Stachybotrys spp. and the guttation phenomenon

Mycotoxin Research volume 30, pages151–159(2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The formation of guttation droplets is a long-known property of various fungi. However, their composition, biological function and metabolism in fungi have hardly attracted deeper research interest. The highly toxic mould Stachybotrys (S.) chartarum chemotype S is supposed to play—amongst other factors such as endotoxins and microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs)—an important role in indoor air toxicity, mainly after water damage. The way of toxins becoming airborne and leading to exposure via inhalation, however, is still under discussion. We hypothesised that guttation may be a factor for exudation of toxins into the environment. Therefore, selected isolates (n = 15) of our own culture collection of Stachybotrys spp. (S. chartarum chemotype S, S. chartarum chemotype A, S. chlorohalonta) originating from various habitats were cultivated on malt extract agar for 3 weeks. All strains but one produced different amounts of guttation droplets, which were collected quantitatively and subjected to various independent analytical techniques like ELISA, effect-based bioassay (MTT cell culture test) and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Actually, the toxigenic isolates (n = 5) produced highly toxic guttation droplets, which was confirmed by all methods. The concentration of macrocyclic trichothecenes, such as satratoxin G and H, ranged between the LOD and 7,160 ng/ml exudate and 280 and 4,610 ng/ml as determined by LC-MS/MS, respectively. According to our knowledge, the ability of S. chartarum to produce toxic exudates is reported for the first time, which possibly plays an important role regarding its toxic potential in indoor environments.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Gina Krappmann, Renate Schneider and Petra Peetz (Max Rubner Institute, MRI Kulmbach) for the excellent technical assistance and Eva Herbst (MRI Kulmbach) for cultivating the target strains and collecting the exudates. We also thank Johann Bauer and Karsten Meyer for the possibility to use the LC-MS/MS equipment of the Institute of Animal Hygiene, Technische Universität München-Weihenstephan.

Source of funding

This work was supported by the Brigitte and Wolfram Gedek Foundation.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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  1. Chair of Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU), Schoenleutnerstr. 8, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany

    Manfred Gareis & Christoph Gottschalk

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  1. Manfred Gareis
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  2. Christoph Gottschalk
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Correspondence to Christoph Gottschalk.

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Dedicated to Brigitte Gedek and the Brigitte and Wolfram Gedek Foundation for the long-lasting substantial support for research on mycotoxins

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Gareis, M., Gottschalk, C. Stachybotrys spp. and the guttation phenomenon. Mycotoxin Res 30, 151–159 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12550-014-0193-3

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Keywords

  • Stachybotrys chartarum
  • Stachybotrys chlorohalonata
  • Guttation
  • Exudate droplets
  • Mycotoxin
  • Macrocyclic trichothecenes
  • Satratoxin
  • Indoor air