Viruses, Vol. 13, Pages 686: Virus Infection of Aspergillus fumigatus Compromises the Fungus in Intermicrobial Competition

Viruses, Vol. 13, Pages 686: Virus Infection of Aspergillus fumigatus Compromises the Fungus in Intermicrobial Competition Viruses doi: 10.3390/v13040686 Authors: Hasan Nazik Ioly Kotta-Loizou Gabriele Sass Robert H. A. Coutts David A. Stevens Aspergillus and Pseudomonas compete in nature, and are the commonest bacterial and fungal pathogens in some clinical settings, such as the cystic fibrosis lung. Virus infections of fungi occur naturally. Effects on fungal physiology need delineation. A common reference Aspergillus fumigatus strain, long studied in two (of many) laboratories, was found infected with the AfuPmV-1 virus. One isolate was cured of virus, producing a virus-free strain. Virus from the infected strain was purified and used to re-infect three subcultures of the virus-free fungus, producing six fungal strains, otherwise isogenic. They were studied in intermicrobial competition with Pseudomonasaeruginosa. Pseudomonas culture filtrates inhibited forming or preformed Aspergillus biofilm from infected strains to a greater extent, also seen when Pseudomonas volatiles were assayed on Aspergillus. Purified iron-chelating Pseudomonas molecules, known inhibitors of Aspergillus biofilm, reproduced these differences. Iron, a stimulus of Aspergillus, enhanced the virus-free fungus, compared to infected. All infected fungal strains behaved similarly in assays. We show an important consequence of virus infection, a weakening in intermicrobial competition. Viral...
Source: Viruses - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research