MycoIndoor project Deciphering the mycobiome of indoor environments by high-throughput sequencing
UiO:Department of Biosciences
Pedro M. Martin-Sanchez1*, Eva Lena F. Estensmo1, Maria Nunez2, Johan Mattsson2, Ingeborg B. Engh2, Inger Skrede1, Håvard Kauserud1* 1:
2:
Section Evogene, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway *Contacts:
[email protected];
[email protected]
Mycoteam AS, Oslo, Norway
Outline Fungi have ubiquitous distribution in natural ecosystems as well as in built environments, where people spend major parts of their lifetime. When moisture is present, fungal growth can cause material deterioration and adverse effects on the occupant’s health. Indoor fungal communities present in different regions should be characterized because they can show significant differences.
Work package 1 - Citizen science study: Large-scale survey of houses in Norway We will characterize the geographic variation of the indoor mycobiome throughout Norway by: • Searching volunteers through scientific networks and public media: Facebook website [1], article in Titan newspaper on science at the University of Oslo [2], article in the magazine of the Norwegian Mycological Society, and interview at the Norwegian public broadcasting. • Collecting relevant metadata from the 359 houses registered (Fig. 1a).
Overarching goal: To improve the knowledge about the indoor mycobiome in Northern Europe by combining dust and fungal-colonized material sampling with high-throughput amplicon sequencing (DNA metabarcoding).
Work package 2 - Mycobiome of deteriorated materials We will characterize the material-deteriorating fungal communities by: • MOLD SAMPLING: Adhesive tapes or material fragments for microscopy, and swabs for parallel DNA analyses. A total of 100-150 mold samples will be collected from different house locations, construction structures and materials (Fig. 2). • DUST SAMPLING (door frames/shelves; Fig. 1b): Damaged room (swab) Living room (swab)
• Sending sampling kits (Fig. 1b) to volunteers for collection in May 2018. • Studying DUST SAMPLES (door frames/shelves/windows sills): Outside (swab) Living room (swab + adhesive tape) Bathroom (swab)
a
A total of 1164 samples from 291 houses (78 in Oslo) have been received.
a
b Tromsø
© Mycoteam AS
© Mycoteam AS
c
b Trondheim
Bergen
Oslo
Stavanger
© Mycoteam AS
Fig 1. Large-scale dust sampling campaign. (a) Norway map showing the location of houses included in this study. (b) Sampling kit sent to the volunteers, including instructions, 3 swabs and 2 adhesive tapes (Mycotapes2).
• ANALYSING: DNA metabarcoding of ITS2 region (swabs) Dust coverage percentage (adhesive tapes) Expected knowledge:
Overall description of indoor fungi in Norwegian houses
Geographical variations
Climatic determinants
This project might be a first step towards a streamlined HTSbased indoor mycobiome profiling approach with a commercial potential.
© Mycoteam AS
Fig 2. Mold damages in houses. (a) Bedroom before and after inspection finding a profuse mold growth on building paper of below-ground outer walls, mainly associated with water intrusion. (b) Stachybotrys chartarum growth in a bathroom wall after leakage. (c) Chrysosporium pannorum growth on wood in a humid crawl space.
• ANALYSING: DNA metabarcoding of ITS2 region (swabs) Direct identification by microscopy (adhesive tapes and materials) This integrated approach will complement the previous knowledge achieved in Norway, which has mainly been based on culturing and microscopy. Expected knowledge:
More complete deterioration
picture
of
fungi
associated with
Comparison classical vs. molecular (DNA-based) approaches
Effects of mold problems on (dispersion /exposure of inhabitants)
the
indoor
material
environment
Acknowledgments:
Links:
• MycoIndoor project (ID 741332) is funded by the European Commission through a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (MSCA-IF) to PMMS [3].
[1] Facebook – Indoor Myco (https://nb-no.facebook.com/IndoorMyco/)
• All volunteers, who provided samples and data of their houses, are thanked for these essential contributions.
[3] MycoIndoor project ID 741332 (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/209177_en.html)
• Mycoteam’s inspectors are thanked for providing samples of houses with damages.
[2] Titan.uio.no (https://titan.uio.no/node/2797)
