@article {48093, title = {Assembly, annotation, and comparative whole genome sequence of fusarium verticillioides isolated from stored maize grains}, volume = {11}, year = {2022}, month = {JUL}, pages = {810}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

Fusarium verticillioides is a plant pathogenic fungus affecting a wide range of crops worldwide due to its toxigenic properties. F. verticillioides BIONCL4 strain was isolated from stored maize grain samples in India, and produces high amount of fumonisin B1 (FB1). We report a comparative genomic analysis of F. verticillioides, covering the basic genome information, secretome, and proteins involved in host-pathogen interactions and mycotoxin biosynthesis. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed using the Illumina platform with an assembly size of 42.91 Mb, GC content of 48.24\%, and 98.50\% coverage with the reference genome (GCA000149555). It encodes 15,053 proteins, including 2058 secretory proteins, 676 classical secretory proteins, and 569 virulence and pathogenicity-related proteins. There were also 1447 genes linked to carbohydrate active enzymes (CaZymes) and 167 genes related to mycotoxin production. Furthermore, F. verticillioides genome comparison revealed information about the species{\textquoteright} evolutionary history. The overall study helps in disease prevention and management of mycotoxins to ensure food safety.

}, keywords = {comparative genomics, Fusarium verticillioides, mycotoxin biosynthesis, plant-pathogen interaction, Secretome, whole-genome sequencing}, doi = {10.3390/pathogens11070810}, author = {Navale, Vishwambar D. and Sawant, Amol M. and Gowda, Varun U. and Vamkudoth, Koteswara Rao} } @article {48035, title = {Toxicity and preventive approaches of Fusarium derived mycotoxins using lactic acid bacteria: state of the art}, journal = {Biotechnology Letters}, volume = {44}, year = {2022}, month = {OCT}, pages = {1111-1126}, type = {Review}, abstract = {

Mycotoxin contamination of food and feed is a serious food safety issue and causes acute and chronic diseases in humans and livestock. Climatic and agronomic changes helps in the proliferation of fungal growth and mycotoxin production in food commodities. Mycotoxin contamination has attracted global attention due to its wide range of toxicity to humans and animals. However, physical and chemical management approaches in practice are unsafe for well-being due to their health-hazardous nature. Various antibiotics and preservatives are in use to reduce the microbial load and improve the shelf life of food products. In addition, the use of antibiotic growth promotors in livestock production may increase the risk of antimicrobial resistance, which is a global health concern. Due to their many uses, probiotics are helpful microbes that have a significant impact on food and nutrition. Furthermore, the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is employed in various food and feed preparations to neutralize mycotoxins, antimicrobial activities, balance the gut microbiome, and various immunomodulatory activities in both humans and livestock. In addition, LAB produces various antimicrobials, flavouring agents, peptides, and proteins linked to various food and health care applications. The LAB-based processes for mycotoxin management are more effective, eco-friendly, and low-cost than physical and chemical approaches. The toxicity, novel preventive measures, binding nature, and molecular mechanisms of mycotoxins{\textquoteright} detoxification using LAB have been highlighted in this review.

}, keywords = {Food safety, Fusarium species, Lactic acid bacteria, management, Mycotoxin}, issn = {0141-5492}, doi = {10.1007/s10529-022-03293-4}, author = {Navale, Vishwambar D. and Vamkudoth, Koteswara Rao} } @article {48298, title = {Genetic diversity of toxigenic Fusarium verticillioides associated with maize grains, India}, journal = {Genetics and Molecular Biology}, volume = {46}, year = {2023}, month = {MAY}, pages = {e20220073}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

In the present investigation, prevalence, genetic diversity, and mycotoxin producing potential of Fusarium species associated with maize grain samples were studied from different geographical regions of India. The highest prevalence of Fusarium verticillioides was recorded as 88.52\%, followed by F. coffeatum, F. foetens, and F. euwallaceae, 6.55\%, 3.27\%, and 1.63\%, respectively. We isolated 54 strains of F. verticillioides, and their genetic diversity was studied by inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR). The ISSR fingerprints (AG) 8C and (AG) 8G showed 252 and 368 microsatellite sites in the genome of F. verticillioides and resulted in 99-100\% repeatability and reproducibility. The Simpson (SID) and Shannon (H) indices (0.78 and 2.36) suggest that F. verticillioides strains exhibit moderate to high diversity. Molecular detection of fumonisin B1 (FB1) biosynthetic genes (FUM1 and FUM13) involved in FB1 production in F. verticillioides was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Furthermore, 91\% of the strains were positive for FB1 production, which was affirmed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). In-vitro appurtenance of F. verticillioides spores exhibited a high to moderate effect on the growth and development of the maize. The current finding demonstrated that most F. verticillioides strains showed a wide range of genetic diversity with varied toxigenic and pathogenic potentials. In conclusion, for the first time, F. coffeatum, F. foetens, and F. euwallaceae species were reported from maize grain samples in India. They were positive for FB1 and negatively affecting grain quality, which is a major concern in food safety.

}, keywords = {diversity, Food safety, Fusarium verticillioides, Mycotoxin, pathogenicity}, issn = {1415-4757}, doi = {10.1590/1678-4685-GMB-2022-0073}, author = {Navale, Vishwambar D. and Sawant, Amol M. and Vamkudoth, Koteswara Rao} } @article {48717, title = {Isolation and molecular characterization of indigenous penicillium chrysogenum/rubens strain portfolio for penicillin V production}, journal = {Microorganisms}, volume = {11}, year = {2023}, month = {APR}, pages = {1132}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

Beta (beta)-lactam antibiotic is an industrially important molecule produced by Penicillium chrysogenum/rubens. Penicillin is a building block for 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA), an important active pharmaceutical intermediate (API) used for semi-synthetic antibiotics biosynthesis. In this investigation, we isolated and identified Penicillium chrysogenum, P. rubens, P. brocae, P. citrinum, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. sydowii, Talaromyces tratensis, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, P. oxalicum, and P. dipodomyicola using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the beta-tubulin (BenA) gene for precise species identification from Indian origin. Furthermore, the BenA gene distinguished between complex species of P. chrysogenum and P. rubens to a certain extent which partially failed by the ITS region. In addition, these species were distinguished by metabolic markers profiled by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Secalonic acid, Meleagrin, and Roquefortine C were absent in P. rubens. The crude extract evaluated for PenV production by antibacterial activities by well diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus NCIM-2079. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for simultaneous detection of 6-APA, phenoxymethyl penicillin (PenV), and phenoxyacetic acid (POA). The pivotal objective was the development of an indigenous strain portfolio for PenV production. Here, a library of 80 strains of P. chrysogenum/rubens was screened for PenV production. Results showed 28 strains capable of producing PenV in a range from 10 to 120 mg/L when 80 strains were screened for its production. In addition, fermentation parameters, precursor concentration, incubation period, inoculum size, pH, and temperature were monitored for the improved PenV production using promising P. rubens strain BIONCL P45. In conclusion, P. chrysogenum/rubens strains can be explored for the industrial-scale PenV production.

}, keywords = {beta-tubulin gene, high-performance liquid chromatography, internal transcribed spacer region, Penicillium chrysogenum/rubens, phenoxymethyl penicillin}, doi = {10.3390/microorganisms11051132}, author = {Sawant, Amol M. and Navale, Vishwambar D. and Vamkudoth, Koteswara Rao} } @article {48733, title = {Metabolites from lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis: isolation, structure elucidation, and antimicrobial activity}, journal = {ACS Omega}, volume = {8}, year = {2023}, month = {SEP}, pages = {36628-36635}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

Herein, we disclose the identification of novel metabolites from a potential probiotic strain, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, obtained from traditional dairy milk samples collected in Maharashtra, India (in January 2021). Isolated metabolites include pyrazin-2-carboxamide [1, pyrazinamide, a potential antitubercular drug], 3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-4H-pyran-4-one (2, DDMP), 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (3), and hexadecanoic acid (4, palmitic acid). The chemical structures of these metabolites were elucidated through extensive 1D NMR (H-1 and C-13) and 2D NMR (HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) analyses, high-resolution mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Furthermore, these novel metabolites exhibited potent inhibitory activities against various bacteria, fungi, and yeast strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging between 1.56 and 25 mu g/mL, and compounds 1 and 3 were found to be most active against a wide range of microbial strains tested.

}, issn = {2470-1343}, doi = {10.1021/acsomega.3c01662}, author = {Navale, Vishwambar D. and Borade, Balasaheb R. and Rama Krishna, Gamidi and Vamkudoth, Koteswara Rao and Kontham, Ravindar} }