening for thermotolerant ligninolytic fungi with laccase, lipase, and protease activity isolated in Mexico

The State of Hidalgo (Mexico) has a large area of forests known as the Huasteca Hidalguense, with a large variety of microorganisms inhabiting it. They represent an important resource from the ecological and technological point of view because they can be used in a broad variety of industrial processes. Due to the climatic conditions of this region, fungi inhabiting it must be thermophile or, at least, thermotolerant, as temperatures can be higher than 45°C in the summer, declining to 20°C in the winter. Use of ligninolytic fungi relies on their capacity to produce enzymes of industrial interest, a topic that has been under continuous research by academic and industrial investigators. Among the most important enzymes are proteases that are widely used due to their biotechnological applications with a high economic impact. Other enzymes, laccases, peroxidases, and lipases are of interest for the industries of the state of Hidalgo, especially in the textile industry, specifically in effluent processing. Fungi (n=156) were collected in the Huasteca Hidalguense, of which 100 were isolated in potato-dextrose-agar covered plates and maintained in tilted tubes. Afterwards, enzymatic activity (laccase, protease and lipase) was determined in the plates. The purpose was to select those fungi with the highest potential for biotechnological applications. Fungi generally grew at either 30°C or 37°C, and for some isolates enzymatic activities were detected at this higher temperature. Results are presented as the relation between enzymatic activity and growth rate: 60 fungi presented laccase activity, 49 had lipase activity, and none had protease activity. In most cases, enzymatic activity was higher than the growth rate, indicating that the isolated fungi have a great biotechnological potential. Statistical analysis revealed that isolates 31 (Trametes) and 8.1 (unidentified) have a larger potential to be studied as laccase-producing fungi. On the other hand, isolates 144.2 (Fomes), 154 (Trametes), and 147.2 (Pycnoporus) are of interest as lipase activity producers, an activity scarcely studied in this type of microorganisms.

Melanoidin-containing wastewaters induce selective laccase gene expression in the white-rot fungus Trametes sp. I-62

Wastewaters generated from the production of ethanol from sugar cane molasses may have detrimental effects on the environment due to their high chemical oxygen demand and dark brown color. The color is mainly associated with the presence of melanoidins, which are highly recalcitrant to biodegradation. We report here the induction of laccases by molasses wastewaters and molasses melanoidins in the basidiomycetous fungus Trametes sp. I-62. The time course of effluent decolorization and laccase activity in the culture supernatant of the fungus were correlated. The expression of laccase genes lcc1 and lcc2 increased as a result of the addition of complete molasses wastewater and its high molecular weight fraction to fungal cultures. This is the first time differential laccase gene expression has been reported to occur upon exposure of fungal cultures to molasses wastewaters and their melanoidins.

Biochemical study of the extracellular aspartyl protease Eap1 from the phytopathogen fungus Sporisorium reilianum

In this work, the extracellular protease Eap1 from Sporisorium reilianum was characterized in solid and liquid cultures using different culture media. The results showed that Eap1 was produced in all media and under all culture conditions, with the most activity in solid culture at an acidic pH of 3-5. Following purification, the 41 kDa protease demonstrated aspartyl protease activity. The enzyme was stable at a wide range of temperatures and pH values, but 45°C and pH 3 were optimal. The K(m) and V(max( values obtained were 0.69 mg/mL and 0.66 μmol/min, respectively, with albumin as the substrate. Eap1 degraded hemoglobin as well as proteins obtained from corn germ, roots, stems and slides at pH 3 and also had milk-clotting activity. Sequencing analysis showed that this protein has 100% similarity to the peptide sequence theoretically obtained from the sr11394 gene, which encodes an aspartyl protease secreted by S. reilianum.

Purification and characterization of the extracellular aspartyl protease APSm1 from the phytopathogen fungus Stenocarpella maydis

The extracellular protease APSm1 was purified to homogeneity from Stenocarpella maydis that was grown in acidic minimal media with glucose and ammonium sulfate. The purification procedure consisted of ion exchange chromatography coupled to an FPLC (Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography) system, resulting in a 15.3% recovery and a 2.3-fold increase in specific activity. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 56.8 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Enzymatic activity toward hemoglobin was optimal at pH 2.0 and at 25 °C. The effects of six protease inhibitors on APSm1 activity were tested. Pepstatin A inhibited APSm1 activity, as the protein is in fact an aspartyl protease. The pure enzyme degraded hemoglobin, albumin and proteins obtained from corn germ at pH 3 but did not have any milk-clotting activities. The Km and Vmax values obtained were 0.514 mg/mL and 0.222 μmol/min, respectively, using hemoglobin as the substrate. This work is the first to report the purification of a secreted aspartyl protease from S. maydis.

Optimization of the biosynthesis of naphthoquinones by endophytic fungi isolated of Ferocactus latispinus

Abstract The aim of this work was the isolation of endophytic cacti fungi producer of pigments. Twenty different endophytic fungi were isolated from Ferocactus latispinus using a standard method. One of these was an orange pigment producer and was identified with molecular biology techniques amplifying internal transcribe spacer region. The fungus identified was Fusarium solani; it is a producer of polyketides from naphthoquinones family. Experiments with different carbon and nitrogen sources were performed, and it was found that both glycerol and ammonia sulphate promote the naphthoquinones biosynthesis. It was also found that the carbon/nitrogen ratio and pH value had an effect on this biosynthesis phenomenon; increasing productivity being observed at the initial C: N ratio of 59.6, pH 6 and time of 113.3 h. This C : N ratio exhibited a stress condition for fungi in the pigment biosynthesis process in liquid media. The optimum value of total naphthoquinones (476 μmol/L) was obtained using a central rotable composite design.

Enzyme production by immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium using airlift reactor

Enzyme production by immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium was evaluated in airlift bioreactor and agitated cultures. Free mycelium and immobilized mycelium on alginate beads were tested in the decolourization of 50 and 500 mg/L of Remazol Brilliant Blue R. Dye concentration did not inhibit the fungi development in all tests. In addition, high decolourization percentage of dye was found with free mycelium (99%) in agitated flasks and with immobilized mycelium in airlift (98%). However, decolourization period by immobilized mycelium (120 h) was greater than that by the free mycelium (14 h). Important manganese peroxidase, lignine peroxidase and laccase activities were identified in decolourization process. Manganese peroxidase appeared to be promoted by high dye concentrations during the treatment with immobilized mycelium, but this enzyme was not detected with free mycelium in airlift. Bioreactor prompted also laccase and lignine peroxidase actions in both tests; free mycelium registered a maximum laccase action of 31.569 × 103 U/L in 70 h, whereas immobilized mycelium registered 1.680 × 103 U/L in 170 h, while lignine peroxidase secretion by free P. chrysosporium was higher (1.300 × 103 U/L) than immobilized mycelium (1.250 × 103 U/L). Maximum laccase activity coincided with the maximum percentage of decolourization, however, high peroxidase activity was identified from the start of dye treatment.