Animal-Associated Fungi -- from Parasitism to Mutualism 15:30 - 17:00 Wednesday, 14Th August, 2019 Meridian AB
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Symposium 5: Animal-Associated Fungi -- From Parasitism to Mutualism 15:30 - 17:00 Wednesday, 14th August, 2019 Meridian AB 15:30 - 16:00 WED 10 The mycobiome of bats: Critical information for understanding and managing white-nose syndrome Daniel Lindner1, Michelle Jusino2,1, Jonathan Palmer1, Mark Banik1, Paula Marquardt3, Deahn Donner-Wright3 1USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Center for Forest Mycology Research, Madison, WI, USA. 2University of Florida, Dept of Plant Pathology, Gainsville, FL, USA. 3USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Rhinelander, WI, USA Abstract Since first documented in 2006, white-nose syndrome (WNS) has caused massive declines in bat populations throughout eastern North America. Caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), WNS offers an opportunity to examine the fungal associates of bats and to determine how mycobiomes may influence both disease development as well as the outcome of potential WNS treatments. We used high through-put amplicon sequencing (HTAS) of the fungal ITS region to characterize baseline mycobiomes of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) from multiple locations spanning WNS-positive and -negative geographic regions. We determined the Pd load on the bats via qPCR. We examined the effects of site, sex, and Pd load on mycobiomes and identified the taxa associated with these variables. Preliminary analyses suggest site and disease status most strongly influence the mycobiome of little brown bats. Next, we conducted a treatment trail on Pd positive bats using UV-C light and tracked mycobiomes on treated and untreated animals. Pd is extremely sensitive to UV-C light compared to other microorganisms, thus raising the possibility of being able to selectively alter the mycobiomes of bats to minimize WNS with little disturbance to the overall fungal community. Following UV treatment, little change was observed in the overall mycobiome, despite reduced levels of Pd in UV-treatment groups, suggesting that it may be possible to use UV-light to combat WNS without altering the overall mycobiome. 16:00 - 16:30 WED 11 Phylogenetic reconstruction of the Laboulbeniomycetes Danny Haelewaters1, Alexander Weir2 1Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA. 2State University of New York, Syracuse, USA Abstract The class Laboulbeniomycetes (Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina) comprises fungi that are obligately associated with Arthropoda as biotrophs or for dispersal. Three orders are recognized, Herpomycetales, Laboulbeniales, and Pyxidiophorales. In addition, the genera Chantransiopsis, Coreomycetopsis, Laboulbeniopsis, and Tetrameronycha have not been formally placed because of lack of sequence data and undersampling – resulting in the absence of many families and genera in analyses. Owing to difficulties in DNA extraction and PCR amplification, molecular phylogenetic studies of the class lag behind other groups of Ascomycota. Recent advances include improved DNA isolation techniques, the incorporation of whole-genome amplification prior to PCR, and the design of Laboulbeniomycetes-specific primers. These have led to an increase in sequence data, mostly for the nuclear ribosomal loci, but also other regions, such as the mitochondrial SSU and MCM7. We DNA barcoded species to test hypotheses about speciation; we formally described a new order using multi- locus inferences and molecular clock analyses; and we identified 4–5 large clades within Laboulbeniomycetes that might correspond to orders based on the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. Here, we expand on these studies by presenting a phylogenetic reconstruction of the class using all available SSU and large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene sequences and making recommendations for future work. 16:30 - 17:00 WED 12 The ecology and evolution of animal associations in Hypocreales, a synthesis of phylogenetic datasets across the order. Ryan Kepler USDA-ARS, Beltsville, USA Abstract Phylogenies derived from multilocus datasets have revolutionized fungal taxonomy and our understanding of diversity. The proliferation of these analyses over the fungal tree of life have paid dividends in two significant areas: understanding the evolution of fungal traits and the inference of species present in samples where they are unable to be directly observed. Fungi in the order Hypocreales form interactions with organisms across the tree of life, playing roles ranging from symbionts to pathogens. Furthermore, some species defy easy trophic classification, occupying multiple niches opportunistically. These interactions are important for ecosystem function across natural landscapes. Additionally, the pathogen diversity in Hypocreales has contributed important biocontrol agents of insects, nematodes and plant diseases. Despite their ecological significance, we are only at the beginning of understanding complex hypocrealean life-histories, a knowledge gap that has limited our ability to leverage them in meeting society’s needs. The degree to which hypocrealean fungi are able to utilize divergent nutritional sources (e.g. plant symbiont vs. insect pathogen vs. saprobe) potentially set the stage for future adaptive shifts in host association or substrate specialization. This talk explores the evolution of life histories in Hypocreales using a multilocus dataset derived from phylogenetic work across the order, and uses that as a guide to identify and understand species distributions from environmental sampling..