Ecology of aspergillosis: insights into the pathogenic potency of Aspergillus fumigatus and some other Aspergillus species

Microbial Biotechnology, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 10(2), С. 296 - 322

Опубликована: Июнь 7, 2016

Fungi of the genus Aspergillus are widespread in environment. Some species, most commonly fumigatus, may lead to a variety allergic reactions and life-threatening systemic infections humans. Invasive aspergillosis occurs primarily patients with severe immunodeficiency, has dramatically increased recent years. There several factors at play that contribute aspergillosis, including both fungus host-related such as strain virulence host pulmonary structure/immune status, respectively. The environmental tenacity Aspergilllus, its dominance diverse microbial communities/habitats, ability navigate ecophysiological biophysical challenges infection attributable, large part, robust stress-tolerance biology exceptional capacity generate cell-available energy. Aspects stress metabolism, ecology, interactions animal hosts, clinical presentations treatment regimens have been well-studied over past Here, we synthesize these findings relation way which some species become successful opportunistic pathogens human- other hosts. We focus on capabilities pathogens, key aspects their ecophysiology flexibility undergo sexual cycle or form cryptic species. Additionally, advances diagnosis disease discussed well implications questions yet be resolved.

Язык: Английский

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Role of the Extremolytes Ectoine and Hydroxyectoine as Stress Protectants and Nutrients: Genetics, Phylogenomics, Biochemistry, and Structural Analysis

Genes, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 9(4), С. 177 - 177

Опубликована: Март 22, 2018

Fluctuations in environmental osmolarity are ubiquitous stress factors many natural habitats of microorganisms, as they inevitably trigger osmotically instigated fluxes water across the semi-permeable cytoplasmic membrane. Under hyperosmotic conditions, microorganisms fend off detrimental effects efflux and ensuing dehydration cytoplasm drop turgor through accumulation a restricted class organic osmolytes, compatible solutes. Ectoine its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine prominent members these compounds synthesized widely by Bacteria few Archaea Eukarya response to high salinity/osmolarity and/or growth temperature extremes. Ectoines have excellent function-preserving properties, attributes that led their description chemical chaperones fostered development an industrial-scale biotechnological production process for exploitation biotechnology, skin care, medicine. We review, here, current knowledge on biochemistry ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthetic enzymes available crystal structures some them, explore genetics underlying genes transcriptional regulation, present extensive phylogenomic analysis genes. In addition, we address biochemistry, phylogenomics, genetic regulation alternative use ectoines nutrients.

Язык: Английский

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Chaotropicity: a key factor in product tolerance of biofuel-producing microorganisms

Current Opinion in Biotechnology, Год журнала: 2015, Номер 33, С. 228 - 259

Опубликована: Апрель 2, 2015

Язык: Английский

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Fungi are key players in extreme ecosystems

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 37(6), С. 517 - 528

Опубликована: Март 1, 2022

Язык: Английский

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Scientific novelty beyond the experiment

Microbial Biotechnology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 16(6), С. 1131 - 1173

Опубликована: Фев. 14, 2023

Practical experiments drive important scientific discoveries in biology, but theory-based research studies also contribute novel-sometimes paradigm-changing-findings. Here, we appraise the roles of approaches focusing on experiment-dominated wet-biology areas microbial growth and survival, cell physiology, host-pathogen interactions, competitive or symbiotic interactions. Additional examples relate to analyses genome-sequence data, climate change planetary health, habitability, astrobiology. We assess importance thought at each step process; natural philosophy, inconsistencies logic language, as drivers progress; value experiments; use limitations artificial intelligence technologies, including their potential for interdisciplinary transdisciplinary research; other instances when theory is most-direct most-scientifically robust route novelty development techniques practical experimentation fieldwork. highlight intrinsic need human engagement innovation, an issue pertinent ongoing controversy over papers authored using/authored by (such large language model/chatbot ChatGPT). Other issues discussed are way which aspects can bias thinking towards spatial rather than temporal (and how this biased lead skewed terminology); receptivity that non-mainstream; science education epistemology. Whereas briefly classic works (those Oakes Ames, Francis H.C. Crick James D. Watson, Charles R. Darwin, Albert Einstein, E. Lovelock, Lynn Margulis, Gilbert Ryle, Erwin R.J.A. Schrödinger, Alan M. Turing, others), focus microbiology more-recent, discussing these context process types they represent. These include several carried out during 2020 2022 lockdowns COVID-19 pandemic access laboratories was disallowed (or limited). interviewed authors some featured microbiology-related and-although ourselves involved laboratory fieldwork-also drew from our own experiences showing such not only produce new findings transcend barriers between disciplines, act counter reductionism, integrate biological data across different timescales levels complexity, circumvent constraints imposed techniques. In relation urgent needs, believe global challenges may require beyond experiment.

Язык: Английский

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Ionic Strength Is a Barrier to the Habitability of Mars

Astrobiology, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 16(6), С. 427 - 442

Опубликована: Май 23, 2016

The thermodynamic availability of water (water activity) strictly limits microbial propagation on Earth, particularly in hypersaline environments. A considerable body evidence indicates the existence surface waters throughout history Mars; therefore it is assumed that, as activity a major limiting factor for martian habitability. However, differing geological histories Earth and Mars have driven variations their respective aqueous geochemistry, with as-yet-unknown implications Using community enrichment approach, we investigated habitability suite simulated brines. While some brines was consistent predictions made from activity, others were uninhabitable even when biologically permissive. We demonstrate experimentally that high ionic strength, to extremes by ubiquitous occurrence multivalent ions, renders these environments despite presence available water. These findings show how Mars, which produced differences planets' dominant chemistries, resulted different physicochemical define boundary space Key Words: Habitability—Mars—Salts—Water activity—Life extreme Astrobiology 16, 427–442.

Язык: Английский

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Antifungal activities of wood extractives

Fungal Biology Reviews, Год журнала: 2017, Номер 31(3), С. 113 - 123

Опубликована: Фев. 16, 2017

Язык: Английский

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Aspergillus penicillioides differentiation and cell division at 0.585 water activity

Environmental Microbiology, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 19(2), С. 687 - 697

Опубликована: Ноя. 21, 2016

Water availability acts as the most stringent constraint for life on Earth. Thus, understanding water relations of microbial extremophiles is imperative to our ability increase agricultural productivity (e.g., by enhancing processing and turnover dead organic matter in soils arid regions), reduce human exposure mycotoxins buildings food-supply chain, prevent spoilage foods/animal feeds, books, museum specimens artworks better control microbiology industrial fermentations. Only a small number systems can retain activity at <0.710 (ISME J 2015 9: 1333-1351). It has long-been considered that resilient these Xeromyces bisporus, which inhabits sugar-rich substrates (Appl Environ Microbiol 1968 16: 1853-1858). The current study focused germination Aspergillus penicillioides, xerophile also able grow under low humidity saline conditions. Investigations differed from those reported earlier: firstly, aerially borne conidia were harvested, then used inoculations, their dry condition; secondly, cultures incubated 24°C, i.e. below optimum temperature, minimize possibility loss substrate; thirdly, remained sealed throughout 73-day period (microscopic examination was carried out directly 48 through Petri plate lid); fourthly, parameters determined were: rates extent conidial swelling, production differentiated germination-structures septate germlings, subsequent development mycelium and/or sporulation; fifthly, assessments over range water-activity values time points obtain complete profile process. Conidia swelled, formed produced germlings just 0.585 (≡58.5% relative humidity), outside currently understood thermodynamic window life. Furthermore, analyses data suggest theoretical minimum 0.565 A. penicilliodes. In relation astrobiology, findings have an application limits extraterrestrial environments. light plans exploration missions Mars other places, need safeguard martian scientific sites potential resources (including water) future habitation, knowledge-based effective policy planetary protection essential. As it is, Mars-bound spacecraft may frequently be contaminated with aspergilli penicillioides) organisms which, when transported bodies, pose contamination risk. crafting countermeasures offset this, important know precisely possible capabilities interplanetary visitors.

Язык: Английский

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Microbial lag phase can be indicative of, or independent from, cellular stress

Scientific Reports, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 10(1)

Опубликована: Апрель 3, 2020

Abstract Measures of microbial growth, used as indicators cellular stress, are sometimes quantified at a single time-point. In reality, these measurements compound representations length lag, exponential growth-rate, and other factors. Here, we investigate whether lag phase can act proxy for using number model systems ( Aspergillus penicillioides ; Bacillus subtilis Escherichia coli Eurotium amstelodami , E. echinulatum halophilicum repens; Mrakia frigida Saccharomyces cerevisiae Xerochrysium xerophilum Xeromyces bisporus ) exposed to mechanistically distinct types stress including low water activity, solute-induced stresses, dehydration-rehydration cycles. Lag was neither proportional germination rate X. (FRR3443) in glycerol-supplemented media (r 2 = 0.012), nor growth-rates microbes. some cases, varied greatly with stressor concentration even when remained constant. By contrast, there were strong correlations B. supplemented polyethylene-glycol 6000 or 600 0.925 0.961), species. We also analysed data from independent studies food-spoilage fungi under glycerol aculeatinus A. sclerotiicarbonariu s); mesophilic/psychrotolerant bacteria diverse, stresses Brochothrix thermosphacta Enterococcus faecalis Pseudomonas fluorescens Salmonella typhimurium Staphylococcus aureus ); fungal enzymes acid-stress Terfezia claveryi lipoxygenase Agaricus tyrosinase). These datasets exhibited diversity, strong- moderate between growth-rates; none. conclusion, is not reliable measure because growth-rate inhibition highly correlated, all.

Язык: Английский

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The role of glycerol in the pathogenic lifestyle of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

Environmental Microbiology, Год журнала: 2017, Номер 19(3), С. 1008 - 1016

Опубликована: Фев. 6, 2017

The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae elaborates a specialized cell called an appressorium, which is used to breach the tough outer cuticle of leaf, enabling entry host plant cells. appressorium generates enormous turgor by accumulating glycerol very high concentrations within cell. Glycerol accumulation and melanization wall collectively drive turgor-mediated penetration leaf. In this review, we discuss potential metabolic sources in how focused as physical force at base infection cell, leading formation rigid peg. We review recent studies M. other relevant appressorium-forming fungi shed light on synthesized regulated. Finally, provide some questions guide avenues future research that will be important fully understanding role disease.

Язык: Английский

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