Key fungus species help explain mysterious bat disease

Researchers have identified what might be the key to unravelling the mystery of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) – the distinctive fungus that is associated with the death of North American bats.

The scientists from US Forest Service have discovered the closest known non-disease-causing relative of the WNS fungus.

Daniel Linder, from the US Forest Service’s Northern Research Station in Madison said: “Identification of the closest known relative of this fungus makes it possible to move forward with genetic work to examine the molecular toolbox this fungus uses to kill bats. Ultimately, we hope to use this information to be able to interrupt the ability of this fungus to cause disease.”

First observed in 2006 in a cave in Upstate New York, WNS has since spread to 22 states in the US and five Canadian provinces, killing large numbers of bats resulting in substantial economic losses.

In 2009, researchers identified the culprit behind WNS as a member of the genus Geomycyes – Geomyces destructans. Linder and colleague Andrew Minnis’ generated DNA sequence data and found evidence supporting a shift in the genus to which the fungus belong, resulting in a new name: Pseudogymanoascus destructans.

However, “this research represents more than just a name change. Understanding the evolutionary relationships between this fungus and its cousins in Europe and North American should help us narrow our search for solutions to WNS,” said Mylea Bayless, director of Bat Conservation International.

Phylogenetic evaluation of Geomyces and allies reveals no close relatives of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, comb. nov., in bat hibernacula of eastern North America. Fungal Biology, 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2013.07.001