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Emadikhiav A, Mafigholami R, Davood A, Mahvi A, Salimi L. A review on hazards and treatment methods of released antibiotics in hospitals wastewater during the COVID-19 pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:820. [PMID: 39154115 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12938-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Drugs and related goods are widely used in order to promote public health and the quality of life. One of the most serious environmental challenges affecting public health is the ongoing presence of antibiotics in the effluents generated by pharmaceutical industries and hospitals. Antibiotics cannot be entirely removed from wastewater using the traditional wastewater treatment methods. Unmetabolized antibiotics generated by humans can be found in urban and livestock effluent. The antibiotic present in effluent contributes to issues with resistance to antibiotics and the creation of superbugs. Over the recent 2 years, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has substantially boosted hospital waste volume. In this situation, a detailed literature review was conducted to highlight the harmful effects of untreated hospital waste and outline the best approaches to manage it. Approximately 50 to 70% of the emerging contaminants prevalent in the hospital wastewater can be removed using traditional treatment strategies. This paper emphasizes the numerous treatment approaches for effectively eliminating emerging contaminants and antibiotics from hospital wastewater and provides an overview of global hospital wastewater legislation and guidelines on hospital wastewater administration. Around 90% of ECs might be eliminated by biological or physical treatment techniques when used in conjunction with modern oxidation techniques. According to this research, hybrid methods are the best approach for removing antibiotics and ECs from hospital wastewater. The document outlines the many features of effective hospital waste management and might be helpful during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak, when waste creation on all hospitals throughout the globe has considerably increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirali Emadikhiav
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, West Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Roya Mafigholami
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, West Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Asghar Davood
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Mahvi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Center for Solid Waste Research (CSWR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Lida Salimi
- Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
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2
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Engle K, Kumar G. Tackling multi-drug resistant fungi by efflux pump inhibitors. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 226:116400. [PMID: 38945275 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant fungi is of grave concern, and its infections are responsible for significant deaths among immunocompromised patients. The treatment of fungal infections primarily relies on a clinical class of antibiotics, including azoles, polyenes, echinocandins, polyketides, and a nucleotide analogue. However, the incidence of fungal infections is increasing as the treatment for human and plant fungal infections overlaps with antifungal drugs. The need for new antifungal agents acting on different targets than known targets is undeniable. Also, the pace at which loss of fungal susceptibility to antibiotics cannot be undermined. There are several modes by which fungi can develop resistance to antibiotics, including reduced drug uptake, drug target alteration, and a reduction in the cellular concentration of the drug due to active extrusions and biofilm formation. The efflux pump's overexpression in the fungi primarily reduced the antibiotic's concentration to a sub-lethal concentration, thus responsible for developing resistant fungus strains. Several strategies are used to check antibiotic resistance in multi-drug resistant fungi, including synthesizing antibiotic analogs and giving antibiotics in combination therapies. Among them, the efflux pump protein inhibitors are considered potential adjuvants to antibiotics and can block the efflux of antibiotics by inhibiting efflux pump protein transporters. Moreover, it can sensitize the antifungal drugs to multi-drug resistant fungi with overexpressed efflux pump proteins. This review discusses the natural lead molecules, repurposable drugs, and formulation strategies to overcome the efflux pump activity in the fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika Engle
- Department of Natural Products, Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Balanagar 500037, India
| | - Gautam Kumar
- Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan 333031, India.
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3
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Kurnia D, Lestari S, Mayanti T, Gartika M, Nurdin D. Anti-Infection of Oral Microorganisms from Herbal Medicine of Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:2531-2553. [PMID: 38952486 PMCID: PMC11215520 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s453375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The WHO Global Status Report on Oral Health 2022 reveals that oral diseases caused by infection with oral pathogenic microorganisms affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide. Oral health problems are caused by the presence of S. mutans, S. sanguinis, E. faecalis and C. albicans in the oral cavity. Synthetic anti-infective drugs have been widely used to treat oral infections, but have been reported to cause side effects and resistance. Various strategies have been implemented to overcome this problem. Synthetic anti-infective drugs have been widely used to treat oral infections, but they have been reported to cause side effects and resistance. Therefore, it is important to look for safe anti-infective alternatives. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies suggest that Red Betel leaf (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav) could be a potential source of oral anti-infectives. This review aims to discuss the pathogenesis mechanism of several microorganisms that play an important role in causing health problems, the mechanism of action of synthetic oral anti-infective drugs in inhibiting microbial growth in the oral cavity, and the potential of red betel leaf (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav) as an herbal oral anti-infective drug. This study emphasises the importance of researching natural components as an alternative treatment for oral infections that is more effective and can meet global needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dikdik Kurnia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
| | - Seftiana Lestari
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
| | - Tri Mayanti
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
| | - Meirina Gartika
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Denny Nurdin
- Departement of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
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Mathuria A, Ali N, Kataria N, Mani I. Drug repurposing for fungal infections. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 207:59-78. [PMID: 38942545 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
The rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria is a well-recognized threat to world health, necessitating the implementation of effective treatments. This issue has been identified as a top priority on the global agenda by the World Health Organization. Certain strains, such as Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida lusitaniae, Candida auris, select cryptococcal species, and opportunistic Aspergillus or Fusarium species, have significant intrinsic resistance to numerous antifungal medicines. This inherent resistance and subsequent suboptimal clinical outcomes underscore the critical imperative for enhanced therapeutic alternatives and management protocols. The challenge of effectively treating fungal infections, compounded by the protracted timelines involved in developing novel drugs, underscores the pressing need to explore alternative therapeutic avenues. Among these, drug repurposing emerges as a particularly promising and expeditious solution, providing cost-effective solutions and safety benefits. In the fight against life-threatening resistant fungal infections, the idea of repurposing existing medications has encouraged research into both established and new compounds as a last-resort therapy. This chapter seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of contemporary antifungal drugs, as well as their key resistance mechanisms. Additionally, it seeks to provide insight into the antimicrobial properties of non-traditional drugs, thereby offering a holistic perspective on the evolving landscape of antifungal therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anshu Mathuria
- Department of Biochemistry, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Namra Ali
- Department of Microbiology, Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Naina Kataria
- Department of Biochemistry, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Indra Mani
- Department of Microbiology, Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Sandhu ZA, Raza MA, Alqurashi A, Sajid S, Ashraf S, Imtiaz K, Aman F, Alessa AH, Shamsi MB, Latif M. Advances in the Optimization of Fe Nanoparticles: Unlocking Antifungal Properties for Biomedical Applications. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:645. [PMID: 38794307 PMCID: PMC11124843 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050645] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, nanotechnology has achieved a remarkable status in shaping the future of biological applications, especially in combating fungal diseases. Owing to excellence in nanotechnology, iron nanoparticles (Fe NPs) have gained enormous attention in recent years. In this review, we have provided a comprehensive overview of Fe NPs covering key synthesis approaches and underlying working principles, the factors that influence their properties, essential characterization techniques, and the optimization of their antifungal potential. In addition, the diverse kinds of Fe NP delivery platforms that command highly effective release, with fewer toxic effects on patients, are of great significance in the medical field. The issues of biocompatibility, toxicity profiles, and applications of optimized Fe NPs in the field of biomedicine have also been described because these are the most significant factors determining their inclusion in clinical use. Besides this, the difficulties and regulations that exist in the transition from laboratory to experimental clinical studies (toxicity, specific standards, and safety concerns) of Fe NPs-based antifungal agents have been also summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeshan Ali Sandhu
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hafiz Hayat Campus, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan; (Z.A.S.); (S.A.); (K.I.)
| | - Muhammad Asam Raza
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hafiz Hayat Campus, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan; (Z.A.S.); (S.A.); (K.I.)
| | - Abdulmajeed Alqurashi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Samavia Sajid
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan;
| | - Sufyan Ashraf
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hafiz Hayat Campus, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan; (Z.A.S.); (S.A.); (K.I.)
| | - Kainat Imtiaz
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hafiz Hayat Campus, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan; (Z.A.S.); (S.A.); (K.I.)
| | - Farhana Aman
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Lahore, Sargodha Campus, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan;
| | - Abdulrahman H. Alessa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Monis Bilal Shamsi
- Centre for Genetics and Inherited Diseases (CGID), Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia;
- Department Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Latif
- Centre for Genetics and Inherited Diseases (CGID), Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia;
- Department Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia
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Kofoed VC, Campion C, Rasmussen PU, Møller SA, Eskildsen M, Nielsen JL, Madsen AM. Exposure to resistant fungi across working environments and time. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 923:171189. [PMID: 38447726 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Antifungal resistance has emerged as a significant health concern with increasing reports of resistant variants in previously susceptible species. At present, little is known about occupational exposure to antifungal-resistant fungi. This study aimed to investigate Danish workers' occupational exposure to airborne fungi resistant to first-line treatment drugs. A retrospective study was performed on a unique collection of personal exposure samples gathered over a twenty-year period from Danish working environments, in sectors including agriculture, animal handling, waste management, and healthcare. A total of 669 samples were cultivated at 37 °C and fungal colonies were identified using MALDI-TOF MS. Subsequently, identification was confirmed by amplicon sequencing the genes of calmodulin and beta-tubulin to unveil potential cryptic species. Infectious fungi (495 isolates from 23 species) were tested for resistance against Itraconazole, Voriconazole, Posaconazole, and Amphotericin B. Working environments were highly variable in the overall fungal exposure, and showed vastly different species compositions. Resistance was found in 30 isolates of the species Aspergillus fumigatus (4 of 251 isolates), A. nidulans (2 of 13), A. niger complex (19 of 131), A. versicolor (3 of 18), and A. lentulus (2 of 2). Sequence analysis revealed several cryptic species within the A. niger complex including A. tubingensis, A. luchuensis, and A. phoenicis. Among the resistant A. fumigatus isolates, two contained the well-described TR34/L98H mutation in the cyp51A gene and promoter region, while the remainder harbored silent mutations. The results indicate that the working environment significantly contributes to exposure to resistant fungi, with particularly biofuel plant workers experiencing high exposure. Differences in the prevalence of resistance across working environments may be linked to the underlying species composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Carp Kofoed
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Christopher Campion
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Pil Uthaug Rasmussen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Signe Agnete Møller
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg Ø, Denmark
| | - Mathias Eskildsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg Ø, Denmark
| | - Jeppe Lund Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg Ø, Denmark
| | - Anne Mette Madsen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
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Novais MHG, Farias NS, Dos Santos AG, Fonseca VJA, Ribeiro-Filho J, De Menezes IRA, Coutinho HDM, Morais-Braga MFB. Pharmacological potential of limonene against opportunistic fungi: Impact on Candida virulence. Acta Trop 2024; 253:107168. [PMID: 38432404 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The present article aims to evaluate the antifungal and antivirulence effect of the phytoconstituent Limonene against Candida spp. Antifungal assays were performed, where the concentration capable of inhibiting 50 % of fungal growth, the growth inhibition curve, the minimum fungicidal concentration, the evaluation of the modifying effect with fluconazole, the inhibitory effect of the substances on the morphological transition of Candida spp. and the statistical analysis of the results were determined. With this study, it was seen that limonene demonstrated growth inhibition for the strains tested and when associated the natural compound with Fluconazole, there was potentiation of the effect of the drug, since the inhibition of growth by the combination occurred at lower concentrations against all strains tested, when compared to the drug alone, which inhibited growth at the highest concentration. In the test to determine the Minimum Fungicidal Concentration of the products tested alone and in combination, it was found that in the case of Candida strains, growth inhibition by limonene occurred at a concentration of 1024 μg/mL. For Fluconazole, growth impairment ranged from > 1024 μg/mL to 256 μg/mL for the strains. And when combined, limonene potentiated the action of FCZ, making fungal colonization unfeasible at concentrations below 1024 μg/mL. Regarding the morphological transition from yeast to hyphae, limonene was used at concentrations of 1024 μg/mL and 512 μg/mL, and it was found that, for CA and CK, the filaments were reduced in number and size at the highest concentration and against CT, the morphological transition from yeast to hyphae/pseudohyphae was totally inhibited, and if compared to the growth control, limonene was able to reduce fungal growth at concentrations greater than 512 μg/mL. This compound has antimicrobial activity described, due to its ability to interfere in the gene expression of the fungus, the limited therapeutic options and the recent emergence of multidrug-resistant Candida species represent a significant challenge for human medicine and highlight the need for new therapeutic approaches, and in this study a great potential of limonene was revealed in relation to the perspective of increasing the efficiency of commercial drug. This work can bring an important contribution to the scientific database, while emphasizing that in-depth studies and tests on the subject, in order to better investigate its effectiveness and mechanisms by which they exert their effects, are still necessary.
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Adejor J, Tumukunde E, Li G, Lin H, Xie R, Wang S. Impact of Lysine Succinylation on the Biology of Fungi. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:1020-1046. [PMID: 38392183 PMCID: PMC10888112 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46020065] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a crucial role in protein functionality and the control of various cellular processes and secondary metabolites (SMs) in fungi. Lysine succinylation (Ksuc) is an emerging protein PTM characterized by the addition of a succinyl group to a lysine residue, which induces substantial alteration in the chemical and structural properties of the affected protein. This chemical alteration is reversible, dynamic in nature, and evolutionarily conserved. Recent investigations of numerous proteins that undergo significant succinylation have underscored the potential significance of Ksuc in various biological processes, encompassing normal physiological functions and the development of certain pathological processes and metabolites. This review aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying Ksuc and its diverse functions in fungi. Both conventional investigation techniques and predictive tools for identifying Ksuc sites were also considered. A more profound comprehension of Ksuc and its impact on the biology of fungi have the potential to unveil new insights into post-translational modification and may pave the way for innovative approaches that can be applied across various clinical contexts in the management of mycotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Adejor
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Elisabeth Tumukunde
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Guoqi Li
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Hong Lin
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Rui Xie
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Conn BN, Lieberman JA, Chatman P, Cotton K, Essandoh MA, Ebqa’ai M, Nelson TL, Wozniak KL. Antifungal activity of eumelanin-inspired indoylenepheyleneethynylene against Cryptococcus neoformans. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1339303. [PMID: 38293553 PMCID: PMC10826398 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1339303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes meningitis in >152,000 immunocompromised individuals annually, leading to 112,000 yearly deaths. The four classes of existing antifungal agents target plasma membrane sterols (ergosterol), nucleic acid synthesis, and cell wall synthesis. Existing drugs are not highly effective against Cryptococcus, and antifungal drug resistance is an increasing problem. A novel antimicrobial compound, a eumelanin-inspired indoylenepheyleneethynylene, EIPE-1, was synthesized and has antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA), but not towards Gram-negative organisms. Based on EIPE-1's antibacterial activity, we hypothesized that EIPE-1 could have antifungal activity. For these studies, we tested EIPE-1 against C. neoformans strain H99 and 6 additional cryptococcal clinical isolates. We examined antifungal activity, cytotoxicity, effects on fungal gene expression, and mechanism of action of EIPE-1. Results showed that EIPE-1 has fungicidal effects on seven cryptococcal strains with MICs ranging from 1.56 to 3.125 μg/mL depending on the strain, and it is non-toxic to mammalian cells. We conducted scanning and transmission electron microscopy on the exposed cells to examine structural changes to the organism following EIPE-1 treatment. Cells exposed displayed structural changes to their cell wall and membranes, with internal contents leaking out of the cells. To understand the effect of EIPE-1 on fungal gene expression, RNA sequencing was conducted. Results showed that EIPE-1 affects several processes involved stress response, ergosterol biosynthesis, capsule biosynthesis, and cell wall attachment and remodeling. Therefore, our studies demonstrate that EIPE-1 has antifungal activity against C. neoformans, which affects both cellular structure and gene expression of multiple fungal pathways involved in cell membrane stability and viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney N. Conn
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Jacob A. Lieberman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Priscilla Chatman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Kaitlyn Cotton
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Martha A. Essandoh
- Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Mohammad Ebqa’ai
- Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Toby L. Nelson
- Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Karen L. Wozniak
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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Alfalahi AO, Alrawi MS, Theer RM, Dawood KF, Charfi S, Almehemdi AF. Phytochemical analysis and antifungal potential of two Launaea mucronata (Forssk.) Muschl and Launaea nudicaulis (L.) Hook.fil. wildly growing in Anbar province, Iraq. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 318:116965. [PMID: 37506779 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Plant fungi are a serious problem in agriculture. Even though synthetic fungicides are an efficient control method, several negative side effects emerge from their extensive use, such as health problems, environmental pollution, and the emergence of resistant microorganisms. Thus, it is becoming more and more urgent to search for alternative control methods. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of our study was to analyze phytochemical composition and antifungal potential of Launaea mucronata (Forssk.) Muschl. and Launaea nudicaulis (L.) Hook. fil. wildly growing in Anbar province, Iraq. In addition, molecular analysis was used to identify the plants species and molecular docking analysis was investigated between the major phytochemicals present in these plants and three selected fungal proteins, in order to assess the antifungal activity of the selected biochemicals against these proteins. MATERIALS AND METHODS Molecular analysis was performed using ITS sequencing protocol. The phytochemical analysis was done using GC-MS technique, while molecular docking analysis was performed by FRED application between selected compounds from each plant and three enzymes: 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, endochitinase, and 14-α-demethylase. Finally, the antifungal activity was assessed by measuring inhibition percentage of Fusarium solani and Macrophomina phaseolina growth treated with ethanomethanolic extract of each plant. RESULTS Molecular analysis identified the selected plants as L. mucronata and L. nudicaulis, with an ITS region of 600 bp. Phytochemical analysis of Launaea spp. reported the presence of 35 compounds in each ethanomethanolic extract, belonging to different classes. L. mucronata was mainly formed of lupeol (9.33%), whereas L. nudicaulis extract was dominated by the heterocyclic compound 4-(3-methoxyphenoxy)-1,2,5-oxadiazol-3-amine (20.2%). Furthermore, molecular docking analysis showed that 4H-pyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl from L. mucronata and gulonic acid Ƴ-lactone from L. nudicaulis possessed the highest affinity score to 17-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (-4.584 and -7.811 kcal/mol, respectively). Sucrose from L. mucronata and glutaric acid, di(3,4-difluorobenzyl) ester from L. nudicaulis gave the highest affinity to endochitinase (-7.979 and - 8.446 kcal/mol, respectively). In addition, sterol 14-α-demethylase was affinitive to sucrose from L. mucronata and glutaric acid, di(3,4-difluorobenzyl) ester from L. nudicaulis via energetic score of -10.002 and -9.582 kcal/mol, respectively. Both extracts exhibited antifungal activity against F. solani and M. phaseolina in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms the antifungal potential of both Launaea spp. explained by the presence of phytochemicals with antimicrobial properties. These compounds have potential to be used as new drugs to treat infectious diseases caused by pathogens. Consequently, plants from Launaea genus could be a raw material for many studies such as therapeutic, taxonomical, drug modelling, and antifungal agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayoob Obaid Alfalahi
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Anbar, Iraq.
| | - Marwa Shakib Alrawi
- Department of Pharmacology &Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Anbar, Iraq.
| | - Rashid Mushrif Theer
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Anbar, Iraq.
| | - Kutaiba Farhan Dawood
- Department of Scientific Affairs, University Headquarter, University of Anbar, Iraq.
| | - Saoulajan Charfi
- Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan, 93000, Morocco.
| | - Ali F Almehemdi
- Department of Conservation Agriculture, Center of Desert Studies, University of Anbar, Iraq.
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Popiołek Ł, Gawrońska-Grzywacz M, Dziduch A, Biernasiuk A, Piątkowska-Chmiel I, Herbet M. Design, Synthesis, and In Vitro and In Vivo Bioactivity Studies of Hydrazide-Hydrazones of 2,4-Dihydroxybenzoic Acid. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17481. [PMID: 38139308 PMCID: PMC10743905 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In this research, twenty-four hydrazide-hydrazones of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid were designed, synthesized, and subjected to in vitro and in vivo bioactivity studies. The chemical structure of the obtained compounds was confirmed by spectral methods. Antimicrobial activity screening was performed against a panel of microorganisms for all synthesized hydrazide-hydrazones. The performed assays revealed the interesting antibacterial activity of a few substances against Gram-positive bacterial strains including MRSA-Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 (compound 18: 2,4-dihydroxy-N-[(2-hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenyl)methylidene]benzohydrazide-Minimal Inhibitory Concentration, MIC = 3.91 µg/mL). In addition, we performed the in vitro screening of antiproliferative activity and also assessed the acute toxicity of six hydrazide-hydrazones. The following human cancer cell lines were used: 769-P, HepG2, H1563, and LN-229, and the viability of the cells was assessed using the MTT method. The HEK-293 cell line was used as a reference line. The toxicity was tested in vivo on Danio rerio embryos using the Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity (FET) test procedure according to OECD No. 236. The inhibitory concentration values obtained in the in vitro test showed that N-[(4-nitrophenyl)methylidene]-2,4-dihydroxybenzhydrazide (21) inhibited cancer cell proliferation the most, with an extremely low IC50 (Inhibitory Concentration) value, estimated at 0.77 µM for LN-229. In addition, each of the compounds tested was selective against cancer cell lines. The compounds with a nitrophenyl substituent were the most promising in terms of inhibition cancer cell proliferation. The toxicity against zebrafish embryos and larvae was also very low or moderate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Popiołek
- Chair and Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Monika Gawrońska-Grzywacz
- Chair and Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8B Jaczewskiego Street, 20-090 Lublin, Poland; (M.G.-G.); (I.P.-C.); (M.H.)
| | - Aleksandra Dziduch
- Chair and Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Anna Biernasiuk
- Chair and Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Iwona Piątkowska-Chmiel
- Chair and Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8B Jaczewskiego Street, 20-090 Lublin, Poland; (M.G.-G.); (I.P.-C.); (M.H.)
| | - Mariola Herbet
- Chair and Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8B Jaczewskiego Street, 20-090 Lublin, Poland; (M.G.-G.); (I.P.-C.); (M.H.)
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12
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Kaur G, Chawla S, Kumar P, Singh R. Advancing Vaccine Strategies against Candida Infections: Exploring New Frontiers. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1658. [PMID: 38005990 PMCID: PMC10674196 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans, along with several non-albicans Candida species, comprise a prominent fungal pathogen in humans, leading to candidiasis in various organs. The global impact of candidiasis in terms of disease burden, suffering, and fatalities is alarmingly high, making it a pressing global healthcare concern. Current treatment options rely on antifungal drugs such as azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins but are delimited due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains and associated adverse effects. The current review highlights the striking absence of a licensed antifungal vaccine for human use and the urgent need to shift our focus toward developing an anti-Candida vaccine. A number of factors affect the development of vaccines against fungal infections, including the host, intraspecies and interspecies antigenic variations, and hence, a lack of commercial interest. In addition, individuals with a high risk of fungal infection tend to be immunocompromised, so they are less likely to respond to inactivated or subunit whole organisms. Therefore, it is pertinent to discover newer and novel alternative strategies to develop safe and effective vaccines against fungal infections. This review article provides an overview of current vaccination strategies (live attenuated, whole-cell killed, subunit, conjugate, and oral vaccine), including their preclinical and clinical data on efficacy and safety. We also discuss the mechanisms of immune protection against candidiasis, including the role of innate and adaptive immunity and potential biomarkers of protection. Challenges, solutions, and future directions in vaccine development, namely, exploring novel adjuvants, harnessing the trained immunity, and utilizing immunoinformatics approaches for vaccine design and development, are also discussed. This review concludes with a summary of key findings, their implications for clinical practice and public health, and a call to action for continued investment in candidiasis vaccine research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurpreet Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh College of Technology (CCT), Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC), Landran, Mohali 140307, India
| | - Sonam Chawla
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sector 62, Noida 201309, India; (S.C.)
| | - Piyush Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sector 62, Noida 201309, India; (S.C.)
| | - Ritu Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sector 62, Noida 201309, India; (S.C.)
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13
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Efremenko E, Aslanli A, Stepanov N, Senko O, Maslova O. Various Biomimetics, Including Peptides as Antifungals. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:513. [PMID: 37999154 PMCID: PMC10669293 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8070513] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomimetics, which are similar to natural compounds that play an important role in the metabolism, manifestation of functional activity and reproduction of various fungi, have a pronounced attraction in the current search for new effective antifungals. Actual trends in the development of this area of research indicate that unnatural amino acids can be used as such biomimetics, including those containing halogen atoms; compounds similar to nitrogenous bases embedded in the nucleic acids synthesized by fungi; peptides imitating fungal analogs; molecules similar to natural substrates of numerous fungal enzymes and quorum-sensing signaling molecules of fungi and yeast, etc. Most parts of this review are devoted to the analysis of semi-synthetic and synthetic antifungal peptides and their targets of action. This review is aimed at combining and systematizing the current scientific information accumulating in this area of research, developing various antifungals with an assessment of the effectiveness of the created biomimetics and the possibility of combining them with other antimicrobial substances to reduce cell resistance and improve antifungal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Efremenko
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Lenin Hills 1/3, Moscow 119991, Russia
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14
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Muselius B, Roux-Dalvai F, Droit A, Geddes-McAlister J. Resolving the Temporal Splenic Proteome during Fungal Infection for Discovery of Putative Dual Perspective Biomarker Signatures. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:1928-1940. [PMID: 37222660 PMCID: PMC10487597 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00114] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens are emerging threats to global health with the rise of incidence associated with climate change and increased geographical distribution; factors also influencing host susceptibility to infection. Accurate detection and diagnosis of fungal infections is paramount to offer rapid and effective therapeutic options. For improved diagnostics, the discovery and development of protein biomarkers presents a promising avenue; however, this approach requires a priori knowledge of infection hallmarks. To uncover putative novel biomarkers of disease, profiling of the host immune response and pathogen virulence factor production is indispensable. In this study, we use mass-spectrometry-based proteomics to resolve the temporal proteome of Cryptococcus neoformans infection of the spleen following a murine model of infection. Dual perspective proteome profiling defines global remodeling of the host over a time course of infection, confirming activation of immune associated proteins in response to fungal invasion. Conversely, pathogen proteomes detect well-characterized C. neoformans virulence determinants, along with novel mapped patterns of pathogenesis during the progression of disease. Together, our innovative systematic approach confirms immune protection against fungal pathogens and explores the discovery of putative biomarker signatures from complementary biological systems to monitor the presence and progression of cryptococcal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Muselius
- Department
of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University
of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Florence Roux-Dalvai
- Proteomics
platform, CHU de Québec - Université
Laval Research Center, Québec
City, Québec G1
V 4G2, Canada
- Computational
Biology Laboratory, CHU de Québec
- Université Laval Research Center, Québec City, Québec G1 V 4G2, Canada
- Canadian
Proteomics and Artificial Intelligence Consortium, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Arnaud Droit
- Proteomics
platform, CHU de Québec - Université
Laval Research Center, Québec
City, Québec G1
V 4G2, Canada
- Computational
Biology Laboratory, CHU de Québec
- Université Laval Research Center, Québec City, Québec G1 V 4G2, Canada
- Canadian
Proteomics and Artificial Intelligence Consortium, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Jennifer Geddes-McAlister
- Department
of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University
of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
- Canadian
Proteomics and Artificial Intelligence Consortium, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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15
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Shapiro RS, Gerstein AC. Powering up antifungal treatment: using small molecules to unlock the potential of existing therapies. mBio 2023; 14:e0107323. [PMID: 37530533 PMCID: PMC10470729 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01073-23] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens are increasingly appreciated as a significant infectious disease challenge. Compared to bacteria, fungal cells are more closely related to human cells, and few classes of antifungal drugs are available. Combination therapy offers a potential solution to reduce the likelihood of resistance acquisition and extend the lifespan of existing antifungals. There has been recent interest in combining first-line drugs with small-molecule adjuvants. In a recent article, Alabi et al. identified 1,4-benzodiazepines as promising molecules to enhance azole activity in pathogenic Candida spp. (P. E. Alabi, C. Gautier, T. P. Murphy, X. Gu, M. Lepas, V. Aimanianda, J. K. Sello, I. V. Ene, 2023, mBio https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.00479-23). These molecules have no antifungal activity on their own but exhibited significant potentiation of fluconazole in azole-susceptible and -resistant isolates. Additionally, the 1,4-benzodiazepines increased the fungicidal activity of azoles that are typically fungistatic to Candida spp., inhibited filamentation (a virulence-associated trait), and accordingly increased host survival in Galleria mellonella. This research thus provides another encouraging step on the critical pathway toward reducing mortality due to antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S. Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aleeza C. Gerstein
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Statistics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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16
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Naicker S, Mohanlall V, Ngubane S, Mellem J, Mchunu NP. Phenotypic Array for Identification and Screening of Antifungals against Aspergillus Isolates from Respiratory Infections in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:616. [PMID: 37367552 DOI: 10.3390/jof9060616] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid emergence of invasive fungal infections correlates with the increasing population of immunocompromised individuals, with many cases leading to death. The progressive increase in the incidence of Aspergillus isolates is even more severe due to the clinical challenges in treating invasive infections in immunocompromised patients with respiratory conditions. Rapid detection and diagnosis are needed to reduce mortality in individuals with invasive aspergillosis-related infections and thus efficient identification impacts clinical success. The phenotypic array method was compared to conventional morphology and molecular identification on thirty-six Aspergillus species isolated from patients with respiratory infections at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital in Kwa-Zulu Natal. In addition, an antimicrobial array was also carried out to screen for possible novel antimicrobial compounds for treatment. Although traditional morphological techniques are useful, genetic identification was the most reliable, assigning 26 to Aspergillus fumigatus species, 8 Aspergillus niger, and 2 Aspergillus flavus including cryptic species of A. niger, A. tubingensis and A. welwitschiae. The phenotypic array technique was only able to identify isolates up to the genus level due to a lack of adequate reference clinical species in the database. However, this technique proved crucial in assessing a wide range of possible antimicrobial options after these isolates exhibited some resistance to azoles. Antifungal profiles of the thirty-six isolates on the routine azole voriconazole showed a resistance of 6%, with 61% having moderate susceptibility. All isolates resistant to the salvage therapy drug, posaconazole pose a serious concern. Significantly, A. niger was the only species resistant (25%) to voriconazole and has recently been reported as the species isolated from patients with COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). Phenotypic microarray showed that 83% of the isolates were susceptible to the 24 new compounds and novel compounds were identified for potentially effective combination treatment of fungal infections. This study also reports the first TR34/98 mutation in Aspergillus clinical isolates which is located in the cyp51A gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarla Naicker
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Viresh Mohanlall
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Sandile Ngubane
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
| | - John Mellem
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
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17
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Akolkar SV, Shaikh MH, Bhalmode MK, Pawar PU, Sangshetti JN, Damale MG, Shingate BB. Click chemistry inspired syntheses of new amide linked 1,2,3-triazoles from naphthols: biological evaluation and in silico computational study. RESEARCH ON CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATES 2023. [PMCID: PMC10062688 DOI: 10.1007/s11164-023-05008-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
In search of new active molecules, a small focused library of new 1,2,3-triazoles derived from naphthols were efficiently prepared via the click chemistry approach. The synthesized triazole derivatives were evaluated for their antifungal, antioxidant and antitubercular activities. Furthermore, to rationalize the observed biological activity data, the molecular docking study has also been carried out against the active site of cytochrome P450 lanosterol 14α-demethylase of C. albicans to understand the binding affinity and binding interactions of enzyme and synthesized derivatives, which revealed a significant correlation between the binding score and biological activity for these compounds. The results of the in vitro and In Silico study suggest that the 1,2,3-triazole derivatives may possess the ideal structural requirements for the further development of novel therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish V. Akolkar
- grid.412084.b0000 0001 0700 1709Department of Chemistry, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra 431004 India
| | - Mubarak H. Shaikh
- grid.412084.b0000 0001 0700 1709Department of Chemistry, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra 431004 India
- Department of Chemistry, Radhabai Kale Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra 414001 India
| | - Mininath K. Bhalmode
- grid.412084.b0000 0001 0700 1709Department of Chemistry, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra 431004 India
| | - Prabhakar U. Pawar
- grid.417959.70000 0004 1764 2413Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Pune, Maharashtra 411008 India
| | | | - Manoj G. Damale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Srinath College of Pharmacy, Aurangabad, Maharashtra 431136 India
| | - Bapurao B. Shingate
- grid.412084.b0000 0001 0700 1709Department of Chemistry, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra 431004 India
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18
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Gutierrez-Gongora D, Raouf-Alkadhimi F, Prosser RS, Geddes-McAlister J. Differentiated extracts from freshwater and terrestrial mollusks inhibit virulence factor production in Cryptococcus neoformans. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4928. [PMID: 36967422 PMCID: PMC10040410 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32140-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The human fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, is responsible for deadly infections among immunocompromised individuals with the evolution of antifungal resistance driving the solution to discover new compounds that inhibit fungal virulence factors rather than kill the pathogen. Recently, exploration into natural sources (e.g., plants, invertebrates, microbes) of antifungal agents has garnered attention by integrating a One Health approach for new compound discovery. Here, we explore extracts from three mollusk species (freshwater and terrestrial) and evaluate effects against the growth and virulence factor production (i.e., thermotolerance, melanin, capsule, and biofilm) in C. neoformans. We demonstrate that clarified extracts of Planorbella pilsbryi have a fungicidal effect on cryptococcal cells comparable to fluconazole. Similarly, all extracts of Cipangopaludina chinensis affect cryptococcal thermotolerance and impair biofilm and capsule production, with clarified extracts of Cepaea nemoralis also conveying the latter effect. Next, inhibitory activity of extracts against peptidases related to specific virulence factors, combined with stress assays and quantitative proteomics, defined distinct proteome signatures and proposed proteins driving the observed anti-virulence properties. Overall, this work highlights the potential of compounds derived from natural sources to inhibit virulence factor production in a clinically important fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ryan S Prosser
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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19
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Hajareh Haghighi F, Mercurio M, Cerra S, Salamone TA, Bianymotlagh R, Palocci C, Romano Spica V, Fratoddi I. Surface modification of TiO 2 nanoparticles with organic molecules and their biological applications. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:2334-2366. [PMID: 36847384 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb02576k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, titanium(IV) dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) have shown promising potential in various biological applications such as antimicrobials, drug delivery, photodynamic therapy, biosensors, and tissue engineering. For employing TiO2NPs in these fields, their nanosurface must be coated or conjugated with organic and/or inorganic agents. This modification can improve their stability, photochemical properties, biocompatibility, and even surface area for further conjugation with other molecules such as drugs, targeting molecules, polymers, etc. This review describes the organic-based modification of TiO2NPs and their potential applications in the mentioned biological fields. In the first part of this review, around 75 recent publications (2017-2022) are mentioned on the common TiO2NP modifiers including organosilanes, polymers, small molecules, and hydrogels, which improve the photochemical features of TiO2NPs. In the second part of this review, we presented 149 recent papers (2020-2022) about the use of modified TiO2NPs in biological applications, in which specific bioactive modifiers are introduced in this part with their advantages. In this review, the following information is presented: (1) the common organic modifiers for TiO2NPs, (2) biologically important modifiers and their benefits, and (3) recent publications on biological studies on the modified TiO2NPs with their achievements. This review shows the paramount significance of the organic-based modification of TiO2NPs to enhance their biological effectiveness, paving the way toward the development of advanced TiO2-based nanomaterials in nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farid Hajareh Haghighi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Martina Mercurio
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Sara Cerra
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Roya Bianymotlagh
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Cleofe Palocci
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy. .,Research Center for Applied Sciences to the Safeguard of Environment and Cultural Heritage (CIABC), Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Romano Spica
- Department of Movement, Health and Human Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Piazza Lauro De Bosis, 15, 00135 Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Fratoddi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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20
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Design, Synthesis, In Silico and POM Studies for the Identification of the Pharmacophore Sites of Benzylidene Derivatives. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28062613. [PMID: 36985587 PMCID: PMC10053039 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the uneven distribution of glycosidase enzyme expression across bacteria and fungi, glycoside derivatives of antimicrobial compounds provide prospective and promising antimicrobial materials. Therefore, herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of six novel methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-glucopyranoside (MBG) derivatives (2–7). The structures were ascertained using spectroscopic techniques and elemental analyses. Antimicrobial tests (zone of inhibition, MIC and MBC) were carried out to determine their ability to inhibit the growth of different Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The highest antibacterial activity was recorded with compounds 4, 5, 6 and 7. The compounds with the most significant antifungal efficacy were 4, 5, 6 and 7. Based on the prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS), compounds 4 and 7 have promising antimicrobial capacity. Molecular docking studies focused on fungal and bacterial proteins where derivatives 3 and 6 exhibited strong binding affinities. The molecular dynamics study revealed that the complexes formed by these derivatives with the proteins L,D-transpeptidase Ykud and endoglucanase from Aspergillus niger remained stable, both over time and in physiological conditions. Structure–activity relationships, including in vitro and in silico results, revealed that the acyl chains [lauroyl-(CH3(CH2)10CO-), cinnamoyl-(C6H5CH=CHCO-)], in combination with sugar, were found to have the most potential against human and fungal pathogens. Synthetic, antimicrobial and pharmacokinetic studies revealed that MBG derivatives have good potential for antimicrobial activity, developing a therapeutic target for bacteria and fungi. Furthermore, the Petra/Osiris/Molinspiration (POM) study clearly indicated the presence of an important (O1δ−----O2δ−) antifungal pharmacophore site. This site can also be explored as a potential antiviral moiety.
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21
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Gervais NC, La Bella AA, Wensing LF, Sharma J, Acquaviva V, Best M, Cadena López RO, Fogal M, Uthayakumar D, Chavez A, Santiago-Tirado F, Flores-Mireles AL, Shapiro RS. Development and applications of a CRISPR activation system for facile genetic overexpression in Candida albicans. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkac301. [PMID: 36450451 PMCID: PMC9911074 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
For the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, genetic overexpression readily occurs via a diversity of genomic alterations, such as aneuploidy and gain-of-function mutations, with important consequences for host adaptation, virulence, and evolution of antifungal drug resistance. Given the important role of overexpression on C. albicans biology, it is critical to develop and harness tools that enable the analysis of genes expressed at high levels in the fungal cell. Here, we describe the development, optimization, and application of a novel, single-plasmid-based CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) platform for targeted genetic overexpression in C. albicans, which employs a guide RNA to target an activator complex to the promoter region of a gene of interest, thus driving transcriptional expression of that gene. Using this system, we demonstrate the ability of CRISPRa to drive high levels of gene expression in C. albicans, and we assess optimal guide RNA targeting for robust and constitutive overexpression. We further demonstrate the specificity of the system via RNA sequencing. We highlight the application of CRISPR activation to overexpress genes involved in pathogenesis and drug susceptibility, and contribute toward the identification of novel phenotypes. Consequently, this tool will facilitate a broad range of applications for the study of C. albicans genetic overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Gervais
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Alyssa A La Bella
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Lauren F Wensing
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Jehoshua Sharma
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Victoria Acquaviva
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Madison Best
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | | | - Meea Fogal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Deeva Uthayakumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
- Present address: Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alejandro Chavez
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | - Ana L Flores-Mireles
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Rebecca S Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
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22
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Wang X, Long X, Jia S, Zhu J, Zhou Z, Ahmed S, Jiang Y, Jiang Y. In vitro and in vivo synergistic effects of hydroxychloroquine and itraconazole on Cryptococcus neoformans. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2023:10.1007/s12223-023-01040-4. [PMID: 36753031 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-023-01040-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that can cause life-threatening invasive fungal infections. As its prevalence and drug resistance continue to rise, cryptococcosis requires new treatment options. Tapping into the potential antifungal effects of traditional drugs or combination therapy has become one of the options. This study was the first to examine the interaction of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and itraconazole (ITR) on Cryptococcus neoformans in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that HCQ alone and in combination with ITR exhibited antifungal activity against C. neoformans planktonic cells. When HCQ was combined with ITR, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of HCQ decreased to 32 μg/mL, and the MIC value of ITR decreased from 0.25 μg/mL to 0.06-0.25 μg/mL. The time-killing curve showed that the combined application of HCQ and ITR significantly shortened the killing time, dynamically defining the antifungal activity. The minimum biofilm clearance concentration (MBEC) of HCQ was only 32 μg/mL, which was significantly lower than the MIC of HCQ for planktonic cells. When combined with ITR, the MBEC of ITR decreased from 128 μg/mL to 2-1 μg/mL, and the MBEC of HCQ decreased from 32 μg/mL to 4 μg/mL, indicating a synergistic antifungal biofilm effect. In comparison to ITR alone, the combination of HCQ and ITR treatment increased the survival of C. neoformans-infected Galleria mellonella larvae and decreased the fungal burden of infected larvae. Mechanistic investigations revealed that HCQ might damage C. neoformans cell membranes, impact the structure of fungal cells, cause extracellular material leakage, and have a potent affinity for attaching to the C. neoformans genomic DNA. In conclusion, HCQ has potential clinical application in the treatment of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Wang
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Department of Microbiology, Basic Medical School, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xuemei Long
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Songgan Jia
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jiali Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhan Zhou
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Sarah Ahmed
- Centre of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center/Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Yinhui Jiang
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yanping Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China. .,Centre of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center/Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
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23
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Ammar YA, Micky JA, Aboul-Magd DS, Abd El-Hafez SMA, Hessein SA, Ali AM, Ragab A. Development and radiosterilization of new hydrazono-quinoline hybrids as DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV inhibitors: Antimicrobial and hemolytic activities against uropathogenic isolates with molecular docking study. Chem Biol Drug Des 2023; 101:245-270. [PMID: 36305722 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to synthesize new potent quinoline derivatives based on hydrazone moieties and evaluate their antimicrobial activity. The newly synthesized hydrazono-quinoline derivatives 2, 5a, 9, and 10b showed the highest antimicrobial activity with MIC values ≤1.0 μg/ml against bacteria and ≤8.0 μg/ml against the fungi. Further, these derivatives exhibited bactericidal and fungicidal effects with MBC/MIC and MFC/MIC ratio ≤4. Surprisingly, the most active compounds displayed good inhibition to biofilm formation with MBEC values ranging between (40.0 ± 10.0 - 230.0 ± 31.0) and (67.0 ± 24.0 - 347.0 ± 15.0) μg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. The hemolytic assays confirmed that the hydrazono-quinoline derivatives are non-toxic with low % lysis values ranging from 4.62% to 14.4% at a 1.0 mg/ml concentration. Besides, compound 5a exhibited the lowest hemolytic activity value of ~4.62%. Furthermore, the study suggests that the hydrazono-quinoline analogs exert their antibacterial activity as dual inhibitors for DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase IV enzymes with IC50 values ranging between (4.56 ± 0.3 - 21.67 ± 0.45) and (6.77 ± 0.4 - 20.41 ± 0.32) μM, respectively. Additionally, the recent work advocated that compound 5a showed the reference SAL at the ɣ-radiation dose of 10.0 kGy in the sterilization process without affecting its chemical structure. Finally, the in silico drug-likeness, toxicity properties, and molecular docking simulation were performed. Besides, the result exhibited good oral-bioavailability, lower toxicity prediction, and lower binding energy with good binding mode rather than the positive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yousry A Ammar
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Jehan A Micky
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Dina S Aboul-Magd
- Drug Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Egypt
| | - Sondos M A Abd El-Hafez
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sadia A Hessein
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Abeer M Ali
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Ragab
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
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24
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Antifungal Activity of Spent Coffee Ground Extracts. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020242. [PMID: 36838208 PMCID: PMC9963196 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Coffee is one of the most popular and consumed products in the world, generating tons of solid waste known as spent coffee grounds (SCG), containing several bioactive compounds. Here, the antifungal activity of ethanolic SCG extract from caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee capsules was evaluated against yeasts and filamentous fungi. These extracts had antifungal activity against Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Trichophyton rubrum, all skin fungal agents. Moreover, SCG had fungicidal activity against T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum. To understand the underlying mechanisms of the antifungal activity, fungal cell membrane and cell wall components were quantified. SCG caused a significant reduction of the ergosterol, chitin, and β-(1,3)-glucan content of C. parapsilosis, revealing the synthesis of this membrane component and cell wall components as possible targets of these extracts. These extracts were cytotoxic for the tumoral cell lines tested but not for the non-tumoral PLP2 cell line. The analysis of the phenolic compounds of these extracts revealed the presence of caffeoylquinic acid, feruloylquinic acid, and caffeoylshikimic acid derivatives. Overall, this confirmed the antifungal activity of spent coffee grounds, presenting a potential increase in the sustainability of the life cycle of coffee grounds, as a source for the development of novel antifungal formulations, especially for skin or mucosal fungal infections.
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25
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Almeida JF, Marques M, Oliveira V, Egas C, Mil-Homens D, Viana R, Cleary DFR, Huang YM, Fialho AM, Teixeira MC, Gomes NCM, Costa R, Keller-Costa T. Marine Sponge and Octocoral-Associated Bacteria Show Versatile Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis Potential and Antimicrobial Activities against Human Pathogens. Mar Drugs 2022; 21:md21010034. [PMID: 36662207 PMCID: PMC9860996 DOI: 10.3390/md21010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine microbiomes are prolific sources of bioactive natural products of potential pharmaceutical value. This study inspected two culture collections comprising 919 host-associated marine bacteria belonging to 55 genera and several thus-far unclassified lineages to identify isolates with potentially rich secondary metabolism and antimicrobial activities. Seventy representative isolates had their genomes mined for secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (SM-BGCs) and were screened for antimicrobial activities against four pathogenic bacteria and five pathogenic Candida strains. In total, 466 SM-BGCs were identified, with antimicrobial peptide- and polyketide synthase-related SM-BGCs being frequently detected. Only 38 SM-BGCs had similarities greater than 70% to SM-BGCs encoding known compounds, highlighting the potential biosynthetic novelty encoded by these genomes. Cross-streak assays showed that 33 of the 70 genome-sequenced isolates were active against at least one Candida species, while 44 isolates showed activity against at least one bacterial pathogen. Taxon-specific differences in antimicrobial activity among isolates suggested distinct molecules involved in antagonism against bacterial versus Candida pathogens. The here reported culture collections and genome-sequenced isolates constitute a valuable resource of understudied marine bacteria displaying antimicrobial activities and potential for the biosynthesis of novel secondary metabolites, holding promise for a future sustainable production of marine drug leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- João F. Almeida
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Matilde Marques
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vanessa Oliveira
- Department of Biology and Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Conceição Egas
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Rua Larga—Faculdade de Medicina, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Biocant—Transfer Technology Association, BiocantPark, 3060-197 Cantanhede, Portugal
| | - Dalila Mil-Homens
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Romeu Viana
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniel F. R. Cleary
- Department of Biology and Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Yusheng M. Huang
- Department of Marine Recreation, National Penghu University of Science and Technology, Magong City 880-011, Taiwan
| | - Arsénio M. Fialho
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel C. Teixeira
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Newton C. M. Gomes
- Department of Biology and Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo Costa
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR/CIMAR LA), University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Correspondence: (R.C.); (T.K.-C.); Tel.: +351-21-841-7339 (R.C.); +351-21-841-3167 (T.K.-C.)
| | - Tina Keller-Costa
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Correspondence: (R.C.); (T.K.-C.); Tel.: +351-21-841-7339 (R.C.); +351-21-841-3167 (T.K.-C.)
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26
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Smith DFQ, Dragotakes Q, Kulkarni M, Hardwick JM, Casadevall A. Galleria mellonella immune melanization is fungicidal during infection. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1364. [PMID: 36510005 PMCID: PMC9744840 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04340-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A key component of the insect immune response is melanin production, including within nodules, or aggregations of immune cells surrounding microbes. Melanization produces oxidative and toxic intermediates that limit microbial infections. However, a direct fungicidal role of melanin during infection has not been demonstrated. We previously reported that the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is encapsulated with melanin within nodules of Galleria mellonella hosts. Here we developed techniques to study melanin's role during C. neoformans infection in G. mellonella. We provided evidence that in vivo melanin-encapsulation was fungicidal. To further study immune melanization, we applied tissue-clearing techniques to visualize melanized nodules in situ throughout the larvae. Further, we developed a time-lapse microscopy protocol to visualize the melanization kinetics in extracted hemolymph following fungal exposure. Using this technique, we found that cryptococcal melanin and laccase enhance immune melanization. We extended this approach to study the fungal pathogens Candida albicans and Candida auris. We find that the yeast morphologies of these fungi elicited robust melanization responses, while hyphal and pseudohyphal morphologies were melanin-evasive. Approximately 23% of melanin-encapsulated C. albicans yeast can survive and breakthrough the encapsulation. Overall, our results provide direct evidence that immune melanization functions as a direct antifungal mechanism in G. mellonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Q Smith
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Quigly Dragotakes
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Madhura Kulkarni
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - J Marie Hardwick
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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27
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Shao Q, Dong C, Hu H, Huang J, Zou X, Liang Z, Han Y. Effects of Medicinal Plants on Fungal Community Structure and Function in Hospital Grassplot Soil. Curr Microbiol 2022; 79:377. [DOI: 10.1007/s00284-022-03083-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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28
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Performance Evaluation of Bruker Biotyper, ASTA MicroIDSys, and VITEK-MS and Three Extraction Methods for Filamentous Fungal Identification in Clinical Laboratories. J Clin Microbiol 2022; 60:e0081222. [PMID: 36286489 PMCID: PMC9667760 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00812-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi are a major cause of life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients; thus, rapid and accurate identification is critical. Filamentous fungal identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been demonstrated with high sensitivity and reproducibility; however, its wider application has been limited in clinical laboratories because of practical challenges such as database availability or lack of standardization.
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29
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Scedosporium apiospermum infections in the middle ear and mastoid: case series and review of the literature. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology 2022; 136:979-985. [DOI: 10.1017/s0022215122000202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractObjectivesTo present our case series and management of Scedosporium apiospermum infections of the middle ear and mastoid, and review the current literature on this rare yet potentially life-threatening condition.MethodsMedical records of patients treated at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital for S apiospermum middle ear and mastoid infections between 2009 and 2019 were reviewed. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Medline and Cochrane Library databases.ResultsTwo patients were identified in our institution: a 62-year-old diabetic woman with otogenic skull base osteomyelitis, and a 12-year-old boy with unilateral chronic suppurative otitis media which developed after tympanostomy tube insertion. The persistence of otalgia and otorrhoea despite prolonged antibiotic treatment characterised these cases. Both patients received voriconazole, and achieved disease resolution without complications. Ten relevant cases were identified after review of the literature. Despite treatment, there were three patient deaths, and four patients with otological or neurological complications.ConclusionThe presence of a middle ear or mastoid infection refractory to appropriate topical and systemic antibiotics should prompt clinicians to consider a fungal infection. The role of surgical debridement in the treatment of S apiospermum infection of the middle ear and mastoid is equivocal.
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30
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Penicillium digitatum as a Model Fungus for Detecting Antifungal Activity of Botanicals: An Evaluation on Vietnamese Medicinal Plant Extracts. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8090956. [PMID: 36135681 PMCID: PMC9502062 DOI: 10.3390/jof8090956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Medicinal plants play important roles in traditional medicine, and numerous compounds among them have been recognized for their antimicrobial activity. However, little is known about the potential of Vietnamese medicinal plants for antifungal activity. In this study, we examined the antagonistic activity of twelve medicinal plant species collected in Northern Vietnam against Penicillium digitatum, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans. The results showed that the antifungal activities of the crude extracts from Mahonia bealei, Ficus semicordata, and Gnetum montanum were clearly detected with the citrus postharvest pathogen P. digitatum. These extracts could fully inhibit the growth of P. digitatum on the agar medium, and on the infected citrus fruits at concentrations of 300–1000 µg/mL. Meanwhile, the other tested fungi were less sensitive to the antagonistic activity of the plant extracts. In particular, we found that the ethanolic extract of M. bealei displayed a broad-spectrum antifungal activity against all four pathogenic fungi. Analysis of this crude extract by enrichment coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that berberine and palmatine are major metabolites. Additional inspections indicated berberine as the key compound responsible for the antifungal activity of the M. bealei ethanolic extract. Our study provides a better understanding of the potential of Vietnamese medicinal plant resources for combating fungal pathogens. This work also highlights that the citrus pathogen P. digitatum can be employed as a model fungus for screening the antifungal activity of botanicals.
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31
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Cochrane RR, Shrestha A, Severo de Almeida MM, Agyare-Tabbi M, Brumwell SL, Hamadache S, Meaney JS, Nucifora DP, Say HH, Sharma J, Soltysiak MPM, Tong C, Van Belois K, Walker EJL, Lachance MA, Gloor GB, Edgell DR, Shapiro RS, Karas BJ. Superior Conjugative Plasmids Delivered by Bacteria to Diverse Fungi. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9802168. [PMID: 37850145 PMCID: PMC10521675 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9802168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungi are nature's recyclers, allowing for ecological nutrient cycling and, in turn, the continuation of life on Earth. Some fungi inhabit the human microbiome where they can provide health benefits, while others are opportunistic pathogens that can cause disease. Yeasts, members of the fungal kingdom, have been domesticated by humans for the production of beer, bread, and, recently, medicine and chemicals. Still, the great untapped potential exists within the diverse fungal kingdom. However, many yeasts are intractable, preventing their use in biotechnology or in the development of novel treatments for pathogenic fungi. Therefore, as a first step for the domestication of new fungi, an efficient DNA delivery method needs to be developed. Here, we report the creation of superior conjugative plasmids and demonstrate their transfer via conjugation from bacteria to 7 diverse yeast species including the emerging pathogen Candida auris. To create our superior plasmids, derivatives of the 57 kb conjugative plasmid pTA-Mob 2.0 were built using designed gene deletions and insertions, as well as some unintentional mutations. Specifically, a cluster mutation in the promoter of the conjugative gene traJ had the most significant effect on improving conjugation to yeasts. In addition, we created Golden Gate assembly-compatible plasmid derivatives that allow for the generation of custom plasmids to enable the rapid insertion of designer genetic cassettes. Finally, we demonstrated that designer conjugative plasmids harboring engineered restriction endonucleases can be used as a novel antifungal agent, with important applications for the development of next-generation antifungal therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R. Cochrane
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Arina Shrestha
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Mariana M. Severo de Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Michelle Agyare-Tabbi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
| | - Stephanie L. Brumwell
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Samir Hamadache
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Jordyn S. Meaney
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Daniel P. Nucifora
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Henry Heng Say
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Jehoshua Sharma
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
| | | | - Cheryl Tong
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Katherine Van Belois
- Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7
| | - Emma J. L. Walker
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Marc-André Lachance
- Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7
| | - Gregory B. Gloor
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - David R. Edgell
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
| | - Rebecca S. Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
| | - Bogumil J. Karas
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
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32
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Li Z, Xu L, Yuan H, Zhang P. Fluorescent sensor array based on aggregation-induced emission luminogens for pathogen discrimination. Analyst 2022; 147:2930-2935. [PMID: 35611940 DOI: 10.1039/d2an00643j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A high-throughput tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-based fluorescent sensor array was constructed for the identification and detection of microorganisms, which utilizes three TPE derivatives with different numbers of cationic side chains to detect and discriminate various microorganisms at concentrations down to 1 × 103 CFU mL-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelin Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, P. R. China.
| | - Li Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430065, P. R. China
| | - Huanxiang Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, P. R. China.
| | - Pengbo Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China.
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33
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D’Auria FD, Casciaro B, De Angelis M, Marcocci ME, Palamara AT, Nencioni L, Mangoni ML. Antifungal Activity of the Frog Skin Peptide Temporin G and Its Effect on Candida albicans Virulence Factors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116345. [PMID: 35683025 PMCID: PMC9181532 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing resistance to conventional antifungal drugs is a widespread concern, and a search for new compounds, active against different species of fungi, is demanded. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hold promises in this context. Here we investigated the activity of the frog skin AMP Temporin G (TG) against a panel of fungal strains, by following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocols. TG resulted to be active against (i) Candida species and Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC50 between 4 µM and 64 µM after 24 h of incubation; (ii) dermatophytes with MIC80 ranging from 4 to 32 µM, and (iii) Aspergillus strains with MIC80 of 128 µM. In addition, our tests revealed that TG reduced the metabolic activity of Candida albicans cells, with moderate membrane perturbation, as proven by XTT and Sytox Green assays, respectively. Furthermore, TG was found to be effective against some C. albicans virulence factors; indeed, at 64 µM it was able to inhibit ~90% of yeast-mycelial switching, strongly prevented biofilm formation, and led to a 50% reduction of metabolic activity in mature biofilm cells, and ~30-35% eradication of mature biofilm biomass. Even though further studies are needed to deepen our knowledge of the mechanisms of TG antifungal activity, our results suggest this AMP as an attractive lead compound for treatment of fungal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicia Diodata D’Auria
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marta De Angelis
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
| | - Maria Elena Marcocci
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
| | - Anna Teresa Palamara
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Nencioni
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.D.D.); (M.D.A.); (M.E.M.); (A.T.P.)
- Correspondence: (L.N.); (M.L.M.); Tel.: +39-0649914608 (L.N.); +39-0649910838 (M.L.M.)
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence: (L.N.); (M.L.M.); Tel.: +39-0649914608 (L.N.); +39-0649910838 (M.L.M.)
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Lectins ConA and ConM extracted from Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC and Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC inhibit planktonic Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:346. [PMID: 35608680 PMCID: PMC9127036 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02959-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Lectins participate in the defense against microorganisms and in signaling the damage caused by pathogens to the cell surface and/or intracellular in plants. This study aims to analyze the antifungal potential of lectins extracted from seeds of Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC and Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC, against Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. The antimicrobial tests were performed by microdilution against Candida spp. The test to verify the combined lectin/fluconazole effect was performed using subinhibitory concentrations of lectins and with antifungal ranging from 0.5 to 512 µg/mL. The ability to inhibit the morphological transition of Candida spp. was evaluated by microcultivation in a moist chamber. The results of the minimum inhibitory concentration revealed no antifungal activity against the tested strains. However, lectins modified the action of fluconazole, reducing the IC50 of the drug against C. albicans. Lectins were also able to discretely modulate the morphological transition of the tested strains.
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The Dynamics of Single-Cell Nanomotion Behaviour of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a Microfluidic Chip for Rapid Antifungal Susceptibility Testing. FERMENTATION 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/fermentation8050195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The fast emergence of multi-resistant pathogenic yeasts is caused by the extensive—and sometimes unnecessary—use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial drugs. To rationalise the use of broad-spectrum antifungals, it is essential to have a rapid and sensitive system to identify the most appropriate drug. Here, we developed a microfluidic chip to apply the recently developed optical nanomotion detection (ONMD) method as a rapid antifungal susceptibility test. The microfluidic chip contains no-flow yeast imaging chambers in which the growth medium can be replaced by an antifungal solution without disturbing the nanomotion of the cells in the imaging chamber. This allows for recording the cellular nanomotion of the same cells at regular time intervals of a few minutes before and throughout the treatment with an antifungal. Hence, the real-time response of individual cells to a killing compound can be quantified. In this way, this killing rate provides a new measure to rapidly assess the susceptibility of a specific antifungal. It also permits the determination of the ratio of antifungal resistant versus sensitive cells in a population.
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Marena GD, Girotto L, Saldanha LL, Ramos MADS, De Grandis RA, da Silva PB, Dokkedal AL, Chorilli M, Bauab TM, Pavan FR, Trovatti E, Lustri WR, Resende FA. Hydroalcoholic Extract of Myrcia bella Loaded into a Microemulsion System: A Study of Antifungal and Mutagenic Potential. PLANTA MEDICA 2022; 88:405-415. [PMID: 33511621 DOI: 10.1055/a-1323-3622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Myrcia bella is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of diabetes, hemorrhages, and hypertension in Brazilian folk medicine. Considering that plant extracts are attractive sources of new drugs, the aim of the present study was to verify the influence of incorporating 70% hydroalcoholic of M. bella leaves in nanostructured lipid systems on the mutagenic and antifungal activities of the extract. In this work, we evaluated the antifungal potential of M. bella loaded on the microemulsion against Candida sp for minimum inhibitory concentration, using the microdilution technique. The system was composed of polyoxyethylene 20 cetyl ether and soybean phosphatidylcholine (10%), grape seed oil, cholesterol (10%: proportion 5/1), and purified water (80%). To investigate the mutagenic activity, the Ames test was used with the Salmonella Typhimurium tester strains. M. bella, either incorporated or free, showed an important antifungal effect against all tested strains. Moreover, the incorporation surprisingly inhibited the mutagenicity presented by the extract. The present study attests the antimicrobial properties of M. bella extract, contributing to the search for new natural products with biological activities and suggesting caution in its use for medicinal purposes. In addition, the results emphasize the importance of the use of nanotechnology associated with natural products as a strategy for the control of infections caused mainly by the genus Candida sp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Davi Marena
- University of Araraquara (UNIARA), Department of Biological Sciences and Health, Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Luiza Girotto
- University of Araraquara (UNIARA), Department of Biological Sciences and Health, Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Luiz Leonardo Saldanha
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Bauru, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Matheus Aparecido Dos Santos Ramos
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Rone Aparecido De Grandis
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Bento da Silva
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
- University of Brasilia, Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetics and Morphology, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Anne Lígia Dokkedal
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Bauru, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Marlus Chorilli
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Tais Maria Bauab
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Fernando Rogério Pavan
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Eliane Trovatti
- University of Araraquara (UNIARA), Department of Biological Sciences and Health, Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Wilton Rogério Lustri
- University of Araraquara (UNIARA), Department of Biological Sciences and Health, Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Flávia Ap Resende
- University of Araraquara (UNIARA), Department of Biological Sciences and Health, Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil
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Wang Y, Xu H, Chen N, Yang J, Zhou H. LncRNA: A Potential Target for Host-Directed Therapy of Candida Infection. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030621. [PMID: 35335994 PMCID: PMC8954347 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite various drugs work against Candida, candidiasis represents clinical management challenges worldwide due to the rising incidence and recurrence rate, as well as epidemics, of new drug-resistant pathogens. Recent insights into interactions between Candida and hosts contribute to exploring novel therapeutic strategies, termed host-directed therapies (HDTs). HDTs are viable adjuncts with good efficacy for the existing standard antifungal regimens. However, HDTs induce other response unintendedly, thus requiring molecular targets with highly specificity. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) with highly specific expression patterns could affect biological processes, including the immune response. Herein, this review will summarize recent advances of HDTs based on the Candida–host interaction. Especially, the findings and application strategies of lncRNAs related to the host response are emphasized. We propose it is feasible to target lncRNAs to modulate the host defense during Candida infection, which provides a new perspective in identifying options of HDTs for candidiasis.
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Liu B, Stevens-Green R, Johal D, Buchanan R, Geddes-McAlister J. Fungal pathogens of cereal crops: Proteomic insights into fungal pathogenesis, host defense, and resistance. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 269:153593. [PMID: 34915227 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fungal infections of cereal crops pose a significant risk to global food security through reduced grain production and quality, as well as contamination of animal feed and human products for consumption. To combat fungal disease, we need to understand how the pathogen adapts and survives within the hostile environment of the host and how the host's defense response can be modulated for protection from disease. Such investigations offer insight into fungal pathogenesis, host immunity, the development of resistance, and mechanisms of action for currently-used control strategies. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics provides a technologically-advanced platform to define differences among fungal pathogens and their hosts at the protein level, supporting the discovery of proteins critical for disease, and uncovering novel host responses driving susceptibly or resistance of the host. In this Review, we explore the role of mass spectrometry-based proteomics in defining the intricate relationship between a pathogen and host during fungal disease of cereal crops with a focus on recent discoveries derived from the globally-devastating diseases of Fusarium head blight, Rice blast, and Powdery mildew. We highlight advances made for each of these diseases and discuss opportunities to extrapolate findings to further our fight against fungal pathogens on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - R Stevens-Green
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - D Johal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - R Buchanan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - J Geddes-McAlister
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada; Canadian Proteomics and Artificial Intelligence Research and Training Consortium, Canada.
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Abstract
The limited number of available effective agents necessitates the development of new antifungals. We report that jervine, a jerveratrum-type steroidal alkaloid isolated from Veratrum californicum, has antifungal activity. Phenotypic comparisons of cell wall mutants, K1 killer toxin susceptibility testing, and quantification of cell wall components revealed that β-1,6-glucan biosynthesis was significantly inhibited by jervine. Temperature-sensitive mutants defective in essential genes involved in β-1,6-glucan biosynthesis, including BIG1, KEG1, KRE5, KRE9, and ROT1, were hypersensitive to jervine. In contrast, point mutations in KRE6 or its paralog SKN1 produced jervine resistance, suggesting that jervine targets Kre6 and Skn1. Jervine exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity and was effective against human-pathogenic fungi, including Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei. It was also effective against phytopathogenic fungi, including Botrytis cinerea and Puccinia recondita. Jervine exerted a synergistic effect with fluconazole. Therefore, jervine, a jerveratrum-type steroidal alkaloid used in pharmaceutical products, represents a new class of antifungals active against mycoses and plant-pathogenic fungi. IMPORTANCE Non-Candida albicans Candida species (NCAC) are on the rise as a cause of mycosis. Many antifungal drugs are less effective against NCAC, limiting the available therapeutic agents. Here, we report that jervine, a jerveratrum-type steroidal alkaloid, is effective against NCAC and phytopathogenic fungi. Jervine acts on Kre6 and Skn1, which are involved in β-1,6-glucan biosynthesis. The skeleton of jerveratrum-type steroidal alkaloids has been well studied, and more recently, their anticancer properties have been investigated. Therefore, jerveratrum-type alkaloids could potentially be applied as treatments for fungal infections and cancer.
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Gutierrez-Gongora D, Geddes-McAlister J. Peptidases: promising antifungal targets of the human fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. Facets (Ott) 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2021-0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is a globally important fungal pathogen, primarily inflicting disease on immunocompromised individuals. The widespread use of antifungal agents in medicine and agriculture supports the development of antifungal resistance through evolution, and the emergence of new strains with intrinsic resistance drives the need for new therapeutics. For C. neoformans, the production of virulence factors, including extracellular peptidases (e.g., CnMpr-1 and May1) with mechanistic roles in tissue invasion and fungal survival, constitute approximately 2% of the fungal proteome and cover five classes of enzymes. Given their role in fungal virulence, peptidases represent promising targets for anti-virulence discovery in the development of new approaches against C. neoformans. Additionally, intracellular peptidases, which are involved in resistance mechanisms against current treatment options (e.g., azole drugs), as well as capsule biosynthesis and elaboration of virulence factors, present additional opportunities to combat the pathogen. In this review, we highlight key cryptococcal peptidases with defined or predicted roles in fungal virulence and assess sequence alignments against their human homologs. With this information, we define the feasibility of the select peptidases as “druggable” targets for inhibition, representing prospective therapeutic options against the deadly fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davier Gutierrez-Gongora
- The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
- Centro de Estudio de Proteínas, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba
| | - Jennifer Geddes-McAlister
- The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
- Canadian Proteomics and Artificial Intelligence Research and Training Consortium
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Alsudani AA, Al-Awsi GRL. DETECTION OF CANDIDA SPP. THAT CAUSES VULVOVAGINITIS IN WOMEN THAT USE CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS. WIADOMOSCI LEKARSKIE (WARSAW, POLAND : 1960) 2022; 75:1965-1969. [PMID: 36129079 DOI: 10.36740/wlek202208204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim: To determine the distribution of Candida spp. within different age groups and contraceptive methods in women with vulvovaginitis, as well as the susceptibility of Candida spp. to commonly used antifungals. PATIENTS AND METHODS Materials and methods: High vaginal swabs were taken from 98 women aged 18 to 50 with vulvovaginitis who used contraceptives and attended the Women and Children Hospital in Al-Diwaniyah; after diagnosis of Candida species, the sensitivity of Candida spp. to some antifungals was studied. RESULTS Results: The results showed (43/98) women (43.87%) used IUD, (15/98) women (15.30%) used birth control pills, (7/98) women (7.14%) used an injection of contraceptive, (5/98) women (5.10%) used contraceptive suppositories, and (28/98) women (28.57%) did not use any contraceptives. Candida spp. was found in (48/83) specimens (57.831%) from women who used contraceptives and only (11/28) specimens (39.285%) from women who did not use contraceptives. Only (59/98) vaginal specimens tested positive for vaginal candidiasis, (28/59) isolates (47.457%) for C. albicans, then (16/59) isolates for C. glabrata (27.118%), (9/59) isolates (15.254%) for C. tropicalis and (6/59) isolates (10.169%) for C. krusei. Nystatin was the best treatment for all Candida spp. under study, and the MIC was 6.25, and the MFC was 50 for all antifungals and Candida species under study. CONCLUSION Conclusions: C. albicans was the most prevalent cause of vulvovaginal candidiasis, while C. glabrata was the most common non-albicans species in women aged 26 to 35; using an IUD was associated with an increased infection of vulvovaginal candidiasis, and nystatin was the most effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali A Alsudani
- ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND POLLUTION PREVENTION UNIT, UNIVERSITY OF AL-QADISIYAH, AL DIWANIYAH, IRAQ
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Kaushik AC, Sahi S, Wei DQ. Computational Methods for Structure-Based Drug Design Through System Biology. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2385:161-174. [PMID: 34888721 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1767-0_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The advances in computational chemistry and biology, computer science, structural biology, and molecular biology go in parallel with the rapid progress in target-based systems. This technique has become a powerful tool in medicinal chemistry for the identification of hit molecules. The recent developments in target-based systems have played a major role in the creation of libraries of compounds, and it has also been widely applied for the design of molecular docking methods. The main advantage of this method is that it hits the fragment that has the strongest binding, has relatively small size, and leads to better compounds in terms of pharmacokinetic properties when compared with virtual screening (VS) and high-throughput screening (HTS) hits. De novo design is an essential aspect of target-based systems and requires the synthesis of chemical to allow the design of promising compound.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shakti Sahi
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Dong-Qing Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai-Islamabad-Belgrade Joint Innovation Center on Antibacterial Resistances, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
- Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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Liu B, Johal D, Serajazari M, Geddes-McAlister J. Label-Free Quantitative Proteomic Profiling of Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2456:287-297. [PMID: 35612750 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2124-0_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
To distinguish protein abundance changes in biological systems under different conditions, mass spectrometry-based proteomics provides a powerful tool to detect and quantify such responses. Improvements in mass spectrometry instrumentation sensitivity and resolution, along with advanced bioinformatics enable new strategies to study host-pathogen interactions. This protocol uses the state-of-the-art MS-based proteomics to assess infection of the global fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum, on the world-wide cereal crop Triticum aestivum, resulting in the devastating disease of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Here, host infection is mimicked by inoculating F. graminearum onto T. aestivum cultivars (e.g., FHB-resistant and -susceptible) in the growth room under controlled environment, followed by sample harvesting at different time points (e.g., 24 and 120 h post-inoculation) to assess temporal responses to infection. The collected samples are processed using our in-house pipeline for total protein extraction and quantified via label-free methods by liquid-chromatography-coupled with tandem MS/MS. From this experiment, we define dual perspectives of infection considering dynamic protein abundance changes in both the pathogen and host simultaneously, allowing us to identify strategies used by the pathogen to evade the host defense responses and those used by the host to protect from severe infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyan Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Danisha Johal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Mitra Serajazari
- Ontario Agriculture College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Wensing L, Shapiro RS. Design and Generation of a CRISPR Interference System for Genetic Repression and Essential Gene Analysis in the Fungal Pathogen Candida albicans. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2377:69-88. [PMID: 34709611 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1720-5_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Studying life-threatening fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans is of critical importance, yet progress can be hindered by challenges associated with manipulating these pathogens genetically. CRISPR-based technologies have significantly improved our ability to manipulate the genomes of countless organisms, including fungal pathogens such as C. albicans. CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) is a modified variation of CRISPR technology that enables the targeted genetic repression of specific genes of interest and can be used as a technique for studying essential genes. We recently developed tools to enable CRISPRi in C. albicans and the repression of essential genes in this fungus. Here, we describe a protocol for CRISPRi in C. albicans, including the design of the single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) for targeting essential genes, the high-efficiency cloning of sgRNAs into C. albicans-optimized CRISPRi plasmids, transformation into fungal strains, and testing to monitor the repression capabilities of these constructs. Together, this protocol will illuminate efficient strategies for targeted genetic repression of essential genes in C. albicans using a novel CRISPRi platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Wensing
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Rebecca S Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
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Spurley WJ, Fisher KJ, Langdon QK, Buh KV, Jarzyna M, Haase MAB, Sylvester K, Moriarty RV, Rodriguez D, Sheddan A, Wright S, Sorlie L, Hulfachor AB, Opulente DA, Hittinger CT. Substrate, temperature, and geographical patterns among nearly 2000 natural yeast isolates. Yeast 2022; 39:55-68. [PMID: 34741351 PMCID: PMC8881392 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Yeasts have broad importance as industrially and clinically relevant microbes and as powerful models for fundamental research, but we are only beginning to understand the roles yeasts play in natural ecosystems. Yeast ecology is often more difficult to study compared to other, more abundant microbes, but growing collections of natural yeast isolates are beginning to shed light on fundamental ecological questions. Here, we used environmental sampling and isolation to assemble a dataset of 1962 isolates collected from throughout the contiguous United States of America (USA) and Alaska, which were then used to uncover geographic patterns, along with substrate and temperature associations among yeast taxa. We found some taxa, including the common yeasts Torulaspora delbrueckii and Saccharomyces paradoxus, to be repeatedly isolated from multiple sampled regions of the USA, and we classify these as broadly distributed cosmopolitan yeasts. A number of yeast taxon-substrate associations were identified, some of which were novel and some of which support previously reported associations. Further, we found a strong effect of isolation temperature on the phyla of yeasts recovered, as well as for many species. We speculate that substrate and isolation temperature associations reflect the ecological diversity of and niche partitioning by yeast taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kelly V. Buh
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Martin Jarzyna
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Max A. B. Haase
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA; Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Kayla Sylvester
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA; Dept. of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ryan V. Moriarty
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Daniel Rodriguez
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Angela Sheddan
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA; West Carroll High School, Savannah, IL 61074, USA
| | - Sarah Wright
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA; EAGLE School of Madison, Fitchburg, WI 53711, USA
| | - Lisa Sorlie
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA; School District of Bonduel, Bonduel, WI 54107, USA
| | - Amanda Beth Hulfachor
- Laboratory of Genetics, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
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Ball B, Krieger JR, Geddes-McAlister J. Phosphoproteomic Sample Preparation for Global Phosphorylation Profiling of a Fungal Pathogen. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2456:141-151. [PMID: 35612740 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2124-0_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Phosphorylation is a key post-translational modification central to the biological behavior of proteins. This reversible modification specifically regulates cell signaling mechanisms to control survival and growth. Moreover, microbial pathogens, including both fungi and bacteria, rely on this modification to coordinate protein production and functioning during infection and dissemination within a host. Understanding phosphorylation and its involvement with effector proteins and complex networks are now possible with the recent technological advancements of mass spectrometry. Herein, we describe a phosphopeptide enrichment strategy optimized for the invasive mycosis-causing fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Our protocol details proper sample preparation for efficient lysis and protein extraction with minimal phosphorylation losses followed by outlined steps for enrichment, instrumentation handling, and data analysis to permit deep profiling of the global phosphoproteome. The high-throughput versatility of bottom-up proteomics combined with our sample preparation approach facilitates opportunities for in-depth phosphorylation mapping and novel biological discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Ball
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Ball B, Woroszchuk E, Sukumaran A, West H, Afaq A, Carruthers-Lay D, Muselius B, Gee L, Langille M, Pladwig S, Kazi S, Hendriks A, Geddes-McAlister J. Proteome and secretome profiling of zinc availability in Cryptococcus neoformans identifies Wos2 as a subtle influencer of fungal virulence determinants. BMC Microbiol 2021; 21:341. [PMID: 34903172 PMCID: PMC8667453 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-021-02410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fungal infections impact over 25% of the global population. For the opportunistic fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, infection leads to cryptococcosis. In the presence of the host, disease is enabled by elaboration of sophisticated virulence determinants, including polysaccharide capsule, melanin, thermotolerance, and extracellular enzymes. Conversely, the host protects itself from fungal invasion by regulating and sequestering transition metals (e.g., iron, zinc, copper) important for microbial growth and survival. RESULTS Here, we explore the intricate relationship between zinc availability and fungal virulence via mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics. We observe a core proteome along with a distinct zinc-regulated protein-level signature demonstrating a shift away from transport and ion binding under zinc-replete conditions towards transcription and metal acquisition under zinc-limited conditions. In addition, we revealed a novel connection among zinc availability, thermotolerance, as well as capsule and melanin production through the detection of a Wos2 ortholog in the secretome under replete conditions. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we provide new biological insight into cellular remodeling at the protein level of C. neoformans under regulated zinc conditions and uncover a novel connection between zinc homeostasis and fungal virulence determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Ball
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - E Woroszchuk
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - A Sukumaran
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - H West
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - A Afaq
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - D Carruthers-Lay
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - B Muselius
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - L Gee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - M Langille
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - S Pladwig
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - S Kazi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - A Hendriks
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - J Geddes-McAlister
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Gervais NC, Halder V, Shapiro RS. A data library of Candida albicans functional genomic screens. FEMS Yeast Res 2021; 21:6433625. [PMID: 34864983 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foab060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional genomic screening of genetic mutant libraries enables the characterization of gene function in diverse organisms. For the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, several genetic mutant libraries have been generated and screened for diverse phenotypes, including tolerance to environmental stressors and antifungal drugs, and pathogenic traits such as cellular morphogenesis, biofilm formation and host-pathogen interactions. Here, we compile and organize C. albicans functional genomic screening data from ∼400 screens, to generate a data library of genetic mutant strains analyzed under diverse conditions. For quantitative screening data, we normalized these results to enable quantitative and comparative analysis of different genes across different phenotypes. Together, this provides a unique C. albicans genetic database, summarizing abundant phenotypic data from functional genomic screens in this critical fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Gervais
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Viola Halder
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Rebecca S Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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Muselius B, Durand SL, Geddes-McAlister J. Proteomics of Cryptococcus neoformans: From the Lab to the Clinic. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12390. [PMID: 34830272 PMCID: PMC8618913 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens cause an array of diseases by targeting both immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. Fungi overcome our current arsenal of antifungals through the emergence and evolution of resistance. In particular, the human fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans is found ubiquitously within the environment and causes severe disease in immunocompromised individuals around the globe with limited treatment options available. To uncover fundamental knowledge about this fungal pathogen, as well as investigate new detection and treatment strategies, mass spectrometry-based proteomics provides a plethora of tools and applications, as well as bioinformatics platforms. In this review, we highlight proteomics approaches within the laboratory to investigate changes in the cellular proteome, secretome, and extracellular vesicles. We also explore regulation by post-translational modifications and the impact of protein-protein interactions. Further, we present the development and comprehensive assessment of murine models of cryptococcal infection, which provide valuable tools to define the dynamic relationship between the host and pathogen during disease. Finally, we explore recent quantitative proteomics studies that begin to extrapolate the findings from the bench to the clinic for improved methods of fungal detection and monitoring. Such studies support a framework for personalized medical approaches to eradicate diseases caused by C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jennifer Geddes-McAlister
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (B.M.); (S.-L.D.)
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Uthayakumar D, Sharma J, Wensing L, Shapiro RS. CRISPR-Based Genetic Manipulation of Candida Species: Historical Perspectives and Current Approaches. Front Genome Ed 2021; 2:606281. [PMID: 34713231 PMCID: PMC8525362 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2020.606281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Candida genus encompasses a diverse group of ascomycete fungi that have captured the attention of the scientific community, due to both their role in pathogenesis and emerging applications in biotechnology; the development of gene editing tools such as CRISPR, to analyze fungal genetics and perform functional genomic studies in these organisms, is essential to fully understand and exploit this genus, to further advance antifungal drug discovery and industrial value. However, genetic manipulation of Candida species has been met with several distinctive barriers to progress, such as unconventional codon usage in some species, as well as the absence of a complete sexual cycle in its diploid members. Despite these challenges, the last few decades have witnessed an expansion of the Candida genetic toolbox, allowing for diverse genome editing applications that range from introducing a single point mutation to generating large-scale mutant libraries for functional genomic studies. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 technology is among the most recent of these advancements, bringing unparalleled versatility and precision to genetic manipulation of Candida species. Since its initial applications in Candida albicans, CRISPR-Cas9 platforms are rapidly evolving to permit efficient gene editing in other members of the genus. The technology has proven useful in elucidating the pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions of medically relevant Candida species, and has led to novel insights on antifungal drug susceptibility and resistance, as well as innovative treatment strategies. CRISPR-Cas9 tools have also been exploited to uncover potential applications of Candida species in industrial contexts. This review is intended to provide a historical overview of genetic approaches used to study the Candida genus and to discuss the state of the art of CRISPR-based genetic manipulation of Candida species, highlighting its contributions to deciphering the biology of this genus, as well as providing perspectives for the future of Candida genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deeva Uthayakumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jehoshua Sharma
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Lauren Wensing
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Rebecca S Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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