Journal of Fungi最新文献

Sub-Saharan Africa, a region marked by enormous social and health inequalities, has the largest population infected with HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which are considered the main risk factors for fungal infections. At the same time, sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world with the highest rates of helminth infections, whose immunomodulatory effects impair the host's immune responses to other microorganisms, including HIV and M. tuberculosis. Through this indirect way, helminth immune modulation could be another syndemic factor influencing the development of fungal infections. However, some epidemiological peculiarities of five fungal diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, which we analyze in this paper, suggest that the influence of helminth immune modulation on the development of fungal infections there could also be direct. In light of the knowledge of all those interactions, any healthcare and epidemiological approach to Invasive Fungal Infections in sub-Saharan Africa should be carried out from a syndemic perspective that takes into account the ways in which social environments contribute to the clustering of infections, the pathways through which infecting microorganisms could interact biologically in each individual, influencing the development and evolution of the disease in course, and the ways in which those interactions complicate diagnosis, treatment, and control.

Monilinia laxa and Colletotrichum fioriniae are major fungal pathogens causing brown rot and anthracnose in stone fruits and shell fruits, leading to significant economic losses. Chemical fungicides are widely applied but can result in resistance development, environmental contamination, and food safety concerns. Biological control using entomopathogenic bacteria (EPB) of the genus Photorhabdus has emerged as an eco-friendly alternative. This study evaluated the in vitro antifungal activity of selected Photorhabdus species (P. kayaii 1723B, P. temperata 3017, P. cinerea 3086, P. laumondii 3196, and P. thracensis 3210) against M. laxa (M3) and C. fioriniae (VV081) using drop-to-drop confrontation and poisoned agar assays. Effects of fermentation time, preparation mode (original vs. centrifuged and filtered), and concentration (5, 10, 20%) were examined. Species-specific inhibition was observed, with Median Inhibition Index values indicated relatively higher antifungal activity for P. thracensis 3210 against M. laxa (0.718) and C. fioriniae (0.552), followed by P. cinerea 3086 (0.643 and 0.552) and P. kayaii 1723B (0.629 and 0.541). Fermentation time and preparation mode influenced antifungal activity in a strain-dependent manner, with longer fermentation periods and original culture preparations generally showing stronger inhibitory trends. Higher concentrations, especially 20%, were often associated with increased inhibition, although the magnitude of these effects varied among strain-pathogen combinations. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the strain- and pathogen-specific nature of antifungal responses in Photorhabdus, supporting their potential as components of targeted biological control strategies rather than uniform broad-spectrum agents.

Fusarium verticillioides is a significant agricultural pathogen and an emerging causative agent of invasive fusariosis in clinical settings. Fusarium species frequently exhibit resistance to available antifungal agents, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying azole resistance remain poorly characterized. In this study, we identified the Zn(II)₂Cys₆ transcription factor FvADS-1 as a positive regulator of the azole stress response in F. verticillioides. The transcription of FvADS-1 was significantly induced by ketoconazole (KTC), and its deletion increased susceptibility to multiple azole compounds. Mechanistically, FvADS-1 positively regulates the KTC-induced expression of genes encoding ABC transporters and ergosterol biosynthesis enzymes, thereby modulating intracellular KTC accumulation and sterol homeostasis under azole stress. Furthermore, FvADS-1 positively regulates the transcriptional response of peroxisomal genes and contributes to fungal tolerance to oxidative stress. Notably, deletion of FvADS-1 attenuates the virulence of F. verticillioides on maize. The function of ADS-1 is evolutionarily conserved: heterologous expression of N. crassa ads-1 restored azole resistance in FvADS-1 deletion mutant, and the deletion of the F. oxysporum homolog FoADS-1 similarly increased azole susceptibility. Collectively, our study demonstrates that the conserved transcription factor ADS-1 plays a central role in regulating azole resistance and virulence in the pathogen F. verticillioides, offering new insights into antifungal resistance mechanisms in pathogenic filamentous fungi.

The ascomycete fungus Clonostachys rosea is a promising biocontrol agent against root-knot nematodes. To develop a more effective and stable biocontrol strategy, we rationally constructed a co-culture system by partnering C. rosea with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Bacillus velezensis. Through systematic optimization of the medium and inoculation protocol, the co-culture demonstrated significantly enhanced performance, achieving 95.3% mortality of Meloidogyne incognita juveniles, a 78.0% increase in tomato shoot dry weight, and 69.2% disease control efficacy in pot trials. Metabolomic profiling indicated that the co-culture triggered a distinct metabolic profile compared to the respective monocultures. The enhanced efficacy was associated with the accumulation of two functional metabolite groups. First, the co-culture synergistically accumulated direct-effect compounds with reported nematicidal (e.g., daidzin, L-tryptophan) and plant-growth-promoting (e.g., isopentenyladenine, melatonin, and indole-3-propionic acid) activities. In parallel, L-proline emerged as a critical microbial interaction modulator. Targeted quantification showed a clear proline abundance gradient: highest in the C. rosea monoculture, intermediate in co-culture, and lowest in the B. velezensis monoculture. This gradient suggests that proline produced by C. rosea is likely utilized by B. velezensis, a finding further supported by the observation that proline enhanced bacterial biofilm formation and upregulated the matrix genes epsC and tasA. Accordingly, the co-culture itself formed significantly more robust biofilms. Thus, the enhanced biocontrol can be attributed to synergistic metabolite accumulation together with proline-mediated fitness gains in the bacterial partner, establishing a metabolic basis for rationally engineering microbial consortia.

"Unusual sporotrichosis", a concept proposed in this review, refers to severe, extracutaneous, or anatomically atypical manifestations of sporotrichosis occurring in immunocompetent hosts and represents an underrecognized clinical subset associated with important diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This systematic review aimed to characterize unusual sporotrichosis worldwide and to clarify its epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic patterns. Following a registered protocol and PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Scopus, and BVS/LILACS were searched up to November 2025 using a PICO-based strategy. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed case reports and case series with laboratory-confirmed sporotrichosis in patients without immunosuppression, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, or other confounding comorbidities; classical lymphocutaneous and fixed cutaneous forms were excluded. From 922 records, 39 studies were included (13 case series and 26 case reports), yielding 55 cases reported between 1957 and 2024 across five world regions, mainly from the United States of America and Brazil. Adults aged 40-59 years (41.8%) and males (74.5%) predominated. Sapronotic transmission was most frequent (69.0%), although zoonotic transmission increased over time. Sporothrix schenckii/Sporothrix schenckii sensu stricto was the predominant species (87.3%). Osteoarticular (30.9%) and systemic (27.2%) forms were the most common presentations. Although cure was achieved in most cases (58.1%), sequelae were frequent (21.8%), and the worst prognosis-including most deaths-was observed in osteoarticular sporotrichosis. Unusual sporotrichosis is globally distributed and clinically distinct; therefore, early recognition and multimodal diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are essential to improve outcome.

Candidozyma auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen associated with severe invasive infections and high mortality, particularly in healthcare environments. Its rapid global expansion and resistance to multiple antifungal classes pose major challenges to treatment and containment. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have recently been recognized as important mediators of fungal communication, virulence, and stress adaptation. Here, we examine how caspofungin, a frontline echinocandin, reshapes the EV metabolome of C. auris. Caspofungin exposure drives pronounced remodeling of EV size distributions, yielding a predominance of smaller, more uniform EVs alongside a minor population of larger subtypes. Metabolomic profiling of EVs revealed marked enrichment of metabolites involved in nucleotide salvage and recycling, along with altered amino acid abundances, including increases in amino acids associated with stress responses and redox regulation. These changes are consistent with altered nucleotide turnover and amino acid metabolism under antifungal stress. Importantly, these metabolic alterations reflect caspofungin-induced changes in cellular metabolism that are selectively exported via extracellular vesicles, rather than metabolic activity occurring within the vesicles themselves. Export of these metabolites via EVs may support population-level coordination, biofilm remodeling, and modulation of host immune responses, contributing to echinocandin tolerance. Together, our findings highlight nucleotide- and amino acid-associated metabolic features of EVs as informative readouts of caspofungin exposure and highlight the EV metabolome as a promising source of non-invasive biomarkers for monitoring drug exposure and resistance. This work advances understanding of C. auris adaptation under antifungal stress and reveals new opportunities for therapeutic and diagnostic innovation against this high-priority pathogen.

Bats play a crucial role in the ecosystem. However, North American bat populations have experienced a dramatic decline since 2006 due to white-nose syndrome, a disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). This fungus can invade and damage the skin on bat wings and muzzles during hibernation. Since 2021, Pd has been reported at selected sites in western Canada, the region with the highest bat diversity in Canada, eliciting urgent calls for action among diverse stakeholders. Here we analyze nine metagenomes of bat guanos and wing swabs and the genomes of five Pd strains from western Canada to investigate the distribution and diversity of Pd in this region. Pd was found in all nine metagenomic samples and the metagenome sequences enabled us to identify the associated bat species. Divergence time estimates of Pd based on whole-genome sequences suggest that Pd likely entered Alberta two to five years before its first official report. Furthermore, we found evidence of abundant gene copy number variations in this species. Together, our metagenomic and genomic analyses indicate that Pd is more prevalent than currently recognized and is evolving and diversifying. Continued surveillance with more comprehensive methods is needed to accurately track its spread and facilitate timely management of white-nose syndrome in North America.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) represents a widespread gynaecological challenge, affecting approximately 75% of women at some point during their reproductive years, with a significant subset progressing to recurrent forms (RVVC). Classical azoles and polyenes remain the cornerstone of therapy. However, their clinical utility is undermined by the rise of azole-resistant non-Candida albicans species, the capacity of Candida to form biofilms, and a complex variety of host-related factors that complicate disease expression and therapeutic response. This narrative review provides a critical up-to-date examination of the therapeutic landscape, integrating current diagnostic algorithms with pharmacological strategies for both acute, recalcitrant and recurrent VVCs. We assess the efficacy and safety of established antifungal agents alongside the breakthrough introduction of novel drug classes, with a particular interest in the oral triterpenoid ibrexafungerp and the tetrazole oteseconazole, which offer new mechanisms of action for cases that fail to respond to standard regimens. Furthermore, we address the management of a special clinical scenarios, including pregnancy and lactation, and explore promising emerging innovative approaches such as mucoadhesive formulations, immunomodulatory approaches, and alternative non-antifungal therapies. Ultimately, this review aims to support clinical decision-making by balancing the accessibility and user-friendliness of conventional treatments with the targeted precision offered by modern antifungal agents.

Amylocorticiales forms a well-supported clade within Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota, and most of the species have resupinate basidiomes and cause brown rot on wood. It is one of the smallest orders of the basidiomycetes, with the species diversity and phylogeny being understudied. In the present study, we conduct phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated ITS + nLSU sequence dataset of the order with an emphasis on the samples from southern China. As a result, ten new lineages were found. Combined with the morphological evidence, two new genera and six new species are described and illustrated, and four new combinations are proposed. Amylophanerochaete hainanense gen. et sp. nov. is closely related to Serpulomyces but differs in having smooth hymenophores with rhizomorphs and narrowly cylindrical to slightly sigmoid amyloid basidiospores. The new genus Pseudoathelia is proposed to accommodate Leptosporomyces linzhiense and Athelia septentrionalis, two athelioid species. Four new species, viz. Amylocorticium athelioides, A. bisporum, A. guangxiense, and A. luteolum, collected from southern China, formed distinct lineages within the Amylocorticium clade. Serpulomyces borealis, the only species of the genus, is proven to be a species complex, while one new species, S. subborealis, and two new combinations, S. rhizomorphus and S. yunnanensis, transferred from Ceraceomyces, are found in the lineage. An identification key to all the known genera is provided.

Frequent strain degeneration during subcultivation, characterized by impaired sporulation and fruiting body formation, represents a major constraint in fungal agricultural production. Our study systematically investigated two naturally degenerated Lentinula edodes strains classified as abortive (Abt: L808-13, L808-14) and malformed (Abn: L808-18) fruiting-body phenotypes, through comprehensive phenotypic characterization, enzymatic profiling, thermotolerance assessment, and transcriptomic analysis. While vegetative growth remained unaffected, degenerated strains exhibited premature hyphal knotting, significantly reduced thermotolerance, and Abn-specific suppression of carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity. Comparative transcriptomics revealed 1239 and 582 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Abt and Abn groups, respectively, accompanied by a global dysregulation in carbohydrate catabolism, phospholipid metabolism, and redox homeostasis. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and RT-qPCR data highlighted 12 core hub genes enriched in glycoside hydrolysis, cytochrome P450 signaling, and membrane lipid dynamics. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the molecular basis of fruiting body degeneration and establish a foundation for developing diagnostic indicators to screen for early-stage degeneration in industrial mushroom production.