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Evolution of fungal pathogens in domestic environments?

Cene Gostinčar1, Martin Grube, Nina Gunde-Cimerman

  • 1Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. cene.gostincar@bf.uni-lj.si

Fungal Biology
|September 28, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Indoor environments select for stress-tolerant fungi, driving evolution of medically important traits in black yeasts. These fungi pose health concerns due to enhanced pathogenicity and adaptability to human habitats.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Specific indoor environments can act as selective pressures on microbial communities.
  • Melanised, stress-tolerant fungi, particularly black yeasts, possess preadaptations for growth in human-made environments.
  • Pathogenic fungal species are increasingly isolated from domestic habitats.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on the evolution of fungi in indoor environments.
  • To focus on black yeasts and their adaptation to indoor settings.
  • To discuss the implications of fungal evolution for human health.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature on fungal evolution and indoor environments.
  • Analysis of studies identifying pathogenic fungi in domestic habitats.
  • Discussion of evolutionary pressures and their impact on fungal traits.

Main Results:

  • Indoor environments select for stress-tolerant fungi, promoting the acquisition of medically relevant traits.
  • Black yeasts, due to their inherent stress tolerance and melanization, are well-suited for indoor colonization.
  • Selection pressures in indoor settings may drive the evolution of virulence factors and enhance pathogenic potential.

Conclusions:

  • The indoor microbiome is a dynamic environment driving fungal evolution.
  • Polyextremotolerant fungi, capable of growth at elevated temperatures, pose a significant risk for colonizing warm-blooded hosts.
  • The selection and evolution of black fungi in human environments warrant concern due to their association with various health problems.

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