Geography and environmental pressure are predictive of class-specific radioresistance in black fungi

12 páginas.- 6 figuras.- 72 referencias.- Additional supporting information can be found onlinein the Supporting Information section at the end of this article

Black fungi are among the most resistant organisms to ionizing radiation on Earth. However, our current knowledge is based on studies on a few isolates, while the overall radioresistance limits across this microbial group and the relationship with local environmental conditions remain largely undetermined. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed the survival of 101 strains of black fungi isolated across a worldwide spatial distribution to gamma radiation doses up to 100 kGy. We found that intra and inter-specific taxonomy, UV radiation, and precipitation levels primarily influence the radioresistance in black fungi. Altogether, this study provides insights into the adaptive mechanisms of black fungi to extreme environments and highlights the role of local adaptation in shaping the survival capabilities of these extreme-tolerant organisms.

BioSigN MicroFossils, Grant/Award Number: ASI N. 2018-6-U.0; Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); Italian National Antarctic Museum "Felice Ippolito" (MNA); Italian National Program of Antarctic Research (PNRA); Italian Space Agency (ASI), Life in Space, Grant/Award Number: ASI N. 2019-3-U.0; Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Grant/Award Number: PID2020-115813RA-I00; MCIN/AEI; Consejeria de Transformacion Economica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades of the Junta de Andalucia, Grant/Award Number: P20_00879 (ANDABIOMA)

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