The deposited data was collected as part of the research project entitled: “Rola właściwości metabolicznych, morfologicznych i genetycznych grzybów Neosartorya spp. w kształtowaniu ich odporności na związki konserwujące,
chemiczne oraz naturalne ekstrakty roślinne” (The role of the metabolic, morphological and genetic properties of Neosartorya spp. fungi in shaping their resistance to preservatives, chemicals and natural plant extracts).
This study was funded by the National Science Centre in the frame of the Preludium Bis-2 scientific project, contract number 2020/39/O/NZ9/03421 (isolates used in the experiments were first obtained as a part of the Sonata-4 project, 2012/07/D/NZ9/03357). Projects coordinator prof. Magdalena Frąc.
Fungi belonging to the genus Neosartorya (teleomorph of Aspergillus spp.) are of great concern in the production and storage of berries and fruit-based products, mainly due to the production of thermoresistant ascospores that cause food spoilage and possible secretion of mycotoxins. We initially tested the antifungal effect of six natural extracts against 20 isolates of Neosartorya spp. using a traditional inhibition test on Petri dishes. Tested isolates did not respond uniformly, creating 5 groups of descending sensitivity. Ten isolates best representing of the established sensitivity clusters were chosen for further investigation using a Biolog™ MT2 microplate assay with the same 6 natural extracts. Additionally, to test for metabolic profile changes, we used a Biolog™ FF microplate assay after pre-incubation with marigold extract. All natural extracts had an inhibitory effect on Neosartorya spp. growth and impacted its metabolism. Lavender and tea tree oil extracts at a concentration of 1,000 µg mL-1 presented the strongest antifungal effect during the inhibition test, however all extracts exhibited inhibitory properties at even the lowest dose (5 µg mL-1). The fungal stress response in the presence of marigold extract was characterized by a decrease of amino acids and carbohydrates consumption and an uptake of carboxylic acids on the FF microplates, where the 10 studied isolates also presented differences in their innate resilience, creating 3 distinctive sensitivity groups of high, average and low sensitivity. The results confirm that natural plant extracts and essential oils inhibit and alter the growth and metabolism of Neosartorya spp. suggesting a possible future use in sustainable agriculture as an alternative to chemical fungicides used in traditional crop protection.
The research was conducted from 01.10.2021 to 31.01.2023, at the Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, the Department of Soil and Plant System, Laboratory of Molecular and Environmental Microbiology; from 31.01.2023 to 28.02.2023 at the Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, the Department of Physical Chemistry of Porous Materials, Laboratory of Surface Physicochemistry; and from 17.10.2022 to 21.10.2022 at the Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Łódź.
The data includes sets of biological data (characteristics of fungal isolates – ITS1/B-TUB gene sequences, sensitivity to natural extracts, metabolic profile, microscopy imaging). ITS1 and B-TUB gene sequences were obtained using Sanger sequencing. Sensitivity data was obtained via inhibition zone measurements on Petri plates, as well as absorbance measurements on BiologTM MT2 microplates, including the measurements of respiratory response of the tested isolates resulting from substrate catabolism (colorimetric reaction) (490 nm) and the level of cell biomass growth (measured by optical density) (750 nm). Metabolic profile characterization was accomplished by using BiologTM FF microplates, with readings performed at 490 nm and 750 nm wavelengths. Microscopy imaging was performed using the methods of light, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy.
The dataset consists of the following files
A1_gel_photos - raw data regarding research results to evaluate the presence of a PCR product in each fungal sample (*.jpg).
A2_ITS1_sequences_of_fungal_isolates – raw data regarding ITS1 genes sequencing results of fungal isolates to evaluate isolate affinity to the kingdom Fungi (*.txt).
A3_BTUB_sequences_of_fungal_isolates - raw data regarding B-TUB genes sequencing results of fungal isolates to evaluate isolate affinity to the genus Neosartorya (*.txt).
A4_inhibition_test_petri_dish- raw data regarding research results from disc-diffusion inhibition test on Petri plates to evaluate the growth inhibitory properties of natural extracts on Neosartorya spp. isolates (*.xlsx).
A5_petri_dish_photos – raw data regarding inhibition zones visualization (*.jpg).
A6_inhibition_test_MT2 - raw data regarding research results to evaluate fungi's sensitivity to coincubation with natural extracts if used as carbon and nitrogen sources (*.xlsx).
A7_metabolic_profile_FF - raw data regarding research results to evaluate isolates’ metabolic profile and its’ changes under the influence of natural extracts (*.xlsx).
A8_microscopy - raw data regarding microscopy imaging results (*.tif, *.tiff).
The data files were compiled based on conducted laboratory research. The results presented in the files were obtained using research equipment: digital gel documentation system with a computer workstation – BioRad Molecular Imager Gel Doc™ XR Imaging System (Bio-Rad Polska Sp. z.o.o., Warsaw, Poland), genetic analyzer Applied Biosystems 3130 Genetic Analyzer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA), digital calliper (Kingfisher International Products B.V., The Netherlands), microplate reader with a computer workstation - MicroStationTM (BiologTM Hayward, USA), electron microscope Phenom ProX (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA), confocal microscope ZEISS LSM 510 Meta (Carl Zeiss AG., Oberkochen, Germany).
