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Zucconi L, Cavallini G, Canini F. Trends in Antarctic soil fungal research in the context of environmental changes. Braz J Microbiol 2024; 55:1625-1634. [PMID: 38652442 PMCID: PMC11153391 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01333-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Antarctic soils represent one of the most pristine environments on Earth, where highly adapted and often endemic microbial species withstand multiple extremes. Specifically, fungal diversity is extremely low in Antarctic soils and species distribution and diversity are still not fully characterized in the continent. Despite the unique features of this environment and the international interest in its preservation, several factors pose severe threats to the conservation of inhabiting ecosystems. In this light, we aimed to provide an overview of the effects on fungal communities of the main changes endangering the soils of the continent. Among these, the increasing human presence, both for touristic and scientific purposes, has led to increased use of fuels for transport and energy supply, which has been linked to an increase in unintentional environmental contamination. It has been reported that several fungal species have evolved cellular processes in response to these soil contamination episodes, which may be exploited for restoring contaminated areas at low temperatures. Additionally, the effects of climate change are another significant threat to Antarctic ecosystems, with the expected merging of previously isolated ecosystems and their homogenization. A possible reduction of biodiversity due to the disappearance of well-adapted, often endemic species, as well as an increase of biodiversity, due to the spreading of non-native, more competitive species have been suggested. Despite some studies describing the specialization of fungal communities and their correlation with environmental parameters, our comprehension of how soil communities may respond to these changes remains limited. The majority of studies attempting to precisely define the effects of climate change, including in situ and laboratory simulations, have mainly focused on the bacterial components of these soils, and further studies are necessary, including the other biotic components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.
- National Research Council, Institute of Polar Sciences, Messina, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Cavallini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Fabiana Canini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
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2
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Glushakova A, Tepeeva A, Prokof'eva T, Kachalkin A. Culturable yeast diversity in urban topsoil influenced by various anthropogenic impacts. Int Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s10123-024-00482-1. [PMID: 38263536 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-024-00482-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
In urban ecosystems, processes associated with anthropogenic influences almost always lead to changes in soil micromycete complexes. The taxonomic structure of soil micromycete complexes is an important informative parameter of soil bioindication in the ecological control of urban environments. Unicellular fungi, such as culturable yeasts, are a very suitable and promising object of microbiological research for monitoring urban topsoil. This review aims to give an overview of the yeast communities in urban topsoil in different areas of Moscow (heating main area, household waste storage and disposal area, highway area) and to discuss the changes in the taxonomic structure of culturable yeast complexes depending on the type and intensity of anthropogenic impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Glushakova
- Soil Science Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia.
- I.I. Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera, Moscow, 105064, Russia.
- G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of RAS, Pushchino, 142290, Russia.
| | - Aleksandra Tepeeva
- G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of RAS, Pushchino, 142290, Russia
| | - Tatiana Prokof'eva
- Soil Science Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksey Kachalkin
- Soil Science Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
- G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of RAS, Pushchino, 142290, Russia
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3
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Jin H, Yu J, Kaleku J, Lee Y, Park E, Lee H, Kim HW, Lee J. High-Quality Genome Resource of a Novel Venturiaceae sp. KMAF11, Isolated from Diseased Colobanthus quitensis, an Antarctic Flowering Plant. PLANT DISEASE 2023; 107:911-914. [PMID: 36265155 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-03-22-0706-a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hongshi Jin
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyeon Yu
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Jesse Kaleku
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, U.S.A
| | - Yelim Lee
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunsook Park
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, U.S.A
| | - Hyoungseok Lee
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
- Polar Science, University of Science and Technology, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Woo Kim
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungeun Lee
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
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Nikitin DA. Ecological Characteristics of Antarctic Fungi. DOKLADY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES : PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SECTIONS 2023; 508:32-54. [PMID: 37186046 DOI: 10.1134/s0012496622700120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
In view of the high responsiveness of polar ecosystems to the global climate change, the research of Antarctic microorganisms has become a topical issue. The unique ecosystems that have developed under the severe climate conditions of the continent lack flowering plants but are dominated by soil mycobiota. In addition to performing their classical ecological functions, Antarctic fungi form the basis of local communities, e.g., endoliths and microbial mats. Furthermore, Antarctic fungi are a major force that mediates transformation of rock minerals in situ and makes biologically significant elements available for other organisms. For these reasons, mycobiota plays a central role in the maintenance of ecological equilibrium in Antarctica. The dominant fungal division on the continent is Ascomycota (77.1%), and not Basidiomycota (9.1%), as it is the case on other continents. For a number of reasons, yeasts and yeast-like micromycetes (mainly basidiomycetes) are more tolerant to extreme conditions in various Antarctic biotopes than filamentous fungi. Substantial evidence suggests that filamentous fungi and yeasts are better adapted to existence in ecosystems with extremely low temperatures than other microorganisms. Due to the long-term isolation of Antarctica from other continents, local biota has been evolving largely independently, which led to emergence of multiple endemic fungal taxa. The presence of eurytopes on the continent is presumably related to the global warming and growing anthropogenic pressure. This review discusses the current state of research on the structure of fungal communities of Antarctic subaerial and subaquatic biotopes, the ecological role of yeast-mycelial dimorphism in Antarctic fungi, the problem of endemism of Antarctic mycobiota, as well as the ecological and physiological adaptations of fungi to low temperatures; it also justifies the relevance of research into secondary metabolites of psychrophilic micromycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Nikitin
- Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute, 119017, Moscow, Russia.
- Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017, Moscow, Russia.
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5
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Ivanushkina N, Aleksanyan K, Rogovina S, Kochkina G. The Use of Mycelial Fungi to Test the Fungal Resistance of Polymeric Materials. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020251. [PMID: 36838216 PMCID: PMC9959004 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
There are two main themes in the research on the biodegradation of industrial materials by mycelial fungi. The challenge of reducing environmental pollution necessitates the creation of biodegradable polymers that allow microorganisms, including mycelial fungi, to degrade them to low-molecule soluble substances. Additionally, to minimize the biodegradation of industrial materials while they are operating in the environment, there is a need to produce fungi-resistant polymer compositions. The fungal resistance of industrial materials and products can be assessed using a specific set of mycelial fungi cultures. Test cultures selected for this purpose are supported in the All-Russian Collection of Microorganisms (VKM). This review addresses the principle of culture selection to assess the fungal resistance of industrial materials and evaluates the results of the tests using these cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Ivanushkina
- All-Russian Collection of Microorganisms (VKM), Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
| | - Kristine Aleksanyan
- Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Department of Polymers and Composite Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences,119991 Moscow, Russia
- Engineering Center, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Svetlana Rogovina
- Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Department of Polymers and Composite Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences,119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Galina Kochkina
- All-Russian Collection of Microorganisms (VKM), Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +74997832952
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Species Diversity, Distribution, and Phylogeny of Exophiala with the Addition of Four New Species from Thailand. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080766. [PMID: 35893134 PMCID: PMC9331753 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Exophiala is an anamorphic ascomycete fungus in the family Herpotrichiellaceae of the order Chaetothyriales. Exophiala species have been classified as polymorphic black yeast-like fungi. Prior to this study, 63 species had been validated, published, and accepted into this genus. Exophiala species are known to be distributed worldwide and have been isolated in various habitats around the world. Several Exophiala species have been identified as potential agents of human and animal mycoses. However, in some studies, Exophiala species have been used in agriculture and biotechnological applications. Here, we provide a brief review of the diversity, distribution, and taxonomy of Exophiala through an overview of the recently published literature. Moreover, four new Exophiala species were isolated from rocks that were collected from natural forests located in northern Thailand. Herein, we introduce these species as E. lamphunensis, E. lapidea, E. saxicola, and E. siamensis. The identification of these species was based on a combination of morphological characteristics and molecular analyses. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of a combination of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and small subunit (nrSSU) of ribosomal DNA, along with the translation elongation factor (tef), partial β-tubulin (tub), and actin (act) genes support that these four new species are distinct from previously known species of Exophiala. A full description, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree showing the position of four new species are provided.
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Rosa LH, Ogaki MB, Lirio JM, Vieira R, Coria SH, Pinto OHB, Carvalho-Silva M, Convey P, Rosa CA, Câmara PEAS. Fungal diversity in a sediment core from climate change impacted Boeckella Lake, Hope Bay, north-eastern Antarctic Peninsula assessed using metabarcoding. Extremophiles 2022; 26:16. [PMID: 35499659 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-022-01264-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We studied the fungal DNA present in a lake sediment core obtained from Trinity Peninsula, Hope Bay, north-eastern Antarctic Peninsula, using metabarcoding through high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Sequences obtained were assigned to 146 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) primarily representing unknown fungi, followed by the phyla Ascomycota, Rozellomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota and Mortierellomycota. The most abundant taxa were assigned to Fungal sp., Pseudeurotium hygrophilum, Rozellomycota sp. 1, Pseudeurotiaceae sp. 1 and Chytridiomycota sp. 1. The majority of the DNA reads, representing 40 ASVs, could only be assigned at higher taxonomic levels and may represent taxa not currently included in the sequence databases consulted and/or be previously undescribed fungi. Different sections of the core were characterized by high sequence diversity, richness and moderate ecological dominance indices. The assigned diversity was dominated by cosmopolitan cold-adapted fungi, including known saprotrophic, plant and animal pathogenic and symbiotic taxa. Despite the overall dominance of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota and psychrophilic Mortierellomycota, members of the cryptic phyla Rozellomycota and Chytridiomycota were also detected in abundance. As Boeckella Lake may cease to exist in approaching decades due the effects of local climatic changes, it also an important location for the study of the impacts of these changes on Antarctic microbial diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Henrique Rosa
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Polar e Conexões Tropicais, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, PO Box 486, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil.
| | - Mayara Baptistucci Ogaki
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Polar e Conexões Tropicais, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, PO Box 486, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | | | - Rosemary Vieira
- Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Peter Convey
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.,Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa
| | - Carlos Augusto Rosa
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Polar e Conexões Tropicais, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, PO Box 486, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
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Nikitin DA, Semenov MV. Characterization of Franz Josef Land Soil Mycobiota by Microbiological Plating and Real-time PCR. Microbiology (Reading) 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s002626172201009x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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9
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MENEZES GRACIÉLECDE, PORTO BÁRBARAA, RADICCHI GERUSAA, SOARES FERNANDAC, ZARANKIN ANDRÉS, ROSA LUIZH. Fungal impact on archaeological materials collected at Byers Peninsula Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20210218. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220210218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Studies toward the comprehension of fungal-macroalgae interaction in cold marine regions from a biotechnological perspective. Fungal Biol 2020; 125:218-230. [PMID: 33622538 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In marine ecosystems, macroalgae are the habitat for several microorganisms, fungi being among them. In the Antarctic benthic coastal ecosystem, macroalgae play a key role in organic matter cycling. In this study, 13 different macroalgae from Potter Cove and surrounding areas were sampled and 48 fungal isolates were obtained from six species, four Rhodophyta Ballia callitricha, Gigartina skottsbergii, Neuroglossum delesseriae and Palmaria decipiens, and two Phaeophyceae: Adenocystis utricularis and Ascoseira mirabilis. Fungal isolates mostly belonged to the Ascomycota phylum (Antarctomyces, Cadophora, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Phialocephala, and Pseudogymnoascus) and only one to the phylum Mucoromycota. Two of the isolates could not be identified to genus level, implying that Antarctica is a source of probable novel fungal taxa with enormous bioprospecting and biotechnological potential. 73% of the fungal isolates were moderate eurypsychrophilic (they grew at 5-25 °C), 12.5% were eurypsychrophilic and grew in the whole range, 12.5% of the isolates were narrow eurypsychrophilic (growth at 15-25 °C), and Mucoromycota AUe4 was classified as stenopsychrophilic as it grew at 5-15 °C. Organic extracts of seven macroalgae from which no fungal growth was obtained (three red algae Georgiella confluens, Gymnogongrus turquetii, Plocamium cartlagineum, and four brown algae Desmarestia anceps, D. Antarctica, Desmarestia menziesii, Himantothallus grandifolius) were tested against representative fungi of the genera isolated in this work. All extracts presented fungal inhibition, those from Plocamium cartilagineum and G. turquetii showed the best results, and for most of these macroalgae, this represents the first report of antifungal activity and constitute a promising source of compounds for future evaluation.
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Fungal Community in Antarctic Soil Along the Retreating Collins Glacier (Fildes Peninsula, King George Island). Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8081145. [PMID: 32751125 PMCID: PMC7465374 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8081145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Glacial retreat is one of the most conspicuous signs of warming in Antarctic regions. Glacier soils harbor an active microbial community of decomposers, and under the continuous retraction of glaciers, the soil starts to present a gradient of physical, chemical, and biological factors reflecting regional changes over time. Little is known about the biological nature of fungi in Antarctic glacier soils. In this sense, this work aimed at studying the behavior of fungal community structure from samples of glacier soil collected after glacial retreat (Collins Glacier). A total of 309 fungi distributed in 19 genera were obtained from eleven soil samples. Representatives of the genera Pseudogymnoascus (Ascomycota) and Mortierella (Mortierellomycota) were the most abundant isolates in all samples. The data revealed the presence of filamentous fungi belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota, rarely found in Antarctica. Analysis of the generalized linear models revealed that the distance from the glacier as well as phosphorus and clay were able to modify the distribution of fungal species. Environmental variations proved to have influenced the genera Pseudogymnoascus and Pseudeutorium.
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Ogaki MB, Vieira R, Muniz MC, Zani CL, Alves TMA, Junior PAS, Murta SMF, Barbosa EC, Oliveira JG, Ceravolo IP, Pereira PO, Rosa CA, Rosa LH. Diversity, ecology, and bioprospecting of culturable fungi in lakes impacted by anthropogenic activities in Maritime Antarctica. Extremophiles 2020; 24:637-655. [PMID: 32533308 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-020-01183-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we accessed culturable fungal assemblages present in the sediments of three lakes potentially impacted anthropogenically in the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica and identified 63 taxa. Cladosporium sp. 2, Pseudeurotium hygrophilum, and Pseudogymnoascus verrucosus were recovered from the sampled sediments of all lakes. High concentrations of metals and the lowest fungal diversity indices were detected in the sediments of the Central Lake, which can be influenced by human activities due to their proximity to research stations to those of the other two lakes, which were far from the Antarctic stations. At least one type of biological activity was demonstrated by 40 fungal extracts. Among these, P. hygrophilum, P. verrucosus, Penicillium glabrum, and Penicillium solitum demonstrated strong trypanocidal, herbicidal, and antifungal activities. Our results suggest that an increase of the anthropogenic activities in the region might have affected the microbial diversity and composition. In addition, the fungal diversity in these lakes may be a useful model to study the effect of anthropogenic activities in Antarctica. We isolated a diverse group of fungal taxa from Antarctic lake sediments, which have the potential to produce novel compounds for the both the medical and agriculture sectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara B Ogaki
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Rosemary Vieira
- Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brasil
| | - Marcelo C Muniz
- Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brasil
| | - Carlos L Zani
- Instituto René Rachou, FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Tânia M A Alves
- Instituto René Rachou, FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carlos A Rosa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Luiz H Rosa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
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Díaz A, Villanueva P, Oliva V, Gil-Durán C, Fierro F, Chávez R, Vaca I. Genetic Transformation of the Filamentous Fungus Pseudogymnoascus verrucosus of Antarctic Origin. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2675. [PMID: 31824460 PMCID: PMC6883257 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold-adapted fungi isolated from Antarctica, in particular those belonging to the genus Pseudogymnoascus, are producers of secondary metabolites with interesting bioactive properties as well as enzymes with potential biotechnological applications. However, at genetic level, the study of these fungi has been hindered by the lack of suitable genetic tools such as transformation systems. In fungi, the availability of transformation systems is a key to address the functional analysis of genes related with the production of a particular metabolite or enzyme. To the best of our knowledge, the transformation of Pseudogymnoascus strains of Antarctic origin has not been achieved yet. In this work, we describe for the first time the successful transformation of a Pseudogymnoascus verrucosus strain of Antarctic origin, using two methodologies: the polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated transformation, and the electroporation of germinated conidia. We achieved transformation efficiencies of 15.87 ± 5.16 transformants per μg of DNA and 2.67 ± 1.15 transformants per μg of DNA for PEG-mediated transformation and electroporation of germinated conidia, respectively. These results indicate that PEG-mediated transformation is a very efficient method for the transformation of this Antarctic fungus. The genetic transformation of Pseudogymnoascus verrucosus described in this work represents the first example of transformation of a filamentous fungus of Antarctic origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaí Díaz
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Villanueva
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Vicente Oliva
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Gil-Durán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Fierro
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Renato Chávez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Inmaculada Vaca
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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