Chapters authored
Stenocarpella maydis and Sporisorium reilianum: Two Pathogenic Fungi of Maize
Stenocarpella maydis and Sporisorium reilianum are phytopathogenic fungi that cause white rot in corn cob and head smut in maize (Zea mays L.) respectively, diseases that are spread worldwide and cause many economic losses. In this chapter the characteristics of the above diseases, such as their life cycle, pathogenicity factors, control methods, as well as the biotechnological potential of the fungi involved in this processes are described, specifically in connection to their extracellular enzymes.
Part of the book: Fungal Pathogenicity
Characterization of the Solid-State and Liquid Fermentation for the Production of Laccases of Pleurotus ostreatus
In this chapter, the activity and isoenzymes number of laccases of Pleurotus ostreatus grown in solid-state and liquid fermentations are reported. An atypical behavior of this fungus with relation on enzyme production was observed, since the major laccase activity levels were observed in liquid fermentation, whereas the solid-state fermentation has been recognized as better system for enzyme production.
Part of the book: Fermentation Processes
Bioinformatics as a Tool for the Structural and Evolutionary Analysis of Proteins
This chapter deals with the topic of bioinformatics, computational, mathematics, and statistics tools applied to biology, essential for the analysis and characterization of biological molecules, in particular proteins, which play an important role in all cellular and evolutionary processes of the organisms. In recent decades, with the next generation sequencing technologies and bioinformatics, it has facilitated the collection and analysis of a large amount of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data from different organisms that have allowed predictions on the regulation of expression, transcription, translation, structure, and mechanisms of action of proteins as well as homology, mutations, and evolutionary processes that generate structural and functional changes over time. Although the information in the databases is greater every day, all bioinformatics tools continue to be constantly modified to improve performance that leads to more accurate predictions regarding protein functionality, which is why bioinformatics research remains a great challenge.
Part of the book: Computational Biology and Chemistry