Sanjuana Hernández-Delgado

Microalgal molecular farming represents a promising platform for sustainable recombinant biopharmaceutical production. This review integrates advances in chloroplast engineering, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence with experimental evidence and comparative bioinformatic analyses. Chloroplast genomes from eight representative microalgal species were examined to evaluate genomic organization, phylogenetic relationships, and synteny relevant to genetic engineering. Experimental studies involving recombinant therapeutic proteins, antibodies, and vaccine antigens were reviewed to assess the potential of different microalgal expression systems. Additionally, ten biomedically relevant proteins were comparatively analyzed to characterize structural complexity, receptor-binding interfaces, and evolutionary conservation. Detailed structural analyses of erythropoietin (EPO), interferon-α2b (IFN-α2b), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) evaluated glycosylation-site accessibility, solvent-accessible surface area, intermolecular interactions, disulfide bonds, and structural conservation. The findings highlight protein-specific requirements for folding, post-translational modifications, and receptor recognition, emphasizing the importance of matching therapeutic protein characteristics with suitable microalgal expression strategies. Overall, this integrated approach provides a framework for rational host selection and the development of next-generation microalgal biofactories for recombinant biopharmaceutical production.

Trichoderm spp. produces secondary metabolites associated with plant growth promotion, especially the production of indole acetic acid (IAA), the main plant hormone. The tryptophan-dependent (TRP-D) and tryptophan-independent (TRP-I) production pathways, depending on the precursor involved in IAA synthesis, are well known. The objective of this study was to investigate the tryptophan-dependent (TRP-D) production pathway under in vitro liquid culture conditions (Potato Dextrose), supplemented with tryptophan (TRP). The presence of auxinic compounds in TRP-D was quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Additionally, the morphology of corn seeds was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The interaction of Trichoderma spp. with corn seed germination was evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions, conducting the assay in triplicate and performing an analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the species T. asperellum and T. koningiopsis can degrade TRP and synthesize IAA through the tryptamine (TRM) and indole acetamide (IAM) pathways. However, IAA synthesis was not detected through the indole pyruvic acid (IPyA) and 3-indole acetonitrile (IAN) pathways. In particular, T. asperellum produced significantly higher concentrations of IAA compared to T. koningiopsis. Additionally, it was observed that tryptophan supplementation increased IAA production in both species. Finally, T. koningiopsis showed a strong relationship with the maize root system, invading the root and establishing a beneficial interaction that could contribute to plant growth and development. These findings suggest that T. koningiopsis has significant potential as a biofertilizer in agricultural systems.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation in the mineral concentrations of the inflorescences of Yucca filifera (izote), Agave salmiana (maguey), Diphysa americana (cuachepil), and Chamaedorea tepejilote (tepejilote) in samples collected from different communities in Oaxaca, Mexico. For each sample, the concentrations of macro- and microelements were determined via inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). For each species, significant differences (p < 0.05) in mineral contents were detected on the basis of geographic sampling origin, both among and within locations, for all the minerals evaluated except for Na in all the cases, Cu in izote and tepejilote, and Si in maguey. The macro- and microelement patterns range from highest to lowest concentrations were as follows: K > Ca ≥ P > Mg > S > Na and Si > Fe ≥ Zn > Mn > Cu > Mo. High values were recorded in tepejilote, whereas low values were observed in cuachepil, maguey pulquero, and izote. The average values between species ranged from 199.1 to 3650.3, 243.6 to 3383.7, 354.8 to 941.7, 164.5 to 1281, 76.2 to 1142.9, 1.3 to 44.7, 4.27 to 201, 2.41 to 13.67, 3.08 to 9.23, 0.81 to 13.65, and 0.52 to 3.09 mg 100 g⁻¹ dw in K, Ca, P, Mg, S, Na, Si, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively, indicating a nutritional source in the regions where they are distributed.

In northern Tamaulipas, México, the contamination of corn by toxigenic fungi reduces grain production and quality. Corn contaminated by mycotoxins puts humans and livestock at risk. Continuous monitoring of the sanitary quality of grain at harvest and in storage will define preventive and corrective strategies for contamination by mycotoxigenic fungi. In this work, we identified toxigenic fungi associated with corn grown and stored in northern Tamaulipas, identified and quantified aflatoxins and their relationships with the physicochemical characteristics of the grain, and identified the main genes responsible for aflatoxin production in A. flavus. Fungal incidence was evaluated in vitro, aflatoxin production was evaluated via HPLC, and physicochemical traits were evaluated via spectrophotometry. Three genera were identified: Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium; the latter had the highest incidence in both 2011 and 2012. The incidence was higher in 2012 (82.3%) than in 2011 (4.5%), and storage did not affect the incidence. Associations among fungal incidences and physicochemical traits were significant and intermediate in both years. AFB₁ production was negatively associated with hectoliter weight, and total fungal incidence was positively related to the incidence of Penicillium, Fusarium, and Aspergillus and negatively related to the flotation index. AFB₁ was detected in 13.18% of the samples, with values ranging from 3.4881.33 ppb upon receipt and from 4.3245.92 ppb after storage. Two samples exceeded the allowed limits for Mexico (20 ppb). The aflD and aflQ genes were detected in 52.1 and 56.3%, respectively, of the A. flavus isolates.

In Mexico, the tradition of consuming flowers dates to pre-Columbian times, and flower consumption persists today; however, this practice is typically unknown outside the regions where flowers are used in local gastronomy. The aim of this work was to evaluate the variation in polyphenol and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity in inflorescence samples. Samples of izote (Yucca filifera), maguey pulquero (Agave salmiana), cuachepil or guachepil (Diphysa americana), and tepejilote or pacaya (Chamaedorea tepejilote) were collected from different communities and regions of Oaxaca, Mexico, during 2022. Specifically, ten to eleven inflorescence samples were collected per species, and their polyphenol and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity were evaluated using UV–visible spectrophotometry and reference standards. Significant differences were detected between and within samples depending on their geographical origin (collection locations); the environment and site influenced the composition of the samples for each species. Across all species, significant and positive correlations of the polyphenol and flavonoid contents were identified with the antioxidant activity detected via the DPPH and FRAP methods. The high variability in phenolic compound contents and antioxidant activity within each species shows that the nutritional and nutraceutical potential of flowers may complement diets at the family and communitarian levels.

The genus Salvia has a worldwide distribution, and its contribution to traditional medicine and as an aromatic plant has been recognized since ancient times, with few documented species having a similar phytochemical composition. In this study, the effects of natural growth conditions (in situ) and ex situ cultivation and sampling locations on the phenolic compound contents and antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of Salvia circinata from Oaxaca, Mexico, were investigated. Stem and young leaf samples were collected from plants growing in situ in two locations in Oaxaca and later from plants propagated clonally or vegetatively from propagules obtained in situ but grown ex situ. In both sets of samples, the contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids and the antioxidant activity were evaluated by spectrophotometry, and subsequently, the contents of phenols and specific flavonoids were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC–DAD). The growth conditions and locality of origin of the samples significantly influenced the contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids and antioxidant activity, with the in situ conditions in the locality of Reforma, Oaxaca, favoring higher levels. Two phenolic acids (chlorogenic and rosmarinic) and two flavonoids (isoquercitrin and rutin) were identified, and the concentrations of these compounds were influenced by the growth conditions and localities of origin of the samples.

Aspergillus species can produce aflatoxins (AFs), which can severely affect human and animal health. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of reducing AF contamination of a non-aflatoxigenic isolate of A. flavus experimentally coinoculated with different aflatoxigenic strains in whole plant (WP), corn silage (CS), immature grains (IG) and in culture media (CM). An L-morphotype of A. flavus (CS1) was obtained from CS in a dairy farm located in the Mexican Highland Plateau; The CS1 failed to amplify the AFs biosynthetic pathway regulatory gene (aflR). Monosporic CS1 isolates were coinoculated in WP, CS, IG and CM, together with A. flavus strains with known aflatoxigenic capacity (originating from Cuautitlán and Tamaulipas, Mexico), and native isolates from concentrate feed (CF1, CF2 and CF3) and CS (CS2, CS3). AF production was evaluated by HPLC and fungal growth rate was measured on culture media. The positive control strains and those isolated from CF produced a large average amount of AFs (15,622 ± 3952 and 12,189 ± 3311 µg/kg), whereas A. flavus strains obtained from CS produced a lower AF concentration (126 ± 25.9 µg/kg). CS1 was efficient (p < 0.01) in decreasing AF concentrations when coinoculated together with CF, CS and aflatoxigenic positive control strains (71.6–88.7, 51.0–51.1 and 63.1–71.5%) on WP, CS, IG and CM substrates (73.9–78.2, 65.1–73.7, 63.8–68.4 and 57.4–67.6%). The results suggest that the non-aflatoxigenic isolate can be an effective tool to reduce AF contamination in feed and to minimize the presence of its metabolites in raw milk and dairy products intended for human nutrition.

Introducción y Objetivos: El frijol ayocote (Phaseolus coccineus L.; 2n=2x=22), es una especie originaria de México que ha sido domesticada para consumo de su semilla, sin embargo existe poca difusión sobre sus cualidades, por lo que el objetivo del presente trabajo consistió en investigar y reunir sus aspectos más relevantes incluyendo: su centro de origen y domesticación, distribución geográfica, patrones de diversidad morfo-agronómica y genética, productividad, además de sus propiedades benéficas de consumo, cabe destacar que su distribución en América abarca desde el Sur de los Estados Unidos hasta el Norte de Argentina. M&M: Se consultaron diversas fuentes de información tanto impresas como digitales, las cuales incluyeron: bibliotecas, bases de datos en internet, manuales y reportes técnicos, además de entrevistas personales con expertos y productores. Resultados: Los resultados indican la situación actual del recurso genético del frijol ayocote tanto en México como en el mundo, donde se incluyen los distintos usos que se le ha dado a la especie por ejemplo su estudio en áreas tan diversas como producción de forrajes, biorremediación de suelos, resistencia a bajas temperaturas, hasta la introgresión con otras especies del mismo género. Conclusiones: Debido a las diversas características interesantes que tiene el frijol ayocote se sugiere desarrollar trabajos encaminados a caracterizar genética y morfoagronómicamente un mayor número de poblaciones de la especie, con el objetivo de generar variedades mejoradas de frijol común de acuerdo a sus zonas de producción a partir de germoplasma de P. coccineus.

In Mexico, high incidences of Fusarium affect common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production, reducing grain yields due to seedling death and crop standing reductions. Production of resistant germplasm could be an appropriate strategy for grain yield increasing. Bean breeding programs need the former analysis of plant-pathogen pathosystem to perform the selection of segregating populations with improved resistance to root rot pathogens and the best agroecosystem adaptation. Here, we report our results on characterization of genetic variability patterns of Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli (FSP) from Aguascalientes, México; the analysis of P. vulgaris germplasm reactions to highly and naturally FSP-infested field and controlled conditions; and the identification of genetic basis of resistance to FSP root rot in segregating common bean populations. Significant genetic variability in FSP isolates from Aguascalientes and other regions of México was found. Also, we found high variation on reactions to FSP root rots, resistance was more frequent on black seed-coated beans, and susceptibility was common in pinto beans. Resistance to FSP in BAT 477 seedlings was associated with one quantitative trait loci (QTL).