Fungal biology最新文献

{"title":"Biological-degradation, lignin performance and physical-chemical characteristics of historical wood in an ancient tomb","authors":"Akbar Mastouri ,&nbsp;Davood Efhamisisi ,&nbsp;Martin Lexa ,&nbsp;Reza Oladi ,&nbsp;Alireza Gholinejad-Pirbazari ,&nbsp;Hossein Torabi ,&nbsp;Aleš Zeidler ,&nbsp;Mariaenrica Frigione","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101588","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101588","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodeterioration assessments of archaeological woods, also comparisons with recent wood, provides an effective strategy for its conservation in cultural-heritage. This research aimed to analyze some wooden structures of an ancient tomb, situated in West-Azerbaijan province of Iran adjacent to Lake-Urmia. The anatomical characteristics of historical wood (HW) was investigated to identify species and trace xylem micro-morphological variations in detail. Chemical-changes of deteriorated wood were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, and its wood–water interactions were compared with the recent new-wood. Macro/micro-morphological and mycological assessment of historical poplar wood (<em>Populus alba</em>) confirmed signs of soft-rot fungi, and recent attacks by wood–boring (Xylophagous) insects probably due to local climate-change. Type-I microcavities and advanced soft-rot decay caused cell-walls depletion or deformation, which was visually observed in HW by discoloration and transverse-cracks. Based on Optical- and SEM-microscopy, lignin preservation was observed in the middle-lamella and especially the vessels rich in guaiacyl-lignin (G-type) units. However, the fiber walls were susceptible to fungal degradation due to syringyl-lignin (S-type). Histochemical changes increased the porosity, hygroscopicity, and especially water-absorption (1h–720h) of HW compared to the corresponding new-wood, introducing the severity of damage and treatability criteria for conservationists. Lignin increment, loss of cellulose-crystallinity in XRD (70.5 to 59.9 %) and FTIR ratios (1280/1200, 1317/1336), and also preferential-degradation of polysaccharides were confirmed through chemical analyses of soft-rot decayed wood. These findings, in addition to helping monitor potential risks of wooden artifacts, especially non-durable species, facilitate preventive and protective management of archaeological-heritage in both wet and dry environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101588"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143867827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology and genetic characterization of Alternaria alternata causing leaf spot in Fragaria × ananassa","authors":"Nasir Mehmood ,&nbsp;Abid Riaz ,&nbsp;Salman Ghuffar ,&nbsp;Sadaf Anwaar ,&nbsp;Nyla Jabeen ,&nbsp;Isha Shaheen ,&nbsp;Muhammad Qasim ,&nbsp;Salma Saeed Khan ,&nbsp;Muhammad Rauf ,&nbsp;Tauseef Anwar ,&nbsp;Huma Qureshi ,&nbsp;Ghadah Salim Abusalim ,&nbsp;Wajid Zaman ,&nbsp;Mohammad Javed Ansari ,&nbsp;Rashid Iqbal","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101589","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101589","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alternaria leaf spot (ALS), caused by <em>Alternaria alternata</em>, is a major disease threatening strawberry (<em>Fragaria × ananassa</em>) production globally, including in Pakistan. This study investigated the incidence and prevalence of ALS in key strawberry-producing regions of Pakistan and characterized the pathogen using morphological and molecular techniques. Surveys were conducted during the 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 seasons across 182 farms in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad. Disease prevalence was 100% across all regions, with incidence rates ranging from 17.25% in cooler Islamabad to 55% in Mardan, KPK. Pathogenicity tests confirmed <em>A. alternata</em> as the causal agent. Morphological traits and sequencing of the ITS and endoPG genes further validated its identity. Phylogenetic analysis showed close genetic relatedness to known <em>A. alternata</em> isolates. This is the first comprehensive report of ALS in strawberries in Pakistan, confirming <em>A. alternata</em> as the primary pathogen. The widespread occurrence and high incidence highlight the urgent need for effective control measures. Integrated disease management, including resistant cultivars and targeted fungicide use, is strongly recommended. Further research should investigate environmental factors influencing disease spread and severity to support long-term sustainable management of ALS in strawberry cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101589"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143882738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fungal microbiota in peritoneal dialysis effluent related peritonitis patients by amplicon sequencing of internal transcribed spacer based on Oxford nanopore Technologies","authors":"Suthida Visedthorn ,&nbsp;Suwalak Chitcharoen ,&nbsp;Pavit Klomkliew ,&nbsp;Vorthon Sawaswong ,&nbsp;Pavaret Sivapornnukul ,&nbsp;Prangwalai Chanchaem ,&nbsp;Thunvarat Saejew ,&nbsp;Preeyarat Pavatung ,&nbsp;Talerngsak Kanjanabuch ,&nbsp;Sunchai Payungporn","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fungal peritonitis (FP) is a rare and severe complication resulting from fungal infections of the peritoneum. It has recently garnered increased attention due to rising both incidence and potential mortality. Early recognition and rapid intervention are essential for improving patient outcomes, as untreated FP can progress to sepsis and multi-organ failure if not treated appropriately. Culture-negative fungal peritonitis is commonly observed, and its presence should be further considered. This study aimed to utilize Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing to investigate the fungal profiles present in peritoneal dialysis effluent (PDE) from patients experiencing PD-related peritonitis, based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS). The results indicated that the ONT was able to identify fungal taxa in 69 out of 104 samples (66.3 %), which included mixed organisms. The predominant phyla identified in the PDE sample were Basidiomycota, followed by Ascomycota and Glomeromycota. Notably, <em>Wallemia</em> was the most frequently detected fungal genus suggesting the fungal thrive in moist environments and can contaminate dialysis system. This observation suggests a possible association with opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals, particularly those undergoing peritoneal dialysis. In conclusion, ONT offers a promising approach for fungal taxonomic classification, even though the DNA extracted from the samples was of low abundance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101587"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143860650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Systematic evaluation of fluoride quantification methods identifies an appropriate measurement for studying fungal defluorination of per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances","authors":"Charles Ayers,&nbsp;Jiwei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The large-scale manufacturing and disposal of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are causing global concerns, and investigations are needed to understand their ecological impacts. Saprotrophic fungi are dominant nutrient recyclers in ecosystems, while their roles in transforming PFAS remain largely untapped. Particularly, there is a lack of appropriate means to rapidly measure fluoride anions released by fungal cultures to understand their defluorination (deF) capacities and mechanisms. In this research, we systematically evaluated three prevalent means for quantifying free fluoride anions under cultural conditions of wood decay fungal species. Two spectrophotometric measurings, including one based on the fluoride-catalyzed kinetochromic reaction of Xylenol Orange-Zirconium (XO-Zr⁴⁺) and another one based on Alizarin-Lanthanum-Fluoride (Al–La³⁺-F^-) ternary complexone reaction, were successfully adapted to a high-throughput micro-well setup for detecting micromolar-level fluoride, but essential fungal media components pose significant interference to both assays. The third method, relying on the potentiometer and fluoride ion-selective electrode (F-ISE), demonstrated a strong capacity for anti-interferences of fungal nutrients, metabolites, and PFAS, leaving it a most appropriate method to study fungal deF. With F-ISE, we further demonstrated a deF test using a model PFAS, 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(trifluoromethyl) crotonic acid, and a wood rot fungus <em>Trametes versicolor</em>. Together, our research identifies a reliable fluoride quantification method that can allow assessing fungal cultures for their PFAS-defluorinating phenotypes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101586"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143845078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fusarium graminearum and zearalenone in wheat: A water activity–temperature model","authors":"B. Ingram ,&nbsp;S. Marin ,&nbsp;E. Kiaitsi ,&nbsp;N. Magan ,&nbsp;C. Verheecke-Vaessen ,&nbsp;C. Cervini ,&nbsp;F. Rubio-Lopez ,&nbsp;E. Garcia-Cela","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101572","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101572","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zearalenone (ZEN) is a nonsteroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced primarily by <em>Fusarium graminearum</em>, posing significant threats to agricultural grain production. When ZEN levels exceed regulatory limits, grains face rejection, and its harmful effects on the female reproductive system raise health concerns. Despite its importance, there is a lack of information on the ecophysiological conditions that promote <em>F. graminearum</em> colonisation and ZEN production in wheat grains. This study aimed to develop and validate predictive models for the growth of <em>F.graminearum</em> and ZEN accumulation in wheat. For this purpose, two strains isolated from wheat were inoculated in agar wheat-based medium supplemented with glycerol to adjust the water activity (a_w) to five different values of 0.88, 0.91, 0.94, 0.97 and 0.99. The cultures were incubated at 4, 6, 8.5, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C, the colony growth was measured daily, and ZEN accumulation assessed at day 10, 20 and 30. To analyse the growth kinetics of <em>F. graminearum</em>, the fungal growth rate (μ) and lag time (λ) were calculated, applying the Cardinal/Rosso, Davey, and Gibson models. These techniques, commonly used in secondary modelling, were enhanced through variable transformation, with the square root transformation yielding optimal results in the Cardinal models. The outcome showed probabilistic model accuracy for growth ranging 65–79 % and ZEN production ranging 45–77 % on internal and external data set. Optimum temperature for ZEN production was 25–30 °C in media and wheat. In wheat, a higher a_W was required for both growing (0.92 a_w) and ZEN production compared to media (0.90 a_w). Probabilities of growth over 80 % were predicted in the range of 0.90–0.95 a_w at 16–34 °C after 30 days. In conclusion, to avoid mycotoxin contamination in wheat an a_w &lt; 0.89 should be maintained, and temperatures in the range 18–31 °C should be avoided (P &lt; 0.5). The integration of predictive models into decision support systems could assist farmers in identifying pre-harvest contamination risks and in optimising harvesting and drying practices to minimise post-harvest contamination. This study highlights the importance of understanding the ecophysiological profiles of mycotoxigenic species like <em>F. graminearum</em> to mitigate contamination risks and optimise storage conditions in wheat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101572"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143839113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiological stress tolerance responses of the dung decomposer fungus Mucor circinelloides","authors":"Mavis A. Acheampong ,&nbsp;Breno Pupin ,&nbsp;Luciana P. Dias ,&nbsp;Maiara P. Santos ,&nbsp;Luana O. Bernardes ,&nbsp;Michele S. Pinheiro ,&nbsp;Paulo C. Ferreira ,&nbsp;Aram Mikaelyan ,&nbsp;Humberto R. Medina ,&nbsp;Alene Alder-Rangel ,&nbsp;Drauzio E.N. Rangel","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101575","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101575","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The <em>Mucor circinelloides</em> complex, a group of dung-dwelling fungi, is essential for nutrient cycling and organic matter breakdown. Despite their ecological significance, variations in germination rates and stress tolerance among isolates are not well understood. This study examined four isolates—Cicarelli, Doc Beaver, Papulsa, and Zaina—to assess their germination on various media, including potato dextrose agar (PDA), Czapek (CZA), Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), Emerson (EM), and minimal media (MM). The results showed notable differences in germination rates, with CZA and EM promoting the fastest growth. The study also analysed sporangiospore tolerance to UV-B radiation and high temperatures (47 °C), with findings highlighting the role of growth media in stress resistance. Sporangiospores from Cicarelli, Doc Beaver, and Papulsa grown on PDA exhibited greater UV-B tolerance than those on CZA. Conversely, sporangiospores produced on CZA were more heat tolerant than those on PDA. The 12-h survival curve for the Zaina isolate reinforced these findings, showing similar trends in UV-B resilience and heat tolerance. This research demonstrates how growth media influence the environmental stress responses in <em>M. circinelloides</em>, providing insights into the adaptive potential of these fungi.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101575"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143828384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differential global gene transcription of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by zinc sulfate addition under acetic acid stress and identification of novel zinc and stress-responsive genes related to cell wall function","authors":"Ming-Ming Zhang ,&nbsp;Bing Yuan ,&nbsp;Yu-Zhen Li ,&nbsp;Xiao-Lu Wang ,&nbsp;Verawat Champreda ,&nbsp;Drauzio Eduardo Naretto Rangel ,&nbsp;Xin-Qing Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101573","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101573","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zinc sulfate is an important micronutrient for cell metabolism and stress protection. Acetic acid is a common inhibitor present in lignocellulosic hydrolysate, and the addition of zinc sulfate allows yeast cells to better cope with acetic acid stress. In-depth understanding of how zinc sulfate leads to changes in global gene transcription benefits efficient cellulosic ethanol production using robust yeast strains. Here, comparative transcriptomic analyses were performed using budding yeast <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> grown with and without zinc sulfate supplementation under acetic acid stress. Analysis showed enrichment of functions related to cell wall organization in the differentially expressed genes. Furthermore, we proved that deletion of two zinc-responsive genes, including <em>TPS2</em> related to trehalose biosynthesis and <em>CHS5</em> involved in protein export and chitin biosynthesis, respectively, impaired yeast growth under acetic acid stress. Meanwhile, weakened cell wall integrity of <em>S. cerevisiae</em> was observed by <em>TPS2</em> deletion. Furthermore, overexpression of <em>TPS2</em> and <em>CHS5</em> exerted a positive effect on yeast growth under acetic acid stress. These results reveal a novel connection between zinc sulfate-mediated metabolic regulation and cell wall integrity, as well as provide a novel strategy for the development of robust yeast strains for sustainable production of fuel ethanol and bio-based chemicals using lignocellulosic biomass.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101573"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143860649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Responses of intestinal fungal community of Entomobrya proxima (Collembola: Entomobryinae) to fertilizer application","authors":"Xinyue Yang,&nbsp;Gang Li,&nbsp;Weiming Xiu","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil collembolans play a key role in maintaining soil health, with their intestinal fungal community contributing to host physiology through specialized metabolic functions. Despite their ecological importance, how fertilizers affect these fungal community remains unclear. This study investigated the response of the intestinal fungal community in <em>Entomobrya</em> <em>proxima</em> Folsom (<em>E. proxima</em>), a dominant collembolan species in North China farmlands, to organic and inorganic fertilizer application using high-throughput sequencing and qPCR technology. The treatments included control group (CG) with no fertilizer, three different rates organic fertilizer treatments at 1 % (Organic fertilizer treatment 1, O1), 6 % (Organic fertilizer treatment 2, O2) and 10 % (Organic fertilizer treatment 3, O3) and inorganic fertilizer treatments at 1 % (Inorganic fertilizer treatment 1, I1), 4 % (Inorganic fertilizer treatment 2, I2) and 6 % (Inorganic fertilizer treatment 3, I3). The results showed significant variations in intestinal fungal community abundance, with O1 and I3 showing markedly higher levels than CG. Fertilizer application generally reduced the Chao1 (used to characterize species richness) (except I2) and Shannon (used to characterize species diversity and evenness) indices of intestinal fungal community, though it had no notable effect on overall community structure. Ascomycota emerged as the dominant phylum within the fungal community. Organic fertilizer application specifically modified the relative abundance of <em>Microascus</em> and <em>Gibberella</em>, whereas inorganic fertilizer significantly affected <em>Scopulariopsis</em> proportion. Saprotrophy was identified as the primary trophic mode, though increasing inorganic fertilizer application led to a gradual rise in pathotroph-saprotroph-symbiotroph proportion. Functional analysis indicated that dung saprotrophs and undefined saprotrophs predominated, with organic fertilizer reducing animal pathogen abundance while inorganic fertilizer enhanced it proportionally with rates. The microfungus exhibited a clear growth advantage in terms of morphological characteristics. Community assembly was primarily governed by stochastic processes, with drift being the key driver. Compared to CG, dispersal limitation played a more significant role under O1 and I2, while homogeneous and heterogeneous selection became more influential under O2 and O3, respectively. Furthermore, the niche width observed under O1 was significantly broader than that of CG. These findings demonstrated that fertilizer types and rates significantly altered the abundance, diversity, composition, trophic mode, functions and assembly mechanism of intestinal fungal community of <em>E. proxima</em>. In addition, organic fertilizer induced more pronounced changes than inorganic fertilizer, which will highlight previously overlooked impacts of agricultural practices on soil fauna.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101585"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143828385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leading developments in basic research on aspergillosis and mucormycosis","authors":"Argha Sarkar ,&nbsp;Drauzio E.N. Rangel ,&nbsp;Nir Osherov","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This editorial presents an overview of notable contributions in basic research on aspergillosis and mucormycosis published between 2022 and 2024. Basic research in aspergillosis saw major advances in the field of genomics brought about by inexpensive whole-genome sequencing of hundreds of isolates. This has deepened our understanding of <em>Aspergillus fumigatus</em> population structure, gene diversity, and the evolution of azole antifungal resistance. Basic research in mucormycosis saw interesting developments in our understanding of the interactions between <em>Rhizopus microsporus</em> and endosymbiotic bacteria that protect it against predatory soil amoeba and increase its virulence in models of infection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101574"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143852335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biochemistry of microsclerotia differentiation in entomopathogenic fungi: from stress to colour, and implications for insect biocontrol","authors":"Carla Huarte-Bonnet ,&nbsp;Flávia R.S. Paixão ,&nbsp;Nicolás Pedrini","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microsclerotia (MS) are compact, pigmented propagules of entomopathogenic fungi that are resistant to desiccation and capable of producing infective conidia, positioning them as promising agents for biological control. The transition from conidia to microsclerotia in liquid media is triggered by oxidative stress and involves intricate signalling pathways that induce a range of cellular and molecular changes, including the activation of antioxidant defence systems, iron signalling, peroxisome biogenesis, and pigmentation. The biochemical processes influenced by MS-specific culture media are crucial for the development of fungal structures that exhibit thermotolerance, resilience, and high conidiogenesis. This review delves into these processes, examining the dynamics of aggregation, the role of reactive oxygen species in metabolic regulation, and the stress responses that drive melanin biosynthesis and, ultimately, MS maturation. Furthermore, a comprehensive overview of the bioinsecticidal activity of MS against arthropod pests, as reported in the literature, is also presented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 4","pages":"Article 101576"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143814821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}