20.500.12556/RUL-136001 Virulence traits and population genomics of the black yeast Aureobasidium melanogenum The black yeast-like fungus Aureobasidium melanogenum is an opportunistic human pathogen frequently found indoors. Its traits, potentially linked to pathogenesis, have never been systematically studied. Here, we examine 49 A. melanogenum strains for growth at 37 °C, siderophore production, hemolytic activity, and assimilation of hydrocarbons and human neurotransmitters and report within-species variability. All but one strain grew at 37 °C. All strains produced siderophores and showed some hemolytic activity. The largest differences between strains were observed in the assimilation of hydrocarbons and human neurotransmitters. We show for the first time that fungi from the order Dothideales can assimilate aromatic hydrocarbons. To explain the background, we sequenced the genomes of all 49 strains and identified genes putatively involved in siderophore production and hemolysis. Genomic analysis revealed a fairly structured population of A. melanogenum, raising the possibility that some phylogenetic lineages have higher virulence potential than others. Population genomics indicated that the species is strictly clonal, although more than half of the genomes were diploid. The existence of relatively heterozygous diploids in an otherwise clonal species is described for only the second time in fungi. The genomic and phenotypic data from this study should help to resolve the non-trivial taxonomy of the genus Aureobasidium and reduce the medical hazards of exploiting the biotechnological potential of other, non-pathogenic species of this genus. Aureobasidium melanogenum virulence population genomics siderophores hemolysis hydrocarbons neurotransmitters diploidy virulenca populacijska genomika siderofori hemoliza ogljikovodiki nevrotransmiterji diploidnost Aureobasidium melanogenum true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2022-04-06 10:00:41 2022-04-06 10:00:42 2022-09-15 04:13:09 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2021 0 0 22 str. iss. 8, art. 665 Vol. 7 2021 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 579 2309-608X 10.3390/jof7080665 73727235 RAZ_Cernosa_Anja_2021.pdf RAZ_Cernosa_Anja_2021.pdf 1 157BBD869C67B7B9E4952832F3E03A71 64820e8c46ecdfcde0bc81d34a0909dd800dfd4a6ce1a5a251da0f7c96933a6b d7453d2f-b57f-11ec-8aca-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=155388 https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/8/665 1 9e371f55-b57f-11ec-8aca-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=155387 Biotehniška fakulteta 0 0 0