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Nasiri-Jahrodi A, Barati M, Namdar Ahmadabad H, Badali H, Morovati H. A comprehensive review on the role of T cell subsets and CAR-T cell therapy in Aspergillus fumigatus infection. Hum Immunol 2024; 85:110763. [PMID: 38350795 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2024.110763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the immune response to Aspergillus fumigatus, a common cause of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in immunocompromised individuals, is critical for developing effective treatments. Tcells play a critical role in the immune response to A. fumigatus, with different subsets having distinct functions. Th1 cells are important for controlling fungal growth, while Th2 cells can exacerbate infection. Th17 cells promote the clearance of fungi indirectly by stimulating the production of various antimicrobial peptides from epithelial cells and directly by recruiting and activating neutrophils. Regulatory T cells have varied functions in A.fumigatus infection. They expand after exposure to A. fumigatus conidia and prevent organ injury and fungal sepsis by downregulating inflammation and inhibiting neutrophils or suppressing Th17 cells. Regulatory T cells also block Th2 cells to stop aspergillosis allergies. Immunotherapy with CAR T cells is a promising treatment for fungal infections, including A. fumigatus infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. However, further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the immune response to A. fumigatus and to develop effective immunotherapies with CAR-T cells for this infection. This literature review explores the role of Tcell subsets in A.fumigatus infection, and the effects of CAR-T cell therapy on this fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abozar Nasiri-Jahrodi
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Mehdi Barati
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
| | - Hasan Namdar Ahmadabad
- Vector-borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
| | - Hamid Badali
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hamid Morovati
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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2
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Dudeja S, Chhokar V, Beniwal V, Badgujjar H, Chauhan R, Soni S, Kumar A. Optimization and production of antimicrobial compounds by Aspergillus flavus MTCC 13062 and its synergistic studies. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2021.102065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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3
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Understanding the fundamental role of virulence determinants to combat Aspergillus fumigatus infections: exploring beyond cell wall. Mycol Prog 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-021-01677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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4
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Fu X, Li Y, Meng Y, Yuan Q, Zhang Z, Norbäck D, Deng Y, Zhang X, Sun Y. Associations between respiratory infections and bacterial microbiome in student dormitories in Northern China. INDOOR AIR 2020; 30:816-826. [PMID: 32304333 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies reveal that the microbial diversity and composition in the respiratory tract are related to the susceptibility, development, and progression of respiratory infections. Indoor microorganisms can transmit into the respiratory tract through breathing, but their role in infections is unclear. Here, we present the first association study between the indoor microbiome and respiratory infections. In total, 357 students living in 86 dormitory rooms in Shanxi University were randomly selected to survey symptoms of infections. Settled air dust was collected to characterize bacterial compositions by 16S rRNA sequencing. The overall microbial richness was not associated with respiratory infections, but microorganisms from specific phylogenetic classes showed various associations. Taxa richness and abundance of Actinobacteria were protectively associated with infections (P < .05). The abundance of several genera in Gammaproteobacteria, including Haemophilus, Klebsiella, Buttiauxella, and Raoultella, was positively associated with infections (P < .005). The role of these microorganisms was consistent with previous human microbiota studies. Building age was associated with the overall microbial composition variation in dormitories and negatively associated with three potential risk genera in Proteobacteria (P < .05). The weight of vacuum dust was positively associated with a protective genus, Micrococcus in Actinobacteria (P < .05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Fu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Yanling Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Yi Meng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Qianqian Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Zefei Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, PR China
| | - Dan Norbäck
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dept. of Medical Science, University Hospital, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yiqun Deng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, PR China
| | - Yu Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
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Continental-Scale Microbiome Study Reveals Different Environmental Characteristics Determining Microbial Richness, Composition, and Quantity in Hotel Rooms. mSystems 2020; 5:5/3/e00119-20. [PMID: 32430405 PMCID: PMC7253364 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00119-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
This is the first microbiome study to characterize the microbiome data and associated environmental characteristics in hotel environments. In this study, we found concordant variation between fungal compositional variation and absolute quantity and discordant variation between community variation/quantity and richness. Our study can be used to promote hotel hygiene standards and provide resource information for future microbiome and exposure studies associated with health effects in hotel rooms. Culture-independent microbiome surveys have been conducted in homes, hospitals, schools, kindergartens and vehicles for public transport, revealing diverse microbial distributions in built environments. However, microbiome composition and the associated environmental characteristics have not been characterized in hotel environments. We presented here the first continental-scale microbiome study of hotel rooms (n = 68) spanning Asia and Europe. Bacterial and fungal communities were described by amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and quantitative PCR. Similar numbers of bacterial (4,344) and fungal (4,555) operational taxonomic units were identified in the same sequencing depth, but most fungal taxa showed a restricted distribution compared to bacterial taxa. Aerobic, ubiquitous bacteria dominated the hotel microbiome with compositional similarity to previous samples from building and human nasopharynx environments. The abundance of Aspergillus was negatively correlated with latitude and accounted for ∼80% of the total fungal load in seven low-latitude hotels. We calculated the association between hotel microbiome and 16 indoor and outdoor environmental characteristics. Fungal composition and absolute quantity showed concordant associations with the same environmental characteristics, including latitude, quality of the interior, proximity to the sea, and visible mold, while fungal richness was negatively associated with heavy traffic (95% confidence interval [CI] = −127.05 to −0.25) and wall-to-wall carpet (95% CI = −47.60 to −3.82). Bacterial compositional variation was associated with latitude, quality of the interior, and floor type, while bacterial richness was negatively associated with recent redecoration (95% CI −179.00 to −44.55) and mechanical ventilation (95% CI = −136.71 to −5.12). IMPORTANCE This is the first microbiome study to characterize the microbiome data and associated environmental characteristics in hotel environments. In this study, we found concordant variation between fungal compositional variation and absolute quantity and discordant variation between community variation/quantity and richness. Our study can be used to promote hotel hygiene standards and provide resource information for future microbiome and exposure studies associated with health effects in hotel rooms.
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Hoda S, Gupta L, Shankar J, Gupta AK, Vijayaraghavan P. cis-9-Hexadecenal, a Natural Compound Targeting Cell Wall Organization, Critical Growth Factor, and Virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:10077-10088. [PMID: 32391495 PMCID: PMC7203908 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c00615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus causes several nosocomial pulmonary infections and accounts for high morbidity and mortality rate globally. Among various virulence factors, 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-melanin plays an important role in the survival during unfavorable conditions both in vivo and in vitro, masks various molecular patterns associated with A. fumigatus, and protects it from the host immune system. In the present study, we aim to understand the potential of cis-9-hexadecenal as an antimelanogenic compound and its role in modulating other associated virulence factors in A. fumigatus. cis-9-Hexadecenal is a bioactive compound that belongs to C16 mono-unsaturated fatty-aldehyde groups. Minimum effective concentration of cis-9-hexadecenal affecting A. fumigatus melanin biosynthesis was determined using broth microdilution method. The spectrophotometric analysis revealed reduced melanin content (91%) and hydrophobicity (59%) at 0.293 mM of cis-9-hexadecenal. Cell surface organizational changes using electron microscopy showed altered demelanized smooth A. fumigatus conidial surface without any protrusions after cis-9-hexadecenal treatment. The transcript analysis of polyketide synthase (PKS) pksP/alb1 gene was quantified through qRT-PCR which revealed an upregulated expression. Total proteome profiling conducted through LC-MS-MS showed upregulated PKS enzyme but other downstream proteins involved in the 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-melanin biosynthesis pathway were absent. The homology modeling of PKS using Expasy's web server predicted that PKS is stable at varied conditions and is hydrophilic in nature. The Ramachandran plot by PROCHECK confirmed the 3-D structure of PKS to be reliable. Docking analysis using AutoDock-4.2.6 predicted the binding of cis-9-hexadecenal and PKS at Thr-264 and Ser-171 residue via hydrogen bonding at a low binding energy of -4.95 kcal/mol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanu Hoda
- Antimycotic
and Drug Susceptibility Laboratory, J3 Block, Amity Institute of Biotechnology,
Sector-125, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201301, India
| | - Lovely Gupta
- Antimycotic
and Drug Susceptibility Laboratory, J3 Block, Amity Institute of Biotechnology,
Sector-125, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201301, India
| | - Jata Shankar
- Genomic
Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan 173212, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Alok Kumar Gupta
- Antimycotic
and Drug Susceptibility Laboratory, J3 Block, Amity Institute of Biotechnology,
Sector-125, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201301, India
| | - Pooja Vijayaraghavan
- Antimycotic
and Drug Susceptibility Laboratory, J3 Block, Amity Institute of Biotechnology,
Sector-125, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201301, India
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7
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The Role of Melanin in Fungal Pathogenesis for Animal Hosts. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2019; 422:1-30. [PMID: 31278515 DOI: 10.1007/82_2019_173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Melanins are a class of pigments that are ubiquitous throughout biology. They play incredibly diverse and important roles ranging from radiation protection to immune defense, camouflage, and virulence. Fungi have evolved to use melanin to be able to persist in the environment and within organisms. Fungal melanins are often located within the cell well and are able to neutralize reactive oxygen species and other radicals, defend against UV radiation, bind and sequester non-specific peptides and compounds, and produce a physical barrier that defends the cell. For this reason, melanized fungi are often well-suited to be human pathogens-melanin allows fungi to neutralize the microbicidal oxidative bursts of our innate immune system, bind and inactivate to antimicrobial peptides and enzymes, sequester antifungal pharmaceuticals, and create a shield to block immune recognition of the fungus. Due to the importance and pervasiveness of melanin in fungal virulence, mammalian immune systems have evolved antifungal strategies that involve directly detecting and binding to fungal melanins. Such strategies include the use of melanin-specific antibody responses and C-type lectins like the newly discovered melanin-specific MelLec receptor.
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Al-Fakih AA, Almaqtri WQA. Overview on antibacterial metabolites from terrestrial Aspergillus spp. Mycology 2019; 10:191-209. [PMID: 31632829 PMCID: PMC6781474 DOI: 10.1080/21501203.2019.1604576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Medicines developed from natural sources are a frequent target for the research and discovery of antimicrobial compounds. Discovering of penicillin in 1928 was a motive to explore of nature as a source of new antimicrobial agents. Fungi produce a diverse range of bioactive metabolites, making them rich source of different types of medicines. The purpose of this paper was to review studies on antibacterials from terrestrial Aspergillus published exclusively during 1942-2018, with emphasis on their antibacterial activities, structures, and mechanisms of action if present. According to the results from different studies in the world, large number of compounds and extracts showed different activities against different bacterial species, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The most prominent result was that of the compound CJ-17,665, isolated from A. ochraceus, showing good activity against multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which is well-recognised to be one of the most important current public health problem. These findings may motivate scientists to undertake a project that may result in the development of novel antibacterial drugs from terrestrial-derived Aspergillus spp., although further toxicity assays (in vivo) must be performed before their application.
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Schubert M, Spiegel H, Schillberg S, Nölke G. Aspergillus-specific antibodies - Targets and applications. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 36:1167-1184. [PMID: 29608951 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus is a fungal genus comprising several hundred species, many of which can damage the health of plants, animals and humans by direct infection and/or due to the production of toxic secondary metabolites known as mycotoxins. Aspergillus-specific antibodies have been generated against polypeptides, polysaccharides and secondary metabolites found in the cell wall or secretions, and these can be used to detect and monitor infections or to quantify mycotoxin contamination in food and feed. However, most Aspergillus-specific antibodies are generated against heterogeneous antigen preparations and the specific target remains unknown. Target identification is important because this can help to characterize fungal morphology, confirm host penetration by opportunistic pathogens, detect specific disease-related biomarkers, identify new candidate targets for antifungal drug design, and qualify antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this review, we discuss how antibodies are raised against heterogeneous Aspergillus antigen preparations and how they can be characterized, focusing on strategies to identify their specific antigens and epitopes. We also discuss the therapeutic, diagnostic and biotechnological applications of Aspergillus-specific antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Schubert
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Holger Spiegel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Institute for Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Phytopathology Department, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Greta Nölke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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10
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Deb R, Nagotu S. Versatility of peroxisomes: An evolving concept. Tissue Cell 2017; 49:209-226. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2017.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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11
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Sarma UP, Bhetaria PJ, Devi P, Varma A. Aflatoxins: Implications on Health. Indian J Clin Biochem 2017; 32:124-133. [PMID: 28428686 DOI: 10.1007/s12291-017-0649-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Environmental occurrence of Aspergillus and other fungal spores are hazardous to humans and animals. They cause a broad spectrum of clinical complications. Contamination of aflatoxins in agri-food and feed due to A. flavus and A. parasiticus result in toxicity in humans and animals. Recent advances in aspergillus genomics and aflatoxin management practices are encouraging to tackle the challenges posed by important aspergillus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usha P Sarma
- Department of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, 110012 India
| | - Preetida J Bhetaria
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132 USA
| | - Prameela Devi
- Department of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, 110012 India
| | - Anupam Varma
- Department of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, 110012 India
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12
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Uchoa PKS, Pimenta ATA, Braz-Filho R, de Oliveira MDCF, Saraiva NN, Rodrigues BSF, Pfenning LH, Abreu LM, Wilke DV, Florêncio KGD, Lima MAS. New cytotoxic furan from the marine sediment-derived fungi Aspergillus niger. Nat Prod Res 2017; 31:2599-2603. [DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2017.1283499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Karina S. Uchoa
- Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
| | - Antonia T. A. Pimenta
- Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
| | - Raimundo Braz-Filho
- Laboratório de Ciências Químicas, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, FAPERJ, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brasil
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica-RJ, Brasil
| | | | - Natália N. Saraiva
- Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Lagarto, Brasil
| | - Barbara S. F. Rodrigues
- Departamento de Ensino, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará – Campus Canindé, Canindé, Brasil
| | - Ludwig H. Pfenning
- Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Brasil
| | - Lucas M. Abreu
- Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Brasil
| | - Diego V. Wilke
- Núcleo de Pesquisa de Desenvolvimento de Medicamentos, Departamento de Farmacologia e Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
| | - Katharine G. D. Florêncio
- Núcleo de Pesquisa de Desenvolvimento de Medicamentos, Departamento de Farmacologia e Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
| | - Mary Anne S. Lima
- Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
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Falahati M, Ghanbari S, Ebrahimi M, Ghazanfari M, Bazrafshan F, Farahyar S, Falak R. Fractionation and identification of the allergic proteins in Aspergillus species. Curr Med Mycol 2016; 2:37-45. [PMID: 28959794 PMCID: PMC5611695 DOI: 10.18869/acadpub.cmm.2.4.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Allergy is an undesired immune response to non-pathogenic agents. However, some opportunistic microorganisms such as fungi can also cause allergy. Among those fungi, hyphae form of Aspergillus strains including A. fumigatus, A. flavus, and A. niger could be mentioned. In this study, we aimed to separate allergic proteins from Aspergillus strains and determine their identity. Materials and Methods: Standard species of Aspergillus strains were cultivated in optimized conditions and the mycelium was separated by centrifugation. The fungal cells were lysed through physical methods such as freeze-thawing and grinding to prepare a suitable protein extract. The protein concentration was measured by Bradford method and the electrophoretic pattern of the extract was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The proteins were fractionated by ammonium sulfate precipitation and anion exchange chromatography using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) system. The IgE immunoreactivity of the sensitized patients and controls was studied using the fractionated proteins by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Following SDS-PAGE, proteins were electrotransferred onto polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes and the strips were blotted with allergic patients' and controls' sera. The immunoreactive bands were excised from colloidal coomassie-stained SDS-PAGE gels and studied by mass spectroscopy methods. Results: Among the studied species, A. fumigatus showed stronger IgE reactivity and more IgE reactive protein bands than others did. The proteins with higher molecular weights showed stronger immunoreactivity in Western blotting. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated a correlation between the results of the applied ELISA methods. One of the most prominent IgE-reactive proteins was confirmed to be 45 kDa mycelia catalase. Conclusion: Our findings confirmed that high molecular weight proteins might play a major role in allergy and IgE reactivity to Aspergillus species. Moreover, the results showed that precipitation and chromatographic methods are applicable for fractionation of fungal proteins such as mycelial catalase.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Falahati
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - S Ghanbari
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - M Ebrahimi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - M Ghazanfari
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - F Bazrafshan
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - S Farahyar
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - R Falak
- Immunology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Bhetariya PJ, Prajapati M, Bhaduri A, Mandal RS, Varma A, Madan T, Singh Y, Sarma PU. Phylogenetic and Structural Analysis of Polyketide Synthases in Aspergilli. Evol Bioinform Online 2016; 12:109-19. [PMID: 27199544 PMCID: PMC4863872 DOI: 10.4137/ebo.s32694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyketide synthases (PKSs) of Aspergillus species are multidomain and multifunctional megaenzymes that play an important role in the synthesis of diverse polyketide compounds. Putative PKS protein sequences from Aspergillus species representing medically, agriculturally, and industrially important Aspergillus species were chosen and screened for in silico studies. Six candidate Aspergillus species, Aspergillus fumigatus Af293, Aspergillus flavus NRRL3357, Aspergillus niger CBS 513.88, Aspergillus terreus NIH2624, Aspergillus oryzae RIB40, and Aspergillus clavatus NRRL1, were selected to study the PKS phylogeny. Full-length PKS proteins and only ketosynthase (KS) domain sequence were retrieved for independent phylogenetic analysis from the aforementioned species, and phylogenetic analysis was performed with characterized fungal PKS. This resulted into grouping of Aspergilli PKSs into nonreducing (NR), partially reducing (PR), and highly reducing (HR) PKS enzymes. Eight distinct clades with unique domain arrangements were classified based on homology with functionally characterized PKS enzymes. Conserved motif signatures corresponding to each type of PKS were observed. Three proteins from Protein Data Bank corresponding to NR, PR, and HR type of PKS (XP_002384329.1, XP_753141.2, and XP_001402408.2, respectively) were selected for mapping of conserved motifs on three-dimensional structures of KS domain. Structural variations were found at the active sites on modeled NR, PR, and HR enzymes of Aspergillus. It was observed that the number of iteration cycles was dependent on the size of the cavity in the active site of the PKS enzyme correlating with a type with reducing or NR products, such as pigment, 6MSA, and lovastatin. The current study reports the grouping and classification of PKS proteins of Aspergilli for possible exploration of novel polyketides based on sequence homology; this information can be useful for selection of PKS for polyketide exploration and specific detection of Aspergilli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preetida J Bhetariya
- Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Madhvi Prajapati
- Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Asani Bhaduri
- Cluster innovation Centre, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Rahul Shubhra Mandal
- Biomedical Informatics Center, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India
| | - Anupam Varma
- Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Taruna Madan
- National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Mumbai, India
| | - Yogendra Singh
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - P Usha Sarma
- Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, India
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Yang K, Zhuang Z, Zhang F, Song F, Zhong H, Ran F, Yu S, Xu G, Lan F, Wang S. Inhibition of aflatoxin metabolism and growth ofAspergillus flavusin liquid culture by a DNA methylation inhibitor. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess 2014; 32:554-63. [DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2014.972992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Abstract
Indoor environments play important roles in human health. The health hazards posed by polluted indoor environments include allergy, infections and toxicity. Life style changes have resulted in a shift from open air environments to air tight, energy efficient, environments, in which people spend a substantial portion of their time. Most indoor air pollution comes from the hazardous non biological agents and biological agents. Fungi are ubiquitous in distribution and are a serious threat to public health in indoor environments. In this communication, we have reviewed the current status on biotic indoor air pollution, role of fungi as biological contaminants and their impact on human health.
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Comprehensive annotation of secondary metabolite biosynthetic genes and gene clusters of Aspergillus nidulans, A. fumigatus, A. niger and A. oryzae. BMC Microbiol 2013; 13:91. [PMID: 23617571 PMCID: PMC3689640 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-13-91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 195] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Secondary metabolite production, a hallmark of filamentous fungi, is an expanding area of research for the Aspergilli. These compounds are potent chemicals, ranging from deadly toxins to therapeutic antibiotics to potential anti-cancer drugs. The genome sequences for multiple Aspergilli have been determined, and provide a wealth of predictive information about secondary metabolite production. Sequence analysis and gene overexpression strategies have enabled the discovery of novel secondary metabolites and the genes involved in their biosynthesis. The Aspergillus Genome Database (AspGD) provides a central repository for gene annotation and protein information for Aspergillus species. These annotations include Gene Ontology (GO) terms, phenotype data, gene names and descriptions and they are crucial for interpreting both small- and large-scale data and for aiding in the design of new experiments that further Aspergillus research. Results We have manually curated Biological Process GO annotations for all genes in AspGD with recorded functions in secondary metabolite production, adding new GO terms that specifically describe each secondary metabolite. We then leveraged these new annotations to predict roles in secondary metabolism for genes lacking experimental characterization. As a starting point for manually annotating Aspergillus secondary metabolite gene clusters, we used antiSMASH (antibiotics and Secondary Metabolite Analysis SHell) and SMURF (Secondary Metabolite Unknown Regions Finder) algorithms to identify potential clusters in A. nidulans, A. fumigatus, A. niger and A. oryzae, which we subsequently refined through manual curation. Conclusions This set of 266 manually curated secondary metabolite gene clusters will facilitate the investigation of novel Aspergillus secondary metabolites.
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Abstract
Peroxisomes are ubiquitous and versatile cell organelles. They consist of a single membrane that encloses a proteinaceous matrix. Conserved functions are fatty acid β-oxidation and hydrogen peroxide metabolism. In filamentous fungi, many other metabolic functions have been identified. Also, they contain highly specialized peroxisome-derived structures termed Woronin bodies, which have a structural function in plugging septal pores in order to prevent cytoplasmic bleeding of damaged hyphae.In filamentous fungi peroxisomes play key roles in the production of a range of secondary metabolites such as antibiotics. Most likely the atlas of fungal peroxisomal metabolic pathways is still far from complete. Relative recently discovered functions include their role in biotin biosynthesis as well as in the production of several toxins, among which polyketides. Finally, in filamentous fungi peroxisomes are important for development and pathogenesis.In this contribution we present an overview of our current knowledge on fungal peroxisome formation as well as on their functional diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida J van der Klei
- Molecular Cell Biology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, 11103, 9700CC, Groningen, The Netherlands,
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Haleem Khan A, Mohan Karuppayil S. Fungal pollution of indoor environments and its management. Saudi J Biol Sci 2012; 19:405-26. [PMID: 23961203 PMCID: PMC3730554 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2012.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2011] [Revised: 06/05/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Indoor environments play important roles in human health. The health hazards posed by polluted indoor environments include allergy, infections and toxicity. Life style changes have resulted in a shift from open air environments to air tight, energy efficient, environments, in which people spend a substantial portion of their time. Most indoor air pollution comes from the hazardous non biological agents and biological agents. Fungi are ubiquitous in distribution and are a serious threat to public health in indoor environments. In this communication, we have reviewed the current status on biotic indoor air pollution, role of fungi as biological contaminants and their impact on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.A. Haleem Khan
- DST-FIST Sponsored School of Life Sciences, SRTM University, Nanded 431606, MS, India
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