You're using an outdated browser. Please upgrade to a modern browser for the best experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Antarctic Marine Fungi
Despite the harsh conditions, fungi are ubiquitously present in Antarctic ecosystems. The key to fungal success can be due to the vast array of specialized molecules, which allowed their colonization in almost every habitat of our Planet. In Antarctic marine environments, the fungal specific adaptions to low temperatures lead to the production of structurally novel enzymes and secondary metabolites that provide competitive advantages over other microorganisms. The bioprospecting of Antarctic fungi for new bioactive compounds and enzymes is important not only for elucidating their ecological role but also useful for developing blue biotechnologies. 
  • 2.0K
  • 01 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Fungal Light Responses
Organisms have developed different features to capture or sense sunlight. Vertebrates have evolved specialized organs (eyes) which contain a variety of photosensor cells that help them to see the light to aid orientation. Opsins are major photoreceptors found in the vertebrate eye. Fungi, with more than five million estimated members, represent an important clade of living organisms which have important functions for the sustainability of life on our planet. Light signalling regulates a range of developmental and metabolic processes including asexual sporulation, sexual fruit body formation, pigment and carotenoid production and even production of secondary metabolites. Fungi have adopted three groups of photoreceptors: (I) blue light receptors, White Collars, vivid, cryptochromes, blue F proteins and DNA photolyases, (II) red light sensors, phytochromes and (III) green light sensors and microbial rhodopsins.
  • 1.8K
  • 15 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Molecular Markers
Fungi are amongst the most abundant and diverse organisms. Despite being widely known for their adverse role in food spoilage or as pathogens for humans, animals, or plants, they also present several beneficial effects. Fungi contribute to human well-being due to their role as decomposers, degrading decay matter into smaller molecules which can be easily used by other ecosystem members. These organisms can produce medicinal compounds or modulate protective immune responses in human intestine. Fungi intervene in diverse food processes or act as a food supply. Due to fungal diversity, the unequivocal identification of these organisms is crucial to increasing their practical applications and decreasing their adverse effects.
  • 1.8K
  • 02 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Beneficial Roles of Fungi
Besides plants and animals, the Fungi kingdom describes several species characterized by various forms and applications. They can be found in all habitats and play an essential role in the excellent functioning of the ecosystem, for example, as decomposers of plant material for the cycling of carbon and nutrients or as symbionts of plants. Furthermore, fungi have been used in many sectors for centuries, from producing food, beverages, and medications. 
  • 1.7K
  • 28 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Yeast-Based Virus-like Particles
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are empty, nanoscale structures morphologically resembling viruses. Internal cavity, noninfectious, and particulate nature with a high density of repeating epitopes, make them an ideal platform for vaccine development and drug delivery. 
  • 1.7K
  • 11 Apr 2023
Topic Review
The Role of Flavonoids in Plant Terrestrialization
Plants evolved an impressive arsenal of specialized metabolites to cope with the novel environmental pressures imposed by the terrestrial habitat when moving from water. Flavonoids are maybe the most important specilized metabolites that show multifarious roles in the sucess of plant terrestrialization. These compounds modulated auxin transport and signaling and promoted the symbiosis between plants and fungi (e.g., arbuscular mycorrhizal, AM), a central event for the conquest of land by plants. AM improved the ability of early plants to take up nutrients and water from highly impoverished soils. Therefore, flavonoids were essential to plant development in the “new world” scarce of water and nutrients.
  • 1.6K
  • 30 May 2022
Topic Review
Medicinal Mushrooms as Natural Food Dyes
Dyes are widely used in high-tech sectors, including food and energy. Natural dyes are more environment-friendly than synthetic dyes and may have medicinal benefits. Fungi are a natural source of dye that can be substituted for plants. For example, medicinal mushrooms offer a wide range of safe organic dyes that may be produced instantly, inexpensively, and in large quantities. Meanwhile, medicinal mushroom dyes may provide a less expensive choice for photovoltaic (PV) technology due to their non-toxic and environmentally friendly qualities.
  • 1.6K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Morel in Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soils
Morel is a popular edible mushroom with considerable medicinal and economic value which has garnered global popularity. Given the susceptibility of morels to HM accumulation, the quality and output of morels are at risk, posing a serious food safety concern that hinders the development of the morel industry.
  • 1.6K
  • 09 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Fungi in Pine Wilt Disease
Pine wilt disease (PWD) is a complex disease that severely affects the biodiversity and economy of Eurasian coniferous forests. Three factors are described as the main elements of the disease: the pinewood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the insect-vector Monochamus spp., and the host tree, mainly Pinus spp. Nonetheless, other microbial interactors have also been considered.
  • 1.5K
  • 20 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Cochliobolus, Bipolaris, and Curvularia Species
Cochliobolus, Bipolaris, and Curvularia genera contain various devastating plant pathogens that cause severe crop losses worldwide. The species belonging to these genera also perform a variety of diverse functions, including the remediation of environmental contaminations, beneficial phytohormone production, and maintaining their lifestyle as epiphytes, endophytes, and saprophytes. Research has revealed that despite their pathogenic nature, these fungi also play an intriguing role in agriculture. They act as phosphate solubilizers and produce phytohormones, such as indole acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GAs), to accelerate the growth of various plants. Some species have also been reported to play a significant role in plant growth promotion during abiotic stresses, such as salinity stress, drought stress, heat stress, and heavy metal stress, as well as act as a biocontrol agent and a potential mycoherbicide. Similarly, these species have been reported in numerous industrial applications to produce different types of secondary metabolites and biotechnological products and possess a variety of biological properties, such as antibacterial, antileishmanial, cytotoxic, phytotoxic, and antioxidant activities.
  • 1.5K
  • 06 Mar 2023
Topic Review
The Genus Candida auris
C. auris has unprecedently emerged as a multi-drug resistant fungal pathogen considered a serious global threat due to its potential to cause nosocomial outbreaks and deep-seated infections with staggering transmissibility and mortality, that has put in check the health authorities and institutions worldwide for more than a decade now. Due to its unique features not observed in other yeasts, it has been categorized as an urgent threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the rest of international agencies. Moreover, epidemiological alerts have been released in view of the increase of healthcare-associated C. auris outbreaks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This review summarizes the current evidence on C. auris since its first description, from virulence to treatment and outbreak control, and highlights the knowledge gaps and future directions for research efforts. 
  • 1.5K
  • 17 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Building Associated Fungi and How to Find Them
The number of buildings experiencing humidity problems and fungal growth appears to be increasing as energy-saving measures and changes in construction practices and climate become more common. Determining the cause of the problem and documenting the type and extent of fungal growth are complex processes involving both building physics and indoor mycology. The most reported building-associated fungi across all materials are Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus versicolor. Chaetomium globosum is common on all organic materials, whereas Aspergillus niger is common on all inorganic materials.
  • 1.4K
  • 29 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Techniques for Antifungal Combinations
The general approach of studying antifungal combinations is (i) to choose an experimental technique, (ii) to obtain raw numerical data, (iii) to analyze these data either graphically or numerically; (iv) to interpret the results, and (v) to conclude on the mode of interaction: synergy, indifference (no interaction), or antagonism.
  • 1.4K
  • 25 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Auricularia auricula’s Separation and Purification
Auricularia auricula polysaccharides (AAP) have been widely studied in the field of medicine and healthcare because of their unique structure and physiological activity. Many species of Auricularia auricula polysaccharides have been extracted, isolated, and purified by different methods, and their structures have been analyzed. Auricularia auricula polysaccharides have been proven to have beneficial effects on the human body, including slowing the aging process, controlling the intestinal system, and treating cardiovascular disorders.
  • 1.4K
  • 19 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Black Fungi on Stone-Built Heritage
Black Fungi are one of the main group of microorganisms responsible for the biodeterioration of stone cultural heritage artifacts. The term “black fungi” refers to a very huge group of dematiaceous fungi, unrelated phylogenetically, which have in common the presence of melanin in the cell wall that confers an olive brown appearance to the colony. Another common characteristic is the ability to withstand hostile environments such as scarcity of nutrients, high solar irradiation, scarcity of water, high osmolarity, and low pH.
  • 1.3K
  • 05 May 2022
Topic Review
A.oligospora Strains in China
Maintaining the effects of nematode-trapping fungi (NTF) agents in order to control plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) in different ecological environments has been a major challenge in biological control applications. To achieve such an objective, it is important to understand how populations of the biocontrol agent NTF are geographically and ecologically structured. 
  • 1.3K
  • 26 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Putative Anticancer Compounds from Plant-Derived Endophytic Fungi
Endophytic fungi are microorganisms that exist almost ubiquitously inside the various tissues of living plants where they act as an important reservoir of diverse bioactive compounds. Recently, endophytic fungi have drawn tremendous attention from researchers; their isolation, culture, purification, and characterization have revealed the presence of around 200 important and diverse compounds including anticancer agents, antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, immunosuppressants, and antimycotics. Many of these anticancer compounds, such as paclitaxel, camptothecin, vinblastine, vincristine, podophyllotoxin, and their derivatives, are currently being used clinically for the treatment of various cancers (e.g., ovarian, breast, prostate, lung cancers, and leukemias). By increasing the yield of specific compounds with genetic engineering and other biotechnologies, endophytic fungi could be a promising, prolific source of anticancer drugs. In the future, compounds derived from endophytic fungi could increase treatment availability and cost effectiveness. 
  • 1.3K
  • 17 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Fungal Co-Infections in COVID-19 Patients
Fungal co-infections are reported in severely ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU, with a higher rate of incidence for aspergillosis followed by candidemia, as observed from our literature analysis. Fungal co-infections may increase disease severity and lead to more severe outcomes. 
  • 1.3K
  • 16 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Beauveria bassiana Secondary Metabolite Gene Expression in Insects
Entomopathogenic fungi are extensively used for the control of insect pests worldwide. Among them, Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) produce a plethora of toxic secondary metabolites that either facilitate fungal invasion or act as immunosuppressive compounds.
  • 1.3K
  • 13 May 2022
Topic Review
Keratinophilic Fungi from Feathers of Birds
Although keratinophilic fungi on avian feathers have been widely described, data from European literature are quite lacking regarding Mediterranean countries. The aim of the present study was therefore to evaluate the occurrence of fungal species on feathers of different avian species in Italy. A total of 378 feather samples from both aquatic (n = 254) and terrestrial birds (n = 124), for a total of 30 bird species, were cultured for keratinophilic fungi. Fungal isolates were recognized by their macro- and micro-scopical morphology, and results were corroborated by PCR and sequencing. Keratinophilic fungi belonging to 11 different species (Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Trichophyton terrestre, Microsporum gypseum, Sepedonium sp., Chrysosporium pannorum, Myriodontium sp., Chrysosporium tropicum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium luteum and Aphanoascus fulvescens) were isolated from 71 animals (18.8%). The frequency of isolation of keratinophilic species from terrestrial birds was significantly higher in waterfowl. Migratory birds in Italy have been proven to carry pathogenic fungi such as dermatophytes, (A. platyrhyncos, A. crecca, E. rubecula), besides saprophytic species.
  • 1.3K
  • 16 Dec 2021
  • Page
  • of
  • 5
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Books

>>
Encyclopedia of COVID-19
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Academic Video Service
Feedback