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Weerasinghe H, Stölting H, Rose AJ, Traven A. Metabolic homeostasis in fungal infections from the perspective of pathogens, immune cells, and whole-body systems. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0017122. [PMID: 39230301 PMCID: PMC11426019 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00171-22] [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] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYThe ability to overcome metabolic stress is a major determinant of outcomes during infections. Pathogens face nutrient and oxygen deprivation in host niches and during their encounter with immune cells. Immune cells require metabolic adaptations for producing antimicrobial compounds and mounting antifungal inflammation. Infection also triggers systemic changes in organ metabolism and energy expenditure that range from an enhanced metabolism to produce energy for a robust immune response to reduced metabolism as infection progresses, which coincides with immune and organ dysfunction. Competition for energy and nutrients between hosts and pathogens means that successful survival and recovery from an infection require a balance between elimination of the pathogen by the immune systems (resistance), and doing so with minimal damage to host tissues and organs (tolerance). Here, we discuss our current knowledge of pathogen, immune cell and systemic metabolism in fungal infections, and the impact of metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes. We put forward the idea that, while our knowledge of the use of metabolic regulation for fungal proliferation and antifungal immune responses (i.e., resistance) has been growing over the years, we also need to study the metabolic mechanisms that control tolerance of fungal pathogens. A comprehensive understanding of how to balance resistance and tolerance by metabolic interventions may provide insights into therapeutic strategies that could be used adjunctly with antifungal drugs to improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshini Weerasinghe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Helen Stölting
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Metabolism, Diabetes and Obesity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adam J Rose
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Metabolism, Diabetes and Obesity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ana Traven
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Yoo K, Bhattacharya S, Oliveira NK, Pereira de Sa N, Matos GS, Del Poeta M, Fries BC. With age comes resilience: how mitochondrial modulation drives age-associated fluconazole tolerance in Cryptococcus neoformans. mBio 2024; 15:e0184724. [PMID: 39136442 PMCID: PMC11389405 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01847-24] [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: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) is an opportunistic fungal microorganism that causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis. During the infection, the microbial population is heterogeneously composed of cells with varying generational ages, with older cells accumulating during chronic infections. This is attributed to their enhanced resistance to phagocytic killing and tolerance of antifungals like fluconazole (FLC). In this study, we investigated the role of ergosterol synthesis, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and mitochondrial metabolism in the regulation of age-dependent FLC tolerance. We find that old Cn cells increase the production of ergosterol and exhibit upregulation of ABC transporters. Old cells also show transcriptional and phenotypic characteristics consistent with increased metabolic activity, leading to increased ATP production. This is accompanied by increased production of reactive oxygen species, which results in mitochondrial fragmentation. This study demonstrates that the metabolic changes occurring in the mitochondria of old cells drive the increase in ergosterol synthesis and the upregulation of ABC transporters, leading to FLC tolerance. IMPORTANCE Infections caused by Cryptococcus neoformans cause more than 180,000 deaths annually. Estimated 1-year mortality for patients receiving care ranges from 20% in developed countries to 70% in developing countries, suggesting that current treatments are inadequate. Some fungal cells can persist and replicate despite the usage of current antifungal regimens, leading to death or treatment failure. Aging in fungi is associated with enhanced tolerance against antifungals and resistance to killing by host cells. This study shows that age-dependent increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species drive changes in the regulation of membrane transporters and ergosterol synthesis, ultimately leading to the heightened tolerance against fluconazole in old C. neoformans cells. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of this age-associated antifungal tolerance will enable more targeted antifungal therapies for cryptococcal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungyoon Yoo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Somanon Bhattacharya
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Natalia Kronbauer Oliveira
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Nivea Pereira de Sa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Gabriel Soares Matos
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, New York, USA
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Bettina C Fries
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, New York, USA
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3
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Zhu X, Jin F, Yang G, Zhuang T, Zhang C, Zhou H, Niu X, Wang H, Wu D. Mitochondrial Protease Oct1p Regulates Mitochondrial Homeostasis and Influences Pathogenicity through Affecting Hyphal Growth and Biofilm Formation Activities in Candida albicans. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:391. [PMID: 38921377 PMCID: PMC11204688 DOI: 10.3390/jof10060391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria, as the core metabolic organelles, play a crucial role in aerobic respiration/biosynthesis in fungi. Numerous studies have demonstrated a close relationship between mitochondria and Candida albicans virulence and drug resistance. Here, we report an octapeptide-aminopeptidase located in the mitochondrial matrix named Oct1p. Its homolog in the model fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the key proteins in maintaining mitochondrial respiration and protein stability. In this study, we utilized evolutionary tree analysis, gene knockout experiments, mitochondrial function detection, and other methods to demonstrate the impact of Oct1p on the mitochondrial function of C. albicans. Furthermore, through transcriptome analysis, real-time quantitative PCR, and morphological observation, we discovered that the absence of Oct1p results in functional abnormalities in C. albicans, affecting hyphal growth, cell adhesion, and biofilm formation. Finally, the in vivo results of the infection of Galleria mellonella larvae and vulvovaginal candidiasis in mice indicate that the loss of Oct1p led to the decreased virulence of C. albicans. In conclusion, this study provides a solid theoretical foundation for treating Candida diseases, developing new targeted drugs, and serves as a valuable reference for investigating the connection between mitochondria and virulence in other pathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Zhu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Feng Jin
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Guangyuan Yang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Tian Zhuang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Cangcang Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Hanjing Zhou
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Xiaojia Niu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Hongchen Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Daqiang Wu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230012, China
- Key Laboratory of Xin’an Medicine, Ministry of Education, College of Nursing, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 350 Longzihu Road, Hefei 230038, China
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Xue P, Sánchez-León E, Hu G, Lee CWJ, Black B, Brisland A, Li H, Jung WH, Kronstad JW. The interplay between electron transport chain function and iron regulatory factors influences melanin formation in Cryptococcus neoformans. mSphere 2024; 9:e0025024. [PMID: 38687055 PMCID: PMC11237718 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00250-24] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial functions are critical for the ability of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans to cause disease. However, mechanistic connections between key functions such as the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) and virulence factor elaboration have yet to be thoroughly characterized. Here, we observed that inhibition of ETC complex III suppressed melanin formation, a major virulence factor. This inhibition was partially overcome by defects in Cir1 or HapX, two transcription factors that regulate iron acquisition and use. In this regard, loss of Cir1 derepresses the expression of laccase genes as a potential mechanism to restore melanin, while HapX may condition melanin formation by controlling oxidative stress. We hypothesize that ETC dysfunction alters redox homeostasis to influence melanin formation. Consistent with this idea, inhibition of growth by hydrogen peroxide was exacerbated in the presence of the melanin substrate L-DOPA. In addition, loss of the mitochondrial chaperone Mrj1, which influences the activity of ETC complex III and reduces ROS accumulation, also partially overcame antimycin A inhibition of melanin. The phenotypic impact of mitochondrial dysfunction was consistent with RNA-Seq analyses of WT cells treated with antimycin A or L-DOPA, or cells lacking Cir1 that revealed influences on transcripts encoding mitochondrial functions (e.g., ETC components and proteins for Fe-S cluster assembly). Overall, these findings reveal mitochondria-nuclear communication via ROS and iron regulators to control virulence factor production in C. neoformans.IMPORTANCEThere is a growing appreciation of the importance of mitochondrial functions and iron homeostasis in the ability of fungal pathogens to sense the vertebrate host environment and cause disease. Many mitochondrial functions such as heme and iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis, and the electron transport chain (ETC), are dependent on iron. Connections between factors that regulate iron homeostasis and mitochondrial activities are known in model yeasts and are emerging for fungal pathogens. In this study, we identified connections between iron regulatory transcription factors (e.g., Cir1 and HapX) and the activity of complex III of the ETC that influence the formation of melanin, a key virulence factor in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. This fungus causes meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised people and is a major threat to the HIV/AIDS population. Thus, understanding how mitochondrial functions influence virulence may support new therapeutic approaches to combat diseases caused by C. neoformans and other fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xue
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Eddy Sánchez-León
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Guanggan Hu
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher W J Lee
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Braydon Black
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anna Brisland
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Haohua Li
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Won Hee Jung
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, South Korea
| | - James W Kronstad
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Guo XR, Zhang XG, Wang GS, Wang J, Liu XJ, Deng JH. Effect of Cinnamaldehyde on Systemic Candida albicans Infection in Mice. Chin J Integr Med 2024:10.1007/s11655-023-3754-5. [PMID: 38676827 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-023-3754-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of cinnamaldehyde (CA) on systemic Candida albicans infection in mice and to provide supportive data for the development of novel antifungal drugs. METHODS Ninety BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 3 groups according to a random number table: CA treatment group, fluconazole (positive control) group, and Tween saline (negative control) group, with 30 mice in each group. Initially, all groups of mice received consecutive intraperitoneal injections of cyclophosphamide at 200 mg/kg for 2 days, followed by intraperitoneal injection of 0.25 mL C. albicans fungal suspension (concentration of 1.0 × 107 CFU/mL) on the 4th day, to establish an immunosuppressed systemic Candida albicans infection animal model. Subsequently, the mice were orally administered CA, fluconazole and Tween saline, at 240, 240 mg/kg and 0.25 mL/kg respectively for 14 days. After a 48-h discontinuation of treatment, the liver, small intestine, and kidney tissues of mice were collected for fungal direct microscopic examination, culture, and histopathological examination. Additionally, renal tissues from each group of mice were collected for (1,3)- β -D-glucan detection. The survival status of mice in all groups was monitored for 14 days of drug administration. RESULTS The CA group exhibited a fungal clearance rate of C. albicans above 86.7% (26/30), significantly higher than the fluconazole group (60.0%, 18/30, P<0.01) and the Tween saline group (30.0%, 9/30, P<0.01). Furthermore, histopathological examination in the CA group revealed the disappearance of inflammatory cells and near-normal restoration of tissue structure. The (1,3)-β-D-glucan detection value in the CA group (860.55 ± 126.73 pg/mL) was significantly lower than that in the fluconazole group (1985.13 ± 203.56 pg/mL, P<0.01) and the Tween saline group (5910.20 ± 320.56 pg/mL, P<0.01). The mouse survival rate reached 90.0% (27/30), higher than the fluconazole group (60.0%, 18/30) and the Tween saline group (30.0%, 9/30), with a significant difference between the two groups (both P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS CA treatment exhibited significant therapeutic efficacy in mice with systemic C. albicans infection. Therefore, CA holds potential as a novel antifungal agent for targeted treatment of C. albicans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ru Guo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Xiao-Guang Zhang
- Department of Dermatovenereology, Clinical Research Center for Dermatovenereology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Gang-Sheng Wang
- The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Quanbo Pharmaceuticals, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Research Office, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Liu
- Department of Hematology, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Jie-Hua Deng
- Department of Dermatovenereology, Clinical Research Center for Dermatovenereology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China.
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Zhou M, Peng J, Ren K, Yu Y, Li D, She X, Liu W. Divergent mitochondrial responses and metabolic signal pathways secure the azole resistance in Crabtree-positive and negative Candida species. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0404223. [PMID: 38442003 PMCID: PMC10986575 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04042-23] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Azole drugs are the main therapeutic drugs for invasive fungal infections. However, azole-resistant strains appear repeatedly in the environment, posing a major threat to human health. Several reports have shown that mitochondria are associated with the virulence of pathogenic fungi. However, there are few studies on the mechanisms of mitochondria-mediated azoles resistance. Here, we first performed mitochondrial proteomic analysis on multiple Candida species (Candida albicans, Nakaseomyces glabrata, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Candida auris) and analyzed the differentially expressed mitochondrial proteins (DEMPs) between azole-sensitive and azole-resistant Candida species. Subsequently, we performed Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, gene ontology analysis, and protein-protein interaction network analysis of DEMPs. Our results showed that a total of 417, 165, and 25 DEMPs were identified in resistant C. albicans, N. glabrata, and C. auris, respectively. These DEMPs were enriched in ribosomal biogenesis at cytosol and mitochondria, tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, transporters, ergosterol, and cell wall mannan biosynthesis. The high activations of these cellular activities, found in C. albicans and C. auris (at low scale), were mostly opposite to those observed in two fermenter species-N. glabrata and P. kudriavzevii. Several transcription factors including Rtg3 were highly produced in resistant C. albicans that experienced a complex I activation of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC). The reduction of mitochondrial-related activities and complex IV/V of ETC in N. glabrata and P. kudriavzevii was companying with the reduced proteins of Tor1, Hog1, and Snf1/Snf4.IMPORTANCECandida spp. are common organisms that cause a variety of invasive diseases. However, Candida spp. are resistant to azoles, which hinders antifungal therapy. Exploring the drug-resistance mechanism of pathogenic Candida spp. will help improve the prevention and control strategy and discover new targets. Mitochondria, as an important organelle in eukaryotic cells, are closely related to a variety of cellular activities. However, the role of mitochondrial proteins in mediating azole resistance in Candida spp. has not been elucidated. Here, we analyzed the mitochondrial proteins and signaling pathways that mediate azole resistance in Candida spp. to provide ideas and references for solving the problem of azole resistance. Our work may offer new insights into the connection between mitochondria and azoles resistance in pathogenic fungi and highlight the potential clinical value of mitochondrial proteins in the treatment of invasive fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhou
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Skin Diseases and STIs, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingwen Peng
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Jinling Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medicine School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kun Ren
- Centers for pharmaceutical preparations, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Yu
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Skin Diseases and STIs, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongmei Li
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Xiaodong She
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Skin Diseases and STIs, Nanjing, China
| | - Weida Liu
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Skin Diseases and STIs, Nanjing, China
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Wu S, Zhang Y, Xu L, Zhang H, Li Y, Yang L, Zhang Z, Zhang H. Mitochondrial Outer Membrane Translocase MoTom20 Modulates Mitochondrial Morphology and Is Important for Infectious Growth of the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2024; 37:407-415. [PMID: 38171376 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-10-23-0168-r] [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: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that constantly change their morphology to adapt to the cellular environment through fission and fusion, which is critical for a cell to maintain normal cellular functions. Despite the significance of this process in the development and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, the underlying mechanism remains largely elusive. Here, we identified and characterized a mitochondrial outer membrane translocase, MoTom20, in M. oryzae. Targeted gene deletion revealed that MoTom20 plays an important role in vegetative growth, conidiogenesis, penetration, and infectious growth of M. oryzae. The growth rate, conidial production, appressorium turgor, and pathogenicity are decreased in the ΔMotom20 mutant compared with the wild-type and complemented strains. Further analysis revealed that MoTom20 localizes in mitochondrion and plays a key role in regulating mitochondrial fission and fusion balance, which is critical for infectious growth. Finally, we found that MoTom20 is involved in fatty-acid utilization, and its yeast homolog ScTom20 is able to rescue the defects of ΔMotom20 in mitochondrial morphology and pathogenicity. Overall, our data demonstrate that MoTom20 is a key regulator for mitochondrial morphology maintenance, which is important for infectious growth of the rice blast fungus M. oryzae. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Lele Xu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Haibo Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuhe Li
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Leiyun Yang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhengguang Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Haifeng Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
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Gomes RMODS, Silva KJGD, Theodoro RC. Group I introns: Structure, splicing and their applications in medical mycology. Genet Mol Biol 2024; 47Suppl 1:e20230228. [PMID: 38525907 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2023-0228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Group I introns are small RNAs (250-500 nt) capable of catalyzing their own splicing from the precursor RNA. They are widely distributed across the tree of life and have intricate relationships with their host genomes. In this work, we review its basic structure, self-splicing and its mechanisms of gene mobility. As they are widely found in unicellular eukaryotes, especially fungi, we gathered information regarding their possible impact on the physiology of fungal cells and the possible application of these introns in medical mycology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Raquel Cordeiro Theodoro
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Biologia Celular de Genética, Natal, RN, Brazil
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Xue P, Sánchez-León E, Hu G, Lee CWJ, Black B, Brisland A, Li H, Jung WH, Kronstad JW. The interplay between electron transport chain function and iron regulatory factors influences melanin formation in Cryptococcus neoformans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.15.580540. [PMID: 38405941 PMCID: PMC10888943 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.15.580540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondrial functions are critical for the ability of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans to cause disease. However, mechanistic connections between key functions such as the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) and virulence factor elaboration have yet to be thoroughly characterized. Here, we observed that inhibition of ETC complex III suppressed melanin formation, a major virulence factor. This inhibition was partially blocked upon loss of Cir1 or HapX, two transcription factors that regulate iron acquisition and use. In this regard, loss of Cir1 derepresses the expression of laccase genes as a potential mechanism to restore melanin, while HapX may condition melanin formation by controlling oxidative stress. We hypothesize that ETC dysfunction alters redox homeostasis to influence melanin formation. Consistent with this idea, inhibition of growth by hydrogen peroxide was exacerbated in the presence of the melanin substrate L-DOPA. Additionally, loss of the mitochondrial chaperone Mrj1, which influences the activity of ETC complex III and reduces ROS accumulation, also partially blocked antimycin A inhibition of melanin. The phenotypic impact of mitochondrial dysfunction was consistent with RNA-Seq analyses of WT cells treated with antimycin A or L-DOPA, or cells lacking Cir1 that revealed influences on transcripts encoding mitochondrial functions (e.g., ETC components and proteins for Fe-S cluster assembly). Overall, these findings reveal mitochondria-nuclear communication via ROS and iron regulators to control virulence factor production in C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xue
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Present address: Nantong Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Eddy Sánchez-León
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Guanggan Hu
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher WJ Lee
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Braydon Black
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anna Brisland
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Haohua Li
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Won Hee Jung
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Republic of Korea
| | - James W. Kronstad
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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10
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Wang S, He B, Wu H, Cai Q, Ramírez-Sánchez O, Abreu-Goodger C, Birch PRJ, Jin H. Plant mRNAs move into a fungal pathogen via extracellular vesicles to reduce infection. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:93-105.e6. [PMID: 38103543 PMCID: PMC10872371 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Cross-kingdom small RNA trafficking between hosts and microbes modulates gene expression in the interacting partners during infection. However, whether other RNAs are also transferred is unclear. Here, we discover that host plant Arabidopsis thaliana delivers mRNAs via extracellular vesicles (EVs) into the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. A fluorescent RNA aptamer reporter Broccoli system reveals host mRNAs in EVs and recipient fungal cells. Using translating ribosome affinity purification profiling and polysome analysis, we observe that delivered host mRNAs are translated in fungal cells. Ectopic expression of two transferred host mRNAs in B. cinerea shows that their proteins are detrimental to infection. Arabidopsis knockout mutants of the genes corresponding to these transferred mRNAs are more susceptible. Thus, plants have a strategy to reduce infection by transporting mRNAs into fungal cells. mRNAs transferred from plants to pathogenic fungi are translated to compromise infection, providing knowledge that helps combat crop diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumei Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Baoye He
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Huaitong Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Qiang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Obed Ramírez-Sánchez
- National Laboratory of Genomics for Biodiversity (Langebio), Cinvestav, Irapuato 36821 Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Cei Abreu-Goodger
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Paul R J Birch
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Science, University of Dundee at James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK; Cell and Molecular Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
| | - Hailing Jin
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
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11
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Thorn V, Xu J. Mitogenome Variations in a Global Population of Aspergillus fumigatus. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:995. [PMID: 37888251 PMCID: PMC10608017 DOI: 10.3390/jof9100995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous, critical priority human fungal pathogen. Despite its clinical importance, there is limited knowledge regarding the variations of the genome within mitochondria, the powerhouse organelle within eukaryotic cells. In this study, we leveraged publicly available, raw, whole genome sequence data isolates from 1939 to investigate the variations in the mitochondrial genomes of A. fumigatus. These isolates were isolated from 22 countries on six continents, as well as from outer space and from within the International Space Station. In total, our analysis revealed 39 mitochondrial single nucleotide polymorphisms (mtSNPs) within this global sample, and, together, these 39 mtSNPs grouped the 1939 isolates into 79 mitochondrial multilocus genotypes (MLGs). Among the 79 MLGs, 39 were each distributed in at least two countries and 30 were each shared by at least two continents. The two most frequent MLGs were also broadly distributed: MLG11 represented 420 isolates from 11 countries and four continents and while MLG79 represented 418 isolates from 18 countries and five continents, consistent with long-distance dispersals of mitogenomes. Our population genetic analyses of the mtSNPs revealed limited differentiation among continental populations, but highly variable genetic differences among national populations, largely due to localized clonal expansions of different MLGs. Phylogenetic analysis and Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components of mtSNPs suggested the presence of at least three mitogenome clusters. Linkage disequilibrium, Index of Association, and phylogenetic incompatibility analyses collectively suggested evidence for mitogenome recombination in natural populations of A. fumigatus. In addition, sequence read depth analyses revealed an average ratio of ~20 mitogenomes per nuclear genome in this global population, but the ratios varied among strains within and between certain geographic populations. Together, our results suggest evidence for organelle dynamics, genetic differentiation, recombination, and both widespread and localized clonal expansion of the mitogenomes in the global A. fumigatus population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology, Institute of Infectious Diseases Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada;
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12
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Endres K, Friedland K. Talk to Me-Interplay between Mitochondria and Microbiota in Aging. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10818. [PMID: 37445995 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310818] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The existence of mitochondria in eukaryotic host cells as a remnant of former microbial organisms has been widely accepted, as has their fundamental role in several diseases and physiological aging. In recent years, it has become clear that the health, aging, and life span of multicellular hosts are also highly dependent on the still-residing microbiota, e.g., those within the intestinal system. Due to the common evolutionary origin of mitochondria and these microbial commensals, it is intriguing to investigate if there might be a crosstalk based on preserved common properties. In the light of rising knowledge on the gut-brain axis, such crosstalk might severely affect brain homeostasis in aging, as neuronal tissue has a high energy demand and low tolerance for according functional decline. In this review, we summarize what is known about the impact of both mitochondria and the microbiome on the host's aging process and what is known about the aging of both entities. For a long time, bacteria were assumed to be immortal; however, recent evidence indicates their aging and similar observations have been made for mitochondria. Finally, we present pathways by which mitochondria are affected by microbiota and give information about therapeutic anti-aging approaches that are based on current knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Endres
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Kristina Friedland
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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13
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Christinaki AC, Theelen B, Zania A, Coutinho SDA, Cabañes JF, Boekhout T, Kouvelis VN. Co-evolution of large inverted repeats and G-quadruplex DNA in fungal mitochondria may facilitate mitogenome stability: the case of Malassezia. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6308. [PMID: 37072481 PMCID: PMC10113387 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33486-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitogenomes are essential due to their contribution to cell respiration. Recently they have also been implicated in fungal pathogenicity mechanisms. Members of the basidiomycetous yeast genus Malassezia are an important fungal component of the human skin microbiome, linked to various skin diseases, bloodstream infections, and they are increasingly implicated in gut diseases and certain cancers. In this study, the comparative analysis of Malassezia mitogenomes contributed to phylogenetic tree construction for all species. The mitogenomes presented significant size and gene order diversity which correlates to their phylogeny. Most importantly, they showed the inclusion of large inverted repeats (LIRs) and G-quadruplex (G4) DNA elements, rendering Malassezia mitogenomes a valuable test case for elucidating the evolutionary mechanisms responsible for this genome diversity. Both LIRs and G4s coexist and convergently evolved to provide genome stability through recombination. This mechanism is common in chloroplasts but, hitherto, rarely found in mitogenomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia C Christinaki
- Section of Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15771, Athens, Greece
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bart Theelen
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alkmini Zania
- Section of Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15771, Athens, Greece
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Javier F Cabañes
- Veterinary Mycology Group, Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vassili N Kouvelis
- Section of Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15771, Athens, Greece.
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14
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Mitochondria in Cryptococcus: an update of mitochondrial transcriptional regulation in Cryptococcus. Curr Genet 2023; 69:1-6. [PMID: 36729179 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-023-01261-7] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Encapsulated Cryptococcus species are responsible for approximately 15% of AIDS-related mortality. Numerous intriguing investigations have demonstrated that mitochondria play a crucial role in the pathogen-host axis of microorganisms. Mitochondria are vital energy-generating organelles, but they also regulate a variety of cellular activities, such as fungal adaptability in the host and drug resistance. Mitochondria are also the source of reactive oxygen species, which serve as intracellular messengers but are harmful when produced in excess. Thus, precise and stringent regulation of mitochondrial activity, including oxidative phosphorylation and the ROS detoxification process, is essential to ensure that only the amount required to maintain basic biological activities and prevent ROS toxicity in the cell is maintained. However, the relationship between mitochondria and the pathogenicity of Cryptococcus remains poorly understood. In this review, we focus on transcription regulation and maintenance of mitochondrial function along the pathogen-host interaction axis, as well as prospective antifungal strategies that target mitochondria.
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15
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Sharma T, Sridhar PS, Blackman C, Foote SJ, Allingham JS, Subramaniam R, Loewen MC. 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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [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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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Sharma
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Aquatic and Crop Resources Development Research Center, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pooja S. Sridhar
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Science, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher Blackman
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Simon J. Foote
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Center, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John S. Allingham
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Science, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rajagopal Subramaniam
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michele C. Loewen
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Aquatic and Crop Resources Development Research Center, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Science, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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16
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Bénit P, Goncalves J, El Khoury R, Rak M, Favier J, Gimenez-Roqueplo AP, Rustin P. Succinate Dehydrogenase, Succinate, and Superoxides: A Genetic, Epigenetic, Metabolic, Environmental Explosive Crossroad. Biomedicines 2022; 10:1788. [PMID: 35892689 PMCID: PMC9394281 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Research focused on succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and its substrate, succinate, culminated in the 1950s accompanying the rapid development of research dedicated to bioenergetics and intermediary metabolism. This allowed researchers to uncover the implication of SDH in both the mitochondrial respiratory chain and the Krebs cycle. Nowadays, this theme is experiencing a real revival following the discovery of the role of SDH and succinate in a subset of tumors and cancers in humans. The aim of this review is to enlighten the many questions yet unanswered, ranging from fundamental to clinically oriented aspects, up to the danger of the current use of SDH as a target for a subclass of pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paule Bénit
- NeuroDiderot, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75019 Paris, France; (P.B.); (M.R.)
| | - Judith Goncalves
- Paris Centre de Recherche Cardiovasculaire (PARCC), Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France; (J.G.); (J.F.)
| | - Riyad El Khoury
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon;
| | - Malgorzata Rak
- NeuroDiderot, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75019 Paris, France; (P.B.); (M.R.)
| | - Judith Favier
- Paris Centre de Recherche Cardiovasculaire (PARCC), Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France; (J.G.); (J.F.)
| | - Anne-Paule Gimenez-Roqueplo
- Département de Médecine Génomique des Tumeurs et des Cancers, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, F-75015 Paris, France;
| | - Pierre Rustin
- NeuroDiderot, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75019 Paris, France; (P.B.); (M.R.)
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17
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Piatek M, O'Beirne C, Beato Z, Tacke M, Kavanagh K. Exposure of Candida parapsilosis to the silver(I) compound SBC3 induces alterations in the proteome and reduced virulence. Metallomics 2022; 14:6617997. [PMID: 35751649 PMCID: PMC9348618 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfac046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The antimicrobial properties of silver have been exploited for many centuries and continue to gain interest in the fight against antimicrobial drug resistance. The broad-spectrum activity and low toxicity of silver have led to its incorporation into a wide range of novel antimicrobial agents, including N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes. The antimicrobial activity and in vivo efficacy of the NHC silver(I) acetate complex SBC3, derived from 1,3-dibenzyl-4,5-diphenylimidazol-2-ylidene (NHC*), have previously been demonstrated, although the mode(s) of action of SBC3 remains to be fully elucidated. Label-free quantitative proteomics was applied to analyse changes in protein abundance in the pathogenic yeast Candida parapsilosis in response to SBC3 treatment. An increased abundance of proteins associated with detoxification and drug efflux were indicative of a cell stress response, whilst significant decreases in proteins required for protein and amino acid biosynthesis offer potential insight into the growth-inhibitory mechanisms of SBC3. Guided by the proteomic findings and the prolific biofilm and adherence capabilities of C. parapsilosis, our studies have shown the potential of SBC3 in reducing adherence to epithelial cells and biofilm formation and hence decrease fungal virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Piatek
- SSPC Pharma Research Centre, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Cillian O'Beirne
- School of School of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Stillorgan, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Zoe Beato
- School of School of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Stillorgan, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Matthias Tacke
- School of School of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Stillorgan, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- SSPC Pharma Research Centre, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
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18
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Sun CQ, Peng J, Yang LB, Jiao ZL, Zhou LX, Tao RY, Zhu LJ, Tian ZQ, Huang MJ, Guo G. A Cecropin-4 Derived Peptide C18 Inhibits Candida albicans by Disturbing Mitochondrial Function. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:872322. [PMID: 35531288 PMCID: PMC9075107 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.872322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Global burden of fungal infections and related health risk has accelerated at an incredible pace, and multidrug resistance emergency aggravates the need for the development of new effective strategies. Candida albicans is clinically the most ubiquitous pathogenic fungus that leads to high incidence and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), in this context, represent promising alternatives having potential to be exploited for improving human health. In our previous studies, a Cecropin-4-derived peptide named C18 was found to possess a broader antibacterial spectrum after modification and exhibit significant antifungal activity against C. albicans. In this study, C18 shows antifungal activity against C. albicans or non-albicans Candida species with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 4∼32 μg/ml, and clinical isolates of fluconazole (FLZ)-resistance C. tropicalis were highly susceptible to C18 with MIC value of 8 or 16 μg/ml. Additionally, C18 is superior to FLZ for killing planktonic C. albicans from inhibitory and killing kinetic curves. Moreover, C18 could attenuate the virulence of C. albicans, which includes damaging the cell structure, retarding hyphae transition, and inhibiting biofilm formation. Intriguingly, in the Galleria mellonella model with C. albicans infection, C18 could improve the survival rate of G. mellonella larvae to 70% and reduce C. albicans load from 5.01 × 107 to 5.62 × 104 CFU. For mechanistic action of C18, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and cytosolic Ca2 + increased in the presence of C18, which is closely associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Meanwhile, mitochondrial membrane potential (△Ψm) loss and ATP depletion of C. albicans occurred with the treatment of C18. We hypothesized that C18 might inhibit C. albicans via triggering mitochondrial dysfunction driven by ROS generation and Ca2 + accumulation. Our observation provides a basis for future research to explore the antifungal strategies and presents C18 as an attractive therapeutic candidate to be developed to treat candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Qin Sun
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Center of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jian Peng
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Guizhou Medical University, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, China
| | - Long-Bing Yang
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zheng-Long Jiao
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Luo-Xiong Zhou
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Guizhou Medical University, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, China
| | - Ru-Yu Tao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Kaili, China
| | - Li-Juan Zhu
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhu-Qing Tian
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ming-Jiao Huang
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Guo Guo
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Guizhou Medical University, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Guo Guo,
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19
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Fonseca PLC, De-Paula RB, Araújo DS, Tomé LMR, Mendes-Pereira T, Rodrigues WFC, Del-Bem LE, Aguiar ERGR, Góes-Neto A. Global Characterization of Fungal Mitogenomes: New Insights on Genomic Diversity and Dynamism of Coding Genes and Accessory Elements. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:787283. [PMID: 34925295 PMCID: PMC8672057 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.787283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungi comprise a great diversity of species with distinct ecological functions and lifestyles. Similar to other eukaryotes, fungi rely on interactions with prokaryotes and one of the most important symbiotic events was the acquisition of mitochondria. Mitochondria are organelles found in eukaryotic cells whose main function is to generate energy through aerobic respiration. Mitogenomes (mtDNAs) are double-stranded circular or linear DNA from mitochondria that may contain core genes and accessory elements that can be replicated, transcribed, and independently translated from the nuclear genome. Despite their importance, investigative studies on the diversity of fungal mitogenomes are scarce. Herein, we have evaluated 788 curated fungal mitogenomes available at NCBI database to assess discrepancies and similarities among them and to better understand the mechanisms involved in fungal mtDNAs variability. From a total of 12 fungal phyla, four do not have any representative with available mitogenomes, which highlights the underrepresentation of some groups in the current available data. We selected representative and non-redundant mitogenomes based on the threshold of 90% similarity, eliminating 81 mtDNAs. Comparative analyses revealed considerable size variability of mtDNAs with a difference of up to 260 kb in length. Furthermore, variation in mitogenome length and genomic composition are generally related to the number and length of accessory elements (introns, HEGs, and uORFs). We identified an overall average of 8.0 (0–39) introns, 8.0 (0–100) HEGs, and 8.2 (0–102) uORFs per genome, with high variation among phyla. Even though the length of the core protein-coding genes is considerably conserved, approximately 36.3% of the mitogenomes evaluated have at least one of the 14 core coding genes absent. Also, our results revealed that there is not even a single gene shared among all mitogenomes. Other unusual genes in mitogenomes were also detected in many mitogenomes, such as dpo and rpo, and displayed diverse evolutionary histories. Altogether, the results presented in this study suggest that fungal mitogenomes are diverse, contain accessory elements and are absent of a conserved gene that can be used for the taxonomic classification of the Kingdom Fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula L C Fonseca
- Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Department of Biological Science (DCB), Center of Biotechnology and Genetics (CBG), Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Ruth B De-Paula
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Daniel S Araújo
- Program in Bioinformatics, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Luiz Marcelo Ribeiro Tomé
- Molecular and Computational Biology of Fungi Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Thairine Mendes-Pereira
- Molecular and Computational Biology of Fungi Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Luiz-Eduardo Del-Bem
- Program of Bioinformatics, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Department of Botany, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Eric R G R Aguiar
- Department of Biological Science (DCB), Center of Biotechnology and Genetics (CBG), Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Aristóteles Góes-Neto
- Molecular and Computational Biology of Fungi Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Program of Bioinformatics, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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20
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Zhang Y, Wang S, Li H, Liu C, Mi F, Wang R, Mo M, Xu J. Evidence for Persistent Heteroplasmy and Ancient Recombination in the Mitochondrial Genomes of the Edible Yellow Chanterelles From Southwestern China and Europe. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:699598. [PMID: 34335532 PMCID: PMC8317506 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.699598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial genes and genomes have patterns of inheritance that are distinctly different from those of nuclear genes and genomes. In nature, the mitochondrial genomes in eukaryotes are generally considered non-recombining and homoplasmic. If heteroplasmy and recombination exist, they are typically very limited in both space and time. Here we show that mitochondrial heteroplasmy and recombination may not be limited to a specific population nor exit only transiently in the basidiomycete Cantharellus cibarius and related species. These edible yellow chanterelles are an ecologically very important group of fungi and among the most prominent wild edible mushrooms in the Northern Hemisphere. At present, very little is known about the genetics and population biology of these fungia cross large geographical distances. Our study here analyzed a total of 363 specimens of edible yellow chanterelles from 24 geographic locations in Yunnan in southwestern China and six geographic locations in five countries in Europe. For each mushroom sample, we obtained the DNA sequences at two genes, one in the nuclear genome and one in the mitochondrial genome. Our analyses of the nuclear gene, translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef-1) and the DNA barcode of C. cibarius and related species, suggested these samples belong to four known species and five potential new species. Interestingly, analyses of the mitochondrial ATP synthase subunit 6 (atp6) gene fragment revealed evidence of heteroplasmy in two geographic samples in Yunnan and recombination within the two new putative species in Yunnan. Specifically, all four possible haplotypes at two polymorphic nucleotide sites within the mitochondrial atp6 gene were found distributed across several geographic locations in Yunnan. Furthermore, these four haplotypes were broadly distributed across multiple phylogenetic clades constructed based on nuclear tef-1 sequences. Our results suggest that heteroplasmy and mitochondrial recombination might have happened repeatedly during the evolution of the yellow chanterelles. Together, our results suggest that the edible yellow chanterelles represent an excellent system from which to study the evolution of mitochondrial-nuclear genome relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Shaojuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- Qicai Yunnan Primary School Affiliated with Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China
| | - Haixia Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Chunli Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- Kunming Edible Fungi Institute of All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, Kunming, China
| | - Fei Mi
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- Research Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Ruirui Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Meizi Mo
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Jianping Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Black B, Lee C, Horianopoulos LC, Jung WH, Kronstad JW. Respiring to infect: Emerging links between mitochondria, the electron transport chain, and fungal pathogenesis. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009661. [PMID: 34237096 PMCID: PMC8266039 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Braydon Black
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Christopher Lee
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Linda C. Horianopoulos
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Won Hee Jung
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Republic of Korea
| | - James W. Kronstad
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- * E-mail:
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22
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Kumari S, Kumar M, Gaur NA, Prasad R. Multiple roles of ABC transporters in yeast. Fungal Genet Biol 2021; 150:103550. [PMID: 33675986 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2021.103550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, first discovered as high-affinity nutrient importers in bacteria, rose to prominence when their ability to confer multidrug resistance (MDR) to cancer cells was realized. The most characterized human permeability glycoprotein (P-gp) is a dominant exporter of anti-cancer drugs and its overexpression is directly linked to MDR. The overexpression of drug efflux pumps belonging to the ABC superfamily is also a frequent cause of resistance to antifungals. Fungi has a battery of ABC proteins, but in variable numbers and at different subcellular locations. These proteins perform many critical functions, from serving as gatekeepers for xenobiotic cleansing to translocating various structurally unrelated cargoes, including lipids, fatty acids, ions, peptides, sterols, metabolites and toxins. Their emerging additional roles in cellular physiology and virulence call for attention to analyze and re-examine their divergent functions in yeast. In brief, this review traces the history of ABC transporters in yeast and discusses their typical physiological functions that go beyond their well-known role as antifungal drug efflux pumps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonam Kumari
- Yeast Biofuel Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Mohit Kumar
- Yeast Biofuel Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India; Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, 122413 Haryana, India
| | - Naseem A Gaur
- Yeast Biofuel Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India.
| | - Rajendra Prasad
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, 122413 Haryana, India.
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23
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Ke CL, Liao YT, Lin CH. MSS2 maintains mitochondrial function and is required for chitosan resistance, invasive growth, biofilm formation and virulence in Candida albicans. Virulence 2021; 12:281-297. [PMID: 33427576 PMCID: PMC7808435 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1870082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is the most prevalent fungal pathogen in humans, particularly in immunocompromised patients. In this study, by screening a C. albicans mutant library, we first identified that the MSS2 gene, an ortholog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae MSS2 required for mitochondrial respiration, mediates chitosan resistance. Upon treatment with 0.2% chitosan, the growth of mss2Δ strains was strikingly impaired, and MSS2 expression was significantly repressed by chitosan. Furthermore, mss2Δ strains exhibited slow growth on medium supplemented with glycerol as the sole carbon source. Similar to the chitosan-treated wild-type strain, the mss2Δ strain exhibited a significantly impaired ATP production ability. These data suggest that an antifungal mechanism of chitosan against C. albicans acts by inhibiting MSS2 gene expression, leading to repression of mitochondrial function. Normal respiratory function is suggested to be required for fungal virulence. Interestingly, the mss2Δ mutant strains exhibited significantly impaired invasive ability in vitro and ex vivo but retained normal hyphal development ability in liquid medium. Furthermore, the MSS2 deletion strains could not form robust biofilms and exhibited significantly reduced virulence. Collectively, these results demonstrated that the antifungal effect of chitosan against C. albicans is mediated via inhibition of mitochondrial biogenesis. These data may provide another strategy for antifungal drug development via inhibition of fungal mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cai-Ling Ke
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ting Liao
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
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24
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Kulik T, Van Diepeningen AD, Hausner G. Editorial: The Significance of Mitogenomics in Mycology. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:628579. [PMID: 33488569 PMCID: PMC7817700 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.628579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Kulik
- Department of Botany and Nature Protection, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anne D Van Diepeningen
- B.U. Biointeractions and Plant Health, Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Georg Hausner
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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25
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Navarro-Espíndola R, Suaste-Olmos F, Peraza-Reyes L. Dynamic Regulation of Peroxisomes and Mitochondria during Fungal Development. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:E302. [PMID: 33233491 PMCID: PMC7711908 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Peroxisomes and mitochondria are organelles that perform major functions in the cell and whose activity is very closely associated. In fungi, the function of these organelles is critical for many developmental processes. Recent studies have disclosed that, additionally, fungal development comprises a dynamic regulation of the activity of these organelles, which involves a developmental regulation of organelle assembly, as well as a dynamic modulation of the abundance, distribution, and morphology of these organelles. Furthermore, for many of these processes, the dynamics of peroxisomes and mitochondria are governed by common factors. Notably, intense research has revealed that the process that drives the division of mitochondria and peroxisomes contributes to several developmental processes-including the formation of asexual spores, the differentiation of infective structures by pathogenic fungi, and sexual development-and that these processes rely on selective removal of these organelles via autophagy. Furthermore, evidence has been obtained suggesting a coordinated regulation of organelle assembly and dynamics during development and supporting the existence of regulatory systems controlling fungal development in response to mitochondrial activity. Gathered information underscores an important role for mitochondrial and peroxisome dynamics in fungal development and suggests that this process involves the concerted activity of these organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leonardo Peraza-Reyes
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (R.N.-E.); (F.S.-O.)
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26
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Song J, Zhou J, Zhang L, Li R. Mitochondria-Mediated Azole Drug Resistance and Fungal Pathogenicity: Opportunities for Therapeutic Development. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1574. [PMID: 33066090 PMCID: PMC7600254 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the role of mitochondria in pathogenic fungi in terms of azole resistance and fungal pathogenicity has been a rapidly developing field. In this review, we describe the molecular mechanisms by which mitochondria are involved in regulating azole resistance and fungal pathogenicity. Mitochondrial function is involved in the regulation of drug efflux pumps at the transcriptional and posttranslational levels. On the one hand, defects in mitochondrial function can serve as the signal leading to activation of calcium signaling and the pleiotropic drug resistance pathway and, therefore, can globally upregulate the expression of drug efflux pump genes, leading to azole drug resistance. On the other hand, mitochondria also contribute to azole resistance through modulation of drug efflux pump localization and activity. Mitochondria further contribute to azole resistance through participating in iron homeostasis and lipid biosynthesis. Additionally, mitochondrial dynamics play an important role in azole resistance. Meanwhile, mitochondrial morphology is important for fungal virulence, playing roles in growth in stressful conditions in a host. Furthermore, there is a close link between mitochondrial respiration and fungal virulence, and mitochondrial respiration plays an important role in morphogenetic transition, hypoxia adaptation, and cell wall biosynthesis. Finally, we discuss the possibility for targeting mitochondrial factors for the development of antifungal therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxing Song
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China;
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Jinan 250012, China;
| | - Jingwen Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China;
| | - Lei Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Jinan 250012, China;
| | - Rongpeng Li
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China;
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27
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Yildiz G, Ozkilinc H. First characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of fungal plant-pathogen Monilinia laxa which represents the mobile intron rich structure. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13644. [PMID: 32788650 PMCID: PMC7424523 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70611-z] [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: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Monilinia laxa is an important fungal plant pathogen causing brown rot on many stone and pome fruits worldwide. Mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) plays a critical role in evolutionary biology of the organisms. This study aimed to characterize the complete mitogenome of M. laxa by using next-generation sequencing and approaches of de novo assembly and annotation. The total length of the mitogenome of M. laxa was 178,357 bp, and its structure was circular. GC content of the mitogenome was 30.1%. Annotation of the mitogenome presented 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 32 transfer RNA genes (tRNA), 1 gene encoding mitochondrial ribosomal protein S3, 14 protein-coding genes and 15 open reading frame encoding hypothetical proteins. Moreover, the group I mobile introns encoding homing endonucleases including LAGLIDADG and GIY-YIG families were found both within coding regions (genic) and intergenic regions of the mitogenome, indicating an enlarged size and a dynamic structure of the mitogenome. Furthermore, a comparative mitogenomic analysis was performed between M. laxa and the three closely related fungal phytopathogen species (Botryotinia fuckeliana, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and, S. borealis). Due to the number and distribution of introns, the large extent of structural rearrangements and diverse mitogenome sizes were detected among the species investigated. Monilinia laxa presented the highest number of homing endonucleases among the fungal species considered in the analyses. This study is the first to report a detailed annotation of the mitogenome of an isolate of M. laxa, providing a solid basis for further investigations of mitogenome variations for the other Monilinia pathogens causing brown rot disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gozde Yildiz
- Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, MSc Program in Biomolecular Sciences, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey
| | - Hilal Ozkilinc
- Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, MSc Program in Biomolecular Sciences, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey.
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey.
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28
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Arf-like proteins (Arl1 and Arl2) are involved in mitochondrial homeostasis in Mucor circinelloides. Fungal Biol 2020; 124:619-628. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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The Novel J-Domain Protein Mrj1 Is Required for Mitochondrial Respiration and Virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.01127-20. [PMID: 32518190 PMCID: PMC7373193 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01127-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is the causative agent of cryptococcal meningitis, a disease responsible for ∼15% of all HIV-related deaths. Unfortunately, development of antifungal drugs is challenging because potential targets are conserved between humans and C. neoformans. In this context, we characterized a unique J-domain protein, Mrj1, which lacks orthologs in humans. We showed that Mrj1 was required for normal mitochondrial respiration and that mutants lacking Mrj1 were deficient in growth, capsule elaboration, and virulence. Furthermore, we were able to phenocopy the defects in growth and capsule elaboration by inhibiting respiration. This result suggests that the role of Mrj1 in mitochondrial function was responsible for the observed virulence defects and reinforces the importance of mitochondria to fungal pathogenesis. Mitochondria are difficult to target, as their function is also key to human cells; however, Mrj1 presents an opportunity to target a unique fungal protein required for mitochondrial function and virulence in C. neoformans. The opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans must adapt to the mammalian environment to establish an infection. Proteins facilitating adaptation to novel environments, such as chaperones, may be required for virulence. In this study, we identified a novel mitochondrial co-chaperone, Mrj1 (mitochondrial respiration J-domain protein 1), necessary for virulence in C. neoformans. The mrj1Δ and J-domain-inactivated mutants had general growth defects at both routine laboratory and human body temperatures and were deficient in the major virulence factor of capsule elaboration. The latter phenotype was associated with cell wall changes and increased capsular polysaccharide shedding. Accordingly, the mrj1Δ mutant was avirulent in a murine model of cryptococcosis. Mrj1 has a mitochondrial localization and co-immunoprecipitated with Qcr2, a core component of complex III of the electron transport chain. The mrj1 mutants were deficient in mitochondrial functions, including growth on alternative carbon sources, growth without iron, and mitochondrial polarization. They were also insensitive to complex III inhibitors and hypersensitive to an alternative oxidase (AOX) inhibitor, suggesting that Mrj1 functions in respiration. In support of this conclusion, mrj1 mutants also had elevated basal oxygen consumption rates which were completely abolished by the addition of the AOX inhibitor, confirming that Mrj1 is required for mitochondrial respiration through complexes III and IV. Furthermore, inhibition of complex III phenocopied the capsule and cell wall defects of the mrj1 mutants. Taken together, these results indicate that Mrj1 is required for normal mitochondrial respiration, a key aspect of adaptation to the host environment and virulence.
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30
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Medina R, Franco MEE, Bartel LC, Martinez Alcántara V, Saparrat MCN, Balatti PA. Fungal Mitogenomes: Relevant Features to Planning Plant Disease Management. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:978. [PMID: 32547508 PMCID: PMC7272585 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial genomes (mt-genomes) are characterized by a distinct codon usage and their autonomous replication. Mt-genomes encode highly conserved genes (mt-genes), like proteins involved in electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation but they also carry highly variable regions that are in part responsible for their high plasticity. The degree of conservation of their genes is such that they allow the establishment of phylogenetic relationships even across distantly related species. Here, we describe the mechanisms that generate changes along mt-genomes, which play key roles at enlarging the ability of fungi to adapt to changing environments. Within mt-genomes of fungal pathogens, there are dispensable as well as indispensable genes for survival, virulence and/or pathogenicity. We also describe the different complexes or mechanisms targeted by fungicides, thus addressing a relevant issue regarding disease management. Despite the controversial origin and evolution of fungal mt-genomes, the intrinsic mechanisms and molecular biology involved in their evolution will help to understand, at the molecular level, the strategies for fungal disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocio Medina
- Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología, Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIDEFI-CICPBA), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | | | - Laura Cecilia Bartel
- Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología, Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIDEFI-CICPBA), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Virginia Martinez Alcántara
- Cátedra de Microbiología Agrícola, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Mario Carlos Nazareno Saparrat
- Cátedra de Microbiología Agrícola, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal (INFIVE), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Pedro Alberto Balatti
- Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología, Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIDEFI-CICPBA), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
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31
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Mead HL, Roe CC, Higgins Keppler EA, Van Dyke MCC, Laux KL, Funke AL, Miller KJ, Bean HD, Sahl JW, Barker BM. Defining Critical Genes During Spherule Remodeling and Endospore Development in the Fungal Pathogen, Coccidioides posadasii. Front Genet 2020; 11:483. [PMID: 32499817 PMCID: PMC7243461 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii are soil dwelling dimorphic fungi found in North and South America. Inhalation of aerosolized asexual conidia can result in asymptomatic, acute, or chronic respiratory infection. In the United States there are approximately 350,000 new infections per year. The Coccidioides genus is the only known fungal pathogen to make specialized parasitic spherules, which contain endospores that are released into the host upon spherule rupture. The molecular determinants involved in this key step of infection remain largely elusive as 49% of genes are hypothetical with unknown function. An attenuated mutant strain C. posadasii Δcts2/Δard1/Δcts3 in which chitinase genes 2 and 3 were deleted was previously created for vaccine development. This strain does not complete endospore development, which prevents completion of the parasitic lifecycle. We sought to identify pathways active in the wild-type strain during spherule remodeling and endospore formation that have been affected by gene deletion in the mutant. We compared the transcriptome and volatile metabolome of the mutant Δcts2/Δard1/Δcts3 to the wild-type C735. First, the global transcriptome was compared for both isolates using RNA sequencing. The raw reads were aligned to the reference genome using TOPHAT2 and analyzed using the Cufflinks package. Genes of interest were screened in an in vivo model using NanoString technology. Using solid phase microextraction (SPME) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography - time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS) volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were collected and analyzed. Our RNA-Seq analyses reveal approximately 280 significantly differentially regulated transcripts that are either absent or show opposite expression patterns in the mutant compared to the parent strain. This suggests that these genes are tied to networks impacted by deletion and may be critical for endospore development and/or spherule rupture in the wild-type strain. Of these genes, 14 were specific to the Coccidioides genus. We also found that the wild-type and mutant strains differed significantly in their production versus consumption of metabolites, with the mutant displaying increased nutrient scavenging. Overall, our results provide the first targeted list of key genes that are active during endospore formation and demonstrate that this approach can define targets for functional assays in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- H L Mead
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
| | - C C Roe
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
| | - E A Higgins Keppler
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - M C Caballero Van Dyke
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
| | - K L Laux
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
| | - A L Funke
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States.,Imaging Histology Core Facility, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
| | - K J Miller
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
| | - H D Bean
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - J W Sahl
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
| | - B M Barker
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
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32
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Szabó A, Antunovics Z, Karanyicz E, Sipiczki M. Diversity and Postzygotic Evolution of the Mitochondrial Genome in Hybrids of Saccharomyces Species Isolated by Double Sterility Barrier. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:838. [PMID: 32457720 PMCID: PMC7221252 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic species are reproductively isolated by sterility barriers that prevent interspecies fertilization (prezygotic sterility barrier) or the fertilization results in infertile offspring (postzygotic sterility barrier). The Saccharomyces species are isolated by postzygotic sterility barriers. Their allodiploid hybrids form no viable gametes (ascospores) and the viable ascospores of the allotetraploids cannot fertilize (conjugate). Our previous work revealed that this mechanism of reproductive isolation differs from those operating in plants and animals and we designated it double sterility barrier (the failure of homeologous chromosomes to pair and the repression of mating by mating-type heterozygosity). Other studies implicated nucleo-mitochondrial incompatibilities in the sterility of the Saccharomyces hybrids, a mechanism assumed to play a central role in the reproductive isolation of animal species. In this project the mitochondrial genomes of 50 cevarum (S. cerevisiae × S. uvarum) hybrids were analyzed. 62% had S. cerevisiae mitotypes, 4% had S. uvarum mitotypes, and 34% had recombinant mitotypes. All but one hybrid formed viable spores indicating that they had genomes larger than allodiploid. Most of these spores were sterile (no sporulation in the clone of vegetative descendants; a feature characteristic of allodiploids). But regardless of their mitotypes, most hybrids could also form fertile alloaneuploid spore clones at low frequencies upon the loss of the MAT-carrying chromosome of the S. uvarum subgenome during meiosis. Hence, the cevarum alloploid nuclear genome is compatible with both parental mitochondrial genomes as well as with their recombinants, and the sterility of the hybrids is maintained by the double sterility barrier (determined in the nuclear genome) rather than by nucleo-mitochondrial incompatibilities. During allotetraploid sporulation both the nuclear and the mitochondrial genomes of the hybrids could segregate but no correlation was observed between the sterility or the fertility of the spore clones and their mitotypes. Nucleo-mitochondrial incompatibility was manifested as respiration deficiency in certain meiotic segregants. As respiration is required for meiosis-sporulation but not for fertilization (conjugation), these segregants were deficient only in sporulation. Thus, the nucleo-mitochondrial incompatibility affects the sexual processes only indirectly through the inactivation of respiration and causes only partial sterility in certain segregant spore clones.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Matthias Sipiczki
- Department of Genetics and Applied Microbiology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Garrido-Bazán V, Pardo JP, Aguirre J. DnmA and FisA Mediate Mitochondria and Peroxisome Fission, and Regulate Mitochondrial Function, ROS Production and Development in Aspergillus nidulans. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:837. [PMID: 32477294 PMCID: PMC7232558 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamin-like protein Drp1 and its receptor Fis-1 are required for mitochondria and peroxisome fission in animal and yeast cells. Here, we show that in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans the lack of Drp1 and Fis-1 homologs DnmA and FisA has strong developmental defects, leading to a notable decrease in hyphal growth and asexual and sexual sporulation, with some of these defects being aggravated or partially remediated by different carbon sources. Although both DnmA and FisA, are essential for mitochondrial fission, participate in peroxisomal division and are fully required for H2O2-induced mitochondrial division, they also appear to play differential functions. Despite their lack of mitochondrial division, ΔdnmA and ΔfisA mutants segregate mitochondria to conidiogenic cells and produce viable conidia that inherit a single mitochondrion. During sexual differentiation, ΔdnmA and ΔfisA mutants develop fruiting bodies (cleistothecia) that differentiate excessive ascogenous tissue and a reduced number of viable ascospores. ΔdnmA and ΔfisA mutants show decreased respiration and notably high levels of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), which likely correspond to superoxide. Regardless of this, ΔdnmA mutants can respond to an external H2O2 challenge by re-localizing the MAP kinase-activated protein kinase (MAPKAP) SrkA from the cytoplasm to the nuclei. Our results show that ROS levels regulate mitochondrial dynamics while a lack of mitochondrial fission results in lower respiration, increased mitochondrial ROS and developmental defects, indicating that ROS, mitochondrial division and development are critically interrelated processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Garrido-Bazán
- Departamento de Biología Celular y del Desarrollo, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Juan Pablo Pardo
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesús Aguirre
- Departamento de Biología Celular y del Desarrollo, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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Kundu D, Pasrija R. The ERMES (Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria Encounter Structures) mediated functions in fungi. Mitochondrion 2020; 52:89-99. [PMID: 32105794 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2020.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cellular organelles are membrane-bound and provide a microenvironment for specific functions. A mitochondrion is a double membranous and dynamic organelle that undergoes numerous fusion/fission events, which depends on various cellular factors. However, it is still dependent on other organelles and requires both communications as well as the movement of physical metabolites between them. Mitochondria interact with different organelles counting lipid droplets (LD), peroxisomes, vacuoles, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plasma membrane (PM), etc. Apart from them, mitochondria maintain multiple interactions with ER including ERMES (Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria encounter structures). ERMES is actually a multi-protein complex, and imperative in the maintenance of mitochondrial morphology and its functions. Its disruption also compromises phospholipid exchange, drug resistance and pathogenicity. This assembly is reportedly unique to fungal systems and proposed as a target for development of new antifungal. In the light of separate reports across diverse fungal systems, we have summarised the information about its distribution and effect on mitochondrial fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepika Kundu
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Ritu Pasrija
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
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Navarro-Rodríguez P, Martin-Vicente A, López-Fernández L, Guarro J, Capilla J. Expression of ERG11 and efflux pump genes CDR1, CDR2 and SNQ2 in voriconazole susceptible and resistant Candida glabrata strains. Med Mycol 2020; 58:30-38. [DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myz014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractCandida glabrata causes difficult to treat invasive candidiasis due to its antifungal resistance, mainly to azoles. The aim of the present work was to study the role of the genes ERG11, CDR1, CDR2, and SNQ2 on the resistance to voriconazole (VRC) in a set of C. glabrata strains with known in vitro and in vivo susceptibility to this drug. Eighteen clinical isolates of C. glabrata were exposed in vitro to VRC, and the expression of the cited genes was quantified by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). In addition, the ERG11 gene was amplified and sequenced to detect possible mutations. Ten synonymous mutations were found in 15 strains, two of them being reported for the first time; however, no amino acid changes were detected. ERG11 and CDR1 were the most expressed genes in all the strains tested, while the expression of CDR2 and SNQ2 was modest. Our results show that gene expression does not directly correlate with the VRC MIC. In addition, the expression profiles of ERG11 and efflux pump genes did not change consistently after exposure to VRC. Although individual analysis did not result in a clear correlation between MIC and gene expression, we did observe an increase in ERG11 and CDR1 expression in resistant strains. It is of interest that considering both in vitro and in vivo results, the slight increase in such gene expression correlates with the observed resistance to VRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Navarro-Rodríguez
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, and Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Adela Martin-Vicente
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, and Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Loida López-Fernández
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, and Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Josep Guarro
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, and Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Javier Capilla
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, and Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
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Louzoun‐Zada S, Jaber QZ, Fridman M. Guiding Drugs to Target‐Harboring Organelles: Stretching Drug‐Delivery to a Higher Level of Resolution. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201906284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sivan Louzoun‐Zada
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
| | - Qais Z. Jaber
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
| | - Micha Fridman
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv 6997801 Israel
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Louzoun-Zada S, Jaber QZ, Fridman M. Guiding Drugs to Target-Harboring Organelles: Stretching Drug-Delivery to a Higher Level of Resolution. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:15584-15594. [PMID: 31237741 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201906284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The ratio between the dose of drug required for optimal efficacy and the dose that causes toxicity is referred to as the therapeutic window. This ratio can be increased by directing the drug to the diseased tissue or pathogenic cell. For drugs targeting fungi and malignant cells, the therapeutic window can be further improved by increasing the resolution of drug delivery to the specific organelle that harbors the drug's target. Organelle targeting is challenging and is, therefore, an under-exploited strategy. Here we provide an overview of recent advances in control of the subcellular distribution of small molecules with the focus on chemical modifications. Highlighted are recent examples of active and passive organelle-specific targeting by incorporation of organelle-directing molecular determinants or by chemical modifications of the pharmacophore. The outstanding potential that lies in the development of organelle-specific drugs is becoming increasingly apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivan Louzoun-Zada
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Qais Z Jaber
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Micha Fridman
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
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Verma S, Shakya VPS, Idnurm A. The dual function gene RAD23 contributes to Cryptococcus neoformans virulence independently of its role in nucleotide excision DNA repair. Gene 2019; 717:144043. [PMID: 31400407 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.144043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Genes involved in the repair of DNA damage are emerging as playing important roles during the disease processes caused by pathogenic fungi. However, there are potentially hundreds of genes involved in DNA repair in a fungus and some of those genes can play additional roles within the cell. One such gene is RAD23, required for virulence of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, that encodes a protein involved in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. However, Rad23 is a dual function protein, with a role in either repair of damaged DNA or protein turn over by directing proteins to the proteasome. Here, these two functions of Rad23 were tested by the creation of a series of domain deletion alleles of RAD23 and the assessment of the strains for DNA repair, proteasome functions, and virulence properties. Deletion of the different domains was able to uncouple the two functions of Rad23, and the phenotypes of strains carrying such forms indicated that the role of RAD23 in virulence is due to its function in proteasomal-mediated protein degradation rather than NER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surbhi Verma
- Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Viplendra P S Shakya
- Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Alexander Idnurm
- Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA; School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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Vahedi Shahandashti R, Lass-Flörl C. Antifungal resistance in Aspergillus terreus: A current scenario. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 131:103247. [PMID: 31247322 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis caused by intrinsically resistant non-fumigatus Aspergillus species displays a poor outcome in immunocompromised patients. The polyene antifungal amphotericin B (AmB) remains to be "gold standard" in the treatment of invasive fungal infections. Aspergillus terreus is innately resistant to AmB, in vivo and in vitro. Till now, the exact mode of action in polyene resistance is not well understood. This review highlights the underlying molecular basis of AmB resistance in A. terreus, displaying data obtained from AmB susceptible A. terreus and AmB resistant A. terreus strains. The effect of AmB on main cellular and molecular functions such as fungal respiration and stress response pathways will be discussed in detail and resistance mechanisms will be highlighted. The fungal stress response machinery seems to be a major player in the onset of AmB resistance in A. terreus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cornelia Lass-Flörl
- Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
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Connecting iron regulation and mitochondrial function in Cryptococcus neoformans. Curr Opin Microbiol 2019; 52:7-13. [PMID: 31085406 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Iron acquisition is essential for the proliferation of microorganisms, and human pathogens such as the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans must use sophisticated uptake mechanisms to overcome host iron sequestration. Iron is of particular interest for C. neoformans because its availability is an important cue for the elaboration of virulence factors. In fungi, extracellular iron is taken up through high affinity, low affinity, siderophore-mediated, and heme uptake pathways, and the details of these mechanisms are under active investigation in C. neoformans. Following uptake, iron is transported to intracellular organelles including mitochondria where it is used in heme biosynthesis and the synthesis of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster precursors. One Fe-S cluster binding protein of note is the monothiol glutaredoxin Grx4 which has emerged as a master regulator of iron sensing in C. neoformans and other fungi through its influence on the expression of proteins for iron uptake or use. The activity of Grx4 likely occurs through interactions with Fe-S clusters and transcription factors known to control expression of the iron-related functions. Although the extent to which Grx4 controls the iron regulatory network is still being investigated in C. neoformans, it is remarkable that it also influences the expression of many genes encoding mitochondrial functions. Coupled with recent studies linking mitochondrial morphology and electron transport to virulence factor elaboration, there is an emerging appreciation of mitochondria as central players in cryptococcal disease.
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Maintenance of Mitochondrial Morphology in Cryptococcus neoformans Is Critical for Stress Resistance and Virulence. mBio 2018; 9:mBio.01375-18. [PMID: 30401774 PMCID: PMC6222134 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01375-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
C. neoformans is a yeast that causes fatal brain infection in close to 200,000 people worldwide every year, mainly afflicting individuals with AIDS or others who are severely immunocompromised. One feature of this microbe that helps it cause disease is that it is able to withstand toxic molecules it encounters when host cells engulf it in their efforts to control the infection. Mitochondria are important organelles responsible for energy production and other key cellular processes. They typically exist in a complex network that changes morphology by fusing and dividing; these alterations also influence mitochondrial function. Using genetic approaches, we found that changes in mitochondrial morphology dramatically influence cryptococcal virulence. We showed that this occurs because the altered mitochondria are less able to eliminate the harmful molecules that host cells produce to kill invading microbes. These findings are important because they elucidate fundamental biology and virulence and may suggest avenues for therapy. Mitochondria are essential organelles that act in pathways including ATP production, β-oxidation, and clearance of reactive oxygen species. They occur as a complex reticular network that constantly undergoes fusion and fission, mediated by dynamin-related proteins (DRPs). DRPs include Fzo1, which mediates fusion, and Dnm1, Mdv1, and Fis1, which mediate fission. Mitochondrial morphology has been implicated in virulence in multiple fungi, as with the association between virulence and increased mitochondrial fusion in Cryptococcus gattii. This relationship, however, has not been studied in Cryptococcus neoformans, a related opportunistic pathogen. C. neoformans is an environmental yeast that can adapt to the human host environment, overcome the innate immune system, and eventually disseminate and cause lethal meningoencephalitis. We used gene deletion of key DRPs to study their role in mitochondrial morphology and pathogenesis of this yeast. Interestingly, increasing mitochondrial fusion did not increase resistance to oxidative stress, unlike in model yeast. Blocking mitochondrial fusion, however, yielded increased susceptibility to oxidative and nitrosative stresses as well as complete avirulence. This lack of virulence was not mediated by any effects of altered mitochondrial function on two major virulence factors, capsule and melanin. Instead, it was due to decreased survival within macrophages, which in turn was a consequence of increased susceptibility to oxidative and nitrosative stress. Supporting this conclusion, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers rescued the ability of fusion mutants to survive intracellularly. These findings increase our understanding of cryptococcal biology and virulence and shed light on an important group of proteins and cellular processes in this pathogen.
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