Pathogenic strategies of Pseudogymnoascus destructans during torpor and arousal of hibernating bats

Millions of hibernating bats across North America have died from white-nose syndrome (WNS), an emerging disease caused by a psychrophilic (cold-loving) fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans , that invades their skin. Mechanisms of P. destructans invasion of bat epidermis remain obscure. Guided by our in vivo observations, we modeled hibernation with a newly generated little brown bat ( Myotis lucifugus ) keratinocyte cell line. We uncovered the stealth intracellular lifestyle of P. destructans , which inhibits apoptosis of keratinocytes and spreads through the cells by two epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–dependent mechanisms: active penetration during torpor and induced endocytosis during arousal. Melanin of endocytosed P. destructans blocks endolysosomal maturation, facilitating P. destructans survival and germination after return to torpor. Blockade of EGFR aborts P. destructans entry into keratinocytes.