Waqar Ahmed (Author), Pavlos Geranios (Author), I. R. White (Author), Oluwasola Lawal (Author), Tamara M. E. Nijsen (Author), Michael J. Bromley (Author), Royston Goodacre (Author), Nick Duncan Read (Author), Stephen J Fowler (Author)

Abstract

Pulmonary aspergillosis can cause serious complications in people with a suppressed immune system. Volatile metabolites emitted by Aspergillus spp. have shown promise for early detection of pathogenicity. However, volatile profiles require further research, as effective headspace analysis methods are required for extended chemical coverage of the volatome; in terms of both very volatile and semi-volatile compounds. In this study, we describe a novel adaptable sampling method in which fungal headspace samples can be sampled continuously throughout a defined time period using both active (pumped) and passive (diffusive) methods, with the capability for samples to be stored for later off-line analysis. For this method we utilise thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to generate volatile metabolic profiles using Aspergillus fumigatus as the model organism. Several known fungal-specific volatiles associated with secondary metabolite biosynthesis (including α-pinene, camphene, limonene, and several sesquiterpenes) were identified. A comparison between the wild-type A. fumigatus with a phosphopantetheinyl transferase null mutant strain (ΔpptA) that is compromised in secondary metabolite synthesis, revealed reduced production of sesquiterpenes. We also showed the lack of terpene compounds production during the early growth phase, whilst pyrazines were identified in both early and late growth phases. We have demonstrated that the fungal volatome is dynamic and it is therefore critically necessary to sample the headspace across several time periods using a combination of active and passive sampling techniques to analyse and understand this dynamism.

Keywords

volatile organic compounds;fungi;mycelial growth;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization: UNG - University of Nova Gorica
UDC: 54
COBISS: 5419771 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 0003-2654
Views: 2250
Downloads: 0
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Other data

Type (COBISS): Not categorized
Pages: str. 4155-4162
Volume: ǂVol. ǂ143
Issue: ǂiss. ǂ17
Chronology: Sep. 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C8AN00841H
ID: 11191582
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