• Mycobiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.213-219
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• 2017

In our previous study, three bacterial strains, Bacillus megaterium KU143, Microbacterium testaceum KU313, and Pseudomonas protegens AS15, were selected as effective biocontrol agents against Aspergillus flavus on stored rice grains. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of the volatiles produced by the strains on A. flavus growth and aflatoxin production on stored rice grains. The three strains significantly reduced mycelial growth of A. flavus in dual-culture assays compared with the negative control strain, Sphingomonas aquatilis KU408, and an untreated control. Of these tested strains, volatiles produced by B. megaterium KU143 and P. protegens AS15 markedly inhibited mycelial growth, sporulation, and conidial germination of A. flavus on agar medium and suppressed the fungal populations in rice grains. Moreover, volatiles produced by these two strains significantly reduced aflatoxin production in the rice grains by A. flavus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the suppression of A. flavus aflatoxin production in rice grains using B. megaterium and P. protegens volatiles.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1671-1679
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• 2024

Aspergillus flavus, the primary mold that causes food spoilage, poses significant health and economic problems worldwide. Eliminating A. flavus growth is essential to ensure the safety of agricultural products, and extracellular compounds (ECCs) produced by Bacillus spp. have been demonstrated to inhibit the growth of this pathogen. In this study, we aimed to identify microorganisms efficient at inhibiting A. flavus growth and degrading aflatoxin B₁. We isolated microorganisms from soil samples using a culture medium containing coumarin (CM medium) as the sole carbon source. Of the 498 isolates grown on CM medium, only 132 bacterial strains were capable of inhibiting A. flavus growth. Isolate 3BS12-4, identified as Bacillus siamensis, exhibited the highest antifungal activity with an inhibition ratio of 43.10%, and was therefore selected for further studies. The inhibition of A. flavus by isolate 3BS12-4 was predominantly attributed to ECCs, with a minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of 0.512 g/ml. SEM analysis revealed that the ECCs disrupted the mycelium of A. flavus. The hydrolytic enzyme activity of the ECCs was assessed by protease, β-1,3-glucanase, and chitinase activity. Our results demonstrate a remarkable 96.11% aflatoxin B1 degradation mediated by ECCs produced by isolate 3BS12-4. Furthermore, treatment with these compounds resulted in a significant 97.93% inhibition of A. flavus growth on peanut seeds. These findings collectively present B. siamensis 3BS12-4 as a promising tool for developing environmentally friendly products to manage aflatoxin-producing fungi and contribute to the enhancement of agricultural product safety and food security.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2016

In this study, the treatment of pistachio nuts by Bacillus subtilis UTBSP1, a promising isolate to degrade aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), caused to reduce the growth of Aspergillus flavus R5 and AFB1 content on pistachio nuts. Fluorescence probes revealed that the cell free supernatant fluid from UTBSP1 affects spore viability considerably. Using high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method, 10 fractions were separated and collected from methanol extract of cell free supernatant fluid. Two fractions showed inhibition zones against A. flavus. Mass spectrometric analysis of the both antifungal fractions revealed a high similarity between these anti-A. flavus compounds and cyclic-lipopeptides of surfactin, and fengycin families. Coproduction of surfactin and fengycin acted in a synergistic manner and consequently caused a strong antifungal activity against A. flavus R5. There was a positive significant correlation between the reduction of A. flavus growth and the reduction of AFB1 contamination on pistachio nut by UTBSP1. The results indicated that fengycin and surfactin-producing B. subtilis UTBSP1 can potentially reduce A. flavus growth and AFB1 content in pistachio nut.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.180-187
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• 1974

Of the Asp. spp. isolated by the Institute of Applied Microbiology, Kon-Kuk University, 7 strains were selected for the study of the immunological differencences among them using gel precipitation test. The strains were the following types : 1 type of flavus and 2 types of oryzae were isolated from Meju ; 1 type of flavus from Nuruk ; and each one type of flavus, parasiticus and oryzae from Kokja.Asp.flavus from ATCC, Asp. parasiticus nad Asp. niger NRRL strains were also used in the study as a standard. From this study, several points can be raised ; 1) There was no common antigenic property between Asp. niger and Asp. flavus, because of no formation of reaction line. Therefore, all strains could be easily distinguished. 2) There was common antigenic property, that is, the formation of reaction line between Asp. flavus and Asp. parasticus. Accordingly two strains could not be easily distinguished by the gel precipitation test. 3) Each type of oryzae, parasiticus and flavus of Asp. flavus group had common antigen one another as well as specific antigens only in the difference of the reaction lines, so they could be easily identified in the gel precipitation test. 4) Each isolated strain from Meju and Nuruk appeared to be identical. 5) It was shown that the gel precipitation test of serological methods was very useful for the classification of Asp. spp.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.9-14
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• 1973

Author investigated fluorence antibody reaction for the antigenic relationships between Asp niger group, Asp flavus and Asp parasiticus which was indicated as follows: 1. It was concluded that there are complete differences in the antigenic properties each other because it has not cross reaction, therefore identification of strains will be simpley classified. 2. A complete cross reaction between Asp flavus and Asp parasitic us in the Asp flavus groups existed, accordingly this reaction could not identified the strain and classified between Asp. flavus and Asp. parasiticus. 3. This experiment also followed with the separated each strains from the origin (Meju, Nuruk, ATCC, NRRL), but there no differences. From the above results, this method could be classified between Asp flavus group and Asp niger group in the genus Aspergillus, but classification of Asp. flavus and Asp. parasiticus should hardely conclude with this method.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.408-419
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• 2022

Filamentous fungi that could be classified into Aspergillus flavus/oryzae were isolated from traditionally fermented meju commercially available in Korea. The samples were analyzed for aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A contamination by HPLC; however, no toxin was detected. In addition, fungal and bacterial metagenomic sequencing were performed to analyze the microbial distribution in the samples. The results revealed that the distribution and abundance of fungi and bacteria differed considerably depending on the production regions and fermentation conditions of the meju samples. Through morphological analysis, ITS region sequencing, and assessment of the aflatoxin-producing ability, a total of 32 A. flavus/oryzae strains were identified. PCR analysis of six regions with a high mutation frequency in the aflatoxin gene cluster (AGC) revealed a total of six types of AGC breaking point patterns. The A. flavus/oryzae strains did not exhibit the high amylase activity detected in the commercial yellow koji strain (starter mold). However, their peptidase and lipase activities were generally higher than that of the koji isolates. We verified the safety of the traditionally fermented meju samples by analyzing the AGC breaking point pattern and the enzyme activities of A. flavus/oryzae strains isolated from the samples. The isolated strains could possibly be used as starter molds for soybean fermentation.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.287-295
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• 2018

In this study, we evaluated the effect of different temperatures (10, 20, 30, and $40^{\circ}C$) and relative humidities (RHs; 12, 44, 76, and 98%) on populations of predominant grain fungi (Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium fellutanum, and Penicillium islandicum) and the biocontrol activity of Pseudomonas protegens AS15 against aflatoxigenic A. flavus KCCM 60330 in stored rice. Populations of all the tested fungi in inoculated rice grains were significantly enhanced by both increased temperature and RH. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that one unit increase of temperature resulted in greater effects than that of RH on fungal populations. When rice grains were treated with P. protegens AS15 prior to inoculation with A. flavus KCCM 60330, fungal populations and aflatoxin production in the inoculated grains were significantly reduced compared with the grains untreated with strain AS15 regardless of temperature and RH (except 12% RH for fungal population). In addition, bacterial populations in grains were significantly enhanced with increasing temperature and RH, regardless of bacterial treatment. Higher bacterial populations were detected in biocontrol strain-treated grains than in untreated control grains. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing consistent biocontrol activity of P. protegens against A. flavus population and aflatoxin production in stored rice grains under various environmental conditions of temperature and RH.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 1974

In order to investigate the producibility of aflatoxins by seven Aspergillus flavus strains isolated from deteriolated rice in Korea, polished rice was artificially inoculated and subjected to isolation and quantitation of the mycotoxin. It was proved that all strains were capable of producing aflatoxins, preferentially $B_1$ but no $G_1$ at all and their producibility was closely related to the color of culture media and chloroform extracts. The strain producing the most aflatoxin was A. flavus var. columnaris, excreting 1 ppm on rice. Aflatoxin $B_1$ was isolated and identified by thin-layer chromatography, ultraviolet absorption spectra and derivative formation of water and acetate adducts.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.255-259
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• 2006

The pathogenicity to pear trees and other experimental hosts of the Apple stem grooving virus Korean isolate (ASGV-K) carried by a fungal vector, Talaromyces flavus was examined. ASGV-harboring T. flavus induced mild symptoms on virus-free pears. Symptom severity was intermediate between pears showing typical PBNLS and virus-free pears. Ten cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris showed 35%-90% infectivity by direct infiltration into leaves and roots by ASGV-harboring T. flavus. Application of fungal cultures to soils showed 0%-70% infectivity depending on the P. vulgaris cultivar. Sap extracted from ASGV-infected Chenopodium quinoa induced similar symptoms on P. vulgaris at 25 days after inoculation. Similar symptoms were also detected on P. vulgaris which were inoculated with ASGV-harboring T.flavus. When healthy P. vulgaris leaves were challenged with sap extracted from P. vulgaris leaves infected with ASGV-harboring T. flavus, typical symptoms were observed. These data suggest that T. flavus mediates the transfer of ASGV to host plants.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Seed dehiscence of ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mayer) is affected by moisture, temperature, storage conditions and microbes. Several microbes were isolated from completely dehisced seed coat of ginseng cultivars, Chunpoong and Younpoong at Gumsan, Korea. We investigated the potential of five Talaromyces flavus isolates from the dehiscence of ginseng seed in four traditional stratification facilities. The isolates showed antagonistic activities against fungal plant pathogens, such as Cylindrocarpon destructans, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia nivalis, Botrytis cinerea, and Phytophthora capsici. The dehiscence ratios of ginseng seed increased more than 33% by treatment of T. flavus GG01, GG02, GG04, GG12, and GG23 in comparison to control (28%). Among the treatments, the reformulating treatment of T. flavus isolates GG01 and GG04 showed the highest of stratification ratio of ginseng seed. After 16 weeks, the reformulating treatment of T. flavus isolates GG01 and GG04 significantly enhanced dehiscence of ginseng seed by about 81% compared to the untreated control. The candidate's treatment of T. flavus GG01 and GG04 showed the highest decreasing rate of 93% in seed coat hardness for 112 days in dehiscence period. The results suggested that the pre-inoculation of T. flavus GG01 and GG04 found to be very effective applications in improving dehiscence and germination of ginseng seed.