P1: Geomyces destructans growth characterization and control with UV light and bacterially-produced volatile organic compounds

Geomyces destructans is a newly-discovered ascomycete that is the etiological agent of a deadly epidemic among North American bats. Little is known of its pathology, specifically its pathogenesis. This research seeks to explore in vitro growth characteristics of G. destructans in the presence of six known bacterially-produced VOCs within a contained airspace, to assess possible inhibitory properties. The VOCs used were nonanal, decanal, N-N-dimenthyloctylamine, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, benzaldehyde, and benzothiazole. Characteristics, such as atypical mycelial phenotypes, mycelial pigmentation, and pigmentation of the growth agar were detected with more than one volatile. At 30.0 µl concentrations, five VOCs completely inhibited and one VOC partially inhibited growth, at 3.0 µl concentrations, four VOCs completely inhibited and two VOCs partially inhibited growth, and at 0.3 µl concentrations, five VOCs partially inhibited and one VOC stimulated growth. Initial experiments with short-wave UV light have demonstrated inhibition of conidial germination with as little as 10 seconds exposure at a distance of 1 cm. In addition to these two control methods, anti-G. destructans activity has been demonstrated in shared-airspace experiments with the induced actinomycete, Rhodococcus rhodochrous DAP 96253.