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At least 1,621 records · Page 90Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

A thaumatin-like gene in nonclimacteric pepper fruits used as molecular marker in probing disease resistance, ripening, and sugar accumulation.

During pepper (Capsicum annuum) fruit ripening, the ripe fruit interaction with the anthracnose fungus, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, is generally incompatible. However, the unripe fruit can interact compatibly with the fungus. A gene, designated PepTLP (for pepper thaumatin-like protein), was isolated and characterized by using mRNA differential display. The PepTLP gene encodes a protein homologous to other thaumatin-like proteins and contains 16 conserved cysteine residues and the consensus pattern of thaumatin. PepTLP gene expression is developmentally regulated during ripening. The accumulation of PepTLP mRNA and PepTLP protein in the incompatible interaction was higher than that in the compatible one. Furthermore, PepTLP gene expression was stimulated by both jasmonic acid treatment and wounding during ripening, but by wounding only in the unripe fruit. Immunolocalization studies showed that it is localized to the intercellular spaces among cortical cells. The expression of the PepTLP gene upon fungal infection was a rise from the early-breaker fruit. The development of anthracnose became significantly prevented with beginning of fruit ripening, and the sum total of sugar accumulation increased. The results suggest that the PepTLP gene can be used as a molecular marker in probing for disease resistance, ripening, and sugar accumulation in nonclimacteric pepper fruits.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1977

Cryptococcal eye disease.

A survey is given of the clinical picture of an infection with Cryptococcus neoformans. The symptoms and therapy are reviewed and the case history of a 13 year old boy suffering from this fungus infection is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Effects of infection of common root rot on protein content, cooking quality and other characters in pea varieties.

Pea varieties are known to show a considerable variability in seed yield, protein content, cooking quality and other characters over years and locations. Common root rot, a wide spread soil borne disease of peas in Europe and elsewhere, is a contributing factor in the observed variation in pea yields and pea quality characteristics such as protein content and cooking quality. It interacts with the weather and these factors together constitute important reasons for the variations observed within a single variety in the mentioned characters. The common root rot is, however, in seasons with more moderate deviations from the mean in terms of temperature and precipitation, itself able to constitute the most important source of variation in characteristics of the harvested crop. During the 1980ies and the 1990ies investigations were carried out to study the interactions between common root rot (Aphanomyces euteiches) and peas (Pisum sativum). Seed yield, protein content, cooking quality, hectolitre weight, thousand kernel weight, growing time, duration of flowering time and stem length were all significantly influenced by the fungus.

Cooking↗
PubMed2004

Free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities of EPS2, an exopolysaccharide produced by a marine filamentous fungus Keissleriella sp. YS 4108.

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radical-initiated reactions are ascertained to play multiple roles in degenerative or pathological events such as aging, cancer, heart dysfunction and Alzheimer's disease. EPS2 with a mean molecular weight of 1.3 x 10(5) was characterized as an antioxidant exopolysaccharide from the broth of a marine filamentous fungus Keissleriella sp. YS 4108. Compositionally, it is composed of galactose, glucose, rhamnose, mannose and glucuronic acid in an approximate proportion of 50:8:1:1:0.4. The radical eliminating and antioxidant actions of the glycan was assessed in different in vitro systems showing that EPS2 exhibited profound scavenging activities in superoxide radical. As a reinforcement of the action, similar radical scavenging effects of EPS2 were also discerned with both site-specific and non site-specific hydroxyl radical using the deoxyribose assay method. Moreover, EPS2 effectively blocked as well the non site-specific strand-breaking of DNA induced by the Fenton reaction at concentrations of 0.1 and 1 mg/mL. Further investigation of the effect of EPS2 on human low density lipoprotein (LDL) system demonstrated that it significantly inhibited copper-mediated oxidation of LDL in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that EPS2, possessing pronounced free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities, could be of considerable preventive and therapeutic significance to some life-threatening health problems such as cancer, atherogenesis and Alzheimer's disease which pathologically initiated by the presence of free radicals leading to the inevitable peroxidation of important biomolecules.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2005

Secretome analysis reveals an Arabidopsis lipase involved in defense against Alternaria brassicicola.

The Arabidopsis thaliana secretome was analyzed by the proteomic approach, which led to the identification of secreted proteins implicated in many aspects of cell biology. We then investigated the change in the Arabidopsis secretome in response to salicylic acid and identified several proteins involved in pathogen response. One of these, a secreted lipase with a GDSL-like motif designated GDSL LIPASE1 (GLIP1), was further characterized for its function in disease resistance. glip1 plants were markedly more susceptible to infection by the necrotrophic fungus Alternaria brassicicola compared with the parental wild-type plants. The recombinant GLIP1 protein possessed lipase and antimicrobial activities that directly disrupt fungal spore integrity. Furthermore, GLIP1 appeared to trigger systemic resistance signaling in plants when challenged with A. brassicicola, because pretreatment of the glip1 mutant with recombinant GLIP1 protein inhibited A. brassicicola-induced cell death in both peripheral and distal leaves. Moreover, glip1 showed altered expression of defense- and ethylene-related genes. GLIP1 transcription was increased by ethephon, the ethylene releaser, but not by salicylic acid or jasmonic acid. These results suggest that GLIP1, in association with ethylene signaling, may be a critical component in plant resistance to A. brassicicola.

Alternaria↗
PubMed1993

[Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (allergic bronchopulmonary fungal diseases)].

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an allergic disease caused by viable Aspergillus in a relatively large bronchus and by the type I and type III allergies against the fungus. The clinical findings are characterized by recurrent pyrexial attacks (fever, cough and mucopurulent sputum containing mucous plugs, numerous eosinophils and the fungus), radiological evidence of recurrent collapse and consolidation in different areas of the lung, a blood eosinophilia and elevated serum IgE levels. Fungi other than Aspergillus may cause similar allergological diseases. Therefore, they should be call allergic bronchopulmonary fungal diseases (ABPF). Many diagnostic criteria of the disease have been proposed by many different authors, but, a return should be made to the original report by Hinson et al, 1952.

Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary↗
PubMed1988

Surgery for pulmonary aspergilloma and pleural aspergillosis.

Pulmonary aspergilloma and pleural aspergillosis are a potentially lifethreatening disease resulting from the colonization of lung or pleural cavities by the ubiquitous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Twenty four patients with pulmonary aspergilloma and five with pleural aspergillosis underwent major thoracic procedures at our hospital between 1976 and 1986. Fourteen of the patients had haemoptysis, in 9 it was recurrent, and in 5 life-threatening. Tuberculosis, pneumonia, and sarcoidosis were the most common preexisting lung lesions. Surgical procedures included 7 pleuropneumonectomies, 18 lobectomies and 4 wedge resections. The postoperative mortality rate was approximately 7% (2 pat.). Based on the pathological examination 4 patients had unexpectedly a bronchial carcinoma in addition to the aspergilloma. Bronchopleural fistula with persistent air space was a serious complication only for patients after pleuropneumonectomy. 23 patients including those with complex aspergilloma and pleural infection had no postoperative complications; in none of the 27 operative survivors were there any recurrent symptoms over a follow-up between one and ten years. Good-risk patients with documented aspergilloma, even asymptomatic, should be resected, because of the danger of exsanginating haemorrhage. For patients with pleural aspergillosis only the aggressive resection can provide effective long term palliation.

Aspergillosis↗
PubMed2004

Viability of Claviceps africana spores ingested by adult corn earworm moths, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

A study was conducted in College Station, TX, to determine the viability of Claviceps africana spores in the digestive tract of adult corn earworm moths, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie). Both sexes were exposed to ergot-infected sorghum panicles for 30 min, and spores were recovered from excreta of the moths at 24-, 48-, and 72-h intervals after feeding. Recovered spores were quantified, and viability was determined by the germination rate of macroconidia. Nearly a 100-fold greater concentration of spores was recovered from female excreta at the three time intervals compared with male excreta. Concentration of spores in female and male excreta was greatest at 24 h, with a significant reduction at the later time intervals. Spore germination rates for both sexes were greater at 24 h, with survival being significantly reduced at the 72-h interval. Spores in female excreta survived longer than those from male excreta. Spore survival over time was significantly reduced in male excreta. Spore concentration and survival were greater from female excreta, which is key, because egg-laying activities on sorghum panicles intensify during flowering, and this source of ergot spores could contribute to the spread of the disease. This study demonstrates that corn earworm moths can internally carry viable ergot spores for several days and can act as primary dispersal agents for the fungus. This is important because contaminated moths migrating from areas in Mexico and southern Texas where ergot is endemic could transmit and spread the disease to other sorghum growing regions of the United States.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

A bZIP transcription factor from Phytophthora interacts with a protein kinase and is required for zoospore motility and plant infection.

Zoospores are critical in the disease cycle of Phytophthora infestans, a member of the oomycete group of fungus-like microbes and the cause of potato late blight. A protein kinase induced during zoosporogenesis, Pipkz1, was shown to interact in the yeast two-hybrid system with a putative bZIP transcription factor. This interaction was confirmed in vitro using a pull-down assay. The transcription factor gene, Pibzp1, was single copy and expressed in all tissues. Transformants of P. infestans stably silenced for Pibzp1 were generated using plasmids expressing its coding region in sense or antisense orientations. A protoplast transformation method induced silencing more efficiently than transformation by an electroporation scheme. Wild-type and silenced strains exhibited no differences in hyphal growth or morphology, mating, sporangia production or zoospore release. However, zoospores from the mutants spun in tight circles, instead of exhibiting the normal pattern of straight swimming punctuated by turns. Zoospore encystment was unaffected by silencing, but cysts germinated more efficiently than controls. Germinated cysts from the mutants failed to develop appressoria and were unable to infect plants; however, they could colonize wounded tissue. These phenotypes indicate that Pibzp1 is a key regulator of several stages of the zoospore-mediated infection pathway.

Algal Proteins↗
PubMed2000

Spontaneous fungal peritonitis in patients with hepatitis B virus-related liver disease.

Spontaneous bacterial peritoneal infections is recognized as a very common complication of cirrhotic ascites, but isolation of fungus in pure culture from ascitic fluid is relatively rare, even more so in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative or nonimmunocompromised hosts. We describe two patients of spontaneous fungal peritonitis where the isolate was Cryptococcus neoformans. Both cases suffered from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The clinical and laboratory profiles of both patients were similar to those of conventional spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. We suggest that it would be prudent to heighten clinical suspicion for fungal peritonitis in such cases.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A telomeric avirulence gene determines efficacy for the rice blast resistance gene Pi-ta.

Genetic mapping showed that the rice blast avirulence gene AVR-Pita is tightly linked to a telomere on chromosome 3 in the plant pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe grisea. AVR-Pita corresponds in gene-for-gene fashion to the disease resistance (R) gene Pi-ta. Analysis of spontaneous avr-pita(-) mutants indicated that the gene is located in a telomeric 6.5-kb BglII restriction fragment. Cloning and DNA sequencing led to the identification of a candidate gene with features typical of metalloproteases. This gene is located entirely within the most distal 1.5 kb of the chromosome. When introduced into virulent rice pathogens, the cloned gene specifically confers avirulence toward rice cultivars that contain Pi-ta. Frequent spontaneous loss of AVR-Pita appears to be the result of its telomeric location. Diverse mutations in AVR-Pita, including point mutations, insertions, and deletions, permit the fungus to avoid triggering resistance responses mediated by Pi-ta. A point mutation in the protease consensus sequence abolishes the AVR-Pita avirulence function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Diffusible component from the spore surface of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus which inhibits the macrophage oxidative burst is distinct from gliotoxin and other hyphal toxins.

BACKGROUND: The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, whose spores are present ubiquitously in the air, causes a range of diseases in the human lung. A small molecular weight (< 10 kD) heat stable toxin released from the spores of clinical and environmental isolates of A fumigatus within minutes of deposition in aqueous solution has previously been described. A key effect of the toxin was to inhibit the oxidative burst of macrophages as measured by superoxide anion release. It was hypothesised that the toxin was one of the commonly found A fumigatus hyphal toxins such as gliotoxin. This inhibitor may be an important factor which allows the fungus to colonise the lung. METHODS: The spore derived inhibitor was shown to inhibit the respiratory burst of rat alveolar macrophages, as measured by the generation of superoxide anion. Samples of the spore diffusate were subject to reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), or organic extraction followed by TLC or HPLC to identify the presence of gliotoxin, fumagillin, helvolic acid, fumigaclavine-C, and aurasperone-C. Commercially obtained preparations of the toxins gliotoxin, fumagillin and helvolic acid and extracts enriched for fumigaclavine-C and aurasperone-C were used as internal and external standards and in the respiratory burst measurements. RESULTS: Gliotoxin, fumagillin, helvolic acid, fumigaclavine-C, and aurasperone-C were not detected in spore derived diffusate using PHLC or TLC. Using extraction procedures with solvents known to extract gliotoxin from A fumigatus culture supernatants, no gliotoxin was detected in the spore derived diffusate. Commercial gliotoxin, fumagillin, and helvolic acid or extracts enriched for fumigaclavine-C and aurasperone-C did not inhibit the oxidative burst of macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis that the spore derived toxin is one of the toxins derived from hyphae such as gliotoxin, helvolic acid, fumagillin, fumigaclavine-C, or aurasperone-C is not proved. The spore toxin may exert its effect through its ability to diffuse rapidly into the lung lining fluid, diminish the macrophage oxidative burst, and play a part in allowing A fumigatus to persist in the lung and manifest its well known pathogenic effects.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a multifactorial disease. Predisposing factors can be divided into environmental and non-host factors, such as pollution, viral infections, smoking, fungus, and bacteria; general host factors, including genetic factors and immune deficiency; and local host factors, including persistent focal inflammation within the ostiomeatal complex. Evidence suggests that the underlying bone in the ostiomeatal complex is actively involved in the disease process of CRS. The evidence concerning a broad range of predisposing factors for CRS is reviewed.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Survival of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in water: quarantine and disease control implications.

Amphibian chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease of amphibians thought to be moved between countries by trade in infected amphibians. The causative fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, produces aquatic, motile zoospores; infections have been achieved in experiments by exposing amphibians to water containing zoospores. However, the ability of this fungus to survive in the environment in the absence of an amphibian host is unknown. We show that B. dendrobatidis will survive in tap water and in deionized water for 3 and 4 weeks, respectively. In lake water, infectivity was observed for 7 weeks after introduction. The knowledge that water can remain infective for up to 7 weeks is important for the formulation of disease control and quarantine strategies for the management of water that has been in contact with amphibians.

Amphibians↗
PubMed2004

An analysis of the phylogenetic distribution of the pea pathogenicity genes of Nectria haematococca MPVI supports the hypothesis of their origin by horizontal transfer and uncovers a potentially new pathogen of garden pea: Neocosmospora boniensis.

The filamentous fungus Nectria haematococca mating population VI (MPVI) contains a cluster of genes required to cause disease on pea. This cluster of pea pathogenicity genes (the PEP cluster) is located on a supernumerary chromosome that is dispensable for normal growth in culture. The genes in the PEP cluster have a different G+C content and codon usage compared with the genes located on the other chromosomes and a non-homogeneous distribution within the species. These features suggest that the PEP cluster may have been acquired by N. haematococca MPVI through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). In this work, we show that homologues of the PEP genes are present in another pea pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pisi, but are not common among fungi that are phylogenetically closely related to N. haematococca MPVI. This phylogenetic discontinuity supports the hypothesis that the PEP cluster originated by HGT. Our analysis has also determined that homologues for all the PEP genes are present in Neocosmospora boniensis. A molecular characterization of the PEP homologues in this fungus shows that they are organized as a cluster, which has a different physical organization from the PEP cluster in N. haematococca. In addition, although no reports have been found to show that N. boniensis is a naturally occurring pea pathogen, we show here that this species is able to cause disease on pea.

Ascomycota↗
PubMed1998

Identification of three ubiquitin genes of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea, one of which is highly expressed during initial stages of plant colonisation.

Differential cDNA screening was used to identify genes expressed during the colonisation of rice leaves by the pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe grisea. This led to the identification of a gene, called UEP1, which encodes a ubiquitin extension protein. UEP1 was highly expressed 48 h after initial fungal infection of rice leaves when M. grisea is proliferating in the leaf epidermis but not yet causing disease symptoms. UEP1 appeared to be down-regulated after this time despite further extensive growth of the fungus throughout the leaf tissue. To investigate the potential role of ubiquitin in fungal pathogenesis we subsequently isolated UEP3 and PUB4, encoding a second ubiquitin extension protein and a polyubiquitin respectively. UEP1 was expressed abundantly during active growth of M. grisea in axenic culture but was down-regulated by starvation-stress. UEP3 showed a similar pattern of expression to UEP1 during the growth of M. grisea in culture and after environmental stress, but was not highly expressed during plant colonisation. PUB4 was highly expressed after environmental stress, but was not highly expressed during plant colonisation. UEP1 was found to be present in a much-higher copy number per haploid genome compared to UEP3 and PUB4. The restricted high-level expression of UEP1 suggests that M. grisea undergoes rapid ribosomal biogenesis and protein turnover during initial plant-tissue colonisation, which is regulated by a specific UEP1-encoded component of the M. grisea ubiquitin gene family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

[Activity assay, antiserum preparation and cellular localization of ustiloxins].

False smut is an increasingly important rice disease in recent years, caused by a pathogen, Ustilaginoidea virens Cooke, Takahashi. The pathogen fungus grew well in PD medium, and could produce toxins, ustiloxins, which strongly inhibited the growth of radicle and embryo of plants. The rough ustiloxins were extracted with 100% methanol from the culture filtrate in the study. The antiserum against Ustiloxin A, the main component of the toxins, was raised by immunizing New Zealand rabbit. Elisa assay showed that the titers of the two antiserums obtained were 1: 20 000 and 1: 6 000, respectively. The specificity of the antiserums was also confirmed by Immuno-gold labeling.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Canine paracoccidioidomycosis: a seroepidemiologic study.

Sera from 305 dogs were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine presence of the antibody anti-gp43, which reacts to a specific antigen of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The dogs were divided into three groups according to their origin: urban dogs (animals with little or no contact with rural areas); suburban dogs (from the urban outskirts); and rural dogs. There was a significant difference between groups (P < 0.05). Rural dogs reacted positively in 89.5% of cases, followed by suburban (48.8%) and urban dogs (14.8%). There were no differences between male and female dogs. In an attempt to verify the feasibility of skin testing with gp43 to determine sensitization against P. brasiliensis in dogs, suburban (n = 61) and rural (n = 21) dogs were tested, showing positivity of 13.1 and 38.1%, respectively. Six dogs that had higher ELISA titers and also showed strong reactions in skin testing were killed in an attempt to isolate P. brasiliensis. The fungus was not detected by culture or histopathological analysis in these dogs, suggesting that dogs have a natural resistance or that they encounter an inoculum level that is insufficient to cause disease. These results indicate that ELISA and skin testing can be useful in the epidemiological study of paracoccidioidomycosis in dogs and that encounter with the fungus in nature is a frequent event.

Animals↗