MADS-box transcription factors play crucial roles in regulating development processes and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in eukaryotes. However, the role of MADS-box transcription factors vary ...among fungal species, and their function remains unclear in the medicinally and economically important fungus Ganoderma lucidum. In this study, we characterized a MADS-box gene, GlMADS1, in G. lucidum. Analyses using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) showed that GlMADS1 expression levels were up-regulated from the mycelia to the primordia stage. In order to further evaluate the effect of MADS-box transcription factors on secondary metabolism, we utilized RNA interference (RNAi) to silence GlMADS1 in G. lucidum. Ganoderic acid (GA) and flavonoid contents were enhanced in GlMADS1-silenced strains, suggesting that GlMADS1 negatively regulates GA and flavonoid accumulation.
In times of health crisis, including the current COVID‐19 pandemic, the potential benefit of botanical drugs and supplements emerges as a focus of attention, although controversial efficacy claims ...are rightly a concern. Phytotherapy has an established role in everyday self‐care and health care, but, since botanical preparations contain many chemical constituents rather than single compounds, challenges arise in demonstrating efficacy and safety. However, there is ample traditional, empirical, and clinical evidence that botanicals can offer some protection and alleviation of disease symptoms as well as promoting general well‐being. Newly emerging viral infections, specifically COVID‐19, represent a unique challenge in their novelty and absence of established antiviral treatment or immunization. We discuss here the roles and limitations of phytotherapy in helping to prevent and address viral infections, especially regarding their effects on immune response. Botanicals with a documented immunomodulatory, immunostimulatory, and antiinflammatory effects include adaptogens, Boswellia spp., Curcuma longa, Echinacea spp., Glycyrrhiza spp., medicinal fungi, Pelargonium sidoides, salicylate‐yielding herbs, and Sambucus spp. We further provide a clinical perspective on applications and safety of these herbs in prevention, onset, progression, and convalescence from respiratory viral infections.
Medicinal mushrooms are widely used in East Asia for the treatment of various diseases, especially in complementary cancer care. While there is a growing interest in medicinal mushrooms in Western ...countries and an increasing number of pre-clinical studies indicate distinct anti-cancer and regenerative properties, little is known about their potential relevance for clinical practice. This review aims to provide an overview of the clinical evidence, significance and potential role of medicinal mushrooms in complementary cancer care. Scientific databases for (randomized) controlled clinical trials evaluating whole spectrum formulations of medicinal mushrooms (mushroom powder and mushroom extracts) in cancer patients during and/or after conventional oncological treatment were searched. Eight studies met our inclusion criteria (eight randomized controlled trials, one controlled clinical trial). The medicinal mushrooms investigated were
(two trials),
(two trials),
(one trial),
(one trial) and
(three trials); all were compared to placebo and administered orally. A variety of cancer entities, outcomes and treatment durations were observed. Study results suggested beneficial effects of medicinal mushrooms, particularly quality of life and reduction of adverse effects of conventional therapies. Also, positive effects on antitumor activity and immunomodulation were reported, e.g., an increased activity of natural killer cells. In addition, results might suggest a longer survival of cancer patients receiving mushroom preparations, although in most studies this was not significant when compared to placebo. Adverse events of treatment with medicinal mushrooms were poorly reported; gastrointestinal reactions and a decrease in platelet cell count occurred in some cases. The methodological quality of most studies was generally unsatisfying and most results were insufficiently reported in several respects. Medicinal mushrooms may have a therapeutic potential for cancer patients during and after conventional oncological care with regards to quality of life, reduction of adverse effects of conventional care and possibly other surrogate parameters like immune function. There is an urgent need to investigate the safety and possible interactions of medicinal mushrooms. High-quality clinical research is warranted in order to clarify the potential of medicinal mushrooms in cancer therapy.
•UAE was performed of a medicinal fungus in water with four process variables.•Kinetic models were derived for total water extract and polysaccharide (PS) yields.•Ultrasound enhanced PS yield more ...notably than total water extract yield.•Extraction rate was correlated to ultrasound power per unit volume of liquid.
This study was on the kinetics and process parameters for ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of water-soluble components and polysaccharides (PS) from the dry mycelium of a medicinal fungus, Cordyceps sinensis Cs-HK1. Four process variables (factors) were evaluated at different levels, ultrasound intensity (2.44–44.1W/cm2), temperature (40–70°C), solid particle size (156.5–750μm), and solid-to-liquid ratio (1/30–1/70g/mL). The experimental data of yields versus time in most cases were fitted closely to two empirical kinetic models for solid–liquid extraction, parabolic diffusion equation (y=yo+y1t1/2) and power law (y=βtn) with high correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.95–0.99 for total extract yield, and 0.90–0.96 for PS yield. The PS yield was increased more significantly than the total extract yield with the ultrasound intensity. Reducing the particle size and increasing the extraction temperature led to a higher yield and extraction rate; increasing the solid-to-liquid ratio (or decreasing the liquid volume) increased the PS yield and extraction rate but had little influence on the total extract. Significant correlations were found between extraction rate (dy/dt) and ultrasound power density (P/V), and between extract yield (y) and energy density (Pt/V). The kinetic and process parameters are useful for rational design and efficient operation of UAE processes.
•PsEMPM inhibit the infection via interfering with a few steps in the virus life cycle.•PsEMPM improve the host immune responses to accelerate the process of viral clearance.•The antiviral potency of ...PsEMPM are determined by structural patterns.•PsEMPM merit further investigation as promising antiviral agents.
Despite the number of approved antivirals has considerably increased, these existing drugs are not always efficacious or well-tolerated and drug-resistant virus strains are rapidly emerging. Nowadays, many polysaccharides as independent or the main bioactive ingredients have been approved as medicines. The present report aims to provide systematically reorganized information on antiviral polysaccharides derived from edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms (PsEMPM) to people for better utilization of them. PsEMPM can inhibit the infection of viruses by interfering with a few steps in the virus life cycle and/or improving the host antiviral immune responses. Polyanionic nature and sulfates are in many cases required antiviral potency of PsEMPM, while it not only is a function of high charge density but also associated with distinct structural specificities. Plenty of efforts have been devoted to achieving the discovery of novel antiviral polysaccharides, however, the detailed structural characteristics of PsEMPM still merit further in-depth investigation.
Microbial transformations, especially the reduction and methylation of Se oxyanion, have gained significance in recent years as effective detoxification methods. Ganoderma lucidum is a typical Se ...enrichment resource that can reduce selenite to elemental Se and volatile Se metabolites under high selenite conditions. However, the detailed biological processes and reduction mechanisms are unclear. In this study, G. lucidum reduced selenite to elemental Se and further aggregated it into Se nanoparticles with a diameter of < 200 nm, simultaneously accompanied by the production of pungent, odorous, and volatile methyl-selenium metabolites. Tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomic analysis revealed thioredoxin 1, thioredoxin reductase (NADPH), glutathione reductase, 5-methyltetrahydropteroyltriglutamate-homocysteine methyltransferase, and cystathionine gamma-lyase as proteins involved in selenite reduction and methylation. Furthermore, the high expression of proteins associated with cell structures that prompted cell lysis may have facilitated Se release. The upregulation of proteins involved in the defense reactions was also detected, reflecting their roles in the self-defense mechanism. This study provides novel insights into the vital role of G. lucidum in mediating Se transformation in the biogeochemical Se cycle and contributes to the application of fungi in Se bioremediation.
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●Ganoderma lucidum played a vital role in mediating Se transformation and Se cycle in the environment.●Biogenic Se-nanoparticles occurred intracellularly and largely mediated by trxA, trxB and GSR.●The highly expressions of metE, CTH and trxB contributed to the production of 10 types of methyl-selenium metabolites.●The release of Se-nanoparticles in G. lucidum was by the looseness of cell wall and cell membrane structures.
The increased demand for natural, safe and dietary antioxidant sources stimulated the exploration of in-vitro reducing and scavenging potentials of extracts from wild medicinal and non-toxic ...mushrooms with intention of acknowledging their therapeutic values. Based on the findings about enhanced potency of extracts vs. powder, as well as highlighting the antioxidant potential of underexploited wild species from Macedonian territory, our investigations were aimed at screening the reducing and scavenging profiles of hot water (HWEs), cold water (CWEs) and methanol extracts (MEs) from Phellinus torulosus and P. igniarius to promote their usage as nutraceuticals and for medicinal use. MEs from both species exhibited superior scavenging activity over radicals: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and nitric oxide (NO); enhanced reducing properties and higher total antioxidant capacity, owed to their significantly higher phenol and flavonoid content. In contrast, CWEs established superior ability for inhibiting the lipid peroxides level and glycosylated protein adducts but exposed lower antioxidant properties and reducing abilities. HWE from P. torulosus was a more efficient radical scavenger than P. igniarius, with higher reducing and in-vitro antiglycation capacities, thereby proving its suitability for the treatment against disorders induced by oxidative stress. Keywords: medicinal fungi; extraction; bioactive content, antiradical activity phrase omitted in vitro phrase omitted Phellinus torulosus phrase omitted P. igniarius phrase omitted P. torulosus phrase omitted P. igniarius, phrase omitted. phrase omitted
Ganoderma lucidum
is an important medicinal fungus in Asian countries. Ganoderic acid (GA) is the major variety of bioactive and medicative components in
G. lucidum
. Biosynthesis of secondary ...metabolites is usually associated with cell differentiation and development. However, the mechanism underlying these phenomena remain unclear. Transcription factors play an essential regulatory role in the signal transduction pathway, owing to the fact that they represent the major link between signal transduction and expression of target genes. In the present study, we performed transcriptome and metabolome analyses to identify transcription factors involved in GA biosynthesis during development of
G. lucidum
. Transcriptome data revealed differentially expressed genes between mycelia and primordia, as well as between mycelia and the fruiting body. Results from gene ontology enrichment analysis and metabolome analyses suggested that GAs and flavonoids biosynthetic process significantly changed during fungal development. The analysis of predicted occurrences of DNA-binding domains revealed a set of 53 potential transcription factor families in
G. lucidum
. Notably, we found homeobox transcription factor and velvet family protein played important role in GA biosynthesis. Combined with previous studies, we provided a model diagram of transcription factors involved in GA biosynthesis during fruiting body formation. Collectively, these results are expected to enhance our understanding into the mechanisms underlying secondary metabolite biosynthesis and development in fungi.
•Significant lipid and total dry biomass production were recorded by a novel Cryptococcus curvatus strain growing on commercial xylose.•Single cell oil produced was an appropriate material for the ...synthesis of high-quality biodiesel.•Lipid production bioprocess was successfully simulated by numerical models.•Biomass and laccase production of edible and medicinal mushrooms was achieved using lipid fermentation waste-waters.
A rarely studied Cryptoccus curvatus strain (viz. NRRL Y-1511) was cultivated in shake-flask submerged nitrogen-limited experiments, with commercial xylose being employed as substrate and has been proved as quite appropriate for total biomass, lipid and endopolysaccharide production. A batch bioreactor trial compared to the equivalent shake-flask experiment showed larger amounts of total lipid and biomass produced. Total dry biomass of 26.1 g/L containing c. 30 % of lipids was synthesized. Endopolysaccharides in relatively high concentrations were synthesized in the early growth stages decreasing afterwards in favor of storage lipid synthesis. Lipid production bioprocess was successfully simulated by a modified Velruyten-Aggelis model and the optimized parameter values were found to be similar to those experimentally measured. Lipids contained mostly neutral fractions (triacylglycerols) and were rich in the fatty acid Δ9C18:1, constituting a suitable starting material for the synthesis of high-quality biodiesel. Within the frame of bio-refinery, lipid fermentation waste-waters were used as maceration waters for a novel mushroom cultivation process of Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinula edodes and Ganoderma adspersum edible and medicinal mushrooms. These waste-waters were used for first time in mushroom cultivation process demonstrating positive effect on laccase and sporophore production by these mushroom species.
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