Fungus-associated bacteriome in charge of their host behaviour

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fungus-associated bacteriome in charge of their host behaviour

AU - Schulz-Bohm, Kristin

AU - Tyc, Olaf

AU - De Boer, Wietse

AU - Peereboom, Nils

AU - Debets, Fons

AU - Zaagman, Niels

AU - Janssens, Thierry K.S.

AU - Garbeva, Paolina

N1 - 6139, ME; Data archiving: data archived in ENA

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Abstract Bacterial-fungal interactions are widespread in nature and there is a growing number of studies reporting distinct fungus-associated bacteria. However, little is known so far about how shifts in the fungus-associated bacteriome will affect the fungal host’s lifestyle. In the present study, we describe for the first time the bacterial community associated with the saprotrophic fungus Mucor hiemalis, commonly found in soil and rhizosphere. Two broad-spectrum antibiotics that strongly altered the bacterial community associated with the fungus were applied. Our results revealed that the antibiotic treatment did not significantly reduce the amount of bacteria associated to the fungus but rather changed the community composition by shifting from initially dominating Alpha-Proteobacteria to dominance of Gamma-Proteobacteria. A novel approach was applied for the isolation of fungal-associated bacteria which also revealed differences between bacterial isolates obtained from the original and the antibiotic-treated M. hiemalis. The shift in the composition of the fungal-associated bacterial community led to significantly reduced fungal growth, changes in fungal morphology, behavior and secondary-metabolites production. Furthermore, our results showed that the antibiotic-treated isolate was more attractive and susceptible to mycophagous bacteria as compared to the original isolate. Overall, our study highlights the importance of the fungus-associated bacteriome for the host’s lifestyle and interactions and indicate that isolation with antibacterials is not sufficient to eradicate the associated bacteria.

AB - Abstract Bacterial-fungal interactions are widespread in nature and there is a growing number of studies reporting distinct fungus-associated bacteria. However, little is known so far about how shifts in the fungus-associated bacteriome will affect the fungal host’s lifestyle. In the present study, we describe for the first time the bacterial community associated with the saprotrophic fungus Mucor hiemalis, commonly found in soil and rhizosphere. Two broad-spectrum antibiotics that strongly altered the bacterial community associated with the fungus were applied. Our results revealed that the antibiotic treatment did not significantly reduce the amount of bacteria associated to the fungus but rather changed the community composition by shifting from initially dominating Alpha-Proteobacteria to dominance of Gamma-Proteobacteria. A novel approach was applied for the isolation of fungal-associated bacteria which also revealed differences between bacterial isolates obtained from the original and the antibiotic-treated M. hiemalis. The shift in the composition of the fungal-associated bacterial community led to significantly reduced fungal growth, changes in fungal morphology, behavior and secondary-metabolites production. Furthermore, our results showed that the antibiotic-treated isolate was more attractive and susceptible to mycophagous bacteria as compared to the original isolate. Overall, our study highlights the importance of the fungus-associated bacteriome for the host’s lifestyle and interactions and indicate that isolation with antibacterials is not sufficient to eradicate the associated bacteria.

KW - Mucor hiemalis

KW - Fungal bacteriome

KW - Fungal behaviour

KW - Volatiles

KW - Interactions

KW - national

U2 - 10.1016/j.fgb.2016.07.011

DO - 10.1016/j.fgb.2016.07.011

M3 - Article

SN - 1087-1845

VL - 102

SP - 38

EP - 48

JO - Fungal Genetics and Biology

JF - Fungal Genetics and Biology

ER -