Proteomic Analysis Reveals That Iron Availability Alters the Metabolic Status of the Pathogenic Fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is a thermodimorphic fungus and the causative agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). The ability of P. brasiliensis to uptake nutrients is fundamental for growth, but a reduction in the availability of iron and other nutrients is a host defense mechanism many pathogenic fungi must overcome. Thus, fungal mechanisms that scavenge iron from host may contribute to P. brasiliensis virulence. In order to better understand how P. brasiliensis adapts to iron starvation in the host we compared the two-dimensional (2D) gel protein profile of yeast cells during iron starvation to that of iron rich condition. Protein spots were selected for comparative analysis based on the protein staining intensity as determined by image analysis. A total of 1752 protein spots were selected for comparison, and a total of 274 out of the 1752 protein spots were determined to have changed significantly in abundance due to iron depletion. Ninety six of the 274 proteins were grouped into the following functional categories; energy, metabolism, cell rescue, virulence, cell cycle, protein synthesis, protein fate, transcription, cellular communication, and cell fate. A correlation between protein and transcript levels was also discovered using quantitative RT-PCR analysis from RNA obtained from P. brasiliensis under iron restricting conditions and from yeast cells isolated from infected mouse spleens. In addition, western blot analysis and enzyme activity assays validated the differential regulation of proteins identified by 2-D gel analysis. We observed an increase in glycolytic pathway protein regulation while tricarboxylic acid cycle, glyoxylate and methylcitrate cycles, and electron transport chain proteins decreased in abundance under iron limiting conditions. These data suggest a remodeling of P. brasiliensis metabolism by prioritizing iron independent pathways

I macromiceti epigei della Montagnola Senese.

WWF Sezione Regionale Toscan

The terracotta fungi of Francesco Valenti Serini (1795-1872)

On the first day of my sabbatical leave at the University of Siena in 2014, I wandered into the Accademia dei Fisiocritici, the natural history museum attached to my professional home for the next three months. The second display room that I entered contained the most spectacular collection of life-sized terracotta models of fungal fruiting bodies that I had ever seen. This exhibition was composed of a diverse collection of fruiting bodies of poisonous, ectomycorrhizal, edible, and saprotrophic fungi found in Tuscany. The importance of this collection would only slowly reveal itself to me in what I came to think of as the Italian way. The collection is both beautiful artistically and important scientifically. The collection (Fig. 1) of Dr. Francesco Valenti Serini is generally unknown outside of Tuscany and through this publication we hope to remedy this situation. What follows is the story of a medical doctor, botanist, mycologist, and artist in the 1800s in Italy and his life's endeavor to educate his fellow Tuscans in how to distinguish between poisonous and edible fungi. Valenti Serini was a Renaissance man but was limited by the science and technology of his day. The authors do not intend what is presented herein to be used as guide to distinguish between poisonous and edible fungi but rather to describe the history of Valenti Serini's work

Mycocoenological studies in Mediterranean forest ecosystems: calcicolous deciduous oak woods of central-southern Tuscany (Italy).

The results of mycocoenological studies carried out in calcicolous deciduous oak woods of central-southern Tuscany are reported. Comparison with the results of studies in other forest ecosystem s of the same area revealed exclusive differential species of deciduous oak woods and clarified the knowledge on mycocoenoses of central-southern Tuscany. The obtained information on individual species is also useful for understanding the relatively unexplored field of the ecology of macrofungi

Biodiversità nel Senese: Flora macromicetica nel XX secolo.

Accademia delle Scienze di Siena detta de’ Fisiocritici, Memorie XI: 33

Mycofloristic investigations in the geothermal area of Travale-Radicondoli (Tuscany, central Italy)

Mycofloristic investigations have been carried out in deciduous oak-woods in the geothermal area of Travale-Radicondoli (Tuscany, Central Italy). 235 fungal species (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) have been identified during 3 observation years; some of these are uncommon or rare, some others have never been cited for the Province of Siena. From this study emerges that geothermal activity seems to be less polluting than other types of industries or power stations

Mycocoenology in Abies alba Miller woods of Central-Southern Tuscany (Italy)

Numerous reports indicate that fir woods in central and northern Europe have recently been damaged by increasing pollution. It has been demonstrated that fungi can be good bioindicators of forest health status. In polluted areas the production of fruit bodies generally declines and the fungal biodiversity, especially of symbiotic species, is reduced. Here we report the results of a survey of the fungal and plant communities in woods of Abies alba Miller in central-southern Tuscany, already studied in the past. Certain changes were observed in the study areas, but they seem more likely to be due to other factors than pollution, such as the weather conditions, the age and natural evolution of the forests towards their climax