Search Results (1,788)

Soil microorganisms are essential for nutrient cycling, plant productivity, and soil health, yet the relative importance of land-use and soil depth in shaping agricultural microbiomes remains poorly understood. This study investigated soil microbial communities across uncultivated land, alfalfa fields, crop systems (feed corn and sweet corn), and orchard systems (walnut and quince) in the Hajdúnánás region of Hungary using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and soil physicochemical analyses. Microbial alpha diversity showed limited variation among land-use systems but declined significantly with soil depth in both bacterial (Kruskal–Wallis, p = 0.00054) and fungal (p = 0.00051) communities. Beta diversity analyses identified soil depth as the primary driver of microbial community composition in both bacterial (R² = 0.305, p = 0.001) and fungal (R² = 0.277, p = 0.001) communities. In contrast, land-use significantly influenced only fungal community composition (R² = 0.250, p = 0.005). Fungal alpha diversity showed significant negative relationships with soil pH and CaCO₃, whereas bacterial diversity exhibited only weak correlations. Crop soils contained the highest numbers of unique bacterial and fungal taxa. Functional analyses revealed significant differences in nutrient cycling, plant-growth-related, decomposition, and environmental adaptation functions among land-use systems. In crop soils, topsoil communities were enriched in oxidative stress-related pathways involved in reactive oxygen species detoxification (ROS), redox homeostasis, and stress regulation, whereas subsoil communities showed a greater representation of antioxidant metabolite production functions. Co-occurrence network analyses indicated greater connectivity in perennial systems, particularly alfalfa soils. Analyses of bacterial and fungal species with reported phytopathogenic potential identified stable cores of phytopathogenic species across agricultural systems, with soil pH emerging as the strongest environmental factor associated with the abundance of phytopathogenic species. Overall, soil depth was the primary driver of bacterial and fungal community assembly, whereas land-use primarily shaped fungal community composition and influenced ecological functions, microbial interaction networks, and the distribution of phytopathogenic species. Full article

Grape white rot, a fungal disease caused by Coniella diplodiella, leads to the decay and abscission of leaves and fruits. This disease is recognized as one of the major fungal diseases affecting the grape industry, significantly impacting the quality and yield of grapes. In this study, a seed-derived Streptomyces strain with high biocontrol activity, designated YTU-S40, was isolated from the seeds of Cnidium monnieri (L.). Molecular phylogenetic identification revealed that this isolate belongs to Streptomyces pseudogriseolus. In vitro plate confrontation experiments demonstrated that YTU-S40 exhibited a robust inhibition rate of 76.2% against C. diplodiella. Furthermore, this strain exhibited relatively broad-spectrum antifungal activity, and genomic analysis predicted that its genome harbors 21 biosynthetic gene clusters responsible for secondary metabolite production. In vivo postharvest grape biocontrol assays verified that YTU-S40 significantly reduced the incidence of grape white rot from 94.4% to 1.9%. Untargeted metabolomic profiling suggested that YTU-S40 may produce bioactive antifungal compounds such as antimycins. Collectively, these findings suggest that YTU-S40 holds considerable promise for development as a biocontrol agent. Full article

Mianning ham is a traditional dry-cured ham from southwestern China, but the coordinated relationships among quality changes, microbial succession, and nonvolatile metabolite remodeling during long-term ripening remain poorly understood. Therefore, samples of Mianning ham aged for one, two, three, and four years were comparatively analyzed. High-throughput sequencing was used to characterize microbial community composition, and untargeted metabolomics was applied to analyze differential metabolite changes and their associations with dominant microorganisms. The results showed that the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Mianning ham exhibited stage-dependent changes during ripening, with moisture content and pH generally decreasing, while color, texture, and mature flavor characteristics gradually developed. Multivariate statistical analysis identified 99 differential metabolites, which were mainly involved in peptide accumulation, amino acid metabolism, and nitrogen-containing compound transformation. The bacterial communities were mainly composed of Bacillota and Pseudomonadota, while Ascomycota was the predominant fungal phylum. Distinct successional patterns of dominant microbial taxa were observed at different ripening stages. Furthermore, microorganism–metabolite correlation analysis revealed distinct association patterns between internal and surface samples of the ham. Internal microbial communities were mainly associated with nucleotide-related metabolism- and umami-related characteristics, whereas surface microbial communities were more closely associated with the transformation of protein-derived nitrogen-containing compounds and the accumulation of flavor precursors. This study provides insights into the quality formation patterns of Mianning ham during ripening and offers a theoretical basis for ripening-stage evaluation and quality regulation. Full article

Banana Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC), poses a major threat to global banana production. Straw submergence combined with rice rotation (SFR) has emerged as a promising disease-management strategy, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we conducted a three-year field experiment to determine how SFR alters soil physicochemical properties, microbial communities, and soil metabolites. SFR sharply decreased soil redox potential (Eh) and shifted nitrogen transformation by increasing ammonium nitrogen (AN) and reducing nitrate nitrogen (NN). Eh and NN were positively correlated with culturable Fusarium spp. counts (r = 0.36, p < 0.01), whereas AN was negatively correlated. SFR also reshaped soil microbial communities, reduced the relative abundance of Fusarium, and enriched several putatively antagonistic microbial taxa. Metabolomic profiling showed that several Fusarium-associated metabolites were downregulated and that differential metabolites were enriched in key KEGG pathways. Network analysis further identified Luteimonas as a potential keystone bacterial genus negatively associated with Fusarium-associated metabolites. Partial least squares path modeling suggested that soil physicochemical changes were linked to Fusarium wilt suppression largely through indirect bacterial–fungal–metabolite pathways. These findings indicate that SFR suppresses banana Fusarium wilt, reducing disease incidence to 16.25% at the vigorous growth stage (versus 100% in SC), an 83.8% relative reduction compared with banana monoculture, through coordinated changes in soil Eh and nitrogen status, microbial community structure, and soil metabolic profiles. Full article

Quinoa leaf spot is an important fungal disease that limits quinoa yield and quality. This study aimed to evaluate the pathogenicity of isolates associated with quinoa leaf spot in Qinghai, China, and to screen multifunctional biocontrol bacteria with potential for further development. Pathogenicity assays conducted on healthy quinoa leaves showed that isolates Alternaria alternata AF15 and A. tenuissima AF18 induced typical leaf spot symptoms. The corresponding fungi were successfully re-isolated from the resulting lesions, confirming the pathogenicity of both isolates. Two highly effective biocontrol bacteria, Serratia liquefaciens CB82 and Bacillus velezensis CB316, were subsequently selected through dual-culture assays. Their maximum inhibition rates against the two fungal pathogens reached 56.00% and 57.00%, respectively. Both biocontrol strains exhibited broad adaptability to different temperatures, pH, and NaCl conditions, produced protease, amylase, and cellulase, and showed phosphate-solubilizing activity. Metabolite extraction and fractionation revealed that the antifungal substances were predominantly enriched in the n-butanol fractions, which caused severe shrinkage, surface roughening, breakage, and deformation of the pathogen hyphae. In addition, both strains exhibited strong biofilm-forming capacity and successfully colonized quinoa leaves. Their culturable populations peaked on day 3 after inoculation, reaching 5.58 × 10⁷ and 6.06 × 10⁷ CFU/mL, respectively. In seed germination pouch assays, the bacterial suspensions promoted quinoa root elongation, whereas the fermentation broths increased seedling biomass accumulation in pot experiments. Overall, this study confirmed the pathogenicity of fungal isolates associated with quinoa leaf spot in Qinghai, China, identified two promising biocontrol bacterial strains, and preliminarily characterized their antifungal substances. These findings provide valuable microbial resources and a research basis for the future development of biological control strategies against quinoa leaf spot. Full article

Plants and their endophytic microbiota form a functional holobiont, wherein host-dependent endophytes (HDEs) are proposed to serve as persistent microbial components associated with host continuity. Using long-term in vitro grapevine plantlets, we investigated HDE redistribution and reassembly across successive agar-based subcultures and during the transition to soil-based cultivation. Results showed that the initial tissue niche (shoot-tip versus root-base) imprinted a persistent compositional signature on HDE communities, with distinct cultivar-dependent effects. Numerous microbial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) remained shared across agar-based and soil-based habitats, demonstrating high persistence of HDE-associated lineages. Bacterial communities exhibited marked plasticity, with plant-associated bacterial lineages contributing substantially to soil community assembly. Notably, 204 root-enriched bacterial ASVs, comprising 10.8–14.3% of the soil community, were recovered, revealing a robust “Root-Specific Legacy”. Bacterial HDEs showed higher redistribution potential (43.3%), whereas fungal transfer was significantly lower (10.4%). Functional profiling suggested habitat-associated functional patterns, with the anaerobic phenotype enriched in soil and predicted enhancements in membrane transport, nucleotide metabolism, glycan biosynthesis, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in roots. Cladosporium and Fusarium remained dominant in the fungal core taxa, and habitat transition altered their predicted trophic profiles. Our findings establish HDEs as a resilient biological reservoir capable of niche-specific expansion, contributing to the ecological reassembly of the plant holobiont. Full article

Biological control strategies are increasingly being explored as sustainable alternatives for managing rice blast disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae. In this study, we characterized three Bacillus pumilus isolates (DC01, DC09, and DC13) and evaluated their antifungal and plant-beneficial properties against M. oryzae. Whole-genome sequencing revealed multiple biosynthetic gene clusters associated with the production of antimicrobial metabolites. All three isolates inhibited fungal growth in dual-culture assays, whereas heat-stable diffusible antifungal activity was primarily associated with the cell-free supernatants of DC09 and DC13. Exposure to bacterial supernatants disrupted fungal development, inducing abnormal hyphal morphology in M. oryzae characterized by bulbous swelling, altered polarity, and increased branching. Volatile organic compound assays further revealed that the DC isolates suppress fungal growth in the absence of physical contact. The isolates additionally inhibited the growth of other phytopathogenic fungi and selected human bacterial pathogens. All strains exhibited plant growth-promoting traits, including indole-3-acetic acid production and osmotic stress tolerance, whereas DC09 also displayed phosphate-solubilizing activity. Importantly, soil inoculation with the DC isolates significantly reduced rice blast disease severity and induced expression of defense-associated genes involved in jasmonic acid/ethylene signaling and immune priming. Collectively, these findings identify the DC isolates, particularly DC09 and DC13, as promising multi-mechanistic biological control agents for sustainable rice blast management. Full article

The increasing generation of agro-industrial residues requires the development of sustainable valorization strategies for converting low-value biomasses into high-added-value products within a circular bioeconomy framework. In this study, tomato peels (TP) derived from the tomato-processing industry and green waste (GW) from urban pruning activities were investigated as substrates for solid-state fermentation (SSF) mediated by Trichoderma harzianum, with the aim of evaluating fungal growth, metabolomic remodeling, and the production of antioxidant bioactive compounds. Different substrate formulations containing TP and GW were subjected to SSF for 7 days, and fungal colonization was monitored. The highest fungal colonization was observed in substrates containing high proportions of GW, whereas pure tomato peels showed negligible colonization, indicating a strong substrate-dependent effect on fungal development. UPLC-QToF-MS metabolomic profiling was subsequently performed on the fermented substrate formulations using three independent biological replicates per treatment, whereas the 100% TP formulation, which showed negligible fungal colonization, was excluded from metabolomic analysis. Results revealed marked differences among fermented substrates, and 22 discriminant metabolites significantly enriched in those containing higher proportions of TP were identified. These metabolites mainly included hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoids, lignans, phenolic glycosides, and organic acids, such as coumaric acid, hydroxycaffeic acid, cinnamoylglucose, citric acid, and cyanidin glycosides, suggesting fermentation-associated transformation and release of phenolic compounds. Fermented extracts obtained from mixed substrates enriched in TP exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, with DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacities reaching up to 63.48 µmol TE/g dw and 119.67 µmol TE/g dry weight, respectively, together with increased total phenolic content. The integration of microbiological, metabolomic, and antioxidant analyses demonstrated that co-fermentation of tomato-processing byproducts with green waste can modulate fermentation outcomes and enhance antioxidant potential. Overall, this study provides new insights into substrate-driven metabolic transformations during Trichoderma-mediated SSF and highlights the potential of mixed agro-industrial residues as sustainable feedstocks for the production of antioxidant-rich extracts with possible nutraceutical and biotechnological applications. Full article

Sanghuangporus baumii, a medicinal macrofungus, remains unexplored in its response to aluminum stress, despite the widespread environmental relevance of this metal. This study investigated the dose-dependent effects of Al³⁺ on mycelial growth and metabolic regulation. Exposure to 1 mM Al³⁺ moderately stimulated growth (1.11-fold of control) and induced mild oxidative stress, which activated an effective antioxidant response—including increased SOD, CAT, and POD activities and elevated reduced glutathione content—thereby maintaining redox balance and increasing soluble sugar content. In contrast, 10 mM Al³⁺ led to pronounced intracellular Al³⁺ accumulation, severe growth inhibition, and marked oxidative damage, accompanied by impairment of the antioxidant system, yet a marked increase in total triterpenoid content (1.72-fold). Transcriptomic analysis identified 642 and 3019 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the 1 and 10 mM Al³⁺ treatments, respectively. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed concentration-dependent alterations in pathways related to peroxisome function, glutathione metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and terpenoid backbone biosynthesis. Collectively, these findings suggest that Al³⁺ modulates S. baumii growth and metabolism in a dose-dependent manner, with redox remodeling as a potential mechanism, offering novel insights into fungal metal adaptation and the targeted modulation of medicinal metabolite production. Full article

Breast cancer, especially triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and endocrine-resistant disease, remains difficult to treat because of limited effective targeted therapies. In this study, we evaluated the antitumor activity and potential mechanism of MHO7, a marine-derived ophiobolin metabolite, in ER-positive ZR-75-30 cells, tamoxifen-resistant LCC2 cells, and TNBC MDA-MB-231 models. MHO7 dose-dependently reduced cell viability, wound closure, and clonogenic growth in ZR-75-30 and LCC2 cells, with IC₅₀ values of 11.53 and 10.43 μM, respectively. MHO7 also promoted apoptotic cell death, accompanied by increased reactive oxygen species accumulation and altered expression of apoptosis-related proteins, including Bcl-2 and caspase-3. N-acetyl-L-cysteine partially attenuated MHO7-induced apoptosis and YAP reduction in MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting a contribution of oxidative stress. Molecular docking predicted that MHO7 could occupy the conserved TEAD palmitoylation pocket, and subsequent in vitro analyses showed suppression of YAP/TAZ-TEAD signaling, including reduced YAP nuclear accumulation and decreased TEAD4 expression. In an MDA-MB-231 xenograft model, MHO7 significantly inhibited tumor growth, reduced CD31-positive microvessel density, and decreased Hippo pathway-related transcriptional readouts. These findings indicate that MHO7 exerts broad antitumor activity in breast cancer models through oxidative stress-associated apoptosis and modulation of YAP/TAZ-TEAD signaling, supporting its further development as a lead compound for treatment-resistant breast cancer. Full article

Orchid seeds are dust-like and lack endosperm, which limits their capacity to support germination using endogenous nutrient reserves. Successful germination therefore depends on the establishment of a compatible symbiotic association with germination-promoting orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF). In plant-root symbioses, host-derived small molecules, such as strigolactones and flavonoids, function as early chemical signals that recruit microbial partners and stimulate their growth. However, the chemical constituents that may facilitate fungal recognition, growth, or colonization during orchid seed germination remain poorly understood. In this report, we combined metabolomics, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, molecular networking, phytochemical isolation, and bioactivity assays to characterize bioactive metabolites from the seeds of the medicinal orchid Cremastra appendiculata. Metabolomic profiling revealed abundant primary metabolites, including lipids, amino acids, organic acids, saccharides, and nucleosides. And then, nineteen secondary metabolites were isolated and identified, including two new structures. Functional assays showed that selected organic acids, saccharides, and lignanamides promoted the growth of Coprinellus disseminatus, a fungus required for seed germination, whereas lignanamides inhibited the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. These findings provide the first systematic chemical and functional characterization of metabolites from C. appendiculata seeds and offer new insight into the molecular basis of symbiosis between orchids and fungi. Full article

The endophytic fungi from plants are recognized as a valuable source of structurally diverse secondary metabolites with intriguing bioactivities. Three previously undescribed compounds, including two benzophenones, 2-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-methylbenzoyl)benzoic acid (1) and 2-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)benzoyl)benzoic acid (2), one biphenyl, 4′,5,5′-trihydroxy-3-methoxy-2′-methyl-(1,1′-biphenyl)-2-carbaldehyde (4), along with two known compounds (3 and 5), were isolated from the endophytic fungus Penicillium sp. QM-4 associated with Pteris cretica. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis of HRESIMS, UV, IR, and 1D and 2D NMR data. Free radical scavenging activity of compounds 1–5 was assessed, and compound 3 displayed a significant antioxidant effect in the DPPH assay. Structure–activity relationships of compounds 1–3 were also discussed. These findings enrich the structural diversity and bioactivities of benzophenones and biphenyls derived from fungal source. Full article

Background/Objectives: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is driven by gut-liver axis dysfunction, including intestinal barrier disruption, dysbiosis, microbial translocation, inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and malnutrition. Fermented dairy foods may modulate several of these domains, yet whether sheep yogurt, as an intact fermented dairy matrix, is relevant in ALD is unknown. This scoping review mapped evidence relevant to sheep yogurt, ALD, and gut-liver axis biology. Methods: A PRISMA-ScR-guided scoping review searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar from January 2006 to February 2026. Eligible sources were charted using a prespecified framework classifying evidence as direct, indirect, or mechanistic inference. Mapped domains included ALD pathophysiology; intestinal barrier integrity; bacterial and fungal microbial ecology; bile acid and tryptophan-aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling; nutritional vulnerability; fermented dairy interventions; and ovine dairy-matrix characteristics. Results: Of 1388 records identified, 121 sources were included after duplication and screening. No eligible study directly tested sheep yogurt or a defined sheep yogurt preparation in ALD-relevant experimental or clinical settings. Indirect evidence supported the relevance of gut-liver axis dysfunction to ALD and indicated that selected fermented dairy products, probiotics, postbiotics, and microbial preparations may influence intestinal permeability, inflammatory signaling, microbial ecology, oxidative stress, and liver-injury outcomes. Compositional data supported sheep yogurt as a distinct food matrix. However, findings from isolated components, probiotic-only interventions, and non-ALD models could not be interpreted as evidence of sheep yogurt efficacy in ALD. Conclusions: The current literature supports a hypothesis-driven research framework rather than any therapeutic claim for sheep yogurt in ALD. Any potential benefit of sheep yogurt in ALD remains hypothetical and cannot support clinical or dietary recommendations until validated experimentally. Future direct, comparator-controlled studies of intact sheep yogurt should assess liver injury, barrier integrity, microbial translocation, relevant metabolites, and nutrition-related outcomes. Full article

Aflatoxin contamination of cereal grains represents a serious food safety concern due to the toxic and carcinogenic properties of aflatoxins produced mainly by Aspergillus species. The present study aimed to evaluate the antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) cell-free supernatants as a natural approach for controlling aflatoxin-producing fungi in wheat grains. A total of fifty fungal isolates recovered from agricultural samples were screened for their aflatoxigenic potential using phenotypic and molecular approaches. The toxigenic isolates were identified as Aspergillus flavus (AF) and Aspergillus parasiticus (AP), and their aflatoxigenic potential was confirmed by PCR amplification of aflatoxin biosynthesis-related genes (nor-1 and aflR). The antifungal activity of selected LAB strains was evaluated against the identified Aspergillus isolates using the agar diffusion method. The obtained results demonstrated that LAB cell-free supernatants exhibited significant antifungal activity, with variations among strains. Among the tested LAB strains, Lactobacillus plantarum P3 and Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 20552 showed the highest inhibitory activity against both fungal species. Furthermore, LAB treatments significantly reduced fungal-induced wheat grain damage and decreased aflatoxin accumulation during storage. Application of 100% LAB supernatants resulted in a remarkable reduction in total aflatoxins, reaching more than 99% reduction compared with untreated controls. The inhibitory effect decreased with increasing dilution of the supernatants, indicating a concentration-dependent antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activity. The findings demonstrate that LAB-derived metabolites can effectively suppress the growth of aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus species and limit aflatoxin biosynthesis. Therefore, LAB cell-free supernatants represent a promising biological control strategy for improving cereal safety and reducing mycotoxin contamination in food systems. Full article

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a highly polyphagous pest that has rapidly expanded across Africa, Asia, and Oceania, threatening food security and agricultural productivity. Reliance on synthetic insecticides for FAW management is increasingly challenged by insecticide resistance, environmental contamination, and adverse effects on non-target organisms and human health. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the potential of endophytic fungi as a sustainable strategy for FAW management. Following a systematic literature search, 59 original research articles published over the past 41 years were evaluated. These studies investigated 44 fungal species across 37 host crops, with Zea mays representing the most extensively studied system. The fungal species most frequently assessed were Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato (s.l.), and Epichloe coenophialum. Overall, several fungal species successfully colonized plant tissues and reduced FAW performance through increased larval mortality, delayed development, and reduced feeding. These effects were associated with the production of bioactive secondary metabolites, induction of plant defense responses, and alteration of volatile organic compound emissions. Despite these promising findings, important knowledge gaps remain. Studies assessing effects on non-target organisms and natural enemies are scarce, and field validation remains limited. Research efforts are also geographically biased, with relatively few studies conducted in Africa despite the continent experiencing some of the highest FAW-related losses. Future research should prioritize field evaluations, multitrophic interaction studies, investigations in underrepresented regions, and socio-economic analyses to support farmer adoption. Addressing these gaps will be critical for determining the practical role of endophytic fungi in sustainable FAW management. Full article