Chaetomium atrobrunneum

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Chaetomium atrobrunneum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Sordariales
Family: Chaetomiaceae
Genus: Chaetomium
Species:
C. atrobrunneum
Binomial name
Chaetomium atrobrunneum
Ames (1949)
Synonyms
  • Chaetomium fusisporaleJ.N. Rai & Mukerji (1962)
  • Chaetomium rectopiliumFergus & Amelung (1971)

Chaetomium atrobrunneum is a darkly pigmented mould affiliated with the fungal division, Ascomycota. [1] [2] [3] This species is predominantly saprotrophic, [2] although it has been known to infect animals including humans, showing a proclivity for the tissues of the central nervous system. [4] [5] Chaetomium atrobrunneum was described in 1949 from a mouldy military mattress cover obtained from the island of Guadalcanal. [6]

Contents

Growth and morphology

Chaetomium atrobrunneum is a darkly pigmented, predominantly mycelial fungus. [2] Colonies of C. atrobrunneum typically are dark grey to black in colour with a woolly appearance. [1] It forms sexual fruiting structures called perithecia that are spherical to oval in shape, [7] measuring between 70 and 150 µm in width when fully matured at 10 days. [1] The perithecia are covered sparsely with straight, finely-blistered, dark brown hairs that become occasionally become broadly branched with age. [1] [3] The perithecia contain asci within which are 8 ascospores that spindle-shaped, have a single sub-apical germ pore and are brown to grey in colour, [1] [3] although a mutant with colourless ascospores has been reported. [8] The ascospores of this species are smooth-walled and measure 9–11 µm in length by 4.5–6 µm in width. [1] [3]

Ecology and physiology

Chaetomium atrobrunneum has been reported from rabbit dung, [7] milled Italian rice, [9] water-damaged building materials, concrete, plaster and wallpaper. [10] Chaetomium atrobrunneum grows more slowly at 25 °C (77 °F) than most other species of the genus, [1] [3] reaching a colony diameter of 16–21 mm after 7 days incubation on Cornmeal Agar (CMA). [11] By contrast, its growth at higher temperatures is much more rapid than many other Chaetomium species, producing colonies of approximately 41–44 mm in diameter after 7 days incubation at 42 °C (108 °F) on CMA. [3] [11] Chaetomium atrobrunneum is distinct from other Chaetomium species by its smaller perithecia, its ability to grow at relatively high temperatures, [3] and the occasional presence in this taxon of perithecial hairs that branch at wide angles. [6]

Chaetomium atrobrunneum is strongly cellulolytic, [12] and cellulose-containing growth media can be used to selectively cultivate this and other Chaetomium species. [13] This species has also been reported to produce chaetoatrosin A, a selective inhibitor of chitin synthase II. This enzyme is involved in septum formation and cellular division, [14] and its inhibition by chaetoatrosin A is thought to be the mechanism underlying the antifungal effects of C. atrobrunneum culture filtrates against several medically important fungi including Cryptococcus neoformans . [14]

Pathogenicity

Chaetomium atrobrunneum is a rare pathogen of humans that tends to infect the tissues of the central nervous system. [1] Its pathogenicity is thought to be supported by its ability to grow at high temperatures. [1] [2] This species has been reported to be an agent of fatal brain abscesses in immunologically impaired people. [1] [3] [11] It can also cause systemic disseminated phaeohyphomycosis [5] affecting other organs including the lungs. [11] Infections due to this species have typically occurred following invasive procedures such as intravenous drug administration and renal transplantation. [11]

In addition to deep mycotic disease, C. atrobrunneum is known to eye diseases including retinitis [15] and keratitis, [16] manifesting with symptoms of pain, redness and watering of the eye, and swelling of the eyelid and surrounding tissues. [16] Corneal infections have responded to dual therapy with topical natamycin and oral ketoconazole. [16] This species has been reported from infections of the skin surrounding the eye. [17] Co-administration of the antifungal drugs fluconazole (delivered topically) and itraconazole (delivered orally) have been effective in the treatment of cutaneous disease. [17] Skin infections are thought to result from direct contact with environmental reservoirs of C. atrobrunneum such as soil, and accordingly farmers or children may have greater susceptibility. [17]

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<i>Chaetomium</i> Genus of fungi

Chaetomium is a genus of fungi in the Chaetomiaceae family. It is a dematiaceous (dark-walled) mold normally found in soil, air, cellulose and plant debris. According to the Dictionary of the Fungi, there are about 95 species in the widespread genus.

<i>Cochliobolus lunatus</i> Fungal plant pathogen

Cochliobolus lunatus is a fungal plant pathogen that can cause disease in humans and other animals. The anamorph of this fungus is known as Curvularia lunata, while C. lunatus denotes the teleomorph or sexual stage. They are, however, the same biological entity. C. lunatus is the most commonly reported species in clinical cases of reported Cochliobolus infection.

<i>Setosphaeria rostrata</i> Pathogenic fungus

Setosphaeria rostrata is a heat tolerant fungus with an asexual reproductive form (anamorph) known as Exserohilum rostratum. This fungus is a common plant pathogen, causing leaf spots as well as crown rot and root rot in grasses. It is also found in soils and on textiles in subtropical and tropical regions. Exserohilum rostratum is one of the 35 Exserohilum species implicated uncommonly as opportunistic pathogens of humans where it is an etiologic agent of sinusitis, keratitis, skin lesions and an often fatal meningoencephalitis. Infections caused by this species are most often seen in regions with hot climates like Israel, India and the southern USA.

<i>Fusarium solani</i> Species of fungus

Fusarium solani is a species complex of at least 26 closely related filamentous fungi in the division Ascomycota, family Nectriaceae. It is the anamorph of Nectria haematococca. It is a common soil fungus and colonist of plant materials. Fusarium solani is implicated in plant disease as well as human disease notably infection of the cornea of the eye.

Exophiala jeanselmei is a saprotrophic fungus in the family Herpotrichiellaceae. Four varieties have been discovered: Exophiala jeanselmei var. heteromorpha, E. jeanselmei var. lecanii-corni, E. jeanselmei var. jeanselmei, and E. jeanselmei var. castellanii. Other species in the genus Exophiala such as E. dermatitidis and E. spinifera have been reported to have similar annellidic conidiogenesis and may therefore be difficult to differentiate.

Chaetomium cupreum is a fungus in the family Chaetomiaceae. It is able to decay in manufactured cellulosic materials, and is known to antagonize a wide range of soil microorganisms. This species is component of the biocontrol agent, Ketomium, a commercial biofungicide. It has also been investigated for use in the production of natural dyes. Chaetomium cupreum is mesophilic and known to occur in harsh environments and can rapidly colonize organic substrates in soil. Laboratory cultures of C. cupreum can be propagated on a range of common growth media including potato dextrose at ambient or higher than ambient temperature producing cottony white colonies with a reddish reverse.

<i>Cladophialophora bantiana</i> Species of fungus

Cladophialophora bantiana is a melanin producing mold known to cause brain abscesses in humans. It is one of the most common causes of systemic phaeohyphomycosis in mammals. Cladophialophora bantiana is a member of the ascomycota and has been isolated from soil samples from around the world.

Coniochaeta hoffmannii, also known as Lecythophora hoffmannii, is an ascomycete fungus that grows commonly in soil. It has also been categorized as a soft-rot fungus capable of bringing the surface layer of timber into a state of decay, even when safeguarded with preservatives. Additionally, it has pathogenic properties, although it causes serious infection only in rare cases. A plant pathogen lacking a known sexual state, C. hoffmannii has been classified as a "dematiaceous fungus" despite its contradictory lack of pigmentation; both in vivo and in vitro, there is no correlation between its appearance and its classification.

<i>Chaetomium globosum</i> Species of fungus

Chaetomium globosum is a well-known mesophilic member of the mold family Chaetomiaceae. It is a saprophytic fungus that primarily resides on plants, soil, straw, and dung. Endophytic C. globosum assists in cellulose decomposition of plant cells. They are found in habitats ranging from forest plants to mountain soils across various biomes. C. globosum colonies can also be found indoors and on wooden products.

Thielavia subthermophila is a ubiquitous, filamentous fungus that is a member of the phylum Ascomycota and order Sordariales. Known to be found on plants of arid environments, it is an endophyte with thermophilic properties, and possesses dense, pigmented mycelium. Thielavia subthermophila has rarely been identified as a human pathogen, with a small number of clinical cases including ocular and brain infections. For treatment, antifungal drugs such as amphotericin B have been used topically or intravenously, depending upon the condition.

<i>Cladosporium sphaerospermum</i> Species of fungus

Cladosporium sphaerospermum is a radiotrophic fungus belonging to the genus Cladosporium and was described in 1886 by Albert Julius Otto Penzig from the decaying leaves and branches of Citrus. It is a dematiaceous (darkly-pigmented) fungus characterized by slow growth and largely asexual reproduction. Cladosporium sphaerospermum consists of a complex of poorly morphologically differentiated, "cryptic" species that share many physiological and ecological attributes. In older literature, all of these sibling species were classified as C. sphaerospermum despite their unique nature. Accordingly, there is confusion in older literature reports on the physiological and habitat regularities of C. sphaerospermum in the strict sense. This fungus is most phylogenetically similar to C. fusiforme. According to modern phylogenetic analyses, the previously synonymized species, Cladosporium langeroni, is a distinct species.

Paecilomyces marquandii is a soil-borne filamentous fungus distributed throughout temperate to tropical latitudes worldwide including forest, grassland, sewage sludge and strongly metal polluted area characterized by high tolerance in heavy metals. Simultaneous toxic action of zinc and alachlor result an increase in uptake of metal in this fungus but disrupts the cell membrane. Paecilomyces marquandii is known to parasitize the mushroom, Cuphophyllus virgineus, in the family, Hygrophoraceae. Paecilomyces marquandii is categorised as a biosafety risk group 1 in Canada and is not thought to be a significant pathogen of humans or animals.

<i>Phialophora verrucosa</i> Species of fungus

Phialophora verrucosa is a pathogenic, dematiaceous fungus that is a common cause of chromoblastomycosis. It has also been reported to cause subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis and mycetoma in very rare cases. In the natural environment, it can be found in rotting wood, soil, wasp nests, and plant debris. P. verrucosa is sometimes referred to as Phialophora americana, a closely related environmental species which, along with P. verrucosa, is also categorized in the P. carrionii clade.

Botryotrichum murorum is a common soil and indoor fungus resembling members of the genus Chaetomium. The fungus has no known asexual state, and unlike many related fungi, is intolerant of high heat exhibiting limited growth when incubated at temperatures over 35 °C. In rare cases, the fungus is an opportunistic pathogen of marine animals and humans causing cutaneous and subcutaneous infection.

<i>Chaetomium elatum</i> Species of fungus

Chaetomium elatum is a very common and widely distributed saprotrophic fungus of the Chaetomiaceae family of molds which has been found to grow on many different substances all over the world. It was first established by Gustav Kunze after he observed it growing on dead leaves. Its defining features that distinguish it from other Chaetomium species are its extremely coarse terminal hairs and the lemon-shaped morphology of its ascospores. It produces many metabolites with potential biotechnology uses including one with promise against the rice blast disease fungus, Magnaporthe grisea. It shows very little pathogenic ability causing confirmed disease in only a few plant species.

Collariella bostrychodes is a fungal decomposer of lignin and carbohydrate in the family Chaetomiaceae commonly found in soil and dung. The fungus is distinguished by a darkened collar-like ostiole around the ostiolar pore, giving the fungus its name. The fungus is highly variable in shape and form, giving raise to the belief that there are two subclades in the species. The ascospores range from lemon-shaped to nearly spherical with slightly pointed ends. It can grow to be pale green and later turn pale bluish grey or olivaceous with age. The fungus produces the toxic secondary metabolite, chaetochromin.

Botryotrichum piluliferum is a fungal species first identified in 1885 by Saccardo and Marchal. It was discovered to be the asexual state of a member of the ascomycete genus, Chaetomium. The name B. piluliferum now applies to the fungus in all its states. B. piluliferum has been found worldwide in a wide range of habitats such as animal dung and vegetation. The colonies of this fungus start off white and grow rapidly to a brown colour. The conidia are smooth and white. B. piluliferum grows optimally at a temperature of 25-30 °C and a pH of 5.5.

Arcopilus aureus is a plant and soil fungus in the genus Arcopilus. It was first identified by A. H. Chivers in 1912, who named it Chaetomium aureum. It was later transferred to the genus Arcopilus by Wang and colleagues. The fungus has recently been recognized to have industrial use for the production of the metabolites resveratrol. and sclerotiorin Additionally, A. aureus has high lead tolerance and clearance, suggesting a potential role in environmental biotechnology.

Microascus manginii is a filamentous fungal species in the genus Microascus. It produces both sexual (teleomorph) and asexual (anamorph) reproductive stages known as M. manginii and Scopulariopsis candida, respectively. Several synonyms appear in the literature because of taxonomic revisions and re-isolation of the species by different researchers. M. manginii is saprotrophic and commonly inhabits soil, indoor environments and decaying plant material. It is distinguishable from closely related species by its light colored and heart-shaped ascospores used for sexual reproduction. Scopulariopsis candida has been identified as the cause of some invasive infections, often in immunocompromised hosts, but is not considered a common human pathogen. There is concern about amphotericin B resistance in S. candida.

Chaetomium perlucidum is a neurotropic dematiaceous fungus that is naturally found in the soil, including in agricultural soil, and in the stems of dead plants. The fungus can also be found on the feathers of birds, manure, seeds, and even paper. It is able to thrive at temperatures of 35 and 42 °C.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Barron, M.A.; Sutton, D.A.; Veve R.; Guarro J.; Rinaldi, M.; Thompson E.; Cagnoni P.J.; Moultney K.; Madinger N.E. (2003). "Invasive Mycotic Infections Caused by Chaetomium perlucidum, a New Agent of Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 41 (11): 5302–5307. doi:10.1128/jcm.41.11.5302-5307.2003. PMC   262481 . PMID   14605190.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Liu, Dongyou (2011). Molecular Detection of Human Fungal Pathogens. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. ISBN   9781439812419.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Howard, Dexter H. (2003). Pathogenic Fungi in Humans and Animals. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker Inc. ISBN   9780824706838.
  4. ↑ Mukerji, K.G.; Manoharachary, C. (2010). Taxonomy and Ecology of Indian Fungi. New Delhi, India: I.K. International Publishing House. ISBN   9789380026923.
  5. 1 2 Paterson, R.M.; Lima, N. (2015). Molecular Biology of Food and Water Borne Mycotoxigenic and Mycotic Fungi. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. ISBN   9781466559882.
  6. 1 2 Ames, L.M. (1949). "New Cellulose Destroying Fungi Isolated from Military Material and Equipment". Mycologia. 41 (6): 637–648. doi:10.2307/3755020. JSTOR   3755020.
  7. 1 2 Ellis M.B.; Ellis J.P. (1998). Microfungi on Miscellaneous Substrates: An Identification Handbook. Slough, England: The Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd. ISBN   0855462485.
  8. ↑ Udagawa, SI; Takada, M (1968). "Notes on some Japanese Ascomycetes VII". Nippon Kingakukai Kaiho. 22: 43–49.
  9. ↑ Seth, Hari K. (1970). "A monograph of the genus Chaetomium". Nova Hedwigia. Beihefte. Germany: J. Cramer. 37: 133 pp.
  10. ↑ Anderson, B.; Frisvad J.C.; Sondergaard I.; Rasmussen I.S.; Larsen L.S. (2011). "Associations between Fungal Species and Water-Damaged Building Materials". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 77 (12): 4180–4188. doi:10.1128/aem.02513-10. PMC   3131638 . PMID   21531835.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Abbott, S.P.; Sigler, L.; McAleer, R.; McGough, D.A.; Rinaldi, M.G.; Mizell, G. (1995). "Fatal Cerebral Mycoses Caused by the Ascomycete Chaetomium strumarium". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 33 (10): 2692–8. doi:10.1128/JCM.33.10.2692-2698.1995. PMC   228557 . PMID   8567907.
  12. ↑ Siu, R.G.H. (1951). Microbial decomposition of cellulose. New York: Reinhold.
  13. ↑ Atlas, R.M. (2010). Handbook of Microbiological Media (Fourth ed.). Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. ISBN   9781439804063.
  14. 1 2 Hwang E.I.; Yun B.S.; Kim Y.K.; Kwon B.M.; Kim H.G.; Lee H.B.; Bae K.S.; Kim S.U. (2000). "Chaetoatrosin A, a Novel Chitin Synthase II Inhibitor Produced by Chaetomium atrobrunneum F449". The Journal of Antibiotics. 53 (3): 248–55. doi: 10.7164/antibiotics.53.248 . PMID   10819295.
  15. ↑ Tabbara, Khalid F.; Wedin, Keith; Al Haddab, Saad (2010). "Chaetomium Retinitis". Retinal Cases & Brief Reports. 4 (1): 8–10. doi:10.1097/ICB.0b013e31819b19b3. PMID   25390107.
  16. 1 2 3 Balne P.K.; Nalamada S.; Kodiganti M.; Taneja M. (2012). "Fungal Keratitis Caused by Chaetomium atrobrunneum". Cornea. 31 (1): 94–95. doi:10.1097/ico.0b013e31821eeaed. PMID   22045390. S2CID   34409097.
  17. 1 2 3 Zhang, H.; Ran, Y.; Li, D.; Liu, Y.; Xiang, Y.; Zhang, R.; Dai, Y. (2010). "Clavispora lusitaniae and Chaetomium atrobrunneum as Rare Agents of Cutaneous Infection". Mycopathologia. 169 (5): 373–380. doi:10.1007/s11046-009-9266-9. PMID   20020214. S2CID   24845050.
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