Soil Fungal Diversity and Ecology Assessed Using DNA Metabarcoding along a Deglaciated Chronosequence at Clearwater Mesa, James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula.

We studied the fungal diversity present in soils sampled along a deglaciated chronosequence from para- to periglacial conditions on James Ross Island, north-east Antarctic Peninsula, using DNA metabarcoding. A total of 88 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were detected, dominated by the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Mortierellomycota. The uncommon phyla Chytridiomycota, Rozellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Zoopagomycota and Basidiobolomycota were detected. Unknown fungi identified at higher hierarchical taxonomic levels (Fungal sp. 1, Fungal sp. 2, Spizellomycetales sp. and Rozellomycotina sp.) and taxa identified at generic and specific levels (Mortierella sp., Pseudogymnoascus sp., Mortierella alpina, M. turficola, Neoascochyta paspali, Penicillium sp. and Betamyces sp.) dominated the assemblages. In general, the assemblages displayed high diversity and richness, and moderate dominance. Only 12 of the fungal ASVs were detected in all chronosequence soils sampled. Sequences representing saprophytic, pathogenic and symbiotic fungi were detected. Based on the sequence diversity obtained, Clearwater Mesa soils contain a complex fungal community, including the presence of fungal groups generally considered rare in Antarctica, with dominant taxa recognized as cold-adapted cosmopolitan, endemic, saprotrophic and phytopathogenic fungi. Clearwater Mesa ecosystems are impacted by the effects of regional climatic changes, and may provide a natural observatory to understand climate change effects over time.

Fungal and fungal-like diversity in marine sediments from the maritime Antarctic assessed using DNA metabarcoding.

We assessed the fungal and fungal-like sequence diversity present in marine sediments obtained in the vicinity of the South Shetland Islands (Southern Ocean) using DNA metabarcoding through high-throughput sequencing (HTS). A total of 193,436 DNA reads were detected in sediment obtained from three locations: Walker Bay (Livingston Island) at 52 m depth (48,112 reads), Whalers Bay (Deception Island) at 151 m (104,704) and English Strait at 404 m (40,620). The DNA sequence reads were assigned to 133 distinct fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) representing the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mucoromycota and Rozellomycota and the fungal-like Straminopila. Thelebolus balaustiformis, Pseudogymnoascus sp., Fungi sp. 1, Ciliophora sp., Agaricomycetes sp. and Chaetoceros sp. were the dominant assigned taxa. Thirty-eight fungal ASVs could only be assigned to higher taxonomic levels, and may represent taxa not currently included in the available databases or represent new taxa and/or new records for Antarctica. The total fungal community displayed high indices of diversity, richness and moderate to low dominance. However, diversity and taxa distribution varied across the three sampling sites. In Walker Bay, unidentified fungi were dominant in the sequence assemblage. Whalers Bay sediment was dominated by Antarctic endemic and cold-adapted taxa. Sediment from English Strait was dominated by Ciliophora sp. and Chaetoceros sp. These fungal assemblages were dominated by saprotrophic, plant and animal pathogenic and symbiotic taxa. The detection of an apparently rich and diverse fungal community in these marine sediments reinforces the need for further studies to characterize their richness, functional ecology and potential biotechnological applications.

Volatile organic compounds obtained by in vitro callus cultivation of Plectranthus ornatus Codd. (Lamiaceae).

Plectranthus spp (Lamiaceae) are plants of economic importance because they are sources of aromatic essential oils and are also cultivated and several species of this genus are used as folk medicines. This paper describes the effects of different concentrations of the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) on the induction of callus from nodal segments of Plectranthus ornatus Codd and in the production of volatile organic compounds (monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes). The 20 and 40 day calli were subjected to solid phase micro extraction (HS-SPME) and submitted to GCMS analysis. Variations in VOCs between the samples were observed and, a direct relationship was observed between of the major constituent detected (α-terpinyl acetate) and the monoterpenes α-thujene, α-pinene, ß-pinene, camphene, sabinene and α-limonene that were present in the volatile fractions. Besides α-terpinyl acetate, isobornyl acetate and α-limonene were also major constituents. Variations were observed in VOCs in the analyzed periods. The best cultivation media for the production of VOCs was found to be MS0 (control). Moderate success was achieved by treatment with 2.68 µM and 5:37 µM NAA (Group 2). With 2,4-D (9.0 µM), only the presence of α-terpinyl acetate and isocumene were detected and, with 2.26 µM of 2,4-D was produced mainly α-terpinyl acetate, α-thujene and ß-caryophyllene (16.2%). The VOC profiles present in P. ornatus were interpreted using PCA and HCA. The results permitted us to determine the best cultivation media for VOC production and, the PCA and HCA analysis allowed us to recognize four groups among the different treatments from the compounds identified in this set of treatments.

Headspace solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined to chemometric analysis for volatile organic compounds determination in canine hair: a new tool to detect dog contamination by visceral leishmaniasis.

A new analytical methodology using HS-SPME/GC-MS was optimized in order to attain maximum sensitivity, using multivariate strategies. The proposed method was employed to evaluate the VOC profile exhaled from canine hair samples collected from 8 healthy dogs and from 16 dogs infected by Leishmania infantum. 274 VOCs were detected, which could be identified as aldehydes, ketones and hydrocarbons. After application of the Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) healthy and infected dogs, with similar VOCs profiles, could be separately grouped, based on compounds such as 2-hexanone, benzaldehyde, and 2,4-nonadienal. The proposed method is non-invasive, painless, readily accepted by dog owners and could be useful to identify several biomarkers with applications in the diagnosis of diseases.