Pyrolyzed Substrates Induce Aromatic Compound Metabolism in the Post-fire Fungus, Pyronema domesticum
Wildfires represent a fundamental and profound disturbance in many ecosystems, and their frequency and severity are increasing in many regions of the world. Fire affects soil by removing carbon in the form of CO2 and transforming remaining surface carbon into pyrolyzed organic matter (PyOM). Fires a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.729289/full |
| _version_ | 1819145399751933952 |
|---|---|
| author | Monika S. Fischer Frances Grace Stark Timothy D. Berry Nayela Zeba Thea Whitman Matthew F. Traxler |
| author_facet | Monika S. Fischer Frances Grace Stark Timothy D. Berry Nayela Zeba Thea Whitman Matthew F. Traxler |
| author_sort | Monika S. Fischer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wildfires represent a fundamental and profound disturbance in many ecosystems, and their frequency and severity are increasing in many regions of the world. Fire affects soil by removing carbon in the form of CO2 and transforming remaining surface carbon into pyrolyzed organic matter (PyOM). Fires also generate substantial necromass at depths where the heat kills soil organisms but does not catalyze the formation of PyOM. Pyronema species strongly dominate soil fungal communities within weeks to months after fire. However, the carbon pool (i.e., necromass or PyOM) that fuels their rise in abundance is unknown. We used a Pyronema domesticum isolate from the catastrophic 2013 Rim Fire (CA, United States) to ask whether P. domesticum is capable of metabolizing PyOM. Pyronema domesticum grew readily on agar media where the sole carbon source was PyOM (specifically, pine wood PyOM produced at 750°C). Using RNAseq, we investigated the response of P. domesticum to PyOM and observed a comprehensive induction of genes involved in the metabolism and mineralization of aromatic compounds, typical of those found in PyOM. Lastly, we used 13C-labeled 750°C PyOM to demonstrate that P. domesticum is capable of mineralizing PyOM to CO2. Collectively, our results indicate a robust potential for P. domesticum to liberate carbon from PyOM in post-fire ecosystems and return it to the bioavailable carbon pool. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:57:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6d9339496cf548aa9a349ab0c067a8dc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:57:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6d9339496cf548aa9a349ab0c067a8dc2022-12-21T18:25:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2021-10-011210.3389/fmicb.2021.729289729289Pyrolyzed Substrates Induce Aromatic Compound Metabolism in the Post-fire Fungus, Pyronema domesticumMonika S. Fischer0Frances Grace Stark1Timothy D. Berry2Nayela Zeba3Thea Whitman4Matthew F. Traxler5Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United StatesDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United StatesDepartment of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United StatesDepartment of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United StatesDepartment of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United StatesDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United StatesWildfires represent a fundamental and profound disturbance in many ecosystems, and their frequency and severity are increasing in many regions of the world. Fire affects soil by removing carbon in the form of CO2 and transforming remaining surface carbon into pyrolyzed organic matter (PyOM). Fires also generate substantial necromass at depths where the heat kills soil organisms but does not catalyze the formation of PyOM. Pyronema species strongly dominate soil fungal communities within weeks to months after fire. However, the carbon pool (i.e., necromass or PyOM) that fuels their rise in abundance is unknown. We used a Pyronema domesticum isolate from the catastrophic 2013 Rim Fire (CA, United States) to ask whether P. domesticum is capable of metabolizing PyOM. Pyronema domesticum grew readily on agar media where the sole carbon source was PyOM (specifically, pine wood PyOM produced at 750°C). Using RNAseq, we investigated the response of P. domesticum to PyOM and observed a comprehensive induction of genes involved in the metabolism and mineralization of aromatic compounds, typical of those found in PyOM. Lastly, we used 13C-labeled 750°C PyOM to demonstrate that P. domesticum is capable of mineralizing PyOM to CO2. Collectively, our results indicate a robust potential for P. domesticum to liberate carbon from PyOM in post-fire ecosystems and return it to the bioavailable carbon pool.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.729289/fullaromatic hydorcarbonsRNAseqfirecarbon metabolic activityPyOMfilamenous fungi |
| spellingShingle | Monika S. Fischer Frances Grace Stark Timothy D. Berry Nayela Zeba Thea Whitman Matthew F. Traxler Pyrolyzed Substrates Induce Aromatic Compound Metabolism in the Post-fire Fungus, Pyronema domesticum Frontiers in Microbiology aromatic hydorcarbons RNAseq fire carbon metabolic activity PyOM filamenous fungi |
| title | Pyrolyzed Substrates Induce Aromatic Compound Metabolism in the Post-fire Fungus, Pyronema domesticum |
| title_full | Pyrolyzed Substrates Induce Aromatic Compound Metabolism in the Post-fire Fungus, Pyronema domesticum |
| title_fullStr | Pyrolyzed Substrates Induce Aromatic Compound Metabolism in the Post-fire Fungus, Pyronema domesticum |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pyrolyzed Substrates Induce Aromatic Compound Metabolism in the Post-fire Fungus, Pyronema domesticum |
| title_short | Pyrolyzed Substrates Induce Aromatic Compound Metabolism in the Post-fire Fungus, Pyronema domesticum |
| title_sort | pyrolyzed substrates induce aromatic compound metabolism in the post fire fungus pyronema domesticum |
| topic | aromatic hydorcarbons RNAseq fire carbon metabolic activity PyOM filamenous fungi |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.729289/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT monikasfischer pyrolyzedsubstratesinducearomaticcompoundmetabolisminthepostfirefunguspyronemadomesticum AT francesgracestark pyrolyzedsubstratesinducearomaticcompoundmetabolisminthepostfirefunguspyronemadomesticum AT timothydberry pyrolyzedsubstratesinducearomaticcompoundmetabolisminthepostfirefunguspyronemadomesticum AT nayelazeba pyrolyzedsubstratesinducearomaticcompoundmetabolisminthepostfirefunguspyronemadomesticum AT theawhitman pyrolyzedsubstratesinducearomaticcompoundmetabolisminthepostfirefunguspyronemadomesticum AT matthewftraxler pyrolyzedsubstratesinducearomaticcompoundmetabolisminthepostfirefunguspyronemadomesticum |