The search for cryptic L-Rhamnosyltransferases on the Sporothrix schenckii genome

Hector M. Mora-Montes Karina García-Gutiérrez Laura Cristina García Carnero Nancy Lozoya-Perez Jorge Humberto Ramírez Prado (2022, [Artículo])

The fungal cell wall is an attractive structure to look for new antifungal drug targets and for understanding the host-fungus interaction. Sporothrix schenckii is one of the main causative agents of both human and animal sporotrichosis and currently is the species most studied of the Sporothrix genus. The cell wall of this organism has been previously analyzed, and rhamnoconjugates are signature molecules found on the surface of both mycelia and yeast-like cells. Similar to other reactions where sugars are covalently linked to other sugars, lipids, or proteins, the rhamnosylation process in this organism is expected to involve glycosyltransferases with the ability to transfer rhamnose from a sugar donor to the acceptor molecule, i.e., rhamnosyltransferases. However, no obvious rhamnosyltransferase has thus far been identified within the S. schenckii proteome or genome. Here, using a Hidden Markov Model profile strategy, we found within the S. schenckii genome five putative genes encoding for rhamnosyltransferases. Expression analyses indicated that only two of them, named RHT1 and RHT2, were significantly expressed in yeast-like cells and during interaction with the host. These two genes were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified recombinant proteins showed rhamnosyltransferase activity, dependent on the presence of UDP-rhamnose as a sugar donor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about rhamnosyltransferases in S. schenckii. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

FUNGAL CELL-WALL GLYCANS RHAMNOCONJUGATES RHAMNOSYLTRANSFERASE BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL

Nitrogen fertilizer application alters the root endophyte bacterial microbiome in maize plants, but not in the stem or rhizosphere soil

Alejandra Miranda Carrazco Yendi Navarro-Noya Bram Govaerts Nele Verhulst Luc Dendooven (2022, [Artículo])

Plant-associated microorganisms that affect plant development, their composition, and their functionality are determined by the host, soil conditions, and agricultural practices. How agricultural practices affect the rhizosphere microbiome has been well studied, but less is known about how they might affect plant endophytes. In this study, the metagenomic DNA from the rhizosphere and endophyte communities of root and stem of maize plants was extracted and sequenced with the “diversity arrays technology sequencing,” while the bacterial community and functionality (organized by subsystems from general to specific functions) were investigated in crops cultivated with or without tillage and with or without N fertilizer application. Tillage had a small significant effect on the bacterial community in the rhizosphere, but N fertilizer had a highly significant effect on the roots, but not on the rhizosphere or stem. The relative abundance of many bacterial species was significantly different in the roots and stem of fertilized maize plants, but not in the unfertilized ones. The abundance of N cycle genes was affected by N fertilization application, most accentuated in the roots. How these changes in bacterial composition and N genes composition might affect plant development or crop yields has still to be unraveled.

Bacterial Community Structure DArT-Seq Bacterial Community Functionality Genes Involved in N Cycling CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES MAIZE RHIZOSPHERE STEMS NITROGEN FERTILIZERS

Plantas usadas para tratar la litiasis renal o cálculo renal en la región centro del estado de Yucatán, México

PEDRO ALEJANDRO VIL LALOBOS PERERA DANIELA ALEJANDRA MARTINEZ NATAREN MIGUEL ANGEL MUNGUIA ROSAS MARIA TERESA CASTILLO BURGUETE (2023, [Artículo])

En la actualidad, la medicina tradicional ofrece una alternativa terapéutica viable en pacientes principalmente del medio rural, donde está más arraigada y existen pocos recursos económicos e infraestructura para el tratamiento de enfermedades. En el estado de Yucatán la flora medicinal ha sido una opción importante para tratar la litiasis renal. Se presentan las principales plantas usadas como remedios para tratar la litiasis renal en la región centro de Yucatán, así como su proceso de preparación.

CONOCIMIENTO TRADICIONAL FLORA NATIVA HUERTOS FAMILIARES KRUGIODENDRON FERREUM MEDICOS TRADICIONALES RHAMNACEAE BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL

Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Improve Growth and Fruit Quality of Cucumber under Greenhouse Conditions

GERARDO ZAPATA SIFUENTES Luis Guillermo Hernández Montiel Jorge Sáenz Mata Manuel Fortis Hernández EDUARDO BLANCO CONTRERAS ROBERTO GREGORIO CHIQUITO CONTRERAS Pablo Preciado Rangel (2022, [Artículo])

"Cucumber fruit is rich in fiber, carbohydrates, protein, magnesium, iron, vitamin B, vitamin C, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidants. Agrochemical-based production of cucumber has tripled yields; however, excessive synthetic fertilization has caused problems in the accumulation of salts in the soil and has increased production costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on cucumber fruit growth and quality under greenhouse conditions. The rhizobacteria Pseudomonas paralactis (KBendo6p7), Sinorhizobium meliloti (KBecto9p6), and Acinetobacter radioresistens (KBendo3p1) was adjusted to 1 × 108 CFU mL−1 . The results indicated that the inoculation with PGPR improved plant height, stem diameter, root length, secondary roots, biomass, fruit size, fruit diameter, and yield, as well as nutraceutical quality and antioxidant capacity, significantly increasing the response of plants inoculated with A. radioresistens and S. meliloti in comparison to the control. In sum, our findings showed the potential functions of the use of beneficial bacteria such as PGPR for crop production to reduce costs, decrease pollution, and achieve world food safety and security."

rhizobacteria, PGPR, nutraceutical quality CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGRARIAS AGROQUÍMICA REGULADORES DEL CRECIMIENTO DE LAS PLANTAS REGULADORES DEL CRECIMIENTO DE LAS PLANTAS

Screening of xylose utilizing and high lipid producing yeast strains as a potential candidate for industrial application

Linnea Qvirist RICARDO VAZQUEZ JUAREZ Thomas Andlid (2022, [Artículo])

"Background: Sustainable production of oil for food, feed, fuels and other lipid-based chemicals is essential to meet the demand of the increasing human population. Consequently, novel and sustainable resources such as lignocel- lulosic hydrolysates and processes involving these must be explored. In this paper we screened for naturally-occurring xylose utilizing oleaginous yeasts as cell factories for lipid production, since pentose sugar catabolism plays a major role in efcient utilization of lignocellulosic feedstocks. Glycerol utilization, which is also benefcial in yeast-based oil production as glycerol is a common by-product of biodiesel production, was investigated as well. Natural yeast isolates were studied for lipid accumulation on a variety of substrates, and the highest lipid accumulating strains were further investigated in shake fask cultivations and fermenter studies on xylose and hydrolysate. Results: By collecting leaves from exotic plants in greenhouses and selective cultivation on xylose, a high frequency of oleaginous yeasts was obtained (>40%). Diferent cultivation conditions lead to diferences in fatty acid contents and compositions, resulting in a set of strains that can be used to select candidate production strains for diferent purposes. In this study, the most prominent strains were identifed as Pseudozyma hubeiensis BOT-O and Rhodosporidium toruloides BOT-A2. The fatty acid levels per cell dry weight after cultivation in a nitrogen limited medium with either glucose, xylose or glycerol as carbon source, respectively, were 46.8, 43.2 and 38.9% for P. hubeiensis BOT-O, and 40.4, 27.3 and 42.1% for BOT-A2. Furthermore, BOT-A2 accumulated 45.1% fatty acids per cell dry weight in a natural plant hydrolysate, and P. hubeiensis BOT-O showed simultaneous glucose and xylose consumption with similar growth rates on both carbon sources. The fatty acid analysis demonstrated both long chain and poly-unsaturated fatty acids, depending on strain and medium. Conclusions: We found various natural yeast isolates with high lipid production capabilities and the ability to grow not only on glucose, but also xylose, glycerol and natural plant hydrolysate. R. toruloides BOT-A2 and P. hubeiensis BOT-O specifcally showed great potential as production strains with high levels of storage lipids and comparable growth to that on glucose on various other substrates, especially compared to currently used lipid production strains..."

Microbial lipids, Oleaginous yeast, Lignocellulose, Pseudozyma hubeiensis, Rhodosporidium toruloides BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA MICROBIOLOGÍA MICROBIOLOGÍA MICROBIOLOGÍA