biofilm – Page 2 – mycolab.ai

Editorial: Fungal virulence

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Fungal infections are becoming more dangerous and common worldwide, especially as climate change warms the planet. Scientists are studying how fungi develop the ability to cause disease, focusing on features like their stickiness to human tissues and ability to form protective biofilms. Recent research shows that specific proteins and growth conditions affect how dangerous different fungi are and how our immune system responds to them. Understanding these mechanisms could help doctors develop better treatments and vaccines against fungal infections.

Functional Amyloids in Adhesion of Non-albicans Candida Species

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Candida fungi cause common infections and form tough biofilms that resist treatment. These fungi stick to body surfaces using proteins called adhesins that form amyloid-like structures. Researchers found that special peptides can block these amyloid structures in several Candida species, preventing them from sticking to cells and potentially offering a new way to fight these infections.

Enhanced biodegradation of fluorinated pharmaceutical by Aspergillus flavus and Cunninghamella elegans biofilms: kinetics and mechanisms

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Two types of fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Cunninghamella elegans, can effectively break down pharmaceutical pollutants commonly found in wastewater, such as antidepressants and antibiotics. When grown as biofilms on foam carriers, these fungi removed over 90% of the target pharmaceuticals very quickly. The fungi accomplish this primarily through enzymatic breakdown rather than absorption, making them promising candidates for cleaning wastewater at treatment plants.

Candida krusei Empyema: A Lung Transplant Case and Systematic Review of the Literature

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Candida krusei is a dangerous fungus that can cause fluid buildup around the lungs (empyema), particularly in transplant patients. Unlike common fungal infections that respond to fluconazole, this species is naturally resistant to this drug, making it harder to treat. The fungus forms protective biofilms that shield it from treatment, requiring combination antifungal medications and sometimes surgery to drain the fluid and remove infected tissue for successful recovery.

Candida albicans Goliath cells pioneer biofilm formation

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Researchers discovered that Candida albicans produces giant-sized cells called Goliath cells when zinc is scarce. These oversized cells are extremely sticky and can cling to plastic surfaces like catheters even when exposed to blood flow. Once attached, they form thicker, more resilient biofilms that can seed infections into the bloodstream, making Goliath cells particularly dangerous in hospital settings where catheters are commonly used.

Things you wanted to know about fungal extracellular vesicles (but were afraid to ask)

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Fungal extracellular vesicles are tiny particles released by fungal cells that play important roles in how fungi cause disease and how our immune system responds. These particles can either help fight infections or make them worse depending on the type of fungus and conditions involved. Scientists are discovering that these vesicles could potentially be used as vaccines and may explain why some antifungal drugs stop working.

Scanning electron microscopy of hyphal ectobiont bacteria within mycelial extracellular matrices

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Researchers studied how bacteria attach to fungal filaments using advanced microscopy. They developed a special preparation method that removed outer biofilm layers to reveal how bacteria stick to fungal structures. The study found that bacteria form attachment structures with the fungal surface, with these structures being primarily produced by the fungus. This research helps us understand how bacteria and fungi interact in nature and in biotechnology.

Cold atmospheric plasma improves antifungal responsiveness of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium keratoplasticum conidia and mycelia

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Researchers tested a new treatment called cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) combined with antifungal medications against fungi that cause serious eye infections. CAP, which generates reactive molecules without heat, was found to make antifungal drugs work better against two major fungal pathogens. In some cases, drugs that previously didn’t work started working when combined with CAP. This approach could help treat difficult fungal eye infections that are resistant to standard medications.

Candida krusei Empyema: A Lung Transplant Case and Systematic Review of the Literature

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Candida krusei is a dangerous yeast that causes a serious lung infection called empyema, where pus collects around the lungs. This infection is particularly difficult to treat because the yeast is resistant to common antifungal drugs like fluconazole and can form protective biofilms. This systematic review identified only ten cases of this rare infection in the medical literature, showing how uncommon but serious it is, and found that patients need aggressive treatment with multiple antifungal medications combined with surgical drainage to survive.

Things you wanted to know about fungal extracellular vesicles (but were afraid to ask)

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Fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny packages released by fungal cells that play important roles in fungal infections and how our immune system responds to them. Scientists have confirmed these EVs are real biological structures, not laboratory artifacts, and discovered they are produced by many different fungal species. Interestingly, these EVs can have opposite effects on the immune system depending on the fungus involved—sometimes helping our bodies fight infection and sometimes making infections worse, making them both potential vaccines and virulence factors.

Research Keyword: biofilm