TY - JOUR A1 - Abdallah, Khaled A1 - Stock, S. C. A1 - Heeger, Felix A1 - Koester, M. A1 - Nájera, F. A1 - Merino, C. A1 - Spielvogel, S. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - Kuzyakov, Y. A1 - Dippold, M. A. T1 - Nitrogen Gain and Loss Along an Ecosystem Sequence: From Semi-desert to Rainforest N2 - Plants and microorganisms, besides the climate, drive nitrogen (N) cycling in ecosystems. Our objective was to investigate N losses and N acquisition strategies along a unique ecosystem-sequence (ecosequence) ranging from arid shrubland through Mediterranean woodland to temperate rainforest. These ecosystems differ in mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperate, and vegetation cover, but developed on similar granitoid soil parent material, were addressed using a combination of molecular biology and soil biogeochemical tools. Soil N and carbon (C) contents, δ15N signatures, activities of N acquiring extracellular enzymes as well as the abundance of soil bacteria and fungi, and diazotrophs in bulk topsoil and rhizosphere were determined. Relative fungal abundance in the rhizosphere was higher under woodland and forest than under shrubland. This indicates toward plants' higher C investment into fungi in the Mediterranean and temperate rainforest sites than in the arid site. Fungi are likely to decompose lignified forest litter for efficient recycling of litter-derived N and further nutrients. Rhizosphere—a hotspot for the N fixation—was enriched in diazotrophs (factor 8 to 16 in comparison to bulk topsoil) emphasizing the general importance of root/microbe association in N cycle. These results show that the temperate rainforest is an N acquiring ecosystem, whereas N in the arid shrubland is strongly recycled. Simultaneously, the strongest 15N enrichment with decreasing N content with depth was detected in the Mediterranean woodland, indicating that N mineralization and loss is highest (and likely the fastest) in the woodland across the continental transect. Higher relative aminopeptidase activities in the woodland than in the forest enabled a fast N mineralization. Relative aminopeptidase activities were highest in the arid shrubland. The highest absolute chitinase activities were observed in the forest. This likely demonstrates that (a) plants and microorganisms in the arid shrubland invest largely into mobilization and reutilization of organically bound N by exoenzymes, and (b) that the ecosystem N nutrition shifts from a peptide-based N in the arid shrubland to a peptide- and chitin-based N nutrition in the temperate rainforest, where the high N demand is complemented by intensive N fixation in the rhizosphere. KW - Nitrogen KW - Rhizosphere KW - Microbial abundance KW - Natural abundance of 15N KW - Nitrogen fixation KW - Nitrogen uptake PY - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-543708 SN - 2673-8619 VL - 2 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne AN - OPUS4-54370 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Alder-Rangel, A. A1 - Idnurm, A. A1 - Brand, A. A1 - Brown, A. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - Kelliher, C. A1 - Campos, C. A1 - Levin, D. A1 - Bell-Pedersen, D. A1 - Dadachova, E. A1 - Bauer, F. A1 - Gadd, G. A1 - Braus, G. A1 - Braga, G. A1 - Brancini, G. A1 - Walker, G. A1 - Druzhinina, I. A1 - Pocsi, I. A1 - Dijksterhuis, J. A1 - Aguirre, J. A1 - Hallsworth, J. A1 - Schumacher, Julia A1 - Ho Wong, K. A1 - Selbmann, L. A1 - Corrochano, L. A1 - Kupiec, M. A1 - Momany, M. A1 - Molin, M. A1 - Requena, N. A1 - Yarden, O. A1 - Cordero, R. A1 - Fischer, R. A1 - Pascon, R. A1 - Mancinelli, R. A1 - Emri, T. A1 - Basso, T. A1 - Rangel, D. T1 - The Third International Symposium on Fungal Stress - ISFUS N2 - Stress is a normal part of life for fungi, which can survive in environments considered inhospitable or hostile for other organisms. Due to the ability of fungi to respond to, survive in, and transform the environment, even under severe stresses, many researchers are exploring the mechanisms that enable fungi to adapt to stress. The International Symposium on Fungal Stress (ISFUS) brings together leading scientists from around the world who research fungal stress. This article discusses presentations given at the third ISFUS, held in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2019, thereby summarizing the state-of-the-art knowledge on fungal stress, a field that includes microbiology, agriculture, ecology, biotechnology, medicine, and astrobiology. T2 - International Symposium on Fungal Stress (ISFUS) CY - Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil DA - 20.05.2019 KW - Agricultural mycology KW - Fungal stress mechanisms and responses KW - Industrial mycology KW - Medical mycology PY - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2020.02.007 VL - 124 IS - 5 SP - 235 EP - 252 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-50953 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Breitenbach, Romy A1 - Gerrits, Ruben A1 - Dementyeva, Polina A1 - Knabe, Nicole A1 - Schumacher, Julia A1 - Feldmann, Ines A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Ryo, M. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna T1 - Data for "The role of extracellular polymeric substances of fungal biofilms in mineral attachment and weathering" N2 - Data for the publication "The role of extracellular polymeric substances of fungal biofilms in mineral attachment and weathering" (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41529-022-00253-1). It includes: - The Summary of the EPS concentration, EPS sugar components and EPS linkages. - The Summary of the XPS analysis of freeze-dried biofilm samples of all strains. - The Summary of the pH, Mg, SI and Fe concentration, biomass and olivine dissolution rate for each time point of all dissolution experiments. KW - Biofilms PY - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.26272/opus4-54901 PB - Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-54901 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Breitenbach, Romy A1 - Gerrits, Ruben A1 - Dementyeva, Polina A1 - Knabe, Nicole A1 - Schumacher, Julia A1 - Feldmann, Ines A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Ryo, M. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna T1 - The role of extracellular polymeric substances of fungal biofilms in mineral attachment and weathering N2 - The roles extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) play in mineral attachment and weathering were studied using genetically modified biofilms of the rock-inhabiting fungus Knufia petricola strain A95. Mutants deficient in melanin and/or carotenoid synthesis were grown as air-exposed biofilms. Extracted EPS were quantified and characterised using a combination of analytical techniques. The absence of melanin affected the quantity and composition of the produced EPS: mutants no longer able to form melanin synthesised more EPS containing fewer pullulan-related glycosidic linkages. Moreover, the melanin-producing strains attached more strongly to the mineral olivine and dissolved it at a higher rate. We hypothesise that the pullulan-related linkages, with their known adhesion functionality, enable fungal attachment and weathering. The released phenolic intermediates of melanin synthesis in the Δsdh1 mutant might play a role similar to Fe-chelating siderophores, driving olivine dissolution even further. These data demonstrate the need for careful compositional and quantitative analyses of biofilm-created microenvironments. KW - Biofilms PY - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-549025 SN - 2397-2106 VL - 6 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Springer Nature CY - London AN - OPUS4-54902 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - C., Ruibal A1 - L., Selbmann A1 - Serap, Avci A1 - Martin-Sanchez, Pedro Maria A1 - Gorbushina, Anna ED - Gorbushina, Anna T1 - Roof-Inhabiting Cousins of Rock-Inhabiting Fungi: Novel Melanized Microcolonial Fungal Species from Photocatalytically Reactive Subaerial Surfaces N2 - Subaerial biofilms (SAB) are an important factor in weathering, biofouling, and biodeterioration of bare rocks, building materials, and solar panel surfaces. The realm of SAB is continually widened by modern materials, and the settlers on these exposed solid surfaces always include melanized, stress-tolerant microcolonial ascomycetes. After their first discovery on desert rock surfaces, these melanized chaetothyrialean and dothidealean ascomycetes have been found on Mediterranean monuments after biocidal treatments, Antarctic rocks and solar panels. New man-made modifications of surfaces (e.g., treatment with biocides or photocatalytically active layers) accommodate the exceptional stress-tolerance of microcolonial fungi and thus further select for this well-protected ecological group. Melanized fungal strains were isolated from a microbial community that developed on highly photocatalytic roof tiles after a long-term environmental exposure in a maritime-influenced region in northwestern Germany. Four of the isolated strains are described here as a novel species, Constantinomyces oldenburgensis, based on multilocus ITS, LSU, RPB2 gene phylogeny. Their closest relative is a still-unnamed rock-inhabiting strain TRN431, here described as C. patonensis. Both species cluster in Capnodiales, among typical melanized microcolonial rock fungi from different stress habitats, including Antarctica. These novel strains flourish in hostile conditions of highly oxidizing material surfaces, and shall be used in reference procedures in material testing. KW - Microcolonial fungi KW - Multilocus phylogeny KW - Photocatalytic surfaces KW - Subaerial biofilms KW - Stress tolerance KW - Constantinomyces PY - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-455182 VL - 8 IS - 3 SP - 30 EP - 44 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz AN - OPUS4-45518 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dittrich, Maria A1 - Paulo, Carlos A1 - Knabe, Nicole A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Zaitsev, Vladimir A1 - Gorbushina, Anna T1 - Microscopic Raman study of fungal pigment using the genetically amenable rock inhabitant Knufia petricola as a model organism N2 - Fungal pigments such as melanin and carotenoids are distinctive markers of animal and plant pathogenic fungi as well as their environmental relatives. These complex pigments play important roles in pathogenicity and stress tolerance while also being useful as biomarkers. Accordingly, it is important to be able to identify in situ the pigments in black fungi, a group of clinical and environmental importance. In this study, wild-type and genetically modified strains of Knufia petricola A95 and wild fungal cells attached to ancient rock were investigated for their spectroscopic and microscopic Raman features and morphological appearance. Knockout mutants of melanin synthesis genes pks1 (polyketide synthase), sdh1 (scytalone dehydratase), and both pks1 and the carotenoid synthesis gene phd1 (phytoene desaturase) were studied We applied two different Raman microscopes using two lasers, with 633 nm and 488 nm wavelengths. We analyzed and compared Raman spectra between the measured reference substances and the mutant and wild-type strains. In the wild strain WT:A95, the peaks close to melanin peals were found at 1353 cm−1 and 1611 cm−1. There are no characteristic melanin peaks at 1580–1600 cm−1 and around 1350 cm−1 at the spectrum of the Δpks1/Δphd1 mutant and the Δsdh1 mutant. The Δpks1 mutant spectrum has the peaks at the beta-carotene v2 C-C in-plane stretch at 1155 cm−1 and v3 C-CH3 deformation at 1005 cm−1. The peaks of carotenoids and melanin were found in all mutants and the wild strain, except the Δpks1/Δphd1 mutant. Raman spectra allow for discrimination between the various pigments. Hence, interactions between natural fungal melanin, as well as other protective pigments, and complex environmental matrices can be characterized on a range of spatial and temporal scales. KW - Raman Spectroscopy KW - Instrumentation KW - Analytical Chemistry KW - Knufia petricola KW - Confocal microscopy KW - Atomic and Molecular Physics and Optics PY - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2023.123250 SN - 1386-1425 VL - 303 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier BV AN - OPUS4-58792 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Erdmann, Eileen A1 - Nitsche, Sarah A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - Schumacher, Julia T1 - Genetic Engineering of the Rock Inhabitant Knufia petricola Provides Insight Into the Biology of Extremotolerant Black Fungi N2 - Black microcolonial fungi (Ascomycetes from Arthonio-, Dothideo-, and Eurotiomycetes) are stress-tolerant and persistent dwellers of natural and anthropogenic extreme habitats. They exhibit slow yeast-like or meristematic growth, do not form specialized reproduction structures and accumulate the black pigment 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin in the multilayered cell walls. To understand how black fungi live, survive, colonize mineral substrates, and interact with phototrophs genetic methods are needed to test these functions and interactions. We chose the rock inhabitant Knufia petricola of the Chaetothyriales as a model for developing methods for genetic manipulation. Here, we report on the expansion of the genetic toolkit by more efficient multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 using a plasmid-based system for expression of Cas9 and multiple sgRNAs and the implementation of the three resistance selection markers genR (geneticin/nptII), baR (glufosinate/bar), and suR (chlorimuron ethyl/sur). The targeted integration of expression constructs by replacement of essential genes for pigment synthesis allows for an additional color screening of the transformants. The black-pink screening due to the elimination of pks1 (melanin) was applied for promoter studies using GFP fluorescence as reporter. The black-white screening due to the concurrent elimination of pks1 and phs1 (carotenoids) allows to identify transformants that contain the two expression constructs for co-localization or bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) studies. The co-localization and interaction of the two K. petricola White Collar orthologs were demonstrated. Two intergenic regions (igr1, igr2) were identified in which expression constructs can be inserted without causing obvious phenotypes. Plasmids of the pNXR-XXX series and new compatible entry plasmids were used for fast and easy generation of expression constructs and are suitable for a broad implementation in other fungi. This variety of genetic tools is opening a completely new perspective for mechanistic and very detailed study of expression, functioning and regulation of the genes/proteins encoded by the genomes of black fungi. KW - Microcolonial fungi KW - DHN melanin KW - Cloning vectors KW - Genetics PY - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-546192 SN - 2673-6128 VL - 3 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne AN - OPUS4-54619 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Geburtig, Anja A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - Plarre, Rüdiger A1 - Stephan, Ina T1 - Umweltsimulation an der BAM – Grundlegende Ansätze mit Beispielen aus der natürlichen Umwelt N2 - Drei grundlegend verschiedene Ansätze für Umweltsimulation werden an Beispielen illustriert: (i) Ganzheitlicher Ansatz - Nachstellen von Umweltmilieus im Labor Ziel ist hier das Nachstellen von (kombinierten) Umweltbedingungen im Labor; die Umweltparameter werden mit all ihren Wechselwirkungen aufgebracht. Hauptnutzen ist eine gegenüber der natürlichen Beanspruchung erhöhte Reproduzierbarkeit der Umweltbedingungen. Hat man sein Laborsetup entwickelt, ist es auf verschiedene Materialien anwendbar. Unter solchen Laborbedingungen ermittelte Lebensdauern sind dabei nicht auf die typischerweise sehr variablen Real-Umweltbedingungen übertragbar. (ii) Parametrisierter Ansatz - Ermittlung einzelner Materialempfindlichkeiten Hierbei werden im Labor die Wirkungen separater Umweltparameter auf Materialien nachgestellt. Für eine solche Separation der Einflussfaktoren ist insbesondere die Aufschlüsselung möglicher Wechselwirkungen der Umwelt-parameter (z.B. Mikroklima an bestrahlten Oberflächen) erforderlich. Einzelne (meist Alterungs-) Empfindlichkeiten können qualitativ nachgewiesen werden oder sogar – als Beanspruchungs-Wirkungs-Funktionen – quantifiziert werden, was einen wesentlichen Schritt in Richtung der Digitalisierung der Material¬prüfung darstellt. Insbesondere ist dann auch eine Lebensdauer-vorhersage für vorgegebene Zeitreihen der Beanspruchungs¬parameter umsetzbar. (iii) Rückwirkungen auf die Umwelt Umweltbeanspruchungen können zur Freisetzung von Schadstoffen in die Umwelt führen. Durch die Nachstellung kritischer, aber realitätsnaher Einsatzszenarien kann die Menge an freigesetzten Substanzen abgeschätzt werden. Egal, welcher Ansatz verfolgt wird – ein Vergleich mit der oder einer Real-beanspruchung ist unerlässlich, ebenso wie die Messdatenaufzeichnung (data logging) aller potenziell relevanten Beanspruchungsparameter während dieser Realbeanspruchung. Obwohl die naturnahe Umwelt – sowohl in der BAM als auch bei der GUS – gegenüber der technischen Umwelt eher untergeordnet auftritt, werden zur Illustration Beispiele aus der naturnahen Umwelt verwendet. T2 - 50. Jahrestagung der GUS CY - Online meeting DA - 23.03.2022 KW - Umweltsimulation PY - 2022 SN - 978-3-9818507-7-2 SP - 79 EP - 89 AN - OPUS4-55015 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gerrits, Ruben A1 - Pokharel, R. A1 - Breitenbach, Romy A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Feldmann, Ines A1 - Schuessler, J.A. A1 - von Blanckenburg, F. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - Schott, J. T1 - How the rock-inhabiting fungus K. petricola A95 enhances olivine dissolution through attachment N2 - Free-living and mycorrhizal fungi are able to enhance the weathering of rock and other solid substrates. Deciphering the exact mechanisms of these natural processes requires their experimental simulation. Moreover, by performing these simulations with genetically amenable rock-weathering fungi, one can knock-out certain fungal traits and consequently identify their weathering-relevant function. Here, the effect of the rock-inhabiting fungus, Knufia petricola A95, on the dissolution kinetics of an Fe-bearing olivine (Mg1.86Fe0.19SiO4) is investigated at 25 °C and pH 6 using reproducible batch and mixed flow experiments. The availability of a melanin-deficient mutant (ΔKppks) of K. petricola A95, which produces more extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) than the wild type (WT), enables the comparative study of the role of melanin and EPS in olivine dissolution. In abiotic dissolution experiments, the olivine dissolution rate decreased considerably over time at pH 6 but not at pH 3.5. This inhibition of abiotic olivine dissolution at pH 6 was most likely caused by the in-situ oxidation of ferrous Fe and/or the precipitation of ferric hydroxides at the olivine surface. In corresponding biotic experiments at pH 6, both the wild type K. petricola and its melanin-deficient mutant ΔKppks solubilised and bound significant amounts of Fe released by olivine dissolution. Fe oxidation and precipitation were thus prevented and olivine dissolution proceeded faster than in the abiotic experiments. By sequestering Fe directly at the olivine surface, the attached wild type K. petricola cells were particularly efficient at preventing the oxidation of Fe at the mineral surface: the slowdown of olivine dissolution almost completely disappeared. The attachment capacity of these wild type cells is most likely mediated by wild type-specific EPS. Our presented experimental systems allow the oxidation of mineral-released Fe and include a rock-inhabiting fungus, thus simulating chemical, physical and biological conditions that set dissolution rates in a way that is relevant to natural ecosystems. KW - Black fungi KW - Bio-weathering KW - Forsterite KW - Knock-out mutant KW - Extracellular polymeric substances KW - Melanin Adhesion PY - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-509332 VL - 282 SP - 76 EP - 97 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-50933 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gerrits, Ruben A1 - Wirth, R. A1 - Schreiber, A. A1 - Feldmann, Ines A1 - Knabe, Nicole A1 - Schott, J, A1 - Benning, L.G. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna T1 - High-resolution imaging of fungal biofilm-induced olivine weathering N2 - Many microorganisms including free-living and symbiotic fungi weather minerals through the formation of biofilms on their surface. Weathering thus proceeds not only according to the mineral’s chemistry and the environmental conditions but also according to the local biofilm chemistry. These processes can be dissected in experiments with defined environmental settings and by employing genetic tools to modify traits of the fungal biofilm. Biofilms of the rock-inhabiting fungus Knufia petricola strain A95 (wild-type, WT) and its melanin-deficient mutant (ΔKppks) were grown on polished olivine sections in subaerial (air-exposed) and subaquatic (submerged) conditions. After seven months of interaction at pH 6 and 25°C, the fungus-mineral interface and abiotic olivine surface were compared using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The abiotic, subaquatic olivine section showed a 25 nm thick, continuous amorphous layer, enriched in Fe and depleted in Si compared to the underlying crystalline olivine. This amorphous layer formed either through a coupled interfacial dissolution reprecipitation mechanism or through the adsorption of silicic acid on precipitated ferric hydroxides. Its thickness was likely enhanced by mechanical stresses of polishing. Directly underneath a fungal biofilm (WT and mutant alike), the surface remained mostly crystalline and was strongly etched and weathered, indicating enhanced olivine dissolution. The correlation between enhanced olivine dissolution and the absence of a continuous amorphous layer is a strong indication of the dissolution-inhibiting qualities of the latter. We propose that the fungal biofilm sequesters significant amounts of Fe, preventing formation of the amorphous layer and driving olivine dissolution onwards. The seemingly similar olivine surface underneath both WT and mutant biofilms illustrates the comparably insignificant role of specific biofilm traits in the weathering of olivine once biofilm attachment is imposed. Under subaerial conditions, the absence of water on the abiotic surface prohibited olivine dissolution. This was overcome by the water retention capacities of both the WT and mutant biofilm: the olivine surface underneath subaerial fungal biofilms was as weathered as the corresponding subaquatic olivine surface. Under the studied environmental settings, the effect of fungal biofilms on olivine weathering seems to be universal, independent of the production of melanin, the composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) or air-exposure. KW - Bio-weathering KW - Forsterite KW - Extracellular polymeric substances KW - Melanin KW - Black fungi PY - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2020.119902 VL - 559 SP - 119902 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-51403 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -