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Zhou X, Ahmed SA, Tang C, Grisolia ME, Warth JFG, Webster K, Peano A, Uhrlass S, Cafarchia C, Hayette MP, Sacheli R, Matos T, Kang Y, de Hoog GS, Feng P. Human adaptation and diversification in the Microsporum canis complex. IMA Fungus 2023; 14:14. [PMID: 37488659 PMCID: PMC10367411 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-023-00120-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The Microsporum canis complex consists of one zoophilic species, M. canis, and two anthropophilic species, M. audouinii and M. ferrugineum. These species are the most widespread zoonotic pathogens causing dermatophytosis in cats and humans worldwide. To clarify the evolutionary relationship between the three species and explore the potential host shift process, this study used phylogenetic analysis, population structure analysis, multispecies coalescent analyses, determination of MAT idiomorph distribution, sexual crosses, and macromorphology and physicochemical features to address the above questions. The complex of Microsporum canis, M. audouinii and M. ferrugineum comprises 12 genotypes. MAT1-1 was present only in M. canis, while the anthropophilic entities contained MAT1-2. The pseudocleistothecia were yielded by the mating behaviour of M. canis and M. audouinii. Growth rates and lipase, keratinolysis and urea hydrolytic capacities of zoophilic M. canis isolates were all higher than those of anthropophilic strains; DNase activity of M. ferrugineum exceeded that of M. canis. The optimum growth temperature was 28 °C, but 22 °C favoured the development of macroconidia. Molecular data, physicochemical properties and phenotypes suggest the adaptation of zoophilic M. canis to anthropophilic M. ferrugineum, with M. audouinii in an intermediate position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhou
- Center of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Dermatology, 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-senen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sarah A Ahmed
- Center of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Foundation Atlas of Clinical Fungi, Hilversum, The Netherlands
| | - Chao Tang
- Center of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Eduarda Grisolia
- Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | - Kristen Webster
- Department of Dermatology, Center for Medical Mycology, University Hospitals, Cleveland, USA
| | - Andrea Peano
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Silke Uhrlass
- Labor für Medizinische Mikrobiologie Nenoff / Krüger, Mölbis, Germany
| | - Claudia Cafarchia
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Marie Pierre Hayette
- Belgian National Reference Center, Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Rosalie Sacheli
- Belgian National Reference Center, Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Tadeja Matos
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Yingqian Kang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education of Guizhou & Guizhou Talent Base for Microbiology and Human Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Education Department of Guizhou, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
- Guizhou Provincial Academician Workstation of Microbiology and Health, Guizhou Academy of Tobacco Science, Guiyang, China.
| | - G Sybren de Hoog
- Center of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Foundation Atlas of Clinical Fungi, Hilversum, The Netherlands.
- Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education of Guizhou & Guizhou Talent Base for Microbiology and Human Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Education Department of Guizhou, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
| | - Peiying Feng
- Department of Dermatology, 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-senen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Coelho MA, Ianiri G, David-Palma M, Theelen B, Goyal R, Narayanan A, Lorch JM, Sanyal K, Boekhout T, Heitman J. Frequent transitions in mating-type locus chromosomal organization in Malassezia and early steps in sexual reproduction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.25.534224. [PMID: 36993584 PMCID: PMC10055393 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.25.534224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Fungi in the basidiomycete genus Malassezia are the most prevalent eukaryotic microbes resident on the skin of human and other warm-blooded animals and have been implicated in skin diseases and systemic disorders. Analysis of Malassezia genomes revealed that key adaptations to the skin microenvironment have a direct genomic basis, and the identification of mating/meiotic genes suggests a capacity to reproduce sexually, even though no sexual cycle has yet been observed. In contrast to other bipolar or tetrapolar basidiomycetes that have either two linked mating-type-determining ( MAT ) loci or two MAT loci on separate chromosomes, in Malassezia species studied thus far the two MAT loci are arranged in a pseudobipolar configuration (linked on the same chromosome but capable of recombining). By incorporating newly generated chromosome-level genome assemblies, and an improved Malassezia phylogeny, we infer that the pseudobipolar arrangement was the ancestral state of this group and revealed six independent transitions to tetrapolarity, seemingly driven by centromere fission or translocations in centromere- flanking regions. Additionally, in an approach to uncover a sexual cycle, Malassezia furfur strains were engineered to express different MAT alleles in the same cell. The resulting strains produce hyphae reminiscent of early steps in sexual development and display upregulation of genes associated with sexual development as well as others encoding lipases and a protease potentially relevant for pathogenesis of the fungus. Our study reveals a previously unseen genomic relocation of mating-type loci in fungi and provides insight towards the discovery of a sexual cycle in Malassezia , with possible implications for pathogenicity. Significance Statement Malassezia , the dominant fungal group of the mammalian skin microbiome, is associated with numerous skin disorders. Sexual development and yeast-to-hyphae transitions, governed by genes at two mating-type ( MAT ) loci, are thought to be important for fungal pathogenicity. However, Malassezia sexual reproduction has never been observed. Here, we used chromosome-level assemblies and comparative genomics to uncover unforeseen transitions in MAT loci organization within Malassezia , possibly related with fragility of centromeric-associated regions. Additionally, by expressing different MAT alleles in the same cell, we show that Malassezia can undergo hyphal development and this phenotype is associated with increased expression of key mating genes along with other genes known to be virulence factors, providing a possible connection between hyphal development, sexual reproduction, and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bart Theelen
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht 3584 CT, The Netherlands
| | - Rohit Goyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Aswathy Narayanan
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Jeffrey M. Lorch
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Kaustuv Sanyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht 3584 CT, The Netherlands
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Regulatory basis for reproductive flexibility in a meningitis-causing fungal pathogen. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7938. [PMID: 36566249 PMCID: PMC9790007 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35549-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic fungi of the genus Cryptococcus can undergo two sexual cycles, involving either bisexual diploidization (after fusion of haploid cells of different mating type) or unisexual diploidization (by autodiploidization of a single cell). Here, we construct a gene-deletion library for 111 transcription factor genes in Cryptococcus deneoformans, and explore the roles of these regulatory networks in the two reproductive modes. We show that transcription factors crucial for bisexual syngamy induce the expression of known mating determinants as well as other conserved genes of unknown function. Deletion of one of these genes, which we term FMP1, leads to defects in bisexual reproduction in C. deneoformans, its sister species Cryptococcus neoformans, and the ascomycete Neurospora crassa. Furthermore, we show that a recently evolved regulatory cascade mediates pre-meiotic unisexual autodiploidization, supporting that this reproductive process is a recent evolutionary innovation. Our findings indicate that genetic circuits with different evolutionary ages govern hallmark events distinguishing unisexual and bisexual reproduction in Cryptococcus.
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Multiple F-Box Proteins Collectively Regulate Cell Development and Pathogenesis in the Human Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121259. [PMID: 36547592 PMCID: PMC9781138 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) mediates intracellular proteins degradation that influences various cellular functions in eukaryotic cells. The UPS is also involved in the development and virulence of pathogenic fungi. F-box proteins, which are part of the SCF (Skp1-Cullin-F-box protein) ligase, are a key component of UPS and are essential for the recognition of specific substrates. In this study, we identified 20 F-box proteins in C. neoformans and obtained deletion mutants for 19 of them. A comprehensive phenotypic analysis of these mutants revealed the diverse function of F-box proteins in stress response, cell size regulation, sexual reproduction, antifungal drug resistance, and fungal virulence in C. neoformans. The importance of three F-box proteins: Fbp4, Fbp8, and Fbp11, in these cellular functions were characterized in detail. This study provides an overall view of the F-box gene family in C. neoformans, which will lead to a better understanding of the function of fungal SCF E3 ligase-mediated UPS in fungal development and pathogenesis.
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Ianiri G, LeibundGut-Landmann S, Dawson TL. Malassezia: A Commensal, Pathogen, and Mutualist of Human and Animal Skin. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:757-782. [PMID: 36075093 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-040820-010114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Identified in the late nineteenth century as a single species residing on human skin, Malassezia is now recognized as a diverse genus comprising 18 species inhabiting not only skin but human gut, hospital environments, and even deep-sea sponges. All cultivated Malassezia species are lipid dependent, having lost genes for lipid synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. The surging interest in Malassezia results from development of tools to improve sampling, culture, identification, and genetic engineering, which has led to findings implicating it in numerous skin diseases, Crohn disease, and pancreatic cancer. However, it has become clear that Malassezia plays a multifaceted role in human health, with mutualistic activity in atopic dermatitis and a preventive effect against other skin infections due to its potential to compete with skin pathogens such as Candida auris. Improved understanding of complex microbe-microbe and host-microbe interactions will be required to define Malassezia's role in human and animal health and disease so as to design targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Salomé LeibundGut-Landmann
- Section of Immunology, Faculty of Vetsuisse, and Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas L Dawson
- Skin Research Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; .,Department of Drug Discovery, College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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A Velvet Transcription Factor Specifically Activates Mating through a Novel Mating-Responsive Protein in the Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus deneoformans. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0265321. [PMID: 35471092 PMCID: PMC9241590 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02653-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual reproduction facilitates infection by the production of both a lineage advantage and infectious sexual spores in the ubiquitous human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deneoformans. However, the regulatory determinants specific for initiating mating remain poorly understood. Here, we identified a velvet family regulator, Cva1, that strongly promotes sexual reproduction in C. deneoformans. This regulation was determined to be specific, based on a comprehensive phenotypic analysis of cva1Δ under 26 distinct in vitro and in vivo growth conditions. We further revealed that Cva1 plays a critical role in the initiation of early mating events, including sexual cell-cell fusion, but is not important for the late sexual development stages or meiosis. Thus, Cva1 specifically contributes to mating activation. Importantly, a novel mating-responsive protein, Cfs1, serves as the key target of Cva1 during mating, since its absence nearly blocks cell-cell fusion in C. deneoformans and its sister species C. neoformans. Together, our findings provide insight into how C. deneoformans ensures the regulatory specificity of mating. IMPORTANCE The human fungal pathogen C. deneoformans is a model organism for studying fungal sexual reproduction, which is considered to be important to infection. However, the specific regulatory determinants for activation of sexual reproduction remain poorly understood. In this study, by combining transcriptomic and comprehensive phenotypic analysis, we identified a velvet family regulator Cva1 that specifically and critically elicits early mating events, including sexual cell-cell fusion. Significantly, Cva1 induces mating through the novel mating-responsive protein Cfs1, which is essential for cell-cell fusion in C. deneoformans and its sister species C. neoformans. Considering that Cva1 and Cfs1 are highly conserved in species belonging to Cryptococcaeceae, they may play conserved and specific roles in the initiation of sexual reproduction in this important fungal clade, which includes multiple human fungal pathogens.
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Genome plasticity in Candida albicans: A cutting-edge strategy for evolution, adaptation, and survival. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 99:105256. [PMID: 35231665 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Candida albicans is the most implicated fungal species that grows as a commensal or opportunistic pathogen in the human host. It is associated with many life-threatening infections, especially in immunocompromised persons. The genome of Candida albicans is very flexible and can withstand a wide assortment of variations in a continuously changing environment. Thus, genome plasticity is central to its adaptation and has long been of considerable interest. C. albicans has a diploid heterozygous genome that is highly dynamic and can display variation from small to large scale chromosomal rearrangement and aneuploidy, which have implications in drug resistance, virulence, and pathogenicity. This review presents an up-to-date overview of recent genomic studies involving C. albicans. It discusses the accumulating evidence that shows how mitotic recombination events, ploidy dynamics, aneuploidy, and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) influence evolution, adaptation, and survival in C. albicans. Understanding the factors that affect the genome is crucial for a proper understanding of species and rapid development and adjustment of therapeutic strategies to mitigate their spread.
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Byrne AQ, Waddle AW, Saenz V, Ohmer M, Jaeger JR, Richards-Zawacki CL, Voyles J, Rosenblum EB. Host species is linked to pathogen genotype for the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261047. [PMID: 35286323 PMCID: PMC8920232 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Host-pathogen specificity can arise from certain selective environments mediated by both the host and pathogen. Therefore, understanding the degree to which host species identity is correlated with pathogen genotype can help reveal historical host-pathogen dynamics. One animal disease of particular concern is chytridiomycosis, typically caused by the global panzootic lineage of the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd), termed Bd-GPL. This pathogen lineage has caused devastating declines in amphibian communities around the world. However, the site of origin for the common ancestor of modern Bd-GPL and the fine-scale transmission dynamics of this lineage have remained a mystery. This is especially the case in North America where Bd-GPL is widespread, but disease outbreaks occur sporadically. Herein, we use Bd genetic data collected throughout the United States from amphibian skin swabs and cultured isolate samples to investigate Bd genetic patterns. We highlight two case studies in Pennsylvania and Nevada where Bd-GPL genotypes are strongly correlated with host species identity. Specifically, in some localities bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) are infected with Bd-GPL lineages that are distinct from those infecting other sympatric amphibian species. Overall, we reveal a previously unknown association of Bd genotype with host species and identify the eastern United States as a Bd diversity hotspot and potential site of origin for Bd-GPL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Q. Byrne
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Anthony W. Waddle
- One Health Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Veronica Saenz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michel Ohmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Jef R. Jaeger
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jamie Voyles
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Erica Bree Rosenblum
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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Maroc L, Fairhead C. Lessons from the Nakaseomyces: mating-type switching, DSB repair and evolution of Ho. Curr Genet 2021; 67:685-693. [PMID: 33830322 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-021-01182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This short paper aims to review what our recent studies in the Nakaseomyces yeasts, principally Candida glabrata, reveal about the evolution of the mating-type switching system and its components, as well as about the repair of chromosomal double-strand breaks in this clade. In the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the study of mating-type switching has, over the years, led to major discoveries in how cells process chromosomal breaks. Indeed, in this species, switching, which allows every haploid cell to produce cells of opposite mating types that can mate together, is initiated by the Ho endonuclease, linking sexual reproduction to a programmed chromosomal cut. More recently, the availability of other yeasts' genomes from type strains and from populations, and the ability to manipulate and edit the genomes of most yeasts in the laboratory, has enabled scientists to explore mating-type switching in new species, thus enriching our evolutionary perspective on this phenomenon. In this review, we will show how the study of mating-type switching in C. glabrata and Nakaseomyces delphensis has allowed us to reveal possible additional roles for Ho, and also to discover major differences in DSB repair at central and subtelomeric sexual loci. In addition, we report how the study of repair of chromosomal breaks induced by CRISPR-Cas9 reveals that efficient and faithful NHEJ is a major repair pathway in C. glabrata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Maroc
- GQE-Le Moulon, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ferme du Moulon, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Cécile Fairhead
- GQE-Le Moulon, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ferme du Moulon, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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Drenth A, McTaggart AR, Wingfield BD. Fungal clones win the battle, but recombination wins the war. IMA Fungus 2019; 10:18. [PMID: 32647622 PMCID: PMC7325676 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-019-0020-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Clonal reproduction is common in fungi and fungal-like organisms during epidemics and invasion events. The success of clonal fungi shaped systems for their classification and some pathogens are tacitly treated as asexual. We argue that genetic recombination driven by sexual reproduction must be a starting hypothesis when dealing with fungi for two reasons: (1) Clones eventually crash because they lack adaptability; and (2) fungi find a way to exchange genetic material through recombination, whether sexual, parasexual, or hybridisation. Successful clones may prevail over space and time, but they are the product of recombination and the next successful clone will inevitably appear. Fungal pathogen populations are dynamic rather than static, and they need genetic recombination to adapt to a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Drenth
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102 Australia
| | - Alistair R McTaggart
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102 Australia.,Department of Genetics, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, Gauteng South Africa
| | - Brenda D Wingfield
- Department of Genetics, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, Gauteng South Africa
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A 'parameiosis' drives depolyploidization and homologous recombination in Candida albicans. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4388. [PMID: 31558727 PMCID: PMC6763455 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12376-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a conserved tenet of sexual reproduction in eukaryotes, yet this program is seemingly absent from many extant species. In the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans, mating of diploid cells generates tetraploid products that return to the diploid state via a non-meiotic process of depolyploidization known as concerted chromosome loss (CCL). Here, we report that recombination rates are more than three orders of magnitude higher during CCL than during normal mitotic growth. Furthermore, two conserved ‘meiosis-specific’ factors play central roles in CCL as SPO11 mediates DNA double-strand break formation while both SPO11 and REC8 regulate chromosome stability and promote inter-homolog recombination. Unexpectedly, SPO11 also promotes DNA repair and recombination during normal mitotic divisions. These results indicate that C. albicans CCL represents a ‘parameiosis’ that blurs the conventional boundaries between mitosis and meiosis. They also reveal parallels with depolyploidization in mammalian cells and provide potential insights into the evolution of meiosis. Mating of Candida albicans produces tetraploid products that return to the diploid state via a non-meiotic process known as concerted chromosome loss (CCL). Here, Anderson et al. show high recombination rates during CCL and identify factors that are essential for chromosome stability and recombination during CCL.
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Liang SW, Huang YH, Chiu JY, Tseng HW, Huang JH, Shen WC. The smut fungus Ustilago esculenta has a bipolar mating system with three idiomorphs larger than 500 kb. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 126:61-74. [PMID: 30794950 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Zizania latifolia Turcz., which is mainly distributed in Asia, has had a long cultivation history as a cereal and vegetable crop. On infection with the smut fungus Ustilago esculenta, Z. latifolia becomes an edible vegetable, water bamboo. Two main cultivars, with a green shell and red shell, are cultivated for commercial production in Taiwan. Previous studies indicated that cultivars of Z. latifolia may be related to the infected U. esculenta isolates. However, related research is limited. The infection process of the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis is coupled with sexual development and under control of the mating type locus. Thus, we aimed to use the knowledge of U. maydis to reveal the mating system of U. esculenta. We collected water bamboo samples and isolated 145 U. esculenta strains from Taiwan's major production areas. By using PCR and idiomorph screening among meiotic offspring and field isolates, we identified three idiomorphs of the mating type locus and found no sequence recombination between them. Whole-genome sequencing (Illumina and PacBio) suggested that the mating system of U. esculenta was bipolar. Mating type locus 1 (MAT-1) was 552,895 bp and contained 44% repeated sequences. Sequence comparison revealed that U. esculenta MAT-1 shared high gene synteny with Sporisorium reilianum and many repeats with Ustilago hordei MAT-1. These results can be utilized to further explore the genomic diversity of U. esculenta isolates and their application for water bamboo breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syun-Wun Liang
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC; Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jian-Ying Chiu
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsin-Wan Tseng
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jin-Hsing Huang
- Plant Pathology Division, Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, Taichung 41362, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wei-Chiang Shen
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
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Ayofemi Olalekan Adeyeye S. Aflatoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in food: a review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2019; 60:709-721. [DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2018.1548429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Ayofemi Olalekan Adeyeye
- Department for Management of Science and Technology Development, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Faculty of Environment and Labour Safety, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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Metin B, Döğen A, Yıldırım E, de Hoog GS, Heitman J, Ilkit M. Mating type (MAT) locus and possible sexuality of the opportunistic pathogen Exophiala dermatitidis. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 124:29-38. [PMID: 30611834 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction among the black yeasts is generally limited to environmental saprobic species and is rarely observed among opportunists in humans. To date, a complete sexual cycle has not been observed in Exophiala dermatitidis. In this study, we aimed to gain insight into the reproductive mode of E. dermatitidis by characterizing its mating type (MAT) locus, conducting MAT screening of environmental and clinical isolates, examining the expression of the MAT genes and analyzing the virulence of the isolates of different mating types. Similar to other members of the Pezizomycotina, the E. dermatitidis genome harbors a high mobility group (HMG) domain gene (MAT1-2-1) in the vicinity of the SLA2 and APN2 genes. The MAT loci of 74 E. dermatitidis isolates (11 clinical and 63 environmental) were screened by PCR, and the surrounding region was amplified using long-range PCR. Sequencing of the ∼ 12-kb PCR product of a MAT1-1 isolate revealed an α-box gene (MAT1-1-1). The MAT1-1 idiomorph was 3544-bp long and harbored the MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-1-4 genes. The MAT1-2 idiomorph was longer, 3771-bp, and harbored only the MAT1-2-1 gene. This structure suggests a heterothallic reproduction mode. The distribution of MAT among 74 isolates was ∼ 1:1 with a MAT1-1:MAT1-2 ratio of 35:39. RT-PCR analysis indicated that the MAT genes are transcribed. No significant difference was detected in the virulence of isolates representing different mating types using a Galleria mellonella model (P > 0.05). Collectively, E. dermatitidis is the first opportunistic black yeast in which both MAT idiomorphs have been characterized. The occurrence of isolates bearing both idiomorphs, their approximately equal distribution, and the expression of the MAT genes suggest that E. dermatitidis might reproduce sexually.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banu Metin
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Aylin Döğen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey.
| | - Esra Yıldırım
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - G Sybren de Hoog
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center of Expertise in Mycology of Radboudumc/CWZ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Macit Ilkit
- Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
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Paes HC, Derengowski LDS, Peconick LDF, Albuquerque P, Pappas GJ, Nicola AM, Silva FBA, Vallim MA, Alspaugh JA, Felipe MSS, Fernandes L. A Wor1-Like Transcription Factor Is Essential for Virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:369. [PMID: 30483479 PMCID: PMC6243373 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Gti1/Pac2 transcription factors occur exclusively in fungi and their roles vary according to species, including regulating morphological transition and virulence, mating and secondary metabolism. Many of these functions are important for fungal pathogenesis. We therefore hypothesized that one of the two proteins of this family in Cryptococcus neoformans, a major pathogen of humans, would also control virulence-associated cellular processes. Elimination of this protein in C. neoformans results in reduced polysaccharide capsule expression and defective cytokinesis and growth at 37°C. The mutant loses virulence in a mouse model of cryptococcal infection and retains only partial virulence in the Galleria mellonella alternative model at 30°C. We performed RNA-Seq experiments on the mutant and found abolished transcription of genes that, in combination, are known to account for all the observed phenotypes. The protein has been named Required for cytokinesis and virulence 1 (Rcv1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Costa Paes
- Clinical Medicine Division, University of Brasília Medical School, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Georgios Joannis Pappas
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | | | - Marcelo Afonso Vallim
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Division, Biological Sciences Department, São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - J Andrew Alspaugh
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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The Genome of the Human Pathogen Candida albicans Is Shaped by Mutation and Cryptic Sexual Recombination. mBio 2018; 9:mBio.01205-18. [PMID: 30228236 PMCID: PMC6143739 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01205-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans lacks a conventional sexual program and is thought to evolve, at least primarily, through the clonal acquisition of genetic changes. Here, we performed an analysis of heterozygous diploid genomes from 21 clinical isolates to determine the natural evolutionary processes acting on the C. albicans genome. Mutation and recombination shaped the genomic landscape among the C. albicans isolates. Strain-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertions/deletions (indels) clustered across the genome. Additionally, loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) events contributed substantially to genotypic variation, with most long-tract LOH events extending to the ends of the chromosomes suggestive of repair via break-induced replication. Consistent with a model of inheritance by descent, most polymorphisms were shared between closely related strains. However, some isolates contained highly mosaic genomes consistent with strains having experienced interclade recombination during their evolutionary history. A detailed examination of mitochondrial genomes also revealed clear examples of interclade recombination among sequenced strains. These analyses therefore establish that both (para)sexual recombination and mitotic mutational processes drive evolution of this important pathogen. To further facilitate the study of C. albicans genomes, we also introduce an online platform, SNPMap, to examine SNP patterns in sequenced isolates.IMPORTANCE Mutations introduce variation into the genome upon which selection can act. Defining the nature of these changes is critical for determining species evolution, as well as for understanding the genetic changes driving important cellular processes. The heterozygous diploid fungus Candida albicans is both a frequent commensal organism and a prevalent opportunistic pathogen. A prevailing theory is that C. albicans evolves primarily through the gradual buildup of mitotic mutations, and a pressing issue is whether sexual or parasexual processes also operate within natural populations. Here, we establish that the C. albicans genome evolves by a combination of localized mutation and both short-tract and long-tract loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) events within the sequenced isolates. Mutations are more prevalent within noncoding and heterozygous regions and LOH increases towards chromosome ends. Furthermore, we provide evidence for genetic exchange between isolates, establishing that sexual or parasexual processes have contributed to the diversity of both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes.
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Hyporientalin A, an anti-Candida peptaibol from a marine Trichoderma orientale. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 34:98. [PMID: 29922855 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-018-2482-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
A Trichoderma orientale strain LSBA1 was isolated from the Mediterranean marine sponge Cymbaxinella damicornis. The crude extract of T. orientale mycelium showed inhibitory activity against growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as clinical isolates of Candida albicans. Purification of the anti-Candida component was performed using a combination of open silica gel-60 column and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The active compound called hyporientalin A has been identified as a peptaibol analogue of longibrachin-A-II using mass spectrometry. It exhibited fungicidal activity against clinical isolates of C. albicans with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 2.49 to 19.66 µM, comparable to that of the antifungal agent amphotericin B. Our data support the use of hyporientalin A as a promising new and efficient antifungal drug in the treatment of candidiasis while controlling toxicity.
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Serrato-Capuchina A, Matute DR. The Role of Transposable Elements in Speciation. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E254. [PMID: 29762547 PMCID: PMC5977194 DOI: 10.3390/genes9050254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the phenotypic and molecular mechanisms that contribute to genetic diversity between and within species is fundamental in studying the evolution of species. In particular, identifying the interspecific differences that lead to the reduction or even cessation of gene flow between nascent species is one of the main goals of speciation genetic research. Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences with the ability to move within genomes. TEs are ubiquitous throughout eukaryotic genomes and have been shown to alter regulatory networks, gene expression, and to rearrange genomes as a result of their transposition. However, no systematic effort has evaluated the role of TEs in speciation. We compiled the evidence for TEs as potential causes of reproductive isolation across a diversity of taxa. We find that TEs are often associated with hybrid defects that might preclude the fusion between species, but that the involvement of TEs in other barriers to gene flow different from postzygotic isolation is still relatively unknown. Finally, we list a series of guides and research avenues to disentangle the effects of TEs on the origin of new species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Serrato-Capuchina
- Biology Department, Genome Sciences Building, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
| | - Daniel R Matute
- Biology Department, Genome Sciences Building, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
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Cissé OH, Ma L, Wei Huang D, Khil PP, Dekker JP, Kutty G, Bishop L, Liu Y, Deng X, Hauser PM, Pagni M, Hirsch V, Lempicki RA, Stajich JE, Cuomo CA, Kovacs JA. Comparative Population Genomics Analysis of the Mammalian Fungal Pathogen Pneumocystis. mBio 2018; 9:e00381-18. [PMID: 29739910 PMCID: PMC5941068 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00381-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis species are opportunistic mammalian pathogens that cause severe pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals. These fungi are highly host specific and uncultivable in vitro Human Pneumocystis infections present major challenges because of a limited therapeutic arsenal and the rise of drug resistance. To investigate the diversity and demographic history of natural populations of Pneumocystis infecting humans, rats, and mice, we performed whole-genome and large-scale multilocus sequencing of infected tissues collected in various geographic locations. Here, we detected reduced levels of recombination and variations in historical demography, which shape the global population structures. We report estimates of evolutionary rates, levels of genetic diversity, and population sizes. Molecular clock estimates indicate that Pneumocystis species diverged before their hosts, while the asynchronous timing of population declines suggests host shifts. Our results have uncovered complex patterns of genetic variation influenced by multiple factors that shaped the adaptation of Pneumocystis populations during their spread across mammals.IMPORTANCE Understanding how natural pathogen populations evolve and identifying the determinants of genetic variation are central issues in evolutionary biology. Pneumocystis, a fungal pathogen which infects mammals exclusively, provides opportunities to explore these issues. In humans, Pneumocystis can cause a life-threatening pneumonia in immunosuppressed individuals. In analysis of different Pneumocystis species infecting humans, rats, and mice, we found that there are high infection rates and that natural populations maintain a high level of genetic variation despite low levels of recombination. We found no evidence of population structuring by geography. Our comparisons of the times of divergence of these species to their respective hosts suggest that Pneumocystis may have undergone recent host shifts. The results demonstrate that Pneumocystis strains are widely disseminated geographically and provide a new understanding of the evolution of these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ousmane H Cissé
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Da Wei Huang
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Pavel P Khil
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - John P Dekker
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Geetha Kutty
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Lisa Bishop
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yueqin Liu
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Xilong Deng
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Philippe M Hauser
- Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marco Pagni
- Vital-IT Group, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Hirsch
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard A Lempicki
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Christina A Cuomo
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joseph A Kovacs
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Abstract
Humans are exceptional among vertebrates in that their living tissue is directly exposed to the outside world. In the absence of protective scales, feathers, or fur, the skin has to be highly effective in defending the organism against the gamut of opportunistic fungi surrounding us. Most (sub)cutaneous infections enter the body by implantation through the skin barrier. On intact skin, two types of fungal expansion are noted: (A) colonization by commensals, i.e., growth enabled by conditions prevailing on the skin surface without degradation of tissue, and (B) infection by superficial pathogens that assimilate epidermal keratin and interact with the cellular immune system. In a response-damage framework, all fungi are potentially able to cause disease, as a balance between their natural predilection and the immune status of the host. For this reason, we will not attribute a fixed ecological term to each species, but rather describe them as growing in a commensal state (A) or in a pathogenic state (B).
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Boral H, Metin B, Döğen A, Seyedmousavi S, Ilkit M. Overview of selected virulence attributes in Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton rubrum, and Exophiala dermatitidis. Fungal Genet Biol 2017; 111:92-107. [PMID: 29102684 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of fungal diseases has been increasing since 1980, and is associated with excessive morbidity and mortality, particularly among immunosuppressed patients. Of the known 625 pathogenic fungal species, infections caused by the genera Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus, and Trichophyton are responsible for more than 300 million estimated episodes of acute or chronic infections worldwide. In addition, a rather neglected group of opportunistic fungi known as black yeasts and their filamentous relatives cause a wide variety of recalcitrant infections in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed hosts. This article provides an overview of selected virulence factors that are known to suppress host immunity and enhance the infectivity of these fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazal Boral
- Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey
| | - Banu Metin
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Aylin Döğen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Seyedmojtaba Seyedmousavi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Invasive Fungi Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Center of Excellence for Infection Biology and Antimicrobial Pharmacology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Macit Ilkit
- Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey.
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22
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Döğen A, Metin B, Ilkit M, de Hoog GS, Heitman J. MTL genotypes, phenotypic switching, and susceptibility profiles of Candida parapsilosis species group compared to Lodderomyces elongisporus. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182653. [PMID: 28771588 PMCID: PMC5542550 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Reference isolates of Candida parapsilosis (n = 8), Candida metapsilosis (n = 6), Candida orthopsilosis (n = 7), and Lodderomyces elongisporus (n = 11) were analyzed to gain insight into their pathobiology and virulence mechanisms. Initial evaluation using BBL Chromagar Candida medium misidentified L. elongisporus isolates as C. albicans. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of isolate MTL idiomorphs revealed that all C. parapsilosis isolates were MTLa homozygous and no MTL α1, α2, a1, or a2 gene was detected in L. elongisporus isolates. For C. orthopsilosis, two isolates were MTLa homozygous and five were MTL-heterozygous. Similarly, one C. metapsilosis isolate was MTLα homozygous whereas five were MTL-heterozygous. Isolate phenotypic switching analysis revealed potential phenotypic switching in the MTLα homozygous C. metapsilosis isolate, resulting in concomitant elongated cell formation. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of fluconazole (FLC) and FK506, alone or in combination, were determined by checkerboard assay, with data analyzed using the fractional inhibitory concentration index model. Synergistic or additive effects of these compounds were commonly observed in C. parapsilosis and L. elongisporus isolates. No killer activity was observed in the studied isolates, as determined phenotypically. No significant difference in virulence was seen for the four species in a Galleria mellonella model (P > 0.05). In conclusion, our results demonstrated phenotypic switching of C. metapsilosis CBS 2315 and that FLC and FK506 represent a promising drug combination against C. parapsilosis and L. elongisporus. The findings of the present study contribute to our understanding of the biology, diagnosis, and new possible treatments of the C. parapsilosis species group and L. elongisporus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aylin Döğen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Banu Metin
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Macit Ilkit
- Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey
- * E-mail:
| | - G. Sybren de Hoog
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
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Teixeira MDM, Patané JSL, Taylor ML, Gómez BL, Theodoro RC, de Hoog S, Engelthaler DM, Zancopé-Oliveira RM, Felipe MSS, Barker BM. Worldwide Phylogenetic Distributions and Population Dynamics of the Genus Histoplasma. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004732. [PMID: 27248851 PMCID: PMC4889077 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Histoplasma capsulatum comprises a worldwide complex of saprobiotic fungi mainly found in nitrogen/phosphate (often bird guano) enriched soils. The microconidia of Histoplasma species may be inhaled by mammalian hosts, and is followed by a rapid conversion to yeast that can persist in host tissues causing histoplasmosis, a deep pulmonary/systemic mycosis. Histoplasma capsulatum sensu lato is a complex of at least eight clades geographically distributed as follows: Australia, Netherlands, Eurasia, North American classes 1 and 2 (NAm 1 and NAm 2), Latin American groups A and B (LAm A and LAm B) and Africa. With the exception of the Eurasian cluster, those clades are considered phylogenetic species. Methodology/Principal Findings Increased Histoplasma sampling (n = 234) resulted in the revision of the phylogenetic distribution and population structure using 1,563 aligned nucleotides from four protein-coding regions. The LAm B clade appears to be divided into at least two highly supported clades, which are geographically restricted to either Colombia/Argentina or Brazil respectively. Moreover, a complex population genetic structure was identified within LAm A clade supporting multiple monophylogenetic species, which could be driven by rapid host or environmental adaptation (~0.5 MYA). We found two divergent clades, which include Latin American isolates (newly named as LAm A1 and LAm A2), harboring a cryptic cluster in association with bats. Conclusions/Significance At least six new phylogenetic species are proposed in the Histoplasma species complex supported by different phylogenetic and population genetics methods, comprising LAm A1, LAm A2, LAm B1, LAm B2, RJ and BAC-1 phylogenetic species. The genetic isolation of Histoplasma could be a result of differential dispersion potential of naturally infected bats and other mammals. In addition, the present study guides isolate selection for future population genomics and genome wide association studies in this important pathogen complex. Histoplasmosis is a potentially severe fungal disease of mammals caused by Histoplasma capsulatum. The highest incidence of the disease is reported on the American continent, and approximately 30% of HIV and histoplasmosis co-infections are fatal. Previous studies have suggested at least 7 phylogenetic species within H. capsulatum, however by increasing taxon sampling and using different phylogenetic and population genetic methods, we detect at least 5 additional phylogenetic species within Latin America (LAm A1, LAm A2, LAm B1, LAm B2, RJ and BAC-1). These phylogenetic species are nested in the former LAm A clade. We found evidence that bats may be a cause of speciation in Histoplasma, as well-supported monophyletic clades were found in association with different species of bats. The radiation of the Latin American H. capsulatum species took a place around 5 million years ago, which is consistent with the radiation and diversification of bat species. Previous phylogenetic distribution of Histoplasma is upheld and strong support is indicated for the species delineation and evolution of this important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus de M. Teixeira
- Division of Pathogen Genomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute-North, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasília, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - José S. L. Patané
- Department of Biochemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria L. Taylor
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Beatriz L. Gómez
- Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB), Medellín, Colombia
| | - Raquel C. Theodoro
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics/ Institute of Tropical Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Sybren de Hoog
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - David M. Engelthaler
- Division of Pathogen Genomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute-North, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Rosely M. Zancopé-Oliveira
- Mycology Laboratory, National Institute of Infectology Evandro Chagas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Bridget M. Barker
- Division of Pathogen Genomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute-North, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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24
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Wu G, Zhao H, Li C, Rajapakse MP, Wong WC, Xu J, Saunders CW, Reeder NL, Reilman RA, Scheynius A, Sun S, Billmyre BR, Li W, Averette AF, Mieczkowski P, Heitman J, Theelen B, Schröder MS, De Sessions PF, Butler G, Maurer-Stroh S, Boekhout T, Nagarajan N, Dawson TL. Genus-Wide Comparative Genomics of Malassezia Delineates Its Phylogeny, Physiology, and Niche Adaptation on Human Skin. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005614. [PMID: 26539826 PMCID: PMC4634964 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Malassezia is a unique lipophilic genus in class Malasseziomycetes in Ustilaginomycotina, (Basidiomycota, fungi) that otherwise consists almost exclusively of plant pathogens. Malassezia are typically isolated from warm-blooded animals, are dominant members of the human skin mycobiome and are associated with common skin disorders. To characterize the genetic basis of the unique phenotypes of Malassezia spp., we sequenced the genomes of all 14 accepted species and used comparative genomics against a broad panel of fungal genomes to comprehensively identify distinct features that define the Malassezia gene repertoire: gene gain and loss; selection signatures; and lineage-specific gene family expansions. Our analysis revealed key gene gain events (64) with a single gene conserved across all Malassezia but absent in all other sequenced Basidiomycota. These likely horizontally transferred genes provide intriguing gain-of-function events and prime candidates to explain the emergence of Malassezia. A larger set of genes (741) were lost, with enrichment for glycosyl hydrolases and carbohydrate metabolism, concordant with adaptation to skin’s carbohydrate-deficient environment. Gene family analysis revealed extensive turnover and underlined the importance of secretory lipases, phospholipases, aspartyl proteases, and other peptidases. Combining genomic analysis with a re-evaluation of culture characteristics, we establish the likely lipid-dependence of all Malassezia. Our phylogenetic analysis sheds new light on the relationship between Malassezia and other members of Ustilaginomycotina, as well as phylogenetic lineages within the genus. Overall, our study provides a unique genomic resource for understanding Malassezia niche-specificity and potential virulence, as well as their abundance and distribution in the environment and on human skin. Malassezia are the dominant eukaryotic residents of human skin and are associated with the most common skin disorders, including dandruff, atopic dermatitis, eczema, and others. Despite significant effort, the role of Malassezia in skin disease and homeostasis remains unclear. Malassezia are also unique among fungi by requiring lipids for growth, but the breadth and genetic basis of their lipophilic lifestyle has not been comprehensively studied. Here we report the complete genomes of all 14 Malassezia species (including multiple strains of the most common species found on humans) and systematically identify features that define the genus and its sub-lineages, including horizontally transferred genes likely to represent key gain-of-function events and which may have enabled evolution of the genus from plant to animal inhabitants. Genus wide expansion of lipid hydrolases and loss of carbohydrate metabolism genes underscore the entire genus’ gradual evolution to lipid-dependency, which was confirmed even in the previously thought to be lipophilic M. pachydermatis, via genomics with experimental confirmation. Finally, these reference genomes will serve as a valuable resource for future metagenomic investigations into the role of Malassezia species in normal healthy skin and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangxi Wu
- Computational and Systems Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore
| | - He Zhao
- Procter & Gamble Singapore Innovation Center, Singapore
| | - Chenhao Li
- Computational and Systems Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore
| | | | | | - Jun Xu
- Procter & Gamble Mason Business Center, Mason, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Charles W. Saunders
- Procter & Gamble Mason Business Center, Mason, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Nancy L. Reeder
- Procter & Gamble Mason Business Center, Mason, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Raymond A. Reilman
- Procter & Gamble Mason Business Center, Mason, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Annika Scheynius
- Translational Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sheng Sun
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | | | - Wenjun Li
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Anna Floyd Averette
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Piotr Mieczkowski
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Bart Theelen
- Fungal Biodiversity Centre, CBS-KNAW, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Sebastian Maurer-Stroh
- Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Fungal Biodiversity Centre, CBS-KNAW, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Niranjan Nagarajan
- Computational and Systems Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore
- * E-mail: (NN); (TLD)
| | - Thomas L. Dawson
- Institute of Medical Biology, A*STAR, Singapore
- * E-mail: (NN); (TLD)
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25
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Abstract
Candida albicans is both a prevalent human commensal and the most commonly encountered human fungal pathogen. This lifestyle is dependent on the ability of the fungus to undergo rapid genetic and epigenetic changes, often in response to specific environmental cues. A parasexual cycle in C. albicans has been defined that includes several unique properties when compared to the related model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Novel features include strict regulation of mating via a phenotypic switch, enhanced conjugation within a sexual biofilm, and a program of concerted chromosome loss in place of a conventional meiosis. It is expected that several of these adaptations co-evolved with the ability of C. albicans to colonize the mammalian host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bennett
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Brown University, 171 Meeting St, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
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26
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Abstract
Cryptococcosis is infrequent in children, and isolated cryptococcal osteomyelitis is rarely encountered. Here, we describe a 14-year-old patient in remission from T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with osteomyelitis because of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. The patient was effectively treated with antifungal therapy.
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27
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Smyrniotopoulos V, Rae M, Soldatou S, Ding Y, Wolff CW, McCormack G, Coleman CM, Ferreira D, Tasdemir D. Sulfated steroid-amino acid conjugates from the Irish marine sponge Polymastia boletiformis. Mar Drugs 2015; 13:1632-46. [PMID: 25812034 PMCID: PMC4413178 DOI: 10.3390/md13041632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antifungal bioactivity-guided fractionation of the organic extract of the sponge Polymastia boletiformis, collected from the west coast of Ireland, led to the isolation of two new sulfated steroid-amino acid conjugates (1 and 2). Extensive 1D and 2D NMR analyses in combination with quantum mechanical calculations of the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, optical rotation, and 13C chemical shifts were used to establish the chemical structures of 1 and 2. Both compounds exhibited moderate antifungal activity against Cladosporium cucumerinum, while compound 2 was also active against Candida albicans. Marine natural products containing steroidal and amino acid constituents are extremely rare in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margaret Rae
- Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
- Marine Biodiscovery Laboratory, Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, Co. Galway, Ireland.
| | - Sylvia Soldatou
- School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Yuanqing Ding
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, and the National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Carsten W Wolff
- Zoology, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Grace McCormack
- Zoology, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Christina M Coleman
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, and the National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Daneel Ferreira
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, and the National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Deniz Tasdemir
- School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
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28
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Hagen F, Khayhan K, Theelen B, Kolecka A, Polacheck I, Sionov E, Falk R, Parnmen S, Lumbsch HT, Boekhout T. Recognition of seven species in the Cryptococcus gattii/Cryptococcus neoformans species complex. Fungal Genet Biol 2015; 78:16-48. [PMID: 25721988 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2015.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 460] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Phylogenetic analysis of 11 genetic loci and results from many genotyping studies revealed significant genetic diversity with the pathogenic Cryptococcus gattii/Cryptococcus neoformans species complex. Genealogical concordance, coalescence-based, and species tree approaches supported the presence of distinct and concordant lineages within the complex. Consequently, we propose to recognize the current C. neoformans var. grubii and C. neoformans var. neoformans as separate species, and five species within C. gattii. The type strain of C. neoformans CBS132 represents a serotype AD hybrid and is replaced. The newly delimited species differ in aspects of pathogenicity, prevalence for patient groups, as well as biochemical and physiological aspects, such as susceptibility to antifungals. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry readily distinguishes the newly recognized species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferry Hagen
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kantarawee Khayhan
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Bart Theelen
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Kolecka
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Itzhack Polacheck
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Edward Sionov
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel; Department of Food Quality & Safety, Institute for Postharvest and Food Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Rama Falk
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel; Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nir-David, Israel
| | - Sittiporn Parnmen
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| | | | - Teun Boekhout
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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29
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Asexual propagation of a virulent clone complex in a human and feline outbreak of sporotrichosis. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2014; 14:158-69. [PMID: 25480940 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00153-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Sporotrichosis is one of the most frequent subcutaneous fungal infections in humans and animals caused by members of the plant-associated, dimorphic genus Sporothrix. Three of the four medically important Sporothrix species found in Brazil have been considered asexual as no sexual stage has ever been reported in Sporothrix schenckii, Sporothrix brasiliensis, or Sporothrix globosa. We have identified the mating type (MAT) loci in the S. schenckii (strain 1099-18/ATCC MYA-4821) and S. brasiliensis (strain 5110/ATCC MYA-4823) genomes by using comparative genomic approaches to determine the mating type ratio in these pathogen populations. Our analysis revealed the presence of a MAT1-1 locus in S. schenckii while a MAT1-2 locus was found in S. brasiliensis representing genomic synteny to other Sordariomycetes. Furthermore, the components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-pheromone pathway, pheromone processing enzymes, and meiotic regulators have also been identified in the two pathogens, suggesting the potential for sexual reproduction. The ratio of MAT1-1 to MAT1-2 was not significantly different from 1:1 for all three Sporothrix species, but the population of S. brasiliensis in the outbreaks originated from a single mating type. We also explored the population genetic structure of these pathogens using sequence data of two loci to improve our knowledge of the pattern of geographic distribution, genetic variation, and virulence phenotypes. Population genetics data showed significant population differentiation and clonality with a low level of haplotype diversity in S. brasiliensis isolates from different regions of sporotrichosis outbreaks in Brazil. In contrast, S. schenckii isolates demonstrated a high degree of genetic variability without significant geographic differentiation, indicating the presence of recombination. This study demonstrated that two species causing the same disease have contrasting reproductive strategies and genetic variability patterns.
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30
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Abstract
Candida species are the most common causes of fungal infection. Approximately 90% of infections are caused by five species: Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida krusei. Three (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis) belong to the CTG clade, in which the CTG codon is translated as serine and not leucine. C. albicans remains the most commonly isolated but is decreasing relative to the other species. The increasing incidence of C. glabrata is related to its reduced susceptibility to azole drugs. Genome analysis suggests that virulence in the CTG clade is associated with expansion of gene families, particularly of cell wall genes. Similar independent processes took place in the C. glabrata species group. Gene loss and expansion in an ancestor of C. glabrata may have resulted in preadaptations that enabled pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán A Turner
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Geraldine Butler
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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31
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Bennett RJ, Forche A, Berman J. Rapid mechanisms for generating genome diversity: whole ploidy shifts, aneuploidy, and loss of heterozygosity. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2014; 4:cshperspect.a019604. [PMID: 25081629 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a019604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Human fungal pathogens can exist in a variety of ploidy states, including euploid and aneuploid forms. Ploidy change has a major impact on phenotypic properties, including the regulation of interactions with the human host. In addition, the rapid emergence of drug-resistant isolates is often associated with the formation of specific supernumerary chromosomes. Pathogens such as Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans appear particularly well adapted for propagation in multiple ploidy states with novel pathways driving ploidy variation. In both species, heterozygous cells also readily undergo loss of heterozygosity (LOH), leading to additional phenotypic changes such as altered drug resistance. Here, we examine the sexual and parasexual cycles that drive ploidy variation in human fungal pathogens and discuss ploidy and LOH events with respect to their far-reaching roles in fungal adaptation and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bennett
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
| | - Anja Forche
- Department of Biology, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine 04011
| | - Judith Berman
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Israel
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32
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Palmer JM, Kubatova A, Novakova A, Minnis AM, Kolarik M, Lindner DL. Molecular characterization of a heterothallic mating system in Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Fungus causing white-nose syndrome of bats. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2014; 4:1755-63. [PMID: 25053709 PMCID: PMC4169168 DOI: 10.1534/g3.114.012641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
White-nose syndrome (WNS) of bats has devastated bat populations in eastern North America since its discovery in 2006. WNS, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has spread quickly in North America and has become one of the most severe wildlife epidemics of our time. While P. destructans is spreading rapidly in North America, nothing is known about the sexual capacity of this fungus. To gain insight into the genes involved in sexual reproduction, we characterized the mating-type locus (MAT) of two Pseudogymnoascus spp. that are closely related to P. destructans and homothallic (self-fertile). As with other homothallic Ascomycota, the MAT locus of these two species encodes a conserved α-box protein (MAT1-1-1) as well as two high-mobility group (HMG) box proteins (MAT1-1-3 and MAT1-2-1). Comparisons with the MAT locus of the North American isolate of P. destructans (the ex-type isolate) revealed that this isolate of P. destructans was missing a clear homolog of the conserved HMG box protein (MAT1-2-1). These data prompted the discovery and molecular characterization of a heterothallic mating system in isolates of P. destructans from the Czech Republic. Both mating types of P. destructans were found to coexist within hibernacula, suggesting the presence of mating populations in Europe. Although populations of P. destructans in North America are thought to be clonal and of one mating type, the potential for sexual recombination indicates that continued vigilance is needed regarding introductions of additional isolates of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Palmer
- Center for Forest Mycology Research, Northern Research Station, US Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin 53726
| | - Alena Kubatova
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, CZ-128 01 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Novakova
- Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sadkach 7, CZ-370 05 Česke Budějovice, Czech Republic Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology of the AS CR, v.v.i, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-142 20 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Andrew M Minnis
- Center for Forest Mycology Research, Northern Research Station, US Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin 53726
| | - Miroslav Kolarik
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, CZ-128 01 Praha 2, Czech Republic Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology of the AS CR, v.v.i, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-142 20 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel L Lindner
- Center for Forest Mycology Research, Northern Research Station, US Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin 53726
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33
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Bolotin-Fukuhara M, Fairhead C. Candida glabrata: a deadly companion? Yeast 2014; 31:279-88. [PMID: 24861573 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2014] [Revised: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The yeast Candida glabrata has become a major fungal opportunistic pathogen of humans since the 1980s. Contrary to what its name suggests, it is much closer, phylogenetically, to the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae than to the most prevalent human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. Its similarity to S. cerevisiae fortunately extends to their amenability to molecular genetics methods. C. glabrata is now described as part of the Nakaseomyces clade, which includes two new pathogens and other environmental species. C. glabrata is likely a commensal species of the human digestive tract, but systemic infections of immunocompromised patients are often fatal. In addition to being the subject of active medical research, other studies on C. glabrata focus on fundamental aspects of evolution of yeast genomes and adaptation. For example, the genome of C. glabrata has undergone major gene and intron loss compared to S. cerevisiae. It is also an apparently asexual species, a feature that inevitably leads to questions about the species' evolutionary past, present and future. On-going research with this yeast continues to address various aspects of adaptation to the human host and mechanisms of evolution in the Saccharomycetaceae, major model organisms for biology.
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34
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Wang L, Tian X, Gyawali R, Upadhyay S, Foyle D, Wang G, Cai JJ, Lin X. Morphotype transition and sexual reproduction are genetically associated in a ubiquitous environmental pathogen. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004185. [PMID: 24901238 PMCID: PMC4047104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual reproduction in an environmental pathogen helps maximize its lineage fitness to changing environment and the host. For the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, sexual reproduction is proposed to have yielded hyper virulent and drug resistant variants. The life cycle of this pathogen commences with mating, followed by the yeast-hypha transition and hyphal growth, and it concludes with fruiting body differentiation and sporulation. How these sequential differentiation events are orchestrated to ensure developmental continuality is enigmatic. Here we revealed the genetic network of the yeast-to-hypha transition in Cryptococcus by analyzing transcriptomes of populations with a homogeneous morphotype generated by an engineered strain. Among this network, we found that a Pumilio-family protein Pum1 and the matricellular signal Cfl1 represent two major parallel circuits directing the yeast-hypha transition. Interestingly, only Pum1 coordinates the sequential morphogenesis events during a-α bisexual and α unisexual reproduction. Pum1 initiates the yeast-to-hypha transition, partially through a novel filament-specific secretory protein Fas1; Pum1 is also required to sustain hyphal growth after the morphological switch. Furthermore, Pum1 directs subsequent differentiation of aerial hyphae into fruiting bodies in both laboratory and clinical isolates. Pum1 exerts its control on sexual reproduction partly through regulating the temporal expression of Dmc1, the meiosis-specific recombinase. Therefore, Pum1 serves a pivotal role in bridging post-mating morphological differentiation events with sexual reproduction in Cryptococcus. Our findings in Cryptococcus illustrate how an environmental pathogen can ensure the completion of its life cycle to safeguard its long-term lineage success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linqi Wang
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (LW); (XL)
| | - Xiuyun Tian
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rachana Gyawali
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Srijana Upadhyay
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dylan Foyle
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - James J. Cai
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Xiaorong Lin
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (LW); (XL)
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35
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Abstract
Sexual reproduction is a pervasive attribute of eukaryotic species and is now recognized to occur in many clinically important human fungal pathogens. These fungi use sexual or parasexual strategies for various purposes that can have an impact on pathogenesis, such as the formation of drug-resistant isolates, the generation of strains with increased virulence or the modulation of interactions with host cells. In this Review, we examine the mechanisms regulating fungal sex and the consequences of these programmes for human disease.
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36
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Ilkit M, Durdu M. Tinea pedis: the etiology and global epidemiology of a common fungal infection. Crit Rev Microbiol 2014; 41:374-88. [PMID: 24495093 DOI: 10.3109/1040841x.2013.856853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Tinea pedis, which is a dermatophytic infection of the feet, can involve the interdigital web spaces or the sides of the feet and may be a chronic or recurring condition. The most common etiological agents are anthropophiles, including Trichophyton rubrum sensu stricto, which is the most common, followed by Trichophyton interdigitale and Epidermophyton floccosum. There has been a change in this research arena, necessitating a re-evaluation of our knowledge on the topic from a multidisciplinary perspective. Thus, this review aimed to provide a solid overview of the current status and changing patterns of tinea pedis. The second half of the twentieth century witnessed a global increase in tinea pedis and a clonal spread of one major etiologic agent, T. rubrum. This phenomenon is likely due to increases in urbanization and the use of sports and fitness facilities, the growing prevalence of obesity and the aging population. For optimal patient care and management, the diagnosis of tinea pedis should be verified by microbiological analysis. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, clinical forms, complications and mycological characteristics of tinea pedis and we highlight the pathogenesis, prevention and control parameters of this infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macit Ilkit
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova , Adana , Turkey and
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37
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Yáñez-Carrillo P, Robledo-Márquez KA, Ramírez-Zavaleta CY, De Las Peñas A, Castaño I. The mating type-like loci of Candida glabrata. Rev Iberoam Micol 2014; 31:30-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2013.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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38
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Cell-type-specific transcriptional profiles of the dimorphic pathogen Penicillium marneffei reflect distinct reproductive, morphological, and environmental demands. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2013; 3:1997-2014. [PMID: 24062530 PMCID: PMC3815061 DOI: 10.1534/g3.113.006809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Penicillium marneffei is an opportunistic human pathogen endemic to Southeast Asia. At 25° P. marneffei grows in a filamentous hyphal form and can undergo asexual development (conidiation) to produce spores (conidia), the infectious agent. At 37° P. marneffei grows in the pathogenic yeast cell form that replicates by fission. Switching between these growth forms, known as dimorphic switching, is dependent on temperature. To understand the process of dimorphic switching and the physiological capacity of the different cell types, two microarray-based profiling experiments covering approximately 42% of the genome were performed. The first experiment compared cells from the hyphal, yeast, and conidiation phases to identify "phase or cell-state-specific" gene expression. The second experiment examined gene expression during the dimorphic switch from one morphological state to another. The data identified a variety of differentially expressed genes that have been organized into metabolic clusters based on predicted function and expression patterns. In particular, C-14 sterol reductase-encoding gene ergM of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway showed high-level expression throughout yeast morphogenesis compared to hyphal. Deletion of ergM resulted in severe growth defects with increased sensitivity to azole-type antifungal agents but not amphotericin B. The data defined gene classes based on spatio-temporal expression such as those expressed early in the dimorphic switch but not in the terminal cell types and those expressed late. Such classifications have been helpful in linking a given gene of interest to its expression pattern throughout the P. marneffei dimorphic life cycle and its likely role in pathogenicity.
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39
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Abstract
Candida species exhibit a variety of ploidy states and modes of sexual reproduction. Most species possess the requisite genes for sexual reproduction, recombination, and meiosis, yet only a few have been reported to undergo a complete sexual cycle including mating and sporulation. Candida albicans, the most studied Candida species and a prevalent human fungal pathogen, completes its sexual cycle via a parasexual process of concerted chromosome loss rather than a conventional meiosis. In this study, we examine ploidy changes in Candida tropicalis, a closely related species to C. albicans that was recently revealed to undergo sexual mating. C. tropicalis diploid cells mate to form tetraploid cells, and we show that these can be induced to undergo chromosome loss to regenerate diploid forms by growth on sorbose medium. The diploid products are themselves mating competent, thereby establishing a parasexual cycle in this species for the first time. Extended incubation (>120 generations) of C. tropicalis tetraploid cells under rich culture conditions also resulted in instability of the tetraploid form and a gradual reduction in ploidy back to the diploid state. The fitness levels of C. tropicalis diploid and tetraploid cells were compared, and diploid cells exhibited increased fitness relative to tetraploid cells in vitro, despite diploid and tetraploid cells having similar doubling times. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate distinct pathways by which a parasexual cycle can occur in C. tropicalis and indicate that nonmeiotic mechanisms drive ploidy changes in this prevalent human pathogen.
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40
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Clark KB. Ciliates learn to diagnose and correct classical error syndromes in mating strategies. Front Microbiol 2013; 4:229. [PMID: 23966987 PMCID: PMC3746415 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Preconjugal ciliates learn classical repetition error-correction codes to safeguard mating messages and replies from corruption by “rivals” and local ambient noise. Because individual cells behave as memory channels with Szilárd engine attributes, these coding schemes also might be used to limit, diagnose, and correct mating-signal errors due to noisy intracellular information processing. The present study, therefore, assessed whether heterotrich ciliates effect fault-tolerant signal planning and execution by modifying engine performance, and consequently entropy content of codes, during mock cell–cell communication. Socially meaningful serial vibrations emitted from an ambiguous artificial source initiated ciliate behavioral signaling performances known to advertise mating fitness with varying courtship strategies. Microbes, employing calcium-dependent Hebbian-like decision making, learned to diagnose then correct error syndromes by recursively matching Boltzmann entropies between signal planning and execution stages via “power” or “refrigeration” cycles. All eight serial contraction and reversal strategies incurred errors in entropy magnitude by the execution stage of processing. Absolute errors, however, subtended expected threshold values for single bit-flip errors in three-bit replies, indicating coding schemes protected information content throughout signal production. Ciliate preparedness for vibrations selectively and significantly affected the magnitude and valence of Szilárd engine performance during modal and non-modal strategy corrective cycles. But entropy fidelity for all replies mainly improved across learning trials as refinements in engine efficiency. Fidelity neared maximum levels for only modal signals coded in resilient three-bit repetition error-correction sequences. Together, these findings demonstrate microbes can elevate survival/reproductive success by learning to implement classical fault-tolerant information processing in social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B Clark
- Research and Development Service, Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Los Angeles, CA, USA
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41
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Campbell MA, Staats M, van Kan JAL, Rokas A, Slot JC. Repeated loss of an anciently horizontally transferred gene cluster in Botrytis. Mycologia 2013; 105:1126-34. [PMID: 23921237 DOI: 10.3852/12-390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
At least five of the six genes of the bikaverin secondary metabolic gene cluster were shown to have undergone horizontal transfer (HGT) from a Fusarium donor to the Botrytis lineage. Of these five, two enzyme-encoding genes are found as pseudogenes in B. cinerea whereas two regulatory genes and the transporter remain intact. To reconstruct the evolutionary events leading to decay of this gene cluster and infer a more precise timing of its transfer, we examined the genomes of nine additional broadly sampled Botrytis species. We found evidence that a Botrytis ancestor acquired the entire gene cluster through an ancient HGT that occurred before the diversification of the genus. During the subsequent evolution and diversification of the genus, four of the 10 genomes appear to have lost the gene cluster, while in the other six the cluster is in various stages of degeneration. Across the Botrytis genomes, the modes of gene decay in the cluster differed between enzyme-encoding genes, which had higher rates of transition to or retention of pseudogenes and were universally inactivated, and regulatory genes (particularly the non-pathway-specific regulator bik4), which more frequently appeared intact. Consistent with these results, the regulatory genes bik4 and bik5 showed stronger evidence of transcriptional expression than other bikaverin genes under multiple conditions in B. cinerea. These results could be explained by pleiotropy in the bikaverin regulatory genes either through rewiring or their interaction with more central pathways or by constraints on the order of gene loss driven by the intrinsic toxicity of the pathway. Our finding that most of the bikaverin pathway genes have been lost or pseudogenized in these Botrytis genomes suggests that the incidence of HGT of gene cluster-encoded metabolic pathways might be higher than what is possible to be inferred from isolated genome analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Campbell
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B 351364, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, and University of Hawaii at Mânoa, Botany Department, 3190 Maile Way, Room 101, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
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Atanasova R, Angoulvant A, Tefit M, Gay F, Guitard J, Mazier D, Fairhead C, Hennequin C. A mouse model for Candida glabrata hematogenous disseminated infection starting from the gut: evaluation of strains with different adhesion properties. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69664. [PMID: 23936069 PMCID: PMC3720583 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adhesion to digestive mucosa is considered a crucial first step in the pathogenicity of invasive Candida infections. Candida glabrata disseminated infections predominantly start from the gut. A mouse model of disseminated infection starting from the gut was set up. Hematogenous dissemination was obtained after a low-protein diet followed by a regimen of cyclophosphamide-methotrexate and an oral inoculation of the yeasts via the drinking water. The liver was the first organ infected (day 7 post-infection), and lethality was 100% at day 21 post-infection. This new mouse model was used to compare the mortality rate and fungal burden in deep organs induced by 5 strains exhibiting different levels of adhesion to enterocyte Caco-2 cells, as determined in a test on 36 C. glabrata strains. In this model, no statistical difference of lethality was demonstrated between the strains, and fungal burden varied in kidneys and lungs but without correlation with the level of adhesion to enterocytes. Further studies using the model developed here allow analysis of the crossing of the digestive mucosa by yeasts, and help relate this to yet-poorly understood adhesion phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adela Angoulvant
- AP-HP, Hôpital Bicêtre, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- Université Paris-Sud 11, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, and CNRS UMR 8621, Orsay, France
| | - Maurel Tefit
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, UMR S945, Paris,France
| | - Frédérick Gay
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, UMR S945, Paris,France
- APHP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Paris, France
| | - Juliette Guitard
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, UMR S945, Paris,France
- INSERM, U945, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Paris, France
| | - Dominique Mazier
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, UMR S945, Paris,France
- INSERM, U945, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Fairhead
- Université Paris-Sud 11, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, and CNRS UMR 8621, Orsay, France
| | - Christophe Hennequin
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, UMR S945, Paris,France
- INSERM, U945, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
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Bouklas T, Fries BC. Cryptococcus neoformans constitutes an ideal model organism to unravel the contribution of cellular aging to the virulence of chronic infections. Curr Opin Microbiol 2013; 16:391-7. [PMID: 23631868 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2013.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2013] [Revised: 03/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/28/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Aging affects all organisms, from unicellular yeasts to multicellular humans. Studies in model organisms demonstrate that the pathways that mediate the two forms of aging, replicative and chronological, are highly conserved. Most studies are focused on the effect of aging on an individual cell rather than a whole population. Complex longevity regulation, however, makes aging a highly adaptive trait that is subject to natural selection. Recent studies have shed light on the potential relevance of aging in fungal pathogens, which undergo replicative aging when they expand in the host environment. Hence, pathogens causing chronic infections can constitute ideal model organisms in unraveling the contribution of selection to aging within a population and help elucidate the contribution of aging itself to the virulence of infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejas Bouklas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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Ouédraogo M, Konaté K, Lepengué AN, Souza A, M'Batchi B, Sawadogo LL. Free radical scavenging capacity, anticandicidal effect of bioactive compounds from Sida cordifolia L., in combination with nystatin and clotrimazole and their effect on specific immune response in rats. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2012; 11:33. [PMID: 23268761 PMCID: PMC3576270 DOI: 10.1186/1476-0711-11-33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2012] [Accepted: 12/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infectious diseases caused by fungi are still a major threat to public health, despite numerous efforts by researchers. Use of ethnopharmacological knowledge is one attractive way to reduce empiricism and enhance the probability of success in new drug-finding efforts. In this work, the total alkaloid compounds (AC) from Sida cordifolia L. (Malvaceae) have been investigated for their free radical scavenging capacity, antifungal and immunostimulatory properties. Method The antifungal activity was investigated against five candida strains using the microplate dilution method and the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI) of compounds was evaluated. The antioxidant activity of the samples was evaluate using three separate methods, at last, the immunostimulatory effect on immunosuppressed wistar rats was performed. Results As for the antifungal activity, result varied according to microorganism. The results obtained in this antifungal activity were interesting and indicated a synergistic effect between alkaloid compounds and the antifungal references such as Nystatin and Clotrimazole. Antioxidant capacity noticed that the reduction capacity of DPPH radicals obtained the best result comparatively to the others methods of free radical scavenging. Our results showed a low immunostimulatory effect and this result could be explained by the lack of biologically active antioxidants such as polyphenol compounds lowly contained in the alkaloid compounds. Conclusion The results of this study showed that alkaloid compounds in combination with antifungal references (Nystatin and Clotrimazole) exhibited antimicrobial effects against candida strains tested. The results supported the utilization of these plants in infectious diseases particularly in treatment of candida infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurice Ouédraogo
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
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Gomes-Rezende JA, Gomes-Alves AG, Menino JF, Coelho MA, Ludovico P, Gonçalves P, Sturme MHJ, Rodrigues F. Functionality of the Paracoccidioides mating α-pheromone-receptor system. PLoS One 2012; 7:e47033. [PMID: 23056569 PMCID: PMC3464258 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2012] [Accepted: 09/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that Paracoccidioides species have the potential to undergo sexual reproduction, although no sexual cycle has been identified either in nature or under laboratory conditions. In the present work we detected low expression levels of the heterothallic MAT loci genes MAT1-1 and MAT1-2, the α-pheromone (PBα) gene, and the α- and a-pheromone receptor (PREB and PREA) genes in yeast and mycelia forms of several Paracoccidioides isolates. None of the genes were expressed in a mating type dependent manner. Stimulation of P. brasiliensis MAT1-2 strains with the synthetic α-pheromone peptide failed to elicit transcriptional activation of MAT1-2, PREB or STE12, suggesting that the strains tested are insensitive to α-pheromone. In order to further evaluate the biological functionality of the pair α-pheromone and its receptor, we took advantage of the heterologous expression of these Paracoccidioides genes in the corresponding S. cerevisiae null mutants. We show that S. cerevisiae strains heterologously expressing PREB respond to Pbα pheromone either isolated from Paracoccidioides culture supernatants or in its synthetic form, both by shmoo formation and by growth and cell cycle arrests. This allowed us to conclude that Paracoccidioides species secrete an active α-pheromone into the culture medium that is able to activate its cognate receptor. Moreover, expression of PREB or PBα in the corresponding null mutants of S. cerevisiae restored mating in these non-fertile strains. Taken together, our data demonstrate pheromone signaling activation by the Paracoccidioides α-pheromone through its receptor in this yeast model, which provides novel evidence for the existence of a functional mating signaling system in Paracoccidioides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica A. Gomes-Rezende
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana G. Gomes-Alves
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - João F. Menino
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Marco A. Coelho
- Centro de Recursos Microbiológicos (CREM), Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Paula Ludovico
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Paula Gonçalves
- Centro de Recursos Microbiológicos (CREM), Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Mark H. J. Sturme
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Fernando Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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Discovery of a phenotypic switch regulating sexual mating in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida tropicalis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:21158-63. [PMID: 22158989 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1112076109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual reproduction can promote genetic diversity in eukaryotes, and yet many pathogenic fungi have been labeled as obligate asexual species. It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that cryptic sexual programs may exist in some species, and that efficient mating requires the necessary developmental switch to be triggered. In this study we investigate Candida tropicalis, an important human fungal pathogen that has been reported to be asexual. Significantly, we demonstrate that C. tropicalis uses a phenotypic switch to regulate a cryptic program of sexual mating. Thus, diploid a and α cells must undergo a developmental transition to the mating-competent form, and only then does efficient cell-cell conjugation take place resulting in the formation of stable a/α tetraploids. We show that both the phenotypic switch and sexual mating depend on the conserved transcriptional regulator Wor1, which is regulated by temperature in other fungal species. In contrast, C. tropicalis mating occurs efficiently at both 25 °C and 37 °C, suggesting that it could occur in the mammalian host and have direct consequences for the outcome of an infection. Transcriptional profiling further reveals that ≈ 400 genes are differentially expressed between the two phenotypic states, including the regulatory factor Wor1. Taken together, our results demonstrate that C. tropicalis has a unique sexual program, and that entry to this program is controlled via a Wor1-mediated, metastable switch. These observations have direct implications for the regulation and evolution of cryptic sexual programs in related fungal pathogens.
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Lago JHG, Souza ED, Mariane B, Pascon R, Vallim MA, Martins RCC, Baroli AA, Carvalho BA, Soares MG, dos Santos RT, Sartorelli P. Chemical and biological evaluation of essential oils from two species of Myrtaceae - Eugenia uniflora L. and Plinia trunciflora (O. Berg) Kausel. Molecules 2011; 16:9827-37. [PMID: 22117172 PMCID: PMC6264170 DOI: 10.3390/molecules16129827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2011] [Revised: 11/18/2011] [Accepted: 11/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oils obtained from leaves of two Myrtaceae species-Eugenia uniflora L. and Plinia trunciflora (O. Berg) Kausel-were determined. Analysis by GC/MS as well as determination of Kovatz indexes indicated atractylone (26.78%) and curzerene (17.96%) as major constituents of E. uniflora oil and α-cadinol (19.15%), apiole (11.15%) and cubenol (5.43%) as main components in P. trunciflora oil. Both essential oils were tested for antimicrobial activity against yeasts and bacteria. E. uniflora and P. trunciflora essential oils were active towards two Gram-positive bacteria, Streptococcus equi and Staphylococcus epidermis. In addition, biological activity of both essential oils was detected for pathogenic yeasts of the genus Candida and Cryptococcus. E. uniflora was active towards all yeast tested and exhibited interesting minimal inhibitory concentrations (0.11 to 3.75 mg/mL) across a broad spectrum of activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Henrique G Lago
- Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Diadema 09972-270, SP, Brasil
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Klaassen CHW, Gibbons JG, Fedorova ND, Meis JF, Rokas A. Evidence for genetic differentiation and variable recombination rates among Dutch populations of the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Mol Ecol 2011; 21:57-70. [PMID: 22106836 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05364.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
As the frequency of antifungal drug resistance continues to increase, understanding the genetic structure of fungal populations, where resistant isolates have emerged and spread, is of major importance. Aspergillus fumigatus is an ubiquitously distributed fungus and the primary causative agent of invasive aspergillosis (IA), a potentially lethal infection in immunocompromised individuals. In the last few years, an increasing number of A. fumigatus isolates has evolved resistance to triazoles, the primary drugs for treating IA infections. In most isolates, this multiple-triazole-resistance (MTR) phenotype is caused by mutations in the cyp51A gene, which encodes the protein targeted by the triazoles. We investigated the genetic differentiation and reproductive mode of A. fumigatus in the Netherlands, the country where the MTR phenotype probably originated, to determine their role in facilitating the emergence and distribution of resistance genotypes. Using 20 genome-wide neutral markers, we genotyped 255 Dutch isolates including 25 isolates with the MTR phenotype. In contrast to previous reports, our results show that Dutch A. fumigatus genotypes are genetically differentiated into five distinct populations. Four of the five populations show significant linkage disequilibrium, indicative of an asexual reproductive mode, whereas the fifth population is in linkage equilibrium, indicative of a sexual reproductive mode. Notably, the observed genetic differentiation among Dutch isolates does not correlate with geography, although all isolates with the MTR phenotype nest within a single, predominantly asexual, population. These results suggest that both reproductive mode and genetic differentiation contribute to the structure of Dutch A. fumigatus populations and are probably shaping the evolutionary dynamics of drug resistance in this potentially deadly pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corné H W Klaassen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Weg Door Jonkerbos 100, 6532 SZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Park YD, Williamson PR. 'Popping the clutch': novel mechanisms regulating sexual development in Cryptococcus neoformans. Mycopathologia 2011; 173:359-66. [PMID: 21912854 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-011-9464-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2011] [Accepted: 08/08/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction in fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus provides natural selection and adaptation of the organisms to environmental conditions by allowing beneficial mutations to spread. However, successful mating in these fungi requires a time-critical induction of signaling pheromones when appropriate partners become available. Recently, it has been shown that the fungus uses the transcriptional equivalent of the racing technique: 'popping the clutch'-pushing in the clutch pedal, putting the car in gear, revving with the gas pedal, and then dropping the clutch pedal to accelerate rapidly. In the same way, Cryptococcus during vegetative growth constitutively matches a high rate of pheromone synthesis with a high rate of degradation to produce repressed levels of transcript. Then, when mating is required, the fungus drops the degradative machinery, resulting in a rapid induction of the pheromone. Pairing with this novel regulatory cycle is a host of mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, cyclic AMP-dependent, and calcium-calcineurin signaling pathways that maintain these high rates of pheromone synthesis and prime downstream pathways for an effective mating response. The intersection of a number of virulence-associated traits with sexual development such as the synthesis of an immune-disruptive laccase as well as a protective polysaccharide capsule makes these rapid regulatory strategies a formidable foe in the battle against human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon-Dong Park
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Byrnes EJ, Li W, Ren P, Lewit Y, Voelz K, Fraser JA, Dietrich FS, May RC, Chatuverdi S, Chatuverdi V, Heitman J. A diverse population of Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGIII in southern Californian HIV/AIDS patients. PLoS Pathog 2011; 7:e1002205. [PMID: 21909264 PMCID: PMC3164645 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2010] [Accepted: 06/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii infections in southern California have been reported in patients with HIV/AIDS. In this study, we examined the molecular epidemiology, population structure, and virulence attributes of isolates collected from HIV/AIDS patients in Los Angeles County, California. We show that these isolates consist almost exclusively of VGIII molecular type, in contrast to the VGII molecular type isolates causing the North American Pacific Northwest outbreak. The global VGIII population structure can be divided into two molecular groups, VGIIIa and VGIIIb. Isolates from the Californian patients are virulent in murine and macrophage models of infection, with VGIIIa significantly more virulent than VGIIIb. Several VGIII isolates are highly fertile and produce abundant sexual spores that may serve as infectious propagules. The a and α VGIII MAT locus alleles are largely syntenic with limited rearrangements compared to the known VGI (a/α) and VGII (α) MAT loci, but each has unique characteristics including a distinct deletion flanking the 5' VGIII MATa alleles and the α allele is more heterogeneous than the a allele. Our studies indicate that C. gattii VGIII is endemic in southern California, with other isolates originating from the neighboring regions of Mexico, and in rarer cases from Oregon and Washington state. Given that >1,000,000 cases of cryptococcal infection and >620,000 attributable mortalities occur annually in the context of the global AIDS pandemic, our findings suggest a significant burden of C. gattii may be unrecognized, with potential prognostic and therapeutic implications. These results signify the need to classify pathogenic Cryptococcus cases and highlight possible host differences among the C. gattii molecular types influencing infection of immunocompetent (VGI/VGII) vs. immunocompromised (VGIII/VGIV) hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmond J. Byrnes
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Wenjun Li
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ping Ren
- Mycology Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Yonathan Lewit
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kerstin Voelz
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - James A. Fraser
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Fred S. Dietrich
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robin C. May
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Sudha Chatuverdi
- Mycology Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Vishnu Chatuverdi
- Mycology Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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