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Antarctica is a continent that presents extreme conditions for life. Numerous buildings that served as housing for expeditioners and scientists are considered historical heritage, including Casa Moneta Museum, located at the Orcadas Base on Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands (Antarctic Peninsula). It is built entirely of wood, and currently shows visible signs of deterioration. In this work, we studied the mycobiota present in the deteriorated wood of the museum to characterize the fungal diversity present. Macro-, micro-morphological and phylogenetic studies were carried out to identify the fungi isolated. Temperature tests were also performed to study the growth of different strains. Almost 20% of the fungi isolated belonged to Cadophora. Other frequently obtained genera were Tulasnella (16%), Cerinosterus (12%), Coniochaeta (7%), Geomyces (7%), Acremonium (7%) and Penicillium (7%). Temperature tests indicated all strains isolated are psychrotolerant. Five species have been reported for the first time for Antarctica. Deterioration of historic wooden structures and artifacts in extreme environments is currently causing great concern, and in this study the identification of the fungi present in Casa Moneta’s wood and the characterization of their metabolism could be a guide to the development of preservation strategies for this historical building.

Due to the extensive use of plastics, their quantity in the environment is constantly increasing, which creates a global problem. In the present study, we sought to isolate, test and identify Antarctic microorganisms which possess the ability to biodegrade bioplastics such as poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) at low temperatures. 161 bacterial and 38 fungal isolates were isolated from 22 Antarctic soil samples. Among them, 92.16% of bacterial and 77.27% of fungal isolates formed a clear zone on emulsified PBSA, 98.04% and 81.82% on PBS and 100% and 77.27% on PCL as an additive to minimal medium at 20 °C. Based on the 16S and 18S rRNA sequences, bacterial strains were identified as species belonging to Pseudomonas and Bacillus and fungal strains as species belonging to Geomyces, Sclerotinia, Fusarium and Mortierella, while the yeast strain was identified as Hansenula anomala. In the biodegradation process conducted under laboratory conditions at 14, 20 and 28 °C, Sclerotinia sp. B11IV and Fusarium sp. B3′M strains showed the highest biodegradation activity at 20 °C (49.68% for PBSA and 33.7% for PCL, 45.99% for PBSA and 49.65% for PCL, respectively). The highest biodegradation rate for Geomyces sp. B10I was noted at 14 °C (25.67% for PBSA and 5.71% for PCL), which suggested a preference for lower temperatures (at 20 °C the biodegradation rate was only 11.34% for PBSA, and 4.46% for PCL). These data showed that microorganisms isolated from Antarctic regions are good candidates for effective plastic degradation at low temperatures.

Natural red pigments have been widely used as food and cosmetics additives. However, due to toxic byproducts or allergen issues, it is still necessary to look for some other red pigment products. This study proposed combinatorial strategies to improve production of a new kind of red pigments from the fungus Geomyces WNF-15A, isolated from Antarctica. A high-production medium was developed by statistical experimental design, which was further simplified for industrial use by single-factor experiments. Strain breeding by atmospheric room temperature plasma mutagenesis generated a mutant, Geomyces sp. WNF-15A-M210, which increased production of red pigments by 24.4% and shortened culture phase by 33.3% comparing with the wild-type. The production of red pigments by this mutant favored a weak alkaline condition but required only mild dissolved oxygen tension. Control of initial pH 8.5 (process pH around 7.5) increased red pigments production by 19% comparing with natural condition. Precursor and inhibitor addition experiments indicated that the red pigments were synthesized by polyketide pathway, and feeding 6 mmol/L precursor of sodium acetate by three aliquots at days 3 to 5 improved biosynthesis of red pigments by 27%. Finally, the developed culture process was verified in a 5-L stirred tank bioreactor. The red pigments production of the pH regulation group reached 1.11-fold of the control and 1.95-fold of the precursor regulation group, respectively. This study provides high-production strain, optimized medium, and bioprocess for the possible industrial production of Antarctic Geomyces red pigments in future. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Antarctic Geomyces red pigments showed high color value, nontoxic characteristic, and good water solubility. It holds potential for industrial use and is under development for food additive in China currently. This study provides an optional manufacturing process for this new kind of red pigments.

The Hindu Kush mountains spread over Northern areas of Pakistan having hundreds of glaciers representing a unique ecosystem driven by the specific geochemistry and climate. The current study measured the distribution of culturable fungi in Tirich Mir glacier, Hindu Kush range, and the potential of these isolates to show antimicrobial activity and produce biotechnologically important enzymes. Samples of glacial ice, sediments, and meltwater were collected from Tirich Mir glacier, and 46 fungal strains were isolated and characterized for identity and biotechnological applications. The findings revealed Penicillium (10) as the most common genus, followed by Alternaria (9), Cladosporium (7), Coprinopsis, two isolates each belonging to genus Phoma, Ulocladium, Epicoccum, Onygenales, and Didymella, and one isolate of genus Davidiella, Aspergillus, Geomyces, Dothideomycetes, Pseudogymnoascus, Irpex, Scopulariopsis, Ascochyta, Tomicus, and Davidiellaceae. Davidiella tassiana HTF9 showed growth in the presence of 18% NaCl and pH 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. The isolates Ulocladium sp. and Onygenales sp. inhibited the growth of test fungi, Gram-negative and positive bacteria. Fungal strains were capable of producing cold-active enzymes, including cellulase, lipase, amylase, and deoxyribonuclease. The isolate Penicillium chrysogenum HTF24 was an efficient producer of amylase, deoxyribonuclease, and cellulase. The fungi of high-altitude glaciers are potent candidates for biotechnological applications; however, studies using more sensitive techniques are needed for further exploration.

The composition and the structure of microbial communities in areas of Arctic settlements were studied. The main attention has been given to microscopic fungi. As result of observation of 5 Arctic regions 117 species of microscopic fungi are revealed in soils and anthropogenic substrates. The identification was carried out with the use ofmycological and molecular genetic methods. Most ofspecies belong to the Ascomycotina. Genus Penicillium is characterized by the most species diversity (24 species). Most offungi are destructors of various materials and potential human pathogens. Dominant species are revealed. The distribution of microorganisms in the living and working areas of polar stations, as well as the adjacent areas are described. Black-colored fungi adapted to unfavorable environment are often the dominated group of microorganisms on soils and anthropogenic substrates. The shaping of soil microbiota was shown to be related to the anthropogenic impact. Considerable similarity of microbial communities composition in the soil and man-made substrates is fixed. As result of mycological analysis of contaminated soils 76 species of microscopic fungi were observed, but 41 species of them (53.9%) were identified in the areas of Arctic polar stations on the man-made materials. These species include the representatives of the genera Alternaria, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Exophiala, Geomyces, Humicola, Penicillium, Mucor, Phoma, Rhodotorula, Trichoderma and Ulocladium. The obtained data show a significant similarity in species composition of contaminated soils and anthropogenic substrates. Human activity contributes to the distribution of cosmopolitan species, including opportunistic fungi, in the Arctic region. The high numbers of organotrophic bacteria were revealed in soil samples. Some species of microorganisms produce the organic acids in an external environment that promotes the erosion of materials.

The family Thelebolaceae belongs to the order Thelebolales, class Leotiomycetes, and contains 22 genera. In this study, we introduce a new genus Solomyces gen. nov. in the family Thelebolaceae, which is supported by morphological observation and multilocus-based [internal transcribed spacers (ITS) + LSU and ITS + LSU+ MCM7+ EF1A+ RPB2] phylogenetic analysis. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inference analyses indicated that Solomyces is a distinct genus within this family. The new genus is compared against related Thelebolaceae genera, and its description and illustration are provided. This genus comprises one new species and one unnamed species (including two strains). We also report the addition of four new species – Pseudogymnoascus shaanxiensis, Pseudogymnoascus guizhouensis, Pseudogymnoascus sinensis, and Geomyces obovatus – in the family Thelebolaceae and present their morphological and phylogenetic characterizations.

Emerging infectious diseases are a severe conservation threat for a variety of plants and animals. In North America, several bat species are threatened by white-nose disease, which has caused an unprecedented mass mortality of > 6 million bats since 2006. The fungus Pseudogymnoascus (Geomyces) destructans is the causative agent of the disease. Though asexual reproduction is the norm, sexual reproduction is possible as two mating types exist. Sexual reproduction has been implicated in the emergence of virulent strains of fungi but to date no rapid means of mating type characterisation was available for P. destructans. In this study, three mating type-specific primer sets were designed and tested on 80 isolates. The primers were multiplexed with microsatellite loci allowing for rapid and concurrent genotyping and mating type assignment. These markers will have great utility in better understanding and predicting the population dynamics and evolutionary potential of this fungus, including the emergence of virulent strains.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:22:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-01-01 Antarctic environments are characterized by polar climate, making it difficult for the development of any form of life. The biogeochemical cycles and food web in such restrictive environments may be exclusively formed by microorganisms. Polar mycological studies are recent and there is much to know about the diversity and genetic resources of these microorganisms. In this sense, the molecular taxonomic approach was applied to identify 129 fungal isolates from marine and terrestrial samples collected from the King George Island (South Shetland Islands, Maritime Antarctic). Additionally, the production of cold-adapted enzymes by these microorganisms was evaluated. Among the 129 isolates, 69.0% were identified by ITS-sequencing and affiliated into 12 genera. Cadophora, Geomyces, Penicillium, Cosmospora, and Cladosporium were the most abundant genera. Representatives of Cosmospora were isolated only from terrestrial samples, while representatives of the others genera were recovered from marine and terrestrial samples. A total of 29, 19, and 74 isolates were able to produce ligninolytic enzymes, xylanase, and l-asparaginase, respectively. Representatives of Cadophora showed great ability to produce lignin peroxidase (LiP) and laccase at 15.0 °C in liquid medium, while representatives of Penicillium and non-identified fungi were the best producers of xylanase and l-asparaginase at 20.0 °C. The high number of fungi able to produce enzymes at moderate temperature reveals their potential for industrial production and biotechnological applications. The present study broadens the knowledge of fungal diversity associated with the southern polar region. Additionally, data from molecular taxonomy suggest that two filamentous fungi may be considered as potential new species. Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca Division of Microbial Resources Chemical Biological and Agricultural Pluridisciplinary Research Center (CPQBA)/Campinas State University (UNICAMP) Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology Institute of Biosciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology Institute of Biosciences São Paulo State University (UNESP)

This article presents the results of microscopic fungi complexes in the areas of five Russian polar stations in East Antarctica and the Subantarctic. A total of 104 microfungal species have been identified. Seventyseven fungal species have been detected in samples of soils and anthropogenic materials from polar stations of East Antarctica (Progress, Mirny, Molodezhnaya, and Druzhnaya 4) using mycological methods while, in the Bellingshausen station (Subantarctic), we have isolated 87 micromycete species. The number of fungi in soils varies from individual propagules in control soils to 94000 per 1 g of soil in contaminated areas. The largest number of species is represented by the genus Penicillium (26 species). Fungal species that form the core of mycobiota in most of the studied habitats have been identified. For soils of East Antarctica, it is formed by species of the genera Aureobasidium, Cadophora, Pseudogymnoascus (Geomyces), Thelebolus, and Phoma. Significant differences are established between the mycobiota of East Antarctica and that of the Subantarctic. At the same time, a general trend towards an increase in fungal species diversity and number in the areas of polar stations compared to the control (clean) sites for all studied areas is recorded. These data indicate that a significant part of micromycetes is introduced into the Antarctic by humans (anthropogenic invasion).

Soil fungal pathogens are the most common cause of diseases in commercial strawberry crops worldwide. Since simultaneous infections by different pathogens can severely damage the crop, understanding the associated fungal communities can be helpful to mitigate crop loss. Herein, we used Illumina metabarcoding to assess the structure of fungal communities in five strawberry production areas in Estonia. Our analysis revealed 990 to 1430 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) per soil sample (pools of eight soil samples per production area). Based on our analyses, Ascomycota (55.5%) and Basidiomycota (25.0%) were the most OTUs-rich. Amongst the 24 most abundant OTUs, Geomyces, Rhodotorula, Verticillium and Microdochium were the most abundant genera, which were found across nearly all the soil samples. The OTUs were also clustered into three distinct groups, corresponding to different functional guilds of fungi. In addition, Fusarium solani, V. dahliae, Rhizoctonia solani and Colletotrichum truncatum were enormously abundant in the fields with disease symptoms, whereas arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi especially Rhizophagus irregularis were considerably more abundant in the fields with healthy plants. These findings provide support that mycorrhizal fungi may play an important role in suppressing pathogens. Our study for the first time shows the usefulness of Illumina technology in surveying the communities of soil fungi in strawberry fields effectively, which may improve available disease management strategies against strawberry diseases.

Rahmawati, Sembiring L, Zakaria L, Rahayu ES. 2018. The diversity of indoor airborne molds growing in the university libraries in Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 194-201. Airborne mold is potentially causing respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity of indoor airborne molds isolated from some libraries in Universitas Gadjah Mada (Gadjah Mada University), Yogyakarta, Indonesia based on morphological characteristics. Sampling was conducted in six libraries at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Libraries of Food and Nutrition at Inter-University Center or Pusat Antar Universitas (PAU), Biotechnology at PAU, Faculty of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Master of Management, and Faculty of Geography) by non-volumetric air sampling method. Isolation of indoor airborne molds was conducted by using two petri dishes containing Dichloran 18% Glycerol Agar (DG 18) for each room. Morphological identification of isolates of indoor airborne molds was based on macromorphological and micromorphological characteristics. Isolation and identification were conducted in Laboratory of Microbiology of Food and Nutrition of PAU at Universitas Gadjah Mada. The result showed the diversity of indoor airborne molds, identified to be members of genera Alternaria, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Byssochlamys, Cadophora, Chaetomium, Chrysonilia, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Emericella, Epicoccum, Eurotium, Fusarium, Geomyces, Mucor, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Rhizomucor, Stemphylium, Scopulariopsis, Wallemia, and Xeromyces. Members of genera Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium were the most dominant molds. The results of this study indicate that the presence of molds potentially causes illness for the library users.

Abundant phosphorus (P) has been applied to paddy fields in the red soil region of subtropical China. Microbial communities play important roles in soil nutrient cycling; however, the effects of P surplus on soil microbial diversity and community composition are still unclear. Soils collected from paddy fields in subtropical China was incubated and subjected to four P treatments: 33 kg ha−1 (CK), 66 kg ha−1 (P1), 132 kg ha−1 (P2), and 264 kg ha−1 (P3). Changes in bacterial and fungal diversity and community composition were evaluated by high-throughput sequencing. The different P rates had no significant effect on bacterial diversity, whereas fungal richness and diversity indexes declined significantly by increasing P rates. Principle coordinate analysis (PCoA) also indicated a shift in fungal community composition when P rates were higher than 132 kg ha−1. Available P (AP) was the dominant factor affecting fungal community composition as evaluated by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Multivariate regression trees (MRT) revealed that the key threshold of 53.6 mg kg−1 of AP divided treatments into two distinct groups. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) showed that abundances of Pseudogymnoascus and Geomyces increased, but those of Penicillium and an unknown genus of Trichocomaceae decreased when AP was ≥ 53.6 mg kg−1.

One hundred samples of carpet dusts (50 samples from residential houses and 50 samples from mosques) were collected from different sites in Duhok province during the year 2014 to 2015 for the objective of the study of the occurrence of keratinolytic and other potentially pathogenic fungi using hair baiting method. A total of 24 fungal species (17 species from house dust) and (12 species from mosque dust) in addition to non-sporulating mycelia and yeasts were isolated and identified. The keratinolytic species Arthroderma cuniculi, Chrysosporium tropicum and Gymnoascus ressii were detected. Potentially pathogenic fungi in the genera Aspergillus, Arthrographis,Geomyces, Microascus,Scopulariopsis and Neoscytalidium were also able to colonize and grow on baited hairs.

Soil fungi in desert ecosystems are adapted to harsh environmental conditions such as high soil surface temperatures and limited organic matter and water. Given limited carbon inputs from plant material, heterotrophic fungi likely use unconventional sources of carbon in these systems. A baiting method was used to culture keratinophilic fungi from biocrust and rhizosphere soils in an arid grassland in Utah, USA. Fungi were baited using llama and sheep wool, horsehair, and snakeskin on two media, and pure cultures were identified using ITS and LSU rRNA sequences. One hundred-eighteen fungal colonies were grown, representing a total of 32 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) at 97 % similarity. Cultures were dominated by the phylum Ascomycota (88 %) followed by Mucoromycota (8.6 %) and Basidiomycota (3.4 %). The orders Pleosporales, Eurotiales, Hypocreales, and Sordariales were commonly isolated, with the dominant taxa Alternaria (27 %), Aspergillus (22 %), Fusarium (11 %), and Chaetomium (8%). Thirty percent of the fungi isolated have the capacity to degrade keratin in vitro using a keratin azure assay, with Penicillium showing the highest degradation followed by Geomyces, Alternaria, and Fusarium. Although keratin degraders can be infectious, dermatophytes associated with skin infections were not isolated in culture or detected in Illumina sequencing. Illumina sequencing was used to determine general patterns in seasonal variation and habitat preference of keratinophiles. Alternaria was the most abundant genus with >70 % of the sequences. The combination of Illumina data with culture-dependent approaches facilitated the characterization of a specialized community and confirmed the low abundance of dermatophytes in this arid site.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating bats associated with cutaneous infection by the fungus Geomyces destructans (Gd), and responsible for devastating declines of bat populations in eastern North America. Affected bats appear emaciated and one hypothesis is that they spend too much time out of torpor during hibernation, depleting vital fat reserves required to survive the winter. The fungus has also been found at low levels on bats throughout Europe but without mass mortality. This finding suggests that Gd is either native to both continents but has been rendered more pathogenic in North America by mutation or environmental change, or that it recently arrived in North America as an invader from Europe. Thus, a causal link between Gd and mortality has not been established and the reason for its high pathogenicity in North America is unknown. Here we show that experimental inoculation with either North American or European isolates of Gd causes WNS and mortality in the North American bat, Myotis lucifugus. In contrast to control bats, individuals inoculated with either isolate of Gd developed cutaneous infections diagnostic of WNS, exhibited a progressive increase in the frequency of arousals from torpor during hibernation, and were emaciated after 3–4 mo. Our results demonstrate that altered torpor-arousal cycles underlie mortality from WNS and provide direct evidence that Gd is a novel pathogen to North America from Europe.

The presence of fungi in pristine Antarctic soils is of particular interest because of the diversity of this microbial group. However, the extreme conditions that coexist in Antarctica produce a strong selective pressure that could lead to the evolution of novel mechanisms for stress tolerance by indigenous microorganisms. For this reason, in recent years, research on cold-adapted microorganisms has increased, driven by their potential value for applications in biotechnology. Cold-adapted fungi, in particular, have become important sources for the discovery of novel bioactive secondary metabolites and enzymes. In this study, we studied the fungal community structure of 12 soil samples from Antarctic sites, including King George Island (including Collins Glacier), Deception Island and Robert Island. Culturable fungi were isolated and described according to their morphological and phenotypical characteristics, and the richness index was compared with soil chemical properties to describe the fungal community and associated environmental parameters. We isolated 54 fungal strains belonging to the following 19 genera: Penicillium, Pseudogymnoascus, Lambertella, Cadophora, Candida, Mortierella, Oxygenales, Geomyces, Vishniacozyma, Talaromyces, Rhizopus, Antarctomyces, Cosmospora, Tetracladium, Leptosphaeria, Lecanicillium, Thelebolus, Bjerkandera and an uncultured Zygomycete. The isolated fungi were comprised of 70% Ascomycota, 10% Zygomycota, 10% Basidiomycota, 5% Deuteromycota and 5% Mucoromycota, highlighting that most strains were associated with similar genera grown in cold environments. Among the culturable strains, 55% were psychrotrophic and 45% were psychrophilic, and most were Ascomycetes occurring in their teleomorph forms. Soils from the Collins Glacier showed less species richness and greater species dominance compared with the rest of the sites, whereas samples 4, 7, and 10 (from Fildes Bay, Coppermine Peninsula and Arctowski Station, respectively) showed greater species richness and less species dominance. Species richness was related to the C/N ratio, whereas species dominance was inversely related to C and N content. Thus, the structure of the fungal community was mainly related to soil chemical parameters more than sample location and altitude.

Hibernating bats have undergone severe recent declines across the eastern United States, but the cause of these regional-scale declines has not been systematically evaluated. We assessed the influence of white-nose syndrome (an emerging bat disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, formerly Geomyces destructans) on large-scale, long-term population patterns in the little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus), the northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), and the tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). We modeled population trajectories for each species on the basis of an extensive data set of winter hibernacula counts of more than 1 million individual bats from a 4-state region over 13 years and with data on locations of hibernacula and first detections of white-nose syndrome at each hibernaculum. We used generalized additive mixed models to determine population change relative to expectations, that is, how population trajectories differed with a colony's infection status, how trajectories differed with distance from the point of introduction of white-nose syndrome, and whether declines were concordant with first local observation of the disease. Population trajectories in all species met at least one of the 3 expectations, but none met all 3. Our results suggest, therefore, that white-nose syndrome has affected regional populations differently than was previously understood and has not been the sole cause of declines. Specifically, our results suggest that in some areas and species, threats other than white-nose syndrome are also contributing to population declines, declines linked to white-nose syndrome have spread across large geographic areas with unexpected speed, and the disease or other threats led to declines in bat populations for years prior to disease detection. Effective conservation will require further research to mitigate impacts of white-nose syndrome, renewed attention to other threats to bats, and improved surveillance efforts to ensure early detection of white-nose syndrome.

Original Russian Text © K.A. Kravchenko, A.S. Vlashchenko, O.V. Prilutskii, A.S. Prilutskaya, 2015, published in Ekologiya, 2015, No. 5, pp. 397–400.

The objective of this study was to isolate and screen the highly efficient copper-removing microorganisms from the petroleum hydrocarbon (PH)-contaminated sites in the Amazonian rain forest in Ecuador. Two bacterial strains (strain UEAB3 and UEAB6) have shown 100% microbial resistance on the nutrient medium containing 100 mM of MgCl2, FeCl3, and Al2(SO4)3 separately. Though these two strains were less tolerant of ZnCl2 and CuSO4.5H2O, they have proven 100% resistance at the lower concentrations of these two metals. According to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) analysis, the filamentous fungi (strains UEAFr and UEAFg) were significantly (p

White-nose syndrome is an often lethal fungal infection of bats that is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, formerly Geomyces destructans. The fungal spores can persist for extended periods of time in the soil and on surfaces in caves where it might be found even after the bats depart. In 2010, a single bat, Myotis velifer, from a western Oklahoma gypsum cave, was initially diagnosed by the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, as “suspect white-nose syndrome.” Based on this, we decided to examine soil samples from various bat caves across Oklahoma for the presence of P. destructans. We used Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction to analyze 83 soil samples from 17 caves in Oklahoma. None of the soil samples were found to contain genetic material from P. destructans. We postulate that P. destructans has not yet reached Oklahoma because of the negative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction results, because a National Wildlife Health Center reexamination of the original b...

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) that affects bats during hibernation. Although millions of bats have died from WNS in North America, mass mortality has not been observed among European bats infected by the fungus, leading to the suggestion that bats in Europe are immune. We tested the hypothesis that an antibody-mediated immune response can provide protection against WNS by quantifying antibodies reactive to Pd in blood samples from seven species of free-ranging bats in North America and two free-ranging species in Europe. We also quantified antibodies in blood samples from little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) that were part of a captive colony that we injected with live Pd spores mixed with adjuvant, as well as individuals surviving a captive Pd infection trial. Seroprevalence of antibodies against Pd, as well as antibody titers, was greater among little brown myotis than among four other species of cave-hibernating bats in North America, including species with markedly lower WNS mortality rates. Among little brown myotis, the greatest titers occurred in populations occupying regions with longer histories of WNS, where bats lacked secondary symptoms of WNS. We detected antibodies cross-reactive with Pd among little brown myotis naïve to the fungus. We observed high titers among captive little brown myotis injected with Pd. We did not detect antibodies against Pd in Pd-infected European bats during winter, and titers during the active season were lower than among little brown myotis. These results show that antibody-mediated immunity cannot explain survival of European bats infected with Pd and that little brown myotis respond differently to Pd than species with higher WNS survival rates. Although it appears that some species of bats in North America may be developing resistance to WNS, an antibody-mediated immune response does not provide an explanation for these remnant populations.

Four new nitroasterric acid derivatives, pseudogymnoascins A-C (1-3) and 3-nitroasterric acid (4), along with the two known compounds questin and pyriculamide, were obtained from the cultures of a Pseudogymnoascus sp. fungus isolated from an Antarctic marine sponge belonging to the genus Hymeniacidon. The structures of the new compounds were determined by extensive NMR and MS analyses. These compounds are the first nitro derivatives of the known fungal metabolite asterric acid. Several asterric acid derivatives isolated from other fungal strains have shown antibacterial and antifungal activities. However, the new compounds described in this work were inactive against a panel of bacteria and fungi (MIC > 64 μg/mL).

Georatusin (1), featuring a highly reduced, methylated polyketide moiety fused to a tryptophan by an amide and ester bond forming a 13-membered ring, was produced by the soil fungus Geomyces auratus. An HMQC–COSY spectrum was measured to build up the connectivities despite the overlapping proton signals. DQF-COSY, HETLOC, J-HMBC, and ROESY were implemented to determine the relative configuration of the flexible moiety. Georatusin (1) shows specific antiparasitic activities against Leishmania donovani and Plasmodium falciparum without obvious cytotoxicity. The biosynthesis of 1 was also proposed.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal disease exclusively found in hibernating bats. The causative agent, Pseudogymnoascus (Geomyces) destructans (Pd), is a psychrophilic fungus, which doesn’t tolerate temperatures above 24 °C. Since the emergence of this formerly unknown pathogen in 2006 in Northeastern America, it has killed millions of bats. The infection is limited to the skin with a rather characteristic growth appearance of white powdery patches around the muzzle of the bats, but white fungal aerial hyphae are also found on ears and particularly wing membranes. Confirmation of the disease requires histopathological investigations with proof of hallmark lesions, i.e. cup-like erosions containing fungal hyphae and invasion of the dermal connective tissue. Evidence of typical asymmetrically curved conidia or nucleic acids of Pd is considered only suspicious for WNS. Subsequent search for the fungus in Europe and Asia found the fungus to be enzootic and causing similar pathological lesions, but it is not associated with fatalities. Molecular investigations revealed a single clonal genotype for North America, while European isolates diversified. However, the most common haplotype in Europe is shared with the North American strain providing strong support for the hypothesis of an introduction of Pd from Europe into a naive bat population in North America. Despite 10 years of intensive research, the chain of causation in the pathogenesis of WNS leading to the death of the animals is still not satisfactorily answered.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) of bats has devastated bat populations in eastern North America since its discovery in 2006. WNS, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has spread quickly in North America and has become one of the most severe wildlife epidemics of our time. While P. destructans is spreading rapidly in North America, nothing is known about the sexual capacity of this fungus. To gain insight into the genes involved in sexual reproduction, we characterized the mating-type locus (MAT) of two Pseudogymnoascus spp. that are closely related to P. destructans and homothallic (self-fertile). As with other homothallic Ascomycota, the MAT locus of these two species encodes a conserved α-box protein (MAT1-1-1) as well as two high-mobility group (HMG) box proteins (MAT1-1-3 and MAT1-2-1). Comparisons with the MAT locus of the North American isolate of P. destructans (the ex-type isolate) revealed that this isolate of P. destructans was missing a clear homolog of the conserved HMG box protein (MAT1-2-1). These data prompted the discovery and molecular characterization of a heterothallic mating system in isolates of P. destructans from the Czech Republic. Both mating types of P. destructans were found to coexist within hibernacula, suggesting the presence of mating populations in Europe. Although populations of P. destructans in North America are thought to be clonal and of one mating type, the potential for sexual recombination indicates that continued vigilance is needed regarding introductions of additional isolates of this pathogen.

Definitive diagnosis of the bat disease white-nose syndrome (WNS) requires histologic analysis to identify the cutaneous erosions caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus [formerly Geomyces] destructans (Pd). Gross visual inspection does not distinguish bats with or without WNS, and no nonlethal, on-site, preliminary screening methods are available for WNS in bats. We demonstrate that long-wave ultraviolet (UV) light (wavelength 366-385 nm) elicits a distinct orange-yellow fluorescence in bat-wing membranes (skin) that corresponds directly with the fungal cupping erosions in histologic sections of skin that are the current gold standard for diagnosis of WNS. Between March 2009 and April 2012, wing membranes from 168 North American bat carcasses submitted to the US Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center were examined with the use of both UV light and histology. Comparison of these techniques showed that 98.8% of the bats with foci of orange-yellow wing fluorescence (n=80) were WNS-positive based on histologic diagnosis; bat wings that did not fluoresce under UV light (n=88) were all histologically negative for WNS lesions. Punch biopsy samples as small as 3 mm taken from areas of wing with UV fluorescence were effective for identifying lesions diagnostic for WNS by histopathology. In a nonlethal biopsy-based study of 62 bats sampled (4-mm diameter) in hibernacula of the Czech Republic during 2012, 95.5% of fluorescent (n=22) and 100% of nonfluorescent (n=40) wing samples were confirmed by histopathology to be WNS positive and negative, respectively. This evidence supports use of long-wave UV light as a nonlethal and field-applicable method to screen bats for lesions indicative of WNS. Further, UV fluorescence can be used to guide targeted, nonlethal biopsy sampling for follow-up molecular testing, fungal culture analysis, and histologic confirmation of WNS.

Over the last 20 years a record number of fungal and fungal-like diseases have jeopardized wild species the world over, causing several of the most severe population declines and extinctions ever witnessed ( Fisher et al. 2012 ). Such events include the devastating impact of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on amphibian populations and the extinction of bat populations as a result of Geomyces destructans infection. This commentary focusses on two human-infecting fungal pathogens causing much scientific interest, that is, Cryptococcus gattii and Trichophyton rubrum . It summarises recent research findings into their pathogenic evolution and adaptive strategies and highlights key gaps in our knowledge. Finally, the prose attempts to fuse such data with the work of Casadevall, exploiting his theories to predict the future of fungal pathogenesis, that is, where pathogenesis refers to the mechanism that results in disease ( Casadevall 2012 ).

White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease that has decimated bat populations across eastern North America. Identification of the etiologic agent, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (formerly Geomyces destructans ), in environmental samples is essential to proposed management plans. A major challenge is the presence of closely related species, which are ubiquitous in many soils and cave sediments and often present in high abundance. We present a dual-probe real-time quantitative PCR assay capable of detecting and differentiating P. destructans from closely related fungi in environmental samples from North America. The assay, based on a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) specific to P. destructans , is capable of rapid low-level detection from various sampling media, including sediment, fecal samples, wing biopsy specimens, and skin swabs. This method is a highly sensitive, high-throughput method for identifying P. destructans , other Pseudogymnoascus spp., and Geomyces spp. in the environment, providing a fundamental component of research and risk assessment for addressing this disease, as well as other ecological and mycological work on related fungi.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) of bats, caused by the fungus previously known as Geomyces destructans, has decimated populations of insectivorous bats in eastern North America. Recent work on fungi associated with bat hibernacula uncovered a large number of species of Geomyces and allies, far exceeding the number of described species. Communication about these species has been hindered by the lack of a modern taxonomic evaluation, and a phylogenetic framework of the group is needed to understand the origin of G. destructans and to target closely related species and their genomes for the purposes of understanding mechanisms of pathogenicity. We addressed these issues by generating DNA sequence data for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, nuclear large subunit (LSU) rDNA, MCM7, RPB2, and TEF1 from a diverse array of Geomyces and allies that included isolates recovered from bat hibernacula as well as those that represent important type species. Phylogenetic analyses indicate Geomyces and allies should be classified in the family Pseudeurotiaceae, and the genera Geomyces, Gymnostellatospora, and Pseudogymnoascus should be recognized as distinct. True Geomyces are restricted to a basal lineage based on phylogenetic placement of the type species, Geomyces auratus. Thus, G. destructans is placed in genus Pseudogymnoascus. The closest relatives of Pseudogymnoascus destructans are members of the Pseudogymnoascus roseus species complex, however, the isolated and long branch of P. destructans indicates that none of the species included in this study are closely related, thus providing further support to the hypothesis that this pathogen is non-native and invasive in eastern North America. Several conidia-producing isolates from bat hibernacula previously identified as members of Pseudeurotium are determined to belong to the genus Leuconeurospora, which is widespread, especially in colder regions. Teberdinia hygrophila is transferred to Pseudeurotium as Pseudeurotium hygrophilum, comb. nov., in accordance with the one name per fungus system of classification, and two additional combinations are made in Pseudogymnoascus including Pseudogymnoascus carnis and Pseudogymnoascus pannorum. Additional sampling from other regions of the world is needed to better understand the evolution and biogeography of this important and diverse group of fungi.

In the past several years, a fungal epidemic has devastated hibernating bat populations in eastern North America, with an estimated loss of 5.7 to 6.7 million bats as of January 2012. The potential for the disease to spread to bat populations in the western states and Canadian provinces remains unknown, but is cause for significant concern. This wildlife health crisis has been dubbed white-nose syndrome (WNS), for the distinctive white fungal growth that appears on the muzzles, ears, and wing membranes of affected bats. This fungus, the recently named species Geomyces destructans, has been determined to be the causal agent of WNS. However, relatively little is currently known about the ecology of this organism, its potential for invasiveness in the Northwest, and about how disease spreads within and between bat populations. Our purpose here is to summarize current epidemiological knowledge about WNS, in an ecological context relevant to efforts to understand the epidemic and predict its potential to spread to western bat populations. Because of strong similarities between WNS and some invasive fungal diseases of crops and forests, our approach is to incorporate epidemiological perspectives borrowed from the field of plant pathology as well as from wildlife pathology. We highlight research needs that will help to understand, predict, and manage this devastating wildlife disease.

A total of 71 isolates were collected from lake sediment and soil surrounding lakes in the Skarvsnes area, Antarctica. Based on ITS region sequence similarity, these isolates were classified to 10 genera. Twenty-three isolates were categorized as ascomycetous fungi from five genera ( Embellisia, Phoma, Geomyces, Tetracladium or Thelebolus ) and 48 isolates were categorized as basidiomycetous fungi in five genera ( Mrakia, Cryptococcus, Dioszegia, Rhodotorula or Leucosporidium ). Thirty-five percent of culturable fungi were of the genus Mrakia . Eighteen isolates from eight genera were selected and tested for both antifreeze activity and capacity for growth under temperatures ranging from −1 to 25 °C. Rhodotorula sp. NHT-2 possessed a high degree of sequence homology with R. gracialis , while Leucosporidium sp. BSS-1 possessed a high degree of sequence homology with Leu. antarcticum ( Glaciozyma antarctica ), and these two isolates demonstrated antifreeze activity. All isolates examined were capable of growth at −1 °C. Mrakia spp., while capable of growth at −1 °C, did not demonstrate any antifreeze activity and exhibited only limited secretion of extracellular polysaccharides. Species of the genus Mrakia possessed high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, suggesting that members of this genus have adapted to cold environments by increasing their membrane fluidity.

We investigated the diversity of fungal communities in nine different deep-sea sediment samples of the South China Sea by culture-dependent methods followed by analysis of fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Although 14 out of 27 identified species were reported in a previous study, 13 species were isolated from sediments of deep-sea environments for the first report. Moreover, these ITS sequences of six isolates shared 84-92 % similarity with their closest matches in GenBank, which suggested that they might be novel phylotypes of genera Ajellomyces, Podosordaria, Torula, and Xylaria. The antimicrobial activities of these fungal isolates were explored using a double-layer technique. A relatively high proportion (56 %) of fungal isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity against at least one pathogenic bacterium or fungus among four marine pathogenic microbes (Micrococcus luteus, Pseudoaltermonas piscida, Aspergerillus versicolor, and A. sydowii). Out of these antimicrobial fungi, the genera Arthrinium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities, while genus Aureobasidium displayed only antibacterial activity, and genera Acremonium, Cladosporium, Geomyces, and Phaeosphaeriopsis displayed only antifungal activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report to investigate the diversity and antimicrobial activity of culturable deep-sea-derived fungi in the South China Sea. These results suggest that diverse deep-sea fungi from the South China Sea are a potential source for antibiotics' discovery and further increase the pool of fungi available for natural bioactive product screening.

White-nose syndrome is an emerging infectious disease that has led to a dramatic decline in cave-hibernating bat species. White-nose syndrome is caused by the newly described fungal pathogen Geomyces destructans, which infects the ear, muzzle, and wing membranes of bats. Although the exact mechanism by which the fungus causes death is not yet understood, G. destructans leads to a high mortality rate in infected animals. While the primary mechanism of infection appears to be bat-to-bat transfer, it is still unclear what role human activity may play in the spread of this pathogen. Here we evaluate the effectiveness of decontamination protocols that can be utilized by speleologists to reduce the likelihood of spreading this dangerous pathogen to naive bats or uninfected hibernacula. Our results show that pre-cleaning to remove muds and/ or sediments followed by the use of commercially available disinfectants can effectively remove G. destructans from caving fabrics. Alternatively, immersion in water above 50 uC for at least 20 minutes effectively destroys the fungal spores. These results have allowed the development of a decontamination protocol (http://www.fws.gov/ WhiteNoseSyndrome/cavers.html) that, when appropriately followed, can greatly reduce the likelihood of the human mediated transfer of G. destructans from an infected to uninfected site.

The emerging wildlife disease white-nose syndrome is causing widespread mortality in hibernating North American bats. White-nose syndrome occurs when the fungus Geomyces destructans infects the living skin of bats during hibernation, but links between infection and mortality are underexplored. We analyzed blood from hibernating bats and compared blood electrolyte levels to wing damage caused by the fungus. Sodium and chloride tended to decrease as wing damage increased in severity. Depletion of these electrolytes suggests that infected bats may become hypotonically dehydrated during winter. Although bats regularly arouse from hibernation to drink during winter, water available in hibernacula may not contain sufficient electrolytes to offset winter losses caused by disease. Damage to bat wings from G. destructans may cause life-threatening electrolyte imbalances.

The emergence of the fungal disease white-nose syndrome (WNS) among hibernating bats in North America and its causative pathogen, Geomyces destructans, underscores how little is known about fungi associated with bats and their subterranean environments. Investigating 8 caves and mines in New Brunswick, Canada, we cultured a diverse array of fungi from the fur and skin of apparently healthy, hibernating Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat) and M. septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat) in the year prior to the emergence of WNS in the province. Among the 117 isolated fungal taxa, we found an array of psychrophilic, psychrotrophic, keratinolytic, coprophilous, and saprobic fungi. The most common taxa were Geomyces pannorum sensu lato, Penicillium spp., Mortierella spp., Mucor spp., Cephalotrichum stemonitis, Leuconeurospora spp., Penicillium solitum, Cladosporium spp., and Trichosporon dulcitum. Each bat hosted 6.9 ± 3 (SD) fungal taxa, and 30.8 ± 5 taxa were isolated per hibernaculum. Number of ...

The fungus Geomyces destructans is the causative agent of white-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease that has killed millions of North American hibernating bats. We describe a real-time TaqMan PCR test that detects DNA from G. destructans by targeting a portion of the multicopy intergenic spacer region of the rRNA gene complex. The test is highly sensitive, consistently detecting as little as 3.3 fg genomic DNA from G. destructans. The real-time PCR test specifically amplified genomic DNA from G. destructans but did not amplify target sequence from 54 closely related fungal isolates (including 43 Geomyces spp. isolates) associated with bats. The test was qualified further by analyzing DNA extracted from 91 bat wing skin samples, and PCR results matched histopathology findings. These data indicate the real-time TaqMan PCR method described herein is a sensitive, specific and rapid test to detect DNA from G. destructans and provides a valuable tool for WNS diagnostics and research.

The fungal pathogen Geomyces destructans, which causes white-nose syndrome in bats, thrives in the cold and moist conditions found in caves where bats hibernate. To aid managers and researchers address this disease, an updated and accessible review of cave hibernacula and cave microclimates is presented. To maximize energy savings and reduce evaporative water loss during winter, most temperate vespertilionid bats in North America select caves with temperatures between 2 and 10 °C, with 60%–100% relative humidity. Generally, the temperature in caves is similar to the mean annual surface temperature (MAST) of a region, which varies by latitude, altitude, and topography. However, MAST for most areas where caves are found in eastern North America is well above 10 °C. Thus, various factors cause cold-air infiltration that reduces temperatures of these caves during winter. These factors include depth of cave, topographic setting, airflow patterns, cave configuration, and water infiltration. Factors affecting humidity, condensation, and evaporation are also addressed. In areas where MAST is above or below the thermal requirements of Geomyces destructans, many caves used by bats as hibernacula may still provide favorable sites for optimal growth of this fungus.