Screening Jathinobacterium lividum for Antagonism with Psueudogymnoascus destructans.

Screening Jathinobacterium lividum for antagonism with Psueudogymnoascus destructans. Melis Akkan, Elbin Jacob, Jordyn R. Upton, Christopher T. Cornelison Psueudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) is a fungal pathogen that causes White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) in bats. The pathogen was first found in New York in 2006; by 2016 it had spread across much of North America. WNS disrupts the hibernation cycle, causing bats to wake prematurely and burn through their fat stores. This poses a huge threat, as they rely on torpor and their built-up fat reservoir to make it through the winter season. Researchers and managers alike theorize that there are potential probiotics that could inhibit the fungal load of Pd on bat wings, and reduce disease burden. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a fungal pathogen affecting amphibians, has also undergone extensive studies looking for potential inhibitory probiotics. The isolate being tested against Pd in this research is Jathinobacterium lividum, which has been shown to inhibit Bd in vitro. Through contact-independent testing, I will observe Pd in a shared airspace with Jathinobacterium lividum, to see if it inhibits the growth of Pd over a 37-day period. The results will be used as a possible microbial mitigation