Summary: Fungi of the genus Aspergillus are widespread in the environment. Some Aspergillus species, most commonly Aspergillus fumigatus , may lead to a variety of allergic reactions and life‐threatening systemic infections in humans. Invasive aspergillosis occurs primarily in patients with severe immunodeficiency, and has dramatically increased in recent years. There are several factors at play that contribute to aspergillosis, including both fungus and host‐related factors such as strain virulence and host pulmonary structure/immune status, respectively. The environmental tenacity of Aspergilllus , its dominance in diverse microbial communities/habitats, and its ability to navigate the ecophysiological and biophysical challenges of host infection are attributable, in large part, to a robust stress‐tolerance biology and exceptional capacity to generate cell‐available energy. Aspects of its stress metabolism, ecology, interactions with diverse animal hosts, clinical presentations and treatment regimens have been well‐studied over the past years. Here, we synthesize these findings in relation to the way in which some Aspergillus species have become successful opportunistic pathogens of human‐ and other animal hosts. We focus on the biophysical capabilities of Aspergillus pathogens, key aspects of their ecophysiology and the flexibility to undergo a sexual cycle or form cryptic species. Additionally, recent advances in diagnosis of the disease are discussed as well as implications in relation to questions that have yet to be resolved.

Floral nectar of some animal-pollinated plants usually harbours highly adapted yeast communities which can profoundly alter nectar characteristics an

The recent upsurge of interest in the role of floral nectar as a habitat for microorganisms has led to some detailed analyses of nectarivorous yeasts

The taxonomic status of 14 strains of members of the genus Acinetobacter isolated from floral nectar of wild Mediterranean insect-pollinated plants, which did not belong to any previously described species within this genus, was investigated following a polyphasic approach. Confirmation that these strains formed two separate lineages within the genus Acinetobacter was obtained from comparative analysis of the partial sequences of the 16S rRNA gene and the gene encoding the β-subunit of RNA polymerase (rpoB), DNA–DNA reassociation data, determination of the DNA G+C content and physiological tests. The namesAcinetobacter nectarissp. nov. andAcinetobacter boissierisp. nov. are proposed. The type strain ofA. nectarissp. nov. is SAP 763.2^T( = LMG 26958^T = CECT 8127^T) and that ofA. boissierisp. nov. is SAP 284.1^T( = LMG 26959^T = CECT 8128^T).

Flowers offer a wide variety of substrates suitable for fungal growth. However, the mycological study of flowers has only recently begun to be systematically addressed from an ecological point of view. Most research on the topic carried out during the last decade has focused on studying the prevalence and diversity of flower-inhabiting yeasts, describing new species retrieved from floral parts and animal pollinators, and the use of select nectar yeasts as model systems to test ecological hypotheses. In this primer article, we summarize the current state of the art in floral nectar mycology and provide an overview of some research areas that, in our view, still require further attention, such as the influence of fungal volatile organic compounds on the foraging behavior of pollinators and other floral visitors, the analysis of the direct and indirect effects of nectar-inhabiting fungi on the fitness of plants and animals, and the nature and consequences of fungal-bacterial interactions taking place within flowers.