title: Pathogenic ability and saline stress tolerance of two Fusarium isolates from Odontesthes bonariensis eggs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several fungal species represent a potential risk to embryos of Odontesthes bonariensis (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1835), a euryhaline freshwater fish that lives in the Pampean inland waters and has potential economic relevance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify two fungi isolated from O. bonariensis eggs exposed to saline conditions and to characterize their pathogenicity and tolerance to sodium chloride solutions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The isolates were identified by morphological features, and a preliminar phylogenetic analysis using sequences of translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α) and calmodulin (CAM) was performed. Koch's postulates were tested to identify the causative agent of fungal infection. The influence of NaCl on the fungal growth was evaluated in in vitro assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The isolates LPSC 1001 and 1002 were identified as representatives of the genus Fusarium, and belonging to the Fusarium incarnatum-Fusarium equiseti species complex (FIESC) and the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), respectively. Histological observations on eggs exposed in vitro to both isolates in infectivity assays confirmed the ability of the fungal isolates to penetrate to egg's chorionic membrane, leading to the death of embryos. Increasing NaCl concentration in the culture medium reduced the growth of the isolates LPSC 1001 and 1002, being completely inhibited at 160 and 120g/l NaCl respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The isolates LPSC 1001 (FIESC) and 1002 (FSSC) were identified as fungal pathogens to O. bonariensis eggs. The use of NaCl solutions as antifungal treatment was not effective to control the infection with these strains.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini, FCNyM, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: suani.pm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Suani G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Pacheco Marino
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini, FCNyM, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas (CIC), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marta N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cabello
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Biología Funcional y Biotecnología (BIOLAB-CICBA-INBIOTEC), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Dinolfo
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Biología Funcional y Biotecnología (BIOLAB-CICBA-INBIOTEC), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Agronomía, Cátedra de Microbiología, UNCPBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sebastián A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stenglein
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal (INFIVE), CCT-La Plata-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mario C N
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Saparrat
authors.affiliation: Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas (CIC), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; PRODEA-INEDES Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salibián
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005399:Fishes / Q000382:microbiology*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride
keywords: Estrés salino; FIESC; FSSC; Fish pathogens; Fusarium; Pathogenicity; Patogenicidad; Patógenos de los peces; Saline stress