Xylaria hypoxylon Lectin as Adjuvant Elicited Tfh Cell Responses

Mannose-specific plant and microbial lectins as antiviral agents: A review

Lectins are non-immunological carbohydrate-binding proteins classified on the basis of their structure, origin, and sugar specificity. The binding specificity of such proteins with the surface glycan moiety determines their activity and clinical applications. Thus, lectins hold great potential as diagnostic and drug discovery agents and as novel biopharmaceutical products. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in understanding plant and microbial lectins as therapeutic agents against various viral diseases. Among them, mannose-specific lectins have being proven as promising antiviral agents against a variety of viruses, such as HIV, Influenza, Herpes, Ebola, Hepatitis, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-1 (SARS-CoV-1), Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and most recent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The binding of mannose-binding lectins (MBLs) from plants and microbes to high-mannose containing N-glycans (which may be simple or complex) of glycoproteins found on the surface of viruses has been found to be highly specific and mainly responsible for their antiviral activity. MBLs target various steps in the viral life cycle, including viral attachment, entry and replication. The present review discusses the brief classification and structure of lectins along with antiviral activity of various mannose-specific lectins from plants and microbial sources and their diagnostic and therapeutic applications against viral diseases.

The complete mitochondrial genome of wood-rotting fungus Xylaria hypoxylon

Xylaria hypoxylon is a noticeable black fungus, and also habitual to cluster on rotting wood. In this study, the high-quality whole-genome of X. hypoxylon strain SFY20170806 was sequenced on the Illumina sequencing platform. The complete mitochondrial genome of X. hypoxylon was assembled and annotated. The single circular structure of 129,366 bp length is the largest species found in the order Xylariales. The overall GC content is 29.7% and gene composition includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 transfer RNA genes(tRNA), 2 ribosomal RNA genes(rRNA) and 6 open reading frames (ORF). Phylogenetic tree was constructed to validate the evolutionary relationship based on the complete mitogenomes from twelve taxa of four species of Xylariales, four species of Hypocreales, two species of Helotiales, one species of Microascales and X. hypoxylon. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that X. hypoxylon has a special evolutionary status and close genetic relationship with Annulohypoxylon stygium.