Uncinocarpus reesii

Last updated

Uncinocarpus reesii
Uncinocarpus reesii microscopic.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Eurotiomycetes
Order: Onygenales
Family: Onygenaceae
Genus: Uncinocarpus
Species:
U. reesii
Binomial name
Uncinocarpus reesii
Sigler & Orr (1976) [1]
Synonyms
  • Gymnoascus uncinatusvon Arx (1977) [1] [2]
  • Gymnoascus sigleraevon Arx (1974) [3]
  • Tripedotrichum herbariensisvon Arx (1977) [2]

Uncinocarpus reesii is a species of saprotrophic microfungi that grows in soil and on keratinous materials such as hair, feathers and skin. It was the first species to be designated as part of the genus Uncinocarpus , owing in part to its characteristic development of hooked (uncinate) appendages. As the closest non-pathogenic relative of Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii , it has become a subject of research interest.

Contents

History and taxonomy

Uncinocarpus reesii was first recognized under the name Gymnoascus uncinatus by German taxonomist Michael Emil Eduard Eidam in 1893. [4] The species is named after Robert Rees, an Australian mycologist who provided isolates of G. uncinatus to Lynne Sigler and G.F. Orr, who in 1976 proposed the re-designation of this species as the first a new genus: Uncinocarpus. [1] This redesignation was based largely in part due to the species' characteristic development of hooked and spiralling appendages, which were not present in any other species of Gymnoascus. [1] [5] Since becoming the first species of the genus Uncinocarpus, others have joined it, including U. uncinatus and U. orissi. After the advent of high-throughput gene sequencing in the 1990s, genomic studies provided evidence demonstrating that U. reesii was the closest known non-pathogenic relative of Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii , marking the point of divergence from which the pathogenic highly pathogenic Onygenaceae evolved. [6] [7]

Strain UAMH 160 grown on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) at 40 C for 16 days Uncinocarpus reesii colony.jpg
Strain UAMH 160 grown on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) at 40 C for 16 days

Growth and morphology

In culture, colonies of U. reesii grow moderately fast and are yellowish-white to buff in colour, [8] [1] are flat and dense in shape, and range from velvety to powdery in texture. [8] Arthroconidia of U. reesii tend to be broad compared to most Malbranchea, ranging from approximately 2.5-3.5 μm x 3.5-6 μm in size. [1] As a heterothallic species, two compatible "sexes" are required for sexual reproduction to occur. [8]

As with other members of the genus Uncinocarpus, U. reesii can develop hooked (uncinate) appendages on vegetative hyphae. [8] [5] [1] These appendages are short and rigid, with thick walls approximately 8.8μm in diameter. Appendage length rarely exceeds the diameter of the fruiting body (ascocarp). [4] These appendages are found in the asexual stage as extensions of vegetative hyphae, but only develop fertile spore-bearing structures (gymnothecia) in the sexual morph when compatible strains are mated. [1] The gymnothecia are reddish-brown, initially formed on short, bulbous stalks before becoming more or less spherical. The ascospores are smooth, oblate and hole-filled (punctate). When the asexual morph of U. reesii develops these hooked appendages, they are referred to as "pseudogymnothecia", due to their similar appearance but lack of a spore-bearing structure. In lieu of spores, the asexual form produces arthroconidia that are cylindrical shaped with flattened ends. [8] [1] [5]

Physiology

Uncinocarpus reesii is capable of growing on many different amino acids, but comparatively fewer carbohydrates. In general, growth substrates with a high protein content are most conducive to its growth. U. reesii is capable of digesting keratin, and grows well in soil rich in animal matter, such as skin and hair. [9] [5] [10] [11] Though less commonly observed, U. reesii can survive, at least transiently, in human and animal tissue. [12] Its growth is strongly to moderately inhibited at 37 °C. [8] [12]

Uncinocarpus reesii is also capable of digesting cellulose, basic plant sugars and cell wall components, allowing it to degrade plant materials in the surrounding soil. [11] Though U. reesii can digest both protein and animal matter, its superior growth on high protein substances has led researchers to suggest that this ability to transfer from soil to living host gave rise to the ability of its descendants in the family Onygenales to colonize animals and cause disease. [7] [11]

Habitat and pathogenicity

In the natural environment, U. reesii is commonly found growing in soil and on keratinous materials, and is found over a wide geographic range. [5] [9] [10] [13] Though there are no recorded cases of disease caused by U. reesii, [8] [12] [6] there is evidence to support the hypothesis that the species is the root of the evolutionary branch from which pathogenic species in the Onygenales arose. The ability of U. reesii to shift from plant to animal substrates are theorized to have led to development of pathogenicity in several Coccidioides and Paracoccidioides species, both of which are highly genetically similar to U. reesii. [12] [6] [7] [11] [14] Another related Uncinocarpus species, U. orissi, has been implicated in one deep skin infection and two pulmonary infections of humans. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coccidioidomycosis</span> Fungal infection

Coccidioidomycosis, is a mammalian fungal disease caused by Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii. It is commonly known as cocci, Valley fever, as well as California fever, desert rheumatism, or San Joaquin Valley fever. Coccidioidomycosis is endemic in certain parts of the United States in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and northern Mexico.

<i>Coccidioides immitis</i> Species of fungus

Coccidioides immitis is a pathogenic fungus that resides in the soil in certain parts of the southwestern United States, northern Mexico, and a few other areas in the Western Hemisphere.

<i>Coccidioides</i> Genus of fungi

Coccidioides is a genus of dimorphic ascomycetes in the family Onygenaceae. Member species are the cause of coccidioidomycosis, also known as San Joaquin Valley fever, an infectious fungal disease largely confined to the Western Hemisphere and endemic in the Southwestern United States. The host acquires the disease by respiratory inhalation of spores disseminated in their natural habitat. The causative agents of coccidioidomycosis are Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii. Both C. immitis and C. posadasii are indistinguishable during laboratory testing and commonly referred in literature as Coccidioides.

<i>Blastomyces dermatitidis</i> Species of fungus

Blastomyces dermatitidis is a dimorphic fungus that causes blastomycosis, an invasive and often serious fungal infection found occasionally in humans and other animals. It lives in soil and wet, decaying wood, often in an area close to a waterway such as a lake, river or stream. Indoor growth may also occur, for example, in accumulated debris in damp sheds or shacks. The fungus is endemic to parts of eastern North America, particularly boreal northern Ontario, southeastern Manitoba, Quebec south of the St. Lawrence River, parts of the U.S. Appalachian mountains and interconnected eastern mountain chains, the west bank of Lake Michigan, the state of Wisconsin, and the entire Mississippi Valley including the valleys of some major tributaries such as the Ohio River. In addition, it occurs rarely in Africa both north and south of the Sahara Desert, as well as in the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. Though it has never been directly observed growing in nature, it is thought to grow there as a cottony white mold, similar to the growth seen in artificial culture at 25 °C (77 °F). In an infected human or animal, however, it converts in growth form and becomes a large-celled budding yeast. Blastomycosis is generally readily treatable with systemic antifungal drugs once it is correctly diagnosed; however, delayed diagnosis is very common except in highly endemic areas.

<i>Coccidioides posadasii</i> Species of fungus

Coccidioides posadasii is a pathogenic fungus that, along with Coccidioides immitis, is the causative agent of coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever in humans. It resides in the soil in certain parts of the Southwestern United States, northern Mexico, and some other areas in the Americas, but its evolution was connected to its animal hosts.

<i>Chlamydosauromyces</i> Genus of fungi

Chlamydosauromyces punctatus is the sole species in the monotypic genus of fungi, Chlamydosauromyces in the family, Onygenaceae. It was found in the skin shed from frilled lizard. This fungus is mesophilic and digests hair. It reproduces both sexually and asexually. The fungus has so far not been reported to be pathogenic.

<i>Uncinocarpus</i> Genus of fungi

Uncinocarpus is a genus of fungi within the Onygenaceae family. The name is derived from the Latin word uncinus, meaning "hook" and the Greek word karpos (καρπός), meaning "fruit". It was distinguished from the genus Gymnoascus based on keratinolytic capacity, ascospore morphology and the development of hooked, occasionally spiraling appendages. Alternatively, Uncinocarpus species may possess helically coiled or smooth, wavy appendages, or lack appendages altogether, an example of such species being U. orissi.

Nannizziopsis vreisii is a keratinophilic microfungus in the Family Onygenaceae of the order Onygenales. Also included in this family are dematophytes and saprophytic species. While the ecology of N. vriessi is not well known, there has been several studies which identifies the Chrysosporium anamorph of N. vriesii as a causal agent of skin lesions in reptiles across several regions. This species is usually identified under a microscope by its white ascomata, and hyaline and globose ascospores. Like many other fungi, N. vreisii has a sexual and asexual state, the asexual states are classified as the genus Chryososporium, Malbranchea or Sporendonema.

<i>Onychocola canadensis</i> Species of fungus

Onychocola canadensis is a relative of the dermatophyte and an occasionally causes onychomycosis. It was described in 1990 from 3 clinical reports in Canada.

<i>Chrysosporium keratinophilum</i> Species of fungus

Chrysosporium keratinophilum is a mold that is closely related to the dermatophytic fungi and is mainly found in soil and the coats of wild animals to break down keratin. Chrysosporium keratinophilum is one of the more commonly occurring species of the genus Chrysosporium in nature. It is easily detected due to its characteristic "light-bulb" shape and flat base. Chrysosporium keratinophilum is most commonly found in keratin-rich, dead materials such as feathers, skin scales, hair, and hooves. Although not identified as pathogenic, it is a regular contaminant of cutaneous specimens which leads to the common misinterpretation that this fungus is pathogenic.

Amauroascus kuehnii is a fungus in the phylum Ascomycota, class Eurotiomycetes. It is keratinophilic but not known to cause any human disease. It has been isolated from animal dungs, soil, and keratinous surfaces of live or deceased animals.

<i>Keratinophyton durum</i> Species of fungus

Keratinophyton durum is a keratinophilic fungus, that grows on keratin found in decomposing or shed animal hair and bird feathers. Various studies conducted in Canada, Japan, India, Spain, Poland, Ivory Coast and Iraq have isolated this fungus from decomposing animal hair and bird feathers using SDA and hair-bait technique. Presence of fungus in soil sediments and their ability to decompose hairs make them a potential human pathogen.

<i>Ctenomyces serratus</i> Species of fungus

Ctenomyces serratus is a keratinophilic fungal soil saprotroph classified by the German mycologist, Michael Emil Eduard Eidam in 1880, who found it growing on an old decayed feather. Many accounts have shown that it has a global distribution, having been isolated in select soils as well as on feathers and other substrates with high keratin content. It has also been found in indoor dust of hospitals and houses in Kanpur, Northern India and as a common keratinophilic soil fungus in urban Berlin. This species has been associated with nail infections in humans as well as skin lesions and slower hair growth in guinea pigs.

Arthrographis kalrae is an ascomycetous fungus responsible for human nail infections described in 1938 by Cochet as A. langeronii. A. kalrae is considered a weak pathogen of animals including human restricted to the outermost keratinized layers of tissue. Infections caused by this species are normally responsive to commonly used antifungal drugs with only very rare exceptions.

<i>Myxotrichum chartarum</i> Species of fungus

Myxotrichum chartarum is a psychrophilic and cellulolytic fungus first discovered in Germany by Gustav Kunze in 1823. Its classification has changed many times over its history to better reflect the information available at the time. Currently, M. chartarum is known to be an ascomycete surrounded by a gymnothecium composed of ornate spines and releases asexual ascospores. The presence of cellulolytic processes are common in fungi within the family Myxotrichaceae. M. chartarum is one of many Myxotrichum species known to degrade paper and paper products. Evidence of M. chartarum "red spot" mold formation, especially on old books, can be found globally. As a result, this fungal species and other cellulolytic molds are endangering old works of art and books. Currently, there is no evidence that suggests that species within the family Myxotrichaceae are pathogenic.

Uncinocarpus uncinatus is a species of microfungi that grows on dung and other keratinous materials such as bone. It was the second species to be designated as part of the genus Uncinocarpus. The species was first described by Randolph S. Currah in 1985; synonyms include Myxotrichum uncinatum and Gymnoascus uncinatus.

Uncinocarpus orissi is a species of microfungus that grows on dung and other keratinous materials, such as hair. It was the third species to be designated as part of the genus Uncinocarpus by Canadian mycologists Lynne Sigler, Arlene Flis and J.W. Carmichael in 1998 as a synonym for Pseudoarachniotus orissi and Aphanoascus orissi.

Uncinocarpus queenslandicus is a species of microfungi that grows in soil and keratinous materials, such as hair. It was the fourth species to be designated as part of the genus Uncinocarpus. Its name is derived from the Australian state of Queensland, where it was first isolated.

Apinisia keratinophila, formerly Myriodontium keratinophilum, is a fungus widespread in nature, most abundantly found in keratin-rich environments such as feathers, nails and hair. Despite its ability to colonize keratinous surfaces of human body, the species has been known to be non-pathogenic in man and is phylogentically distant to other human pathogenic species, such as anthropophilic dermatophytes. However, its occasional isolation from clinical specimens along with its keratinolytic properties suggest the possibility it may contribute to disease.

Auxarthron californiense is a fungus within the family Onygenaceae family and one of the type species of the genus Auxarthron. A. californiense is generally distributed around the world and it is frequently found on dung and in soil near the entrances of animal burrows.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Sigler, Lynne; Carmichael, J.W. (1976). "Taxonomy of Malbranchea and some other hyphomycetes with arthroconidia" (PDF). Mycotaxon. 4 (2): 349–488.
  2. 1 2 von Arx, J.A. (1977). "Notes on Gymnoascaceae". Persoonia. 9 (3): 393–400.
  3. ↑ von Arx, J.A. (1981). The Genera of Fungi Sporulating in Pure Culture (3 ed.). Lehre, Germany: J. Cramer. ISBN   978-3768206938.
  4. 1 2 Orr, G.F. (1963). "The Genus Gymnoascus Baranetzky". Mycopathologia et Mycologia Applicata. 21 (1): 1–18. doi:10.1007/BF02053249. PMID   14090933. S2CID   1596904.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Currah, R.S. (1985). "Taxonomy of the Onygenales: Arthrodermataceae, Gymnoascaceae, Myxotrichaceae and Onygenaceae" (PDF). Mycotaxon. 24: 1–216.
  6. 1 2 3 Bowman, B.H.; White, T.J; Taylor, J.W. (1985). "Human pathogeneic fungi and their close nonpathogenic relatives". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 6 (1): 89–96. doi:10.1006/mpev.1996.0061. PMID   8812309.
  7. 1 2 3 Sharpton, T.J.; et al. (Jason E. Stajich, Steven D. Rounsley, Malcolm J. Gardner, Jennifer R. Wortman, Vinita S. Jordar, Rama Maiti, Chinnappa D. Kodira, Daniel E. Neafsey, Qiandong Zeng, Chiung-Yu Hung, Cody McMahan, Anna Muszewska, Marcin Grynberg, M. Alejandra Mandel, Ellen M. Kellner, Bridget M. Barker, John N. Galgiani, Marc J. Orbach, Theo N. Kirkland, Garry T. Cole, Matthew R. Henn, Bruce W. Birren, and John W. Taylor) (2009). "Comparative genomic analyses of the human fungal pathogens Coccidioides and their relatives". Genome Research. 19 (10): 1722–1731. doi:10.1101/gr.087551.108. PMC   2765278 . PMID   19717792.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Howard, Dexter H. (2002). Pathogenic fungi in humans and animals (2 ed.). New York, NY: CRC Press. ISBN   978-0824706838.
  9. 1 2 Rees, R.G. (1967). "Keratinophilic fungi from Queensland I. Isolations from animal hair and scales". Mycopathologia et Mycologia Applicata. 5 (3): 165–172. doi:10.1080/00362176785190351. PMID   6068238.
  10. 1 2 Deshmukh, S.K. (2004). "solation of Dermatophytes and other Keratinophilic Fungi from the Vicinity of Salt Pan Soils of Mumbai, India". Mycopathologia. 157 (3): 265–267. doi:10.1023/B:MYCO.0000024174.69248.8d. PMID   15180153. S2CID   11026922.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Desjardins, C.A.; et al. (Mia D. Champion, Jason W. Holder, Anna Muszewska3, Jonathan Goldberg, Alexandre M. Baila˜, Marcelo Macedo Brigido, Marcia Eliana da Silva Ferreira, Ana Maria Garcia, Marcin Grynberg, Sharvari Gujja1, David I. Heiman, Matthew R. Henn, Chinnappa D. Kodira, Henry León-Narváez, Larissa V. G. Longo, Li-Jun Ma, Iran Malavazi, Alisson L. Matsuo, Flavia V. Morais, Maristela Pereira, Sabrina Rodrıguez-Brito, Sharadha Sakthikumar1, Silvia M. Salem-Izacc, Sean M. Sykes, Marcus Melo Teixeira, Milene C. Vallejo, Maria Emília Machado Telles Walter, Chandri Yandava, Sarah Young, Qiandong Zeng, Jeremy Zucker, Maria Sueli Felipe, Gustavo H. Goldman, Brian J. Haas, Juan G. McEwen, Gustavo Nino-Vega, Rosana Puccia, Gioconda San-Blas, Celia Maria de Almeida Soares, Bruce W. Birren, Christina A. Cuomo) (198). "Comparative Genomic Analysis of Human Fungal Pathogens Causing Paracoccidioidomycosis". PLOS Genetics. 7 (10): e1002345. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002345 . PMC   3203195 . PMID   22046142.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Pan, Shuchong; Sigler, Lynne; Cole, Garry T. (1994). "Evidence for a phylogenetic connection between Coccidioides immitis and Uncinocarpus reesii (Onygenaceae)". Microbiology. 140 (6): 1481–1494. doi: 10.1099/00221287-140-6-1481 . PMID   7915941.
  13. ↑ Zaki, S.M.; Mikami, Y.; Karam El-Din, A.A.; Youssef, Y.A. (2005). "Keratinophilic fungi recovered from muddy soil in Cairo vicinities, Egypt". Mycopathologia. 160 (3): 245–251. doi:10.1007/s11046-005-0143-x. PMID   16205974. S2CID   2576640.
  14. ↑ Koufopanou, V.; Burt, A; Szaro, T; Taylor, J.W. (2001). "Gene genealogies, cryptic species, and molecular evolution in the human pathogen Coccidioides immitis and relatives (Ascomycota, Onygenales)". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 18 (7): 1246–1258. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a003910 . PMID   11420364.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.