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. 2021 Jan 4;59(1):7-13.
doi: 10.1093/mmy/myaa075.

On the lineage of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates in common laboratory use

Margherita Bertuzzi  1   2 , Norman van Rhijn  1   2 , Sven Krappmann  3 , Paul Bowyer  1   2 , Michael J Bromley  1   2 , Elaine M Bignell  1   2   4
Affiliations

On the lineage of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates in common laboratory use

Margherita Bertuzzi et al. Med Mycol. .

Abstract

The origin of isolates routinely used by the community of Aspergillus fumigatus researchers is periodically a matter of intense discussion at our centre, as the construction of recombinant isolates have sometimes followed convoluted routes, the documentation describing their lineages is fragmented, and the nomenclature is confusing. As an aide memoir, not least for our own benefit, we submit the following account and tabulated list of strains (Table 1) in an effort to collate all of the relevant information in a single, easily accessible document. To maximise the accuracy of this record we have consulted widely amongst the community of Medical Mycologists using these strains. All the strains described are currently available from one of these organisations, namely the Fungal Genetics Stock Centre (FGSC), FungiDB, Ensembl Fungi and The National Collection of Pathogenic Fungi (NCPF) at Public Health England. Display items from this manuscript are also featured on FungiDB.

Lay abstract: We present a concise overview on the definition, origin and unique genetic makeup of the Aspergillus fumigatus isolates routinely in use by the fungal research community, to aid researchers to describe past and new strains and the experimental differences observed more accurately.

Keywords: Aspergillus fumigatus; isolate; lineage; strain.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Af293 and derivative thereof. Diagram depicting provenance and scientific use of Af293 strains. The uridine/uracil requirements and the genomic organization of the pyrG locus is indicated for each isolate within this lineage.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
CEA10 and derivatives thereof. Diagram depicting provenance and scientific use of CEA10 strains. The uridine/uracil requirements and the genomic organization of the pyrG and akuBKU80 loci is indicated for each isolate within this lineage.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Alignment of the DNA sequences of A. fumigatus pyrG gene from CEA10 and CEA17 and A. niger pyrG as present in A1163. The asterisk indicates the C nucleotide in position 1413 that has changed into a T in the CEA17 strain, leading to the transition from glutamine to a premature stop codon. This nucleotide change can be used as a diagnostic marker to differentiate strains within the CEA10 lineage. A. fumigatus pyrG and A. niger pyrG share 77.16% identity. As A. niger pyrG is ectopically integrated in the genome of A. fumigatus A1163, the presence of this gene can be used as a diagnostic marker to differentiate A. fumigatus A1163 from the rest of the isolates within the CEA10 lineage.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
ATCC46645, D141 and derivatives thereof. Diagram depicting strains originating from ATCC46645 (A) or D141 (B) with respective details on origin and references. The uridine/uracil requirements and the genomic organization of the akuAKU70 locus are indicated for each isolate within these lineages.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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