Resource capture and competitive ability of non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus spp. and P. destructans, the cause of white-nose syndrome in bats

Wilson, Michael B.; Held, Benjamin W.; Freiborg, Amanda H.; Blanchette, Robert A.; Salomon, Christine

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0178968

Cited by 20 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 44 publications

(67 reference statements)

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“…3 , Supplementary Data 11 ). These data are consistent with a recent report comparing growth characteristics of P. destructans to closely related soil fungi 24 . The reduced CAZyme repertoire is a shared characteristic of other fungal pathogens of animals, including the dermatophytes, the true fungal dimorphic pathogens, as well as skin-inhabiting yeasts 23 .…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet light in the fungal pathogen causing white-nose syndrome of bats

et al. 2018

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Bat white-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has decimated North American hibernating bats since its emergence in 2006. Here, we utilize comparative genomics to examine the evolutionary history of this pathogen in comparison to six closely related nonpathogenic species. P. destructans displays a large reduction in carbohydrate-utilizing enzymes (CAZymes) and in the predicted secretome (~50%), and an increase in lineage-specific genes. The pathogen has lost a key enzyme, UVE1, in the alternate excision repair (AER) pathway, which is known to contribute to repair of DNA lesions induced by ultraviolet (UV) light. Consistent with a nonfunctional AER pathway, P. destructans is extremely sensitive to UV light, as well as the DNA alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). The differential susceptibility of P. destructans to UV light in comparison to other hibernacula-inhabiting fungi represents a potential “Achilles’ heel” of P. destructans that might be exploited for treatment of bats with WNS.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet light in the fungal pathogen causing white-nose syndrome of bats

et al. 2018

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“…Local extirpation of bats is dependent on both bat‐to‐bat transfer and the environmental growth of the pathogen (Reynolds et al., ; M.B. Wilson et al., ). Here, increasing competitive pressure in the outside‐host environment reduces the risk or completely prevents invasion, if the competitor is more cold‐adapted.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape structure and ecology influence the spread of a bat fungal disease

2018

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Abstract1. White-nose syndrome (WNS), affecting multiple North American bat species during the hibernation period, is a highly pathogenic disease caused by the psychrophilic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Because the fungal pathogen persists in the hibernation site environment independently of the hosts, previous theory on spatial disease dynamics cannot predict WNS epidemics. However, the ability to understand factors contributing to the spread of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in North America is crucial to the management of infected and susceptible bat populations as well as the conservation of threatened and endangered bat species.2. Utilizing recent theory on environmental opportunistic pathogens, we modelled the effect of (a) landscape clustering, (b) environmental conditions in hibernacula and (c) microbial competition on the spread of WNS. We used available, already published data to construct and parameterize our model, which takes into account the spatial distribution of hibernation sites, temperature conditions in both the outside ambient and hibernation site environment, bat population dynamics, dispersal and infection by the pathogen, which also has its host-independent dynamics with the environment. We also consider the effect of outside-host competition between the pathogen and other micro-organisms on spatial disease dynamics. 3. Our model suggests that pathogen loads accumulate in poorly connected hibernacula at short host dispersal, which can help found the epidemic. In contrast, invasion of the landscape is most successful at long host dispersal distances, with homogenous hibernation site distribution and heterogeneous between-hibernation site temperatures. Also, increasing the mean temperature across hibernacula increases fungal growth rate, leading to higher disease prevalence and faster invasion rate. Increasing spatial heterogeneity in hibernaculum temperatures results in the formation of disease hotspots in warmer hibernacula, facilitating more effective spread of the disease in the landscape. Cold-adapted competing microbes can prevent invasion, and therefore, overwintering in cold hibernacula increases probability of host survival.4. Sites that were suboptimal for overwintering prior to WNS may have importance in preventing local extirpations. Although the model is tailored for WNS, due to

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“…It has greater saprophytic enzyme activity than P . destructans , allowing it to grow faster and utilize a broader range of substrates [ 60 , 61 ], and is not known to cause disease.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two subspecies of bent-winged bats (Miniopterus orianae bassanii and oceanensis) in southern Australia have diverse fungal skin flora but not Pseudogymnoascus destructans

et al. 2018

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Fungi are increasingly being documented as causing disease in a wide range of faunal species, including Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus responsible for white nose syndrome which is having a devastating impact on bats in North America. The population size of the Australian southern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae bassanii), a critically endangered subspecies, has declined over the past 50 years. As part of a larger study to determine whether disease could be a contributing factor to this decline, southern bent-winged bats were tested for the presence of a range of potentially pathogenic fungi: P. destructans, dermatophytes and Histoplasma capsulatum (a potential human pathogen commonly associated with caves inhabited by bats). Results were compared with those obtained for the more common eastern bent-winged bat (M. orianae oceanensis). All bats and their environment were negative for P. destructans. A large number of fungi were found on the skin and fur of bats, most of which were environmental or plant associated, and none of which were likely to be of significant pathogenicity for bats. A 0–19% prevalence of H. capsulatum was detected in the bat populations sampled, but not in the environment, indicative of a low zoonotic risk. Based on the results of this study, fungi are unlikely to be contributing significantly to the population decline of the southern bent-winged bat.

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Resource capture and competitive ability of non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus spp. and P. destructans, the cause of white-nose syndrome in bats

Cited by 20 publications

References 44 publications

Extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet light in the fungal pathogen causing white-nose syndrome of bats

Extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet light in the fungal pathogen causing white-nose syndrome of bats

Landscape structure and ecology influence the spread of a bat fungal disease

Two subspecies of bent-winged bats (Miniopterus orianae bassanii and oceanensis) in southern Australia have diverse fungal skin flora but not Pseudogymnoascus destructans

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