Dataset Information

Differential Thermotolerance Adaptation between Species of Coccidioides.

ABSTRACT: Coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, is caused by two species of dimorphic fungi. Based on molecular phylogenetic evidence, the genus Coccidioides contains two reciprocally monophyletic species: C. immitis and C. posadasii. However, phenotypic variation between species has not been deeply investigated. We therefore explored differences in growth rate under various conditions. A collection of 39 C. posadasii and 46 C. immitis isolates, representing the full geographical range of the two species, was screened for mycelial growth rate at 37 °C and 28 °C on solid media. The radial growth rate was measured for 16 days on yeast extract agar. A linear mixed effect model was used to compare the growth rate of C. posadasii and C. immitis at 37 °C and 28 °C, respectively. C. posadasii grew significantly faster at 37 °C, when compared to C. immitis; whereas both species had similar growth rates at 28 °C. These results indicate thermotolerance differs between these two species. As the ecological niche has not been well-described for Coccidioides spp., and disease variability between species has not been shown, the evolutionary pressure underlying the adaptation is unclear. However, this research reveals the first significant phenotypic difference between the two species that directly applies to ecological research.

SUBMITTER: Mead HL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7765126 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Differential Thermotolerance Adaptation between Species of Coccidioides.

Mead Heather L HL Hamm Paris S PS Shaffer Isaac N IN Teixeira Marcus de Melo MM Wendel Christopher S CS Wiederhold Nathan P NP Thompson George R GR Muñiz-Salazar Raquel R Castañón-Olivares Laura Rosio LR Keim Paul P Plude Carmel C Terriquez Joel J Galgiani John N JN Orbach Marc J MJ Barker Bridget M BM

Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) 20201214 4

Coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, is caused by two species of dimorphic fungi. Based on molecular phylogenetic evidence, the genus Coccidioides contains two reciprocally monophyletic species: C. immitis and C. posadasii. However, phenotypic variation between species has not been deeply investigated. We therefore explored differences in growth rate under various conditions. A collection of 39 C. posadasii and 46 C. immitis isolates, representing the full geographical range ...[more]

PMID: 33327629

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Project description:The success of seed-based conservation and restoration efforts using native plant species is largely determined by ensuring two key life history transitions are accommodated. These are from "seed to germinated seed" and "germinated seed to established seedling." In turn, optimization of these life history transitions is determined by a "genetic × environmental" interaction and later largely characterized by localized climatic (abiotic) conditions. It is these environmental stress factors that can act as natural selection agents for specific plant-trait combinations, or phenotypes. In turn, such adaptation may also limit a species range. To test the relationship between these two early plant life history stage transitions, "seed to germinated seed" and "germinated seed to established seedling," the attributes were characterized for two species of Plantago that occupy contrasting environments and since these species have potential for native seed-based habit restoration and conservation. The species were Plantago coronopus (L.), localized at lower and drier altitudes, and Plantago lanceolata (L.), characterized as occupying higher and wetter altitudinal clines. Seeds were collected from 20 accessions of six natural populations spanning four European countries for both P. lanceolata and P. coronopus. Seed germination (G) and seedling establishment (S) data were determined at six temperatures (T) and six water potentials (?), and the data obtained were analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM). The results indicate that P. coronopus has adapted physiologically to its high-altitude conditions such that seed germination and seedling establishment may be more readily achieved in this cooler environment where water is less limiting. In contrast, the lower ?T of P. lanceolata better facilitates more efficient seed germination and seedling establishment in drier and warmer clines of lower altitude. In addition to establishing a genotypic (species) underpin for seed and seedling trait differences observed, the insights gained may also be exploited to best deploy each species in situ for seed-based conservation and restoration efforts.

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Differential Thermotolerance Adaptation between Species of Coccidioides.

Publications

Differential Thermotolerance Adaptation between Species of <i>Coccidioides</i>.

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Dataset Information

Differential Thermotolerance Adaptation between Species of Coccidioides.

Publications

Differential Thermotolerance Adaptation between Species of &lt;i&gt;Coccidioides&lt;/i&gt;.

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OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

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Differential Thermotolerance Adaptation between Species of <i>Coccidioides</i>.