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Fungi and Fungal Metabolites for the Improvement of Human and...
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Fungi and Fungal Metabolites for the Improvement of Human and Animal Life, Nutrition and Health 3.0

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 March 2024) | Viewed by 8044

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Laurent Dufossé

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles et des Sciences des Aliments, ESIROI Département Agroalimentaire, Université de La Réunion, 2 rue Joseph Wetzell, F‐97490 Sainte‐Clotilde, La Réunion, France
Interests: sustainable textile; microbial biotechnology; microbial production of pigments and colorants; fermentation; bioprocess engineering and fermentation technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fungi comprise 1, 2, 3, ..., or maybe around 5.1 million species. Even scientists do not currently agree on how many fungi species may be found on planet Earth, with only around 120,000 of these having been described so far. Fungi have been classified as a separate kingdom of organisms as complex and diverse as plants and animals, of which only a few percent have been named and described. Fungal biomasses and fungal metabolites share a long common history with human and animal nutrition and health. Macrofungi and filamentous fungi constitute a large portfolio of proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, oligo elements, pigments, colorants, bioactive compounds, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, etc. For example, industrially important enzymes and microbial biomass proteins have been produced from fungi for more than 50 years. Some start-ups convert byproducts and side streams rich in carbohydrates into a protein-rich fungal biomass. This biomass can then be processed into a vegan meat substitute for food applications. In recent years, there has also been a significant increase (in fact, a significant revival) in the number of publications in the international literature dealing with the production of lipids by microbial sources (the single-cell oils (SCOs) that are produced by the so-called “oleaginous” microorganisms, including “oleaginous” fungi (e.g., zygomycete species, Cunninghamella echinulate, and Mortierella isabellina). Fungi are potential sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as these microorganisms can accumulate large amounts of high-valued PUFAs, such as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (ARA).

The purpose of this Special Issue of Journal of Fungi (MDPI) is not to provide a comprehensive overview of the vast arena of how fungi and fungal metabolites are able to improve human and animal life, nutrition and health, but to encourage authors working in this field to publish their most recent work in this rapidly growing journal in order for the large readership to appreciate the full potential of wonderful and beneficial fungi. Thus, this Special Issue welcomes scientific contributions on applications of fungi and fungal metabolites, such as bioactive fatty acids, pigments, polysaccharides, alkaloids, terpenoids, etc., with great potential in human and animal life, nutrition, and health.

A first special issue on this subject (2020) involved 24 papers
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jof/special_issues/fungal_metabolites_health

and a book was edited
https://www.mdpi.com/books/pdfview/book/3967

The second volume of this series is now closed (2022) with 16 papers published
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jof/special_issues/Fungi_Metabolites

and the corresponding book will be printed in 2023.

Prof. Dr. Laurent Dufossé
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 1719 KiB  
Article
Nutraceutical Potential of Lentinula edodes’ Spent Mushroom Substrate: A Comprehensive Study on Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant Activity, and Antibacterial Effects
by Filipa Baptista, Joana Campos, Valéria Costa-Silva, Ana Rita Pinto, Maria José Saavedra, Luis Mendes Ferreira, Miguel Rodrigues and Ana Novo Barros
J. Fungi 2023, 9(12), 1200; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9121200 - 15 Dec 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3277
Abstract
Lentinula edodes, commonly known as shiitake mushroom, is renowned for its potential health advantages. This research delves into the often-overlooked by-product of shiitake cultivation, namely spent mushroom substrate (SMS), to explore its nutraceutical properties. The SMS samples were collected and subjected to [...] Read more.
Lentinula edodes, commonly known as shiitake mushroom, is renowned for its potential health advantages. This research delves into the often-overlooked by-product of shiitake cultivation, namely spent mushroom substrate (SMS), to explore its nutraceutical properties. The SMS samples were collected and subjected to different extraction methods, namely short or long agitation, and ultrasound-assisted extractions using different temperatures and distilled water or a 50% (v/v) ethanol as solvents. The extracts were tested for phenolic content (total phenols, ortho-diphenols, and flavonoids), antioxidant capacity (DPPH, 2,2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl; ABTS, 2,2’-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid; and FRAP, ferric reducing antioxidant power), and antibacterial activity. The different extraction methods revealed substantial variations (p < 0.05) in phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity. The highest phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were achieved using 24 h extraction, agitation, 50 °C, and ethanol as the solvent. Furthermore, the extracted compounds displayed antibacterial activity in specific tested bacterial strains. This study highlights the nutraceutical potential of L. edodes’ SMS, positioning it as a valuable dietary supplement for animal nutrition, with emphasis on its prebiotic properties. Hence, this research unveils the promising health benefits of SMS in both human and animal nutrition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungi and Fungal Metabolites for the Improvement of Human and Animal Life, Nutrition and Health 3.0)
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18 pages, 1523 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Probiotic and Postbiotic Yeast Products on Ewes Milk Performance and Immune Oxidative Status
by Christos Christodoulou, Alexis Skourtis, Panagiota Kyriakaki, Fotis Fokion Satolias, Dimitris Karabinas, Maxime Briche, Nizar Salah, George Zervas, Alexandros Mavrommatis and Eleni Tsiplakou
J. Fungi 2023, 9(12), 1139; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9121139 - 25 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1722
Abstract
The administration of yeast products as feed additives has been proven to beneficially affect animal productivity through energy, oxidative, and immune status improvement. This study evaluated a combination of Saccharomyces cerevisiae live yeast (LY) with yeast postbiotics (rich in mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) and beta-glucans) [...] Read more.
The administration of yeast products as feed additives has been proven to beneficially affect animal productivity through energy, oxidative, and immune status improvement. This study evaluated a combination of Saccharomyces cerevisiae live yeast (LY) with yeast postbiotics (rich in mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) and beta-glucans) and selenium (Se)-enriched yeast on ewes’ milk performance and milk quality, energy and oxidative status, and gene expression related to their immune system during the peripartum period. Ewes were fed a basal diet (BD; F:C = 58:42 prepartum and 41:59 postpartum) including inorganic Se (CON; n = 27), the BD supplemented with a LY product, and inorganic Se (AC; n = 29), as well as the combination of the LY, a product of yeast fraction rich in MOS and beta-glucans, and organic-Se-enriched yeast (ACMAN; n = 26) from 6 weeks prepartum to 6 weeks postpartum. The β-hydroxybutyric acid concentration in the blood of AC and ACMAN ewes was lower (compared to the CON) in both pre- and postpartum periods (p < 0.010). Postpartum, milk yield was increased in the AC and ACMAN Lacaune ewes (p = 0.001). In addition, the activity of superoxide dismutase (p = 0.037) and total antioxidant capacity (p = 0.034) measured via the 2,2-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) method was increased in the blood plasma of the ACMAN postpartum. Higher ABTS values were also found (p = 0.021), while protein carbonyls were reduced (p = 0.023) in the milk of the treated groups. The relative transcript levels of CCL5 and IL6 were downregulated in the monocytes (p = 0.007 and p = 0.026 respectively), and those of NFKB were downregulated in the neutrophils of the ACMAN-fed ewes postpartum (p = 0.020). The dietary supplementation of ewes with yeast postbiotics rich in MOS and beta-glucans, and organic Se, improved energy status, milk yield and some milk constituents, and oxidative status, with simultaneous suppression of mRNA levels of proinflammatory genes during the peripartum period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungi and Fungal Metabolites for the Improvement of Human and Animal Life, Nutrition and Health 3.0)
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Review

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13 pages, 1265 KiB  
Review
Hidden Treasure: Halophilic Fungi as a Repository of Bioactive Lead Compounds
by Shivankar Agrawal, Pruthviraj Chavan and Laurent Dufossé
J. Fungi 2024, 10(4), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10040290 - 16 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2177
Abstract
The pressing demand for novel compounds to address contemporary health challenges has prompted researchers to venture into uncharted territory, including extreme ecosystems, in search of new natural pharmaceuticals. Fungi capable of tolerating extreme conditions, known as extremophilic fungi, have garnered attention for their [...] Read more.
The pressing demand for novel compounds to address contemporary health challenges has prompted researchers to venture into uncharted territory, including extreme ecosystems, in search of new natural pharmaceuticals. Fungi capable of tolerating extreme conditions, known as extremophilic fungi, have garnered attention for their ability to produce unique secondary metabolites crucial for defense and communication, some of which exhibit promising clinical significance. Among these, halophilic fungi thriving in high-salinity environments have particularly piqued interest for their production of bioactive molecules. This review highlights the recent discoveries regarding novel compounds from halotolerant fungal strains isolated from various saline habitats. From diverse fungal species including Aspergillus, Penicillium, Alternaria, Myrothecium, and Cladosporium, a plethora of intriguing molecules have been elucidated, showcasing diverse chemical structures and bioactivity. These compounds exhibit cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines such as A549, HL60, and K-562, antimicrobial activity against pathogens like Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida albicans, as well as radical-scavenging properties. Notable examples include variecolorins, sclerotides, alternarosides, and chrysogesides, among others. Additionally, several compounds display unique structural motifs, such as spiro-anthronopyranoid diketopiperazines and pentacyclic triterpenoids. The results emphasize the significant promise of halotolerant fungi in providing bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and biotechnological uses. However, despite their potential, halophilic fungi are still largely unexplored as sources of valuable compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungi and Fungal Metabolites for the Improvement of Human and Animal Life, Nutrition and Health 3.0)
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