— A study tested (−)-myrtenol, a compound from myrtle family plants, against Candida albicans isolated from the oral cavity. The compound reduced the yeast's ability to adhere to oral cells, inhibited its filament formation, and decreased lipase production at the tested concentration. Results suggest (−)-myrtenol may warrant further investigation as a potential therapeutic agent.
— Researchers screened twenty Schizophyllum commune strains from Thailand and identified three high producers of schizophyllan, an exopolysaccharide. Strain MMCR00256 achieved the highest yield through media optimization, producing 10.39 g/L in flask culture and 8.37 g/L in a 5L bioreactor using mycelial inoculum. The findings suggest this strain and cultivation method could support industrial-scale schizophyllan production.
— Researchers isolated 485 yeast strains from native Argentine criolla grape varieties across fermentation stages and identified 12 species from eight genera. After screening for undesirable metabolite production and evaluating fermentative performance, twelve isolates emerged as promising wine starter candidates, with several Hanseniaspora guilliermondii strains showing particularly balanced behavior and favorable enzymatic profiles.
— A roundup covering recent mushroom-related developments across research and industry, including job opportunities, impacts of clear-cutting on boreal forests, mycology and climate connections, alternative beauty applications, and koji fermentation in cocoa production.
— A 69-year-old man with lymphoma developed a rare fungal bloodstream infection caused by Trichosporon japonicum after receiving CAR-T cell therapy. The infection was associated with a central venous catheter and was successfully treated with catheter removal, immune recovery, and combination antifungal therapy. The case highlights an emerging opportunistic infection risk in patients undergoing CAR-T cell treatment.
— Rhizoctonia solani causes significant tomato root rot losses worldwide. A Journal of Fungi review examines bacterial and fungal biocontrol agents for this disease, analyzing their mechanisms—including enzyme production, metabolite secretion, mycoparasitism, and induced plant resistance—alongside practical implementation challenges like formulation stability and field variability.
— A study of 33 severely immunosuppressed people with HIV/AIDS in Argentina found their gut fungal communities differed significantly from healthy controls, with enrichment of Candida species and Histoplasma capsulatum. Two distinct fungal community types emerged: one balanced and predominant in controls, the other Candida-dominated in patients with HIV. The findings suggest fungal dysbiosis plays a role in intestinal complications common among severely immunosuppressed individuals.
— A Journal of Fungi review examines how fungi achieve rapid, often reversible phenotypic changes through genetic mechanisms like mating-type switching and transposable element activity, alongside epigenetic processes including histone modifications and DNA methylation. These interconnected systems enable fungi to respond flexibly to environmental fluctuations while maintaining stability, with implications for understanding fungal pathogenesis, symbiosis, and industrial applications.
— Researchers identified the transcriptional regulator Ume6 as a key positive regulator of autophagy in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans under oxidative stress.
— Researchers developed and validated a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry library for identifying Ascosphaera apis, a fungal pathogen that causes chalkbrood disease in honeybee larvae.
— Researchers characterized BbroAFP, an antifungal protein from the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria brongniartii, and tested it against the plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea. The protein showed potent activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations as low as 1 μM, remained stable across pH and temperature ranges, and induced cell death through reactive oxygen species and DNA fragmentation. Tomato leaf assays demonstrated effective disease protection without phytotoxicity.
— A study comparing five DNA extraction protocols across eight Tunisian fungal strains found that the DNeasy Plant Pro Kit combined with cryogenic mycelium treatment produced the highest-quality genomic DNA for sequencing.
— Propolis, a bee product containing flavonoids and phenolic acids, demonstrates antifungal activity against Candida albicans biofilms comparable to conventional antifungal drugs. Its effectiveness varies by geographic origin, with European propolis inhibiting early biofilm formation and Brazilian propolis more effective against established biofilms. Nanotechnology formulations and isolated compounds like pinocembrin and kaempferol show promise for enhancing bioavailability and blocking fungal communication, though clinical safety optimization remains needed.
— Researchers sequenced the genomes of multidrug-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from South Korea and identified genetic variants associated with antifungal resistance. Most mutations occurred in regulatory regions rather than protein-coding sequences, and a novel FKS1 gene variant correlated with reduced caspofungin susceptibility. The findings suggest both established resistance mechanisms and non-target-site mechanisms contribute to drug resistance in clinical isolates.
