Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jul 1;11(7):1733.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11071733.

The Role of Osmolytes and Membrane Lipids in the Adaptation of Acidophilic Fungi

Elena A Ianutsevich  1 , Olga A Danilova  1 , Olga A Grum-Grzhimaylo  2   3 , Vera M Tereshina  1
Affiliations

The Role of Osmolytes and Membrane Lipids in the Adaptation of Acidophilic Fungi

Elena A Ianutsevich et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

Acidophiles maintain near-neutral intracellular pH using proton pumps. We have suggested the protective role of osmolytes and membrane lipids in the adaptation to an acidic environment. Previously we have observed, for the first time, high levels of trehalose in acidophilic basidiomycete Sistotrema brinkmannii. Here, we have studied the composition of both osmolytes and membrane lipids of two more acidophilic fungi. Trehalose and polyols were among the main osmolytes during growth under optimal conditions (pH 4.0) in basidiomycete Phlebiopsis gigantea and ascomycete Mollisia sp. Phosphatidic acids, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylcholines, and sterols, were predominant membrane lipids in both fungi. P. gigantea had a narrow optimum of growth at pH 4.0, resulting in a sharp decline of growth rate at pH 2.6 and 5.0, accompanied by a decrease in the number of osmolytes and significant changes in the composition of membrane lipids. In contrast, Mollisia sp. had a broad optimal growth range (pH 3.0-5.0), and the number of osmolytes either stayed the same (at pH 6.0) or increased (at pH 2.6), while membrane lipids composition remained unchanged. Thus, the data obtained indicate the participation of osmolytes and membrane lipids in the adaptation of acidophilic fungi.

Keywords: Mollisia; Phlebiopsis gigantea; extremophilic fungi; phosphatidic acids; trehalose.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the study’s design; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Typical colonies of acidophilic micromycetes P. gigantea (a) and Mollisia sp. (b) grown at optimal conditions (pH 4.0, 24–25 °C) for 12 days (a) or 33 days (b).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The effect of pH (a) and temperature (b) on the growth rate of P. gigantea and Mollisia sp.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Carbohydrates and polyols of P. gigantea in growth dynamics and at different pH values. Means ± SEM are plotted, n = 3, * p ≤ 0.05. SEM—standard error of the mean.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Carbohydrates and polyols of Mollisia sp. in growth dynamics and at different pH values. Means ± SEM are plotted, n = 3, * p ≤ 0.05.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The profile of P. gigantea membrane lipids in growth dynamics and at different pH values. PE—phosphatidylethanolamines, PC—phosphatidylcholines, CL—cardiolipins, PA—phosphatidic acids, PS—phosphatidylserines, PI—phosphatidylinositols, LPE—lysophosphatidylethanolamines, LPC—lysophosphatidylcholines, SL—sphingolipids, X—unidentified lipid, St—sterols. Means ± SEM are plotted, n = 3, * p ≤ 0.05.
Figure 6
Figure 6
The profile of Mollisia sp. membrane lipids in growth dynamics and at different pH values. Means ± SEM are plotted, n = 3.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Storage lipids profile of P. gigantea in growth dynamics and at different pH values. DAG—diacylglycerols, TAG—triacylglycerols, FFA—free fatty acids, Y—unidentified lipid, MAG—monoacylglycerols. Means ± SEM are plotted, n = 3, * p ≤ 0.05.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Storage lipids profile of Mollisia sp. in growth dynamics and at different pH values. Means ± SEM are plotted, n = 3, * p ≤ 0.05.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Coleine C., Stajich J.E., Selbmann L. Fungi Are Key Players in Extreme Ecosystems. Trends Ecol. Evol. 2022;37:517–528. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.02.002. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hallsworth J.E., Mancinelli R.L., Conley C.A., Dallas T.D., Rinaldi T., Davila A.F., Benison K.C., Rapoport A., Cavalazzi B., Selbmann L., et al. Astrobiology of Life on Earth. Environ. Microbiol. 2021;23:3335–3344. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.15499. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ibrar M., Ullah M.W., Manan S., Farooq U., Rafiq M., Hasan F. Fungi from the Extremes of Life: An Untapped Treasure for Bioactive Compounds. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2020;104:2777–2801. doi: 10.1007/s00253-020-10399-0. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rothschild L.J., Mancinelli R.L. Life in Extreme Environments. Nature. 2001;409:1092–1101. doi: 10.1038/35059215. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Gross S., Robbins E.I. Acidophilic and Acid-Tolerant Fungi and Yeasts. Hydrobiologia. 2000;433:91–109. doi: 10.1023/A:1004014603333. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources