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Wassano NS, da Silva GB, Reis AH, A Gerhardt J, Antoniel EP, Akiyama D, Rezende CP, Neves LX, Vasconcelos EJR, de Figueiredo FL, Almeida F, de Castro PA, Pinzan CF, Goldman GH, Paes Leme AF, Fill TP, Moretti NS, Damasio A. Sirtuin E deacetylase is required for full virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus. Commun Biol 2024; 7:704. [PMID: 38851817 PMCID: PMC11162503 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06383-3] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus represents a public health problem due to the high mortality rate in immunosuppressed patients and the emergence of antifungal-resistant isolates. Protein acetylation is a crucial post-translational modification that controls gene expression and biological processes. The strategic manipulation of enzymes involved in protein acetylation has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for addressing fungal infections. Sirtuins, NAD+-dependent lysine deacetylases, regulate protein acetylation and gene expression in eukaryotes. However, their role in the human pathogenic fungus A. fumigatus remains unclear. This study constructs six single knockout strains of A. fumigatus and a strain lacking all predicted sirtuins (SIRTKO). The mutant strains are viable under laboratory conditions, indicating that sirtuins are not essential genes. Phenotypic assays suggest sirtuins' involvement in cell wall integrity, secondary metabolite production, thermotolerance, and virulence. Deletion of sirE attenuates virulence in murine and Galleria mellonella infection models. The absence of SirE alters the acetylation status of proteins, including histones and non-histones, and triggers significant changes in the expression of genes associated with secondary metabolism, cell wall biosynthesis, and virulence factors. These findings encourage testing sirtuin inhibitors as potential therapeutic strategies to combat A. fumigatus infections or in combination therapy with available antifungals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália S Wassano
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Gabriela B da Silva
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Paulist School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Artur H Reis
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Paulist School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline A Gerhardt
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Everton P Antoniel
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Daniel Akiyama
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Caroline P Rezende
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine from Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro X Neves
- Brazilian Bioscience National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Fernanda L de Figueiredo
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Fausto Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine from Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrícia A de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Camila F Pinzan
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Adriana F Paes Leme
- Brazilian Bioscience National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Taicia P Fill
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Nilmar S Moretti
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Paulist School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada.
- The Research Group on Infectious Diseases in Production Animals (GREMIP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada.
| | - André Damasio
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
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2
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Tanamachi C, Iwahashi J, Togo A, Ohta K, Miura M, Sakamoto T, Gotoh K, Horita R, Kamei K, Watanabe H. Molecular Analysis for Potential Hospital-Acquired Infection Caused by Aspergillus Tubingensis Through the Environment. Kurume Med J 2024; 69:185-193. [PMID: 38233176 DOI: 10.2739/kurumemedj.ms6934013] [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] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The identification of Aspergillus species has been performed mainly by morphological classification. In recent years, however, the revelation of the existence of cryptic species has required genetic analysis for accurate identification. The purpose of this study was to investigate five Aspergillus section Nigri strains isolated from a patient and the environment in a university hospital. Species identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry identified all five black Aspergillus strains as Aspergillus niger. However, calmodulin gene sequence analysis revealed that all five strains were cryptic species, four of which, including the clinical strain, were Aspergillus tubingensis. Hospital-acquired infection of the patient with the A. tubingensis strain introduced from the environment was suspected, but sequencing of six genes from four A. tubingensis strains revealed no environmental strain that completely matched the patient strain. The amount of in vitro biofilm formation of the four examples of the A. tubingensis strain was comparable to that of Aspergillus fumigatus. An extracellular matrix was observed by electron microscopy of the biofilm of the clinical strain. This study suggests that various types of biofilm-forming A. tubingensis exist in the hospital environment and that appropriate environmental management is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiyoko Tanamachi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Kurume University Hospital
| | - Jun Iwahashi
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Akinobu Togo
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Keisuke Ohta
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Miho Miura
- Division of Infection Control and Prevention, Kurume University Hospital
| | - Toru Sakamoto
- Division of Infection Control and Prevention, Kurume University Hospital
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Kenji Gotoh
- Division of Infection Control and Prevention, Kurume University Hospital
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Rie Horita
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Kurume University Hospital
| | - Katsuhiko Kamei
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University
| | - Hiroshi Watanabe
- Division of Infection Control and Prevention, Kurume University Hospital
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Kurume University School of Medicine
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3
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Geremia N, Giovagnorio F, Colpani A, De Vito A, Caruana G, Meloni MC, Madeddu G, Panese S, Parisi SG. What do We Know about Cryptic Aspergillosis? Microorganisms 2024; 12:886. [PMID: 38792716 PMCID: PMC11124275 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptic Aspergillus species are increasingly recognized as pathogens involved in human disease. They are ubiquitarian fungi with high tenacity in their environment and can express various resistance mechanisms, often due to exposure to antifungal agents employed in agriculture and farming. The identification of such species is increasing thanks to molecular techniques, and a better description of this type of pathogen is granted. Nevertheless, the number of species and their importance in the clinical setting still need to be well studied. Furthermore, their cross-sectional involvement in animal disease, plants, and human activities requires a multidisciplinary approach involving experts from various fields. This comprehensive review aims to provide a sharp vision of the cryptic Aspergillus species, from the importance of correct identification to the better management of the infections caused by these pathogens. The review also accentuates the importance of the One Health approach for this kind of microorganism, given the interconnection between environmental exposure and aspergillosis, embracing transversely the multidisciplinary process for managing the cryptic Aspergillus species. The paper advocates the need for improving knowledge in this little-known species, given the burden of economic and health implications related to the diffusion of these bugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Geremia
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical Medicine, Ospedale Dell’Angelo, 30174 Venice, Italy;
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical Medicine, Ospedale Civile “S.S. Giovanni e Paolo”, 30122 Venice, Italy
| | - Federico Giovagnorio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy; (F.G.); (S.G.P.)
| | - Agnese Colpani
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.C.); (A.D.V.); (M.C.M.); (G.M.)
| | - Andrea De Vito
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.C.); (A.D.V.); (M.C.M.); (G.M.)
- Biomedical Science Department, School in Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Giorgia Caruana
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute of microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
- Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria Chiara Meloni
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.C.); (A.D.V.); (M.C.M.); (G.M.)
| | - Giordano Madeddu
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.C.); (A.D.V.); (M.C.M.); (G.M.)
| | - Sandro Panese
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical Medicine, Ospedale Dell’Angelo, 30174 Venice, Italy;
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical Medicine, Ospedale Civile “S.S. Giovanni e Paolo”, 30122 Venice, Italy
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Ainousah BE, Ibrahim SRM, Alzain AA, Mohamed SGA, Hussein HGA, Ashour A, Abdallah HM, Mohamed GA. Exploring the potential of Aspergillus wentii: secondary metabolites and biological properties. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:216. [PMID: 38619638 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03934-4] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Fungi are of considerable importance due to their capacity to biosynthesize various secondary metabolites with bioactive properties that draw high attention in new drug discovery with beneficial uses for improving human well-being and life quality. Aspergillus genus members are widespread and cosmopolitan species with varying economic significance in the fields of industry, medicine, and agriculture. Its species are renowned for their biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, characterized by both potent biological activity and structural novelty, making them a substantial reservoir for the development of new pharmaceuticals. The current work aimed at focusing on one species of this genus, Aspergillus wentii Wehmer, including its reported secondary metabolites in the period from 1951 to November 2023. A total of 97 compounds, including nitro-compounds, terpenoids, anthraquinones, xanthones, benzamides, and glucans. A summary of their bioactivities, as well as their biosynthesis was highlighted. Additionally, the reported applications of this fungus and its enzymes have been discussed. This review offers a useful reference that can direct future research into this fungus and its active metabolites, as well as their possible pharmacological and biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bayan E Ainousah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, 21955, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabrin R M Ibrahim
- Preparatory Year Program, Department of Chemistry, Batterjee Medical College, 21442, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt.
| | - Abdulrahim A Alzain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Gezira, Sudan
| | - Shaimaa G A Mohamed
- Faculty of Dentistry, British University, El Sherouk City, Suez Desert Road, Cairo, 11837, Egypt
| | - Hazem G A Hussein
- Preparatory Year Program, Batterjee Medical College, 21442, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Ashour
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, 11942, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Hossam M Abdallah
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
| | - Gamal A Mohamed
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Jiang Z, Gai W, Zhang X, Zheng Y, Jin X, Han Z, Ao G, He J, Shu D, Liu X, Zhou Y, Hua Z. Clinical performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing for diagnosis of pulmonary Aspergillus infection and colonization. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1345706. [PMID: 38606292 PMCID: PMC11007027 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1345706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Investigations assessing the value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for distinguish Aspergillus infection from colonization are currently insufficient. Methods The performance of mNGS in distinguishing Aspergillus infection from colonization, along with the differences in patients' characteristics, antibiotic adjustment, and lung microbiota, were analyzed. Results The abundance of Aspergillus significantly differed between patients with Aspergillus infection (n=36) and colonization (n=32) (P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve result for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) mNGS indicated an area under the curve of 0.894 (95%CI: 0.811-0.976), with an optimal threshold value of 23 for discriminating between Aspergillus infection and colonization. The infection group exhibited a higher proportion of antibiotic adjustments in comparison to the colonization group (50% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.001), with antibiotic escalation being more dominant. Age, length of hospital stay, hemoglobin, cough and chest distress were significantly positively correlated with Aspergillus infection. The abundance of A. fumigatus and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) significantly increased in the infection group, whereas the colonization group exhibited higher abundance of A. niger. Conclusion BALF mNGS is a valuable tool for differentiating between colonization and infection of Aspergillus. Variations in patients' age, length of hospital stay, hemoglobin, cough and chest distress are observable between patients with Aspergillus infection and colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Jiang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Wei Gai
- WillingMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojing Zhang
- WillingMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Yafeng Zheng
- WillingMed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Xuru Jin
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Han
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Geriletu Ao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Jiahuan He
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Danni Shu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Xianbing Liu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Yingying Zhou
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Zhidan Hua
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s Hospital, Quzhou, China
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Shankar J, Thakur R, Clemons KV, Stevens DA. Interplay of Cytokines and Chemokines in Aspergillosis. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:251. [PMID: 38667922 PMCID: PMC11051073 DOI: 10.3390/jof10040251] [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: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillosis is a fungal infection caused by various species of Aspergillus, most notably A. fumigatus. This fungus causes a spectrum of diseases, including allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, aspergilloma, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, and invasive aspergillosis. The clinical manifestations and severity of aspergillosis can vary depending on individual immune status and the specific species of Aspergillus involved. The recognition of Aspergillus involves pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as glucan, galactomannan, mannose, and conidial surface proteins. These are recognized by the pathogen recognition receptors present on immune cells such as Toll-like receptors (TLR-1,2,3,4, etc.) and C-type lectins (Dectin-1 and Dectin-2). We discuss the roles of cytokines and pathogen recognition in aspergillosis from both the perspective of human and experimental infection. Several cytokines and chemokines have been implicated in the immune response to Aspergillus infection, including interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), CCR4, CCR17, and other interleukins. For example, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is characterized by Th2 and Th9 cell-type immunity and involves interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-10. In contrast, it has been observed that invasive aspergillosis involves Th1 and Th17 cell-type immunity via IFN-γ, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17. These cytokines activate various immune cells and stimulate the production of other immune molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides and reactive oxygen species, which aid in the clearance of the fungal pathogen. Moreover, they help to initiate and coordinate the immune response, recruit immune cells to the site of infection, and promote clearance of the fungus. Insight into the host response from both human and animal studies may aid in understanding the immune response in aspergillosis, possibly leading to harnessing the power of cytokines or cytokine (receptor) antagonists and transforming them into precise immunotherapeutic strategies. This could advance personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan 173234, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Raman Thakur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar 144001, Punjab, India;
| | - Karl V. Clemons
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA 95128, USA; (K.V.C.); (D.A.S.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David A. Stevens
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA 95128, USA; (K.V.C.); (D.A.S.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Nasiri-Jahrodi A, Barati M, Namdar Ahmadabad H, Badali H, Morovati H. A comprehensive review on the role of T cell subsets and CAR-T cell therapy in Aspergillus fumigatus infection. Hum Immunol 2024; 85:110763. [PMID: 38350795 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2024.110763] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the immune response to Aspergillus fumigatus, a common cause of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in immunocompromised individuals, is critical for developing effective treatments. Tcells play a critical role in the immune response to A. fumigatus, with different subsets having distinct functions. Th1 cells are important for controlling fungal growth, while Th2 cells can exacerbate infection. Th17 cells promote the clearance of fungi indirectly by stimulating the production of various antimicrobial peptides from epithelial cells and directly by recruiting and activating neutrophils. Regulatory T cells have varied functions in A.fumigatus infection. They expand after exposure to A. fumigatus conidia and prevent organ injury and fungal sepsis by downregulating inflammation and inhibiting neutrophils or suppressing Th17 cells. Regulatory T cells also block Th2 cells to stop aspergillosis allergies. Immunotherapy with CAR T cells is a promising treatment for fungal infections, including A. fumigatus infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. However, further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the immune response to A. fumigatus and to develop effective immunotherapies with CAR-T cells for this infection. This literature review explores the role of Tcell subsets in A.fumigatus infection, and the effects of CAR-T cell therapy on this fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abozar Nasiri-Jahrodi
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Mehdi Barati
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
| | - Hasan Namdar Ahmadabad
- Vector-borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
| | - Hamid Badali
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hamid Morovati
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Janssens I, Lambrecht BN, Van Braeckel E. Aspergillus and the Lung. Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2024; 45:3-20. [PMID: 38286136 PMCID: PMC10857890 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1777259] [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] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Aspergillus causes a wide spectrum of diseases in the human lung, with Aspergillus fumigatus being the most pathogenic and allergenic subspecies. The broad range of clinical syndromes that can develop from the presence of Aspergillus in the respiratory tract is determined by the interaction between host and pathogen. In this review, an oversight of the different clinical entities of pulmonary aspergillosis is given, categorized by their main pathophysiological mechanisms. The underlying immune processes are discussed, and the main clinical, radiological, biochemical, microbiological, and histopathological findings are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Janssens
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bart N. Lambrecht
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, ErasmusMC; Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Van Braeckel
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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Thakur R, Shishodia SK, Sharma A, Chauhan A, Kaur S, Shankar J. Accelerating the understanding of Aspergillus terreus: Epidemiology, physiology, immunology and advances. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2024; 6:100220. [PMID: 38303967 PMCID: PMC10831165 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species encompass a variety of infections, ranging from invasive aspergillosis to allergic conditions, contingent upon the immune status of the host. In this spectrum, Aspergillus terreus stands out due to its emergence as a notable pathogen and its intrinsic resistance to amphotericin-B. The significance of Aspergillus-associated infections has witnessed a marked increase in the past few decades, particularly with the increasing number of immunocompromised individuals. The exploration of epidemiology, morphological transitions, immunopathology, and novel treatment approaches such as new antifungal drugs (PC945, olorofim) and combinational therapy using antifungal drugs and phytochemicals (Phytochemicals: quercetin, shikonin, artemisinin), also using immunotherapies to modulate immune response has resulted in better outcomes. Furthermore, in the context COVID-19 era and its aftermath, fungal infections have emerged as a substantial challenge for both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. This is attributed to the use of immune-suppressing therapies during COVID-19 infections and the increase in transplant cases. Consequently, this review aims to provide an updated overview encompassing the epidemiology, germination events, immunopathology, and novel drug treatment strategies against Aspergillus terreus-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raman Thakur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | | | - Ananya Sharma
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Arjun Chauhan
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences and Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sumanpreet Kaur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
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Alves de Castro P, Figueiredo Pinzan C, Dos Reis TF, Valero C, Van Rhijn N, Menegatti C, de Freitas Migliorini IL, Bromley M, Fleming AB, Traynor AM, Sarikaya-Bayram Ö, Bayram Ö, Malavazi I, Ebel F, Barbosa JCJ, Fill T, Pupo MT, Goldman GH. Aspergillus fumigatus mitogen-activated protein kinase MpkA is involved in gliotoxin production and self-protection. Nat Commun 2024; 15:33. [PMID: 38167253 PMCID: PMC10762094 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44329-1] [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: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a saprophytic fungus that can cause a variety of human diseases known as aspergillosis. Mycotoxin gliotoxin (GT) production is important for its virulence and must be tightly regulated to avoid excess production and toxicity to the fungus. GT self-protection by GliT oxidoreductase and GtmA methyltransferase activities is related to the subcellular localization of these enzymes and how GT can be sequestered from the cytoplasm to avoid increased cell damage. Here, we show that GliT:GFP and GtmA:GFP are localized in the cytoplasm and in vacuoles during GT production. The Mitogen-Activated Protein kinase MpkA is essential for GT production and self-protection, interacts physically with GliT and GtmA and it is necessary for their regulation and subsequent presence in the vacuoles. The sensor histidine kinase SlnASln1 is important for modulation of MpkA phosphorylation. Our work emphasizes the importance of MpkA and compartmentalization of cellular events for GT production and self-defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Camila Figueiredo Pinzan
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Thaila Fernanda Dos Reis
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Norman Van Rhijn
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Carla Menegatti
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Michael Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Alastair B Fleming
- Department of Microbiology, Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aimee M Traynor
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | | | - Özgür Bayram
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Frank Ebel
- Institut für Infektionsmedizin und Zoonosen, Medizinische Fakultät, LMU, 80539, München, Germany
| | | | - Taícia Fill
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Monica Tallarico Pupo
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
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11
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Bongomin F, Kwizera R, Namusobya M, van Rhijn N, Andia-Biraro I, Kirenga BJ, Meya DB, Denning DW. Re-estimation of the burden of serious fungal diseases in Uganda. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2024; 11:20499361241228345. [PMID: 38328511 PMCID: PMC10848809 DOI: 10.1177/20499361241228345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background It is of utmost importance to monitor any change in the epidemiology of fungal diseases that may arise from a change in the number of the at-risk population or the availability of local data. Objective We sought to update the 2015 publication on the incidence and prevalence of serious fungal diseases in Uganda. Methods Using the Leading International Fungal Education methodology, we reviewed published data on fungal diseases and drivers of fungal diseases in Uganda. Regional or global data were used where there were no Ugandan data. Results With a population of ~45 million, we estimate the annual burden of serious fungal diseases at 4,099,357 cases (about 9%). We estimated the burden of candidiasis as follows: recurrent Candida vaginitis (656,340 cases), oral candidiasis (29,057 cases), and esophageal candidiasis (74,686 cases) in HIV-infected people. Cryptococcal meningitis annual incidence is estimated at 5553 cases, Pneumocystis pneumonia at 4604 cases in adults and 2100 cases in children. For aspergillosis syndromes, invasive aspergillosis annual incidence (3607 cases), chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (26,765 annual cases and 63,574 5-year-period prevalent cases), and prevalence of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis at 75,931 cases, and severe asthma with fungal sensitization at 100,228 cases. Tinea capitis is common with 3,047,989 prevalent cases. For other mycoses, we estimate the annual incidence of histoplasmosis to be 646 cases and mucormycosis at 9 cases. Conclusion Serious fungal diseases affect nearly 9% of Ugandans every year. Tuberculosis and HIV remain the most important predisposition to acute fungal infection necessitating accelerated preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions for the management of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Bongomin
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Richard Kwizera
- Infectious Diseases Institute, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Martha Namusobya
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Norman van Rhijn
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Bruce J. Kirenga
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - David B. Meya
- Infectious Diseases Institute, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - David W. Denning
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, CTF Building, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
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12
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Memariani M, Memariani H. Antifungal properties of cathelicidin LL-37: current knowledge and future research directions. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 40:34. [PMID: 38057654 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03852-5] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The threat of fungal diseases is substantially underestimated worldwide, but they have serious consequences for humans, animals, and plants. Given the limited number of existing antifungal drugs together with the emergence of drug-resistant strains, many researchers have actively sought alternatives or adjuvants to antimycotics. The best way to tackle these issues is to unearth potential antifungal agents with new modes of action. Antimicrobial peptides are being hailed as a promising source of novel antimicrobials since they exhibit rapid and broad-spectrum microbicidal activities with a reduced likelihood of developing drug resistance. Recent years have witnessed an explosion in knowledge on microbicidal activity of LL-37, the sole human cathelicidin. Herein, we provide a summary of the current understanding about antifungal properties of LL-37, with particular emphasis on its molecular mechanisms. We further illustrate fruitful areas for future research. LL-37 is able to inhibit the growth of clinically and agronomically relevant fungi including Aspergillus, Candida, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Malassezia, Pythium, and Trichophyton. Destruction of the cell wall integrity, membrane permeabilization, induction of oxidative stress, disruption of endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, formation of autophagy-like structures, alterations in expression of numerous fungal genes, and inhibition of cell cycle progression are the key mechanisms underlying antifungal effects of LL-37. Burgeoning evidence also suggests that LL-37 may act as a potential anti-virulence peptide. It is hoped that this review will not only motivate researchers to conduct more detailed studies in this field, but also inspire further innovations in the design of LL-37-based drugs for the treatment of fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Memariani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Memariani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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13
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Colosi HA, Baciu AM, Costache C, Opris RV, Popp RA, Sabou M, Colosi IA. Prevalence of Azole-Resistant Aspergillus Section Fumigati Strains Isolated from Romanian Vineyard Soil Samples. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1695. [PMID: 38136729 PMCID: PMC10741105 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12121695] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between fungal species and their resistance patterns in vineyard soils has important implications for agriculture and medicine. This study explored the prevalence of Aspergillus section Fumigati species and their resistance to azole compounds in Romanian vineyard soils. METHODS A total of 265 soil samples from various Romanian vineyards were screened for fungi resistant to azoles. RESULTS Aspergillus section Fumigati isolates exhibited significant resistance to itraconazole and voriconazole, but no azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus strains were detected. Six percent of the samples were positive for Aspergillus section Fumigati strains, all of which were azole-resistant. The strains were mainly Aspergillus udagawae (93.75%) and Aspergillus lentulus (6.25%). The predominant azole-resistant Aspergillus species were Aspergillus section Nigri strains, which were found in 75 soil samples. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the importance of understanding fungal resistance in vineyard soils for both the agricultural and clinical sectors. The presence of resistant strains may affect vine health and wine production while also constituting a challenge in the selection of effective treatments against severe and potentially fatal fungal infections in humans, stressing the importance of species-specific antifungal resistance knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Horațiu Alexandru Colosi
- Department of Medical Education, Division of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (H.A.C.); (I.A.C.)
| | - Alina Mihaela Baciu
- Division of Microbiology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Carmen Costache
- Division of Microbiology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Razvan Vlad Opris
- Division of Microbiology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Radu Anghel Popp
- Division of Medical Genetics, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Marcela Sabou
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Les Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France;
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale, UR7292 Dynamique des Interactions hôte Pathogène, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle, Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Ioana Alina Colosi
- Department of Medical Education, Division of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (H.A.C.); (I.A.C.)
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14
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Earle K, Valero C, Conn DP, Vere G, Cook PC, Bromley MJ, Bowyer P, Gago S. Pathogenicity and virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus. Virulence 2023; 14:2172264. [PMID: 36752587 PMCID: PMC10732619 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2172264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary infections caused by the mould pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Compromised lung defences arising from immunosuppression, chronic respiratory conditions or more recently, concomitant viral or bacterial pulmonary infections are recognised risks factors for the development of pulmonary aspergillosis. In this review, we will summarise our current knowledge of the mechanistic basis of pulmonary aspergillosis with a focus on emerging at-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayleigh Earle
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Clara Valero
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Daniel P. Conn
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - George Vere
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Peter C. Cook
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Michael J. Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Paul Bowyer
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Sara Gago
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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15
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Antunes A, Meyer-Dombard DR. Editorial: Rising stars in space microbiology: 2022. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1322924. [PMID: 38029155 PMCID: PMC10679738 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1322924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- André Antunes
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
- China National Space Administration (CNSA), Macau Center for Space Exploration and Science, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - D'Arcy R. Meyer-Dombard
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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16
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Vandborg BC, Horsfall AJ, Pederick JL, Abell AD, Bruning JB. Towards a High-Affinity Peptidomimetic Targeting Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen from Aspergillus fumigatus. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1098. [PMID: 37998903 PMCID: PMC10672205 DOI: 10.3390/jof9111098] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are prevalent in immunocompromised patients. Due to alarming levels of increasing resistance in clinical settings, new drugs targeting the major fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are required. Attractive drug targets are those involved in essential processes like DNA replication, such as proliferating cell nuclear antigens (PCNAs). PCNA has been previously studied in cancer research and presents a viable target for antifungals. Human PCNA interacts with the p21 protein, outcompeting binding proteins to halt DNA replication. The affinity of p21 for hPCNA has been shown to outcompete other associating proteins, presenting an attractive scaffold for peptidomimetic design. p21 has no A. fumigatus homolog to our knowledge, yet our group has previously demonstrated that human p21 can interact with A. fumigatus PCNA (afumPCNA). This suggests that a p21-based inhibitor could be designed to outcompete the native binding partners of afumPCNA to inhibit fungal growth. Here, we present an investigation of extensive structure-activity relationships between designed p21-based peptides and afumPCNA and the first crystal structure of a p21 peptide bound to afumPCNA, demonstrating that the A. fumigatus replication model uses a PIP-box sequence as the method for binding to afumPCNA. These results inform the new optimized secondary structure design of a potential peptidomimetic inhibitor of afumPCNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethiney C. Vandborg
- Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia; (B.C.V.); (J.L.P.); (A.D.A.)
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Aimee J. Horsfall
- Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia; (B.C.V.); (J.L.P.); (A.D.A.)
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Jordan L. Pederick
- Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia; (B.C.V.); (J.L.P.); (A.D.A.)
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Andrew D. Abell
- Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia; (B.C.V.); (J.L.P.); (A.D.A.)
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - John B. Bruning
- Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia; (B.C.V.); (J.L.P.); (A.D.A.)
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
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17
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Wassano NS, da Silva GB, Reis AH, Gerhardt JA, Antoniel EP, Akiyama D, Rezende CP, Neves LX, Vasconcelos E, Figueiredo FL, Almeida F, de Castro PA, Pinzan CF, Goldman GH, Leme AFP, Fill TP, Moretti NS, Damasio A. Deacetylation by sirtuins is important for Aspergillus fumigatus pathogenesis and virulence. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.25.558961. [PMID: 37808717 PMCID: PMC10557594 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.25.558961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Protein acetylation is a crucial post-translational modification that controls gene expression and a variety of biological processes. Sirtuins, a prominent class of NAD + -dependent lysine deacetylases, serve as key regulators of protein acetylation and gene expression in eukaryotes. In this study, six single knockout strains of fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus were constructed, in addition to a strain lacking all predicted sirtuins (SIRTKO). Phenotypic assays suggest that sirtuins are involved in cell wall integrity, secondary metabolite production, thermotolerance, and virulence. AfsirE deletion resulted in attenuation of virulence, as demonstrated in murine and Galleria infection models. The absence of AfSirE leads to altered acetylation status of proteins, including histones and non-histones, resulting in significant changes in the expression of genes associated with secondary metabolism, cell wall biosynthesis, and virulence factors. These findings encourage testing sirtuin inhibitors as potential therapeutic strategies to combat A. fumigatus infections or in combination therapy with available antifungals.
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18
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Martins C, Piontkivska D, Mil-Homens D, Guedes P, Jorge JMP, Brinco J, Bárria C, Santos ACF, Barras R, Arraiano C, Fialho A, Goldman GH, Silva Pereira C. Increased Production of Pathogenic, Airborne Fungal Spores upon Exposure of a Soil Mycobiota to Chlorinated Aromatic Hydrocarbon Pollutants. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0066723. [PMID: 37284774 PMCID: PMC10434042 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00667-23] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Organic pollutants are omnipresent and can penetrate all environmental niches. We evaluated the hypothesis that short-term (acute) exposure to aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants could increase the potential for fungal virulence. Specifically, we analyzed whether pentachlorophenol and triclosan pollution results in the production of airborne fungal spores with greater virulence than those derived from an unpolluted (Control) condition. Each pollutant altered the composition of the community of airborne spores compared to the control, favoring an increase in strains with in vivo infection capacity (the wax moth Galleria mellonella was used as an infection model). Fungi subsisting inside larvae at 72 h postinjection with airborne spore inocula collected in polluted and unpolluted conditions exhibited comparable diversity (mainly within Aspergillus fumigatus). Several virulent Aspergillus strains were isolated from larvae infected with the airborne spores produced in a polluted environment. Meanwhile, strains isolated from larvae injected with spores from the control, including one A. fumigatus strain, showed no virulence. Potential pathogenicity increased when two Aspergillus virulent strains were assembled, suggesting the existence of synergisms that impact pathogenicity. None of the observed taxonomic or functional traits could separate the virulent from the avirulent strains. Our study emphasizes pollution stress as a possible driver of phenotypic adaptations that increase Aspergillus pathogenicity, as well as the need to better understand the interplay between pollution and fungal virulence. IMPORTANCE Fungi colonizing soil and organic pollutants often meet. The consequences of this encounter constitute an outstanding question. We scrutinized the potential for virulence of airborne fungal spores produced under unpolluted and polluted scenarios. The airborne spores showed increased diversity of strains with higher infection capacity in Galleria mellonella whenever pollution is present. Inside the larvae injected with either airborne spore community, the surviving fungi demonstrated a similar diversity, mainly within Aspergillus fumigatus. However, the isolated Aspergillus strains greatly differ since virulence was only observed for those associated with a polluted environment. The interplay between pollution and fungal virulence still hides many unresolved questions, but the encounter is costly: pollution stress promotes phenotypic adaptations that may increase Aspergillus pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celso Martins
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daryna Piontkivska
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Dalila Mil-Homens
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paula Guedes
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- CENSE (Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research)/CHANGE (Global Change and Sustainability Institute), NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - João M. P. Jorge
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - João Brinco
- CENSE (Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research)/CHANGE (Global Change and Sustainability Institute), NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Cátia Bárria
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ariana C. F. Santos
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Barras
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Cecília Arraiano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Arsénio Fialho
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Cristina Silva Pereira
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
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19
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Tokamani M, Figgou E, Papamichail L, Sakka E, Toros A, Bouchorikou A, Giannakakis A, Matthaiou EI, Sandaltzopoulos R. A Multiplex PCR Melting-Curve-Analysis-Based Detection Method for the Discrimination of Five Aspergillus Species. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:842. [PMID: 37623613 PMCID: PMC10455196 DOI: 10.3390/jof9080842] [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: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus mold is a ubiquitously found, airborne pathogen that can cause a variety of diseases from mild to life-threatening in severity. Limitations in diagnostic methods combined with anti-fungal resistance render Aspergillus a global emerging pathogen. In industry, Aspergilli produce toxins, such as aflatoxins, which can cause food spoilage and pose public health risk issues. Here, we report a multiplex qPCR method for the detection and identification of the five most common pathogenic Aspergillus species, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, and Aspergillus nidulans. Our approach exploits species-specific nucleotide polymorphisms within their ITS genomic regions. This novel assay combines multiplex single-color real time qPCR and melting curve analysis and provides a straight-forward, rapid, and cost-effective detection method that can identify five Aspergillus species simultaneously in a single reaction using only six unlabeled primers. Due to their unique fragment lengths, the resulting amplicons are directly linked to certain Aspergillus species like fingerprints, following either electrophoresis or melting curve analysis. Our method is characterized by high analytical sensitivity and specificity, so it may serve as a useful and inexpensive tool for Aspergillus diagnostic applications both in health care and the food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Tokamani
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (M.T.); (E.F.); (L.P.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Eleftheria Figgou
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (M.T.); (E.F.); (L.P.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Lito Papamichail
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (M.T.); (E.F.); (L.P.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Eleni Sakka
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (M.T.); (E.F.); (L.P.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Athanasios Toros
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (M.T.); (E.F.); (L.P.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Anastasia Bouchorikou
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (M.T.); (E.F.); (L.P.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Antonis Giannakakis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (M.T.); (E.F.); (L.P.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Efthymia Iliana Matthaiou
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA;
| | - Raphael Sandaltzopoulos
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (M.T.); (E.F.); (L.P.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
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20
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Bihani S, Gupta A, Mehta S, Rajczewski AT, Johnson J, Borishetty D, Griffin TJ, Srivastava S, Jagtap PD. Metaproteomic Analysis of Nasopharyngeal Swab Samples to Identify Microbial Peptides in COVID-19 Patients. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:2608-2619. [PMID: 37450889 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, impaired immunity and medical interventions resulted in cases of secondary infections. The clinical difficulties and dangers associated with secondary infections in patients necessitate the exploration of their microbiome. Metaproteomics is a powerful approach to study the taxonomic composition and functional status of the microbiome under study. In this study, the mass spectrometry (MS)-based data of nasopharyngeal swab samples from COVID-19 patients was used to investigate the metaproteome. We have established a robust bioinformatics workflow within the Galaxy platform, which includes (a) generation of a tailored database of the common respiratory tract pathogens, (b) database search using multiple search algorithms, and (c) verification of the detected microbial peptides. The microbial peptides detected in this study, belong to several opportunistic pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Rhizopus microsporus, and Syncephalastrum racemosum. Microbial proteins with a role in stress response, gene expression, and DNA repair were found to be upregulated in severe patients compared to negative patients. Using parallel reaction monitoring (PRM), we confirmed some of the microbial peptides in fresh clinical samples. MS-based clinical metaproteomics can serve as a powerful tool for detection and characterization of potential pathogens, which can significantly impact the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surbhi Bihani
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400076, India
| | - Aryan Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400076, India
| | - Subina Mehta
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 7-129 MCB, 420 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Andrew T Rajczewski
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 7-129 MCB, 420 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - James Johnson
- Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Dhanush Borishetty
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400076, India
| | - Timothy J Griffin
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 7-129 MCB, 420 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Sanjeeva Srivastava
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400076, India
| | - Pratik D Jagtap
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 7-129 MCB, 420 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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21
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Visvanathan N, Lim JYA, Chng HT, Xie S. A Critical Review on the Dosing and Safety of Antifungals Used in Exotic Avian and Reptile Species. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:810. [PMID: 37623581 PMCID: PMC10455840 DOI: 10.3390/jof9080810] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Antifungals are used in exotic avian and reptile species for the treatment of fungal diseases. Dose extrapolations across species are common due to lack of species-specific pharmacological data. This may not be ideal because interspecies physiological differences may result in subtherapeutic dosing or toxicity. This critical review aims to collate existing pharmacological data to identify antifungals with the most evidence to support their safe and effective use. In the process, significant trends and gaps are also identified and discussed. An extensive search was conducted on PubMed and JSTOR, and relevant data were critically appraised. Itraconazole or voriconazole showed promising results in Japanese quails, racing pigeons and inland bearded dragons for the treatment of aspergillosis and CANV-related infections. Voriconazole neurotoxicity manifested as seizures in multiple penguins, but as lethargy or torticollis in cottonmouths. Itraconazole toxicity was predominantly hepatotoxicity, observed as liver abnormalities in inland bearded dragons and a Parson's chameleon. Differences in formulations of itraconazole affected various absorption parameters. Non-linearities in voriconazole due to saturable metabolism and autoinduction showed opposing effects on clearance, especially in multiple-dosing regimens. These differences in pharmacokinetic parameters across species resulted in varying elimination half-lives. Terbinafine has been used in dermatomycoses, especially in reptiles, due to its keratinophilic nature, and no significant adverse events were observed. The use of fluconazole has declined due to resistance or its narrow spectrum of activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naresh Visvanathan
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117559, Singapore
| | - Jolise Yi An Lim
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117559, Singapore
| | - Hui Ting Chng
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117559, Singapore
| | - Shangzhe Xie
- Mandai Wildlife Group, 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826, Singapore
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22
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Nji QN, Babalola OO, Mwanza M. Soil Aspergillus Species, Pathogenicity and Control Perspectives. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:766. [PMID: 37504754 PMCID: PMC10381279 DOI: 10.3390/jof9070766] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Five Aspergillus sections have members that are established agricultural pests and producers of different metabolites, threatening global food safety. Most of these pathogenic Aspergillus species have been isolated from almost all major biomes. The soil remains the primary habitat for most of these cryptic fungi. This review explored some of the ecological attributes that have contributed immensely to the success of the pathogenicity of some members of the genus Aspergillus over time. Hence, the virulence factors of the genus Aspergillus, their ecology and others were reviewed. Furthermore, some biological control techniques were recommended. Pathogenic effects of Aspergillus species are entirely accidental; therefore, the virulence evolution prediction model in such species becomes a challenge, unlike their obligate parasite counterparts. In all, differences in virulence among organisms involved both conserved and species-specific genetic factors. If the impacts of climate change continue, new cryptic Aspergillus species will emerge and mycotoxin contamination risks will increase in all ecosystems, as these species can metabolically adjust to nutritional and biophysical challenges. As most of their gene clusters are silent, fungi continue to be a source of underexplored bioactive compounds. The World Soil Charter recognizes the relevance of soil biodiversity in supporting healthy soil functions. The question of how a balance may be struck between supporting healthy soil biodiversity and the control of toxic fungi species in the field to ensure food security is therefore pertinent. Numerous advanced strategies and biocontrol methods so far remain the most environmentally sustainable solution to the control of toxigenic fungi in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Queenta Ngum Nji
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
| | - Olubukola Oluranti Babalola
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
| | - Mulunda Mwanza
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
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23
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Fabri JHTM, Rocha MC, Fernandes CM, Campanella JEM, da Cunha AF, Del Poeta M, Malavazi I. The Heat Shock Transcription Factor HsfA Plays a Role in Membrane Lipids Biosynthesis Connecting Thermotolerance and Unsaturated Fatty Acid Metabolism in Aspergillus fumigatus. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0162723. [PMID: 37195179 PMCID: PMC10269545 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01627-23] [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: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermotolerance is a remarkable virulence attribute of Aspergillus fumigatus, but the consequences of heat shock (HS) to the cell membrane of this fungus are unknown, although this structure is one of the first to detect changes in ambient temperature that imposes on the cell a prompt adaptative response. Under high-temperature stress, fungi trigger the HS response controlled by heat shock transcription factors, such as HsfA, which regulates the expression of heat shock proteins. In yeast, smaller amounts of phospholipids with unsaturated fatty acid (FA) chains are synthesized in response to HS, directly affecting plasma membrane composition. The addition of double bonds in saturated FA is catalyzed by Δ9-fatty acid desaturases, whose expression is temperature-modulated. However, the relationship between HS and saturated/unsaturated FA balance in membrane lipids of A. fumigatus in response to HS has not been investigated. Here, we found that HsfA responds to plasma membrane stress and has a role in sphingolipid and phospholipid unsaturated biosynthesis. In addition, we studied the A. fumigatus Δ9-fatty acid desaturase sdeA and discovered that this gene is essential and required for unsaturated FA biosynthesis, although it did not directly affect the total levels of phospholipids and sphingolipids. sdeA depletion significantly sensitizes mature A. fumigatus biofilms to caspofungin. Also, we demonstrate that hsfA controls sdeA expression, while SdeA and Hsp90 physically interact. Our results suggest that HsfA is required for the adaptation of the fungal plasma membrane to HS and point out a sharp relationship between thermotolerance and FA metabolism in A. fumigatus. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus fumigatus causes invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, a life-threatening infection accounting for high mortality rates in immunocompromised patients. The ability of this organism to grow at elevated temperatures is long recognized as an essential attribute for this mold to cause disease. A. fumigatus responds to heat stress by activating heat shock transcription factors and chaperones to orchestrate cellular responses that protect the fungus against damage caused by heat. Concomitantly, the cell membrane must adapt to heat and maintain physical and chemical properties such as the balance between saturated/unsaturated fatty acids. However, how A. fumigatus connects these two physiological responses is unclear. Here, we explain that HsfA affects the synthesis of complex membrane lipids such as phospholipids and sphingolipids and controls the enzyme SdeA, which produces monounsaturated fatty acids, raw material for membrane lipids. These findings suggest that forced dysregulation of saturated/unsaturated fatty acid balance might represent novel strategies for antifungal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Henrique Tadini Marilhano Fabri
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina Campos Rocha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Caroline Mota Fernandes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Jonatas Erick Maimoni Campanella
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anderson Ferreira da Cunha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, New York, USA
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
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24
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Rajab L, Habib W, Gerges E, Gazal I, Ahmad M. Natural occurrence of fungal endophytes in cultivated cucumber plants in Syria, with emphasis on the entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 196:107868. [PMID: 36455668 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107868] [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: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A survey was conducted to investigate endophytic Beauveria spp. and associated fungi in the tissues of cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivated in open fields and greenhouses in some regions of Syria during 2018-2019. Cultures of fungal endophytes belonging to nine genera were obtained (frequency %): Aspergillus (87.1%), Penicillium (41.23%), Fusarium (38.15%), Beauveria (12.83%), Trichoderma (9.87%), Colletotrichum (4.36%), Cladosporium (3.54%), Alternaria (2.79%), and Chaetomium (2.2%). Only Beauveria and Trichoderma cultures were entomopathogenic. Beauveria bassiana isolates were identified morphologically and molecularly from the stems, leaves, petioles, and fruits of cucumber plants collected at seven agricultural sites. Their ability to artificially colonize all cucumber plant parts was confirmed in the laboratory using soil drench. In this study, the natural association between the endophytic entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana and cucumber plants is newly reported. In addition, a checklist of plant species reported in the literature to harbor this fungus is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lobna Rajab
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria.
| | - Wassim Habib
- Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Plant Protection, Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, Fanar, Lebanon
| | - Elvis Gerges
- Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Plant Protection, Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, Fanar, Lebanon
| | - Ibtisam Gazal
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria
| | - Mohammad Ahmad
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria
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25
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Brauer VS, Pessoni AM, Freitas MS, Cavalcanti-Neto MP, Ries LNA, Almeida F. Chitin Biosynthesis in Aspergillus Species. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9010089. [PMID: 36675910 PMCID: PMC9865612 DOI: 10.3390/jof9010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The fungal cell wall (FCW) is a dynamic structure responsible for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis, and is essential for modulating the interaction of the fungus with its environment. It is composed of proteins, lipids, pigments and polysaccharides, including chitin. Chitin synthesis is catalyzed by chitin synthases (CS), and up to eight CS-encoding genes can be found in Aspergillus species. This review discusses in detail the chitin synthesis and regulation in Aspergillus species, and how manipulation of chitin synthesis pathways can modulate fungal growth, enzyme production, virulence and susceptibility to antifungal agents. More specifically, the metabolic steps involved in chitin biosynthesis are described with an emphasis on how the initiation of chitin biosynthesis remains unknown. A description of the classification, localization and transport of CS was also made. Chitin biosynthesis is shown to underlie a complex regulatory network, with extensive cross-talks existing between the different signaling pathways. Furthermore, pathways and recently identified regulators of chitin biosynthesis during the caspofungin paradoxical effect (CPE) are described. The effect of a chitin on the mammalian immune system is also discussed. Lastly, interference with chitin biosynthesis may also be beneficial for biotechnological applications. Even after more than 30 years of research, chitin biosynthesis remains a topic of current interest in mycology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica S. Brauer
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 01000-000, Brazil
| | - André M. Pessoni
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 01000-000, Brazil
| | - Mateus S. Freitas
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 01000-000, Brazil
| | - Marinaldo P. Cavalcanti-Neto
- Integrated Laboratory of Morphofunctional Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability (NUPEM), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 27965-045, Brazil
| | - Laure N. A. Ries
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
- Correspondence: (L.N.A.R.); (F.A.)
| | - Fausto Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 01000-000, Brazil
- Correspondence: (L.N.A.R.); (F.A.)
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26
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Toledo MG, Alves HR, Cambruzzi I, Pires LL, Rossi M, Gonçalves Brito AC, D'Avila Freitas A, Zambão da Silva NC. Urinary Aspergillosis in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Case Rep Infect Dis 2023; 2023:5575300. [PMID: 37179740 PMCID: PMC10171983 DOI: 10.1155/2023/5575300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillosis is an opportunistic mycosis that generally affects the lungs. The fungus was cleared by the immune system of a healthy host. Extrapulmonary forms are very rare, and there are few reports of urinary aspergillosis. In this case report, we describe a 62-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with complaints of fever and dysuria. The patient had recurrent episodes of urinary tract infection and several hospitalizations. A computed tomography revealed an amorphous mass in the left kidney and bladder. After partial resection of the material was referred for analysis, Aspergillus infection was suspected and confirmed by culture. Successful treatment with voriconazole was provided. Diagnosis of localized primary renal Aspergillus infection in a patient with SLE requires careful investigation due to its benign presentation and lack of associated systemic clinical features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara Gabriele Toledo
- Fluminense Federal University, Antônio Pedro University Hospital, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hugo Rodrigues Alves
- Fluminense Federal University, Antônio Pedro University Hospital, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Mariana Rossi
- Niterói Hospital Complex, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Andrea D'Avila Freitas
- Infectologist at Niterói Hospital Complex, National Institute of Infectology Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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27
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Debnath SK, Debnath M, Srivastava R. Opportunistic etiological agents causing lung infections: emerging need to transform lung-targeted delivery. Heliyon 2022; 8:e12620. [PMID: 36619445 PMCID: PMC9816992 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung diseases continue to draw considerable attention from biomedical and public health care agencies. The lung with the largest epithelial surface area is continuously exposed to the external environment during exchanging gas. Therefore, the chances of respiratory disorders and lung infections are overgrowing. This review has covered promising and opportunistic etiologic agents responsible for lung infections. These pathogens infect the lungs either directly or indirectly. However, it is difficult to intervene in lung diseases using available oral or parenteral antimicrobial formulations. Many pieces of research have been done in the last two decades to improve inhalable antimicrobial formulations. However, very few have been approved for human use. This review article discusses the approved inhalable antimicrobial agents (AMAs) and identifies why pulmonary delivery is explored. Additionally, the basic anatomy of the respiratory system linked with barriers to AMA delivery has been discussed here. This review opens several new scopes for researchers to work on pulmonary medicines for specific diseases and bring more respiratory medication to market.
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28
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Griffiths JS, Orr SJ, Morton CO, Loeffler J, White PL. The Use of Host Biomarkers for the Management of Invasive Fungal Disease. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121307. [PMID: 36547640 PMCID: PMC9784708 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal disease (IFD) causes severe morbidity and mortality, and the number of IFD cases is increasing. Exposure to opportunistic fungal pathogens is inevitable, but not all patients with underlying diseases increasing susceptibility to IFD, develop it. IFD diagnosis currently uses fungal biomarkers and clinical risk/presentation to stratify high-risk patients and classifies them into possible, probable, and proven IFD. However, the fungal species responsible for IFD are highly diverse and present numerous diagnostic challenges, which culminates in the empirical anti-fungal treatment of patients at risk of IFD. Recent studies have focussed on host-derived biomarkers that may mediate IFD risk and can be used to predict, and even identify IFD. The identification of novel host genetic variants, host gene expression changes, and host protein expression (cytokines and chemokines) associated with increased risk of IFD has enhanced our understanding of why only some patients at risk of IFD actually develop disease. Furthermore, these host biomarkers when incorporated into predictive models alongside conventional diagnostic techniques enhance predictive and diagnostic results. Once validated in larger studies, host biomarkers associated with IFD may optimize the clinical management of populations at risk of IFD. This review will summarise the latest developments in the identification of host biomarkers for IFD, their use in predictive modelling and their potential application/usefulness for informing clinical decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S. Griffiths
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Selinda J. Orr
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | | | - Juergen Loeffler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - P. Lewis White
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology Cardiff, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK
- Correspondence:
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29
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Sphingosine as a New Antifungal Agent against Candida and Aspergillus spp. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415510. [PMID: 36555152 PMCID: PMC9779773 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated whether sphingosine is effective as prophylaxis against Aspergillus spp. and Candida spp. In vitro experiments showed that sphingosine is very efficacious against A. fumigatus and Nakeomyces glabrataa (formerly named C. glabrata). A mouse model of invasive aspergillosis showed that sphingosine exerts a prophylactic effect and that sphingosine-treated animals exhibit a strong survival advantage after infection. Furthermore, mechanistic studies showed that treatment with sphingosine leads to the early depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and the generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and to a release of cytochrome C within minutes, thereby presumably initiating apoptosis. Because of its very good tolerability and ease of application, inhaled sphingosine should be further developed as a possible prophylactic agent against pulmonary aspergillosis among severely immunocompromised patients.
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30
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Wong SSW, Dellière S, Schiefermeier-Mach N, Lechner L, Perkhofer S, Bomme P, Fontaine T, Schlosser AG, Sorensen GL, Madan T, Kishore U, Aimanianda V. Surfactant protein D inhibits growth, alters cell surface polysaccharide exposure and immune activation potential of Aspergillus fumigatus. Cell Surf 2022; 8:100072. [PMID: 35118215 PMCID: PMC8792412 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2022.100072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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31
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Use of X-ray irradiation for inactivation of Aspergillus in cannabis flower. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277649. [PMID: 36378669 PMCID: PMC9665375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
California cannabis regulations require testing for four pathogenic species of Aspergillus-A. niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus and A. terreus in cannabis flower and cannabis inhalable products. These four pathogenic species of Aspergillus are important human pathogens and their presence in cannabis flower and cannabis products may pose a threat to human health. In this study, we examined the potential of X-ray irradiation for inactivation of cannabis flower contaminated with any of the four pathogenic species of Aspergillus. We determined that X-ray irradiation at a dose of 2.5 kGy is capable of rendering Aspergillus cells non-viable at low (102 spores/g dried flower), medium (103 spores/g dried flower) and high (104 spores/g dried flower) levels of inoculation. We also showed that X-ray treatment of cannabis flower did not significantly alter the cannabinoid or the terpene profiles of the flower samples. Therefore, X-ray irradiation may be a feasible method for Aspergillus decontamination of cannabis flower. More work is required to determine the consumer safety of irradiated cannabis flower and cannabis products.
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Antifungal Activity of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) against Aspergilli Causing Aspergillosis: Ultrastructure Study. J Funct Biomater 2022; 13:jfb13040242. [PMID: 36412883 PMCID: PMC9680418 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13040242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, nanoparticles and nanomaterials are widely used for biomedical applications. In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were successfully biosynthesized using a cell-free extract (CFE) of Bacillus thuringiensis MAE 6 through a green and ecofriendly method. The size of the biosynthesized AgNPs was 32.7 nm, and their crystalline nature was confirmed by XRD, according to characterization results. A surface plasmon resonance spectrum of AgNPs was obtained at 420 nm. Nanoparticles were further characterized using DLS and FTIR analyses, which provided information on their size, stability, and functional groups. AgNPs revealed less cytotoxicity against normal Vero cell line [IC50 = 155 μg/mL]. Moreover, the biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited promising antifungal activity against four most common Aspergillus, including Aspergillus niger, A. terreus, A. flavus, and A. fumigatus at concentrations of 500 μg/mL where inhibition zones were 16, 20, 26, and 19 mm, respectively. In addition, MICs of AgNPs against A. niger, A. terreus, A. flavus, and A. fumigatus were 125, 62.5, 15.62, and 62.5 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ultrastructural study confirmed the antifungal effect of AgNPs, where the cell wall's integrity and homogeneity were lost; the cell membrane had separated from the cell wall and had intruded into the cytoplasm. In conclusion, the biosynthesized AgNPs using a CFE of B. thuringiensis can be used as a promising antifungal agent against Aspergillus species causing Aspergillosis.
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Langfeldt A, Gold JAW, Chiller T. Emerging Fungal Infections: from the Fields to the Clinic, Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus and Dermatophyte Species: a One Health Perspective on an Urgent Public Health Problem. CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 9:46-51. [PMID: 36188157 PMCID: PMC9512973 DOI: 10.1007/s40588-022-00181-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review For this review, we use a One Health approach to examine two globally emerging public health threats related to antifungal drug resistance: triazole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus infections, which can cause a life-threatening illness in immunocompromised hosts, and antifungal-resistant dermatophytosis, which is an aggressive skin infection caused by dermatophyte molds. We describe the state of current scientific knowledge and outline necessary public health actions to address each issue. Recent Findings Recent evidence has identified the agricultural use of triazole fungicides as an important driver of triazole-resistant A. fumigatus infections. Antifungal-resistant dermatophyte infections are likely driven by the inappropriate use of antifungal drugs and antibacterial and corticosteroid creams. Summary This review highlights the need for a One Health approach to address emerging antifungal resistant infections, emphasizing judicious antifungal use to preserve available treatments; strengthened laboratory capacity to identify antifungal resistance; and improved human, animal, and environmental surveillance to detect emerging resistance, monitor trends, and evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to decrease spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Langfeldt
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Jeremy A. W. Gold
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Tom Chiller
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA USA
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Cortesão M, Holland G, Schütze T, Laue M, Moeller R, Meyer V. Colony growth and biofilm formation of Aspergillus niger under simulated microgravity. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:975763. [PMID: 36212831 PMCID: PMC9539656 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.975763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The biotechnology- and medicine-relevant fungus Aspergillus niger is a common colonizer of indoor habitats such as the International Space Station (ISS). Being able to colonize and biodegrade a wide range of surfaces, A. niger can ultimately impact human health and habitat safety. Surface contamination relies on two key-features of the fungal colony: the fungal spores, and the vegetative mycelium, also known as biofilm. Aboard the ISS, microorganisms and astronauts are shielded from extreme temperatures and radiation, but are inevitably affected by spaceflight microgravity. Knowing how microgravity affects A. niger colony growth, in particular regarding the vegetative mycelium (biofilm) and spore production, will help prevent and control fungal contaminations in indoor habitats on Earth and in space. Because fungal colonies grown on agar can be considered analogs for surface contamination, we investigated A. niger colony growth on agar in normal gravity (Ground) and simulated microgravity (SMG) conditions by fast-clinorotation. Three strains were included: a wild-type strain, a pigmentation mutant (ΔfwnA), and a hyperbranching mutant (ΔracA). Our study presents never before seen scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of A. niger colonies that reveal a complex ultrastructure and biofilm architecture, and provide insights into fungal colony development, both on ground and in simulated microgravity. Results show that simulated microgravity affects colony growth in a strain-dependent manner, leading to thicker biofilms (vegetative mycelium) and increased spore production. We suggest that the Rho GTPase RacA might play a role in A. niger’s adaptation to simulated microgravity, as deletion of ΔracA leads to changes in biofilm thickness, spore production and total biomass. We also propose that FwnA-mediated melanin production plays a role in A. niger’s microgravity response, as ΔfwnA mutant colonies grown under SMG conditions showed increased colony area and spore production. Taken together, our study shows that simulated microgravity does not inhibit A. niger growth, but rather indicates a potential increase in surface-colonization. Further studies addressing fungal growth and surface contaminations in spaceflight should be conducted, not only to reduce the risk of negatively impacting human health and spacecraft material safety, but also to positively utilize fungal-based biotechnology to acquire needed resources in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Cortesão
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Aerospace Microbiology Research Group, Cologne, Germany
- Chair of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Marta Cortesão,
| | - Gudrun Holland
- Robert Koch Institute, Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy (ZBS 4), Berlin, Germany
| | - Tabea Schütze
- Chair of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Laue
- Robert Koch Institute, Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy (ZBS 4), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Moeller
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Aerospace Microbiology Research Group, Cologne, Germany
| | - Vera Meyer
- Chair of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Li Y, Song Z, Wang E, Dong L, Bai J, Wang D, Zhu J, Zhang C. Potential antifungal targets based on histones post-translational modifications against invasive aspergillosis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:980615. [PMID: 36016791 PMCID: PMC9395700 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.980615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As a primary cause of death in patients with hematological malignancies and transplant recipients, invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a condition that warrants attention. IA infections have been increasing, which remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. During the past decade, antifungal drug resistance has emerged, which is especially concerning for management given the limited options for treating azole-resistant infections and the possibility of failure of prophylaxis in those high-risk patients. Histone posttranslational modifications (HPTMs), mainly including acetylation, methylation, ubiquitination and phosphorylation, are crucial epigenetic mechanisms regulating various biological events, which could modify the conformation of histone and influence chromatin-associated nuclear processes to regulate development, cellular responsiveness, and biological phenotype without affecting the underlying genetic sequence. In recent years, fungi have become important model organisms for studying epigenetic regulation. HPTMs involves in growth and development, secondary metabolite biosynthesis and virulence in Aspergillus. This review mainly aims at summarizing the acetylation, deacetylation, methylation, demethylation, and sumoylation of histones in IA and connect this knowledge to possible HPTMs-based antifungal drugs. We hope this research could provide a reference for exploring new drug targets and developing low-toxic and high-efficiency antifungal strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiman Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihui Song
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ente Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Liming Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Bai
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyan Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Chao Zhang,
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Bao S, Song H, Chen Y, Zhong C, Tang H. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis in non-neutropenic patients: a retrospective study. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:925982. [PMID: 35979088 PMCID: PMC9376315 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.925982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to obtain further in-depth information on the value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for diagnosing pulmonary aspergillosis in non-neutropenic patients. We did a retrospective study, in which 33 non-neutropenic patients were included, of which 12 were patients with pulmonary aspergillosis and 21 were diagnosed with non-pulmonary aspergillosis. Fungi and all other co-pathogens in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) (27 cases), blood (6 cases), and/or pleural fluid (1 case) samples were analyzed using mNGS. One of the patients submitted both BALF and blood samples. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and radiologic features of pulmonary aspergillosis patients and compared the diagnostic accuracy, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of mNGS with conventional etiological methods and serum (1,3)-β-D-glucan. We also explored the efficacy of mNGS in detecting mixed infections and co-pathogens. We further reviewed modifications of antimicrobial therapy for patients with pulmonary aspergillosis according to the mNGS results. Finally, we compared the detection of Aspergillus in BALF and blood samples from three patients using mNGS. In non-neutropenic patients, immunocompromised conditions of non-pulmonary aspergillosis were far less prevalent than in patients with pulmonary aspergillosis. More patients with pulmonary aspergillosis received long-term systemic corticosteroids (50% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.05). Additionally, mNGS managed to reach a sensitivity of 91.7% for diagnosing pulmonary aspergillosis, which was significantly higher than that of conventional etiological methods (33.3%) and serum (1,3)-β-D-glucan (33.3%). In addition, mNGS showed superior performance in discovering co-pathogens (84.6%) of pulmonary aspergillosis; bacteria, bacteria-fungi, and bacteria-PJP-virus were most commonly observed in non-neutropenic patients. Moreover, mNGS results can help guide effective treatments. According to the mNGS results, antimicrobial therapy was altered in 91.7% of patients with pulmonary aspergillosis. The diagnosis of Aspergillus detected in blood samples, which can be used as a supplement to BALF samples, seemed to show a higher specificity than that in BALF samples. mNGS is a useful and effective method for the diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis in non-neutropenic patients, detection of co-pathogens, and adjustment of antimicrobial treatment.
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Zuzarte M, Salgueiro L. Essential Oils in Respiratory Mycosis: A Review. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27134140. [PMID: 35807386 PMCID: PMC9268412 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27134140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory mycosis is a major health concern, due to the expanding population of immunosuppressed and immunocompromised patients and the increasing resistance to conventional antifungals and their undesired side-effects, thus justifying the development of new therapeutic strategies. Plant metabolites, namely essential oils, represent promising preventive/therapeutic strategies due to their widely reported antifungal potential. However, regarding fungal infections of the respiratory tract, information is disperse and no updated compilation on current knowledge is available. Therefore, the present review aims to gather and systematize relevant information on the antifungal effects of several essential oils and volatile compounds against the main type of respiratory mycosis that impact health care systems. Particular attention is paid to Aspergillus fumigatus, the main pathogen involved in aspergillosis, Candida auris, currently emerging as a major pathogen in certain parts of the world, and Cryptococcus neoformans, one of the main pathogens involved in pulmonary cryptococcosis. Furthermore, the main mechanisms of action underlying essential oils’ antifungal effects and current limitations in clinical translation are presented. Overall, essential oils rich in phenolic compounds seem to be very effective but clinical translation requires more comprehensive in vivo studies and human trials to assess the efficacy and tolerability of these compounds in respiratory mycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Zuzarte
- Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Centre of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Lígia Salgueiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal;
- Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemical Process Engineering and Forest Products Research Centre (CIEPQPF), University of Coimbra, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal
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Gibbons JG, D’Avino P, Zhao S, Cox GW, Rinker DC, Fortwendel JR, Latge JP. Comparative Genomics Reveals a Single Nucleotide Deletion in pksP That Results in White-Spore Phenotype in Natural Variants of Aspergillus fumigatus. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:897954. [PMID: 37746219 PMCID: PMC10512363 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.897954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a potentially deadly opportunistic human pathogen. A. fumigatus has evolved a variety of mechanisms to evade detection by the immune system. For example, the conidium surface is covered in a layer of 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin which masks the antigen macrophages use for recognition. DHN melanin also protects conidia from ultraviolet radiation and gives A. fumigatus conidia their characteristic green-grayish color. Here, we conducted genomic analysis of two closely related white-spore natural variants of A. fumigatus in comparison to two closely related green-spore isolates to identify a genetic basis of the white-spore phenotype. Illumina whole-genome resequencing data of the four isolates was used to identify variants that were shared in the white-spore isolates and different from both the green-spore isolates and the Af293 reference genome (which is also a green-spore isolate). We identified 4,279 single nucleotide variants and 1,785 insertion/deletions fitting this pattern. Among these, we identified 64 variants predicted to be high impact, loss-of-function mutations. One of these variants is a single nucleotide deletion that results in a frameshift in pksP (Afu2g17600), the core biosynthetic gene in the DHN melanin encoding gene cluster. The frameshift mutation in the white-spore isolates leads to a truncated protein in which a phosphopantetheine attachment site (PP-binding domain) is interrupted and an additional PP-binding domain and a thioesterase domain are omitted. Growth rate analysis of white-spore and green-spore isolates at 37°C and 48°C revealed that white-spore isolates are thermosensitive. Growth rate of A. fumigatus Af293 and a pksP null mutant in the Af293 background suggests pksP is not directly involved in the thermosensitivity phenotype. Further, our study identified a mutation in a gene (Afu4g04740) associated with thermal sensitivity in yeasts which could also be responsible for the thermosensitivity of the white-spore mutants. Overall, we used comparative genomics to identify the mutation and protein alterations responsible for the white-spore phenotype of environmental isolates of A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G. Gibbons
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
- Organismic & Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Paolo D’Avino
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Shu Zhao
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Grace W. Cox
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - David C. Rinker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jarrod R. Fortwendel
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
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Deletion of cox7c Results in Pan-Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0015122. [PMID: 35647650 PMCID: PMC9211413 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00151-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In Aspergillus fumigatus, the most prevalent resistance to azoles results from mutational modifications of the azole target protein Cyp51A, but there are non-cyp51A mutants resistant to azoles, and the mechanisms underlying the resistance of these strains remain to be explored. Here, we identified a novel cytochrome c oxidase, cox7c (W56*), nonsense mutation in the laboratory and found that it caused reduced colony growth and resistance to multiantifungal agents. Meanwhile, we revealed that cold storage is responsible for increased tolerance of conidia to itraconazole (ITC) stress, which further advances azole-resistant mutations (cryopreservation→ITC tolerance→azole resistance). The deletion or mutation of cox7c results explicitly in resistance to antifungal-targeting enzymes, including triazoles, polyenes, and allylamines, required for ergosterol synthesis, or resistance to fungal ergosterol. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay showed that the cox7c knockout strain decreased intracellular itraconazole concentration. In addition, the lack of Cox7c resulted in the accumulation of intracellular heme B. We validated that an endogenous increase in, or the exogenous addition of, heme B was capable of eliciting azole resistance, which was in good accordance with the phenotypic resistance analysis of cox7c mutants. Furthermore, RNA sequencing verified the elevated transcriptional expression levels of multidrug transport genes. Additionally, lower itraconazole-induced reactive oxygen species generation in mycelia of a cox7c-deletion strain suggested that this reduction may, in part, contribute to drug resistance. These findings increase our understanding of how A. fumigatus’s direct responses to azoles promote fungal survival in the environment and address genetic mutations that arise from patients or environments.
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Li Z, Shen F, Song L, Zhang S. Antifungal Activity of NP20 Derived from Amphioxus Midkine/Pleiotrophin Homolog Against Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 24:614-625. [PMID: 35610324 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-022-10131-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
With the emergence of antifungal resistance, systematic infections with Aspergillus are becoming the major cause of the clinical morbidity. The development of novel antifungal agents with high efficacy, low drug tolerance, and few side effects is urgent. In response to that need, we have identified NP20. Here we demonstrate clearly that NP20 has antifungal activity, capable of killing the spores of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus as well as causing direct damage to the surface, membrane, cytoplasm, organelle, and nucleus of the fungal spores. Interestingly, NP20 is active under temperature stress and a wide range of pH. Subsequently, MTT assay, assay for binding of NP20 to fungal cell wall components, membrane depolarization assay, confocal microscopy, ROS assay, DNA replication, and protein synthesis assay are performed to clarify the mechanisms underlying NP20 against Aspergillus. The results show that NP20 can bind with and pass through the fungal cell wall, and then interfere with the lipid membrane. Moreover, NP20 can induce intracellular ROS production, DNA fragmentation, and protein synthesis inhibition of the fungal cells. These together indicate that NP20 is a novel antifungal peptide, which has considerable potential for future development as novel peptide antibiotics against Aspergillus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Li
- Laboratory for Evolution & Development, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Room 320, 5 Yushan Road, Darwin Building, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Fangwang Shen
- Laboratory for Evolution & Development, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Room 320, 5 Yushan Road, Darwin Building, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Lili Song
- Laboratory for Evolution & Development, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Room 320, 5 Yushan Road, Darwin Building, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Shicui Zhang
- Laboratory for Evolution & Development, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Room 320, 5 Yushan Road, Darwin Building, Qingdao, 266003, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266003, China.
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Wang Y, Zhang L, Zhou L, Zhang M, Xu Y. Epidemiology, Drug Susceptibility, and Clinical Risk Factors in Patients With Invasive Aspergillosis. Front Public Health 2022; 10:835092. [PMID: 35493371 PMCID: PMC9051236 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.835092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the Aspergillus species distribution, antifungal sensitivities, clinical characteristics, and risk factors of patients with invasive aspergillosis (IA) in a tertiary teaching hospital in Anhui Province.MethodsIn the present study, 156 Aspergillus isolates were collected from patients admitted to a 2,800-bed comprehensive hospital between January 2019 and April 2021. The epidemiology of Aspergillus species was well-examined, and its antifungal susceptibility was specifically measured by the microbroth dilution method. The risk factors of patients with IA were documented and analyzed intensively. In addition, gene sequencing was employed to determine gene mutations of cytochrome P450 14-α sterol demethylase-Aspergillus (cyp51A) associated with azole resistance among Aspergillus fumigatus.ResultsThe Aspergillus species distribution was dominated by A. fumigatus (56.41%), Aspergillus flavus (20.51%), and Aspergillus niger (15.38%) locally. In particular, all Aspergillus species showed very low minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs, ≤ 0.5 μg/ml) for azoles and echinocandins, slightly high MICs (1.66–2.91 μg/ml) for amphotericin B, and exceptionally high MICs (>64 μg/ml) for flucytosine. Azole-resistant rate of Aspergillus species in this local region reached up to 5.79%. Correlation analyses of multiple antifungals indicate a significant MIC relevance between isavuconazole and voriconazole (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.81, P < 0.0001). The clinical risk factors for patients with IA were found primarily to be pulmonary diseases (P = 0.007) and patients' age (P < 0.001). Notably, three mutant loci (TR46/Y121F/T289A) of the cyp51A gene were identified in azole-resistant A. fumigatus.ConclusionsThe Aspergillus species emerged increasingly, of which A. fumigatus and A. flavus remained the main pathogens for invasive Aspergillus infections in the local region. The vast majority of Aspergillus species exhibited good susceptibility to all the antifungals, except flucytosine. The local occurrence of azole-resistant Aspergillus species grew gradually and needed monitoring in time. Pulmonary diseases and age were likely considered as highly associated risk factors for IA. To our knowledge, the clinically isolated azole-resistant A. fumigatus with TR46/Y121F/T289A mutations identified here were rarely reported in the area of China.
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Li Q, Kong D, Wang Y, Dou Z, Huang W, Hu B, Dong F, Jiang H, Lv Q, Zheng Y, Ren Y, Liu G, Liu P, Jiang Y. Characterization of a rare clinical isolate of A. spinulosporus following a central nervous system infection. Microbes Infect 2022; 24:104973. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2022.104973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Robinson K, Yang Q, Stewart S, Whitmore MA, Zhang G. Biogeography, succession, and origin of the chicken intestinal mycobiome. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:55. [PMID: 35365230 PMCID: PMC8976367 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01252-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extensive work has been accomplished to characterize the intestinal bacterial community, known as the microbiota, and its association with host health and disease. However, very little is known about the spatiotemporal development and the origin of a minor intestinal fungal community, known as the mycobiota, in humans and animals, particularly in avian species. RESULTS In this study, we comprehensively characterized the biogeography and succession of the gastrointestinal (GI) mycobiota of broiler chickens and further revealed the fungal sources that are responsible for initial and long-term establishment of the mycobiota in the GI tract. Using Illumina sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of fungal rRNA genes, we detected significant spatial and temporal differences in the mycobiota along the GI tract. In contrary to the microbiota, the mycobiota was more diverse in the upper than the lower GI tract with no apparent trend of succession up to 42 days of age. The intestinal mycobiota was dominated by the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota with Gibberella, Aspergillus, and Candida being the most abundant genera. Although the chicken mycobiota was highly dynamic, Fusarium pseudonygamai was dominant throughout the GI tract regardless of age in this study. The core chicken mycobiome consisted of 26 fungal taxa accounting for greater than 85% of the fungal population in each GI location. However, we observed high variations of the intestinal mycobiota among different studies. We also showed that the total fungal population varied greatly from 1.0 × 104 to 1.1 × 106 /g digesta along the GI tract and only accounted for less than 0.06% of the bacteria in day-42 broilers. Finally, we revealed that the mycobiota from the hatchery environment was responsible for initial colonization in the GI tract of newly hatched chickens, but was quickly replaced by the fungi in the diet within 3 days. CONCLUSIONS Relative to the intestinal microbiota that consists of trillions of bacteria in hundreds of different species and becomes relatively stabilized as animals age, the chicken intestinal mycobiota is a minor microbial community that is temporally dynamic with limited diversity and no obvious pattern of successive changes. However, similar to the microbiota, the chicken mycobiota is spatially different along the GI tract, although it is more diverse in the upper than the lower GI tract. Dietary fungi are the major source of the intestinal mycobiota in growing chickens. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsy Robinson
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma USA
- Present Address: Poultry Research Unit, USDA–Agricultural Research Service, Mississippi State, MS USA
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma USA
| | - Sydney Stewart
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma USA
- Present Address: Safety and Security Division, Institute for Public Research, CNA, Arlington, VA USA
| | - Melanie A. Whitmore
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma USA
| | - Guolong Zhang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma USA
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44
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Oliw EH. Iron and manganese lipoxygenases of plant pathogenic fungi and their role in biosynthesis of jasmonates. Arch Biochem Biophys 2022; 722:109169. [PMID: 35276213 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2022.109169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Lipoxygenases (LOX) contain catalytic iron (FeLOX), but fungi also produce LOX with catalytic manganese (MnLOX). In this review, the 3D structures and properties of fungal LOX are compared and contrasted along with their associations with pathogenicity. The 3D structures and properties of two MnLOX (Magnaporthe oryzae, Geaumannomyces graminis) and the catalysis of five additional MnLOX have provided information on the metal center, substrate binding, oxygenation, tentative O2 channels, and biosynthesis of exclusive hydroperoxides. In addition, the genomes of other plant pathogens also code for putative MnLOX. Crystals of the 13S-FeLOX of Fusarium graminearum revealed an unusual altered geometry of the Fe ligands between mono- and dimeric structures, influenced by a wrapping sequence extension near the C-terminal of the dimers. In plants, the enzymes involved in jasmonate synthesis are well documented whereas the fungal pathway is yet to be fully elucidated. Conversion of deuterium-labeled 18:3n-3, 18:2n-6, and their 13S-hydroperoxides to jasmonates established 13S-FeLOX of F. oxysporum in the biosynthesis, while subsequent enzymes lacked sequence homologues in plants. The Rice-blast (M. oryzae) and the Take-all (G. graminis) fungi secrete MnLOX to support infection, invasive hyphal growth, and cell membrane oxidation, contributing to their devastating impact on world production of rice and wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernst H Oliw
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Box 591, SE 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
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45
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Ortiz SC, Pennington K, Thomson DD, Bertuzzi M. Novel Insights into Aspergillus fumigatus Pathogenesis and Host Response from State-of-the-Art Imaging of Host-Pathogen Interactions during Infection. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:264. [PMID: 35330266 PMCID: PMC8954776 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus spores initiate more than 3,000,000 chronic and 300,000 invasive diseases annually, worldwide. Depending on the immune status of the host, inhalation of these spores can lead to a broad spectrum of disease, including invasive aspergillosis, which carries a 50% mortality rate overall; however, this mortality rate increases substantially if the infection is caused by azole-resistant strains or diagnosis is delayed or missed. Increasing resistance to existing antifungal treatments is becoming a major concern; for example, resistance to azoles (the first-line available oral drug against Aspergillus species) has risen by 40% since 2006. Despite high morbidity and mortality, the lack of an in-depth understanding of A. fumigatus pathogenesis and host response has hampered the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the clinical management of fungal infections. Recent advances in sample preparation, infection models and imaging techniques applied in vivo have addressed important gaps in fungal research, whilst questioning existing paradigms. This review highlights the successes and further potential of these recent technologies in understanding the host-pathogen interactions that lead to aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien C. Ortiz
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
| | - Katie Pennington
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
| | - Darren D. Thomson
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK;
| | - Margherita Bertuzzi
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
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46
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Vélez-Torres LN, Bolaños-Rosero B, Godoy-Vitorino F, Rivera-Mariani FE, Maestre JP, Kinney K, Cavallin H. Hurricane María drives increased indoor proliferation of filamentous fungi in San Juan, Puerto Rico: a two-year culture-based approach. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12730. [PMID: 35261816 PMCID: PMC8898552 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive flooding caused by Hurricane María in Puerto Rico (PR) created favorable conditions for indoor growth of filamentous fungi. These conditions represent a public health concern as contamination by environmental fungi is associated with a higher prevalence of inflammatory respiratory conditions. This work compares culturable fungal spore communities present in homes that sustained water damage after Hurricane María to those present in dry, non-flooded homes. We collected air samples from 50 houses in a neighborhood in San Juan, PR, 12 and 22 months after Hurricane María. Self-reported data was used to classify the homes as flooded, water-damage or dry non-flooded. Fungi abundances, composition and diversity were analyzed by culturing on two media. Our results showed no significant differences in indoor fungal concentrations (CFU/m3) one year after the Hurricane in both culture media studied (MEA and G25N). During the second sampling period fungal levels were 2.7 times higher in previously flooded homes (Median = 758) when compared to dry homes (Median = 283), (p-value < 0.005). Fungal profiles showed enrichment of Aspergillus species inside flooded homes compared to outdoor samples during the first sampling period (FDR-adjusted p-value = 0.05). In contrast, 22 months after the storm, indoor fungal composition consisted primarily of non-sporulated fungi, most likely basidiospores, which are characteristic of the outdoor air in PR. Together, this data highlights that homes that suffered water damage not only have higher indoor proliferation of filamentous fungi, but their indoor fungal populations change over time following the Hurricane. Ultimately, after nearly two years, indoor and outdoor fungal communities converged in this sample of naturally ventilated homes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorraine N. Vélez-Torres
- Department of Microbiology & Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Benjamín Bolaños-Rosero
- Department of Microbiology & Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Filipa Godoy-Vitorino
- Department of Microbiology & Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | | | - Juan P. Maestre
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kerry Kinney
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Humberto Cavallin
- School of Architecture, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
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47
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Bennacer A, Sahir-Halouane F, Aitslimane-Aitkaki S, Oukali Z, Oliveira IV, Rahmouni N, Aissaoui M. Structural characterization of phytochemical content, antibacterial, and antifungal activities of Juglans regia L. leaves cultivated in Algeria. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2022.102304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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48
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de Castro PA, Colabardini AC, Moraes M, Horta MAC, Knowles SL, Raja HA, Oberlies NH, Koyama Y, Ogawa M, Gomi K, Steenwyk JL, Rokas A, Gonçales RA, Duarte-Oliveira C, Carvalho A, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. Regulation of gliotoxin biosynthesis and protection in Aspergillus species. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009965. [PMID: 35041649 PMCID: PMC8797188 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus causes a range of human and animal diseases collectively known as aspergillosis. A. fumigatus possesses and expresses a range of genetic determinants of virulence, which facilitate colonisation and disease progression, including the secretion of mycotoxins. Gliotoxin (GT) is the best studied A. fumigatus mycotoxin with a wide range of known toxic effects that impair human immune cell function. GT is also highly toxic to A. fumigatus and this fungus has evolved self-protection mechanisms that include (i) the GT efflux pump GliA, (ii) the GT neutralising enzyme GliT, and (iii) the negative regulation of GT biosynthesis by the bis-thiomethyltransferase GtmA. The transcription factor (TF) RglT is the main regulator of GliT and this GT protection mechanism also occurs in the non-GT producing fungus A. nidulans. However, the A. nidulans genome does not encode GtmA and GliA. This work aimed at analysing the transcriptional response to exogenous GT in A. fumigatus and A. nidulans, two distantly related Aspergillus species, and to identify additional components required for GT protection. RNA-sequencing shows a highly different transcriptional response to exogenous GT with the RglT-dependent regulon also significantly differing between A. fumigatus and A. nidulans. However, we were able to observe homologs whose expression pattern was similar in both species (43 RglT-independent and 11 RglT-dependent). Based on this approach, we identified a novel RglT-dependent methyltranferase, MtrA, involved in GT protection. Taking into consideration the occurrence of RglT-independent modulated genes, we screened an A. fumigatus deletion library of 484 transcription factors (TFs) for sensitivity to GT and identified 15 TFs important for GT self-protection. Of these, the TF KojR, which is essential for kojic acid biosynthesis in Aspergillus oryzae, was also essential for virulence and GT biosynthesis in A. fumigatus, and for GT protection in A. fumigatus, A. nidulans, and A. oryzae. KojR regulates rglT, gliT, gliJ expression and sulfur metabolism in Aspergillus species. Together, this study identified conserved components required for GT protection in Aspergillus species. A. fumigatus secretes mycotoxins that are essential for its virulence and pathogenicity. Gliotoxin (GT) is a sulfur-containing mycotoxin, which is known to impair several aspects of the human immune response. GT is also toxic to different fungal species, which have evolved several GT protection strategies. To further decipher these responses, we used transcriptional profiling aiming to compare the response to GT in the GT producer A. fumigatus and the GT non-producer A. nidulans. This analysis allowed us to identify additional genes with a potential role in GT protection. We also identified 15 transcription factors (TFs) encoded in the A. fumigatus genome that are important for conferring resistance to exogenous gliotoxin. One of these TFs, KojR, which is essential for A. oryzae kojic acid production, is also important for virulence in A. fumigatus and GT protection in A. fumigatus, A. nidulans and A. oryzae. KojR regulates the expression of genes important for gliotoxin biosynthesis and protection, and sulfur metabolism. Together, this work identified conserved components required for gliotoxin protection in Aspergillus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Colabardini
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Maísa Moraes
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Sonja L. Knowles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina United States of America
| | - Huzefa A. Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina United States of America
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina United States of America
| | - Yasuji Koyama
- Noda Institute for Scientific Research, 338 Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masahiro Ogawa
- Noda Institute for Scientific Research, 338 Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Katsuya Gomi
- Department of Bioindustrial Informatics and Genomics, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Relber A. Gonçales
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - Cláudio Duarte-Oliveira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - Laure N. A. Ries
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Exeter, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (LNAR); (GHG)
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- * E-mail: (LNAR); (GHG)
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49
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Colabardini AC, Wang F, Miao Z, Pardeshi L, Valero C, de Castro PA, Akiyama DY, Tan K, Nora LC, Silva-Rocha R, Marcet-Houben M, Gabaldón T, Fill T, Wong KH, Goldman GH. Chromatin profiling reveals heterogeneity in clinical isolates of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010001. [PMID: 35007279 PMCID: PMC8782537 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis, which is caused by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, is a life-threatening infection for immunosuppressed patients. Chromatin structure regulation is important for genome stability maintenance and has the potential to drive genome rearrangements and affect virulence and pathogenesis of pathogens. Here, we performed the first A. fumigatus global chromatin profiling of two histone modifications, H3K4me3 and H3K9me3, focusing on the two most investigated A. fumigatus clinical isolates, Af293 and CEA17. In eukaryotes, H3K4me3 is associated with active transcription, while H3K9me3 often marks silent genes, DNA repeats, and transposons. We found that H3K4me3 deposition is similar between the two isolates, while H3K9me3 is more variable and does not always represent transcriptional silencing. Our work uncovered striking differences in the number, locations, and expression of transposable elements between Af293 and CEA17, and the differences are correlated with H3K9me3 modifications and higher genomic variations among strains of Af293 background. Moreover, we further showed that the Af293 strains from different laboratories actually differ in their genome contents and found a frequently lost region in chromosome VIII. For one such Af293 variant, we identified the chromosomal changes and demonstrated their impacts on its secondary metabolites production, growth and virulence. Overall, our findings not only emphasize the influence of genome heterogeneity on A. fumigatus fitness, but also caution about unnoticed chromosomal variations among common laboratory strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Colabardini
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Fang Wang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- Intensive Care Unit, Biomedical Research Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhengqiang Miao
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Lakhansing Pardeshi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- Genomics, Bioinformatics and Single Cell Analysis Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel Yuri Akiyama
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kaeling Tan
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- Genomics, Bioinformatics and Single Cell Analysis Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Luisa Czamanski Nora
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina Marcet-Houben
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS). Jordi Girona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS). Jordi Girona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Taicia Fill
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Koon Ho Wong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
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50
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Watanabe K, Yaguchi T, Hirose D. Ubiquitous Distribution of Azole-Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus- Related Species in Outdoor Environments in Japan. Med Mycol J 2021; 62:71-78. [PMID: 34853253 DOI: 10.3314/mmj.21-00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus-related species are responsible for causing aspergillosis, which is a fatal infectious disease. Recently, there has been a series of reports of A. fumigatus-related species that are resistant to azole drugs used in clinical practice for the treatment of fungal infections. Some of these species have been isolated from outdoor environments. Testing the drug susceptibility of the strains from outdoor environments, therefore, is important. In this study, we isolated and cultured 72 strains of A. fumigatus-related species from the outdoor environment in Japan. The isolates identified via morphological observation and molecular phylogenetic analysis were Aspergillus felis, Aspergillus lentulus, Aspergillus pseudoviridinutans, Aspergillus udagawae, and Aspergillus wyomingensis. The results of the drug susceptibility testing revealed that A. felis (6 of 14 strains) and A. pseudoviridinutans (13 of 17 strains) were resistant to itraconazole (ITCZ), with 4 mg/L or higher minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The voriconazole (VRCZ)-resistant strains with 4 mg/L or higher MICs were A. felis (14 of 14), A. lentulus (4 of 4), A. pseudoviridinutans (15 of 17), A. udagawae (23 of 34), A. wyomingensis (1 of 3), and A. pseudoviridinutans (1 of 3). Among them, A. felis (1 of 14) and A. pseudoviridinutans (7 of 17) demonstrated 8 mg/L or higher MICs for ITCZ and VRCZ. These results indicate that A. fumigatus-related species resistant to ITCZ and VRCZ are widely distributed in outdoor environments in Japan.
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