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Rabbachin L, Nir I, Waldherr M, Vassallo Y, Piñar G, Graf A, Kushmaro A, Sterflinger K. Diversity of fungi associated with petroglyph sites in the Negev Desert, Israel, and their potential role in bioweathering. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2024; 5:1400380. [PMID: 39035870 PMCID: PMC11257853 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2024.1400380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The petroglyphs of the Negev Desert, Israel, are famous and valuable archaeological remains. Previous studies have investigated the microbial communities associated with petroglyphs and their potential role in stone deterioration; nevertheless, the role of fungi remains unclear. In this study, the fungal communities present on the stone and, as a comparison, in the surrounding environment (soil and air) at Negev petroglyph sites were analyzed by means of culture-dependent and -independent (metagenomic) techniques. The metagenomic results showed a high fungal biodiversity in the soil, and both approaches highlighted the prevalence of species producing melanized, large, thick-walled spores (mainly Alternaria spp.). From the air sampling, mostly Cladosporium spp. were retrieved. On the other hand, on the rock, the results seem to indicate a low presence of fungi, but with a rock-specialized mycobiota consisting of extremotolerant microcolonial fungi (MCF) (e.g., Vermiconidia and Coniosporium) and lichens (Flavoplaca). In addition, low proportions of cosmopolitan fungi were detected on the stone, but the comparison of the data clearly indicates that they are transients from the surrounding environment. The ability of the isolated strains to dissolve CaCO3 and therefore be a potential threat to the petroglyphs (limestone substrate) was tested, but only one strain resulted in positive acid production under laboratory conditions. Nevertheless, both lichens and MCF detected in this study are well-known stone deteriogens, which may have a significant impact on the petroglyph's deterioration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rabbachin
- Institute of Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts (INTK), Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Irit Nir
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel
| | - Monika Waldherr
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ylenia Vassallo
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Guadalupe Piñar
- Institute of Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts (INTK), Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexandra Graf
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ariel Kushmaro
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel
- School of Sustainability and Climate Change, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel
| | - Katja Sterflinger
- Institute of Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts (INTK), Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Chrismas N, Tindall-Jones B, Jenkins H, Harley J, Bird K, Cunliffe M. Metatranscriptomics reveals diversity of symbiotic interaction and mechanisms of carbon exchange in the marine cyanolichen Lichina pygmaea. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:2243-2257. [PMID: 37840369 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Lichens are exemplar symbioses based upon carbon exchange between photobionts and their mycobiont hosts. Historically considered a two-way relationship, some lichen symbioses have been shown to contain multiple photobiont partners; however, the way in which these photobiont communities react to environmental change is poorly understood. Lichina pygmaea is a marine cyanolichen that inhabits rocky seashores where it is submerged in seawater during every tidal cycle. Recent work has indicated that L. pygmaea has a complex photobiont community including the cyanobionts Rivularia and Pleurocapsa. We performed rRNA-based metabarcoding and mRNA metatranscriptomics of the L. pygmaea holobiont at high and low tide to investigate community response to immersion in seawater. Carbon exchange in L. pygmaea is a dynamic process, influenced by both tidal cycle and the biology of the individual symbiotic components. The mycobiont and two cyanobiont partners exhibit distinct transcriptional responses to seawater hydration. Sugar-based compatible solutes produced by Rivularia and Pleurocapsa in response to seawater are a potential source of carbon to the mycobiont. We propose that extracellular processing of photobiont-derived polysaccharides is a fundamental step in carbon acquisition by L. pygmaea and is analogous to uptake of plant-derived carbon in ectomycorrhizal symbioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Chrismas
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Beth Tindall-Jones
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Helen Jenkins
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Joanna Harley
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Kimberley Bird
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Michael Cunliffe
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
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Paiva DS, Fernandes L, Portugal A, Trovão J. First Genome Sequence of the Microcolonial Black Fungus Saxispiralis lemnorum MUM 23.14: Insights into the Unique Genomic Traits of the Aeminiaceae Family. Microorganisms 2024; 12:104. [PMID: 38257931 PMCID: PMC10820743 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Saxispiralis lemnorum MUM 23.14 is an extremotolerant microcolonial black fungus, originally isolated from a biodeteriorated limestone artwork in Portugal. This recently introduced species belongs to the Aeminiaceae family, representing the second member of this monophyletic clade. This fungus exhibits a unique set of characteristics, including xerophily, cold tolerance, high UV radiation tolerance, and an exceptional ability to thrive in NaCl concentrations of up to 30% while also enduring pH levels ranging from 5 to 11. To gain insights into its genomic traits associated with stress resistance mechanisms, specialization, and their potential implications in stone biodeterioration, we conducted a comprehensive genome sequencing and analysis. This draft genome not only marks the first for the Saxispiralis genus but also the second for the Aeminiaceae family. Furthermore, we performed two comparative genomic analyses: one focusing on the closest relative within the Aeminiaceae family, Aeminium ludgeri, and another encompassing the genome of different extremotolerant black fungi. In this study, we successfully achieved high genome completeness for S. lemnorum and confirmed its close phylogenetic relationship to A. ludgeri. Our findings revealed traits contributing to its extremophilic nature and provided insights into potential mechanisms contributing to stone biodeterioration. Many traits are common to both Aeminiaceae species and are shared with other black fungi, while numerous unique traits may be attributed to species-specific characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana S. Paiva
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE)—Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal (J.T.)
| | - Luís Fernandes
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE)—Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal (J.T.)
| | - António Portugal
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE)—Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal (J.T.)
- FitoLab—Laboratory for Phytopathology, Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN), Rua Pedro Nunes, 3030-199 Coimbra, Portugal
- TERRA—Associate Laboratory for Sustainable Land Use and Ecosystem Services, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Trovão
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE)—Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal (J.T.)
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Jung P, Baumann K, Emrich D, Schermer M, Eckhardt KU, Jandl G, Leinweber P, Harion F, Wruck A, Grube M, Büdel B, Lakatos M. The dark side of orange: Multiorganismic continuum dynamics within a lichen of the Atacama Desert. Mycologia 2024; 116:44-58. [PMID: 37955984 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2023.2263148] [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: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Over the decades our understanding of lichens has shifted to the fact that they are multiorganismic, symbiotic microecosystems, with their complex interactions coming to the fore due to recent advances in microbiomics. Here, we present a mutualistic-parasitic continuum dynamics scenario between an orange lichen and a lichenicolous fungus from the Atacama Desert leading to the decay of the lichen's photobiont and leaving behind a black lichen thallus. Based on isolation, sequencing, and ecophysiological approaches including metabolic screenings of the symbionts, we depict consequences upon infection with the lichenicolous fungus. This spans from a loss of the lichen's photosynthetic activity and an increased roughness of its surface to an inhibition of the parietin synthesis as a shared pathway between the photobiont and the mycobiont, including a shift of secondary metabolism products. This degree of relations has rarely been documented before, although lichenicolous fungi have been studied for over 200 years, adding an additional level to the view of interactions within lichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Carl-Schurz-Str. 10-16, Pirmasens 66953, Germany
| | - Karen Baumann
- Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, Rostock 18051, Germany
| | - Dina Emrich
- Applied Vegetation Ecology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Michael Schermer
- Biology, Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Erwin-Schrödinger Str. 52, Kaiserslautern 67663, Germany
| | - Kai-Uwe Eckhardt
- Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, Rostock 18051, Germany
| | - Gerald Jandl
- Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, Rostock 18051, Germany
| | - Peter Leinweber
- Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, Rostock 18051, Germany
| | - Felix Harion
- Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Carl-Schurz-Str. 10-16, Pirmasens 66953, Germany
| | - Andreas Wruck
- Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Carl-Schurz-Str. 10-16, Pirmasens 66953, Germany
| | - Martin Grube
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, Graz 8010, Austria
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Department of Biology, Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Erwin-Schrödinger Str. 52, Kaiserslautern 67663, Germany
| | - Michael Lakatos
- Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Carl-Schurz-Str. 10-16, Pirmasens 66953, Germany
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Carr EC, Barton Q, Grambo S, Sullivan M, Renfro CM, Kuo A, Pangilinan J, Lipzen A, Keymanesh K, Savage E, Barry K, Grigoriev IV, Riekhof WR, Harris SD. Characterization of a novel polyextremotolerant fungus, Exophiala viscosa, with insights into its melanin regulation and ecological niche. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad110. [PMID: 37221014 PMCID: PMC10411609 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Black yeasts are polyextremotolerant fungi that contain high amounts of melanin in their cell wall and maintain a primar yeast form. These fungi grow in xeric, nutrient depletes environments which implies that they require highly flexible metabolisms and have been suggested to contain the ability to form lichen-like mutualisms with nearby algae and bacteria. However, the exact ecological niche and interactions between these fungi and their surrounding community are not well understood. We have isolated 2 novel black yeasts from the genus Exophiala that were recovered from dryland biological soil crusts. Despite notable differences in colony and cellular morphology, both fungi appear to be members of the same species, which has been named Exophiala viscosa (i.e. E. viscosa JF 03-3 Goopy and E. viscosa JF 03-4F Slimy). A combination of whole genome sequencing, phenotypic experiments, and melanin regulation experiments have been performed on these isolates to fully characterize these fungi and help decipher their fundamental niche within the biological soil crust consortium. Our results reveal that E. viscosa is capable of utilizing a wide variety of carbon and nitrogen sources potentially derived from symbiotic microbes, can withstand many forms of abiotic stresses, and excretes melanin which can potentially provide ultraviolet resistance to the biological soil crust community. Besides the identification of a novel species within the genus Exophiala, our study also provides new insight into the regulation of melanin production in polyextremotolerant fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C Carr
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Quin Barton
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Sarah Grambo
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Mitchell Sullivan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Cecile M Renfro
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Alan Kuo
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jasmyn Pangilinan
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Anna Lipzen
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Keykhosrow Keymanesh
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Emily Savage
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kerrie Barry
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Igor V Grigoriev
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Wayne R Riekhof
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Steven D Harris
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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Chang R, Wang Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Li S, Zhao G, Zhang S, Dai M, Zheng X, Bose T, Si H. Nine new species of black lichenicolous fungi from the genus Cladophialophora (Chaetothyriales) from two different climatic zones of China. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1191818. [PMID: 37396360 PMCID: PMC10312087 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1191818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Lichenicolous fungi are parasites of lichens. Many of these fungi are referred to as "black fungi". A diversity of these black fungi include species that are pathogenic to humans and plants. A majority of black fungi reside in the phylum Ascomycota within the sub-classes Chaetothyriomycetidae and Dothideomycetidae. To explore the diversity of lichenicolous "black fungi" associated with lichens in China, we conducted several field surveys in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province between 2019 and 2020. We recovered 1,587 fungal isolates from the lichens collected during these surveys. During the preliminary identification of these isolates using the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU), and small subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (SSU), we identified 15 fungal isolates from the genus Cladophialophora. However, these isolates had low sequence similarities with all known species from the genus. Therefore, we amplified additional gene regions, such as, translation elongation factor (TEF) and partial β-tubulin gene (TUB), and constructed a multi-gene phylogeny using maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian inference. In our datasets, we included type sequences where available for all Cladophialophora species. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that none of the 15 isolates belonged to any of the previously described species in the genus. Therefore, using both morphological and molecular data, we classified these 15 isolates as nine new species within the genus Cladophialophora: C. flavoparmeliae, C. guttulate, C. heterodermiae, C. holosericea, C. lichenis, C. moniliformis, C. mongoliae, C. olivacea, and C. yunnanensis. The outcome from this study shows that lichens are an important refugia for black lichenicolous fungi, such as those from Chaetothyriales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runlei Chang
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- Dongying Institute, Shandong Normal University, Dongying, China
| | - Yichen Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Yanyu Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Yiran Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Shiguo Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- Dongying Institute, Shandong Normal University, Dongying, China
| | - Guoyan Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- Dongying Institute, Shandong Normal University, Dongying, China
| | - Susu Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- Dongying Institute, Shandong Normal University, Dongying, China
| | - Meixue Dai
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- Dongying Institute, Shandong Normal University, Dongying, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Tanay Bose
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Hongli Si
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- Dongying Institute, Shandong Normal University, Dongying, China
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Torres-Garcia D, García D, Réblová M, Jurjević Ž, Hubka V, Gené J. Diversity and novel lineages of black yeasts in Chaetothyriales from freshwater sediments in Spain. PERSOONIA 2023; 51:194-228. [PMID: 38665982 PMCID: PMC11041900 DOI: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Black yeasts comprise a group of Ascomycota of the order Chaetothyriales with highly variable morphology, a great diversity of ecological niches and life cycles. Despite the ubiquity of these fungi, their diversity in freshwater sediments is still poorly understood. During a survey of culturable Ascomycota from river and stream sediments in various sampling sites in Spain, we obtained 47 isolates of black yeasts by using potato dextrose agar supplemented with cycloheximide. A preliminary morphological study and sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and the large subunit (LSU) of the nuclear rDNA revealed that most of the isolates belonged to the family Herpotrichiellaceae. We have confidently identified 30 isolates representing the following species: Capronia pulcherrima, Cladophialophora emmonsii, Exophiala equina, Exophiala pisciphila, Exophiala radicis, and Phialophora americana. However, we encountered difficulty in assigning 17 cultures to any known species within Chaetothyriales. Combining phenotypic and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses based on the ITS, LSU, β-tubulin (tub2) and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α) gene markers, we propose the new genus Aciculomyces in the Herpotrichiellaceae to accommodate the novel species Aciculomyces restrictus. Other novel species in this family include Cladophialophora denticulata, Cladophialophora heterospora, Cladophialophora irregularis, Exophiala candelabrata, Exophiala dehoogii, Exophiala ramosa, Exophiala verticillata and Phialophora submersa. The new species Cyphellophora spiralis, closely related to Cyphellophora suttonii, is described, and the phylogeny of the genus Anthopsis in the family Cyphellophoraceae is discussed. By utilizing these four markers, we were able to strengthen the phylogenetic resolution and provide more robust taxonomic assessments within the studied group. Our findings indicate that freshwater sediments may serve as a reservoir for intriguing black yeasts, which warrant further investigation to address gaps in phylogenetic relationships, particularly within Herpotrichiellaceae. Citation: Torres-Garcia D, García D, Réblová M, et al. 2023. Diversity and novel lineages of black yeasts in Chaetothyriales from freshwater sediments in Spain. Persoonia 51: 194-228. doi: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.05.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Torres-Garcia
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut and IU-RESCAT, Unitat de Micologia i Microbiologia Ambiental, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - D. García
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut and IU-RESCAT, Unitat de Micologia i Microbiologia Ambiental, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - M. Réblová
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Department of Taxonomy, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Ž. Jurjević
- EMSL Analytical, Cinnaminson, New Jersey, USA
| | - V. Hubka
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, Prague, Czech Republic
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology, Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - J. Gené
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut and IU-RESCAT, Unitat de Micologia i Microbiologia Ambiental, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
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8
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Gegenbauer C, Bellaire A, Schintlmeister A, Schmid MC, Kubicek M, Voglmayr H, Zotz G, Richter A, Mayer VE. Exo- and endophytic fungi enable rapid transfer of nutrients from ant waste to orchid tissue. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 238:2210-2223. [PMID: 36683444 PMCID: PMC10962571 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The epiphytic orchid Caularthron bilamellatum sacrifices its water storage tissue for nutrients from the waste of ants lodging inside its hollow pseudobulb. Here, we investigate whether fungi are involved in the rapid translocation of nutrients. Uptake was analysed with a 15 N labelling experiment, subsequent isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS and NanoSIMS). We encountered two hyphae types: a thick melanized type assigned to 'black fungi' (Chaetothyriales, Cladosporiales, and Mycosphaerellales) in ant waste, and a thin endophytic type belonging to Hypocreales. In few cell layers, both hyphae types co-occurred. 15 N accumulation in both hyphae types was conspicuous, while for translocation to the vessels only Hypocreales were involved. There is evidence that the occurrence of the two hyphae types results in a synergism in terms of nutrient uptake. Our study provides the first evidence that a pseudobulb (=stem)-born endophytic network of Hypocreales is involved in the rapid translocation of nitrogen from insect-derived waste to the vegetative and reproductive tissue of the host orchid. For C. bilamellatum that has no contact with the soil, ant waste in the hollow pseudobulbs serves as equivalent to soil in terms of nutrient sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Gegenbauer
- Division of Structural and Functional Botany, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaRennweg 141030WienAustria
- Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, Centre for Microbiology and Ecosystem ScienceUniversity of ViennaDjerassiplatz 11030WienAustria
| | - Anke Bellaire
- Division of Structural and Functional Botany, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaRennweg 141030WienAustria
| | - Arno Schintlmeister
- Division of Microbial Ecology and Large‐Instrument Facility of Environmental and Isotope Mass Spectrometry, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems ScienceUniversity of ViennaDjerassiplatz 11030ViennaAustria
| | - Markus C. Schmid
- Division of Microbial Ecology and Large‐Instrument Facility of Environmental and Isotope Mass Spectrometry, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems ScienceUniversity of ViennaDjerassiplatz 11030ViennaAustria
| | - Markus Kubicek
- Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, TU WienGetreidemarkt 9/1641060ViennaAustria
| | - Hermann Voglmayr
- Mycology Research Group, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaRennweg 141030WienAustria
- Institute of Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest ProtectionUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU)Peter‐Jordan‐Strasse 821190WienAustria
| | - Gerhard Zotz
- Institute for Biology and Environmental SciencesCarl von Ossietzky University OldenburgOldenburgGermany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteApdo 2072BalboaPanama
| | - Andreas Richter
- Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, Centre for Microbiology and Ecosystem ScienceUniversity of ViennaDjerassiplatz 11030WienAustria
| | - Veronika E. Mayer
- Division of Structural and Functional Botany, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaRennweg 141030WienAustria
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Magoye E, Nägeli L, Bühlmann A, Hilber-Bodmer M, Keller P, Mühlethaler K, Riat A, Schrenzel J, Freimoser FM. Clinical Aureobasidium Isolates Are More Fungicide Sensitive than Many Agricultural Isolates. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0529922. [PMID: 36943135 PMCID: PMC10100788 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05299-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungicide applications in agriculture and medicine can promote the evolution of resistant, pathogenic fungi, which is a growing problem for disease management in both settings. Nonpathogenic mycobiota are also exposed to fungicides, may become tolerant, and could turn into agricultural or medical problems, for example, due to climate change or in immunocompromised individuals. However, quantitative data about fungicide sensitivity of environmental fungi is mostly lacking. Aureobasidium species are widely distributed and frequently isolated yeast-like fungi. One species, A. pullulans, is used as a biocontrol agent, but is also encountered in clinical samples, regularly. Here, we compared 16 clinical and 30 agricultural Aureobasidium isolates based on whole-genome data and by sensitivity testing with the 3 fungicides captan, cyprodinil, and difenoconazole. Our phylogenetic analyses determined that 7 of the 16 clinical isolates did not belong to the species A. pullulans. These isolates clustered with other Aureobasidium species, including A. melanogenum, a recently separated species that expresses virulence traits that are mostly lacking in A. pullulans. Interestingly, the clinical Aureobasidium isolates were significantly more fungicide sensitive than many isolates from agricultural samples, which implies selection for fungicide tolerance of non-target fungi in agricultural ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Environmental microbiota are regularly found in clinical samples and can cause disease, in particular, in immunocompromised individuals. Organisms of the genus Aureobasidium belonging to this group are highly abundant, and some species are even described as pathogens. Many A. pullulans isolates from agricultural samples are tolerant to different fungicides, and it seems inevitable that such strains will eventually appear in the clinics. Selection for fungicide tolerance would be particularly worrisome for species A. melanogenum, which is also found in the environment and exhibits virulence traits. Based on our observation and the strains tested here, clinical Aureobasidium isolates are still fungicide sensitive. We, therefore, suggest monitoring fungicide sensitivity in species, such as A. pullulans and A. melanogenum, and to consider the development of fungicide tolerance in the evaluation process of fungicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Electine Magoye
- Agroscope, Research Division Plant Protection, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Nägeli
- Agroscope, Research Division Plant Protection, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Bühlmann
- Agroscope, Research Division Food Microbial Systems, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | | | - Peter Keller
- University of Bern, Institute for Infectious Diseases, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Mühlethaler
- University of Bern, Institute for Infectious Diseases, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Arnaud Riat
- Bacteriology Laboratory, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Diagnostics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jacques Schrenzel
- Bacteriology Laboratory, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Diagnostics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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10
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Kranner I, Pichler G, Grube M. The lichen market place. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 234:1541-1543. [PMID: 35478327 PMCID: PMC9321073 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This article is a Commentary on Spribille et al. (2022), 234: 1566–1582.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilse Kranner
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckSternwartestraße 156020InnsbruckAustria
| | - Gregor Pichler
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckSternwartestraße 156020InnsbruckAustria
| | - Martin Grube
- Institute of BiologyUniversity of GrazHolteigasse 68010GrazAustria
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11
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Perini L, Gostinčar C, Likar M, Frisvad JC, Kostanjšek R, Nicholes M, Williamson C, Anesio AM, Zalar P, Gunde-Cimerman N. Interactions of Fungi and Algae from the Greenland Ice Sheet. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02033-5. [PMID: 35608637 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02033-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Heavily pigmented glacier ice algae Ancylonema nordenskiöldii and Ancylonema alaskanum (Zygnematophyceae, Streptophyta) reduce the bare ice albedo of the Greenland Ice Sheet, amplifying melt from the largest cryospheric contributor to eustatic sea-level rise. Little information is available about glacier ice algae interactions with other microbial communities within the surface ice environment, including fungi, which may be important for sustaining algal bloom development. To address this substantial knowledge gap and investigate the nature of algal-fungal interactions, an ex situ co-cultivation experiment with two species of fungi, recently isolated from the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet (here proposed new species Penicillium anthracinoglaciei Perini, Frisvad and Zalar, Mycobank (MB 835602), and Articulospora sp.), and the mixed microbial community dominated by glacier ice algae was performed. The utilization of the dark pigment purpurogallin carboxylic acid-6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (C18H18O12) by the two fungi was also evaluated in a separate experiment. P. anthracinoglaciei was capable of utilizing and converting the pigment to purpurogallin carboxylic acid, possibly using the sugar moiety as a nutrient source. Furthermore, after 3 weeks of incubation in the presence of P. anthracinoglaciei, a significantly slower decline in the maximum quantum efficiency (Fv/Fm, inverse proxy of algal stress) in glacier ice algae, compared to other treatments, was evident, suggesting a positive relationship between these species. Articulospora sp. did uptake the glycosylated purpurogallin, but did not seem to be involved in its conversion to aglycone derivative. At the end of the incubation experiments and, in conjunction with increased algal mortality, we detected a substantially increasing presence of the zoosporic fungi Chytridiomycota suggesting an important role for them as decomposers or parasites of glacier ice algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Perini
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - C Gostinčar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao, 266555, China
| | - M Likar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - J C Frisvad
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Fungal Chemodiversity, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 221, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - R Kostanjšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - M Nicholes
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
| | - C Williamson
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
| | - A M Anesio
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - P Zalar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - N Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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12
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Snyder AB. The role of heat resistance in yeast spoilage of thermally processed foods: highlighting the need for a probabilistic, systems-based approach to microbial quality. Curr Opin Food Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2022.100852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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13
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Black Fungi on Stone-Built Heritage: Current Knowledge and Future Outlook. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12083969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Black fungi are considered as one of the main group of microorganisms responsible for the biodeterioration of stone cultural heritage artifacts. In this paper, we provide a critical analysis and review of more than 30 years of studies on black fungi isolated from stone-built heritage from 1990 to date. More than 109 papers concerning the fungal biodeterioration activity of stone were analysed. The main findings were a check list of the black fungal taxa involved in the biodeterioration of stone-built heritage, with a particular reference to meristematic black fungi, the main biodeterioration pattern attributed to them, and the methods of study including the new molecular advances. A particular focus was to discuss the current approaches to control black fungi from stone-built heritage and future perspectives. Black fungi are notoriously hard to remove or mitigate, so new methods of study and of control are needed, but it is also important to combine classical methods with new approaches to improve current knowledge to implement future conservation strategies.
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14
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Quan Y, da Silva NM, de Souza Lima BJF, de Hoog S, Vicente VA, Mayer V, Kang Y, Shi D. Black fungi and ants: a genomic comparison of species inhabiting carton nests versus domatia. IMA Fungus 2022; 13:4. [PMID: 35256015 PMCID: PMC8900376 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-022-00091-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Some members of Chaetothyriales, an order containing potential agents of opportunistic infections in humans, have a natural habitat in nests of tropical arboreal ants. In these black fungi, two types of ant symbiosis are known, i.e. occurrence in domatia inside living plants, or as components of carton constructions made of ant-chewed plant tissue. In order to explain differences between strains from these types of association, we sequenced and annotated genomes of two newly described carton species, Incumbomyces lentus and Incumbomyces delicatus, and compared these with genomes of four domatia species and related Chaetothyriales. General genomic characteristics, CYP genes, carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), secondary metabolism, and sex-related genes were included in the study.
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15
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Liu B, Fu R, Wu B, Liu X, Xiang M. Rock-inhabiting fungi: terminology, diversity, evolution and adaptation mechanisms. Mycology 2022; 13:1-31. [PMID: 35186410 PMCID: PMC8856086 DOI: 10.1080/21501203.2021.2002452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rock-inhabiting fungi (RIF) constitute an ecological group associated with terrestrial rocks. This association is generally restricted to the persistent colonisation of rocks and peculiar morphological features based on melanisation and slow growth, which endow RIF with significance in eukaryotic biology, special status in ecology, and exotic potential in biotechnology. There is a need to achieve a better understanding of the hidden biodiversity, antistress biology, origin and convergent evolution of RIF, which will facilitate cultural relic preservation, exploitation of the biogeochemical cycle of rock elements and biotechnology applications. This review focuses on summarising the current knowledge of rock-inhabiting fungi, with particular reference to terminology, biodiversity and geographic distribution, origin and evolution, and stress adaptation mechanisms. We especially teased out the definition through summing up the terms related to rock-inhabting fungi, and also provided a checklist of rock-inhabiting fungal taxa recorded following updated classification schemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingjie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingzhong Liu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Meichun Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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16
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Cai S, Snyder AB. Thermoresistance in Black Yeasts Is Associated with Halosensitivity and High Pressure Processing Tolerance but Not with UV Tolerance or Sanitizer Tolerance. J Food Prot 2022; 85:203-212. [PMID: 34614188 DOI: 10.4315/jfp-21-314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Black yeasts can survive extreme conditions in food production because of their polyextremotolerant character. However, significant strain-to-strain variation in black yeast thermoresistance has been observed. In this study, we assessed the variability in tolerance to nonthermal interventions among a collection of food-related black yeast strains. Variation in tolerance to UV light treatment, high pressure processing (HPP), sanitizers, and osmotic pressure was observed within each species. The two strains previously shown to possess high thermotolerance, Exophiala phaeomuriformis FSL-E2-0572 and Exophiala dermatitidis YB-734, were also the most HPP tolerant but were the least halotolerant. Meanwhile, Aureobasidium pullulans FSL-E2-0290 was the most UV and sanitizer tolerant but had been shown to have relatively low thermoresistance. Fisher's exact tests showed that thermoresistance in black yeasts was associated with HPP tolerance and inversely with halotolerance, but no association was found with UV tolerance or sanitizer tolerance. Collectively, the relative stress tolerance among strains varied across interventions. Given this variation, different food products are susceptible to black yeast spoilage. In addition, different strains should be selected in challenge studies specific to the intervention. HIGHLIGHTS
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Cai
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Abigail B Snyder
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
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17
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Goshima G. Growth and division mode plasticity is dependent on cell density in marine-derived black yeasts. Genes Cells 2021; 27:124-137. [PMID: 34932251 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The diversity and ecological contribution of the fungus kingdom in the marine environment remain understudied. A recent survey in the Atlantic (Woods Hole, MA, USA) brought to light the diversity and unique biological features of marine fungi. The study revealed that black yeast species undergo an unconventional cell division cycle, which has not been documented in conventional model yeast species such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast) and Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast). The prevalence of this unusual property is unknown. Here, I collected and identified 65 marine fungi species across 40 genera from the surface ocean water, sediment, and the surface of macroalgae (seaweeds) in the Pacific (Sugashima, Toba, Japan). The Sugashima collection largely did not overlap with the Woods Hole collection and included several unidentifiable species, further illustrating the diversity of marine fungi. Three black yeast species were isolated, two of which were commonly found in Woods Hole (Aureobasidium pullulans and Hortaea werneckii). Surprisingly, their cell division mode was dependent on cell density, and the previously reported unconventional division mode was reproduced only at a certain cell density. For all three black yeast species, cells underwent filamentous growth with septations at low cell density and immediately formed buds at high cell density. At intermediate cell density, two black yeasts (H. werneckii and an unidentifiable species) showed rod cells undergoing septation at the cell equator. In contrast, all eight budding yeast species showed a consistent division pattern regardless of cell density. This study suggests the plastic nature of the growth/division mode of marine-derived black yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gohta Goshima
- Sugashima Marine Biological Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Toba, Japan.,Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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18
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Muggia L, Coleine C, De Carolis R, Cometto A, Selbmann L. Antarctolichenia onofrii gen. nov. sp. nov. from Antarctic Endolithic Communities Untangles the Evolution of Rock-Inhabiting and Lichenized Fungi in Arthoniomycetes. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:935. [PMID: 34829222 PMCID: PMC8621061 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110935] [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: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial endolithic communities are the main and most widespread life forms in the coldest and hyper-arid desert of the McMurdo Dry Valleys and other ice-free areas across Victoria Land, Antarctica. There, the lichen-dominated communities are complex and self-supporting assemblages of phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms, including bacteria, chlorophytes, and both free-living and lichen-forming fungi living at the edge of their physiological adaptability. In particular, among the free-living fungi, microcolonial, melanized, and anamorphic species are highly recurrent, while a few species were sometimes found to be associated with algae. One of these fungi is of paramount importance for its peculiar traits, i.e., a yeast-like habitus, co-growing with algae and being difficult to propagate in pure culture. In the present study, this taxon is herein described as the new genus Antarctolichenia and its type species is A. onofrii, which represents a transitional group between the free-living and symbiotic lifestyle in Arthoniomycetes. The phylogenetic placement of Antarctolichenia was studied using three rDNA molecular markers and morphological characters were described. In this study, we also reappraise the evolution and the connections linking the lichen-forming and rock-inhabiting lifestyles in the basal lineages of Arthoniomycetes (i.e., Lichenostigmatales) and Dothideomycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (L.M.); (R.D.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Claudia Coleine
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’ Università, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;
| | - Roberto De Carolis
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (L.M.); (R.D.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Agnese Cometto
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (L.M.); (R.D.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’ Università, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;
- Mycological Section, Italian Antarctic National Museum (MNA), 16128 Genoa, Italy
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19
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Cai S, Rico-Munoz E, Snyder AB. Intermediate Thermoresistance in Black Yeast Asexual Cells Variably Increases with Culture Age, Promoting Survival and Spoilage in Thermally Processed Shelf-Stable Foods. J Food Prot 2021; 84:1582-1591. [PMID: 33878188 DOI: 10.4315/jfp-21-103] [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: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Black yeasts are a functional group that has caused spoilage in cold-filled and hot-filled beverages, as well as other water activity-controlled food products. We established quantitative thermoresistance parameters for the inactivation of 12 Aureobasidium and Exophiala isolates through isothermal experiments and a challenge study. Culture age (2 versus 28 days) variably affected the thermoresisitance among the black yeast strains. Variation in thermoresistance exists within each genus, but the two most resistant strains were the Exophiala isolates. The two most heat-resistant isolates were Exophiala phaeomuriformis FSL-E2-0572, with a D60-value of 7.69 ± 0.63 min in 28-day culture and Exophiala dermatitidis YB-734, with a D60-value of 16.32 ± 2.13 min in 28-day culture. Although these thermoresistance levels were, in some cases, greater than those for conidia and vegetative cells from other common food spoilage fungi, they were much more sensitive than the ascospores of heat-resistant molds most associated with spoilage of hot-filled products. However, given that black yeasts have caused spoilage in hot-filled products, we hypothesized that this intermediate degree of thermoresistance may support survival following introduction during active cooling before package seals have formed. A challenge study was performed in an acidic (apple cider) and water activity-controlled (maple syrup) product to evaluate survival. When apple cider was hot filled at 82°C, black yeast counts were reduced by 4.1 log CFU/mL 24 h after the heat treatment, but the survivors increased up to 6.7 log CFU/mL after 2 weeks. In comparison, the counts were below the detection limit after both 24 h and 14 days of shelf life in both products when filled at the boiling points. This suggests that ensuring water microbial quality in cooling tunnels and nozzle sanitation may be essential in mitigating the introduction of these fungi. HIGHLIGHTS
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Cai
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Emilia Rico-Munoz
- BCN Research Laboratories, Inc., 2491 Stock Creek Boulevard, Rockford, Tennessee 37853, USA
| | - Abigail B Snyder
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
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20
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Sequence data from isolated lichen-associated melanized fungi enhance delimitation of two new lineages within Chaetothyriomycetidae. Mycol Prog 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-021-01706-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
AbstractLichen thalli provide a long-lived and stable habitat for colonization by a wide range of microorganisms. Increased interest in these lichen-associated microbial communities has revealed an impressive diversity of fungi, including several novel lineages which still await formal taxonomic recognition. Among these, members of the Eurotiomycetes and Dothideomycetes usually occur asymptomatically in the lichen thalli, even if they share ancestry with fungi that may be parasitic on their host. Mycelia of the isolates are characterized by melanized cell walls and the fungi display exclusively asexual propagation. Their taxonomic placement requires, therefore, the use of DNA sequence data. Here, we consider recently published sequence data from lichen-associated fungi and characterize and formally describe two new, individually monophyletic lineages at family, genus, and species levels. The Pleostigmataceae fam. nov. and Melanina gen. nov. both comprise rock-inhabiting fungi that associate with epilithic, crust-forming lichens in subalpine habitats. The phylogenetic placement and the monophyly of Pleostigmataceae lack statistical support, but the family was resolved as sister to the order Verrucariales. This family comprises the species Pleostigma alpinum sp. nov., P. frigidum sp. nov., P. jungermannicola, and P. lichenophilum sp. nov. The placement of the genus Melanina is supported as a lineage within the Chaetothyriales. To date, this genus comprises the single species M. gunde-cimermaniae sp. nov. and forms a sister group to a large lineage including Herpotrichiellaceae, Chaetothyriaceae, Cyphellophoraceae, and Trichomeriaceae. The new phylogenetic analysis of the subclass Chaetothyiomycetidae provides new insight into genus and family level delimitation and classification of this ecologically diverse group of fungi.
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21
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Schreckinger J, Mutz M, Mendoza-Lera C, Frossard A. Attributes of Drying Define the Structure and Functioning of Microbial Communities in Temperate Riverbed Sediment. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:676615. [PMID: 34194411 PMCID: PMC8236957 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.676615] [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: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Combined effects of climate change and increasing anthropogenic water demand have increased and extended dry period occurrences in rivers worldwide. Riverbed drying can significantly affect sediment microorganisms, crucial drivers of biogeochemical processes in lotic systems. In this study, we evaluated how sediment bacterial and fungal community structure and composition (based on 16S rRNA gene and ITS metabarcoding) and microbial functions (community respiration and extracellular enzymatic activities) respond to different riverbed drying intensities over 90 days. Riverbed sediment collected in a flowing reach of the Spree river in northeastern Germany was dried under different rates in outdoor mesocosms during the summer months of 2018. Our results demonstrate that drying attributes (duration and intensity) and sediment organic matter (OM) content play a crucial role in sediment microbial community assembly and functioning throughout drying. Milder drying surprisingly triggered a more rapid and drastic change in the microbial community composition and diversity. After 90 days of drying, Bacilli (Firmicutes) became the dominant bacterial class in most treatments, except in sediments with low OM content under the most severe drying treatment. Fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) from Dothideomycetes (Ascomycota) had by far the highest relative abundance in all our treatments at the end of the drying experiment, making up 65.1% to 94.0% of the fungal reads. CO2 fluxes, a proxy for sediment community respiration, were rapidly and strongly affected by drying in all treatments. Our results imply that even short riverbed drying periods are likely to have significant consequences for the biogeochemical dynamics in recently formed non-perennial temperate rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Schreckinger
- Department of Freshwater Conservation, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Bad Saarow, Germany
| | - Michael Mutz
- Department of Freshwater Conservation, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Bad Saarow, Germany
| | - Clara Mendoza-Lera
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Koblenz-Landau University, Landau, Germany
| | - Aline Frossard
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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22
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Rueda-Mejia MP, Nägeli L, Lutz S, Hayes RD, Varadarajan AR, Grigoriev IV, Ahrens CH, Freimoser FM. Genome, transcriptome and secretome analyses of the antagonistic, yeast-like fungus Aureobasidium pullulans to identify potential biocontrol genes. MICROBIAL CELL 2021; 8:184-202. [PMID: 34395586 PMCID: PMC8329847 DOI: 10.15698/mic2021.08.757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Aureobasidium pullulans is an extremotolerant, cosmopolitan yeast-like fungus that successfully colonises vastly different ecological niches. The species is widely used in biotechnology and successfully applied as a commercial biocontrol agent against postharvest diseases and fireblight. However, the exact mechanisms that are responsible for its antagonistic activity against diverse plant pathogens are not known at the molecular level. Thus, it is difficult to optimise and improve the biocontrol applications of this species. As a foundation for elucidating biocontrol mechanisms, we have de novo assembled a high-quality reference genome of a strongly antagonistic A. pullulans strain, performed dual RNA-seq experiments, and analysed proteins secreted during the interaction with the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. Based on the genome annotation, potential biocontrol genes were predicted to encode secreted hydrolases or to be part of secondary metabolite clusters (e.g., NRPS-like, NRPS, T1PKS, terpene, and β-lactone clusters). Transcriptome and secretome analyses defined a subset of 79 A. pullulans genes (among the 10,925 annotated genes) that were transcriptionally upregulated or exclusively detected at the protein level during the competition with F. oxysporum. These potential biocontrol genes comprised predicted secreted hydrolases such as glycosylases, esterases, and proteases, as well as genes encoding enzymes, which are predicted to be involved in the synthesis of secondary metabolites. This study highlights the value of a sequential approach starting with genome mining and consecutive transcriptome and secretome analyses in order to identify a limited number of potential target genes for detailed, functional analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Paula Rueda-Mejia
- Agroscope, Research Division Plant Protection, Müller-Thurgau-Strasse 29, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Nägeli
- Agroscope, Research Division Plant Protection, Müller-Thurgau-Strasse 29, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Lutz
- Agroscope, Competence Division Method Development and Analytics, Müller-Thurgau-Strasse 29, 8820, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Richard D Hayes
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd., Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Adithi R Varadarajan
- Agroscope, Competence Division Method Development and Analytics, Müller-Thurgau-Strasse 29, 8820, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Igor V Grigoriev
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd., Berkeley, California 94720, USA.,Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Christian H Ahrens
- Agroscope, Competence Division Method Development and Analytics, Müller-Thurgau-Strasse 29, 8820, Wädenswil, Switzerland.,SIB, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Florian M Freimoser
- Agroscope, Research Division Plant Protection, Müller-Thurgau-Strasse 29, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland
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Black Fungi and Hydrocarbons: An Environmental Survey for Alkylbenzene Assimilation. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9051008. [PMID: 34067085 PMCID: PMC8151820 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9051008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental pollution with alkylbenzene hydrocarbons such as toluene is a recurring phenomenon. Their toxicity and harmful effect on people and the environment drive the search for sustainable removal techniques such as bioremediation, which is based on the microbial metabolism of xenobiotic compounds. Melanized fungi present extremophilic characteristics, which allow their survival in inhospitable habitats such as those contaminated with hydrocarbons. Screening methodologies for testing the microbial assimilation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) are scarce despite their importance for the bioremediation of hydrocarbon associated areas. In this study, 200 strains of melanized fungi were isolated from four different hydrocarbon-related environments by using selective methods, and their biodiversity was assessed by molecular and ecological analyses. Seventeen genera and 27 species from three main orders, namely Chaetothyriales, Cladosporiales, and Pleosporales, were identified. The ecological analysis showed a particular species distribution according to their original substrate. The isolated strains were also screened for their toluene assimilation potential using a simple and inexpensive methodology based on miniaturized incubations under controlled atmospheres. The biomass produced by the 200 strains with toluene as the sole carbon source was compared against positive and negative controls, with glucose and with only mineral medium, respectively. Nineteen strains were selected as the most promising for further investigation on the biodegradation of alkylbenzenes.
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24
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The symbiosis between Philidris ants and the ant-plant Dischidia major includes fungal and algal associates. Symbiosis 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-021-00751-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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25
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Dark-pigmented biodeteriogenic fungi in etruscan hypogeal tombs: New data on their culture-dependent diversity, favouring conditions, and resistance to biocidal treatments. Fungal Biol 2021; 125:609-620. [PMID: 34281654 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Subterranean Cultural Heritage sites are frequently subject to biological colonization due to the high levels of humidity, even in conditions of low irradiance and oligotrophy. Here microorganisms form complex communities that may be dangerous through mineral precipitation, through the softening of materials or causing frequent surface discolorations. A reduction of contamination's sources along with the control of microclimatic conditions and biocide treatments (overall performed with benzalkonium chloride) are necessary to reduce microbial growths. Dark discolorations have been recorded in the painted Etruscan tombs of Tarquinia, two of which have been analyzed to collect taxonomical, physiological, and ecological information. Eighteen dark-pigmented fungi were isolated among a wider culturable fraction: nine from blackening areas and nine from door sealings, a possible route of contamination. Isolates belonged to three major groups: Chaetothyriales, Capnodiales (Family Cladosporiaceae), and Acremonium-like fungi. Exophiala angulospora and Cyphellophora olivacea, a novelty for hypogea, were identified, while others need further investigations as possible new taxa. The metabolic skills of the detected species showed their potential dangerousness for the materials. Their tolerance to benzalkonium chloride-based products suggested a certain favouring effect through the decreasing competitiveness of less resistant species. The type of covering of the dromos may influence the risk of outer contamination. Fungal occurrence can be favoured by root penetration.
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Pilgaard B, Vuillemin M, Holck J, Wilkens C, Meyer AS. Specificities and Synergistic Actions of Novel PL8 and PL7 Alginate Lyases from the Marine Fungus Paradendryphiella salina. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:80. [PMID: 33503820 PMCID: PMC7911691 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alginate is an anionic polysaccharide abundantly present in the cell walls of brown macroalgae. The enzymatic depolymerization is performed solely by alginate lyases (EC 4.2.2.x), categorized as polysaccharide lyases (PLs) belonging to 12 different PL families. Until now, the vast majority of the alginate lyases have been found in bacteria. We report here the first extensive characterization of four alginate lyases from a marine fungus, the ascomycete Paradendryphiella salina, a known saprophyte of seaweeds. We have identified four polysaccharide lyase encoding genes bioinformatically in P. salina, one PL8 (PsMan8A), and three PL7 alginate lyases (PsAlg7A, -B, and -C). PsMan8A was demonstrated to exert exo-action on polymannuronic acid, and no action on alginate, indicating that this enzyme is most likely an exo-acting polymannuronic acid specific lyase. This enzyme is the first alginate lyase assigned to PL8 and polymannuronic acid thus represents a new substrate specificity in this family. The PL7 lyases (PsAlg7A, -B, and -C) were found to be endo-acting alginate lyases with different activity optima, substrate affinities, and product profiles. PsAlg7A and PsMan8A showed a clear synergistic action for the complete depolymerization of polyM at pH 5. PsAlg7A depolymerized polyM to mainly DP5 and DP3 oligomers and PsMan8A to dimers and monosaccharides. PsAlg7B and PsAlg7C showed substrate affinities towards both polyM and polyG at pH 8, depolymerizing both substrates to DP9-DP2 oligomers. The findings elucidate how P. salina accomplishes alginate depolymerization and provide insight into an efficient synergistic cooperation that may provide a new foundation for enzyme selection for alginate degradation in seaweed bioprocessing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Anne S. Meyer
- Section for Protein Chemistry and Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 221, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; (B.P.); (M.V.); (J.H.); (C.W.)
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Muggia L, Ametrano CG, Sterflinger K, Tesei D. An Overview of Genomics, Phylogenomics and Proteomics Approaches in Ascomycota. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E356. [PMID: 33348904 PMCID: PMC7765829 DOI: 10.3390/life10120356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi are among the most successful eukaryotes on Earth: they have evolved strategies to survive in the most diverse environments and stressful conditions and have been selected and exploited for multiple aims by humans. The characteristic features intrinsic of Fungi have required evolutionary changes and adaptations at deep molecular levels. Omics approaches, nowadays including genomics, metagenomics, phylogenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics have enormously advanced the way to understand fungal diversity at diverse taxonomic levels, under changeable conditions and in still under-investigated environments. These approaches can be applied both on environmental communities and on individual organisms, either in nature or in axenic culture and have led the traditional morphology-based fungal systematic to increasingly implement molecular-based approaches. The advent of next-generation sequencing technologies was key to boost advances in fungal genomics and proteomics research. Much effort has also been directed towards the development of methodologies for optimal genomic DNA and protein extraction and separation. To date, the amount of proteomics investigations in Ascomycetes exceeds those carried out in any other fungal group. This is primarily due to the preponderance of their involvement in plant and animal diseases and multiple industrial applications, and therefore the need to understand the biological basis of the infectious process to develop mechanisms for biologic control, as well as to detect key proteins with roles in stress survival. Here we chose to present an overview as much comprehensive as possible of the major advances, mainly of the past decade, in the fields of genomics (including phylogenomics) and proteomics of Ascomycota, focusing particularly on those reporting on opportunistic pathogenic, extremophilic, polyextremotolerant and lichenized fungi. We also present a review of the mostly used genome sequencing technologies and methods for DNA sequence and protein analyses applied so far for fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Claudio G. Ametrano
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Department of Science and Education, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605, USA;
| | - Katja Sterflinger
- Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Institute of Natual Sciences and Technology in the Arts, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Donatella Tesei
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria;
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Romeo O, Marchetta A, Giosa D, Giuffrè L, Urzì C, De Leo F. Whole Genome Sequencing and Comparative Genome Analysis of the Halotolerant Deep Sea Black Yeast Hortaea werneckii. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E229. [PMID: 33023088 PMCID: PMC7601665 DOI: 10.3390/life10100229] [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: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hortaea werneckii, an extreme halotolerant black yeast in the order of Capnodiales, was recently isolated from different stations and depths in the Mediterranean Sea, where it was shown to be the dominant fungal species. In order to explore the genome characteristics of these Mediterranean isolates, we carried out a de-novo sequencing of the genome of one strain isolated at a depth of 3400 m (MC873) and a re-sequencing of one strain taken from a depth of 2500 m (MC848), whose genome was previously sequenced but was highly fragmented. A comparative phylogenomic analysis with other published H. werneckii genomes was also carried out to investigate the evolution of the strains from the deep sea in this environment. A high level of genome completeness was obtained for both genomes, for which genome duplication and an extensive level of heterozygosity (~4.6%) were observed, supporting the recent hypothesis that a genome duplication caused by intraspecific hybridization occurred in most H. werneckii strains. Phylogenetic analyses showed environmental and/or geographical specificity, suggesting a possible evolutionary adaptation of marine H. werneckii strains to the deep sea environment. We release high-quality genome assemblies from marine H. werneckii strains, which provides additional data for further genomics analysis, including niche adaptation, fitness and evolution studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orazio Romeo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy; (O.R.); (A.M.); (L.G.); (C.U.)
| | - Alessia Marchetta
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy; (O.R.); (A.M.); (L.G.); (C.U.)
| | - Domenico Giosa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy;
| | - Letterio Giuffrè
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy; (O.R.); (A.M.); (L.G.); (C.U.)
| | - Clara Urzì
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy; (O.R.); (A.M.); (L.G.); (C.U.)
| | - Filomena De Leo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy; (O.R.); (A.M.); (L.G.); (C.U.)
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29
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Unveiling the Hidden Diversity of Rock-Inhabiting Fungi: Chaetothyriales from China. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6040187. [PMID: 32987844 PMCID: PMC7711927 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rock-inhabiting fungi (RIF) are nonlichenized fungi that naturally colonize rock surfaces and subsurfaces. The extremely slow growth rate and lack of distinguishing morphological characteristics of RIF resulted in a poor understanding on their biodiversity. In this study, we surveyed RIF colonizing historical stone monuments and natural rock formations from throughout China. Among over 1000 isolates, after preliminary delimitation using the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequences, representative isolates belonging to Trichomeriaceae and Herpotrichiellaceae were selected for a combined analysis of ITS and the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (nucLSU) to determine the generic placements. Eight clades representing seven known genera and one new genus herein named as Anthracina were placed in Trichomeriaceae. While, for Herpotrichiellaceae, two clades corresponded to two genera: Cladophialophora and Exophiala. Fine-scale phylogenetic analyses using combined sequences of the partial actin gene (ACT), ITS, mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal DNA (mtSSU), nucLSU, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1), small subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (SSU), translation elongation factor (TEF), and β-tubulin gene (TUB) revealed that these strains represented 11 and 6 new species, respectively, in Trichomeriaceae and Herpotrichiellaceae. The 17 new species were described, illustrated for their morphologies and compared with similar taxa. Our study demonstrated that the diversity of RIF is surprisingly high and still poorly understood. In addition, a rapid strategy for classifying RIF was proposed to determine the generic and familial placements through preliminary ITS and nucLSU analyses, followed by combined analyses of five loci selected from ACT, ITS, mtSSU, nucLSU, RPB1, and/or the second subunit of RNA polymerase II gene (RPB2), SSU, TEF, and TUB regions to classify RIF to the species level.
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30
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Onetto CA, Schmidt SA, Roach MJ, Borneman AR. Comparative genome analysis proposes three new Aureobasidium species isolated from grape juice. FEMS Yeast Res 2020; 20:5902852. [DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foaa052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Aureobasidium pullulans is the most abundant and ubiquitous species within the genus and is also considered a core component of the grape juice microflora. So far, a small number of other Aureobasidium species have been reported, that in contrast to A. pullulans, appear far more constrained to specific habitats. It is unknown whether grape juice is a reservoir of novel Aureobasidium species, overlooked in the course of conventional morphological and meta-barcoding analyses. In this study, eight isolates from grape juice taxonomically classified as Aureobasidium through ITS sequencing were subjected to whole-genome phylogenetic, synteny and nucleotide identity analyses, which revealed three isolates to likely represent newly discovered Aureobasidium species. Analyses of ITS and metagenomic sequencing datasets show that these species can be present in grape juice samples from different locations and vintages. Functional annotation revealed the Aureobasidium isolates possess the genetic potential to support growth on the surface of plants and grapes. However, the loss of several genes associated with tolerance to diverse environmental stresses suggest a more constrained ecological range than A. pullulans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristobal A Onetto
- The Australian Wine Research Institute, Glen Osmond, PO Box 197, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia
| | - Simon A Schmidt
- The Australian Wine Research Institute, Glen Osmond, PO Box 197, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia
| | - Michael J Roach
- The Australian Wine Research Institute, Glen Osmond, PO Box 197, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia
| | - Anthony R Borneman
- The Australian Wine Research Institute, Glen Osmond, PO Box 197, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia
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31
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Novak Babič M, Gostinčar C, Gunde-Cimerman N. Microorganisms populating the water-related indoor biome. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:6443-6462. [PMID: 32533304 PMCID: PMC7347518 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10719-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Modernisation of our households created novel opportunities for microbial growth and thus changed the array of microorganisms we come in contact with. While many studies have investigated microorganisms in the air and dust, tap water, another major input of microbial propagules, has received far less attention. The quality of drinking water in developed world is strictly regulated to prevent immediate danger to human health. However, fungi, algae, protists and bacteria of less immediate concern are usually not screened for. These organisms can thus use water as a vector of transmission into the households, especially if they are resistant to various water treatment procedures. Good tolerance of unfavourable abiotic conditions is also important for survival once microbes enter the household. Limitation of water availability, high or low temperatures, application of antimicrobial chemicals and other measures are taken to prevent indoor microbial overgrowth. These conditions, together with a large number of novel chemicals in our homes, shape the diversity and abundance of indoor microbiota through constant selection of the most resilient species, resulting in a substantial overlap in diversity of indoor and natural extreme environments. At least in fungi, extremotolerance has been linked to human pathogenicity, explaining why many species found in novel indoor habitats (such as dishwasher) are notable opportunistic pathogens. As a result, microorganisms that often enter our households with water and are then enriched in novel indoor habitats might have a hitherto underestimated impact on the well-being of the increasingly indoor-bound human population. KEY POINTS: Domestic environment harbours a large diversity of microorganisms. Microbiota of water-related indoor habitats mainly originates from tap water. Bathrooms, kitchens and household appliances select for polyextremotolerant species. Many household-related microorganisms are human opportunistic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Novak Babič
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Cene Gostinčar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao, 266555, China
| | - Nina Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Muggia L, Zalar P, Azua-Bustos A, González-Silva C, Grube M, Gunde-Cimerman N. The beauty and the yeast: can the microalgae Dunaliella form a borderline lichen with Hortaea werneckii? Symbiosis 2020; 82:123-131. [PMID: 33536700 PMCID: PMC7116670 DOI: 10.1007/s13199-020-00697-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Lichenized fungi usually develop complex, stratified morphologies through an intricately balanced living together with their algal partners, but several species are known to form only more or less loose associations with algae. These borderline lichens are still little explored although they could inform us about early stages of lichen evolution. We studied the association of the extremely halotolerant fungus Hortaea werneckii with the alga Dunaliella atacamensis, discovered in a cave in the Atacama Desert (Chile), and with D. salina, common inhabitant of saltern brines. D. atacamensis forms small colonies, in which cells of H. werneckii can be frequently observed, while such interaction has not been observed with D. salina. As symbiotic interactions between Dunaliella and Hortaea have not been reported, we performed a series of co-cultivation experiments to inspect whether these species could interact and develop more distinct lichen-like symbiotic structures. We set up co-cultures between axenic strains of Hortaea werneckii (isolated both from Mediterranean salterns and from the Atacama cave) and isolates of D. atacamensis (from the Atacama cave) and D. salina (isolated from Mediterranean salterns). Although we used different growth media and cultivation approaches, bright field and SEM microscopy analyses did not indicate any mutual effects in these experiments. We discuss the implications for fungal algal interactions along the transition from algal exploiters to lichen symbioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Polona Zalar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večnapot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850 Madrid, Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, 8910060 Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Martin Grube
- University of Graz, Institute of Biology, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Nina Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večnapot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Fernández-Brime S, Muggia L, Maier S, Grube M, Wedin M. Bacterial communities in an optional lichen symbiosis are determined by substrate, not algal photobionts. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 95:5298863. [PMID: 30668688 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Borderline lichens are simple mutualistic symbioses between fungi and algae, where the fungi form loose mycelia interweaving algal cells, instead of forming a lichen thallus. Schizoxylon albescens shows two nutritional modes: it can either live as a borderline lichen on Populus tremula bark or as a saprotroph on Populus wood. This enables us to investigate the microbiota diversity in simple fungal-algal associations and to study the impact of lichenization on the structure of bacterial communities. We sampled three areas in Sweden covering the distribution of Schizoxylon, and using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and fluorescence in situ hybridization we characterized the associated microbiota. Bacterial communities in lichenized and saprotrophic Schizoxylon were clearly distinct, but when comparing the microbiota with the respective substrates, only the fruiting bodies show clear differences in composition and abundance from the communities in the substrates. The colonization by either lichenized or saprotrophic mycelia of Schizoxylon did not significantly influence the microbiota in the substrate. This suggests that in a morphologically simple form of lichenization, as represented by the Schizoxylon-Coccomyxa system, algal-fungal interactions do not significantly influence bacterial communities, but a more complex structure of the lichen thallus is likely required for hosting specific microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Fernández-Brime
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefanie Maier
- Department of Multiphase Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Martin Grube
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Mats Wedin
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden
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Diversity and Distribution Patterns of Endolichenic Fungi in Jeju Island, South Korea. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12093769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Lichens are symbiotic organisms containing diverse microorganisms. Endolichenic fungi (ELF) are one of the inhabitants living in lichen thalli, and have potential ecological and industrial applications due to their various secondary metabolites. As the function of endophytic fungi on the plant ecology and ecosystem sustainability, ELF may have an influence on the lichen diversity and the ecosystem, functioning similarly to the influence of endophytic fungi on plant ecology and ecosystem sustainability, which suggests the importance of understanding the diversity and community pattern of ELF. In this study, we investigated the diversity and the factors influencing the community structure of ELF in Jeju Island, South Korea by analyzing 619 fungal isolates from 79 lichen samples in Jeju Island. A total of 112 ELF species was identified and the most common species belonged to Xylariales in Sordariomycetes. The richness and community structure of ELF were significantly influenced by the host taxonomy, together with the photobiont types and environmental factors. Our results suggest that various lichen species in more diverse environments need to be analyzed to expand our knowledge of the diversity and ecology of ELF.
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Perini L, Gostinčar C, Gunde-Cimerman N. Fungal and bacterial diversity of Svalbard subglacial ice. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20230. [PMID: 31882659 PMCID: PMC6934841 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56290-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition of fungal and bacterial communities in three polythermal glaciers and associated aquatic environments in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard was analysed using a combination of cultivation and amplicon sequencing. 109 fungal strains belonging to 30 mostly basidiomycetous species were isolated from glacial samples with counts up to 103 CFU/100 ml. Glaciozyma-related taxon and Phenoliferia psychrophenolica were the dominant species. Unexpectedly, amplicon sequencing uncovered sequences of Chytridiomycota in all samples and Rozellomycota in sea water, lake water, and tap water. Sequences of Malassezia restricta and of the extremely halotolerant Hortaea werneckii were also found in subglacial habitats for the first time. Overall, the fungal communities within a glacier and among glaciers were diverse and spatially heterogenous. Contrary to this, there was a large overlap between the bacterial communities of different glaciers, with Flavobacterium sp. being the most frequently isolated. In amplicon sequencing Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria sequences were the most abundant.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Perini
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - C Gostinčar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao, 266555, China
| | - N Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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36
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Ametrano CG, Grewe F, Crous PW, Goodwin SB, Liang C, Selbmann L, Lumbsch HT, Leavitt SD, Muggia L. Genome-scale data resolve ancestral rock-inhabiting lifestyle in Dothideomycetes (Ascomycota). IMA Fungus 2019; 10:19. [PMID: 32647623 PMCID: PMC7325674 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-019-0018-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Dothideomycetes is the most diverse fungal class in Ascomycota and includes species with a wide range of lifestyles. Previous multilocus studies have investigated the taxonomic and evolutionary relationships of these taxa but often failed to resolve early diverging nodes and frequently generated inconsistent placements of some clades. Here, we use a phylogenomic approach to resolve relationships in Dothideomycetes, focusing on two genera of melanized, extremotolerant rock-inhabiting fungi, Lichenothelia and Saxomyces, that have been suggested to be early diverging lineages. We assembled phylogenomic datasets from newly sequenced (4) and previously available genomes (238) of 242 taxa. We explored the influence of tree inference methods, supermatrix vs. coalescent-based species tree, and the impact of varying amounts of genomic data. Overall, our phylogenetic reconstructions provide consistent and well-supported topologies for Dothideomycetes, recovering Lichenothelia and Saxomyces among the earliest diverging lineages in the class. In addition, many of the major lineages within Dothideomycetes are recovered as monophyletic, and the phylogenomic approach implemented strongly supports their relationships. Ancestral character state reconstruction suggest that the rock-inhabiting lifestyle is ancestral within the class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio G Ametrano
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Felix Grewe
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center and Integrative Research Center, Science and Education, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605 USA
| | - Pedro W Crous
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, P.O. Box 85176, 3508 AD Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stephen B Goodwin
- USDA-ARS, Crop Production and Pest Control Research Unit and Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, 915 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054 USA
| | - Chen Liang
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 China
| | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell' Università, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.,Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA), Mycological Section, Genoa, Italy
| | - H Thorsten Lumbsch
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center and Integrative Research Center, Science and Education, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605 USA
| | - Steven D Leavitt
- Department of Biology and M.L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT 84602 USA
| | - Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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Mitchison-Field LMY, Vargas-Muñiz JM, Stormo BM, Vogt EJD, Van Dierdonck S, Pelletier JF, Ehrlich C, Lew DJ, Field CM, Gladfelter AS. Unconventional Cell Division Cycles from Marine-Derived Yeasts. Curr Biol 2019; 29:3439-3456.e5. [PMID: 31607535 PMCID: PMC7076734 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.08.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fungi have been found in every marine habitat that has been explored; however, the diversity and functions of fungi in the ocean are poorly understood. In this study, fungi were cultured from the marine environment in the vicinity of Woods Hole, MA, USA, including from plankton, sponge, and coral. Our sampling resulted in 35 unique species across 20 genera. We observed many isolates by time-lapse, differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy and analyzed modes of growth and division. Several black yeasts displayed highly unconventional cell division cycles compared to those of traditional model yeast systems. Black yeasts have been found in habitats inhospitable to other life and are known for halotolerance, virulence, and stress resistance. We find that this group of yeasts also shows remarkable plasticity in terms of cell size control, modes of cell division, and cell polarity. Unexpected behaviors include division through a combination of fission and budding, production of multiple simultaneous buds, and cell division by sequential orthogonal septations. These marine-derived yeasts reveal alternative mechanisms for cell division cycles that seem likely to expand the repertoire of rules established from classic model system yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna M Y Mitchison-Field
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02354, USA
| | - José M Vargas-Muñiz
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Benjamin M Stormo
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ellysa J D Vogt
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Sarah Van Dierdonck
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - James F Pelletier
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02354, USA; Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christoph Ehrlich
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02354, USA; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Daniel J Lew
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Christine M Field
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02354, USA; Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Amy S Gladfelter
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02354, USA.
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38
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Gostinčar C, Turk M, Zajc J, Gunde‐Cimerman N. Fifty Aureobasidium pullulans genomes reveal a recombining polyextremotolerant generalist. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:3638-3652. [PMID: 31112354 PMCID: PMC6852026 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The black yeast Aureobasidium pullulans is a textbook example of a generalistic and ubiquitous fungus thriving in a wide variety of environments. To investigate whether A. pullulans is a true generalist, or alternatively, whether part of its versatility can be attributed to intraspecific specialization masked by cryptic diversification undetectable by traditional phylogenetic analyses, we sequenced and analysed the genomes of 50 strains of A. pullulans from different habitats and geographic locations. No population structure was observed in the sequenced strains. Decay of linkage disequilibrium over shorter physical distances (<100 bp) than in many sexually reproducing fungi indicates a high level of recombination in the species. A homothallic mating locus was found in all of the sequenced genomes. Aureobasidium pullulans appears to have a homogeneous population genetics structure, which is best explained by good dispersal and high levels of recombination. This means that A. pullulans is a true generalist that can inhabit different habitats without substantial specialization to any of these habitats at the genomic level. Furthermore, in the future, the high level of A. pullulans recombination can be exploited for the identification of genomic loci that are involved in the many biotechnologically useful traits of this black yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cene Gostinčar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI‐1000LjubljanaSlovenia
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI‐QingdaoQingdao 266555China
| | - Martina Turk
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI‐1000LjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Janja Zajc
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI‐1000LjubljanaSlovenia
- National Institute of BiologyVečna pot 111, SI‐1000LjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Nina Gunde‐Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI‐1000LjubljanaSlovenia
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A Comparison of Isolation Methods for Black Fungi Degrading Aromatic Toxins. Mycopathologia 2019; 184:653-660. [DOI: 10.1007/s11046-019-00382-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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40
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Habitability of Mars: How Welcoming Are the Surface and Subsurface to Life on the Red Planet? GEOSCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/geosciences9090361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mars is a planet of great interest in the search for signatures of past or present life beyond Earth. The years of research, and more advanced instrumentation, have yielded a lot of evidence which may be considered by the scientific community as proof of past or present habitability of Mars. Recent discoveries including seasonal methane releases and a subglacial lake are exciting, yet challenging findings. Concurrently, laboratory and environmental studies on the limits of microbial life in extreme environments on Earth broaden our knowledge of the possibility of Mars habitability. In this review, we aim to: (1) Discuss the characteristics of the Martian surface and subsurface that may be conducive to habitability either in the past or at present; (2) discuss laboratory-based studies on Earth that provide us with discoveries on the limits of life; and (3) summarize the current state of knowledge in terms of direction for future research.
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41
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Naranjo‐Ortiz MA, Gabaldón T. Fungal evolution: major ecological adaptations and evolutionary transitions. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1443-1476. [PMID: 31021528 PMCID: PMC6850671 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fungi are a highly diverse group of heterotrophic eukaryotes characterized by the absence of phagotrophy and the presence of a chitinous cell wall. While unicellular fungi are far from rare, part of the evolutionary success of the group resides in their ability to grow indefinitely as a cylindrical multinucleated cell (hypha). Armed with these morphological traits and with an extremely high metabolical diversity, fungi have conquered numerous ecological niches and have shaped a whole world of interactions with other living organisms. Herein we survey the main evolutionary and ecological processes that have guided fungal diversity. We will first review the ecology and evolution of the zoosporic lineages and the process of terrestrialization, as one of the major evolutionary transitions in this kingdom. Several plausible scenarios have been proposed for fungal terrestralization and we here propose a new scenario, which considers icy environments as a transitory niche between water and emerged land. We then focus on exploring the main ecological relationships of Fungi with other organisms (other fungi, protozoans, animals and plants), as well as the origin of adaptations to certain specialized ecological niches within the group (lichens, black fungi and yeasts). Throughout this review we use an evolutionary and comparative-genomics perspective to understand fungal ecological diversity. Finally, we highlight the importance of genome-enabled inferences to envision plausible narratives and scenarios for important transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Naranjo‐Ortiz
- Department of Genomics and Bioinformatics, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyDr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona08003Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Department of Genomics and Bioinformatics, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyDr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona08003Spain
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)08003BarcelonaSpain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 2308010BarcelonaSpain
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42
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43
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Kirchhoff L, Olsowski M, Rath PM, Steinmann J. Exophiala dermatitidis: Key issues of an opportunistic fungal pathogen. Virulence 2019; 10:984-998. [PMID: 30887863 PMCID: PMC8647849 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2019.1596504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The black yeast Exophiala dermatitidis is an opportunistic pathogen, causing phaeohyphomycosis in immunosuppressed patients, chromoblastomycosis and fatal infections of the central nervous system in otherwise healthy Asian patients. In addition, it is also regularly isolated from respiratory samples from cystic fibrosis patients, with rates varying between 1% and 19%.Melanin, as part of the cell wall of black yeasts, is one major factor known contributing to the pathogenicity of E. dermatitidis and increased resistance against host defense and anti-infective therapeutics. Further virulence factors, e.g. the capability to adhere to surfaces and to form biofilm were reported. A better understanding of the pathogenicity of E. dermatitidis is essential for the development of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies. In this review, the current knowledge of E. dermatitidis prevalence, clinical importance, diagnosis, microbiological characteristics, virulence attributes, susceptibility, and resistances as well as therapeutically strategies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Kirchhoff
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Center of Excellence in Clinical and Laboratory Mycology and Clinical Studies, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Maike Olsowski
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Center of Excellence in Clinical and Laboratory Mycology and Clinical Studies, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Peter-Michael Rath
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Center of Excellence in Clinical and Laboratory Mycology and Clinical Studies, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Joerg Steinmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Center of Excellence in Clinical and Laboratory Mycology and Clinical Studies, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Hygiene, Medical Microbiology and Infectiology, Klinikum Nürnberg, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany
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44
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Pinheiro RL, Cognialli RCR, Barros RC, de A Pinto T, Cunha MFM, Tahan TT, Voidaleski MF, Gomes RR, Becker GN, Andrade LV, Queiroz-Telles F, Sybren de Hoog G, Sakiyama RR, Vicente VA. Peritonitis by Exophiala dermatitidis in a pediatric patient. Med Mycol Case Rep 2019; 24:18-22. [PMID: 30859060 PMCID: PMC6395852 DOI: 10.1016/j.mmcr.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal peritonitis is frequent on peritoneal dialysis, with rare cases by Exophiala dermatitidis. A 25-month-old female admitted to the pediatric ICU with acute renal failure was submitted to peritoneal dialysis. After 10 days patient presented fever. Peritoneal fluid culture showed yeast colonies molecularly identified as E. dermatitidis. Patient was treated with voriconazole and hemodialysis. The literature was reviewed. Disseminated infections are frequently fatal, but appropriate diagnose and therapeutic led to cure in this case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosângela L Pinheiro
- Laboratory of Mycology, Clinical Analysis Service Unit, Clinical Hospital Complex, Federal University of Paraná Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Regielly C R Cognialli
- Laboratory of Mycology, Clinical Analysis Service Unit, Clinical Hospital Complex, Federal University of Paraná Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo C Barros
- Laboratory of Mycology, Clinical Analysis Service Unit, Clinical Hospital Complex, Federal University of Paraná Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Tyane de A Pinto
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectiology Service, Hospital Clinic Complex, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Mariana F M Cunha
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectiology Service, Hospital Clinic Complex, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Tony T Tahan
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectiology Service, Hospital Clinic Complex, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Morgana F Voidaleski
- Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology Post-graduation Program, Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Renata R Gomes
- Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology Post-graduation Program, Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Guilherme N Becker
- Bacteriology Division, Central Laboratory of Paraná State, São José dos Pinhais, PR, Brazil
| | - Lucas V Andrade
- Medical College of the União das Faculdades dos Grandes Lagos, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Flavio Queiroz-Telles
- Laboratory of Mycology, Clinical Analysis Service Unit, Clinical Hospital Complex, Federal University of Paraná Curitiba, PR, Brazil.,Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology Post-graduation Program, Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - G Sybren de Hoog
- Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology Post-graduation Program, Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.,Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Centre of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Centre / Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong Science and Technology University, Jiefang Dadao 1277, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Renata R Sakiyama
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectiology Service, Hospital Clinic Complex, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Vânia A Vicente
- Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology Post-graduation Program, Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
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45
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Ametrano CG, Knudsen K, Kocourková J, Grube M, Selbmann L, Muggia L. Phylogenetic relationships of rock-inhabiting black fungi belonging to the widespread genera Lichenothelia and Saxomyces. Mycologia 2019; 111:127-160. [PMID: 30724710 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2018.1543510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Rock-inhabiting fungi (RIF) are adapted to thrive in oligotrophic environments and to survive under conditions of abiotic stress. Under these circumstances, they form biocoenoses with other tolerant organisms, such as lichens, or with less specific phototrophic consortia of aerial algae or cyanobacteria. RIF are phylogenetically diverse, and their plastic morphological characters hamper the straightforward species delimitation of many taxa. Here, we present a phylogenetic study of two RIF genera, Lichenothelia and Saxomyces. Representatives of both genera inhabit rather similar niches on rocks, but their phylogenetic relationships are unknown so far. The cosmopolitan genus Lichenothelia is recognized by characters of fertile ascomata and includes species with different life strategies. In contrast, Saxomyces species were described exclusively by mycelial characters found in cultured isolates from rock samples collected at high alpine elevations. Here, we use an extended taxon sampling of Dothideomycetes to study the phylogenetic relationships of both Lichenothelia and Saxomyces. We consider environmental samples, type species, and cultured isolates of both genera and demonstrate their paraphyly, as well as the occurrence of teleomorphs in Saxomyces. We applied three species delimitation methods to improve species recognition based on molecular data. We show the distinctiveness of the two main lineages of Lichenothelia (Lichenotheliales s. str.) and Saxomyces and discuss differences in species delimitation depending on molecular markers or methods. We revise the taxonomy of the two genera and describe three new taxa, Lichenothelia papilliformis, L. muriformis, and Saxomyces americanus, and the teleomorph of S. penninicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio G Ametrano
- a Department of Life Sciences , University of Trieste , via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste , Italy
| | - Kerry Knudsen
- b Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences , Czech University of Life Sciences Prague , Czech Republic, Kamýcká 129, 16500 Praha 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Jana Kocourková
- b Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences , Czech University of Life Sciences Prague , Czech Republic, Kamýcká 129, 16500 Praha 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Martin Grube
- c Institute of Plant Science, Karl-Franzens University of Graz , Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz , Austria
| | - Laura Selbmann
- d Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences , University of Tuscia, Largo dell' Università , 01100 Viterbo , Italy.,e Mycological Section , Italian Antarctic National Museum (MNA) , Genova , Italy
| | - Lucia Muggia
- a Department of Life Sciences , University of Trieste , via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste , Italy
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46
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Moreno LF, Vicente VA, de Hoog S. Black yeasts in the omics era: Achievements and challenges. Med Mycol 2018. [PMID: 29538737 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myx129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Black yeasts (BY) comprise a group of polyextremotolerant fungi, mainly belonging to the order Chaetothyriales, which are capable of colonizing a wide range of extreme environments. The tolerance to hostile habitats can be explained by their intrinsic ability to survive under acidic, alkaline, and toxic conditions, high temperature, low nutrient availability, and osmotic and mechanical stress. Occasionally, some species can cause human chromoblastomycosis, a chronic subcutaneous infection, as well as disseminated or cerebral phaeohyphomycosis. Three years after the release of the first black yeast genome, the number of projects for sequencing these organisms has significantly increased. Over 37 genomes of important opportunistic and saprobic black yeasts and relatives are now available in different databases. The whole-genome sequencing, as well as the analysis of differentially expressed mRNAs and the determination of protein expression profiles generated an unprecedented amount of data, requiring the development of a curated repository to provide easy accesses to this information. In the present article, we review various aspects of the impact of genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics on black yeast studies. We discuss recent key findings achieved by the use of these technologies and further directions for medical mycology in this area. An important vehicle is the Working Groups on Black Yeasts and Chromoblastomycosis, under the umbrella of ISHAM, which unite the clinicians and a highly diverse population of fundamental scientists to exchange data for joint publications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Ferreira Moreno
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná State, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Sybren de Hoog
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná State, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.,Center of Expertise in Mycology of Radboudumc / CWZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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47
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48
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Fungal Diversity in Lichens: From Extremotolerance to Interactions with Algae. Life (Basel) 2018; 8:life8020015. [PMID: 29789469 PMCID: PMC6027233 DOI: 10.3390/life8020015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lichen symbioses develop long-living thallus structures even in the harshest environments on Earth. These structures are also habitats for many other microscopic organisms, including other fungi, which vary in their specificity and interaction with the whole symbiotic system. This contribution reviews the recent progress regarding the understanding of the lichen-inhabiting fungi that are achieved by multiphasic approaches (culturing, microscopy, and sequencing). The lichen mycobiome comprises a more or less specific pool of species that can develop symptoms on their hosts, a generalist environmental pool, and a pool of transient species. Typically, the fungal classes Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Leotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Tremellomycetes predominate the associated fungal communities. While symptomatic lichenicolous fungi belong to lichen-forming lineages, many of the other fungi that are found have close relatives that are known from different ecological niches, including both plant and animal pathogens, and rock colonizers. A significant fraction of yet unnamed melanized (‘black’) fungi belong to the classes Chaethothyriomycetes and Dothideomycetes. These lineages tolerate the stressful conditions and harsh environments that affect their hosts, and therefore are interpreted as extremotolerant fungi. Some of these taxa can also form lichen-like associations with the algae of the lichen system when they are enforced to symbiosis by co-culturing assays.
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50
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Beneš V, Leonhardt T, Sácký J, Kotrba P. Two P 1B-1-ATPases of Amanita strobiliformis With Distinct Properties in Cu/Ag Transport. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:747. [PMID: 29740406 PMCID: PMC5924815 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
As we have shown previously, the Cu and Ag concentrations in the sporocarps of Ag-hyperaccumulating Amanita strobiliformis are correlated, and both metals share the same uptake system and are sequestered by the same metallothioneins intracellularly. To further improve our knowledge of the Cu and Ag handling in A. strobiliformis cells, we searched its transcriptome for the P1B-1-ATPases, recognizing Cu+ and Ag+ for transport. We identified transcripts encoding 1097-amino acid (AA) AsCRD1 and 978-AA AsCCC2, which were further subjected to functional studies in metal sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The expression of AsCRD1 conferred highly increased Cu and Ag tolerance to metal sensitive yeasts in which the functional AsCRD1:GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion localized exclusively to the tonoplast, indicating that the AsCRD1-mediated Cu and Ag tolerance was a result of vacuolar sequestration of the metals. Increased accumulation of AsCRD1 transcripts observed in A. strobiliformis mycelium upon the treatments with Cu and Ag (8.7- and 4.5-fold in the presence of 5 μM metal, respectively) supported the notion that AsCRD1 can be involved in protection of the A. strobiliformis cells against the toxicity of both metals. Neither Cu nor Ag affected the levels of AsCCC2 transcripts. Heterologous expression of AsCCC2 in mutant yeasts did not contribute to Cu tolerance, but complemented the mutant genotype of the S. cerevisiae ccc2Δ strain. Consistent with the role of the yeast Ccc2 in the trafficking of Cu from cytoplasm to nascent proteins via post-Golgi, the GFP fluorescence in AsCCC2-expressing ccc2Δ yeasts localized among Golgi-like punctate foci within the cells. The AsCRD1- and AsCCC2-associated phenotypes were lost in yeasts expressing mutant transporter variants in which a conserved phosphorylation/dephosphorylation site was altered. Altogether, the data support the roles of AsCRD1 and AsCCC2 as genuine P1B-1-ATPases, and indicate their important functions in the removal of toxic excess of Cu and Ag from the cytoplasm and charging the endomembrane system with Cu, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vojtěch Beneš
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Tereza Leonhardt
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jan Sácký
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pavel Kotrba
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czechia
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