Fungi beyond limits: The agricultural promise of extremophiles.

Global climate changes threaten food security, necessitating urgent measures to enhance agricultural productivity and expand it into areas less for agronomy. This challenge is crucial in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM), bacteria and fungi, emerge as a promising solution to mitigate the impact of climate extremes on agriculture. The concept of the plant holobiont, encompassing the plant host and its symbiotic microbiota, underscores the intricate relationships with a diverse microbial community. PGPM, residing in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endosphere, play vital roles in nutrient solubilization, nitrogen fixation, and biocontrol of pathogens. Novel ecological functions, including epigenetic modifications and suppression of virulence genes, extend our understanding of PGPM strategies. The diverse roles of PGPM as biofertilizers, biocontrollers, biomodulators, and more contribute to sustainable agriculture and environmental resilience. Despite fungi's remarkable plant growth-promoting functions, their potential is often overshadowed compared to bacteria. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form a mutualistic symbiosis with many terrestrial plants, enhancing plant nutrition, growth, and stress resistance. Other fungi, including filamentous, yeasts, and polymorphic, from endophytic, to saprophytic, offer unique attributes such as ubiquity, morphology, and endurance in harsh environments, positioning them as exceptional plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF). Crops frequently face abiotic stresses like salinity, drought, high UV doses and extreme temperatures. Some extremotolerant fungi, including strains from genera like Trichoderma, Penicillium, Fusarium, and others, have been studied for their beneficial interactions with plants. Presented examples of their capabilities in alleviating salinity, drought, and other stresses underscore their potential applications in agriculture. In this context, extremotolerant and extremophilic fungi populating extreme natural environments are muchless investigated. They represent both new challenges and opportunities. As the global climate evolves, understanding and harnessing the intricate mechanisms of fungal-plant interactions, especially in extreme environments, is paramount for developing effective and safe plant probiotics and using fungi as biocontrollers against phytopathogens. Thorough assessments, comprehensive methodologies, and a cautious approach are crucial for leveraging the benefits of extremophilic fungi in the changing landscape of global agriculture, ensuring food security in the face of climate challenges.

From friends to foes: fungi could be emerging marine sponge pathogens under global change scenarios.

Global change, experienced in the form of ocean warming and pollution by man-made goods and xenobiotics, is rapidly affecting reef ecosystems and could have devastating consequences for marine ecology. Due to their critical role in regulating marine food webs and trophic connections, sponges are an essential model for studying and forecasting the impact of global change on reef ecosystems. Microbes are regarded as major contributors to the health and survival of sponges in marine environments. While most culture-independent studies on sponge microbiome composition to date have focused on prokaryotic diversity, the importance of fungi in holobiont behavior has been largely overlooked. Studies focusing on the biology of sponge fungi are uncommon. Thus, our current understanding is quite limited regarding the interactions and "crosstalk" between sponges and their associated fungi. Anthropogenic activities and climate change may reveal sponge-associated fungi as novel emerging pathogens. Global change scenarios could trigger the expression of fungal virulence genes and unearth new opportunistic pathogens, posing a risk to the health of sponges and severely damaging reef ecosystems. Although ambitious, this hypothesis has not yet been proven. Here we also postulate as a pioneering hypothesis that manipulating sponge-associated fungal communities may be a new strategy to cope with the threats posed to sponge health by pathogens and pollutants. Additionally, we anticipate that sponge-derived fungi might be used as novel sponge health promoters and beneficial members of the resident sponge microbiome in order to increase the sponge's resistance to opportunistic fungal infections under a scenario of global change.

Extremely chaotolerant and kosmotolerant Aspergillus atacamensis - a metabolically versatile fungus suitable for recalcitrant biosolid treatment.

Obligate halophily is extremely rare in fungi. Nevertheless, Aspergillus atacamensis (strain EXF-6660), isolated from a salt water-exposed cave in the Coastal Range hills of the hyperarid Atacama Desert in Chile, is an obligate halophile, with a broad optimum range from 1.5 to 3.4 M of NaCl. When we tested its ability to grow at varied concentrations of both kosmotropic (NaCl, KCl, and sorbitol) and chaotropic (MgCl2, LiCl, CaCl2, and glycerol) solutes, stereoscopy and laser scanning microscopy revealed the formation of phialides and conidia. A. atacamensis EXF-6660 grew up to saturating levels of NaCl and at 2.0 M concentration of the chaotropic salt MgCl2. Our findings confirmed that A. atacamensis is an obligate halophile that can grow at substantially higher MgCl2 concentrations than 1.26 M, previously considered as the maximum limit supporting prokaryotic life. To assess the fungus' metabolic versatility, we used the phenotype microarray technology Biolog FF MicroPlates. In the presence of 2.0 M NaCl concentration, strain EXF-6660 metabolism was highly versatile. A vast repertoire of organic molecules (~95% of the substrates present in Biolog FF MicroPlates) was metabolized when supplied as sole carbon sources, including numerous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene derivatives, dyes, and several carbohydrates. Finally, the biotechnological potential of A. atacamensis for xenobiotic degradation and biosolid treatment was investigated. Interestingly, it could remove biphenyls, diphenyl ethers, different pharmaceuticals, phenols, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Our combined findings show that A. atacamensis EXF-6660 is a highly chaotolerant, kosmotolerant, and xerotolerant fungus, potentially useful for xenobiotic and biosolid treatments.

Staphylococcus aureus Resistentes a meticilina en animales de granja en Suramérica: una revisión sistemática

Resumen La interacción entre los seres humanos y los animales de granja aumenta el riesgo de contagio con patógenos causantes de enfermedades zoonóticas. Entre estos patógenos destacan las cepas de Staphylococcus aureus resistentes a meticilina (SARM). Inicialmente identificadas como causantes de enfermedades intrahospitalarias, hoy se sabe que estas cepas también se transmiten en la comunidad infectando, además, a distintos animales. Lamentablemente, existen pocos estudios en torno a este importante tema de salud pública, particularmente en América del Sur. Este trabajo sistematiza la información disponible en relación con la ocurrencia de cepas SARM en animales de granja en dicha región. Para ello, se realizó una revisión de la información disponible en bases de datos como Scopus, Medline y Scielo, de acuerdo a las recomendaciones de la declaración PRISMA. Se incluyeron artículos publicados en los últimos diez años, que hagan referencia la ocurrencia de cepas SARM en animales de granja, en países de América del Sur. De un total de 65 artículos, se seleccionaron 19. De estos,13 se realizaron en Brasil, dos en Ecuador, uno en Chile, Uruguay y Perú, respectivamente; un último trabajo incluye datos de varios países. La mayoría de los estudios caracterizaron cepas SARM aisladas a partir de ganado vacuno, siendo los cerdos los animales que ocupan la segunda posición de interés. En muchos de estos estudios se emplearon técnicas de biología molecular. Aunque en general no fueron reportados datos importantes como la prevalencia o el período de muestreo, destaca una elevada ocurrencia de cepas SARM multirresistentes en estos animales.

Abstract The interaction between humans and farm animals increases the risk of infection with a zoonotic pathogen. Among these pathogens, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains stand out. Initially identified as the cause of hospital-acquired diseases, it is acknowledged nowadays that these strains are also transmitted in the community, being able to infect different animals. Unfortunately, few studies on this important public health issue have been published, particularly concerning the South American region. Here we systematize the available information on the occurrence of MRSA strains in farm animals in South-American countries. For this, a systematic review of the information available in the bibliographic databases Scopus, Medline and Scielo was carried out, following PRISMA standards. Articles published in the last ten years referring the occurrence of MRSA strains in farm animals in South America were included. From a total of 65 articles, 19 were selected. Of these, 13 were conducted in Brazil, two in Ecuador, one in Chile, Uruguay and Peru, respectively; a last study includes data from several countries. Most of the studies characterized MRSA strains isolated from cattle, with pigs being the second most important animal of interest. Molecular biology techniques were used in many of these studies. Although in many cases important data such as prevalence or sampling period were not reported, a high occurrence of multidrug-resistant MRSA strains in these animals stands out.

Resumo A interação entre humanos e animais de fazenda aumenta o risco de infecção com um agente zoonótico patogénico. Entre estes agentes patogénicos destacam-se as cepas de Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina (MRSA). Inicialmente identificadas como a causa de doenças adquiridas em hospitais, reconhece-se hoje em dia que estas cepas também são transmitidas na comunidade, podendo infectar diferentes animais. Infelizmente, poucos estudos sobre esta importante questão de saúde pública foram publicados, particularmente no que diz respeito à região da América do Sul. Aqui sistematizamos a informação disponível sobre a ocorrência de MRSA em animais de fazenda em países sul-americanos. Para tal, foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da informação disponível nas bases de dados bibliográficas Scopus, Medline e Scielo, seguindo as normas PRISMA. Foram incluídos artigos publicados nos últimos dez anos, referindo a ocorrência de cepas MRSA em animais de fazenda na América do Sul. De um total de 65 artigos, foram seleccionados 19. Destes, 13 foram realizados no Brasil, dois no Equador, um no Chile, Uruguai e Peru, respectivamente; um último estudo inclui dados de vários países. A maioria dos estudos caracterizou cepas de MRSA isoladas de bovinos, sendo os suínos o segundo animal de maior interesse. Em muitos de estos artigos foram utilizadas técnicas de biologia molecular. Embora em muitos casos não tenham sido comunicados dados importantes, tais como prevalência ou período de amostragem, destaca-se a elevada ocorrência de cepas multirresistentes de MRSA nestes animais.

Horizontal transfer of heavy metal and antibiotic-resistance markers between indigenous bacteria, colonizing mercury contaminated tailing ponds in southern Venezuela, and human pathogens / Transferencia horizontal de marcadores de resistencia a metales pesados y antibióticos entre bacterias indígenas, que colonizan lagunas de cola contaminadas con mercurio en el sur de Venezuela, y especies patógenas para el ser humano

Bacteria colonizing heavily polluted tailing ponds in Southern Venezuela exhibit multiple resistances against mercurial compounds and antibiotics. The corresponding genetic determinants, mainly acquired through horizontal gene transfer, might also be transferred to pathogenic bacteria, an issue which represents an important risk to public health. In this work we show that indigenous, mercury-resistant bacterial strains isolated from a model tailing pond, located in El Callao (Bolivar State, Venezuela) and exhibiting a high concentration of soluble Hg, were able to transfer in vitro both heavy metal- and antibiotic resistance markers to potential human- and animal- pathogens (i.e. Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The frequencies of transfer ranged between 1.2x10-6 and 5.5x10-7 transconjugants per recipient. Transconjugants were also detected in the field, in model biofilms previously grown in natural sponges (Luffa cylindrica) and submersed in the ponds, at frequencies ranging from 1x10-4 to 5x10-3 transconjugants per recipient. These results are of particular relevance from the public health viewpoint, especially in light of the potential risk of horizontal flow of antibiotic resistance genes between indigenous bacteria and potential human pathogens.

Las bacterias que colonizan lagunas de cola altamente contaminadas en el sur de Venezuela, presentan resistencia a compuestos mercuriales y múltiples antibióticos. Los determinantes genéticos responsables de estas resistencias, adquiridos principalmente a través de transferencia horizontal de genes, pueden ser transferidos a bacterias patógenas. En este trabajo mostramos que cepas bacterianas indígenas, resistentes al mercurio y aisladas a partir de una laguna de cola modelo, localizada en El Callao (Estado Bolívar, Venezuela) conteniendo una alta concentración de Hg soluble, fueron capaces de transferir in vitro marcadores de resistencia a metales y antibióticos a cepas potencialmente patógenas para el hombre y animales (ej. Escherichia coli y Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Las frecuencias de transferencia variaron entre 1,2x10-6 y 5,5x10-7 transconjugantes por receptora. Los transconjugantes también fueron detectados en el campo, utilizando un modelo de biopelículas desarrollado en esponjas naturales (Luffa cylindrica) sumergidas en lagunas contaminadas, con frecuencias que variaron entre 1x10-4 y 5x10-3 transconjugantes por receptora. Estos resultados presentan una relevancia particular desde el punto de vista de salud pública, especialmente en vista del riesgo potencial de transferencia horizontal de genes de resistencia a antibióticos entre las bacterias indígenas y bacterias potencialmente patógenas para el hombre.