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Hu L, Sun C, Kidd JM, Han J, Fang X, Li H, Liu Q, May AE, Li Q, Zhou L, Liu Q. A first-in-class inhibitor of Hsp110 molecular chaperones of pathogenic fungi. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2745. [PMID: 37173314 PMCID: PMC10182041 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38220-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins of the Hsp110 family are molecular chaperones that play important roles in protein homeostasis in eukaryotes. The pathogenic fungus Candida albicans, which causes infections in humans, has a single Hsp110, termed Msi3. Here, we provide proof-of-principle evidence supporting fungal Hsp110s as targets for the development of new antifungal drugs. We identify a pyrazolo[3,4-b] pyridine derivative, termed HLQ2H (or 2H), that inhibits the biochemical and chaperone activities of Msi3, as well as the growth and viability of C. albicans. Moreover, the fungicidal activity of 2H correlates with its inhibition of in vivo protein folding. We propose 2H and related compounds as promising leads for development of new antifungals and as pharmacological tools for the study of the molecular mechanisms and functions of Hsp110s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqing Hu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Cancan Sun
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Justin M Kidd
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Jizhong Han
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianjun Fang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Hongtao Li
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Qingdai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Aaron E May
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Qianbin Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China.
| | - Qinglian Liu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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Velazhahan V, McCann BL, Bignell E, Tate CG. Developing novel antifungals: lessons from G protein-coupled receptors. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:162-174. [PMID: 36801017 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Up to 1.5 million people die yearly from fungal disease, but the repertoire of antifungal drug classes is minimal and the incidence of drug resistance is rising rapidly. This dilemma was recently declared by the World Health Organization as a global health emergency, but the discovery of new antifungal drug classes remains excruciatingly slow. This process could be accelerated by focusing on novel targets, such as G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-like proteins, that have a high likelihood of being druggable and have well-defined biology and roles in disease. We discuss recent successes in understanding the biology of virulence and in structure determination of yeast GPCRs, and highlight new approaches that might pay significant dividends in the urgent search for novel antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaithish Velazhahan
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Bethany L McCann
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Stocker Road, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Elaine Bignell
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Stocker Road, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
| | - Christopher G Tate
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
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Wang Y, Li H, Sun C, Liu Q, Zhou L, Liu Q. Purification and biochemical characterization of Msi3, an essential Hsp110 molecular chaperone in Candida albicans. Cell Stress Chaperones 2021; 26:695-704. [PMID: 34047887 PMCID: PMC8275692 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-021-01213-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hsp110s are unique and essential molecular chaperones in the eukaryotic cytosol. They play important roles in maintaining cellular protein homeostasis. Candida albicans is the most prevalent yeast opportunistic pathogen that causes fungal infections in humans. As the only Hsp110 in Candida albicans, Msi3 is essential for the growth and infection of Candida albicans. In this study, we have expressed and purified Msi3 in nucleotide-free state and carried out biochemical analyses. Sse1 is the major Hsp110 in budding yeast S. cerevisiae and the best characterized Hsp110. Msi3 can substitute Sse1 in complementing the temperature-sensitive phenotype of S. cerevisiae carrying a deletion of SSE1 gene although Msi3 shares only 63.4% sequence identity with Sse1. Consistent with this functional similarity, the purified Msi3 protein shares many similar biochemical activities with Sse1 including binding ATP with high affinity, changing conformation upon ATP binding, stimulating the nucleotide-exchange for Hsp70, preventing protein aggregation, and assisting Hsp70 in refolding denatured luciferase. These biochemical characterizations suggested that Msi3 can be used as a model for studying the molecular mechanisms of Hsp110s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Hongtao Li
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Cancan Sun
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Qingdai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Qinglian Liu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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Nicoletti R, Di Vaio C, Cirillo C. Endophytic Fungi of Olive Tree. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1321. [PMID: 32872625 PMCID: PMC7565531 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to the general interest connected with investigations on biodiversity in natural contexts, more recently the scientific community has started considering occurrence of endophytic fungi in crops in the awareness of the fundamental role played by these microorganisms on plant growth and protection. Crops such as olive tree, whose management is more and more frequently based on the paradigm of sustainable agriculture, are particularly interested in the perspective of a possible applicative employment, considering that the multi-year crop cycle implies a likely higher impact of these symbiotic interactions. Aspects concerning occurrence and effects of endophytic fungi associated with olive tree (Olea europaea) are revised in the present paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Nicoletti
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Olive, Fruit and Citrus Crops, 81100 Caserta, Italy;
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy;
| | - Claudio Di Vaio
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy;
| | - Chiara Cirillo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy;
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Caza M, Kronstad JW. The cAMP/Protein Kinase a Pathway Regulates Virulence and Adaptation to Host Conditions in Cryptococcus neoformans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:212. [PMID: 31275865 PMCID: PMC6592070 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrient sensing is critical for adaptation of fungi to environmental and host conditions. The conserved cAMP/PKA signaling pathway contributes to adaptation by sensing the availability of key nutrients such as glucose and directing changes in gene expression and metabolism. Interestingly, the cAMP/PKA pathway in fungal pathogens also influences the expression of virulence determinants in response to nutritional and host signals. For instance, protein kinase A (PKA) in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans plays a central role in orchestrating phenotypic changes, such as capsule elaboration and melanin production, that directly impact disease development. In this review, we focus first on insights into the role of the cAMP/PKA pathway in nutrient sensing for the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to provide a foundation for understanding the pathway in C. neoformans. We then discuss key features of cAMP/PKA signaling in C. neoformans including new insights emerging from the analysis of transcriptional and proteomic changes in strains with altered PKA activity and expression. Finally, we highlight recent studies that connect the cAMP/PKA pathway to cell surface remodeling and the formation of titan cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Caza
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - James W Kronstad
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Wangsanut T, Tobin JM, Rolfes RJ. Functional Mapping of Transcription Factor Grf10 That Regulates Adenine-Responsive and Filamentation Genes in Candida albicans. mSphere 2018; 3:e00467-18. [PMID: 30355670 PMCID: PMC6200990 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00467-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Grf10, a homeodomain-containing transcription factor, regulates adenylate and one-carbon metabolism and morphogenesis in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans Here, we identified functional domains and key residues involved in transcription factor activity using one-hybrid and mutational analyses. We localized activation domains to the C-terminal half of the Grf10 protein by one-hybrid analysis and identified motifs using bioinformatic analyses; one of the characterized activation domains (AD1) responded to temperature. The LexA-Grf10 fusion protein activated the lexAop-HIS1 reporter in an adenine-dependent fashion, and this activation was independent of Bas1, showing that the adenine limitation signal is transmitted directly to Grf10. Overexpression of LexA-Grf10 led to filamentation, and this required a functioning homeodomain, consistent with Grf10 controlling the expression of key filamentation genes; filamentation induced by LexA-Grf10 overexpression was independent of adenine levels and Bas1. Alanine substitutions were made within the conserved interaction regions (IR) of LexA-Grf10 and Grf10 to investigate roles in transcription. In LexA-Grf10, the D302A mutation activated transcription constitutively, and the E305A mutation was regulated by adenine. When these mutations were introduced into the native gene locus, the D302A mutation was unable to complement the ADE phenotype and did not promote filamentation under hypha-inducing conditions; the E305A mutant behaved as the native gene with respect to the ADE phenotype and was partially defective in inducing hyphae. These results demonstrate allele-specific responses with respect to the different phenotypes, consistent with perturbations in the ability of Grf10 to interact with multiple partner proteins.IMPORTANCE Metabolic adaptation and morphogenesis are essential for Candida albicans, a major human fungal pathogen, to survive and infect diverse body sites in the mammalian host. C. albicans utilizes transcription factors to tightly control the transcription of metabolic genes and morphogenesis genes. Grf10, a critical homeodomain transcription factor, controls purine and one-carbon metabolism in response to adenine limitation, and Grf10 is necessary for the yeast-to-hypha morphological switching, a known virulence factor. Here, we carried out one-hybrid and mutational analyses to identify functional domains of Grf10. Our results show that Grf10 separately regulates metabolic and morphogenesis genes, and it contains a conserved protein domain for protein partner interaction, allowing Grf10 to control the transcription of multiple distinct pathways. Our findings contribute significantly to understanding the role and mechanism of transcription factors that control multiple pathogenic traits in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joshua M Tobin
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ronda J Rolfes
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
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