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Apangu GP, Frisk CA, Adams-Groom B, Petch GM, Hanson M, Skjøth CA. Using qPCR and microscopy to assess the impact of harvesting and weather conditions on the relationship between Alternaria alternata and Alternaria spp. spores in rural and urban atmospheres. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2023:10.1007/s00484-023-02480-w. [PMID: 37191729 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-023-02480-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Alternaria is a plant pathogen and human allergen. Alternaria alternata is one of the most abundant fungal spores in the air. The purpose of this study was to examine whether Alternaria spp. spore concentrations can be used to predict the abundance and spatio-temporal pattern of A. alternata spores in the air. This was investigated by testing the hypothesis that A. alternata dominates airborne Alternaria spp. spores and varies spatio-temporally. Secondarily, we aimed at investigating the relationship between airborne Alternaria spp. spores and the DNA profile of A. alternata spores between two proximate (~ 7 km apart) sites. These were examined by sampling Alternaria spp. spores using Burkard 7-day and cyclone samplers for the period 2016-2018 at Worcester and Lakeside campuses of the University of Worcester, UK. Daily Alternaria spp. spores from the Burkard traps were identified using optical microscopy whilst A. alternata from the cyclone samples was detected and quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results showed that either A. alternata or other Alternaria species spores dominate the airborne Alternaria spore concentrations, generally depending on weather conditions. Furthermore, although Alternaria spp. spore concentrations were similar for the two proximate sites, A. alternata spore concentrations significantly varied for those sites and it is highly likely that the airborne samples contained large amounts of small fragments of A. alternata. Overall, the study shows that there is a higher abundance of airborne Alternaria allergen than reported by aerobiological networks and the majority is likely to be from spore and hyphal fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godfrey Philliam Apangu
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ, Worcester, UK.
- Protecting Crops and the Environment, Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK.
| | - Carl Alexander Frisk
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ, Worcester, UK
- Department of Urban Greening and Vegetation Ecology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | - Beverley Adams-Groom
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ, Worcester, UK
| | - Geoffrey M Petch
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ, Worcester, UK
| | - Mary Hanson
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ, Worcester, UK
- Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Carsten Ambelas Skjøth
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ, Worcester, UK
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
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2
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Rodríguez-Fernández A, Blanco-Alegre C, Vega-Maray AM, Valencia-Barrera RM, Molnár T, Fernández-González D. Effect of prevailing winds and land use on Alternaria airborne spore load. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 332:117414. [PMID: 36731420 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Alternaria spores are a common component of the bioaerosol. Many Alternaria species are plant pathogens, and their conidia are catalogued as important aeroallergens. Several aerobiological studies showing a strong relationship between concentrations of airborne spore and meteorological parameters have consequently been developed. However, the Alternaria airborne load variation has not been thoroughly investigated because it is difficult to assess their sources, as they are a very common and widely established phytopathogen. The objective of this study is to estimate the impact of vegetation and land uses as potential sources on airborne spore load and to know their influence, particularly, in cases of long-medium distance transport. The daily airborne spore concentration was studied over a 5-year period in León and Valladolid, two localities of Castilla y León (Spain), with differences in their bioclimatic and land use aspects. Moreover, the land use analysis carried out within a 30 km radius of each monitoring station was combined with air mass data in order to search for potential emission sources. The results showed a great spatial variation between the two areas, which are relatively close to each other. The fact that the spore concentrations recorded in Valladolid were higher than those in León was owing to prevailing winds originating from large areas covered by cereal crops, especially during the harvest period. However, the prevailing winds in León came from areas dominated by forest and shrubland, which explains the low airborne spore load, since the main Alternaria sources were the grasslands located next to the trap. Furthermore, the risk days in this location presented an unusual wind direction. This study reveals the importance of land cover and wind speed and direction data for establishing potential airborne routes of spore transport in order to improve the Alternaria forecasting models. The importance of conducting Alternaria aerobiological studies at a local level is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ana María Vega-Maray
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management (Botany), University of León, León, Spain
| | | | - Tibor Molnár
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development. Szent István University, Szarvas, Hungary
| | - Delia Fernández-González
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management (Botany), University of León, León, Spain; Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate-CNR, Bologna, Italy
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3
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Picornell A, Rojo J, Trigo MM, Ruiz-Mata R, Lara B, Romero-Morte J, Serrano-García A, Pérez-Badia R, Gutiérrez-Bustillo M, Cervigón-Morales P, Ferencova Z, Morales-González J, Sánchez-Reyes E, Fuentes-Antón S, Sánchez-Sánchez J, Dávila I, Oteros J, Martínez-Bracero M, Galán C, García-Mozo H, Alcázar P, Fernández S, González-Alonso M, Robles E, de Zabalza AP, Ariño AH, Recio M. Environmental drivers of the seasonal exposure to airborne Alternaria spores in Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 823:153596. [PMID: 35122844 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Alternaria conidia have high allergenic potential and they can trigger important respiratory diseases. Due to that and to their extensive detection period, airborne Alternaria spores are considered as a relevant airborne allergenic particle. Several studies have been developed in order to predict the human exposure to this aeroallergen and to prevent their negative effects on sensitive population. These studies revealed that some sampling locations usually have just one single Alternaria spore season while other locations generally have two seasons within the same year. However, the reasons of these two different seasonal patterns remain unclear. To understand them better, the present study was carried out in order to determine if there are any weather conditions that influence these different behaviours at different sampling locations. With this purpose, the airborne Alternaria spore concentrations of 18 sampling locations in a wide range of latitudinal, altitudinal and climate ranges of Spain were studied. The aerobiological samples were obtained by means of Hirst-Type volumetric pollen traps, and the seasonality of the airborne Alternaria spores were analysed. The optimal weather conditions for spore production were studied, and the main weather factor affecting Alternaria spore seasonality were analysed by means of random forests and regression trees. The results showed that the temperature was the most relevant variable for the Alternaria spore dispersion and it influenced both the spore integrals and their seasonality. The water availability was also a very significant variable. Warmer sampling locations generally have a longer period of Alternaria spore detection. However, the spore production declines during the summer when the temperatures are extremely warm, what splits the favourable period for Alternaria spore production and dispersion into two separate ones, detected as two Alternaria spore seasons within the same year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Picornell
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, E-29071, Malaga, Spain.
| | - Jesús Rojo
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain; University of Castilla-La Mancha, Institute of Environmental Sciences (Botany), Toledo, Spain
| | - M Mar Trigo
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, E-29071, Malaga, Spain
| | - Rocío Ruiz-Mata
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, E-29071, Malaga, Spain
| | - Beatriz Lara
- University of Castilla-La Mancha, Institute of Environmental Sciences (Botany), Toledo, Spain
| | - Jorge Romero-Morte
- University of Castilla-La Mancha, Institute of Environmental Sciences (Botany), Toledo, Spain
| | - Alicia Serrano-García
- University of Castilla-La Mancha, Institute of Environmental Sciences (Botany), Toledo, Spain
| | - Rosa Pérez-Badia
- University of Castilla-La Mancha, Institute of Environmental Sciences (Botany), Toledo, Spain
| | - Montserrat Gutiérrez-Bustillo
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Cervigón-Morales
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Zuzana Ferencova
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julia Morales-González
- Department of Vegetal Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Estefanía Sánchez-Reyes
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain; Institute for Agribiotechnology Research (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, Río Duero 12, 37185 Villamayor, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Sergio Fuentes-Antón
- Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Universidad de Salamanca, Paseo de Canalejas 169, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - José Sánchez-Sánchez
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain; Institute for Agribiotechnology Research (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, Río Duero 12, 37185 Villamayor, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ignacio Dávila
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Salamanca, Alfonso X El Sabio s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain; Servicio de Alergia, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jose Oteros
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Andalusian Inter-University Institute for Earth System IISTA, University of Cordoba, Spain
| | - Moisés Martínez-Bracero
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Andalusian Inter-University Institute for Earth System IISTA, University of Cordoba, Spain; School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Carmen Galán
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Andalusian Inter-University Institute for Earth System IISTA, University of Cordoba, Spain
| | - Herminia García-Mozo
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Andalusian Inter-University Institute for Earth System IISTA, University of Cordoba, Spain
| | - Purificación Alcázar
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Andalusian Inter-University Institute for Earth System IISTA, University of Cordoba, Spain
| | - Santiago Fernández
- Department of Construction, Polythecnic School, University of Extremadura, Extremadura, Spain
| | | | - Estrella Robles
- Department of Environmental Biology, University of Navarra, Navarra, Spain
| | | | - Arturo H Ariño
- Department of Environmental Biology, University of Navarra, Navarra, Spain
| | - Marta Recio
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, E-29071, Malaga, Spain
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Abstract
Fungal spores make up a significant portion of Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (PBAPs) with large quantities of such particles noted in the air. Fungal particles are of interest because of their potential to affect the health of both plants and humans. They are omnipresent in the atmosphere year-round, with concentrations varying due to meteorological parameters and location. Equally, differences between indoor and outdoor fungal spore concentrations and dispersal play an important role in occupational health. This review attempts to summarise the different spore sampling methods, identify the most important spore types in terms of negative effects on crops and the public, the factors affecting their growth/dispersal, and different methods of predicting fungal spore concentrations currently in use.
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5
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Álvarez Castelló M, Almaguer Chávez M. Climate Change and Allergies. Fungal Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-89664-5_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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6
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Vélez-Pereira AM, De Linares C, Belmonte J. Aerobiological modeling I: A review of predictive models. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148783. [PMID: 34243002 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The present work is the first of two reviews on applied modeling in the field of aerobiology. The aerobiological predictive models for pollen and fungal spores, usually defined as predictive statistical models, will, amongst other objectives, forecast airborne particles' concentration or dynamical behavior of the particles. These models can be classified into Observation Based Models (OBM), Phenological Based Models (PHM), or OTher Models (OTM). The aim of this review is to show, analyze and discuss the different predictive models used in pollen and spore aerobiological studies. The analysis was performed on published electronic scientific articles from 1998 to 2016 related to the type of model, the taxa and the modelled parameters. From a total of 503 studies, 55.5% used OBM (44.8% on pollen and 10.7% on fungal spores), 38.5% PHM (all on pollen) and 6% OTM (5.4% on pollen and 0.6% on fungal spores). OBM have been used with high frequency to forecast concentration. The most frequent model of OBM was linear regression (18.5% out of 503) on pollen and artificial neural networks (4.6%) on fungal spores. In the PHM, the principal use was to characterize the main pollen season (flowering season) based on the model of growth degree days. Finally, OTM have been used to estimate concentrations at unmonitored areas. Olea (14,5%) on pollen and Alternaria (4,8%) on fungal spores were the taxa most frequently modelled. Daily concentration was the most modelled parameter by OBM (25.2%) and season start day by PHM (35.6%). The PHM approaches include greater model diversity and use fewer independent variables than OBM. In addition, PHM show to be easier to apply than OBM; however, the wide range of criteria to define the parameters to use in PHM (e.g.: pollination start day) makes that each model is used with a lesser frequency than other models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés M Vélez-Pereira
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), ECO-Climático, Coyahique, Chile; Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Concepción De Linares
- Department of Botany, Universidad de Granada, Spain; Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordina Belmonte
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
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7
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Fitchett JM. Perspectives on biometeorological research on the African continent. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:133-147. [PMID: 32997273 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-020-02020-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Since the first issue of the International Journal of Biometeorology in 1957, a total of 135 papers have reported on research in or of African countries. The majority of these have been on topics of animal biometeorology (36%), and the greatest proportion (24%) are situated in Nigeria. There has been a considerable increase in papers on African biometeorology since 2011, with those from this past decade accounting for 58% of all African papers in the journal. This occurs concurrent to an increase in the total number of papers published in the journal, driven by a move to the Editorial Manager system. While 66% of the papers on African biometeorology in the journal are authored by at least one person with an affiliation in the African continent, only 15 African countries are represented in the total authorship. As much of the African continent is projected to experience climatic changes exceeding the global mean, as much of the region is involved in animal and plant farming, and as seasonally-fluctuating and climatically affected diseases are common place, this low representation of work in Africa is surprising. This points to the need for greater awareness among African researchers of the discipline of biometeorology, greater involvement of African biometeorologists in International Society of Biometeorology and Commission meetings, and the inclusion of a greater number of African academics in the review process. This would be beneficial to the Society in increasing diversity and encouraging a more cosmopolitan engagement, and to the recognition of scientific development in African countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Fitchett
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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8
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Schiro G, Verch G, Grimm V, Müller MEH. Alternaria and Fusarium Fungi: Differences in Distribution and Spore Deposition in a Topographically Heterogeneous Wheat Field. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:E63. [PMID: 29795010 PMCID: PMC6023320 DOI: 10.3390/jof4020063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium spp. and Alternaria spp., two genera of filamentous fungi, are common colonizers of the wheat phyllosphere. Both can be pathogenic and produce mycotoxins that are harmful to consumers. Their in-field infection dynamics have been a focus for the development of new control strategies. We analysed the abundance on plant ears and spore deposition patterns of Fusarium spp. and Alternaria spp. in a topographically heterogeneous field. Abundances were assessed genetically, using qPCR-based techniques, and passive spore traps were installed for quantifying the spore deposition at different plant heights. Data loggers were placed to measure the differences in microclimate across the field. Results indicate different distribution and spore deposition patterns for the two fungi. Fusarium spp. spore and genetic abundances were higher in spots with a more humid and colder under-canopy microclimate. Alternaria spp. showed the opposite trend for genetic abundance, while its spore deposition was not correlated to any of the microclimatic conditions and was more uniform across the field. Our study extends the knowledge on the dispersal and in-field infection dynamics of Fusarium spp. and Alternaria spp., important for a better understanding of the epidemiology of these wheat pathogens. It also illustrates that topographically heterogeneous fields are a suitable environment for studying the ecology of phyllosphere-colonizing fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Schiro
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Str. 84, D-15374 Müncheberg, Germany.
| | - Gernot Verch
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Str. 84, D-15374 Müncheberg, Germany.
| | - Volker Grimm
- Department Ecological Modelling, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Marina E H Müller
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Str. 84, D-15374 Müncheberg, Germany.
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 34, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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9
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Zaidman NA, O'Grady KE, Patil N, Milavetz F, Maniak PJ, Kita H, O'Grady SM. Airway epithelial anion secretion and barrier function following exposure to fungal aeroallergens: role of oxidative stress. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2017; 313:C68-C79. [PMID: 28446427 PMCID: PMC5538799 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00043.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Aeroallergens produced by Alternaria alternata can elicit life-threatening exacerbations of asthma in patients sensitized to this fungus. In this study, the effect of Alternaria on ion transport mechanisms underlying mucociliary clearance and airway epithelial barrier function was investigated in human airway epithelial cells. Apical exposure to Alternaria induced an increase in anion secretion that was inhibited by blockers of CFTR and Ca2+-activated Cl- channels. Stimulation of anion secretion was dependent on Ca2+ uptake from the apical solution. Alternaria exposure also produced an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that was blocked by pretreatment with the oxidant scavenger glutathione (GSH). GSH and the NADPH oxidase inhibitor/complex 1 electron transport inhibitor diphenylene iodonium chloride (DPI) blocked ATP release and the increase in intracellular [Ca2+] evoked by AlternariaAlternaria also decreased transepithelial resistance, and a portion of this effect was dependent on the increase in ROS. However, the Alternaria-induced increase in unidirectional dextran (molecular mass = 4,000 Da) flux across the epithelium could not be accounted for by increased oxidative stress. These results support the conclusion that oxidative stress induced by Alternaria was responsible for regulating Ca2+-dependent anion secretion and tight junction electrical resistance that would be expected to affect mucociliary clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan A Zaidman
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Kelly E O'Grady
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
| | - Nandadevi Patil
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota
| | - Francesca Milavetz
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota
| | - Peter J Maniak
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota
| | - Hirohito Kita
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Scott M O'Grady
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota; .,Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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10
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Gunawardana M, Hyde ER, Lahmeyer S, Dorsey BL, La Val TP, Mullen M, Yoo J, Knight R, Baum MM. Euphorbia plant latex is inhabited by diverse microbial communities. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2015; 102:1966-1977. [PMID: 26656131 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1500223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY The antimicrobial properties and toxicity of Euphorbia plant latex should make it a hostile environment to microbes. However, when specimens from Euphorbia spp. were propagated in tissue culture, microbial growth was observed routinely, raising the question whether the latex of this diverse plant genus can be a niche for polymicrobial communities. METHODS Latex from a phylogenetically diverse set of Euphorbia species was collected and genomic microbial DNA extracted. Deep sequencing of bar-coded amplicons from taxonomically informative gene fragments was used to measure bacterial and fungal species richness, evenness, and composition. KEY RESULTS Euphorbia latex was found to contain unexpectedly complex bacterial (mean: 44.0 species per sample; 9 plants analyzed) and fungal (mean: 20.9 species per sample; 22 plants analyzed) communities using culture-independent methods. Many of the identified taxa are known plant endophytes, but have not been previously found in latex. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that Euphorbia plant latex, a putatively hostile antimicrobial environment, unexpectedly supports diverse bacterial and fungal communities. The ecological roles of these microorganisms and potential interactions with their host plants are unknown and warrant further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjula Gunawardana
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 128-132 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, California 91016 USA
| | - Embriette R Hyde
- BioFrontiers Institute, the University of Colorado at Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 USA; present address: Department of Pediatrics, the University of California at San Diego, 9600 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093 USA
| | - Sean Lahmeyer
- The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California 91108 USA
| | - Brian L Dorsey
- The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California 91108 USA
| | - Taylor P La Val
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 128-132 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, California 91016 USA
| | - Madeline Mullen
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 128-132 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, California 91016 USA
| | - Jennifer Yoo
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 128-132 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, California 91016 USA
| | - Rob Knight
- BioFrontiers Institute, the University of Colorado at Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 USA; present address: Department of Pediatrics, the University of California at San Diego, 9600 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093 USA Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Computer Science, the University of Colorado at Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 USA; present address: Departments of Pediatrics and Computer Science and Engineering, the University of California at San Diego, 9600 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093 USA
| | - Marc M Baum
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 128-132 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, California 91016 USA
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