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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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Wang Y, Fan J, Zhou Z, Goldman GH, Lu L, Zhang Y. Histone acetyltransferase Sas3 contributes to fungal development, cell wall integrity, and virulence in Aspergillus fumigatus. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0188523. [PMID: 38451077 PMCID: PMC11022558 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01885-23] [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: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Histone acetyltransferase (HAT)-mediated epigenetic modification is essential for diverse cellular processes in eukaryotes. However, the functions of HATs in the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus remain poorly understood. In this study, we characterized the functions of MOZ, Ybf2/Sas3, Sas2, and Tip60 (MYST)-family histone acetyltransferase something about silencing (Sas3) in A. fumigatus. Phenotypic analysis revealed that loss of Sas3 results in significant impairments in colony growth, conidiation, and virulence in the Galleria mellonella model. Subcellular localization and Western blot analysis demonstrated that Sas3 localizes to nuclei and is capable of acetylating lysine 9 and 14 of histone H3 in vivo. Importantly, we found that Sas3 is critical for the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway in A. fumigatus as evidenced by hypersensitivity to cell wall-perturbing agents, altered cell wall thickness, and abnormal phosphorylation levels of CWI protein kinase MpkA. Furthermore, site-directed mutagenesis studies revealed that the conserved glycine residues G641 and G643 and glutamate residue E664 are crucial for the acetylation activity of Sas3. Unexpectedly, only triple mutations of Sas3 (G641A/G643A/E664A) displayed defective phenotypes similar to the Δsas3 mutant, while double or single mutations did not. This result implies that the role of Sas3 may extend beyond histone acetylation. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that MYST-family HAT Sas3 plays an important role in the fungal development, virulence, and cell wall integrity in A. fumigatus. IMPORTANCE Epigenetic modification governed by HATs is indispensable for various cellular processes in eukaryotes. Nonetheless, the precise functions of HATs in the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus remain elusive. In this study, we unveil the roles of MYST-family HAT Sas3 in colony growth, conidiation, virulence, and cell wall stress response in A. fumigatus. Particularly, our findings demonstrate that Sas3 can function through mechanisms unrelated to histone acetylation, as evidenced by site-directed mutagenesis experiments. Overall, this study broadens our understanding of the regulatory mechanism of HATs in fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamei Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Centre for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jialu Fan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Centre for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhengyu Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Centre for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Ling Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Centre for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuanwei Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Centre for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
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Breuer J, Ferreira DEA, Kramer M, Bollermann J, Nowrousian M. Functional analysis of chromatin-associated proteins in Sordaria macrospora reveals similar roles for RTT109 and ASF1 in development and DNA damage response. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae019. [PMID: 38261383 PMCID: PMC10917505 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
We performed a functional analysis of two potential partners of ASF1, a highly conserved histone chaperone that plays a crucial role in the sexual development and DNA damage resistance in the ascomycete Sordaria macrospora. ASF1 is known to be involved in nucleosome assembly and disassembly, binding histones H3 and H4 during transcription, replication and DNA repair and has direct and indirect roles in histone recycling and modification as well as DNA methylation, acting as a chromatin modifier hub for a large network of chromatin-associated proteins. Here, we functionally characterized two of these proteins, RTT109 and CHK2. RTT109 is a fungal-specific histone acetyltransferase, while CHK2 is an ortholog to PRD-4, a checkpoint kinase of Neurospora crassa that performs similar cell cycle checkpoint functions as yeast RAD53. Through the generation and characterization of deletion mutants, we discovered striking similarities between RTT109 and ASF1 in terms of their contributions to sexual development, histone acetylation, and protection against DNA damage. Phenotypic observations revealed a developmental arrest at the same stage in Δrtt109 and Δasf1 strains, accompanied by a loss of H3K56 acetylation, as detected by western blot analysis. Deletion mutants of rtt109 and asf1 are sensitive to the DNA damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate, but not hydroxyurea. In contrast, chk2 mutants are fertile and resistant to methyl methanesulfonate, but not hydroxyurea. Our findings suggest a close functional association between ASF1 and RTT109 in the context of development, histone modification, and DNA damage response, while indicating a role for CHK2 in separate pathways of the DNA damage response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Breuer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Botany, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Mike Kramer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Botany, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Jonas Bollermann
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Botany, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Minou Nowrousian
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Botany, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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4
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Du J, Dong Y, Zuo W, Deng Y, Zhu H, Yu Q, Li M. Mec1-Rad53 Signaling Regulates DNA Damage-Induced Autophagy and Pathogenicity in Candida albicans. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1181. [PMID: 38132782 PMCID: PMC10744610 DOI: 10.3390/jof9121181] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA damage activates the DNA damage response and autophagy in C. albicans; however, the relationship between the DNA damage response and DNA damage-induced autophagy in C. albicans remains unclear. Mec1-Rad53 signaling is a critical pathway in the DNA damage response, but its role in DNA damage-induced autophagy and pathogenicity in C. albicans remains to be further explored. In this study, we compared the function of autophagy-related (Atg) proteins in DNA damage-induced autophagy and traditional macroautophagy and explored the role of Mec1-Rad53 signaling in regulating DNA damage-induced autophagy and pathogenicity. We found that core Atg proteins are required for these two types of autophagy, while the function of Atg17 is slightly different. Our results showed that Mec1-Rad53 signaling specifically regulates DNA damage-induced autophagy but has no effect on macroautophagy. The recruitment of Atg1 and Atg13 to phagophore assembly sites (PAS) was significantly inhibited in the mec1Δ/Δ and rad53Δ/Δ strains. The formation of autophagic bodies was obviously affected in the mec1Δ/Δ and rad53Δ/Δ strains. We found that DNA damage does not induce mitophagy and ER autophagy. We also identified two regulators of DNA damage-induced autophagy, Psp2 and Dcp2, which regulate DNA damage-induced autophagy by affecting the protein levels of Atg1, Atg13, Mec1, and Rad53. The deletion of Mec1 or Rad53 significantly reduces the ability of C. albicans to systematically infect mice and colonize the kidneys, and it makes C. albicans more susceptible to being killed by macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Mingchun Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300071, China; (J.D.); (Y.D.); (W.Z.); (Y.D.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.)
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5
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Dai M, Du W, Lu L, Zhang S. Transcription factors SltA and CrzA reversely regulate calcium homeostasis under calcium-limited conditions. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0117023. [PMID: 37874299 PMCID: PMC10686095 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01170-23] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Calcium ions are ubiquitous intracellular signaling molecules for many signaling pathways regulating the fungal response to stress and antifungal drugs. The concentration of intracellular calcium is tightly regulated in its storage, release, and distribution. CrzA is the best-studied transcription factor that regulates this process under sufficient calcium or other external signals. However, CrzA was excluded from nuclei and then lost transcriptional activation under calcium-limited conditions. The regulators in the Ca2+ signaling pathway under calcium-limited conditions remain unclear. Here, we identified SltA as a key regulator in the Ca2+ signaling pathway under calcium-limited conditions, and the underlying mechanisms were further explored in Aspergillus fumigatus. These findings reveal a transcriptional control pathway that precisely regulates calcium homeostasis under calcium-limited conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyao Dai
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenlong Du
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ling Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shizhu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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6
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Zhang X, Noberini R, Vai A, Bonaldi T, Seidl MF, Collemare J. Detection and quantification of the histone code in the fungal genus Aspergillus. Fungal Genet Biol 2023; 167:103800. [PMID: 37146898 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2023.103800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotes, the combination of different histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) - the histone code - impacts the chromatin organization as compact and transcriptionally silent heterochromatin or accessible and transcriptionally active euchromatin. Although specific histone PTMs have been studied in fungi, an overview of histone PTMs and their relative abundance is still lacking. Here, we used mass spectrometry to detect and quantify histone PTMs in three fungal species belonging to three distinct taxonomic sections of the genus Aspergillus (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus nidulans (two strains), and Aspergillus fumigatus). We overall detected 23 different histone PTMs, including a majority of lysine methylations and acetylations, and 23 co-occurrence patterns of multiple histone PTMs. Among those, we report for the first time the detection of H3K79me1, H3K79me2, and H4K31ac in Aspergilli. Although all three species harbour the same PTMs, we found significant differences in the relative abundance of H3K9me1/2/3, H3K14ac, H3K36me1 and H3K79me1, as well as the co-occurrence of acetylation on both K18 and K23 of histone H3 in a strain-specific manner. Our results provide novel insights about the underexplored complexity of the histone code in filamentous fungi, and its functional implications on genome architecture and gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Theoretical Biology & Bioinformatics Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roberta Noberini
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Vai
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Bonaldi
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Haematology-Oncology, University of Milano, Via Santa Sofia 9/1, 20122 Milano, Italy.
| | - Michael F Seidl
- Theoretical Biology & Bioinformatics Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Jérȏme Collemare
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Shi R, Gong P, Luo Q, Chen W, Wang C. Histone Acetyltransferase Rtt109 Regulates Development, Morphogenesis, and Citrinin Biosynthesis in Monascus purpureus. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9050530. [PMID: 37233241 DOI: 10.3390/jof9050530] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone acetyltransferase (HAT) has been reported to be pivotal for various physiological processes in many fungi. However, the functions that HAT Rtt109 perform in edible fungi Monascus and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we identified the rtt109 gene in Monascus, constructed the rtt109 knockout strain (Δrtt109) and its complementary strain (Δrtt109:com) by CRISPR/Cas9 methods, and functionally characterized the roles that Rtt109 play in Monascus. Deletion of rtt109 significantly reduced conidia formation and colony growth, whereas, it increased the yield of Monascus pigments (MPs) and citrinin (CTN). Further real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis indicated that Rtt109 remarkably affected the transcriptional expression of key genes related to development, morphogenesis, and secondary metabolism of Monascus. Together, our results revealed the critical roles of HAT Rtt109 in Monascus, and enriched our current knowledge of the development and regulation of secondary metabolism in fungi, throwing light on restraining or eliminating citrinin in the development and industrial applications of Monascus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Shi
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- Yunnan Plateau Characteristic Agricultural Industry Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Pengfei Gong
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
| | - Qiaoqiao Luo
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
| | - Chengtao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
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Aspergillus fumigatus Elongator complex subunit 3 affects hyphal growth, adhesion and virulence through wobble uridine tRNA modification. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010976. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic multisubunit Elongator complex has been shown to perform multiple functions in transcriptional elongation, histone acetylation and tRNA modification. However, the Elongator complex plays different roles in different organisms, and the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. Moreover, the biological functions of the Elongator complex in human fungal pathogens remain unknown. In this study, we verified that the Elongator complex of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus consists of six subunits (Elp1-6), and the loss of any subunit results in similarly defective colony phenotypes with impaired hyphal growth and reduced conidiation. The catalytic subunit-Elp3 of the Elongator complex includes a S-adenosyl methionine binding (rSAM) domain and a lysine acetyltransferase (KAT) domain, and it plays key roles in the hyphal growth, biofilm-associated exopolysaccharide galactosaminogalactan (GAG) production, adhesion and virulence of A. fumigatus; however, Elp3 does not affect H3K14 acetylation levels in vivo. LC–MS/MS chromatograms revealed that loss of Elp3 abolished the 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2-thiouridine (mcm5s2U) modification of tRNA wobble uridine (U34), and the overexpression of tRNAGlnUUG and tRNAGluUUC, which normally harbor mcm5s2U modifications, mainly rescues the defects of the Δelp3 mutant, suggesting that tRNA modification rather than lysine acetyltransferase is responsible for the primary function of Elp3 in A. fumigatus. Strikingly, global proteomic comparison analyses showed significantly upregulated expression of genes related to amino acid metabolism in the Δelp3 mutant strain compared to the wild-type strain. Western blotting showed that deletion of elp3 resulted in overexpression of the amino acid starvation-responsive transcription factor CpcA, and deletion of CpcA markedly reversed the defective phenotypes of the Δelp3 mutant, including attenuated virulence. Therefore, the findings of this study demonstrate that A. fumigatus Elp3 functions as a tRNA-modifying enzyme in the regulation of growth, GAG production, adhesion and virulence by maintaining intracellular amino acid homeostasis. More broadly, our study highlights the importance of U34 tRNA modification in regulating cellular metabolic states and virulence traits of fungal pathogens.
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9
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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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10
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Lai Y, Wang L, Zheng W, Wang S. Regulatory Roles of Histone Modifications in Filamentous Fungal Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8060565. [PMID: 35736048 PMCID: PMC9224773 DOI: 10.3390/jof8060565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungal pathogens have evolved diverse strategies to infect a variety of hosts including plants and insects. The dynamic infection process requires rapid and fine-tuning regulation of fungal gene expression programs in response to the changing host environment and defenses. Therefore, transcriptional reprogramming of fungal pathogens is critical for fungal development and pathogenicity. Histone post-translational modification, one of the main mechanisms of epigenetic regulation, has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of gene expressions, and is involved in, e.g., fungal development, infection-related morphogenesis, environmental stress responses, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and pathogenicity. This review highlights recent findings and insights into regulatory mechanisms of histone methylation and acetylation in fungal development and pathogenicity, as well as their roles in modulating pathogenic fungi–host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiling Lai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; (L.W.); (W.Z.)
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (S.W.)
| | - Lili Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; (L.W.); (W.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Weilu Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; (L.W.); (W.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Sibao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; (L.W.); (W.Z.)
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (S.W.)
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Li Y, Li H, Sun T, Ding C. Pathogen-Host Interaction Repertoire at Proteome and Posttranslational Modification Levels During Fungal Infections. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:774340. [PMID: 34926320 PMCID: PMC8674643 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.774340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Prevalence of fungal diseases has increased globally in recent years, which often associated with increased immunocompromised patients, aging populations, and the novel Coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, due to the limitation of available antifungal agents mortality and morbidity rates of invasion fungal disease remain stubbornly high, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant fungi exacerbates the problem. Fungal pathogenicity and interactions between fungi and host have been the focus of many studies, as a result, lots of pathogenic mechanisms and fungal virulence factors have been identified. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics is a novel approach to better understand fungal pathogenicities and host–pathogen interactions at protein and protein posttranslational modification (PTM) levels. The approach has successfully elucidated interactions between pathogens and hosts by examining, for example, samples of fungal cells under different conditions, body fluids from infected patients, and exosomes. Many studies conclude that protein and PTM levels in both pathogens and hosts play important roles in progression of fungal diseases. This review summarizes mass spectrometry studies of protein and PTM levels from perspectives of both pathogens and hosts and provides an integrative conceptual outlook on fungal pathogenesis, antifungal agents development, and host–pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjian Li
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hailong Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Tianshu Sun
- Medical Research Centre, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory for Mechanisms Research and Precision Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Ding
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
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12
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Yao S, Feng Y, Zhang Y, Feng J. DNA damage checkpoint and repair: From the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:6343-6354. [PMID: 34938410 PMCID: PMC8645783 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells are constantly challenged by internal or external genotoxic assaults, which may induce a high frequency of DNA lesions, leading to genome instability. Accumulation of damaged DNA is severe or even lethal to cells and can result in abnormal proliferation that can cause cancer in multicellular organisms, aging or cell death. Eukaryotic cells have evolved a comprehensive defence system termed the DNA damage response (DDR) to monitor and remove lesions in their DNA. The DDR has been extensively studied in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Emerging evidence indicates that DDR genes in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans show functional consistency with their orthologs in S. cerevisiae, but may act through distinct mechanisms. In particular, the DDR in C. albicans appears critical for resisting DNA damage stress induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced from immune cells, and this plays a vital role in pathogenicity. Therefore, DDR genes could be considered as potential targets for clinical therapies. This review summarizes the identified DNA damage checkpoint and repair genes in C. albicans based on their orthologs in S. cerevisiae, and discusses their contribution to pathogenicity in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangyan Yao
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China
- Nantong Health College of Jiangsu Province, Nantong 226016, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuting Feng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinrong Feng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China
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