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Gao J, Liu H, Jin Y, Luo Y, Huang K, Liang Z. Glucose and HODEs regulate Aspergillus ochraceus quorum sensing through the GprC-AcyA pathway. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:241. [PMID: 38806811 PMCID: PMC11133280 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05160-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Aspergillus ochraceus is the traditional ochratoxin A (OTA)-producing fungus with density-dependent behaviors, which is known as quorum sensing (QS) that is mediated by signaling molecules. Individual cells trend to adapt environmental changes in a "whole" flora through communications, allowing fungus to occupy an important ecological niche. Signals perception, transmission, and feedback are all rely on a signal network that constituted by membrane receptors and intracellular effectors. However, the interference of density information in signal transduction, which regulates most life activities of Aspergillus, have yet to be elucidated. Here we show that the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) to cAMP pathway is responsible for transmitting density information, and regulates the key point in life cycle of A. ochraceus. Firstly, the quorum sensing phenomenon of A. ochraceus is confirmed, and identified the density threshold is 103 spores/mL, which represents the low density that produces the most OTA in a series quorum density. Moreover, the GprC that classified as sugar sensor, and intracellular adenylate cyclase (AcyA)-cAMP-PKA pathway that in response to ligands glucose and HODEs are verified. Furthermore, GprC and AcyA regulate the primary metabolism as well as secondary metabolism, and further affects the growth of A. ochraceus during the entire life cycle. These studies highlight a crucial G protein signaling pathway for cell communication that is mediated by carbohydrate and oxylipins, and clarified a comprehensive effect of fungal development, which include the direct gene regulation and indirect substrate or energy supply. Our work revealed more signal molecules that mediated density information and connected effects on important adaptive behaviors of Aspergillus ochraceus, hoping to achieve comprehensive prevention and control of mycotoxin pollution from interrupting cell communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gao
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Huiqing Liu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yuxin Jin
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yunbo Luo
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Organism (Food Safety), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Kunlun Huang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Organism (Food Safety), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Zhihong Liang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Key Laboratory of Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Organism (Food Safety), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Ramaswe JB, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L, Fru FF, Adegeye OO, Wingfield BD. Sex Pheromone Receptor Ste2 Orchestrates Chemotropic Growth towards Pine Root Extracts in the Pitch Canker Pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Pathogens 2024; 13:425. [PMID: 38787277 PMCID: PMC11124031 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In ascomycetous fungi, sexual mate recognition requires interaction of the Ste2 receptor protein produced by one partner with the α-factor peptide pheromone produced by the other partner. In some fungi, Ste2 is further needed for chemotropism towards plant roots to allow for subsequent infection and colonization. Here, we investigated whether this is also true for the pine pitch canker fungus, Fusarium circinatum, which is a devastating pathogen of pine globally. Ste2 knockout mutants were generated for two opposite mating-type isolates, after which all strains were subjected to chemotropism assays involving exudates from pine seedling roots and synthetic α-factor pheromone, as well as a range of other compounds for comparison. Our data show that Ste2 is not required for chemotropism towards any of these other compounds, but, in both wild-type strains, Ste2 deletion resulted in the loss of chemotropism towards pine root exudate. Also, irrespective of mating type, both wild-type strains displayed positive chemotropism towards α-factor pheromone, which was substantially reduced in the deletion mutants and not the complementation mutants. Taken together, these findings suggest that Ste2 likely has a key role during the infection of pine roots in production nurseries. Our study also provides a strong foundation for exploring the role of self-produced and mate-produced α-factor pheromone in the growth and overall biology of the pitch canker pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma T. Steenkamp
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa; (J.B.R.); (L.D.V.); (F.F.F.); (O.O.A.); (B.D.W.)
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3
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Kuo CY, Tay RJ, Lin HC, Juan SC, Vidal-Diez de Ulzurrun G, Chang YC, Hoki J, Schroeder FC, Hsueh YP. The nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora detects prey pheromones via G protein-coupled receptors. Nat Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41564-024-01679-w. [PMID: 38649409 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01679-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The ability to sense prey-derived cues is essential for predatory lifestyles. Under low-nutrient conditions, Arthrobotrys oligospora and other nematode-trapping fungi develop dedicated structures for nematode capture when exposed to nematode-derived cues, including a conserved family of pheromones, the ascarosides. A. oligospora senses ascarosides via conserved MAPK and cAMP-PKA pathways; however, the upstream receptors remain unknown. Here, using genomic, transcriptomic and functional analyses, we identified two families of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) involved in sensing distinct nematode-derived cues. GPCRs homologous to yeast glucose receptors are required for ascaroside sensing, whereas Pth11-like GPCRs contribute to ascaroside-independent nematode sensing. Both GPCR classes activate conserved cAMP-PKA signalling to trigger trap development. This work demonstrates that predatory fungi use multiple GPCRs to sense several distinct nematode-derived cues for prey recognition and to enable a switch to a predatory lifestyle. Identification of these receptors reveals the molecular mechanisms of cross-kingdom communication via conserved pheromones also sensed by plants and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Yen Kuo
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Rebecca J Tay
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Che Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Chian Juan
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Yu-Chu Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jason Hoki
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Yen-Ping Hsueh
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
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4
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Fan C, He N, Yuan J. Cascaded amplifying circuit enables sensitive detection of fungal pathogens. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 250:116058. [PMID: 38281368 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The rapid and accurate detection of fungal pathogens is of utmost importance in the fields of healthcare, food safety, and environmental monitoring. In this study, we implemented a cascaded amplifying circuit in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to improve the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) mediated fungal detection. The GPCR signaling pathway was coupled with the galactose-regulated (GAL) system and a positive feedback loop was implemented to enhance the performance of yeast biosensor. We systematically compared four generations of biosensors for detecting the mating pheromone of Candida albicans, and the best biosensor exhibited the limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.25 pM and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1 pM after 2 h incubation. Subsequently, we developed a betaxanthin-based colorimetric module for the easy visualization of signal outputs, and the resulting biosensors can give reliable naked-eye readouts. In summary, we demonstrated that cascaded amplifying circuits could substantially improve the engineered yeast biosensors with a better sensitivity and signal output magnitude, which will pave the way for their real-world applications in public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Nike He
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Jifeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361102, China; Key Laboratory for Synthetic Biotechnology of Xiamen City, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361005, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
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Duan Y, Chen X, Wang T, Li M. The serine/threonine protein kinase MpSTE1 directly governs hyphal branching in Monascus spp. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:255. [PMID: 38446219 PMCID: PMC10917826 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13093-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Monascus spp. are commercially important fungi due to their ability to produce beneficial secondary metabolites such as the cholesterol-lowering agent lovastatin and natural food colorants azaphilone pigments. Although hyphal branching intensively influenced the production of these secondary metabolites, the pivotal regulators of hyphal development in Monascus spp. remain unclear. To identify these important regulators, we developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted image analysis tool for quantification of hyphae-branching and constructed a random T-DNA insertion library. High-throughput screening revealed that a STE kinase, MpSTE1, was considered as a key regulator of hyphal branching based on the hyphal phenotype. To further validate the role of MpSTE1, we generated an mpSTE1 gene knockout mutant, a complemented mutant, and an overexpression mutant (OE::mpSTE1). Microscopic observations revealed that overexpression of mpSTE1 led to a 63% increase in branch number while deletion of mpSTE1 reduced the hyphal branching by 68% compared to the wild-type strain. In flask cultures, the strain OE::mpSTE1 showed accelerated growth and glucose consumption. More importantly, the strain OE::mpSTE1 produced 9.2 mg/L lovastatin and 17.0 mg/L azaphilone pigments, respectively, 47.0% and 30.1% higher than those of the wild-type strain. Phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that MpSTE1 directly phosphorylated 7 downstream signal proteins involved in cell division, cytoskeletal organization, and signal transduction. To our best knowledge, MpSTE1 is reported as the first characterized regulator for tightly regulating the hyphal branching in Monascus spp. These findings significantly expanded current understanding of the signaling pathway governing the hyphal branching and development in Monascus spp. Furthermore, MpSTE1 and its analogs were demonstrated as promising targets for improving production of valuable secondary metabolites. KEY POINTS: • MpSTE1 is the first characterized regulator for tightly regulating hyphal branching • Overexpression of mpSTE1 significantly improves secondary metabolite production • A high-throughput image analysis tool was developed for counting hyphal branching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Duan
- Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented FoodsHuazhong Agricultural UniversityHubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xizhu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented FoodsHuazhong Agricultural UniversityHubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Tingya Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented FoodsHuazhong Agricultural UniversityHubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Mu Li
- Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented FoodsHuazhong Agricultural UniversityHubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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6
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Hong S, Shang J, Sun Y, Tang G, Wang C. Fungal infection of insects: molecular insights and prospects. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:302-316. [PMID: 37778923 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) distribute in different fungal phyla with variable host ranges and play essential role in regulating insect populations by infecting hosts via cuticle penetration. The representative ascomycete EPF of Metarhizium and Beauveria species have been widely used in mechanistic investigations of fungus-insect interactions and as ecofriendly mycoinsecticides. Here, we review the function of diverse genes, pathways, and secondary metabolites associated with EPF stepwise infections. In particular, emerging evidence has shown that EPF have to outcompete insect ectomicrobiotas prior to penetrating cuticles, and subvert or evade host antifungal immunity by using effector-like proteins and chemicals like plant pathogens. Future prospects are discussed for a better understanding of fungal pathobiology, which will provide novel insights into microbe-animal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Hong
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Junmei Shang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yaneli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guirong Tang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chengshu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
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John E, Chau MQ, Hoang CV, Chandrasekharan N, Bhaskar C, Ma LS. Fungal Cell Wall-Associated Effectors: Sensing, Integration, Suppression, and Protection. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2024; 37:196-210. [PMID: 37955547 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-23-0142-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The cell wall (CW) of plant-interacting fungi, as the direct interface with host plants, plays a crucial role in fungal development. A number of secreted proteins are directly associated with the fungal CW, either through covalent or non-covalent interactions, and serve a range of important functions. In the context of plant-fungal interactions many are important for fungal development in the host environment and may therefore be considered fungal CW-associated effectors (CWAEs). Key CWAE functions include integrating chemical/physical signals to direct hyphal growth, interfering with plant immunity, and providing protection against plant defenses. In recent years, a diverse range of mechanisms have been reported that underpin their roles, with some CWAEs harboring conserved motifs or functional domains, while others are reported to have novel features. As such, the current understanding regarding fungal CWAEs is systematically presented here from the perspective of their biological functions in plant-fungal interactions. An overview of the fungal CW architecture and the mechanisms by which proteins are secreted, modified, and incorporated into the CW is first presented to provide context for their biological roles. Some CWAE functions are reported across a broad range of pathosystems or symbiotic/mutualistic associations. Prominent are the chitin interacting-effectors that facilitate fungal CW modification, protection, or suppression of host immune responses. However, several alternative functions are now reported and are presented and discussed. CWAEs can play diverse roles, some possibly unique to fungal lineages and others conserved across a broad range of plant-interacting fungi. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan John
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Minh-Quang Chau
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Cuong V Hoang
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Campus de Montegancedo UPM, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
| | | | - Chibbhi Bhaskar
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Lay-Sun Ma
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
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Ye F, Kang Z, Kou H, Yang Y, Chen W, Wang S, Sun J, Liu F. G-Protein Coupled Receptor Gpr-1 Is Important for the Growth and Nutritional Metabolism of an Invasive Bark Beetle Symbiont Fungi Leptographium procerum. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:3354-3362. [PMID: 38230891 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c07547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Leptographium procerum has been demonstrated to play important roles in the invasive success of red turpentine beetle (RTB), one of the most destructive invasive pests in China. Our previous studies found that bacterial volatile ammonia plays an important role in the maintenance of the RTB-L. procerum invasive complex. In this study, we found a GPCR gene Gpr-1 that was a response to ammonia but not involved in the ammonia-induced carbohydrate metabolism. Deletion of Gpr-1 significantly inhibited the growth and pathogenicity but thickened the cell wall of L. procerum, resulting in more resistance to cell wall-perturbing agents. Further analyses suggested that Gpr-1 deletion caused growth defects that might be due to the dysregulation of the amino acid and lipid metabolisms. The thicker cell wall in the ΔGpr-1 mutant was induced through the cell wall remodeling process. Our results indicated that Gpr-1 is essential for the growth of L. procerum by regulating the nutritional metabolism, which can be further explored for potential applications in the management of RTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhiwei Kang
- College of Life Science/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Hongru Kou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yunwen Yang
- College of Life Science/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Wei Chen
- College of Life Science/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Saige Wang
- College of Life Science/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Jianghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Science/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Fanghua Liu
- College of Life Science/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
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Singh R, Caseys C, Kliebenstein DJ. Genetic and molecular landscapes of the generalist phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2024; 25:e13404. [PMID: 38037862 PMCID: PMC10788480 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea Pers. Fr. (teleomorph: Botryotinia fuckeliana) is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that attacks a wide range of plants. This updated pathogen profile explores the extensive genetic diversity of B. cinerea, highlights the progress in genome sequencing, and provides current knowledge of genetic and molecular mechanisms employed by the fungus to attack its hosts. In addition, we also discuss recent innovative strategies to combat B. cinerea. TAXONOMY Kingdom: Fungi, phylum: Ascomycota, subphylum: Pezizomycotina, class: Leotiomycetes, order: Helotiales, family: Sclerotiniaceae, genus: Botrytis, species: cinerea. HOST RANGE B. cinerea infects almost all of the plant groups (angiosperms, gymnosperms, pteridophytes, and bryophytes). To date, 1606 plant species have been identified as hosts of B. cinerea. GENETIC DIVERSITY This polyphagous necrotroph has extensive genetic diversity at all population levels shaped by climate, geography, and plant host variation. PATHOGENICITY Genetic architecture of virulence and host specificity is polygenic using multiple weapons to target hosts, including secretory proteins, complex signal transduction pathways, metabolites, and mobile small RNA. DISEASE CONTROL STRATEGIES Efforts to control B. cinerea, being a high-diversity generalist pathogen, are complicated. However, integrated disease management strategies that combine cultural practices, chemical and biological controls, and the use of appropriate crop varieties will lessen yield losses. Recently, studies conducted worldwide have explored the potential of small RNA as an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for combating grey mould. However, additional research is necessary, especially on risk assessment and regulatory frameworks, to fully harness the potential of this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Singh
- Department of Plant ScienceUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Celine Caseys
- Department of Plant ScienceUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
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Liu Y, Li T, Zhu H, Zhou Y, Shen Q, Liu D. Cysteine facilitates the lignocellulolytic response of Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742 by indirectly up-regulating membrane sugar transporters. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:159. [PMID: 37891614 PMCID: PMC10612256 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02418-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Filamentous fungi possess a rich CAZymes system, which is widely studied and applied in the bio-conversion of plant biomass to alcohol chemicals. Carbon source acquisition is the fundamental driver for CAZymes-producing sustainability and secondary metabolism, therefore, a deeper insight into the regulatory network of sugar transport in filamentous fungi has become urgent. RESULTS This study reports an important linkage of sulfur assimilation to lignocellulose response of filamentous fungus. Inorganic sulfur addition facilitated biodegradation of rice straw by Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742. Cysteine and glutathione were revealed as major intracellular metabolites responsive to sulfur addition by metabolomics, cysteine content was increased in this process and glutathione increased correspondingly. Two membrane sugar transporter genes, Tgmst1 and Tgmst2, were identified as the critical response genes significantly up-regulated when intracellular cysteine increased. Tgmst1 and Tgmst2 were both positively regulated by the glucose regulation-related protein (GRP), up-regulation of both Tgmst1 and Tggrp can cause a significant increase in intracellular glucose. The transcriptional regulatory function of GRP mainly relied on GSH-induced glutathionylation, and the transcription activating efficiency was positively related to the glutathionylation level, furthermore, DTT-induced deglutathionylation resulted in the down-regulation of downstream genes. CONCLUSIONS Inorganic sulfur addition induces a rise in intracellular Cys content, and the conversion of cysteine to glutathione caused the increase of glutathionylation level of GRP, which in turn up-regulated Tgmst1 and Tgmst2. Subsequently, the sugar transport efficiency of single cells was improved, which facilitated the maintenance of vigorous CAZymes metabolism and the straw-to-biomass conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-Saving Fertilizers, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Tuo Li
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-Saving Fertilizers, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Han Zhu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-Saving Fertilizers, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yihao Zhou
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-Saving Fertilizers, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qirong Shen
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-Saving Fertilizers, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongyang Liu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-Saving Fertilizers, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Mohri M, Moghadam A, Burketova L, Ryšánek P. Genome-wide identification of the opsin protein in Leptosphaeria maculans and comparison with other fungi (pathogens of Brassica napus). Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1193892. [PMID: 37692395 PMCID: PMC10485269 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1193892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The largest family of transmembrane receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These receptors respond to perceived environmental signals and infect their host plants. Family A of the GPCR includes opsin. However, there is little known about the roles of GPCRs in phytopathogenic fungi. We studied opsin in Leptosphaeria maculans, an important pathogen of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) that causes blackleg disease, and compared it with six other fungal pathogens of oilseed rape. A phylogenetic tree analysis of 31 isoforms of the opsin protein showed six major groups and six subgroups. All three opsin isoforms of L. maculans are grouped in the same clade in the phylogenetic tree. Physicochemical analysis revealed that all studied opsin proteins are stable and hydrophobic. Subcellular localization revealed that most isoforms were localized in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane except for several isoforms in Verticillium species, which were localized in the mitochondrial membrane. Most isoforms comprise two conserved domains. One conserved motif was observed across all isoforms, consisting of the BACTERIAL_OPSIN_1 domain, which has been hypothesized to have an identical sensory function. Most studied isoforms showed seven transmembrane helices, except for one isoform of V. longisporum and four isoforms of Fusarium oxysporum. Tertiary structure prediction displayed a conformational change in four isoforms of F. oxysporum that presumed differences in binding to other proteins and sensing signals, thereby resulting in various pathogenicity strategies. Protein-protein interactions and binding site analyses demonstrated a variety of numbers of ligands and pockets across all isoforms, ranging between 0 and 13 ligands and 4 and 10 pockets. According to the phylogenetic analysis in this study and considerable physiochemically and structurally differences of opsin proteins among all studied fungi hypothesized that this protein acts in the pathogenicity, growth, sporulation, and mating of these fungi differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Mohri
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Ali Moghadam
- Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Lenka Burketova
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pavel Ryšánek
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
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12
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Wang Y, Yang Q, Godana EA, Zhang Y, Zhang H. Ultrastructural observation and transcriptome analysis provide insights into mechanisms of Penicillium expansum invading apple wounds. Food Chem 2023; 414:135633. [PMID: 36809724 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.135633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Penicillium expansum is a pathogen causing enormous postharvest losses of fruits, especially apples. In this study, we first investigated the morphological changes of P. expansum within apple wounds during infectious process by microscopic observation. We found that conidia swelled and secreted potential hydrophobin in 4 h, germinated in 8 h, and finally formed conidiophores in 36 h, a critical control time point to prevent the second contamination of spores. We then compared the transcript accumulation of P. expansum in apple tissues and liquid culture at 12 h. In total, 3168 and 1318 up-regulated and down-regulated genes were identified. Among them, genes regarding the biosynthesis of substances such as ergosterol, organic acid, cell wall degrading enzymes, and patulin were induced in expression. Pathways were activated, including autophagy, the mitogen-activated protein kinase, and pectin degradation. Our findings provide insights into the lifestyle and the mechanisms of P. expansum invading apple fruits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiya Yang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Esa Abiso Godana
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyin Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Nagy L, Vonk P, Künzler M, Földi C, Virágh M, Ohm R, Hennicke F, Bálint B, Csernetics Á, Hegedüs B, Hou Z, Liu X, Nan S, Pareek M, Sahu N, Szathmári B, Varga T, Wu H, Yang X, Merényi Z. Lessons on fruiting body morphogenesis from genomes and transcriptomes of Agaricomycetes. Stud Mycol 2023; 104:1-85. [PMID: 37351542 PMCID: PMC10282164 DOI: 10.3114/sim.2022.104.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Fruiting bodies (sporocarps, sporophores or basidiomata) of mushroom-forming fungi (Agaricomycetes) are among the most complex structures produced by fungi. Unlike vegetative hyphae, fruiting bodies grow determinately and follow a genetically encoded developmental program that orchestrates their growth, tissue differentiation and sexual sporulation. In spite of more than a century of research, our understanding of the molecular details of fruiting body morphogenesis is still limited and a general synthesis on the genetics of this complex process is lacking. In this paper, we aim at a comprehensive identification of conserved genes related to fruiting body morphogenesis and distil novel functional hypotheses for functionally poorly characterised ones. As a result of this analysis, we report 921 conserved developmentally expressed gene families, only a few dozens of which have previously been reported to be involved in fruiting body development. Based on literature data, conserved expression patterns and functional annotations, we provide hypotheses on the potential role of these gene families in fruiting body development, yielding the most complete description of molecular processes in fruiting body morphogenesis to date. We discuss genes related to the initiation of fruiting, differentiation, growth, cell surface and cell wall, defence, transcriptional regulation as well as signal transduction. Based on these data we derive a general model of fruiting body development, which includes an early, proliferative phase that is mostly concerned with laying out the mushroom body plan (via cell division and differentiation), and a second phase of growth via cell expansion as well as meiotic events and sporulation. Altogether, our discussions cover 1 480 genes of Coprinopsis cinerea, and their orthologs in Agaricus bisporus, Cyclocybe aegerita, Armillaria ostoyae, Auriculariopsis ampla, Laccaria bicolor, Lentinula edodes, Lentinus tigrinus, Mycena kentingensis, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Schizophyllum commune, providing functional hypotheses for ~10 % of genes in the genomes of these species. Although experimental evidence for the role of these genes will need to be established in the future, our data provide a roadmap for guiding functional analyses of fruiting related genes in the Agaricomycetes. We anticipate that the gene compendium presented here, combined with developments in functional genomics approaches will contribute to uncovering the genetic bases of one of the most spectacular multicellular developmental processes in fungi. Citation: Nagy LG, Vonk PJ, Künzler M, Földi C, Virágh M, Ohm RA, Hennicke F, Bálint B, Csernetics Á, Hegedüs B, Hou Z, Liu XB, Nan S, M. Pareek M, Sahu N, Szathmári B, Varga T, Wu W, Yang X, Merényi Z (2023). Lessons on fruiting body morphogenesis from genomes and transcriptomes of Agaricomycetes. Studies in Mycology 104: 1-85. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.104.01.
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Affiliation(s)
- L.G. Nagy
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - P.J. Vonk
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - M. Künzler
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland;
| | - C. Földi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - M. Virágh
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - R.A. Ohm
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - F. Hennicke
- Project Group Genetics and Genomics of Fungi, Chair Evolution of Plants and Fungi, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany;
| | - B. Bálint
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - Á. Csernetics
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - B. Hegedüs
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - Z. Hou
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - X.B. Liu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - S. Nan
- Institute of Applied Mycology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Hubei Province, PR China
| | - M. Pareek
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - N. Sahu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - B. Szathmári
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - T. Varga
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - H. Wu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - X. Yang
- Institute of Applied Mycology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Z. Merényi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
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14
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Shpakov AO. Allosteric Regulation of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors: From Diversity of Molecular Mechanisms to Multiple Allosteric Sites and Their Ligands. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:6187. [PMID: 37047169 PMCID: PMC10094638 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Allosteric regulation is critical for the functioning of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their signaling pathways. Endogenous allosteric regulators of GPCRs are simple ions, various biomolecules, and protein components of GPCR signaling (G proteins and β-arrestins). The stability and functional activity of GPCR complexes is also due to multicenter allosteric interactions between protomers. The complexity of allosteric effects caused by numerous regulators differing in structure, availability, and mechanisms of action predetermines the multiplicity and different topology of allosteric sites in GPCRs. These sites can be localized in extracellular loops; inside the transmembrane tunnel and in its upper and lower vestibules; in cytoplasmic loops; and on the outer, membrane-contacting surface of the transmembrane domain. They are involved in the regulation of basal and orthosteric agonist-stimulated receptor activity, biased agonism, GPCR-complex formation, and endocytosis. They are targets for a large number of synthetic allosteric regulators and modulators, including those constructed using molecular docking. The review is devoted to the principles and mechanisms of GPCRs allosteric regulation, the multiplicity of allosteric sites and their topology, and the endogenous and synthetic allosteric regulators, including autoantibodies and pepducins. The allosteric regulation of chemokine receptors, proteinase-activated receptors, thyroid-stimulating and luteinizing hormone receptors, and beta-adrenergic receptors are described in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander O Shpakov
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia
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15
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Velazhahan V, McCann BL, Bignell E, Tate CG. Developing novel antifungals: lessons from G protein-coupled receptors. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:162-174. [PMID: 36801017 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Up to 1.5 million people die yearly from fungal disease, but the repertoire of antifungal drug classes is minimal and the incidence of drug resistance is rising rapidly. This dilemma was recently declared by the World Health Organization as a global health emergency, but the discovery of new antifungal drug classes remains excruciatingly slow. This process could be accelerated by focusing on novel targets, such as G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-like proteins, that have a high likelihood of being druggable and have well-defined biology and roles in disease. We discuss recent successes in understanding the biology of virulence and in structure determination of yeast GPCRs, and highlight new approaches that might pay significant dividends in the urgent search for novel antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaithish Velazhahan
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Bethany L McCann
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Stocker Road, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Elaine Bignell
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Stocker Road, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
| | - Christopher G Tate
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
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16
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Sridhar PS, Sharma T, Loewen MC. Selective Quantification of Chemotropic Responses of Fusarium graminearum. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2659:61-71. [PMID: 37249885 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3159-1_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Chemotropism refers to the directional growth of a living organism toward a chemical stimulus. Molecular mechanisms underlying chemotropism of fungal pathogens have recently been enabled by advancements in biological chemotropic assays, with a particular focus on the roles of G-protein-coupled receptors and their plant-derived ligands in chemotropism. Here we describe in detail an assay that enables quantification of chemotropic responses of Fusarium graminearum, with variations recently reported for Fusarium oxysporum and Trichoderma atroviride.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja S Sridhar
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Tanya Sharma
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Michele C Loewen
- Aquatic and Crop Resources Development Research Center, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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17
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Santos JEDÁ, de Brito MV, Pimenta ATÁ, da Silva GS, Zocolo GJ, Muniz CR, de Medeiros SC, Grangeiro TB, Lima MAS, da Silva CDFB. Antagonism of volatile organic compounds of the Bacillus sp. against Fusarium kalimantanense. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 39:60. [PMID: 36574179 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03509-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Fusarium kalimantanense is a genetic lineage of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) and belongs to the Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC). This pathogen is a causative agent of Panama disease, an infection that has caused damage to the banana crop worldwide. Bacillus sp. (LPPC170) showed preliminary antagonist activity against F. kalimantanense (LPPC130) in vitro tests from the cultivation of axenic culture and co-culture with inhibition of mycelial growth of phytopathogen of 41.23%. According to these findings, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from Bacillus sp. were obtained by solid-phase microextraction and identified by gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The multivariate data analysis tool (PLS-DA and Heatmap) identified short-chain organic acids as the main antagonistic VOCs responsible for inhibiting the mycelial growth of LPPC130. Acetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, valeric acid, and isovaleric acid exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of LPPC130, with inhibition of 20.68%, 33.30%, 26.87%, 43.71%, and 53.10%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that VOCs caused damage to the vegetative and reproductive structures of the fungus. These results suggest Bacillus LPPC170 as an excellent biocontrol tool against the phytopathogen causative agents of Panama disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Evangelista de Ávila Santos
- Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Bl. 940, Fortaleza, CE, 60440-593, Brazil
| | - Maria Vieira de Brito
- Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Bl. 940, Fortaleza, CE, 60440-593, Brazil
| | - Antonia Torres Ávila Pimenta
- Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Bl. 940, Fortaleza, CE, 60440-593, Brazil
| | | | - Guilherme Julião Zocolo
- Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Rua Sara Mesquita 2270, Pici, Fortaleza, CE, 60511-110, Brazil
| | - Celli Rodrigues Muniz
- Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Rua Sara Mesquita 2270, Pici, Fortaleza, CE, 60511-110, Brazil
| | - Suelen Carneiro de Medeiros
- Departamento de Biologia, Science Center, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Bl 906, Fortaleza, Ceará, 60440-900, Brazil
| | - Thalles Barbosa Grangeiro
- Departamento de Biologia, Science Center, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Bl 906, Fortaleza, Ceará, 60440-900, Brazil
| | - Mary Anne Sousa Lima
- Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Bl. 940, Fortaleza, CE, 60440-593, Brazil
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18
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Fusarium graminearum Ste3 G-Protein Coupled Receptor: A Mediator of Hyphal Chemotropism and Pathogenesis. mSphere 2022; 7:e0045622. [PMID: 36377914 PMCID: PMC9769807 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00456-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal hyphal chemotropism has been shown to be a major contributor to host-pathogen interactions. Previous studies on Fusarium species have highlighted the involvement of the Ste2 G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in mediating polarized hyphal growth toward host-released peroxidase. Here, the role of the opposite mating type GPCR, Ste3, is characterized with respect to Fusarium graminearum chemotropism and pathogenicity. Fgste3Δ deletion strains were found to be compromised in the chemotropic response toward peroxidase, development of lesions on germinating wheat, and infection of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. In the absence of FgSte3 or FgSte2, F. graminearum cells exposed to peroxidase showed no phosphorylation of the cell-wall integrity, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway component Mgv1. In addition, transcriptomic gene expression profiling yielded a list of genes involved in cellular reorganization, cell wall remodeling, and infection-mediated responses that were differentially modulated by peroxidase when FgSte3 was present. Deletion of FgSte3 yielded the downregulation of genes associated with mycotoxin biosynthesis and appressorium development, compared to the wild-type strain, both in the presence of peroxidase. Together, these findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanism underlying fungal chemotropism and pathogenesis while raising the novel hypothesis that FgSte2 and FgSte3 are interdependent on each other for the mediation of the redirection of hyphal growth in response to host-derived peroxidase. IMPORTANCE Fusarium head blight of wheat, caused by the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum, leads to devastating global food shortages and economic losses. Fungal hyphal chemotropism has been shown to be a major contributor to host-pathogen interactions. Here, the role of the opposite mating type GPCR, Ste3, is characterized with respect to F. graminearum chemotropism and pathogenicity. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying fungal chemotropism and pathogenesis.
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19
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Moon H, Han KH, Yu JH. Upstream Regulation of Development and Secondary Metabolism in Aspergillus Species. Cells 2022; 12:cells12010002. [PMID: 36611796 PMCID: PMC9818462 DOI: 10.3390/cells12010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In filamentous fungal Aspergillus species, growth, development, and secondary metabolism are genetically programmed biological processes, which require precise coordination of diverse signaling elements, transcription factors (TFs), upstream and downstream regulators, and biosynthetic genes. For the last few decades, regulatory roles of these controllers in asexual/sexual development and primary/secondary metabolism of Aspergillus species have been extensively studied. Among a wide spectrum of regulators, a handful of global regulators govern upstream regulation of development and metabolism by directly and/or indirectly affecting the expression of various genes including TFs. In this review, with the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans as the central figure, we summarize the most well-studied main upstream regulators and their regulatory roles. Specifically, we present key functions of heterotrimeric G proteins and G protein-coupled receptors in signal transduction), the velvet family proteins governing development and metabolism, LaeA as a global regulator of secondary metabolism, and NsdD, a key GATA-type TF, affecting development and secondary metabolism and provide a snapshot of overall upstream regulatory processes underlying growth, development, and metabolism in Aspergillus fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heungyun Moon
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kap-Hoon Han
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Woosuk University, Wanju 55338, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, KonKuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence:
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20
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Effects of Trichoderma atroviride SG3403 and Bacillus subtilis 22 on the Biocontrol of Wheat Head Blight. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121250. [PMID: 36547583 PMCID: PMC9780869 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121250] [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: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Wheat head blight caused by Fusarium graminearum is one of the major wheat diseases in the world; therefore, it is very significant to develop an effective and environmentally friendly microbial fungicide against it. Trichoderma atroviride and Bacillus subtilis are widely applied biocontrol microorganisms with separate advantages; however, little work has been conducted for synergistically elevating the effects of biocontrol and plant promotion through the co-cultivation of the two microorganisms. Our study demonstrated that T. atroviride SG3403 is compatible with B. subtilis 22. The co-culture metabolites contained a group of antagonistic compounds which were able to inhibit F. graminearum growth and increase the activities of pathogen G protein and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) as compared with axenic culture metabolites. Additionally, the co-culture metabolites enabled us to more significantly decrease the production of gibberellin (GA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEN) from F. graminearum, which disorganized the subcellular structure, particularly the cytoplasm of F. graminearum hyphae, relative to the axenically cultured metabolites. Furthermore, the seed-coating agent made by the co-culture had significant effects against F. graminearum infection by triggering the expression of host plant defensive genes, including PR1, PR3, PR4, PR5, ACS, and SOD. It is suggested that jasmonic acid and ethylene (JA/ET) signaling might dominate wheat's induced systemic resistance (ISR) against wheat head blight. A dry, powdered bio-seed coating agent containing the co-culture mixtures was confirmed to be a bioavailable formulation that can be applied to control wheat head blight. Taken together, the co-culture's metabolites or the metabolites and living cells might provide a basis for the further development of a new kind of microbial bio-fungicide in the future.
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21
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Kao CY, Wu CT, Lin HC, Hsieh DK, Lin HL, Lee MH. The G protein subunit α1, CaGα1, mediates ethylene sensing of mango anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum asianum to regulate fungal development and virulence and mediates surface sensing for spore germination. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1048447. [PMID: 36504764 PMCID: PMC9731116 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1048447] [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: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mango is an important tropic fruit, but its production is highly restricted by anthracnose diseases. Mango anthracnose development is related to the fruit-ripening hormone ethylene, but how the pathogen senses ethylene and affects the infection remains largely unknown. In this study, mango pathogen Colletotrichum asianum strain TYC-2 was shown to sense ethylene to enhance spore germination, appressorium formation and virulence. Upon further analysis of ethylene sensing signaling, three histidine kinase genes (CaHKs) and a G-protein gene (CaGα1) were functionally characterized. Ethylene upregulated the expression of the three CaHKs but had no influence on CaGα1 expression. No function in ethylene sensing was identified for the three CaHKs. Ethylene enhanced spore germination and multiple appressorium formation of the wild-type TYC-2 but not CaGα1 mutants. TYC-2 has extremely low germination in water, where self-inhibition may play a role in ethylene sensing via CaGα1 signaling. Self-inhibitors extracted from TYC-2 inhibited spore germination of TYC-2 and CaGα1 mutants, but ethylene could not rescue the inhibition, indicating that the self-inhibition was not mediated by CaGα1 and had no interactions with ethylene. Interestingly, spore germination of CaGα1 mutants was significantly enhanced in water on hydrophobic but not hydrophilic surfaces, suggesting that CaGα1 is involved in surface sensing. In the pathogenicity assay, CaGα1 mutants showed less virulence with delayed germination and little appressorium formation at early infection on mango leaves and fruit. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR analyses identified several pathogenicity-related genes regulated by ethylene, indicating that ethylene may regulate TYC-2 virulence partially by regulating the expression of these genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Yang Kao
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan,Advanced Plant Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Ta Wu
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsien-Che Lin
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Dai-Keng Hsieh
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan,Advanced Plant Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Huey-Ling Lin
- Department of Horticulture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Miin-Huey Lee
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan,Advanced Plant Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan,*Correspondence: Miin-Huey Lee,
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22
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Host and Environmental Sensing by Entomopathogenic Fungi to Infect Hosts. CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40588-022-00185-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Yang Y, Huang P, Ma Y, Jiang R, Jiang C, Wang G. Insights into intracellular signaling network in Fusarium species. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 222:1007-1014. [PMID: 36179869 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Fusarium is a large genus of filamentous fungi including numerous important plant pathogens. In addition to causing huge economic losses of crops, some Fusarium species produce a wide range of mycotoxins in cereal crops that affect human and animal health. The intracellular signaling in Fusarium plays an important role in growth, sexual and asexual developments, pathogenesis, and mycotoxin biosynthesis. In this review, we highlight the recent advances and provide insight into signal sensing and transduction in Fusarium species. G protein-coupled receptors and other conserved membrane receptors mediate recognition of environmental cues and activate complex intracellular signaling. Once activated, the cAMP-PKA and three well-conserved MAP kinase pathways activate downstream transcriptional regulatory networks. The functions of individual signaling pathways have been well characterized in a variety of Fusarium species, showing the conserved components with diverged functions. Furthermore, these signaling pathways crosstalk and coordinately regulate various fungal development and infection-related morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid areas, Northwestern A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Panpan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid areas, Northwestern A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yutong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid areas, Northwestern A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Ruoxuan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid areas, Northwestern A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Cong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid areas, Northwestern A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Guanghui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid areas, Northwestern A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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24
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Beccaccioli M, Pucci N, Salustri M, Scortichini M, Zaccaria M, Momeni B, Loreti S, Reverberi M, Scala V. Fungal and bacterial oxylipins are signals for intra- and inter-cellular communication within plant disease. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:823233. [PMID: 36186042 PMCID: PMC9524268 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.823233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Lipids are central at various stages of host-pathogen interactions in determining virulence and modulating plant defense. Free fatty acids may act as substrates for oxidizing enzymes [e.g., lipoxygenases (LOXs) and dioxygenases (DOXs)] that synthesize oxylipins. Fatty acids and oxylipins function as modulators of several pathways in cell-to-cell communication; their structural similarity among plant, fungal, and bacterial taxa suggests potential in cross-kingdom communication. We provide a prospect of the known role of fatty acids and oxylipins in fungi and bacteria during plant-pathogen interactions. In the pathogens, oxylipin-mediated signaling pathways are crucial both in development and host infection. Here, we report on case studies suggesting that oxylipins derived from oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids are crucial in modulating the pathogenic lifestyle in the host plant. Intriguingly, overlapping (fungi-plant/bacteria-plant) results suggest that different inter-kingdom pathosystems use similar lipid signals to reshape the lifestyle of the contenders and occasionally determine the outcome of the challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzia Beccaccioli
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Pucci
- Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Council for Agricultural Research and the Analysis of Agricultural Economics (CREA), Rome, Italy
| | - Manuel Salustri
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Scortichini
- Research Centre for Olive, Fruit and Citrus Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and the Analysis of Agricultural Economics (CREA), Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Zaccaria
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Newton, MA, United States
| | - Babak Momeni
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Newton, MA, United States
| | - Stefania Loreti
- Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Council for Agricultural Research and the Analysis of Agricultural Economics (CREA), Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Reverberi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Scala
- Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Council for Agricultural Research and the Analysis of Agricultural Economics (CREA), Rome, Italy
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25
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Lopes MER, Bitencourt TA, Sanches PR, Martins MP, Oliveira VM, Rossi A, Martinez-Rossi NM. Alternative Splicing in Trichophyton rubrum Occurs in Efflux Pump Transcripts in Response to Antifungal Drugs. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080878. [PMID: 36012866 PMCID: PMC9410333 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Dermatophytes are challenging to treat because they have developed many strategies to neutralize the stress triggered by antifungals. Drug tolerance is achieved by mechanisms such as drug efflux and biofilm formation, and cellular efflux is a consequence of the synergistic and compensatory regulation of efflux pumps. Alternative splicing (AS) has also been considered as a mechanism that enhances fungal adaptive responses. We used RNA-seq data from the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum exposed to undecanoic acid (UDA) to search for and validate AS in genes encoding efflux pumps. The magnitude of this phenomenon was evaluated using UDA and other antifungals (caspofungin, itraconazole, and terbinafine) in planktonic and biofilm cultures. In addition to the conventional isoforms, the efflux pump encoded by TERG_04309 presented two intron-retained isoforms. Biofilms trigger the simultaneous production of at least two isoforms. The intron-retained isoforms showed short lengths and topologically different organization. Furthermore, we identified the putative interaction of efflux pumps (TERG_04309 and TERG_04224). Co-expression of these genes suggests a synergistic action in antifungal resistance. Our data provide new insights into drug tolerance related to differential isoform usage and the co-expression of stress-responsive genes, which may lead to higher antifungal resistance, mainly in biofilms.
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26
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Production of Satratoxin G and H Is Tightly Linked to Sporulation in Stachybotrys chartarum. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14080515. [PMID: 36006177 PMCID: PMC9413001 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14080515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Stachybotrys chartarum is a toxigenic fungus that is frequently isolated from damp building materials or improperly stored forage. Macrocyclic trichothecenes and in particular satratoxins are the most potent mycotoxins known to be produced by this fungus. Exposure of humans or animals to these secondary metabolites can be associated with severe health problems. To assess the pathogenic potential of S. chartarum isolates, it is essential to cultivate them under conditions that reliably promote toxin production. Potato dextrose agar (PDA) was reported to be the optimal nutrition medium for satratoxin production. In this study, the growth of S. chartarum genotype S strains on PDA from two manufacturers led to divergent results, namely, well-grown and sporulating cultures with high satratoxin concentrations (20.8 ± 0.4 µg/cm2) versus cultures with sparse sporulation and low satratoxin production (0.3 ± 0.1 µg/cm2). This finding is important for any attempt to identify toxigenic S. chartarum isolates. Further experiments performed with the two media provided strong evidence for a link between satratoxin production and sporulation. A comparison of three-point and one-point cultures grown on the two types of PDA, furthermore, demonstrated an inter-colony communication that influences both sporulation and mycotoxin production of S. chartarum genotype S strains.
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27
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Ren D, Wang T, Zhou G, Ren W, Duan X, Gao L, Chen J, Xu L, Zhu P. Ethylene Promotes Expression of the Appressorium- and Pathogenicity-Related Genes via GPCR- and MAPK-Dependent Manners in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8060570. [PMID: 35736053 PMCID: PMC9224669 DOI: 10.3390/jof8060570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ethylene (ET) represents a signal that can be sensed by plant pathogenic fungi to accelerate their spore germination and subsequent infection. However, the molecular mechanisms of responses to ET in fungi remain largely unclear. In this study, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was investigated via transcriptomic analysis to reveal the genes that account for the ET-regulated fungal development and virulence. The results showed that ET promoted genes encoding for fungal melanin biosynthesis enzymes, extracellular hydrolases, and appressorium-associated structure proteins at 4 h after treatment. When the germination lasted until 24 h, ET induced multiple appressoria from every single spore, but downregulated most of the genes. Loss of selected ET responsive genes encoding for scytalone dehydratase (CgSCD1) and cerato-platanin virulence protein (CgCP1) were unable to alter ET sensitivity of C. gloeosporioides in vitro but attenuated the influence of ET on pathogenicity. Knockout of the G-protein-coupled receptors CgGPCR3-1/2 and the MAPK signaling pathway components CgMK1 and CgSte11 resulted in reduced ET sensitivity. Taken together, this study in C. gloeosporioides reports that ET can cause transcription changes in a large set of genes, which are mainly responsible for appressorium development and virulence expression, and these processes are dependent on the GPCR and MAPK pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ling Xu
- Correspondence: (L.X.); (P.Z.); Tel.: +86-(021)-54341012 (L.X.); +86-(021)-24206574 (P.Z.)
| | - Pinkuan Zhu
- Correspondence: (L.X.); (P.Z.); Tel.: +86-(021)-54341012 (L.X.); +86-(021)-24206574 (P.Z.)
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28
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Wilson AM, Wilken PM, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD. Genetic Networks That Govern Sexual Reproduction in the Pezizomycotina. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2021; 85:e0002021. [PMID: 34585983 PMCID: PMC8485983 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00020-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual development in filamentous fungi is a complex process that relies on the precise control of and interaction between a variety of genetic networks and pathways. The mating-type (MAT) genes are the master regulators of this process and typically act as transcription factors, which control the expression of genes involved at all stages of the sexual cycle. In many fungi, the sexual cycle typically begins when the mating pheromones of one mating type are recognized by a compatible partner, followed by physical interaction and fertilization. Subsequently, highly specialized sexual structures are formed, within which the sexual spores develop after rounds of meiosis and mitosis. These spores are then released and germinate, forming new individuals that initiate new cycles of growth. This review provides an overview of the known genetic networks and pathways that are involved in each major stage of the sexual cycle in filamentous ascomycete fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi M. Wilson
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - P. Markus Wilken
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Michael J. Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Brenda D. Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
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29
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Ma N, Zhao Y, Wang Y, Yang L, Li D, Yang J, Jiang K, Zhang KQ, Yang J. Functional analysis of seven regulators of G protein signaling (RGSs) in the nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora. Virulence 2021; 12:1825-1840. [PMID: 34224331 PMCID: PMC8259722 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1948667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulators of G protein signaling (RGSs) are proteins that negatively regulate G protein signal transduction. In this study, seven putative RGSs were characterized in the nematode-trapping (NT) fungus, Arthrobotrys oligospora. Deleting Rgs genes significantly increased intracellular cAMP levels, and caused defects in mycelia growth, stress resistance, conidiation, trap formation, and nematocidal activity. In particular, the ΔAoFlbA mutant was unable to produce conidia and traps. Transcriptomic analysis showed that amino acid metabolic and biosynthetic processes were significantly enriched in the ΔAoFlbA mutant compared to WT. Interestingly, Gas1 family genes are significantly expanded in A. oligospora and other NT fungi that produce adhesive traps, and are differentially expressed during trap formation in A. oligospora. Disruption of two Gas1 genes resulted in defective conidiation, trap formation, and pathogenicity. Our results indicate that RGSs play pleiotropic roles in regulating A. oligospora mycelial growth, development, and pathogenicity. Further, AoFlbA is a prominent member and required for conidiation and trap formation, possibly by regulating amino acid metabolism and biosynthesis. Our results provide a basis for elucidating the signaling mechanism of vegetative growth, lifestyle transition, and pathogenicity in NT fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
| | - Yining Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
| | - Yunchuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, KunmingP. R. China
| | - Le Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
| | - Dongni Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
| | - Jiangliu Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
| | - Kexin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
| | - Ke-Qin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
| | - Jinkui Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunmingP. R. China
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30
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Hemkemeyer M, Schwalb SA, Heinze S, Joergensen RG, Wichern F. Functions of elements in soil microorganisms. Microbiol Res 2021; 252:126832. [PMID: 34508963 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The soil microbial community fulfils various functions, such as nutrient cycling and carbon (C) sequestration, therefore contributing to maintenance of soil fertility and mitigation of global warming. In this context, a major focus of research has been on C, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling. However, from aquatic and other environments, it is well known that other elements beyond C, N, and P are essential for microbial functioning. Nonetheless, for soil microorganisms this knowledge has not yet been synthesised. To gain a better mechanistic understanding of microbial processes in soil systems, we aimed at summarising the current knowledge on the function of a range of essential or beneficial elements, which may affect the efficiency of microbial processes in soil. This knowledge is discussed in the context of microbial driven nutrient and C cycling. Our findings may support future investigations and data evaluation, where other elements than C, N, and P affect microbial processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hemkemeyer
- Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Institute of Biogenic Resources in Sustainable Food Systems - From Farm to Function, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Marie-Curie-Str. 1, 47533 Kleve, Germany.
| | - Sanja A Schwalb
- Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Institute of Biogenic Resources in Sustainable Food Systems - From Farm to Function, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Marie-Curie-Str. 1, 47533 Kleve, Germany
| | - Stefanie Heinze
- Department of Soil Science & Soil Ecology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Rainer Georg Joergensen
- Department of Soil Biology and Plant Nutrition, University of Kassel, Nordbahnhofstr. 1a, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
| | - Florian Wichern
- Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Institute of Biogenic Resources in Sustainable Food Systems - From Farm to Function, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Marie-Curie-Str. 1, 47533 Kleve, Germany
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31
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Seven Years at High Salinity-Experimental Evolution of the Extremely Halotolerant Black Yeast Hortaea werneckii. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7090723. [PMID: 34575761 PMCID: PMC8468603 DOI: 10.3390/jof7090723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The experimental evolution of microorganisms exposed to extreme conditions can provide insight into cellular adaptation to stress. Typically, stress-sensitive species are exposed to stress over many generations and then examined for improvements in their stress tolerance. In contrast, when starting with an already stress-tolerant progenitor there may be less room for further improvement, it may still be able to tweak its cellular machinery to increase extremotolerance, perhaps at the cost of poorer performance under non-extreme conditions. To investigate these possibilities, a strain of extremely halotolerant black yeast Hortaea werneckii was grown for over seven years through at least 800 generations in a medium containing 4.3 M NaCl. Although this salinity is well above the optimum (0.8–1.7 M) for the species, the growth rate of the evolved H. werneckii did not change in the absence of salt or at high concentrations of NaCl, KCl, sorbitol, or glycerol. Other phenotypic traits did change during the course of the experimental evolution, including fewer multicellular chains in the evolved strains, significantly narrower cells, increased resistance to caspofungin, and altered melanisation. Whole-genome sequencing revealed the occurrence of multiple aneuploidies during the experimental evolution of the otherwise diploid H. werneckii. A significant overrepresentation of several gene groups was observed in aneuploid regions. Taken together, these changes suggest that long-term growth at extreme salinity led to alterations in cell wall and morphology, signalling pathways, and the pentose phosphate cycle. Although there is currently limited evidence for the adaptive value of these changes, they offer promising starting points for future studies of fungal halotolerance.
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32
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Johns LE, Goldman GH, Ries LN, Brown NA. Nutrient sensing and acquisition in fungi: mechanisms promoting pathogenesis in plant and human hosts. FUNGAL BIOL REV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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33
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Yu D, Xie R, Wang Y, Xie T, Xu L, Huang B. The G-protein coupled receptor GPRK contributes to fungal development and full virulence in Metarhizium robertsii. J Invertebr Pathol 2021; 183:107627. [PMID: 34081962 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2021.107627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptor K (GPRK), which is a class VI fungal G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), plays a critical role in plant immunity against pathogens by mediating the endocytic pathway, influencing metabolism in response to environmental signals, and regulating asexual reproduction and pathogenic development. However, the function of these proteins in entomopathogenic fungi has rarely been investigated. Accordingly, we characterized MrGPRK, a GPCR in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii containing a C-terminal seven-transmembrane and a conserved regulator of G protein signaling domain, and found that it localized to endosomes. Mutant phenotype assays showed that a ΔMrGprk strain displayed increased defects in radial growth (~28%) and decreased conidial production (~80%) compared with a wild-type strain. Decreased conidiation rates coincided well with the repression of conidiation-related regulatory genes, including three key conidial transcription factors: brlA, abaA, and wetA. MrGprk deficiency impaired full virulence (both topical and injectable inoculations). Further analysis demonstrated that deleting fungal MrGprk decreased the rates of appressorium formation and suppressed the transcription of several genes contributing to appressorial turgor pressure, cuticle penetration, and pH regulation. Additionally, the ΔMrGprk strain showed higher cyclic (cAMP) levels, suggesting that this GPCR is critical for cAMP signal transduction. In summary, MrGPRK was found to contribute to vegetative growth, conidial production, and full virulence of M. robertsii. These findings are conducive to a better understanding of the roles of GPCRs in the development and pathogenicity of entomopathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deshui Yu
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Rui Xie
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Yulong Wang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Tian Xie
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Liuyi Xu
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Prevention and Control of Pine Wood Nematode Disease, Anhui Academy of Forestry, Hefei 230088, China
| | - Bo Huang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
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34
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Lengger B, Jensen MK. Engineering G protein-coupled receptor signalling in yeast for biotechnological and medical purposes. FEMS Yeast Res 2021; 20:5673487. [PMID: 31825496 PMCID: PMC6977407 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foz087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise the largest class of membrane proteins in the human genome, with a common denominator of seven-transmembrane domains largely conserved among eukaryotes. Yeast is naturally armoured with three different GPCRs for pheromone and sugar sensing, with the pheromone pathway being extensively hijacked for characterising heterologous GPCR signalling in a model eukaryote. This review focusses on functional GPCR studies performed in yeast and on the elucidated hotspots for engineering, and discusses both endogenous and heterologous GPCR signalling. Key emphasis will be devoted to studies describing important engineering parameters to consider for successful coupling of GPCRs to the yeast mating pathway. We also review the various means of applying yeast for studying GPCRs, including the use of yeast armed with heterologous GPCRs as a platform for (i) deorphanisation of orphan receptors, (ii) metabolic engineering of yeast for production of bioactive products and (iii) medical applications related to pathogen detection and drug discovery. Finally, this review summarises the current challenges related to expression of functional membrane-bound GPCRs in yeast and discusses the opportunities to continue capitalising on yeast as a model chassis for functional GPCR signalling studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Lengger
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, Building 220, Kgs. Lyngby, 2800, Denmark
| | - Michael K Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, Building 220, Kgs. Lyngby, 2800, Denmark
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35
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Lofgren LA, Nguyen NH, Vilgalys R, Ruytinx J, Liao HL, Branco S, Kuo A, LaButti K, Lipzen A, Andreopoulos W, Pangilinan J, Riley R, Hundley H, Na H, Barry K, Grigoriev IV, Stajich JE, Kennedy PG. Comparative genomics reveals dynamic genome evolution in host specialist ectomycorrhizal fungi. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:774-792. [PMID: 33355923 PMCID: PMC7969408 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
While there has been significant progress characterizing the 'symbiotic toolkit' of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, how host specificity may be encoded into ECM fungal genomes remains poorly understood. We conducted a comparative genomic analysis of ECM fungal host specialists and generalists, focusing on the specialist genus Suillus. Global analyses of genome dynamics across 46 species were assessed, along with targeted analyses of three classes of molecules previously identified as important determinants of host specificity: small secreted proteins (SSPs), secondary metabolites (SMs) and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Relative to other ECM fungi, including other host specialists, Suillus had highly dynamic genomes including numerous rapidly evolving gene families and many domain expansions and contractions. Targeted analyses supported a role for SMs but not SSPs or GPCRs in Suillus host specificity. Phylogenomic-based ancestral state reconstruction identified Larix as the ancestral host of Suillus, with multiple independent switches between white and red pine hosts. These results suggest that like other defining characteristics of the ECM lifestyle, host specificity is a dynamic process at the genome level. In the case of Suillus, both SMs and pathways involved in the deactivation of reactive oxygen species appear to be strongly associated with enhanced host specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotus A Lofgren
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92507, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Nhu H Nguyen
- Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Science, University of Hawaii, Manoa, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Rytas Vilgalys
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Joske Ruytinx
- Research group Microbiology, Department of Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, BE1500, Belgium
| | - Hui-Ling Liao
- Department of Soil Microbial Ecology, University of Florida, Quincy, FL, 32351, USA
| | - Sara Branco
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, 80204, USA
| | - Alan Kuo
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Kurt LaButti
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Anna Lipzen
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - William Andreopoulos
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Jasmyn Pangilinan
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Robert Riley
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Hope Hundley
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Hyunsoo Na
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Kerrie Barry
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Igor V Grigoriev
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92507, USA
| | - Peter G Kennedy
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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Maneira C, Bermejo PM, Pereira GAG, de Mello FDSB. Exploring G protein-coupled receptors and yeast surface display strategies for viral detection in baker's yeast: SARS-CoV-2 as a case study. FEMS Yeast Res 2021; 21:6104486. [PMID: 33469649 PMCID: PMC7928939 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral infections pose intense burdens to healthcare systems and global economies. The correct diagnosis of viral diseases represents a crucial step towards effective treatments and control. Biosensors have been successfully implemented as accessible and accurate detection tests for some of the most important viruses. While most biosensors are based on physical or chemical interactions of cell-free components, the complexity of living microorganisms holds a poorly explored potential for viral detection in the face of the advances of synthetic biology. Indeed, cell-based biosensors have been praised for their versatility and economic attractiveness, however, yeast platforms for viral disease diagnostics are still limited to indirect antibody recognition. Here we propose a novel strategy for viral detection in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which combines the transductive properties of G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) with the Yeast Surface Display (YSD) of specific enzymes enrolled in the viral recognition process. The GPCR/YSD complex might allow for active virus detection through a modulated signal activated by a GPCR agonist, whose concentration correlates to the viral titer. Additionally, we explore this methodology in a case study for the detection of highly pathogenic coronaviruses that share the same cell receptor upon infection (i.e. the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2, ACE2), as a conceptual example of the potential of the GPCR/YSD strategy for the diagnosis of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Maneira
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology, and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, 13083-862, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Pamela Magalí Bermejo
- School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 80, 13083-862, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology, and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, 13083-862, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Fellipe da Silveira Bezerra de Mello
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology, and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, 13083-862, Campinas, Brazil
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37
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Gao J, Xu X, Huang K, Liang Z. Fungal G-Protein-Coupled Receptors: A Promising Mediator of the Impact of Extracellular Signals on Biosynthesis of Ochratoxin A. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:631392. [PMID: 33643259 PMCID: PMC7907439 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.631392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are transmembrane receptors involved in transducing signals from the external environment inside the cell, which enables fungi to coordinate cell transport, metabolism, and growth to promote their survival, reproduction, and virulence. There are 14 classes of GPCRs in fungi involved in sensing various ligands. In this paper, the synthesis of mycotoxins that are GPCR-mediated is discussed with respect to ligands, environmental stimuli, and intra-/interspecific communication. Despite their apparent importance in fungal biology, very little is known about the role of ochratoxin A (OTA) biosynthesis by Aspergillus ochraceus and the ligands that are involved. Fortunately, increasing evidence shows that the GPCR that involves the AF/ST (sterigmatocystin) pathway in fungi belongs to the same genus. Therefore, we speculate that GPCRs play an important role in a variety of environmental signals and downstream pathways in OTA biosynthesis. The verification of this inference will result in a more controllable GPCR target for control of fungal contamination in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gao
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, Beijing, China
| | - Xinge Xu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Kunlun Huang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihong Liang
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, Beijing, China.,College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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38
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Khalid S, Keller NP. Chemical signals driving bacterial-fungal interactions. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:1334-1347. [PMID: 33511714 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms reside in diverse environmental communities where interactions become indispensable due to close physical associations. These interactions are driven by chemical communication among different microbial kingdoms, particularly between fungi and bacteria. Knowledge about these communication signals provides useful information about the nature of microbial interactions and allows predictions of community development in diverse environments. Here, we provide an update on the role of small signalling molecules in fungal-bacterial interactions with focus on agricultural and medicinal environments. This review highlights the range of - and response to - diverse biochemicals produced by both kingdoms with view to harnessing their properties towards drug discovery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saima Khalid
- Department of Microbiology, Women University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
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Plaza V, Silva-Moreno E, Castillo L. Breakpoint: Cell Wall and Glycoproteins and their Crucial Role in the Phytopathogenic Fungi Infection. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2021; 21:227-244. [PMID: 31490745 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666190906165111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The cell wall that surrounds fungal cells is essential for their survival, provides protection against physical and chemical stresses, and plays relevant roles during infection. In general, the fungal cell wall is composed of an outer layer of glycoprotein and an inner skeletal layer of β-glucans or α- glucans and chitin. Chitin synthase genes have been shown to be important for septum formation, cell division and virulence. In the same way, chitin can act as a potent elicitor to activate defense response in several plant species; however, the fungi can convert chitin to chitosan during plant infection to evade plant defense mechanisms. Moreover, α-1,3-Glucan, a non-degradable polysaccharide in plants, represents a key feature in fungal cell walls formed in plants and plays a protective role for this fungus against plant lytic enzymes. A similar case is with β-1,3- and β-1,6-glucan which are essential for infection, structure rigidity and pathogenicity during fungal infection. Cell wall glycoproteins are also vital to fungi. They have been associated with conidial separation, the increase of chitin in conidial cell walls, germination, appressorium formation, as well as osmotic and cell wall stress and virulence; however, the specific roles of glycoproteins in filamentous fungi remain unknown. Fungi that can respond to environmental stimuli distinguish these signals and relay them through intracellular signaling pathways to change the cell wall composition. They play a crucial role in appressorium formation and penetration, and release cell wall degrading enzymes, which determine the outcome of the interaction with the host. In this review, we highlight the interaction of phypatophogen cell wall and signaling pathways with its host and their contribution to fungal pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Plaza
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, La Serena, Chile
| | - Evelyn Silva-Moreno
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco, Chile
| | - Luis Castillo
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, La Serena, Chile
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40
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Wang X, van Westen GJP, Heitman LH, IJzerman AP. G protein-coupled receptors expressed and studied in yeast. The adenosine receptor as a prime example. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 187:114370. [PMID: 33338473 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest class of membrane proteins with around 800 members in the human genome/proteome. Extracellular signals such as hormones and neurotransmitters regulate various biological processes via GPCRs, with GPCRs being the bodily target of 30-40% of current drugs on the market. Complete identification and understanding of GPCR functionality will provide opportunities for novel drug discovery. Yeast expresses three different endogenous GPCRs regulating pheromone and sugar sensing, with the pheromone pathway offering perspectives for the characterization of heterologous GPCR signaling. Moreover, yeast offers a ''null" background for studies on mammalian GPCRs, including GPCR activation and signaling, ligand identification, and characterization of disease-related mutations. This review focuses on modifications of the yeast pheromone signaling pathway for functional GPCR studies, and on opportunities and usage of the yeast system as a platform for human GPCR studies. Finally, this review discusses in some further detail studies of adenosine receptors heterologously expressed in yeast, and what Geoff Burnstock thought of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesong Wang
- Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard J P van Westen
- Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Laura H Heitman
- Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan P IJzerman
- Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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41
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Velazhahan V, Ma N, Pándy-Szekeres G, Kooistra AJ, Lee Y, Gloriam DE, Vaidehi N, Tate CG. Structure of the class D GPCR Ste2 dimer coupled to two G proteins. Nature 2020; 589:148-153. [PMID: 33268889 PMCID: PMC7116888 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2994-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are divided phylogenetically into six classes1,2, denoted A to F. More than 370 structures of vertebrate GPCRs (belonging to classes A, B, C and F) have been determined, leading to a substantial understanding of their function3. By contrast, there are no structures of class D GPCRs, which are found exclusively in fungi where they regulate survival and reproduction. Here we determine the structure of a class D GPCR, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pheromone receptor Ste2, in an active state coupled to the heterotrimeric G protein Gpa1-Ste4-Ste18. Ste2 was purified as a homodimer coupled to two G proteins. The dimer interface of Ste2 is formed by the N terminus, the transmembrane helices H1, H2 and H7, and the first extracellular loop ECL1. We establish a class D1 generic residue numbering system (CD1) to enable comparisons with orthologues and with other GPCR classes. The structure of Ste2 bears similarities in overall topology to class A GPCRs, but the transmembrane helix H4 is shifted by more than 20 Å and the G-protein-binding site is a shallow groove rather than a cleft. The structure provides a template for the design of novel drugs to target fungal GPCRs, which could be used to treat numerous intractable fungal diseases4.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ning Ma
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Gáspár Pándy-Szekeres
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Universitetsparken 2, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Center for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Albert J Kooistra
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Universitetsparken 2, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yang Lee
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - David E Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Universitetsparken 2, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nagarajan Vaidehi
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
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Nagy LG, Varga T, Csernetics Á, Virágh M. Fungi took a unique evolutionary route to multicellularity: Seven key challenges for fungal multicellular life. FUNGAL BIOL REV 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Abstract
Filamentous fungi are critical for the recycling of plant litter in the biosphere by degrading lignocellulosic biomass into simpler compounds for metabolism. Both saprophytic and pathogenic fungi utilize plant cell wall-degrading enzymes to liberate carbon for metabolism. Several studies have demonstrated a role for cellulase enzymes during infection of economically relevant crops by fungal pathogens. Especially in developing countries, severe plant disease means loss of entire crops, sometimes leading to starvation. In this study, we demonstrate that G-protein signaling is a key component of cellulase production. Therefore, understanding the role of G-protein signaling in the regulation of the unique metabolism of cellulose by these organisms can inform innovations in strain engineering of industrially relevant species for biofuel production and in combatting food shortages caused by plant pathogens. The filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa decomposes lignocellulosic biomass to generate soluble sugars as carbon sources. In this study, we investigated a role for heterotrimeric G-protein signaling in cellulose degradation. Loss of the Gα subunit genes gna-1 and gna-3, the Gβ subunit genes gnb-1 and cpc-2, the Gγ gene gng-1, or the gene for downstream effector adenylyl cyclase (cr-1) resulted in loss of detectable cellulase activity. This defect was also observed in strains expressing a constitutively active version of gna-3 (gna-3Q208L). We found that GNA-1 levels are greatly reduced in Δgna-3, Δgnb-1, and Δgng-1 strains, likely contributing to cellulase defects in these genetic backgrounds. The observation that gna-3Q208L Δgnb-1 strains exhibit cellulase activity, despite greatly reduced levels of GNA-1 protein, is consistent with positive control of cellulase production by GNA-3 that is manifested in the absence of gnb-1. Expression patterns for five cellulase genes showed that Δgna-1, Δgnb-1, and Δgna-3 mutants produce less cellulase mRNA than the wild type, consistent with transcriptional regulation. Δcpc-2 mutants had wild-type levels of cellulase transcripts, suggesting posttranscriptional control. In contrast, results for Δcr-1 mutants support both transcriptional and posttranscriptional control of cellulase activity by cAMP signaling. Cellulase activity defects in Δgna-3 mutants were fully remediated by cAMP supplementation, consistent with GNA-3 operating upstream of cAMP signaling. In contrast, cAMP addition only partially corrected cellulase activity defects in Δgna-1 and Δgnb-1 mutants, suggesting participation of GNA-1 and GNB-1 in additional cAMP-independent pathways that control cellulase activity.
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Heterotrimeric G-protein signalers and RGSs in Aspergillus fumigatus. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9110902. [PMID: 33126739 PMCID: PMC7693823 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The heterotrimeric G-protein (G-protein) signaling pathway is one of the most important signaling pathways that transmit external signals into the inside of the cell, triggering appropriate biological responses. The external signals are sensed by various G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and transmitted into G-proteins consisting of the α, β, and γ subunits. Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGSs) are the key controllers of G-protein signaling pathways. GPCRs, G-proteins, and RGSs are the primary upstream components of the G-protein signaling pathway, and they are highly conserved in most filamentous fungi, playing diverse roles in biological processes. Recent studies characterized the G-protein signaling components in the opportunistic pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. In this review, we have summarized the characteristics and functions of GPCRs, G-proteins, and RGSs, and their regulatory roles in governing fungal growth, asexual development, germination, stress tolerance, and virulence in A. fumigatus.
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45
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Fungal oxylipins direct programmed developmental switches in filamentous fungi. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5158. [PMID: 33056992 PMCID: PMC7557911 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18999-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi differentiate along complex developmental programs directed by abiotic and biotic signals. Currently, intrinsic signals that govern fungal development remain largely unknown. Here we show that an endogenously produced and secreted fungal oxylipin, 5,8-diHODE, induces fungal cellular differentiation, including lateral branching in pathogenic Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus, and appressorium formation in the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe grisea. The Aspergillus branching response is specific to a subset of oxylipins and is signaled through G-protein coupled receptors. RNA-Seq profiling shows differential expression of many transcription factors in response to 5,8-diHODE. Screening of null mutants of 33 of those transcription factors identifies three transcriptional regulators that appear to mediate the Aspergillus branching response; one of the mutants is locked in a hypo-branching phenotype, while the other two mutants display a hyper-branching phenotype. Our work reveals an endogenous signal that triggers crucial developmental processes in filamentous fungi, and opens new avenues for research on the morphogenesis of filamentous fungi. Fungi produce oxygenated fatty acids, or oxylipins, of unclear function. Here, Niu et al. show that an Aspergillus oxylipin induces various developmental processes in several fungi, including lateral branching in human pathogenic Aspergillus species, and appressorium formation in the plant pathogen Magnaporthe grisea.
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Aspergillus fumigatus G-Protein Coupled Receptors GprM and GprJ Are Important for the Regulation of the Cell Wall Integrity Pathway, Secondary Metabolite Production, and Virulence. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02458-20. [PMID: 33051372 PMCID: PMC7554674 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02458-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A. fumigatus is the main etiological agent of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, a life-threatening fungal disease that occurs in severely immunocompromised humans. Withstanding the host environment is essential for A. fumigatus virulence, and sensing of extracellular cues occurs primarily through G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that activate signal transduction pathways, which, in turn, regulate fungal development, metabolism, virulence, and mycotoxin biosynthesis. The A. fumigatus genome encodes 15 putative classical GPCRs, with only three having been functionally characterized to date. In this work, we show that the two GPCRs GprM and GprJ regulate the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase MpkA and thus control the regulation of the cell wall integrity pathway. GprM and GprJ are also involved in the regulation of the production of the secondary metabolites fumagillin, pyripyropene, fumigaclavine C, fumiquinazoline, melanin, and fumitremorgin, and this regulation partially occurs through the activation of MpkA. Furthermore, GprM and GprJ are important for virulence in the insect model Galleria mellonella. This work therefore functionally characterizes two GPCRs and shows how they regulate several intracellular pathways that have been shown to be crucial for A. fumigatus virulence. G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are extracellular signaling receptors that sense environmental cues. Fungi sense their environment primarily through GPCR-mediated signaling pathways, which, in turn, regulate fungal development, metabolism, virulence, and mycotoxin biosynthesis. Aspergillus fumigatus is an important human pathogen that causes aspergillosis, a heterogeneous group of diseases that present a wide range of clinical manifestations. Here, we investigate in detail the role of the GPCRs GprM and GprJ in growth and gene expression. GprM and GprJ are important for melanin production and the regulation of the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway. Overexpression of gprM and gprJ causes a 20 and 50% reduction in growth rate compared to the wild-type (WT) strain and increases sensitivity to cell wall-damaging agents. Phosphorylation of the CWI protein kinase MpkA is increased in the ΔgprM and ΔgprJ strains and decreased in the overexpression mutants compared to the WT strain. Furthermore, differences in cell wall polysaccharide concentrations and organization were observed in these strains. Transcriptome sequencing suggests that GprM and GprJ negatively regulate genes encoding secondary metabolites (SMs). Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed that the production of fumagillin, pyripyropene, fumigaclavine C, fumiquinazoline, and fumitremorgin is reduced in the ΔgprM and ΔgprJ strains, at least partially through the activation of MpkA. Overexpression of grpM also resulted in the regulation of many transcription factors, with AsgA predicted to function downstream of GprM and MpkA signaling. Finally, we show that the ΔgprM and ΔgprJ mutants are reduced in virulence in the Galleria mellonella insect model of invasive aspergillosis.
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Fu W, Chaiboonchoe A, Dohai B, Sultana M, Baffour K, Alzahmi A, Weston J, Al Khairy D, Daakour S, Jaiswal A, Nelson DR, Mystikou A, Brynjolfsson S, Salehi-Ashtiani K. GPCR Genes as Activators of Surface Colonization Pathways in a Model Marine Diatom. iScience 2020; 23:101424. [PMID: 32798972 PMCID: PMC7452957 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Surface colonization allows diatoms, a dominant group of phytoplankton in oceans, to adapt to harsh marine environments while mediating biofoulings to human-made underwater facilities. The regulatory pathways underlying diatom surface colonization, which involves morphotype switching in some species, remain mostly unknown. Here, we describe the identification of 61 signaling genes, including G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and protein kinases, which are differentially regulated during surface colonization in the model diatom species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum. We show that the transformation of P. tricornutum with constructs expressing individual GPCR genes induces cells to adopt the surface colonization morphology. P. tricornutum cells transformed to express GPCR1A display 30% more resistance to UV light exposure than their non-biofouling wild-type counterparts, consistent with increased silicification of cell walls associated with the oval biofouling morphotype. Our results provide a mechanistic definition of morphological shifts during surface colonization and identify candidate target proteins for the screening of eco-friendly, anti-biofouling molecules. The model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum shifts morphology to form biofilms G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) can modulate diatom surface colonization GPCR1A expression can induce biofouling morphotype and UV resistance Identified genes and pathways can serve as targets for anti-biofouling discoveries
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Fu
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology (LASSB), Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Center for Systems Biology and Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
| | - Amphun Chaiboonchoe
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology (LASSB), Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Bushra Dohai
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology (LASSB), Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Mehar Sultana
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Kristos Baffour
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology (LASSB), Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Amnah Alzahmi
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Department of Biology, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Al Ain, UAE
| | - James Weston
- Core Technology Platforms, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Dina Al Khairy
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology (LASSB), Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Sarah Daakour
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Ashish Jaiswal
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology (LASSB), Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - David R Nelson
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Alexandra Mystikou
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Sigurdur Brynjolfsson
- Center for Systems Biology and Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Kourosh Salehi-Ashtiani
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology (LASSB), Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
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48
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Shang J, Shang Y, Tang G, Wang C. Identification of a key G-protein coupled receptor in mediating appressorium formation and fungal virulence against insects. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 64:466-477. [PMID: 32712834 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1763-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fungal G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) play essential roles in sensing environmental cues including host signals. The study of GPCR in mediating fungus-insect interactions is still limited. Here we report the evolution of GPCR genes encoded in the entomopathogenic Metarhizium species and found the expansion of Pth11-like GPCRs in the generalist species with a wide host range. By deletion of ten candidate genes MrGpr1-MrGpr10 selected from the six obtained subfamilies in the generalist M. robertsii, we found that each of them played a varied level of roles in mediating appressorium formation. In particular, deletion of MrGpr8 resulted in the failure of appressorium formation on different substrates and the loss of virulence during topical infection of insects but not during injection assays when compared with the wild-type (WT) strain. Further analysis revealed that disruption of MrGpr8 substantially impaired the nucleus translocation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Mero-Fus3 but not the MAPK Mero-Slt2 during appressorium formation. We also found that the defect of AMrGpr8 could not be rescued with the addition of cyclic AMP for appressorium formation. Relative to the WT, differential expression of the selected genes have also been detected in AMrGpr8. The results of this study may benefit the understanding of fungus-interactions mediated by GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junmei Shang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanfang Shang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Guirong Tang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chengshu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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49
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Sridhar PS, Trofimova D, Subramaniam R, González-Peña Fundora D, Foroud NA, Allingham JS, Loewen MC. Ste2 receptor-mediated chemotropism of Fusarium graminearum contributes to its pathogenicity against wheat. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10770. [PMID: 32612109 PMCID: PMC7329813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67597-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusarium Head Blight of wheat, caused by the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum, leads to devastating global food shortages and economic losses. While many studies have addressed the responses of both wheat and F. graminearum during their interaction, the possibility of fungal chemotropic sensing enabling pathogenicity remains unexplored. Based on recent findings linking the pheromone-sensing G-protein-coupled receptor Ste2 to host-directed chemotropism in Fusarium oxysporum, we investigated the role of the Ste2 receptor and its downstream signaling pathways in mediating chemotropism of F. graminearum. Interestingly, a chemotropic response of growing hyphae towards catalytically active Triticum aestivum ‘Roblin’ cultivar secreted peroxidases was detected, with deletion of STE2 in F. graminearum leading to loss of the observed response. At the same time, deletion of STE2 significantly decreased infection on germinating wheat coleoptiles, highlighting an association between Ste2, chemotropism and infection by F. graminearum. Further characterization revealed that the peroxidase-directed chemotropism is associated with stimulation of the fungal cell wall integrity mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. Altogether, this study demonstrates conservation of Ste2-mediated chemotropism by Fusarium species, and its important role in mediating pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja S Sridhar
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Daria Trofimova
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | | | | | - Nora A Foroud
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 5403, 1st Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - John S Allingham
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Michele C Loewen
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada. .,National Research Council of Canada, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada.
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50
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Lin Y, Ruan H, Akutse KS, Lai B, Lin Y, Hou Y, Zhong F. Ethylene and Benzaldehyde Emitted from Postharvest Tomatoes Inhibit Botrytis cinerea via Binding to G-Protein Coupled Receptors and Transmitting with cAMP-Signal Pathway of the Fungus. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2019; 67:13706-13717. [PMID: 31693347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b05778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Tomato storage conditions are difficult largely due to Botrytis cinerea infection which causes gray mold disease. However, the effects of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by postharvest tomatoes on this fungus remain unclear. We analyzed the effects of tomato-emitted VOCs on B. cinerea pathogenicity, germination, and hyphal growth with bioassay, predicted the causative active compounds by principle component analysis, identified G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) which captured chemical signals in the B. cinerea genome by stimulating molecular docking, tested the binding affinities of these receptors for the active compounds by fluorescence binding competition assay, and identified an associated signaling pathway by RNA interfere. The VOCs emitted by postharvest tomatoes inhibited B. cinerea; ethylene and benzaldehyde were the active compounds causing this effect. One of the identified GPCRs in B. cinerea, BcGPR3, bound tightly to both active compounds. Two genes associated with the cAMP signaling pathway (BcRcn1 and BcCnA) were downregulated in wild-type B. cinerea exposed to the active compounds, as well as in the ΔBcgpr3 B. cinerea mutant. Exposure to postharvest tomato VOCs reduces B. cinerea pathogenicity due to ethylene and benzaldehyde volatiles. The BcGPR3 protein is inactivated by the active compounds, and thus fails to transmit signals to the cAMP pathway, thereby inhibiting B. cinerea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongwen Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops & College of Horticulture , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fujian , 350013 Fuzhou , Fujian , P. R. China
| | - Hongchun Ruan
- Institute of Plant Protection , Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences , 350013 Fuzhou , Fujian , P. R. China
| | - Komivi Senyo Akutse
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology , 30772-00100 Nairobi , Kenya
| | - Baochun Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops & College of Horticulture , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fujian , 350013 Fuzhou , Fujian , P. R. China
| | - Yizhang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops & College of Horticulture , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fujian , 350013 Fuzhou , Fujian , P. R. China
| | - Youming Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops & College of Horticulture , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fujian , 350013 Fuzhou , Fujian , P. R. China
| | - Fenglin Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops & College of Horticulture , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fujian , 350013 Fuzhou , Fujian , P. R. China
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