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Jurado V, Martin-Pozas T, Fernandez-Cortes A, Calaforra JM, Sanchez-Moral S, Saiz-Jimenez C. Gypsum Cave Biofilm Communities are Strongly Influenced by Bat- And Arthropod-Related Fungi. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:80. [PMID: 38829422 PMCID: PMC11147836 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02395-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The Gypsum Karst of Sorbas, Almeria, southeast Spain, includes a few caves whose entrances are open and allow the entry and roosting of numerous bats. Caves are characterized by their diversity of gypsum speleothems, such as stalactites, coralloids, gypsum crusts, etc. Colored biofilms can be observed on the walls of most caves, among which the Covadura and C3 caves were studied. The objective was to determine the influence that bat mycobiomes may have on the fungal communities of biofilms. The results indicate that the fungi retrieved from white and yellow biofilms in Covadura Cave (Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota) showed a wide diversity, depending on their location, and were highly influenced by the bat population, the guano and the arthropods that thrive in the guano, while C3 Cave was more strongly influenced by soil- and arthropod-related fungi (Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota), due to the absence of roosting bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valme Jurado
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiologia, IRNAS-CSIC, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Tamara Martin-Pozas
- Departamento de Biologia y Geologia, Universidad de Almeria, 04120, Almeria, Spain
| | | | - Jose Maria Calaforra
- Departamento de Biologia y Geologia, Universidad de Almeria, 04120, Almeria, Spain
| | | | - Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiologia, IRNAS-CSIC, 41012, Sevilla, Spain.
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2
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Leão AF, Condé TO, Dutra YLG, Rosado AWC, Grazziotti PH, de Carvalho Neves S, Fraga LMS, Kasuya MCM, Pereira OL. Amphichorda monjolensis sp. nov., a new fungal species isolated from a Brazilian limestone cave, with an update on acremonium-like species in Bionectriaceae. Braz J Microbiol 2024; 55:1569-1585. [PMID: 38462595 PMCID: PMC11153450 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01289-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Caves are unique environments characterized by spatial limitations, partial or total absence of direct light, and scarcity of organic carbon and nutrients. Caves are shelters for a variety of adapted animals and microorganisms such as fungi, many of which are still unknown. Amphichorda is a fungal genus belonging to the family Bionectriaceae, which includes cave-dwelling and entomopathogenic species with biotechnological applications. In this study, a new fungal species was identified using morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of the ITS, LSU, and TEF loci, in the Gruta Velha Nova limestone cave located in the Southern Espinhaço Range, Monjolos, Minas Gerais, Brazil. During the exposure of potato dextrose agar plates to the cave environment, an insect from the family Rhaphidophoridae passed by and fed on the culture medium, resulting in three fungal isolates. Phylogenetic analyses showed that these isolates formed a clade distinct from all known species, leading us to introduce a new species, Amphichorda monjolensis, which may be associated with this insect. Here, we also proposed two new combinations for species of acremonium-like fungi in the Bionectriaceae: Bulbithecium globosisporum (synonym: Acremonium globosisporum) and Hapsidospora curva (synonym: Acremonium curvum). The discovery of A. monjolensis highlights the potential of caves as shelters for new species with significant biotechnological importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Flávia Leão
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Thiago Oliveira Condé
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Yan Lucas Gomes Dutra
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | | | - Paulo Henrique Grazziotti
- Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal Dos Vales Do Jequitinhonha E Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, 39100-000, Brazil
| | - Soraya de Carvalho Neves
- Instituto de Ciência E Tecnologia, Universidade Federal Dos Vales Do Jequitinhonha E Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, 39100-000, Brazil
| | - Lucio Mauro Soares Fraga
- Instituto de Ciência E Tecnologia, Universidade Federal Dos Vales Do Jequitinhonha E Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, 39100-000, Brazil
| | | | - Olinto Liparini Pereira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
- Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
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Poli A, Zanellati A, Piano E, Biagioli F, Coleine C, Nicolosi G, Selbmann L, Isaia M, Prigione V, Varese GC. Cultivable fungal diversity in two karstic caves in Italy: under-investigated habitats as source of putative novel taxa. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4164. [PMID: 38378919 PMCID: PMC10879487 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54548-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial diversity of caves is largely understudied and its possible applications are still unknown. Autochthonous fungi, in particular, may have the potential to biomineralize metals and may be used as promising agents for bioremediation of polluted sites; thus, unearthing the fungal diversity in hypogean ecosystems is nowadays of utmost importance. To start addressing this knowledge gap, the cultivable mycobiota of two neighbouring caves-one natural and one exploited for touristic purposes-were characterised and compared by studying fungi isolated from sediments collected at increasing distances from the entrance. Overall, 250 fungal isolates ascribable to 69 taxa (mainly Ascomycota) were found, a high percentage of which was reported in caves for the first time. The sediments of the touristic cave displayed a richer and more diversified community in comparison with the natural one, possibly due to visitors carrying propagules or organic material. Considering that these environments are still poorly explored, chances to detect new fungal lineages are not negligible.
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Grants
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- 2017HTXT2R Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
- IR0000005 European Commission - NextGenerationEU
- IR0000005 European Commission - NextGenerationEU
- IR0000005 European Commission - NextGenerationEU
- Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca
- European Commission – NextGenerationEU
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Affiliation(s)
- A Poli
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Mycotheca Universitatis Taurinensis, University of Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, 10100, Torino, Italy
| | - A Zanellati
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Mycotheca Universitatis Taurinensis, University of Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, 10100, Torino, Italy
| | - E Piano
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy
| | - F Biagioli
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo Dell'Università, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - C Coleine
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo Dell'Università, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - G Nicolosi
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy
| | - L Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo Dell'Università, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - M Isaia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy
| | - V Prigione
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Mycotheca Universitatis Taurinensis, University of Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, 10100, Torino, Italy.
| | - G C Varese
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Mycotheca Universitatis Taurinensis, University of Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, 10100, Torino, Italy
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4
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Meierhofer MB, Johnson JS, Perez-Jimenez J, Ito F, Webela PW, Wiantoro S, Bernard E, Tanalgo KC, Hughes A, Cardoso P, Lilley T, Mammola S. Effective conservation of subterranean-roosting bats. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14157. [PMID: 37504891 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Bats frequently inhabit caves and other subterranean habitats and play a critical role in subterranean food webs. With escalating threats to subterranean ecosystems, identifying the most effective measures to protect subterranean-roosting bats is critical. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and management interventions for subterranean-roosting bats. We used network analyses to determine to what extent interventions for bats overlap those used for other subterranean taxa. We conducted our analyses with data extracted from 345 papers recommending a total of 910 conservation interventions. Gating of roost entrances was applied to preserve bat populations in 21 studies, but its effectiveness was unclear. Habitat restoration and disturbance reduction positively affected bat populations and bat behavior, respectively, in ≤4 studies. Decontamination was assessed in 2 studies and positively affected bat populations, particularly in studies focused on reducing fungal spores associated with white-nose syndrome in North America. Monitoring of bat populations as an effective conservation strategy was unclear and infrequently tested. Only 4% of bat studies simultaneously considered other subterranean organisms. However, effective interventions for bat conservation had similarities with all other organisms. If other subterranean organisms are considered when applying interventions to conserve bats, they might also benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa B Meierhofer
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Joseph S Johnson
- School of Information Technology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Fernanda Ito
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Paul W Webela
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Maasai Mara University, Narok, Kenya
| | - Sigit Wiantoro
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biosystematics & Evolution, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Enrico Bernard
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Krizler C Tanalgo
- Ecology and Conservation Research Laboratory (Eco/Con Lab), Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, University of Southern Mindanao, Cotabato, Philippines
| | - Alice Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jinghong, China
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe), Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thomas Lilley
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stefano Mammola
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe), Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Verbania, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
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5
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Dutra YLG, Rosado AWC, Condé TO, Leão AF, Neves SDC, Fraga LMS, Kasuya MCM, Pereira OL. Two new Cladosporium species from a quartzite cave in Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2023; 54:3021-3031. [PMID: 37880564 PMCID: PMC10689331 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-023-01156-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Caves are underground and natural environments mainly found in rocky terrain. Caves have a very specific microclimate, which benefits the occurrence of specific fungi. In recent studies, researchers have observed that caves harbour a great diversity of fungi. However, studies on fungal diversity in Brazilian caves are still incipient. In September 2019, airborne spore and soil samples were collected from the Monte Cristo cave, in the Southern Espinhaço Range, Diamantina, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Two Cladosporium single-spore isolates, among other genera, were obtained from these samples. This study aimed to characterise these two fungal isolates based on their DNA sequence data and morphology. Phylogenetic analyses of the rDNA-ITS, ACT and TEF1-α loci revealed that the isolates belonged to the Cladosporium cladosporioides species complex. Both isolates did not cluster with any known species and were formally described and named herein as C. diamantinense and C. speluncae. This study presents taxonomic novelties and contributes to the knowledge about the fungal diversity in Brazilian caves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lucas Gomes Dutra
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - André Wilson Campos Rosado
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
- Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Thiago Oliveira Condé
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Ana Flávia Leão
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Soraya de Carvalho Neves
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, 39100-000, Brazil
| | - Lucio Mauro Soares Fraga
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, 39100-000, Brazil
| | | | - Olinto Liparini Pereira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
- Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
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6
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Suetrong S, Preedanon S, Kobmoo N, Srihom C, Somrithipol S, Saengkaewsuk S, Srikitikulchai P, Klaysuban A, Nuankaew S, Chuaseeharonnachai C, Chainuwong B, Muangsong C, Malimart K, Rungjindamai N, Siripornpibul C, Chareonkunnatum U, Ploydam B, Thungprue N, Tongsima S, Zhang ZF, Cai L, Boonyuen N. Unravelling the hidden diversity of cave mycobiota in Thailand's Satun Geopark. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19162. [PMID: 37932293 PMCID: PMC10628224 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43316-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Karst caves are distinctive ecosystems that have limited nutrients, darkness, low to moderate temperatures, and high moisture levels, which allow for a diverse range of fungal communities to thrive. Despite their significance, little is understood about the fungi found in karst caves in Thailand. In 2019, we studied the cultured mycobiota from five substrate types (air, water, rock, soil/sediment, and organic debris) in two karst caves (Le Stegodon and Phu Pha Phet Caves) of the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, southern Thailand. A cumulative count of 829 distinct fungal morphological types was identified, encompassing 319 fungal culturable were observed. Based on preliminary analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence using BLAST searches, the most common phylum among the fungal morphotypes was Ascomycota, harboring 282 species in 91 genera, 93.4% of which were distributed in the classes Eurotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Dothideomycetes. The most common fungal genera identified in the two karst caves were Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Talaromyces, Xylaria, and Trichoderma, with 45, 41, 24, 14, 14, and 6 species identified, respectively. Discovering fungi in Thai karst caves highlights the extensive fungal diversity in the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, implying undiscovered species, and emphasizing the need for comprehensive investigations in other unexplored Thai karst caves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satinee Suetrong
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Sita Preedanon
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Noppol Kobmoo
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Charisa Srihom
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Sayanh Somrithipol
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Supicha Saengkaewsuk
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Prasert Srikitikulchai
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Anupong Klaysuban
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Salilaporn Nuankaew
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Charuwan Chuaseeharonnachai
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Boonchuai Chainuwong
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Chotika Muangsong
- Innovation for Social and Environmental Management, Mahidol University (MU), Amnatcharoen Campus, Amnatcharoen, 37000, Thailand
| | - Kittapha Malimart
- Innovation for Social and Environmental Management, Mahidol University (MU), Amnatcharoen Campus, Amnatcharoen, 37000, Thailand
| | - Nattawut Rungjindamai
- Department of Biology, School of Science, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), Bangkok, 10520, Thailand.
| | - Chaiyaporn Siripornpibul
- Department of Groundwater Resources, Ngamwongwan 54 Lat Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Umapon Chareonkunnatum
- Department of Mineral Resources, Region 4, Tha Kham, Phunphin, Surat Thani, 84130, Thailand
| | - Bumrungrat Ploydam
- Khao Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary, Ban Na, Srinagarindra District, 93000, Phatthalung, Thailand
| | | | - Sissades Tongsima
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Zhi-Feng Zhang
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 51145, China
| | - Lei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Nattawut Boonyuen
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand.
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7
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Karunarathna SC, Haelewaters D, Lionakis MS, Tibpromma S, Jianchu X, Hughes AC, Mortimer PE. Assessing the threat of bat-associated fungal pathogens. One Health 2023; 16:100553. [PMID: 37363244 PMCID: PMC10288076 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens have become an increasingly important topic in recent decades. Yet whilst various cankers and blights have gained attention in temperate woodlands and crops, the scope for fungal pathogens of animals and their potential threat has received far less attention. With a shifting climate, the threat from fungal pathogens is predicted to increase in the future, thus understanding the spread of fungi over landscapes as well as taxa that may be at risk is of particular importance. Cave ecosystems provide potential refugia for various fungi, and roosts for bats. With their well vascularized wings and wide-ranging distributions, bats present potential fungal vectors. Furthermore, whilst bat immune systems are generally robust to bacterial and viral pathogens, they can be susceptible to fungal pathogens, particularly during periods of stress such as hibernation. Here we explore why bats are important and interesting vectors for fungi across landscapes and discuss knowledge gaps that require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha C. Karunarathna
- Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 65201, PR China
| | - Danny Haelewaters
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Research Group Mycology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Michail S. Lionakis
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, USA
| | - Saowaluck Tibpromma
- Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 65201, PR China
| | - Xu Jianchu
- Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 65201, PR China
| | - Alice C. Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Peter E. Mortimer
- Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 65201, PR China
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8
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Carvalho JLVR, Lima JMS, Barbier E, Bernard E, Bezerra JDP, Souza-Motta CM. Ticket to ride: fungi from bat ectoparasites in a tropical cave and the description of two new species. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:2077-2091. [PMID: 36264483 PMCID: PMC9679077 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00841-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Bat flies are obligate ectoparasitic dipterans that are highly specialised to bats and have apomorphic characteristics, such as absent or reduced wings, and specialised legs and claws, which contribute to their survival. They are often associated with fungi and harbour a fungal diversity that is still poorly understood. Fungi were found in association with the bat flies in a cave of the Caatinga dry forest in Brazil. In total, 43% of the captured bat flies were associated with fungi. Seventy-six flies were collected. DNA sequence analyses of 39 isolates showed that the isolates belonged to 13 species within nine genera, with 38 isolates belonging to Ascomycota and one isolate to Basidiomycota, and Aspergillus was the most frequently isolated genus. Most of the genera found have also been isolated from bat bodies and other substrates/hosts in caves in different regions of the world. Based on morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses, two new species of Ascomycota were described: Allophoma brasiliensis sp. nov. and Pyrenochaetopsis cecavii sp. nov.
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Affiliation(s)
- João L V R Carvalho
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Joenny M S Lima
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Eder Barbier
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Enrico Bernard
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Jadson D P Bezerra
- Laboratório de Micologia, Departamento de Biociências e Tecnologia, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Cristina M Souza-Motta
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
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9
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Alves V, Lira R, Lima J, Barbosa R, Bento D, Barbier E, Bernard E, Souza-Motta C, Bezerra J. Unravelling the fungal darkness in a tropical cave: richness and the description of one new genus and six new species. Fungal Syst Evol 2022; 10:139-167. [PMID: 36741552 PMCID: PMC9875697 DOI: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Caves are special environments that harbour an incredible diversity of life, including fungal species. Brazilian caves have been demonstrated to be biodiversity hotspots for known and unknown fungal species. We investigated the richness of culturable fungi in a tropical cave in Brazil by isolating these microorganisms from the sediment and air. The fungal abundance of colony-forming units (CFUs) was 3 178 in sediment and 526 in air. We used morphological features and phylogenetic analyses of actin (actA), calmodulin (cmdA), internal transcribed spacer regions and intervening 5.8S rRNA (ITS), large subunit (LSU) rDNA, RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), and β-tubulin (tub2) genes to identify these isolates. Forty-one species belonging to 17 genera of Ascomycota and two of Basidiomycota were identified, and the genus Aspergillus was most commonly observed in the cave (13 taxa). Twenty-four species were found in sediment (16 exclusives) and 25 species were found in air (17 exclusives). In this study, we introduced a new genus (Pseudolecanicillium gen. nov.) in the family Cordycipitaceae and six new species (14 % of the total taxa identified) of fungal isolates obtained from sediment and air: Aspergillus lebretii sp. nov., Malbranchea cavernosa sp. nov., Pseudohumicola cecavii sp. nov., Pseudolecanicillium caatingaense sp. nov., Talaromyces cavernicola sp. nov., and Tritirachium brasiliense sp. nov. In addition, we built a checklist of the fungal taxa reported from Brazilian caves. Our results highlight the contribution of Brazilian caves to the estimation of national and global fungal diversity. Citation: Alves VCS, Lira RA, Lima JMS, Barbosa RN, Bento DM, Barbier E, Bernard E, Souza-Motta CM, Bezerra JDP (2022). Unravelling the fungal darkness in a tropical cave: richness and the description of one new genus and six new species. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 10: 139-167. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.06.
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Affiliation(s)
- V.C.S. Alves
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - R.A. Lira
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - J.M.S. Lima
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - R.N. Barbosa
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - D.M. Bento
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Cavernas, Base Avançada no Rio Grande do Norte, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, CEP: 59015-350, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - E. Barbier
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Departamento de Zoologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - E. Bernard
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - C.M. Souza-Motta
- Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil,*Corresponding author: ,
| | - J.D.P. Bezerra
- Setor de Micologia, Departamento de Biociências e Tecnologia, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública (IPTSP), Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Rua 235, s/n, Setor Universitário, CEP: 74605-050, Goiânia, GO, Brazil,*Corresponding author: ,
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10
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Tanalgo KC, Oliveira HFM, Hughes AC. Mapping global conservation priorities and habitat vulnerabilities for cave-dwelling bats in a changing world. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:156909. [PMID: 35753458 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Research and media attention is disproportionately focused on taxa and ecosystems perceived as charismatic, while other equally diverse systems such as caves and subterranean ecosystems are often neglected in biodiversity assessments and prioritisations. Highlighting the urgent need for protection, an especially large fraction of cave endemic species may be undescribed. Yet these more challenging systems are also vulnerable, with karsts for example losing a considerable proportion of their area each year. Bats are keystone to cave ecosystems making them potential surrogates to understand cave diversity patterns and identify conservation priorities. On a global scale, almost half (48 %) of known bat species use caves for parts of their life histories, with 32 % endemic to a single country, and 15 % currently threatened. We combined global analysis of cave bats from the IUCN spatial data with site-specific analysis of 1930 bat caves from 46 countries to develop global priorities for the conservation of the most vulnerable subterranean ecosystems. Globally, 28 % of caves showed high bat diversity and were highly threatened. The highest regional concentration of conservation priority caves was in the Palearctic and tropical regions (except the Afrotropical, which requires more intensive cave data sampling). Our results further highlight the importance of prioritising bat caves by incorporating locally collected data and optimising parameter selection (i.e., appropriate landscape features and threats). Finally, to protect and conserve these ecosystems it is crucial that we use frameworks such as this to identify priorities in species and habitat-level and map vulnerable underground habitats with the highest biodiversity and distinctiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krizler C Tanalgo
- Landscape Ecology Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, PR China; Center for Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, PR China; International College of the University Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China; Zukunftskolleg and the Centre for Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, Baden-Württemberg, Konstanz, Germany; Ecology and Conservation Research Laboratory (Eco/Con Lab), Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, North Cotabato, Philippines.
| | | | - Alice Catherine Hughes
- Landscape Ecology Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, PR China; Center for Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, PR China; International College of the University Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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11
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First Isolation of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Fungal Causative Agent of White-Nose Syndrome, in Korean Bats (Myotis petax). J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8101072. [PMID: 36294636 PMCID: PMC9605074 DOI: 10.3390/jof8101072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), is a lethal fungal disease that affects hibernating bats in North America. Recently, the presence of Pd was reported in countries neighboring Korea. However, Pd has not been investigated in Korea. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the presence of Pd in Korean bats. Altogether, wings from 241 bats were collected from 13 cities and cultured. A total of 79 fungal colonies were isolated, and two isolates were identified as Pd using polymerase chain reaction. Of the nine bat species captured in 13 cities, Pd was isolated only from Myotis petax in Goryeong. Atypical, curved conidia were observed in two isolated fungal colonies. Although histological lesions were not observed by hematoxylin and eosin or periodic acid−Schiff staining, fungal invasion was observed in the tissue sections. Taken together, these results confirmed the presence of Pd in Korean bats and suggest the possibility of WNS outbreaks in Korean bats. This is the first report of the isolation and molecular analysis of Pd from Korean bats.
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Ito F, Lilley T, Twort VG, Bernard E. High genetic connectivity among large populations of Pteronotus gymnonotus in bat caves in Brazil and its implications for conservation. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.934633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bat caves in the Neotropical region harbor exceptional bat populations (> 100,000 individuals). These populations play a wider role in ecological interactions, are vulnerable due to their restriction to caves, and have a disproportionate conservation value. Current knowledge of bat caves in Brazil is still small. However, systematic monitoring of some bat caves in northeastern Brazil shows that they experience strong population fluctuations over short periods of time, suggesting large-scale movements between roosts and a much broader use of the landscape than previously considered. Spatio-temporal reproductive connectivity between distant populations would change our understanding of the use of roosts among bat species in Brazil, and important gaps in knowledge of long-distance bat movements in the country would be filled. Here, we used ddRADseq data to analyze the genetic structure of Pteronotus gymnonotus across nine bat caves over 700 km. Our results indicate the lack of a clear geographic structure with gene flow among all the caves analyzed, suggesting that P. gymnonotus uses a network of bat caves geographically segregated hundreds of kilometers apart. Facing strong anthropogenic impacts and an underrepresentation of caves in conservation action plans worldwide, the genetic connectivity demonstrated here confirms that bat caves are priority sites for bat and speleological conservation in Brazil and elsewhere. Moreover, our results demonstrate a warning call: the applied aspects of the environmental licensing process of the mining sector and its impact must be reviewed, not only in Brazil, but wherever this licensing process affects caves having exceptional bat populations.
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13
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Martin-Pozas T, Nováková A, Jurado V, Fernandez-Cortes A, Cuezva S, Saiz-Jimenez C, Sanchez-Moral S. Diversity of Microfungi in a High Radon Cave Ecosystem. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:869661. [PMID: 35572646 PMCID: PMC9093739 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.869661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Castañar Cave is a clear example of an oligotrophic ecosystem with high hygrothermal stability both seasonal and interannual and the particularity of registering extraordinary levels of environmental radiation. These environmental conditions make the cave an ideal laboratory to evaluate both the responses of the subterranean environment to sudden changes in the matter and energy fluxes with the exterior and also any impact derived from its use as a tourist resource under a very restrictive access regime. In 2008, a fungal outbreak provoked by a vomit contaminated the sediments which were removed and subsequently treated with hydrogen peroxide. Fungal surveys were carried out in 2008 and 2009. The visits were resumed in 2014. Here, 12 years after the outbreak, we present an exhaustive study on the cave sediments in order to know the distribution of the different fungal taxa, as well as the prevalence and spatio-temporal evolution of the fungi caused by the vomit over the years under the conditions of relative isolation and high radiation that characterize this cave.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Martin-Pozas
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alena Nováková
- Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, Prague, Czechia
| | - Valme Jurado
- Department of Agrochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Soil Conservation, Institute of Natural Resources and Agricultural Biology (IRNAS-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | | | - Soledad Cuezva
- Department of Geology, Geography and Environment, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
- Department of Agrochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Soil Conservation, Institute of Natural Resources and Agricultural Biology (IRNAS-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Sergio Sanchez-Moral
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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14
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Cazabonne J, Bartrop L, Dierickx G, Gafforov Y, Hofmann TA, Martin TE, Piepenbring M, Rivas-Ferreiro M, Haelewaters D. Molecular-Based Diversity Studies and Field Surveys Are Not Mutually Exclusive: On the Importance of Integrated Methodologies in Mycological Research. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:860777. [PMID: 37746218 PMCID: PMC10512293 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.860777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and describing the diversity of living organisms is a great challenge. Fungi have for a long time been, and unfortunately still are, underestimated when it comes to taxonomic research. The foundations were laid by the first mycologists through field observations. These important fundamental works have been and remain vital reference works. Nevertheless, a non-negligible part of the studied funga escaped their attention. Thanks to modern developments in molecular techniques, the study of fungal diversity has been revolutionized in terms of tools and knowledge. Despite a number of disadvantages inherent to these techniques, traditional field-based inventory work has been increasingly superseded and neglected. This perspective aims to demonstrate the central importance of field-based research in fungal diversity studies, and encourages researchers not to be blinded by the sole use of molecular methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Cazabonne
- Groupe de Recherche en Écologie de la MRC Abitibi (GREMA), Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts (IRF), Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Amos, QC, Canada
| | | | - Glen Dierickx
- Research Group Mycology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yusufjon Gafforov
- Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Institute (SBiK-F), Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Tina A. Hofmann
- Centro de Investigaciones Micológicas (CIMi), Herbario UCH, Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí, David, Panama
| | - Thomas E. Martin
- Operation Wallacea Ltd, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, United Kingdom
| | - Meike Piepenbring
- Mycology Working Group, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Mauro Rivas-Ferreiro
- Population Genetics and Cytogenetics Group, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Danny Haelewaters
- Research Group Mycology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Centro de Investigaciones Micológicas (CIMi), Herbario UCH, Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí, David, Panama
- Operation Wallacea Ltd, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceské Budějovice, Czechia
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15
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Mondini A, Anwar MZ, Ellegaard-Jensen L, Lavin P, Jacobsen CS, Purcarea C. Heat Shock Response of the Active Microbiome From Perennial Cave Ice. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:809076. [PMID: 35360653 PMCID: PMC8960993 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.809076] [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: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ice caves constitute the newly investigated frozen and secluded model habitats for evaluating the resilience of ice-entrapped microbiomes in response to climate changes. This survey identified the total and active prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities from millennium-old ice accumulated in Scarisoara cave (Romania) using Illumina shotgun sequencing of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA)-based functional analysis of the metatranscriptome. Also, the response of active microbiome to heat shock treatment mimicking the environmental shift during ice melting was evaluated at both the taxonomic and metabolic levels. The putatively active microbial community was dominated by bacterial taxa belonging to Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, which are highly resilient to thermal variations, while the scarcely present archaea belonging to Methanomicrobia was majorly affected by heat shock. Among eukaryotes, the fungal rRNA community was shared between the resilient Chytridiomycota and Blastocladiomycota, and the more sensitive Ascomycota and Basidiomycota taxa. A complex microeukaryotic community highly represented by Tardigrada and Rotifera (Metazoa), Ciliophora and Cercozoa (Protozoa), and Chlorophyta (Plantae) was evidenced for the first time in this habitat. This community showed a quick reaction to heat shock, followed by a partial recovery after prolonged incubation at 4°C due to possible predation processes on the prokaryotic cluster. Analysis of mRNA differential gene expression revealed the presence of an active microbiome in the perennial ice from the Scarisoara cave and associated molecular mechanisms for coping with temperature variations by the upregulation of genes involved in enzyme recovery, energy storage, carbon and nitrogen regulation, and cell motility. This first report on the active microbiome embedded in perennial ice from caves and its response to temperature stress provided a glimpse into the impact of glaciers melting and the resilience mechanisms in this habitat, contributing to the knowledge on the functional role of active microbes in frozen environments and their response to climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Mondini
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Muhammad Zohaib Anwar
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, RISØ Campus, Roskilde, Denmark
- Center for Infectious Disease Genomics and One Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lea Ellegaard-Jensen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, RISØ Campus, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paris Lavin
- Centre of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Carsten Suhr Jacobsen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, RISØ Campus, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Cristina Purcarea
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania
- *Correspondence: Cristina Purcarea,
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16
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Richness of Cladosporium in a tropical bat cave with the description of two new species. Mycol Prog 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-021-01760-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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17
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Visagie C, Goodwell M, Nkwe D. Aspergillus diversity from the Gcwihaba Cave in Botswana and description of one new species. Fungal Syst Evol 2021; 8:81-89. [PMID: 35005574 PMCID: PMC8687055 DOI: 10.3114/fuse.2021.08.07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A fungal survey of the Gcwihaba Cave from Botswana found Aspergillus to be one of the more common fungal genera isolated. The 81 Aspergillus strains were identified using CaM sequences and comparing these to a curated reference dataset. Nineteen species were identified representing eight sections (sections Candidi, Circumdati, Flavi, Flavipedes, Nidulantes, Nigri, Terrei and Usti). One strain could not be identified. Morphological characterisation and multigene phylogenetic analyses confirmed it as a new species in section Flavipedes and we introduce it below as A. okavangoensis. The new species is most similar to A. iizukae, both producing conidiophores with vesicles typically wider than 20 μm. The new species, however, does not produce Hülle cells and its colonies grow slower than those of A. iizukae on CYA at 37 °C (14-15 vs 18-21 mm) and CREA (15-16 vs 23-41mm).
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Affiliation(s)
- C.M. Visagie
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - M. Goodwell
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 16, Plot 10071, Khurumela Ward, Palapye, Botswana
| | - D.O. Nkwe
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 16, Plot 10071, Khurumela Ward, Palapye, Botswana
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18
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Lofgren LA, Stajich JE. Fungal biodiversity and conservation mycology in light of new technology, big data, and changing attitudes. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R1312-R1325. [PMID: 34637742 PMCID: PMC8516061 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Fungi have successfully established themselves across seemingly every possible niche, substrate, and biome. They are fundamental to biogeochemical cycling, interspecies interactions, food production, and drug bioprocessing, as well as playing less heroic roles as difficult to treat human infections and devastating plant pathogens. Despite community efforts to estimate and catalog fungal diversity, we have only named and described a minute fraction of the fungal world. The identification, characterization, and conservation of fungal diversity is paramount to preserving fungal bioresources, and to understanding and predicting ecosystem cycling and the evolution and epidemiology of fungal disease. Although species and ecosystem conservation are necessarily the foundation of preserving this diversity, there is value in expanding our definition of conservation to include the protection of biological collections, ecological metadata, genetic and genomic data, and the methods and code used for our analyses. These definitions of conservation are interdependent. For example, we need metadata on host specificity and biogeography to understand rarity and set priorities for conservation. To aid in these efforts, we need to draw expertise from diverse fields to tie traditional taxonomic knowledge to data obtained from modern -omics-based approaches, and support the advancement of diverse research perspectives. We also need new tools, including an updated framework for describing and tracking species known only from DNA, and the continued integration of functional predictions to link genetic diversity to functional and ecological diversity. Here, we review the state of fungal diversity research as shaped by recent technological advancements, and how changing viewpoints in taxonomy, -omics, and systematics can be integrated to advance mycological research and preserve fungal biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotus A Lofgren
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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19
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Wasti IG, Khan FAA, Bernard H, Hassan NH, Fayle T, Sathiya Seelan JS. Fungal communities in bat guano, speleothem surfaces, and cavern water in Madai cave, Northern Borneo (Malaysia). Mycology 2021; 12:188-202. [PMID: 34552810 PMCID: PMC8451656 DOI: 10.1080/21501203.2021.1877204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The island of Borneo is a global biodiversity hotspot. However, its limestone caves are one of its least-studied ecosystems. We report for the first time the fungal species richness, diversity and abundance from Madai cave, situated in north-eastern Borneo. Environmental samples from inside the cave environment were collected (guano, speleothem, and cavern water) via opportunistic sampling. The dilution method was performed for isolation of fungi. Morphological characterisation and molecular analysis of the ITS region were utilised for the identification of isolates. Fifty-five pure cultures of fungi were attained, comprising 32 species from 15 genera, eight orders, and two divisions, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Ascomycetes dominated the fungal composition, accounting for 53 (96%) out of 55 total isolates. Penicillium spp. accounted for more than 47.1% of fungal abundance in all sample types. However, Aspergillus spp. had the highest occurrence rate, being isolated from all environmental samples except one. Purpureocillium lilacinum was isolated most frequently, appearing in five separate samples across all three substrates. Annulohypoxylon nitens, Ganoderma australe, Pyrrhoderma noxium, and Xylaria feejeensis were discovered and reported for the first time from the cave environment. This study provides additional data for further research on the mycoflora of Sabah’s various ecosystems, especially limestone caves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahem G Wasti
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,Faculty of Natural Science and Sustainability, University College Sabah Foundation, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Faisal Ali Anwarali Khan
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Noor Haliza Hassan
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Tom Fayle
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
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20
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Leal ESB, Bernard E. Mobility of bats between caves: ecological aspects and implications for conservation and environmental licensing activities in Brazil. STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2021.1964910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Edson Silva Barbosa Leal
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Enrico Bernard
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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21
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Diversity and Seasonal Dynamics of Airborne Fungi in Nerja Cave, Spain. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11136236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Nerja Cave, Southern Spain, was revealed as an important biodiversity reservoir from which several novel species of Aspergillus were described. We carried out an aerobiological study in Nerja Cave to assess the origin of airborne fungi. This study quantified the fungi present in the air of ten representative halls covering the three sectors comprising the cave: Touristic Galleries, High Galleries, and New Galleries. Microclimatological monitoring allowed us to understand the dynamic of airborne fungi in two seasons of the year (winter and summer), corresponding to the strongest and the lowest cave ventilation, and to validate the influence that the transport of airborne fungi from outside may have on the cave itself. The data show that cold air enters in winter, as confirmed by the abundant presence of Aspergillus and Penicillium spores inside and outside the cave. In summer, the abundance of some fungi in the air of Nerja Cave, which are not detected outside, indicates a stagnation or low ventilation, and therefore, the concentration of fungal spores is maxima. The high occurrence of Cladosporium outside the cave and the scarce abundance inside support the cave stagnation in this season.
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22
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Borzęcka J, Piecuch A, Kokurewicz T, Lavoie KH, Ogórek R. Greater Mouse-Eared Bats ( Myotis myotis) Hibernating in the Nietoperek Bat Reserve (Poland) as a Vector of Airborne Culturable Fungi. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:593. [PMID: 34199108 PMCID: PMC8301124 DOI: 10.3390/biology10070593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Bats can contribute to an increase of aeromycota in underground ecosystems and might be a vector/reservoir of microorganisms; however, there is no information about the number and species composition of fungi around hibernating bats. One of the most common species in Europe with direct human contact is the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis). The goal of our research was the first report of the airborne fungi present in the close vicinity of hibernating M. myotis in the Nietoperek bat reserve (Western Poland) by the use of culture-based techniques and genetic and phenotypic identifications. Aerobiological investigations of mycobiota under hibernating bats were performed on two culture media (PDA and YPG) and at two incubation temperatures (7 and 24 ± 0.5 °C). Overall, we detected 32 fungal species from three phyla (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota) and 12 genera. The application of YPG medium and the higher incubation temperature showed higher numbers of isolated fungal species and CFU. Penicillium spp. were dominant in the study, with spores found outside the underground hibernation site from 51.9% to 86.3% and from 56.7% to 100% inside the bat reserve. Penicillium chrysogenum was the most frequently isolated species, then Absidia glauca, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. tubingensis, Mortierella polycephala, Naganishia diffluens, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Temperature, relative humidity, and the abundance of bats correlated positively with the concentration of airborne fungal propagules, between fungal species diversity, and the concentration of aeromycota, but the number of fungal species did not positively correlate with the number of bats. The air in the underground site was more contaminated by fungi than the air outside; however, the concentration of aeromycota does not pose a threat for human health. Nevertheless, hibernating bats contribute to an increase in the aeromycota and as a vector/reservoir of microscopic fungi, including those that may cause allergies and infections in mammals, and should be monitored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Borzęcka
- Department of Mycology and Genetics, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego Street 63-77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Agata Piecuch
- Department of Mycology and Genetics, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego Street 63-77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Tomasz Kokurewicz
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Paleontology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 5b, 51-631 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Kathleen H. Lavoie
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York, Plattsburgh, NY 12901, USA;
| | - Rafał Ogórek
- Department of Mycology and Genetics, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego Street 63-77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland;
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23
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Garzoli L, Bozzetta E, Varello K, Cappelleri A, Patriarca E, Debernardi P, Riccucci M, Boggero A, Girometta C, Picco AM. White-Nose Syndrome Confirmed in Italy: A Preliminary Assessment of Its Occurrence in Bat Species. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:192. [PMID: 33803110 PMCID: PMC8000523 DOI: 10.3390/jof7030192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although no mass mortality has been recorded so far, the precise demographic effect of white-nose syndrome (WNS) on European bats still remains to be ascertained. Following the first isolation of P. destructans in Italy, further surveys were performed to assess the distribution of the fungus in NW Italy and its effects on bats. Data were collected from March 2019 to April 2020 at sites used for hibernation (six sites) and/or for reproduction (four sites) in Piedmont and Aosta Valley. A total of 138 bats, belonging to 10 species, were examined to identify clinical features possibly related to the fungal presence. Culture from swabs and the molecular identification of isolates confirmed the presence of P. destructans in bats from five sites, including two maternal roosts. Dermal fungal infiltration, the criterion to assess the presence of WNS, was observed in biopsies of bats belonging to Myotis blythii, M. daubentonii, M. emarginatus and M. myotis. This is the first report of the disease in Italy. The results suggest a greater susceptibility to the infection of the genus Myotis and particularly of M. emarginatus, possibly due to the long length of its hibernation period. Other fungal dermatophytes were also observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Garzoli
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (C.G.); (A.M.P.)
- S.Te.P. Stazione Teriologica Piemontese, 10022 Carmagnola, Italy; (E.P.); (P.D.)
- CNR-Water Research Institute (IRSA), 28922 Verbania, Italy;
| | - Elena Bozzetta
- Department of Specialised Diagnostic, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (E.B.); (K.V.)
| | - Katia Varello
- Department of Specialised Diagnostic, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (E.B.); (K.V.)
| | - Andrea Cappelleri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy;
- Mouse and Animal Pathology Laboratory (MAPLab), Fondazione UniMi, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Patriarca
- S.Te.P. Stazione Teriologica Piemontese, 10022 Carmagnola, Italy; (E.P.); (P.D.)
| | - Paolo Debernardi
- S.Te.P. Stazione Teriologica Piemontese, 10022 Carmagnola, Italy; (E.P.); (P.D.)
| | - Marco Riccucci
- Zoological Section «La Specola», Museum of Natural History of the University of Florence, 50125 Florence, Italy;
| | - Angela Boggero
- CNR-Water Research Institute (IRSA), 28922 Verbania, Italy;
| | - Carolina Girometta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (C.G.); (A.M.P.)
| | - Anna Maria Picco
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (C.G.); (A.M.P.)
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24
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Dimkić I, Fira D, Janakiev T, Kabić J, Stupar M, Nenadić M, Unković N, Grbić ML. The microbiome of bat guano: for what is this knowledge important? Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:1407-1419. [PMID: 33512572 PMCID: PMC7845282 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11143-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Bats as flying mammals are potent vectors and natural reservoir hosts for many infectious viruses, bacteria, and fungi, also detected in their excreta such as guano. Accelerated deforestation, urbanization, and anthropization hastily lead to overpopulation of the bats in urban areas allowing easy interaction with other animals, expansion, and emergence of new zoonotic disease outbreaks potentially harmful to humans. Therefore, getting new insights in the microbiome of bat guano from different places represents an imperative for the future. Furthermore, the use of novel high-throughput sequencing technologies allows better insight in guano microbiome and potentially indicated that some species could be typical guano-dwelling members. Bats are well known as a natural reservoir of many zoonotic viruses such as Ebola, Nipah, Marburg, lyssaviruses, rabies, henipaviruses, and many coronaviruses which caused a high number of outbreaks including ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, many bacterial and fungal pathogens were identified as common guano residents. Thus, the presence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria as environmental reservoirs of extended spectrum β-lactamases and carbapenemase-producing strains has been confirmed. Bat guano is the most suitable substrate for fungal reproduction and dissemination, including pathogenic yeasts and keratinophilic and dimorphic human pathogenic fungi known as notorious causative agents of severe endemic mycoses like histoplasmosis and fatal cryptococcosis, especially deadly in immunocompromised individuals. This review provides an overview of bat guano microbiota diversity and the significance of autochthonous and pathogenic taxa for humans and the environment, highlighting better understanding in preventing emerging diseases. KEY POINTS: Bat guano as reservoir and source for spreading of autochthonous and pathogenic microbiota Bat guano vs. novel zoonotic disease outbreaks Destruction of bat natural habitats urgently demands increased human awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivica Dimkić
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia.
| | - Djordje Fira
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Tamara Janakiev
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Jovana Kabić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, dr Subotića starijeg 1, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Miloš Stupar
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Marija Nenadić
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060, Serbia
| | - Nikola Unković
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
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