Editorial

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3 pages, 213 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi

by Selma Pascale Snini and Florence Mathieu

Toxins 2020, 12(6), 353; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins12060353 - 28 May 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1948

Abstract

Mycotoxins are toxic fungal secondary metabolites that contaminate food and feed [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

Research

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16 pages, 4623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fullerol C₆₀(OH)₂₄ Nanoparticles Affect Secondary Metabolite Profile of Important Foodborne Mycotoxigenic Fungi In Vitro

by Tihomir Kovač, Bojan Šarkanj, Ivana Borišev, Aleksandar Djordjevic, Danica Jović, Ante Lončarić, Jurislav Babić, Antun Jozinović, Tamara Krska, Johann Gangl, Chibundu N. Ezekiel, Michael Sulyok and Rudolf Krska

Toxins 2020, 12(4), 213; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins12040213 - 27 Mar 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3612

Abstract

Despite the efforts to control mycotoxin contamination worldwide, extensive contamination has been reported to occur in food and feed. The contamination is even more intense due to climate changes and different stressors. This study examined the impact of fullerol C₆₀(OH)₂₄ [...] Read more.

Despite the efforts to control mycotoxin contamination worldwide, extensive contamination has been reported to occur in food and feed. The contamination is even more intense due to climate changes and different stressors. This study examined the impact of fullerol C₆₀(OH)₂₄ nanoparticles (FNP) (at 0, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 ng mL⁻¹) on the secondary metabolite profile of the most relevant foodborne mycotoxigenic fungi from genera Aspergillus, Fusarium, Alternaria and Penicillium, during growth in vitro. Fungi were grown in liquid RPMI 1640 media for 72 h at 29 °C, and metabolites were investigated by the LC-MS/MS dilute and shoot multimycotoxin method. Exposure to FNP showed great potential in decreasing the concentrations of 35 secondary metabolites; the decreases were dependent on FNP concentration and fungal genus. These results are a relevant guide for future examination of fungi-FNP interactions in environmental conditions. The aim is to establish the exact mechanism of FNP action and determine the impact such interactions have on food and feed safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

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16 pages, 3240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phenyllactic Acid Produced by Geotrichum candidum Reduces Fusarium sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae Growth and T-2 Toxin Concentration

by Hiba Kawtharani, Selma Pascale Snini, Sorphea Heang, Jalloul Bouajila, Patricia Taillandier, Florence Mathieu and Sandra Beaufort

Toxins 2020, 12(4), 209; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins12040209 - 26 Mar 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3743

Abstract

Fusarium sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae are present in barley crops. Their toxic metabolites, mainly T-2 toxin, affect the quality and safety of raw material and final products such as beer. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce Fusarium spp. proliferation and T-2 toxin [...] Read more.

Fusarium sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae are present in barley crops. Their toxic metabolites, mainly T-2 toxin, affect the quality and safety of raw material and final products such as beer. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce Fusarium spp. proliferation and T-2 toxin contamination during the brewing process. The addition of Geotrichum candidum has been previously demonstrated to reduce the proliferation of Fusarium spp. and the production of toxic metabolites, but the mechanism of action is still not known. Thus, this study focuses on the elucidation of the interaction mechanism between G. candidum and Fusarium spp. in order to improve this bioprocess. First, over a period of 168 h, the co-culture kinetics showed an almost 90% reduction in T-2 toxin concentration, starting at 24 h. Second, sequential cultures lead to a reduction in Fusarium growth and T-2 toxin concentration. Simultaneously, it was demonstrated that G. candidum produces phenyllactic acid (PLA) at the early stages of growth, which could potentially be responsible for the reduction in Fusarium growth and T-2 toxin concentration. To prove the PLA effect, F. sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae were cultivated in PLA supplemented medium. The expected results were achieved with 0.3 g/L of PLA. These promising results contribute to a better understanding of the bioprocess, allowing its optimization at an up-scaled industrial level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

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11 pages, 2338 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Biological Control of Aflatoxin in Maize Grown in Serbia

by Zagorka Savić, Tatjana Dudaš, Marta Loc, Mila Grahovac, Dragana Budakov, Igor Jajić, Saša Krstović, Tijana Barošević, Rudolf Krska, Michael Sulyok, Vera Stojšin, Mladen Petreš, Aleksandra Stankov, Jelena Vukotić and Ferenc Bagi

Toxins 2020, 12(3), 162; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins12030162 - 05 Mar 2020

Cited by 47 | Viewed by 5448

Abstract

Aspergillus flavus is the main producer of aflatoxin B1, one of the most toxic contaminants of food and feed. With global warming, climate conditions have become favourable for aflatoxin contamination of agricultural products in several European countries, including Serbia. The infection of maize [...] Read more.

Aspergillus flavus is the main producer of aflatoxin B1, one of the most toxic contaminants of food and feed. With global warming, climate conditions have become favourable for aflatoxin contamination of agricultural products in several European countries, including Serbia. The infection of maize with A. flavus, and aflatoxin synthesis can be controlled and reduced by application of a biocontrol product based on non-toxigenic strains of A. flavus. Biological control relies on competition between atoxigenic and toxigenic strains. This is the most commonly used biological control mechanism of aflatoxin contamination in maize in countries where aflatoxins pose a significant threat. Mytoolbox Af01, a native atoxigenic A. flavus strain, was obtained from maize grown in Serbia and used to produce a biocontrol product that was applied in irrigated and non-irrigated Serbian fields during 2016 and 2017. The application of this biocontrol product reduced aflatoxin levels in maize kernels (51–83%). The biocontrol treatment had a highly significant effect of reducing total aflatoxin contamination by 73%. This study showed that aflatoxin contamination control in Serbian maize can be achieved through biological control methods using atoxigenic A. flavus strains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

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22 pages, 3940 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Commercial Biocontrol Agents Reveal Contrasting Comportments Against Two Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Cereals: Fusarium Graminearum and Fusarium Verticillioides

by Lucile Pellan, Noël Durand, Véronique Martinez, Angélique Fontana, Sabine Schorr-Galindo and Caroline Strub

Toxins 2020, 12(3), 152; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins12030152 - 29 Feb 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4538

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of commercialized biological control agents (BCAs) against two major mycotoxigenic fungi in cereals, Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides, which are trichothecene and fumonisin producers, respectively. With these objectives in mind, three commercial [...] Read more.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of commercialized biological control agents (BCAs) against two major mycotoxigenic fungi in cereals, Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides, which are trichothecene and fumonisin producers, respectively. With these objectives in mind, three commercial BCAs were selected with contrasting uses and microorganism types (T. asperellum, S. griseoviridis, P. oligandrum) and a culture medium was identified to develop an optimized dual culture bioassay method. Their comportment was examined in dual culture bioassay in vitro with both fusaria to determine growth and mycotoxin production kinetics. Antagonist activity and variable levels or patterns of mycotoxinogenesis inhibition were observed depending on the microorganism type of BCA or on the culture conditions (e.g., different nutritional sources), suggesting that contrasting biocontrol mechanisms are involved. S. griseoviridis leads to a growth inhibition zone where the pathogen mycelium structure is altered, suggesting the diffusion of antimicrobial compounds. In contrast, T. asperellum and P. oligandrum are able to grow faster than the pathogen. T. asperellum showed the capacity to degrade pathogenic mycelia, involving chitinolytic activities. In dual culture bioassay with F. graminearum, this BCA reduced the growth and mycotoxin concentration by 48% and 72%, respectively, and by 78% and 72% in dual culture bioassay against F. verticillioides. P. oligandrum progressed over the pathogen colony, suggesting a close type of interaction such as mycoparasitism, as confirmed by microscopic observation. In dual culture bioassay with F. graminearum, P. oligandrum reduced the growth and mycotoxin concentration by 79% and 93%, respectively. In the dual culture bioassay with F. verticillioides, P. oligandrum reduced the growth and mycotoxin concentration by 49% and 56%, respectively. In vitro dual culture bioassay with different culture media as well as the nutritional phenotyping of different microorganisms made it possible to explore the path of nutritional competition in order to explain part of the observed inhibition by BCAs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

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12 pages, 2025 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

In-Vitro Application of a Qatari Burkholderia cepacia strain (QBC03) in the Biocontrol of Mycotoxigenic Fungi and in the Reduction of Ochratoxin A biosynthesis by Aspergillus carbonarius

by Randa Zeidan, Zahoor Ul-Hassan, Roda Al-Thani, Quirico Migheli and Samir Jaoua

Toxins 2019, 11(12), 700; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins11120700 - 02 Dec 2019

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3548

Abstract

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain filamentous fungi, causing human and animal health issues upon the ingestion of contaminated food and feed. Among the safest approaches to the control of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxin detoxification is the application of microbial biocontrol agents. [...] Read more.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain filamentous fungi, causing human and animal health issues upon the ingestion of contaminated food and feed. Among the safest approaches to the control of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxin detoxification is the application of microbial biocontrol agents. Burkholderia cepacia is known for producing metabolites active against a broad number of pathogenic fungi. In this study, the antifungal potential of a Qatari strain of Burkholderia cepacia (QBC03) was explored. QBC03 exhibited antifungal activity against a wide range of mycotoxigenic, as well as phytopathogenic, fungal genera and species. The QBC03 culture supernatant significantly inhibited the growth of Aspergillus carbonarius, Fusarium culmorum and Penicillium verrucosum in PDA medium, as well as A. carbonarius and P. verrucosum biomass in PDB medium. The QBC03 culture supernatant was found to dramatically reduce the synthesis of ochratoxin A (OTA) by A. carbonarius, in addition to inducing mycelia malformation. The antifungal activity of QBC03’s culture extract was retained following thermal treatment at 100 °C for 30 min. The findings of the present study advocate that QBC03 is a suitable biocontrol agent against toxigenic fungi, due to the inhibitory activity of its thermostable metabolites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

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18 pages, 6885 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of Essential Oil Citral on the Growth, Mycotoxin Biosynthesis and Transcriptomic Profile of Alternaria alternata

by Liuqing Wang, Nan Jiang, Duo Wang and Meng Wang

Toxins 2019, 11(10), 553; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins11100553 - 20 Sep 2019

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 4475

Abstract

Alternaria alternata is a critical phytopathogen that causes foodborne spoilage and produces a polyketide mycotoxin, alternariol (AOH), and its derivative, alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). In this study, the inhibitory effects of the essential oil citral on the fungal growth and mycotoxin production of [...] Read more.

Alternaria alternata is a critical phytopathogen that causes foodborne spoilage and produces a polyketide mycotoxin, alternariol (AOH), and its derivative, alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). In this study, the inhibitory effects of the essential oil citral on the fungal growth and mycotoxin production of A. alternata were evaluated. Our findings indicated that 0.25 μL/mL (222.5 μg/mL) of citral completely suppressed mycelial growth as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Moreover, the 1/2MIC of citral could inhibit more than 97% of the mycotoxin amount. Transcriptomic profiling was performed by comparative RNA-Seq analysis of A. alternata with or without citral treatment. Out of a total of 1334 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 621 up-regulated and 713 down-regulated genes were identified under citral stress conditions. Numerous DEGs for cell survival, involved in ribosome and nucleolus biogenesis, RNA processing and metabolic processes, and protein processing, were highly expressed in response to citral. However, a number of DEGs responsible for the metabolism of several carbohydrates and amino acids, sulfate and glutathione metabolism, the metabolism of xenobiotics and transporter activity were significantly more likely to be down-regulated. Citral induced the disturbance of cell integrity through the disorder of gene expression, which was further confirmed by the fact that exposure to citral caused irreversibly deleterious disruption of fungal spores and the inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis. Citral perturbed the balance of oxidative stress, which was likewise verified by a reduction of total antioxidative capacity. In addition, citral was able to modulate the down-regulation of mycotoxin biosynthetic genes, including pksI and omtI. The results provide new insights for exploring inhibitory mechanisms and indicate citral as a potential antifungal and antimytoxigenic alternative for cereal storage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

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11 pages, 1860 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Fengycin Produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 Inhibits Fusarium graminearum Growth and Mycotoxins Biosynthesis

by Alvina Hanif, Feng Zhang, Pingping Li, Chuchu Li, Yujiao Xu, Muhammad Zubair, Mengxuan Zhang, Dandan Jia, Xiaozhen Zhao, Jingang Liang, Taha Majid, Jingyuau Yan, Ayaz Farzand, Huijun Wu, Qin Gu and Xuewen Gao

Toxins 2019, 11(5), 295; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins11050295 - 24 May 2019

Cited by 90 | Viewed by 6319

Abstract

Fusarium graminearum is a notorious pathogen that causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) in cereal crops. It produces secondary metabolites, such as deoxynivalenol, diminishing grain quality and leading to lesser crop yield. Many strategies have been developed to combat this pathogenic fungus; however, considering [...] Read more.

Fusarium graminearum is a notorious pathogen that causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) in cereal crops. It produces secondary metabolites, such as deoxynivalenol, diminishing grain quality and leading to lesser crop yield. Many strategies have been developed to combat this pathogenic fungus; however, considering the lack of resistant cultivars and likelihood of environmental hazards upon using chemical pesticides, efforts have shifted toward the biocontrol of plant diseases, which is a sustainable and eco-friendly approach. Fengycin, derived from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42, was purified from the crude extract by HPLC and further analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS. Its application resulted in structural deformations in fungal hyphae, as observed via scanning electron microscopy. In planta experiment revealed the ability of fengycin to suppress F. graminearum growth and highlighted its capacity to combat disease incidence. Fengycin significantly suppressed F. graminearum, and also reduced the deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), and zearalenone (ZEN) production in infected grains. To conclude, we report that fengycin produced by B. amyloliquefaciens FZB42 has potential as a biocontrol agent against F. graminearum and can also inhibit the mycotoxins produced by this fungus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

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15 pages, 1986 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aspergillus flavus as a Model System to Test the Biological Activity of Botanicals: An Example on Citrullus colocynthis L. Schrad. Organic Extracts

by Francesca Degola, Belsem Marzouk, Antonella Gori, Cecilia Brunetti, Lucia Dramis, Stefania Gelati, Annamaria Buschini and Francesco M. Restivo

Toxins 2019, 11(5), 286; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxins11050286 - 22 May 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3392

Abstract

Citrullus colocynthis L. Schrader is an annual plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, widely distributed in the desert areas of the Mediterranean basin. Many pharmacological properties (anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, analgesic, anti-epileptic) are ascribed to different organs of this plant; extracts and derivatives of C. [...] Read more.

Citrullus colocynthis L. Schrader is an annual plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, widely distributed in the desert areas of the Mediterranean basin. Many pharmacological properties (anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, analgesic, anti-epileptic) are ascribed to different organs of this plant; extracts and derivatives of C. colocynthis are used in folk Berber medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases—such as rheumatism arthritis, hypertension bronchitis, mastitis, and even cancer. Clinical studies aimed at confirming the chemical and biological bases of pharmacological activity assigned to many plant/herb extracts used in folk medicine often rely on results obtained from laboratory preliminary tests. We investigated the biological activity of some C. colocynthis stem, leaf, and root extracts on the mycotoxigenic and phytopathogenic fungus Aspergillus flavus, testing a possible correlation between the inhibitory effect on aflatoxin biosynthesis, the phytochemical composition of extracts, and their in vitro antioxidant capacities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol Agents and Natural Compounds against Mycotoxinogenic Fungi)

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