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Pianalto KM, Telzrow CL, Brown Harding H, Brooks JT, Granek JA, Gushiken-Ibañez E, LeibundGut-Landmann S, Heitman J, Ianiri G, Alspaugh JA. Malassezia responds to environmental pH signals through the conserved Rim/Pal pathway. mBio 2024; 15:e0206024. [PMID: 39189745 PMCID: PMC11481519 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02060-24] [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: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
During mammalian colonization and infection, microorganisms must be able to rapidly sense and adapt to changing environmental conditions including alterations in extracellular pH. The fungus-specific Rim/Pal signaling pathway is one process that supports microbial adaptation to alkaline pH. This cascading series of interacting proteins terminates in the proteolytic activation of the highly conserved Rim101/PacC protein, a transcription factor that mediates microbial responses that favor survival in neutral/alkaline pH growth conditions, including many mammalian tissues. We identified the putative Rim pathway proteins Rim101 and Rra1 in the human skin colonizing fungus Malassezia sympodialis. Gene deletion by transconjugation and homologous recombination revealed that Rim101 and Rra1 are required for M. sympodialis growth at higher pH. In addition, comparative transcriptional analysis of the mutant strains compared to wild-type suggested mechanisms for fungal adaptation to alkaline conditions. These pH-sensing signaling proteins are required for optimal growth in a murine model of atopic dermatitis, a pathological condition associated with increased skin pH. Together, these data elucidate both conserved and phylum-specific features of microbial adaptation to extracellular stresses.IMPORTANCEThe ability to adapt to host pH has been previously associated with microbial virulence in several pathogenic fungal species. Here we demonstrate that a fungal-specific alkaline response pathway is conserved in the human skin commensal fungus Malassezia sympodialis (Ms). This pathway is characterized by the pH-dependent activation of the Rim101/PacC transcription factor that controls cell surface adaptations to changing environmental conditions. By disrupting genes encoding two predicted components of this pathway, we demonstrated that the Rim/Pal pathway is conserved in this fungal species as a facilitator of alkaline pH growth. Moreover, targeted gene mutation and comparative transcriptional analysis support the role of the Ms Rra1 protein as a cell surface pH sensor conserved within the basidiomycete fungi, a group including plant and human pathogens. Using an animal model of atopic dermatitis, we demonstrate the importance of Ms Rim/Pal signaling in this common inflammatory condition characterized by increased skin pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaila M. Pianalto
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Calla L. Telzrow
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hannah Brown Harding
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jacob T. Brooks
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joshua A. Granek
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Eduardo Gushiken-Ibañez
- Section of Immunology at Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Salomé LeibundGut-Landmann
- Section of Immunology at Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - J. Andrew Alspaugh
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Pianalto KM, Telzrow CL, Harding HB, Brooks JT, Granek JA, Gushiken-Ibañez E, LeibundGut-Landmann S, Heitman J, Ianiri G, Alspaugh JA. Malassezia responds to environmental pH signals through the conserved Rim/Pal pathway. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.11.603086. [PMID: 39026808 PMCID: PMC11257548 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.11.603086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
During mammalian colonization and infection, microorganisms must be able to rapidly sense and adapt to changing environmental conditions including alterations in extracellular pH. The fungus-specific Rim/Pal signaling pathway is one process that supports microbial adaptation to alkaline pH. This cascading series of interacting proteins terminates in the proteolytic activation of the highly conserved Rim101/PacC protein, a transcription factor that mediates microbial responses that favor survival in neutral/alkaline pH growth conditions, including many mammalian tissues. We identified the putative Rim pathway proteins Rim101 and Rra1 in the human skin colonizing fungus Malassezia sympodialis. Gene deletion by transconjugation and homologous recombination revealed that Rim101 and Rra1 are required for M. sympodialis growth at higher pH. Additionally, comparative transcriptional analysis of the mutant strains compared to wild-type suggested mechanisms for fungal adaptation to alkaline conditions. These pH-sensing signaling proteins are required for optimal growth in a murine model of atopic dermatitis, a pathological condition associated with increased skin pH. Together these data elucidate both conserved and phylum-specific features of microbial adaptation to extracellular stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaila M. Pianalto
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Calla L. Telzrow
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Hannah Brown Harding
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jacob T. Brooks
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Joshua A. Granek
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Eduardo Gushiken-Ibañez
- Section of Immunology at Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Salomé LeibundGut-Landmann
- Section of Immunology at Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Università degli Studi del Molise, Italy
| | - J. Andrew Alspaugh
- Departments of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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3
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Coelho MA, David-Palma M, Shea T, Bowers K, McGinley-Smith S, Mohammad AW, Gnirke A, Yurkov AM, Nowrousian M, Sun S, Cuomo CA, Heitman J. Comparative genomics of the closely related fungal genera Cryptococcus and Kwoniella reveals karyotype dynamics and suggests evolutionary mechanisms of pathogenesis. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002682. [PMID: 38843310 PMCID: PMC11185503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
In exploring the evolutionary trajectories of both pathogenesis and karyotype dynamics in fungi, we conducted a large-scale comparative genomic analysis spanning the Cryptococcus genus, encompassing both global human fungal pathogens and nonpathogenic species, and related species from the sister genus Kwoniella. Chromosome-level genome assemblies were generated for multiple species, covering virtually all known diversity within these genera. Although Cryptococcus and Kwoniella have comparable genome sizes (about 19.2 and 22.9 Mb) and similar gene content, hinting at preadaptive pathogenic potential, our analysis found evidence of gene gain (via horizontal gene transfer) and gene loss in pathogenic Cryptococcus species, which might represent evolutionary signatures of pathogenic development. Genome analysis also revealed a significant variation in chromosome number and structure between the 2 genera. By combining synteny analysis and experimental centromere validation, we found that most Cryptococcus species have 14 chromosomes, whereas most Kwoniella species have fewer (11, 8, 5, or even as few as 3). Reduced chromosome number in Kwoniella is associated with formation of giant chromosomes (up to 18 Mb) through repeated chromosome fusion events, each marked by a pericentric inversion and centromere loss. While similar chromosome inversion-fusion patterns were observed in all Kwoniella species with fewer than 14 chromosomes, no such pattern was detected in Cryptococcus. Instead, Cryptococcus species with less than 14 chromosomes showed reductions primarily through rearrangements associated with the loss of repeat-rich centromeres. Additionally, Cryptococcus genomes exhibited frequent interchromosomal translocations, including intercentromeric recombination facilitated by transposons shared between centromeres. Overall, our findings advance our understanding of genetic changes possibly associated with pathogenicity in Cryptococcus and provide a foundation to elucidate mechanisms of centromere loss and chromosome fusion driving distinct karyotypes in closely related fungal species, including prominent global human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Terrance Shea
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Katharine Bowers
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sage McGinley-Smith
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Arman W. Mohammad
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Andreas Gnirke
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Andrey M. Yurkov
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Minou Nowrousian
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare und Zelluläre Botanik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Christina A. Cuomo
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
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Kowalski CH, Lawhorn S, Smith TJ, Corrigan RM, Barber MF. Adaptation to skin mycobiota promotes antibiotic tolerance in Staphylococcus aureus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.03.592489. [PMID: 38952794 PMCID: PMC11216364 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.03.592489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
The microbiota can promote host health by inhibiting pathogen colonization, yet how host-resident fungi, or the mycobiota, contribute to this process remains unclear. The human skin mycobiota is uniquely stable compared to other body sites and dominated by yeasts of the genus Malassezia . We observe that colonization of human skin by Malassezia sympodialis significantly reduces subsequent colonization by the prominent bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus . M. sympodialis secreted products possess potent bactericidal activity against S. aureus and are sufficient to impair S. aureus skin colonization. This bactericidal activity requires an acidic environment and is exacerbated by free fatty acids, demonstrating a unique synergy with host-derived epidermal defenses. Leveraging experimental evolution to pinpoint mechanisms of S. aureus adaptation in response to the skin mycobiota, we identified multiple mutations in the stringent response regulator Rel that promote survival against M. sympodialis . Similar Rel alleles have been reported in S. aureus clinical isolates, and natural Rel variants are sufficient for tolerance to M. sympodialis antagonism. Partial stringent response activation underlies tolerance to clinical antibiotics, with both laboratory-evolved and natural Rel variants conferring multidrug tolerance. These findings demonstrate the ability of the mycobiota to mediate pathogen colonization resistance, identify new mechanisms of bacterial adaptation in response to fungal antagonism, and reveal the potential for microbiota-driven evolution to shape pathogen antibiotic susceptibility. Highlights - M. sympodialis reduces colonization of human skin by S. aureus - Bactericidal activity of M. sympodialis is exacerbated by features of the skin niche - S. aureus Rel variants are sufficient for tolerance to Malassezia antagonism - Evolved tolerance to yeast antagonism coincides with S. aureus multidrug tolerance.
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5
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Christinaki AC, Myridakis AI, Kouvelis VN. Genomic insights into the evolution and adaptation of secondary metabolite gene clusters in fungicolous species Cladobotryum mycophilum ATHUM6906. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae006. [PMID: 38214578 PMCID: PMC10989895 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae006] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Mycophilic or fungicolous fungi can be found wherever fungi exist since they are able to colonize other fungi, which occupy a diverse range of habitats. Some fungicolous species cause important diseases on Basidiomycetes, and thus, they are the main reason for the destruction of mushroom cultivations. Nonetheless, despite their ecological significance, their genomic data remain limited. Cladobotryum mycophilum is one of the most aggressive species of the genus, destroying the economically important Agaricus bisporus cultivations. The 40.7 Mb whole genome of the Greek isolate ATHUM6906 is assembled in 16 fragments, including the mitochondrial genome and 2 small circular mitochondrial plasmids, in this study. This genome includes a comprehensive set of 12,282 protein coding, 56 rRNA, and 273 tRNA genes. Transposable elements, CAZymes, and pathogenicity related genes were also examined. The genome of C. mycophilum contained a diverse arsenal of genes involved in secondary metabolism, forming 106 biosynthetic gene clusters, which renders this genome as one of the most BGC abundant among fungicolous species. Comparative analyses were performed for genomes of species of the family Hypocreaceae. Some BGCs identified in C. mycophilum genome exhibited similarities to clusters found in the family Hypocreaceae, suggesting vertical heritage. In contrast, certain BGCs showed a scattered distribution among Hypocreaceae species or were solely found in Cladobotryum genomes. This work provides evidence of extensive BGC losses, horizontal gene transfer events, and formation of novel BGCs during evolution, potentially driven by neutral or even positive selection pressures. These events may increase Cladobotryum fitness under various environmental conditions and potentially during host-fungus interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia C Christinaki
- Section of Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Antonis I Myridakis
- Section of Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Vassili N Kouvelis
- Section of Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15771, Greece
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6
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Coelho MA, David-Palma M, Shea T, Bowers K, McGinley-Smith S, Mohammad AW, Gnirke A, Yurkov AM, Nowrousian M, Sun S, Cuomo CA, Heitman J. Comparative genomics of Cryptococcus and Kwoniella reveals pathogenesis evolution and contrasting karyotype dynamics via intercentromeric recombination or chromosome fusion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.27.573464. [PMID: 38234769 PMCID: PMC10793447 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.27.573464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
A large-scale comparative genomic analysis was conducted for the global human fungal pathogens within the Cryptococcus genus, compared to non-pathogenic Cryptococcus species, and related species from the sister genus Kwoniella. Chromosome-level genome assemblies were generated for multiple species of both genera, resulting in a dataset encompassing virtually all of their known diversity. Although Cryptococcus and Kwoniella have comparable genome sizes (about 19.2 and 22.9 Mb) and similar gene content, hinting at pre-adaptive pathogenic potential, our analysis found evidence in pathogenic Cryptococcus species of specific examples of gene gain (via horizontal gene transfer) and gene loss, which might represent evolutionary signatures of pathogenic development. Genome analysis also revealed a significant variation in chromosome number and structure between the two genera. By combining synteny analysis and experimental centromere validation, we found that most Cryptococcus species have 14 chromosomes, whereas most Kwoniella species have fewer (11, 8, 5 or even as few as 3). Reduced chromosome number in Kwoniella is associated with formation of giant chromosomes (up to 18 Mb) through repeated chromosome fusion events, each marked by a pericentric inversion and centromere loss. While similar chromosome inversion-fusion patterns were observed in all Kwoniella species with fewer than 14 chromosomes, no such pattern was detected in Cryptococcus. Instead, Cryptococcus species with less than 14 chromosomes, underwent chromosome reductions primarily through rearrangements associated with the loss of repeat-rich centromeres. Additionally, Cryptococcus genomes exhibited frequent interchromosomal translocations, including intercentromeric recombination facilitated by transposons shared between centromeres. Taken together, our findings advance our understanding of genomic changes possibly associated with pathogenicity in Cryptococcus and provide a foundation to elucidate mechanisms of centromere loss and chromosome fusion driving distinct karyotypes in closely related fungal species, including prominent global human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Terrance Shea
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Katharine Bowers
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Andreas Gnirke
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrey M. Yurkov
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Minou Nowrousian
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare und Zelluläre Botanik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Yang Q, Ran Y, Guo S, Li F, Xiang D, Cao Y, Qiao D, Xu H, Cao Y. Molecular characterization and expression profiling of two flavohemoglobin genes play essential roles in dissolved oxygen and NO stress in Saitozyma podzolica zwy2-3. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127008. [PMID: 37844810 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127008] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Flavohemoglobins (Fhbs) are key enzymes involved in microbial nitrosative stress resistance and nitric oxide degradation. However, the roles of Fhbs in fungi remain largely unknown. In this study, SpFhb1 and SpFhb2, two flavohemoglobin-encoding genes in Saitozyma podzolica zwy2-3 were characterized. Protein structure analysis and molecular docking showed that SpFhbs were conserved in bacteria and fungi. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that SpFhb2 may be acquired through the transfer event of independent horizontal genes from bacteria. The expression levels of SpFhb1 and SpFhb2 showed opposite trend under high/low dissolved oxygen, implying that they may exhibited different functions. Through deletion and overexpression of SpFhbs, we confirmed that SpFhbs were conducive to lipid accumulation under high stress. The sensitivities of ΔFhb mutants to NO stress were significantly increased compared with that in the WT, indicating that they were required for NO detoxification and nitrosative stress resistance in S. podzolica zwy2-3. Furthermore, SpAsg1 was identified that simultaneously regulates SpFhbs, which functions in the lipid accumulation under high/low dissolved oxygen and NO stress in S. podzolica zwy2-3. Overall, two different SpFhbs were identified in this study, providing new insights into the mechanism of lipid accumulation in fungi under high/low dissolved oxygen and NO stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingzhuoma Yang
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Yulu Ran
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Shengtao Guo
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Fazhi Li
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Dongyou Xiang
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Dairong Qiao
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China.
| | - Yi Cao
- Microbiology and Metabolic Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China.
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8
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Coelho MA, Ianiri G, David-Palma M, Theelen B, Goyal R, Narayanan A, Lorch JM, Sanyal K, Boekhout T, Heitman J. Frequent transitions in mating-type locus chromosomal organization in Malassezia and early steps in sexual reproduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305094120. [PMID: 37523560 PMCID: PMC10410736 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305094120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungi in the basidiomycete genus Malassezia are the most prevalent eukaryotic microbes resident on the skin of human and other warm-blooded animals and have been implicated in skin diseases and systemic disorders. Analysis of Malassezia genomes revealed that key adaptations to the skin microenvironment have a direct genomic basis, and the identification of mating/meiotic genes suggests a capacity to reproduce sexually, even though no sexual cycle has yet been observed. In contrast to other bipolar or tetrapolar basidiomycetes that have either two linked mating-type-determining (MAT) loci or two MAT loci on separate chromosomes, in Malassezia species studied thus far the two MAT loci are arranged in a pseudobipolar configuration (linked on the same chromosome but capable of recombining). By generating additional chromosome-level genome assemblies, and an improved Malassezia phylogeny, we infer that the pseudobipolar arrangement was the ancestral state of this group and revealed six independent transitions to tetrapolarity, seemingly driven by centromere fission or translocations in centromere-flanking regions. Additionally, in an approach to uncover a sexual cycle, Malassezia furfur strains were engineered to express different MAT alleles in the same cell. The resulting strains produce hyphae reminiscent of early steps in sexual development and display upregulation of genes associated with sexual development as well as others encoding lipases and a protease potentially relevant for pathogenesis of the fungus. Our study reveals a previously unseen genomic relocation of mating-type loci in fungi and provides insight toward the identification of a sexual cycle in Malassezia, with possible implications for pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso86100, Italy
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
| | - Bart Theelen
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht3584 CT, The Netherlands
| | - Rohit Goyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru560064, India
| | - Aswathy Narayanan
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru560064, India
| | - Jeffrey M. Lorch
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI53711
| | - Kaustuv Sanyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru560064, India
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht3584 CT, The Netherlands
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
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9
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Gardner AM, Gardner PR. Dioxygen and glucose force motion of the electron-transfer switch in the iron(III) flavohemoglobin-type nitric oxide dioxygenase. J Inorg Biochem 2023; 245:112257. [PMID: 37229820 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112257] [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: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Kinetic and structural investigations of the flavohemoglobin-type NO dioxygenase have suggested critical roles for transient Fe(III)O2 complex formation and O2-forced movements affecting hydride transfer to the FAD cofactor and electron-transfer to the Fe(III)O2 complex. Stark-effect theory together with structural models and dipole and internal electrostatic field determinations provided a semi-quantitative spectroscopic method for investigating the proposed Fe(III)O2 complex and O2-forced movements. Deoxygenation of the enzyme causes Stark effects on the ferric heme Soret and charge-transfer bands revealing the Fe(III)O2 complex. Deoxygenation also elicits Stark effects on the FAD that expose forces and motions that create a more restricted NADH access to FAD for hydride transfer and switch electron-transfer off. Glucose also forces the enzyme toward an off state. Amino acid substitutions at the B10, E7, E11, G8, D5, and F7 positions influence the Stark effects of O2 on resting heme spin states and FAD consistent with the proposed roles of the side chains in the enzyme mechanism. Deoxygenation of ferric myoglobin and hemoglobin A also induces Stark effects on the hemes suggesting a common 'oxy-met' state. The ferric myoglobin and hemoglobin heme spectra are also glucose-responsive. A conserved glucose or glucose-6-phosphate binding site is found bridging the BC-corner and G-helix in flavohemoglobin and myoglobin suggesting novel allosteric effector roles for glucose or glucose-6-phosphate in the NO dioxygenase and O2 storage functions. The results support the proposed roles of a ferric O2 intermediate and protein motions in regulating electron-transfer during NO dioxygenase turnover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M Gardner
- Research and Development Division, Miami Valley Biotech, Suite 2445, 1001 E. 2(nd) Street, Dayton, OH 45402, USA; Division of Critical Care Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, R033, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Paul R Gardner
- Research and Development Division, Miami Valley Biotech, Suite 2445, 1001 E. 2(nd) Street, Dayton, OH 45402, USA; Division of Critical Care Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, R033, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469, USA.
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10
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Coelho MA, Ianiri G, David-Palma M, Theelen B, Goyal R, Narayanan A, Lorch JM, Sanyal K, Boekhout T, Heitman J. Frequent transitions in mating-type locus chromosomal organization in Malassezia and early steps in sexual reproduction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.25.534224. [PMID: 36993584 PMCID: PMC10055393 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.25.534224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Fungi in the basidiomycete genus Malassezia are the most prevalent eukaryotic microbes resident on the skin of human and other warm-blooded animals and have been implicated in skin diseases and systemic disorders. Analysis of Malassezia genomes revealed that key adaptations to the skin microenvironment have a direct genomic basis, and the identification of mating/meiotic genes suggests a capacity to reproduce sexually, even though no sexual cycle has yet been observed. In contrast to other bipolar or tetrapolar basidiomycetes that have either two linked mating-type-determining ( MAT ) loci or two MAT loci on separate chromosomes, in Malassezia species studied thus far the two MAT loci are arranged in a pseudobipolar configuration (linked on the same chromosome but capable of recombining). By incorporating newly generated chromosome-level genome assemblies, and an improved Malassezia phylogeny, we infer that the pseudobipolar arrangement was the ancestral state of this group and revealed six independent transitions to tetrapolarity, seemingly driven by centromere fission or translocations in centromere- flanking regions. Additionally, in an approach to uncover a sexual cycle, Malassezia furfur strains were engineered to express different MAT alleles in the same cell. The resulting strains produce hyphae reminiscent of early steps in sexual development and display upregulation of genes associated with sexual development as well as others encoding lipases and a protease potentially relevant for pathogenesis of the fungus. Our study reveals a previously unseen genomic relocation of mating-type loci in fungi and provides insight towards the discovery of a sexual cycle in Malassezia , with possible implications for pathogenicity. Significance Statement Malassezia , the dominant fungal group of the mammalian skin microbiome, is associated with numerous skin disorders. Sexual development and yeast-to-hyphae transitions, governed by genes at two mating-type ( MAT ) loci, are thought to be important for fungal pathogenicity. However, Malassezia sexual reproduction has never been observed. Here, we used chromosome-level assemblies and comparative genomics to uncover unforeseen transitions in MAT loci organization within Malassezia , possibly related with fragility of centromeric-associated regions. Additionally, by expressing different MAT alleles in the same cell, we show that Malassezia can undergo hyphal development and this phenotype is associated with increased expression of key mating genes along with other genes known to be virulence factors, providing a possible connection between hyphal development, sexual reproduction, and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bart Theelen
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht 3584 CT, The Netherlands
| | - Rohit Goyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Aswathy Narayanan
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Jeffrey M. Lorch
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Kaustuv Sanyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht 3584 CT, The Netherlands
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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11
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Kondo HX, Iizuka H, Masumoto G, Kabaya Y, Kanematsu Y, Takano Y. Prediction of Protein Function from Tertiary Structure of the Active Site in Heme Proteins by Convolutional Neural Network. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13010137. [PMID: 36671521 PMCID: PMC9855806 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Structure-function relationships in proteins have been one of the crucial scientific topics in recent research. Heme proteins have diverse and pivotal biological functions. Therefore, clarifying their structure-function correlation is significant to understand their functional mechanism and is informative for various fields of science. In this study, we constructed convolutional neural network models for predicting protein functions from the tertiary structures of heme-binding sites (active sites) of heme proteins to examine the structure-function correlation. As a result, we succeeded in the classification of oxygen-binding protein (OB), oxidoreductase (OR), proteins with both functions (OB-OR), and electron transport protein (ET) with high accuracy. Although the misclassification rate for OR and ET was high, the rates between OB and ET and between OB and OR were almost zero, indicating that the prediction model works well between protein groups with quite different functions. However, predicting the function of proteins modified with amino acid mutation(s) remains a challenge. Our findings indicate a structure-function correlation in the active site of heme proteins. This study is expected to be applied to the prediction of more detailed protein functions such as catalytic reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko X. Kondo
- Faculty of Engineering, Kitami Institute of Technology, 165 Koen-cho, Kitami 090-8507, Japan
- Graduate School of Information Sciences, Hiroshima City University, 3-4-1 Ozukahigashi Asaminamiku, Hiroshima 731-3194, Japan
- Laboratory for Computational Molecular Design, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita 565-0874, Japan
- Correspondence: (H.X.K.); (Y.T.); Tel.: +81-157-26-9401 (H.X.K.); +81-82-830-1825 (Y.T.)
| | - Hiroyuki Iizuka
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Kita 14, Nishi 9, Kitaku, Sapporo 060-0814, Japan
| | - Gen Masumoto
- Information Systems Division, RIKEN Information R&D and Strategy Headquarters, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako 351-0198, Japan
| | - Yuichi Kabaya
- Faculty of Engineering, Kitami Institute of Technology, 165 Koen-cho, Kitami 090-8507, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kanematsu
- Graduate School of Information Sciences, Hiroshima City University, 3-4-1 Ozukahigashi Asaminamiku, Hiroshima 731-3194, Japan
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan
| | - Yu Takano
- Graduate School of Information Sciences, Hiroshima City University, 3-4-1 Ozukahigashi Asaminamiku, Hiroshima 731-3194, Japan
- Correspondence: (H.X.K.); (Y.T.); Tel.: +81-157-26-9401 (H.X.K.); +81-82-830-1825 (Y.T.)
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12
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Chen H, Zhao Q, Zhong Q, Duan C, Krutmann J, Wang J, Xia J. Skin Microbiome, Metabolome and Skin Phenome, from the Perspectives of Skin as an Ecosystem. PHENOMICS (CHAM, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 2:363-382. [PMID: 36939800 PMCID: PMC9712873 DOI: 10.1007/s43657-022-00073-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Skin is a complex ecosystem colonized by millions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Skin microbiota is believed to exert critical functions in maintaining host skin health. Profiling the structure of skin microbial community is the first step to overview the ecosystem. However, the community composition is highly individualized and extremely complex. To explore the fundamental factors driving the complexity of the ecosystem, namely the selection pressures, we review the present studies on skin microbiome from the perspectives of ecology. This review summarizes the following: (1) the composition of substances/nutrients in the cutaneous ecological environment that are derived from the host and the environment, highlighting their proposed function on skin microbiota; (2) the features of dominant skin commensals to occupy ecological niches, through self-adaptation and microbe-microbe interactions; (3) how skin microbes, by their structures or bioactive molecules, reshape host skin phenotypes, including skin immunity, maintenance of skin physiology such as pH and hydration, ultraviolet (UV) protection, odor production, and wound healing. This review aims to re-examine the host-microbe interactions from the ecological perspectives and hopefully to give new inspiration to this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhen Chen
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
| | - Qi Zhao
- grid.27255.370000 0004 1761 1174Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 China
- grid.435557.50000 0004 0518 6318IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, D-40225 Germany
| | - Qian Zhong
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
| | - Cheng Duan
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou), School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Guangzhou, 511458 China
| | - Jean Krutmann
- grid.435557.50000 0004 0518 6318IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, D-40225 Germany
| | - Jiucun Wang
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Research Unit of Dissecting the Population Genetics and Developing New Technologies for Treatment and Prevention of Skin Phenotypes and Dermatological Diseases (2019RU058), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, 200438 China
| | - Jingjing Xia
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou), School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Guangzhou, 511458 China
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13
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Agrobacterium tumefaciens-Mediated Gene Transfer in a Major Human Skin Commensal Fungus, Malassezia globosa. Appl Microbiol 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/applmicrobiol2040063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although the fungal microbiome in human skin mainly comprises lipophilic yeasts, including Malassezia species, these microorganisms can cause various dermatitis conditions, including pityriasis versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis, folliculitis, and atopic dermatitis, depending on the host condition. Both Malassezia globosa and Malassezia restricta are major species implicated in Malassezia-related dermatitis. However, the pathogenicity of these microorganisms has not been revealed at the genetic level owing to the lack of a genetic recombination system. Therefore, we developed a gene recombination system for M. globosa using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer of the target gene FKB1, which encodes the FKBP12 protein that binds the calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus. The wild-type strain of M. globosa was sensitive to tacrolimus, whereas the FKB1 deletion mutant was resistant to tacrolimus. Reintroduction of FKB1 into the FKB1 deletion mutant restored wild-type levels of susceptibility to tacrolimus. Moreover, an FKB1-eGFP fusion gene was generated and expression of this fusion protein was observed in the cytoplasm. This newly developed gene recombination system for M. globosa will help further our understanding of the pathogenesis of M. globosa-related dermatitis at the genetic level.
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14
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Ianiri G, LeibundGut-Landmann S, Dawson TL. Malassezia: A Commensal, Pathogen, and Mutualist of Human and Animal Skin. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:757-782. [PMID: 36075093 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-040820-010114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Identified in the late nineteenth century as a single species residing on human skin, Malassezia is now recognized as a diverse genus comprising 18 species inhabiting not only skin but human gut, hospital environments, and even deep-sea sponges. All cultivated Malassezia species are lipid dependent, having lost genes for lipid synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. The surging interest in Malassezia results from development of tools to improve sampling, culture, identification, and genetic engineering, which has led to findings implicating it in numerous skin diseases, Crohn disease, and pancreatic cancer. However, it has become clear that Malassezia plays a multifaceted role in human health, with mutualistic activity in atopic dermatitis and a preventive effect against other skin infections due to its potential to compete with skin pathogens such as Candida auris. Improved understanding of complex microbe-microbe and host-microbe interactions will be required to define Malassezia's role in human and animal health and disease so as to design targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Salomé LeibundGut-Landmann
- Section of Immunology, Faculty of Vetsuisse, and Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas L Dawson
- Skin Research Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; .,Department of Drug Discovery, College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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15
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Ehemann K, Mantilla MJ, Mora-Restrepo F, Rios-Navarro A, Torres M, Celis Ramírez AM. Many ways, one microorganism: Several approaches to study Malassezia in interactions with model hosts. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010784. [PMID: 36074792 PMCID: PMC9455852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Malassezia, a lipophilic and lipid-dependent yeast, is a microorganism of current interest to mycobiologists because of its role as a commensal or pathogen in health conditions such as dermatological diseases, fungemia, and, as discovered recently, cancer and certain neurological disorders. Various novel approaches in the study of Malassezia have led to increased knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of this yeast. However, additional efforts are needed for more comprehensive understanding of the behavior of Malassezia in interactions with the host. This article reviews advances useful in the experimental field for Malassezia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Ehemann
- Grupo de Investigación Celular y Molecular de Microorganismos Patógenos (CeMoP), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - María Juliana Mantilla
- Grupo de Investigación Celular y Molecular de Microorganismos Patógenos (CeMoP), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Felipe Mora-Restrepo
- Grupo de Investigación Celular y Molecular de Microorganismos Patógenos (CeMoP), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Andrea Rios-Navarro
- Grupo de Investigación Celular y Molecular de Microorganismos Patógenos (CeMoP), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Maritza Torres
- Grupo de Investigación Celular y Molecular de Microorganismos Patógenos (CeMoP), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Marcela Celis Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigación Celular y Molecular de Microorganismos Patógenos (CeMoP), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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16
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Gonçalves P, Gonçalves C. Horizontal gene transfer in yeasts. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2022; 76:101950. [PMID: 35841879 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2022.101950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), defined as the exchange of genetic material other than from parent to progeny, is very common in bacteria and appears to constitute the most important mechanism contributing to enlarge a species gene pool. However, in eukaryotes, HGT is certainly much less common and some early insufficiently consubstantiated cases involving bacterial donors led some to consider that it was unlikely to occur in eukaryotes outside the host/endosymbiont relationship. More recently, plenty of reports of interdomain HGT have seen the light based on the strictest criteria, many concerning filamentous fungi and yeasts. Here, we attempt to summarize the most prominent instances of HGT reported in yeasts as well as what we have been able to learn so far concerning frequency and distribution, mechanisms, barriers, function of horizontally acquired genes, and the role of HGT in domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Gonçalves
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Carla Gonçalves
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America; Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America. https://twitter.com/@ciggoncalves
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17
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Rojas-Gätjens D, Valverde-Madrigal KS, Rojas-Jimenez K, Pereira R, Avey-Arroyo J, Chavarría M. Antibiotic-producing Micrococcales govern the microbiome that inhabits the fur of two- and three-toed sloths. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:3148-3163. [PMID: 35621042 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sloths have a dense coat on which insects, algae, and fungi coexist in a symbiotic relationship. This complex ecosystem requires different levels of control, however, most of these mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated the bacterial communities inhabiting the hair of two- (Choloepus Hoffmani) and three-toed (Bradypus variegatus) sloths and evaluated their potential for producing antibiotic molecules capable of exerting control over the hair microbiota. The analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) revealed that the communities in both host species are dominated by Actinobacteriota and Firmicutes. The most abundant genera were Brevibacterium, Kocuria/Rothia, Staphylococcus, Rubrobacter, Nesterenkonia, and Janibacter. Furthermore, we isolated nine strains of Brevibacterium and Rothia capable of producing substances that inhibited the growth of common mammalian pathogens. The analysis of the biosynthetic gene clusters (BCGs) of these nine isolates suggests that the pathogen-inhibitory activity could be mediated by the presence of siderophores, terpenes, beta-lactones, Type III polyketide synthases (T3PKS), ribosomally synthesized, and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), non-alpha poly-amino acids (NAPAA) like e-Polylysin, ectoine or nonribosomal peptides (NRPs). Our data suggest that Micrococcales that inhabit sloth hair could have a role in controlling microbial populations in that habitat, improving our understanding of this highly complex ecosystem. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Rojas-Gätjens
- Centro Nacional de Innovaciones Biotecnológicas (CENIBiot), CeNAT-CONARE, 1174-1200, San José, Costa Rica
| | | | - Keilor Rojas-Jimenez
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, 11501-2060, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Reinaldo Pereira
- Laboratorio Nacional de Nanotecnología (LANOTEC), CeNAT-CONARE, 1174-1200, San José, Costa Rica
| | | | - Max Chavarría
- Centro Nacional de Innovaciones Biotecnológicas (CENIBiot), CeNAT-CONARE, 1174-1200, San José, Costa Rica.,Escuela de Química, Universidad de Costa Rica, 11501-2060, San José, Costa Rica.,Centro de Investigaciones en Productos Naturales (CIPRONA), Universidad de Costa Rica, 11501-2060, San José, Costa Rica
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18
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Rokas A. Evolution of the human pathogenic lifestyle in fungi. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:607-619. [PMID: 35508719 PMCID: PMC9097544 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01112-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens cause more than a billion human infections every year, resulting in more than 1.6 million deaths annually. Understanding the natural history and evolutionary ecology of fungi is helping us understand how disease-relevant traits have repeatedly evolved. Different types and mechanisms of genetic variation have contributed to the evolution of fungal pathogenicity and specific genetic differences distinguish pathogens from non-pathogens. Insights into the traits, genetic elements, and genetic and ecological mechanisms that contribute to the evolution of fungal pathogenicity are crucial for developing strategies to both predict emergence of fungal pathogens and develop drugs to combat them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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19
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Gardner PR. Ordered Motions in the Nitric-Oxide Dioxygenase Mechanism of Flavohemoglobin and Assorted Globins with Tightly Coupled Reductases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1414:45-96. [PMID: 36520413 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2022_751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Nitric-oxide dioxygenases (NODs) activate and combine O2 with NO to form nitrate. A variety of oxygen-binding hemoglobins with associated partner reductases or electron donors function as enzymatic NODs. Kinetic and structural investigations of the archetypal two-domain microbial flavohemoglobin-NOD have illuminated an allosteric mechanism that employs selective tunnels for O2 and NO, gates for NO and nitrate, transient O2 association with ferric heme, and an O2 and NO-triggered, ferric heme spin crossover-driven, motion-controlled, and dipole-regulated electron-transfer switch. The proposed mechanism facilitates radical-radical coupling of ferric-superoxide with NO to form nitrate while preventing suicidal ferrous-NO formation. Diverse globins display the structural and functional motifs necessary for a similar allosteric NOD mechanism. In silico docking simulations reveal monomeric erythrocyte hemoglobin alpha-chain and beta-chain intrinsically matched and tightly coupled with NADH-cytochrome b5 oxidoreductase and NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase, respectively, forming membrane-bound flavohemoglobin-like mammalian NODs. The neuroprotective neuroglobin manifests a potential NOD role in a close-fitting ternary complex with membrane-bound NADH-cytochrome b5 oxidoreductase and cytochrome b5. Cytoglobin interfaces weakly with cytochrome b5 for O2 and NO-regulated electron-transfer and coupled NOD activity. The mechanistic model also provides insight into the evolution of O2 binding cooperativity in hemoglobin and a basis for the discovery of allosteric NOD inhibitors.
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20
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Abstract
AbstractYeasts, usually defined as unicellular fungi, occur in various fungal lineages. Hence, they are not a taxonomic unit, but rather represent a fungal lifestyle shared by several unrelated lineages. Although the discovery of new yeast species occurs at an increasing speed, at the current rate it will likely take hundreds of years, if ever, before they will all be documented. Many parts of the earth, including many threatened habitats, remain unsampled for yeasts and many others are only superficially studied. Cold habitats, such as glaciers, are home to a specific community of cold-adapted yeasts, and, hence, there is some urgency to study such environments at locations where they might disappear soon due to anthropogenic climate change. The same is true for yeast communities in various natural forests that are impacted by deforestation and forest conversion. Many countries of the so-called Global South have not been sampled for yeasts, despite their economic promise. However, extensive research activity in Asia, especially China, has yielded many taxonomic novelties. Comparative genomics studies have demonstrated the presence of yeast species with a hybrid origin, many of them isolated from clinical or industrial environments. DNA-metabarcoding studies have demonstrated the prevalence, and in some cases dominance, of yeast species in soils and marine waters worldwide, including some surprising distributions, such as the unexpected and likely common presence of Malassezia yeasts in marine habitats.
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21
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El Baidouri F, Zalar P, James TY, Gladfelter AS, Amend A. Evolution and Physiology of Amphibious Yeasts. Annu Rev Microbiol 2021; 75:337-357. [PMID: 34351793 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-051421-121352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Since the emergence of the first fungi some 700 million years ago, unicellular yeast-like forms have emerged multiple times in independent lineages via convergent evolution. While tens to hundreds of millions of years separate the independent evolution of these unicellular organisms, they share remarkable phenotypic and metabolic similarities, and all have streamlined genomes. Yeasts occur in every aquatic environment yet examined. Many species are aquatic; perhaps most are amphibious. How these species have evolved to thrive in aquatic habitats is fundamental to understanding functions and evolutionary mechanisms in this unique group of fungi. Here we review the state of knowledge of the physiological and ecological diversity of amphibious yeasts and their key evolutionary adaptations enabling survival in aquatic habitats. We emphasize some genera previously thought to be exclusively terrestrial. Finally, we discuss the ability of many yeasts to survive in extreme habitats and how this might lend insight into ecological plasticity, including amphibious lifestyles. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 75 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fouad El Baidouri
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA; , .,Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Polona Zalar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Timothy Y James
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Amy S Gladfelter
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.,Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
| | - Anthony Amend
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA; ,
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22
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Zilber-Rosenberg I, Rosenberg E. Microbial driven genetic variation in holobionts. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:6261188. [PMID: 33930136 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in holobionts, (host and microbiome), occurring by changes in both host and microbiome genomes, can be observed from two perspectives: observable variations and the processes that bring about the variation. The observable includes the enormous genetic diversity of prokaryotes, which gave rise to eukaryotic organisms. Holobionts then evolved a rich microbiome with a stable core containing essential genes, less so common taxa, and a more diverse non-core enabling considerable genetic variation. The result being that, the human gut microbiome, for example, contains 1,000 times more unique genes than are present in the human genome. Microbial driven genetic variation processes in holobionts include: (1) Acquisition of novel microbes from the environment, which bring in multiple genes in one step, (2) amplification/reduction of certain microbes in the microbiome, that contribute to holobiont` s adaptation to changing conditions, (3) horizontal gene transfer between microbes and between microbes and host, (4) mutation, which plays an important role in optimizing interactions between different microbiota and between microbiota and host. We suggest that invertebrates and plants, where microbes can live intracellularly, have a greater chance of genetic exchange between microbiota and host, thus a greater chance of vertical transmission and a greater effect of microbiome on evolution of host than vertebrates. However, even in vertebrates the microbiome can aid in environmental fluctuations by amplification/reduction and by acquisition of novel microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv Israel
| | - Eugene Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv Israel
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Abstract
Candida auris colonizes human skin and causes life-threatening fungal bloodstream infections. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Huang et al. introduce a murine model of C. auris skin colonization to explore the role of distinct clades, immune signaling pathways, antibiotics, and disinfectants on fungal persistence in or clearance from its habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Zhai
- Infectious Disease Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Thierry Rolling
- Infectious Disease Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tobias M Hohl
- Infectious Disease Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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Vijaya Chandra SH, Srinivas R, Dawson TL, Common JE. Cutaneous Malassezia: Commensal, Pathogen, or Protector? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 10:614446. [PMID: 33575223 PMCID: PMC7870721 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.614446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The skin microbial community is a multifunctional ecosystem aiding prevention of infections from transient pathogens, maintenance of host immune homeostasis, and skin health. A better understanding of the complex milieu of microbe-microbe and host-microbe interactions will be required to define the ecosystem's optimal function and enable rational design of microbiome targeted interventions. Malassezia, a fungal genus currently comprising 18 species and numerous functionally distinct strains, are lipid-dependent basidiomycetous yeasts and integral components of the skin microbiome. The high proportion of Malassezia in the skin microbiome makes understanding their role in healthy and diseased skin crucial to development of functional skin health knowledge and understanding of normal, healthy skin homeostasis. Over the last decade, new tools for Malassezia culture, detection, and genetic manipulation have revealed not only the ubiquity of Malassezia on skin but new pathogenic roles in seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and pancreatic ductal carcinoma. Application of these tools continues to peel back the layers of Malassezia/skin interactions, including clear examples of pathogenicity, commensalism, and potential protective or beneficial activities creating mutualism. Our increased understanding of host- and microbe-specific interactions should lead to identification of key factors that maintain skin in a state of healthy mutualism or, in turn, initiate pathogenic changes. These approaches are leading toward development of new therapeutic targets and treatment options. This review discusses recent developments that have expanded our understanding of Malassezia's role in the skin microbiome, with a focus on its multiple roles in health and disease as commensal, pathogen, and protector.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ramasamy Srinivas
- Skin Research Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thomas L Dawson
- Skin Research Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Drug Discovery, College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - John E Common
- Skin Research Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
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25
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Lee K, Zhang I, Kyman S, Kask O, Cope EK. Co-infection of Malassezia sympodialis With Bacterial Pathobionts Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus Leads to Distinct Sinonasal Inflammatory Responses in a Murine Acute Sinusitis Model. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:472. [PMID: 33014894 PMCID: PMC7498577 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Host-associated bacteria and fungi, comprising the microbiota, are critical to host health. In the airways, the composition and diversity of the mucosal microbiota of patients are associated with airway health status. However, the relationship between airway microbiota and respiratory inflammation is not well-understood. Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a complex disease that affects up to 14% of the US population. Previous studies have shown decreased microbial diversity in CRS patients and enrichment of either Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Although bacterial community composition is variable across CRS patients, Malassezia is a dominant fungal genus in the upper airways of the majority of healthy and CRS subjects. We hypothesize that distinct bacterial-fungal interactions differentially influence host mucosal immune response. Thus, we investigated in vitro and in vivo interactions between Malassezia sympodialis, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus. The in vitro interactions were evaluated using the modified Kirby-Bauer Assay, Crystal Violet assay for biofilm, and FISH. A pilot murine model of acute sinusitis was used to investigate relationships with the host immune response. S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were intranasally instilled in the presence or absence of M. sympodialis (n = 66 total mice; 3–5/group). Changes in the microbiota were determined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and host immune response was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In vitro, only late stage planktonic P. aeruginosa and its biofilms inhibited M. sympodialis. Co-infection of mice with M. sympodialis and P. aeruginosa or S. aureus differently influenced the immune response. In co-infected mice, we demonstrate different expression of fungal sensing (Dectin-1), allergic responses (IL-5, and IL-13) and inflammation (IL-10, and IL-17) in murine sinus depending on the bacterial species that co-infected with M. sympodialis (p < 0.05). The pilot results suggest that species-specific interactions in airway-associated microbiota may be implicated driving immune responses. The understanding of the role of bacterial-fungal interactions in CRS will contribute to development of novel therapies toward manipulation of the airway microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keehoon Lee
- Center for Applied Microbiome Sciences, The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Irene Zhang
- Center for Applied Microbiome Sciences, The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Shari Kyman
- Center for Applied Microbiome Sciences, The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Oliver Kask
- Center for Applied Microbiome Sciences, The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Emily Kathryn Cope
- Center for Applied Microbiome Sciences, The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
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26
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Lee K, Zhang I, Kyman S, Kask O, Cope EK. Co-infection of Malassezia sympodialis With Bacterial Pathobionts Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus Leads to Distinct Sinonasal Inflammatory Responses in a Murine Acute Sinusitis Model. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020. [DOI: 10.10.3389/fcimb.2020.00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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27
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A Novel Mycovirus Evokes Transcriptional Rewiring in the Fungus Malassezia and Stimulates Beta Interferon Production in Macrophages. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.01534-20. [PMID: 32873760 PMCID: PMC7468202 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01534-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Malassezia species represent the most common fungal inhabitant of the mammalian skin microbiome and are natural skin commensal flora. However, these fungi are also associated with a variety of clinical skin disorders. Recent studies have reported associations of Malassezia with Crohn’s disease and pancreatic cancer, further implicating this fungal genus in inflammatory and neoplastic disease states. Because M. sympodialis has lost genes involved in RNA interference (RNAi), we hypothesized Malassezia could harbor dsRNA mycoviruses. Indeed, we identified a novel mycovirus of the totivirus family in several Malassezia species and characterized the MsMV1 mycovirus of M. sympodialis. We found conditions that lead to curing of the virus and analyzed isogenic virus-infected/virus-cured strains to determine MsMV1 genetic and pathogenic impacts. MsMV1 induces a strong overexpression of transcription factors and ribosomal genes, while downregulating cellular metabolism. Moreover, MsMV1 induced a significantly higher level of beta interferon expression in cultured macrophages. This study sheds light on the mechanisms of pathogenicity of Malassezia, focusing on a previously unidentified novel mycovirus. Mycoviruses infect fungi, and while most persist asymptomatically, there are examples of mycoviruses having both beneficial and detrimental effects on their host. Virus-infected Saccharomyces and Ustilago strains exhibit a killer phenotype conferring a growth advantage over uninfected strains and other competing yeast species, whereas hypovirus-infected Cryphonectria parasitica displays defects in growth, sporulation, and virulence. In this study, we identify a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mycovirus in five Malassezia species. Sequence analysis reveals it to be a totivirus with two dsRNA segments: a larger 4.5-kb segment with genes encoding components for viral replication and maintenance, and a smaller 1.4-kb segment encoding a novel protein. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) of virus-infected versus virus-cured Malassezia sympodialis revealed an upregulation of dozens of ribosomal components in the cell, suggesting the virus modifies the transcriptional and translational landscapes of the cell. Given that Malassezia is the most abundant fungus on human skin, we assessed the impact of the mycovirus in a murine epicutaneous infection model. Although infection with virus-infected strains was not associated with an increased inflammatory response, we did observe enhanced skin colonization in one of two virus-infected M. sympodialis strains. Noteworthy, beta interferon expression was significantly upregulated in bone marrow-derived macrophages when challenged with virus-infected, compared to virus-cured, M. sympodialis, suggesting that the presence of the virus can induce an immunological response. Although many recent studies have illuminated how widespread mycoviruses are, there are relatively few in-depth studies about their impact on disease caused by the host fungus. We describe here a novel mycovirus in Malassezia and its possible implications in pathogenicity.
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28
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Ianiri G, Heitman J. Approaches for Genetic Discoveries in the Skin Commensal and Pathogenic Malassezia Yeasts. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:393. [PMID: 32850491 PMCID: PMC7426719 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malassezia includes yeasts belong to the subphylum Ustilaginomycotina within the Basidiomycota. Malassezia yeasts are commonly found as commensals on human and animal skin. Nevertheless, Malassezia species are also associated with several skin disorders, such as dandruff/seborrheic dermatitis, atopic eczema, pityriasis versicolor, and folliculitis. More recently, associations of Malassezia with Crohn's disease, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbation have been reported. The increasing availability of genomic and molecular tools have played a crucial role in understanding the genetic basis of Malassezia commensalism and pathogenicity. In the present review we report genomics advances in Malassezia highlighting unique features that potentially impacted Malassezia biology and host adaptation. Furthermore, we describe the recently developed protocols for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation in Malassezia, and their applications for random insertional mutagenesis or targeted gene replacement strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
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29
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Abstract
Diversity within the fungal kingdom is evident from the wide range of morphologies fungi display as well as the various ecological roles and industrial purposes they serve. Technological advances, particularly in long-read sequencing, coupled with the increasing efficiency and decreasing costs across sequencing platforms have enabled robust characterization of fungal genomes. These sequencing efforts continue to reveal the rampant diversity in fungi at the genome level. Here, we discuss studies that have furthered our understanding of fungal genetic diversity and genomic evolution. These studies revealed the presence of both small-scale and large-scale genomic changes. In fungi, research has recently focused on many small-scale changes, such as how hypermutation and allelic transmission impact genome evolution as well as how and why a few specific genomic regions are more susceptible to rapid evolution than others. High-throughput sequencing of a diverse set of fungal genomes has also illuminated the frequency, mechanisms, and impacts of large-scale changes, which include chromosome structural variation and changes in chromosome number, such as aneuploidy, polyploidy, and the presence of supernumerary chromosomes. The studies discussed herein have provided great insight into how the architecture of the fungal genome varies within species and across the kingdom and how modern fungi may have evolved from the last common fungal ancestor and might also pave the way for understanding how genomic diversity has evolved in all domains of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby J. Priest
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Centre, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Vikas Yadav
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Centre, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Centre, Durham, NC, USA
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