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Isolation and Identification of Aspergillus Section Nigri, and Genotype Associated with Ochratoxin A and Fumonisin B2 Production in Garlic Marketed in Brazil

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Abstract

The garlic contains sulfur bioactive compounds responsible for medicinal properties. The decrease of these compounds due to inadequate storage conditions reduces the beneficial properties and favors infection by microorganisms. Several studies have shown high frequency of garlic infected with Aspergillus section Nigri that potentially produce mycotoxin. Garlic samples were collected in markets of Brazil and a total of 32 samples (of 36) had the fungal infection with predominant genus Aspergillus (50.3%), Penicillium (34.7%), and Fusarium (11%). A total of 63% (649/1031) of infection with Aspergillus section Nigri, of which 60 isolates were selected for analysis of genetic variability that resulted in 4 clusters. Representatives of clusters were identified by the calmodulin gene. Isolates from cluster I were subdivided into A-I and identified as A. niger (16 isolates) and the isolates of clusters B-I, II, and III were identified as A. welwitschiae (43 isolates). Besides, an isolate of the IV-cluster was identified by A. luchuensis. Further, we used the multiplex PCR to verify genotypes of 59 isolates, and none of these had OTA production-associated genotype. Moreover, 19 A. welwitschiae and 15 A. niger were FB2 production-associated genotype. Our study is the first report to the incidence of garlic infection in Brazil and to show that A. welwitschiae causes most of these infections.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by Coordenadoria de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, P.O. Box 6001, Londrina, 86051-990, Brazil

    Dayane Oscarina Aparecida Vanzela, André Luiz Martinez de Oliveira & Daniele Sartori

  2. Department of Biology General, Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid—Pr 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário Cx—Postal 6001, P.O. Box 6001, Londrina, Paraná, CEP 86051-980, Brazil

    Fernanda Pelisson Massi & Maria Helena Pelegrinelli Fungaro

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  1. Dayane Oscarina Aparecida Vanzela
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  2. Fernanda Pelisson Massi
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  4. Maria Helena Pelegrinelli Fungaro
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  5. Daniele Sartori
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Correspondence to Daniele Sartori.

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Vanzela, D.O.A., Massi, F.P., de Oliveira, A.L.M. et al. Isolation and Identification of Aspergillus Section Nigri, and Genotype Associated with Ochratoxin A and Fumonisin B2 Production in Garlic Marketed in Brazil. Curr Microbiol 77, 1150–1158 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-020-01915-6

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