title: Effect of Trans, Trans-Farnesol on Pseudogymnoascus destructans and Several Closely Related Species.
abstract: Bat white-nose syndrome, caused by the psychrophilic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has dramatically reduced the populations of many hibernating North American bat species. The search for effective biological control agents targeting P. destructans is of great importance. We report that the sesquiterpene trans, trans-farnesol, which is also a Candida albicans quorum sensing compound, prevented in vitro conidial germination for at least 14 days and inhibited growth of preexisting hyphae of five P. destructans isolates in filtered potato dextrose broth at 10 °C. Depending on the inoculation concentrations, both spore and hyphal inhibition occurred upon exposure to concentrations as low as 15-20 µM trans, trans-farnesol. In contrast, most North American Pseudogymnoascus isolates were more tolerant to the exposure of trans, trans-farnesol. Our results suggest that some Candida isolates may have the potential to inhibit the growth of P. destructans and that the sesquiterpene trans, trans-farnesol has the potential to be utilized as a biological control agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA. raudaba2@illinois.edu.|Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA. raudaba2@illinois.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Raudabaugh
authors.affiliation: Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002685:Chiroptera; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D005204:Farnesol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D025301:Hyphae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D009181:Mycoses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D005204:Farnesol
keywords: Biological control; Candida albicans quorum sensing compound; Sesquiterpene; White-nose syndrome