The Fungus Hoarder

By: Priscilla Carlo

Corbis Images.
Dysprosium rare metal element that is mainly used for clean energy materials.  

Dysprosium (Dy) is a highly valued and rare industrial metal, mainly used in wind turbines, cell phones, and clean energy materials. A newly identified fungal species, Penidiella sp. T9, enjoys hoarding rare metals as it grows. This fungal species, which was isolated from an abandoned mine, also hoards praseodymium, neodymium, terbium, and europium. Scientists tested this by placing the isolate in medium that contained 53 mg/L Dy to 100 mg/L of Dy, after 3 days of cultivation at pH 2.5, there was a significant decrease in the concentration. By observing the microorganisms through an electron microscope, scientist found that the fungus was accumulating the metals in its cells' surface.

The most interesting fact about this fungus is that it doesn't actually utilize these metals for growth, and the purpose of hoarding them is still unknown!



Citation: Somera AF, Lima AM, dos Santos-Neto ÁJ, Lanças FM, Bacci M, Jr. 2015. Leaf-cutter ant fungus gardens are biphasic mixed microbial bioreactors that convert plant biomass to polyols with biotechnological applications. Appl Environ Microbiol 81:4525–4535. doi:10.1128/AEM.00046-15.

Hope for amphibians: emergent anti-fungal produced as by-product of bacterial competition!

By Alan Garcia

Beneficial skin bacteria in amphibians produce secondary metabolites that can inhibit the fungal pathogen  Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Outbreaks of this fungus are thought to be responsible for the large worldwide decline of amphibians. The metabolites are thought to be a by-product of competition between skin bacterial species. To shed some light on this a group of researchers collected the cell free supernatant from bacterial cells collected from red-backed salamanders.  Three different trials were done and tested for inhibition. The first trial contained single isolates, the second contained two combined isolates, and the third co-cultures.  It was found that when bacteria are co-cultured they were a lot more inhibiting and only on this scenario emergent metabolites were produced.  Metabolite tryptophol, the most active emergent metabolite against Bd was found and identified. This potent emergent metabolites may aid in  the development of a combination of probiotics that work as an effective anti-fungal to diminish this detrimental disease wiping out the world's amphibian populations!

SEM micrograph of zoospore and sporangia of chytrid fungus (left), Image of red-back salamander (Plethodon cinereus)(right).

Left image by CSIRO via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chytridiomycota, right image by environmental education for kids via dnr.wi.gov http://dnr.wi.gov/eek/critter/amphibian/redback.htm.

Loudon AH, Holland JA, Umile TP, Burzynski EA, Minbole KPC, Harris RN, (2014). Interactions between amphibians' symbiotic bacteria cause the production of emergent anti-fungal metabolites, front microbiol 5: 441

Wednesday December 16, 2015

Fighting Bacteria With Bacteria

-by Kyle Kippenbrock

Dramatization of bacterial competition.  photo credit http://punnett.blogspot.com/2015/02/bacteria-can-remember-viruses.html

There are times when battling a advacary for so long, that many people have taken the rout of "If you can't beat'em, join'em".  This has recently become the case in the fight against bacterial infections, specifically ones contracted throught the nasal passages.  Dr Tadayuki Iwase of the bacteriology department of Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan has identified just how this process is already taking place, and more importantly, how to exploit the benifical results.

Iwase and his team have isolated the protein Esp, also known as S. epidermidis serine protase, that is excreted by the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis.  The breakthrough came when the team was studying a relative of the bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, which isn't dangerous in small quantities, but can become very dangerous if it is allowed to populate in large quantities. 
The team found that the protein Esp was inhibiting the growth of biofilms around Staphlococcus aureus colonies, preventing them from accumulating numbers that can pose threats.

The application of this protein has amazing potential.  You could soon be swabing your nose with bacterial laced q-tips to battle your next cold.

Original article:  Staphylococcus epidermidis Esp inhibits Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation and nasal colonization Nature Volume:465,Pages:346–349 Date published:(20 May 2010)

Myxozoans: The Microscopic, Parasitic...Jellyfish.

By Nathan Campos

When it comes to creatures of the deep blue sea, jellyfish (Cnidarians) have probably never been held in high regards by any species of animal.  According to new research by the University of Kansas, jellyfish are about to be much more hated.  Gene-sequencing conducted by the researchers on myxozoans, microscopic parasites that are capable of infecting both vertebrates and invertebrates, uncovered that the organisms are actually a form of “highly reduced” Cnidarians.  Comprised of only a few cells measuring 10 to 20 microns each, myxozoans have one of the smallest animal genomes on record.  While an average Cnidarian has over 300 million base pairs, myxozoans have approximately 20 million base pairs.  While myxozoans are a microscopic, extremely biodegraded species of macroscopic jellyfish, they still retained the nematocyst (stinger) of a jellyfish, along with the genes required to produce it.  Oddly enough, a group of genes that are vital in animal development, Hox genes, are absent from their genome.  The findings of the study may prove to be valuable in the commercial fishing industry- myxozoans infect fish and disrupt the aquaculture of commercial fishing spots.  With a better genetic understanding of myxozoans, the possibilities of finding solutions to infection outbreaks are highly increased.   

(Credit: Left Photo: A. Diamant.  Right Photo: P. Cartwright)  The images above are a visual comparison of myxozoans (Kudoa iwatai, left photo) and a full-sized jellyfish (Aurelia aurita, right photo).

E. Sally Chang, et al. Genomic insights into the evolutionary origin of Myxozoa within Cnidaria. PNAS, November 16, 2015 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1511468112

Human Health Impacted by Soil Diversity

By: Ericka Serna

From (Wall, D.H. et al 2015). This figure shows how land use and management affect soil biodiversity and the impact it has on human health. 

Soil biodiversity not only provides disease control, but it also influences the quantity and quality of food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. These provisions are impacted by how we utilize soils as a resource. The alteration of soils results in loss of biodiversity, as well as possible sources of antibiotics and medicines. Better soil management will maintain soil biodiversity, which can then be used as a resource to sustain or improve human health. Several ways to improve soil management include include soil food-web complexity and agroecological practices that will enhance soil organic matter content and soil biodiversity. Further studies in soil biodiversity conservation should be made due to the impact it has on human health worldwide.

Wall DH, Nielsen UN, Six Johan. (2015) Soil biodiversity and human health. Nature. 528: 69-76.

Living Life in the Extreme

(From: Clynne MA,et al., 2003. USGS). Fumarole in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Fumaroles are also known as geothermal vents where volcanic gas is discharged.

By: Ashley Garcia 

Extreme environments fascinate scientists not only because of their nature but the organisms that are able to survive in them. As a result, there have been numerous studies examining the adaptations of these microorganisms to live in such ecosystems. Benson et al., analyzed the microbial diversity in several geothermal steam vents (fumaroles) through the development of novel DNA isolation techniques and x-ray microanalysis. Samples were collected from nonsulfur, sulfur, and iron steam vents from national parks in Hawaii, Yellowstone National Park, and California. Although difficult, sequence identification found Sulfolobus and Acidianus, including previously un-sequenced Crenarchaeota. This data was the first to confirm the presence of Archaea in steam deposits and demonstrated the diverse microbial communities present. This data further illustrates that there are no better creatures suited for extreme environments than the unseen microorganisms.

Benson CA, Bizzoco RW, Lipson DA, Kelley ST. (2011). Microbial diversity in nonsulfur, sulfur, and iron steam vents. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 76:74-88. 

The last thing we need is for this situation to blow-up!

By: Elester Williams

TNT is a commonly known and widely used explosive. However, what you might not know is that TNT is toxic in small concentrations and can contaminate both soil and water. In fact, there is evidence suggesting TNT may be a human carcinogen. Traditionally, decontamination involves blowing up affected soil. However, researchers have been looking into using white-rot fungi to break down  2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) instead. The fungi studied in Anasonye et al. (2015) were Gymnopilus luteofolius, Kuehneromyces mutabilis, and Phanerochaete velutina. TNT (1000 mg/kg) was experimentally added to soil and the researchers discovered that Phanerochaete velutina had the highest degradation rate (80%) out of the three fungi tested. The ability to breakdown TNT was attributed to the reactive oxidoreductase manganese peroxidase.  Maybe we should think twice before we blow-up TNT contaminated soil, there might be a less dramatic solution.  

From (Anasonye et al., 2015). TNT breakdown by Phanerochaete velutina and CO2 concentration in the outlet air over a 107 day period. The fungus was inoculated in TNT contaminated soil diluted with composted waste (1:20 ratio).

Original article: Anasonye F, Winquist E, Räsänen M, Kontro J, Björklöf K, Vasilyeva G et al (2015). Bioremediation of TNT contaminated soil with fungi under laboratory and pilot scale conditions. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation 105: 7-12.

The Influence of Space on Microbial Diversity

By: Ashley Garcia

Figure 1. Phylogenetic diversity in air samples of three different environmental settings of a health care facility: indoor room with mechanical ventilation, indoor room with natural window ventilation, and an outdoor setting. 

When an individual walks into a building, whether it be an office or one’s home, we often fail to recognize the microbial environment that is undoubtedly thriving before us (Kembel et al., 2012).  These microorganisms often influence the health of the built environment including its occupants. A study carried out by Kembel et al., analyzed the differences in microbial diversity based on distinct attributes of air ventilation in a health care facility.  The researchers sampled air from three environments of the health care facility: the outdoors, a room with a ventilation system, and a room with natural ventilation (window). Samples were then quantified and sequenced to reveal taxonomic diversity and abundance of microorganisms between the three. Pathogens were found to be greater in indoor rooms with limited airflow suggesting the need for adequate ventilation systems. In terms of taxonomic diversity and abundance: the most diverse were the outdoor samples, the lowest was the indoor “mechanical” (ventilated) space, and the room with natural ventilation fell somewhere in the middle (Figure 1). This data demonstrates the importance of understanding our built environment on microbial diversity and how other factors lend to this such as temperature and relative humidity.

Original Article:
Kembel SW, Jones E, Kline J, Northcutt D, Stenson J, Womack AM, Bohannan BJM, Brown GZ, and Green JL (2012). Architectural design influences the diversity and structure of the built environment microbiome. ISME Journal 6:1469-1479.

A plant hormone helps to fight Banana wilt disease!

By Jungmi Choi

One of many ways to suppress banana wilt disease (Fusarium - fungal soil pathogen) is to apply salicylic acid (SA - plant hormone).  Acid levels are positively correlated with a much lesser degree of corm discoloration. SA plays a defensive role against the pathogen (Fusarium).  The mechanism is the upstream signal pathway of SA being activated to suppress the pathogen.  Wang et al. found significant increases in SA in resistant cultivars treated with the pathogen.  Also, exogenous SA application increases endogenous SA levels by inducing gene expression to increase defense against the disease.  Increased gene expression of SA levels and SA biosynthesis will provide resistance against the pathogen.

 

(From Wang et al., 2015) The banana plantlet inoculated with the pathogen (Fusarium) and salicylic acid (SA) showed much less corm discoloration compared to the plantlet inoculated with the Fusarium only.  Also, the plantlet treated with SA+ Foc TR4 showed no visible discoloration of the leaves compared to the control.

Article from;

Wang, Z., Jia, C.H., Li, J.Y., Huang, S.Z., Xu, B.Y., and Jin, Z.Q. (2015) Activation of salicyclic acid metabolism and signal transduction can enhance resistance to Fusarium wilt in banana (Musa acuminata L. AAA group, cv. Cavendish). Funct Integr Genomics. 15, 47-62.

 

 

Finding wild cultivars to fight Banana wilt disease!

By Jungmi  Choi

Banana production has suffered from fungal soil-pathogen disease (Fusarium Oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 [Foc-TR4]).  There have been many attempts to eradicate the disease and finding wild cultivars resistant to the disease is one of them.  Li et al., used eight genotypes of wild banana cultivars to test resistance to the disease in greenhouses and in wild fields.  Most cultivars demonstrated varied levels of resistance to the Fusarium depending upon the environment.  However, two cultivars (M. basjoo and M. itinerans) were not affected by the disease and showed no rhizome discoloration (which is a symptom of the disease).  These cultivars will be valuable genetic resources to fight Fusarium.

 

(From Li et al., 2015) Rhizome discoloration when inoculated with Fusarium. Scale: 0 - no symptoms, 1 - initial yellowing, 2 - yellowing of all of the lower leaves with partial yellowing of upper leaves, 3 - yellowing of all the leaves followed by the plant death.

Article from;

W.M Li, M. Dita, W. Wu, G.B. Hu, J.H. Xie and X.J. Ge. (2015) Resistance sources to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 in banana wild relatives. Plant pathology. 64, 1061-1067.