Blakeslea trispora is a natural source of carotenoids, including β-carotene and lycopene, which have industrial applications. Therefore, classical selective breeding techniques have been applied to generate strains with increased productivity, and microencapsulated β-carotene preparation has been used in food industry (Li et al., 2019). In B. trispora, lycopene is synthesized via the mevalonate pathway (Venkateshwaran et al., 2015). Lycopene cyclase, which is one of the key enzymes in this pathway, is a bifunctional enzyme that can catalyze the cyclization of lycopene to produce β-carotene and exhibit phytoene synthase activity (He et al., 2017).
Citric Acid Cycle ; Fermentation ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Lycopene/metabolism* ; Mucorales/metabolism* ; Nicotine/pharmacology* ; beta Carotene/biosynthesis*

The order Mucorales, the largest in number of species within the Mucoromycotina, comprises typically fast-growing saprotrophic fungi. During a study of the fungal diversity of undiscovered taxa in Korea, two novel mucoralean strains, CNUFC-GWD3-9 and CNUFC-EGF1-4, were isolated from specific habitats including freshwater and fecal samples, respectively. On the basis of their morphological characteristics and sequence analyses of internal transcribed spacer and large subunit ribosomal DNA, the CNUFC-GWD3-9 and CNUFC-EGF1-4 isolates were confirmed to be Gilbertella persicaria and Pilobolus crystallinus, respectively. It is ecologically, pathologically, and mycologically significant to find such rare zygomycetous fungi in such specific habitats.
DNA, Ribosomal ; Ecosystem* ; Fresh Water ; Fungi ; Korea ; Mucorales ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis

During a survey of fungal diversity of the order Mucorales, three zygomycete isolates, CNUFC-YR113-1, CNUFC-KNU16-7, and CNUFC-BS1-1 were isolated from freshwater and soil samples in Korea. The strains were analyzed both morphologically and phylogenetically based on internal transcribed spacer and 28S rDNA gene sequences. Based on their morphology and phylogeny, the CNUFC-YR113-1 and CNUFC-KNU16-7 isolates were identified as Actinomucor elegans, and CNUFC-BS1-1 was identified as Mucor minutus. To the best of our knowledge, the species A. elegans and M. minutus, belonging to an undiscovered taxon, have not been previously described in Korea.
DNA, Ribosomal ; Fresh Water ; Korea* ; Mucor* ; Mucorales ; Phylogeny ; Soil

Mucormycosis, a fatal opportunistic infection in immunocompromised hosts, is caused by fungi belonging to the order Mucorales. Early diagnosis based on exact identification and multidisciplinary treatments is critical. However, identification of Mucorales fungi is difficult and often delayed, resulting in poor prognosis. This study aimed to compare the results of phenotypic and molecular identification of 12 Mucorales isolates collected from 4-yr-accumulated data. All isolates were identified on the basis of phenotypic characteristics such as growth rate, colony morphology, and reproductive structures. PCR and direct sequencing were performed to target internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and/or D1/D2 regions. Target DNA sequencing identified five Lichtheimia isolates, two Rhizopus microsporus isolates, two Rhizomucor pusillus isolates, one Cunninghamella bertholletiae isolate, one Mucor fragilis isolate, and one Syncephalastrum racemosum isolate. Five of the 12 (41.7%) isolates were incorrectly identified on the basis of phenotypic identification. DNA sequencing showed that of these five isolates, two were Lichtheimia isolates, one was Mucor isolate, one was Rhizomucor isolate, and one was Rhizopus microspores. All the isolates were identified at the species level by ITS and/or D1/D2 analyses. Phenotypic differentiation and identification of Mucorales is difficult because different Mucorales share similar morphology. Our results indicate that the molecular methods employed in this study are valuable for identifying Mucorales.
Genotype ; Humans ; Mucorales/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Mucormycosis/*microbiology ; Mycological Typing Techniques ; Phenotype

Gastric mucormycosis is a rare and life-threatening fungal disease, caused by fungus in the order Mucorales. While rhino-cerebral and pulmonary forms are common, gastric mucormycosis is an uncommon site for the disease. We diagnosed gastric mucormycosis in a 41-year-old female who had severe multiple trauma, including cardiac rupture, due to a traffic accident. Eighteen days after hospitalization, she passed 800 mL of melena over one day. We performed upper esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and found a huge gastric ulcer with bleeding. Histopathological examination identified non-septated and right-angled branching fungal hyphae, and we diagnosed gastric mucormycosis. We recommended total gastrectomy to her but she refused the operation, so she was treated with liposomal amphotericin B for 53 days. After two months of treatment with liposomal amphotericin B, we again performed EGD and found a healed gastric ulcer. After four months, with another EGD, we found that the gastric mucormycosis was completely healed.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adult ; Amphotericin B ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Female ; Fungi ; Gastrectomy ; Heart Injuries* ; Heart Rupture ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Melena ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Multiple Trauma ; Stomach Ulcer

A 71-year-old female presented with erythematous ulcerative patches on her right cheek, chest and right upper arm. She admitted to neurosurgery intensive care unit (NSICU) with mental change related to intracerebral hemorrhage. She had no underlying disease. Histopathologic examination of her right upper arm showed multiple non-septated broad hyphae with right-angled branching in dermis. She was diagnosed as primary cutaneous mucormycosis. The fungal culture demonstrated Cunninghamella species. We postulated that mucormycosis occurred after inoculation of fungi following fall down trauma. Mucormycosis, which commonly affects immunocompromised patient, is a rare fungal infection caused by the order Mucorales. Cutaneous mucormycosis is caused either by direct inoculation of fungal spores or by hematologic spread from another primary source. Clinical manifestations are various from indolent ulceration to rapidly progressive necrosis. Mucormycosis can be diagnosed based on the histologic findings and the fungal culture. Mucormycosis by Cunninghamella species have been increasingly reported, but most of them are pulmonary mucormycosis in immunocompromised patients. Herein, we report a rare case of multiple primary cutaneous mucormycosis caused by Cunninghamella species in a patient without underlying disease.
Aged ; Arm ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cheek ; Cunninghamella* ; Dermis ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Immunocompromised Host ; Intensive Care Units ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Necrosis ; Neurosurgery ; Spores, Fungal ; Thorax ; Ulcer

Mucormycosis is a rare invasive disease with high mortality rates caused by fungi of the zygomycetes class and Mucorales order. Mucormycosis is manifested by a variety of clinical presentations according to the involved site and occurs in immunocompromised conditions such as diabetes mellitus and other conditions. Rhino-orbital-cerebral and pulmonary infection is known as commonly involved areas. Primary gastrointestinal mucormycosis is a very rare and life-threatening invasive fungal infection. Gastrointestinal mucormycosis may occur in any alimentary tract, with the stomach being most involved part. The early diagnosis and appropriate treatment including surgical debridement of involved tissues and antifungal agents is needed to improve survival rates. We report a case of gastric mucormycosis successfully treated with radical debridement and antifungal agents in a 45-year-old man with diabetic ketoacidosis.
Antifungal Agents ; Debridement ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis* ; Early Diagnosis ; Fungi ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Stomach ; Stomach Ulcer* ; Survival Rate

While surveying the diversity of fungi of the order Mucorales, two isolates, EML-PUKI12-1 and EML-PUKI06-1, were obtained from the gut of soldier fly larvae inhabiting the bulrush at a pond located in the Chonnam National University Arboretum, Gwangju, Korea. The isolates were confirmed as Mucor irregularis and Mucor fragilis species, respectively, based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of rDNA internal transcribed spacer region. Such mucoralean species belonging to undiscovered taxa has not previously been described in Korea.
Diptera* ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Fungi ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea* ; Larva* ; Military Personnel* ; Mucor ; Mucorales ; Ponds

Mucormycosis (formerly known as zygomycosis) is a life-threatening opportunistic mycosis that infects a broad range of hosts with qualitative or quantitative defects in innate immunity. The overall mortality rate of pulmonary mucormycosis is above 70%. The prognosis and outcome of pulmonary mucormycosis have not improved significantly over the last decade, mainly because of difficulty in early diagnosis and the limited activity of current antifungal agents against members of the order Mucorales. We report a case of pulmonary mucormycosis treated successfully with posaconazole as salvage therapy. We suggest that posaconazole may be considered as an alternative therapeutic approach in patients with invasive pulmonary mucormycosis who are unable to tolerate surgical treatment.
Antifungal Agents ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Mortality ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Prognosis ; Salvage Therapy*

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic infection caused by fungi of the order Mucorales that typically occurs in patients with diabetes or immunocompromised state. Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis is the most common type, often has a life-threatening outcome. Mucormycosis has specific vascular tropism complicating mucorthrombosis or mycotic aneurysm. We report a diabetic patient presenting with ophthalmoplegia, orbital necrosis, and contralateral hemiparesis, who suddenly progressed to coma and died of subarachnoid hemorrhage due to the rupture of mycotic aneurysm in distal internal carotid artery.
Aneurysm, Infected* ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Coma ; Fungi ; Humans ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Necrosis ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Opportunistic Infections ; Orbit ; Paresis ; Rupture* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Thrombosis* ; Tropism