Investigating the culturable atmospheric fungal and bacterial microbiome in West Texas: implication of dust storms and origins of the air parcels.

ABSTRACT: Individuals often experience ailments such as allergies, asthma and respiratory tract infections throughout the year. Weather reports often include estimations of common allergens that can affect these individuals. To describe the local 'atmospheric microbiome' in Lubbock, Texas, USA, we examined the culturable fungal and bacterial microbiome present in the air on calm and dust storm days using internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, respectively. While some types of airborne fungi were frequently present throughout the year, distinct differences were also observed between calm and dust storm days. We also observed the influence of the origin of air parcels and wind elevation of the air trajectory. The most abundant genera of fungi identified during the study

SUBMITTER: Elmassry MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10117434 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature