scholarly journals Population genetics as a tool to elucidate pathogen reservoirs: Lessons from Pseudogymnoascus destructans , the causative agent of White‐Nose disease in bats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola M. Fischer ◽  
Andrea Altewischer ◽  
Surendra Ranpal ◽  
Serena Dool ◽  
Gerald Kerth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Genetics ◽  
Causative Agent ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans

scholarly journals Bacteria Isolated from Bats Inhibit the Growth of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Causative Agent of White-Nose Syndrome

PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. e0121329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Hoyt ◽  
Tina L. Cheng ◽  
Kate E. Langwig ◽  
Mallory M. Hee ◽  
Winifred F. Frick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Causative Agent ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
White Nose Syndrome

scholarly journals Destructin-1 is a collagen-degrading endopeptidase secreted by Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose syndrome

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (24) ◽  
pp. 7478-7483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. O’Donoghue ◽  
Giselle M. Knudsen ◽  
Chapman Beekman ◽  
Jenna A. Perry ◽  
Alexander D. Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Causative Agent ◽  
Genetic Manipulation ◽  
Hydrolytic Enzymes ◽  
Collagen Degradation ◽  
Mammalian Host ◽  
Peptidase Activity ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Proteolytic Activities ◽  
The Impact

Pseudogymnoascus destructans is the causative agent of white-nose syndrome, a disease that has caused the deaths of millions of bats in North America. This psychrophilic fungus proliferates at low temperatures and targets hibernating bats, resulting in their premature arousal from stupor with catastrophic consequences. Despite the impact of white-nose syndrome, little is known about the fungus itself or how it infects its mammalian host. P. destructans is not amenable to genetic manipulation, and therefore understanding the proteins involved in infection requires alternative approaches. Here, we identify hydrolytic enzymes secreted by P. destructans, and use a novel and unbiased substrate profiling technique to define active peptidases. These experiments revealed that endopeptidases are the major proteolytic activities secreted by P. destructans, and that collagen, the major structural protein in mammals, is actively degraded by the secretome. A serine endopeptidase, hereby-named Destructin-1, was subsequently identified, and a recombinant form overexpressed and purified. Biochemical analysis of Destructin-1 showed that it mediated collagen degradation, and a potent inhibitor of peptidase activity was identified. Treatment of P. destructans-conditioned media with this antagonist blocked collagen degradation and facilitated the detection of additional secreted proteolytic activities, including aminopeptidases and carboxypeptidases. These results provide molecular insights into the secretome of P. destructans, and identify serine endopeptidases that have the clear potential to facilitate tissue invasion and pathogenesis in the mammalian host.

First Isolation of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Fungal Causative Agent of White-Nose Disease, in Bats from Italy

2019 ◽  
Vol 184 (5) ◽  
pp. 637-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Garzoli ◽  
M. Riccucci ◽  
E. Patriarca ◽  
P. Debernardi ◽  
A. Boggero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Causative Agent ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans

scholarly journals Did you wash your caving suit? Cavers’ role in the potential spread of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of White-Nose Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-159
Author(s):  
Violeta Zhelyazkova ◽  
◽  
Antonia Hubancheva ◽  
Georgi Radoslavov ◽  
Nia Toshkova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Causative Agent ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Field Equipment ◽  
Pathogen Pollution ◽  
Environmental Management Strategies ◽  
Cleaning Equipment ◽  
The Us ◽  
Before And After

White-Nose Disease (WND) has killed millions of hibernating bats in the US and Canada. Its causative agent, the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans was introduced to North America, but is native to Europe and Asia, where it is not associated with mass mortality. Although it is nearly impossible to eradicate an emerging wildlife disease, research on P. destructans spread mechanisms can aid in prevention of new introductions and development of better environmental management strategies. It is of particular importance to quantify the potential role of people visiting caves (cavers, tourists, bat researchers, etc.) whom inadvertently move P. destructans spores between sites, and to limit spread, particularly to areas where the fungus is absent. In the course of two consecutive field seasons, samples were collected from the equipment before and after work in Bulgarian caves where P. destructans is present. Viable P. destructans spores were isolated from field equipment after nearly 100% of cave visits, irrespective of the season. Results from lab experiments show the pathogen’s spores can remain viable on pieces of contaminated caving equipment under room temperature for at least 25 days, with no significant reduction in germination rates. This is concerning evidence indicating the potential for movement of viable P. destructans spores across countries and continents. Results further demonstrated that any type of regular washing can successfully remove the majority of P. destructans spores from several fabric types. Brushing complemented by washing in a ‘washing machine’ was slightly more effective than brushing alone, while a washing temperature of 50°C was more effective than temperatures of 30 and 40°C. However, none of the methods herein tested fully removed P. destructans and hence they are not a substitute for decontamination. Since many cavers forgo washing equipment after surveys, and bat workers often visit several underground sites per day during monitoring activities without cleaning equipment in between sites, it is essential to raise awareness on this subject and introduce hygienic protocols for the prevention of pathogen pollution in underground sites.

scholarly journals Population genetics as a tool to elucidate pathogen reservoirs: Lessons from Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose disease in bats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola M. Fischer ◽  
Andrea Altewischer ◽  
Surendra Ranpal ◽  
Serena Dool ◽  
Gerald Kerth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Causative Agent ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Dynamics ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Major Threat ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Environmental Reservoir ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Intensive Sampling ◽  
Genotypic Richness

AbstractEmerging infectious diseases pose a major threat to human, animal, and plant health. The risk of species-extinctions increases when pathogens can survive in the absence of the host, for example in environmental reservoirs. However, identifying such reservoirs and modes of infection is often highly challenging. In this study, we investigated the presence and nature of an environmental reservoir for the ascomycete fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose disease. We also characterised the modes and timing of transmission of the pathogen; key elements to better understand the disease dynamics. Using 18 microsatellite markers, we determined the genotypic and genic (based on allele frequencies) differentiation between 1,497 P. destructans isolates collected from nine closely situated hibernacula in North-Eastern Germany. One hibernaculum was the focus of intensive sampling in which both the bats and walls of the site were sampled at regular intervals over five consecutive winter seasons (1,062 isolates). We found significant genic differentiation between sites and few multi-locus genotypes shared across hibernacula (genotypic differentiation). This demonstrates that each hibernaculum has an essentially unique population of the fungus. This would be expected if bats purge viable P. destructans over the summer, preventing the mixing and exchange of the pathogen in maternity colonies, where bats from all of the studied hibernacula meet. Results from the intensively sampled site show higher measures of genotypic richness on walls compared to bats, the absence of genic differentiation between bats and walls, and stable relative abundance of multi-locus genotypes over multiple winter seasons. This clearly implicates hibernacula walls as the main environmental reservoir of the pathogen, from which bats become re-infected annually.

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