Molecular techniques for pathogen identification and fungus detection in the environment

Abstract

Many species of fungi can cause disease in plants, animals and humans. Accurate and robust detection and quantification of fungi is essential for diagnosis, modeling and surveillance. Also direct detection of fungi enables a deeper understanding of natural microbial communities, particularly as a great many fungi are difficult or impossible to cultivate. In the last decade, effective amplification platforms, probe development and various quantitative PCR technologies have revolutionized research on fungal detection and identification. Examples of the latest technology in fungal detection and differentiation are discussed here.

Monitoring MVOC Profiles over Time from Isolates of Aspergillus flavus Using SPME GC-MS

“…To evaluate the capability of this HS-SPME-GCMS method for distinguishing aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus, the GCMS data (day 1,3,6,10,20,24,30) from fungi and control samples were collected and analyzed using discriminant analysis (DA) models. DA builds up a predictive model which is composed of a discriminant function based on linear combinations of predictor variables.…”

“…Common identification methods for fungi include fluorescence in situ hybridization, DNA array hybridization, and multiplex tandem PCR [10]. However, there are no published aflatoxigenic-specific PCR primers that are able to successfully differentiate aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic strains.…”

Central Nervous System Mucormycosis Caused by Cunninghamella Bertholletiae in a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

“…1f). The isolate was identified as C. bertholletiae on the basis of its morphologic and thermophilic characteristics (Tsui et al 2011). Identification was confirmed by ITS-5.8S and D1/D2 26S rRNA gene sequencing.…”

The Development of Diagnostics Tools and Techniques in the Isolation and Detection of Fungal Pathogens

“…Due to the genetic similarities between fungi and animals, their disease causing mechanisms are difficult to study except for the yeast fungi type that serves as human model organisms [4][5][6].…”

“…Fungal infections are normally believed to be opportunistic in nature and are very rare infections to both human and plants. However, with the intense study on its diseases mechanisms, the epidemiology and the revolutionary history of fungal taxonomy, a light has been shed on its virulence on other organism [2][3][4][5][6].…”