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Shared Physiological Traits of Exophiala Species in Cold-Blooded Vertebrates, as Opportunistic Black Yeasts

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Abstract

Several species of the genus Exophiala are found as opportunistic pathogens on humans, while others cause infections in cold-blooded waterborne vertebrates. Opportunism of these fungi thus is likely to be multifactorial. Ecological traits [thermotolerance and pH tolerance, laccase activity, assimilation of mineral oil, and decolorization of Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR)] were studied in a set of 40 strains of mesophilic Exophiala species focused on the salmonis-clade mainly containing waterborne species. Thermophilic species and waterborne species outside the salmonis-clade were included for comparison. Strains were able to tolerate a wide range of pHs, although optimal growth was observed between pH 4.0 and 5.5. All strains tested were laccase positive. Strains were able to grow in the presence of the compounds (mineral oil and RBBR) with some differences in assimilation patterns between strains tested and also were capable of degrading the main chromophore of RBBR. The study revealed that distantly related mesophilic species behave similarly, and no particular trend in evolutionary adaptation was observed.

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Acknowledgments

The work of Mariana Machado Fidelis do Nascimento was supported by Brazilian Government fellowship from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)/Projeto PVE No. 59/2012/Ministério da Educação, Brazil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology Graduate Programme, Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81540-970, Brazil

    Mariana Machado Fidelis do Nascimento, G. Sybren de Hoog, Renata Rodrigues Gomes, Jason Lee Furuie, Jane Mary Lafayette Gelinski, Walter Antonio Pereira Boeger & Vania Aparecida Vicente

  2. CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, PO Box 85167, 3508 AD, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Mariana Machado Fidelis do Nascimento & G. Sybren de Hoog

  3. Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    G. Sybren de Hoog

  4. Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Ghaem Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Mohammad Javad Najafzadeh

  5. Department of Zoology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81540-970, Brazil

    Walter Antonio Pereira Boeger

  6. Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brasília, Brazil

    Walter Antonio Pereira Boeger & Vania Aparecida Vicente

  7. University of West of Santa Catarina − UNOESC, Videira, 89900-000, Brazil

    Jane Mary Lafayette Gelinski

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  1. Mariana Machado Fidelis do Nascimento
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Correspondence to Vania Aparecida Vicente.

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do Nascimento, M.M.F., de Hoog, G.S., Gomes, R.R. et al. Shared Physiological Traits of Exophiala Species in Cold-Blooded Vertebrates, as Opportunistic Black Yeasts. Mycopathologia 181, 353–362 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-016-0001-z

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