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Samdavid Thanapaul RJR, Roberds A, Rios KE, Walsh TJ, Bobrov AG. Hyphae of Rhizopus arrhizus and Lichtheimia corymbifera Are More Virulent and Resistant to Antifungal Agents Than Sporangiospores In Vitro and in Galleria mellonella. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:958. [PMID: 37888214 PMCID: PMC10607466 DOI: 10.3390/jof9100958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucorales species cause debilitating, life-threatening sinopulmonary diseases in immunocompromised patients and penetrating wounds in trauma victims. Common antifungal agents against mucormycosis have significant toxicity and are often ineffective. To evaluate treatments against mucormycosis, sporangiospores are typically used for in vitro assays and in pre-clinical animal models of pulmonary infections. However, in clinical cases of wound mucormycosis caused by traumatic inoculation, hyphal elements found in soil are likely the form of the inoculated organism. In this study, Galleria mellonella larvae were infected with either sporangiospores or hyphae of Rhizopus arrhizus and Lichtheimia corymbifera. Hyphal infections resulted in greater and more rapid larval lethality than sporangiospores, with an approximate 10-16-fold decrease in LD50 of hyphae for R. arrhizus (p = 0.03) and L. corymbifera (p = 0.001). Liposomal amphotericin B, 10 mg/kg, was ineffective against hyphal infection, while the same dosage was effective against infections produced by sporangiospores. Furthermore, in vitro, antifungal susceptibility studies show that minimum inhibitory concentrations of several antifungal agents against hyphae were higher when compared to those of sporangiospores. These findings support using hyphal elements of Mucorales species for virulence testing and antifungal drug screening in vitro and in G. mellonella for studies of wound mucormycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rex Jeya Rajkumar Samdavid Thanapaul
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (R.J.R.S.T.); (K.E.R.)
- NRC Research Associateship Programs, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | - Ashleigh Roberds
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (R.J.R.S.T.); (K.E.R.)
| | - Kariana E. Rios
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (R.J.R.S.T.); (K.E.R.)
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Thomas J. Walsh
- Center for Innovative Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Richmond, VA 23220, USA;
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Alexander G. Bobrov
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (R.J.R.S.T.); (K.E.R.)
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2
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García-Carnero LC, Mora-Montes HM. Mucormycosis and COVID-19-Associated Mucormycosis: Insights of a Deadly but Neglected Mycosis. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:445. [PMID: 35628701 PMCID: PMC9144279 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has quickly become a health threat worldwide, with high mortality and morbidity among patients with comorbidities. This viral infection promotes the perfect setting in patients for the development of opportunistic infections, such as those caused by fungi. Mucormycosis, a rare but deadly fungal infection, has recently increased its incidence, especially in endemic areas, since the onset of the pandemic. COVID-19-associated mucormycosis is an important complication of the pandemic because it is a mycosis hard to diagnose and treat, causing concern among COVID-19-infected patients and even in the already recovered population. The risk factors for the development of mucormycosis in these patients are related to the damage caused by the SARS-CoV-2 itself, the patient's overstimulated immune response, and the therapy used to treat COVID-19, causing alterations such as hyperglycemia, acidosis, endothelial and lung damage, and immunosuppression. In this review, the molecular aspects of mucormycosis and the main risk factors for the development of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis are explained to understand this virus-fungi-host interaction and highlight the importance of this neglected mycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C. García-Carnero
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P., Guanajuato 36050, Mexico
| | - Héctor M. Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P., Guanajuato 36050, Mexico
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3
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G Alshahawey M, S El-Housseiny G, S Elsayed N, Y Alshahrani M, Wakeel LM, M Aboshanab K. New insights on mucormycosis and its association with the COVID-19 pandemic. Future Sci OA 2022; 8:FSO772. [PMID: 35059222 PMCID: PMC8686842 DOI: 10.2144/fsoa-2021-0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 continues to cause significant fatality worldwide. Glucocorticoids prove to play essential roles in COVID-19 management; however, the extensive use of steroids together with the virus immune dysregulation may increase the danger of secondary infections with mucormycosis, an angioinvasive fungal infection. Unfortunately, a definite correlation between COVID-19 and elevated mucormycosis infection cases is now clear worldwide. In this review, we discuss the historical record and epidemiology of mucormycosis as well as pathogenesis and associated host immune response, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment. Special emphasis is given to its association with the current COVID-19 pandemic, including latest updates on COVID-19-associated mucormycosis cases globally, with recommendations for efficacious management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona G Alshahawey
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Ghadir S El-Housseiny
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Noha S Elsayed
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Mohammad Y Alshahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, 9088, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lamia M EL Wakeel
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Khaled M Aboshanab
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
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4
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Yu Y, Wolf AK, Thusek S, Heinekamp T, Bromley M, Krappmann S, Terpitz U, Voigt K, Brakhage AA, Beilhack A. Direct Visualization of Fungal Burden in Filamentous Fungus-Infected Silkworms. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7020136. [PMID: 33668495 PMCID: PMC7918154 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are difficult to diagnose and to treat and, despite several available antifungal drugs, cause high mortality rates. In the past decades, the incidence of IFIs has continuously increased. More recently, SARS-CoV-2-associated lethal IFIs have been reported worldwide in critically ill patients. Combating IFIs requires a more profound understanding of fungal pathogenicity to facilitate the development of novel antifungal strategies. Animal models are indispensable for studying fungal infections and to develop new antifungals. However, using mammalian animal models faces various hurdles including ethical issues and high costs, which makes large-scale infection experiments extremely challenging. To overcome these limitations, we optimized an invertebrate model and introduced a simple calcofluor white (CW) staining protocol to macroscopically and microscopically monitor disease progression in silkworms (Bombyx mori) infected with the human pathogenic filamentous fungi Aspergillus fumigatus and Lichtheimia corymbifera. This advanced silkworm A. fumigatus infection model could validate knockout mutants with either attenuated, strongly attenuated or unchanged virulence. Finally, CW staining allowed us to efficiently visualize antifungal treatment outcomes in infected silkworms. Conclusively, we here present a powerful animal model combined with a straightforward staining protocol to expedite large-scale in vivo research of fungal pathogenicity and to investigate novel antifungal candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidong Yu
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (A.-K.W.); (S.T.)
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Correspondence: (Y.Y.); (A.B.)
| | - Ann-Katrin Wolf
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (A.-K.W.); (S.T.)
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sina Thusek
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (A.-K.W.); (S.T.)
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Heinekamp
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute, 07745 Jena, Germany; (T.H.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Michael Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK;
| | - Sven Krappmann
- Institute for Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Erlangen University Hospital, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
- Erlangen Center of Infection Research, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Terpitz
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute, 07745 Jena, Germany;
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A. Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute, 07745 Jena, Germany; (T.H.); (A.A.B.)
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Andreas Beilhack
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (A.-K.W.); (S.T.)
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Correspondence: (Y.Y.); (A.B.)
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5
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Hassan MIA, Keller M, Hillger M, Binder U, Reuter S, Herold K, Telagathoti A, Dahse HM, Wicht S, Trinks N, Nietzsche S, Deckert-Gaudig T, Deckert V, Mrowka R, Terpitz U, Peter Saluz H, Voigt K. The impact of episporic modification of Lichtheimia corymbifera on virulence and interaction with phagocytes. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:880-896. [PMID: 33598103 PMCID: PMC7851798 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections caused by the ancient lineage Mucorales are emerging and increasingly reported in humans. Comprehensive surveys on promising attributes from a multitude of possible virulence factors are limited and so far, focused on Mucor and Rhizopus. This study addresses a systematic approach to monitor phagocytosis after physical and enzymatic modification of the outer spore wall of Lichtheimia corymbifera, one of the major causative agents of mucormycosis. Episporic modifications were performed and their consequences on phagocytosis, intracellular survival and virulence by murine alveolar macrophages and in an invertebrate infection model were elucidated. While depletion of lipids did not affect the phagocytosis of both strains, delipidation led to attenuation of LCA strain but appears to be dispensable for infection with LCV strain in the settings used in this study. Combined glucano-proteolytic treatment was necessary to achieve a significant decrease of virulence of the LCV strain in Galleria mellonella during maintenance of the full potential for spore germination as shown by a novel automated germination assay. Proteolytic and glucanolytic treatments largely increased phagocytosis compared to alive resting and swollen spores. Whilst resting spores barely (1–2%) fuse to lysosomes after invagination in to phagosomes, spore trypsinization led to a 10-fold increase of phagolysosomal fusion as measured by intracellular acidification. This is the first report of a polyphasic measurement of the consequences of episporic modification of a mucormycotic pathogen in spore germination, spore surface ultrastructure, phagocytosis, stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), phagolysosomal fusion and intracellular acidification, apoptosis, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and virulence.
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Key Words
- AFM, Atomic Force Microscopy
- Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
- CD14, Cluster of differentiation 14
- CFW, Calcofluor white
- Galleria mellonella
- HEK, human embryonic kidney
- HSI, Hyperspectral imaging
- Hyperspectral imaging (HIS)
- IPS, Insect physiological saline
- Intracellular survival
- LCA, Lichtheimia corymbifera attenuated
- LCV, Lichtheimia corymbifera virulent
- MD-2, Myeloid Differentiation factor 2
- MH-S, Murine alveolar macrophages
- MM6, Acute monocytic leukemia derived human monocyte Mono-Mac-6
- Monocytes
- NF-κB, Nuclear factor 'kappa-light-chain-enhancer' of activated B-cells
- PBS, Phosphate buffer saline solution
- PI, Phagocytosis index
- ROS, Reactive oxygen species
- TEM, Transmission Electron Microscopy
- TLRs, Toll like receptors
- Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed I Abdelwahab Hassan
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Pests & Plant Protection Department, National Research Centre, 33rd El Buhouth St. (Postal code: 12622) Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Monique Keller
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Hillger
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrike Binder
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Schöpfstrasse 41/2, 6020 Innsbruck, Tirol, Austria
| | - Stefanie Reuter
- Experimental Nephrology Group, KIM III, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany.,ThIMEDOP-Thüringer Innovationszentrum für Medizintechnik-Lösungen, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Kristina Herold
- Experimental Nephrology Group, KIM III, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Anusha Telagathoti
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Hans-Martin Dahse
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Saiedeh Wicht
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Biocenter - Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nora Trinks
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Biocenter - Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sandor Nietzsche
- Elektronenmikroskopisches Zentrum, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Tanja Deckert-Gaudig
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT), Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Volker Deckert
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT), Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07745 Jena, Germany.,Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller University, Helmholtzweg 4, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Institute of Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4242, USA
| | - Ralf Mrowka
- Experimental Nephrology Group, KIM III, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany.,ThIMEDOP-Thüringer Innovationszentrum für Medizintechnik-Lösungen, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrich Terpitz
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Biocenter - Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hans Peter Saluz
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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6
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Hassan MIA, Kruse JM, Krüger T, Dahse HM, Cseresnyés Z, Blango MG, Slevogt H, Hörhold F, Ast V, König R, Figge MT, Kniemeyer O, Brakhage AA, Voigt K. Functional surface proteomic profiling reveals the host heat-shock protein A8 as a mediator of Lichtheimia corymbifera recognition by murine alveolar macrophages. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3722-3740. [PMID: 32583550 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mucormycosis is an emergent, fatal fungal infection of humans and warm-blooded animals caused by species of the order Mucorales. Immune cells of the innate immune system serve as the first line of defence against inhaled spores. Alveolar macrophages were challenged with the mucoralean fungus Lichtheimia corymbifera and subjected to biotinylation and streptavidin enrichment procedures followed by LC-MS/MS analyses. A total of 28 host proteins enriched for binding to macrophage-L. corymbifera interaction. Among those, the HSP70-family protein Hspa8 was found to be predominantly responsive to living and heat-killed spores of a virulent and an attenuated strain of L. corymbifera. Confocal scanning laser microscopy of infected macrophages revealed colocalization of Hspa8 with phagocytosed spores of L. corymbifera. The amount of detectable Hspa8 was dependent on the multiplicity of infection. Incubation of alveolar macrophages with an anti-Hspa8 antibody prior to infection reduced their capability to phagocytose spores of L. corymbifera. In contrast, anti-Hspa8 antibodies did not abrogate the phagocytosis of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia by macrophages. These results suggest an important contribution of the heat-shock family protein Hspa8 in the recognition of spores of the mucoralean fungus L. corymbifera by host alveolar macrophages and define a potential immunomodulatory therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed I Abdelwahab Hassan
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Pests and Plant Protection Department, National Research Centre, 33rd El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt
| | - Janis M Kruse
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Krüger
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Hans-Martin Dahse
- Department of Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Zoltán Cseresnyés
- Department of Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Matthew G Blango
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Hortense Slevogt
- Host Septomics Group, Centre for Innovation Competence (ZIK) Septomics, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Franziska Hörhold
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center, Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Volker Ast
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center, Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Rainer König
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center, Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Department of Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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7
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Nicolás FE, Murcia L, Navarro E, Navarro-Mendoza MI, Pérez-Arques C, Garre V. Mucorales Species and Macrophages. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:E94. [PMID: 32604972 PMCID: PMC7344864 DOI: 10.3390/jof6020094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucormycosis is an emerging fungal infection caused by Mucorales with an unacceptable high mortality rate. Mucorales is a complex fungal group, including eleven different genera that can infect humans. This heterogeneity is associated with species-specific invasion pathways and responses to the host defense mechanisms. The host innate immune system plays a major role in preventing Mucorales growth and host invasion. In this system, macrophages are the main immune effector cells in controlling these fungi by rapid and efficient phagocytosis of the spores. However, Mucorales have evolved mechanisms to block phagosomal maturation and species-specific mechanisms to either survive as dormant spores inside the macrophage, as Rhizopus species, or geminate and escape, as Mucor species. Classical fungal models of mucormycosis, mostly Rhizopus, have made important contributions to elucidate key aspects of the interaction between Mucorales and macrophages, but they lack robust tools for genetic manipulation. The recent introduction of the genetically tractable Mucor circinelloides as a model of mucormycosis offers the possibility to analyze gene function. This has allowed the identification of regulatory pathways that control the fungal response to phagocytosis, including a non-canonical RNAi pathway (NCRIP) that regulates the expression of most genes regulated by phagocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Victoriano Garre
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (F.E.N.); (L.M.); (E.N.); (M.I.N.-M.); (C.P.-A.)
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8
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Cseresnyes Z, Hassan MIA, Dahse HM, Voigt K, Figge MT. Quantitative Impact of Cell Membrane Fluorescence Labeling on Phagocytosis Measurements in Confrontation Assays. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1193. [PMID: 32582113 PMCID: PMC7289966 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Phagocytosis is series of steps where the pathogens and the immune cells interact during an invasion. This starts with the adhesion process between the host and pathogen cells, and is followed by the engulfment of the pathogens. Many analytical methods that are applied to characterize phagocytosis based on imaging the host-pathogen confrontation assays rely on the fluorescence labeling of cells. However, the potential effect of the membrane labeling on the quantitative results of the confrontation assays has not been studied in detail. In this study, we determine whether the fluorescence labeling processes themselves influence the results of the phagocytosis measurements. Here, alveolar macrophages, which form one of the most important compartments of the innate immune system, were used as an example of host cells, whereas Aspergillus fumigatus and Lichtheimia corymbifera that cause aspergillosis and mucormycosis, respectively, were studied as examples for pathogens. At first, our study investigated the importance of the sequence of steps of the fixation process when preparing the confrontation assay sample for microscopy studies. Here we showed that applying the fixation agent before the counter-staining causes miscalculations during the determination of the phagocytic measures. Furthermore, we also found that staining the macrophages with various concentrations of DID, as a typical membrane label, in most cases altered the capability of macrophages to phagocytose FITC-stained A. fumigatus and L. corymbifera spores in comparison with unlabeled macrophages. This effect of the DID staining showed a differential character dependent upon the labeling status and the specific type of pathogen. Moreover, labeling the spores of A. fumigatus and L. corymbifera with FITC increased the phagocytic measures during confrontation with unlabeled macrophages when compared to label-free spores. Overall, our study confirms that the staining process itself may significantly manipulate the quantitative outcome of the confrontation assay. As a result of our study, we also developed a user-friendly image analysis tool that analyses confrontation assays both with and without fluorescence labeling of the host cells and of the pathogens. Our image analysis algorithm saves experimental work effort and time, provides more precise results when calculating the phagocytic measures, and delivers a convenient analysis tool for the biologists to monitor host-pathogen interactions as they happen without the artifacts that fluorescence labeling imposes on biological interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltan Cseresnyes
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Mohamed I. Abdelwahab Hassan
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Pests and Plant Protection, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Hans-Martin Dahse
- Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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9
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Lax C, Pérez-Arques C, Navarro-Mendoza MI, Cánovas-Márquez JT, Tahiri G, Pérez-Ruiz JA, Osorio-Concepción M, Murcia-Flores L, Navarro E, Garre V, Nicolás FE. Genes, Pathways, and Mechanisms Involved in the Virulence of Mucorales. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E317. [PMID: 32188171 PMCID: PMC7140881 DOI: 10.3390/genes11030317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The order Mucorales is a group of ancient fungi with limited tools for gene manipulation. The main consequence of this manipulation unwillingness is the limited knowledge about its biology compared to other fungal groups. However, the emerging of mucormycosis, a fungal infection caused by Mucorales, is attracting the medical spotlight in recent years because the treatments available are not efficient in reducing the high mortality associated with this disease. The result of this renewed interest in Mucorales and mucormycosis is an extraordinarily productive effort to unveil their secrets during the last decade. In this review, we describe the most compelling advances related to the genetic study of virulence factors, pathways, and molecular mechanisms developed in these years. The use of a few genetic study models has allowed the characterization of virulence factors in Mucorales that were previously described in other pathogens, such as the uptake iron systems, the mechanisms of dimorphism, and azole resistances. More importantly, recent studies are identifying new genes and mechanisms controlling the pathogenic potential of Mucorales and their interactions with the host, offering new alternatives to develop specific strategies against mucormycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Francisco Esteban Nicolás
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (C.L.); (C.P.-A.); (M.I.N.-M.); (J.T.C.-M.); (G.T.); (J.A.P.-R.); (M.O.-C.); (L.M.-F.); (V.G.)
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10
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Deinhardt-Emmer S, Rennert K, Schicke E, Cseresnyés Z, Windolph M, Nietzsche S, Heller R, Siwczak F, Haupt KF, Carlstedt S, Schacke M, Figge MT, Ehrhardt C, Löffler B, Mosig AS. Co-infection with Staphylococcus aureus after primary influenza virus infection leads to damage of the endothelium in a human alveolus-on-a-chip model. Biofabrication 2020; 12:025012. [PMID: 31994489 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ab7073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pneumonia is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. The influenza virus can cause severe epidemics, which results in significant morbidity and mortality. Beyond the virulence of the virus itself, epidemiological data suggest that bacterial co-infections are the major cause of increased mortality. In this context, Staphylococcus aureus represents a frequent causative bacterial pathogen. Currently available models have several limitations in the analysis of the pathogenesis of infections, e.g. some bacterial toxins strongly act in a species-specific manner. Human 2D mono-cell culture models often fail to maintain the differentiation of alveolus-specific functions. A detailed investigation of the underlying pathogenesis mechanisms requires a physiological interaction of alveolus-specific cell types. The aim of the present work was to establish a human in vitro alveolus model system composed of vascular and epithelial cell structures with cocultured macrophages resembling the human alveolus architecture and functions. We demonstrate that high barrier integrity maintained for up to 14 d in our model containing functional tissue-resident macrophages. We show that flow conditions and the presence of macrophages increased the barrier function. The infection of epithelial cells induced a high inflammatory response that spread to the endothelium. Although the integrity of the epithelium was not compromised by a single infection or co-infection, we demonstrated significant endothelial cell damage associated with loss of barrier function. We established a novel immune-responsive model that reflects the complex crosstalk between pathogens and host. The in vitro model allows for the monitoring of spatiotemporal spreading of the pathogens and the characterization of morphological and functional alterations attributed to infection. The alveolus-on-a-chip represents a promising platform for mechanistic studies of host-pathogen interactions and the identification of molecular and cellular targets of novel treatment strategies in pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Deinhardt-Emmer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany. Center for Sepsis Control and Care, Jena University Hospital, D-07747 Jena, Germany. Section of Experimental Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Hans-Knöll-Str. 2, D-07745, Jena, Germany
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11
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Hassan MIA, Cseresnyes Z, Al-Zaben N, Dahse HM, Vilela de Oliveira RJ, Walther G, Voigt K, Figge MT. The geographical region of origin determines the phagocytic vulnerability of Lichtheimia strains. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:4563-4581. [PMID: 31330072 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mucormycoses are life-threatening infections that affect patients suffering from immune deficiencies. We performed phagocytosis assays confronting various strains of Lichtheimia species with alveolar macrophages, which form the first line of defence of the innate immune system. To investigate 17 strains from four different continents in a comparative fashion, transmitted light and confocal fluorescence microscopy was applied in combination with automated image analysis. This interdisciplinary approach enabled the objective and quantitative processing of the big volume of image data. Applying machine-learning supported methods, a spontaneous clustering of the strains was revealed in the space of phagocytic measures. This clustering was not driven by measures of fungal morphology but rather by the geographical origin of the fungal strains. Our study illustrates the crucial contribution of machine-learning supported automated image analysis to the qualitative discovery and quantitative comparison of major factors affecting host-pathogen interactions. We found that the phagocytic vulnerability of Lichtheimia species depends on their geographical origin, where strains within each geographic region behaved similarly, but strongly differed amongst the regions. Based on this clustering, we were able to also classify clinical isolates with regard to their potential geographical origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed I Abdelwahab Hassan
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Pests & Plant Protection Department, National Research Centre, 33rd El Buhouth St., 12622 Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Zoltan Cseresnyes
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Naim Al-Zaben
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Hans-Martin Dahse
- Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Rafael J Vilela de Oliveira
- Post-Graduate Course in the Biology of Fungi, Department of Mycology, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Nelson Chaves, s/n, Recife, Prince Edward Island, Brazil
| | - Grit Walther
- National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
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12
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Hassan MIA, Voigt K. Pathogenicity patterns of mucormycosis: epidemiology, interaction with immune cells and virulence factors. Med Mycol 2019; 57:S245-S256. [PMID: 30816980 PMCID: PMC6394756 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi of the basal lineage order Mucorales are able to cause infections in animals and humans. Mucormycosis is a well-known, life-threatening disease especially in patients with a compromised immune system. The rate of mortality and morbidity caused by mucormycosis has increased rapidly during the last decades, especially in developing countries. The systematic, phylogenetic, and epidemiological distributions of mucoralean fungi are addressed in relation to infection in immunocompromised patients. The review highlights the current achievements in (i) diagnostics and management of mucormycosis, (ii) the study of the interaction of Mucorales with cells of the innate immune system, (iii) the assessment of the virulence of Mucorales in vertebrate and invertebrate infection models, and (iv) the determination of virulence factors that are key players in the infection process, for example, high-affinity iron permease (FTR1), spore coat protein (CotH), alkaline Rhizopus protease enzyme (ARP), ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF), dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase, calcineurin (CaN), serine and aspartate proteases (SAPs). The present mini-review attempts to increase the awareness of these difficult-to-manage fungal infections and to encourage research in the detection of ligands and receptors as potential diagnostic parameters and drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed I Abdelwahab Hassan
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute, Adolf-Reichwein-Strasse 23, 07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Jena, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Pests and Plant Protection Department, National Research Centre, 33rd El Buhouth Street (Postal code: 12622) Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute, Adolf-Reichwein-Strasse 23, 07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Jena, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
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13
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Prauße MTE, Lehnert T, Timme S, Hünniger K, Leonhardt I, Kurzai O, Figge MT. Predictive Virtual Infection Modeling of Fungal Immune Evasion in Human Whole Blood. Front Immunol 2018; 9:560. [PMID: 29619027 PMCID: PMC5871695 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bloodstream infections by the human-pathogenic fungi Candida albicans and Candida glabrata increasingly occur in hospitalized patients and are associated with high mortality rates. The early immune response against these fungi in human blood comprises a concerted action of humoral and cellular components of the innate immune system. Upon entering the blood, the majority of fungal cells will be eliminated by innate immune cells, i.e., neutrophils and monocytes. However, recent studies identified a population of fungal cells that can evade the immune response and thereby may disseminate and cause organ dissemination, which is frequently observed during candidemia. In this study, we investigate the so far unresolved mechanism of fungal immune evasion in human whole blood by testing hypotheses with the help of mathematical modeling. We use a previously established state-based virtual infection model for whole-blood infection with C. albicans to quantify the immune response and identified the fungal immune-evasion mechanism. While this process was assumed to be spontaneous in the previous model, we now hypothesize that the immune-evasion process is mediated by host factors and incorporate such a mechanism in the model. In particular, we propose, based on previous studies that the fungal immune-evasion mechanism could possibly arise through modification of the fungal surface by as of yet unknown proteins that are assumed to be secreted by activated neutrophils. To validate or reject any of the immune-evasion mechanisms, we compared the simulation of both immune-evasion models for different infection scenarios, i.e., infection of whole blood with either C. albicans or C. glabrata under non-neutropenic and neutropenic conditions. We found that under non-neutropenic conditions, both immune-evasion models fit the experimental data from whole-blood infection with C. albicans and C. glabrata. However, differences between the immune-evasion models could be observed for the infection outcome under neutropenic conditions with respect to the distribution of fungal cells across the immune cells. Based on these predictions, we suggested specific experimental studies that might allow for the validation or rejection of the proposed immune-evasion mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria T E Prauße
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Teresa Lehnert
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Sandra Timme
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Kerstin Hünniger
- Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ines Leonhardt
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.,Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver Kurzai
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.,Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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14
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Hessian-based quantitative image analysis of host-pathogen confrontation assays. Cytometry A 2017; 93:346-356. [DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.23201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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15
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Ghuman H, Voelz K. Innate and Adaptive Immunity to Mucorales. J Fungi (Basel) 2017; 3:jof3030048. [PMID: 29371565 PMCID: PMC5715954 DOI: 10.3390/jof3030048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection characterised by rapid filamentous growth, which leads to angioinvasion, thrombosis, and tissue necrosis. The high mortality rates (50-100%) associated with mucormycosis are reflective of not only the aggressive nature of the infection and the poor therapeutics currently employed, but also the failure of the human immune system to successfully clear the infection. Immune effector interaction with Mucorales is influenced by the developmental stage of the mucormycete spore. In a healthy immune environment, resting spores are resistant to phagocytic killing. Contrarily, swollen spores and hyphae are susceptible to damage and degradation by macrophages and neutrophils. Under the effects of immune suppression, the recruitment and efficacy of macrophage and neutrophil activity against mucormycetes is considerably reduced. Following penetration of the endothelial lining, Mucorales encounter platelets. Platelets adhere to both mucormycete spores and hyphae, and exhibit germination suppression and hyphal damage capacity in vitro. Dendritic cells are activated in response to Mucorales hyphae only, and induce adaptive immunity. It is crucial to further knowledge regarding our immune system's failure to eradicate resting spores under intact immunity and inhibit fungal growth under immunocompromised conditions, in order to understand mucormycosis pathogenicity and enhance therapeutic strategies for mucormycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harlene Ghuman
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Kerstin Voelz
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
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16
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Brandes S, Dietrich S, Hünniger K, Kurzai O, Figge MT. Migration and interaction tracking for quantitative analysis of phagocyte–pathogen confrontation assays. Med Image Anal 2017; 36:172-183. [DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2016.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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17
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Identification of the antiphagocytic trypacidin gene cluster in the human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:10151-61. [PMID: 26278536 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6898-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2015] [Revised: 07/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus produces numerous different natural products. The genetic basis for the biosynthesis of a number of known metabolites has remained unknown. The gene cluster encoding for the biosynthesis of the conidia-bound metabolite trypacidin is of particular interest because of its antiprotozoal activity and possible role in the infection process. Here, we show that the genes encoding the biosynthesis enzymes of trypacidin reside within an orphan gene cluster in A. fumigatus. Genome mining identified tynC as an uncharacterized polyketide synthase with high similarity to known enzymes, whose products are structurally related to trypacidin including endocrocin and fumicycline. Gene deletion of tynC resulted in the complete absence of trypacidin production, which was fully restored when the mutant strain was complemented with the wild-type gene. When confronted with macrophages, the tynC deletion mutant conidia were more frequently phagocytosed than those of the parental wild-type strain. This was also found for phagocytic amoebae of the species Dictyostelium discoideum, which showed increased phagocytosis of ΔtynC conidia. Both macrophages and amoebae were also sensitive to trypacidin. Therefore, our results suggest that the conidium-bound trypacidin could have a protective function against phagocytes both in the environment and during the infection process.
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18
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Lehnert T, Timme S, Pollmächer J, Hünniger K, Kurzai O, Figge MT. Bottom-up modeling approach for the quantitative estimation of parameters in pathogen-host interactions. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:608. [PMID: 26150807 PMCID: PMC4473060 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Opportunistic fungal pathogens can cause bloodstream infection and severe sepsis upon entering the blood stream of the host. The early immune response in human blood comprises the elimination of pathogens by antimicrobial peptides and innate immune cells, such as neutrophils or monocytes. Mathematical modeling is a predictive method to examine these complex processes and to quantify the dynamics of pathogen-host interactions. Since model parameters are often not directly accessible from experiment, their estimation is required by calibrating model predictions with experimental data. Depending on the complexity of the mathematical model, parameter estimation can be associated with excessively high computational costs in terms of run time and memory. We apply a strategy for reliable parameter estimation where different modeling approaches with increasing complexity are used that build on one another. This bottom-up modeling approach is applied to an experimental human whole-blood infection assay for Candida albicans. Aiming for the quantification of the relative impact of different routes of the immune response against this human-pathogenic fungus, we start from a non-spatial state-based model (SBM), because this level of model complexity allows estimating a priori unknown transition rates between various system states by the global optimization method simulated annealing. Building on the non-spatial SBM, an agent-based model (ABM) is implemented that incorporates the migration of interacting cells in three-dimensional space. The ABM takes advantage of estimated parameters from the non-spatial SBM, leading to a decreased dimensionality of the parameter space. This space can be scanned using a local optimization approach, i.e., least-squares error estimation based on an adaptive regular grid search, to predict cell migration parameters that are not accessible in experiment. In the future, spatio-temporal simulations of whole-blood samples may enable timely stratification of sepsis patients by distinguishing hyper-inflammatory from paralytic phases in immune dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Lehnert
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute Jena, Germany ; Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
| | - Sandra Timme
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute Jena, Germany ; Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
| | - Johannes Pollmächer
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute Jena, Germany ; Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
| | - Kerstin Hünniger
- Fungal Septomics, Septomics Research Center, Friedrich Schiller University and Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans-Knöll-Institute Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver Kurzai
- Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany ; Fungal Septomics, Septomics Research Center, Friedrich Schiller University and Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans-Knöll-Institute Jena, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute Jena, Germany ; Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
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19
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Kraibooj K, Schoeler H, Svensson CM, Brakhage AA, Figge MT. Automated quantification of the phagocytosis of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia by a novel image analysis algorithm. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:549. [PMID: 26106370 PMCID: PMC4460560 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the pathobiology of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus has gained a lot of attention in recent years. This is due to the fact that this fungus is a human pathogen that can cause severe diseases, like invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. Because alveolar macrophages belong to the first line of defense against the fungus, here, we conduct an image-based study on the host-pathogen interaction between murine alveolar macrophages and A. fumigatus. This is achieved by an automated image analysis approach that uses a combination of thresholding, watershed segmentation and feature-based object classification. In contrast to previous approaches, our algorithm allows for the segmentation of individual macrophages in the images and this enables us to compute the distribution of phagocytosed and macrophage-adherent conidia over all macrophages. The novel automated image-based analysis provides access to all cell-cell interactions in the assay and thereby represents a framework that enables comprehensive computation of diverse characteristic parameters and comparative investigation for different strains. We here apply automated image analysis to confocal laser scanning microscopy images of the two wild-type strains ATCC 46645 and CEA10 of A. fumigatus and investigate the ability of macrophages to phagocytose the respective conidia. It is found that the CEA10 strain triggers a stronger response of the macrophages as revealed by a higher phagocytosis ratio and a larger portion of the macrophages being active in the phagocytosis process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaswara Kraibooj
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute Jena, Germany ; Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
| | - Hanno Schoeler
- Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany ; Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute Jena, Germany
| | - Carl-Magnus Svensson
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany ; Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute Jena, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute Jena, Germany ; Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
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20
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Pollmächer J, Figge MT. Deciphering chemokine properties by a hybrid agent-based model of Aspergillus fumigatus infection in human alveoli. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:503. [PMID: 26074897 PMCID: PMC4446573 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous airborne fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus is inhaled by humans every day. In the lung, it is able to quickly adapt to the humid environment and, if not removed within a time frame of 4–8 h, the pathogen may cause damage by germination and invasive growth. Applying a to-scale agent-based model of human alveoli to simulate early A. fumigatus infection under physiological conditions, we recently demonstrated that alveolar macrophages require chemotactic cues to accomplish the task of pathogen detection within the aforementioned time frame. The objective of this study is to specify our general prediction on the as yet unidentified chemokine by a quantitative analysis of its expected properties, such as the diffusion coefficient and the rates of secretion and degradation. To this end, the rule-based implementation of chemokine diffusion in the initial agent-based model is revised by numerically solving the spatio-temporal reaction-diffusion equation in the complex structure of the alveolus. In this hybrid agent-based model, alveolar macrophages are represented as migrating agents that are coupled to the interactive layer of diffusing molecule concentrations by the kinetics of chemokine receptor binding, internalization and re-expression. Performing simulations for more than a million virtual infection scenarios, we find that the ratio of secretion rate to the diffusion coefficient is the main indicator for the success of pathogen detection. Moreover, a subdivision of the parameter space into regimes of successful and unsuccessful parameter combination by this ratio is specific for values of the migration speed and the directional persistence time of alveolar macrophages, but depends only weakly on chemokine degradation rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Pollmächer
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute Jena, Germany ; Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute Jena, Germany ; Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
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21
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Durmuş S, Çakır T, Özgür A, Guthke R. A review on computational systems biology of pathogen-host interactions. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:235. [PMID: 25914674 PMCID: PMC4391036 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogens manipulate the cellular mechanisms of host organisms via pathogen-host interactions (PHIs) in order to take advantage of the capabilities of host cells, leading to infections. The crucial role of these interspecies molecular interactions in initiating and sustaining infections necessitates a thorough understanding of the corresponding mechanisms. Unlike the traditional approach of considering the host or pathogen separately, a systems-level approach, considering the PHI system as a whole is indispensable to elucidate the mechanisms of infection. Following the technological advances in the post-genomic era, PHI data have been produced in large-scale within the last decade. Systems biology-based methods for the inference and analysis of PHI regulatory, metabolic, and protein-protein networks to shed light on infection mechanisms are gaining increasing demand thanks to the availability of omics data. The knowledge derived from the PHIs may largely contribute to the identification of new and more efficient therapeutics to prevent or cure infections. There are recent efforts for the detailed documentation of these experimentally verified PHI data through Web-based databases. Despite these advances in data archiving, there are still large amounts of PHI data in the biomedical literature yet to be discovered, and novel text mining methods are in development to unearth such hidden data. Here, we review a collection of recent studies on computational systems biology of PHIs with a special focus on the methods for the inference and analysis of PHI networks, covering also the Web-based databases and text-mining efforts to unravel the data hidden in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saliha Durmuş
- Computational Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, KocaeliTurkey
| | - Tunahan Çakır
- Computational Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, KocaeliTurkey
| | - Arzucan Özgür
- Department of Computer Engineering, Boǧaziçi University, IstanbulTurkey
| | - Reinhard Guthke
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans-Knoell-Institute, JenaGermany
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Mokhtari Z, Mech F, Zehentmeier S, Hauser AE, Figge MT. Quantitative image analysis of cell colocalization in murine bone marrow. Cytometry A 2015; 87:503-12. [PMID: 25652548 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.22641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Long-term antibody production is a key property of humoral immunity and is accomplished by long-lived plasma cells. They mainly reside in the bone marrow, whose importance as an organ hosting immunological memory is becoming increasingly evident. Signals provided by stromal cells and eosinophils may play an important role for plasma cell maintenance, constituting a survival microenvironment. In this joint study of experiment and theory, we investigated the spatial colocalization of plasma cells, eosinophils and B cells by applying an image-based systems biology approach. To this end, we generated confocal fluorescence microscopy images of histological sections from murine bone marrow that were subsequently analyzed in an automated fashion. This quantitative analysis was combined with computer simulations of the experimental system for hypothesis testing. In particular, we tested the observed spatial colocalization of cells in the bone marrow against the hypothesis that cells are found within available areas at positions that were drawn from a uniform random number distribution. We find that B cells and plasma cells highly colocalize with stromal cells, to an extent larger than in the simulated random situation. While B cells are preferentially in contact with each other, i.e., form clusters among themselves, plasma cells seem to be solitary or organized in aggregates, i.e., loosely defined groups of cells that are not necessarily in direct contact. Our data suggest that the plasma cell bone marrow survival niche facilitates colocalization of plasma cells with stromal cells and eosinophils, respectively, promoting plasma cell longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Mokhtari
- Applied Systems Biology, HKI-Center for Systems Biology of Infection, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
| | - Franziska Mech
- Applied Systems Biology, HKI-Center for Systems Biology of Infection, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Immunodynamics, German Rheumatism Research Centre (DRFZ), Leibniz-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Zehentmeier
- Immunodynamics, German Rheumatism Research Centre (DRFZ), Leibniz-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja E Hauser
- Immunodynamics, German Rheumatism Research Centre (DRFZ), Leibniz-Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, HKI-Center for Systems Biology of Infection, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
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Medyukhina A, Timme S, Mokhtari Z, Figge MT. Image-based systems biology of infection. Cytometry A 2015; 87:462-70. [PMID: 25641512 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.22638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The successful treatment of infectious diseases requires interdisciplinary studies of all aspects of infection processes. The overarching combination of experimental research and theoretical analysis in a systems biology approach can unravel mechanisms of complex interactions between pathogens and the human immune system. Taking into account spatial information is especially important in the context of infection, since the migratory behavior and spatial interactions of cells are often decisive for the outcome of the immune response. Spatial information is provided by image and video data that are acquired in microscopy experiments and that are at the heart of an image-based systems biology approach. This review demonstrates how image-based systems biology improves our understanding of infection processes. We discuss the three main steps of this approach--imaging, quantitative characterization, and modeling--and consider the application of these steps in the context of studying infection processes. After summarizing the most relevant microscopy and image analysis approaches, we discuss ways to quantify infection processes, and address a number of modeling techniques that exploit image-derived data to simulate host-pathogen interactions in silico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Medyukhina
- Applied Systems Biology, HKI-Center for Systems Biology of Infection, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Sandra Timme
- Applied Systems Biology, HKI-Center for Systems Biology of Infection, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Applied Systems Biology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Zeinab Mokhtari
- Applied Systems Biology, HKI-Center for Systems Biology of Infection, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Applied Systems Biology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, HKI-Center for Systems Biology of Infection, Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Applied Systems Biology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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Park HR, Voigt K. Interaction of Zygomycetes with innate immune cells reconsidered with respect to ecology, morphology, evolution and infection biology: a mini-review. Mycoses 2014; 57 Suppl 3:31-9. [DOI: 10.1111/myc.12235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Revised: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hea-Reung Park
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection; Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute; Jena Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy; Department Microbiology and Molecular Biology; Institute of Microbiology; Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Jena Germany
- Jena School for Microbial Communication; Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Jena Germany
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection; Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute; Jena Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy; Department Microbiology and Molecular Biology; Institute of Microbiology; Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Jena Germany
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