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Main airborne Ascomycota spores: characterization by culture, spore morphology, ribosomal DNA sequences and enzymatic

Manuela Oliveira1, M Isabel Amorim, Elsa Ferreira

  • 1Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|February 10, 2010
PubMed

Insights

This study identified common airborne fungal spores in Porto, Portugal, finding Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria as major allergy-related taxa. These fungi exhibit specific enzymatic activities, aiding in reliable identification for allergy management.

Area of Science:

  • Aerobiology
  • Mycology
  • Allergology

Background:

  • Atmospheric fungal spores are significant allergens.
  • Accurate identification of airborne fungi is crucial for allergy diagnosis and management.
  • Ascomycetes are a major group of allergenic fungi.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize allergy-related Ascomycetes fungal spores in Porto's atmosphere.
  • To determine seasonal variations in spore abundance.
  • To evaluate enzymatic activities and apply DNA-based techniques for reliable fungal identification.

Main Methods:

  • Atmospheric sampling in Porto from August 2006 to July 2008.
  • Culture and isolation of viable spores using an Andersen sampler.
  • DNA sequencing of the internal-transcribed spacer (ITS) region.
  • Enzymatic activity assays (phosphatase, esterase, etc.).

Main Results:

  • Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria were the predominant fungal spore taxa.
  • Seasonal peaks: Alternaria and Cladosporium in summer; Aspergillus and Penicillium in late winter/early spring.
  • DNA sequencing identified 11 related fungal species, with Penicillium and Aspergillus showing the highest diversity.
  • All identified taxa possessed phosphatase, esterase, leucine arylamidase, and beta-glucosidase activity.

Conclusions:

  • A combination of morphological, DNA-based, and enzymatic analyses provides a reliable method for identifying airborne Ascomycota spores.
  • Understanding seasonal distribution and characteristics of allergenic fungi can inform allergy prevention strategies.
  • The identified fungal spores represent potential aeroallergens in the Porto region.

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