Search Results (1,389)

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance and the increasing incidence of cancer have highlighted the urgent need to develop new drugs; therefore, the discovery of new bioactive molecules is an important goal for future research. In this study, freshwater fungi isolated from submerged Phragmites australis from Egypt were screened for antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Using ITS1 and ITS4 primers, eight frequently occurring Sordariomycetes taxa were identified and were then selected for further evaluation of bioactivity. Ethyl acetate crude extracts (A–H) were evaluated for antimicrobial activity using the agar disk-diffusion method. Extracts A and E, derived from Chaetomium globosum SCUF0000404 (PX596738) and Chaetomium madrasense SCUF0000401 (PX596735), respectively, showed broad-spectrum activity at 100 mg/mL against bacterial pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 (15.33 and 18.00 mm), Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615 (11.00 mm), Escherichia coli ATCC 35218 (10.33 and 10.67 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603 (14.00 and 16.67 mm), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 (13.33 and 16.33 mm), and show antifungal activity against Candida albicans ATCC 14053 (20.33 mm), Candida krusei ATCC 6258 (15.67 and 15.33 mm), Trichosporon asahii AMS 187 (17.00 and 17.67 mm), Exserohilum rostratum AMS 1077 (34.00 and 33.67 mm), and Trichophyton indotineae AMS 180 (38.33 and 34.00 mm). Selective cytotoxic effects on the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 were observed by extracts A and E at IC₅₀ = 309 and 277 μg/mL, while non-selective cytotoxic effects on the normal HUVEC cell line were found with IC₅₀ = 919 and 796 μg/mL, respectively. Characterization of the most effective extracts A and E by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) shows that they have a wide range of secondary metabolites, including cytochalasans, azaphilone alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenols. These findings underscore the chemical diversity and therapeutic potential of freshwater fungi from Egypt. Full article

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, affects 7 million people. Studying the ecology of triatomine vectors through midgut content analysis allows for infection diagnosis and the identification of blood meal sources (BMSs). Current BMS methodologies are limited by the accuracy of genetic data for local fauna, limiting species identification of hosts involved in parasite transmission. Here, we performed a systematic review on BMSs of T. cruzi vectors and showed the geographical distribution by T. cruzi lineages and vertebrate orders. We propose a decision tree system combining ecological and taxonomic approaches (EcoTaxDT) to discriminate ambiguous BMS results. The EcoTaxDT was validated using published and new BMS results. The review highlights the growing number of BMS studies and the awareness of host species potentially involved in transmission cycles. In Brazilian studies, EcoTaxDT allowed for taxonomic assignments when genetic identity was insufficient or when identified taxa had no geographical occurrence. New BMS results, validated by EcoTaxDT, showed triatomines feeding on Natalus macrourus, Echimyidae, Tettigoniidae, and Tropidurus itambere. Reliable BMS data and T. cruzi diagnosis are crucial for understanding transmission dynamics and human infection risk. EcoTaxDT is functional in correcting inconsistent BMS outputs, ensuring robust and consistent results by integrating genetic, taxonomy, and species geographical distribution. Full article

To improve the degradation rate of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) under hypoxic conditions in paddy fields during the flooding period, a laboratory microcosm experiment was established in this study to investigate the regulatory effect of straw return on the hypoxic degradation of SMX and its underlying microbial mechanisms. The results demonstrated that straw addition significantly promoted the hypoxic degradation of SMX. By the 10th day of the experiment, the residual SMX content in the straw-amended group was only 11.3% of that in the non-straw control group, and the average degradation rate throughout the experimental period was increased by 85.7%. Straw provided complex carbon sources, including organic carbon (e.g., starch, sugars, and humus) and cellulose, which not only reshaped the microbial community structure and created new ecological niches but also increased the microbial network density under SMX stress from 0.010 to 0.024. Acinetobacter, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas, which possess both straw decomposition and SMX degradation capabilities, sequentially became the dominant bacterial taxa. These dominant taxa can adapt to hypoxic fermentation in the flooded environment and co-metabolize SMX by activating the metabolic pathways of aromatic compounds and sugars. This study is expected to open up a novel approach for the remediation of SMX-contaminated flooded paddy fields and provide valuable innovative insights for technological breakthroughs and practical applications in related fields. Full article

Intensive ornamental planting is increasingly prevalent in urban green spaces, yet its effects on soil microbial community assembly and interaction networks remain poorly understood. Here, we examined shifts in soil properties, microbial diversity, community composition, and interaction networks across successive planting cycles. Bacterial alpha-diversity remained relatively stable, whereas fungal communities showed pronounced sensitivity to early planting stages. Beta-diversity analyses revealed that bacterial community composition was jointly influenced by planting stage and site type, while fungal communities were primarily structured by site characteristics. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed contrasting reassembly trajectories between microbial groups. Bacterial networks exhibited increasing complexity and modularity, indicating enhanced interaction intensity and competitive structuring under intensive management. In contrast, fungal networks displayed reduced connectivity but maintained or recovered modular organization, suggesting structural buffering. Notably, keystone taxa remained taxonomically conserved, indicating that network reorganization was driven by interaction rewiring rather than species turnover. We propose a dual-speed reassembly framework in which bacteria function as fast-responding components with dynamic interaction networks, whereas fungi act as slow-buffering, structurally persistent elements. This decoupling of short-term functional responsiveness and long-term stability provides new insights into how intensive management reshapes soil microbiomes in botanical garden ecosystems. Full article

Background: Straw application (SP) is an important agronomic practice in sustainable agriculture, yet its effects on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities in tea plantation soils remain poorly understood. Methods: This study investigated the responses of AM fungi to SP in tea plantations in south Henan, China, by assessing colonization characteristics, community composition, diversity, co-occurrence networks, and soil environmental drivers. Results: SP significantly increased the mycorrhizal colonization rate (MC), by 59.4%. High-throughput sequencing (26,865 sequences and 406 ASVs) revealed that SP reduced the dominance of Claroideoglomus (32.2% to 10.5%) and Glomus (51.01% to 46.7%) while enriching Paraglomus and Acaulospora. Although the α-diversity was unaffected, the β-diversity significantly shifted, indicating community homogenization under SP. Differential taxa analysis confirmed genus-specific responses, and co-occurrence networks showed a simplified topology (nodes: −18.4%; edges: −33.4%) but maintained stability, with increased module specialization (Z_i and P_i). Soil properties explained 80.0% of the variation in AM fungal parameters, with pH and available phosphorus (AP) as key drivers. SP shifted environmental filters from nitrogen/carbon-related factors to metal ions (Al³⁺ and Ca²⁺), altering geochemical conditions. Conclusions: SP selectively reshapes AM fungal communities by altering soil microenvironments and selectively modulating the AM fungal community while maintaining network stability. This study provides new insights into the microbial mechanisms of SP and a basis for sustainable, AMF-based tea plantation management. Full article

Four new genera with four new species and one new combination of Mantispidae are described from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber of northern Myanmar: Tholomantispa quinata gen. et sp. nov., Tholomantispa zhangzhiqiae comb. nov., Heteromantispa polytricha gen. et sp. nov., Trimantispa poseidoni gen. et sp. nov., and Tribelomantispa yangjiani gen. et sp. nov. These species exhibit unique morphological characteristics, such as scale-like setae on forewings, unique male genitalia structure, and specialized raptorial foreleg, which provide valuable information for the study of character transformation and adaptive evolution within Mantispidae. The scale-like setae on the forewings suggests potential secondary loss in extant taxa. Similarly, the documentation of processes on the forefemur across multiple genera introduces a novel morphological trait within Mantispidae, enriching our knowledge of their structural diversity. Full article

Hydnellum is an ectomycorrhizal fungus with important ecological and medicinal value. However, the species diversity of Hydnellum in China remains poorly understood. To deepen the understanding of the diversity of Hydnellum species in China, this study, based on a combination of morphological observations and molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and nuclear ribosomal large subunit (nrLSU) regions, identified and described four new species: H. aureoluteum sp. nov., H. aureotomentosum sp. nov., H. fuscozonatum sp. nov., and H. pileospinosum sp. nov. For each new species, we provided detailed morphological descriptions, hand-drawn illustrations, and comparisons with closely related taxa. In addition, this study systematically compiled key morphological characteristics and ecological distribution data for all known Hydnellum species in China and constructed a dichotomous identification key. This work provides an important basis for taxonomic research on the genus Hydnellum and enhances our understanding of its ecological distribution patterns in China. Full article

Ongoing studies on the Lepidoziaceae in East Indochina have yielded new information on the distribution and morphology of a number of family representatives. This study aimed to provide new data in this regard. The latter task looks quite justified, taking into account the fact that East Indochina houses a notable portion of the worldwide Lepidoziaceae diversity, especially in the genus Bazzania. The materials for the paper were 48 specimens collected throughout East Indochina. The cited specimens contain 18 taxa, discussed in respect of their ecology, distribution, and morphology. All the taxa discussed in this paper are supplemented with illustrations, and their morphological descriptions based on the Indochinese materials are also included in most cases. One taxon (Bazzania appendiculata subsp. cambodiana subsp. nov.) is described as new-for-science. Six species are new to Indochina, three species are new to East Indochina, one species is new to Vietnam, and three species are new to Cambodia. A comparison of the currently known taxonomic diversity with that of Malaysia, which borders East Indochina, reveals that the diversity of Lepidoziaceae in East Indochina is still clearly understudied, and further research is likely to yield new discoveries. The final target in this field is the creation of a thorough taxonomic revision of the family in this region in the future. Full article

Background: The species richness and endemism of the species of the tribes Astragaleae, Crotalarieae, Genisteae, Indigofereae, and Loteae in northeastern Mexico are poorly documented and the systematics of these groups in the study area have not been updated according to the new taxonomic modifications proposed by the LPWG. Objective: Our objective is to update the taxonomy and to document the richness and endemism of legumes of the tribes Astragaleae, Crotalarieae, Genisteae, Indigoferae, and Loteae distributed in northeastern Mexico. Methods: This work is based primarily on fieldwork conducted by some of the authors over the past 40 years, and on the review of botanical specimens held in national and international herbaria. Results: Five tribes, eight genera, and 60 species of legumes were recorded and distributed as follows: Astragaleae, one genus (Astragalus), 29 species, and eight infraspecific categories; Crotalarieae, one genus (Crotalaria), 10 species, and three infraspecific categories; Genisteae, two genera (Lupinus and Spartium) and 11 species; Indigofereae, one genus (Indigofera), six species; Loteae, three genera (Acmispon, Coronilla, and Hosackia), and four species. Four introduced species were recorded: Coronilla varia, Crotalaria retusa var. retusa, Indigofera subulata var. scabra, and Spartium junceum, all of them with few records in the wild or cultivated as ornamentals, with no reports of weedy behavior or threats of population expansion. Twenty-nine species and two infraspecific categories are endemic to Mexico, of which 18 are exclusive to the northeastern region. Half and one-third of the recorded species are endemic to Mexico and northeastern Mexico, respectively, demonstrating their uniqueness and importance for conservation purposes. Astragalus and Lupinus constitute up to 95% of the endemic species for the northeastern part of the country. The taxa richness of legumes in NE Mexico is unique, because almost half of them are endemic to the country and a third are endemic to this region, which requires the creation of appropriate measures for the conservation of the specific ecosystems where these species grow. Full article

Microalgae and probiotics are increasingly considered a promising approach for addressing environmental problems in freshwater aquaculture. However, how this approach affects the resident free-living (FL) and particle-associated (PA) bacterial communities that are essential in biogeochemical processes remains unclear. Here, we established a 60-day mesocosm aquaculture system for Micropterus salmoides to examine the effects of microalgal and probiotic addition on fish growth, water quality, and resident bacterial communities. Four treatments were included: Chlorella vulgaris addition (6.25 × 10⁶ cells/L), Bacillus subtilis addition (7.5 × 10⁷ CFU/L), their combined addition, and a control. Our results indicated that the combined addition significantly improved fish growth performance and reduced total and inorganic nitrogen concentrations than single additions. Moreover, the combined addition enhanced nitrogen- and carbon-related metabolic functions in FL fraction and increased host-associated functions in PA community. Taxa assigned with the classes Bacilli, Bacteroidia, Gammaproteobacteria, and Alphaproteobacteria showed predominant explanations for variations in nitrogen and phosphorus. Furthermore, the combined addition enhanced potential interactions among taxa across lifestyles and strengthened the bacterial community network complexity and stability. These findings provide new insights into the microbial mechanisms underlying microalgae–probiotic synergism and offer a scientific basis for sustainable microbial management in freshwater aquaculture. Full article

Ports and recreational marinas are established hotspots for the introduction and secondary spread of non-indigenous species (NIS), mainly via vessel transport and biofouling on artificial substrates. In the AlienPorts project, we surveyed fouling and associated macrobenthic assemblages in four major Greek marinas across distinct marine regions—Rhodes (Levantine), Heraklion and Piraeus–Zea (Aegean), and Patra (Ionian)—from 2021 to 2022, applying two complementary protocols: (i) photoquadrat surveys and (ii) scraped assemblage sampling. The photoquadrats recorded twelve NIS and seven cryptogenic species, which were dominated by sessile fouling taxa, especially ascidians. The scraped samples revealed 106 polychaete and amphipod species, including 25 taxa (23 NIS, two cryptogenic). Six of the polychaetes are new NIS for the Mediterranean, and thirteen of the taxa are newly recorded as NIS in Greek waters. Heraklion had the highest NIS richness (18 NIS + two cryptogenic), while the other marinas hosted approximately ten NIS/cryptogenic taxa. In contrast, NIS often dominated the population densities, with Zea being the most impacted based on the NIS to native species ratios for both diversity and abundance. The two methods detected largely distinct biodiversity components and shared only one NIS, underscoring a strong complementarity. The multivariate analyses confirmed significant differences among marinas (ANOSIM, p < 0.01). These results support integrated, multi-method monitoring to enhance the early detection and impact assessment under MSFD Descriptor 2. Full article

Soda lakes are ecologically significant habitats characterized by high salinity, alkaline pH, and intense evaporation. These milieus are hostile to most life, though these lakes could be a rich source for discovering novel halotolerant and halophilic cyanobacterial taxa. The Indian subcontinent is endowed with shallow saline–alkaline lakes whose cyanobacterial diversity has been little explored. The present study was undertaken to explore the cyanobacterial diversity in an inland saline–alkaline lake (Sambhar Lake) in India using a polyphasic approach. Two thin, filamentous strains encapsulated within thick sheaths and capable of nodule formation under normal light conditions were recovered. Both isolates exhibited growth at up to 4% salinity, indicating their halotolerant nature. The studied strains exhibited <95% 16S rRNA gene similarity with closely related taxa from the genera Thainema and Insularia and formed a distinct evolutionary lineage in phylogenetic tree supported by a high bootstrap value. Additionally, the secondary structures of the 16S-23S Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions (D1-D1′ and BoxB) of the studied strains showed remarkable differences from phylogenetically closely related taxa, indicating these strains represent a new genus in the Nodosilineales: Krienitziella sambharensis gen. et sp. nov., in accordance with the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (ICN). Full article

This study investigates the phytochemical composition and biological activity of eight Thymus species distributed in Bulgaria, with a focus on taxa from section Hyphodromi. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were used to characterize the methanolic (MeOH) and diethyl ether (Et₂O) extracts, respectively. MeOH extracts revealed high concentrations of phenolic acids, particularly rosmarinic acid, salicylic acid, and flavonoid glycosides, with T. atticus, T. jalasianus, and T. leucotrichus showing the most diverse profiles. Et₂O extracts were dominated by triterpenic acids (ursolic and oleanolic) and monoterpenes such as thymol and carvacrol, especially in T. zygioides and T. leucotrichus. All MeOH extracts exhibited significant antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay (IC₅₀ < 50 µg/mL), with T. jalasianus and T. atticus demonstrating the strongest effects. Radical scavenging potential generally followed the trend of total phenolic content. Moderate acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory activity was observed only in T. zygioides and T. leucotrichus. The study reports for the first time data on the biological activity and metabolic composition of extracts from endemic and rare species and from the species of Bulgarian origin. The results provide new data on the phytochemical composition and in vitro antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory activities of selected Thymus species, contributing to the characterization of their overall in vitro biochemical profiles. Full article

The endangered ethnomedicinal plant Euchresta tubulosa harbors a valuable community of endophytic fungi, demonstrating significant potential for biotechnological applications. Endophytic fungi were isolated from E. tubulosa and identified to characterize their secondary metabolites and extracellular enzyme activities. Endophytic fungi were isolated from E. tubulosa using tissue explant culture and identified by morphological and molecular (ITS) analysis. The chemical profiles of strain fermentation products were analyzed by LC–MS/MS, while extracellular enzyme production (cellulase, protease, amylase) was assessed through chromogenic plate assays and liquid fermentation. The results indicated that a total of 55 endophytic fungi were isolated from E. tubulosa, assigned to 17 genera. Among these, three genera (Colletotrichum, Fusarium, and Penicillium) constituted the dominant groups, while four strains (including three novel species) represented potential new taxa. LC–MS/MS analysis revealed that fermentation products of the three novel endophytic fungal species contained bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and alkaloids; furthermore, bioactivity assays indicate that they exhibited significant degrees of antibacterial and antioxidant activity. Extracellular enzyme assays demonstrated that three E. tubulosa-derived endophytic strains exhibited multi-hydrolytic enzyme production capabilities. Notably, strain ETG-1-2-1 showed the highest amylase and cellulase activities (10.95 U/mL and 9.68 U/mL, respectively), while strain ETXG-1-1-1 displayed the highest protease activity (2.34 U/mL). This study provides the first systematic report on the diversity of endophytic fungi in E. tubulosa, their secondary metabolite profiles, and extracellular enzyme activities, establishing a theoretical foundation for discovering novel bioactive compounds and developing microbial resources, while also highlighting their ecological roles and biotechnological potential. Full article

Against the backdrop of increasingly scarce global arable land resources, the remediation and resource utilization of saline–alkali soils have become a critical issue in circular agriculture. This study proposes micro-nano bubble (MNB) irrigation technology as a green, low-carbon strategy for saline–alkali soil remediation, highlighting its multi-level driving mechanism through pot experiments at different aeration frequencies. Results indicated that MNB irrigation significantly enhanced salt leaching and acid-base neutralization by reducing the soil pH (11.75%) and electrical conductivity (53.41%). Meanwhile, soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium increased to normal soil levels. MNBs also strongly activated native enzymes (urease and alkaline phosphatase), raising the total enzyme activity by 68.54%, which is linked to carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus metabolism. These results were also validated by microbial analysis, which indicated that MNBs shifted the community structure from one dominated by salt-tolerant taxa (i.e., Pseudomonadota) to a more functionally beneficial composition (i.e., Bacillota). Through these changes, the microbial diversity and network connectivity were enhanced, with Qipengyuania and Psychrophilus identified as critical nodes. This study reveals the multi-level driving mechanism of MNB technology, providing new technical pathways and theoretical support for the remediation, resource recovery, and circular utilization of agricultural waste soils. Full article