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Zhang C, Guo M, Kong Y, Zhang J, Wang J, Sun S, Li X, Zeng X, Gong H, Fan X. Antifungal mechanism of phenyllactic acid against Mucor investigated through proteomic analysis. Food Chem 2024; 452:139525. [PMID: 38718453 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The primary inhibitory targets of phenyllactic acid (PLA, including D-PLA and L-PLA) on Mucor were investigated using Mucor racemosus LD3.0026 isolated from naturally spoiled cherry, as an indicator fungi. The results demonstrated that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PLA against Mucor was 12.5 mmol·L-1. Results showed that the growing cells at the tip of the Mucor were not visibly deformed, and there was no damage to the cell wall following PLA treatment; however, PLA damaged the cell membrane and internal structure. The results of isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) indicated that the Mucor mitochondrial respiratory chain may be the target of PLA, potentially inhibiting the energy supply of Mucor. These results indicate that the antifungal mechanism of PLA against mold is independent of its molecular configuration. The growth of Mucor is suppressed by PLA, which destroys the organelle structure in the mycelium and inhibits energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoqi Zhang
- College of Food Engineering, Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology for Prepared Food, Yantai Engineering Research Center of Food Green Processing and Quality Control, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong 264025, PR China
| | - Mingmei Guo
- Mudan District Mudan Street Sub-district Office, Heze, Shandong 274000, PR China
| | - Yanhui Kong
- Yantai Landscape Construction and Maintenance Center, Yantai, Shandong 264000, PR China
| | - Juanyue Zhang
- College of Food Engineering, Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology for Prepared Food, Yantai Engineering Research Center of Food Green Processing and Quality Control, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong 264025, PR China
| | - Jingyue Wang
- College of Food Engineering, Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology for Prepared Food, Yantai Engineering Research Center of Food Green Processing and Quality Control, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong 264025, PR China
| | - Shuyang Sun
- College of Food Engineering, Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology for Prepared Food, Yantai Engineering Research Center of Food Green Processing and Quality Control, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong 264025, PR China
| | - Xiulian Li
- College of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, PR China
| | - Xiangquan Zeng
- Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette 47906, IN, USA
| | - Hansheng Gong
- College of Food Engineering, Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology for Prepared Food, Yantai Engineering Research Center of Food Green Processing and Quality Control, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong 264025, PR China.
| | - Xinguang Fan
- College of Food Engineering, Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology for Prepared Food, Yantai Engineering Research Center of Food Green Processing and Quality Control, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong 264025, PR China.
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2
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Reedy JL, Jensen KN, Crossen AJ, Basham KJ, Ward RA, Reardon CM, Brown Harding H, Hepworth OW, Simaku P, Kwaku GN, Tone K, Willment JA, Reid DM, Stappers MHT, Brown GD, Rajagopal J, Vyas JM. Fungal melanin suppresses airway epithelial chemokine secretion through blockade of calcium fluxing. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5817. [PMID: 38987270 PMCID: PMC11237042 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50100-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Respiratory infections caused by the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are a major cause of mortality for immunocompromised patients. Exposure to these pathogens occurs through inhalation, although the role of the respiratory epithelium in disease pathogenesis has not been fully defined. Employing a primary human airway epithelial model, we demonstrate that fungal melanins potently block the post-translational secretion of the chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL8 independent of transcription or the requirement of melanin to be phagocytosed, leading to a significant reduction in neutrophil recruitment to the apical airway both in vitro and in vivo. Aspergillus-derived melanin, a major constituent of the fungal cell wall, dampened airway epithelial chemokine secretion in response to fungi, bacteria, and exogenous cytokines. Furthermore, melanin muted pathogen-mediated calcium fluxing and hindered actin filamentation. Taken together, our results reveal a critical role for melanin interaction with airway epithelium in shaping the host response to fungal and bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Reedy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kirstine Nolling Jensen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arianne J Crossen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kyle J Basham
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca A Ward
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher M Reardon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hannah Brown Harding
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olivia W Hepworth
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patricia Simaku
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Geneva N Kwaku
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kazuya Tone
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Division of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Janet A Willment
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Delyth M Reid
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mark H T Stappers
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon D Brown
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Jayaraj Rajagopal
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jatin M Vyas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Reedy JL, Jensen KN, Crossen AJ, Basham KJ, Ward RA, Reardon CM, Harding HB, Hepworth OW, Simaku P, Kwaku GN, Tone K, Willment JA, Reid DM, Stappers MHT, Brown GD, Rajagopal J, Vyas JM. Fungal melanin suppresses airway epithelial chemokine secretion through blockade of calcium fluxing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.03.28.534632. [PMID: 37034634 PMCID: PMC10081279 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.28.534632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Respiratory infections caused by the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are a major cause of mortality for immunocompromised patients. Exposure to these pathogens occurs through inhalation, although the role of the respiratory epithelium in disease pathogenesis has not been fully defined. Employing a primary human airway epithelial model, we demonstrate that fungal melanins potently block the post-translational secretion of the chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL8 independent of transcription or the requirement of melanin to be phagocytosed, leading to a significant reduction in neutrophil recruitment to the apical airway both in vitro and in vivo . Aspergillus -derived melanin, a major constituent of the fungal cell wall, dampened airway epithelial chemokine secretion in response to fungi, bacteria, and exogenous cytokines. Furthermore, melanin muted pathogen-mediated calcium fluxing and hindered actin filamentation. Taken together, our results reveal a critical role for melanin interaction with airway epithelium in shaping the host response to fungal and bacterial pathogens.
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4
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Aguiar TKB, Costa ACM, Neto NAS, Brito DMS, Freitas CDT, Neto JMM, Mesquita FP, Souza PFN. Rise and fall of Caspofungin: the current status of Caspofungin as a treatment for Cryptococcus neoformans infection. Future Microbiol 2024; 19:621-630. [PMID: 38497911 PMCID: PMC11229582 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0236] [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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Antifungal infections are becoming a major concern to human health due to antimicrobial resistance. Echinocandins have been promising agents against resistant fungal infections, primarily caspofungin, which has a more effective mechanism of action than azoles and polyenes. However, fungi such as Cryptococcus neoformans appear to be inheritably resistant to these drugs, which is concerning due to the high clinical importance of C. neoformans. In this review, we review the history of C. neoformans and the treatments used to treat antifungals over the years, focusing on caspofungin, while highlighting the C. neoformans problem and possible explanations for its inherent resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tawanny KB Aguiar
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60451-970, Brazil
| | - Ana CM Costa
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60451-970, Brazil
| | - Nilton AS Neto
- University of Brasília, Post-Graduation in Molecular Pathology, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Daiane MS Brito
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60451-970, Brazil
- Drug Research & Development Center, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Cleverson DT Freitas
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60451-970, Brazil
| | - João MM Neto
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60451-970, Brazil
| | - Felipe P Mesquita
- Drug Research & Development Center, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
| | - Pedro FN Souza
- Drug Research & Development Center, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-275, Brazil
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Smith DFQ, Mudrak NJ, Zamith-Miranda D, Honorato L, Nimrichter L, Chrissian C, Smith B, Gerfen G, Stark RE, Nosanchuk JD, Casadevall A. Melanization of Candida auris Is Associated with Alteration of Extracellular pH. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:1068. [PMID: 36294632 PMCID: PMC9604884 DOI: 10.3390/jof8101068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is a recently emerged global fungal pathogen, which causes life-threatening infections, often in healthcare settings. C. auris infections are worrisome because the fungus is often resistant to multiple antifungal drug classes. Furthermore, C. auris forms durable and difficult to remove biofilms. Due to the relatively recent, resilient, and resistant nature of C. auris, we investigated whether it produces the common fungal virulence factor melanin. Melanin is a black-brown pigment typically produced following enzymatic oxidation of aromatic precursors, which promotes fungal virulence through oxidative stress resistance, mammalian immune response evasion, and antifungal peptide and pharmaceutical inactivation. We found that certain strains of C. auris oxidized L-DOPA and catecholamines into melanin. Melanization occurred extracellularly in a process mediated by alkalinization of the extracellular environment, resulting in granule-like structures that adhere to the fungus' external surface. C. auris had relatively high cell surface hydrophobicity, but there was no correlation between hydrophobicity and melanization. Melanin protected the fungus from oxidative damage, but we did not observe a protective role during infection of macrophages or Galleria mellonella larvae. In summary, C. auris alkalinizes the extracellular medium, which promotes the non-enzymatic oxidation of L-DOPA to melanin that attaches to its surface, thus illustrating a novel mechanism for fungal melanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Q. Smith
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Nathan J. Mudrak
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Krieger School of Arts & Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Daniel Zamith-Miranda
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Leandro Honorato
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia de Eucariotos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Nimrichter
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia de Eucariotos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Christine Chrissian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Barbara Smith
- Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences Microscope Facility, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Gary Gerfen
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ruth E. Stark
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Joshua D. Nosanchuk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Functional Characterization of the GlcNAc Catabolic Pathway in Cryptococcus deneoformans. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0043722. [PMID: 35736228 PMCID: PMC9275227 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00437-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The amino sugar N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) is the key constituent of cell wall components and plays an important role in pathogenesis in a wide range of fungi. However, catabolism of GlcNAc has not been studied in basidiomycete fungi. In this study, we identified and characterized a gene cluster essential for GlcNAc utilization in Cryptococcus deneoformans, an environmental human fungal pathogen. The C. deneoformans genome contains a GlcNAc transporter (Ngt1), a GlcNAc kinase (Hxk3), a GlcNAc-6-phosphate deacetylase (Dac1), and a glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase (Nag1). Their expression levels were highly induced in cultures containing GlcNAc as the sole carbon source, and the corresponding mutants showed severe growth defects in the presence of GlcNAc. Functional and biochemical analyses revealed that HXK3 encodes a novel GlcNAc kinase. Site-directed mutations of conserved residues of Hxk3 indicated that ATP binding and GlcNAc binding are essential for GlcNAc kinase activities. Taken together, the results from this study provide crucial insights into basidiomycete GlcNAc catabolism. IMPORTANCEN-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is recognized as not only the building block of chitin but also an important signaling molecule in fungi. The catabolic pathway of GlcNAc also plays an important role in vital biological processes in fungi. However, the utilization pathway of GlcNAc in the phylum Basidiomycota, which contains more than 41,000 species, remains unknown. Cryptococcus deneoformans is a representative basidiomycetous pathogen that causes life-threatening meningitis. In this study, we characterized a gene cluster essential for GlcNAc utilization in C. deneoformans and identified a novel GlcNAc kinase. The results of this study provide important insights into basidiomycete GlcNAc catabolism and offer a starting point for revealing its role in pathogenesis.
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Fernandes C, Mota M, Barros L, Dias MI, Ferreira ICFR, Piedade AP, Casadevall A, Gonçalves T. Pyomelanin Synthesis in Alternaria alternata Inhibits DHN-Melanin Synthesis and Decreases Cell Wall Chitin Content and Thickness. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:691433. [PMID: 34512569 PMCID: PMC8430343 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.691433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Alternaria includes several of fungi that are darkly pigmented by DHN-melanin. These are pathogenic to plants but are also associated with human respiratory allergic diseases and with serious infections in immunocompromised individuals. The present work focuses on the alterations of the composition and structure of the hyphal cell wall of Alternaria alternata occuring under the catabolism of L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine when cultured in minimal salt medium (MM). Under these growing conditions, we observed the released of a brown pigment into the culture medium. FTIR analysis demonstrates that the produced pigment is chemically identical to the pigment released when the fungus is grown in MM with homogentisate acid (HGA), the intermediate of pyomelanin, confirming that this pigment is pyomelanin. In contrast to other fungi that also synthesize pyomelanin under tyrosine metabolism, A. alternata inhibits DHN-melanin cell wall accumulation when pyomelanin is produced, and this is associated with reduced chitin cell wall content. When A. alternata is grown in MM containing L-phenylalanine, a L-tyrosine percursor, pyomelanin is synthesized but only at trace concentrations and A. alternata mycelia display an albino-like phenotype since DHN-melanin accumulation is inhibited. CmrA, the transcription regulator for the genes coding for the DHN-melanin pathway, is involved in the down-regulation of DHN-melanin synthesis when pyomelanin is being synthetized, since the CMRA gene and genes of the enzymes involved in DHN-melanin synthesis pathway showed a decreased expression. Other amino acids do not trigger pyomelanin synthesis and DHN-melanin accumulation in the cell wall is not affected. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy show that the cell wall structure and surface decorations are altered in L-tyrosine- and L-phenylalanine-grown fungi, depending on the pigment produced. In summary, growth in presence of L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine leads to pigmentation and cell wall changes, which could be relevant to infection conditions where these amino acids are expected to be available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal Fernandes
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marta Mota
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- FMUC—Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lillian Barros
- Mountain Research Center (CIMO), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Maria Inês Dias
- Mountain Research Center (CIMO), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira
- Mountain Research Center (CIMO), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Ana P. Piedade
- Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Teresa Gonçalves
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- FMUC—Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Lopez-Moya F, Martin-Urdiroz M, Oses-Ruiz M, Were VM, Fricker MD, Littlejohn G, Lopez-Llorca LV, Talbot NJ. Chitosan inhibits septin-mediated plant infection by the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae in a protein kinase C and Nox1 NADPH oxidase-dependent manner. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:1578-1593. [PMID: 33570748 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Chitosan is a partially deacetylated linear polysaccharide composed of β-1,4-linked units of d-glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine. As well as a structural component of fungal cell walls, chitosan is a potent antifungal agent. However, the mode of action of chitosan is poorly understood. Here, we report that chitosan is effective for control of rice blast disease. Chitosan application impairs growth of the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and has a pronounced effect on appressorium-mediated plant infection. Chitosan inhibits septin-mediated F-actin remodelling at the appressorium pore, thereby preventing repolarization of the infection cell. Chitosan causes plasma membrane permeabilization of M. oryzae and affects NADPH oxidase-dependent synthesis of reactive oxygen species, essential for septin ring formation and fungal pathogenicity. We further show that toxicity of chitosan to M. oryzae requires the protein kinase C-dependent cell wall integrity pathway, the Mps1 mitogen-activated protein kinase and the Nox1 NADPH oxidase. A conditionally lethal, analogue (PP1)-sensitive mutant of Pkc1 is partially remediated for growth in the presence of chitosan, while ∆nox1 mutants increase their glucan : chitin cell wall ratio, rendering them resistant to chitosan. Taken together, our data show that chitosan is a potent fungicide which requires the cell integrity pathway, disrupts plasma membrane function and inhibits septin-mediated plant infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Lopez-Moya
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Alicante, 03690, Spain
| | | | - Miriam Oses-Ruiz
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter,, EX4 4QD, UK
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Norwich,, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Vincent M Were
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter,, EX4 4QD, UK
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Norwich,, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Mark D Fricker
- Department of Plant Science, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - George Littlejohn
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter,, EX4 4QD, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Plymouth University, Portland Square Building Room A404, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Luis V Lopez-Llorca
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Alicante, 03690, Spain
| | - Nicholas J Talbot
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter,, EX4 4QD, UK
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Norwich,, NR4 7UH, UK
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9
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Dai B, Xu Y, Gao N, Chen J. Wor1-regulated ferroxidases contribute to pigment formation in opaque cells of Candida albicans. FEBS Open Bio 2021; 11:598-621. [PMID: 33350590 PMCID: PMC7931227 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a harmless commensal resident in the human gut and a prevalent opportunistic pathogen. A key part of its commensalism and pathogenesis is its ability to switch between different morphological forms, including white‐to‐opaque switching. The Wor1 protein was previously identified as a master regulator of white‐to‐opaque switching in mating type locus (MTL) homozygous cells. The mechanisms by which the dark color of the opaque colonies is controlled and the pimpled surface of opaque cells is formed remain unknown. Candida albicans produces melanin pigment in vitro and during infection. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of melanin production is unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that ferroxidases (Fets) function as pigment multicopper oxidases and regulate the production of dark‐pigmented melanin in opaque cells. The FET genes presented distinct regulation patterns in response to different extracellular stimuli. In YPD (1% yeast extract, 2% peptone and 2% dextrose)‐rich medium, four of the five FET genes were up‐regulated by Wor1, especially at the human body temperature of 37 °C. In minimal medium with low ammonium concentrations, all five FET genes were up‐regulated by Wor1. However, at high ammonium concentrations, some FET genes were down‐regulated by Wor1. Wor1‐up‐regulated Fets contributed to dark pigment formation in opaque colonies, but not to the elongated shape of these opaque cells. Increased melanin externalization was associated with the pimpled surface of the opaque cells. Melanized C. albicans cells were more resistant to fungal clearance. Deletion of the five FET genes completely blocked melanin production in opaque cells and resulted in the generation of white elongated ‘opaque’ cells. In addition, the up‐regulated Fets are important for defense against oxidant attacks. The functional diversity of Fets may reflect the multiple strategies of C. albicans to rapidly adapt to diverse host niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baodi Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinxing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiangye Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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10
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Schultzhaus Z, Chen A, Shuryak I, Wang Z. The Transcriptomic and Phenotypic Response of the Melanized Yeast Exophiala dermatitidis to Ionizing Particle Exposure. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:609996. [PMID: 33510728 PMCID: PMC7835796 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.609996] [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: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungi can tolerate extremely high doses of ionizing radiation compared with most other eukaryotes, a phenomenon encompassing both the recovery from acute exposure and the growth of melanized fungi in chronically contaminated environments such as nuclear disaster sites. This observation has led to the use of fungi in radiobiology studies, with the goal of finding novel resistance mechanisms. However, it is still not entirely clear what underlies this phenomenon, as genetic studies have not pinpointed unique responses to ionizing radiation in the most resistant fungi. Additionally, little work has been done examining how fungi (other than budding yeast) respond to irradiation by ionizing particles (e.g., protons, α-particles), although particle irradiation may cause distinct cellular damage, and is more relevant for human risks. To address this paucity of data, in this study we have characterized the phenotypic and transcriptomic response of the highly radioresistant yeast Exophiala dermatitidis to irradiation by three separate ionizing radiation sources: protons, deuterons, and α-particles. The experiment was performed with both melanized and non-melanized strains of E. dermatitidis, to determine the effect of this pigment on the response. No significant difference in survival was observed between these strains under any condition, suggesting that melanin does not impart protection to acute irradiation to these particles. The transcriptomic response during recovery to particle exposure was similar to that observed after γ-irradiation, with DNA repair and replication genes upregulated, and genes involved in translation and ribosomal biogenesis being heavily repressed, indicating an attenuation of cell growth. However, a comparison of global gene expression showed clear clustering of particle and γ-radiation groups. The response elicited by particle irradiation was, in total, more complex. Compared to the γ-associated response, particle irradiation resulted in greater changes in gene expression, a more diverse set of differentially expressed genes, and a significant induction of gene categories such as autophagy and protein catabolism. Additionally, analysis of individual particle responses resulted in identification of the first unique expression signatures and individual genes for each particle type that could be used as radionuclide discrimination markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Schultzhaus
- Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering, United States Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Amy Chen
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - Igor Shuryak
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zheng Wang
- Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering, United States Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, United States
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11
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Chrissian C, Lin CPC, Camacho E, Casadevall A, Neiman AM, Stark RE. Unconventional Constituents and Shared Molecular Architecture of the Melanized Cell Wall of C. neoformans and Spore Wall of S. cerevisiae. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:E329. [PMID: 33271921 PMCID: PMC7712904 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal cell wall serves as the interface between the cell and the environment. Fungal cell walls are composed largely of polysaccharides, primarily glucans and chitin, though in many fungi stress-resistant cell types elaborate additional cell wall structures. Here, we use solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to compare the architecture of cell wall fractions isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae spores and Cryptococcus neoformans melanized cells. The specialized cell walls of these two divergent fungi are highly similar in composition. Both use chitosan, the deacetylated derivative of chitin, as a scaffold on which a polyaromatic polymer, dityrosine and melanin, respectively, is assembled. Additionally, we demonstrate that a previously identified but uncharacterized component of the S. cerevisiae spore wall is composed of triglycerides, which are also present in the C. neoformans melanized cell wall. Moreover, we identify a tyrosine-derived constituent in the C. neoformans wall that, although it is not dityrosine, is a non-pigment constituent of the cell wall. The similar composition of the walls of these two phylogenetically distant species suggests that triglycerides, polyaromatics, and chitosan are basic building blocks used to assemble highly stress-resistant cell walls and the use of these constituents may be broadly conserved in other fungal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Chrissian
- CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA;
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Coney Pei-Chen Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA;
| | - Emma Camacho
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (E.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (E.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Aaron M. Neiman
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA;
| | - Ruth E. Stark
- CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA;
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
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12
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Chrissian C, Camacho E, Kelly JE, Wang H, Casadevall A, Stark RE. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy identifies three classes of lipids in Cryptococcus neoformans melanized cell walls and whole fungal cells. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:15083-15096. [PMID: 32859751 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.015201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A primary virulence-associated trait of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is the production of melanin pigments that are deposited into the cell wall and interfere with the host immune response. Previously, our solid-state NMR studies of isolated melanized cell walls (melanin "ghosts") revealed that the pigments are strongly associated with lipids, but their identities, origins, and potential roles were undetermined. Herein, we exploited spectral editing techniques to identify and quantify the lipid molecules associated with pigments in melanin ghosts. The lipid profiles were remarkably similar in whole C. neoformans cells, grown under either melanizing or nonmelanizing conditions; triglycerides (TGs), sterol esters (SEs), and polyisoprenoids (PPs) were the major constituents. Although no quantitative differences were found between melanized and nonmelanized cells, melanin ghosts were relatively enriched in SEs and PPs. In contrast to lipid structures reported during early stages of fungal growth in nutrient-rich media, variants found herein could be linked to nutrient stress, cell aging, and subsequent production of substances that promote chronic fungal infections. The fact that TGs and SEs are the typical cargo of lipid droplets suggests that these organelles could be connected to C. neoformans melanin synthesis. Moreover, the discovery of PPs is intriguing because dolichol is a well-established constituent of human neuromelanin. The presence of these lipid species even in nonmelanized cells suggests that they could be produced constitutively under stress conditions in anticipation of melanin synthesis. These findings demonstrate that C. neoformans lipids are more varied compositionally and functionally than previously recognized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Chrissian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City College of New York, New York, New York, USA; Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emma Camacho
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John E Kelly
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hsin Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ruth E Stark
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City College of New York, New York, New York, USA; Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA; Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.
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13
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N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in Candida albicans. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6030129. [PMID: 32784532 PMCID: PMC7558947 DOI: 10.3390/jof6030129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The sensing and efficient utilization of environmental nutrients are critical for the survival of microorganisms in environments where nutrients are limited, such as within mammalian hosts. Candida albicans is a common member of the human microbiota as well as an opportunistic fungal pathogen. The amide derivative sugar N-acetlyglucosamine (GlcNAc) is an important signaling molecule for C. albicans that could be a major nutrient source for this fungus in host settings. In this article, we review progress made over the past two decades on GlcNAc utilization, sensing, and functions in C. albicans and its related fungal species. GlcNAc sensing and catabolic pathways have been intensively studied in C. albicans. The C. albicans protein Ngt1 represents the first identified GlcNAc-specific transporter in eukaryotic organisms. In C. albicans, GlcNAc not only induces morphological transitions including the yeast to hyphal transition and the white to opaque phenotypic switch, but it also promotes fungal cell death. The Ras-cAMP/PKA signaling pathway plays critical roles in regulating these processes. Given the importance of GlcNAc sensing and utilization in C. albicans, targeting GlcNAc associated pathways and key pathway components could be promising in the development of new antifungal strategies.
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14
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Yamada K, Yamaguchi Y, Uekusa Y, Aoki K, Shimada I, Yamaguchi T, Kato K. Solid-state 17O NMR analysis of synthetically 17O-enriched d-glucosamine. Chem Phys Lett 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2020.137455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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15
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Garcia-Rubio R, de Oliveira HC, Rivera J, Trevijano-Contador N. The Fungal Cell Wall: Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus Species. Front Microbiol 2020; 10:2993. [PMID: 31993032 PMCID: PMC6962315 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 362] [Impact Index Per Article: 90.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The fungal cell wall is located outside the plasma membrane and is the cell compartment that mediates all the relationships of the cell with the environment. It protects the contents of the cell, gives rigidity and defines the cellular structure. The cell wall is a skeleton with high plasticity that protects the cell from different stresses, among which osmotic changes stand out. The cell wall allows interaction with the external environment since some of its proteins are adhesins and receptors. Since, some components have a high immunogenic capacity, certain wall components can drive the host's immune response to promote fungus growth and dissemination. The cell wall is a characteristic structure of fungi and is composed mainly of glucans, chitin and glycoproteins. As the components of the fungal cell wall are not present in humans, this structure is an excellent target for antifungal therapy. In this article, we review recent data on the composition and synthesis, influence of the components of the cell wall in fungi-host interaction and the role as a target for the next generation of antifungal drugs in yeasts (Candida and Cryptococcus) and filamentous fungi (Aspergillus).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocio Garcia-Rubio
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, United States
| | | | - Johanna Rivera
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nuria Trevijano-Contador
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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16
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Chrissian C, Camacho E, Fu MS, Prados-Rosales R, Chatterjee S, Cordero RJB, Lodge JK, Casadevall A, Stark RE. Melanin deposition in two Cryptococcus species depends on cell-wall composition and flexibility. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:1815-1828. [PMID: 31896575 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are two species complexes in the large fungal genus Cryptococcus and are responsible for potentially lethal disseminated infections. These two complexes share several phenotypic traits, such as production of the protective compound melanin. In C. neoformans, the pigment associates with key cellular constituents that are essential for melanin deposition within the cell wall. Consequently, melanization is modulated by changes in cell-wall composition or ultrastructure. However, whether similar factors influence melanization in C. gattii is unknown. Herein, we used transmission EM, biochemical assays, and solid-state NMR spectroscopy of representative isolates and "leaky melanin" mutant strains from each species complex to examine the compositional and structural factors governing cell-wall pigment deposition in C. neoformans and C. gattii. The principal findings were the following. 1) C. gattii R265 had an exceptionally high chitosan content compared with C. neoformans H99; a rich chitosan composition promoted homogeneous melanin distribution throughout the cell wall but did not increase the propensity of pigment deposition. 2) Strains from both species manifesting the leaky melanin phenotype had reduced chitosan content, which was compensated for by the production of lipids and other nonpolysaccharide constituents that depended on the species or mutation. 3) Changes in the relative rigidity of cell-wall chitin were associated with aberrant pigment retention, implicating cell-wall flexibility as an independent variable in cryptococcal melanin assembly. Overall, our results indicate that cell-wall composition and molecular architecture are critical factors for the anchoring and arrangement of melanin pigments in both C. neoformans and C. gattii species complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Chrissian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031; Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016
| | - Emma Camacho
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Man Shun Fu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Rafael Prados-Rosales
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York 10033; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Microbiology, Autonoma University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Subhasish Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031
| | - Radames J B Cordero
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Jennifer K Lodge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Ruth E Stark
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031; Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016; Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016.
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17
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Min K, Naseem S, Konopka JB. N-Acetylglucosamine Regulates Morphogenesis and Virulence Pathways in Fungi. J Fungi (Basel) 2019; 6:jof6010008. [PMID: 31878148 PMCID: PMC7151181 DOI: 10.3390/jof6010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is being increasingly recognized for its ability to stimulate cell signaling. This amino sugar is best known as a component of cell wall peptidoglycan in bacteria, cell wall chitin in fungi and parasites, exoskeletons of arthropods, and the extracellular matrix of animal cells. In addition to these structural roles, GlcNAc is now known to stimulate morphological and stress responses in a wide range of organisms. In fungi, the model organisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe lack the ability to respond to GlcNAc or catabolize it, so studies with the human pathogen Candida albicans have been providing new insights into the ability of GlcNAc to stimulate cellular responses. GlcNAc potently induces C. albicans to transition from budding to filamentous hyphal growth. It also promotes an epigenetic switch from White to Opaque cells, which differ in morphology, metabolism, and virulence properties. These studies have led to new discoveries, such as the identification of the first eukaryotic GlcNAc transporter. Other results have shown that GlcNAc can induce signaling in C. albicans in two ways. One is to act as a signaling molecule independent of its catabolism, and the other is that its catabolism can cause the alkalinization of the extracellular environment, which provides an additional stimulus to form hyphae. GlcNAc also induces the expression of virulence genes in the C. albicans, indicating it can influence pathogenesis. Therefore, this review will describe the recent advances in understanding the role of GlcNAc signaling pathways in regulating C. albicans morphogenesis and virulence.
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18
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A Mechanosensitive Channel Governs Lipid Flippase-Mediated Echinocandin Resistance in Cryptococcus neoformans. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.01952-19. [PMID: 31822582 PMCID: PMC6904872 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01952-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Echinocandins show fungicidal activity against common invasive mycoses but are ineffective against cryptococcosis. The underlying mechanism for echinocandin resistance in Cryptococcus neoformans remains poorly understood but has been shown to involve Cdc50, the regulatory subunit of lipid flippase. In a forward genetic screen for cdc50Δ suppressor mutations that are caspofungin resistant, we identified Crm1 (caspofungin resistant mutation 1), a homolog of mechanosensitive channel proteins, and showed that crm1Δ restored caspofungin resistance in cdc50Δ cells. Caspofungin-treated cdc50Δ cells exhibited abnormally high intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]c) and heightened activation of the calcineurin pathway. Deletion of CRM1 in the cdc50Δ background normalized the abnormally high [Ca2+]c. Cdc50 interacts with Crm1 to maintain cellular calcium homeostasis. Analysis of chitin/chitosan content showed that deleting CRM1 reversed the decreased chitosan production of cdc50Δ cells. Together, these results demonstrate that Cdc50 and Crm1 regulation of the calcineurin pathway and cytoplasmic calcium homeostasis may underlie caspofungin resistance in C. neoformans IMPORTANCE Cryptococcus neoformans is the leading cause of fungal meningitis, accounting for ∼15% of HIV/AIDS-related deaths, but treatment options for cryptococcosis are limited. Echinocandins are the newest fungicidal drug class introduced but are ineffective in treating cryptococcosis. Our previous study identified the lipid flippase subunit Cdc50 as a contributor to echinocandin resistance in C. neoformans Here, we further elucidated the mechanism of Cdc50-mediated caspofungin drug resistance. We discovered that Cdc50 interacts with the mechanosensitive calcium channel protein Crm1 to regulate calcium homeostasis and caspofungin resistance via calcium/calcineurin signaling. These results provide novel insights into echinocandin resistance in this pathogen, which may lead to new treatment options, as well as inform echinocandin resistance mechanisms in other fungal organisms and, hence, advance our understanding of modes of antifungal drug susceptibility and resistance.
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19
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Human milk oligosaccharides and its acid hydrolysate LNT2 show immunomodulatory effects via TLRs in a dose and structure-dependent way. J Funct Foods 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2019.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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20
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Camacho E, Vij R, Chrissian C, Prados-Rosales R, Gil D, O'Meally RN, Cordero RJB, Cole RN, McCaffery JM, Stark RE, Casadevall A. The structural unit of melanin in the cell wall of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:10471-10489. [PMID: 31118223 PMCID: PMC6615676 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.008684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanins are synthesized macromolecules that are found in all biological kingdoms. These pigments have a myriad of roles that range from microbial virulence to key components of the innate immune response in invertebrates. Melanins also exhibit unique properties with potential applications in physics and material sciences, ranging from electrical batteries to novel therapeutics. In the fungi, melanins, such as eumelanins, are components of the cell wall that provide protection against biotic and abiotic elements. Elucidation of the smallest fungal cell wall-associated melanin unit that serves as a building block is critical to understand the architecture of these polymers, its interaction with surrounding components, and their functional versatility. In this study, we used isopycnic gradient sedimentation, NMR, EPR, high-resolution microscopy, and proteomics to analyze the melanin in the cell wall of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans We observed that melanin is assembled into the cryptococcal cell wall in spherical structures ∼200 nm in diameter, termed melanin granules, which are in turn composed of nanospheres ∼30 nm in diameter, termed fungal melanosomes. We noted that melanin granules are closely associated with proteins that may play critical roles in the fungal melanogenesis and the supramolecular structure of this polymer. Using this structural information, we propose a model for C. neoformans' melanization that is similar to the process used in animal melanization and is consistent with the phylogenetic relatedness of the fungal and animal kingdoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Camacho
- From the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Raghav Vij
- From the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Christine Chrissian
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031, the City University of New York
- Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and
| | - Rafael Prados-Rosales
- the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York 10461
- the CIC bioGUNE, 48160 Derio, Vizcaya, Spain
- the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Microbiology, Autonoma University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Gil
- the CIC bioGUNE, 48160 Derio, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - Robert N O'Meally
- the Johns Hopkins Mass Spectrometry and Proteomic Facility, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, and
| | - Radames J B Cordero
- From the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Robert N Cole
- the Johns Hopkins Mass Spectrometry and Proteomic Facility, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, and
| | - J Michael McCaffery
- the Integrated Imaging Center, Department of Biology, Engineering in Oncology Center, and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Ruth E Stark
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031, the City University of New York
- Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and
- Chemistry, New York, New York 10016
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- From the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205,
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Lopez-Moya F, Suarez-Fernandez M, Lopez-Llorca LV. Molecular Mechanisms of Chitosan Interactions with Fungi and Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E332. [PMID: 30650540 PMCID: PMC6359256 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20020332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chitosan is a versatile compound with multiple biotechnological applications. This polymer inhibits clinically important human fungal pathogens under the same carbon and nitrogen status as in blood. Chitosan permeabilises their high-fluidity plasma membrane and increases production of intracellular oxygen species (ROS). Conversely, chitosan is compatible with mammalian cell lines as well as with biocontrol fungi (BCF). BCF resistant to chitosan have low-fluidity membranes and high glucan/chitin ratios in their cell walls. Recent studies illustrate molecular and physiological basis of chitosan-root interactions. Chitosan induces auxin accumulation in Arabidopsis roots. This polymer causes overexpression of tryptophan-dependent auxin biosynthesis pathway. It also blocks auxin translocation in roots. Chitosan is a plant defense modulator. Endophytes and fungal pathogens evade plant immunity converting chitin into chitosan. LysM effectors shield chitin and protect fungal cell walls from plant chitinases. These enzymes together with fungal chitin deacetylases, chitosanases and effectors play determinant roles during fungal colonization of plants. This review describes chitosan mode of action (cell and gene targets) in fungi and plants. This knowledge will help to develop chitosan for agrobiotechnological and medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Lopez-Moya
- Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies (MIES) Ramon Margalef, University of Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain.
| | - Marta Suarez-Fernandez
- Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies (MIES) Ramon Margalef, University of Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain.
| | - Luis Vicente Lopez-Llorca
- Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies (MIES) Ramon Margalef, University of Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain.
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22
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Chatterjee S, Prados-Rosales R, Tan S, Phan VC, Chrissian C, Itin B, Wang H, Khajo A, Magliozzo RS, Casadevall A, Stark RE. The melanization road more traveled by: Precursor substrate effects on melanin synthesis in cell-free and fungal cell systems. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:20157-20168. [PMID: 30385508 PMCID: PMC6311522 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural brown-black eumelanin pigments confer structural coloration in animals and potently block ionizing radiation and antifungal drugs. These functions also make them attractive for bioinspired materials design, including coating materials for drug-delivery vehicles, strengthening agents for adhesive hydrogel materials, and free-radical scavengers for soil remediation. Nonetheless, the molecular determinants of the melanin "developmental road traveled" and the resulting architectural features have remained uncertain because of the insoluble, heterogeneous, and amorphous characteristics of these complex polymeric assemblies. Here, we used 2D solid-state NMR, EPR, and dynamic nuclear polarization spectroscopic techniques, assisted in some instances by the use of isotopically enriched precursors, to address several open questions regarding the molecular structures and associated functions of eumelanin. Our findings uncovered: 1) that the identity of the available catecholamine precursor alters the structure of melanin pigments produced either in Cryptococcus neoformans fungal cells or under cell-free conditions; 2) that the identity of the available precursor alters the scaffold organization and membrane lipid content of melanized fungal cells; 3) that the fungal cells are melanized preferentially by an l-DOPA precursor; and 4) that the macromolecular carbon- and nitrogen-based architecture of cell-free and fungal eumelanins includes indole, pyrrole, indolequinone, and open-chain building blocks that develop depending on reaction time. In conclusion, the availability of catecholamine precursors plays an important role in eumelanin development by affecting the efficacy of pigment formation, the melanin molecular structure, and its underlying scaffold in fungal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhasish Chatterjee
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031,.
| | - Rafael Prados-Rosales
- the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York 10461,; CIC bioGUNE, Derio, Vizcaya 48160, Spain
| | - Sindy Tan
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031
| | - Van Chanh Phan
- the Department of Natural Sciences, CUNY Hostos Community College, Bronx, New York 10451
| | - Christine Chrissian
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, New York, New York 10036
| | - Boris Itin
- the New York Structural Biology Center, New York, New York 10027
| | - Hsin Wang
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031
| | - Abdelahad Khajo
- the Department of Chemistry, CUNY Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York 11210,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, New York, New York 10036, and
| | - Richard S Magliozzo
- the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, New York, New York 10036,; the Department of Chemistry, CUNY Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York 11210,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, New York, New York 10036, and
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Ruth E Stark
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, New York, New York 10036,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, New York, New York 10036, and
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23
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Perez-Dulzaides R, Camacho E, Cordero RJB, Casadevall A. Cell-wall dyes interfere with Cryptococcus neoformans melanin deposition. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2018; 164:1012-1022. [PMID: 29939127 PMCID: PMC6152417 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Melanization is an intrinsic characteristic of many fungal species, but details of this process are poorly understood because melanins are notoriously difficult pigments to study. While studying the binding of cell-wall dyes, Eosin Y or Uvitex, to melanized and non-melanized Cryptococcus neoformans cells we noted that melanization leads to reduced fluorescence intensity, suggesting that melanin interfered with dye binding to the cell wall. The growth of C. neoformans in melanizing conditions with either of the cell-wall dyes resulted in an increase in supernatant-associated melanin, consistent with blockage of melanin attachment to the cell wall. This effect provided the opportunity to characterize melanin released into culture supernatants. Released melanin particles appeared mostly as networked structures having dimensions consistent with previously described extracellular vesicles. Hence, dye binding to the cell wall created conditions that resembled the 'leaky melanin' phenotype described for certain cell-wall mutants. In agreement with earlier studies on fungal melanins biosynthesis, our observations are supportive of a model whereby C. neoformans melanization proceeds by the attachment of melanin nanoparticles to the cell wall through chitin, chitosan, and various glucans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Perez-Dulzaides
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emma Camacho
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Radames J. B. Cordero
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA,*Correspondence: Arturo Casadevall,
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24
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Rodrigues J, Ramos CL, Frases S, Godinho RMDC, Fonseca FL, Rodrigues ML. Lack of chitin synthase genes impacts capsular architecture and cellular physiology in Cryptococcus neoformans. Cell Surf 2018; 2:14-23. [PMID: 32743128 PMCID: PMC7389344 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans mutants lacking each of the eight putative chitin synthase genes (CHS) have been previously generated. However, it is still unclear how deletion of chitin synthase genes affects the cryptococcal capsule. Since the connections between chitin metabolism and capsular polysaccharides in C. neoformans are numerous, we analyzed the effects of deletion of CHS genes on capsular and capsule-related structures of C. neoformans. CHS deletion affected capsular morphology in multiple ways, as determined by scanning electron microscopy and immunofluorescence analysis. Molecular diameter, serological reactivity and export of capsular polysaccharide were also affected in most of the chsΔ mutants, but the most prominent alterations were observed in the chs3Δ strain. C. neoformans cells lacking CHS genes also had altered formation of extracellular vesicles and variable chitinase activity under stress conditions. These results reveal previously unknown functions of CHS genes that greatly impact the physiology of C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Rodrigues
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Caroline L Ramos
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Susana Frases
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo M da C Godinho
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernanda L Fonseca
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS) da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcio L Rodrigues
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Carlos Chagas (ICC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
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25
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Agustinho DP, Miller LC, Li LX, Doering TL. Peeling the onion: the outer layers of Cryptococcus neoformans. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2018; 113:e180040. [PMID: 29742198 PMCID: PMC5951675 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760180040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen
that is ubiquitous in the environment. It causes a deadly meningitis that is
responsible for over 180,000 deaths worldwide each year, including 15% of all
AIDS-related deaths. The high mortality rates for this infection, even with
treatment, suggest a need for improved therapy. Unique characteristics of
C. neoformans may suggest directions for drug discovery.
These include features of three structures that surround the cell: the plasma
membrane, the cell wall around it, and the outermost polysaccharide capsule. We
review current knowledge of the fundamental biology of these fascinating
structures and highlight open questions in the field, with the goal of
stimulating further investigation that will advance basic knowledge and human
health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Agustinho
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Liza C Miller
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Lucy X Li
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tamara L Doering
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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26
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Fonseca FL, Reis FCG, Sena BAG, Jozefowicz LJ, Kmetzsch L, Rodrigues ML. The Overlooked Glycan Components of the Cryptococcus Capsule. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2018; 422:31-43. [PMID: 30203395 DOI: 10.1007/82_2018_140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Pathogenic species of Cryptococcus kill approximately 200,000 people each year. The most important virulence mechanism of C. neoformans and C. gattii, the causative agents of human and animal cryptococcosis, is the ability to form a polysaccharide capsule. Acapsular mutants of C. neoformans are avirulent in mice models of infection, and extracellularly released capsular polysaccharides are deleterious to the immune system. The principal capsular component in the Cryptococcus genus is a complex mannan substituted with xylosyl and glucuronyl units, namely glucuronoxylomannan (GXM). The second most abundant component of the cryptococcal capsule is a galactan with multiple glucuronyl, xylosyl, and mannosyl substitutions, namely glucuronoxylomannogalactan (GXMGal). The literature about the structure and functions of these two polysaccharides is rich, and a number of comprehensive reviews on this topic are available. Here, we focus our discussion on the less explored glycan components associated with the cryptococcal capsule, including mannoproteins and chitin-derived molecules. These glycans were selected for discussion on the basis that i) they have been consistently detected not only in the cell wall but also within the cryptococcal capsular network and ii) they have functions that impact immunological and/or pathogenic mechanisms in the Cryptococcus genus. The reported functions of these molecules strongly indicate that the biological roles of the cryptococcal capsule go far beyond the well-known properties of GXM and GXMGal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda L Fonseca
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico Em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flavia C G Reis
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Bianca A G Sena
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Luísa J Jozefowicz
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Livia Kmetzsch
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Departamento de Biologia Molecular E Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marcio L Rodrigues
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Curitiba, Brazil. .,Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .,Cidade Industrial de Curitiba, Rua Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 2135-2261, Curitiba, PR, 81310-020, Brazil.
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