fungi
Microbial EcologyContrasting Patterns of Functional Diversity in Coffee Root Fungal Communities Associated with Organic and Conventionally Managed FieldsRhizosphere fungi play key roles in ecosystems as nutrient cyclers, pathogens, and mutualists, yet little is currently known about which environmental factors and how agricultural management may influence rhizosphere fungal communities and their functional diversity. This field study of the coffee agroecosystem suggests that organic management not only fosters a greater overall diversity of fungi, but it also maintains a greater...
Public and Environmental Health Microbiology | SpotlightSite-Specific Profiling of the Dental Mycobiome Reveals Strong Taxonomic Shifts during Progression of Early-Childhood CariesEarly-childhood caries is one of the most prevalent diseases in children worldwide and, while preventable, remains a global public health concern. Untreated cavities are painful and expensive and can lead to tooth loss and a lower quality of life. Caries are driven by acid production via microbial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates, resulting in enamel erosion. While caries is a well-studied disease, most research has focused on...
Microbial EcologyCore Rhizosphere Microbiomes of Dryland Wheat Are Influenced by Location and Land Use HistoryPlant-associated microbiomes are critical for plant health and other important agroecosystem processes. We assessed the bacterial and fungal microbiomes of wheat grown in soils from across a dryland wheat cropping systems in eastern Washington to identify the core microbiome on wheat roots that is consistent across soils from different locations and land use histories. Moreover, cross-domain co-occurrence network analysis identified...
Environmental MicrobiologyStructural and Functional Dynamics of Soil Microbes following Spruce Beetle InfestationBelowground impacts of bark beetle infestation have not been explored as thoroughly as their aboveground counterparts. In order to accurately model impacts of bark beetle-induced tree mortality on carbon and nutrient cycling and forest regeneration, the intricacies of soil microbial communities must be examined. In this study, we investigated the structure and function of soil bacterial and fungal communities following bark beetle...
Enzymology and Protein EngineeringTrichoderma reesei Dehydrogenase, a Pyrroloquinoline Quinone-Dependent Member of Auxiliary Activity Family 12 of the Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes Database: Functional and Structural CharacterizationPyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is an important cofactor synthesized by prokaryotes and involved in enzymatic alcohol and sugar oxidation. In eukaryotes, the benefit of PQQ as a vitamin has been suggested but never proved. Recently, the first eukaryotic enzyme using PQQ was characterized in the basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea, demonstrating that fungi are able to use...
Environmental Microbiology | SpotlightStress-Responsive Alternative Sigma Factor SigB Plays a Positive Role in the Antifungal Proficiency of Bacillus subtilisBiological control using beneficial bacteria (PGPRs) represents an attractive and environment-friendly alternative to pesticides for controlling plant diseases. Different PGPR Bacillus species produce potent biofungicides and stimulate plant defense responses against phytopathogenic fungi. However, very little is known about how PGPRs recognize phytopathogens and process the antifungal response. Here, we report how...
Microbial EcologyRecovery of Fungal Cells from Air Samples: a Tale of Loss and GainThis work shed light on a significant issue regarding the loss of fungal spores when recovered from air samples using liquid medium and centrifugation to concentrate air particles before DNA extraction. We provide proof that the loss affects the overall fungal diversity of aerosols and that some taxa are differentially more affected than others. Furthermore, a laboratory experiment confirmed the environmental results obtained during...
Microbial Ecology | SpotlightMycobiome Profiles in Breast Milk from Healthy Women Depend on Mode of Delivery, Geographic Location, and Interaction with BacteriaDuring recent years, human breast milk has been documented as a potential source of bacteria for the newborn. Recently, we have reported the presence of fungi in breast milk from healthy mothers. It is well known that environmental and perinatal factors can affect milk bacteria; however, the impact on milk fungi is still unknown. The current report describes fungal communities (mycobiota) in breast milk samples across different...
Environmental MicrobiologyA High-Resolution Time Series Reveals Distinct Seasonal Patterns of Planktonic Fungi at a Temperate Coastal Ocean Site (Beaufort, North Carolina, USA)Coastal fungal dynamics were long assumed to be due to terrestrial inputs; here, a high-resolution time series reveals strong, repeating annual patterns linked to in situ environmental conditions, arguing for a resident coastal fungal community shaped by environmental factors. These seasonal patterns do, however, differ from those observed in the bacterioplankton at the same site; e.g., fungal diversity peaks in winter, whereas...