Project description:The Periconia genus belongs to the phylum Ascomycota, order Pleosporales, family Periconiaceae. Periconia is widespread in many habitats but little is known about its ecology. Several species produce bioactive molecules, among them, Periconia digitata extracts were shown to be deadly active against the pine wilt nematode. The strain CNCM I-4278, here identified as P. digitata was able to inhibit the plant pathogen Phytophthora parasitica. Since P. digitata has great potential as biocontrol agent and the only other genome available in the Periconiaceae family is that of Periconia macrospinosa, which is quite fragmentary, we generated long-read genomic data for P. digitata. Thanks to the PacBio Hifi sequencing technology, we obtained a high-quality genome with a total length of 38,967,494 bp, represented by 13 haploid chromosomes. The transcriptomic and proteomic data strengthen and support the genome annotation. Besides representing a new reference genome within the Periconiaceae, this work will also contribute in our understanding of the Eukaryotic tree of life. Not least, opens new possibilities to the biotechnological use of the species.
Project description:The Periconia genus belongs to the phylum Ascomycota, order Pleosporales, family Periconiaceae. Periconia is widespread in many habitats but little is known about its ecology. Several species produce bioactive molecules, among them, Periconia digitata extracts were shown to be deadly active against the pine wilt nematode. The strain CNCM I-4278, here identified as P. digitata was able to inhibit the plant pathogen Phytophthora parasitica. Since P. digitata has great potential as biocontrol agent and the only other genome available in the Periconiaceae family is that of Periconia macrospinosa, which is quite fragmentary, we generated long-read genomic data for P. digitata. Thanks to the PacBio Hifi sequencing technology, we obtained a high-quality genome with a total length of 38,967,494 bp, represented by 13 haploid chromosomes. The transcriptomic and proteomic data strengthen and support the genome annotation. Besides representing a new reference genome within the Periconiaceae, this work will also contribute in our understanding of the Eukaryotic tree of life. Not least, opens new possibilities to the biotechnological use of the species.
Project description:Chemical investigation of marine Conus Literatus endophytic fungus Periconia caespitosa HDYXY-1 led to the isolation and characterization of seven novel compounds, including an oxirane-fused cyclohexanone (1), benzothiazole isomers (2 and 3), rare cyano-bearing phenyl ethers (4 and 5), as well as ergosterol derivatives (8 and 9), along with three known analogs (6, 7, and 10). Their structures were elucidated via NMR, HRESIMS, HRAPCIMS, X-ray diffraction, and ECD/DP4+ calculations. Among them, the ergosterol derivative Periconoid A (8) showed potent cytotoxicity against glioblastoma (LN-229, IC50 = 10.05 μM) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC; CNE2, IC50 = 5.62 μM) cells. Mechanism studies revealed that Periconoid A (8) triggers mitochondria-dependent apoptosis by modulating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, activating caspase-3, and inducing PARP-1 cleavage. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that 8 enriches inflammatory response pathways (TNF, JAK-STAT, and NF‑κB), suggesting an inflammation-associated apoptotic mechanism. Molecular docking confirmed a high binding affinity of Periconoid A (8) for the Bcl‑2 protein (–7.6 kcal/mol) through a dual‑polar anchoring network. ADME prediction indicated favorable druggability with high GI absorption and a PAINS‑free profile. Collectively, these findings establish Periconoid A (8) as a promising lead candidate for anti‑NPC drug development, acting through a mechanism that activates inflammation-associated apoptosis.