Yordanis Pérez-Llano (Author), Eya Caridad Rodríguez-Pupo (Author), Irina S. Druzhinina (Author), Komal Chenthamara (Author), Feng Cai (Author), Nina Gunde-Cimerman (Author), Polona Zalar (Author), Cene Gostinčar (Author), Rok Kostanjšek (Author), Jorge Luis Folch-Mallol (Author), Ramón Alberto Batista-García (Author), María del Rayo Sánchez-Carbente (Author)

Abstract

(1) Background: Mechanisms of cellular and molecular adaptation of fungi to salinity have been commonly drawn from halotolerant strains and few studies in basidiomycete fungi. These studies have been conducted in settings where cells are subjected to stress, either hypo- or hyperosmotic, which can be a confounding factor in describing physiological mechanisms related to salinity. (2) Methods: We have studied transcriptomic changes in Aspergillus sydowii, a halophilic species, when growing in three different salinity conditions (No NaCl, 0.5 M, and 2.0 M NaCl). (3) Results: In this fungus, major physiological modifications occur under high salinity (2.0 M NaCl) and not when cultured under optimal conditions (0.5 M NaCl), suggesting that most of the mechanisms described for halophilic growth are a consequence of saline stress response and not an adaptation to saline conditions. Cell wall modifications occur exclusively at extreme salinity, with an increase in cell wall thickness and lamellar structure, which seem to involve a decrease in chitin content and an augmented content of alfa and beta-glucans. Additionally, three hydrophobin genes were differentially expressed under hypo- or hyperosmotic stress but not when the fungus grows optimally. Regarding compatible solutes, glycerol is the main compound accumulated in salt stress conditions, whereas trehalose is accumulated in the absence of salt. (4) Conclusions: Physiological responses to salinity vary greatly between optimal and high salt concentrations and are not a simple graded effect as the salt concentration increases. Our results highlight the influence of stress in reshaping the response of extremophiles to environmental challenges.

Keywords

Aspergillus sydowii;genome;fungal cell wall;compatible solutes;halophilic fungi;hydrophobins;fungal transcriptomics;osmotic stress;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization: UL BF - Biotechnical Faculty
Publisher: MDPI
UDC: 579
COBISS: 5325903 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 2073-4409
Views: 761
Downloads: 252
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Other data

Secondary keywords: Aspergillus sydowii;
Type (COBISS): Article
Pages: str. 1-21
Volume: ǂVol. ǂ9
Issue: ǂiss. ǂ3
Chronology: 2020
DOI: 10.3390/cells9030525
ID: 11443874