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Gadd GM, Fomina M, Pinzari F. Fungal biodeterioration and preservation of cultural heritage, artwork, and historical artifacts: extremophily and adaptation. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0020022. [PMID: 38179930 PMCID: PMC10966957 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00200-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYFungi are ubiquitous and important biosphere inhabitants, and their abilities to decompose, degrade, and otherwise transform a massive range of organic and inorganic substances, including plant organic matter, rocks, and minerals, underpin their major significance as biodeteriogens in the built environment and of cultural heritage. Fungi are often the most obvious agents of cultural heritage biodeterioration with effects ranging from discoloration, staining, and biofouling to destruction of building components, historical artifacts, and artwork. Sporulation, morphological adaptations, and the explorative penetrative lifestyle of filamentous fungi enable efficient dispersal and colonization of solid substrates, while many species are able to withstand environmental stress factors such as desiccation, ultra-violet radiation, salinity, and potentially toxic organic and inorganic substances. Many can grow under nutrient-limited conditions, and many produce resistant cell forms that can survive through long periods of adverse conditions. The fungal lifestyle and chemoorganotrophic metabolism therefore enable adaptation and success in the frequently encountered extremophilic conditions that are associated with indoor and outdoor cultural heritage. Apart from free-living fungi, lichens are a fungal growth form and ubiquitous pioneer colonizers and biodeteriogens of outdoor materials, especially stone- and mineral-based building components. This article surveys the roles and significance of fungi in the biodeterioration of cultural heritage, with reference to the mechanisms involved and in relation to the range of substances encountered, as well as the methods by which fungal biodeterioration can be assessed and combated, and how certain fungal processes may be utilized in bioprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Michael Gadd
- Geomicrobiology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Pollution Control, College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
| | - Marina Fomina
- Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- National Reserve “Sophia of Kyiv”, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Flavia Pinzari
- Institute for Biological Systems (ISB), Council of National Research of Italy (CNR), Monterotondo (RM), Italy
- Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
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2
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Mohammadi P, Shokrzadeh L, Bahreini M, Behdani S. Investigation on microbial deterioration of exquisite collection of old manuscripts in Iran. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY 2023; 15:574-584. [PMID: 38045709 PMCID: PMC10692974 DOI: 10.18502/ijm.v15i4.13512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives The present study was to evaluate the microbial diversity inhabiting biodeteriorated precious manuscripts of the Holy Quran placed in one of the repositories of the Library of Astan Quds Razavi (AQR), and its relation to the air microbial diversity. Materials and Methods Three non-invasive sampling methods, culture-based techniques, and molecular identification were used to investigate the microorganisms involved in deterioration. To investigate the air microbial quality and its role in the destruction of the repository objects, air samples were taken from six different points inside the repository. Biomodeling studies were designed to verify the impact of microbial isolates. Results 14 fungal isolates were obtained from three deteriorated ancient Quran manuscripts. The most frequently isolated fungi from the different substrates were Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. In the air, the prevalence across fungal genera was rather uniform. 30 species of the identified bacteria were collected from three manuscripts. The results obtained in the present study showed that the bacterial species from different genera belonged to three phyla: Proteobacteria (n = 2), Actinobacteria (n = 4), and Firmicutes (n = 24). The paper strips were artificially colonized by Aspergillus sp., Penicillium chrysogenum, and Talaromyces diversus producing spots which were visible to the naked eye. In the scanning electron microscopy images, the colonization of the selected organism was observed. Conclusion The characteristics of paper inoculated artificially with these microbial isolates confirmed their deteriorating effects. Based on molecular identification, the similarity of fungal and bacterial species isolated from both substrates and air samples suggest the direct relationship between microorganisms from the air and those isolated from the manuscripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Mohammadi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Shokrzadeh
- Department of Biology, Shandiz Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Bahreini
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Samira Behdani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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3
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Creydt M, Fischer M. Artefact Profiling: Panomics Approaches for Understanding the Materiality of Written Artefacts. Molecules 2023; 28:4872. [PMID: 37375427 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This review explains the strategies behind genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, metallomics and isotopolomics approaches and their applicability to written artefacts. The respective sub-chapters give an insight into the analytical procedure and the conclusions drawn from such analyses. A distinction is made between information that can be obtained from the materials used in the respective manuscript and meta-information that cannot be obtained from the manuscript itself, but from residues of organisms such as bacteria or the authors and readers. In addition, various sampling techniques are discussed in particular, which pose a special challenge in manuscripts. The focus is on high-resolution, non-targeted strategies that can be used to extract the maximum amount of information about ancient objects. The combination of the various omics disciplines (panomics) especially offers potential added value in terms of the best possible interpretations of the data received. The information obtained can be used to understand the production of ancient artefacts, to gain impressions of former living conditions, to prove their authenticity, to assess whether there is a toxic hazard in handling the manuscripts, and to be able to determine appropriate measures for their conservation and restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Creydt
- Institute of Food Chemistry, Hamburg School of Food Science, University of Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence, Understanding Written Artefacts, University of Hamburg, Warburgstraße 26, 20354 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Fischer
- Institute of Food Chemistry, Hamburg School of Food Science, University of Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence, Understanding Written Artefacts, University of Hamburg, Warburgstraße 26, 20354 Hamburg, Germany
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Toxicocladosporium crousianum and T. eucalyptorum, two new foliar fungi associated with Eucalyptus trees. Mycol Prog 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-022-01826-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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5
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Wang Y, Wang C, Yang X, Ma K, Guo P, Sun Q, Jia S, Pan J. Analysis and control of fungal deterioration on the surface of pottery figurines unearthed from the tombs of the Western Han Dynasty. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:956774. [PMID: 36046016 PMCID: PMC9421245 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.956774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In April 2020, 232 tombs of the Western Han Dynasty were found in Sundayuan, Heze City. In total, 141 pottery figurines of significant historical, cultural, and artistic value were unearthed from the tombs. Some of the figurines are currently being stored in warehouses, and the surface of some of the figurines show fungal deterioration. To thoroughly analyze the fungal deterioration on the surface of the pottery figurines and find appropriate control methods, we used high-through sequencing, scanning electron microscopy observation, pure cultures of culturable fungi, and optical microscopy observation and molecular identification of culturable fungi. We conducted fungistatic and simulation experiments in the laboratory to find appropriate control methods. We found that the fungi on the surface of the figurines were mainly of the phylum Ascomycota, and a few fungi were of the phyla Basidiomycota and Mucoromycota. We isolated seven culturable fungal strains and observed their colony morphology. The seven fungal strains were Lecanicillium aphanocladii, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Clonostachys rosea, Mortierella sp., Mortierella alpina, Aspergillus flavus, and Cladosporium halotolerans. Through the fungistatic and simulation experiments conducted in the laboratory, we found that 50 mg/ml cinnamaldehyde and 0.5% K100 (2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one) have a good fungistatic effect. They can not only inhibit the growth of fungi on medium, but also inhibit the growth of fungi on the surface of pottery figurines. This study has good reference significance for the analysis and control of fungal deterioration of unearthed pottery figurines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Cen Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinyu Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kaixuan Ma
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Peifeng Guo
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Qirui Sun
- Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Jinan, China
| | - Shili Jia
- Department of Cultural Relics and Museums, College of History and Culture, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Jiao Pan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Cultural Heritage and History of Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Jiao Pan, ;
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Bartoletti A, Odlyha M, Bozec L. Insights From the NANOforArt Project: Application of Calcium-Based Nanoparticle Dispersions for Improved Preservation of Parchment Documents. RESTAURATOR-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIBRARY AND ARCHIVAL MATERIAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1515/res-2022-0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Following pilot testing of the effects of alkaline-based nanoparticles on modern parchment, the treatment was extended to historical parchment. This paper describes the application and impact of calcium hydroxide and calcium carbonate nanoparticles dispersed in (i) propan-2-ol and (ii) cyclohexane on a parchment book cover dated 1570. The cover showed signs of damage resulting from contact with iron gall inks and low pH values (∼4–5). Protocols for the damage assessment of collagen in parchment as developed in the IDAP project (Improved Damage Assessment of Parchment) were used to evaluate the impact of the conservation treatments on parchment. Preliminary results have shown that the application of calcium-based nanoparticles did not produce any adverse effects on the state of preservation of collagen. In addition, positive outcomes emerged: the pH was re-adjusted to a neutral value, a strengthening and consolidation effect was observed, and the nanoparticles exhibited a protective action upon artificial ageing of the treated parchment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica Bartoletti
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Conservation and Restoration, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa , Caparica , Portugal
| | - Marianne Odlyha
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of London Birkbeck College , London , UK
| | - Laurent Bozec
- Faculty of Dentistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada
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Raeisnia N, Arefian E, Amoozegar MA. Microbial Community of an 11th Century Manuscript by Both Culture-Dependent and -Independent Approaches. Microbiology (Reading) 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261722300117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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8
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Cappa F, Sterflinger K. Non-Invasive Physico-Chemical and Biological Analysis of Parchment Manuscripts – An Overview. RESTAURATOR-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIBRARY AND ARCHIVAL MATERIAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1515/res-2022-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
This work will give an overview of the scientific approach used for the study of written heritage on parchment. Elemental analysis using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) together with compound-specific analytical methods such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy can be applied in a non-invasive way, without the need for sampling and without inducing changes to the object. Physico-chemical investigations are complemented and further deepened by DNA- and biological analyses for the identification of the biological origin of materials and the identification of microorganisms, insects and viruses that might be present on the object which may add valuable information about its history and conservation state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Cappa
- Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Institute for Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts , Schillerplatz 3, 1010 , Vienna , Austria
| | - Katja Sterflinger
- Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Institute for Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts , Schillerplatz 3, 1010, Vienna , Austria
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Zhang M, Hu Y, Liu J, Pei Y, Tang K, Lei Y. Biodeterioration of collagen-based cultural relics: A review. FUNGAL BIOL REV 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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10
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Iquebal MA, Passari AK, Jagannadham J, Ahmad F, Leo VV, Singh G, Jaiswal S, Rai A, Kumar D, Singh BP. Microbiome of Pukzing Cave in India shows high antimicrobial activity against plant and animal pathogens. Genomics 2021; 113:4098-4108. [PMID: 34699904 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.10.004] [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: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Pukzing cave, the largest cave of Mizoram, India was explored for bacterial diversity. Culture dependent method revealed 235 bacterial isolates using three different treatments. Identity of the microbial species was confirmed by 16S rDNA sequencing. The highest bacterial population was recovered from heat treatment (n = 97;41.2%) followed by normal (n = 79;33.6%) and cold treatment (n = 59;25.1%) indicating dominance of moderate thermophiles. Antimicrobial potential of isolates showed 20.4% isolates having antimicrobial ability against tested pathogens. Amplicon sequencing of PKSI, PKSII and NRP specific genes revealed presence of AMP genes in the microbial population. Six microbial pathogens were selected for screening as they are well known for different disease cause organism in various fields such as agriculture and human health. Cave environment harbors unique microbial flora and hypervariable region V4 is more informative. Higher activity of AMP assay against these microbes indicates that cave microbial communities could be potential source of future genomic resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Iquebal
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Ajit Kumar Passari
- Department of Biotechnology, Aizawl, Mizoram University, Mizoram, India; Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico 04510, Mexico
| | - Jaisri Jagannadham
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Farzana Ahmad
- Department of Biotechnology, Aizawl, Mizoram University, Mizoram, India
| | | | - Garima Singh
- Department of Botany, Pachhunga University College, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796001, Mizoram, India
| | - Sarika Jaiswal
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Anil Rai
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
| | - Bhim Pratap Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Aizawl, Mizoram University, Mizoram, India; Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), Kundli, Sonipat 131028, Haryana, India.
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11
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Savoldelli S, Cattò C, Villa F, Saracchi M, Troiano F, Cortesi P, Cappitelli F. Biological risk assessment in the History and Historical Documentation Library of the University of Milan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 790:148204. [PMID: 34380242 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148204] [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: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
There are billions of books that in recent and in ancient times have been produced by the human race containing evidence of its intellectual and cultural efforts. Even when stored in libraries, not all these books survive over time undamaged, because in the biosphere their materials are potential nutrients. This is the unfortunate case of the History and Historical Documentation Library of the University of Milan, where biological agents have badly affected rare and valuable old books. An entomological monitoring was carried out using sticky traps and collecting insects during inspections. The beetle Gastrallus pubens Fairmaire, rarely identified in European libraries so far, was the main biological agent responsible for the book damage, since several tunnels due to larval activity and holes made by adults were observed. Using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were found to be the most abundant phyla. Ascomycota was the dominant phylum among three fungal phyla. As bacteria and fungi spread by the insects are primary indications of the insect presence in the library, in this paper a potential biomarker able to detect the G. pubens presence before visible infestation was searched for among the bacterial and fungal community peculiar in the insect frass and gut, but also found on books and the surfaces of shelves. Symbiotaphrina, an ascomycete fungus described as one of the symbiotic levuliform fungi, present in the anobiid beetles' gut, was the only one found in all samples analyzed and has therefore been proposed as a putative biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Savoldelli
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Cristina Cattò
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Federica Villa
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Marco Saracchi
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Federica Troiano
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Paolo Cortesi
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Francesca Cappitelli
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
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12
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Revealing Artists’ Collaboration in a 14th Century Manuscript by Non-Invasive Analyses. MINERALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/min11070771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the last decades, the working methods of late medieval illuminators have been widely discussed by art historians and codicologists. Non-invasive analyses are able to characterise the painting methods of illuminators as well as investigate artistic collaborations among them. The aim of this study was to characterise the painting palettes and techniques of different artists who illuminated two leaves from an early fourteenth century manuscript. The analyses were carried out with non-invasive and portable techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectrometry, Fiber Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS) and Raman spectroscopy. The paper highlights the differences among three rich and varied palettes and examines the pigments ultramarine, azurite, verdigris, earths, orpiment, red lead, vermillion, lead white, yellow lake, indigo, brazilwood and lac, used independently or in mixtures. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of non-invasive analyses as a tool to differentiate hands of artists who have worked on the same page. Furthermore, the comparison with analyses carried out on leaves attributed to the workshop of Pacino di Bonaguida allows to investigate in-depth the production of the main illuminators active in Florence at the dawn of the Renaissance.
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Rybitwa D, Wawrzyk A, Rahnama M. Corrigendum: Application of a Medical Diode Laser (810 nm) for Disinfecting Small Microbiologically Contaminated Spots on Degraded Collagenous Materials for Improved Biosafety in Objects of Exceptional Historical Value From the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and Protection of Human Health. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:673867. [PMID: 33828544 PMCID: PMC8019965 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.673867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.596852.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Rybitwa
- Preservation Department, Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Oświecim, Poland
| | - Anna Wawrzyk
- Preservation Department, Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Oświecim, Poland.,Sanitary-Epidemiological Station, Kraków, Poland
| | - Mansur Rahnama
- The Chair and Department of Oral Surgery, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Perini N, Mercuri F, Orlanducci S, Thaller MC, Migliore L. The Integration of Metagenomics and Chemical Physical Techniques Biodecoded the Buried Traces of the Biodeteriogens of Parchment Purple Spots. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:598945. [PMID: 33408706 PMCID: PMC7779469 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.598945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ancient parchments record an immense part of our cultural heritage, having been used as the main written support material for centuries. Parchment easily undergoes biodeterioration, whose main signs are the so-called purple spots, which often lead to detachment of the superficial written layer. Up to recent years, several studies have been analyzing damaged parchments from different world’s archives, trying to trace back the culprit of the purple spots. However, standard cultivation and early molecular techniques have been demonstrated to be unsuccessful, leading the parchment damage issue remaining unsolved for many years. Nowadays, some studies have explored the parchment biodeterioration dynamics by adopting a multidisciplinary approach combining standard microbiological methods with high-throughput molecular, chemical and physical techniques. This approach allowed an unprecedented level of knowledge on the complex dynamics of parchment biodeterioration. This mini review discusses the application of the combination of basic and high-throughput techniques to study historical parchments, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. In particular, it focuses on how metagenomics has been paramount for the unequivocal identification of the microbial main actors of parchment biodeterioration and their dynamics, but also on how metagenomics may suffer the distortion inflict by the historical perspective on the analysis of ancient specimens. As a whole, this mini review aims to describe the scenario of information on parchment biodeterioration obtained so far by using the integration of metagenomic with recent chemical (Raman spectroscopy) and physical (Light Transmission Analysis) approaches, which might have key implications in the preservation of many ancient documents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fulvio Mercuri
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Orlanducci
- Department of Chemical Science and Technology, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
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15
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Rybitwa D, Wawrzyk A, Rahnama M. Application of a Medical Diode Laser (810 nm) for Disinfecting Small Microbiologically Contaminated Spots on Degraded Collagenous Materials for Improved Biosafety in Objects of Exceptional Historical Value From the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and Protection of Human Health. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:596852. [PMID: 33391215 PMCID: PMC7775414 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.596852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The research aim was to optimize the operating parameters of a diode laser irradiation for the effective disinfection of degraded collagenous materials. Historical leather shoes stored at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim (Poland) were the main study objects. Surfaces of contaminated small spots occurring on the degraded materials were sampled with moistened swabs and microbiologically examined using the molecular techniques MALDI-TOF MS, 16S rRNA, and NGS sequencing. The surfaces were colonized by bacteria with 106 CFU/100 cm2 and 104 CFU/100 cm2 by fungi, on average. Microorganisms of the genera Bacillus and Penicillium were predominant. The effectiveness of the laser treatment was assessed for the new and degraded collagenous materials against isolated environmental strains using four variants of exposure time and number of repetitions. 0.3 W/CW 2 × 2 min variant was the most effective and also did not noticeably change the color of the treated samples. The variant caused a reduction in the numbers of microorganisms by 96–100%. After 1 month, four types of leather were subjected to comprehensive physico-chemical analyses. SEM and FTIR techniques confirmed that laser irradiation in the selected optimal variant did not affect the surface morphology and collagen structure, while XPS technique enabled detection of subtle changes in non-historical protective coatings on the surfaces of tested degraded historical materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Rybitwa
- Preservation Department, Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Oświęcim, Poland
| | - Anna Wawrzyk
- Preservation Department, Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Oświęcim, Poland.,Sanitary-Epidemiological Station, Kraków, Poland
| | - Mansur Rahnama
- The Chair and Department of Oral Surgery, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Piñar G, Sclocchi MC, Pinzari F, Colaizzi P, Graf A, Sebastiani ML, Sterflinger K. The Microbiome of Leonardo da Vinci's Drawings: A Bio-Archive of Their History. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:593401. [PMID: 33329475 PMCID: PMC7718017 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.593401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Seven emblematic Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings were investigated through third generation sequencing technology (Nanopore). In addition, SEM analyses were carried out to acquire photographic documentation and to infer the nature of the micro-objects removed from the surface of the drawings. The Nanopore generated microbiomes can be used as a “bio-archive” of the drawings, offering a kind of fingerprint for current and future biological comparisons. This information might help to create a biological catalog of the drawings (cataloging), a microbiome-fingerprint for each single analyzed drawing, as a reference dataset for future studies (monitoring) and last but not least a bio-archive of the history of each single object (added value). Results showed a relatively high contamination with human DNA and a surprising dominance of bacteria over fungi. However, it was possible to identify typical bacteria of the human microbiome, which are mere contaminants introduced by handling of the drawings as well as other microorganisms that seem to have been introduced through vectors, such as insects and their droppings, visible through the SEM analyses. All drawings showed very specific bio-archives, but a core microbiome of bacteria and fungi that are repeatedly found in this type of material as true degraders were identified, such as members of the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes among bacteria, and fungi belonging to the classes Sordariomycetes and Eurotiomycetes. In addition, some similarities were observed that could be influenced by their geographical location (Rome or Turin), indicating the influence of this factor and denoting the importance of environmental and storage conditions on the specific microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Piñar
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Carla Sclocchi
- Laboratorio di Biologia, Istituto Centrale per la Patologia degli Archivi e del Libro (ICPAL), Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Pinzari
- Institute for Biological Systems (ISB), Council of National Research of Italy (CNR), Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Piero Colaizzi
- Laboratorio di Biologia, Istituto Centrale per la Patologia degli Archivi e del Libro (ICPAL), Rome, Italy
| | - Alexandra Graf
- Applied Life Sciences/Bioengineering/Bioinformatics, FH Campus, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Letizia Sebastiani
- Laboratorio di Biologia, Istituto Centrale per la Patologia degli Archivi e del Libro (ICPAL), Rome, Italy
| | - Katja Sterflinger
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
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Piñar G, Tafer H, Schreiner M, Miklas H, Sterflinger K. Decoding the biological information contained in two ancient Slavonic parchment codices: an added historical value. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3218-3233. [PMID: 32400083 PMCID: PMC7687136 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This study provides an example in the emerging field of biocodicology showing how metagenomics can help answer relevant questions that may contribute to a better understanding of the history of ancient manuscripts. To this end, two Slavonic codices dating from the 11th century were investigated through shotgun metagenomics. Endogenous DNA enabled to infer the animal origin of the skins used in the manufacture of the two codices, while nucleic sequences recovered from viruses were investigated for the first time in this material, opening up new possibilities in the field of biocodicology. In addition, the microbiomes colonizing the surface of the parchments served to determine their conservation status and their latent risk of deterioration. The saline environment provided by the parchments selected halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms, which are known to be responsible for the biodegradation of parchment. Species of Nocardiopsis, Gracilibacillus and Saccharopolyspora, but also members of the Aspergillaceae family were detected in this study, all possessing enzymatic capabilities for the biodeterioration of this material. Finally, a relative abundance of microorganisms originating from the human skin microbiome were identified, most probably related to the intensive manipulation of the manuscripts throughout the centuries, which should be taken with caution as they can be potential pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Piñar
- Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, A‐1190ViennaAustria
| | - Hakim Tafer
- Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, A‐1190ViennaAustria
| | - Manfred Schreiner
- Institute of Science and Technology in Art (ISTA)Academy of Fine Arts ViennaSchillerplatz 3, A‐1010 ViennaAustria
| | - Heinz Miklas
- Department of Slavonic StudiesUniversity of ViennaSpitalgasse 2‐4, Hof 3, A‐1090 ViennaAustria
| | - Katja Sterflinger
- Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, A‐1190ViennaAustria
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18
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Vadrucci M, Borgognoni F, Cicero C, Perini N, Migliore L, Mercuri F, Orazi N, Rubechini A. Parchment processing and analysis: Ionizing radiation treatment by the REX source and multidisciplinary approach characterization. Appl Radiat Isot 2019; 149:159-164. [PMID: 31063965 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Library material, and thus parchment, is frequently subjected to bio-deterioration processes caused by microorganisms. Fungi and bacteria cause alterations in the parchment inducing, in some cases, even the partial detachments of the surface layer and the loss of any text present on it. An important contribution to disinfection of the cultural heritage artefacts is given by the use of ionizing radiation. In this work, a preliminary study on the applicability of X-ray radiation as treatment for bio-deterioration removal is proposed. The results on the microbial growth after different irradiation treatments are shown in order to detect the dose protocol for the bio-degradation removal. Furthermore, the evaluation of the irradiation effects on the parchment microstructure is presented in order to define the applicability of the method on parchment artefacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - C Cicero
- Dept. Industrial Engineering, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - N Perini
- Dept. Biology, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - L Migliore
- Dept. Biology, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - F Mercuri
- Dept. Industrial Engineering, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - N Orazi
- Dept. Industrial Engineering, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - A Rubechini
- Archivio Segreto Vaticano, Vatican City State
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19
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Migliore L, Perini N, Mercuri F, Orlanducci S, Rubechini A, Thaller MC. Three ancient documents solve the jigsaw of the parchment purple spot deterioration and validate the microbial succession model. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1623. [PMID: 30733463 PMCID: PMC6367363 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37651-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The preservation of cultural heritage is one of the major challenges of today's society. Parchments, a semi-solid matrix of collagen produced from animal skin, are a significant part of the cultural heritage, being used as writing material since ancient times. Due to their animal origin, parchments easily undergo biodeterioration: the most common biological damage is characterized by isolated or coalescent purple spots, that often lead to the detachment of the superficial layer and the consequent loss of written content. Although many parchments with purple spot biodegradative features were studied, no common causative agent had been identified so far. In a previous study a successional model has been proposed, basing on the multidisciplinary analysis of damaged versus undamaged samples from a moderately damaged document. Although no specific sequences were observed, the results pointed to Halobacterium salinarum as the starting actor of the succession. In this study, to further investigate this topic, three dramatically damaged parchments were analysed; belonging to a collection archived as Faldone Patrizi A 19, and dated back XVI-XVII century A.D. With the same multidisciplinary approach, the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS, Illumina platform) revealed DNA sequences belonging to Halobacterium salinarum; the RAMAN spectroscopy identified the pigment within the purple spots as haloarchaeal bacterioruberin and bacteriorhodopsine, and the LTA technique quantified the extremely damaged collagen structures through the entire parchments, due to the biological attack to the parchment frame structures. These results allowed to propose a model of the progressive degradation pattern of the parchment collagen. Overall, these data validate a multi-phase microbial succession model. This demonstration is pivotal to possible new restoration strategies, important for a huge number of ancient documents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fulvio Mercuri
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
| | - Silvia Orlanducci
- Department of Chemical Science and Technology, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
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20
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Wentzel LCP, Inforsato FJ, Montoya QV, Rossin BG, Nascimento NR, Rodrigues A, Sette LD. Fungi from Admiralty Bay (King George Island, Antarctica) Soils and Marine Sediments. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 77:12-24. [PMID: 29916010 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1217-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Extreme environments such as the Antarctic can lead to the discovery of new microbial taxa, as well as to new microbial-derived natural products. Considering that little is known yet about the diversity and the genetic resources present in these habitats, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the fungal communities from extreme environments collected at Aldmiralty Bay (Antarctica). A total of 891 and 226 isolates was obtained from soil and marine sediment samples, respectively. The most abundant isolates from soil samples were representatives of the genera Leucosporidium, Pseudogymnoascus, and a non-identified Ascomycota NIA6. Metschnikowia sp. was the most abundant taxon from marine samples, followed by isolates from the genera Penicillium and Pseudogymnoascus. Many of the genera were exclusive in marine sediment or terrestrial samples. However, representatives of eight genera were found in both types of samples. Data from non-metric multidimensional scaling showed that each sampling site is unique in their physical-chemical composition and fungal community. Biotechnological potential in relation to enzymatic production at low/moderate temperatures was also investigated. Ligninolytic enzymes were produced by few isolates from root-associated soil. Among the fungi isolated from marine sediments, 16 yeasts and nine fungi showed lipase activity and three yeasts and six filamentous fungi protease activity. The present study permitted increasing our knowledge on the diversity of fungi that inhabit the Antarctic, finding genera that have never been reported in this environment before and discovering putative new species of fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lia Costa Pinto Wentzel
- Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Fábio José Inforsato
- Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Quimi Vidaurre Montoya
- Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruna Gomes Rossin
- Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas, Departamento de Planejamento Territorial e Geoprocessamento, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Nadia Regina Nascimento
- Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas, Departamento de Planejamento Territorial e Geoprocessamento, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - André Rodrigues
- Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Lara Durães Sette
- Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, SP, Brazil.
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Kraková L, Šoltys K, Puškárová A, Bučková M, Jeszeová L, Kucharík M, Budiš J, Orovčík LU, Szemes T, Pangallo D. The microbiomes of a XVIII century mummy from the castle of Krásna Hôrka (Slovakia) and its surrounding environment. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:3294-3308. [PMID: 30051567 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
This microbiological survey was performed to determine the conservation state of a mummy in the Slovak castle of Krásna Hôrka and its surrounding environment. Culture-dependent identification was coupled with biodegradation assays on keratin, gelatin and cellulose. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) using Illumina platform was used for a deeper microbial investigation. Three environmental samples were collected: from the glass of the sarcophagus, from the air inside it, and from the air of the chapel where the mummy is located. Seven different samples were taken from mummy's surface: from the left ear, left-hand palm, left-hand nail, left instep, right hand, abdomen and mineral crystals embedded within the skin. Three internal organ samples, from the lung, pleura and stomach, were also included in this study. Together, the culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses revealed that the bacterial communities present had fewer taxa than the fungal ones. The mycobiome showed the largest variability and included Epicoccum nigrum, Penicillium spp., Alternaria spp., Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium spp. and Aureobasidium pullulans; many other Ascomycota and Basidiomycota genera were detected by NGS. The most interesting results came from the skin mineral crystals and the internal organs. The hydrolytic assays revealed those microorganisms which might be considered dangerous 'mummy pathogens'. © 2018 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Kraková
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Science, Dúbravská cesta 21, Bratislava, 84551, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Šoltys
- Comenius University in Bratislava, Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovicova 8, Bratislava, 84104, Slovakia
| | - Andrea Puškárová
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Science, Dúbravská cesta 21, Bratislava, 84551, Slovakia
| | - Mária Bučková
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Science, Dúbravská cesta 21, Bratislava, 84551, Slovakia
| | - Lenka Jeszeová
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Science, Dúbravská cesta 21, Bratislava, 84551, Slovakia
| | | | - Jaroslav Budiš
- Geneton s.r.o, Galvaniho 7, Bratislava, 82104, Slovakia.,Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Computer Science, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynska dolina, Bratislava, 84248, Slovakia
| | - L Ubomír Orovčík
- Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 84513, Slovakia
| | - Tomáš Szemes
- Comenius University in Bratislava, Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovicova 8, Bratislava, 84104, Slovakia.,Geneton s.r.o, Galvaniho 7, Bratislava, 82104, Slovakia.,Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina Ilkovičova 6, Bratislava, 84215, Slovakia
| | - Domenico Pangallo
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Science, Dúbravská cesta 21, Bratislava, 84551, Slovakia.,Caravella s.r.o., Tupolevova 2, Bratislava, 85101, Slovakia
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22
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Sanmartín P, DeAraujo A, Vasanthakumar A. Melding the Old with the New: Trends in Methods Used to Identify, Monitor, and Control Microorganisms on Cultural Heritage Materials. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2018; 76:64-80. [PMID: 27117796 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0770-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbial activity has an important impact on the maintenance of cultural heritage materials, owing to the key role of microorganisms in many deterioration processes. In order to minimize such deleterious effects, there is a need to fine-tune methods that detect and characterize microorganisms. Trends in microbiology indicate that this need can be met by incorporating modern techniques. All of the methods considered in this review paper are employed in the identification, surveillance, and control of microorganisms, and they have two points in common: They are currently used in microbial ecology (only literature from 2009 to 2015 is included), and they are often applied in the cultural heritage sector. More than 75 peer-reviewed journal articles addressing three different approaches were considered: molecular, sensory and morphological, and biocontrol methods. The goal of this review is to highlight the usefulness of the traditional as well as the modern methods. The general theme in the literature cited suggests using an integrated approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Sanmartín
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 58 Oxford St., Room 301, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alice DeAraujo
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 58 Oxford St., Room 301, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Archana Vasanthakumar
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 58 Oxford St., Room 301, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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23
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Liu Z, Zhang Y, Zhang F, Hu C, Liu G, Pan J. Microbial Community Analyses of the Deteriorated Storeroom Objects in the Tianjin Museum Using Culture-Independent and Culture-Dependent Approaches. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:802. [PMID: 29780363 PMCID: PMC5946025 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the storeroom C7 of the Tianjin Museum, one wooden desk and two leather luggages dated back to Qing dynasty (1644-1912 AD) presented viable microbial contamination. The aim of the present study was to investigate microbial communities responsible for the biodeterioration of storeroom objects using a combination of culture-independent and culture-dependent methods as well microscopic techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the microflora on three storeroom objects were characterized by a marked presence of Eurotium halophilicum. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis proved that fungi were the main causative agents behind the biodeterioration in this case. Fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon sequencing documented the presence of two main fungi — Eurotium halophilicum and Aspergillus penicillioides. Molecular identification of fungal strains isolated from the surfaces and the air of the storeroom were most closely related to Chaetomium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium, showing discrepancies in fungal taxa compared to ITS amplicon sequencing. The most isolated bacterial phylum was Firmicutes, mostly Bacillus members. In addition, four biocide products — Preventol® D 7, P 91, 20 N and Euxyl® K 100 were selected to test their capability against fungal strains isolated from the surfaces. According to the susceptibility assay, Preventol® D 7 based on isothiazolinones was the most effective against fungal isolates. Findings from this study provided a knowledge about storeroom fungi, and exemplify a type of preliminary test that may be conducted before planning any biocide treatment, which may be useful to mitigate the fungal deterioration for further conservation of the museum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | | | - Fengyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Cuiting Hu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | | | - Jiao Pan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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24
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Teasdale MD, Fiddyment S, Vnouček J, Mattiangeli V, Speller C, Binois A, Carver M, Dand C, Newfield TP, Webb CC, Bradley DG, Collins MJ. The York Gospels: a 1000-year biological palimpsest. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017. [PMID: 29134095 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.1p390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Medieval manuscripts, carefully curated and conserved, represent not only an irreplaceable documentary record but also a remarkable reservoir of biological information. Palaeographic and codicological investigation can often locate and date these documents with remarkable precision. The York Gospels (York Minster Ms. Add. 1) is one such codex, one of only a small collection of pre-conquest Gospel books to have survived the Reformation. By extending the non-invasive triboelectric (eraser-based) sampling technique eZooMS, to include the analysis of DNA, we report a cost-effective and simple-to-use biomolecular sampling technique for parchment. We apply this combined methodology to document for the first time a rich palimpsest of biological information contained within the York Gospels, which has accumulated over the 1000-year lifespan of this cherished object that remains an active participant in the life of York Minster. These biological data provide insights into the decisions made in the selection of materials, the construction of the codex and the use history of the object.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Teasdale
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | | | - Jiří Vnouček
- BioArCh, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Department of Preservation, The Royal Library, København K DK-1016, Denmark
| | | | | | - Annelise Binois
- Department of Archaeology, University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, 3 rue Michelet, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Martin Carver
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Catherine Dand
- Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Timothy P Newfield
- Departments of History and Biology, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, ICC 600, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | | | - Daniel G Bradley
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Matthew J Collins
- BioArCh, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Museum of Natural History, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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25
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Teasdale MD, Fiddyment S, Vnouček J, Mattiangeli V, Speller C, Binois A, Carver M, Dand C, Newfield TP, Webb CC, Bradley DG, Collins MJ. The York Gospels: a 1000-year biological palimpsest. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170988. [PMID: 29134095 PMCID: PMC5666278 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Medieval manuscripts, carefully curated and conserved, represent not only an irreplaceable documentary record but also a remarkable reservoir of biological information. Palaeographic and codicological investigation can often locate and date these documents with remarkable precision. The York Gospels (York Minster Ms. Add. 1) is one such codex, one of only a small collection of pre-conquest Gospel books to have survived the Reformation. By extending the non-invasive triboelectric (eraser-based) sampling technique eZooMS, to include the analysis of DNA, we report a cost-effective and simple-to-use biomolecular sampling technique for parchment. We apply this combined methodology to document for the first time a rich palimpsest of biological information contained within the York Gospels, which has accumulated over the 1000-year lifespan of this cherished object that remains an active participant in the life of York Minster. These biological data provide insights into the decisions made in the selection of materials, the construction of the codex and the use history of the object.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D. Teasdale
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Authors for correspondence: Matthew D. Teasdale e-mail: ;
| | - Sarah Fiddyment
- BioArCh, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Authors for correspondence: Sarah Fiddyment e-mail:
| | - Jiří Vnouček
- BioArCh, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Department of Preservation, The Royal Library, København K DK-1016, Denmark
| | | | | | - Annelise Binois
- Department of Archaeology, University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, 3 rue Michelet, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Martin Carver
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Catherine Dand
- Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Timothy P. Newfield
- Departments of History and Biology, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, ICC 600, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | | | - Daniel G. Bradley
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Matthew J. Collins
- BioArCh, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Museum of Natural History, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Authors for correspondence: Matthew J. Collins e-mail:
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26
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Pulsed Thermography Applied to the Study of Cultural Heritage. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/app7101010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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27
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Purple spot damage dynamics investigated by an integrated approach on a 1244 A.D. parchment roll from the Secret Vatican Archive. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9521. [PMID: 28883416 PMCID: PMC5589745 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05398-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ancient parchments are commonly attacked by microbes, producing purple spots and detachment of the superficial layer. Neither standard cultivation nor molecular methods (DGGE) solved the issue: causative agents and colonization model are still unknown. To identify the putative causal agents, we describe the 16 S rRNA gene analysis (454-pyrosequencing) of the microbial communities colonizing a damaged parchment roll dated 1244 A.D. (A.A. Arm. I-XVIII 3328, Vatican Secret Archives). The taxa in damaged or undamaged areas of the same document were different. In the purple spots, marine halotolerant Gammaproteobacteria, mainly Vibrio, were found; these microorganisms are rare or absent in the undamaged areas. Ubiquitous and environmental microorganisms were observed in samples from both damaged and undamaged areas. Pseudonocardiales were the most common, representing the main colonizers of undamaged areas. We hypothesize a successional model of biodeterioration, based on metagenomic data and spectroscopic analysis of pigments, which help to relate the damage to a microbial agent. Furthermore, a new method (Light Transmitted Analysis) was utilized to evaluate the kind and entity of the damage to native collagen. These data give a significant advance to the knowledge in the field and open new perspectives to remediation activity on a huge amount of ancient document.
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Green EJ, Speller CF. Novel Substrates as Sources of Ancient DNA: Prospects and Hurdles. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E180. [PMID: 28703741 PMCID: PMC5541313 DOI: 10.3390/genes8070180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the discovery in the late 1980s that hard tissues such as bones and teeth preserve genetic information, the field of ancient DNA analysis has typically concentrated upon these substrates. The onset of high-throughput sequencing, combined with optimized DNA recovery methods, has enabled the analysis of a myriad of ancient species and specimens worldwide, dating back to the Middle Pleistocene. Despite the growing sophistication of analytical techniques, the genetic analysis of substrates other than bone and dentine remain comparatively "novel". Here, we review analyses of other biological substrates which offer great potential for elucidating phylogenetic relationships, paleoenvironments, and microbial ecosystems including (1) archaeological artifacts and ecofacts; (2) calcified and/or mineralized biological deposits; and (3) biological and cultural archives. We conclude that there is a pressing need for more refined models of DNA preservation and bespoke tools for DNA extraction and analysis to authenticate and maximize the utility of the data obtained. With such tools in place the potential for neglected or underexploited substrates to provide a unique insight into phylogenetics, microbial evolution and evolutionary processes will be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Joan Green
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Camilla F Speller
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
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Aspergillus atacamensis and A. salisburgensis: two new halophilic species from hypersaline/arid habitats with a phialosimplex-like morphology. Extremophiles 2017; 21:755-773. [PMID: 28500388 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-017-0941-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 04/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Halophilic fungal strains isolated from historical wooden staircase in a salt mine in Austria, and from wall biofilm and soil of a cave in the Coastal Range of the hyperarid Atacama Desert in Chile were characterised and described newly as Aspergillus salisburgensis and Aspergillus atacamensis. Morphological characters including solitary phialides producing solitary conidia and conidia in chains and/or heads suggested affinity to Aspergillus subgenus Polypaecilum. Strains required salt for growth, grew optimally on media with 10-25% NaCl and at 15-28 °C. These values are similar to those observed for Aspergillus salinarus comb. nov. (Phialosimplex salinarum), while the ex-type strains of Aspergillus sclerotialis, Aspergillus chlamydosporus and Aspergillus caninus (all belonging to Aspergillus subgen. Polypaecilum) grew optimally at 0-5% NaCl and showed fastest growth at 28-37 °C. Phylogenetic analyses on the basis of rDNA sequences, RAPD-PCR fingerprint patterns, and cellobiohydrolase gene (cbh-I) polymorphism clustered the strains into three groups and supported their taxonomic recognition as A. salinarus, A. atacamensis and A. salisburgensis. On the basis of phylogenetic inferences, also Sagenomella keratitidis is newly combined as Aspergillus keratitidis and inferred as a species of Aspergillus subgenus Polypaecilum.
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Sclocchi MC, Kraková L, Pinzari F, Colaizzi P, Bicchieri M, Šaková N, Pangallo D. Microbial Life and Death in a Foxing Stain: a Suggested Mechanism of Photographic Prints Defacement. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2017; 73:815-826. [PMID: 27975134 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0913-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The gelatin-silver halide black and white prints represent an enormous photography heritage with a great value. Unaesthetic phenomena, the foxing stains that are caused by microbial growth on surface, have been described in stamps, drawings, books, and tissues but, until now, scarcely for photographic materials. In this study, a combination of various techniques, including culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches (RNA and DNA analysis), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and μ-Raman spectroscopy supported by X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), permitted to describe the microbial contamination dynamics of foxing stains present on the surface of two gelatin-silver halide photographs. The investigation provided also information on the effects of microbial activity on the materials' chemistry of the two prints. The action of microbial community resulted locally in either (a) formation of mixed aluminum-iron-potassium phosphate compounds that could be attributed to the hydrolytic activity of bacteria, (b) leaching of barite,
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carla Sclocchi
- Istituto Centrale Restauro e Conservazione Patrimonio Archivistico e Librario (ICRCPAL),MIBACT, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Kraková
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Flavia Pinzari
- Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria, Centro di ricerca per lo studio delle Relazioni tra Pianta e Suolo (CREA-RPS), Rome, Italy
- Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Piero Colaizzi
- Istituto Centrale Restauro e Conservazione Patrimonio Archivistico e Librario (ICRCPAL),MIBACT, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Bicchieri
- Istituto Centrale Restauro e Conservazione Patrimonio Archivistico e Librario (ICRCPAL),MIBACT, Rome, Italy
| | - Nikoleta Šaková
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Domenico Pangallo
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Bezerra JDP, Sandoval-Denis M, Paiva LM, Silva GA, Groenewald JZ, Souza-Motta CM, Crous PW. New endophytic Toxicocladosporium species from cacti in Brazil, and description of Neocladosporium gen. nov. IMA Fungus 2017; 8:77-97. [PMID: 28824841 PMCID: PMC5493539 DOI: 10.5598/imafungus.2017.08.01.06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Brazil harbours a unique ecosystem, the Caatinga, which belongs to the tropical dry forest biome. This region has an important diversity of organisms, and recently several new fungal species have been described from different hosts and substrates within it. During a survey of fungal endophyte diversity from cacti in this forest, we isolated cladosporium-like fungi that were subjected to morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses including actA, ITS, LSU, rpb2 and tub2 gene sequences. Based on these analyses we identified two new species belonging to the genus Toxicocladosporium, described here as T. cacti and T. immaculatum spp. nov., isolated from Pilosocereus gounellei subsp. gounellei and Melocactus zehntneri, respectively. To improve the species recognition and assess species diversity in Toxicocladosporium we studied all ex-type strains of the genus, for which actA, rpb2 and tub2 barcodes were also generated. After phylogenetic reconstruction using five loci, we differentiated 13 species in the genus. Toxicocladosporium velox and T. chlamydosporum are synonymized based on their phylogenetic position and limited number of unique nucleotide differences. Six strains previously assigned to T. leucadendri, including the ex-type strain (CBS 131317) of that species, were found to belong to an undescribed genus here named as Neocladosporium gen. nov., with N. leucadendri comb. nov. as type species. Furthermore, this study proposes the actA, ITS, rpb2 and tub2 as main phylogenetic loci to recognise Toxicocladosporium species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jadson D P Bezerra
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Centro de Biociências, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Fungos (PPG-BF), Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Centro de Biociências, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Marcelo Sandoval-Denis
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Laura M Paiva
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Centro de Biociências, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Gladstone A Silva
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Centro de Biociências, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Fungos (PPG-BF), Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Centro de Biociências, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Johannes Z Groenewald
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cristina M Souza-Motta
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Centro de Biociências, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Fungos (PPG-BF), Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Centro de Biociências, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Pedro W Crous
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa.,Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Application of HS-SPME-GC-MS method for the detection of active moulds on historical parchment. Anal Bioanal Chem 2017; 409:2297-2307. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-016-0173-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 11/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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Evaluation of a Parchment Document, the 13th Century Incorporation Charter for the City of Krakow, Poland, for Microbial Hazards. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:2620-31. [PMID: 26896133 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03851-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The literature of environmental microbiology broadly discusses issues associated with microbial hazards in archives, but these publications are mainly devoted to paper documents. There are few articles on historical parchment documents, which used to be very important for the development of literature and the art of writing. These studies present a broad spectrum of methods for the assessment of biodeterioration hazards of the parchment document in question. They are based on both conventional microbiological methods and advanced techniques of molecular biology. Here, a qualitative analysis was conducted, based on genetic identification of bacteria and fungi present on the document as well as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiling and examining the destructive potential of isolated microbes. Moreover, the study involved a quantitative and qualitative microbiological assessment of the indoor air in the room where the parchment was kept. The microbes with the highest destructive potential that were isolated from the investigated item were Bacillus cereus and Acinetobacter lwoffii bacteria and Penicillium chrysogenum,Chaetomium globosum, and Trichoderma longibrachiatum fungi. The presence of the B. cereuss train was particularly interesting since, under appropriate conditions, it leads to complete parchment degradation within several days.
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Biodeterioration Risk Threatens the 3100 Year Old Staircase of Hallstatt (Austria): Possible Involvement of Halophilic Microorganisms. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148279. [PMID: 26885815 PMCID: PMC4757552 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The prosperity of Hallstatt (Salzkammergut region, Austria) is based on the richness of salt in the surrounding mountains and salt mining, which is documented as far back as 1500 years B.C. Substantial archaeological evidence of Bronze and Iron Age salt mining has been discovered, with a wooden staircase (1108 B.C.) being one of the most impressive and well preserved finds. However, after its discovery, fungal mycelia have been observed on the surface of the staircase, most probably due to airborne contamination after its find. Objective As a basis for the further preservation of this valuable object, the active micro-flora was examined to investigate the presence of potentially biodegradative microorganisms. Results Most of the strains isolated from the staircase showed to be halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms, due to the saline environment of the mine. Results derived from culture-dependent assays revealed a high fungal diversity, including both halotolerant and halophilic fungi, the most dominant strains being members of the genus Phialosimplex (synonym: Aspergillus). Additionally, some typical cellulose degraders, namely Stachybotrys sp. and Cladosporium sp. were detected. Numerous bacterial strains were isolated and identified as members of 12 different genera, most of them being moderately halophilic species. The most dominant isolates affiliated with species of the genera Halovibrio and Marinococcus. Halophilic archaea were also isolated and identified as species of the genera Halococcus and Halorubrum. Molecular analyses complemented the cultivation assays, enabling the identification of some uncultivable archaea of the genera Halolamina, Haloplanus and Halobacterium. Results derived from fungi and bacteria supported those obtained by cultivation methods, exhibiting the same dominant members in the communities. Conclusion The results clearly showed the presence of some cellulose degraders that may become active if the requirements for growth and the environmental conditions turn suitable; therefore, these microorganisms must be regarded as a threat to the wood.
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Piñar G, Tafer H, Sterflinger K, Pinzari F. Amid the possible causes of a very famous foxing: molecular and microscopic insight into Leonardo da Vinci's self-portrait. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2015; 7:849-59. [PMID: 26111623 PMCID: PMC4959533 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Leonardo da Vinci's self-portrait is affected by foxing spots. The portrait has no fungal or bacterial infections in place, but is contaminated with airborne spores and fungal material that could play a role in its disfigurement. The knowledge of the nature of the stains is of great concern because future conservation treatments should be derived from scientific investigations. The lack of reliable scientific data, due to the non-culturability of the microorganisms inhabiting the portrait, prompted the investigation of the drawing using non-invasive and micro-invasive sampling, in combination with scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging and molecular techniques. The fungus Eurotium halophilicum was found in foxing spots using SEM analyses. Oxalates of fungal origin were also documented. Both findings are consistent with the hypothesis that tonophilic fungi germinate on paper metabolizing organic acids, oligosaccharides and proteic compounds, which react chemically with the material at a low water activity, forming brown products and oxidative reactions resulting in foxing spots. Additionally, molecular techniques enabled a screening of the fungi inhabiting the portrait and showed differences when different sampling techniques were employed. Swabs samples showed a high abundance of lichenized Ascomycota, while the membrane filters showed a dominance of Acremonium sp. colonizing the drawing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Piñar
- Department of Biotechnology, Vienna Institute of Biotechnology (VIBT), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, Vienna, 1190, Austria
| | - Hakim Tafer
- Department of Biotechnology, Vienna Institute of Biotechnology (VIBT), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, Vienna, 1190, Austria
| | - Katja Sterflinger
- Department of Biotechnology, Vienna Institute of Biotechnology (VIBT), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, Vienna, 1190, Austria
| | - Flavia Pinzari
- Istituto Centrale per il Restauro e la Conservazione del Patrimonio Archivistico e Librario (ICRCPAL), Ministero per i Beni e le Attivita Culturali, Via Milano 76, Rome, 00184, Italy.
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Piñar G, Sterflinger K, Ettenauer J, Quandt A, Pinzari F. A combined approach to assess the microbial contamination of the archimedes palimpsest. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2015; 69:118-34. [PMID: 25135817 PMCID: PMC4287661 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-014-0481-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 08/06/2014] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
A combined approach, using molecular and microscopic techniques, was used to identify the microbiota associated with the Archimedes Palimpsest, an unusual parchment manuscript. SEM analyses revealed the microbial damage to the collagen fibers and the presence of characteristic cell chains typical of filamentous bacteria and fungal spores. Molecular analysis confirmed a homogeneous bacterial community colonizing the manuscript. The phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were associated with this ancient parchment; the sequences were most related to uncultured clones detected in the human skin microbiome and in ephitelium, and to cultivated species of the genera Acinetobacter and Nocardiopsis. Nevertheless, a great variation was observed among the different sampled areas indicating fungal diversity. Blumeria spp. dominated in the healthy areas of the parchment while degraded areas showed disparate fungal communities, with dominant members of the genera Mucor and Cladosporium. In addition, the quantification of the β-actin gene by real-time PCR analyses (qPCR) revealed a higher fungal abundance on degraded areas than on the healthy ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Piñar
- Institute of Applied Microbiology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katja Sterflinger
- Institute of Applied Microbiology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jörg Ettenauer
- Institute of Applied Microbiology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Abigail Quandt
- The Walters Art Museum, Book and Paper Conservation, 600 North Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Flavia Pinzari
- Laboratorio di Biologia, Ministero per i Beni e le Attivita Culturali, Istituto Centrale per il Restauro e la Conservazione del Patrimonio Archivistico e Librario (ICRCPAL), Via Milano 76, 00184 Rome, Italy
- Present Address: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Centro di ricerca per lo studio delle relazioni tra pianta e suolo, Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy
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Ettenauer J, Piñar G, Tafer H, Sterflinger K. Quantification of fungal abundance on cultural heritage using real time PCR targeting the β-actin gene. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:262. [PMID: 24904567 PMCID: PMC4035567 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The traditional methodology used for the identification of microbes colonizing our cultural heritage was the application of cultivation methods and/or microscopy. This approach has many advantages, as living microorganisms may be obtained for physiological investigations. In addition, these techniques allow the quantitative and qualitative assessment of the investigated environment. Quantitative analyses are done by plate count and the determination of abundance by the colony forming unit (CFU). Nevertheless, these techniques have many drawbacks that lead to an underestimation of the cell numbers and do not provide a comprehensive overview of the composition of the inhabiting microbiota. In the last decades, several molecular techniques have been developed enabling many advantages over the cultivation approach. Mainly PCR-based, fingerprinting techniques allow a qualitative detection and identification of the microbiota. In this study, we developed a real time PCR method as a simple, rapid and reliable tool to detect and quantify fungal abundance using the β-actin gene, which is known to appear as a single-copy gene in fungi. To this end, five different indoor thermal insulation materials applied for historical buildings that were previously tested for their bio-susceptibility against various fungi were subjected to qPCR analyses. The obtained results were compared with those obtained from a previous study investigating the bio-susceptibility of the insulation materials using classical cultivation experiments. Both results correlated well, revealing that Perlite plaster was the most suitable insulation material, showing the lowest fungal CFU and qPCR values. In contrast, insulations made of wood showed to be not recommendable from the microbiological point of view. In addition, the potential of qPCR was tested in other materials of cultural heritage, as old parchments, showing to be a suitable method for measuring fungal abundance in these delicate materials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guadalupe Piñar
- Department of Biotechnology, Vienna Institute of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
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