Microbial diversity associated with Saharan dust storms: A developing tale of emerging pathogens
S. LINARES (1). (1) University of Maryland, College Park, MD, U.S.A.
The Sahara desert is the biggest source of atmospheric mineral dust around the globe, contributing 200-300 tg of dust deposition annually over the Atlantic Ocean. Among the effects attributed to this phenomena are reduced air quality levels and to transport of diverse pathogens from Africa to the Americas. This project explores the microbial diversity of Saharan dust events via DNA extraction from dust and filter samples. Viability of pathogens is examined by exposure of wheat and barley leaves to dust suspensions. Species detection was achieved by analyzing 18s amplicons via 454 pyrosequencing, and metagenomic Illumina shotgun sequences. Some of the fungal pathogens detected are <i>Humicola fuscoatra</i> (tomato plant root pathogen), <i>Botryosphaeria viticola</i> (pathogen of grapevines) and <i>Madurella mycetomatis</i> (human skin pathogen). The most abundant species were <i>Trichoderma</i> spp., and <i>Botryosphaeria rhodina</i>. Illumina sequences were dominated by <i>Bacillus</i> spp. although signal detection from Archaea and cyanobacteria was possible. Pathogenicity experiments onto detached leaves yielded lesions within 24 hrs of inoculation for wheat and barley plants. Results from this study have important implications for agricultural crops and human health, in the lights of a changing climate and the colonization of new territories by pathogenic species.
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