A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology
The phylum Chytridiomycota (the “chytrids”) is an early-diverging, mostly unicellular, lineage of fungi that consists of significant aquatic saprotrophs, parasites, and pathogens, and is of evolutionary interest because its members retain biological traits considered ancestral in the fungal kingdom....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Fungal Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffunb.2021.708813/full |
| _version_ | 1818887357410050048 |
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| author | Davis Laundon Davis Laundon Michael Cunliffe Michael Cunliffe |
| author_facet | Davis Laundon Davis Laundon Michael Cunliffe Michael Cunliffe |
| author_sort | Davis Laundon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The phylum Chytridiomycota (the “chytrids”) is an early-diverging, mostly unicellular, lineage of fungi that consists of significant aquatic saprotrophs, parasites, and pathogens, and is of evolutionary interest because its members retain biological traits considered ancestral in the fungal kingdom. While the existence of aquatic chytrids has long been known, their fundamental biology has received relatively little attention. We are beginning to establish a detailed understanding of aquatic chytrid diversity and insights into their ecological functions and prominence. However, the underpinning biology governing their aquatic ecological activities and associated core processes remain largely understudied and therefore unresolved. Many biological questions are outstanding for aquatic chytrids. What are the mechanisms that control their development and life cycle? Which core processes underpin their aquatic influence? What can their biology tell us about the evolution of fungi and the wider eukaryotic tree of life? We propose that the field of aquatic chytrid ecology could be further advanced through the improved understanding of chytrid biology, including the development of model aquatic chytrids and targeted studies using culture-independent approaches. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T16:35:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a34968ebef16477faf362e3eeaaa61e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-6128 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T16:35:57Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Fungal Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a34968ebef16477faf362e3eeaaa61e52022-12-21T20:13:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Fungal Biology2673-61282021-08-01210.3389/ffunb.2021.708813708813A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid BiologyDavis Laundon0Davis Laundon1Michael Cunliffe2Michael Cunliffe3Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United KingdomSchool of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United KingdomMarine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United KingdomSchool of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United KingdomThe phylum Chytridiomycota (the “chytrids”) is an early-diverging, mostly unicellular, lineage of fungi that consists of significant aquatic saprotrophs, parasites, and pathogens, and is of evolutionary interest because its members retain biological traits considered ancestral in the fungal kingdom. While the existence of aquatic chytrids has long been known, their fundamental biology has received relatively little attention. We are beginning to establish a detailed understanding of aquatic chytrid diversity and insights into their ecological functions and prominence. However, the underpinning biology governing their aquatic ecological activities and associated core processes remain largely understudied and therefore unresolved. Many biological questions are outstanding for aquatic chytrids. What are the mechanisms that control their development and life cycle? Which core processes underpin their aquatic influence? What can their biology tell us about the evolution of fungi and the wider eukaryotic tree of life? We propose that the field of aquatic chytrid ecology could be further advanced through the improved understanding of chytrid biology, including the development of model aquatic chytrids and targeted studies using culture-independent approaches.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffunb.2021.708813/fullchytridchytridiomycotasaprotrophparasiteaquatic |
| spellingShingle | Davis Laundon Davis Laundon Michael Cunliffe Michael Cunliffe A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology Frontiers in Fungal Biology chytrid chytridiomycota saprotroph parasite aquatic |
| title | A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology |
| title_full | A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology |
| title_fullStr | A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology |
| title_short | A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology |
| title_sort | call for a better understanding of aquatic chytrid biology |
| topic | chytrid chytridiomycota saprotroph parasite aquatic |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffunb.2021.708813/full |
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