is a genus of filamentous and cosmopolitan fungi that includes important species for medical mycology, food, basic research and agro-industry areas. Aspergillus section Nigri are efficient producers ...of hydrolytic enzymes such as cellulases that are employed in the cellulose conversion. Hence, the search of new cellulolytic isolates and their correct identification is important for carrying out safe biotechnological processes. This study aimed to characterise the cellulolytic potential of Aspergillus sp. LBM 134, isolated from the Paranaense rainforest (Argentina) and to identify the isolate through a polyphasic approach. The fungus was identified as Aspergillus niger and its cellulolytic potential was evaluated by using Congo red technique and fluorescence plate assays for carboxymethyl cellulase, β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase, respectively. All three cellulase activities were positive; this bio-prospective positioned A. niger LBM 134 as a promising alternative for industries that require organisms capable of carrying out cellulosic biomass processing.
Abstract
In this study, we explore the relationships among taxa of Prunus subgenus Cerasus in Turkey using a combination of macromorphology, micromorphology and molecular techniques. We recorded ...qualitative and quantitative characteristics of flowers, leaves, seeds and endocarp for 96 populations representing 14 taxa of Prunus subgenus Cerasus. ITS, matK, ycf1, trnL-trnF DNA sequence data were used to reconstruct phylogenetic trees for this group. Haplotype analyses results found 11 haplotypes among the samples used in this study. We also note that the infraspecific taxa of Cerasus angustifolia (=P. albicaulis), P. mahaleb, P. microcarpa and P. prostrata, as described by previous authors, do not exhibit significant differences even among the features of foliar morphology that are so often used to distinguish them from one another. As a general rule, our analyses indicate that the highly variable features of leaf micromorphology and endocarp and seed micromorphology are not taxonomically significant. In contrast, although floral morphology is often overlooked in systematic studies of Prunus subgenus Cerasus, we found several taxonomically useful flower characters, including sepal indumentum, hypanthium shape and indumentum and petal shape. This work clarifies the infraspecific relationships of members of Prunus subgenus Cerasus in Turkey and solves some taxonomic problems.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Macro- and micromorphology of seeds are diagnostic characteristics of importance in delimiting taxa in Allium (Amaryllidaceae). However, there is no consensus on the phylogenetic significance of ...testa cell characteristics and whether they reflect the different evolutionary levels recognized in Allium.
Seeds of 95 species (98 samples) representing 14 subgenera and 58 sections of Allium were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for such traits as periclinal wall surface area of ten testa cells, distance between testa cells (macromorphology), testa cell shapes, and arrangement and structure of anticlinal and periclinal walls (micromorphology). The data matrix was subjected to cladistic analysis. The produced phylogenetic tree was examined against the molecular tree obtained from publically available ITS sequences.
The periclinal wall surface area of ten testa cells and the distance between them, examined for the first time, were found useful for delimitation of species in Allium. Based on seed macro- and micromorphology, we present a taxonomic key and a hypothetical reconstruction of the migration routes during the early stages of evolution of Allium.
The ancestors of Allium originated in an area bounded by the Caucasus, Central Asia and Iran. The seed testa morphology-based evolutionary state of a species is determined by two parameters: the shape of the periclinal walls and curvature of the anticlinal walls.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Four selected species of family Polygonaceae Juss. viz. Persicaria salicifolia (Brouss. ex Willd.) Assenov, Persicaria senegalensis (Meisn.) Soják, Polygonum bellardii All. and Polygonum ...equisetiforme Sm. were subjected to botanical, chemical and numerical studies. The botanical part deals with macro- and micromorphological characters of the whole plant. The chemical part deals with extraction and identification of 17 compounds including flavones, flavonols, flavone C-glycosides and phenolic acids. The botanical and chemical results of the four selected species were subjected to a numerical analysis.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract
Filamentous fungal cell factories are efficient producers of platform chemicals, proteins, enzymes and natural products. Stirred-tank bioreactors up to a scale of several hundred m³ are ...commonly used for their cultivation. Fungal hyphae self-assemble into various cellular macromorphologies ranging from dispersed mycelia, loose clumps, to compact pellets. Development of these macromorphologies is so far unpredictable but strongly impacts productivities of fungal bioprocesses. Depending on the strain and the desired product, the morphological forms vary, but no strain- or product-related correlations currently exist to improve process understanding of fungal production systems. However, novel genomic, genetic, metabolic, imaging and modelling tools have recently been established that will provide fundamental new insights into filamentous fungal growth and how it is balanced with product formation. In this primer, these tools will be highlighted and their revolutionary impact on rational morphology engineering and bioprocess control will be discussed.
Modern systematics integrating molecular and morphological data has greatly improved our understanding of coral evolutionary relationships during the last two decades and led to a deeply revised ...taxonomy of the order Scleractinia. The family Merulinidae (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) was recently subjected to a series of revisions following this integrated approach but the phylogenetic affinities of several genera ascribed to it remain unknown. Here, we partially fill this gap through the study of 89 specimens belonging to all 10 valid species from four genera (Caulastraea, Erythrastrea, Oulophyllia and Dipsastraea) collected from 14 localities across the Indo‐Pacific realm. Four molecular loci (histone H3, COI, ITS and IGR) were sequenced, and a total of 44 skeletal morphological characters (macromorphology, micromorphology and microstructure) were analysed. Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that the phaceloid Caulastraea species are split into two distinct lineages. A species previously ascribed to the genus Dipsastraea, Dipsastraea maxima, is also recovered in one on these lineages. Furthermore, Erythrastrea is nested within Oulophyllia. The molecular reconstructions of evolutionary relationships are further corroborated by multiscale morphological evidence. To resolve the taxonomy of these genera, Astraeosmilia is resurrected to accommodate Astraeosmilia connata, Astraeosmilia curvata, Astraeosmilia tumida and Astraeosmilia maxima, with Caulastraea retaining Caulastraea furcata and Caulastraea echinulata. Based on the examination of type material, Erythrastrea flabellata is considered an objective synonym of Lobophyllia wellsi, which is transferred to Oulophyllia following the obtained morpho‐molecular results. This work further confirms that an integrated morpho‐molecular approach based on a rigorous phylogenetic framework is fundamental for an objective classification that reflects the evolutionary history of scleractinian corals.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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Brachychiton populneus (Schott & Endl.) R.Br., Malvaceae, is one of five Brachychiton species cultivated in Egypt. Little information was found concerning the morphological, ...phytochemical and biological investigations of B. populneus. Morphological investigations of B. populneus were performed on fresh and dried leaves. Air-dried, ground leafy branches were extracted with 70% methanol/water yielding B. populneus extract. Seventeen flavonoids were isolated and identified using different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques; eleven of them were reported for the first time from this plant. Potential activity of B. populneus extract against alloxan inducing oxidative stress and diabetes in male rats was preliminary investigated (four groups of ten rats /group). B. populneus extract (500 mg/kg bw i.p.) exhibited significant acute anti-hyperglycemic activity with blood glucose levels of 227.3 and 157.6 mg/dl after 4 and 24 h, respectively, compared to alloxan and standard Diamicron (5 mg/kg bw p.o.) groups, as well as to a normoglycemic control group at p < 0.05. The extract reverted the body weight values of the alloxan-induced diabetic rats to that of control animals after 24 h. In addition, B. populneus extract counteracted the effect of the oxidative stress induced by alloxan causing significantly increase in the glutathione content level (2.35 mmol/l) and relative decrease in the malondialdehyde level (21.31 nmol/l) and nitric oxide content (1.98 μmol/l) in serum after 24 h of treatment compared to alloxan-induced diabetic rats (1.01 mmol/l, 118.9 nmol/l, 4.69 μmol/l, respectively) and to normoglycemic control at p < 0.05. These effects appear to be related to the flavonoid principles. The intergeneric relationship of the genus Brachychiton and other related genera assessed well-supported differentiation between them. Furthermore, a significant dissimilarity was observed at interspecific level.
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