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Leal-Alves C, Deng Z, Kermeci N, Shih SCC. Integrating microfluidics and synthetic biology: advancements and diverse applications across organisms. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:2834-2860. [PMID: 38712893 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc01090b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic biology is the design and modification of biological systems for specific functions, integrating several disciplines like engineering, genetics, and computer science. The field of synthetic biology is to understand biological processes within host organisms through the manipulation and regulation of their genetic pathways and the addition of biocontrol circuits to enhance their production capabilities. This pursuit serves to address global challenges spanning diverse domains that are difficult to tackle through conventional routes of production. Despite its impact, achieving precise, dynamic, and high-throughput manipulation of biological processes is still challenging. Microfluidics offers a solution to those challenges, enabling controlled fluid handling at the microscale, offering lower reagent consumption, faster analysis of biochemical reactions, automation, and high throughput screening. In this review, we diverge from conventional focus on automating the synthetic biology design-build-test-learn cycle, and instead, focus on microfluidic platforms and their role in advancing synthetic biology through its integration with host organisms - bacterial cells, yeast, fungi, animal cells - and cell-free systems. The review illustrates how microfluidic devices have been instrumental in understanding biological systems by showcasing microfluidics as an essential tool to create synthetic genetic circuits, pathways, and organisms within controlled environments. In conclusion, we show how microfluidics expedite synthetic biology applications across diverse domains including but not limited to personalized medicine, bioenergy, and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Leal-Alves
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W, Montréal, QC, H4B1R6 Canada.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1515 Ste-Catherine St. W, Montréal, QC, H3G1M8 Canada
| | - Zhiyang Deng
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W, Montréal, QC, H4B1R6 Canada.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1515 Ste-Catherine St. W, Montréal, QC, H3G1M8 Canada
| | - Natalia Kermeci
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W, Montréal, QC, H4B1R6 Canada.
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W, Montréal, QC, H4B1R6 Canada
| | - Steve C C Shih
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W, Montréal, QC, H4B1R6 Canada.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1515 Ste-Catherine St. W, Montréal, QC, H3G1M8 Canada
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W, Montréal, QC, H4B1R6 Canada
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2
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Li Q, Zhang M, Wei B, Lan W, Wang Q, Chen C, Zhao H, Liu D, Gadd GM. Fungal biomineralization of toxic metals accelerates organic pollutant removal. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2077-2084.e3. [PMID: 38663397 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Fungal biomineralization plays an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of metals in the environment and has been extensively explored for bioremediation and element biorecovery. However, the cellular and metabolic responses of fungi in the presence of toxic metals during biomineralization and their impact on organic matter transformations are unclear. This is an important question because co-contamination by toxic metals and organic pollutants is a common phenomenon in the natural environment. In this research, the biomineralization process and oxidative stress response of the geoactive soil fungus Aspergillus niger were investigated in the presence of toxic metals (Co, Cu, Mn, and Fe) and the azo dye orange II (AO II). We have found that the co-existence of toxic metals and AO II not only enhanced the fungal biomineralization of toxic metals but also accelerated the removal of AO II. We hypothesize that the fungus and in situ mycogenic biominerals (toxic metal oxalates) constituted a quasi-bioreactor, where the biominerals removed organic pollutants by catalyzing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation resulting from oxidative stress. We have therefore demonstrated that a fungal/biomineral system can successfully achieve the goal of toxic metal immobilization and organic pollutant decomposition. Such findings inform the potential development of fungal-biomineral hybrid systems for mixed pollutant bioremediation as well as provide further understanding of fungal organic-inorganic pollutant transformations in the environment and their importance in biogeochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Miao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Biao Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Wei Lan
- Pipechina Institute of Science and Technology, No. 51 Jinguang Road, Guangyang District, Langfang 065000, China
| | - Qinghong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Chunmao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Huazhang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences (Ministry of Education), College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Shanxi Laboratory for Yellow River, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Daoqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China.
| | - Geoffrey Michael Gadd
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China; Geomicrobiology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland DD1 5EH, UK.
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3
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Camenzind T, Aguilar-Trigueros CA, Hempel S, Lehmann A, Bielcik M, Andrade-Linares DR, Bergmann J, Dela Cruz J, Gawronski J, Golubeva P, Haslwimmer H, Lartey L, Leifheit E, Maaß S, Marhan S, Pinek L, Powell JR, Roy J, Veresoglou SD, Wang D, Wulf A, Zheng W, Rillig MC. Towards establishing a fungal economics spectrum in soil saprobic fungi. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3321. [PMID: 38637578 PMCID: PMC11026409 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47705-7] [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: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Trait-based frameworks are promising tools to understand the functional consequences of community shifts in response to environmental change. The applicability of these tools to soil microbes is limited by a lack of functional trait data and a focus on categorical traits. To address this gap for an important group of soil microorganisms, we identify trade-offs underlying a fungal economics spectrum based on a large trait collection in 28 saprobic fungal isolates, derived from a common grassland soil and grown in culture plates. In this dataset, ecologically relevant trait variation is best captured by a three-dimensional fungal economics space. The primary explanatory axis represents a dense-fast continuum, resembling dominant life-history trade-offs in other taxa. A second significant axis reflects mycelial flexibility, and a third one carbon acquisition traits. All three axes correlate with traits involved in soil carbon cycling. Since stress tolerance and fundamental niche gradients are primarily related to the dense-fast continuum, traits of the 2nd (carbon-use efficiency) and especially the 3rd (decomposition) orthogonal axes are independent of tested environmental stressors. These findings suggest a fungal economics space which can now be tested at broader scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Camenzind
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany.
| | - Carlos A Aguilar-Trigueros
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Stefan Hempel
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Anika Lehmann
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Milos Bielcik
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Diana R Andrade-Linares
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Joana Bergmann
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), 15374, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Jeane Dela Cruz
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jessie Gawronski
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Polina Golubeva
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Heike Haslwimmer
- Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Soil Biology department, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 27, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Linda Lartey
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Leifheit
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Maaß
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Sven Marhan
- Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Soil Biology department, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 27, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Liliana Pinek
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jeff R Powell
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Julien Roy
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Stavros D Veresoglou
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Dongwei Wang
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Wulf
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Weishuang Zheng
- Marine Institute for Bioresources and Environment, Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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Richter F, Calonne-Salmon M, van der Heijden MGA, Declerck S, Stanley CE. AMF-SporeChip provides new insights into arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal asymbiotic hyphal growth dynamics at the cellular level. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1930-1946. [PMID: 38416560 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00859b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbiotic associations with the majority of land plants and deliver a wide range of soil-based ecosystem services. Due to their conspicuous belowground lifestyle in a dark environment surrounded by soil particles, much is still to be learned about the influence of environmental (i.e., physical) cues on spore germination, hyphal morphogenesis and anastomosis/hyphal healing mechanisms. To fill existing gaps in AMF knowledge, we developed a new microfluidic platform - the AMF-SporeChip - to visualise the foraging behaviour of germinating Rhizophagus and Gigaspora spores and confront asymbiotic hyphae with physical obstacles. In combination with timelapse microscopy, the fungi could be examined at the cellular level and in real-time. The AMF-SporeChip allowed us to acquire movies with unprecedented visual clarity and therefore identify various exploration strategies of AMF asymbiotic hyphae. We witnessed tip-to-tip and tip-to-side hyphal anastomosis formation. Anastomosis involved directed hyphal growth in a "stop-and-go" manner, yielding visual evidence of pre-anastomosis signalling and decision-making. Remarkably, we also revealed a so-far undescribed reversible cytoplasmic retraction, including the formation of up to 8 septa upon retraction, as part of a highly dynamic space navigation, probably evolved to optimise foraging efficiency. Our findings demonstrated how AMF employ an intricate mechanism of space searching, involving reversible cytoplasmic retraction, branching and directional changes. In turn, the AMF-SporeChip is expected to open many future frontiers for AMF research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Richter
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Maryline Calonne-Salmon
- Laboratory of Mycology, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Marcel G A van der Heijden
- Agroecology and Environment Research Division, Agroscope, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stéphane Declerck
- Laboratory of Mycology, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Claire E Stanley
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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5
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Ledoux C, Bobée C, Cabet É, David P, Filaine F, Hachimi S, Lalanne C, Ruprich-Robert G, Herbert É, Chapeland-Leclerc F. Characterization of spatio-temporal dynamics of the constrained network of the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina using a geomatics-based approach. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297816. [PMID: 38319941 PMCID: PMC10846696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
In their natural environment, fungi are subjected to a wide variety of environmental stresses which they must cope with by constantly adapting the architecture of their growing network. In this work, our objective was to finely characterize the thallus development of the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina subjected to different constraints that are simple to implement in vitro and that can be considered as relevant environmental stresses, such as a nutrient-poor environment or non-optimal temperatures. At the Petri dish scale, the observations showed that the fungal thallus is differentially affected (thallus diameter, mycelium aspect) according to the stresses but these observations remain qualitative. At the hyphal scale, we showed that the extraction of the usual quantities (i.e. apex, node, length) does not allow to distinguish the different thallus under stress, these quantities being globally affected by the application of a stress in comparison with a thallus having grown under optimal conditions. Thanks to an original geomatics-based approach based on the use of automatized Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, we were able to produce maps and metrics characterizing the growth dynamics of the networks and then to highlight some very different dynamics of network densification according to the applied stresses. The fungal thallus is then considered as a map and we are no longer interested in the quantity of material (hyphae) produced but in the empty spaces between the hyphae, the intra-thallus surfaces. This study contributes to a better understanding of how filamentous fungi adapt the growth and densification of their network to potentially adverse environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Ledoux
- CNRS, UMR 8236 – LIED, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Cécilia Bobée
- CNRS, UMR 8236 – LIED, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Éva Cabet
- CNRS, UMR 8236 – LIED, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Pascal David
- CNRS, UMR 8236 – LIED, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Éric Herbert
- CNRS, UMR 8236 – LIED, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
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6
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Ahmad J, Marsidi N, Sheikh Abdullah SR, Hasan HA, Othman AR, Ismail N'I, Kurniawan SB. Integrating phytoremediation and mycoremediation with biosurfactant-producing fungi for hydrocarbon removal and the potential production of secondary resources. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:140881. [PMID: 38048826 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Treatment of petroleum-contaminated soil to a less toxic medium via physical and chemical treatment is too costly and requires posttreatment. This review focuses on the employment of phytoremediation and mycoremediation technologies in cleaning hydrocarbon-contaminated soil which is currently rare. It is considered environmentally beneficial and possibly cost-effective as it implements the synergistic interaction between plants and biosurfactant producing mycorrhiza to degrade hydrocarbon contaminants. This review also covers possible sources of hydrocarbon pollution in water and soil, toxicity effects, and current technologies for hydrocarbon removal and degradation. In addition to these problems, this review also discusses the challenges and opportunities of transforming the resultant treated sludge and treating plants into potential by-products for a higher quality of life for future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamilah Ahmad
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Nuratiqah Marsidi
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Siti Rozaimah Sheikh Abdullah
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Hassimi Abu Hasan
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Research Centre for Sustainable Process Technology (CESPRO), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Ahmad Razi Othman
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Nur 'Izzati Ismail
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Setyo Budi Kurniawan
- Laboratory of Algal Biotechnology, Centre Algatech, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Opatovický mlýn, Novohradská 237, Třeboň, 379 81, Czech Republic.
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7
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Candry P, Godfrey BJ, Winkler MKH. Microbe-cellulose hydrogels as a model system for particulate carbon degradation in soil aggregates. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae068. [PMID: 38800124 PMCID: PMC11126157 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Particulate carbon (C) degradation in soils is a critical process in the global C cycle governing greenhouse gas fluxes and C storage. Millimeter-scale soil aggregates impose strong controls on particulate C degradation by inducing chemical gradients of e.g. oxygen, as well as limiting microbial mobility in pore structures. To date, experimental models of soil aggregates have incorporated porosity and chemical gradients but not particulate C. Here, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept encapsulating microbial cells and particulate C substrates in hydrogel matrices as a novel experimental model for soil aggregates. Ruminiclostridium cellulolyticum was co-encapsulated with cellulose in millimeter-scale polyethyleneglycol-dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) hydrogel beads. Microbial activity was delayed in hydrogel-encapsulated conditions, with cellulose degradation and fermentation activity being observed after 13 days of incubation. Unexpectedly, hydrogel encapsulation shifted product formation of R. cellulolyticum from an ethanol-lactate-acetate mixture to an acetate-dominated product profile. Fluorescence microscopy enabled simultaneous visualization of the PEGDMA matrix, cellulose particles, and individual cells in the matrix, demonstrating growth on cellulose particles during incubation. Together, these microbe-cellulose-PEGDMA hydrogels present a novel, reproducible experimental soil surrogate to connect single cells to process outcomes at the scale of soil aggregates and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Candry
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 201 More Hall, Seattle, WA 98195-2700, United States
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands. E-mail:
| | - Bruce J Godfrey
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 201 More Hall, Seattle, WA 98195-2700, United States
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8
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Mafla-Endara PM, Meklesh V, Beech JP, Ohlsson P, Pucetaite M, Hammer EC. Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics reduces bacterial and fungal biomass in microfabricated soil models. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166503. [PMID: 37633381 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Nanoplastics have been proven to induce toxicity in diverse organisms, yet their effect on soil microbes like bacteria and fungi remains largely unexplored. In this paper, we used micro-engineered soil models to investigate the effect of polystyrene (PS) nanospheres on Pseudomonas putida and Coprinopsis cinerea. Specifically, we explored the effects of increasing concentrations of 60 nm carboxylated bovine serum albumin (BSA) coated nanospheres (0, 0.5, 2, and 10 mg/L) on these bacterial and fungal model organisms respectively, over time. We found that both microorganisms could disperse through the PS solution, but long-distance dispersal was reduced by high concentrations. Microbial biomass decreased in all treatments, in which bacteria showed a linear dose response with the strongest effect at 10 mg/L concentration, and fungi showed a non-linear response with the strongest effect at 2 mg/L concentration. At the highest nanoplastics concentration, the first colonizing fungal hyphae adsorbed most of the PS nanospheres present in their vicinity, in a process that we termed the 'vacuum cleaner effect'. As a result, the toxicity effect of the original treatment on subsequently growing fungal hyphae was reduced to a growth level indistinguishable from the control. We did not find evidence that nanoplastics are able to penetrate bacterial nor fungal cell walls. Overall, our findings provide evidence that nanoplastics can cause a direct negative effect on soil microbes and highlight the need for further studies that can explain how the microbial stress response might affect soil functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola M Mafla-Endara
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Viktoriia Meklesh
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Physical Chemistry Division, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jason P Beech
- Division of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics and NanoLund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pelle Ohlsson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering (LTH), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Edith C Hammer
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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9
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Nussbaum N, von Wyl T, Gandia A, Romanens E, Rühs PA, Fischer P. Impact of malt concentration in solid substrate on mycelial growth and network connectivity in Ganoderma species. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21051. [PMID: 38030880 PMCID: PMC10687231 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48203-4] [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: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
With its distinctive material properties, fungal mycelium has emerged as an innovative material with a diverse array of applications across various industries. This study focuses on how the growth strategies of wood fungi adapt to nutrient availability. The effect of malt extract concentration in the growth medium on radial growth kinetics, morphology, mycelium network connectivity, and mechanical characteristics of mycelium from two Ganoderma species were investigated. While an evident pattern of radial growth rate enhancement with malt concentrations was not apparent, there was a discernible trend towards denser mycelium network characteristics as revealed by spectrophotometry. Increased malt extract contents corresponded to elevated optical density measurements and were visually confirmed by denser mycelium networks in photographic images. Investigating the mechanical characteristics of mycelium cultivated on varying solid substrate concentrations, the Young's modulus exhibited a substantial difference between mycelium grown on 5 wt% malt substrate and samples cultivated on 2 wt% and 0.4 wt% malt substrates. The obtained results represent a new understanding of how malt availability influences mycelial growth of two Ganoderma species, a crucial insight for potentially refining mycelium cultivation across diverse applications, including meat alternatives, smart building materials, and alternative leather.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Nussbaum
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Tabea von Wyl
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Antoni Gandia
- Planted Foods AG, Kemptpark 32, 8310, Kemptthal, Switzerland
- IBMCP (UPV-CSIC), Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology, 46011, Valencia, Spain
| | - Edwina Romanens
- Planted Foods AG, Kemptpark 32, 8310, Kemptthal, Switzerland
| | | | - Peter Fischer
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
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10
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Ndinga-Muniania C, Wornson N, Fulcher MR, Borer ET, Seabloom EW, Kinkel L, May G. Cryptic functional diversity within a grass mycobiome. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287990. [PMID: 37471328 PMCID: PMC10358963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic hosts harbor tremendously diverse microbiomes that affect host fitness and response to environmental challenges. Fungal endophytes are prominent members of plant microbiomes, but we lack information on the diversity in functional traits affecting their interactions with their host and environment. We used two culturing approaches to isolate fungal endophytes associated with the widespread, dominant prairie grass Andropogon gerardii and characterized their taxonomic diversity using rDNA barcode sequencing. A randomly chosen subset of fungi representing the diversity of each leaf was then evaluated for their use of different carbon compound resources and growth on those resources. Applying community phylogenetic analyses, we discovered that these fungal endophyte communities are comprised of phylogenetically distinct assemblages of slow- and fast-growing fungi that differ in their use and growth on differing carbon substrates. Our results demonstrate previously undescribed and cryptic functional diversity in carbon resource use and growth in fungal endophyte communities of A. gerardii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Ndinga-Muniania
- Plant and Microbial Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Wornson
- School of Statistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michael R Fulcher
- Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth T Borer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Eric W Seabloom
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Linda Kinkel
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Georgiana May
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
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11
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Michalak K, Winiarczyk S, Adaszek Ł, Kosikowska U, Andrzejczuk S, Garbacz K, Dobrut A, Jarosz Ł, Czupryna W, Pietras-Ożga D. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of an extract rich in proteins obtained from Trametes versicolor. J Vet Res 2023; 67:209-218. [PMID: 37786431 PMCID: PMC10541659 DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2023-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Bioactive proteins and peptides generated from fruit, vegetables, meat or fish have great potential as functional food or substitutes for antibiotics. In recent years it has also been demonstrated that the fungus kingdom could be a source of these compounds. The study investigated the bioactivity of an extract of the lignicolous fungus Trametes versicolor and its hydrolysate. Material and Methods The fungus was collected in a mixed forest in October, extracted and hydrolysed. To inspect the protein and peptide profiles before and after hydrolysis, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time-of-flight mass spectrometric analysis was performed. To evaluate the antioxidant properties of the preparations, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•+) radical scavenging assays were used. The activity of the fungus extract and hydrolysate against Aeromonas veronii, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and Streptococcus uberis was determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values. Results The extract and its hydrolysate showed almost 100% ABTS•+ and DPPH• radical scavenging with a low half maximal inhibitory concentration. The water extract and hydrolysate of T. versicolor exhibited antimicrobial activity against two S. aureus strains, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and Salmonella Typhimurium. Conclusion These results provide compelling evidence that the analysed fungus extract and its hydrolysate hold promise with their antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Michalak
- Department of Epizootiology and Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950Lublin, Poland
| | - Stanisław Winiarczyk
- Department of Epizootiology and Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950Lublin, Poland
- National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100Puławy, Poland
| | - Łukasz Adaszek
- Department of Epizootiology and Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950Lublin, Poland
| | - Urszula Kosikowska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093Lublin, Poland
| | - Sylwia Andrzejczuk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093Lublin, Poland
| | | | - Anna Dobrut
- Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology, Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-008Kraków, Poland
| | - Łukasz Jarosz
- Department of Epizootiology and Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950Lublin, Poland
| | - Wiktoria Czupryna
- Department of Epizootiology and Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950Lublin, Poland
| | - Dorota Pietras-Ożga
- Department of Epizootiology and Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950Lublin, Poland
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12
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Arellano-Caicedo C, Ohlsson P, Bengtsson M, Beech JP, Hammer EC. Habitat complexity affects microbial growth in fractal maze. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1448-1458.e4. [PMID: 36933553 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
The great variety of earth's microorganisms and their functions are attributed to the heterogeneity of their habitats, but our understanding of the impact of this heterogeneity on microbes is limited at the microscale. In this study, we tested how a gradient of spatial habitat complexity in the form of fractal mazes influenced the growth, substrate degradation, and interactions of the bacterial strain Pseudomonas putida and the fungal strain Coprinopsis cinerea. These strains responded in opposite ways: complex habitats strongly reduced fungal growth but, in contrast, increased the abundance of bacteria. Fungal hyphae did not reach far into the mazes and forced bacteria to grow in deeper regions. Bacterial substrate degradation strongly increased with habitat complexity, even more than bacterial biomass, up to an optimal depth, while the most remote parts of the mazes showed both decreased biomass and substrate degradation. These results suggest an increase in enzymatic activity in confined spaces, where areas may experience enhanced microbial activity and resource use efficiency. Very remote spaces showing a slower turnover of substrates illustrate a mechanism which may contribute to the long-term storage of organic matter in soils. We demonstrate here that the sole effect of spatial microstructures affects microbial growth and substrate degradation, leading to differences in local microscale spatial availability. These differences might add up to considerable changes in nutrient cycling at the macroscale, such as contributing to soil organic carbon storage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pelle Ohlsson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Ole Römers väg 3, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
| | - Martin Bengtsson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Ole Römers väg 3, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jason P Beech
- Division of Solid State Physics, Lund University, Sölvegatan 16, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
| | - Edith C Hammer
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund, Sweden; Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, CEC, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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13
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Parise AG, Gubert GF, Whalan S, Gagliano M. Ariadne’s thread and the extension of cognition: A common but overlooked phenomenon in nature? Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1069349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Over recent decades, our philosophical and scientific understanding of cognition has changed dramatically. We went from conceiving humans as the sole truly cognitive species on the planet to endowing several organisms with cognitive capacities, from considering brains as the exclusive seat of cognition to extending cognitive faculties to the entire physical body and beyond. That cognition could extend beyond the organism’s body is no doubt one of the most controversial of the recent hypotheses. Extended cognition (ExC) has been discussed not only to explain aspects of the human cognitive process, but also of other species such as spiders and more recently, plants. It has been suggested that ExC could offer insights for the grounding of environmentally extended cognitive traits in evolved ecological functions. Here, we reviewed the ecological literature for possible ExC examples that satisfy the mutual manipulability criterion, which can be used to establish experimentally the boundaries of cognitive systems. Our conclusion is that ExC might be far more common than previously thought, and present in organisms as diverse as plants, fungi, termites, spiders, mammals, and slime moulds. Experimental investigation is needed to clarify this idea which, if proven correct, could illuminate a new path into understanding the origins and evolution of cognition.
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14
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Gantenbein S, Colucci E, Käch J, Trachsel E, Coulter FB, Rühs PA, Masania K, Studart AR. Three-dimensional printing of mycelium hydrogels into living complex materials. NATURE MATERIALS 2023; 22:128-134. [PMID: 36550372 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-022-01429-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Biological living materials, such as animal bones and plant stems, are able to self-heal, regenerate, adapt and make decisions under environmental pressures. Despite recent successful efforts to imbue synthetic materials with some of these remarkable functionalities, many emerging properties of complex adaptive systems found in biology remain unexplored in engineered living materials. Here, we describe a three-dimensional printing approach that harnesses the emerging properties of fungal mycelia to create living complex materials that self-repair, regenerate and adapt to the environment while fulfilling an engineering function. Hydrogels loaded with the fungus Ganoderma lucidum are three-dimensionally printed into lattice architectures to enable mycelial growth in a balanced exploration and exploitation pattern that simultaneously promotes colonization of the gel and bridging of air gaps. To illustrate the potential of such mycelium-based living complex materials, we three-dimensionally print a robotic skin that is mechanically robust, self-cleaning and able to autonomously regenerate after damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvan Gantenbein
- Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Emanuele Colucci
- Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julian Käch
- Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Etienne Trachsel
- Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Fergal B Coulter
- Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patrick A Rühs
- Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kunal Masania
- Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Shaping Matter Lab, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.
| | - André R Studart
- Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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15
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Kuhn T, Mamin M, Bindschedler S, Bshary R, Estoppey A, Gonzalez D, Palmieri F, Junier P, Richter XYL. Spatial scales of competition and a growth-motility trade-off interact to determine bacterial coexistence. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211592. [PMID: 36483758 PMCID: PMC9727664 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The coexistence of competing species is a long-lasting puzzle in evolutionary ecology research. Despite abundant experimental evidence showing that the opportunity for coexistence decreases as niche overlap increases between species, bacterial species and strains competing for the same resources are commonly found across diverse spatially heterogeneous habitats. We thus hypothesized that the spatial scale of competition may play a key role in determining bacterial coexistence, and interact with other mechanisms that promote coexistence, including a growth-motility trade-off. To test this hypothesis, we let two Pseudomonas putida strains compete at local and regional scales by inoculating them either in a mixed droplet or in separate droplets in the same Petri dish, respectively. We also created conditions that allow the bacterial strains to disperse across abiotic or fungal hyphae networks. We found that competition at the local scale led to competitive exclusion while regional competition promoted coexistence. When competing in the presence of dispersal networks, the growth-motility trade-off promoted coexistence only when the strains were inoculated in separate droplets. Our results provide a mechanism by which existing laboratory data suggesting competitive exclusion at a local scale is reconciled with the widespread coexistence of competing bacterial strains in complex natural environments with dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Kuhn
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Eco-Ethology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Marine Mamin
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Saskia Bindschedler
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Redouan Bshary
- Laboratory of Eco-Ethology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Aislinn Estoppey
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Diego Gonzalez
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Palmieri
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Pilar Junier
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Xiang-Yi Li Richter
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Eco-Ethology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Émile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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16
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Wu J, Yang X, Duan Y, Wang P, Qi J, Gao JM, Liu C. Biosynthesis of Sesquiterpenes in Basidiomycetes: A Review. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8090913. [PMID: 36135638 PMCID: PMC9501842 DOI: 10.3390/jof8090913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sesquiterpenes are common small-molecule natural products with a wide range of promising applications and are biosynthesized by sesquiterpene synthase (STS). Basidiomycetes are valuable and important biological resources. To date, hundreds of related sesquiterpenoids have been discovered in basidiomycetes, and the biosynthetic pathways of some of these compounds have been elucidated. This review summarizes 122 STSs and 2 fusion enzymes STSs identified from 26 species of basidiomycetes over the past 20 years. The biological functions of enzymes and compound structures are described, and related research is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Wu
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Xiaoran Yang
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yingce Duan
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Pengchao Wang
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Jianzhao Qi
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jin-Ming Gao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Chengwei Liu
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Correspondence:
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17
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Richter F, Bindschedler S, Calonne-Salmon M, Declerck S, Junier P, Stanley CE. Fungi-on-a-Chip: microfluidic platforms for single-cell studies on fungi. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:6674677. [PMID: 36001464 PMCID: PMC9779915 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac039] [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: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This review highlights new advances in the emerging field of 'Fungi-on-a-Chip' microfluidics for single-cell studies on fungi and discusses several future frontiers, where we envisage microfluidic technology development to be instrumental in aiding our understanding of fungal biology. Fungi, with their enormous diversity, bear essential roles both in nature and our everyday lives. They inhabit a range of ecosystems, such as soil, where they are involved in organic matter degradation and bioremediation processes. More recently, fungi have been recognized as key components of the microbiome in other eukaryotes, such as humans, where they play a fundamental role not only in human pathogenesis, but also likely as commensals. In the food sector, fungi are used either directly or as fermenting agents and are often key players in the biotechnological industry, where they are responsible for the production of both bulk chemicals and antibiotics. Although the macroscopic fruiting bodies are immediately recognizable by most observers, the structure, function, and interactions of fungi with other microbes at the microscopic scale still remain largely hidden. Herein, we shed light on new advances in the emerging field of Fungi-on-a-Chip microfluidic technologies for single-cell studies on fungi. We discuss the development and application of microfluidic tools in the fields of medicine and biotechnology, as well as in-depth biological studies having significance for ecology and general natural processes. Finally, a future perspective is provided, highlighting new frontiers in which microfluidic technology can benefit this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Richter
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Saskia Bindschedler
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Maryline Calonne-Salmon
- Laboratory of Mycology, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 2, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Stéphane Declerck
- Laboratory of Mycology, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 2, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Pilar Junier
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Claire E Stanley
- Corresponding author: Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom. E-mail:
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18
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Ecological drivers of division of labour in Streptomyces. Curr Opin Microbiol 2022; 67:102148. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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19
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Bernier LS, Junier P, Stan GB, Stanley CE. Spores-on-a-chip: new frontiers for spore research. Trends Microbiol 2022; 30:515-518. [PMID: 35346553 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, microfluidic technologies have become widespread in biological science. However, the suitability of this technique for understanding different aspects of spore research has hardly been considered. Herein, we review recent developments in 'spores-on-a-chip' technologies, highlighting how they could be exploited to drive new frontiers in spore research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa S Bernier
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Pilar Junier
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland
| | - Guy-Bart Stan
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Claire E Stanley
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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20
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Aguilar-Trigueros CA, Boddy L, Rillig MC, Fricker MD. Network traits predict ecological strategies in fungi. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:2. [PMID: 37938271 PMCID: PMC9723744 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-021-00085-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Colonization of terrestrial environments by filamentous fungi relies on their ability to form networks that can forage for and connect resource patches. Despite the importance of these networks, ecologists rarely consider network features as functional traits because their measurement and interpretation are conceptually and methodologically difficult. To address these challenges, we have developed a pipeline to translate images of fungal mycelia, from both micro- and macro-scales, to weighted network graphs that capture ecologically relevant fungal behaviour. We focus on four properties that we hypothesize determine how fungi forage for resources, specifically: connectivity; relative construction cost; transport efficiency; and robustness against attack by fungivores. Constrained ordination and Pareto front analysis of these traits revealed that foraging strategies can be distinguished predominantly along a gradient of connectivity for micro- and macro-scale mycelial networks that is reminiscent of the qualitative 'phalanx' and 'guerilla' descriptors previously proposed in the literature. At one extreme are species with many inter-connections that increase the paths for multidirectional transport and robustness to damage, but with a high construction cost; at the other extreme are species with an opposite phenotype. Thus, we propose this approach represents a significant advance in quantifying ecological strategies for fungi using network information.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Aguilar-Trigueros
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Altensteinstraße 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
| | - L Boddy
- School of Biosciences, Sir Martin Evans Building, Cardiff University, CF10 3AX, Cardiff, UK
| | - M C Rillig
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Altensteinstraße 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - M D Fricker
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX1 3RB, Oxford, UK
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21
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Arellano-Caicedo C, Ohlsson P, Bengtsson M, Beech JP, Hammer EC. Habitat geometry in artificial microstructure affects bacterial and fungal growth, interactions, and substrate degradation. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1226. [PMID: 34702996 PMCID: PMC8548513 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02736-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Microhabitat conditions determine the magnitude and speed of microbial processes but have been challenging to investigate. In this study we used microfluidic devices to determine the effect of the spatial distortion of a pore space on fungal and bacterial growth, interactions, and substrate degradation. The devices contained channels differing in bending angles and order. Sharper angles reduced fungal and bacterial biomass, especially when angles were repeated in the same direction. Substrate degradation was only decreased by sharper angles when fungi and bacteria were grown together. Investigation at the cellular scale suggests that this was caused by fungal habitat modification, since hyphae branched in sharp and repeated turns, blocking the dispersal of bacteria and the substrate. Our results demonstrate how the geometry of microstructures can influence microbial activity. This can be transferable to soil pore spaces, where spatial occlusion and microbial feedback on microstructures is thought to explain organic matter stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pelle Ohlsson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Martin Bengtsson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jason P Beech
- Division of Solid State Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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22
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Lofgren LA, Stajich JE. Fungal biodiversity and conservation mycology in light of new technology, big data, and changing attitudes. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R1312-R1325. [PMID: 34637742 PMCID: PMC8516061 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Fungi have successfully established themselves across seemingly every possible niche, substrate, and biome. They are fundamental to biogeochemical cycling, interspecies interactions, food production, and drug bioprocessing, as well as playing less heroic roles as difficult to treat human infections and devastating plant pathogens. Despite community efforts to estimate and catalog fungal diversity, we have only named and described a minute fraction of the fungal world. The identification, characterization, and conservation of fungal diversity is paramount to preserving fungal bioresources, and to understanding and predicting ecosystem cycling and the evolution and epidemiology of fungal disease. Although species and ecosystem conservation are necessarily the foundation of preserving this diversity, there is value in expanding our definition of conservation to include the protection of biological collections, ecological metadata, genetic and genomic data, and the methods and code used for our analyses. These definitions of conservation are interdependent. For example, we need metadata on host specificity and biogeography to understand rarity and set priorities for conservation. To aid in these efforts, we need to draw expertise from diverse fields to tie traditional taxonomic knowledge to data obtained from modern -omics-based approaches, and support the advancement of diverse research perspectives. We also need new tools, including an updated framework for describing and tracking species known only from DNA, and the continued integration of functional predictions to link genetic diversity to functional and ecological diversity. Here, we review the state of fungal diversity research as shaped by recent technological advancements, and how changing viewpoints in taxonomy, -omics, and systematics can be integrated to advance mycological research and preserve fungal biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotus A Lofgren
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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23
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Bedekovic T, Brand AC. Microfabrication and its use in investigating fungal biology. Mol Microbiol 2021; 117:569-577. [PMID: 34592794 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Advances in microfabrication technology, and its increasing accessibility, allow us to explore fungal biology as never before. By coupling molecular genetics with fluorescence live-cell imaging in custom-designed chambers, we can now probe single yeast cell responses to changing conditions over a lifetime, characterise population heterogeneity and investigate its underlying causes. By growing filamentous fungi in complex physical environments, we can identify cross-species commonalities, reveal species-specific growth responses and examine physiological differences relevant to diverse fungal lifestyles. As affordability and expertise broadens, microfluidic platforms will become a standard technique for examining the role of fungi in cross-kingdom interactions, ranging from rhizosphere to microbiome to interconnected human organ systems. This review brings together the perspectives already gained from studying fungal biology in microfabricated systems and outlines their potential in understanding the role of fungi in the environment, health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Bedekovic
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Alexandra C Brand
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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Rämä T, Quandt CA. Improving Fungal Cultivability for Natural Products Discovery. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:706044. [PMID: 34603232 PMCID: PMC8481835 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.706044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pool of fungal secondary metabolites can be extended by activating silent gene clusters of cultured strains or by using sensitive biological assays that detect metabolites missed by analytical methods. Alternatively, or in parallel with the first approach, one can increase the diversity of existing culture collections to improve the access to new natural products. This review focuses on the latter approach of screening previously uncultured fungi for chemodiversity. Both strategies have been practiced since the early days of fungal biodiscovery, yet relatively little has been done to overcome the challenge of cultivability of as-yet-uncultivated fungi. Whereas earlier cultivability studies using media formulations and biological assays to scrutinize fungal growth and associated factors were actively conducted, the application of modern omics methods remains limited to test how to culture the fungal dark matter and recalcitrant groups of described fungi. This review discusses the development of techniques to increase the cultivability of filamentous fungi that include culture media formulations and the utilization of known chemical growth factors, in situ culturing and current synthetic biology approaches that build upon knowledge from sequenced genomes. We list more than 100 growth factors, i.e., molecules, biological or physical factors that have been demonstrated to induce spore germination as well as tens of inducers of mycelial growth. We review culturing conditions that can be successfully manipulated for growth of fungi and visit recent information from omics methods to discuss the metabolic basis of cultivability. Earlier work has demonstrated the power of co-culturing fungi with their host, other microorganisms or their exudates to increase their cultivability. Co-culturing of two or more organisms is also a strategy used today for increasing cultivability. However, fungi possess an increased risk for cross-contaminations between isolates in existing in situ or microfluidics culturing devices. Technological improvements for culturing fungi are discussed in the review. We emphasize that improving the cultivability of fungi remains a relevant strategy in drug discovery and underline the importance of ecological and taxonomic knowledge in culture-dependent drug discovery. Combining traditional and omics techniques such as single cell or metagenome sequencing opens up a new era in the study of growth factors of hundreds of thousands of fungal species with high drug discovery potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teppo Rämä
- Marbio, Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - C. Alisha Quandt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
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Fukasawa Y, Kaga K. Timing of Resource Addition Affects the Migration Behavior of Wood Decomposer Fungal Mycelia. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:654. [PMID: 34436193 PMCID: PMC8402142 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of fungal behavior are essential for a better understanding of fungal-driven ecological processes. Here, we evaluated the effects of timing of resource (bait) addition on the behavior of fungal mycelia when it remains in the inoculum and when it migrates from it towards a bait, using cord-forming basidiomycetes. Experiments allowed mycelium to grow from an inoculum wood across the surface of a soil microcosm, where it encountered a new wood bait 14 or 98 d after the start of growth. After the 42-d colonization of the bait, inoculum and bait were individually moved to a dish containing fresh soil to determine whether the mycelia were able to grow out. When the inoculum and bait of mycelia baited after 14 d were transferred to new soil, there was 100% regrowth from both inoculum and bait in Pholiota brunnescens and Phanerochaete velutina, indicating that no migration occurred. However, when mycelium was baited after 98 d, 3 and 4 out of 10 replicates of P. brunnescens and P. velutina, respectively, regrew only from bait and not from inoculum, indicating migration. These results suggest that prolonged periods without new resources alter the behavior of mycelium, probably due to the exhaustion of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fukasawa
- Kawatabi Field Science Center, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan;
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Song C, Jin K, Raaijmakers JM. Designing a home for beneficial plant microbiomes. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 62:102025. [PMID: 33684884 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The plant microbiome comprises a highly diverse community of saprotrophic, mutualistic, and pathogenic microbes that can affect plant growth and plant health. There is substantial interest to exploit beneficial members of plant microbiomes for new sustainable management strategies in crop production. However, poor survival and colonization of plant tissues by introduced microbial isolates as well as lack of expression of the plant growth-promoting or disease-suppressive traits at the right time and place are still major limitations for successful implementation of microbiomes in future agricultural practices and plant breeding programs. Similar to building a home for humans, we discuss different strategies of building a home for beneficial plant microbiomes, here referred to as the 'MicrobiHome'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxu Song
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
| | - Kemo Jin
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jos M Raaijmakers
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands; Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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Mafla-Endara PM, Arellano-Caicedo C, Aleklett K, Pucetaite M, Ohlsson P, Hammer EC. Microfluidic chips provide visual access to in situ soil ecology. Commun Biol 2021; 4:889. [PMID: 34285323 PMCID: PMC8292388 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02379-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbes govern most soil functions, but investigation of these processes at the scale of their cells has been difficult to accomplish. Here we incubate microfabricated, transparent 'soil chips' with soil, or bury them directly in the field. Both soil microbes and minerals enter the chips, which enables us to investigate diverse community interdependences, such as inter-kingdom and food-web interactions, and feedbacks between microbes and the pore space microstructures. The presence of hyphae ('fungal highways') strongly and frequently increases the dispersal range and abundance of water-dwelling organisms such as bacteria and protists across air pockets. Physical forces such as water movements, but also organisms and especially fungi form new microhabitats by altering the pore space architecture and distribution of soil minerals in the chip. We show that soil chips hold a large potential for studying in-situ microbial interactions and soil functions, and to interconnect field microbial ecology with laboratory experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Micaela Mafla-Endara
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden ,grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, CEC, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Kristin Aleklett
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden ,grid.6341.00000 0000 8578 2742Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Milda Pucetaite
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pelle Ohlsson
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Edith C. Hammer
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden ,grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, CEC, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Analysis of a mathematical model of immune response to fungal infection. J Math Biol 2021; 83:8. [PMID: 34184123 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-021-01633-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Fungi are cells found as commensal residents, on the skin, and on mucosal surfaces of the human body, including the digestive track and urogenital track, but some species are pathogenic. Fungal infection may spread into deep-seated organs causing life-threatening infection, especially in immune-compromised individuals. Effective defense against fungal infection requires a coordinated response by the innate and adaptive immune systems. In the present paper we introduce a simple mathematical model of immune response to fungal infection consisting of three partial differential equations, for the populations of fungi (F), neutrophils (N) and cytotoxic T cells (T), taking N and T to represent, respectively, the innate and adaptive immune cells. We denote by [Formula: see text] the aggressive proliferation rate of the fungi, by [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] the killing rates of fungi by neutrophils and T cells, and by [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] the immune strengths, respectively, of N and T of an infected individual. We take the expression [Formula: see text] to represent the coordinated defense of the immune system against fungal infection. We use mathematical analysis to prove the following: If [Formula: see text], then the infection is eventually stopped, and [Formula: see text] as [Formula: see text]; and (ii) if [Formula: see text] then the infection cannot be stopped and F converges to some positive constant as [Formula: see text]. Treatments of fungal infection include anti-fungal agents and immunotherapy drugs, and both cause the parameter I to increase.
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Aleklett K, Boddy L. Fungal behaviour: a new frontier in behavioural ecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:787-796. [PMID: 34172318 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As human beings, behaviours make up our everyday lives. What we do from the moment we wake up to the moment we go back to sleep at night can all be classified and studied through the concepts of behavioural ecology. The same applies to all vertebrates and, to some extent, invertebrates. Fungi are, in most people's eyes perhaps, the eukaryotic multicellular organisms with which we humans share the least commonalities. However, they still express behaviours, and we argue that we could obtain a better understanding of their lives - although they are very different from ours - through the lens of behavioural ecology. Moreover, insights from fungal behaviour may drive a better understanding of behavioural ecology in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Aleklett
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, SE-234 22 Lomma, Sweden.
| | - Lynne Boddy
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
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Sun Y, Tayagui A, Sale S, Sarkar D, Nock V, Garrill A. Platforms for High-Throughput Screening and Force Measurements on Fungi and Oomycetes. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12060639. [PMID: 34070887 PMCID: PMC8227076 DOI: 10.3390/mi12060639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic fungi and oomycetes give rise to a significant number of animal and plant diseases. While the spread of these pathogenic microorganisms is increasing globally, emerging resistance to antifungal drugs is making associated diseases more difficult to treat. High-throughput screening (HTS) and new developments in lab-on-a-chip (LOC) platforms promise to aid the discovery of urgently required new control strategies and anti-fungal/oomycete drugs. In this review, we summarize existing HTS and emergent LOC approaches in the context of infection strategies and invasive growth exhibited by these microorganisms. To aid this, we introduce key biological aspects and review existing HTS platforms based on both conventional and LOC techniques. We then provide an in-depth discussion of more specialized LOC platforms for force measurements on hyphae and to study electro- and chemotaxis in spores, approaches which have the potential to aid the discovery of alternative drug targets on future HTS platforms. Finally, we conclude with a brief discussion of the technical developments required to improve the uptake of these platforms into the general laboratory environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiling Sun
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand; (Y.S.); (A.T.); (S.S.); (D.S.)
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Ayelen Tayagui
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand; (Y.S.); (A.T.); (S.S.); (D.S.)
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Sarah Sale
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand; (Y.S.); (A.T.); (S.S.); (D.S.)
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Debolina Sarkar
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand; (Y.S.); (A.T.); (S.S.); (D.S.)
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Volker Nock
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand; (Y.S.); (A.T.); (S.S.); (D.S.)
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
- Correspondence: (V.N.); (A.G.)
| | - Ashley Garrill
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand; (Y.S.); (A.T.); (S.S.); (D.S.)
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
- Correspondence: (V.N.); (A.G.)
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