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Pianalto KM, Telzrow CL, Brown Harding H, Brooks JT, Granek JA, Gushiken-Ibañez E, LeibundGut-Landmann S, Heitman J, Ianiri G, Alspaugh JA. Malassezia responds to environmental pH signals through the conserved Rim/Pal pathway. mBio 2024:e0206024. [PMID: 39189745 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02060-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
During mammalian colonization and infection, microorganisms must be able to rapidly sense and adapt to changing environmental conditions including alterations in extracellular pH. The fungus-specific Rim/Pal signaling pathway is one process that supports microbial adaptation to alkaline pH. This cascading series of interacting proteins terminates in the proteolytic activation of the highly conserved Rim101/PacC protein, a transcription factor that mediates microbial responses that favor survival in neutral/alkaline pH growth conditions, including many mammalian tissues. We identified the putative Rim pathway proteins Rim101 and Rra1 in the human skin colonizing fungus Malassezia sympodialis. Gene deletion by transconjugation and homologous recombination revealed that Rim101 and Rra1 are required for M. sympodialis growth at higher pH. In addition, comparative transcriptional analysis of the mutant strains compared to wild-type suggested mechanisms for fungal adaptation to alkaline conditions. These pH-sensing signaling proteins are required for optimal growth in a murine model of atopic dermatitis, a pathological condition associated with increased skin pH. Together, these data elucidate both conserved and phylum-specific features of microbial adaptation to extracellular stresses.IMPORTANCEThe ability to adapt to host pH has been previously associated with microbial virulence in several pathogenic fungal species. Here we demonstrate that a fungal-specific alkaline response pathway is conserved in the human skin commensal fungus Malassezia sympodialis (Ms). This pathway is characterized by the pH-dependent activation of the Rim101/PacC transcription factor that controls cell surface adaptations to changing environmental conditions. By disrupting genes encoding two predicted components of this pathway, we demonstrated that the Rim/Pal pathway is conserved in this fungal species as a facilitator of alkaline pH growth. Moreover, targeted gene mutation and comparative transcriptional analysis support the role of the Ms Rra1 protein as a cell surface pH sensor conserved within the basidiomycete fungi, a group including plant and human pathogens. Using an animal model of atopic dermatitis, we demonstrate the importance of Ms Rim/Pal signaling in this common inflammatory condition characterized by increased skin pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaila M Pianalto
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Calla L Telzrow
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hannah Brown Harding
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jacob T Brooks
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joshua A Granek
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Eduardo Gushiken-Ibañez
- Section of Immunology at Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Salomé LeibundGut-Landmann
- Section of Immunology at Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - J Andrew Alspaugh
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Pianalto KM, Telzrow CL, Harding HB, Brooks JT, Granek JA, Gushiken-Ibañez E, LeibundGut-Landmann S, Heitman J, Ianiri G, Alspaugh JA. Malassezia responds to environmental pH signals through the conserved Rim/Pal pathway. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.11.603086. [PMID: 39026808 PMCID: PMC11257548 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.11.603086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
During mammalian colonization and infection, microorganisms must be able to rapidly sense and adapt to changing environmental conditions including alterations in extracellular pH. The fungus-specific Rim/Pal signaling pathway is one process that supports microbial adaptation to alkaline pH. This cascading series of interacting proteins terminates in the proteolytic activation of the highly conserved Rim101/PacC protein, a transcription factor that mediates microbial responses that favor survival in neutral/alkaline pH growth conditions, including many mammalian tissues. We identified the putative Rim pathway proteins Rim101 and Rra1 in the human skin colonizing fungus Malassezia sympodialis. Gene deletion by transconjugation and homologous recombination revealed that Rim101 and Rra1 are required for M. sympodialis growth at higher pH. Additionally, comparative transcriptional analysis of the mutant strains compared to wild-type suggested mechanisms for fungal adaptation to alkaline conditions. These pH-sensing signaling proteins are required for optimal growth in a murine model of atopic dermatitis, a pathological condition associated with increased skin pH. Together these data elucidate both conserved and phylum-specific features of microbial adaptation to extracellular stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaila M. Pianalto
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Calla L. Telzrow
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Hannah Brown Harding
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jacob T. Brooks
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Joshua A. Granek
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Eduardo Gushiken-Ibañez
- Section of Immunology at Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Salomé LeibundGut-Landmann
- Section of Immunology at Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Università degli Studi del Molise, Italy
| | - J. Andrew Alspaugh
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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Martínez-Soto D, García-Ortega LF, Guzmán-Rincón A, Ortiz-Castellanos L, León-Ramírez CG. Conservation of the Pal/Rim Pathway in Ustilaginomycetes. Curr Microbiol 2024; 81:173. [PMID: 38750329 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-024-03696-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The ability of fungi to effectively sense and internalize signals related to extracellular changing environments is essential for survival. This adaptability is particularly important for fungal pathogens of humans and plants that must sense and respond to drastic environmental changes when colonizing their hosts. One of the most important physicochemical factors affecting fungal growth and development is the pH. Ascomycota fungal species possess mechanisms such as the Pal/Rim pathway for external pH sensing and adaptation. However, the conservation of this mechanism in other fungi, such as Ustilaginomycetes is still little studied. To overcome this knowledge gap, we used a comparative genomic approach to explore the conservation of the Pal/Rim pathway in the 13 best sequenced and annotated Ustilaginomycetes. Our findings reveal that the Rim proteins and the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) proteins are conserved in Ustilaginomycetes. They conserve the canonical domains present in Pal/Rim and ESCRT proteins of Ascomycota. This study sheds light on the molecular mechanisms used by these fungi for responding to extracellular stresses such as the pH, and open the door to further experimentations for understanding the molecular bases of the signaling in Ustilaginomycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo Martínez-Soto
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada 3918, Zona Playitas, 22860, Ensenada, BC, Mexico.
| | - Luis F García-Ortega
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Km 9.6, Libramiento Norte, Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Andrés Guzmán-Rincón
- Bioingenieria, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Carretera Transpeninsular Ensenada-Tijuana 3917, Zona Playitas, 22860, Ensenada, BC, Mexico
| | - Lucila Ortiz-Castellanos
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Km 9.6, Libramiento Norte, Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Claudia G León-Ramírez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Km 9.6, Libramiento Norte, Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
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Recent Advances on the Production of Itaconic Acid via the Fermentation and Metabolic Engineering. FERMENTATION 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/fermentation9010071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Itaconic acid (ITA) is one of the top 12 platform chemicals. The global ITA market is expanding due to the rising demand for bio-based unsaturated polyester resin and its non-toxic qualities. Although bioconversion using microbes is the main approach in the current industrial production of ITA, ecological production of bio-based ITA faces several issues due to: low production efficiency, the difficulty to employ inexpensive raw materials, and high manufacturing costs. As metabolic engineering advances, the engineering of microorganisms offers a novel strategy for the promotion of ITA bio-production. In this review, the most recent developments in the production of ITA through fermentation and metabolic engineering are compiled from a variety of perspectives, including the identification of the ITA synthesis pathway, the metabolic engineering of natural ITA producers, the design and construction of the ITA synthesis pathway in model chassis, and the creation, as well as application, of new metabolic engineering strategies in ITA production. The challenges encountered in the bio-production of ITA in microbial cell factories are discussed, and some suggestions for future study are also proposed, which it is hoped offers insightful views to promote the cost-efficient and sustainable industrial production of ITA.
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Zou M, Xin B, Sun X, Lin R, Lu J, Qi J, Xie B, Cheng X. URA3 as a Selectable Marker for Disruption and Functional Assessment of PacC Gene in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Isaria javanica. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9010092. [PMID: 36675913 PMCID: PMC9860623 DOI: 10.3390/jof9010092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
An effective selection marker is necessary for genetic engineering and functional genomics research in the post-genomic era. Isaria javanica is an important entomopathogenic fungus with a broad host range and prospective biocontrol potentials. Given that no antibiotic marker is available currently in this fungus, developing an effective selection marker is necessary. In this study, by applying overlap PCR and split-marker deletion strategy, combining PEG-mediated protoplasm transformation method, the uridine auxotrophy gene (ura3) in the I. javanica genome was knocked out. Then, using this transformation system, the pH response transcription factor gene (IjpacC) was disrupted successfully. Loss of IjpacC gene results in an obvious decrease in conidial production, but little impact on mycelial growth. The virulence of the ΔIjpacC mutant on caterpillars is similar to that of the wild-type strain. RT-qPCR detection shows that expression level of an acidic-expressed S53 gene (IF1G_06234) in ΔIjpacC mutant is more significantly upregulated than in the wild-type strain during the fungal infection on caterpillars. Our results indicate that a markerless transformation system based upon complementation of uridine auxotrophy is successfully developed in I. javanica, which is useful for exploring gene function and for genetic engineering to enhance biological control potential of the fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manling Zou
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Bei Xin
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xin Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Runmao Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Junru Lu
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jing Qi
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Bingyan Xie
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- Correspondence: (B.X.); (X.C.); Tel.: +86-10-82109546 (B.X.); +86-10-58809696 (X.C.)
| | - Xinyue Cheng
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Beijing 100080, China
- Correspondence: (B.X.); (X.C.); Tel.: +86-10-82109546 (B.X.); +86-10-58809696 (X.C.)
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Wang PA, Zhang JM, Zhong JJ. CRISPR-Cas9 assisted in-situ complementation of functional genes in the basidiomycete Ganoderma lucidum. Process Biochem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2022.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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John E, Singh KB, Oliver RP, Tan K. Transcription factor control of virulence in phytopathogenic fungi. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2021; 22:858-881. [PMID: 33973705 PMCID: PMC8232033 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Plant-pathogenic fungi are a significant threat to economic and food security worldwide. Novel protection strategies are required and therefore it is critical we understand the mechanisms by which these pathogens cause disease. Virulence factors and pathogenicity genes have been identified, but in many cases their roles remain elusive. It is becoming increasingly clear that gene regulation is vital to enable plant infection and transcription factors play an essential role. Efforts to determine their regulatory functions in plant-pathogenic fungi have expanded since the annotation of fungal genomes revealed the ubiquity of transcription factors from a broad range of families. This review establishes the significance of transcription factors as regulatory elements in plant-pathogenic fungi and provides a systematic overview of those that have been functionally characterized. Detailed analysis is provided on regulators from well-characterized families controlling various aspects of fungal metabolism, development, stress tolerance, and the production of virulence factors such as effectors and secondary metabolites. This covers conserved transcription factors with either specialized or nonspecialized roles, as well as recently identified regulators targeting key virulence pathways. Fundamental knowledge of transcription factor regulation in plant-pathogenic fungi provides avenues to identify novel virulence factors and improve our understanding of the regulatory networks linked to pathogen evolution, while transcription factors can themselves be specifically targeted for disease control. Areas requiring further insight regarding the molecular mechanisms and/or specific classes of transcription factors are identified, and direction for future investigation is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan John
- Centre for Crop and Disease ManagementCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Karam B. Singh
- Agriculture and FoodCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationFloreatWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Richard P. Oliver
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Kar‐Chun Tan
- Centre for Crop and Disease ManagementCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
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The pH-Responsive Transcription Factors YlRim101 and Mhy1 Regulate Alkaline pH-Induced Filamentation in the Dimorphic Yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. mSphere 2021; 6:6/3/e00179-21. [PMID: 34011684 PMCID: PMC8265631 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00179-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental pH influences cell growth and differentiation. In the dimorphic yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, neutral-alkaline pH strongly induces the yeast-to-filament transition. However, the regulatory mechanism that governs alkaline pH-induced filamentation has been unclear. Here, we show that the pH-responsive transcription factor Y. lipolytica Rim101 (YlRim101) is a major regulator of alkaline-induced filamentation, since the deletion of YlRIM101 severely impaired filamentation at alkaline pH, whereas the constitutively active YlRIM1011-330 mutant mildly induced filamentation at acidic pH. YlRim101 controls the expression of the majority of alkaline-regulated cell wall protein genes. One of these, the cell surface glycosidase gene YlPHR1, plays a critical role in growth, cell wall function, and filamentation at alkaline pH. This finding suggests that YlRim101 promotes filamentation at alkaline pH via controlling the expression of these genes. We also show that, in addition to YlRim101, the Msn2/Msn4-like transcription factor Mhy1 is highly upregulated at alkaline pH and is essential for filamentation. However, unlike YlRim101, which specifically regulates alkaline-induced filamentation, Mhy1 regulates both alkaline- and glucose-induced filamentation, since the deletion of MHY1 abolished them both, whereas the overexpression of MHY1 induced strong filamentation irrespective of the pH or the presence of glucose. Finally, we show that YlRim101 and Mhy1 positively coregulate seven cell wall protein genes at alkaline pH, including YlPHR1 and five cell surface adhesin-like genes, three of which appear to promote filamentation. Together, these results reveal a conserved role of YlRim101 and a novel role of Mhy1 in the regulation of alkaline-induced filamentation in Y. lipolytica IMPORTANCE The regulatory mechanism that governs pH-regulated filamentation is not clear in dimorphic fungi except in Candida albicans Here, we investigated the regulation of alkaline pH-induced filamentation in Yarrowia lipolytica, a dimorphic yeast distantly related to C. albicans Our results show that the transcription factor YlRim101 and the Msn2/Msn4-like transcription factor Mhy1 are the major regulators that promote filamentation at alkaline pH. They control the expression of a number of cell wall protein genes important for cell wall organization and filamentation. Our results suggest that the Rim101/PacC homologs play a conserved role in pH-regulated filamentation in dimorphic fungi.
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Li B, Chen Y, Tian S. Function of pH-dependent transcription factor PacC in regulating development, pathogenicity, and mycotoxin biosynthesis of phytopathogenic fungi. FEBS J 2021; 289:1723-1730. [PMID: 33751796 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
pH, as one of the most important environmental factors, affects various biological processes in pathogenic fungi. Sensing and responding to fluctuations in ambient pH are essential for these fungi to complete their life cycle. Fungi have evolved a complicated and conserved system, the so-called Pal-pH pathway, to regulate genes and adapt to alterations in ambient pH. PacC is the dominant transcription factor in the Pal-pH pathway and regulates various biological processes. The regulatory mode of PacC has been extensively studied in Aspergillus nidulans and is generally conserved in other fungal species, including numerous phytopathogenic fungi. However, species-specific alterations have been reported. This review summarizes recent advances in the regulatory mechanisms of PacC and its role in controlling development, pathogenicity, and mycotoxin biosynthesis in phytopathogenic fungi. Potential applications of these findings and some unresolved questions are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shiping Tian
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Sánchez-Arreguin JA, Ruiz-Herrera J, Mares-Rodriguez FDJ, León-Ramírez CG, Sánchez-Segura L, Zapata-Morín PA, Coronado-Gallegos J, Aréchiga-Carvajal ET. Acid pH Strategy Adaptation through NRG1 in Ustilago maydis. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:91. [PMID: 33525315 PMCID: PMC7912220 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of the Ustilago maydis putative homolog of the transcriptional repressor ScNRG1, previously described in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, was analyzed by means of its mutation. In S. cerevisiae this gene regulates a set of stress-responsive genes, and in C. neoformans it is involved in pathogenesis. It was observed that the U. maydisNRG1 gene regulates several aspects of the cell response to acid pH, such as the production of mannosyl-erythritol lipids, inhibition of the expression of the siderophore cluster genes, filamentous growth, virulence and oxidative stress. A comparison of the gene expression pattern of the wild type strain versus the nrg1 mutant strain of the fungus, through RNA Seq analyses, showed that this transcriptional factor alters the expression of 368 genes when growing at acid pH (205 up-regulated, 163 down-regulated). The most relevant genes affected by NRG1 were those previously reported as the key ones for particular cellular stress responses, such as HOG1 for osmotic stress and RIM101 for alkaline pH. Four of the seven genes included WCO1 codifying PAS domain ( These has been shown as the key structural motif involved in protein-protein interactions of the circadian clock, and it is also a common motif found in signaling proteins, where it functions as a signaling sensor) domains sensors of blue light, two of the three previously reported to encode opsins, one vacuolar and non-pH-responsive, and another one whose role in the acid pH response was already known. It appears that all these light-reactive cell components are possibly involved in membrane potential equilibrium and as virulence sensors. Among previously described specific functions of this transcriptional regulator, it was found to be involved in glucose repression, metabolic adaptation to adverse conditions, cellular transport, cell rescue, defense and interaction with an acidic pH environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Alejandro Sánchez-Arreguin
- Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, 66451 San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Km 9.6, Libramiento Norte, Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - F de Jesus Mares-Rodriguez
- Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, 66451 San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Claudia Geraldine León-Ramírez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Km 9.6, Libramiento Norte, Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Lino Sánchez-Segura
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Km 9.6, Libramiento Norte, Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Patricio Adrián Zapata-Morín
- Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, 66451 San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Jordan Coronado-Gallegos
- Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, 66451 San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Elva Teresa Aréchiga-Carvajal
- Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, 66451 San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico
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High level production of itaconic acid at low pH by Ustilago maydis with fed-batch fermentation. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 2021; 44:749-758. [PMID: 33392747 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-020-02483-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The metabolically engineered plant pathogen Ustilago maydis MB215 Δcyp3 Petefria1 has been cultivated to produce more than 80 g/L itaconate in 16 L scale pH and temperature controlled fermentation, in fed-batch mode with two successive feedings. The effect of pH as well as successive rounds of feeding has been quantified via elemental balances. Volumetric itaconic acid productivity gradually decreased with successive glucose feedings with increasing itaconic titers, with nearly constant product yield. Extracellular pH was decreased from 6 down to 3.5 and the fermentation was characterized in specific uptake, production, and growth rates. Notable is that the biomass composition changes significantly from growth phase to itaconic acid production phase, carbon content increases from 42% to around 62%. Despite the gradual decrease in itaconic acid levels with decreasing pH (nearly 50% decrease in itaconic acid at pH 3.5, compared to pH 6), significant itaconate production is still observed at pH 4 (around 63 g/L). Biomass yield remained nearly constant until pH 4. Taken together, these results strongly illustrate the potential of engineered Ustilago maydis in itaconate production at commercial levels.
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Martínez-Soto D, Ortiz-Castellanos L, Robledo-Briones M, León-Ramírez CG. Molecular Mechanisms Involved in the Multicellular Growth of Ustilaginomycetes. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1072. [PMID: 32708448 PMCID: PMC7409079 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8071072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellularity is defined as the developmental process by which unicellular organisms became pluricellular during the evolution of complex organisms on Earth. This process requires the convergence of genetic, ecological, and environmental factors. In fungi, mycelial and pseudomycelium growth, snowflake phenotype (where daughter cells remain attached to their stem cells after mitosis), and fruiting bodies have been described as models of multicellular structures. Ustilaginomycetes are Basidiomycota fungi, many of which are pathogens of economically important plant species. These fungi usually grow unicellularly as yeasts (sporidia), but also as simple multicellular forms, such as pseudomycelium, multicellular clusters, or mycelium during plant infection and under different environmental conditions: Nitrogen starvation, nutrient starvation, acid culture media, or with fatty acids as a carbon source. Even under specific conditions, Ustilago maydis can form basidiocarps or fruiting bodies that are complex multicellular structures. These fungi conserve an important set of genes and molecular mechanisms involved in their multicellular growth. In this review, we will discuss in-depth the signaling pathways, epigenetic regulation, required polyamines, cell wall synthesis/degradation, polarized cell growth, and other cellular-genetic processes involved in the different types of Ustilaginomycetes multicellular growth. Finally, considering their short life cycle, easy handling in the laboratory and great morphological plasticity, Ustilaginomycetes can be considered as model organisms for studying fungal multicellularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo Martínez-Soto
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Los Reyes, Los Reyes 60300, Mexico
| | - Lucila Ortiz-Castellanos
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato 36821, Mexico; (L.O.-C.); (C.G.L.-R.)
| | - Mariana Robledo-Briones
- Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Salamanca, Spain;
| | - Claudia Geraldine León-Ramírez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato 36821, Mexico; (L.O.-C.); (C.G.L.-R.)
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Cervantes-Montelongo JA, Silva-Martínez GA, Pliego-Arreaga R, Guevara-Olvera L, Ruiz-Herrera J. The UMAG_00031 gene from Ustilago maydis encodes a putative membrane protein involved in pH control and morphogenesis. Arch Microbiol 2020; 202:2221-2232. [PMID: 32529509 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-020-01936-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We report the characterization of the gene UMAG_00031 from Ustilago maydis, previously identified as upregulated at alkaline pH. This gene is located on chromosome 1 and contains an ORF of 1539 bp that encodes a putative protein of 512 amino acids with an MW of 54.8 kDa. The protein is predicted to contain seven transmembrane domains (TMDs) and a signal peptide suggesting that is located in the cell membrane. Null ΔUMAG_00031 mutants were constructed, and their phenotype was analyzed. The mutant displayed a pleiotropic phenotype suggesting its participation in processes of alkaline pH adaptation independent of the Pal/Rim pathway. Also, it was involved in the dimorphic process induced by fatty acids. These results indicate that the protein encoded by the UMAG_00031 gene possibly functions as a receptor of different signals in the cell membrane of the fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Antonio Cervantes-Montelongo
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Tecnológico Nacional de México en Celaya, Ave. Tecnológico y Antonio García Cubas S/N, col. FOVISSSTE, 38010, Celaya, Gto, Mexico
| | | | - Raquel Pliego-Arreaga
- Escuela de Medicina de La Universidad de Celaya, Carretera Panamericana, Rancho Pinto km 269, 38080, Celaya, Gto, Mexico
| | - Lorenzo Guevara-Olvera
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Tecnológico Nacional de México en Celaya, Ave. Tecnológico y Antonio García Cubas S/N, col. FOVISSSTE, 38010, Celaya, Gto, Mexico
| | - José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Apartado Postal 629, 36500, Irapuato, Gto, Mexico.
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da Silva LG, Martins MP, Sanches PR, Peres NTDA, Martinez-Rossi NM, Rossi A. Saline stress affects the pH-dependent regulation of the transcription factor PacC in the dermatophyte Trichophyton interdigitale. Braz J Microbiol 2020; 51:1585-1591. [PMID: 32519213 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00313-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal growth and development depend on adaptation to the particular pH of their environment. Ambient pH sensing implies the activation of the pacC signaling pathway, which then acts as a critical regulator for different physiological conditions. The PacC transcription factor may also be associated with the control of salt stress tolerance. In a pH-dependent manner, salinity stress is surpassed by changes in gene expression and coordinated activation of other signaling pathways, thus permitting survival in the challenging environment. In this study, we assessed the regulatory role of Trichophyton interdigitale PacC in response to pH variation and salinity stress. By employing gene expression analysis, we evaluated the influence of PacC in the modulation of salt stress-related genes, including the transcription factors crz1, egr2, and the MAP kinase hog1 in the dermatophyte T. interdigitale. In our analysis, we also included the evaluation of a potassium/sodium efflux P-type ATPase aiming to identify the role of PacC on its ion pumping activity. Here we demonstrated that salinity stress and buffered pH conditions might affect the pacC gene modulation in the dermatophyte T. interdigitale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Gomes da Silva
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Maíra Pompeu Martins
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Pablo Rodrigo Sanches
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | | | - Nilce Maria Martinez-Rossi
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil.
| | - Antonio Rossi
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
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Ruiz-Herrera J, Pérez-Rodríguez F, Velez-Haro J. The signaling mechanisms involved in the dimorphic phenomenon of the Basidiomycota fungus Ustilago maydis. Int Microbiol 2020; 23:121-126. [PMID: 31915950 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-019-00100-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In the present manuscript, we describe the mechanisms involved in the yeast-to-hypha dimorphic transition of the plant pathogenic Basidiomycota fungus Ustilago maydis. During its life cycle, U. maydis presents two stages: one in the form of haploid saprophytic yeasts that divide by budding and the other that is the product of the mating of sexually compatible yeast cells (sporidia), in the form of mycelial dikaryons that invade the plant host. The occurrence of the involved dimorphic transition is controlled by the two mating loci a and b. In addition, the dimorphic event can be obtained in vitro by different stimuli: change in the pH of the growth medium, use of different carbon sources, and by nitrogen depletion. The presence of other factors and mechanisms may affect this phenomenon; among these, we may cite the PKA and MAPK signal transduction pathways, polyamines, and factors that affect the structure of the nucleosomes. Some of these factors and conditions may affect all these dimorphic events, or they may be specific for only one or more but not all the processes involved. The conclusion reached by these experiments is that U. maydis has constituted a useful model for the analysis of the mechanisms involved in cell differentiation of fungi in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Km. 9.4 Carretera Irapuato-León, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico.
| | - Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Km. 9.4 Carretera Irapuato-León, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - John Velez-Haro
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Km. 9.4 Carretera Irapuato-León, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico.,Instituto Tecnológico de Celaya, Celaya, Gto., Mexico
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Martha-Paz AM, Eide D, Mendoza-Cózatl D, Castro-Guerrero NA, Aréchiga-Carvajal ET. Zinc uptake in the Basidiomycota: Characterization of zinc transporters in Ustilago maydis. Mol Membr Biol 2019; 35:39-50. [PMID: 31617434 PMCID: PMC6816022 DOI: 10.1080/09687688.2019.1667034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
At present, the planet faces a change in the composition and bioavailability of nutrients. Zinc deficiency is a widespread problem throughout the world. It is imperative to understand the mechanisms that organisms use to adapt to the deficiency of this micronutrient. In the Ascomycetes fungi, the ZIP family of proteins is one of the most important for zinc transport and includes high affinity Zrt1p and low zinc affinity Zrt2p transporters. After identification and characterization of ZRT1/ZRT2-like genes in Ustilago maydis we conclude that they encode for high and low zinc affinity transporters, with no apparent iron transport activity. These conclusions were supported by the gene deletion in Ustilago and the functional characterization of ZRT1/ZRT2-like genes by measuring the intracellular zinc content over a range of zinc availability. The functional complementation of the S. cerevisiae ZRT1Δ ZRT2Δ mutant with U. maydis genes supports this as well. U. maydis ZRT2 gene, was found to be regulated by pH through Rim101 pathway, thus providing novel insights into how this Basidiomycota fungus can adapt to different levels of Zn availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana M. Martha-Paz
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, LMYF, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Unidad C. Av. Universidad S/N Cd. Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León. México. C.P. 66451
| | - David Eide
- University of Wisconsin-Madison. Department of Nutritional Sciences. 1415 Linden Drive, Madison WI, USA 53706
| | - David Mendoza-Cózatl
- Division of Plant Sciences, C.S. Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA 65211
| | - Norma A. Castro-Guerrero
- Division of Plant Sciences, C.S. Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA 65211
| | - Elva T. Aréchiga-Carvajal
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, LMYF, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Unidad C. Av. Universidad S/N Cd. Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León. México. C.P. 66451
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Hu Y, Lian L, Xia J, Hu S, Xu W, Zhu J, Ren A, Shi L, Zhao MW. Influence of PacC on the environmental stress adaptability and cell wall components of Ganoderma lucidum. Microbiol Res 2019; 230:126348. [PMID: 31639624 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2019.126348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor PacC/Rim101 participates in environmental pH adaptation, development and secondary metabolism in many fungi, but whether PacC/Rim101 contributes to fungal adaptation to environmental stress remains unclear. In our previous study, a homologous gene of PacC/Rim101 was identified, and PacC-silenced strains of the agaricomycete Ganoderma lucidum were constructed. In this study, we further investigated the functions of PacC in G. lucidum and found that PacC-silenced strains were hypersensitive to environmental stresses, such as osmotic stress, oxidative stress and cell wall stress, compared with wild-type (WT) and empty-vector control (CK) strains. In addition, transmission electron microscopy images of the cell wall structure showed that the cell walls of the PacC-silenced strains were thinner (by approximately 25-30%) than those of the WT and CK strains. Further analysis of cell wall composition showed that the β-1,3-glucan content in the PacC-silenced strains was only approximately 78-80% of that in the WT strain, and the changes in β-1,3-glucan content were consistent with downregulation of glucan synthase gene expression. The ability of PacC to bind to the promoters of glucan synthase-encoding genes confirms that PacC transcriptionally regulates these genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanru Hu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingdan Lian
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiale Xia
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Shishan Hu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenzhao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Ang Ren
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Shi
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Wen Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China.
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MaPacC, a pH-responsive transcription factor, negatively regulates thermotolerance and contributes to conidiation and virulence in Metarhizium acridum. Curr Genet 2019; 66:397-408. [DOI: 10.1007/s00294-019-01032-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Snyman C, Theron LW, Divol B. Understanding the regulation of extracellular protease gene expression in fungi: a key step towards their biotechnological applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:5517-5532. [PMID: 31129742 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09902-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The secretion of proteases by certain species of yeast and filamentous fungi is of importance not only for their biological function and survival, but also for their biotechnological application to various processes in the food, beverage, and bioprocessing industries. A key step towards understanding the role that these organisms play in their environment, and how their protease-secreting ability may be optimally utilised through industrial applications, involves an evaluation of those factors which influence protease production. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the findings from investigations directed at elucidating the regulatory mechanisms underlying extracellular protease secretion in yeast and filamentous fungi, and the environmental stimuli that elicit these responses. The influence of nitrogen-, carbon-, and sulphur-containing compounds, as well as proteins, temperature, and pH, on extracellular protease regulation, which is frequently exerted at the transcriptional level, is discussed in particular depth. Protease-secreting organisms of biotechnological interest are also presented in this context, in an effort to explore the areas of industrial significance that could possibly benefit from such knowledge. In this way, the establishment of a platform of existing knowledge regarding fungal protease regulation is attempted, with the particular goal of aiding in the practical application of these organisms to processes that require secretion of this enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Snyman
- Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Institute for Wine Biotechnology, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - L W Theron
- Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Institute for Wine Biotechnology, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - B Divol
- Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Institute for Wine Biotechnology, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
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Cervantes-Montelongo JA, Ruiz-Herrera J. Identification of a novel member of the pH responsive pathway Pal/Rim in Ustilago maydis. J Basic Microbiol 2018; 59:14-23. [PMID: 30357888 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201800180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The most important signal transduction mechanism related to environmental pH responses in fungi is the Pal/Rim pathway. Our knowledge of this pathway came initially from studies on Ascomycota species where it is made by seven members divided into two complexes, one located at the plasma membrane, and other at the endosomal membrane. In Basidiomycota sepecies only the homologs of the endosomal membrane complex (genes PalA/Rim20, PalB/ Rim13, and PalC/ Rim23), plus the transcription factor PacC/Rim101 have been identified. In this study, we describe the identification in Ustilago maydis of a gene encoding a Rho-like protein (tentatively named RHO4) as a novel member of this pathway. The RHO4 gene possibly plays, among other functions, a role in the second proteolytic cleavage that leads to the activation of the transcription factor PacC/Rim101. Mutants in this gene showed a pleiotropic phenotype, displaying similar characteristics to the Pal/Rim mutants, such as a lower growth rate at alkaline pH, high sensitivity to ionic and osmotic stresses, and impairment in protease secretion, but no alteration of the yeast-to-mycelium dimorphic transition induced by acid pH whereas it has a function in the dimorphic transition induced by fatty acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A Cervantes-Montelongo
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato Gto., México
| | - José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato Gto., México
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Wu Y, Yin Z, Xu L, Feng H, Huang L. VmPacC Is Required for Acidification and Virulence in Valsa mali. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1981. [PMID: 30190714 PMCID: PMC6115506 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of the transcription factor PacC has been characterised in several pathogenic fungi, and it affects virulence via several mechanisms. In this study, we examined the role of the PacC homolog VmPacC in Valsa mali, the causal agent of apple canker disease. We found that the expression of VmPacC was up-regulated in neutral and alkaline pH and during infection. At pH 6–10, the radial growth of a VmPacC deletion mutant decreased compared to wild-type. In addition, the sensitivity to oxidative stress of the VmPacC deletion mutant was impaired, as its growth was more severely inhibited by H2O2 than that of the wild-type. The lesion size caused by the VmPacC deletion mutant was smaller than that of the wild-type on apple leaves and twigs. Interestingly, expression of pectinase genes increased in deletion mutant during infection. To further confirm the negative regulation, we generated dominant activated C-27 allele mutants that constitutively express VmPacC. The pectinase activity of activated mutants was reduced at pH 4. We further observed that V. mali can acidify the pH during infection, and that the capacity for acidification was impaired after VmPacC deletion. Furthermore, VmPacC is involved in the generation of citric acid, which affects virulence. These results indicate that VmPacC is part of the fungal responses to neutral and alkaline pH and oxidative stress. More importantly, VmPacC is required for acidification of its environment and for full virulence in V. mali.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Zhiyuan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Liangsheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Hao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Lili Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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Virgilio S, Bertolini MC. Functional diversity in the pH signaling pathway: an overview of the pathway regulation in Neurospora crassa. Curr Genet 2017; 64:529-534. [DOI: 10.1007/s00294-017-0772-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Cervantes-Montelongo JA, Aréchiga-Carvajal ET, Ruiz-Herrera J. Adaptation ofUstilago maydisto extreme pH values: A transcriptomic analysis. J Basic Microbiol 2016; 56:1222-1233. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201600130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Antonio Cervantes-Montelongo
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato Gto. México
| | - Elva Teresa Aréchiga-Carvajal
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología; Unidad de Manipulación Genética, San Nicolás de los Garza; Nuevo León México
| | - José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato Gto. México
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McCotter SW, Horianopoulos LC, Kronstad JW. Regulation of the fungal secretome. Curr Genet 2016; 62:533-45. [DOI: 10.1007/s00294-016-0578-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2016] [Revised: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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25
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Molecular and cellular analysis of the pH response transcription factor PacC in the fungal symbiont Epichloë festucae. Fungal Genet Biol 2015; 85:25-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2015.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Revised: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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26
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Bussink HJ, Bignell EM, Múnera-Huertas T, Lucena-Agell D, Scazzocchio C, Espeso EA, Bertuzzi M, Rudnicka J, Negrete-Urtasun S, Peñas-Parilla MM, Rainbow L, Peñalva MÁ, Arst HN, Tilburn J. Refining the pH response in Aspergillus nidulans: a modulatory triad involving PacX, a novel zinc binuclear cluster protein. Mol Microbiol 2015; 98:1051-72. [PMID: 26303777 PMCID: PMC4832277 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The Aspergillus nidulans PacC transcription factor mediates gene regulation in response to alkaline ambient pH which, signalled by the Pal pathway, results in the processing of PacC72 to PacC27 via PacC53. Here we investigate two levels at which the pH regulatory system is transcriptionally moderated by pH and identify and characterise a new component of the pH regulatory machinery, PacX. Transcript level analysis and overexpression studies demonstrate that repression of acid‐expressed palF, specifying the Pal pathway arrestin, probably by PacC27 and/or PacC53, prevents an escalating alkaline pH response. Transcript analyses using a reporter and constitutively expressed pacC
trans‐alleles show that pacC preferential alkaline‐expression results from derepression by depletion of the acid‐prevalent PacC72 form. We additionally show that pacC repression requires PacX. pacX mutations suppress PacC processing recalcitrant mutations, in part, through derepressed PacC levels resulting in traces of PacC27 formed by pH‐independent proteolysis. pacX was cloned by impala transposon mutagenesis. PacX, with homologues within the Leotiomyceta, has an unusual structure with an amino‐terminal coiled‐coil and a carboxy‐terminal zinc binuclear cluster. pacX mutations indicate the importance of these regions. One mutation, an unprecedented finding in A. nidulans genetics, resulted from an insertion of an endogenous Fot1‐like transposon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henk-Jan Bussink
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Elaine M Bignell
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.,Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Institute for Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, 46 Grafton Street, Manchester, M13 9NT, UK
| | - Tatiana Múnera-Huertas
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Daniel Lucena-Agell
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Claudio Scazzocchio
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.,Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Eduardo A Espeso
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Margherita Bertuzzi
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Institute for Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, 46 Grafton Street, Manchester, M13 9NT, UK
| | - Joanna Rudnicka
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Susana Negrete-Urtasun
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Maria M Peñas-Parilla
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Lynne Rainbow
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Miguel Á Peñalva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Herbert N Arst
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Joan Tilburn
- Section of Microbiology, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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Choi J, Jung WH, Kronstad JW. The cAMP/protein kinase A signaling pathway in pathogenic basidiomycete fungi: Connections with iron homeostasis. J Microbiol 2015; 53:579-87. [PMID: 26231374 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-015-5247-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 07/03/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A number of pathogenic species of basidiomycete fungi are either life-threatening pathogens of humans or major economic pests for crop production. Sensing the host is a key aspect of pathogen proliferation during disease, and signal transduction pathways are critically important for detecting environmental conditions and facilitating adaptation. This review focuses on the contributions of the cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway in Cryptococcus neoformans, a species that causes meningitis in humans, and Ustilago maydis, a model phytopathogen that causes a smut disease on maize. Environmental sensing by the cAMP/PKA pathway regulates the production of key virulence traits in C. neoformans including the polysaccharide capsule and melanin. For U. maydis, the pathway controls the dimorphic transition from budding growth to the filamentous cell type required for proliferation in plant tissue. We discuss recent advances in identifying new components of the cAMP/PKA pathway in these pathogens and highlight an emerging theme that pathway signaling influences iron acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehyuk Choi
- Division of Life Sciences, and Culture Collection and DNA Bank of Mushrooms, Incheon National University, Incheon, 406-772, Republic of Korea
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Martínez-Soto D, González-Prieto JM, Ruiz-Herrera J. Transcriptomic analysis of the GCN5 gene reveals mechanisms of the epigenetic regulation of virulence and morphogenesis in Ustilago maydis. FEMS Yeast Res 2015; 15:fov055. [PMID: 26126523 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/fov055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin in the eukaryotic nucleus is highly organized in the form of nucleosomes where histones wrap DNA. This structure may be altered by some chemical modifications of histones, one of them, acetylation by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) that originates relaxation of the nucleosome structure, providing access to different transcription factors and other effectors. In this way, HATs regulate cellular processes including DNA replication, and gene transcription. Previously, we isolated Ustilago maydis mutants deficient in the GCN5 HAT that are avirulent, and grow constitutively as mycelium. In this work, we proceeded to identify the genes differentially regulated by GCN5, comparing the transcriptomes of the mutant and the wild type using microarrays, to analyse the epigenetic control of virulence and morphogenesis. We identified 1203 genes, 574 positively and 629 negatively regulated in the wild type. We found that genes belonging to different categories involved in pathogenesis were downregulated in the mutant, and that genes involved in mycelial growth were negatively regulated in the wild type, offering a working hypothesis on the epigenetic control of virulence and morphogenesis of U. maydis. Interestingly, several differentially regulated genes appeared in clusters, suggesting a common regulation. Some of these belonged to pathogenesis or secondary metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo Martínez-Soto
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 36500 Irapuato, Gto., México
| | - Juan Manuel González-Prieto
- Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Biotecnologia Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710 Reynosa, Tam., México
| | - José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 36500 Irapuato, Gto., México
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Ost KS, O’Meara TR, Huda N, Esher SK, Alspaugh JA. The Cryptococcus neoformans alkaline response pathway: identification of a novel rim pathway activator. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005159. [PMID: 25859664 PMCID: PMC4393102 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The Rim101/PacC transcription factor acts in a fungal-specific signaling pathway responsible for sensing extracellular pH signals. First characterized in ascomycete fungi such as Aspergillus nidulans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Rim/Pal pathway maintains conserved features among very distantly related fungi, where it coordinates cellular adaptation to alkaline pH signals and micronutrient deprivation. However, it also directs species-specific functions in fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans, where it controls surface capsule expression. Moreover, disruption of the Rim pathway central transcription factor, Rim101, results in a strain that causes a hyper-inflammatory response in animal infection models. Using targeted gene deletions, we demonstrate that several genes encoding components of the classical Rim/Pal pathway are present in the C. neoformans genome. Many of these genes are in fact required for Rim101 activation, including members of the ESCRT complex (Vps23 and Snf7), ESCRT-interacting proteins (Rim20 and Rim23), and the predicted Rim13 protease. We demonstrate that in neutral/alkaline pH, Rim23 is recruited to punctate regions on the plasma membrane. This change in Rim23 localization requires upstream ESCRT complex components but does not require other Rim101 proteolysis components, such as Rim20 or Rim13. Using a forward genetics screen, we identified the RRA1 gene encoding a novel membrane protein that is also required for Rim101 protein activation and, like the ESCRT complex, is functionally upstream of Rim23-membrane localization. Homologs of RRA1 are present in other Cryptococcus species as well as other basidiomycetes, but closely related genes are not present in ascomycetes. These findings suggest that major branches of the fungal Kingdom developed different mechanisms to sense and respond to very elemental extracellular signals such as changing pH levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyla S. Ost
- Departments of Medicine/ Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Teresa R. O’Meara
- Departments of Medicine/ Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Naureen Huda
- Departments of Medicine/ Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Shannon K. Esher
- Departments of Medicine/ Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - J. Andrew Alspaugh
- Departments of Medicine/ Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Martínez-Soto D, Ruiz-Herrera J. Regulation of the expression of the whole genome of Ustilago maydis by a MAPK pathway. Arch Microbiol 2015; 197:575-88. [PMID: 25666931 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-015-1087-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 12/07/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The operation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathways is one of the most important mechanisms for the transfer of extracellular information into the cell. These pathways are highly conserved in eukaryotic organisms. In fungi, MAPK pathways are involved in the regulation of a number of cellular processes such as metabolism, homeostasis, pathogenesis and cell differentiation and morphogenesis. Considering the importance of pathways, in the present work we proceeded to identify all the genes that are regulated by the signal transduction pathway involved in mating, pathogenesis and morphogenesis of Ustilago maydis. Accordingly we made a comparison between the transcriptomes from a wild-type strain and an Ubc2 mutant affected in the interacting protein of this pathway by use of microarrays. By this methodology, we identified 939 genes regulated directly or indirectly by the MAPK pathway. Of them, 432 were positively, and 507 were negatively found regulated. By functional grouping, genes encoding cyclin-dependent kinases, transcription factors, proteins involved in signal transduction, in synthesis of wall and cell membrane, and involved in dimorphism were identified as differentially regulated. These data reveal the importance of these global studies, and the large (and unsuspected) number of functions of the fungus under the control of this MAPK, providing clues to the possible mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo Martínez-Soto
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico
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Trpac1, a pH response transcription regulator, is involved in cellulase gene expression in Trichoderma reesei. Enzyme Microb Technol 2014; 67:17-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2014.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Abstract
Morphogenesis in fungi is often induced by extracellular factors and executed by fungal genetic factors. Cell surface changes and alterations of the microenvironment often accompany morphogenetic changes in fungi. In this review, we will first discuss the general traits of yeast and hyphal morphotypes and how morphogenesis affects development and adaptation by fungi to their native niches, including host niches. Then we will focus on the molecular machinery responsible for the two most fundamental growth forms, yeast and hyphae. Last, we will describe how fungi incorporate exogenous environmental and host signals together with genetic factors to determine their morphotype and how morphogenesis, in turn, shapes the fungal microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorong Lin
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3258
| | - J Andrew Alspaugh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Haoping Liu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Steven Harris
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588
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Transcriptomic analysis of the role of Rim101/PacC in the adaptation of Ustilago maydis to an alkaline environment. Microbiology (Reading) 2014; 160:1985-1998. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.076216-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alkaline pH triggers an adaptation mechanism in fungi that is mediated by Rim101/PacCp, a zinc finger transcription factor. To identify the genes under its control in Ustilago maydis, we performed microarray analyses, comparing gene expression in a wild-type strain versus a rim101/pacC mutation strain of the fungus. In this study we obtained evidence of the large number of genes regulated mostly directly, but also indirectly (probably through regulation of other transcription factors), by Rim101/PacCp, including proteins involved in a large number of physiological activities of the fungus. Our analyses suggest that the response to alkaline conditions under the control of the Pal/Rim pathway involves changes in the cell wall and plasma membrane through alterations in their lipid, protein and polysaccharide composition, changes in cell polarity, actin cytoskeleton organization, and budding patterns. Also as expected, adaptation involves regulation by Rim101/PacC of genes involved in meiotic functions, such as recombination and segregation, and expression of genes involved in ion and nutrient transport, as well as general vacuole functions.
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Huang W, Shang Y, Chen P, Gao Q, Wang C. MrpacC regulates sporulation, insect cuticle penetration and immune evasion inMetarhizium robertsii. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:994-1008. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology; Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai 200032 China
| | - Yanfang Shang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology; Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai 200032 China
| | - Peilin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology; Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai 200032 China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology; Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai 200032 China
| | - Chengshu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology; Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai 200032 China
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pH signaling in human fungal pathogens: a new target for antifungal strategies. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2014; 13:342-52. [PMID: 24442891 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00313-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Fungi are exposed to broadly fluctuating environmental conditions, to which adaptation is crucial for their survival. An ability to respond to a wide pH range, in particular, allows them to cope with rapid changes in their extracellular settings. PacC/Rim signaling elicits the primary pH response in both model and pathogenic fungi and has been studied in multiple fungal species. In the predominant human pathogenic fungi, namely, Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Cryptococcus neoformans, this pathway is required for many functions associated with pathogenesis and virulence. Aspects of this pathway are fungus specific and do not exist in mammalian cells. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of PacC/Rim-mediated functions and discuss the growing interest in this cascade and its factors as potential drug targets for antifungal strategies. We focus on both conserved and distinctive features in model and pathogenic fungi, highlighting the specificities of PacC/Rim signaling in C. albicans, A. fumigatus, and C. neoformans. We consider the role of this pathway in fungal virulence, including modulation of the host immune response. Finally, as now recognized for other signaling cascades, we highlight the role of pH in adaptation to antifungal drug pressure. By acting on the PacC/Rim pathway, it may therefore be possible (i) to ensure fungal specificity and to limit the side effects of drugs, (ii) to ensure broad-spectrum efficacy, (iii) to attenuate fungal virulence, (iv) to obtain additive or synergistic effects with existing antifungal drugs through tolerance inhibition, and (v) to slow the emergence of resistant mutants.
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The Cryptococcus neoformans Rim101 transcription factor directly regulates genes required for adaptation to the host. Mol Cell Biol 2013; 34:673-84. [PMID: 24324006 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.01359-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Rim101 protein is a conserved pH-responsive transcription factor that mediates important interactions between several fungal pathogens and the infected host. In the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, the Rim101 protein retains conserved functions to allow the microorganism to respond to changes in pH and other host stresses. This coordinated cellular response enables this fungus to effectively evade the host immune response. Preliminary studies suggest that this conserved transcription factor is uniquely regulated in C. neoformans both by the canonical pH-sensing pathway and by the cyclic AMP (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. Here we present comparative transcriptional data that demonstrate a strong concordance between the downstream effectors of PKA and Rim101. To define Rim101-dependent gene expression during a murine lung infection, we used nanoString profiling of lung tissue infected with a wild-type or rim101Δ mutant strain. In this setting, we demonstrated that Rim101 controls the expression of multiple cell wall-biosynthetic genes, likely explaining the enhanced immunogenicity of the rim101Δ mutant. Despite its divergent upstream regulation, the C. neoformans Rim101 protein recognizes a conserved DNA binding motif. Using these data, we identified direct targets of this transcription factor, including genes involved in cell wall regulation. Therefore, the Rim101 protein directly controls cell wall changes required for the adaptation of C. neoformans to its host environment. Moreover, we propose that integration of the cAMP/PKA and pH-sensing pathways allows C. neoformans to respond to a broad range of host-specific signals.
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Daval S, Lebreton L, Gracianne C, Guillerm-Erckelboudt AY, Boutin M, Marchi M, Gazengel K, Sarniguet A. Strain-specific variation in a soilborne phytopathogenic fungus for the expression of genes involved in pH signal transduction pathway, pathogenesis and saprophytic survival in response to environmental pH changes. Fungal Genet Biol 2013; 61:80-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2013.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 09/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Postharvest pathogens can start its attack process immediately after spores land on wounded tissue, whereas other pathogens can forcibly breach the unripe fruit cuticle and then remain quiescent for months until fruit ripens and then cause major losses. RECENT ADVANCES Postharvest fungal pathogens activate their development by secreting organic acids or ammonia that acidify or alkalinize the host ambient surroundings. CRITICAL ISSUES These fungal pH modulations of host environment regulate an arsenal of enzymes to increase fungal pathogenicity. This arsenal includes genes and processes that compromise host defenses, contribute to intracellular signaling, produce cell wall-degrading enzymes, regulate specific transporters, induce redox protectant systems, and generate factors needed by the pathogen to effectively cope with the hostile environment found within the host. Further, evidence is accumulating that the secreted molecules (organic acids and ammonia) are multifunctional and together with effect of the ambient pH, they activate virulence factors and simultaneously hijack the plant defense response and induce program cell death to further enhance their necrotrophic attack. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Global studies of the effect of secreted molecules on fruit pathogen interaction, will determine the importance of these molecules on quiescence release and the initiation of fungal colonization leading to fruit and vegetable losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noam Alkan
- Department of Plant Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Martínez-Soto D, Ruiz-Herrera J. Transcriptomic analysis of the dimorphic transition of Ustilago maydis induced in vitro by a change in pH. Fungal Genet Biol 2013; 58-59:116-25. [PMID: 23994320 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2013.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Dimorphism is the property of fungi to grow as budding yeasts or mycelium, depending on the environmental conditions. This phenomenon is important as a model of differentiation in eukaryotic organisms, and since a large number of fungal diseases are caused by dimorphic fungi, its study is important for practical reasons. In this work, we examined the transcriptome during the dimorphic transition of the basidiomycota phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis using microarrays, utilizing yeast and mycelium monomorphic mutants as controls. This way, we thereby identified 154 genes of the fungus that are specifically involved in the dimorphic transition induced by a pH change. Of these, 82 genes were up-regulated, and 72 were down-regulated. Differential categorization of these genes revealed that they mostly belonged to the classes of metabolism, cell cycle and DNA processing, transcription and protein fate, transport and cellular communication, stress, cell differentiation and biogenesis of cellular components, while a significant number of them corresponded to unclassified proteins. The data reported in this work are important for our understanding of the molecular bases of dimorphism in U. maydis, and possibly of other fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo Martínez-Soto
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico
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Martínez-Soto D, Robledo-Briones AM, Estrada-Luna AA, Ruiz-Herrera J. Transcriptomic analysis of Ustilago maydis infecting Arabidopsis reveals important aspects of the fungus pathogenic mechanisms. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2013; 8:e25059. [PMID: 23733054 PMCID: PMC4005800 DOI: 10.4161/psb.25059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2013] [Revised: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptomic and biochemical analyses of the experimental pathosystem constituted by Ustilago maydis and Arabidopsis thaliana were performed. Haploid or diploid strains of U. maydis inoculated in A. thaliana plantlets grew on the surface and within the plant tissues in the form of mycelium, inducing chlorosis, anthocyanin formation, malformations, necrosis and adventitious roots development, but not teliospores. Symptoms were more severe in plants inoculated with the haploid strain which grew more vigorously than the diploid strain. RNA extracted at different times post-infection was used for hybridization of one-channel microarrays that were analyzed focusing on the fungal genes involved in the general pathogenic process, biogenesis of the fungal cell wall and the secretome. In total, 3,537 and 3,299 genes were differentially expressed in the haploid and diploid strains, respectively. Differentially expressed genes were related to different functional categories and many of them showed a similar regulation occurring in U. maydis infecting maize. Our data suggest that the haploid strain behaves as a necrotrophic pathogen, whereas the diploid behaves as a biotrophic pathogen. The results obtained are evidence of the usefulness of the U. maydis-A. thaliana pathosystem for the analysis of the pathogenic mechanisms of U. maydis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrés A. Estrada-Luna
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética; Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato, Gto México
| | - José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética; Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato, Gto México
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Prusky D, Alkan N, Mengiste T, Fluhr R. Quiescent and necrotrophic lifestyle choice during postharvest disease development. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2013; 51:155-76. [PMID: 23682917 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-082712-102349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Insidious fungal infections by postharvest pathogens remain quiescent during fruit growth until, at a particular phase during fruit ripening and senescence, the pathogens switch to the necrotrophic lifestyle and cause decay. During ripening, fruits undergo physiological processes, such as activation of ethylene biosynthesis, cuticular changes, and cell-wall loosening-changes that are accompanied by a decline of antifungal compounds, both those that are preformed and those that are inducible secondary metabolites. Pathogen infection of the unripe host fruit initiates defensive signal-transduction cascades, culminating in accumulation of antifungal proteins that limit fungal growth and development. In contrast, development of the same pathogens during fruit ripening and storage activates a substantially different signaling network, one that facilitates aggressive fungal colonization. This review focuses on responses induced by the quiescent pathogens of postharvest diseases in unripe host fruits. New genome-scale experimental approaches have begun to delineate the complex and multiple networks of host and pathogen responses activated to maintain or to facilitate the transition from the quiescent to the necrotrophic lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dov Prusky
- Department of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce, ARO, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250 Israel.
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Cho Y, Srivastava A, Ohm RA, Lawrence CB, Wang KH, Grigoriev IV, Marahatta SP. Transcription factor Amr1 induces melanin biosynthesis and suppresses virulence in Alternaria brassicicola. PLoS Pathog 2012; 8:e1002974. [PMID: 23133370 PMCID: PMC3486909 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2012] [Accepted: 08/31/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternaria brassicicola is a successful saprophyte and necrotrophic plant pathogen. Several A. brassicicola genes have been characterized as affecting pathogenesis of Brassica species. To study regulatory mechanisms of pathogenesis, we mined 421 genes in silico encoding putative transcription factors in a machine-annotated, draft genome sequence of A. brassicicola. In this study, targeted gene disruption mutants for 117 of the transcription factor genes were produced and screened. Three of these genes were associated with pathogenesis. Disruption mutants of one gene (AbPacC) were nonpathogenic and another gene (AbVf8) caused lesions less than half the diameter of wild-type lesions. Unexpectedly, mutants of the third gene, Amr1, caused lesions with a two-fold larger diameter than the wild type and complementation mutants. Amr1 is a homolog of Cmr1, a transcription factor that regulates melanin biosynthesis in several fungi. We created gene deletion mutants of Δamr1 and characterized their phenotypes. The Δamr1 mutants used pectin as a carbon source more efficiently than the wild type, were melanin-deficient, and more sensitive to UV light and glucanase digestion. The AMR1 protein was localized in the nuclei of hyphae and in highly melanized conidia during the late stage of plant pathogenesis. RNA-seq analysis revealed that three genes in the melanin biosynthesis pathway, along with the deleted Amr1 gene, were expressed at low levels in the mutants. In contrast, many hydrolytic enzyme-coding genes were expressed at higher levels in the mutants than in the wild type during pathogenesis. The results of this study suggested that a gene important for survival in nature negatively affected virulence, probably by a less efficient use of plant cell-wall materials. We speculate that the functions of the Amr1 gene are important to the success of A. brassicicola as a competitive saprophyte and plant parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangrae Cho
- Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America.
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Fonseca-García C, León-Ramírez CG, Ruiz-Herrera J. The regulation of different metabolic pathways through the Pal/Rim pathway in Ustilago maydis. FEMS Yeast Res 2012; 12:547-56. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2012.00805.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2011] [Revised: 03/20/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Citlali Fonseca-García
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética; Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato; Guanajuato; México
| | - Claudia G. León-Ramírez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética; Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato; Guanajuato; México
| | - José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética; Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato; Guanajuato; México
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Selvig K, Alspaugh JA. pH Response Pathways in Fungi: Adapting to Host-derived and Environmental Signals. MYCOBIOLOGY 2011; 39:249-56. [PMID: 22783112 PMCID: PMC3385132 DOI: 10.5941/myco.2011.39.4.249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2011] [Revised: 11/13/2011] [Accepted: 11/24/2011] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms are significantly affected when the ambient pH of their environment changes. They must therefore be able to sense and respond to these changes in order to survive. Previous investigators have studied various fungal species to define conserved pH-responsive signaling pathways. One of these pathways, known as the Pal/Rim pathway, is activated in response to alkaline pH signals, ultimately targeting the PacC/Rim101 transcription factor. Although the central signaling components are conserved among divergent filamentous and yeast-like fungi, there is some degree of signaling specificity between fungal species. This specificity exists primarily in the downstream transcriptional targets of this pathway, likely allowing differential adaptation to species-specific environmental niches. In this review, the role of the Pal/Rim pathway in fungal pH response is discussed. Also highlighted are functional differences present in this pathway among human fungal pathogens, differences that allow these specialized microorganisms to survive in the various micro-environments of the infected human host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyla Selvig
- Departments of Medicine and Molecular Genetics/Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Fonseca-García C, López MG, Aréchiga-Carvajal ET, Ruiz-Herrera J. A novel polysaccharide secreted by pal/rim mutants of the phytopathogen fungus Ustilago maydis. Carbohydr Polym 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.06.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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46
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Cryptococcal titan cell formation is regulated by G-protein signaling in response to multiple stimuli. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2011; 10:1306-16. [PMID: 21821718 DOI: 10.1128/ec.05179-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The titan cell is a recently described morphological form of the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Occurring during the earliest stages of lung infection, titan cells are 5 to 10 times larger than the normal yeast-like cells, thereby resisting engulfment by lung phagocytes and favoring the persistence of infection. These enlarged cells exhibit an altered capsule structure, a thickened cell wall, increased ploidy, and resistance to nitrosative and oxidative stresses. We demonstrate that two G-protein-coupled receptors are important for induction of the titan cell phenotype: the Ste3a pheromone receptor (in mating type a cells) and the Gpr5 protein. Both receptors control titan cell formation through elements of the cyclic AMP (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. This conserved signaling pathway, in turn, mediates its effect on titan cells through the PKA-regulated Rim101 transcription factor. Additional downstream effectors required for titan cell formation include the G(1) cyclin Pcl103, the Rho104 GTPase, and two GTPase-activating proteins, Gap1 and Cnc1560. These observations support developing models in which the PKA signaling pathway coordinately regulates many virulence-associated phenotypes in diverse human pathogens.
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47
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Blanchin-Roland S. Identical domains of Yarrowia lipolytica Vps23 are required for both ESCRT and Rim pathways, but the latter needs an interaction between the Vps23 UEV domain and Rim8/PalF. FEMS Yeast Res 2011; 11:473-86. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2011.00735.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Shah AN, Cadinu D, Henke RM, Xin X, Dastidar RG, Zhang L. Deletion of a subgroup of ribosome-related genes minimizes hypoxia-induced changes and confers hypoxia tolerance. Physiol Genomics 2011; 43:855-72. [PMID: 21586670 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00232.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia is a widely occurring condition experienced by diverse organisms under numerous physiological and disease conditions. To probe the molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxia responses and tolerance, we performed a genome-wide screen to identify mutants with enhanced hypoxia tolerance in the model eukaryote, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast provides an excellent model for genomic and proteomic studies of hypoxia. We identified five genes whose deletion significantly enhanced hypoxia tolerance. They are RAI1, NSR1, BUD21, RPL20A, and RSM22, all of which encode functions involved in ribosome biogenesis. Further analysis of the deletion mutants showed that they minimized hypoxia-induced changes in polyribosome profiles and protein synthesis. Strikingly, proteomic analysis by using the iTRAQ profiling technology showed that a substantially fewer number of proteins were changed in response to hypoxia in the deletion mutants, compared with the parent strain. Computational analysis of the iTRAQ data indicated that the activities of a group of regulators were regulated by hypoxia in the wild-type parent cells, but such regulation appeared to be diminished in the deletion strains. These results show that the deletion of one of the genes involved in ribosome biogenesis leads to the reversal of hypoxia-induced changes in gene expression and related regulators. They suggest that modifying ribosomal function is an effective mechanism to minimize hypoxia-induced specific protein changes and to confer hypoxia tolerance. These results may have broad implications in understanding hypoxia responses and tolerance in diverse eukaryotes ranging from yeast to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajit N Shah
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, USA
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Wang H, Liang Y, Zhang B, Zheng W, Xing L, Li M. Alkaline stress triggers an immediate calcium fluctuation in Candida albicans mediated by Rim101p and Crz1p transcription factors. FEMS Yeast Res 2011; 11:430-9. [PMID: 21457451 DOI: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2011.00730.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans, environmental pH has profound effects on morphogenesis and response to extracellular pH is clearly relevant to the pathogenicity of this fungus. Yeast cells have evolved a complex network of mechanisms in response to the environmental pH and they often require the integration of the Rim101 and calcineurin/Crz1 signaling pathways. Ca(2+) burst is a common cellular response when cells are exposed to environmental stresses; therefore, in this study, we asked whether it follows the same case under alkaline stress and whether this calcium change is regulated by Rim101p and Crz1p. We confirmed the calcium influx was activated by KOH stimuli using a flow cytometry-based method, but it was obviously abolished in cells lacking MID1 or CCH1. We also found that alkaline pH-induced activation of the PHO89 promoter was blocked without the same gene; moreover, the response was Crz1p- and Rim101p-dependent. Finally, we investigated the regulation role of Rim101p and Crz1p in calcium influx through MID1, CCH1 and YVC1 genes, which were all downregulated in rim101Δ/Δ and crz1Δ/Δ mutants. The important role of calcium influx in the alkaline stress response and its regulation suggested a potential integration effect of Rim101 and Crz1 signaling pathways in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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Sorimachi H, Hata S, Ono Y. Calpain chronicle--an enzyme family under multidisciplinary characterization. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2011; 87:287-327. [PMID: 21670566 PMCID: PMC3153876 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.87.287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2011] [Accepted: 03/04/2011] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Calpain is an intracellular Ca2+-dependent cysteine protease (EC 3.4.22.17; Clan CA, family C02) discovered in 1964. It was also called CANP (Ca2+-activated neutral protease) as well as CASF, CDP, KAF, etc. until 1990. Calpains are found in almost all eukaryotes and a few bacteria, but not in archaebacteria. Calpains have a limited proteolytic activity, and function to transform or modulate their substrates' structures and activities; they are therefore called, "modulator proteases." In the human genome, 15 genes--CAPN1, CAPN2, etc.--encode a calpain-like protease domain. Their products are calpain homologs with divergent structures and various combinations of functional domains, including Ca2+-binding and microtubule-interaction domains. Genetic studies have linked calpain deficiencies to a variety of defects in many different organisms, including lethality, muscular dystrophies, gastropathy, and diabetes. This review of the study of calpains focuses especially on recent findings about their structure-function relationships. These discoveries have been greatly aided by the development of 3D structural studies and genetic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Sorimachi
- Calpain Project, Department of Advanced Science for Biomolecules, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan.
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