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Grandhay C, Prétot E, Klaba V, Celle H, Normand AC, Bertrand X, Grenouillet F. Yeast Biodiversity of Karst Waters: Interest of Four Culture Media and an Improved MALDI-TOF MS Database. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:26. [PMID: 38175217 PMCID: PMC10766713 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02336-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Karst aquifers are a significant source of drinking water and highly vulnerable to pollution and microbial contamination. Microbiological regulations for the quality of drinking water mostly focus on bacterial levels and lack guidance concerning fungal contamination. Moreover, there is no standardised microbial analysis methodology for identifying fungi in water. Our main objective was to establish the most effective culture and identification methodology to examine yeast diversity in karst waters. We assessed the comparative efficacy of four culture media (CHROMagar Candida, dichloran glycerol 18% [DG18], dichloran rose Bengal chloramphenicol [DRBC], and SYMPHONY agar) for yeast isolation from karst water samples. Furthermore, we investigated the comprehensiveness of databases used in MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for identifying environmental yeast species. In total, we analysed 162 water samples, allowing the identification of 2479 yeast isolates. We demonstrate that a combination of four culture media, each with distinct specifications, more efficiently covers a wide range of yeast species in karst water than a combination of only two or three. Supplementation of a MALDI-TOF MS database is also critical for analysing environmental microbial samples and improved the identification of yeast biodiversity. This study is an initial step towards standardising the analysis of fungal biodiversity in karst waters, enabling a better understanding of the significance of this environmental reservoir in relation to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Grandhay
- Université de Franche-Comté, CHU Besançon, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Emma Prétot
- Université de Franche-Comté, CHU Besançon, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Victor Klaba
- Université de Franche-Comté, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Hélène Celle
- Université de Franche-Comté, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Anne-Cécile Normand
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Xavier Bertrand
- Université de Franche-Comté, CHU Besançon, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25000, Besançon, France
- Université de Franche-Comté, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Frédéric Grenouillet
- Université de Franche-Comté, CHU Besançon, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25000, Besançon, France.
- Université de Franche-Comté, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25000, Besançon, France.
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Novak Babič M, Marolt G, Imperl J, Breskvar M, Džeroski S, Gunde-Cimerman N. Effect of Location, Disinfection, and Building Materials on the Presence and Richness of Culturable Mycobiota through Oligotrophic Drinking Water Systems. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1086. [PMID: 37998891 PMCID: PMC10672563 DOI: 10.3390/jof9111086] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Safe drinking water is a constant challenge due to global environmental changes and the rise of emerging pathogens-lately, these also include fungi. The fungal presence in water greatly varies between sampling locations. Little is known about fungi from water in combination with a selection of materials used in water distribution systems. Our research was focused on five water plants located in the Pannonian Plain, Slovenia. Sampled water originated from different natural water sources and was subjected to different cleaning methods before distribution. The average numbers of fungi from natural water, water after disinfection, water at the first sampling point in the water network, and water at the last sampling point were 260, 49, 64, and 97 CFU/L, respectively. Chlorination reduced the number of fungi by a factor of 5, but its effect decreased with the length of the water network. The occurrence of different fungi in water and on materials depended on the choice of material. The presence of the genera Aspergillus, Acremonium, Furcasterigmium, Gliomastix, and Sarocladium was mostly observed on cement, while Cadophora, Cladosporium, Cyphellophora, and Exophiala prevailed on metals. Plastic materials were more susceptible to colonization with basidiomycetous fungi. Opportunistically pathogenic fungi were isolated sporadically from materials and water and do not represent a significant health risk for water consumers. In addition to cultivation data, physico-chemical features of water were measured and later processed with machine learning methods, revealing the sampling location and water cleaning processes as the main factors affecting fungal presence and richness in water and materials in contact with water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Novak Babič
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Gregor Marolt
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (G.M.); (J.I.)
| | - Jernej Imperl
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (G.M.); (J.I.)
| | - Martin Breskvar
- Department of Knowledge Technologies, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.B.); (S.D.)
- DZR, Luize Pesjakove ulica 11, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sašo Džeroski
- Department of Knowledge Technologies, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.B.); (S.D.)
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Babič MN, Gunde-Cimerman N. Culturable mycobiota of drinking water in Göteborg (Sweden) in comparison to Ljubljana (Slovenia) with implications on human health. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2023; 21:1064-1072. [PMID: 37632381 PMCID: wh_2023_089 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
The European Union currently has no specific regulations on fungi in water. The only country where fungi are listed as the parameter is Sweden, with the maximal number of 100 CFU per 100 mL. The present study thus compared culturable mycobiota from Swedish drinking water with Slovenian, which has no specific requirements for fungi. Fungi were isolated with up to 38 CFU/L from 75% of Swedish samples. The most common were the genera Varicosporellopsis (27.3%), Paracremonium (14.5%), and black yeasts Cadophora, Cyphellophora, and Exophiala (18.2%). Using the same sampling and isolation methods, 90% of tap water samples in Slovenia were positive for fungi, with Aspergillus spp. (46%), Aureobasidium melanogenum (36%), and Exophiala spp. (24%) being the most common. The observed differences between countries are likely the consequence of geographical location, the use of different raw water sources, and water treatment methods. However, the core species and emerging fungi Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida parapsilosis sensu stricto, Exophiala phaeomuriformis, Bisifusarium dimerum, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa were isolated in both studies. These findings point out the relevance of tracking the presence of emerging fungi with known effects on health in drinking water and encourage further studies on their transmission from raw water sources to the end-users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Novak Babič
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia E-mail:
| | - Nina Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
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Wan Q, Wen G, Cui Y, Cao R, Xu X, Wu G, Wang J, Huang T. Occurrence and control of fungi in water: New challenges in biological risk and safety assurance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160536. [PMID: 36574558 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160536] [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: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the contamination of fungi in water has aroused widespread concern, which will pose a threat to water quality and safety, and raise diseases risk in the immunocompromised individuals. In this review, the characteristics and different physiological state of fungi in water are summarized. A comprehensive evaluation of the control efficiency and mechanism of waterborne fungi by the commonly used disinfection methods is provided as well. During the disinfection processes of chlorine, chlorine dioxide, chloramine and advanced disinfection processes (ADPs) such as O3-based ADPs and UV-based ADPs, the fungal spores firstly lost their culturability, followed by membrane integrity, and the intracellular reactive oxygen species level increased at the same time, eventually the fungal spores were completely inactivated. The security strategies of drinking water against the contamination of fungi are also discussed in terms of water sources, water treatment plants and pipe network. Finally, future researches need to be explored are proposed: the rapid detection methods, the production laws and control of mycotoxin, and the outbreak conditions of fungi in water. Specifically, exploring efficient, safe and economical technologies, especially ADPs, is still the main direction in the disinfection of fungi in future studies. This review can offer a comprehensive understanding on the occurrence and control of fungi in water to fill the knowledge gap and provide guidance for the future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Wan
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Gang Wen
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Water Pollution Control and Water Quality Security Assurance of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China.
| | - Yuhong Cui
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1037 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Ruihua Cao
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Xiangqian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Gehui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Tinglin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
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de Pádua APSL, Koehler A, Pagani DM, Bezerra JDP, de Souza-Motta CM, Scroferneker ML. Antifungal susceptibility of the endophytic fungus Rhinocladiella similis (URM 7800) isolated from the Caatinga dry forest in Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:2093-2100. [PMID: 36152271 PMCID: PMC9679080 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00825-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study reports a new occurrence of Rhinocladiella similis isolated as an endophytic fungus in the Caatinga dry tropical forest in Brazil and describes its antifungal susceptibility. The isolate R. similis URM 7800 was obtained from leaves of the medicinal plant Myracrodruon urundeuva. Its morphological characterization was performed on potato dextrose agar medium and molecular analysis using the ITS rDNA sequence. The antifungal susceptibility profile was defined using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocol M38-A2. The colony of isolate URM 7800 showed slow growth, with an olivaceous-gray color and powdery mycelium; in microculture, it showed the typical features of R. similis. In the antifungal susceptibility test, isolate URM 7800 showed high minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for amphotericin B (>16 μg/mL), voriconazole (16 μg/mL), terbinafine (>0.5 μg/mL), and caspofungin (>8 μg/mL), among other antifungal drugs. Pathogenic melanized fungi are frequently isolated in environments where humans may be exposed, and these data show that it is essential to know if these isolates possess antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alessandra Koehler
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina: Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Danielle Machado Pagani
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia Agrícola e do Ambiente, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jadson Diogo Pereira Bezerra
- Setor de Micologia, Departamento de Biociências e Tecnologia, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Rua 235, s/n, Setor Universitário, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Lúcia Scroferneker
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina: Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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Cao R, Wan Q, Xu X, Tian S, Wu G, Wang J, Huang T, Wen G. Differentiation of DNA or membrane damage of the cells in disinfection by flow cytometry. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 435:128924. [PMID: 35483263 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the viabilities changes of fungal spores in the water supply system during different disinfection processes have been revealed. SYBR Green I (SG), a nucleic acid stain, its fluorescence intensity is correlated with the amount of double-stranded DNA. This study established a new method through successive SG-SG-PI staining (PI: Propidium Iodide) with flow cytometry (FCM). It could successfully distinguish DNA damage and membrane damage of fungal spores, clearly elucidating the intrinsic disinfection mechanism during the chemical disinfection. This method was briefly described as follows: firstly, (1) the fungal spores were stained with SG and washed by centrifugation; and then, (2) the washed spores were treated with disinfectants and terminated; after that, (3) the disinfected spores were re-stained with SG and analyzed by FCM; finally, (4) the SG re-stained spores were stained with PI and analyzed by FCM. The percentages of spores with DNA damage and membrane damage were determined by the fluorescence intensity obtained from steps (3) and (4), respectively. The repeatability and applicability of this developed method were confirmed. It was further applied to explore the inactivation mechanism during chlorine-based disinfection, and results demonstrated that chloramine attacked the DNA more seriously than the membrane, while chlorine and chlorine dioxide worked in a reverse way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihua Cao
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Qiqi Wan
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Xiangqian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Shiqi Tian
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Gehui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Tinglin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China
| | - Gang Wen
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, PR China.
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Flores GAM, Lopez RP, Cerrudo CS, Consolo VF, Berón CM. Culex quinquefasciatus Holobiont: A Fungal Metagenomic Approach. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:918052. [PMID: 37746232 PMCID: PMC10512223 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.918052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms associated with mosquitoes have fundamental roles, not only in their nutrition, but also in physiological and immunological processes, and in their adaptation to the environment as well. Studies on mosquito hologenomes have increased significantly during the last years, achieving important advances in the characterization of the "core bacteriome" of some species of health importance. However, the fungal mycobiome has not been exhaustively researched, especially throughout the life cycle of some hematophagous mosquito species. In this work, the diversity and composition of fungal communities in different developmental stages, sexes, and adult nutrition of Culex quinquefasciatus reared on laboratory conditions were characterized, using internal transcribed spacer high throughput amplicon sequencing. Larvae presented a higher fungal richness, while sucrose-fed males and females showed a similar diversity between them. Blood-fed females presented few operational taxonomic units with an even distribution. Results are consistent with the reduction of larval microbiota after molting, observed for the bacterial microbiome in other mosquito species. The filamentous Ascomycota Penicillium polonicum and Cladosporium sp. were present in all stages of the mosquitoes; in addition, the presence of yeasts in the insects or their subsequent colonization associated with their diet is also discussed. These results suggest that some species of fungi could be essential for the nutrition and development of mosquitoes throughout their life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo A. M. Flores
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Fundación para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rocio P. Lopez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Fundación para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina S. Cerrudo
- Laboratorio de Ingeniería Genética y Biología Celular y Molecular (LIGBCM), Area Virosis de Insectos (AVI), Departamento Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes and CONICET, Bernal, Argentina
| | - V. Fabiana Consolo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Fundación para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Corina M. Berón
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Fundación para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Zalar P, Gubenšek A, Gostincar C, Kostanjšek R, Bizjak-Mali L, Gunde-Cimerman N. Cultivable Skin Mycobiota of Healthy and Diseased Blind Cave Salamander (Proteus anguinus). Front Microbiol 2022; 13:926558. [PMID: 35910647 PMCID: PMC9329069 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.926558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteus anguinus is a neotenic cave salamander, endemic to the Dinaric Karst and a symbol of world natural heritage. It is classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is one of the EU priority species in need of strict protection. Due to inaccessibility of their natural underground habitat, scientific studies of the olm have been conducted mainly in captivity, where the amphibians are particularly susceptible to opportunistic microbial infections. In this report, we focused on the diversity of cultivable commensal fungi isolated from the skin of asymptomatic and symptomatic animals obtained from nature (20 specimens) and captivity (22 specimens), as well as from underground water of two karstic caves by direct water filtration and by exposure of keratin-based microbial baits and subsequent isolation from them. In total 244 fungal isolates were recovered from the animals and additional 153 isolates were obtained from water samples. Together, these isolates represented 87 genera and 166 species. Symptomatic animals were colonized by a variety of fungal species, most of them represented by a single isolate, including genera known for their involvement in chromomycosis, phaeohyphomycosis and zygomycosis in amphibians: Acremonium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Exophiala, Fusarium, Mucor, Ochroconis, Phialophora and Penicillium. One symptomatic specimen sampled from nature was infected by the oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica, the known causative agent of saprolegniosis. This is the first comprehensive report on cultivable skin mycobiome of this unique amphibian in nature and in captivity, with an emphasis on potentially pathogenic fungi and oomycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polona Zalar
- Chair of Molecular Genetics and Biology of Microorganisms, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ana Gubenšek
- Chair of Molecular Genetics and Biology of Microorganisms, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Cene Gostincar
- Chair of Molecular Genetics and Biology of Microorganisms, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rok Kostanjšek
- Chair of Zoology, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lilijana Bizjak-Mali
- Chair of Zoology, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nina Gunde-Cimerman
- Chair of Molecular Genetics and Biology of Microorganisms, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Nina Gunde-Cimerman,
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9
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Urbaniak C, Morrison MD, Thissen JB, Karouia F, Smith DJ, Mehta S, Jaing C, Venkateswaran K. Microbial Tracking-2, a metagenomics analysis of bacteria and fungi onboard the International Space Station. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:100. [PMID: 35765106 PMCID: PMC9241228 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01293-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique and complex built environment with the ISS surface microbiome originating from crew and cargo or from life support recirculation in an almost entirely closed system. The Microbial Tracking 1 (MT-1) project was the first ISS environmental surface study to report on the metagenome profiles without using whole-genome amplification. The study surveyed the microbial communities from eight surfaces over a 14-month period. The Microbial Tracking 2 (MT-2) project aimed to continue the work of MT-1, sampling an additional four flights from the same locations, over another 14 months. METHODS Eight surfaces across the ISS were sampled with sterile wipes and processed upon return to Earth. DNA extracted from the processed samples (and controls) were treated with propidium monoazide (PMA) to detect intact/viable cells or left untreated and to detect the total DNA population (free DNA/compromised cells/intact cells/viable cells). DNA extracted from PMA-treated and untreated samples were analyzed using shotgun metagenomics. Samples were cultured for bacteria and fungi to supplement the above results. RESULTS Staphylococcus sp. and Malassezia sp. were the most represented bacterial and fungal species, respectively, on the ISS. Overall, the ISS surface microbiome was dominated by organisms associated with the human skin. Multi-dimensional scaling and differential abundance analysis showed significant temporal changes in the microbial population but no spatial differences. The ISS antimicrobial resistance gene profiles were however more stable over time, with no differences over the 5-year span of the MT-1 and MT-2 studies. Twenty-nine antimicrobial resistance genes were detected across all samples, with macrolide/lincosamide/streptogramin resistance being the most widespread. Metagenomic assembled genomes were reconstructed from the dataset, resulting in 82 MAGs. Functional assessment of the collective MAGs showed a propensity for amino acid utilization over carbohydrate metabolism. Co-occurrence analyses showed strong associations between bacterial and fungal genera. Culture analysis showed the microbial load to be on average 3.0 × 105 cfu/m2 CONCLUSIONS: Utilizing various metagenomics analyses and culture methods, we provided a comprehensive analysis of the ISS surface microbiome, showing microbial burden, bacterial and fungal species prevalence, changes in the microbiome, and resistome over time and space, as well as the functional capabilities and microbial interactions of this unique built microbiome. Data from this study may help to inform policies for future space missions to ensure an ISS surface microbiome that promotes astronaut health and spacecraft integrity. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Urbaniak
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Michael D Morrison
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - James B Thissen
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Fathi Karouia
- KBRwyle, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - David J Smith
- Space Biosciences Research Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA, USA
| | - Satish Mehta
- JesTech, NASA-Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Crystal Jaing
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA.
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10
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Cupozak-Pinheiro WJ, Araújo de Almeida-Apolonio A, Sasaki MH, Maran NH, Pires de Araújo R, Silva DBDS, Víctor de Andrade Dos Santos J, Barufatti A, Chang MR, Pires de Oliveira KM. Candida species contamination in drinking groundwater from residence wells in three municipalities of midwestern Brazil and the potential human health risks. Microb Pathog 2022; 169:105660. [PMID: 35764189 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Groundwater represents one of the largest safe drinking water sources worldwide; however, it has been threatened by increased human activities in recent years. Candida species express virulence factors that contribute to the establishment and worsening of infections, although little is known about the virulence profiles of these species in potable groundwater. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of yeasts in groundwater from residential wells and to evaluate the antifungal susceptibility profile, hydrolytic enzyme production, adhesion capacity, and biofilm formation of Candida spp. Fifty yeasts representing nine genera were isolated: Candida (48%), Meyerozyma (20%), Pichia (8%), Exophiala (8%), Clavispora (4%), Kodamaea (4%), Rhodotorula (4%), Hanseniaspora (2%), and Kazachstania (2%). Candida parapsilosis was the most commonly isolated species, and approximately 29% of the Candida isolates were resistant to at least one azole. All Candida isolates were able to produce hydrolytic enzymes and adhere to polystyrene, and most were classified as hydrophobic. Candida spp. can establish and form biofilms when cultivated in different media such as Sabouraud broth, water, and calcium hypochlorite. The use of contaminated groundwater for human consumption represents a possible route for the transmission of clinically relevant yeasts that can cause fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Therefore, it is important to evaluate and establish effective measures for groundwater treatment to ensure the quality and safety for consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Melina Hatsue Sasaki
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil
| | - Nayara Halimy Maran
- Faculty of Exact Sciences and Technology, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil
| | - Renata Pires de Araújo
- Faculty of Exact Sciences and Technology, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alexeia Barufatti
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Science, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil
| | - Marilene Rodrigues Chang
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, 79070-900, Brazil
| | - Kelly Mari Pires de Oliveira
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Science, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil.
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11
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Calabon MS, Hyde KD, Jones EBG, Luo ZL, Dong W, Hurdeal VG, Gentekaki E, Rossi W, Leonardi M, Thiyagaraja V, Lestari AS, Shen HW, Bao DF, Boonyuen N, Zeng M. Freshwater fungal numbers. FUNGAL DIVERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13225-022-00503-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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12
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Insight into the antifungal effect of chitosan-conjugated metal oxide nanoparticles decorated on cellulosic foam filter for water filtration. Int J Food Microbiol 2022; 372:109677. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2022.109677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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13
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Isola D, Scano A, Orrù G, Prenafeta-Boldú FX, Zucconi L. Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Sites: Is There Something More Than Exophiala xenobiotica? New Insights into Black Fungal Diversity Using the Long Cold Incubation Method. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7100817. [PMID: 34682237 PMCID: PMC8538888 DOI: 10.3390/jof7100817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Human-made hydrocarbon-rich environments are important reservoirs of microorganisms with specific degrading abilities and pathogenic potential. In particular, black fungi are of great interest, but their presence in the environment is frequently underestimated because they are difficult to isolate. In the frame of a biodiversity study from fuel-contaminated sites involving 30 diesel car tanks and 112 fuel pump dispensers (52 diesel and 60 gasoline, respectively), a total of 181 black fungal strains were isolated. The long cold incubation (LCI) of water-suspended samples, followed by plating on Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar (DRBC), gave isolation yields up to six times (6.6) higher than those of direct plating on DRBC, and those of enrichment with a phenolic mix. The sequencing of ITS and LSU-rDNA confirmed the dominance of potentially pathogenic fungi from the family Herpotrichiellaceae and Exophiala xenobiotica. Moreover, other opportunistic species were found, including E. opportunistica, E. oligosperma, E. phaeomuriformis, and Rhinocladiella similis. The recurrent presence of E. crusticola, Knufia epidermidis, Aureobasidium melanogenum, Cladosporium spp., and Scolecobasidium spp. was also recorded. Interestingly, 12% of total isolates, corresponding to 50% of taxa found (16/32), represent new species. All the novel taxa in this study were isolated by LCI. These findings suggest that black fungal diversity in hydrocarbon-rich niches remains largely unexplored and that LCI can be an efficient tool for further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Isola
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0761-357138
| | - Alessandra Scano
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; (A.S.); (G.O.)
| | - Germano Orrù
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; (A.S.); (G.O.)
| | | | - Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;
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14
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Černoša A, Sun X, Gostinčar C, Fang C, Gunde-Cimerman N, Song Z. Virulence Traits and Population Genomics of the Black Yeast Aureobasidium melanogenum. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7080665. [PMID: 34436204 PMCID: PMC8401163 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080665] [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: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The black yeast-like fungus Aureobasidium melanogenum is an opportunistic human pathogen frequently found indoors. Its traits, potentially linked to pathogenesis, have never been systematically studied. Here, we examine 49 A. melanogenum strains for growth at 37 °C, siderophore production, hemolytic activity, and assimilation of hydrocarbons and human neurotransmitters and report within-species variability. All but one strain grew at 37 °C. All strains produced siderophores and showed some hemolytic activity. The largest differences between strains were observed in the assimilation of hydrocarbons and human neurotransmitters. We show for the first time that fungi from the order Dothideales can assimilate aromatic hydrocarbons. To explain the background, we sequenced the genomes of all 49 strains and identified genes putatively involved in siderophore production and hemolysis. Genomic analysis revealed a fairly structured population of A.melanogenum, raising the possibility that some phylogenetic lineages have higher virulence potential than others. Population genomics indicated that the species is strictly clonal, although more than half of the genomes were diploid. The existence of relatively heterozygous diploids in an otherwise clonal species is described for only the second time in fungi. The genomic and phenotypic data from this study should help to resolve the non-trivial taxonomy of the genus Aureobasidium and reduce the medical hazards of exploiting the biotechnological potential of other, non-pathogenic species of this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Černoša
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.Č.); (N.G.-C.)
| | - Xiaohuan Sun
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen 518083, China; (X.S.); (C.F.); (Z.S.)
| | - Cene Gostinčar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.Č.); (N.G.-C.)
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao 266555, China
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +386-1-320-3392
| | - Chao Fang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen 518083, China; (X.S.); (C.F.); (Z.S.)
| | - Nina Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.Č.); (N.G.-C.)
| | - Zewei Song
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen 518083, China; (X.S.); (C.F.); (Z.S.)
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15
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El Baidouri F, Zalar P, James TY, Gladfelter AS, Amend A. Evolution and Physiology of Amphibious Yeasts. Annu Rev Microbiol 2021; 75:337-357. [PMID: 34351793 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-051421-121352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Since the emergence of the first fungi some 700 million years ago, unicellular yeast-like forms have emerged multiple times in independent lineages via convergent evolution. While tens to hundreds of millions of years separate the independent evolution of these unicellular organisms, they share remarkable phenotypic and metabolic similarities, and all have streamlined genomes. Yeasts occur in every aquatic environment yet examined. Many species are aquatic; perhaps most are amphibious. How these species have evolved to thrive in aquatic habitats is fundamental to understanding functions and evolutionary mechanisms in this unique group of fungi. Here we review the state of knowledge of the physiological and ecological diversity of amphibious yeasts and their key evolutionary adaptations enabling survival in aquatic habitats. We emphasize some genera previously thought to be exclusively terrestrial. Finally, we discuss the ability of many yeasts to survive in extreme habitats and how this might lend insight into ecological plasticity, including amphibious lifestyles. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 75 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fouad El Baidouri
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA; , .,Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Polona Zalar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Timothy Y James
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Amy S Gladfelter
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.,Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
| | - Anthony Amend
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA; ,
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16
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Lavrinenko IV, Shulha LV, Peredera ОО, Zhernosik IA, Peredera RV. Efficacy of acriflavin chloride and Melaleuca alternifolia extract against Saprolegnia parasitica infection in Pterophyllum scalare. REGULATORY MECHANISMS IN BIOSYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.15421/022165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The article describes cases of saprolegniosis in Pterophyllum scalare in private aquaristics and assesses the therapeutic efficacy of acriflafin chloride against Saprolegnia parasitica infection. To establish the diagnosis, the clinical signs present in sick fish, the results of mycological and microscopic examinations are taken into account. Some chemical and mycological indices of aquarium water have been studied, and also mycological studies of fish feed have been carried out. It is established that the disease of fish develops against the background of adverse changes in physical, chemical composition and microbiocenosis of aquarium water. Low water temperature, high levels of phosphates and pH, a significant level of organic pollution, compared to the norm, provoke the accumulation of opportunistic microbiota, resulting in imbalance in the parasite-host system and the development of clinical manifestations of saprolegniosis in fish. It was found that 44.4% of the studied feed samples fed to fish were contaminated with epiphytic micromycetes. Micromycetes are represented by the genera Aspergillus, Penicilium, Fusarium, Mucor, Rhizopus. Among the studied feeds, the most affected by fungi were larvae of Chironomus plumosus and dry Daphnia pulex. According to the results of our studies during outbreaks of saprolegniosis, the pH of aquarium water was 8.1 ± 0.7, the content of phosphates – 5.6 ± 1.1 mg/L, micromycetes – 18.0 ± 1.2 CFU/100 cm3. Aspergillus flavus, A. niger and Penicillium canescens were detected in the studied water samples. With saprolegniosis, the angelfish have a reduced appetite, spots, ulcers, white thin threads, and a cotton-like plaque appear on certain areas of the skin, fins, eyes, and gills. It is established that effective means for the treatment of sick fish are external use in the form of a long bath of acriflavine chloride and extract of Melaleuca alternifolia. It is also effective to increase the water temperature to 25–27 °С, to ensure the normative fish-holding density in aquariums and to exclude from the diet fish feed contaminated with micromycetes. After using the drugs for two weeks every other day, water was replaced by 20% of the aquarium volume and aerated. As a result of the treatment, gradual healing of skin lesions and recovery of 65% of fish with signs of lesions of the outer coverings were registered. Thus, the article analyzes the causes of saprolegniosis in angelfish common in private aquariums, describes the clinical signs of the disease and assesses the therapeutic efficacy of acriflavine chloride and Melaleuca alternifolia extract against Saprolegnia parasitica infection. Prospects for further research lie in search of more effective and environmentally friendly means for the treatment of saprolegniosis in aquarium fish.
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17
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Dishwashers as an Extreme Environment of Potentially Pathogenic Yeast Species. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10040446. [PMID: 33917934 PMCID: PMC8068352 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040446] [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: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to compare the yeast species diversity in the specific environment of dishwashers, taking into account the potential risk for users. Yeasts were isolated from ten dishwashers and from tap water supplied to the appliances. Samples were collected for mycological analyses at the beginning of each month, from February to May 2016. Four dishwasher sites (rubber seals, detergent dispensers, sprinklers, and water drains) were analyzed. The microfungi were identified by the standard procedures applied in mycological diagnostics. To confirm species identification, molecular analysis was performed based on the sequences of the D1/D2 region. The presence of microfungi was detected in 70% of the investigated appliances. Rubber seals, detergent dispensers, and water drains were the most frequently colonized elements. Thirty-five yeast strains were isolated in this study, of which twenty-seven were obtained from dishwashers and eight from tap water. The strains belonged to six genera and six species (Candida parapsilosis, Clavispora lusitaniae, Dipodascus capitatus, Exophiala dermatitidis, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa). Most of the strains came from rubber seals. In this way, it was demonstrated that the dishwashers’ condition is sufficient as an ecological niche for microfungi.
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18
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Novak Babič M, Gunde-Cimerman N. Water-Transmitted Fungi are Involved in Degradation of Concrete Drinking Water Storage Tanks. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010160. [PMID: 33445679 PMCID: PMC7828128 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Global warming, globalization, industrialization, and the rapidly growing population at present increasingly affect the production of safe drinking water. In combination with sustainable bio-based or recycled materials, used for water distribution systems, these factors promote emerging pathogens, including fungi. They can proliferate in oligotrophic water systems, affect the disinfection process, degrade building materials, and cause diseases in humans. In this study, we explored fungal-based degradation of modern concrete water storage tanks and the presence of fungi in chlorinated drinking water at the entrance and exit of the tanks. The degradation potential of isolated 52 fungal strains and their growth at different oligotrophic conditions was tested in vitro. Forty percent of strains grew at extremely oligotrophic conditions, and 50% classified as aerophilic. Two-thirds of tested strains produced acids, with Penicillium strains as the best producers. Only 29.7% of the strains were able to grow at 37 °C, and none of them was isolated from drinking water at consumers' taps. Although not yet part of the guidelines for building materials in contact with drinking water, fungi should be taken into consideration in case of visible degradation. Their number of consumers' endpoints should be checked to exclude possible health risks for consumers.
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19
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Abdolrasouli A, Gibani MM, de Groot T, Borman AM, Hoffman P, Azadian BS, Mughal N, Moore LSP, Johnson EM, Meis JF. A pseudo-outbreak of Rhinocladiella similis in a bronchoscopy unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital in London, United Kingdom. Mycoses 2020; 64:394-404. [PMID: 33314345 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Outbreaks of fungal infections due to emerging and rare species are increasingly reported in healthcare settings. We investigated a pseudo-outbreak of Rhinocladiella similis in a bronchoscopy unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital in London, UK. We aimed to determine route of healthcare-associated transmission and prevent additional infections. From July 2018 through February 2019, we detected a pseudo-outbreak of R. similis isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples collected from nine patients who had undergone bronchoscopy in a multispecialty teaching hospital, during a period of 8 months. Isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed by EUCAST broth microdilution. To determine genetic relatedness among R. similis isolates, we undertook amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. To determine the potential source of contamination, an epidemiological investigation was carried out. We reviewed patient records retrospectively and audited steps taken during bronchoscopy as well as the subsequent cleaning and decontamination procedures. Fungal cultures were performed on samples collected from bronchoscopes and automated endoscope washer-disinfector systems. No patient was found to have an infection due to R. similis either before or after bronchoscopy. One bronchoscope was identified to be used among all affected patients with positive fungal cultures. Physical damage was found in the index bronchoscope; however, no fungus was recovered after sampling of the affected scope or the rinse water of automated endoscope washer-disinfectors. Use of the scope was halted, and, during the following 12-month period, Rhinocladiella species were not isolated from any BAL specimen. All pseudo-outbreak isolates were identified as R. similis with high genetic relatedness (>90% similarity) on ALFP analysis. The study emphasises the emergence of a rare and uncommon black yeast R. similis, with reduced susceptibility to echinocandins, in a bronchoscope-related pseudo-outbreak with a potential water-related reservoir. Our findings highlight the importance of prolonged fungal culture and species-level identification of melanised yeasts isolated from bronchoscopy samples. Possibility of healthcare-associated transmission should be considered when R. similis is involved in clinical microbiology samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Abdolrasouli
- Department of Medical Microbiology, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Malick M Gibani
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Theun de Groot
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew M Borman
- National Mycology Reference Laboratory, Public Health England, Bristol, UK.,Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Peter Hoffman
- HCAI & AMR Division, National Infection Service, Public Health England, London, UK
| | - Berge S Azadian
- Chelsea and Westminster National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Nabeela Mughal
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Chelsea and Westminster National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, UK.,North West London Pathology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Luke S P Moore
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Chelsea and Westminster National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, UK.,North West London Pathology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth M Johnson
- National Mycology Reference Laboratory, Public Health England, Bristol, UK.,Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Jacques F Meis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ), Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.,Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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20
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Afonso TB, Simões LC, Lima N. Occurrence of filamentous fungi in drinking water: their role on fungal-bacterial biofilm formation. Res Microbiol 2020; 172:103791. [PMID: 33197515 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2020.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Water is indispensable to life and safe and accessible supply must be available to all. The presence of microorganisms is a threat to this commitment. Biofilms are the main reservoir of microorganisms inside water distribution systems and they are extremely ecologically diverse. Filamentous fungi and bacteria can coexist inside these systems forming inter-kingdom biofilms. This review has the goal of summarizing the most relevant and recent reports on the occurrence of filamentous fungi in water distribution systems along with the current knowledge and gaps about filamentous fungal biofilm formation. Special focus is given on fungal-bacterial interactions in water biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nelson Lima
- CEB, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
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21
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Caggiano G, Diella G, Triggiano F, Bartolomeo N, Apollonio F, Campanale C, Lopuzzo M, Montagna MT. Occurrence of Fungi in the Potable Water of Hospitals: A Public Health Threat. Pathogens 2020; 9:E783. [PMID: 32987845 PMCID: PMC7601515 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9100783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the last decade, attention towards the occurrence of fungi in potable water has increased. Commensal and saprophytic microorganisms widely distributed in nature are also responsible for causing public health problems. Fungi can contaminate hospital environments, surviving and proliferating in moist and unsterile conditions. According to Italian regulations, the absence of fungi is not a mandatory parameter to define potable water, as a threshold value for the fungal occurrence has not been defined. This study evaluated the occurrence of fungi in potable water distribution systems in hospitals. The frequency of samples positive for the presence of fungi was 56.9%; among them, filamentous fungi and yeasts were isolated from 94.2% and 9.2% of the samples, respectively. The intensive care unit (87.1%) had the highest frequency of positive samples. Multivariable model (p < 0.0001), the variables of the period of the year (p < 0.0001) and type of department (p = 0.0002) were found to be statistically significant, suggesting a high distribution of filamentous fungi in the potable water of hospitals. Further studies are necessary to validate these results and identify the threshold values of fungi levels for different types of water used for various purposes to ensure the water is safe for consumption and protect public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Caggiano
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology-Hygiene Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (G.D.); (F.T.); (N.B.); (F.A.); (C.C.); (M.L.); (M.T.M.)
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22
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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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23
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Barrilli ÉT, Tadioto V, Milani LM, Deoti JR, Fogolari O, Müller C, Barros KO, Rosa CA, Dos Santos AA, Stambuk BU, Treichel H, Alves SL. Biochemical analysis of cellobiose catabolism in Candida pseudointermedia strains isolated from rotten wood. Arch Microbiol 2020; 202:1729-1739. [PMID: 32328754 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-020-01884-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We isolated two Candida pseudointermedia strains from the Atlantic rain forest in Brazil, and analyzed cellobiose metabolization in their cells. After growth in cellobiose medium, both strains had high intracellular β-glucosidase activity [~ 200 U (g cells)-1 for 200 mM cellobiose and ~ 100 U (g cells)-1 for 2 mM pNPβG] and negligible periplasmic cellobiase activity. During batch fermentation, the strain with the best performance consumed all the available cellobiose in the first 18 h of the assay, producing 2.7 g L-1 of ethanol. Kinetics of its cellobiase activity demonstrated a high-affinity hydrolytic system inside cells, with Km of 12.4 mM. Our data suggest that, unlike other fungal species that hydrolyze cellobiose extracellularly, both analyzed strains transport it to the cytoplasm, where it is then hydrolyzed by high-affinity intracellular β-glucosidases. We believe this study increases the fund of knowledge regarding yeasts from Brazilian microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Évelyn T Barrilli
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Chapecó, Rodovia SC 484, Km 2, Bairro Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, SC, 89815-899, Brazil
| | - Viviani Tadioto
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Chapecó, Rodovia SC 484, Km 2, Bairro Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, SC, 89815-899, Brazil
| | - Letícia M Milani
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Chapecó, Rodovia SC 484, Km 2, Bairro Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, SC, 89815-899, Brazil
| | - Junior R Deoti
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Chapecó, Rodovia SC 484, Km 2, Bairro Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, SC, 89815-899, Brazil
| | - Odinei Fogolari
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Chapecó, Rodovia SC 484, Km 2, Bairro Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, SC, 89815-899, Brazil
| | - Caroline Müller
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Chapecó, Rodovia SC 484, Km 2, Bairro Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, SC, 89815-899, Brazil
| | - Katharina O Barros
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Carlos A Rosa
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Angela A Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Chapecó, Rodovia SC 484, Km 2, Bairro Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, SC, 89815-899, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Boris U Stambuk
- Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Helen Treichel
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocesses, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Erechim, Erechim, RS, Brazil
| | - Sérgio L Alves
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Campus Chapecó, Rodovia SC 484, Km 2, Bairro Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, SC, 89815-899, Brazil.
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24
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Góralska K, Błaszkowska J, Dzikowiec M. The occurrence of potentially pathogenic filamentous fungi in recreational surface water as a public health risk. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2020; 18:127-144. [PMID: 32300087 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2020.096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microfungi occurring in surface water may represent an important health risk. Recreational water reservoirs are a potential reservoir of pathogenic fungi. The aim of the study was to assess the diversity of mycobiota in selected artificial bathing reservoirs with regard to its biosafety for the human population. The studies were conducted during the summer of 2016 in three research seasons (June (I), July and August (II), and September (III)), taking into account the various periods of recreational activities. Filamentous fungi were isolated from water samples collected at five different ponds utilized for recreation. From 162 water samples, 149 fungal taxa of filamentous fungi were identified: 140 were classified to species level and only nine to genus level. Aspergillus fumigatus was the dominant species. The highest species richness (S) was noted in June, with 93 fungal taxa (Menhinick's index from 2.65 to 4.49). Additionally, in season I, the highest diversity of fungal species was revealed (Simpson's diversity index from 0.83 to 0.99). The average number of CFU/1 mL sample ranged between 0.4 and 4.6 depending on the time of sampling and ponds. Of all the isolated species, 128 were clinically relevant (11 from RG-2 and 117 from RG-1), highlighting the need to introduce seasonal mycological monitoring of such reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Góralska
- Department of Biology and Parasitology Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213 Lodz, Poland E-mail:
| | - Joanna Błaszkowska
- Department of Biology and Parasitology Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213 Lodz, Poland E-mail:
| | - Magdalena Dzikowiec
- Department of Biomedicine and Genetics Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213 Lodz, Poland
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Monapathi ME, Bezuidenhout CC, James Rhode OH. Aquatic yeasts: diversity, characteristics and potential health implications. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2020; 18:91-105. [PMID: 32300084 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2020.270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
There has been a rising interest in the levels, diversity and potential impacts of yeasts in aquatic environments. Some of the species isolated from such niches are known pathogens or have pathogenic and antifungal resistance features. This deems it necessary to understand the characteristics and potential health implications of such environmental yeasts species. Studies on these subjects are limited. Most studies on aquatic yeasts have linked them to water pollution. However, the current gold standards to determine microbial pollution of water use bacteria as the main indicator organisms. Including yeasts in water quality standards may provide a different dimension on the quality of water when determining its fit-for-use properties. Pathogenic yeasts cause superficial infections or life-threatening infections, especially in immunocompromised people. Some of the yeast species isolated in recent studies were resistant to commonly used antifungal agents of clinical and veterinary relevance. With the high prevalence rate of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in South Africa, antifungal resistance is a public concern as it poses serious medical and economic challenges. Most available studies are concerned with clinical environments only. There is, thus, a need to review the literature that also focuses on aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mzimkhulu Ephraim Monapathi
- Unit for Environmental Science and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa E-mail: ; Faculty of Applied and Computer Science - Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark Park, South Africa
| | - Carlos Cornelius Bezuidenhout
- Unit for Environmental Science and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa E-mail:
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Abstract
Fungi are phylogenetically and functionally diverse ubiquitous components of almost all ecosystems on Earth, including aquatic environments stretching from high montane lakes down to the deep ocean. Aquatic ecosystems, however, remain frequently overlooked as fungal habitats, although fungi potentially hold important roles for organic matter cycling and food web dynamics. Recent methodological improvements have facilitated a greater appreciation of the importance of fungi in many aquatic systems, yet a conceptual framework is still missing. In this Review, we conceptualize the spatiotemporal dimensions, diversity, functions and organismic interactions of fungi in structuring aquatic food webs. We focus on currently unexplored fungal diversity, highlighting poorly understood ecosystems, including emerging artificial aquatic habitats.
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Mhlongo NT, Tekere M, Sibanda T. Prevalence and public health implications of mycotoxigenic fungi in treated drinking water systems. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2019; 17:517-531. [PMID: 31313991 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2019.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Insufficient potable water resources and poorly treated drinking water quality are the world's number one cause for preventable morbidity and mortality from water-related pathogenic microorganisms. Pathogenic microorganisms, including mycotoxigenic fungi, have been identified in treated drinking water. This paper presents a review of mycotoxigenic fungi as a health risk to the public as these fungi are responsible for allergies, cancers and opportunistic infections mainly to immunocompromised patients. The exacerbating factors contributing to fungal presence in water distribution systems, factors that lead to fungi being resistant to water treatment and treated drinking water quality legislations are also discussed. This paper provides a review on the prevalence of mycotoxigenic fungi and their implications to public health in treated drinking water, and the need for inclusion in treated drinking water quality regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ntombie Thandazile Mhlongo
- Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, P.O. Box X6, Florida 1710, Johannesburg, South Africa E-mail:
| | - Memory Tekere
- Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, P.O. Box X6, Florida 1710, Johannesburg, South Africa E-mail:
| | - Timothy Sibanda
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
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Inkinen J, Jayaprakash B, Siponen S, Hokajärvi AM, Pursiainen A, Ikonen J, Ryzhikov I, Täubel M, Kauppinen A, Paananen J, Miettinen IT, Torvinen E, Kolehmainen M, Pitkänen T. Active eukaryotes in drinking water distribution systems of ground and surface waterworks. MICROBIOME 2019; 7:99. [PMID: 31269979 PMCID: PMC6610866 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-019-0715-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eukaryotes are ubiquitous in natural environments such as soil and freshwater. Little is known of their presence in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) or of the environmental conditions that affect their activity and survival. METHODS Eukaryotes were characterized by Illumina high-throughput sequencing targeting 18S rRNA gene (DNA) that estimates the total community and the 18S rRNA gene transcript (RNA) that is more representative of the active part of the community. DWDS cold water (N = 124), hot water (N = 40), and biofilm (N = 16) samples were collected from four cities in Finland. The sampled DWDSs were from two waterworks A-B with non-disinfected, recharged groundwater as source water and from three waterworks utilizing chlorinated water (two DWDSs of surface waterworks C-D and one of ground waterworks E). In each DWDS, samples were collected from three locations during four seasons of 1 year. RESULTS A beta-diversity analysis revealed that the main driver shaping the eukaryotic communities was the DWDS (A-E) (R = 0.73, P < 0.001, ANOSIM). The kingdoms Chloroplastida (green plants and algae), Metazoa (animals: rotifers, nematodes), Fungi (e.g., Cryptomycota), Alveolata (ciliates, dinoflagellates), and Stramenopiles (algae Ochrophyta) were well represented and active-judging based on the rRNA gene transcripts-depending on the surrounding conditions. The unchlorinated cold water of systems (A-B) contained a higher estimated total number of taxa (Chao1, average 380-480) than chlorinated cold water in systems C-E (Chao1 ≤ 210). Within each DWDS, unique eukaryotic communities were identified at different locations as was the case also for cold water, hot water, and biofilms. A season did not have a consistent impact on the eukaryotic community among DWDSs. CONCLUSIONS This study comprehensively characterized the eukaryotic community members within the DWDS of well-maintained ground and surface waterworks providing good quality water. The study gives an indication that each DWDS houses a unique eukaryotic community, mainly dependent on the raw water source and water treatment processes in place at the corresponding waterworks. In particular, disinfection as well as hot water temperature seemed to represent a strong selection pressure that controlled the number of active eukaryotic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Inkinen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Sallamaari Siponen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box, 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Anna-Maria Hokajärvi
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Anna Pursiainen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jenni Ikonen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ivan Ryzhikov
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box, 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Martin Täubel
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ari Kauppinen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jussi Paananen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ilkka T. Miettinen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Eila Torvinen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box, 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mikko Kolehmainen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box, 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
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29
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Richardson M, Rautemaa-Richardson R. Exposure to Aspergillus in Home and Healthcare Facilities' Water Environments: Focus on Biofilms. Microorganisms 2019; 7:E7. [PMID: 30621244 PMCID: PMC6351985 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus conida are ubiquitous in the environment, including freshwater, water for bathing, and in drinking water. Vulnerable patients and those suffering from allergic diseases are susceptible to aspergillosis. Avoidance of Aspergillus is of paramount importance. Potential outbreaks of aspergillosis in hospital facilities have been described where the water supply has been implicated. Little is known regarding the risk of exposure to Aspergillus in water. How does Aspergillus survive in water? This review explores the biofilm state of Aspergillus growth based on recent literature and suggests that biofilms are responsible for the persistence of Aspergillus in domestic and healthcare facilities' water supplies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malcolm Richardson
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M23 9LT, UK.
| | - Riina Rautemaa-Richardson
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M23 9LT, UK.
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30
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31
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Opportunistic Water-Borne Human Pathogenic Filamentous Fungi Unreported from Food. Microorganisms 2018; 6:microorganisms6030079. [PMID: 30081519 PMCID: PMC6164083 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms6030079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Clean drinking water and sanitation are fundamental human rights recognized by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and the Human Rights Council in 2010 (Resolution 64/292). In modern societies, water is not related only to drinking, it is also widely used for personal and home hygiene, and leisure. Ongoing human population and subsequent environmental stressors challenge the current standards on safe drinking and recreational water, requiring regular updating. Also, a changing Earth and its increasingly frequent extreme weather events and climatic changes underpin the necessity to adjust regulation to a risk-based approach. Although fungi were never introduced to water quality regulations, the incidence of fungal infections worldwide is growing, and changes in antimicrobial resistance patterns are taking place. The presence of fungi in different types of water has been thoroughly investigated during the past 30 years only in Europe, and more than 400 different species were reported from ground-, surface-, and tap-water. The most frequently reported fungi, however, were not waterborne, but are frequently related to soil, air, and food. This review focuses on waterborne filamentous fungi, unreported from food, that offer a pathogenic potential.
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32
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Dögen A, Sav H, Gonca S, Kaplan E, Ilkit M, Novak Babic M, Gunde-Cimerman N, de Hoog GS. Candida parapsilosis in domestic laundry machines. Med Mycol 2018; 55:813-819. [PMID: 28204594 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myx008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida parapsilosis, although a human commensal, acts as an opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infections, with a rising incidence worldwide. Its ecological characteristics are poorly understood. Human-made environments within dwellings, such as dishwashers and water distribution systems, represent major sources of fungi such as C. parapsilosis. Here, we investigated the presence of members of the C. parapsilosis complex in 99 washing machines in various dwellings in the city of Mersin, Turkey. We sampled three sites in each washing machine: (i) the washing powder drawers, (ii) fabric softener drawers, and (iii) rubber seals around the washing machine doors. Additionally, we recorded the type of cleanser used by each customer. Of note, 25.3% of sampled washing machines harbored C. parapsilosis strains, later identified as the members of the C. parapsilosis sensu stricto via internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Out of the 29 isolates obtained, biofilm-forming ability and proteinase and esterase activities were recorded in 14, 11, and 4 of the isolates, respectively. Our results suggest that the washing machines investigated abundantly harbored C. parapsilosis sensu stricto; however, no single preferred isolation site or association with cleanser type was observed (P > .05). Furthermore, C. parapsilosis isolates grew at temperatures ranging from 10°C to 37°C, at pH values ranging from 4 to 10, and were found to tolerate 5-10% NaCl. Domestic laundry appliances as a potential source of C. parapsilosis infections are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aylin Dögen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Hafize Sav
- Division of Mycology, Kayseri Education and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Serpil Gonca
- Advanced Technology Education, Research, and Application Center, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Engin Kaplan
- Advanced Technology Education, Research, and Application Center, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey.,Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey
| | - Macit Ilkit
- Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey
| | - Monika Novak Babic
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nina Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Centre of Excellence of Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins (CIPKeBiP), Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - G Sybren de Hoog
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Teixeira P, Almeida L, Brandão J, Costa S, Pereira S, Valério E. Non-potable use of Lisbon underground water: microbiological and hydrochemical data from a 4-year case study. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2018; 190:455. [PMID: 29987363 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-018-6828-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mitigation of global warming scenarios by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) water convention requires better water use policies by all management parties. One of Lisbon's municipal contributions to target a sustainable urban water cycle has been to assess the microbial and hydrochemical quality of groundwater. The aim is to clarify the possible existence of contaminations and respective sources, seasonality, and to assess non-drinking alternative uses of those waters. To this respect, five water sources over a 4-year period were monitored for physical, chemical, and microbial parameters (temperature, pH, NO2-, NO3-, NO4-, oxidability, conductivity, total hardness, Escherichia coli, total coliforms, enterococci, and heterotrophic plate count at 22 °C and 37 °C). The results show mean values of physical and chemical parameters within the WHO and national drinking water guidelines and regulations. However, microbial parameters exceed these limits, showing no seasonality. Microbial contamination may not necessarily imply the uselessness of groundwater for uses other than for drinking. For routine water quality assessment, a selection of a more adequate group of microbiological indicators is necessary, in order to evaluate potential public health risks, regarding the use of the identified water sources for non-potable purposes like irrigation or street cleaning. This approach is being promoted by the UNECE's protocol for water and health, article 6, 2 (i); in accordance with the scope of the UN's sustainable goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Teixeira
- Lisbon Municipality, Energy, Environment and Green Structure Department, Bromatology and Water Laboratory, Avenida Cidade do Porto S/N, 1700-111, Lisbon, Portugal.
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Luís Almeida
- HERCULES Laboratory, Palácio do Vimioso, University of Évora, Largo Marquês de Marialva, 8, 7000-809, Évora, Portugal
- LNEC - National Laboratory for Civil Engineering, Av. Brasil, 101, 1700-066, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João Brandão
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Costa
- Lisbon Municipality, Energy, Environment and Green Structure Department, Bromatology and Water Laboratory, Avenida Cidade do Porto S/N, 1700-111, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana Pereira
- Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Valério
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
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Microbial Diversity and Putative Opportunistic Pathogens in Dishwasher Biofilm Communities. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.02755-17. [PMID: 29330184 PMCID: PMC5812945 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02755-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Extreme habitats are not only limited to natural environments, but also exist in manmade systems, for instance, household appliances such as dishwashers. Limiting factors, such as high temperatures, high and low pHs, high NaCl concentrations, presence of detergents, and shear force from water during washing cycles, define microbial survival in this extreme system. Fungal and bacterial diversity in biofilms isolated from rubber seals of 24 different household dishwashers was investigated using next-generation sequencing. Bacterial genera such as Pseudomonas, Escherichia, and Acinetobacter, known to include opportunistic pathogens, were represented in most samples. The most frequently encountered fungal genera in these samples belonged to Candida, Cryptococcus, and Rhodotorula, also known to include opportunistic pathogenic representatives. This study showed how specific conditions of the dishwashers impact the abundance of microbial groups and investigated the interkingdom and intrakingdom interactions that shape these biofilms. The age, usage frequency, and hardness of incoming tap water of dishwashers had significant impact on bacterial and fungal community compositions. Representatives of Candida spp. were found at the highest prevalence (100%) in all dishwashers and are assumed to be one of the first colonizers in recently purchased dishwashers. Pairwise correlations in tested microbiomes showed that certain bacterial groups cooccur, as did the fungal groups. In mixed bacterial-fungal biofilms, early adhesion, contact, and interactions were vital in the process of biofilm formation, where mixed complexes of bacteria and fungi could provide a preliminary biogenic structure for the establishment of these biofilms. IMPORTANCE Worldwide demand for household appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, is increasing, as is the number of immunocompromised individuals. The harsh conditions in household dishwashers should prevent the growth of most microorganisms. However, our research shows that persisting polyextremotolerant groups of microorganisms in household appliances are well established under these unfavorable conditions and supported by the biofilm mode of growth. The significance of our research is in identifying the microbial composition of biofilms formed on dishwasher rubber seals, how diverse abiotic conditions affect microbiota, and which key microbial members were represented in early colonization and contamination of dishwashers, as these appliances can present a source of domestic cross-contamination that leads to broader medical impacts.
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35
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Zupančič J, Raghupathi PK, Houf K, Burmølle M, Sørensen SJ, Gunde-Cimerman N. Synergistic Interactions in Microbial Biofilms Facilitate the Establishment of Opportunistic Pathogenic Fungi in Household Dishwashers. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:21. [PMID: 29441043 PMCID: PMC5797641 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilms formed on rubber seals in dishwashers harbor diverse microbiota. In this study, we focussed on the microbial composition of bacteria and fungi, isolated from a defined area of one square centimeter of rubber from four domestic dishwashers and assessed their abilities to in vitro multispecies biofilm formation. A total of 80 isolates (64 bacterial and 16 fungal) were analyzed. Multiple combinations of bacterial isolates from each dishwasher were screened for synergistic interactions. 32 out of 140 tested (23%) four-species bacterial combinations displayed consistent synergism leading to an overall increase in biomass, in all experimental trails. Bacterial isolates from two of the four dishwashers generated a high number of synergistically interacting four-species consortia. Network based correlation analyses also showed higher co-occurrence patterns observed between bacterial members in the same two dishwasher samples, indicating cooperative effects. Furthermore, two synergistic four-species bacterial consortia were tested for their abilities to incorporate an opportunistic fungal pathogen, Exophiala dermatitidis and their establishment as biofilms on sterile ethylene propylene diene monomer M-class (EPDM) rubber and polypropylene (PP) surfaces. When the bacterial consortia included E. dermatitidis, the overall cell numbers of both bacteria and fungi increased and a substantial increase in biofilm biomass was observed. These results indicate a novel phenomenon of cross kingdom synergy in biofilm formation and these observations could have potential implications for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerneja Zupančič
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Prem K Raghupathi
- Molecular Microbial Ecology Group, Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Laboratory of Hygiene and Technology, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kurt Houf
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Technology, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mette Burmølle
- Molecular Microbial Ecology Group, Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren J Sørensen
- Molecular Microbial Ecology Group, Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nina Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Exophiala dermatitidis Revealing Cystic Fibrosis in Adult Patients with Chronic Pulmonary Disease. Mycopathologia 2017; 183:71-79. [PMID: 29094263 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-017-0218-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic inherited disease due to mutations in the gene cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Because of the huge diversity of CFTR mutations, the CF phenotypes are highly heterogeneous, varying from typical to mild form of CF, also called atypical CF. These atypical features are more frequently diagnosed at adolescence or adulthood, and among clinical signs and symptoms leading to suspect a mild form of CF, colonization or infection of the respiratory tract due to well-known CF pathogens should be a warning signal. Exophiala dermatitidis is a melanized dimorphic fungus commonly detected in respiratory specimens from CF patients, but only very rarely from respiratory specimens from non-CF patients. We described here two cases of chronic colonization of the airways by E. dermatitidis, with recurrent pneumonia and hemoptysis in one patient, which led clinicians to diagnose mild forms of CF in these elderly patients who were 68- and 87-year-old. These cases of late CF diagnosis suggest that airway colonization or respiratory infections due to E. dermatitidis in patients with bronchiectasis should led to search for a mild form of CF, regardless of the age and associated symptoms. On a broader level, in patients with chronic respiratory disease and recurrent pulmonary infections, an allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis or an airway colonization by CF-related fungi like E. dermatitidis or some Aspergillus, Scedosporium or Rasamsonia species, should be considered as potential markers of atypical CF and should led clinicians to conduct investigations for CF diagnosis.
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Francesca N, Gaglio R, Stucchi C, De Martino S, Moschetti G, Settanni L. Yeasts and moulds contaminants of food ice cubes and their survival in different drinks. J Appl Microbiol 2017; 124:188-196. [PMID: 29080227 DOI: 10.1111/jam.13624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To evaluate the levels of unicellular and filamentous fungi in ice cubes produced at different levels and to determine their survival in alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. METHODS AND RESULTS Sixty samples of ice cubes collected from home level (HL) productions, bars and pubs (BP) and industrial manufacturing plants (MP) were investigated for the presence and cell density of yeasts and moulds. Moulds were detected in almost all samples, while yeasts developed from the majority of HL and MP samples. Representative colonies of microfungi were subjected to phenotypic and genotypic characterization. The identification was carried out by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the region spanning the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) and the 5·8S rRNA gene. The process of yeast identification was concluded by sequencing the D1/D2 region of the 26S rRNA gene. The fungal biodiversity associated with food ice was represented by nine yeast and nine mould species. Strains belonging to Candida parapsilosis and Cryptococcus curvatus, both opportunistic human pathogens, and Penicillium glabrum, an ubiquitous mould in the ice samples analysed, were selected to evaluate the effectiveness of the ice cubes to transfer pathogenic microfungi to consumers, after addition to alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. All strains retained their viability. CONCLUSIONS The survival test indicated that the most common mode of consumption of ice cubes, through its direct addition to drinks and beverages, did not reduce the viability of microfungi. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This study evidenced the presence of microfungi in food ice and ascertained their survival in soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Francesca
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - R Gaglio
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - C Stucchi
- INGA, Istituto Nazionale Ghiaccio Alimentare, Roma, Italy
| | - S De Martino
- INGA, Istituto Nazionale Ghiaccio Alimentare, Roma, Italy
| | - G Moschetti
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - L Settanni
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Fungal Contaminants in Drinking Water Regulation? A Tale of Ecology, Exposure, Purification and Clinical Relevance. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017. [PMCID: PMC5486322 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14060636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Microbiological drinking water safety is traditionally monitored mainly by bacterial parameters that indicate faecal contamination. These parameters correlate with gastro-intestinal illness, despite the fact that viral agents, resulting from faecal contamination, are usually the cause. This leaves behind microbes that can cause illness other than gastro-intestinal and several emerging pathogens, disregarding non-endemic microbial contaminants and those with recent pathogenic activity reported. This white paper focuses on one group of contaminants known to cause allergies, opportunistic infections and intoxications: Fungi. It presents a review on their occurrence, ecology and physiology. Additionally, factors contributing to their presence in water distribution systems, as well as their effect on water quality are discussed. Presence of opportunistic and pathogenic fungi in drinking water can pose a health risk to consumers due to daily contact with water, via several exposure points, such as drinking and showering. The clinical relevance and influence on human health of the most common fungal contaminants in drinking water is discussed. Our goal with this paper is to place fungal contaminants on the roadmap of evidence based and emerging threats for drinking water quality safety regulations.
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Heidrich D, González GM, Pagani DM, Ramírez-Castrillón M, Scroferneker ML. Chromoblastomycosis caused by Rhinocladiella similis: Case report. Med Mycol Case Rep 2017; 16:25-27. [PMID: 28458993 PMCID: PMC5397130 DOI: 10.1016/j.mmcr.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We report a case of chromoblastomycosis in lesions on the chest and foot. Itraconazole was chosen as the initial treatment for this patient, who was followed up for 8 months before becoming noncompliant. The pathogenic fungal species was identified as Rhinocladiella similis by ITS region sequencing. In vitro analyses indicate that the fungus was sensitive to posaconazole and itraconazole. This report presents R. similis as a new agent of chromoblastomycosis and raises the hypothesis that this species could be more resistant to some antifungals than R. aquaspersa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiane Heidrich
- Graduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400 − 2nd floor, Porto Alegre CEP: 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Gloria M. González
- Department of Microbiology, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Madero y Aguirre Pequeño, Col. Mitras Centro, Monterrey, N.L. C.P. 64460, Mexico
| | - Danielle M. Pagani
- Department of Microbiology, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Rua Sarmento Leite, 500, Sala 210, Porto Alegre CEP: 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Mauricio Ramírez-Castrillón
- Department of Microbiology, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Rua Sarmento Leite, 500, Sala 210, Porto Alegre CEP: 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Maria Lucia Scroferneker
- Graduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400 − 2nd floor, Porto Alegre CEP: 90035-003, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Madero y Aguirre Pequeño, Col. Mitras Centro, Monterrey, N.L. C.P. 64460, Mexico
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Ecology of the Human Opportunistic Black Yeast Exophiala dermatitidis Indicates Preference for Human-Made Habitats. Mycopathologia 2017; 183:201-212. [PMID: 28447292 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-017-0134-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Exophiala dermatitidis is an ascomycetous black yeast from the order Chaetothyriales. Its growth characteristics include the polymorphic life cycle, ability to grow at high and low temperatures, at a wide pH range, survival at high concentrations of NaCl, and survival at high UV and radioactive radiation. Exophiala dermatitidis causes deep or localized phaeohyphomycosis in immuno-compromised people worldwide and is regularly encountered in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Regardless of numerous ecological studies worldwide, little is known about its natural habitat or the possible infection routes. The present review summarizes the published data on its frequency of occurrence in nature and in man-made habitats. We additionally confirmed its presence with culture-depending methods from a variety of habitats, such as glacial meltwater, mineral water, mineral-rich salt-pan mud, dishwashers, kitchens and different environments polluted with aromatic hydrocarbons. In conclusion, the frequency of its recovery was the highest in man-made indoor habitats, connected to water sources, and exposed to occasional high temperatures and oxidative stress.
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Jimenez SI, Carroll C, Babcock T, Derstine N, Hadwin A, Moore M, Gries G. Yeasts Harbored by Vespine Wasps in the Pacific Northwest. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 46:217-225. [PMID: 28169397 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvw173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The ecological role of social wasps has been extensively studied, but little is known about symbiotic relationships of these wasps with microbes. Recently, it was shown that vespid wasps in Europe carry yeasts, predominantly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Interestingly, this niche allowed for sexual recombination of yeasts to occur and the formation of novel hybrid species. Our goals were 1) to survey the GI tract of eusocial wasps in the Pacific Northwest for the presence of yeasts and 2) to compare the diversity of such yeasts to that described for wasps in Europe. The GI tracts of 19 individual wasps from five species were plated, and 27 yeast-like colonies were identified to the species level. Yeasts in the genera Lachancea and Hanseniaspora each comprised ∼30% of the isolates; ∼25% were identified as Metschnikowia spp., with the remaining 10% belonging to Rhodotorula. Four bacterial isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and two isolates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Yeasts were present at all life stages of the wasps except for two unfed gynes of Dolichovespula maculata (L.) that contained only bacteria. The presence of a particular yeast species was not correlated with any wasp species. Furthermore, S. cerevisiae was not found in any wasp species. This highlights an interesting difference in the life cycle of both S. cerevisiae and wasps in Europe and the Pacific Northwest, and prompts further studies on the interactions of these microbes with their host wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ibarra Jimenez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada (; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Cassandra Carroll
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada (; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Tamara Babcock
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada (; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Nathan Derstine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada (; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Alison Hadwin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada (; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Margo Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada (; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Gerhard Gries
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada (; ; ; ; ; ; )
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Sytar O, Švedienė J, Ložienė K, Paškevičius A, Kosyan A, Taran N. Antifungal properties of hypericin, hypericin tetrasulphonic acid and fagopyrin on pathogenic fungi and spoilage yeasts. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2016; 54:3121-3125. [PMID: 27564138 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2016.1211716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The role of hypericin-mediated photodynamic antimicrobial properties on pathogenic fungi and photodynamic therapy for human cancer cells is known. Antifungal properties of Hypericum perforatum L. (Hypericaceae) and Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. (Polygonaceae) extracts were also studied. The different polarities of solvents can cause complication in the identification of antifungal effects of separate biologically active compounds. In recent experimental work, we compared antifungal properties of purified hypericin, hypericin tetrasulphonic acid (hypericin + S) and fagopyrin, which is analogue of hypericin. OBJECTIVE The antifungal properties of aromatic polyketide derivatives such as hypericin, hypericin + S and fagopyrin on the selected pathogenic fungi and spoilage yeasts have been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS The antifungal properties of hypericin, hypericin + S and fagopyrin were determined using the broth microdilution method against a set of pathogenic fungi and spoilage yeasts including: Microsporum canis, Trichophyton rubrum, Fusarium oxysporum, Exophiala dermatitidis, Candida albicans, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Pichia fermentans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The tested concentrations of hypericin, hypericin + S and fagopyrin ranged from 750 to 0.011 μg/mL and MIC values were evaluated after 48 h incubation at 30 °C. RESULTS The results confirm different antifungal properties of hypericin, hypericin + S and fagopyrin on the selected pathogenic fungi and spoilage yeasts. For pathogenic fungi, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of hypericin ranged 0.18-46.9 μg/mL, hypericin + S 0.18-750 μg/mL and fagopyrin 11.7-46.9 μg/mL. For spoilage yeasts, the MICs of hypericin and hypericin + S ranged 0.18-46.9 and 0.011-0.73 μg/mL, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The results obtained herein indicate that various chemical structures of hypericin, hypericin + S and fagopyrin can develop different antifungal properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Sytar
- a Department of Plant Physiology , Institute of Biology, Kiev National University of Taras Shevchenko , Kiev , Ukraine
| | - Jurgita Švedienė
- b Nature Research Centre, Institute of Botany , Vilnius , Lithuania
| | - Kristina Ložienė
- b Nature Research Centre, Institute of Botany , Vilnius , Lithuania
| | - Algimantas Paškevičius
- b Nature Research Centre, Institute of Botany , Vilnius , Lithuania
- c Laboratory of Microbiology, Centre of Laboratory Medicine , Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių klinikos , Vilnius , Lithuania
| | - Anatolij Kosyan
- a Department of Plant Physiology , Institute of Biology, Kiev National University of Taras Shevchenko , Kiev , Ukraine
| | - Natalija Taran
- a Department of Plant Physiology , Institute of Biology, Kiev National University of Taras Shevchenko , Kiev , Ukraine
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Moat J, Rizoulis A, Fox G, Upton M. Domestic shower hose biofilms contain fungal species capable of causing opportunistic infection. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2016; 14:727-737. [PMID: 27740540 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2016.297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The domestic environment can be a source of pathogenic bacteria. We show here that domestic shower hoses may harbour potentially pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Well-developed biofilms were physically removed from the internal surface of shower hoses collected in four locations in England and Scotland. Amplicon pyrosequencing of 16S and 18S rRNA targets revealed the presence of common aquatic and environmental bacteria, including members of the Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and non-tuberculous Mycobacteria. These bacteria are associated with infections in immunocompromised hosts and are widely reported in shower systems and as causes of water-acquired infection. More importantly, this study represents the first detailed analysis of fungal populations in shower systems and revealed the presence of sequences related to Exophiala mesophila, Fusarium fujikuroi and Malassezia restricta. These organisms can be associated with the environment and healthy skin, but also with infection in compromised and immuno-competent hosts and occurrence of dandruff. Domestic showering may result in exposure to aerosols of bacteria and fungi that are potentially pathogenic and toxigenic. It may be prudent to limit development of these biofilms by the use of disinfectants, or regular replacement of hoses, where immuno-compromised persons are present.
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MESH Headings
- Bacteria/classification
- Bacteria/isolation & purification
- Bacterial Physiological Phenomena
- Biofilms/growth & development
- England
- Fungi/classification
- Fungi/isolation & purification
- Fungi/physiology
- Opportunistic Infections/microbiology
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- RNA, Bacterial/genetics
- RNA, Bacterial/metabolism
- RNA, Fungal/genetics
- RNA, Fungal/metabolism
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/metabolism
- RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/metabolism
- Scotland
- Water Microbiology
- Water Supply
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Affiliation(s)
- John Moat
- Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, UK E-mail: ; Current address: AV Hill Building, University of Manchester, Rumford Street, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Athanasios Rizoulis
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, UK
| | - Graeme Fox
- Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, UK E-mail:
| | - Mathew Upton
- Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, UK E-mail: ; Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
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Lategan MJ, Klare W, Kidd S, Hose GC, Nevalainen H. The unicellular fungal tool RhoTox for risk assessments in groundwater systems. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2016; 132:18-25. [PMID: 27258820 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The recent inclusion of yeasts in environmental monitoring recognizes their ecological significance and sensitivity to toxicants. Here we present a robust and simple two-step toxicity assay and demonstrate the sensitivity of an ubiquitous groundwater yeast, Rhodotorula minuta, to a range of metals and metalloids. The test species was sensitive to copper with a 24h EC50 of 35µg Cu/L, followed in order of decreasing sensitivity by zinc, chromium (VI) and arsenic (EC50 4.40mg As (III)/L). The strain demonstrated an unexpected tolerance to chromium (VI), having an EC50 value (3.45mg Cr (VI)/L) similar to that of arsenic. The inclusion of a unicellular, microbial test-species into the suite of existing multicellular test species for toxicity evaluation is a key step towards strengthening the assessment of risk for groundwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Josie Lategan
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2019, Australia.
| | - William Klare
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2019, Australia
| | - Sarah Kidd
- National Mycology Reference Centre, SA Pathology, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Grant C Hose
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2019, Australia
| | - Helena Nevalainen
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2019, Australia
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van Nieuwenhuijzen E, Miadlikowska J, Houbraken J, Adan O, Lutzoni F, Samson R. Wood staining fungi revealed taxonomic novelties in Pezizomycotina: New order Superstratomycetales and new species Cyanodermella oleoligni. Stud Mycol 2016; 85:107-124. [PMID: 28050056 PMCID: PMC5198870 DOI: 10.1016/j.simyco.2016.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A culture-based survey of staining fungi on oil-treated timber after outdoor exposure in Australia and the Netherlands uncovered new taxa in Pezizomycotina. Their taxonomic novelty was confirmed by phylogenetic analyses of multi-locus sequences (ITS, nrSSU, nrLSU, mitSSU, RPB1, RPB2, and EF-1α) using multiple reference data sets. These previously unknown taxa are recognised as part of a new order (Superstratomycetales) potentially closely related to Trypetheliales (Dothideomycetes), and as a new species of Cyanodermella, C. oleoligni in Stictidaceae (Ostropales) part of the mostly lichenised class Lecanoromycetes. Within Superstratomycetales a single genus named Superstratomyces with three putative species: S. flavomucosus, S. atroviridis, and S. albomucosus are formally described. Monophyly of each circumscribed Superstratomyces species was highly supported and the intraspecific genetic variation was substantially lower than interspecific differences detected among species based on the ITS, nrLSU, and EF-1α loci. Ribosomal loci for all members of Superstratomyces were noticeably different from all fungal sequences available in GenBank. All strains from this genus grow slowly in culture, have darkly pigmented mycelia and produce pycnidia. The strains of C. oleoligni form green colonies with slimy masses and develop green pycnidia on oatmeal agar. These new taxa could not be classified reliably at the class and lower taxonomic ranks by sequencing from the substrate directly or based solely on culture-dependent morphological investigations. Coupling phenotypic observations with multi-locus sequencing of fungi isolated in culture enabled these taxonomic discoveries. Outdoor situated timber provides a great potential for culturable undescribed fungal taxa, including higher rank lineages as revealed by this study, and therefore, should be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J.A.M.P. Houbraken
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - O.C.G. Adan
- Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - F.M. Lutzoni
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - R.A. Samson
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
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