TY - JOUR A1 - Selbmann, L. A1 - Benkő, Z. A1 - Coleine, C. A1 - de Hoog, S. A1 - Donati, C. A1 - Druzhinina, I. A1 - Emri, T. A1 - Ettinger, C. L. A1 - Gladfelter, A. S. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - Grigoriev, I. V. A1 - Grube, M. A1 - Gunde-Cimerman, N. A1 - Karányi, Z. A. A1 - Kocsis, B. A1 - Kubressoian, T. A1 - Miklós, I. A1 - Miskei, M. A1 - Muggia, L. A1 - Northen, T. A1 - Novak-Babič, M. A1 - Pennacchio, C. A1 - Pfliegler, W. P. A1 - Pòcsi, I. A1 - Prigione, V. A1 - Riquelme, M. A1 - Segata, N. A1 - Schumacher, Julia A1 - Shelest, E. A1 - Sterflinger, K. A1 - Tesei, D. A1 - U’Ren, J. M. A1 - Varese, G. C. A1 - Vázquez-Campos, X. A1 - Vicente, V. A. A1 - Souza, E. M. A1 - Zalar, P. A1 - Walker, A. K. A1 - Stajich, J. E. T1 - Shed Light in the DaRk LineagES of the Fungal Tree of Life—STRES N2 - The polyphyletic group of black fungi within the Ascomycota (Arthoniomycetes, Dothideomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes) is ubiquitous in natural and anthropogenic habitats. Partly because of their dark, melanin-based pigmentation, black fungi are resistant to stresses including UV- and ionizing-radiation, heat and desiccation, toxic metals, and organic pollutants. Consequently, they are amongst the most stunning extremophiles and poly-extreme-tolerant organisms on Earth. Even though ca. 60 black fungal genomes have been sequenced to date, [mostly in the family Herpotrichiellaceae (Eurotiomycetes)], the class Dothideomycetes that hosts the largest majority of extremophiles has only been sparsely sampled. By sequencing up to 92 species that will become reference genomes, the “Shed light in The daRk lineagES of the fungal tree of life” (STRES) project will cover a broad collection of black fungal diversity spread throughout the Fungal Tree of Life. Interestingly, the STRES project will focus on mostly unsampled genera that display different ecologies and life-styles (e.g., ant- and lichen-associated fungi, rock-inhabiting fungi, etc.). With a resequencing strategy of 10- to 15-fold depth coverage of up to ~550 strains, numerous new reference genomes will be established. To identify metabolites and functional processes, these new genomic resources will be enriched with metabolomics analyses coupled with transcriptomics experiments on selected species under various stress conditions (salinity, dryness, UV radiation, oligotrophy). The data acquired will serve as a reference and foundation for establishing an encyclopedic database for fungal metagenomics as well as the biology, evolution, and ecology of the fungi in extreme environments. KW - Adaptation KW - Black fungi KW - Dothideomycetes KW - Eurotiomycetes KW - Extremophiles KW - Genomics KW - Metabolomics KW - Secondary metabolites KW - Stress conditions KW - Transcriptomics PY - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-519328 VL - 10 IS - 12 SP - 362 PB - MDPI CY - Basel AN - OPUS4-51932 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pokharel, R. A1 - Gerrits, Ruben A1 - Schuessler, J. A. A1 - Frings, P. J. A1 - Sobotka, R. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - von Blanckenburg, F. T1 - Magnesium stable isotope fractionation on a cellular level explored by cyanobacteria and black fungi with implications for higher plants N2 - In a controlled growth experiment we found that the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme has a bulk cell 26Mg/24Mg ratio (expressed as δ26Mg) that is −0.27‰ lower than the growth solution at a pH of ca. 5.9. This contrasts with a recently published δ26Mg value that was 0.65‰ higher than growth solution for the black fungus Knufia petricola at similar laboratory conditions, interpreted to reflect loss of 24Mg during cell growth. By a mass balance model constrained by δ26Mg in chlorophyll extract we inferred the δ26 Mg value of the main Mg compartments in a cyanobacteria cell: free cytosolic Mg (−2.64‰), chlorophyll (1.85‰), and the nonchlorophyll-bonded Mg compartments like ATP and ribosomes (−0.64‰). The lower δ26Mg found in Nostoc punctiforme would thus result from the absence of significant Mg efflux during cell growth in combination with either (a) discrimination against 26Mg during uptake by desolvation of Mg or transport across protein channels or (b) discrimination against 24Mg in the membrane transporter during efflux. The model predicts the preferential incorporation of 26Mg in cells and plant organs low in Mg and the absence of isotope fractionation in those high in Mg, corroborated by a compilation of Mg isotope ratios from fungi, bacteria, and higher plants. KW - Cyanobacteria KW - Black fungi KW - Nostoc punctiforme KW - Knufia petricola KW - Magnesium PY - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b02238 SN - 1520-5851 SN - 0013-936X VL - 52 IS - 21 SP - 12216 EP - 12224 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-46832 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gorbushina, Anna T1 - Microbiology / biofilms in material research and testing N2 - In the modern world there is an increased understanding that design and performance monitoring of materials have to be tested in connection to chemical, physical and (micro)biological challenges. A systematic study on how biofilms interact with materials and what could be done to engineer biofilms and/or materials in order to maximize the resistance of the material (surface) or the resistance the biofilm-modified material (bulk) is in strong need. In the Department “Materials and the Environment” of the BAM new experimental platform is being developed. With the help of different type of device for high throughput and microbiologically-controlled environment simulation we establish a new approach to clarify the mechanisms of biofilm/material interactions. Despite the focus on fundamental research, the main results of this project proposal will be transferable into material technology and construction chemistry and will influence the development of standardization in this topic. As the interactions of biofilms and materials have implications for most constructions as well as climate change, the results of the research generates additional value. T2 - Initialgespräch - DFG-Forschungsgruppe "Mikrobiologie/Biofilme" CY - Karlsruhe, Germany DA - 14.11.2019 KW - Biofilm KW - Microbiology KW - Black fungi KW - Solar panel PY - 2019 AN - OPUS4-50199 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gorbushina, Anna T1 - Life on the rocks and other hard surfaces N2 - The story of how black fungi survive harsh conditions on sun-exposed desert rocks and material surfaces is fascinating. In the presentation examples of how knowledge of these organisms can be of practical value (e.g., in biodeterioration studies, such as on stone markers in cemeteries) would be given. Among other stories, the example of how roof tiles amended with a titanium oxide layers as a biocide actually selected for the black fungi will be told. A hypothesis about how these organisms would likely be found on solar panels and some early BAM work in that area will be presented. This then brings the connection to a study ripe for investigation in North Carolina. The talk presents the development of a study aiming at deciphering the influence of microbial biofilm formation on the energy conversion efficiency of solar photovoltaic panels or modules at two facilities (one facility under the impact of high intensity of animal agriculture and high deposition of ammonia from atmosphere and the other with low animal agriculture and lower atmospheric ammonia deposition) in North Carolina. The main hypothesis of the study is that microbial biofilm formation on solar photovoltaic panels will lead to significant decreases in energy conversion efficiency of solar photovoltaic modules and biofilm formation will also be accelerated by high ammonia concentration in the ambient atmosphere and high nitrogen deposition. T2 - Dr. Michael D. Aitken Symposium CY - Chapel Hill, NC, USA DA - 08.11.2019 KW - Black fungi KW - Solar panel KW - Biofilm PY - 2019 AN - OPUS4-50125 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 - 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 -