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Redrado-Hernández S, Macías-León J, Castro-López J, Belén Sanz A, Dolader E, Arias M, González-Ramírez AM, Sánchez-Navarro D, Petryk Y, Farkaš V, Vincke C, Muyldermans S, García-Barbazán I, Del Agua C, Zaragoza O, Arroyo J, Pardo J, Gálvez EM, Hurtado-Guerrero R. Broad Protection against Invasive Fungal Disease from a Nanobody Targeting the Active Site of Fungal β-1,3-Glucanosyltransferases. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202405823. [PMID: 38856634 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202405823] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Invasive fungal disease accounts for about 3.8 million deaths annually, an unacceptable rate that urgently prompts the discovery of new knowledge-driven treatments. We report the use of camelid single-domain nanobodies (Nbs) against fungal β-1,3-glucanosyltransferases (Gel) involved in β-1,3-glucan transglycosylation. Crystal structures of two Nbs with Gel4 from Aspergillus fumigatus revealed binding to a dissimilar CBM43 domain and a highly conserved catalytic domain across fungal species, respectively. Anti-Gel4 active site Nb3 showed significant antifungal efficacy in vitro and in vivo prophylactically and therapeutically against different A. fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans isolates, reducing the fungal burden and disease severity, thus significantly improving immunocompromised animal survival. Notably, C. deneoformans (serotype D) strains were more susceptible to Nb3 and genetic Gel deletion than C. neoformans (serotype A) strains, indicating a key role for β-1,3-glucan remodelling in C. deneoformans survival. These findings add new insight about the role of β-1,3-glucan in fungal biology and demonstrate the potential of nanobodies in targeting fungal enzymes to combat invasive fungal diseases.
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Grants
- PID2022-136362NB-I00 Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital, Gobierno de España
- BIO2016-79289-P Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Gobierno de España
- PID2019-105223GB-I00 Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades y Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Gobierno de España
- PID2022-136888NB-I00 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Gobierno de España
- PID2020-114546RB Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Gobierno de España
- PID2020-113963RB-I00 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Gobierno de España
- S2017/BMD3691-InGEMICS-CM Comunidad de Madrid
- B29_17R, E34_R17, LMP58_18 and LMP139_21 Gobierno de Aragon
- Nanofungi Precipita (crowdfunding)
- BIOSTRUCTX_5186 FP7 (2007-2013), BioStruct-X
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Redrado-Hernández
- Instituto de Carboquímica ICB-CSIC, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Macías-León
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jorge Castro-López
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ana Belén Sanz
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Dolader
- Department of Microbiology, Pediatry, Radiology and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Maykel Arias
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Microbiology, Pediatry, Radiology and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Andrés Manuel González-Ramírez
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - David Sánchez-Navarro
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Yuliya Petryk
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vladimír Farkaš
- Department of Glycobiology, Institute of Chemistry, Center for Glycomics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84538, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Cécile Vincke
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Serge Muyldermans
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Irene García-Barbazán
- Mycology Reference Laboratory. National Centre for Microbiology., Health Institute Carlos III, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Celia Del Agua
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, IIS-Aragón, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Oscar Zaragoza
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Mycology Reference Laboratory. National Centre for Microbiology., Health Institute Carlos III, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Arroyo
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julián Pardo
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Microbiology, Pediatry, Radiology and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Eva M Gálvez
- Instituto de Carboquímica ICB-CSIC, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramon Hurtado-Guerrero
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
- Fundación ARAID, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
- Copenhagen Center for Glycomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
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2
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Jiang L, Xu H, Gu Y, Wei L. A glycosylated Phr1 protein is induced by calcium stress and its expression is positively controlled by the calcium/calcineurin signaling transcription factor Crz1 in Candida albicans. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:237. [PMID: 37723578 PMCID: PMC10506259 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01224-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
As one of the most important human fungal pathogens, Candida albicans senses and adapts to host niches with different pH values through the pH-responsive Rim101 pathway. Its transcription factor Rim101 activates the expression of alkaline pH-induced genes including PHR1 that encodes a glycosylphosphatidylinsitol-anchored β(1,3)-glucanosyltransferase critical for hyphal wall formation. The calcium/calcineurin signaling pathway is mediated by the transcription factor Crz1 in yeasts and other lower eukaryotes. Here we report that deletion of PHR1 leads to calcium sensitivity of C. albicans cells. In addition, expression of Phr1 is induced by calcium stress and under the control of Crz1 in C. albicans. EMSA assay demonstrates that Crz1 binds to one CDRE element in the PHR1 promoter. Alkaline treatment induces two species of glycosylated Phr1 proteins with different degrees of glycosylation, which is independent of Crz1. In contrast, only one species of Phr1 protein with a low degree of glycosylation is induced by calcium stress in a Crz1-dependent fashion. Therefore, we have provided an evidence that regulation of cell wall remodeling is integrated through differential degrees of Phr1 glycosylation by both the pH-regulated Rim101 pathway and the calcium/calcineurin signaling pathway in C. albicans. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linghuo Jiang
- Laboratory of Yeast Biology and Fermentation Technology, Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
| | - Huihui Xu
- Department of Food Science, School of Agricultural Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255000, China
| | - Yiying Gu
- Laboratory of Yeast Biology and Fermentation Technology, Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China
| | - Liudan Wei
- Laboratory of Yeast Biology and Fermentation Technology, Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China
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3
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Arita GS, Faria DR, Capoci IR, Kioshima ES, Bonfim-Mendonça PS, Svidzinski TI. Cell wall associated proteins involved in filamentation with impact on the virulence of Candida albicans. Microbiol Res 2022; 258:126996. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.126996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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4
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Li R, Zhu L, Liu D, Wang W, Zhang C, Jiao S, Wei J, Ren L, Zhang Y, Gou X, Yuan X, Du Y, Wang ZA. High molecular weight chitosan oligosaccharide exhibited antifungal activity by misleading cell wall organization via targeting PHR transglucosidases. Carbohydr Polym 2022; 285:119253. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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5
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Qiu L, Zhang TS, Song JZ, Zhang J, Li Z, Wang JJ. BbWor1, a Regulator of Morphological Transition, Is Involved in Conidium-Hypha Switching, Blastospore Propagation, and Virulence in Beauveria bassiana. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0020321. [PMID: 34319134 PMCID: PMC8552717 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00203-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphological transition is an important adaptive mechanism in the host invasion process. Wor1 is a conserved fungal regulatory protein that controls the phenotypic switching and pathogenicity of Candida albicans. By modulating growth conditions, we simulated three models of Beauveria bassiana morphological transitions, including CTH (conidia to hyphae), HTC (hyphae to conidia), and BTB (blastospore to blastospore). Disruption of BbWor1 (an ortholog of Wor1) resulted in a distinct reduction in the time required for conidial germination (CTH), a significant increase in hyphal growth, and a decrease in the yield of conidia (HTC), indicating that BbWor1 positively controls conidium production and negatively regulates hyphal growth in conidium-hypha switching. Moreover, ΔBbWor1 prominently decreased blastospore yield, shortened the G0/G1 phase, and prolonged the G2/M phase under the BTB model. Importantly, BbWor1 contributed to conidium-hypha switching and blastospore propagation via different genetic pathways, and yeast one-hybrid testing demonstrated the necessity of BbWor1 to control the transcription of an allergen-like protein gene (BBA_02580) and a conidial wall protein gene (BBA_09998). Moreover, the dramatically weakened virulence of ΔBbWor1 was examined by immersion and injection methods. Our findings indicate that BbWor1 is a vital participant in morphological transition and pathogenicity in entomopathogenic fungi. IMPORTANCE As a well-known entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana has a complex life cycle and involves transformations among single-cell conidia, blastospores, and filamentous hyphae. This study provides new insight into the regulation of the fungal cell morphological transitions by simulating three models. Our research identified BbWor1 as a core transcription factor of morphological differentiation that positively regulates the production of conidia and blastospores but negatively regulates hyphal growth. More importantly, BbWor1 affects fungal pathogenicity and the global transcription profiles within three models of growth stage transformation. The present study lays a foundation for the exploration of the transition mechanism of entomopathogenic fungi and provides material for the morphological study of fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Qiu
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Tong-Sheng Zhang
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Ji-Zheng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Ze Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Juan-Juan Wang
- School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, China
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6
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Involvement of amyloid proteins in the formation of biofilms in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. Res Microbiol 2021; 172:103813. [PMID: 33515679 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2021.103813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Candida species represent a major fungal threat for human health. Within the Candida genus, the yeast Candida albicans is the most frequently incriminated species during episodes of candidiasis or candidemia. Biofilm formation is used by C. albicans to produce a microbial community that is important in an infectious context. The cell wall, the most superficial cellular compartment, is of paramount importance regarding the establishment of biofilms. C. albicans cell wall contains proteins with amyloid properties that are necessary for biofilm formation due to their adhesion properties. This review focuses on these amyloid proteins during biofilm formation in the yeast C. albicans.
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7
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Martins MP, Martinez-Rossi NM, Sanches PR, Rossi A. The PAC-3 transcription factor critically regulates phenotype-associated genes in Neurospora crassa. Genet Mol Biol 2020; 43:e20190374. [PMID: 32584919 PMCID: PMC7355564 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2019-0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors play an important role in fungal environmental adaptive process by promoting adjustment to challenging stimuli via gene modulation and activation of signaling networks. The transcription factor encoded by the pac-3/rim101/pacC gene is involved in pH regulation and is associated with a wide variety of cellular functions. The deletion of pac-3 affects fungal development. In Neurospora crassa, the Δpac-3 strain presents diminished aerial growth and reduced conidiation. However, the PAC-3-regulated genes associated with this altered phenotype have not been elucidated. In this study, we used RNA-seq to analyze the phenotypic plasticity induced after pac-3 deletion in the filamentous fungus N. crassa cultivated in media supplemented with sufficient or limited inorganic phosphate. Genes related to morphology, hyphal development, and conidiation were of particular interest in this study. Our results suggest a pac-3 dependency in gene regulation in a Pi-dependent manner. Furthermore, our analysis suggested that the fungus attempts to overcome the deletion effects in a Δpac-3 mutant through a complex combined regulatory mechanism. Finally, the modulatory responses observed in the Δpac-3 strain, a double mutant generated based on the Δmus-52 mutant strain, is strain-specific, highlighting that the phenotypic impact may be attributed to pac-3 absence despite the combined mus-52 deletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maíra Pompeu Martins
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Nilce Maria Martinez-Rossi
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Pablo Rodrigo Sanches
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio Rossi
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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8
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Gong W, Xie C, Zhou Y, Zhu Z, Wang Y, Peng Y. A Resequencing-Based Ultradense Genetic Map of Hericium erinaceus for Anchoring Genome Sequences and Identifying Genetic Loci Associated With Monokaryon Growth. Front Microbiol 2020; 10:3129. [PMID: 32082271 PMCID: PMC7005679 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.03129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Hericium erinaceus has attracted tremendous interest owing to its compelling health-promoting properties. However, breeding of elite cultivars of H. erinaceus is hindered by the lack of a genetic and molecular toolbox. Here, we performed resequencing analysis of 127 F1 single-spore isolates and constructed the first high-resolution genetic map of H. erinaceus. With the use of recombination bins as markers, an ultradense genetic map consisting of 1,174 bins (including 37,082 single-nucleotide polymorphisms) was generated. This newly developed genetic map covered 1,096.5 cM, with an average bin spacing of 0.95 cM. High collinearity between genetic map and H. erinaceus genome assembly was revealed by aligning scaffolds to this genetic map using bin markers as anchors. The application of this newly developed genetic map in quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping was also elucidated, and four QTLs for monokaryon growth were recovered. One QTL, mgr1, which contributes 12.1% of growth variations, was located near the mating type A (MAT-A) loci. Overall, this newly constructed high-resolution genetic map (or bin map) could be used as reference in future genetic, genomic, and breeding studies on H. erinaceus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Yuande Peng
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, China
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9
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Degani G, Popolo L. The Glucan-Remodeling Enzyme Phr1p and the Chitin Synthase Chs1p Cooperate to Maintain Proper Nuclear Segregation and Cell Integrity in Candida albicans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:400. [PMID: 31824871 PMCID: PMC6882867 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
GH72 family of β-(1,3)-glucanosyltransferases is unique to fungi and is required for cell wall biogenesis, morphogenesis, virulence, and in some species is essential for life. Candida albicans PHR1 and PHR2 are pH-regulated genes that encode GH72 enzymes highly similar to Gas1p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PHR1 is expressed at pH ≥ 5.5 while PHR2 is transcribed at pH ≤ 5.5. Both are essential for C. albicans morphogenesis and virulence. During growth at neutral-alkaline pH, Phr1p-GFP preferentially localizes to sites of active cell wall formation as the incipient bud, the mother-daughter neck, the bud periphery, and concentrates in the septum at cytokinesis. We further investigated this latter localization. In chs3Δ cells, lacking the chitin of the chitin ring and lateral cell wall, Phr1p-GFP still concentrated along the thin line of the primary septum formed by chitin deposited by chitin synthase I (whose catalytic subunit is Chs1p) suggesting that it plays a role during formation of the secondary septa. RO-09-3143, a highly specific inhibitor of Chs1p activity, inhibits septum formation and blocks cell division. However, alternative septa are produced and are crucial for cell survival. Phr1p-GFP is excluded from such aberrant septa. Finally, we determined the effects of RO-09-3143 in cells lacking Phr1p. PHR1 null mutant was more susceptible to the drug than the wild type. The phr1Δ cells were larger, devoid of septa, and underwent endomitosis and cell death. Phr1p and Chs1p cooperate in maintaining cell integrity and in coupling morphogenesis with nuclear division in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genny Degani
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Popolo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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10
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Kar B, Patel P, Ao J, Free SJ. Neurospora crassa family GH72 glucanosyltransferases function to crosslink cell wall glycoprotein N-linked galactomannan to cell wall lichenin. Fungal Genet Biol 2018; 123:60-69. [PMID: 30503329 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2018.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The formation of a glucan/chitin/glycoprotein cell wall matrix is vital for fungal survival, growth, and morphogenesis. The cell wall proteins are important cell wall components and function in adhesion, signal transduction, and as cell wall structural elements. In this report we demonstrate that Neurospora crassa GH72 glucan transferases function to crosslink cell wall glycoproteins into the cell wall. With an in vitro assay, we show that the glucan transferases are able to attach lichenin, a cell wall glucan with a repeating β-1,4-glucose-β-1,4-glucose-β-1,3-glucose structure, to cell wall glycoproteins. We propose that the pathway for attachment of lichenin to the glycoprotein has four steps. First, N-linked oligosaccharides present on the glycoproteins are modified by the addition of a galactomannan. As part of our report we have characterized the structure of the galactomannan, which consists of an α-1,6-mannose backbone with galactofuranose side chains. In the second step, the galactomannan is processed by members of the GH76 α-1,6-mannanases. In the third step, the glucan transferases cleave the lichenin and create substrate-enzyme intermediates. In the final step, the transferases transfer the lichenin to the processed galactomannan. We demonstrate that the N. crassa glucan transferases have demonstrate specificity for the processed galactomannan and for lichenin. The energy from the cleaved glycosidic bond in lichenin is retained in the substrate-enzyme intermediate and used to create a new glycosidic bond between the lichenin and the processed galactomannan. The pathway effectively crosslinks glycoproteins into the fungal cell wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bibekananda Kar
- Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Pavan Patel
- Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Jie Ao
- Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Stephen J Free
- Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
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11
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Luo Z, Zhang T, Liu P, Bai Y, Chen Q, Zhang Y, Keyhani NO. The Beauveria bassiana Gas3 β-Glucanosyltransferase Contributes to Fungal Adaptation to Extreme Alkaline Conditions. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:e01086-18. [PMID: 29802184 PMCID: PMC6052264 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01086-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal β-1,3-glucanosyltransferases are cell wall-remodeling enzymes implicated in stress response, cell wall integrity, and virulence, with most fungal genomes containing multiple members. The insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana displays robust growth over a wide pH range (pH 4 to 10). A random insertion mutant library screening for increased sensitivity to alkaline (pH 10) growth conditions resulted in the identification and mapping of a mutant to a β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase gene (Bbgas3). Bbgas3 expression was pH dependent and regulated by the PacC transcription factor, which activates genes in response to neutral/alkaline growth conditions. Targeted gene knockout of Bbgas3 resulted in reduced growth under alkaline conditions, with only minor effects of increased sensitivity to cell wall stress (Congo red and calcofluor white) and no significant effects on fungal sensitivity to oxidative or osmotic stress. The cell walls of ΔBbgas3 aerial conidia were thinner than those of the wild-type and complemented strains in response to alkaline conditions, and β-1,3-glucan antibody and lectin staining revealed alterations in cell surface carbohydrate epitopes. The ΔBbgas3 mutant displayed alterations in cell wall chitin and carbohydrate content in response to alkaline pH. Insect bioassays revealed impaired virulence for the ΔBbgas3 mutant depending upon the pH of the media on which the conidia were grown and harvested. Unexpectedly, a decreased median lethal time to kill (LT50, i.e., increased virulence) was seen for the mutant using intrahemocoel injection assays using conidia grown at acidic pH (5.6). These data show that BbGas3 acts as a pH-responsive cell wall-remodeling enzyme involved in resistance to extreme pH (>9).IMPORTANCE Little is known about adaptations required for growth at high (>9) pH. Here, we show that a specific fungal membrane-remodeling β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase gene (Bbgas3) regulated by the pH-responsive PacC transcription factor forms a critical aspect of the ability of the insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana to grow at extreme pH. The loss of Bbgas3 resulted in a unique decreased ability to grow at high pH, with little to no effects seen with respect to other stress conditions, i.e., cell wall integrity and osmotic and oxidative stress. However, pH-dependent alternations in cell wall properties and virulence were noted for the ΔBbgas3 mutant. These data provide a mechanistic insight into the importance of the specific cell wall structure required to stabilize the cell at high pH and link it to the PacC/Pal/Rim pH-sensing and regulatory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibing Luo
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tongbing Zhang
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Pengfei Liu
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuting Bai
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiyan Chen
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongjun Zhang
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Nemat O Keyhani
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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12
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Targeting Candida spp. to develop antifungal agents. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:802-814. [PMID: 29353694 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Revised: 12/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections are a complex challenge throughout the world because of their high incidence, mainly in critically ill patients, and high mortality rates. The antifungal agents currently available are limited; thus, there is a need for the rapid development of new drugs. In silico methods are a modern strategy to explore interactions between new compounds and specific fungal targets, but they depend on precise genetic information. Here, we discuss the main Candida spp. target genes, including information about null mutants, virulence, cytolocalization, co-regulatory genes, and compounds that are related to protein expression. These data will provide a basis for the future in silico development of antifungal drugs.
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Delso I, Valero-Gonzalez J, Gomollón-Bel F, Castro-López J, Fang W, Navratilova I, van Aalten DMF, Tejero T, Merino P, Hurtado-Guerrero R. Inhibitors against Fungal Cell Wall Remodeling Enzymes. ChemMedChem 2017; 13:128-132. [PMID: 29164827 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201700720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Fungal β-1,3-glucan glucanosyltransferases are glucan-remodeling enzymes that play important roles in cell wall integrity, and are essential for the viability of pathogenic fungi and yeasts. As such, they are considered possible drug targets, although inhibitors of this class of enzymes have not yet been reported. Herein we report a multidisciplinary approach based on a structure-guided design using a highly conserved transglycosylase from Sacharomyces cerevisiae, that leads to carbohydrate derivatives with high affinity for Aspergillus fumigatus Gel4. We demonstrate by X-ray crystallography that the compounds bind in the active site of Gas2/Gel4 and interact with the catalytic machinery. The topological analysis of noncovalent interactions demonstrates that the combination of a triazole with positively charged aromatic moieties are important for optimal interactions with Gas2/Gel4 through unusual pyridinium cation-π and face-to-face π-π interactions. The lead compound is capable of inhibiting AfGel4 with an IC50 value of 42 μm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Delso
- Instituto de Síntesis Química y Catálisis Homogénea (ISQCH), Universidad de Zaragoza, CSIC, 50009, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Jessika Valero-Gonzalez
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) Joint Unit, Campus Rio Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Fernando Gomollón-Bel
- Instituto de Síntesis Química y Catálisis Homogénea (ISQCH), Universidad de Zaragoza, CSIC, 50009, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Jorge Castro-López
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) Joint Unit, Campus Rio Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Wenxia Fang
- Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK
| | - Iva Navratilova
- Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK
| | - Daan M F van Aalten
- Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK
| | - Tomás Tejero
- Instituto de Síntesis Química y Catálisis Homogénea (ISQCH), Universidad de Zaragoza, CSIC, 50009, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Pedro Merino
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) Joint Unit, Campus Rio Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Ramon Hurtado-Guerrero
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, BIFI-IQFR (CSIC) Joint Unit, Campus Rio Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain.,Fundación ARAID, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
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14
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The PHR Family: The Role of Extracellular Transglycosylases in Shaping Candida albicans Cells. J Fungi (Basel) 2017; 3:jof3040059. [PMID: 29371575 PMCID: PMC5753161 DOI: 10.3390/jof3040059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is an opportunistic microorganism that can become a pathogen causing mild superficial mycosis or more severe invasive infections that can be life-threatening for debilitated patients. In the etiology of invasive infections, key factors are the adaptability of C. albicans to the different niches of the human body and the transition from a yeast form to hypha. Hyphal morphology confers high adhesiveness to the host cells, as well as the ability to penetrate into organs. The cell wall plays a crucial role in the morphological changes C. albicans undergoes in response to specific environmental cues. Among the different categories of enzymes involved in the formation of the fungal cell wall, the GH72 family of transglycosylases plays an important assembly role. These enzymes cut and religate β-(1,3)-glucan, the major determinant of cell shape. In C. albicans, the PHR family encodes GH72 enzymes, some of which work in specific environmental conditions. In this review, we will summarize the work from the initial discovery of PHR genes to the study of the pH-dependent expression of PHR1 and PHR2, from the characterization of the gene products to the recent findings concerning the stress response generated by the lack of GH72 activity in C. albicans hyphae.
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15
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Samalova M, Mélida H, Vilaplana F, Bulone V, Soanes DM, Talbot NJ, Gurr SJ. The β-1,3-glucanosyltransferases (Gels) affect the structure of the rice blast fungal cell wall during appressorium-mediated plant infection. Cell Microbiol 2016; 19. [PMID: 27568483 PMCID: PMC5396357 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The fungal wall is pivotal for cell shape and function, and in interfacial protection during host infection and environmental challenge. Here, we provide the first description of the carbohydrate composition and structure of the cell wall of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. We focus on the family of glucan elongation proteins (Gels) and characterize five putative β‐1,3‐glucan glucanosyltransferases that each carry the Glycoside Hydrolase 72 signature. We generated targeted deletion mutants of all Gel isoforms, that is, the GH72+, which carry a putative carbohydrate‐binding module, and the GH72− Gels, without this motif. We reveal that M. oryzaeGH72+GELs are expressed in spores and during both infective and vegetative growth, but each individual Gel enzymes are dispensable for pathogenicity. Further, we demonstrated that a Δgel1Δgel3Δgel4 null mutant has a modified cell wall in which 1,3‐glucans have a higher degree of polymerization and are less branched than the wild‐type strain. The mutant showed significant differences in global patterns of gene expression, a hyper‐branching phenotype and no sporulation, and thus was unable to cause rice blast lesions (except via wounded tissues). We conclude that Gel proteins play significant roles in structural modification of the fungal cell wall during appressorium‐mediated plant infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hugo Mélida
- Division of Glycoscience, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Genomics, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Vilaplana
- Division of Glycoscience, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vincent Bulone
- Division of Glycoscience, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls and School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia
| | - Darren M Soanes
- School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Nicholas J Talbot
- School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Sarah J Gurr
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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16
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Chen X, Zhang R, Takada A, Iwatani S, Oka C, Kitamoto T, Kajiwara S. The role of Bgl2p in the transition to filamentous cells during biofilm formation by Candida albicans. Mycoses 2016; 60:96-103. [PMID: 27597232 DOI: 10.1111/myc.12554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Candida albicans undergoes a transition from yeast cells to filamentous cells that is related to its pathogenicity. The complex multicellular processes involved in biofilm formation by this fungus also include this transition. In this work, we investigated the morphological role of the Bgl2 protein (Bgl2p) in the transition to filamentous cells during biofilm formation by C. albicans. Bgl2p has been identified as a β-1, 3-glucosyltransferase, and transcription of the CaBGL2 gene is upregulated during biofilm formation. We used scanning electron microscopy to observe the microstructure of a bgl2 null mutant during biofilm formation and found a delay in the transition to filamentous cells in the premature phase (24 hours) of biofilm formation. Deletion of the CaBGL2 gene led to a decrease in the expression of CPH2 and TEC1, which encode transcription factors required for the transition to the filamentous form. These findings indicate that Bgl2p plays a role in the transition to filamentous cells during biofilm formation by C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ruoyu Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ayako Takada
- Biomaterials Analysis Division, Technical Department, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Shun Iwatani
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Chiemi Oka
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Kitamoto
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Susumu Kajiwara
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
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17
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Degani G, Ragni E, Botias P, Ravasio D, Calderon J, Pianezzola E, Rodriguez-Peña JM, Vanoni MA, Arroyo J, Fonzi WA, Popolo L. Genomic and functional analyses unveil the response to hyphal wall stress in Candida albicans cells lacking β(1,3)-glucan remodeling. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:482. [PMID: 27411447 PMCID: PMC4942948 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2853-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The cell wall is essential for the yeast to hypha (Y-H) transition that enables Candida albicans to invade human tissues and evade the immune system. The main constituent, β(1,3)-glucan, is remodeled by glucanosyltransferases of the GH72 family. Phr1p is responsible of glucan remodeling at neutral-alkaline pH and is essential for morphogenesis and virulence. Due to the pH-regulated expression of PHR1, the phr1Δ phenotype is manifested at pH > 6 and its severity increases with the rise in pH. We exploited the pH-conditional nature of a PHR1 null mutant to analyze the impact of glucan remodeling on the hyphal transcriptional program and the role of chitin synthases in the hyphal wall stress (HWS) response. Results In hyphal growth inducing conditions, phr1Δ germ tubes are defective in elongation, accumulate chitin, and constitutively activate the signaling pathways mediated by the MAP kinases Mkc1p, Cek1p and Hog1p. The transcriptional profiles revealed an increase of transcript levels for genes involved in cell wall formation (CHS2 and CHS8, CRH11, PGA23, orf19.750, RBR1, RBT4, ECM331, PGA6, PGA13), protein N-glycosylation and sorting in the ER (CWH8 and CHS7), signaling (CPP1, SSK2), ion transport (FLC2, YVC1), stress response and metabolism and a reduced expression of adhesins. A transient up-regulation of DNA replication genes associated with entry into S-phase occurred whereas cell-cycle regulating genes (PCL1, PCL2, CCN1, GIN4, DUN1, CDC28) were persistently up-regulated. To test the physiological relevance of altered CHS gene expression, phr1Δ chsxΔ (x = 2,3,8) mutant phenotypes were analyzed during the Y-H transition. PHR1 deletion was synthetic lethal with CHS3 loss on solid M199 medium-pH 7.5 and with CHS8 deletion on solid M199-pH 8. On Spider medium, PHR1 was synthetic lethal with CHS3 or CHS8 at pH 8. Conclusions The absence of Phr1p triggers an adaptive response aimed to reinforce the hyphal cell wall and restore homeostasis. Chs3p is essential in preserving phr1Δ cell integrity during the Y-H transition. Our findings also unveiled an unanticipated essential role of Chs8p during filamentation on solid media. These results highlight the flexibility of fungal cells in maintaining cell wall integrity and contribute to assessments of glucan remodeling as a target for therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2853-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genny Degani
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Enrico Ragni
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy.,Present address: Unit of Cell therapy and Cryobiology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy
| | - Pedro Botias
- Unidad de Genómica, CAI de Genómica y Proteómica, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Davide Ravasio
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy.,Present address: Evolva, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Julia Calderon
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy.,Present address: Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Elena Pianezzola
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Peña
- Departamento de Microbiologia II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Antonietta Vanoni
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Javier Arroyo
- Departamento de Microbiologia II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - William A Fonzi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA
| | - Laura Popolo
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy.
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18
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Hopke A, Nicke N, Hidu EE, Degani G, Popolo L, Wheeler RT. Neutrophil Attack Triggers Extracellular Trap-Dependent Candida Cell Wall Remodeling and Altered Immune Recognition. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005644. [PMID: 27223610 PMCID: PMC4880299 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogens hide immunogenic epitopes from the host to evade immunity, persist and cause infection. The opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans, which can cause fatal disease in immunocompromised patient populations, offers a good example as it masks the inflammatory epitope β-glucan in its cell wall from host recognition. It has been demonstrated previously that β-glucan becomes exposed during infection in vivo but the mechanism behind this exposure was unknown. Here, we show that this unmasking involves neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) mediated attack, which triggers changes in fungal cell wall architecture that enhance immune recognition by the Dectin-1 β-glucan receptor in vitro. Furthermore, using a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis, we demonstrate the requirement for neutrophils in triggering these fungal cell wall changes in vivo. Importantly, we found that fungal epitope unmasking requires an active fungal response in addition to the stimulus provided by neutrophil attack. NET-mediated damage initiates fungal MAP kinase-driven responses, particularly by Hog1, that dynamically relocalize cell wall remodeling machinery including Chs3, Phr1 and Sur7. Neutrophil-initiated cell wall disruptions augment some macrophage cytokine responses to attacked fungi. This work provides insight into host-pathogen interactions during disseminated candidiasis, including valuable information about how the C. albicans cell wall responds to the biotic stress of immune attack. Our results highlight the important but underappreciated concept that pattern recognition during infection is dynamic and depends on the host-pathogen dialog. Opportunistic fungal infections, including those caused by C. albicans, have emerged as a significant global health burden and the disseminated form of these infections still have unacceptably high mortality rates despite modern antifungal treatments. The fungal cell wall controls its interaction with the host environment and immune recognition, although cell wall dynamics during infection are poorly understood. C. albicans organizes its cell wall to mask the inflammatory β-glucan as a form of immune evasion and it is known that during infection this β-glucan becomes exposed. Here, we investigated how β-glucan becomes exposed and discovered a dynamic interaction where host NETs provoke an active fungal response that disrupts cell wall architecture and unmasks β-glucan. We revealed an unexpected level of local fungal cell wall dynamics in response to immune mediated stress, suggesting this may represent a model that can be leveraged to identify novel drug targets. Our results highlight the understudied concept that the cell wall is a dynamic landscape during infection and can be influenced by the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Hopke
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Nadine Nicke
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Erica E. Hidu
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Genny Degani
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Popolo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Robert T. Wheeler
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Marín E, Parra-Giraldo CM, Hernández-Haro C, Hernáez ML, Nombela C, Monteoliva L, Gil C. Candida albicans Shaving to Profile Human Serum Proteins on Hyphal Surface. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1343. [PMID: 26696967 PMCID: PMC4672057 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a human opportunistic fungus and it is responsible for a wide variety of infections, either superficial or systemic. C. albicans is a polymorphic fungus and its ability to switch between yeast and hyphae is essential for its virulence. Once C. albicans obtains access to the human body, the host serum constitutes a complex environment of interaction with C. albicans cell surface in bloodstream. To draw a comprehensive picture of this relevant step in host-pathogen interaction during invasive candidiasis, we have optimized a gel-free shaving proteomic strategy to identify both, human serum proteins coating C. albicans cells and fungi surface proteins simultaneously. This approach was carried out with normal serum (NS) and heat inactivated serum (HIS). We identified 214 human and 372 C. albicans unique proteins. Proteins identified in C. albicans included 147 which were described as located at the cell surface and 52 that were described as immunogenic. Interestingly, among these C. albicans proteins, we identified 23 GPI-anchored proteins, Gpd2 and Pra1, which are involved in complement system evasion and 7 other proteins that are able to attach plasminogen to C. albicans surface (Adh1, Eno1, Fba1, Pgk1, Tdh3, Tef1, and Tsa1). Furthermore, 12 proteins identified at the C. albicans hyphae surface induced with 10% human serum were not detected in other hypha-induced conditions. The most abundant human proteins identified are involved in complement and coagulation pathways. Remarkably, with this strategy, all main proteins belonging to complement cascades were identified on the C. albicans surface. Moreover, we identified immunoglobulins, cytoskeletal proteins, metabolic proteins such as apolipoproteins and others. Additionally, we identified more inhibitors of complement and coagulation pathways, some of them serpin proteins (serine protease inhibitors), in HIS vs. NS. On the other hand, we detected a higher amount of C3 at the C. albicans surface in NS than in HIS, as validated by immunofluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Marín
- Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Claudia M Parra-Giraldo
- Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Carolina Hernández-Haro
- Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - María L Hernáez
- Unidad de Proteómica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - César Nombela
- Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid, Spain ; Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucía Monteoliva
- Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid, Spain ; Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria Madrid, Spain
| | - Concha Gil
- Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid, Spain ; Unidad de Proteómica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid, Spain ; Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria Madrid, Spain
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20
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Arzmi MH, Dashper S, Catmull D, Cirillo N, Reynolds EC, McCullough M. Coaggregation ofCandida albicans,Actinomyces naeslundiiandStreptococcus mutansisCandida albicansstrain dependent. FEMS Yeast Res 2015; 15:fov038. [DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/fov038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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21
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Kováčová K, Degani G, Stratilová E, Farkaš V, Popolo L. Catalytic properties of Phr family members of cell wall glucan remodeling enzymes: implications for the adaptation of Candida albicans to ambient pH. FEMS Yeast Res 2015; 15:fou011. [DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/fou011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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22
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Kagan S, Jabbour A, Sionov E, Alquntar AA, Steinberg D, Srebnik M, Nir-Paz R, Weiss A, Polacheck I. Anti-Candida albicans biofilm effect of novel heterocyclic compounds. J Antimicrob Chemother 2013; 69:416-27. [PMID: 24078467 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkt365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to develop new anti-biofilm drugs, examine their activity against Candida albicans biofilm and investigate their structure-activity relationship and mechanism of action. METHODS A series of thiazolidinedione and succinimide derivatives were synthesized and their ability to inhibit C. albicans biofilm formation and destroy pre-formed biofilm was tested. The biofilms' structure, metabolic activity and viability were determined by XTT assay and propidium iodide and SYTO 9 live/dead stains combined with confocal microscopic analysis. The effect of the most active compounds on cell morphology, sterol distribution and cell wall morphology and composition was then determined by specific fluorescent stains and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS Most of the compounds were active at sub-MICs. Elongation of the aliphatic side chain resulted in reduced anti-biofilm activity and the sulphur atom contributed to biofilm killing, indicating a structure-activity relationship. The compounds differed in their effects on biofilm viability, yeast-to-hyphal form transition, hyphal morphology, cell wall morphology and composition, and sterol distribution. The most effective anti-biofilm compounds were the thiazolidinedione S8H and the succinimide NA8. CONCLUSIONS We developed novel anti-biofilm agents that both inhibited and destroyed C. albicans biofilm. With some further development, these agents might be suitable for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kagan
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, PO Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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23
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Sillo F, Gissi C, Chignoli D, Ragni E, Popolo L, Balestrini R. Expression and phylogenetic analyses of the Gel/Gas proteins of Tuber melanosporum provide insights into the function and evolution of glucan remodeling enzymes in fungi. Fungal Genet Biol 2013; 53:10-21. [PMID: 23454547 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2013.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2012] [Revised: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/31/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The β(1,3)-glucanosyltransferases of the GH72 family are redundant enzymes that are essential for the formation and dynamic remodeling of the fungal wall during different stages of the life cycle. Four putative genes encoding glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored β(1,3)-glucanosyltransferases, designated TmelGEL1, TmelGEL2, TmelGEL4 and TmelGAS4, have been annotated in the genome of Tuber melanosporum, an ectomycorrhizal fungus that also produces a hypogeous fruiting body (FB) of great commercial value (black truffle). This work focuses on the characterization and expression of this multigene family by taking advantage of a laser microdissection (LMD) technology that has been used to separate two distinct compartments in the FB, the hyphae and the asci containing the ascospores. Of the four genes, TmelGEL1 was the most up-regulated in the FB compared to the free-living mycelium. Inside the FB, the expression of TmelGEL1 was restricted to the hyphal compartment. A phylogenetic analysis of the Gel/Gas protein family of T. melanosporum was also carried out. A total of 237 GH72 proteins from 51 Ascomycotina and 3 Basidiomycota (outgroup) species were analyzed. The resulting tree provides insight into the evolution of the T. melanosporum proteins and identifies new GH72 paralogs/subfamilies. Moreover, it represents a starting point to formulate new hypotheses on the significance of the striking GH72 gene redundancy in fungal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiano Sillo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università degli Studi di Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Torino, Italy.
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Robledo-Briones M, Ruiz-Herrera J. Regulation of genes involved in cell wall synthesis and structure during Ustilago maydis dimorphism. FEMS Yeast Res 2012; 13:74-84. [PMID: 23167842 DOI: 10.1111/1567-1364.12011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Revised: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 10/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell wall is the structure that provides the shape to fungal cells and protects them from the difference in osmotic pressure existing between the cytosol and the external medium. Accordingly, changes in structure and composition of the fungal wall must occur during cell differentiation, including the dimorphic transition of fungi. We analyzed, by use of microarrays, the transcriptional regulation of the 639 genes identified to be involved in cell wall synthesis and structure plus the secretome of the Basidiomycota species Ustilago maydis during its dimorphic transition induced by a change in pH. Of these, 189 were differentially expressed during the process, and using as control two monomorphic mutants, one yeast like and the other mycelium constitutive, 66 genes specific of dimorphism were identified. Most of these genes were up-regulated in the mycelial phase. These included CHS genes, genes involved in β-1,6-glucan synthesis, N-glycosylation, and proteins containing a residue of glycosylphosphatidylinositol, and a number of genes from the secretome. The possible significance of these data on cell wall plasticity is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Robledo-Briones
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
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Ene IV, Heilmann CJ, Sorgo AG, Walker LA, de Koster CG, Munro CA, Klis FM, Brown AJP. Carbon source-induced reprogramming of the cell wall proteome and secretome modulates the adherence and drug resistance of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Proteomics 2012; 12:3164-79. [PMID: 22997008 PMCID: PMC3569869 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201200228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The major fungal pathogen Candida albicans can occupy diverse microenvironments in its human host. During colonization of the gastrointestinal or urogenital tracts, mucosal surfaces, bloodstream, and internal organs, C. albicans thrives in niches that differ with respect to available nutrients and local environmental stresses. Although most studies are performed on glucose-grown cells, changes in carbon source dramatically affect cell wall architecture, stress responses, and drug resistance. We show that growth on the physiologically relevant carboxylic acid, lactate, has a significant impact on the C. albicans cell wall proteome and secretome. The regulation of cell wall structural proteins (e.g. Cht1, Phr1, Phr2, Pir1) correlated with extensive cell wall remodeling in lactate-grown cells and with their increased resistance to stresses and antifungal drugs, compared with glucose-grown cells. Moreover, changes in other proteins (e.g. Als2, Gca1, Phr1, Sap9) correlated with the increased adherence and biofilm formation of lactate-grown cells. We identified mating and pheromone-regulated proteins that were exclusive to lactate-grown cells (e.g. Op4, Pga31, Pry1, Scw4, Yps7) as well as mucosa-specific and other niche-specific factors such as Lip4, Pga4, Plb5, and Sap7. The analysis of the corresponding null mutants confirmed that many of these proteins contribute to C. albicans adherence, stress, and antifungal drug resistance. Therefore, the cell wall proteome and secretome display considerable plasticity in response to carbon source. This plasticity influences important fitness and virulence attributes known to modulate the behavior of C. albicans in different host microenvironments during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iuliana V Ene
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
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Taff HT, Nett JE, Zarnowski R, Ross KM, Sanchez H, Cain MT, Hamaker J, Mitchell AP, Andes DR. A Candida biofilm-induced pathway for matrix glucan delivery: implications for drug resistance. PLoS Pathog 2012; 8:e1002848. [PMID: 22876186 PMCID: PMC3410897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2012] [Accepted: 06/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular polysaccharides are key constituents of the biofilm matrix of many microorganisms. One critical carbohydrate component of Candida albicans biofilms, β-1,3 glucan, has been linked to biofilm protection from antifungal agents. In this study, we identify three glucan modification enzymes that function to deliver glucan from the cell to the extracellular matrix. These enzymes include two predicted glucan transferases and an exo-glucanase, encoded by BGL2, PHR1, and XOG1, respectively. We show that the enzymes are crucial for both delivery of β-1,3 glucan to the biofilm matrix and for accumulation of mature matrix biomass. The enzymes do not appear to impact cell wall glucan content of biofilm cells, nor are they necessary for filamentation or biofilm formation. We demonstrate that mutants lacking these genes exhibit enhanced susceptibility to the commonly used antifungal, fluconazole, during biofilm growth only. Transcriptional analysis and biofilm phenotypes of strains with multiple mutations suggest that these enzymes act in a complementary fashion to distribute matrix downstream of the primary β-1,3 glucan synthase encoded by FKS1. Furthermore, our observations suggest that this matrix delivery pathway works independently from the C. albicans ZAP1 matrix formation regulatory pathway. These glucan modification enzymes appear to play a biofilm-specific role in mediating the delivery and organization of mature biofilm matrix. We propose that the discovery of inhibitors for these enzymes would provide promising anti-biofilm therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather T. Taff
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Jeniel E. Nett
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Robert Zarnowski
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Kelly M. Ross
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Hiram Sanchez
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Mike T. Cain
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Jessica Hamaker
- Department of Microbiology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Aaron P. Mitchell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David R. Andes
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
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Sousa Lima P, Bailão EFLC, Silva MG, Castro NDS, Báo SN, Orlandi I, Vai M, Almeida Soares CM. Characterization of the Paracoccidioides beta-1,3-glucanosyltransferase family. FEMS Yeast Res 2012; 12:685-702. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2012.00819.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2011] [Revised: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Sousa Lima
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Universidade Federal de Goiás; Goiás; Brazil
| | | | - Mirelle Garcia Silva
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Universidade Federal de Goiás; Goiás; Brazil
| | - Nadya da Silva Castro
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Universidade Federal de Goiás; Goiás; Brazil
| | - Sônia Nair Báo
- Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica; Universidade de Brasília; Brasília; Brazil
| | - Ivan Orlandi
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze; Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca; Milan; Italy
| | - Marina Vai
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze; Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca; Milan; Italy
| | - Célia Maria Almeida Soares
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Universidade Federal de Goiás; Goiás; Brazil
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