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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Gkoutselis et al. 2023 COMMENV
ClearGkoutselis et al. 2023 COMMENV
This is a duplicate data repository entry for the same fungal plastiphily study as ID 38023; it is not a standalone research paper but points to findings that plastic-colonising fungi may carry virulence traits relevant to human health.
Fungal plastiphily and its link to generic virulence traits makes environmental microplastics a global health factor
This meta-analysis reveals that fungi, including species that cause human infections, are attracted to microplastics in the environment. Microplastics provide tiny habitats where disease-causing fungi can accumulate and potentially evolve, suggesting that the trillions of microplastic particles in our environment may be increasing our exposure to fungal pathogens.
Fungal plastiphily and its link to generic virulence traits makes environmental microplastics a global health factor
This meta-analysis reveals that microplastics in soil serve as hotspots where disease-causing fungi accumulate and thrive. The findings are concerning because many of the fungi that colonize microplastics share traits with human pathogens, suggesting that plastic pollution may be creating new breeding grounds for infectious disease in the environment.
Plastiphily and its link to generic virulence in fungal human pathogens makes microplastics a global health factor
Researchers applied neutral community models and co-occurrence network analysis to ITS metabarcoding data from soil fungal communities on microplastics collected from plastic pollution hotspots in Kenya, identifying both deterministic and stochastic processes structuring the plastisphere mycobiome. By linking a selection index to trait data including generic virulence scores, the study found correlations between plastiphilic adaptation and fungal pathogen virulence, implicating microplastics as a potential driver of pathogen ecology.
Plastiphily is linked to generic virulence traits of important human pathogenic fungi
A study of soil near human dwellings found that microplastics selectively attract and concentrate dangerous fungal pathogens, including species that cause serious human infections. The microplastic surfaces essentially act as tiny habitats where disease-causing fungi accumulate and may develop enhanced survival traits. This suggests that the trillions of microplastic particles in soil could be amplifying the spread of fungal infections, adding a new dimension to microplastic health risks.
Terrestrial plastisphere as unique niches for fungal communities
Researchers used 125 laboratory experiments to compare the fungi living on microplastics versus nearby soil, finding that microplastic surfaces host distinct fungal communities enriched in Penicillium and the potentially harmful pathogen Alternaria. These "plastisphere" fungal communities were less shaped by environmental conditions than soil communities, suggesting microplastics may create isolated niches that concentrate certain fungi and potentially reduce local biodiversity.
Dynamics and functions of microbial communities in the plastisphere in temperate coastal environments
Researchers explored microbial communities colonizing microplastics in coastal environments of Japan, comparing bacterial and fungal communities across different plastic types, water, sediment, and sand. The study found that while microbial communities varied by sample type and location rather than plastic shape, microplastics harbored hydrocarbon-degrading organisms as well as potential pathogens, highlighting the ecological significance of plastic-associated biofilms.
The Culturable Mycobiota of Sediments and Associated Microplastics: From a Harbor to a Marine Protected Area, a Comparative Study
Researchers investigated fungal diversity in sediments and microplastic surfaces at three Mediterranean sites with varying anthropogenic impact -- a harbor, a marine protected area, and an intermediate site -- culturing 1,526 isolates and finding that microplastics harbor distinct fungal assemblages compared to surrounding sediments, with several species recorded for the first time in marine environments.
Current trends, limitations and future research in the fungi?
This broad review of modern mycology (the study of fungi) covers emerging fungal diseases, drug discovery from fungi, genomics advances, and how fungi can be used in construction and circular economies. While not directly about microplastics, some fungi show promise for biodegrading plastic waste, making mycology research relevant to addressing microplastic pollution.
The genomes of Scedosporium between environmental challenges and opportunism
This paper is not about microplastics. It is a genomics study of Scedosporium fungi, comparing genomes of environmental and clinical strains to understand how these organisms transition from pollution-tolerant environmental inhabitants to opportunistic human pathogens. While the fungi were isolated from heavily polluted environments, the research focuses on fungal pathogenicity and antifungal resistance rather than microplastic contamination.
Characterization and Human Health Risk Assessment of Fungal Species Isolated from Landfill Soil in Najaf Ashraf, Iraq
Researchers isolated fungal species from microplastic surfaces collected in environmental samples and characterized their diversity and human health risks, finding that certain opportunistic fungal pathogens were enriched on plastic surfaces compared to surrounding water and sediment.
The ecology of the plastisphere: Microbial composition, function, assembly, and network in the freshwater and seawater ecosystems
Researchers studied the communities of bacteria and fungi that colonize microplastic surfaces in freshwater and seawater, forming what scientists call the plastisphere. These microplastic-associated communities were distinctly different from those in surrounding water, and included a higher proportion of disease-causing organisms and species involved in pollutant degradation. The findings suggest that microplastics create new habitats that can harbor pathogens and alter natural microbial ecosystems in ways that may affect water quality and human health.
Preliminary Survey of Fungal Communities Across a Plastics/No Plastics Transition on an Oregon Beach
Researchers conducted a preliminary survey of fungal communities at a beach location transitioning from plastic-contaminated to non-plastic zones in Oregon, investigating whether plastics alter fungal biodiversity and composition. The study identified fungi with potential plastic degradation capabilities, contributing to knowledge of the plastisphere fungal community.
Plastic pollution and fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens – A neglected environmental and public health issue?
This review examines the understudied relationship between plastic pollution and eukaryotic pathogens, including fungi, protozoa, and helminths. Researchers found that while bacterial colonization of the plastisphere is well documented, evidence suggests plastics may also harbor and spread eukaryotic pathogens, raising concerns about a neglected public health and environmental issue.
Arctic macrosources of the microplastic pollution (Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen): Spectral characterization and first insight into the fungal diversity on the arctic plastisphere
Researchers identified local plastic macro- and meso-litter on an Arctic beach in Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen) as composed predominantly of polyethylene (64%), polypropylene (27%), and polystyrene (9%), and isolated 20 fungal taxa from the plastisphere — including 4 previously unreported from Svalbard — suggesting plastics may act as vectors for alien fungal species in the Arctic.
The Spatiotemporal Successions of Bacterial and Fungal Plastisphere Communities and Their Effects on Microplastic Degradation in Soil Ecosystems
Researchers tracked how bacterial and fungal communities colonize microplastic surfaces in soil over time, finding that the surrounding soil type had the strongest influence on which microbes grew on the plastics. The microbial communities on microplastics were less diverse and less stable than those in the surrounding soil, but they attracted microbes with a higher capacity to break down organic carbon. The study suggests that microplastic surfaces become hotspots for carbon metabolism in soil ecosystems.
Spatio-temporal distribution of soil microbial communities and nutrient availability around a municipal solid waste landfill
Despite its title referencing soil microbial communities near a municipal solid waste landfill, this paper studies bacterial and fungal community composition in soils surrounding a landfill — not microplastic pollution. It examines how proximity to the landfill affects microbial diversity and nutrient cycling and is not directly relevant to microplastics or human health.
Microplastics alter composition of fungal communities in aquatic ecosystems
This study examined how microplastics affect fungal communities in rivers, the Baltic Sea, and a wastewater treatment plant, finding that plastics altered fungal diversity and community composition. The results suggest microplastics can disrupt aquatic fungal ecology, with potential downstream effects on nutrient cycling and ecosystem function.
Hydrophobins from Aspergillus mediate fungal interactions with microplastics
Researchers discovered that the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and related species can tightly bind to microplastic particles, with up to 3.85 grams of plastic bound per gram of fungi. They identified hydrophobin proteins on the fungal surface as the key molecules mediating this attachment to plastics. The findings suggest that microplastics may serve as vectors for pathogenic fungi in food chains, raising concerns about how plastic pollution could facilitate the spread of opportunistic infections.
Environmental reservoirs of the drug-resistant pathogenic yeast Candida auris
This review examines the environmental sources of Candida auris, a drug-resistant yeast that has become a serious hospital infection threat worldwide. While not directly about microplastics, the study discusses how environmental changes including pollution and warming temperatures may be creating conditions that favor drug-resistant pathogens. The findings connect to microplastics research because plastic surfaces in the environment can harbor and transport pathogenic fungi and bacteria.
The Role of Marine Fungi in Degradation of Microplastic and Plastics – a Review
This review examines the role of marine fungi in the biodegradation of microplastics and bulk plastics, synthesising literature on over 400 known plastic-degrading microorganism species and highlighting the most significant fungal groups capable of decomposing plastic materials in marine environments.
Polystyrene Microplastics Exacerbate Candida albicans Infection Ability In Vitro and In Vivo
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics can worsen Candida albicans fungal infections in both cell culture and animal models. In lab tests with human intestinal cells and in wax moth larvae, the presence of microplastics promoted more severe infection outcomes. The study provides new experimental evidence that microplastic exposure may increase vulnerability to opportunistic fungal infections.
The Potential Role of Marine Fungi in Plastic Degradation – A Review
This review examined the potential role of marine fungi in plastic degradation, highlighting that while terrestrial fungi can metabolize some plastic types, marine fungal-plastic interactions remain largely unexplored despite fungi's known ability to break down recalcitrant compounds.
Hydrophobins from Aspergillus Mediate Fungal Interactions with Microplastics
Researchers found that Aspergillus fungi colonize microplastic surfaces through hydrophobin proteins — surface-active compounds that mediate adhesion to hydrophobic materials — providing the first mechanistic explanation for how fungi form biofilms on plastic particles in the environment.