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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #359252
Research Project: Management and Characterization of Agriculturally and Biotechnologically Important Microbial Genetic Resources and Associated Information

Location: Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research

Title: Aspergillus olivimuriae sp. nov., a halotolerant species isolated from olive brine

Author
item CROGNALE, SILVIA - University Of Tuscia
item PESCIAROLI, L - University Of Tuscia
item FELLI, M - University Of Tuscia
item PETRUCCIOLI, M - University Of Tuscia
item D'ANNIBALE, A - University Of Tuscia
item BRESCIANI, A - University Of Tuscia
item Peterson, Stephen

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/17/2019
Publication Date: 9/1/2019
Citation: Crognale, S., Pesciaroli, L., Felli, M., Petruccioli, M., D'Annibale, A., Bresciani, A., Peterson, S.W. 2019. Aspergillus olivimuriae sp. nov., a halotolerant species isolated from olive brine. Scientific Reports. 69(9):2899-2906. https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.003575.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.003575

Interpretive Summary: A mold was discovered in olive brine waste water in Italy that could not be identified. We determined the DNA sequence from four sites in the genome and compared them to existing sequences. Genetically it was a new species. Using the standard media and grow conditions we formulated a description of the species and named it Aspergillus oleamuriae. The mold is unusual in growing well in olive brine waste water and may be useful in treating the waste. A second isolate was made from corn in Kansas, showing that this is a wide spread but unusual mold. Initial studies of the mold showed that it forms anti quorum-sensing compounds in pathogenic bacteria. This information will be of interest to drug discovery companies, mold testing companies, and academic mycologists.

Technical Abstract: A facultative halotolerant Aspergillus strain was isolated from olive brine waste, the effluent from the debittering process of table olives. This isolate turned out to be genetically novel and a morphological description was made for formal publication of Aspergillus oleamuriae sp. nov. The species was found to be resistant to high concentrations of NaCl (15%) or sucrose (60 %) since it exhibited profuse growth under these conditions. The new species grew well at 37 °C while no growth was observed at 40 °C and conidia en masse were avellaneous on all media. The description of Aspergillus oleamuriae brings the total species of Aspergillus sect. Flavipedes to thirteen. The ethyl acetate extract from A. oleamuriae (Ao_EAE) cultures showed antimicrobial activity which was preferentially exerted towards Gram positive bacteria. A dose-dependent effect of the raw extract in antiquorum sensing activity based on a lactone-mediated communication system was found.