A Preliminary Survey of Non-Lichenized Fungi Cultured from the Hyperarid Atacama Desert of Chile

Conley, Catharine A.; Ishkhanova, Galina; McKay, Christopher P.; Cullings, Ken

doi:10.1089/ast.2006.6.521

Cited by 58 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…These alkalihalotolerant fungi have been assigned to 15 taxa belonging to 6 genera of Ascomycetes. Several studies showed that fungi belonging to Cladosporium , Alternaria, and Ulocladium genera were clearly predominant under desert and salty environments [34, 35]. These fungi have in common thick-walled and strongly melanized spores which are important for UV, radiation, and desiccation tolerance [10].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity and Enzymatic Profiling of Halotolerant Micromycetes from Sebkha El Melah, a Saharan Salt Flat in Southern Tunisia

Jaouani

Neifar

Prigione

et al. 2014

BioMed Research International

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Twenty-one moderately halotolerant fungi have been isolated from sample ashes collected from Sebkha El Melah, a Saharan salt flat located in southern Tunisia. Based on morphology and sequence inference from the internal transcribed spacer regions, 28S rRNA gene and other specific genes such as β-tubulin, actin, calmodulin, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, the isolates were found to be distributed over 15 taxa belonging to 6 genera of Ascomycetes: Cladosporium (n = 3), Alternaria (n = 4), Aspergillus (n = 3), Penicillium (n = 5), Ulocladium (n = 2), and Engyodontium (n = 2). Their tolerance to different concentrations of salt in solid and liquid media was examined. Excepting Cladosporium cladosporioides JA18, all isolates were considered as alkali-halotolerant since they were able to grow in media containing 10% of salt with an initial pH 10. All isolates were resistant to oxidative stresses and low temperature whereas 5 strains belonging to Alternaria, Ulocladium, and Aspergillus genera were able to grow at 45°C. The screening of fungal strains for sets of enzyme production, namely, cellulase (CMCase), amylase, protease, lipase, and laccase, in presence of 10% NaCl, showed a variety of extracellular hydrolytic and oxidative profiles. Protease was the most abundant enzyme produced whereas laccase producers were members of the genus Cladosporium.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity and Enzymatic Profiling of Halotolerant Micromycetes from Sebkha El Melah, a Saharan Salt Flat in Southern Tunisia

Jaouani

Neifar

Prigione

et al. 2014

BioMed Research International

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“…Throughout the deserts of the western coast of South America, marine layer fogs provide sufficient water to support a surprising extent of biodiversity that includes hypolithic cyanobacteria (Warren-Rhodes et al, 2006), non-lichenized fungi (Conley et al, 2006), lichens (Rundel, 1978), and even cacti (Rundel et al, 2007). However, the hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert does not appear to support abundant microbial photosynthetic communities (Warren-Rhodes et al, 2006) beyond specialized niche communities such as endolithic cyanobacteria hidden in halite salt outcrops (Wierzchos et al, 2006) and possible sub-surface bacterial communities (Drees et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidisciplinary approach of the hyperarid desert of Pampas de La Joya in southern Peru as a new Mars-like soil analog

Valdivia-Silva¹,

Navarro‐González²,

Ortega-Gutiérrez³

et al. 2011

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

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“…Atacama Desert bacterial rRNA-based surveys have found soils dominated by Actinobacteria (11) and generally lacking Cyanobacteria except in small, isolated niches (60). rRNA gene surveys of microbial eucaryotes from Atacama Desert soils were not available for comparison, but a cultivation-based study detected numerous fungal lineages (10). Overall, rRNA-based surveys of Antarctic Dry Valley and Atacama Desert soils support the notion that Actinobacteria and Fungi dominate communities below the dry limit of photoautotrophy, as observed for Socompa's nonfumarole soil.…”

Section: Fig 6 Phylogeny Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fumarole-Supported Islands of Biodiversity within a Hyperarid, High-Elevation Landscape on Socompa Volcano, Puna de Atacama, Andes

Costello

Halloy

Reed

et al. 2009

Appl Environ Microbiol

138

114

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Fumarolic activity supports the growth of mat-like photoautotrophic communities near the summit (at 6,051 m) of Socompa Volcano in the arid core of the Andes mountains. These communities are isolated within a barren, high-elevation landscape where sparse vascular plants extend to only 4,600 m. Here, we combine biogeochemical and molecular-phylogenetic approaches to characterize the bacterial and eucaryotic assemblages associated with fumarolic and nonfumarolic grounds on Socompa. Small-subunit rRNA genes were PCR amplified, cloned, and sequenced from two fumarolic soil samples and two reference soil samples, including the volcanic debris that covers most of the mountain. The nonfumarolic, dry, volcanic soil was similar in nutrient status to the most extreme Antarctic Dry Valley or Atacama Desert soils, hosted relatively limited microbial communities dominated by Actinobacteria and Fungi, and contained no photoautotrophs. In contrast, modest fumarolic inputs were associated with elevated soil moisture and nutrient levels, the presence of chlorophyll a, and 13 C-rich soil organic carbon. Moreover, this soil hosted diverse photoautotroph-dominated assemblages that contained novel lineages and exhibited structure and composition comparable to those of a wetland near the base of Socompa (3,661-m elevation). Fumarole-associated eucaryotes were particularly diverse, with an abundance of green algal lineages and a novel clade of microarthropods. Our data suggest that volcanic degassing of water and 13 C-rich CO 2 sustains fumaroleassociated primary producers, leading to a complex microbial ecosystem within this otherwise barren landscape. Finally, we found that human activities have likely impacted the fumarolic soils and that fumarole-supported photoautotrophic communities may be exceptionally sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance.

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A Preliminary Survey of Non-Lichenized Fungi Cultured from the Hyperarid Atacama Desert of Chile

Cited by 58 publications

References 9 publications

Diversity and Enzymatic Profiling of Halotolerant Micromycetes from Sebkha El Melah, a Saharan Salt Flat in Southern Tunisia

Diversity and Enzymatic Profiling of Halotolerant Micromycetes from Sebkha El Melah, a Saharan Salt Flat in Southern Tunisia

Multidisciplinary approach of the hyperarid desert of Pampas de La Joya in southern Peru as a new Mars-like soil analog

Fumarole-Supported Islands of Biodiversity within a Hyperarid, High-Elevation Landscape on Socompa Volcano, Puna de Atacama, Andes

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