RETRACTED ARTICLE: Isolation and identification of a mycotoxin produced by Aphanoascus terreus

Full Length Research Article

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Isolation and identification of a mycotoxin produced by Aphanoascus terreus

Abeer Mohammed Ali Al-garawyi1, Amal Jameel Kadhim2, Majid Mohammed Mahmood3*

Adv. life sci., vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 537-542, December 2023
*- Corresponding Author: Majid Mohammed Mahmood (majidmahmood93@yahoo.com)
Authors' Affiliations

 1. Microbiology Department, College of Medicine, Al-Muthanna University – Iraq
2. Nasiriya Technical Institution, Southern Technical University – Iraq
3. Department of Biology, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University – Iraq 
 
[Date Received: 30/07/2023; Date Revised: 31/08/2023; Date Published: 31/12/2023]

Abstractaa download_button
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References 

Abstract

Background: Keratinophilic fungi prefer keratin-rich materials such as; horn, hoof, and beak of birds for the purposes of growth and reproduction, they utilize keratin as a source of carbon. Mycotoxins, which are produced as byproducts by fungi, are dangerous to both human and animal health. This research aims to isolate and identify Aphanoascus terreus fungi from the soil as well as determine their potential to create mycotoxins.

Methods: In January–April 2022, 45 soil samples were randomly collected from southern Iraq to isolation and identification of keratinophilic fungi, the hair bait method and molecular techniques were used also, detection of mycotoxin achieved by TLC technique then experimental injection in vivo.

Results: The findings showed that 12 (66.7%) out of 18 soil samples that tested positive for the genus Aphanoascus belonged to the species A. terreus. When these isolates were compared to NCBI using PCR sequencing, they were 99% matched. In addition, all these isolates show the capacity to create a range of unidentified secondary metabolites with a variety of colors and flow rates. Only one compound was studied that appeared with a turquoise hue, so we named it A. terreus  T (ATT), which has an Rf. of 18.7 cm. The analysis of secondary metabolites with the aid of FTIR and GC-MS chemical tests indicated possibilities; the most probable is that the ATT is an acidic compound. Visual examinations of the skin of rats injected with ATT showed no obvious abnormalities. Microscopically, they appeared normal as well, but with mild inflammatory signs around the hair follicles.

Conclusion: The outcomes represent the first international registration ever made in accordance with what is known about the production of a mycotoxin from A. terreus. This finding is considered the first reference regarding mycotoxin production from A. terreus.

Keywords: A. terreus; FTIR; Mycotoxins; ATT compound   

 

Retraction Note

24 Sept 2025: The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this article due to the below mentioned scientific deficiencies revealed by an internal audit.

1. The methods section claims that the FTIR test was conducted using "ethidium bromide". Ethidium bromide is a fluorescent intercalating agent used to visualize nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) in gel electrophoresis and has no application in Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which analyzes chemical bonds. This is a fundamental scientific error.

2. The evidence for the compound being a "mycotoxin" is extremely weak and overstated.

  • The abstract states that visual examinations of the skin showed "no obvious abnormalities" and microscopy revealed only "mild inflammatory signs".
  • The Results section describes the skin's appearance as "normal-like".
  • Despite this minimal evidence, the Discussion attributes the mild inflammation to "the toxic nature of the ATT compound" and the paper's conclusion claims to be the "first reference regarding mycotoxin production". The conclusion of toxicity is not adequately supported by the presented data.

3. The interpretation of the FTIR spectrum is scientifically questionable. The paper assigns a band at 1641.31 cm−1 to a carboxylic acid, using the incorrect general formula R(C=O)R (which is a ketone). This wavenumber is unusually low for a carboxylic acid and the incorrect chemical structure suggests a misinterpretation of the data.

4. The abstract contains two nearly identical sentences back-to-back, both claiming the study is a first: "The outcomes represent the first international registration ever made…" and "This finding is considered the first reference regarding mycotoxin production from A. terreus".

The authors have not responded to correspondence regarding this retraction.

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