Orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) are essential for orchid germination and ecological resilience, yet the factors shaping OMF diversity and distribution across species and geographic regions remain poorly understood. We investigated OMF communities of four European orchid species with varying degrees of fungal specificity: Dactylorhiza sambucina, Anacamptis morio, Platanthera bifolia, and Orchis mascula, along a latitudinal gradient from Italy, across the Czech Republic, to Sweden.We integrated culture-dependent isolation and ITS metabarcoding to identify OMF community composition across geographical and environmental gradients. Coupled with detailed soil analyses, these approaches revealed 57 OMF OTUs. Orchids associated with Tulasnellaceae except P. bifolia, which associated mainly with Ceratobasidiaceae. Orchid species identity determined OMF community composition, whereas geographical and soil variables varied according to species. OMF richness and diversity did not vary according to latitude; however, some OTUs were shared across species and countries, with orchid fungal specificity decreasing with latitude. Soil calcium was a strong driver of the OMF community structure identified by metabarcoding. Overall, metabarcoding revealed orchid species-specific responses of OMF taxa to soil properties. The low regional variation in OMF diversity suggests a high degree of spatial consistency in orchid-OMF associations, despite pronounced differences in host specificity and species-specific responses to soil conditions.
Ischemic heart disease remains a leading cause of global mortality. Current clinical treatment mainly relies on reperfusion techniques to restore blood supply. However, the reperfusion process itself induces additional damage, known as ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. While a large number of studies have shown that gut bacteria are closely related to cardiovascular disease progression, the role of gut fungi remains unexplored. Here, we identify a previously unknown gut mycobiota-mediated mechanism that exacerbates myocardial I/R injury. Using murine I/R models and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequencing, we demonstrate that cardiac I/R injury selectively enriches the gut fungus Talaromyces rugulosus (T. rugulosus), and oral colonization with T. rugulosus aggravates cardiac dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Mechanistically, T. rugulosus directly degrades N,N-dimethylsphingosine (DMS), a protective sphingolipid metabolite, as evidenced by significant reductions in both intestinal and circulating DMS levels upon fungal colonization, and in vitro assays confirming specific DMS degradation by the fungus. DMS supplementation reverses T. rugulosus exacerbated myocardial injury, attenuating inflammatory infiltration and oxidative burst. Collectively, these findings reveal a gut mycobiota-heart axis in which fungal-derived DMS depletion exacerbates cardiac I/R injury, and highlight DMS as a promising metabolic checkpoint and therapeutic target for microbiota-based cardioprotection.
Cereals and oil crops play a critical role in the global food system, providing essential energy and nutrition for a vast population. However, during growth and storage, these crops are susceptible to infection by toxigenic fungi, which subsequently produce mycotoxins, posing serious threats to human and animal health. This review systematically summarizes the common toxigenic fungi and their associated mycotoxins in cereals and oil crops, covering their geographical distribution, toxic effects, and contamination status. Furthermore, the article discusses integrated prevention and control strategies for mycotoxin contamination spanning pre- and post-harvest stages, with a focus on key measures such as breeding, crop rotation, biological control, and novel storage technologies, emphasizing the importance of developing green control techniques. Finally, this review highlights the strategic significance of establishing robust monitoring systems, formulating science-based regulatory policies, and strengthening international cooperation to mitigate the risks of mycotoxin contamination.
Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides species, Histoplasma species, and Paracoccidioides species are classified as Category II pathogenic microorganisms under China’s Catalogue of Pathogenic Microorganisms Transmissible to Humans. These dimorphic fungi produce aerosolizable spores at ambient temperature, persist in the environment for prolonged periods, and convert in vivo to pathogenic tissue forms, creating specific biosafety risks during culture storage, transport, inactivation, and disposal. Existing national regulations set out broad principles but lack technical specifications tailored to fungal biology. The Fungal Study Group of the Dermatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, together with multidisciplinary experts, reviewed Chinese and international regulations, standards, and literature and used a modified Delphi process to establish consensus. Nine recommendations were formulated, covering BSL-3 laboratory prerequisites, culture storage and inventory management, periodic verification and disposal of expired strains, intra- and inter-institutional transport, inactivation and disposal of materials, emergency response to equipment failure, power outage, and culture spills, and post-exposure medical management. This is the first operational technical document in China to address culture preservation, handling, transport, disposal, risk management, and emergency response for highly pathogenic fungal strains, translating statutory requirements into practical, fungus-specific, auditable, verifiable, and traceable procedures for qualified laboratories.
