Dual Detection of the Chytrid Fungi Batrachochytrium spp. with an Enhanced Environmental DNA Approach

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is becoming an indispensable tool in biodiversity monitoring, including the monitoring of invasive species and pathogens. Aquatic chytrid fungi ( ) and ( ) are major threats to amphibians. However, the use of eDNA for detecting these pathogens has not yet become widespread,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of fungi (Basel) Vol. 7; no. 4; p. 258
Main Authors Lastra González, David, Baláž, Vojtech, Vojar, Jiří, Chajma, Petr
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland MDPI AG 30.03.2021
MDPI
Subjects
Biodiversity
biomonitoring
Bsal
chytridiomycosis
Costs
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
Environmental DNA
Ethanol
fungal pathogens
Fungi
Introduced species
Invasive species
Methods
Nucleotide sequence
Pathogens
Pore size
Protocol
Spacer region
water samples
United States > US
Czech Republic
water samples
Bd
Bsal
biomonitoring
fungal pathogens
chytridiomycosis
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Summary:Environmental DNA (eDNA) is becoming an indispensable tool in biodiversity monitoring, including the monitoring of invasive species and pathogens. Aquatic chytrid fungi ( ) and ( ) are major threats to amphibians. However, the use of eDNA for detecting these pathogens has not yet become widespread, due to technological and economic obstacles. Using the enhanced eDNA approach (a simple and cheap sampling protocol) and the universally accepted qPCR assay, we confirmed the presence of and in previously identified sites in Spain, including four sites that were new for . The new approach was successfully tested in laboratory conditions using manufactured gene fragments (gBlocks) of the targeted DNA sequence. A comparison of storage methods showed that samples kept in ethanol had the best DNA yield. Our results showed that the number of DNA copies in the Internal Transcribed Spacer region was 120 copies per cell. Eradication of emerging diseases requires quick and cost-effective solutions. We therefore performed cost-efficiency analyses of standard animal swabbing, a previous eDNA approach, and our own approach. The procedure presented here was evaluated as the most cost-efficient. Our findings will help to disseminate information about efforts to prevent the spread of chytrid fungi.
ISSN:2309-608X
2309-608X
DOI:10.3390/jof7040258