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rPbPga1 from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Activates Mast Cells and Macrophages via NFkB. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0004032. [PMID: 26317855 PMCID: PMC4552726 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is the leading etiological agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a systemic granulomatous disease that typically affects the lungs. Cell wall components of P. brasiliensis interact with host cells and influence the pathogenesis of PCM. In yeast, many glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins are important in the initial contact with the host, mediating host-yeast interactions that culminate with the disease. PbPga1 is a GPI anchored protein located on the surface of the yeast P. brasiliensis that is recognized by sera from PCM patients. Methodology/Principal Findings Endogenous PbPga1 was localized to the surface of P. brasiliensis yeast cells in the lungs of infected mice using a polyclonal anti-rPbPga1 antibody. Furthermore, macrophages stained with anti-CD38 were associated with P. brasiliensis containing granulomas. Additionally, rPbPga1 activated the transcription factor NFkB in the macrophage cell line Raw 264.7 Luc cells, containing the luciferase gene downstream of the NFkB promoter. After 24 h of incubation with rPbPga1, alveolar macrophages from BALB/c mice were stimulated to release TNF-α, IL-4 and NO. Mast cells, identified by toluidine blue staining, were also associated with P. brasiliensis containing granulomas. Co-culture of P. Brasiliensis yeast cells with RBL-2H3 mast cells induced morphological changes on the surface of the mast cells. Furthermore, RBL-2H3 mast cells were degranulated by P. brasiliensis yeast cells, but not by rPbPga1, as determined by the release of beta-hexosaminidase. However, RBL-2H3 cells activated by rPbPga1 released the inflammatory interleukin IL-6 and also activated the transcription factor NFkB in GFP-reporter mast cells. The transcription factor NFAT was not activated when the mast cells were incubated with rPbPga1. Conclusions/Significance The results indicate that PbPga1 may act as a modulator protein in PCM pathogenesis and serve as a useful target for additional studies on the pathogenesis of P. brasiliensis. Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), one of the most prevalent mycoses in Latin America, is caused by the thermodimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. P. brasiliensis is thought to infect the host through the respiratory tract. Cell wall components of P. brasiliensis interact with host cells producing granulomas, thus influencing the pathogenesis of PCM. PbPga1 is an O-glycosylated, GPI-anchored protein that is localized on the yeast cell surface and is up-regulated in the pathogenic yeast form. GPI anchored proteins are involved in cell-cell and cell-tissue adhesion and have a key role in the interaction between fungal and host cells. In the present study, the authors show that both macrophages and mast cells are associated with the P.brasiliensis granulomas. Furthermore, recombinant PbPga1 was able to activate both alveolar macrophages and mast cells via the transcription factor NFkB to release inflammatory mediators. The results of this study indicate that the surface antigen, PbPga1, may play an important role in PCM pathogenesis by activating macrophages and mast cells. Additionally, PbPga1 may be a target for new strategies for detecting and treating PCM.
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202
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Seyedmousavi S, Guillot J, Arné P, de Hoog GS, Mouton JW, Melchers WJG, Verweij PE. Aspergillus and aspergilloses in wild and domestic animals: a global health concern with parallels to human disease. Med Mycol 2015; 53:765-97. [PMID: 26316211 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myv067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of aspergillosis in humans and various animal species has increased over the last decades. Aspergillus species are found worldwide in humans and in almost all domestic animals and birds as well as in many wild species, causing a wide range of diseases from localized infections to fatal disseminated diseases, as well as allergic responses to inhaled conidia. Some prevalent forms of animal aspergillosis are invasive fatal infections in sea fan corals, stonebrood mummification in honey bees, pulmonary and air sac infection in birds, mycotic abortion and mammary gland infections in cattle, guttural pouch mycoses in horses, sinonasal infections in dogs and cats, and invasive pulmonary and cerebral infections in marine mammals and nonhuman primates. This article represents a comprehensive overview of the most common infections reported by Aspergillus species and the corresponding diseases in various types of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedmojtaba Seyedmousavi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, ErasmusMC, the Netherlands Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands Invasive Fungi Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Jacques Guillot
- Department of Parasitology-Mycology, Dynamyc Research Group, EnvA, UPEC, UPE, École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Pascal Arné
- Department of Animal Production, Dynamyc Research Group, EnvA, UPEC, UPE, École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - G Sybren de Hoog
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, the Netherlands, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Peking University Health Science Center, Research Center for Medical Mycology, Beijing, China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, and King Abdullaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Johan W Mouton
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, ErasmusMC, the Netherlands Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Willem J G Melchers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Paul E Verweij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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203
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Engel J, Schmalhorst PS, Krüger AT, Müller CT, Buettner FFR, Routier FH. Characterization of an N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase involved in Aspergillus fumigatus zwitterionic glycoinositolphosphoceramide biosynthesis. Glycobiology 2015; 25:1423-30. [PMID: 26306635 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwv059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycoinositolphosphoceramides (GIPCs) are complex sphingolipids present at the plasma membrane of various eukaryotes with the important exception of mammals. In fungi, these glycosphingolipids commonly contain an α-mannose residue (Man) linked at position 2 of the inositol. However, several pathogenic fungi additionally synthesize zwitterionic GIPCs carrying an α-glucosamine residue (GlcN) at this position. In the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, the GlcNα1,2IPC core (where IPC is inositolphosphoceramide) is elongated to Manα1,3Manα1,6GlcNα1,2IPC, which is the most abundant GIPC synthesized by this fungus. In this study, we identified an A. fumigatus N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase, named GntA, and demonstrate its involvement in the initiation of zwitterionic GIPC biosynthesis. Targeted deletion of the gene encoding GntA in A. fumigatus resulted in complete absence of zwitterionic GIPC; a phenotype that could be reverted by episomal expression of GntA in the mutant. The N-acetylhexosaminyltransferase activity of GntA was substantiated by production of N-acetylhexosamine-IPC in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae upon GntA expression. Using an in vitro assay, GntA was furthermore shown to use UDP-N-acetylglucosamine as donor substrate to generate a glycolipid product resistant to saponification and to digestion by phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C as expected for GlcNAcα1,2IPC. Finally, as the enzymes involved in mannosylation of IPC, GntA was localized to the Golgi apparatus, the site of IPC synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Engel
- Department of Cellular Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Philipp S Schmalhorst
- Department of Cellular Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Anke Tina Krüger
- Department of Cellular Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Christina Theda Müller
- Department of Cellular Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Falk F R Buettner
- Department of Cellular Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Françoise H Routier
- Department of Cellular Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
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204
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Rocha MC, de Godoy KF, de Castro PA, Hori JI, Bom VLP, Brown NA, da Cunha AF, Goldman GH, Malavazi I. The Aspergillus fumigatus pkcA G579R Mutant Is Defective in the Activation of the Cell Wall Integrity Pathway but Is Dispensable for Virulence in a Neutropenic Mouse Infection Model. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135195. [PMID: 26295576 PMCID: PMC4546635 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic human pathogen, which causes the life-threatening disease, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. In fungi, cell wall homeostasis is controlled by the conserved Cell Wall Integrity (CWI) pathway. In A. fumigatus this signaling cascade is partially characterized, but the mechanisms by which it is activated are not fully elucidated. In this study we investigated the role of protein kinase C (PkcA) in this signaling cascade. Our results suggest that pkcA is an essential gene and is activated in response to cell wall stress. Subsequently, we constructed and analyzed a non-essential A. fumigatus pkcAG579R mutant, carrying a Gly579Arg substitution in the PkcA C1B regulatory domain. The pkcAG579R mutation has a reduced activation of the downstream Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase, MpkA, resulting in the altered expression of genes encoding cell wall-related proteins, markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress and the unfolded protein response. Furthermore, PkcAG579R is involved in the formation of proper conidial architecture and protection to oxidative damage. The pkcAG579R mutant elicits increased production of TNF-α and phagocytosis but it has no impact on virulence in a murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. These results highlight the importance of PkcA to the CWI pathway but also indicated that additional regulatory circuits may be involved in the biosynthesis and/or reinforcement of the A. fumigatus cell wall during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Campos Rocha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Krissia Franco de Godoy
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Issa Hori
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Leite Pedro Bom
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Neil Andrew Brown
- Department of Plant Biology and Crop Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, United Kingdom
| | - Anderson Ferreira da Cunha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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205
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Frisvad JC, Larsen TO. Chemodiversity in the genus Aspergillus. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:7859-77. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6839-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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206
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Fischer D, Lierz M. Diagnostic Procedures and Available Techniques for the Diagnosis of Aspergillosis in Birds. J Exot Pet Med 2015. [DOI: 10.1053/j.jepm.2015.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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207
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Emri T, Szarvas V, Orosz E, Antal K, Park H, Han KH, Yu JH, Pócsi I. Core oxidative stress response in Aspergillus nidulans. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:478. [PMID: 26115917 PMCID: PMC4482186 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1705-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The b-Zip transcription factor AtfA plays a key role in regulating stress responses in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. To identify the core regulons of AtfA, we examined genome-wide expression changes caused by various stresses in the presence/absence of AtfA using A. nidulans microarrays. We also intended to address the intriguing question regarding the existence of core environmental stress response in this important model eukaryote. RESULTS Examination of the genome wide expression changes caused by five different oxidative stress conditions in wild type and the atfA null mutant has identified a significant number of stereotypically regulated genes (Core Oxidative Stress Response genes). The deletion of atfA increased the oxidative stress sensitivity of A. nidulans and affected mRNA accumulation of several genes under both unstressed and stressed conditions. The numbers of genes under the AtfA control appear to be specific to a stress-type. We also found that both oxidative and salt stresses induced expression of some secondary metabolite gene clusters and the deletion of atfA enhanced the stress responsiveness of additional clusters. Moreover, certain clusters were down-regulated by the stresses tested. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that the observed co-regulations were most likely consequences of the overlapping physiological effects of the stressors and not of the existence of a general environmental stress response. The function of AtfA in governing various stress responses is much smaller than anticipated and/or other regulators may play a redundant or overlapping role with AtfA. Both stress inducible and stress repressive regulations of secondary metabolism seem to be frequent features in A. nidulans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Emri
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, P.O. Box 63, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Vera Szarvas
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, P.O. Box 63, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Erzsébet Orosz
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, P.O. Box 63, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Károly Antal
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Eszterházy Károly College, Eszterházy út 1, H-3300, Eger, Hungary.
| | - HeeSoo Park
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 1550 Linden Dr, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Kap-Hoon Han
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Woosuk University, 565-701, Wanju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 1550 Linden Dr, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - István Pócsi
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, P.O. Box 63, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
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208
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Maurer E, Browne N, Surlis C, Jukic E, Moser P, Kavanagh K, Lass-Flörl C, Binder U. Galleria mellonella as a host model to study Aspergillus terreus virulence and amphotericin B resistance. Virulence 2015; 6:591-8. [PMID: 26107350 PMCID: PMC4720272 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2015.1045183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate if the alternative in vivo model Galleria mellonella can be used (i) to determine differences in pathogenicity of amphotericin B (AMB) resistant and susceptible A. terreus isolates, (ii) to evaluate AMB efficacy in vivo (iii) and to correlate outcome to in vitro susceptibility data. Larvae were infected with 2 A. terreus AMB resistant (ATR) and 3 AMB susceptible (ATS) isolates and survival rates were correlated to physiological attributes and killing ability of larval haemocytes. Additionally, infected larvae were treated with different concentrations of L-AMB. Haemocyte density were ascertained to evaluate the influence of L-AMB on the larval immune cells. Larvae were sensitive to A. terreus infection in an inoculum-size and temperature dependent manner. In vitro susceptibility to L-AMB correlated with in vivo outcome of antifungal treatment, defining an AMB susceptible strain cluster of A. terreus. Susceptibility to L-AMB increased virulence potential in the larval model, but this increase was also in accordance with faster growth and less damage caused by larval haemocytes. L-AMB treatment primed the larval immune response by increasing haemocyte density. G. mellonella provides a convenient model for the in vivo screening of A. terreus virulence and treatment options, contributing to the generation of a hypothesis that can be further tested in refined experiments in mammalian models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Maurer
- Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology; Medical University of Innsbruck; Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Niall Browne
- Medical Mycology Unit; Department of Biology; Maynooth University; Maynooth; Kildare, Ireland
| | - Carla Surlis
- Medical Mycology Unit; Department of Biology; Maynooth University; Maynooth; Kildare, Ireland
| | - Emina Jukic
- Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology; Medical University of Innsbruck; Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Patrizia Moser
- Department of Pathology; Medical University of Innsbruck; Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Medical Mycology Unit; Department of Biology; Maynooth University; Maynooth; Kildare, Ireland
| | - Cornelia Lass-Flörl
- Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology; Medical University of Innsbruck; Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ulrike Binder
- Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology; Medical University of Innsbruck; Innsbruck, Austria
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209
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Amini F, Kachuei R, Noorbakhsh F, Imani Fooladi A. A multiplex PCR method for detection of Aspergillus spp. and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in BAL specimens. J Mycol Med 2015; 25:e59-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2015.02.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2014] [Revised: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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210
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Genetic Analysis Using an Isogenic Mating Pair of Aspergillus fumigatus Identifies Azole Resistance Genes and Lack of MAT Locus's Role in Virulence. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004834. [PMID: 25909486 PMCID: PMC4409388 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) due to Aspergillus fumigatus is a major cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients. The discovery of highly fertile strains of A. fumigatus opened the possibility to merge classical and contemporary genetics to address key questions about this pathogen. The merger involves sexual recombination, selection of desired traits, and genomics to identify any associated loci. We constructed a highly fertile isogenic pair of A. fumigatus strains with opposite mating types and used them to investigate whether mating type is associated with virulence and to find the genetic loci involved in azole resistance. The pair was made isogenic by 9 successive backcross cycles of the foundational strain AFB62 (MAT1-1) with a highly fertile (MAT1-2) progeny. Genome sequencing showed that the F9MAT1-2 progeny was essentially identical to the AFB62. The survival curves of animals infected with either strain in three different animal models showed no significant difference, suggesting that virulence in A. fumigatus was not associated with mating type. We then employed a relatively inexpensive, yet highly powerful strategy to identify genomic loci associated with azole resistance. We used traditional in vitro drug selection accompanied by classical sexual crosses of azole-sensitive with resistant isogenic strains. The offspring were plated under varying drug concentrations and pools of resulting colonies were analyzed by whole genome sequencing. We found that variants in 5 genes contributed to azole resistance, including mutations in erg11A (cyp51A), as well as multi-drug transporters, erg25, and in HMG-CoA reductase. The results demonstrated that with minimal investment into the sequencing of three pools from a cross of interest, the variation(s) that contribute any phenotype can be identified with nucleotide resolution. This approach can be applied to multiple areas of interest in A. fumigatus or other heterothallic pathogens, especially for virulence associated traits. Invasive aspergillosis (IA) caused by Aspergillus fumigatus is increasing due to medical interventions that suppress the ability of patients’ immune systems to control infections. These invasive lung infections are difficult to diagnose and consequently treatment is frequently not started promptly. Some controversy surrounds the role of mating type in virulence of A. fumigatus and the emergence of azole resistant strains has posed difficult challenges for clinical management of IA. We generated nearly identical A. fumigatus strains with opposite mating types that allowed us to test whether different mating types have different virulence profiles. We found no difference in virulence in three different animal models, which suggests that mating type does not influence virulence. We also took advantage of the essentially identical genomes of both strains to apply classical genetic approaches combined with genomics technologies to identify A. fumigatus genes that contribute to azole resistance. We performed genetic crosses of azole sensitive with azole resistant strains and analyzed the resistance status and genome composition of the offspring. Using this approach we cataloged several genes that were not previously associated with azole resistance. This information will be valuable for finding ways to manage azole resistance in IA patients.
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211
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Hillmann F, Novohradská S, Mattern DJ, Forberger T, Heinekamp T, Westermann M, Winckler T, Brakhage AA. Virulence determinants of the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus protect against soil amoeba predation. Environ Microbiol 2015; 17:2858-69. [PMID: 25684622 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi represent classical examples for environmentally acquired human pathogens whose major virulence mechanisms are likely to have emerged long before the appearance of innate immune systems. In natural habitats, amoeba predation could impose a major selection pressure towards the acquisition of virulence attributes. To test this hypothesis, we exploited the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum to study its interaction with Aspergillus fumigatus, two abundant soil inhabitants for which we found co-occurrence in various sites. Fungal conidia were efficiently taken up by D. discoideum, but ingestion was higher when conidia were devoid of the green fungal spore pigment dihydroxynaphtalene melanin, in line with earlier results obtained for immune cells. Conidia were able to survive phagocytic processing, and intracellular germination was initiated only after several hours of co-incubation which eventually led to a lethal disruption of the host cell. Besides phagocytic interactions, both amoeba and fungus secreted cross inhibitory factors which suppressed fungal growth or induced amoeba aggregation with subsequent cell lysis, respectively. On the fungal side, we identified gliotoxin as the major fungal factor killing Dictyostelium, supporting the idea that major virulence attributes, such as escape from phagocytosis and the secretion of mycotoxins are beneficial to escape from environmental predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Hillmann
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology
| | - Silvia Novohradská
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology
| | - Derek J Mattern
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology
| | - Tilmann Forberger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Thorsten Heinekamp
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology
| | | | - Thomas Winckler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology
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212
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cspA influences biofilm formation and drug resistance in pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:960357. [PMID: 25821832 PMCID: PMC4363613 DOI: 10.1155/2015/960357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The microbial cell wall plays a crucial role in biofilm formation and drug resistance. cspA encodes a repeat-rich glycophosphatidylinositol-anchored cell wall protein in the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. To determine whether cspA has a significant impact on biofilm development and sensitivity to antifungal drugs in A. fumigatus, a ΔcspA mutant was constructed by targeted gene disruption, and we then reconstituted the mutant to wild type by homologous recombination of a functional cspA gene. Deletion of cspA resulted in a rougher conidial surface, reduced biofilm formation, decreased resistance to antifungal agents, and increased internalization by A549 human lung epithelial cells, suggesting that cspA not only participates in maintaining the integrity of the cell wall, but also affects biofilm establishment, drug response, and invasiveness of A. fumigatus.
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213
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Perkhofer S, Zenzmaier C, Frealle E, Blatzer M, Hackl H, Sartori B, Lass-Flörl C. Differential gene expression in Aspergillus fumigatus induced by human platelets in vitro. Int J Med Microbiol 2015; 305:327-38. [PMID: 25661519 PMCID: PMC4415150 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2015.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis is characterized by vascular invasion and thrombosis. In order to determine the antifungal activity of human platelets, hyphal elongation and metabolic activity of a clinical A. fumigatus isolate were measured. Genome-wide identification of differentially expressed genes in A. fumigatus was performed after exposure to platelets for 15, 30, 60 and 180 min. Data were analyzed by gene ontology annotation as well as functional categories (FunCat) and KEGG enrichment analyses. Platelets attenuated hyphal elongation and viability of A. fumigatus and in total 584 differentially expressed genes were identified, many of which were associated with regulation of biological processes, stress response, transport and metabolism. FunCat and KEGG enrichment analyses showed stress response and metabolic adaptation to be increased in response to platelets. Our findings demonstrate that A. fumigatus displayed a specific transcriptional response when exposed to platelets, thus reflecting their antifungal activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Perkhofer
- University of Applied Sciences Tyrol, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | | | - Emilie Frealle
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Institut Pasteur de Lille, Biology and Diversity of Emerging Eukaryotic Pathogens (BDEEP), INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Univ. Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
| | - Michael Blatzer
- Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Hubert Hackl
- Division of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Bettina Sartori
- Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Cornelia Lass-Flörl
- Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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Wang M, Sun X, Zhu C, Xu Q, Ruan R, Yu D, Li H. PdbrlA, PdabaA and PdwetA control distinct stages of conidiogenesis in Penicillium digitatum. Res Microbiol 2015; 166:56-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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215
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Abstract
The first description of dermatophytosis was recorded by Celsus, a Roman encyclopaedist who described a suppurative infection of scalp (‘porrigo’ or ‘kerion of Celsus’) in De Re Medicina (30 A.D.). Throughout the middle ages, several descriptions of dermatophytosis were produced where it is described as ‘tinea’. The keratin-destroying moths which made circular holes in the woollen garments are known as Tinea. Due to similarity in the structure of circular lesion of dermatophytosis on the smooth skin with the circular hole made by moth, Cassius Felix introduced the term ‘tinea’ to describe the lesions. In 1806, Alibert used the term ‘favus’ to describe the honey-like exudate in some scalp infections. However, the fungal aetiology of tinea was first detected by Robert Remak, a Polish physician who first observed the presence of hyphae in the crusts of favus. This detection is also a landmark in medical history because this is the first description of a microbe causing a human disease. He himself did not publish his work, but he permitted the reference of his observations in a dissertation by Xavier Hube in 1837. Remak gave all the credits of his discovery to his mentor Schoenlein who first published the fungal etiological report of favus in 1839. He observed the infectious nature of the favus by autoinoculation into his own hands and also successfully isolated the fungus later (1945) and named Achorion schoenleinii (Trichophyton schoenleinii) in honour of his mentor. In 1844, Gruby described the etiologic agent of tinea endothrix, later became known as Trichophyton tonsurans. The genus Trichophyton was created and described by Malmsten (1845) with its representative species T. tonsurans. Charles Robin identified T. mentagrophytes in 1847 and T. equinum was identified by Matruchot and Dassonville in 1898. Raymond Jacques Adrien Sabouraud (France) first compiled the description of Trichophyton in his book (Les Teignes) in 1910 which was based on his observation in artificial culture. The sexual state of dermatophyte was described by Nannizzi (1927). Emmons (1934) first reported the classification of dermatophytes based on vegetative structures and conidia. Gentles (1958) established the successful treatment of tinea capitis with griseofulvin.
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217
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Sueiro-Olivares M, Fernandez-Molina JV, Abad-Diaz-de-Cerio A, Gorospe E, Pascual E, Guruceaga X, Ramirez-Garcia A, Garaizar J, Hernando FL, Margareto J, Rementeria A. Aspergillus fumigatus transcriptome response to a higher temperature during the earliest steps of germination monitored using a new customized expression microarray. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2014; 161:490-502. [PMID: 25536999 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is considered to be the most prevalent airborne pathogenic fungus and can cause invasive diseases in immunocompromised patients. It is known that its virulence is multifactorial, although the mechanisms of pathogenicity remain unclear. With the aim of improving our understanding of these mechanisms, we designed a new expression microarray covering the entire genome of A. fumigatus. In this first study, we analysed the transcriptomes of this fungus at the first steps of germination after being grown at 24 and 37 °C. The microarray data revealed that 1249 genes were differentially expressed during growth at these two temperatures. According to our results, A. fumigatus modified significantly the expression of genes related to metabolism to adapt to new conditions. The high percentages of genes that encoded hypothetical or unclassified proteins differentially expressed implied that many as yet unknown genes were involved in the establishment of A. fumigatus infection. Furthermore, amongst the genes implicated in virulence upregulated at 37 °C on the microarray, we found those that encoded proteins mainly related to allergens (Asp F1, Asp F2 and MnSOD), gliotoxin biosynthesis (GliP and GliZ), nitrogen (NiiA and NiaD) or iron (HapX, SreA, SidD and SidC) metabolism. However, gene expression in iron and nitrogen metabolism might be influenced not only by heat shock, but also by the availability of nutrients in the medium, as shown by the addition of fresh medium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Sueiro-Olivares
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain
| | - Jimena V Fernandez-Molina
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain
| | - Ana Abad-Diaz-de-Cerio
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain
| | - Eva Gorospe
- Tecnalia Research & Innovation, 48160 Derio, Spain
| | | | - Xabier Guruceaga
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain
| | - Andoni Ramirez-Garcia
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain
| | - Javier Garaizar
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain
| | - Fernando L Hernando
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain
| | | | - Aitor Rementeria
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain
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218
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García-Vidal C, Salavert Lletí M. [Immunopathogenesis of invasive mould infections]. Rev Iberoam Micol 2014; 31:219-28. [PMID: 25442381 DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2014.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Revised: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections caused by filamentous fungi are devastating diseases that occur in patients with a variety of immunosuppressive conditions. This review focuses on the pathogenesis of the most important invasive mycosis in the human being caused by the filamentous fungi Aspergillus, Fusarium, Scedosporium and mucorales. The first contact between the mould and the patient, the host defense to different fungi, including the role of mucosa in the innate immune system, the whole innate immune recognition receptors, and the pathways connecting innate and adaptive immunity, as well as the virulence factors of fungi, are discussed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina García-Vidal
- Servicio de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
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219
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Fischer D, Van Waeyenberghe L, Cray C, Gross M, Usleber E, Pasmans F, Martel A, Lierz M. Comparison of Diagnostic Tools for the Detection of Aspergillosis in Blood Samples of Experimentally Infected Falcons. Avian Dis 2014; 58:587-98. [DOI: 10.1637/10831-032714-reg] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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220
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Sugui JA, Kwon-Chung KJ, Juvvadi PR, Latgé JP, Steinbach WJ. Aspergillus fumigatus and related species. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2014; 5:a019786. [PMID: 25377144 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a019786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The genus Aspergillus contains etiologic agents of aspergillosis. The clinical manifestations of the disease range from allergic reaction to invasive pulmonary infection. Among the pathogenic aspergilli, Aspergillus fumigatus is most ubiquitous in the environment and is the major cause of the disease, followed by Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus nidulans, and several species in the section Fumigati that morphologically resemble A. fumigatus. Patients that are at risk for acquiring aspergillosis are those with an altered immune system. Early diagnosis, species identification, and adequate antifungal therapy are key elements for treatment of the disease, especially in cases of pulmonary invasive aspergillosis that often advance very rapidly. Incorporating knowledge of the basic biology of Aspergillus species to that of the diseases that they cause is fundamental for further progress in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janyce A Sugui
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Kyung J Kwon-Chung
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Praveen R Juvvadi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27715
| | - Jean-Paul Latgé
- Unité des Aspergillus, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75724, France
| | - William J Steinbach
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27715 Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710
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221
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Abstract
Few among the millions of fungal species fulfill four basic conditions necessary to infect humans: high temperature tolerance, ability to invade the human host, lysis and absorption of human tissue, and resistance to the human immune system. In previously healthy individuals, invasive fungal disease is rare because animals' sophisticated immune systems evolved in constant response to fungal challenges. In contrast, fungal diseases occur frequently in immunocompromised patients. Paradoxically, successes of modern medicine have put increasing numbers of patients at risk for invasive fungal infections. Uncontrolled HIV infection additionally makes millions vulnerable to lethal fungal diseases. A concerted scientific and social effort is needed to meet these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia R Köhler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York 10461
| | - John Perfect
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710
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222
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Abstract
To infect the host and cause disease, many medically important fungi invade normally nonphagocytic host cells, such as endothelial cells and epithelial cells. Host cell invasion is a two-step process consisting of adherence followed by invasion. There are two general mechanisms of host cell invasion, induced endocytosis and active penetration. Furthermore, fungi can traverse epithelial or endothelial cell barriers either by proteolytic degradation of intercellular tight junctions or via a Trojan horse mechanism in which they are transported by leukocytes. Although these mechanisms of host cell invasion have been best studied using Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, it is probable that other invasive fungi also use one or more of these mechanisms to invade host cells. Identification of these invasion mechanisms holds promise to facilitate the development of new approaches to inhibit fungal invasion and thereby prevent disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald C Sheppard
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Scott G Filler
- Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California 90502 David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90025
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223
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Perez-Nadales E, Nogueira MFA, Baldin C, Castanheira S, El Ghalid M, Grund E, Lengeler K, Marchegiani E, Mehrotra PV, Moretti M, Naik V, Oses-Ruiz M, Oskarsson T, Schäfer K, Wasserstrom L, Brakhage AA, Gow NAR, Kahmann R, Lebrun MH, Perez-Martin J, Di Pietro A, Talbot NJ, Toquin V, Walther A, Wendland J. Fungal model systems and the elucidation of pathogenicity determinants. Fungal Genet Biol 2014; 70:42-67. [PMID: 25011008 PMCID: PMC4161391 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2014.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Fungi have the capacity to cause devastating diseases of both plants and animals, causing significant harvest losses that threaten food security and human mycoses with high mortality rates. As a consequence, there is a critical need to promote development of new antifungal drugs, which requires a comprehensive molecular knowledge of fungal pathogenesis. In this review, we critically evaluate current knowledge of seven fungal organisms used as major research models for fungal pathogenesis. These include pathogens of both animals and plants; Ashbya gossypii, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum, Magnaporthe oryzae, Ustilago maydis and Zymoseptoria tritici. We present key insights into the virulence mechanisms deployed by each species and a comparative overview of key insights obtained from genomic analysis. We then consider current trends and future challenges associated with the study of fungal pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Perez-Nadales
- Department of Genetics, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Planta 1. Campus de Rabanales, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain.
| | | | - Clara Baldin
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Beutembergstr. 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany; Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sónia Castanheira
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y GenómicaCSIC, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Mennat El Ghalid
- Department of Genetics, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Planta 1. Campus de Rabanales, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Elisabeth Grund
- Functional Genomics of Plant Pathogenic Fungi, UMR 5240 CNRS-UCB-INSA-Bayer SAS, Bayer CropScience, 69263 Lyon, France
| | - Klaus Lengeler
- Carlsberg Laboratory, Department of Yeast Genetics, Gamle Carlsberg Vej 10, DK-1799, Copenhagen V, Denmark
| | - Elisabetta Marchegiani
- Evolution and Genomics of Plant Pathogen Interactions, UR 1290 INRA, BIOGER-CPP, Campus AgroParisTech, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Pankaj Vinod Mehrotra
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Marino Moretti
- Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Department of Organismic Interactions, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Vikram Naik
- Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Department of Organismic Interactions, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Oses-Ruiz
- School of Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Therese Oskarsson
- Carlsberg Laboratory, Department of Yeast Genetics, Gamle Carlsberg Vej 10, DK-1799, Copenhagen V, Denmark
| | - Katja Schäfer
- Department of Genetics, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Planta 1. Campus de Rabanales, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Lisa Wasserstrom
- Carlsberg Laboratory, Department of Yeast Genetics, Gamle Carlsberg Vej 10, DK-1799, Copenhagen V, Denmark
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Beutembergstr. 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany; Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Neil A R Gow
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Regine Kahmann
- Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Department of Organismic Interactions, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Marc-Henri Lebrun
- Evolution and Genomics of Plant Pathogen Interactions, UR 1290 INRA, BIOGER-CPP, Campus AgroParisTech, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - José Perez-Martin
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y GenómicaCSIC, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Antonio Di Pietro
- Department of Genetics, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Planta 1. Campus de Rabanales, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Nicholas J Talbot
- School of Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Valerie Toquin
- Biochemistry Department, Bayer SAS, Bayer CropScience, CRLD, 69263 Lyon, France
| | - Andrea Walther
- Carlsberg Laboratory, Department of Yeast Genetics, Gamle Carlsberg Vej 10, DK-1799, Copenhagen V, Denmark
| | - Jürgen Wendland
- Carlsberg Laboratory, Department of Yeast Genetics, Gamle Carlsberg Vej 10, DK-1799, Copenhagen V, Denmark
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224
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Animal models of invasive aspergillosis for drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2014; 19:1380-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2014.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2013] [Revised: 04/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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225
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Singh S, Dabur R, Gatne MM, Singh B, Gupta S, Pawar S, Sharma SK, Sharma GL. In vivo efficacy of a synthetic coumarin derivative in a murine model of aspergillosis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103039. [PMID: 25140804 PMCID: PMC4139195 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 06/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in therapeutic modalities, aspergillosis remains a leading cause of mortality. This has necessitated the identification of effective and safe antifungal molecules. In the present study, in vivo safety and antifungal efficacy of a coumarin derivative, N, N, N-Triethyl-11-(4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-benzopyran-7-yloxy)-11-oxoundecan-1-aminium bromide (SCD-1), was investigated. The maximum tolerable dose of compound was determined according to OECD 423 guidelines. The compound could be assigned to category IV of the Globally Harmonized System and its LD50 cut-off was found to be 2000 mg/kg body weight. The survival increased in Aspergillus fumigatus-infected mice treated with a dose of 200 mg/kg, orally or 100 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally, of SCD-1 in comparison to infected-untreated animals. The SCD-1 treatment resulted in significant reduction in colony counts in vital organs of the animals. Its protective effect was also observed on day 14 as there was marked reduction in fungal colonies. The treatment with SCD-1 also reduced the levels of serum biochemical parameters with respect to infected-untreated animals. It could be concluded that SCD-1 is a quite safe antifungal compound, which conferred dose dependent protection against experimental aspergillosis. Therefore, SCD-1 holds potential for developing new formulations for aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Singh
- Diagnostic Biochemistry, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Pune, Pune, India
| | - Rajesh Dabur
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
| | - Madhumanjiri M. Gatne
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Bombay Veterinary College, Parel, Mumbai, India
| | - Bharat Singh
- Diagnostic Biochemistry, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
| | - Shilpi Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Sharad Pawar
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Institute of Basic Ayurvedic Sciences, Kothrud, Pune, India
| | - Sunil K. Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Gainda L. Sharma
- Diagnostic Biochemistry, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
- * E-mail:
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226
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Immunoevasive Aspergillus virulence factors. Mycopathologia 2014; 178:363-70. [PMID: 24972669 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-014-9768-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with structural lung disease or defective immunity are predisposed to Aspergillus-associated disease. Manifestations range from allergic to cavitary or angio-invasive syndromes. Despite daily spore inhalation, immunocompetence facilitates clearance through initiation of innate and adaptive host responses. These include mechanical barriers, phagocyte activation, antimicrobial peptide release and pattern recognition receptor activation. Adaptive responses include Th1 and Th2 approaches. Understanding Aspergillus virulence mechanisms remains critical to the development of effective research and treatment strategies to counteract the fungi. Major virulence factors relate to fungal structure, protease release and allergens; however, mechanisms utilized to evade immune recognition continue to be important in establishing infection. These include the fungal rodlet layer, dihydroxynaphthalene-melanin, detoxifying systems for reactive oxygen species and toxin release. One major immunoevasive toxin, gliotoxin, plays a key role in mediating Aspergillus-associated colonization in the context of cystic fibrosis. Here, it down-regulates vitamin D receptor expression which following itraconazole therapy is rescued concurrent with decreased Th2 cytokine (IL-5 and IL-13) concentrations in the CF airway. This review focuses on the interaction between Aspergillus pathogenic mechanisms, host immune responses and the immunoevasive strategies employed by the organism during disease states such as that observed in cystic fibrosis.
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227
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Épidémiologie des otomycoses au centre hospitalier et universitaire de Yopougon (Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire). J Mycol Med 2014; 24:e9-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2013.07.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2012] [Revised: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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228
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Poissy J, Parmentier-Decrucq E, Sendid B, Mathieu D, Poulain D. Nouveaux marqueurs pour le diagnostic de la maladie fongique invasive. MEDECINE INTENSIVE REANIMATION 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s13546-014-0866-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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229
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Robinet P, Baychelier F, Fontaine T, Picard C, Debré P, Vieillard V, Latgé JP, Elbim C. A polysaccharide virulence factor of a human fungal pathogen induces neutrophil apoptosis via NK cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 192:5332-42. [PMID: 24790151 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1303180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen that sheds galactosaminogalactan (GG) into the environment. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and NK cells are both part of the first line of defense against pathogens. We recently reported that GG induces PMN apoptosis. In this study, we show that PMN apoptosis occurs via a new NK cell-dependent mechanism. Reactive oxygen species, induced by the presence of GG, play an indispensable role in this apoptotic effect by increasing MHC class I chain-related molecule A expression at the PMN surface. This increased expression enables interaction between MHC class I chain-related molecule A and NKG2D, leading to NK cell activation, which in turn generates a Fas-dependent apoptosis-promoting signal in PMNs. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the crosstalk between PMNs and NK cells is essential to GG-induced PMN apoptosis. NK cells might thus play a role in the induction of PMN apoptosis in situations such as unexplained neutropenia or autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Robinet
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S CR7, Sorbonne Université, F-75005 Paris, France; INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S CR7, INSERM U1135, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Florence Baychelier
- INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S CR7, INSERM U1135, F-75013 Paris, France
| | | | - Capucine Picard
- Centre D'étude des Déficits Immunitaires, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, L'hôpital Necker - Enfants Malades, 75743 Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U980, Necker Medical School, 75015 Paris, France; and
| | - Patrice Debré
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S CR7, Sorbonne Université, F-75005 Paris, France; INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S CR7, INSERM U1135, F-75013 Paris, France; Département d'Immunologie, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Vincent Vieillard
- INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S CR7, INSERM U1135, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Paul Latgé
- Institut Pasteur, Unité des Aspergillus, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Carole Elbim
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S CR7, Sorbonne Université, F-75005 Paris, France; INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S CR7, INSERM U1135, F-75013 Paris, France;
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Host biomarkers of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis to monitor therapeutic response. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 58:3373-8. [PMID: 24687510 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02482-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening disease of immunocompromised patients that requires aggressive therapy. Detection of the disease and monitoring of the therapeutic response during IPA are complex, and current molecular diagnostics are not suitably robust. Here, we explored proteomic profiles of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens from a persistently neutropenic rabbit model of IPA. Three experimental arms, uninfected control animals, infected untreated animals, and animals infected and treated with ravuconazole/amphotericin B, were studied. Total proteins were evaluated by two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight/time of flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Host-derived proteins haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP), and annexin A1 (Anx A1) were prominently found in BALF during the IPA infection and showed significant changes in response to antifungal therapy (P < 0.0001). In serum, differences in Hp (P = 0.0001) between infected and treated rabbits were observed. Preliminary in vitro studies revealed that Aspergillus fumigatus-secreted proteases may contribute to the cleavage of Anx A1 during IPA. In summary, host protein biomarkers Hp, CRP, and Anx A1 may have value in monitoring therapeutic response to antifungal agents in IPA patients with confirmed disease.
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231
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Dourado IBZ, Batista WL, Longo LVG, Mortara RA, Puccia R. Dual localization of Mdj1 in pathogenic fungi varies with growth temperature. Med Mycol 2014; 52:187-95. [DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myt002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
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232
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Robinson R, Franceschini S, Fedkenheuer M, Rodriguez PJ, Ellerbrock J, Romero E, Echandi MP, Martin Del Campo JS, Sobrado P. Arg279 is the key regulator of coenzyme selectivity in the flavin-dependent ornithine monooxygenase SidA. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2014; 1844:778-84. [PMID: 24534646 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2014.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Siderophore A (SidA) is a flavin-dependent monooxygenase that catalyzes the NAD(P)H- and oxygen-dependent hydroxylation of ornithine in the biosynthesis of siderophores in Aspergillus fumigatus and is essential for virulence. SidA can utilize both NADPH or NADH for activity; however, the enzyme is selective for NADPH. Structural analysis shows that R279 interacts with the 2'-phosphate of NADPH. To probe the role of electrostatic interactions in coenzyme selectivity, R279 was mutated to both an alanine and a glutamate. The mutant proteins were active but highly uncoupled, oxidizing NADPH and producing hydrogen peroxide instead of hydroxylated ornithine. For wtSidA, the catalytic efficiency was 6-fold higher with NADPH as compared to NADH. For the R279A mutant the catalytic efficiency was the same with both coenyzmes, while for the R279E mutant the catalytic efficiency was 5-fold higher with NADH. The effects are mainly due to an increase in the KD values, as no major changes on the kcat or flavin reduction values were observed. Thus, the absence of a positive charge leads to no coenzyme selectivity while introduction of a negative charge leads to preference for NADH. Flavin fluorescence studies suggest altered interaction between the flavin and NADP⁺ in the mutant enzymes. The effects are caused by different binding modes of the coenzyme upon removal of the positive charge at position 279, as no major conformational changes were observed in the structure for R279A. The results indicate that the positive charge at position 279 is critical for tight binding of NADPH and efficient hydroxylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reeder Robinson
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Stefano Franceschini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100, Italy
| | - Michael Fedkenheuer
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Pedro J Rodriguez
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Jacob Ellerbrock
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Elvira Romero
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | | | | | - Pablo Sobrado
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States; Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
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233
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Alshareef F, Robson GD. Genetic and virulence variation in an environmental population of the opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2014; 160:742-751. [PMID: 24464798 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.072520-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Environmental populations of the opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus have been shown to be genotypically diverse and to contain a range of isolates with varying pathogenic potential. In this study, we combined two RAPD primers to investigate the genetic diversity of environmental isolates from Manchester collected monthly over 1 year alongside Dublin environmental isolates and clinical isolates from patients. RAPD analysis revealed a diverse genotype, but with three major clinical isolate clusters. When the pathogenicity of clinical and Dublin isolates was compared with a random selection of Manchester isolates in a Galleria mellonella larvae model, as a group, clinical isolates were significantly more pathogenic than environmental isolates. Moreover, when relative pathogenicity of individual isolates was compared, clinical isolates were the most pathogenic, Dublin isolates were the least pathogenic and Manchester isolates showed a range in pathogenicity. Overall, this suggests that the environmental population is genetically diverse, displaying a range in pathogenicity, and that the most pathogenic strains from the environment are selected during patient infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadwa Alshareef
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M16 8QW, UK
| | - Geoffrey D Robson
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M16 8QW, UK
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234
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Tobal JM, Balieiro MEDSF. Role of carbonic anhydrases in pathogenic micro-organisms: a focus on Aspergillus fumigatus. J Med Microbiol 2014; 63:15-27. [DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.064444-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous saprophytic fungus responsible for organic material decomposition, and plays an important role in recycling environmental carbon and nitrogen. Besides its important role in the environment, this fungus has been reported as one of the most important fungal pathogens in immunocompromised patients. Due to changes in CO2 concentration that some pathogens face during the infection process, studies have been undertaken to understand the pathogenic roles of carbonic anhydrases (CAs), well-known CO2 hydration catalytic enzymes. As a basis for a discussion of the possible roles of CAs in A. fumigatus pathogenicity, this review describes the main characteristics of the A. fumigatus infection and the challenges for its treatment. In addition, it gathers findings from studies with CA inhibitor drugs as anti-infective agents in different pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaqueline Moisés Tobal
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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235
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Vaknin Y, Shadkchan Y, Levdansky E, Morozov M, Romano J, Osherov N. The three Aspergillus fumigatus CFEM-domain GPI-anchored proteins (CfmA-C) affect cell-wall stability but do not play a role in fungal virulence. Fungal Genet Biol 2013; 63:55-64. [PMID: 24361821 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2013.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Revised: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Fungal cell-wall proteins containing the conserved fungal CFEM domain have been implicated in host-pathogen interactions and virulence. To determine the role of these proteins in the mold pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, we deleted the entire family of three CFEM-containing genes (CfmA-C), singly and in all combinations. We found an additive increase in the susceptibility of the single, double and triple ΔCfm mutants towards the chitin/β-glucan-microfibril destabilizing compounds Congo Red (CR) and Calcofluor White (CFW), indicating that the A. fumigatus CFEM proteins are involved in stabilizing the cell wall. No defects in growth or germination were observed, indicating that CFEM proteins do not have an essential role in the morphogenesis of A. fumigatus. Unlike in Candida albicans, the A. fumigatus CFEM proteins were not implicated in heme uptake or biofilm formation. The ΔTriple-Cfm deletion strain did not exhibit altered virulence in either insect or murine models of infection, suggesting that cell-wall proteins containing the conserved fungal CFEM domain are not a significant virulence factor in A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakir Vaknin
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Yana Shadkchan
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Emma Levdansky
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Michael Morozov
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Jacob Romano
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Nir Osherov
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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236
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Kwon-Chung KJ, Sugui JA. Aspergillus fumigatus--what makes the species a ubiquitous human fungal pathogen? PLoS Pathog 2013; 9:e1003743. [PMID: 24348239 PMCID: PMC3857757 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 255] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kyung J. Kwon-Chung
- Molecular Microbiology Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Janyce A. Sugui
- Molecular Microbiology Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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237
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Desoubeaux G, Jourdan ML, Valera L, Jardin B, Hem S, Caille A, Cormier B, Marchand-Adam S, Bailly É, Diot P, Chandenier J. Proteomic demonstration of the recurrent presence of inter-alpha-inhibitor H4 heavy-chain during aspergillosis induced in an animal model. Int J Med Microbiol 2013; 304:327-38. [PMID: 24360996 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2013.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2013] [Revised: 11/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis remains a matter of great concern in oncology/haematology, intensive care units and organ transplantation departments. Despite the availability of various diagnostic tools with attractive features, new markers of infection are required for better medical care. We therefore looked for potential pulmonary biomarkers of aspergillosis, by carrying out two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis comparing the proteomes of bronchial-alveolar lavage fluids (BALF) from infected rats and from control rats presenting non-specific inflammation, both immunocompromised. A bioinformatic analysis of the 2D-maps revealed significant differences in the abundance of 20 protein spots (ANOVA P-value<0.01; q-value<0.03; power>0.8). One of these proteins, identified by mass spectrometry, was considered of potential interest: inter-alpha-inhibitor H4 heavy-chain (ITIH4), characterised for the first time in this infectious context. Western blotting confirmed its overabundance in all infected BALF, particularly at early stages of murine aspergillosis. Further investigations were carried on rat serum, and confirmed that ITIH4 levels increased during experimental aspergillosis. Preliminary results in human samples strengthened this trend. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the involvement of ITIH4 in aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Desoubeaux
- CHU de Tours, Service de Parasitologie - Mycologie - Médecine tropicale, Tours, France; Université François Rabelais, CEPR UMR-INSERM U1100/E.A. 6305, Faculté de Médecine, Tours, France.
| | - Marie-Lise Jourdan
- CHU de Tours, Service d'Hématologie Biologique, Tours, France; Université François Rabelais, INSERM U1069/N2C, Faculté de Médecine, Tours, France
| | - Lionel Valera
- Sysdiag, CNRS UMR 3145 Bio-Rad, Cap Delta, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Sonia Hem
- Plateforme de spectrométrie de masse protéomique - MSPP, Laboratoire de Protéomique Fonctionnelle, INRA UR1199, Montpellier, France
| | - Agnès Caille
- CHU de Tours, Centre d'Investigation Clinique, Tours, France; Université François Rabelais, INSERM 202, Faculté de Médecine, Tours, France
| | - Bénédicte Cormier
- CHU de Tours, Service d'Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, Tours, France
| | - Sylvain Marchand-Adam
- Université François Rabelais, CEPR UMR-INSERM U1100/E.A. 6305, Faculté de Médecine, Tours, France; CHU de Tours, Service de Pneumologie, Tours, France
| | - Éric Bailly
- CHU de Tours, Service de Parasitologie - Mycologie - Médecine tropicale, Tours, France
| | - Patrice Diot
- Université François Rabelais, CEPR UMR-INSERM U1100/E.A. 6305, Faculté de Médecine, Tours, France; CHU de Tours, Service de Pneumologie, Tours, France
| | - Jacques Chandenier
- CHU de Tours, Service de Parasitologie - Mycologie - Médecine tropicale, Tours, France; Université François Rabelais, CEPR UMR-INSERM U1100/E.A. 6305, Faculté de Médecine, Tours, France
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238
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Timpner C, Braus-Stromeyer SA, Tran VT, Braus GH. The Cpc1 regulator of the cross-pathway control of amino acid biosynthesis is required for pathogenicity of the vascular pathogen Verticillium longisporum. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2013; 26:1312-1324. [PMID: 23883358 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-06-13-0181-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The plant-pathogenic fungus Verticillium longisporum is a causal agent of early senescence and ripening in cruciferous crops like Brassica napus. Verticillium wilts have become serious agricultural threats in recent decades. Verticillium species infect host plants through the roots and colonize xylem vessels of the host plant. The xylem fluid provides an environment with limited carbon sources and unbalanced amino acid supply, which requires V. longisporum to induce the cross-pathway control of amino acid biosynthesis. RNA-mediated gene silencing reduced the expression of the two CPC1 isogenes (VlCPC1-1 and VlCPC1-2) of the allodiploid V. longisporum up to 85%. VlCPC1 encodes the conserved transcription factor of the cross-pathway control. The silenced mutants were highly sensitive to amino-acid starvation, and the infected plants showed significantly fewer symptoms such as stunting or early senescence in oilseed rape plant infection assays. Consistently, deletion of single CPC1 of the haploid V. dahliae resulted in strains that are sensitive to amino-acid starvation and cause strongly reduced symptoms in the plant-host tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The allodiploid V. longisporum and the haploid V. dahliae are the first phytopathogenic fungi that were shown to require CPC1 for infection and colonization of their respective host plants, oilseed rape and tomato.
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239
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Protein arrays as tool for studies at the host-pathogen interface. J Proteomics 2013; 94:387-400. [PMID: 24140974 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2013.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Revised: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Pathogens and parasites encode a wide spectrum of multifunctional proteins interacting to and modifying proteins in host cells. However, the current lack of a reliable method to unveil the protein-protein interactions (PPI) at the host-pathogen interface is retarding our understanding of many important pathogenic processes. Thus, the identification of proteins involved in host-pathogen interactions is important for the elucidation of virulence determinants, mechanisms of infection, host susceptibility and/or disease resistance. In this sense, proteomic technologies have experienced major improvements in recent years and protein arrays are a powerful and modern method for studying PPI in a high-throughput format. This review focuses on these techniques analyzing the state-of-the-art of proteomic technologies and their possibilities to diagnose and explore host-pathogen interactions. Major technical advancements, applications and protocol concerns are presented, so readers can appreciate the immense progress achieved and the current technical options available for studying the host-pathogen interface. Finally, future uses of this kind of array-based proteomic tools in the fight against infectious and parasitic diseases are discussed.
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240
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Grützmann K, Szafranski K, Pohl M, Voigt K, Petzold A, Schuster S. Fungal alternative splicing is associated with multicellular complexity and virulence: a genome-wide multi-species study. DNA Res 2013; 21:27-39. [PMID: 24122896 PMCID: PMC3925392 DOI: 10.1093/dnares/dst038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is a cellular process that increases a cell's coding capacity from a limited set of genes. Although AS is common in higher plants and animals, its prevalence in other eukaryotes is mostly unknown. In fungi the involvement of AS in gene expression and its effect on multi-cellularity and virulence is of great medical and economic interest. We present a genome-wide comparative study of AS in 23 informative fungi of different taxa, based on alignments of public transcript sequences. Random sampling of expressed sequence tags allows for robust and comparable estimations of AS rates. We find that a greater fraction of fungal genes than previously expected is associated with AS. We estimate that on average, 6.4% of the annotated genes are affected by AS, with Cryptococcus neoformans showing an extraordinary rate of 18%. The investigated Basidiomycota show higher average AS rates (8.6%) than the Ascomycota (6.0%), although not significant. We find that multi-cellular complexity and younger evolutionary age associate with higher AS rates. Furthermore, AS affects genes involved in pathogenic lifestyle, particularly in functions of stress response and dimorphic switching. Together, our analysis strongly supports the view that AS is a rather common phenomenon in fungi and associates with higher multi-cellular complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Grützmann
- 1Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Ernst-Abbe-Platz 2, Jena D-07743, Germany
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241
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Qin Y, Bao L, Gao M, Chen M, Lei Y, Liu G, Qu Y. Penicillium decumbens BrlA extensively regulates secondary metabolism and functionally associates with the expression of cellulase genes. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2013; 97:10453-67. [PMID: 24113825 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-013-5273-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Revised: 09/03/2013] [Accepted: 09/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Penicillium decumbens has been used in the industrial production of lignocellulolytic enzymes in China for more than 15 years. Conidiation is essential for most industrial fungi because conidia are used as starters in the first step of fermentation. To investigate the mechanism of conidiation in P. decumbens, we generated mutants defective in two central regulators of conidiation, FluG and BrlA. Deletion of fluG resulted in neither "fluffy" phenotype nor alteration in conidiation, indicating possible different upstream mechanisms activating brlA between P. decumbens and Aspergillus nidulans. Deletion of brlA completely blocked conidiation. Further investigation of brlA expression in different media (nutrient-rich or nutrient-poor) and different culture states (liquid or solid) showed that brlA expression is required but not sufficient for conidiation. The brlA deletion strain exhibited altered hyphal morphology with more branches. Genome-wide expression profiling identified BrlA-dependent genes in P. decumbens, including genes previously reported to be involved in conidiation as well as previously reported chitin synthase genes and acid protease gene (pepB). The expression levels of seven secondary metabolism gene clusters (from a total of 28 clusters) were drastically regulated in the brlA deletion strain, including a downregulated cluster putatively involved in the biosynthesis of the mycotoxins roquefortine C and meleagrin. In addition, the expression levels of most cellulase genes were upregulated in the brlA deletion strain detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The brlA deletion strain also exhibited an 89.1 % increase in cellulase activity compared with the wild-type strain. The results showed that BrlA in P. decumbens not only has a key role in regulating conidiation, but it also regulates secondary metabolism extensively as well as the expression of cellulase genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Qin
- National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27, Shanda South Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, China,
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242
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Affiliation(s)
- G Häcker
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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243
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Fernández D, Russi S, Vendrell J, Monod M, Pallarès I. A functional and structural study of the major metalloprotease secreted by the pathogenic fungusAspergillus fumigatus. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D: BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2013; 69:1946-57. [DOI: 10.1107/s0907444913017642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Fungalysins are secreted fungal peptidases with the ability to degrade the extracellular matrix proteins elastin and collagen and are thought to act as virulence factors in diseases caused by fungi. Fungalysins constitute a unique family among zinc-dependent peptidases that bears low sequence similarity to known bacterial peptidases of the thermolysin family. The crystal structure of the archetype of the fungalysin family,Aspergillus fumigatusmetalloprotease (AfuMep), has been obtained for the first time. The 1.8 Å resolution structure of AfuMep corresponds to that of an autoproteolyzed proenzyme with separate polypeptide chains corresponding to the N-terminal prodomain in a binary complex with the C-terminal zinc-bound catalytic domain. The prodomain consists of a tandem of cystatin-like folds whose C-terminal end is buried into the active-site cleft of the catalytic domain. The catalytic domain harbouring the key catalytic zinc ion and its ligands, two histidines and one glutamic acid, undergoes a conspicuous rearrangement of its N-terminal end during maturation. One key positively charged amino-acid residue and the C-terminal disulfide bridge appear to contribute to its structural–functional properties. Thus, structural, biophysical and biochemical analysis were combined to provide a deeper comprehension of the underlying properties ofA. fumigatusfungalysin, serving as a framework for the as yet poorly known metallopeptidases from pathogenic fungi.
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244
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Gauthier GM, Keller NP. Crossover fungal pathogens: the biology and pathogenesis of fungi capable of crossing kingdoms to infect plants and humans. Fungal Genet Biol 2013; 61:146-57. [PMID: 24021881 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2013.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2013] [Revised: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The outbreak of fungal meningitis associated with contaminated methylprednisolone acetate has thrust the importance of fungal infections into the public consciousness. The predominant pathogen isolated from clinical specimens, Exserohilum rostratum (teleomorph: Setosphaeria rostrata), is a dematiaceous fungus that infects grasses and rarely humans. This outbreak highlights the potential for fungal pathogens to infect both plants and humans. Most crossover or trans-kingdom pathogens are soil saprophytes and include fungi in Ascomycota and Mucormycotina phyla. To establish infection, crossover fungi must overcome disparate, host-specific barriers, including protective surfaces (e.g. cuticle, skin), elevated temperature, and immune defenses. This review illuminates the underlying mechanisms used by crossover fungi to cause infection in plants and mammals, and highlights critical events that lead to human infection by these pathogens. Several genes including veA, laeA, and hapX are important in regulating biological processes in fungi important for both invasive plant and animal infections.
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246
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Shin KS, Park HS, Kim YH, Yu JH. Comparative proteomic analyses reveal that FlbA down-regulates gliT expression and SOD activity in Aspergillus fumigatus. J Proteomics 2013; 87:40-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2013.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2013] [Revised: 05/05/2013] [Accepted: 05/09/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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247
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Draft Genome Sequence of Dematiaceous Coelomycete Pyrenochaeta sp. Strain UM 256, Isolated from Skin Scraping. GENOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 2013; 1:1/3/e00158-13. [PMID: 23723391 PMCID: PMC3667999 DOI: 10.1128/genomea.00158-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pyrenochaeta, classified under the order Pleosporales, is known to cause diseases in plants and humans. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of a Pyrenochaeta sp. isolated from a skin scraping, with an estimated genome size of 39.4 Mb. Genes associated with the synthesis of proteases, toxins, plant cell wall degradation, and multidrug resistance were found.
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Álvarez F, Fernández-Ruiz M, Aguado JM. [Iron and invasive fungal infection]. Rev Iberoam Micol 2013; 30:217-25. [PMID: 23684655 DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2013.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2012] [Revised: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is an essential factor for both the growth and virulence of most of microorganisms. As a part of the innate (or nutritional) immune system, mammals have developed different mechanisms to store and transport this element in order to limit free iron bioavailability. To survive in this hostile environment, pathogenic fungi have specific uptake systems for host iron sources, one of the most important of which is based on the synthesis of siderophores-soluble, low-molecular-mass, high-affinity iron chelators. The increase in free iron that results from iron-overload conditions is a well-established risk factor for invasive fungal infection (IFI) such as mucormycosis or aspergillosis. Therefore, iron chelation may be an appealing therapeutic option for these infections. Nevertheless, deferoxamine -the first approved iron chelator- paradoxically increases the incidence of IFI, as it serves as a xeno-siderophore to Mucorales. On the contrary, the new oral iron chelators (deferiprone and deferasirox) have shown to exert a deleterious effect on fungal growth both in vitro and in animal models. The present review focuses on the role of iron metabolism in the pathogenesis of IFI and summarises the preclinical data, as well as the limited clinical experience so far, in the use of new iron chelators as treatment for mucormycosis and invasive aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencio Álvarez
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12), Universidad Complutense, Madrid, España
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Zhao W, Lü Y, Ouyang H, Zhou H, Yan J, Du T, Jin C. N-Glycosylation of Gel1 or Gel2 is vital for cell wall β-glucan synthesis in Aspergillus fumigatus. Glycobiology 2013; 23:955-68. [PMID: 23650256 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwt032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal cell wall is a dynamic structure that communicates with and protects the cell from outside stress. In Aspergillus fumigatus, the cell wall β-glucans are mainly elongated by β-1,3-glucanosyltransferases Gels, which consist of seven family members (Gel1-7) utilizing β-1,3-glucan chains as substrates. Previously, we have shown that the mutant deficient of N-glycan processing displays a reduction in the cell wall β-glucans, suggesting that N-glycosylation is required for the proper function of β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase. To verify this hypothesis, in this study, the gene encoding β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase Gel1 or Gel2 was deleted in the Δcwh41 mutant to construct a double-mutant Δgel1Δcwh41 or Δgel2Δcwh41. The growth phenotypes of both double mutants were similar to the single-mutant Δcwh41, suggesting that Gel1 and Gel2 are proteins that are mainly affected by deficient N-glycan processing in Δcwh41. Furthermore, the mutant Δgel1(Gel1-NM) or Δgel2(Gel2-NM), in which all potential N-glycosylation sites on Gel1 or Gel2 were removed by site-directed mutagenesis, showed phenotypes similar to the single-mutant Δgel1 or Δgel2. Biochemical analysis revealed that N-glycosylation was essential for the function of Gel1 or Gel2 and thus required for β-glucan synthesis in A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
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250
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Schmidt S, Zimmermann SY, Tramsen L, Koehl U, Lehrnbecher T. Natural killer cells and antifungal host response. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2013; 20:452-8. [PMID: 23365210 PMCID: PMC3623417 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00606-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
As a result of improved experimental methodologies and a better understanding of the immune system, there is increasing insight into the antifungal activity of natural killer (NK) cells. Murine and human NK cells are able to damage fungi of different genera and species in vitro, and they exert both direct and indirect antifungal activity through cytotoxic molecules such as perforin and through cytokines and interferons, respectively. On the other hand, recent data suggest that fungi exhibit immunosuppressive effects on NK cells. Whereas clear in vivo data are lacking in humans, the importance of NK cells in the host response against fungi has been demonstrated in animal models. Further knowledge of the interaction of NK cells with fungi might help to better understand the pathogenesis of invasive fungal infections and to improve treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislaw Schmidt
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Lars Tramsen
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, GMP Development Unit, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Lehrnbecher
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
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