scholarly journals Laboratory Maintenance of the Chytrid Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Prostak ◽  
Lillian K. Fritz‐Laylin
Keyword(s):  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Chytrid Fungus ◽  
Laboratory Maintenance

Evaluation of the Skin Peptide Defenses of the Oregon Spotted Frog Rana pretiosa Against Infection by the Chytrid Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 797-805 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Michael Conlon ◽  
Laura K. Reinert ◽  
Milena Mechkarska ◽  
Manju Prajeep ◽  
Mohammed A. Meetani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Chytrid Fungus ◽  
Rana Pretiosa

scholarly journals Is overwintering mortality driving enigmatic declines? Evaluating the impacts of trematodes and the amphibian chytrid fungus on an anuran from hatching through overwintering

PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0262561
Author(s):  
Olivia Wetsch ◽  
Miranda Strasburg ◽  
Jessica McQuigg ◽  
Michelle D. Boone
Keyword(s):  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Chytrid Fungus ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Critical Life Events ◽  
Overwintering Mortality ◽  
Amphibian Chytrid Fungus

Emerging infectious diseases are increasing globally and are an additional challenge to species dealing with native parasites and pathogens. Therefore, understanding the combined effects of infectious agents on hosts is important for species’ conservation and population management. Amphibians are hosts to many parasites and pathogens, including endemic trematode flatworms (e.g., Echinostoma spp.) and the novel pathogenic amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [Bd]). Our study examined how exposure to trematodes during larval development influenced the consequences of Bd pathogen exposure through critical life events. We found that prior exposure to trematode parasites negatively impacted metamorphosis but did not influence the effect of Bd infection on terrestrial growth and survival. Bd infection alone, however, resulted in significant mortality during overwintering—an annual occurrence for most temperate amphibians. The results of our study indicated overwintering mortality from Bd could provide an explanation for enigmatic declines and highlights the importance of examining the long-term consequences of novel parasite exposure.

scholarly journals Establishement of a national monitoring program based on environmental DNA for amphibians and the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis     

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omneya Osman ◽  
Johan Andersson ◽  
Tomas Larsson ◽  
Mats Töpel ◽  
Alexander Eiler
Keyword(s):  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
National Level ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
12S Rrna ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Chytrid Fungus ◽  
Rana Arvalis ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
National Monitoring ◽  
Wide Range

National monitoring programs provide the basis for evaluating the integrity of ecosystems, their responses to disturbances, and the success of actions taken to conserve or recover biodiversity. In this study, we successfully established a national program for the invasive chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) based on dual TaqMan assays. Amphibian diversity based on metabarcoding of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene was also performed. Assays were optimized for sensitive detection of target species from a wide range of amphibian ponds with variable potential of inhibitions for eDNA based detection. An amphibian mock community of 5 species was used to validate the metabarcoding approach while internal standards were used in the case of the dual TaqMan assays. First sampling of over 170 ponds in Norway resulted in Bd detection in 12 environmental samples and one swab sample taken over multiple years indicating the establishment of Bd in Norway. Five amphibian species Bufo bufo, Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus cristatus, Rana arvalis and Rana temporaria as predicted from data in long-term citizen science reporting systems were widely detected in the collected eDNA samples. Our large scale-monitoring program indicates a low risk of a Bd outbreak and amphibian decline caused by chytridiomycosis but continued monitoring is recommended in the future. These findings indicate that eDNA is an effective method to detect invasive species, and to monitor endangered amphibian species. Still, several shortcomings (such as PCR inhibitors and sample volume) were identified that need to be addressed to improve eDNA-based monitoring at the national level.

Non-detection of mycoviruses in amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) from Australia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Webb ◽  
Alexandra A. Roberts ◽  
Stephen Wylie ◽  
Tiffany Kosch ◽  
Luís Felipe Toledo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Chytrid Fungus ◽  
Amphibian Chytrid Fungus

scholarly journals Sensitivity of histology for the detection of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Borteiro ◽  
Francisco Kolenc ◽  
José Manuel Verdes ◽  
Claudio Martínez Debat ◽  
Martín Ubilla
Keyword(s):  
Skin Disease ◽  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Chytrid Fungus ◽  
Clinically Normal ◽  
Frog Species ◽  
Amphibian Chytrid Fungus

Histology is often underappreciated for the detection of the amphibian pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the cause of the potentially lethal skin disease chytridiomycosis. We evaluated the sensitivity of histology to detect chytrids in 20 wild specimens of 2 frog species from Uruguay that were clinically normal, but confirmed by PCR to be infected by B. dendrobatidis. We detected maturing and sporulated sporangia in 15 of 20 (75%) frogs, which is more sensitive than previously reported for histology. The effort needed to identify chytrids in histologic skin sections of Physalaemus henselii and Pleurodema bibroni required examination of 3.2 and 8.7 mm of skin sections for each frog species, respectively.

scholarly journals Chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has nonamphibian hosts and releases chemicals that cause pathology in the absence of infection

2012 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 210-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. McMahon ◽  
L. A. Brannelly ◽  
M. W. H. Chatfield ◽  
P. T. J. Johnson ◽  
M. B. Joseph ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Chytrid Fungus

scholarly journals Metabolites Involved in Immune Evasion byBatrachochytrium dendrobatidisInclude the Polyamine Spermidine

2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise A. Rollins-Smith ◽  
Antonio C. Ruzzini ◽  
J. Scott Fites ◽  
Laura K. Reinert ◽  
Emily M. Hall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecules ◽  
Immune Evasion ◽  
Lymphocyte Proliferation ◽  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Chytrid Fungus ◽  
Isolation And Identification ◽  
Major Pathway ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World

ABSTRACTAmphibians have been declining around the world for more than four decades. One recognized driver of these declines is the chytrid fungusBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which causes the disease chytridiomycosis. Amphibians have complex and varied immune defenses againstB. dendrobatidis, but the fungus also has a number of counterdefenses. Previously, we identified two small molecules produced by the fungus that inhibit frog lymphocyte proliferation, methylthioadenosine (MTA) and kynurenine (KYN). Here, we report on the isolation and identification of the polyamine spermidine (SPD) as another significant immunomodulatory molecule produced byB. dendrobatidis. SPD and its precursor, putrescine (PUT), are the major polyamines detected, and SPD is required for growth. The major pathway of biosynthesis is from ornithine through putrescine to spermidine. An alternative pathway from arginine to agmatine to putrescine appears to be absent. SPD is inhibitory at concentrations of ≥10 μM and is found at concentrations between 1 and 10 μM in active fungal supernatants. Although PUT is detected in the fungal supernatants, it is not inhibitory to lymphocytes even at concentrations as high as 100 μM. Two other related polyamines, norspermidine (NSP) and spermine (SPM), also inhibit amphibian lymphocyte proliferation, but a third polyamine, cadaverine (CAD), does not. A suboptimal (noninhibitory) concentration of MTA (10 μM), a by-product of spermidine synthesis, enhances the inhibition of SPD at 1 and 10 μM. We interpret these results to suggest thatB. dendrobatidisproduces an “armamentarium” of small molecules that, alone or in concert, may help it to evade clearance by the amphibian immune system.

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