Unveiling the antisporulant activity of mycosynthesized gold-selenide nanoparticles against black fungus Aspergillus niger

Gold-selenide (AuSe), a transition metal chalcogenide, has become a highly-promising material in electronics and other technologies due to its stable 2D layered structure with ultrahigh carrier mobilities. Recently, these unexplored micro-particles have been synthesized by chemical routes in inert nitrogen or argon atmosphere. To flourish new applications at a low cost to the environment, it is of prime importance to develop a novel, eco-friendly, energy-effective, economical bio-approach for the synthesis of AuSe NPs as environmentally sustainable biological routes are free from the use of toxic chemicals owing considerable importance in biomedical science. Herein, we for the first time report an endophytic fungus Fusarium oxysporum assisted green approach for the mycosynthesis of AuSe NPs at the ambient atmospheric conditions and unveiled their anti-sporulant activity against the black fungus Aspergillus niger. The biosynthesized, crystalline AuSe NPs with an average particle size of 52 nm have been fully characterized using sophisticated instruments while the microscopic study confirmed its high anti-sporulation potency against Aspergillus niger. As the spore germination is completely suppressed without affecting mycelial growth by the selective inhibition of conidiophores and conidiation, the hyphal length and mycelial morphology of various filamentous fungi can be controlled to increase the industrial productivities. At a time when the widespread use of antifungal agents increases antifungal drug resistance, our biosynthesized AuSe NPs (anti-sporulant) will minimize the risk of re-infection and will find major applications in developing new fungicide or drugs at extremely cost-efficient means and in abundant quantities.