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Neurospora from used coffee filter bags
Stephen Martin,
09-12-2017 17:43
My friend was concerned about a fungus growing on uses coffee filter bags which had this attractive salmon-peach colour. He sent me a sample by post. Under the microscope, it turned out to be a yeast - likely a member in the Saccharomycodaceae family. I think yeast ID is not easy or at least I have not found any convenient key to families and genera. If this can be easily identified let me know but I think it requires chemical tests and nowadays molecular techniques.Well if this is a health hazard for my friend please let me know to advise him to sterilise his coffee maker.
David Malloch,
09-12-2017 18:34
Re : Yeast (Saccharomycodaceae?) from used coffee filter bags
Hello Stephen,
This may be a species of Neurospora such as N. sitophila, known under the anamorphic names of Chrysonilia sitophila or Monilia sitophila. Your second photo seems to show intact conidiophores. When you make a mount of N. sitophila the conidial chains separate out into one-celled units. Conidiogenesis is blastic with the youngest conidium at the apex of the chain.
Your friend should probably not worry about sterilizing the coffee maker but perhaps might discard the bags before the fungi find them.
Dave
This may be a species of Neurospora such as N. sitophila, known under the anamorphic names of Chrysonilia sitophila or Monilia sitophila. Your second photo seems to show intact conidiophores. When you make a mount of N. sitophila the conidial chains separate out into one-celled units. Conidiogenesis is blastic with the youngest conidium at the apex of the chain.
Your friend should probably not worry about sterilizing the coffee maker but perhaps might discard the bags before the fungi find them.
Dave
Stephen Martin,
09-12-2017 19:06
Re : Yeast (Saccharomycodaceae?) from used coffee filter bags
Dave thank very much you for your input - greatly appreciated!!! You are absolutely right, I was deceived but the yeast-like budding but hopefully I would not be deceived again by this genus!
http://old.vscht.cz/obsah/fakulty/fpbt/ostatni/miniatlas/images/plisne/mikro/Chrysonilia%20sitophila%20CCF%2018%20mikro.jpg
The link above shows the similarity of this Neurospora. I have inoculated it on PDA and maybe I can analyse better the conidiogenesis apparatus.
Just a question: Within the salmon-pink mass, there are white filamentous branching structures - do you these are immature structures of the same species or a second species?
http://old.vscht.cz/obsah/fakulty/fpbt/ostatni/miniatlas/images/plisne/mikro/Chrysonilia%20sitophila%20CCF%2018%20mikro.jpg
The link above shows the similarity of this Neurospora. I have inoculated it on PDA and maybe I can analyse better the conidiogenesis apparatus.
Just a question: Within the salmon-pink mass, there are white filamentous branching structures - do you these are immature structures of the same species or a second species?
David Malloch,
09-12-2017 19:25
Re : Yeast (Saccharomycodaceae?) from used coffee filter bags
Perhaps the growth on the coffee filter was a little old. I suspect that the structures you saw are the remains of the conidiophores and conidiogenous cells.
By the way; be careful with those cultures. The conidia of Neurospora sitophila become airbore with the slightest movement of air and can infect all your other cultures. It is a terrible weed that can take over a lab. Most mycologists are reluctant to evem open a plate where they suspect it is growing.
Dave
By the way; be careful with those cultures. The conidia of Neurospora sitophila become airbore with the slightest movement of air and can infect all your other cultures. It is a terrible weed that can take over a lab. Most mycologists are reluctant to evem open a plate where they suspect it is growing.
Dave
Stephen Martin,
09-12-2017 19:34
Re : Neurospora from used coffee filter bags
Yes, they were old filters. I am culturing them at home and we are going to move out in 5 months so contamination is least concern, but then I will not take the plates in my Lab at work. My goal is to try a tape mount maybe I see better intact structures and photograph them.