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Talaromycosis (penicilliosis) is a major fungal disease endemic across a narrow band of tropical countries of South and Southeast Asia. The etiologic agent is a thermally dimorphic fungus Talaromyces ( Penicillium ) marneffei , which was first isolated from a bamboo rat in Vietnam in 1956, but no formal description was published. In 1959, Professor Gabriel Segretain formally described it as a novel species Talaromyces ( Penicillium ) marneffei , and the human pathogenic potential of the fungus in Mycopathologia . The first natural human case of talaromycosis (penicillosis) was reported in 1973 and involved an American minister with Hodgkin’s disease who lived in Southeast Asia. Sixty years after the discovery of the pathogen, talaromycosis caused by T. marneffei is recognized as an important human disease with the potential to cause high mortality in the absence of proper diagnosis and prompt treatment. Talaromycosis remains a significant infectious complication in HIV/AIDS patients and in patients with other immune defects. The disease is being recognized with an increasing frequency well beyond the traditional endemic areas. The natural reservoirs of T. marneffei in wild rodents are well-defined, which links the ecology with the epidemiology of talaromycosis in endemic areas. There is an urgent unmet need for rapid and affordable point-of-care diagnostic tests. We also need more clinical studies to define the best therapeutic options for the management of talaromycosis patients.

Background Talaromyces wortmannii is a ubiquitous saprophytic fungus found in soil, plants, and marine organisms. Infections caused by T. wortmannii in humans are rarely reported, however, a recent case of skin mycosis attributed to this fungus highlights its potential to cause infections under certain conditions. Therefore, studying the biological characteristics of T. wortmannii is crucial for the prevention and control of dermatomycosis. Methods T. wortmannii was incubated on different medium and at various temperatures, gathered pertinent data on colony growth and conduct an analysis of its growth characteristics. The Sensititre YeastOne ® and CLSI M38 method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of amphotericin B, 5-flucytosine, anidulafungin, caspofungin, micafungin, fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole and Terbinafine. Finally, the in vivo virulence of T. wortmannii were investigated using Galleria mellonella as an infection model. Results The characteristic of T.wortmannii included septate hyphae, occasionally fragmented with varying diameters. Velvety colonies with dense sporulation were observed, grow fastest at 32 °C and displayed a radial growth pattern with a centrally elevated morphology and a slightly depressed margin. The MICs of amphotericin B, itraconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole were relatively low, suggesting potential clinical efficacy. A greater number of deaths occurred at higher inoculum levels. Both the T.wortmannii clinical strain F22-1-C5 and standard strain CGMCC3.17703 exhibits virulence towards the larvae. Conclusions T. wortmannii can cause human infections. Amphotericin B, itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole may be effective for treatment of such infectoins.

The fungus Talaromyces marneffei was described by Professor Gabriel Segretain in 1959, originally as a member of the genus Penicillium . As early as 60 years ago, its peculiarity in exhibiting temperature-dependent morphological dimorphism, its characteristic ability to secrete diffusing red pigment during the mycelial phase and its pathogenicity have already been recognised. Six decades have passed, and our understanding on this intriguing fungus has improved. Apart from the clinical aspect, we have gained a glimpse on its taxonomy, animal or environmental source(s), mechanism of thermal dimorphism, molecular genetics, virulence as well as pathogenesis. However, we are still on our way to get out of the talaromycosis mist. A lot more collective endeavour on T. marneffei research is needed to solve the jigsaw puzzle.

Verticillium wilt is a soil-borne disease, and severely limits the development of cotton production. To investigate the role of endophytic fungi on Verticillium wilt, CEF-818 (Penicillium simplicissimum), CEF-714 (Leptosphaeria sp.), CEF-642 (Talaromyces flavus.) and CEF-193 (Acremonium sp.) isolated from cotton roots were used to assess their effects against cotton wilt disease caused by a defoliating V. dahliae strain Vd080. In the greenhouse, all treatments significantly reduced disease incidence and disease index, with the control efficacy ranging from 26% (CEF-642) to 67% (CEF-818) at 25 days (d) after inoculation. In the disease nursery, compared to controls (with disease incidence of 33.8% and disease index of 31), CEF-818, CEF-193, CEF-714 and CEF-642 provided a protection effect of 69.5%, 69.2%, 54.6% and 45.7%, respectively. Especially, CEF-818 and CEF-714 still provided well protection against Verticillium wilt with 46.9% and 56.6% or 14.3% and 33.7% at the first peak of the disease in heavily infected field, respectively (in early July). These results indicated that these endophytes not only delayed but also reduced wilt symptoms on cotton. In the harvest, the available cotton bolls of plant treated with CEF-818 and CEF-714 increased to 13.1, and 12.2, respectively. And the seed cotton yield significantly increased after seed bacterization with CEF-818 (3442.04 kg/ha) compared to untreated control (3207.51 kg/ha) by 7.3%. Furtherly, CEF-818 and CET-714 treatment increased transcript levels for PAL, PPO, POD, which leads to the increase of cotton defense reactions. Our results indicate that seed treatment of cotton plants with CEF-818 and CET-714 can help in the biocontrol of V. dahliae and improve seed cotton yield in cotton fields. This study provided a better understanding of cotton-endophyte interactions which will aid in developing effective biocontrol agents for Verticillium wilt of cotton in futhre.

Background Talaromyces sp., as powerful cellulolytic fungi, display a nearly complete enzymatic system, which exhibits a complex regulatory system involving multiple transcription factors to control the expression of cellulase genes. However, there are fewer studies on the transcriptional regulatory factors of cellulase expression in Talaromyces sp. This study provides a basis for in-depth analysis of the transcription regulatory mechanism of Talaromyces endophyticus for cellulase expression, offering new ways for the preparation of fermented sugars using straw resources to produce high value-added products and biofuels. Results In this study, a novel transcription factor was investigated for T. endophyticus NEAU-6 which was a high cellulase-producing strain. Results revealed that TeSrdA was nuclear protein, which was stably expressed in the nucleus. TeSrdA deletion caused a remarkable increase of the activities of FPase (121.1%), CMCase (36.6%), pNPCase (97.0%), β-glucosidase (75.1%) and Xylanase (98.4%). Microscopic analysis showed that Δ TeSrdA strains increased the length of the hyphae and the number of branching. Notably, TeSrdA deletion could accelerated the microbial growth, which was unlike most studies in which deletion of transcription factor led to the reduction of cell growth. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analyses revealed that the expression of eg7A , cbh6A , bgl3A , xyl11A genes was up-regulated obviously in the Δ TeSrdA strain. Through Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), we further discovered that the transcription factor TeSrdA regulated the transcription of eg7A , cbh6A , cbh6B , bgl3A , xyl11A and xyl11B by directly binding to the promoters of these enzyme genes, thereby repressing the cellulase production. Conclusions TeSrdA plays an important role by increasing hyphal branching, accelerating strain growth, and promoting cellulase and hemicellulase production. The novel transcription factor TeSrdA is of great significance for studying the transcriptional regulatory network related to enzyme production and growth of strains in Talaromyces sp.

Talaromyces marneffei is the most important thermal dimorphic fungus causing systemic mycosis in Southeast Asia. We report the discovery of a novel partitivirus, Talaromyces marneffei partitivirus -1 (TmPV1). TmPV1 was detected in 7 (12.7%) of 55 clinical T. marneffei isolates. Complete genome sequencing of the seven TmPV1 isolates revealed two double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) segments encoding RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and capsid protein, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that TmPV1 occupied a distinct clade among the members of the genus Gammapartitivirus . Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of isometric, nonenveloped viral particles of 30 to 45 nm in diameter, compatible with partitiviruses, in TmPV1-infected T. marneffei . Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) demonstrated higher viral load of TmPV1 in the yeast phase than in the mycelial phase of T. marneffei . Two virus-free isolates, PM1 and PM41, were successfully infected by purified TmPV1 using protoplast transfection. Mice challenged with TmPV1-infected T. marneffei isolates showed significantly shortened survival time ( P < 0.0001) and higher fungal burden in organs than mice challenged with isogenic TmPV1-free isolates. Transcriptomic analysis showed that TmPV1 causes aberrant expression of various genes in T. marneffei , with upregulation of potential virulence factors and suppression of RNA interference (RNAi)-related genes. This is the first report of a mycovirus in a thermally dimorphic fungus. Further studies are required to ascertain the mechanism whereby TmPV1 enhances the virulence of T. marneffei in mice and the potential role of RNAi-related genes in antiviral defense in T. marneffei . IMPORTANCE Talaromyces marneffei (formerly Penicillium marneffei ) is the most important thermal dimorphic fungus in Southeast Asia, causing highly fatal systemic penicilliosis in HIV-infected and immunocompromised patients. We discovered a novel mycovirus, TmPV1, in seven clinical isolates of T. marneffei . TmPV1 belongs to the genus Gammapartitivirus of the family Partitiviridae . We showed that TmPV1 enhanced the virulence of T. marneffei in mice, with shortened survival time and higher fungal burden in the organs of mice challenged with TmPV1-infected T. marneffei isolates than in those of mice challenged with virus-free isogenic isolates. Transcriptomics analysis showed that TmPV1 altered the expression of genes involved in various cellular processes in T. marneffei , with upregulation of potential virulence factors and suppression of RNAi machinery which may be involved in antiviral defense. This is the first report of a mycovirus in a thermal dimorphic fungus. The present results offer insights into mycovirus-fungus interactions and pathogenesis of thermal dimorphic fungi. Talaromyces marneffei (formerly Penicillium marneffei ) is the most important thermal dimorphic fungus in Southeast Asia, causing highly fatal systemic penicilliosis in HIV-infected and immunocompromised patients. We discovered a novel mycovirus, TmPV1, in seven clinical isolates of T. marneffei . TmPV1 belongs to the genus Gammapartitivirus of the family Partitiviridae . We showed that TmPV1 enhanced the virulence of T. marneffei in mice, with shortened survival time and higher fungal burden in the organs of mice challenged with TmPV1-infected T. marneffei isolates than in those of mice challenged with virus-free isogenic isolates. Transcriptomics analysis showed that TmPV1 altered the expression of genes involved in various cellular processes in T. marneffei , with upregulation of potential virulence factors and suppression of RNAi machinery which may be involved in antiviral defense. This is the first report of a mycovirus in a thermal dimorphic fungus. The present results offer insights into mycovirus-fungus interactions and pathogenesis of thermal dimorphic fungi.

Depsides and their derivatives are a class of polyketides predominantly found in fungal extracts. Herein, a silent nonreducing polyketide synthase (TalsA)-containing gene cluster, which was identified from the Antarctic sponge-derived fungus Talaromyces sp. HDN1820200, was successfully activated through heterologous expression in Aspergillus nidulans. This activation led to the production of two novel depsides, talaronic acid A (1) and B (2), alongside three known compounds (3–5). The further co-expression of TalsA with the decarboxylase (TalsF) demonstrated that it could convert 2 into its decarboxylated derivative 1. The structural elucidation of these compounds was achieved using comprehensive 1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopy, which was complemented by HR-MS analysis. Talaronic acids A and B were firstly reported heterodimers of 3-methylorsellinic acid (3-MOA) and 5-methylorsellinic acid (5-MOA). All isolated compounds (1–5) were tested for their anti-inflammatory potential. Notably, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity comparable to that of the positive control. These results further enrich the structural class of depside natural products.

Background Apples are important for human nutrition because these provide vital nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, that are needed for a balanced diet. A suitable environment for the growth and survival of various microorganisms is also provided by multiple nutrients, such as carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. Penicillium spp. are the cause of blue mold, one of the most common postharvest apple fruit diseases. Using morphological description and ITS gene sequencing, the current study aimed to identify Penicillium isolates associated with infected apple. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to demonstrate these isolates' capability for producing mycotoxins. Results The initial identification of fungi was based on micromorphological characteristics, growth texture, and colony patterns. Penicillium (35.01%) and Talaromyces (15.62%) were the most prevalent fungal genera. These isolates' morphological identity was validated by ITS gene amplification and sequencing. The generated fragments' ITS gene sequencing values were 477, 480, 510, 478, and 478 bps for Penicillium expansum strain AP1, Penicillium crustosum strain AP2, Talaromyces atroroseus strain AP3, Penicillium expansum strain AP4, and Penicillium expansum strain AP5, respectively. It was examined whether the five isolates could produce citrinin and patulin. The highest value of toxins was recorded for patulin (24180 ppb), that produced by P. expansum AP5 , followed by P. crustosum AP2 (19360 ppb). However, the highest value for citrinin was 24890 ppb detected for P. expansum AP4, followed by P. expansum AP5 (19320 ppb). Conclusion Blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum , Penicillium crustosum , and Talaromyces atroroseus . These isolates have the ability to produce citrinin and patulin with different degrees. So blue mold is one of the most harmful diseases in post-harvest apple fruits.

Talaromyces cellulolyticus is a promising fungus for providing a cellulase preparation suitable for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material, although its mannan-degrading activities are insufficient. In the present study, three core mannanolytic enzymes, including glycosyl hydrolase family 5–7 (GH5–7) β-mannanase (Man5A), GH27 α-galactosidase, and GH2 β-mannosidase, were purified from a culture supernatant of T. cellulolyticus grown with glucomannan, and the corresponding genes were identified based on their genomic sequences. Transcriptional analysis revealed that these genes were specifically induced by glucomannan. Two types of Man5A products, Man5A1 and Man5A2, were found as major proteins in the mannanolytic system. Man5A1 was devoid of a family 1 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM1) at the N-terminus, whereas Man5A2 was devoid of both CBM1 and Ser/Thr-rich linker region. The physicochemical and catalytic properties of both Man5A1 and Man5A2 were identical to those of recombinant Man5A (rMan5A) possessing CBM1, except for the cellulose-binding ability. Man5A CBM1 had little effect on mannan hydrolysis of pretreated Hinoki cypress. The results suggest that an improvement in Man5A CBM1 along with the augmentation of identified mannanolytic enzyme components would aid in efficient hydrolysis of softwood using T. cellulolyticus cellulase preparation.

Penicillium and Talaromyces species have a worldwide distribution and are isolated from various materials and hosts, including insects and their substrates. The aim of this study was to characterize the Penicillium and Talaromyces species obtained during a survey of honey, pollen and the inside of nests of Melipona scutellaris. A total of 100 isolates were obtained during the survey and 82% of those strains belonged to Penicillium and 18% to Talaromyces. Identification of these isolates was performed based on phenotypic characters and β-tubulin and ITS sequencing. Twenty-one species were identified in Penicillium and six in Talaromyces, including seven new species. These new species were studied in detail using a polyphasic approach combining phenotypic, molecular and extrolite data. The four new Penicillium species belong to sections Sclerotiora (Penicillium fernandesiae sp. nov., Penicillium mellis sp. nov., Penicillium meliponae sp. nov.) and Gracilenta (Penicillium apimei sp. nov.) and the three new Talaromyces species to sections Helici (Talaromyces pigmentosus sp. nov.), Talaromyces (Talaromyces mycothecae sp. nov.) and Trachyspermi (Talaromyces brasiliensis sp. nov.). The invalidly described species Penicillium echinulonalgiovense sp. nov. was also isolated during the survey and this species is validated here.