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Simpson AC, Sengupta P, Zhang F, Hameed A, Parker CW, Singh NK, Miliotis G, Rekha PD, Raman K, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Phylogenomics, phenotypic, and functional traits of five novel (Earth-derived) bacterial species isolated from the International Space Station and their prevalence in metagenomes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19207. [PMID: 37932283 PMCID: PMC10628120 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44172-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
With the advent of long-term human habitation in space and on the moon, understanding how the built environment microbiome of space habitats differs from Earth habitats, and how microbes survive, proliferate and spread in space conditions, is becoming more important. The microbial tracking mission series has been monitoring the microbiome of the International Space Station (ISS) for almost a decade. During this mission series, six unique strains of Gram-stain-positive bacteria, including two spore-forming and three non-spore-forming species, were isolated from the environmental surfaces of the ISS. The analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed > 99% similarities with previously described bacterial species. To further explore their phylogenetic affiliation, whole genome sequencing was undertaken. For all strains, the gyrB gene exhibited < 93% similarity with closely related species, which proved effective in categorizing these ISS strains as novel species. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values, when compared to any known bacterial species, were < 94% and <50% respectively for all species described here. Traditional biochemical tests, fatty acid profiling, polar lipid, and cell wall composition analyses were performed to generate phenotypic characterization of these ISS strains. A study of the shotgun metagenomic reads from the ISS samples, from which the novel species were isolated, showed that only 0.1% of the total reads mapped to the novel species, supporting the idea that these novel species are rare in the ISS environments. In-depth annotation of the genomes unveiled a variety of genes linked to amino acid and derivative synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, cofactors, vitamins, prosthetic groups, pigments, and protein metabolism. Further analysis of these ISS-isolated organisms revealed that, on average, they contain 46 genes associated with virulence, disease, and defense. The main predicted functions of these genes are: conferring resistance to antibiotics and toxic compounds, and enabling invasion and intracellular resistance. After conducting antiSMASH analysis, it was found that there are roughly 16 cluster types across the six strains, including β-lactone and type III polyketide synthase (T3PKS) clusters. Based on these multi-faceted taxonomic methods, it was concluded that these six ISS strains represent five novel species, which we propose to name as follows: Arthrobacter burdickii IIF3SC-B10T (= NRRL B-65660T = DSM 115933T), Leifsonia virtsii F6_8S_P_1AT (= NRRL B-65661T = DSM 115931T), Leifsonia williamsii F6_8S_P_1BT (= NRRL B-65662T = DSM 115932T), Paenibacillus vandeheii F6_3S_P_1CT (= NRRL B-65663T = DSM 115940T), and Sporosarcina highlanderae F6_3S_P_2T (= NRRL B-65664T = DSM 115943T). Identifying and characterizing the genomes and phenotypes of novel microbes found in space habitats, like those explored in this study, is integral for expanding our genomic databases of space-relevant microbes. This approach offers the only reliable method to determine species composition, track microbial dispersion, and anticipate potential threats to human health from monitoring microbes on the surfaces and equipment within space habitats. By unraveling these microbial mysteries, we take a crucial step towards ensuring the safety and success of future space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Simpson
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Pratyay Sengupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Flora Zhang
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Asif Hameed
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Ceth W Parker
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Nitin K Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Georgios Miliotis
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Punchappady D Rekha
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Karthik Raman
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and the WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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Simpson AC, Sengupta P, Zhang F, Hameed A, Parker CW, Singh NK, Miliotis G, Rekha PD, Raman K, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Phylogenetic affiliations and genomic characterization of novel bacterial species and their abundance in the International Space Station. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3126314. [PMID: 37461605 PMCID: PMC10350232 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3126314/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background With the advent of long-term human habitation in space and on the moon, understanding how the built environment microbiome of space habitats differs from Earth habits, and how microbes survive, proliferate and spread in space conditions, is coming more and more important. The Microbial Tracking mission series has been monitoring the microbiome of the International Space Station (ISS) for almost a decade. During this mission series, six unique strains of Gram-positive bacteria, including two spore-forming and three non-spore-forming species, were isolated from the environmental surfaces of the International Space Station (ISS). Results The analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed <99% similarities with previously described bacterial species. To further explore their phylogenetic affiliation, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was undertaken. For all strains, the gyrB gene exhibited <93% similarity with closely related species, which proved effective in categorizing these ISS strains as novel species. Average ucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values, when compared to any known bacterial species, were less than <94% and 50% respectively for all species described here. Traditional biochemical tests, fatty acid profiling, polar lipid, and cell wall composition analyses were performed to generate phenotypic characterization of these ISS strains. A study of the shotgun metagenomic reads from the ISS samples, from which the novel species were isolated, showed that only 0.1% of the total reads mapped to the novel species, supporting the idea that these novel species are rare in the ISS environments. In-depth annotation of the genomes unveiled a variety of genes linked to amino acid and derivative synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, cofactors, vitamins, prosthetic groups, pigments, and protein metabolism. Further analysis of these ISS-isolated organisms revealed that, on average, they contain 46 genes associated with virulence, disease, and defense. The main predicted functions of these genes are: conferring resistance to antibiotics and toxic compounds, and enabling invasion and intracellular resistance. After conducting antiSMASH analysis, it was found that there are roughly 16 cluster types across the six strains, including β-lactone and type III polyketide synthase (T3PKS) clusters. Conclusions Based on these multi-faceted taxonomic methods, it was concluded that these six ISS strains represent five novel species, which we propose to name as follows: Arthrobacter burdickii IIF3SC-B10T (=NRRL B-65660T), Leifsonia virtsii, F6_8S_P_1AT (=NRRL B-65661T), Leifsonia williamsii, F6_8S_P_1BT (=NRRL B- 65662T and DSMZ 115932T), Paenibacillus vandeheii, F6_3S_P_1CT(=NRRL B-65663T and DSMZ 115940T), and Sporosarcina highlanderae F6_3S_P_2 T(=NRRL B-65664T and DSMZ 115943T). Identifying and characterizing the genomes and phenotypes of novel microbes found in space habitats, like those explored in this study, is integral for expanding our genomic databases of space-relevant microbes. This approach offers the only reliable method to determine species composition, track microbial dispersion, and anticipate potential threats to human health from monitoring microbes on the surfaces and equipment within space habitats. By unraveling these microbial mysteries, we take a crucial step towards ensuring the safety and success of future space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. Simpson
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Pratyay Sengupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Flora Zhang
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Asif Hameed
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya Deemed to be University, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Ceth W. Parker
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Nitin K. Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Georgios Miliotis
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Punchappady D. Rekha
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya Deemed to be University, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Karthik Raman
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Christopher E. Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and the WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
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Koehle AP, Brumwell SL, Seto EP, Lynch AM, Urbaniak C. Microbial applications for sustainable space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. NPJ Microgravity 2023; 9:47. [PMID: 37344487 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00285-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
With the construction of the International Space Station, humans have been continuously living and working in space for 22 years. Microbial studies in space and other extreme environments on Earth have shown the ability for bacteria and fungi to adapt and change compared to "normal" conditions. Some of these changes, like biofilm formation, can impact astronaut health and spacecraft integrity in a negative way, while others, such as a propensity for plastic degradation, can promote self-sufficiency and sustainability in space. With the next era of space exploration upon us, which will see crewed missions to the Moon and Mars in the next 10 years, incorporating microbiology research into planning, decision-making, and mission design will be paramount to ensuring success of these long-duration missions. These can include astronaut microbiome studies to protect against infections, immune system dysfunction and bone deterioration, or biological in situ resource utilization (bISRU) studies that incorporate microbes to act as radiation shields, create electricity and establish robust plant habitats for fresh food and recycling of waste. In this review, information will be presented on the beneficial use of microbes in bioregenerative life support systems, their applicability to bISRU, and their capability to be genetically engineered for biotechnological space applications. In addition, we discuss the negative effect microbes and microbial communities may have on long-duration space travel and provide mitigation strategies to reduce their impact. Utilizing the benefits of microbes, while understanding their limitations, will help us explore deeper into space and develop sustainable human habitats on the Moon, Mars and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison P Koehle
- Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Stephanie L Brumwell
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | | | - Anne M Lynch
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Camilla Urbaniak
- ZIN Technologies Inc, Middleburg Heights, OH, USA.
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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Simpson AC, Eedara VVR, Singh NK, Damle N, Parker CW, Karouia F, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Comparative genomic analysis of Cohnella hashimotonis sp. nov. isolated from the International Space Station. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1166013. [PMID: 37396358 PMCID: PMC10308117 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1166013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A single strain from the family Paenibacillaceae was isolated from the wall behind the Waste Hygiene Compartment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in April 2018, as part of the Microbial Tracking mission series. This strain was identified as a gram-positive, rod-shaped, oxidase-positive, catalase-negative motile bacterium in the genus Cohnella, designated as F6_2S_P_1T. The 16S sequence of the F6_2S_P_1T strain places it in a clade with C. rhizosphaerae and C. ginsengisoli, which were originally isolated from plant tissue or rhizosphere environments. The closest 16S and gyrB matches to strain F6_2S_P_1T are to C. rhizosphaerae with 98.84 and 93.99% sequence similarity, while a core single-copy gene phylogeny from all publicly available Cohnella genomes places it as more closely related to C. ginsengisoli. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values to any described Cohnella species are <89 and <22%, respectively. The major fatty acids for strain F6_2S_P_1T are anteiso-C15:0 (51.7%), iso-C16:0 (23.1%), and iso-C15:0 (10.5%), and it is able to metabolize a wide range of carbon compounds. Given the results of the ANI and dDDH analyses, this ISS strain is a novel species within the genus Cohnella for which we propose the name Cohnella hashimotonis, with the type strain F6_2S_P_1T (=NRRL B-65657T and DSMZ 115098T). Because no closely related Cohnella genomes were available, this study generated the whole-genome sequences (WGSs) of the type strains for C. rhizosphaerae and C. ginsengisoli. Phylogenetic and pangenomic analysis reveals that F6_2S_P_1T, C. rhizosphaerae, and C. ginsengisoli, along with two uncharacterized Cohnella strains, possess a shared set of 332 gene clusters which are not shared with any other WGS of Cohnella species, and form a distinct clade branching off from C. nanjingensis. Functional traits were predicted for the genomes of strain F6_2S_P_1T and other members of this clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. Simpson
- California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - V. V. Ramprasad Eedara
- Department of Plant Science, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Nitin K. Singh
- California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Namita Damle
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and the WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ceth W. Parker
- California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | | | - Christopher E. Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and the WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States
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McDonagh F, Cormican M, Morris D, Burke L, Singh NK, Venkateswaran K, Miliotis G. Medical Astro-Microbiology: Current Role and Future Challenges. J Indian Inst Sci 2023; 103:1-26. [PMID: 37362850 PMCID: PMC10082442 DOI: 10.1007/s41745-023-00360-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The second and third decades of the twenty-first century are marked by a flourishing of space technology which may soon realise human aspirations of a permanent multiplanetary presence. The prevention, control and management of infection with microbial pathogens is likely to play a key role in how successful human space aspirations will become. This review considers the emerging field of medical astro-microbiology. It examines the current evidence regarding the risk of infection during spaceflight via host susceptibility, alterations to the host's microbiome as well as exposure to other crew members and spacecraft's microbiomes. It also considers the relevance of the hygiene hypothesis in this regard. It then reviews the current evidence related to infection risk associated with microbial adaptability in spaceflight conditions. There is a particular focus on the International Space Station (ISS), as one of the only two crewed objects in low Earth orbit. It discusses the effects of spaceflight related stressors on viruses and the infection risks associated with latent viral reactivation and increased viral shedding during spaceflight. It then examines the effects of the same stressors on bacteria, particularly in relation to changes in virulence and drug resistance. It also considers our current understanding of fungal adaptability in spaceflight. The global public health and environmental risks associated with a possible re-introduction to Earth of invasive species are also briefly discussed. Finally, this review examines the largely unknown microbiology and infection implications of celestial body habitation with an emphasis placed on Mars. Overall, this review summarises much of our current understanding of medical astro-microbiology and identifies significant knowledge gaps. Graphical Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca McDonagh
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Martin Cormican
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Galway University Hospitals, Galway, Ireland
| | - Dearbháile Morris
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Liam Burke
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Nitin Kumar Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Georgios Miliotis
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
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Li J, He K, Zhang Q, Wu X, Li Z, Pan X, Wang Y, Li C, Zhang M. Draft Genome and Biological Characteristics of Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum Causing Black Rot in Gastrodia elata. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054545. [PMID: 36901977 PMCID: PMC10003674 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054545] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastrodia elata is a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal plant. However, G. elata crops are affected by major diseases, such as brown rot. Previous studies have shown that brown rot is caused by Fusarium oxysporum and F. solani. To further understand the disease, we studied the biological and genome characteristics of these pathogenic fungi. Here, we found that the optimum growth temperature and pH of F. oxysporum (strain QK8) and F. solani (strain SX13) were 28 °C and pH 7, and 30 °C and pH 9, respectively. An indoor virulence test showed that oxime tebuconazole, tebuconazole, and tetramycin had significant bacteriostatic effects on the two Fusarium species. The genomes of QK8 and SX13 were assembled, and it was found that there was a certain gap in the size of the two fungi. The size of strain QK8 was 51,204,719 bp and that of strain SX13 was 55,171,989 bp. Afterwards, through phylogenetic analysis, it was found that strain QK8 was closely related to F. oxysporum, while strain SX13 was closely related to F. solani. Compared with the published whole-genome data for these two Fusarium strains, the genome information obtained here is more complete; the assembly and splicing reach the chromosome level. The biological characteristics and genomic information we provide here lay the foundation for further research on G. elata brown rot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinshao Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Ke He
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhong Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xuejun Pan
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Cheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Correspondence: (C.L.); (M.Z.)
| | - Manman Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology of Guizhou Province, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Correspondence: (C.L.); (M.Z.)
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Simulated Microgravity Created Using a Random Positioning Machine Induces Changes in the Physiology of the Fusarium solani Species Complex. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112270. [DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium is a phytopathogenic fungus involved in human pathology and is present in space stations. It is essential to understand the effects of microgravity on the physiology of this fungus to determine the potential risks to the health of crew members and to propose the necessary countermeasures. This study aimed to determine changes in the physiological parameters of the Fusarium solani species complex under simulated microgravity generated using a random positioning machine (RPM) and phenotypic approaches. We observed increased growth, spore production, and germination while biofilm production was reduced under RPM exposure. These in vitro data show the importance of further studying this fungus as it has been repeatedly demonstrated that microgravity weakens the immune system of astronauts.
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James JE, Santhanam J, Cannon RD, Lamping E. Voriconazole Treatment Induces a Conserved Sterol/Pleiotropic Drug Resistance Regulatory Network, including an Alternative Ergosterol Biosynthesis Pathway, in the Clinically Important FSSC Species, Fusarium keratoplasticum. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8101070. [PMID: 36294635 PMCID: PMC9605146 DOI: 10.3390/jof8101070] [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: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium keratoplasticum is the Fusarium species most commonly associated with human infections (fusariosis). Antifungal treatment of fusariosis is often hampered by limited treatment options due to resistance towards azole antifungals. The mechanisms of antifungal resistance and sterol biosynthesis in fusaria are poorly understood. Therefore, in this study we assessed the transcriptional response of F. keratoplasticum when exposed to voriconazole. Our results revealed a group of dramatically upregulated ergosterol biosynthesis gene duplicates, most notably erg6A (912-fold), cyp51A (52-fold) and ebp1 (20-fold), which are likely part of an alternative ergosterol biosynthesis salvage pathway. The presence of human cholesterol biosynthesis gene homologs in F. keratoplasticum (ebp1, dhcr7 and dhcr24_1, dhcr24_2 and dhcr24_3) suggests that additional sterol biosynthesis pathways may be induced in fusaria under other growth conditions or during host invasion. Voriconazole also induced the expression of a number of ABC efflux pumps. Further investigations suggested that the highly conserved master regulator of ergosterol biosynthesis, FkSR, and the pleiotropic drug resistance network that induces zinc-cluster transcription factor FkAtrR coordinate the response of FSSC species to azole antifungal exposure. In-depth genome mining also helped clarify the ergosterol biosynthesis pathways of moulds and provided a better understanding of antifungal drug resistance mechanisms in fusaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper E. James
- Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Jacinta Santhanam
- Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (J.S.); (R.D.C.); (E.L.); Tel.: +60-3-9289-7039 (J.S.); +64-3-479-7081 (R.D.C.); +64-3-479-5290 (E.L.)
| | - Richard D. Cannon
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Correspondence: (J.S.); (R.D.C.); (E.L.); Tel.: +60-3-9289-7039 (J.S.); +64-3-479-7081 (R.D.C.); +64-3-479-5290 (E.L.)
| | - Erwin Lamping
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Correspondence: (J.S.); (R.D.C.); (E.L.); Tel.: +60-3-9289-7039 (J.S.); +64-3-479-7081 (R.D.C.); +64-3-479-5290 (E.L.)
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James JE, Santhanam J, Zakaria L, Mamat Rusli N, Abu Bakar M, Suetrong S, Sakayaroj J, Abdul Razak MF, Lamping E, Cannon RD. Morphology, Phenotype, and Molecular Identification of Clinical and Environmental Fusarium solani Species Complex Isolates from Malaysia. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080845. [PMID: 36012833 PMCID: PMC9409803 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusarium infections in humans (fusariosis) and in economically important plants involve species of several Fusarium species complexes. Species of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are the most frequent cause of human fusariosis. The FSSC comprises more than 60 closely related species that can be separated into three major clades by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) using translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α) and RNA polymerase II (RPB2) DNA sequences. The MLST nomenclature for clade 3 of the FSSC assigns numbers to species types (e.g., FSSC 2) and lowercase letters to identify unique haplotypes. The aim of this study was to analyse the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of 15 environmental and 15 clinical FSSC isolates from Malaysia. MLST was used for the genotypic characterisation of FSSC isolates from various locations within Malaysia, which was complemented by their morphological characterisation on potato dextrose and carnation leaf agar. MLST identified eight different FSSC species: thirteen Fusarium keratoplasticum (i.e., FSSC 2), six Fusarium suttonianum (FSSC 20), five Fusarium falciforme (FSSC 3+4), two Fusarium cyanescens (FSSC 27), and one each of Fusarium petroliphilum (FSSC 1), Fusarium waltergamsii (FSSC 7), Fusarium sp. (FSSC 12), and Fusarium striatum (FSSC 21). Consistent with previous reports from Malaysia, most (11 of 15) clinical FSSC isolates were F. keratoplasticum and the majority (9 of 15) of environmental isolates were F. suttonianum (5) or F. falciforme (4) strains. The taxonomic relationships of the isolates were resolved phylogenetically. The eight Fusarium species also showed distinct morphological characteristics, but these were less clearly defined and reached across species boundaries. Although TEF1-α and RPB2 sequences were sufficient for the species identification of most FSSC isolates, a more precise MLST scheme needs to be established to reliably assign individual isolates of the species-rich FSSC to their geographically-, epidemiologically-, and host-associated sub-lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper E. James
- Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Jacinta Santhanam
- Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +603-9289-7039
| | - Latiffah Zakaria
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Malaysia
| | - Nuraini Mamat Rusli
- Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Mariahyati Abu Bakar
- Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Satinee Suetrong
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), Thailand Science Park, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Jariya Sakayaroj
- School of Science, Wailalak University, Nakhonsithammarat 80161, Thailand
| | - Mohd Fuat Abdul Razak
- Bacteriology Unit, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Health, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia
| | - Erwin Lamping
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Richard D. Cannon
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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10
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McTaggart AR, James TY, Shivas RG, Drenth A, Wingfield BD, Summerell BA, Duong TA. Population genomics reveals historical and ongoing recombination in the Fusarium oxysporum species complex. Stud Mycol 2022; 99:100132. [PMID: 35027981 PMCID: PMC8693468 DOI: 10.1016/j.simyco.2021.100132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) is a group of closely related plant pathogens long-considered strictly clonal, as sexual stages have never been recorded. Several studies have questioned whether recombination occurs in FOSC, and if it occurs its nature and frequency are unknown. We analysed 410 assembled genomes to answer whether FOSC diversified by occasional sexual reproduction interspersed with numerous cycles of asexual reproduction akin to a model of predominant clonal evolution (PCE). We tested the hypothesis that sexual reproduction occurred in the evolutionary history of FOSC by examining the distribution of idiomorphs at the mating locus, phylogenetic conflict and independent measures of recombination from genome-wide SNPs and genes. A phylogenomic dataset of 40 single copy orthologs was used to define structure a priori within FOSC based on genealogical concordance. Recombination within FOSC was tested using the pairwise homoplasy index and divergence ages were estimated by molecular dating. We called SNPs from assembled genomes using a k-mer approach and tested for significant linkage disequilibrium as an indication of PCE. We clone-corrected and tested whether SNPs were randomly associated as an indication of recombination. Our analyses provide evidence for sexual or parasexual reproduction within, but not between, clades of FOSC that diversified from a most recent common ancestor about 500 000 years ago. There was no evidence of substructure based on geography or host that might indicate how clades diversified. Competing evolutionary hypotheses for FOSC are discussed in the context of our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- A R McTaggart
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - T Y James
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - R G Shivas
- Centre for Crop Health, Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 4350, Australia
| | - A Drenth
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - B D Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP), Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - B A Summerell
- Australian Institute of Botanical Science, Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia
| | - T A Duong
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP), Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, South Africa
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11
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Sun R, Yi Z, Fu Y, Liu H. Dynamic changes in rhizosphere fungi in different developmental stages of wheat in a confined and isolated environment. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 106:441-453. [PMID: 34870738 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11698-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
As the core food crop of a bioregenerative life support system (BLSS), wheat is susceptible to pathogen infection due to the lack of effective microbial communities in the confined and isolated environment. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the dynamic changes in wheat rhizosphere fungi is of great significance for improving wheat production and ensuring the stability of the BLSS. In the current study, we collected samples of rhizosphere fungi in the four growth stages of wheat grown in the "Lunar Palace 365" experiment. We employed bioinformatics methods to analyze the samples' species composition characteristics, community network characteristics, and FUNGuild function analysis. We found that the species composition of rhizosphere fungi in the wheat at the tillering stage changed greatly in the closed and isolated environment, while the species composition in the seedling, flowering, and mature stage were relatively stable. The results of the FUNGuild function analysis showed that the functions of rhizosphere fungi changed during wheat development. The rhizosphere fungal community was centered on Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, and Chytridiomycota, and the community showed the characteristics of a "small world" arrangement. The stage of wheat seedlings is characterized by a greater abundance, diversity, and complexity of the network of interactions in the rhizosphere mycorrhiza community, while the tillering stage exhibited a greater clustering coefficient. Based on the changes in species composition, guild function regulation, and community structure differences of the wheat rhizosphere fungi in the BLSS, our study identified the critical fungal species during wheat development, providing a reference for ensuring the health and yield of plants in the BLSS system. KEY POINTS: • The diversity, composition, FUNguild, and network structure of rhizosphere fungi were analyzed. • Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, and Chytridiomycota were the center of the rhizosphere fungal community network. • The effects of different wheat developmental stages on the community composition, function, and network structure of rhizosphere fungi were examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruxin Sun
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No.37 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China.,International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhihao Yi
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No.37 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China.,International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yuming Fu
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No.37 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China. .,International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Hong Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No.37 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China.,International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.,State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
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12
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Raman T, Edwin Raj E, Muthukathan G, Loganathan M, Periyasamy P, Natesh M, Manivasakan P, Kotteeswaran S, Rajendran S, Subbaraya U. Comparative Whole-Genome Sequence Analyses of Fusarium Wilt Pathogen ( Foc R1, STR4 and TR4) Infecting Cavendish (AAA) Bananas in India, with a Special Emphasis on Pathogenicity Mechanisms. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7090717. [PMID: 34575755 PMCID: PMC8469521 DOI: 10.3390/jof7090717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusarium wilt is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) and is the most serious disease affecting bananas (Musa spp.). The fungus is classified into Foc race 1 (R1), Foc race 2, and Foc race 4 based on host specificity. As the rate of spread and the ranges of the devastation of the Foc races exceed the centre of the banana’s origin, even in non-targeted cultivars, there is a possibility of variation in virulence-associated genes. Therefore, the present study investigates the genome assembly of Foc races that infect the Cavendish (AAA) banana group in India, specifically those of the vegetative compatibility group (VCG) 0124 (race 1), 0120 (subtropical race 4), and 01213/16 (tropical race 4). While comparing the general features of the genome sequences (e.g., RNAs, GO, SNPs, and InDels), the study also looked at transposable elements, phylogenetic relationships, and virulence-associated effector genes, and sought insights into race-specific molecular mechanisms of infection based on the presence of unique genes. The results of the analyses revealed variations in the organisation of genome assembly and virulence-associated genes, specifically secreted in xylem (SIX) genes, when compared to their respective reference genomes. The findings contributed to a better understanding of Indian Foc genomes, which will aid in the development of effective Fusarium wilt management techniques for various Foc VCGs in India and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thangavelu Raman
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Esack Edwin Raj
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
- Research and Development Division, MIRO Forestry SL Ltd., Mile 91, Tonkolili District, Northern Provenance P.O. Box GP20200, Sierra Leone
| | - Gopi Muthukathan
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
| | - Murugan Loganathan
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
| | - Pushpakanth Periyasamy
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
| | - Marimuthu Natesh
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
| | - Prabaharan Manivasakan
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
| | - Sharmila Kotteeswaran
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
| | - Sasikala Rajendran
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
| | - Uma Subbaraya
- Plant Pathology Division, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620102, India; (E.E.R.); (G.M.); (M.L.); (P.P.); (M.N.); (P.M.); (S.K.); (S.R.); (U.S.)
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13
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Haveman NJ, Khodadad CLM, Dixit AR, Louyakis AS, Massa GD, Venkateswaran K, Foster JS. Evaluating the lettuce metatranscriptome with MinION sequencing for future spaceflight food production applications. NPJ Microgravity 2021; 7:22. [PMID: 34140518 PMCID: PMC8211661 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-021-00151-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthy plants are vital for successful, long-duration missions in space, as they provide the crew with life support, food production, and psychological benefits. The microorganisms that associate with plant tissues play a critical role in improving plant health and production. To that end, we developed a methodology to investigate the transcriptional activities of the microbiome of red romaine lettuce, a key salad crop that was grown under International Space Station (ISS)-like conditions. Microbial transcripts enriched from host-microbe total RNA were sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing platform. Results show that this enrichment approach was highly reproducible and could be an effective approach for the on-site detection of microbial transcriptional activity. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using metatranscriptomics of enriched microbial RNA as a potential method for on-site monitoring of the transcriptional activity of crop microbiomes, thereby helping to facilitate and maintain plant health for on-orbit space food production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha J. Haveman
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Space Life Science Lab, Merritt Island, FL USA
| | - Christina L. M. Khodadad
- grid.419743.c0000 0001 0845 4769Amentum Services, Inc., LASSO, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL USA
| | - Anirudha R. Dixit
- grid.419743.c0000 0001 0845 4769Amentum Services, Inc., LASSO, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL USA
| | - Artemis S. Louyakis
- grid.63054.340000 0001 0860 4915Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT USA
| | - Gioia D. Massa
- grid.419743.c0000 0001 0845 4769Space Crop Production Team, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL USA
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- grid.211367.0Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Jamie S. Foster
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Space Life Science Lab, Merritt Island, FL USA
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14
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Avila-Herrera A, Thissen J, Urbaniak C, Be NA, Smith DJ, Karouia F, Mehta S, Venkateswaran K, Jaing C. Crewmember microbiome may influence microbial composition of ISS habitable surfaces. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231838. [PMID: 32348348 PMCID: PMC7190111 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The International Space Station (ISS) is a complex built environment physically isolated from Earth. Assessing the interplay between the microbial community of the ISS and its crew is important for preventing biomedical and structural complications for long term human spaceflight missions. In this study, we describe one crewmember’s microbial profile from body swabs of mouth, nose, ear, skin and saliva that were collected at eight different time points pre-, during and post-flight. Additionally, environmental surface samples from eight different habitable locations in the ISS were collected from two flights. Environmental samples from one flight were collected by the crewmember and samples from the next flight were collected after the crewmember departed. The microbial composition in both environment and crewmember samples was measured using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and processed using the Livermore Metagenomics Analysis Toolkit. Ordination of sample to sample distances showed that of the eight crew body sites analyzed, skin, nostril, and ear samples are more similar in microbial composition to the ISS surfaces than mouth and saliva samples; and that the microbial composition of the crewmember’s skin samples are more closely related to the ISS surface samples collected by the crewmember on the same flight than ISS surface samples collected by other crewmembers on different flights. In these collections, species alpha diversity in saliva samples appears to decrease during flight and rebound after returning to Earth. This is the first study to compare the ISS microbiome to a crewmember’s microbiome via shotgun metagenomic sequencing. We observed that the microbiome of the surfaces inside the ISS resemble those of the crew’s skin. These data support future crew and ISS microbial surveillance efforts and the design of preventive measures to maintain crew habitat onboard spacecraft destined for long term space travel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aram Avila-Herrera
- Computating Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, United States of America
| | - James Thissen
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, United States of America
| | - Camilla Urbaniak
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Nicholas A. Be
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, United States of America
| | - David J. Smith
- Space Biosciences Research Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, United States of America
| | - Fathi Karouia
- KBRwyle, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, United States of America
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Satish Mehta
- Microbiology Lab, Wyle Laboratories, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Crystal Jaing
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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15
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James JE, Lamping E, Santhanam J, Milne TJ, Abd Razak MF, Zakaria L, Cannon RD. A 23 bp cyp51A Promoter Deletion Associated With Voriconazole Resistance in Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Neocosmospora keratoplastica. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:272. [PMID: 32296397 PMCID: PMC7136401 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, resistance to azole antifungals is often linked to mutations in CYP51A, a gene that encodes the azole antifungal drug target lanosterol 14α-demethylase. The aim of this study was to investigate whether similar changes could be associated with azole resistance in a Malaysian Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) isolate collection. Most (11 of 15) clinical FSSC isolates were Neocosmospora keratoplastica and the majority (6 of 10) of environmental isolates were Neocosmospora suttoniana strains. All 25 FSSC isolates had high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for itraconazole and posaconazole, low MICs for amphotericin B, and various (1 to >32 mg/l) voriconazole susceptibilities. There was a tight association between a 23 bp CYP51A promoter deletion and high (>32 mg/l) voriconazole MICs; of 19 FSSC strains sequenced, nine isolates had voriconazole MICs > 32 mg/l, and they all contained the 23 bp CYP51A promoter deletion, although it was absent in the ten remaining isolates with low (≤12 mg/l) voriconazole MICs. Surprisingly, this association between voriconazole resistance and the 23 bp CYP51A promoter deletion held true across species boundaries. It was randomly distributed within and across species boundaries and both types of FSSC isolates were found among environmental and clinical isolates. Three randomly selected N. keratoplastica isolates with low (≤8 mg/l) voriconazole MICs had significantly lower (1.3–7.5 times) CYP51A mRNA expression levels than three randomly selected N. keratoplastica isolates with high (>32 mg/l) voriconazole MICs. CYP51A expression levels, however, were equally strongly induced (~6,500-fold) by voriconazole in two representative strains reaching levels, after 80 min of induction, that were comparable to those of CYP51B. Our results suggest that FSSC isolates with high voriconazole MICs have a 23 bp CYP51A promoter deletion that provides a potentially useful marker for voriconazole resistance in FSSC isolates. Early detection of possible voriconazole resistance is critical for choosing the correct treatment option for patients with invasive fusariosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Elvin James
- Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Erwin Lamping
- Faculty of Dentistry, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jacinta Santhanam
- Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Trudy Jane Milne
- Faculty of Dentistry, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Mohd Fuat Abd Razak
- Bacteriology Unit, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Health, Setia Alam, Malaysia
| | - Latiffah Zakaria
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Richard David Cannon
- Faculty of Dentistry, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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16
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Quantitative evaluation of bioaerosols in different particle size fractions in dust collected on the International Space Station (ISS). Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:7767-7782. [PMID: 31388730 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10053-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to bioaerosols can adversely influence human health through respiratory tract, eye, and skin irritation. Bioaerosol composition is unique on the International Space Station (ISS), where the size distribution of particles in the air differs from those on Earth. This is due to the lack of gravitational settling and sources of biological particles. However, we do not understand how microbes are influenced by particle size in this environment. We analyzed two types of samples from the ISS: (1) vacuum bag debris which had been sieved into five different size fractions and (2) passively collected particles on a tape substrate with a passive aerosol sampler. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the highest concentration of fungal spores was found in the 106-150 μm-sized sieved dust particles, while the highest concentration of bacterial cells was found in the 150-250 μm-sized sieved dust particles. Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencing revealed that particle size was associated with bacterial and fungal communities and statistically significant (p = 0.035, p = 0.036 respectively). Similar fungal and bacterial species were found within the passive aerosol sample and the sieved dust samples. The most abundant fungal species identified in the aerosol and sieved samples are commonly found in food and plant material. Abundant bacterial species were most associated with the oral microbiome and human upper respiratory tract. One limitation to this study was the suboptimal storage conditions of the sieved samples prior to analysis. Overall, our results indicate that microbial exposure in space may depend on particle size. This has implications for ventilation and filtration system design for future space vehicles and habitats.
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17
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Urbaniak C, van Dam P, Zaborin A, Zaborina O, Gilbert JA, Torok T, Wang CCC, Venkateswaran K. Genomic Characterization and Virulence Potential of Two Fusarium oxysporum Isolates Cultured from the International Space Station. mSystems 2019; 4:e00345-18. [PMID: 30944876 PMCID: PMC6426649 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00345-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Two isolates of Fusarium oxysporum, ISS-F3 and ISS-F4, were cultured from the dining table on the International Space Station (ISS). Genomic analyses using EF-1α sequences, presence/absence of effector proteins, k-mer comparisons, and single nucleotide polymorphisms indicate that these two strains are genomically different from 65 known sequenced strains. Functional analysis revealed that ISS-F3/F4 had higher relative abundances of polyketide synthase domains than a non-plant-pathogenic soil isolate, used for biocontrol properties (Fo47), and a clinical isolate (FOSC-3a). Putative secondary metabolite analysis indicates that ISS-F3/F4 may produce yet-unreported polyketides and nonribosomal peptides. While genomic analysis showed that these ISS strains are unlikely to be plant pathogens, a virulence assay using an immunocompromised Caenorhabditis elegans model of fusariosis revealed that they were virulent and may represent opportunistic pathogens in animals, including humans. However, its effects on the health of immunocompromised humans warrant further study. IMPORTANCE This is the first study to isolate and characterize F. oxysporum isolates from a built environment, as well as one that has been exposed to space. The characterization and analysis of these two genomes may have important implications for the medical, agricultural, and food industries as well as for the health of the crew who coinhabit the ISS with these strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Urbaniak
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Peter van Dam
- Molecular Plant Pathology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Tamas Torok
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Clay C. C. Wang
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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