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Search results for: fungi
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Cuticular lipids of insects as potential biofungicides
PublicationThe term ''lipids'' refers to fatty acids, their derivatives and substances related with them biochemically or by the functions in the body. Lipids include compounds with different chemical structure. There are lipids with structures based on long-chain carboxylic acids and their direct derivatives, namely: fatty acids, alkanes, some alkenes, aldehydes and long chain alcohols and their derivatives (esters). The variety of lipid...
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Review on Current Status of Echinocandins Use
PublicationFungal infections are rising all over the world every year. There are only five medical compound classes for treatment: triazoles, echinocandins, polyenes, flucytosine and allylamine. Currently, echinocandins are the most important compounds, because of their wide activity spectrum and much lower sides effects that may occur during therapy with other drugs. Echinocandins are secondary metabolites of fungi, which can inhibit the...
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Optimized 5-hour multiplex PCR test for the detection of tinea unguium: performance in a routine PCR laboratory
PublicationWe recently reported the development of a 5-hour multiplex PCR test for the detection of tinea unguium and the optimization of this test by the inclusion of an inhibition control. Here we report the performance of this procedure as used in a routine clinical laboratory as compared to conventional microscopy and culture-based techniques performed in a mycology reference laboratory. We found in processing 109 samples that 22 (20.2%)...
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Biosurfactants - Biodegradability, toxicity, efficiency in comparison with synthetic surfactants
PublicationBiosurfactants are natural surface active agents produced by variety of bacteria yeast and fungi. A review of their biodegradability, toxicity and efficiency is presented in order to compare their properties with synthetic surfactants. Due to their high efficiency in many applications and environmentally friendly character we tried to apply them in oil refining process. The efficiency of biosurfactants in this application was very...
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Specific detection of Alternaria alternata by PCR and real-time PCR
PublicationFungi of Alternaria genus are cosmopolitan organisms, which spores can be found in the air, soil, water, clothing and food. They commonly occur as saprotrophs on the plant remains, contributing to the decomposition of organic matter. Additionally, they are components of the normal human and animal skin flora. Alternaria spp. are also known human allergens, causing hay fever and allergic reactions that can lead to the development...
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Homocitrate synthase gene as a new molecular target in diagnostics of Candida spp. infections
PublicationNew potential molecular target which will be investigated during this research (homocitrate synthase gen) is the innovative target other than ribosomal DNA. This gene encodes enzyme present only in fungi and some Archaea what significantly increases specificity. It also reduces risk of contamination or influence of other factors (reaction with other DNA present in sample derived from bacteria or host cells) what excludes false...
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Gas‐Phase Removal of Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds and Airborne Microorganisms Over Mono‐ and Bimetal‐Modified (Pt, Cu, Ag) Titanium(IV) Oxide Nanocomposites
PublicationThe photocatalytic deactivation of volatile organic compounds and mold fungi using TiO2 modified with mono‐ and bimetallic (Pt, Cu, Ag) particles is reported in this study. The mono‐ and bimetal‐modified (Pt, Cu, Ag) titanium(IV) oxide photocatalysts were prepared by chemical reduction method and characterized using XRD, XPS, DR/UV‐Vis, BET and TEM analysis. The effect of incident light, type and content of mono‐ and bimetallic...
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Fungal Typin Methods
PublicationThe broad application of the molecular techniques in mycoses diagnosis is related to increase of infections caused by fungi in many countries. The oldest typing methods relaying on fenotypic observation, physiological and biochemical examination have had very limited importance from decades. Novadays, the molecular biology methods took their place. Most of the genotyping methods have been devoleped to be applied for typing of bacteria...
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Molecular detection of Candida krusei
PublicationThe species identification of fungi belonging to genus Candida is an important issue as this genus becomes the emerging problem of nosocomial infections. As Candida krusei presents intrinsicresistance to the fluconazole that is the drug of the first choice in case of invasive candidiasis the PCR identifying the DNA of C. krusei was elaborated. The analytical sensitivity of the assay on spiked blood samples was estimated at 3-5...
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PCR detection of Scopulariopsis brevicaulis
PublicationScopulariopsis brevicaulis is known as a most common etiological factor of the mould toenail infections. There are also reports indicating that S. brevicaulis could cause organ and disseminated infections. Nowadays microscopic observations from the direct sample and culture are crucial for the appropriate recognition of the infection. In this paper is presented a PCR-based method for S. brevicaulis detection. The specificity of...
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Novel application of terminal restriction fragments length polymorphism method (t-RFLP) for identification of six clinically important Candida sp.
PublicationTerminal restriction fragments length polymorphism method (t-RFLP) is a modified classical RFLP method. The main difference is based on carrying out PCR using a fluorescently labeled primer or primers. The result of such modification is that after digestion of amplicons only terminal fragments of PCR product (containing fluorescent dye) are visualized. T-RFLP method has found application in environmental microbiology and epidemiology....
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Divulging the anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of Colletotrichum lentis strain KU1 extract as sustainable AChE active site inhibitors
PublicationAlzheimer’s disease (AD), also called senile dementia is a neurodegenerative disease seen commonly in the elderly and is characterised by the formation of β-amyloid plaques and neurofbrillary tangles (NFT). Though a complete understanding of the disease is lacking, recent studies showed the role of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in pathogenesis. Finding new lead compounds from natural sources has always been a quest for...
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Characterization of d-xylose reductase, XyrB, from Aspergillus niger
PublicationD-xylose reductase is a member of the aldo-keto reductase family, and is involved in D-xylose and L-arabinose conversion through the Pentose Catabolic Pathway (PCP) in fungi. In this study, we biochemically characterized a newly identified second D-xylose reductase (XyrB) from Aspergillus niger. This NADPH-dependent reductase is able to efficiently convert D-xylose and L-arabinose, and it has the highest affinity for these sugars...
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Enzymes of the lysine biosynthetic pathway as targets for antifungals ?
PublicationSystemic infections caused by human pathogenic fungi in immunocompromized patients continue to be one of the important clinical problems. Limited availability of safe and efficacious antifungal chemotherapeutics and emerging resistance to existing drugs stimulates search for novel molecular targets for antifungals. The α-aminoadipate pathway (AAP) of L-lysine biosynthesis is unique in fungi and thus has been so far considered...
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Rhodotorulic Acid and its Derivatives: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications
PublicationSiderophores are low molecular weight compounds produced by microorganisms to scavenge iron in iron-deficient environments. Rhodotorulic acid (RA), a natural hydroxamate siderophore, plays a vital role in iron acquisition for fungi and bacteria. As the simplest natural hydroxamate siderophore, RA exhibits a high affinity for ferric ions, enabling it to form stable complexes that facilitate iron uptake and transport within microorganisms....
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Synthesis, Antimicrobial and Mutagenic Activity of a New Class of d-Xylopyranosides
PublicationEight N-[2-(2′,3′,4′-tri-O-acetyl-α/β-d-xylopyranosyloxy)ethyl]ammonium bromides, a new class of d-xylopyranosides containing a quaternary ammonium aglycone, were obtained. Their complete structure was confirmed using NMR spectroscopy (1H, 13C, COSY and HSQC) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). An antimicrobial activity against fungi (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata) and bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia...
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Antifungal Activity of Homoaconitate and Homoisocitrate Analogs
PublicationThirteen structural analogs of two initial intermediates of the L-alpha-aminoadipate pathway of L-lysine biosynthesis in fungi have been designed and synthesized, including fluoro- and epoxy-derivatives of homoaconitate and homoisocitrate. Some of the obtainedcompounds exhibited at milimolar range moderate enzyme inhibitory properties against homoaconitase and/or homoisocitrate dehydrogenase of Candida albicans. The structural...
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In vitro biodegradation of bacterial nanocellulose under conditions simulating human plasma in the presence of selected pathogenic microorganisms
PublicationThe Biodegradability of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) was assessed based on a change in its properties under conditions simulating human plasma in the presence or absence of the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus. It was shown that the dry mass of BNC did not change during 6 months of incubation, except for samples stored in the presence of moulds, where the dry mass reduced by 40 %. The...
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Desensitization of glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase to inhibition by UDP-GlcNAc
PublicationGlucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN-6-P) synthase, known also as L-Glutamine: D-fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase, catalyzes the first committed step in the pathway leading to the ultimate formation of UDP-GlcNAc. The final product of this pathway is an activated precursor of numerous macromolecules containing amino sugars, including chitin and mannproteins in fungi, peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharides in bacteria, and glycoproteins...
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Cloning, expression, purification and characterization of recombinant trehalose synthase from Deinococcus radiodurans.
PublicationTrehalose (α-D-glucopyranosyl-1,1-α-D-glucopyranoside) is a nonreducing disacharide in which the two glucose molecules are linked trough a α-1,1-glycosidic bond. Trehalose is readily hydrolyzed to glucose and can be used as a reserve of that sugar in the cell. The presence of trehalose was found in the cells of fungi and yeasts, bacteria, nematodes, insects, eggs, pupae and some plants. The characteristics of trehalose make it...
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Rhodotorulic Acid and its Derivatives: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications
PublicationSiderophores are low molecular weight compounds produced by microorganisms to scavenge iron in iron-deficient environments. Rhodotorulic acid, a natural hydroxamate siderophore, plays a vital role in iron acquisition for fungi and bacteria. As the simplest natural hydroxamate siderophore, it exhibits a high affinity for ferric ions, enabling it to form stable complexes that facilitate iron uptake and transport within microorganisms....
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A new assay based on terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism of homocitrate synthase gene fragments for Candida species identification
PublicationCandida sp. have been responsible for an increasing number of infections, especially in patients with immunodeficiency. Species specific differentiation of the Candida sp. is difficult in routine diagnosis. This identification can have a highly significant association in therapy and prophylaxis. This work has shown a new application of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (t-RFLP) method in molecular identification...
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Detection, identification and determination of resveratrol in wine. Problems and challenges
PublicationResveratrol is a compound synthesized by plants in response to unfavorable conditions of growth like mechanical injury, siege of bacteria or fungi and UV exposure. It is concentrated mostly in grapes skin and further more in the products made from grapes especially red wines. Each wine is characterized by different amount of given stilbene since its occurrence is affected by many factors like: types of grapes, environment (climate,...
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The Antibacterial and Antifungal Textile Properties Functionalized by Bimetallic Nanoparticles of Ag/Cu with Different Structures
PublicationWe reported a preparation and characterization of five kinds of impregnation solutions, containing Ag/Cu in the formof bimetallic nanoparticles (alloy and core-shell) as well as ionic species. The cotton-polyester textiles were successfully impregnated during the washing and ironing process by as-prepared solutions to have antibacterial and antifungal properties against to Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans....
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Composition and antimicrobial activity of fatty acids detected in the hygroscopic secretion collected from the secretory setae of larvae of the biting midge Forcipomyia nigra (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)
PublicationThe hygroscopic secretion produced by the secretory setae of terrestrial larvae of the biting midge Forcipomyia nigra (Winnertz) was analysed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The viscous secretion is stored at the top of each seta and absorbs water from moist air. GC-MS analyses (four independent tests) showed that the secretion contained 12 free fatty acids, the most abundant of which were oleic...
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Cyanogenic Compounds and Estrogen Disruptors
PublicationBalanced diet consists largely of plants containing cyanogenic compounds in the form of the more common cyanogenic glycosides and sometimes lipids. Maize, wheat, rye, apples, barley, oats, sugar cane and yet many other plants consumed by humans contain cyanogenic compounds. However the risk of poisoning is negligible as it is very easy to remove the toxic HCN by grinding and drying in air or soaking in water and an additional...
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More than just a beer—the potential applications of by-products from beer manufacturing in polymer technology
PublicationBeer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world, and its popularity is continuously growing. Currently, global beer production is estimated at around 2 billion hectoliters. Nevertheless, the increasing production capacity implicates the rising issue of generated by-products—brewers’ spent grain, spent hops, spent yeast, and wastewater. They are generated in massive amounts, so having in mind the current pro-ecological...
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Gold(III) complexes with chloride and cyanopyridines: Facilitated hydrolysis of nitrile ligand to amide and antibacterial activity
PublicationA range of novel simple gold(III) compounds has been synthesized in their monocrystalline form, including two previously unknown chloro-complexes of Au3+ with 2-cyanopyridine or 3-cyanopyridine, respectively. Our investigations have revealed the intricate nature of the reaction between 2-cyanopyridine and tetrachloroauric acid, yielding at least three distinct products. The main product, obtained in high yield, is a salt featuring...
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Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Properties of Ag2O/TiO2 Heterojunction
PublicationAg2O/TiO2 heterojunctions were prepared by a simple method, i.e., the grinding of argentous oxide with six different titania photocatalysts. The physicochemical properties of the obtained photocatalysts were characterized by diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The photocatalytic activity was...
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Effect of Chitosan Solution on Low-Cohesive Soil’s Shear Modulus G Determined through Resonant Column and Torsional Shearing Tests
PublicationIn this study the effect of using a biopolymer soil stabilizer on soil stiffness characteristics was investigated. Chitosan is a bio-waste material that is obtained by chemical treatment of chitin (a chemical component of fungi or crustaceans’ shells). Using chitosan solution as a soil stabilizer is based on the assumption that the biopolymer forms temporary bonds with soil particles. What is important is that these bonds are biodegradable,...
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Bioassays as one of the Green Chemistry tools for assessing environmental quality: A review
PublicationFor centuries, mankind has contributed to irreversible environmental changes, but due to the modern science of recent decades, scientists are able to assess the scale of this impact. The introduction of laws and standards to ensure environmental cleanliness requires comprehensive environmental monitoring, which should also meet the requirements of Green Chemistry. The broad spectrum of Green Chemistry principle applications should...
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The effect of nanoparticles size on photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of Ag-Pt/TiO2 photocatalysts
PublicationAg-Pt-modified TiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized using the sol–gel method. Bimetallic modified TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited improved photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation, better than monometallic Ag/TiO2 and Pt/TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). All modified powders showed localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in visible region. The photocatalysts’ characteristics by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning transmission...
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Synthesis of phosphono and phosphate derivatives of hydroxyimino-D-alditols as new potential antifungal agents
PublicationIn search for new effective we antyfungals we focus on two enzymes involved in biosynthesis of the fungal cell wall. The first enzyme is glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlmS), which catalyzes transformation of D-fructose-6-phosphate (Fru-6P) to D-glucosamine-6-phodphate (GlcN-6P) in the chitin biosynthesis pathway. The second enzyme is phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) repored to play a crucial role in biosynthesis of many mannosylated structures,...
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Fungal co-culture improves the biodegradation of hydrophobic VOCs gas mixtures in conventional biofilters and biotrickling filters
PublicationThe present study systematically evaluated the potential of Candida subhashii, Fusarium solani and their consortium for the abatement of n-hexane, trichloroethylene (TCE), toluene and α-pinene in biofilters (BFs) and biotrickling filters (BTFs). Three 3.2 L BFs packed with polyurethane foam and operated at a gas residence time of 77 s with an air mixture of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were inoculated with C. subhashii,...
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Multidirectional Characterization of Phytochemical Profile and Health-Promoting Effects of Ziziphora bungeana Juz. Extracts
PublicationZiziphora species (Lamiaceae) have been used in traditional medicine as sedatives, anti-septics, carminatives, or expectorants. Despite their common applications in phytotherapy, there is still lack of evidence about the composition of their extracts and its impact on biological properties of the plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of Ziziphora bungeana, a less studied species growing in Kazakhstan, using...
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Chitosan, Collagen and Gelatin in the design of novel materials with antimicrobial acticity
PublicationMedical devices containing and releasing antiinfective agents directly on the site of injury are a common group of materials available and widely used in treating difficult to heal wounds. Sustained contact of the active agent to the damaged tissue, needed to inhibit infection and preservation of microbiological purity of the wound, is provided by the immobilization antimicrobial agents on the surface of the matrix material or...
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Solvent influence on the crystal structures of new cadmium tri-tert -butoxysilanethiolate complexes with 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine: luminescence and antifungal activity
PublicationMonocrystals of dinuclear 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine-�4N1,N10:N4,N40-bis[bis(tri-tert-butoxysilanethiolato-�S)cadmium(II)], [Cd2(C12H27O3SSi)4(C10-H24N4)] or [Cd2{SSi(OtBu)3}4(�-BAPP)], 1, and polynuclear catena-poly[[bis- (tri-tert-butoxysilanethiolato-�S)cadmium(II)]-�-1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine-�2N10:N40], [Cd(C12H27O3SSi)2(C10H24N4)]n or [Cd{SSi(OtBu)3}2(�-BAPP)]n, 2, with 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine (BAPP)...
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Comparative Analysis of Metabolic Variations, Antioxidant Profiles and Antimicrobial Activity of Salvia hispanica (Chia) Seed, Sprout, Leaf, Flower, Root and Herb Extracts
PublicationThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical profiles of the seeds, sprouts, leaves, flowers, roots and herb of Salvia hispanica and to demonstrate their significant contribution to antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Applied methods were: HPLC-DAD coupled with post-column derivatization with ABTS reagent, untargeted metabolomics performed by LC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, and two-fold micro-dilution broth method, which...
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Solvent influence on the crystal structures of new cadmium tri-tert -butoxysilanethiolate complexes with 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine: luminescence and antifungal activity
PublicationMonocrystals of dinuclear -1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine-4N1,N10:N4,N40-bis[bis(tri-tert-butoxysilanethiolato-S)cadmium(II)], [Cd2(C12H27O3SSi)4(C10-H24N4)] or [Cd2{SSi(OtBu)3}4(-BAPP)], 1, and polynuclear catena-poly[[bis-(tri-tert-butoxysilanethiolato-S)cadmium(II)]--1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine-2N10:N40], [Cd(C12H27O3SSi)2(C10H24N4)]n or [Cd{SSi(OtBu)3}2(-BAPP)]n,2, with 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine (BAPP)...
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The effect of exogenous application of methyl jasmonate on the lipid and carbohydrate content and composition of winter triticale (Triticosecale Wittm.) grain and the severity of fungal infections in triticale plants and grain
PublicationKernels of winter triticale (Triticosecale Wittm. cv. Dinaro) were analyzed. In the autumn of 2015, the effect of methyl jasmonate (MJ) on the germination of triticale kernels and the development of triticale seedlings was analyzed in a laboratory before kernels were sown in experimental plots. Kernels harvested from plots in August 2016 were analyzed to determine their lipid and carbohydrate content and composition and the severity...
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Genetic and biochemical characterization of yeasts isolated from Antarctic soil samples
PublicationThe Polish Arctowski Station is situated in the maritime Antarctic on the western shore ot' Admiralty Bay and encompasses terrestrial habitats which are not perma-nently covered by ice, in contrast to morę than 90% of the island's surface area. Over the past several decades, stud-ies exploring the soils of those habitats have revealed a considerable diversity of bacteria, filamentous fungi, and, to a lesser extent, yeasts; however,...
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Glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase with an oligoHis insert
PublicationGlucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN-6-P) synthase known also as L-Glutamine: D-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.16), catalyzes the first committed step in the amino sugar biosynthetic pathway in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. The final product of this pathway is an activated precursor of numerous macromolecules containing amino sugars, including chitin and mannproteins in fungi, peptydoglican and lipopolysaccharides...
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Mechanism of Binding of Antifungal Antibiotic Amphotericin B to Lipid Membranes: An Insight from Combined Single-Membrane Imaging, Microspectroscopy, and Molecular Dynamics
PublicationAmphotericin B is a lifesaving polyene antibiotic used in the treatment of systemic mycoses. Unfortunately, the pharmacological applicability of this drug is limited because of its severe toxic side effects. At the same time, the lack of a well-defined mechanism of selectivity hampers the efforts to rationally design safer derivatives. As the drug primarily targets the biomembranes of both fungi and humans, new insights into the...
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A Perspective on Missing Aspects in Ongoing Purification Research towards Melissa officinalis
PublicationMelissa officinalis L. is a medicinal plant used worldwide for ethno-medical purposes. Today, it is grown everywhere; while it is known to originate from Southern Europe, it is now found around the world, from North America to New Zealand. The biological properties of this medicinal plant are mainly related to its high content of phytochemical (bioactive) compounds, such as flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds, aldehydes, glycosides...
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Virulence, antifungal susceptibility and molecular mechanisms of echinocandin resistance among Candida isolates recovered from clinical specimens
PublicationFungi of the genus Candida belong to the natural microflora of healthy individuals. However, they can also be a cause of opportunistic infections especially among patients with an impaired immune system. The first line therapy of Candida infections is based on triazoles. However, in recent years there an increase of azole resistant Candida spp., in particular C. glabrata and C. krusei, has been observed. For this reason, echinocandin...
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Total mercury and methylmercury (MeHg) in braised and crude Boletus edulis carpophores during various developmental stages
PublicationWe collected and processed Boletus edulis (King Bolete) carpophores grouped in four batches based on their developmental stage (button stage, young—white, large—white, and large—yellow). The study aimed, for the first time, to examine the B. edulis content and effect of braising and to estimate the intake of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) from a single meal based on whole (wet) weight (ww) and dry weight (dw). In...
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Phase transition of a dimorphic fungus Penicillium marneffei
PublicationPenicillium marneffei is a pathogenic fungus that afflicts immunocompromised individuals who live or travel in Southeast Asia. This species is unique, because it is the only dimorphic member of the genus Penicillium. Dimorphism results from a process, termed phase transition, which is regulated by temperature of incubation. At room temperature, the fungus grows filamentously (mould phase), but at body temperature (37°C), a uninucleate...
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A novel in vitro assay for assessing efficacy and toxicity of antifungals using human leukaemic cells infected with Candida albicans
PublicationAims: This study describes a novel in vitro assay that simultaneously determines antifungal efficiency and host cell toxicity using suspensions of human leukaemic cells (HL-60) infected with Candida albicans. Methods and Results: The effect of Candida infection on host cell viability was evaluated by the microscopy of trypan blue-stained cells and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. The in vitro ‘drug potency assay’ utilized...