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Huang Y, Chen J, Xia H, Gao Z, Gu Q, Liu W, Tang G. FvMbp1-Swi6 complex regulates vegetative growth, stress tolerance, and virulence in Fusarium verticillioides. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 473:134576. [PMID: 38759405 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134576] [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: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
The mycotoxigenic fungus Fusarium verticillioides is a common pathogen of grain and medicine that contaminates the host with fumonisin B1 (FB1) mycotoxin, poses serious threats to human and animal health. Therefore, it is crucial to unravel the regulatory mechanisms of growth, and pathogenicity of F. verticillioides. Mbp1 is a component of the MluI cell cycle box binding factor complex and acts as an APSES-type transcription factor that regulates cell cycle progression. However, no information is available regarding its role in F. verticillioides. In this study, we demonstrate that FvMbp1 interacts with FvSwi6 that acts as the cell cycle transcription factor, to form the heteromeric transcription factor complexes in F. verticillioides. Our results show that ΔFvMbp1 and ΔFvSwi6 both cause a severe reduction of vegetative growth, conidiation, and increase tolerance to diverse environmental stresses. Moreover, ΔFvMbp1 and ΔFvSwi6 dramatically decrease the virulence of the pathogen on the stalk and ear of maize. Transcriptome profiling show that FvMbp1-Swi6 complex co-regulates the expression of genes associated with multiple stress responses. These results indicate the functional importance of the FvMbp1-Swi6 complex in the filamentous fungi F. verticillioides and reveal a potential target for the effective prevention and control of Fusarium diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Huang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jinfeng Chen
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Haoxue Xia
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zenggui Gao
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Qin Gu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Monitoring and Management of Crop Diseases and Pest Insects, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wende Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Guangfei Tang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
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Julian JULIAN, Robiatul ADAWIYAH, Sri WAHDINI. BIOMOLECULAR ACTIVITY OF CRYPTOCOCCUS DURING CRYPTOCOCCOSIS: A REVIEW OF MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS OF CRYPTOCOCCUS WITH HUMAN IMMUNE SYSTEM AND BLOOD-BRAIN-BARRIER. Afr J Infect Dis 2023; 18:11-22. [PMID: 38058414 PMCID: PMC10696652 DOI: 10.21010/ajidv18i1.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Global mycosis is still a problem. One of these is the cryptococcal disease. A systemic mycosis brought on by Cryptococcus is called cryptococcosis. Host immunological conditions influence infection with Cryptococcosis. When environmental spores are inhaled by the host, the spores get to the lungs, an infection is created. Alveolar macrophages and other immune cells recognize Cryptococcus in the lung. The initial line of defense against pathogens in the phagolysosome is provided by alveolar macrophages found in the lungs. When the immune system is weak, Cryptococcus uses the evasion system as a molecular interaction with the immune system and persists in the lungs without causing any symptoms such as Factor Transcription, Cell masking, N-glycan structure, Extracellular molecule, and Antioxidant system. The evasion mechanism protects and makes Cryptococcus disseminate throughout the other organs, especially CNS. If Cryptococcus escapes against the host immune system, it will disseminate to other organs, especially Cerebrospinal System by Three mechanisms. There are Trojan Horse, Paracellular, and Transcellular interactions with Blood-Brain Barrier. Disease severity is determined by the Interaction between the host's immune system and the fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- JULIAN Julian
- Master’s Programme in biomedical science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - ADAWIYAH Robiatul
- Master’s Programme in biomedical science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - WAHDINI Sri
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
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Factors Influencing the Nitrogen-Source Dependent Flucytosine Resistance in Cryptococcus Species. mBio 2023; 14:e0345122. [PMID: 36656038 PMCID: PMC9973006 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03451-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Flucytosine (5-FC) is an antifungal agent commonly used for treatment of cryptococcosis and several other systemic mycoses. In fungi, cytosine permease and cytosine deaminase are known major players in flucytosine resistance by regulating uptake and deamination of 5-FC, respectively. Cryptococcus species have three paralogs each of cytosine permease (FCY2, FCY3, and FCY4) and cytosine deaminase (FCY1, FCY5 and FCY6). As in other fungi, we found FCY1 and FCY2 to be the primary cytosine deaminase and permease gene, respectively, in C. neoformans H99 (VNI), C. gattii R265 (VGIIa) and WM276 (VGI). However, when various amino acids were used as the sole nitrogen source, C. neoformans and C. gattii diverged in the function of FCY3 and FCY6. Though there was some lineage-dependent variability, the two genes functioned as the secondary permease and deaminase, respectively, only in C. gattii when the nitrogen source was arginine, asparagine, or proline. Additionally, the expression of FCY genes, excluding FCY1, was under nitrogen catabolic repression in the presence of NH4. Functional analysis of GAT1 and CIR1 gene deletion constructs demonstrated that these two genes regulate the expression of each permease and deaminase genes individually. Furthermore, the expression levels of FCY3 and FCY6 under different amino acids corroborated the 5-FC susceptibility in fcy2Δ or fcy1Δ background. Thus, the mechanism of 5-FC resistance in C. gattii under diverse nitrogen conditions is orchestrated by two transcription factors of GATA family, cytosine permease and deaminase genes. IMPORTANCE 5-FC is a commonly used antifungal drug for treatment of cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii species complexes. When various amino acids were used as the sole nitrogen source for growth, we found lineage dependent differences in 5-FC susceptibility. Deletion of the classical cytosine permease (FCY2) and deaminase (FCY1) genes caused increased 5-FC resistance in all tested nitrogen sources in C. neoformans but not in C. gattii. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the two GATA family transcription factor genes GAT1 and CIR1 are involved in the nitrogen-source dependent 5-FC resistance by regulating the expression of the paralogs of cytosine permease and deaminase genes. Our study not only identifies the new function of paralogs of the cytosine permease and deaminase and the role of their regulatory transcription factors but also denotes the differences in the mechanism of 5-FC resistance among the two etiologic agents of cryptococcosis under different nitrogen sources.
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Deng H, Song J, Huang Y, Yang C, Zang X, Zhou Y, Li H, Dai B, Xue X. Combating increased antifungal drug resistance in Cryptococcus, what should we do in the future? Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2023; 55:540-547. [PMID: 36815374 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2023011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Few therapeutic drugs and increased drug resistance have aggravated the current treatment difficulties of Cryptococcus in recent years. To better understand the antifungal drug resistance mechanism and treatment strategy of cryptococcosis. In this review, by combining the fundamental features of Cryptococcus reproduction leading to changes in its genome, we review recent research into the mechanism of four current anti-cryptococcal agents, coupled with new therapeutic strategies and the application of advanced technologies WGS and CRISPR-Cas9 in this field, hoping to provide a broad idea for the future clinical therapy of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengyu Deng
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, China
| | - Jialin Song
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, China
| | - Yemei Huang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University; Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Xuelei Zang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University; Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Yangyu Zhou
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University; Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Hongli Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, China
| | - Bin Dai
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University; Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Xinying Xue
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, China.,Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University; Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100089, China
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Jung KW, Kwon S, Jung JH, Bahn YS. Essential Roles of Ribonucleotide Reductases under DNA Damage and Replication Stresses in Cryptococcus neoformans. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0104422. [PMID: 35736239 PMCID: PMC9431586 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01044-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A balance in the deoxyribonucleotide (dNTPs) intracellular concentration is critical for the DNA replication and repair processes. In the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Mec1-Rad53-Dun1 kinase cascade mainly regulates the ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) gene expression during DNA replication and DNA damage stress. However, the RNR regulatory mechanisms in basidiomycete fungi during DNA replication and damage stress remain elusive. Here, we observed that in C. neoformans, RNR1 (large RNR subunit) and RNR21 (one small RNR subunit) were required for cell viability, but not RNR22 (another small RNR subunit). RNR22 overexpression compensated for the lethality of RNR21 suppression. In contrast to the regulatory mechanisms of RNRs in S. cerevisiae, Rad53 and Chk1 kinases cooperatively or divergently controlled RNR1 and RNR21 expression under DNA damage and DNA replication stress. In particular, this study revealed that Chk1 mainly regulated RNR1 expression during DNA replication stress, whereas Rad53, rather than Chk1, played a significant role in controlling the expression of RNR21 during DNA damage stress. Furthermore, the expression of RNR22, not but RNR1 and RNR21, was suppressed by the Ssn6-Tup1 complex during DNA replication stress. Notably, we observed that RNR1 expression was mainly regulated by Mbs1, whereas RNR21 expression was cooperatively controlled by Mbs1 and Bdr1 as downstream factors of Rad53 and Chk1 during DNA replication and damage stress. Collectively, the regulation of RNRs in C. neoformans has both evolutionarily conserved and divergent features in DNA replication and DNA damage stress, compared with other yeasts. IMPORTANCE Upon DNA replication or damage stresses, it is critical to provide proper levels of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs) and activate DNA repair machinery. Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs), which are composed of large and small subunits, are required for synthesizing dNTP. An imbalance in the intracellular concentration of dNTPs caused by the perturbation of RNR results in a reduction in DNA repair fidelity. Despite the importance of their roles, functions and regulations of RNR have not been elucidated in the basidiomycete fungi. In this study, we found that the roles of RNR1, RNR21, and RNR22 genes encoding RNR subunits in the viability of C. neoformans. Furthermore, their expression levels are divergently regulated by the Rad53-Chk1 pathway and the Ssn6-Tup1 complex in response to DNA replication and damage stresses. Therefore, this study provides insight into the regulatory mechanisms of RNR genes to DNA replication and damage stresses in basidiomycete fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Woo Jung
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunhak Kwon
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Jung
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
- Department of Radiation Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Xu Y, Shen Y, Du C, Liu L, Wu H, Ji Q. Spiro[benzoxazine-piperidin]-one derivatives as chitin synthase inhibitors and antifungal agents: Design, synthesis and biological evaluation. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114723. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Priest SJ, Yadav V, Roth C, Dahlmann TA, Kück U, Magwene PM, Heitman J. Uncontrolled transposition following RNAi loss causes hypermutation and antifungal drug resistance in clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:1239-1251. [PMID: 35918426 PMCID: PMC10840647 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01183-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans infections cause approximately 15% of AIDS-related deaths owing to a combination of limited antifungal therapies and drug resistance. A collection of clinical and environmental C. neoformans isolates were assayed for increased mutation rates via fluctuation analysis, and we identified two hypermutator C. neoformans clinical isolates with increased mutation rates when exposed to the combination of rapamycin and FK506. Sequencing of drug target genes found that Cnl1 transposon insertions conferred the majority of resistance to rapamycin and FK506 and could also independently cause resistance to 5-fluoroorotic acid and the clinically relevant antifungal 5-flucytosine. Whole-genome sequencing revealed both hypermutator genomes harbour a nonsense mutation in the RNA-interference component ZNF3 and hundreds of Cnl1 elements organized into massive subtelomeric arrays on each of the fourteen chromosomes. Quantitative trait locus mapping in 28 progeny derived from a cross between a hypermutator and wild-type identified a locus associated with hypermutation that included znf3. CRISPR editing of the znf3 nonsense mutation abolished hypermutation and restored small-interfering-RNA production. We conclude that hypermutation and drug resistance in these clinical isolates result from RNA-interference loss and accumulation of Cnl1 elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby J Priest
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Vikas Yadav
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Cullen Roth
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Tim A Dahlmann
- Allgemeine und Molekulare Botanik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kück
- Allgemeine und Molekulare Botanik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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Passer AR, Clancey SA, Shea T, David-Palma M, Averette AF, Boekhout T, Porcel BM, Nowrousian M, Cuomo CA, Sun S, Heitman J, Coelho MA. Obligate sexual reproduction of a homothallic fungus closely related to the Cryptococcus pathogenic species complex. eLife 2022; 11:e79114. [PMID: 35713948 PMCID: PMC9296135 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi are enigmatic organisms that flourish in soil, on decaying plants, or during infection of animals or plants. Growing in myriad forms, from single-celled yeast to multicellular molds and mushrooms, fungi have also evolved a variety of strategies to reproduce. Normally, fungi reproduce in one of two ways: either they reproduce asexually, with one individual producing a new individual identical to itself, or they reproduce sexually, with two individuals of different 'mating types' contributing to produce a new individual. However, individuals of some species exhibit 'homothallism' or self-fertility: these individuals can produce reproductive cells that are universally compatible, and therefore can reproduce sexually with themselves or with any other cell in the population. Homothallism has evolved multiple times throughout the fungal kingdom, suggesting it confers advantage when population numbers are low or mates are hard to find. Yet some homothallic fungi been overlooked compared to heterothallic species, whose mating types have been well characterised. Understanding the genetic basis of homothallism and how it evolved in different species can provide insights into pathogenic species that cause fungal disease. With that in mind, Passer, Clancey et al. explored the genetic basis of homothallism in Cryptococcus depauperatus, a close relative of C. neoformans, a species that causes fungal infections in humans. A combination of genetic sequencing techniques and experiments were applied to analyse, compare, and manipulate C. depauperatus' genome to see how this species evolved self-fertility. Passer, Clancey et al. showed that C. depauperatus evolved the ability to reproduce sexually by itself via a unique evolutionary pathway. The result is a form of homothallism never reported in fungi before. C. depauperatus lost some of the genes that control mating in other species of fungi, and acquired genes from the opposing mating types of a heterothallic ancestor to become self-fertile. Passer, Clancey et al. also found that, unlike other Cryptococcus species that switch between asexual and sexual reproduction, C. depauperatus grows only as long, branching filaments called hyphae, a sexual form. The species reproduces sexually with itself throughout its life cycle and is unable to produce a yeast (asexual) form, in contrast to other closely related species. This work offers new insights into how different modes of sexual reproduction have evolved in fungi. It also provides another interesting case of how genome plasticity and evolutionary pressures can produce similar outcomes, homothallism, via different evolutionary paths. Lastly, assembling the complete genome of C. depauperatus will foster comparative studies between pathogenic and non-pathogenic Cryptococcus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Ryan Passer
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Shelly Applen Clancey
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Terrance Shea
- Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Anna Floyd Averette
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity InstituteUtrechtNetherlands
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Betina M Porcel
- Génomique Métabolique, CNRS, University Evry, Université Paris-SaclayEvryFrance
| | - Minou Nowrousian
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare und Zelluläre Botanik, Ruhr-Universität BochumBochumGermany
| | | | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Marco A Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
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Yaakoub H, Sanchez NS, Ongay-Larios L, Courdavault V, Calenda A, Bouchara JP, Coria R, Papon N. The high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway in fungi †. Crit Rev Microbiol 2021; 48:657-695. [PMID: 34893006 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2021.2011834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
While fungi are widely occupying nature, many species are responsible for devastating mycosis in humans. Such niche diversity explains how quick fungal adaptation is necessary to endow the capacity of withstanding fluctuating environments and to cope with host-imposed conditions. Among all the molecular mechanisms evolved by fungi, the most studied one is the activation of the phosphorelay signalling pathways, of which the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway constitutes one of the key molecular apparatus underpinning fungal adaptation and virulence. In this review, we summarize the seminal knowledge of the HOG pathway with its more recent developments. We specifically described the HOG-mediated stress adaptation, with a particular focus on osmotic and oxidative stress, and point out some lags in our understanding of its involvement in the virulence of pathogenic species including, the medically important fungi Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigatus, compared to the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Finally, we also highlighted some possible applications of the HOG pathway modifications to improve the fungal-based production of natural products in the industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajar Yaakoub
- Univ Angers, Univ Brest, GEIHP, SFR ICAT, Angers, France
| | - Norma Silvia Sanchez
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Laura Ongay-Larios
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Vincent Courdavault
- EA2106 "Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales", Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | | | | | - Roberto Coria
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nicolas Papon
- Univ Angers, Univ Brest, GEIHP, SFR ICAT, Angers, France
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10
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Delma FZ, Al-Hatmi AMS, Brüggemann RJM, Melchers WJG, de Hoog S, Verweij PE, Buil JB. Molecular Mechanisms of 5-Fluorocytosine Resistance in Yeasts and Filamentous Fungi. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7110909. [PMID: 34829198 PMCID: PMC8623157 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective management and treatment of fungal diseases is hampered by poor diagnosis, limited options for antifungal therapy, and the emergence of antifungal drug resistance. An understanding of molecular mechanisms contributing to resistance is essential to optimize the efficacy of currently available antifungals. In this perspective, one of the oldest antifungals, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), has been the focus of recent studies applying advanced genomic and transcriptomic techniques to decipher the order of events at the molecular level that lead to resistance. These studies have highlighted the complexity of resistance and provided new insights that are reviewed in the present paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Zohra Delma
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (F.Z.D.); (W.J.G.M.); (P.E.V.)
| | - Abdullah M. S. Al-Hatmi
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman;
- Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (R.J.M.B.); (S.d.H.)
- Foundation Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 1214 GP Hilversum, The Netherlands
| | - Roger J. M. Brüggemann
- Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (R.J.M.B.); (S.d.H.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Radboud University Medical Center, 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem J. G. Melchers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (F.Z.D.); (W.J.G.M.); (P.E.V.)
- Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (R.J.M.B.); (S.d.H.)
| | - Sybren de Hoog
- Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (R.J.M.B.); (S.d.H.)
- Foundation Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 1214 GP Hilversum, The Netherlands
| | - Paul E. Verweij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (F.Z.D.); (W.J.G.M.); (P.E.V.)
- Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (R.J.M.B.); (S.d.H.)
| | - Jochem B. Buil
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (F.Z.D.); (W.J.G.M.); (P.E.V.)
- Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), 6252 AG Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (R.J.M.B.); (S.d.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-24-361-4356
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11
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Cell Wall Integrity Pathway Involved in Morphogenesis, Virulence and Antifungal Susceptibility in Cryptococcus neoformans. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7100831. [PMID: 34682253 PMCID: PMC8540506 DOI: 10.3390/jof7100831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to its location, the fungal cell wall is the compartment that allows the interaction with the environment and/or the host, playing an important role during infection as well as in different biological functions such as cell morphology, cell permeability and protection against stress. All these processes involve the activation of signaling pathways within the cell. The cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway is the main route responsible for maintaining the functionality and proper structure of the cell wall. This pathway is highly conserved in the fungal kingdom and has been extensively characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, there are still many unknown aspects of this pathway in the pathogenic fungi, such as Cryptococcus neoformans. This yeast is of particular interest because it is found in the environment, but can also behave as pathogen in multiple organisms, including vertebrates and invertebrates, so it has to adapt to multiple factors to survive in multiple niches. In this review, we summarize the components of the CWI pathway in C. neoformans as well as its involvement in different aspects such as virulence factors, morphological changes, and its role as target for antifungal therapies among others.
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Choi YH, Jun SC, Lee MW, Yu JH, Shin KS. Characterization of the mbsA Gene Encoding a Putative APSES Transcription Factor in Aspergillus fumigatus. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073777. [PMID: 33917505 PMCID: PMC8038847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The APSES family proteins are transcription factors (TFs) with a basic helix-loop-helix domain, known to regulate growth, development, secondary metabolism, and other biological processes in Aspergillus species. In the genome of the human opportunistic pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, five genes predicted to encode APSES TFs are present. Here, we report the characterization of one of these genes, called mbsA (Afu7g05620). The deletion (Δ) of mbsA resulted in significantly decreased hyphal growth and asexual sporulation (conidiation), and lowered mRNA levels of the key conidiation genes abaA, brlA, and wetA. Moreover, ΔmbsA resulted in reduced spore germination rates, elevated sensitivity toward Nikkomycin Z, and significantly lowered transcripts levels of genes associated with chitin synthesis. The mbsA deletion also resulted in significantly reduced levels of proteins and transcripts of genes associated with the SakA MAP kinase pathway. Importantly, the cell wall hydrophobicity and architecture of the ΔmbsA asexual spores (conidia) were altered, notably lacking the rodlet layer on the surface of the ΔmbsA conidium. Comparative transcriptomic analyses revealed that the ΔmbsA mutant showed higher mRNA levels of gliotoxin (GT) biosynthetic genes, which was corroborated by elevated levels of GT production in the mutant. While the ΔmbsA mutant produced higher amount of GT, ΔmbsA strains showed reduced virulence in the murine model, likely due to the defective spore integrity. In summary, the putative APSES TF MbsA plays a multiple role in governing growth, development, spore wall architecture, GT production, and virulence, which may be associated with the attenuated SakA signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Ho Choi
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School, Daejeon University, Daejeon 34520, Korea; (Y.-H.C.); (S.-C.J.)
| | - Sang-Cheol Jun
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School, Daejeon University, Daejeon 34520, Korea; (Y.-H.C.); (S.-C.J.)
| | - Min-Woo Lee
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan 31151, Korea;
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Korea
- Correspondence: (J.-H.Y.); (K.-S.S.); Tel.: +1-608-262-4696 (J.-H.Y.); +82-42-280-2439 (K.-S.S.); Fax: +1-608-262-2976 (J.-H.Y.); +82-42-280-2608 (K.-S.S.)
| | - Kwang-Soo Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School, Daejeon University, Daejeon 34520, Korea; (Y.-H.C.); (S.-C.J.)
- Correspondence: (J.-H.Y.); (K.-S.S.); Tel.: +1-608-262-4696 (J.-H.Y.); +82-42-280-2439 (K.-S.S.); Fax: +1-608-262-2976 (J.-H.Y.); +82-42-280-2608 (K.-S.S.)
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Maliehe M, Ntoi MA, Lahiri S, Folorunso OS, Ogundeji AO, Pohl CH, Sebolai OM. Environmental Factors That Contribute to the Maintenance of Cryptococcus neoformans Pathogenesis. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8020180. [PMID: 32012843 PMCID: PMC7074686 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of microorganisms to colonise and display an intracellular lifestyle within a host body increases their fitness to survive and avoid extinction. This host–pathogen association drives microbial evolution, as such organisms are under selective pressure and can become more pathogenic. Some of these microorganisms can quickly spread through the environment via transmission. The non-transmittable fungal pathogens, such as Cryptococcus, probably return into the environment upon decomposition of the infected host. This review analyses whether re-entry of the pathogen into the environment causes restoration of its non-pathogenic state or whether environmental factors and parameters assist them in maintaining pathogenesis. Cryptococcus (C.) neoformans is therefore used as a model organism to evaluate the impact of environmental stress factors that aid the survival and pathogenesis of C. neoformans intracellularly and extracellularly.
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Ghaffar M, Orr C, Webb G. Antiphagocytic protein 1 increases the susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans to amphotericin B and fluconazole. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0225701. [PMID: 31800598 PMCID: PMC6892493 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is a facultative intracellular pathogen responsible for the most common cause of fungal meningioencephalitis, occurring primarily in immunocompromised individuals. Antiphagocytic protein 1 (App1) is a virulence factor produced by C. neoformans that inhibits phagocytosis of the yeast by host macrophages. Treatment of cryptococcosis includes amphotericin B, fluconazole, and flucytosine. Virulence factors have been shown to affect the susceptibility of the pathogen to antifungal drugs. In this study, we aimed to examine the relationship between App1 and antifungal drugs. We found that short-term exposure to amphotericin B downregulates APP1 expression while exposure to fluconazole upregulates APP1. In addition, App1 was found to increase the susceptibility of the yeast to amphotericin B and fluconazole. This study provides evidence of an intricate relationship between App1 and antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ghaffar
- Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Cody Orr
- Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ginny Webb
- Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Ding J, Lin H, Feng M, Ying S. Mbp1, a component of the MluI cell cycle box‐binding complex, contributes to morphological transition and virulence in the filamentous entomopathogenic fungus
Beauveria bassiana. Environ Microbiol 2019; 22:584-597. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jin‐Li Ding
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 China
| | - Hai‐Yan Lin
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 China
| | - Ming‐Guang Feng
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 China
| | - Sheng‐Hua Ying
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 China
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Abstract
Melanins are dark green, brown, or black pigments that serve as antioxidant, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers that protect fungal pathogens from radiation and host immune responses. Cryptococcus neoformans, the major etiological agent of fungal meningoencephalitis, also utilizes melanin as a key virulence factor. In this basidiomycete pathogen, melanin production is regulated by the cAMP and high-osmolarity glycerol response (HOG) pathways, and yet its complex signaling networks remain poorly described. In this study, we uncovered novel melanin synthesis regulatory networks consisting of core transcription factors (TFs), including Bzp4, Usv101, Hob1, and Mbs1, and core kinases Gsk3 and Kic1. These networks were identified through coupling systematic analyses of the expression and epistatic relationships of TF and kinase mutant libraries in the presence of diverse melanin substrates with transcriptome profiling of the core TF mutants. Thus, this report provides comprehensive insight into the melanin-regulating pathways in C. neoformans and other fungal pathogens. Melanin is an antioxidant polyphenol pigment required for the pathogenicity of many fungal pathogens, but comprehensive regulatory mechanisms remain unidentified. In this study, we systematically analyzed melanin-regulating signaling pathways in Cryptococcus neoformans and identified four melanin-regulating core transcription factors (TFs), Bzp4, Usv101, Mbs1, and Hob1, required for induction of the laccase gene (LAC1). Bzp4, Usv101, and Mbs1 independently regulate LAC1 induction, whereas Hob1 controls Bzp4 and Usv101 expression. Both Bzp4 and Usv101 are localized in the cytoplasm under nutrient-rich conditions (i.e., in the presence of yeast extract-peptone-dextrose [YPD] medium) but translocate into the nucleus upon nutrient starvation (i.e., in the presence of yeast nitrogen base [YNB] medium without glucose), and Mbs1 is constitutively localized in the nucleus. Notably, the cAMP pathway is not involved in regulation of the four TFs, but the high-osmolarity glycerol response (HOG) pathway negatively regulates induction of BZP4 and LAC1. Next, we searched for potential kinases upstream of the core TFs and identified nine core kinases; their deletion led to defective melanin production and LAC1 induction. Deletion of GSK3 or KIC1 abolished induction of LAC1 and BZP4 and perturbed nuclear translocation of Bzp4. Notably, Gsk3 also regulated expression of HOB1, USV101, and MBS1, indicating that it is a critical melanin-regulating kinase. Finally, an RNA sequencing-based transcriptome analysis of the wild-type strain and of bzp4Δ, usv101Δ, hob1Δ, and mbs1Δ strains under nutrient-rich and nutrient-starved conditions revealed that the melanin-regulating core TFs govern redundant and distinct classes of genes involved in a variety of biological processes.
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Longo LVG, Ray SC, Puccia R, Rappleye CA. Characterization of the APSES-family transcriptional regulators of Histoplasma capsulatum. FEMS Yeast Res 2019; 18:5067870. [PMID: 30101348 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foy087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal APSES protein family of transcription factors is characterized by a conserved DNA-binding motif facilitating regulation of gene expression in fungal development and other biological processes. However, their functions in the thermally dimorphic fungal pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum are unexplored. Histoplasma capsulatum switches between avirulent hyphae in the environment and virulent yeasts in mammalian hosts. We identified five APSES domain-containing proteins in H. capsulatum homologous to Swi6, Mbp1, Stu1 and Xbp1 proteins and one protein found in related Ascomycetes (APSES-family protein 1; Afp1). Through transcriptional analyses and RNA interference-based functional tests we explored their roles in fungal biology and virulence. Mbp1 serves an essential role and Swi6 contributes to full yeast cell growth. Stu1 is primarily expressed in mycelia and is necessary for aerial hyphae development and conidiation. Xbp1 is the only factor enriched specifically in yeast cells. The APSES proteins do not regulate conversion of conidia into yeast and hyphal morphologies. The APSES-family transcription factors are not individually required for H. capsulatum infection of cultured macrophages or murine infection, nor do any contribute significantly to resistance to cellular stresses including cell wall perturbation, osmotic stress, oxidative stress or antifungal treatment. Further studies of the downstream genes regulated by the individual APSES factors will be helpful in revealing their functional roles in H. capsulatum biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa V G Longo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, São Paulo 04023062, Brazil
| | - Stephanie C Ray
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, 484 W. 12th Avenue, 540 Biological Sciences Bldg., Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Rosana Puccia
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, São Paulo 04023062, Brazil
| | - Chad A Rappleye
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, 484 W. 12th Avenue, 540 Biological Sciences Bldg., Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Rutherford JC, Bahn YS, van den Berg B, Heitman J, Xue C. Nutrient and Stress Sensing in Pathogenic Yeasts. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:442. [PMID: 30930866 PMCID: PMC6423903 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 1.5 million fungal species are estimated to live in vastly different environmental niches. Despite each unique host environment, fungal cells sense certain fundamentally conserved elements, such as nutrients, pheromones and stress, for adaptation to their niches. Sensing these extracellular signals is critical for pathogens to adapt to the hostile host environment and cause disease. Hence, dissecting the complex extracellular signal-sensing mechanisms that aid in this is pivotal and may facilitate the development of new therapeutic approaches to control fungal infections. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on how two important pathogenic yeasts, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, sense nutrient availability, such as carbon sources, amino acids, and ammonium, and different stress signals to regulate their morphogenesis and pathogenicity in comparison with the non-pathogenic model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The molecular interactions between extracellular signals and their respective sensory systems are described in detail. The potential implication of analyzing nutrient and stress-sensing systems in antifungal drug development is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C Rutherford
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Bert van den Berg
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Chaoyang Xue
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
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Vu K, Thompson GR, Roe CC, Sykes JE, Dreibe EM, Lockhart SR, Meyer W, Engelthaler DM, Gelli A. Flucytosine resistance in Cryptococcus gattii is indirectly mediated by the FCY2-FCY1-FUR1 pathway. Med Mycol 2018; 56:857-867. [PMID: 29554336 PMCID: PMC10905989 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myx135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic fungal infection caused by members of the two sibling species complexes: Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Flucytosine (5FC) is one of the most widely used antifungals against Cryptococcus spp., yet very few studies have looked at the molecular mechanisms responsible for 5FC resistance in this pathogen. In this study, we examined 11 C. gattii clinical isolates of the major molecular type VGIII based on differential 5FC susceptibility and asked whether there were genomic changes in the key genes involved in flucytosine metabolism. Susceptibility assays and sequencing analysis revealed an association between a point mutation in the cytosine deaminase gene (FCY1) and 5FC resistance in two of the studied 5FC resistant C. gattii VGIII clinical isolates, B9322 and JS5. This mutation results in the replacement of arginine for histidine at position 29 and occurs within a variable stretch of amino acids. Heterologous expression of FCY1 and spot sensitivity assays, however, demonstrated that this point mutation did not have any effect on FCY1 activities and was not responsible for 5FC resistance. Comparative sequence analysis further showed that no changes in the amino acid sequence and no genomic alterations were observed within 1 kb of the upstream and downstream sequences of either cytosine permeases (FCY2-4) or uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (FUR1) genes in 5FC resistant and 5FC susceptible C. gattii VGIII isolates. The herein obtained results suggest that the observed 5FC resistance in the isolates B9322 and JS5 is due to changes in unknown protein(s) or pathway(s) that regulate flucytosine metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiem Vu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - George R Thompson
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Davis Medical Center, Davis, California, USA
| | - Chandler C Roe
- Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Jane E Sykes
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | | | - Shawn R Lockhart
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia USA
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Westmead Hospital, The University of Sydney, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Angie Gelli
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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20
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Dambuza IM, Drake T, Chapuis A, Zhou X, Correia J, Taylor-Smith L, LeGrave N, Rasmussen T, Fisher MC, Bicanic T, Harrison TS, Jaspars M, May RC, Brown GD, Yuecel R, MacCallum DM, Ballou ER. The Cryptococcus neoformans Titan cell is an inducible and regulated morphotype underlying pathogenesis. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1006978. [PMID: 29775474 PMCID: PMC5959070 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal cells change shape in response to environmental stimuli, and these morphogenic transitions drive pathogenesis and niche adaptation. For example, dimorphic fungi switch between yeast and hyphae in response to changing temperature. The basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans undergoes an unusual morphogenetic transition in the host lung from haploid yeast to large, highly polyploid cells termed Titan cells. Titan cells influence fungal interaction with host cells, including through increased drug resistance, altered cell size, and altered Pathogen Associated Molecular Pattern exposure. Despite the important role these cells play in pathogenesis, understanding the environmental stimuli that drive the morphological transition, and the molecular mechanisms underlying their unique biology, has been hampered by the lack of a reproducible in vitro induction system. Here we demonstrate reproducible in vitro Titan cell induction in response to environmental stimuli consistent with the host lung. In vitro Titan cells exhibit all the properties of in vivo generated Titan cells, the current gold standard, including altered capsule, cell wall, size, high mother cell ploidy, and aneuploid progeny. We identify the bacterial peptidoglycan subunit Muramyl Dipeptide as a serum compound associated with shift in cell size and ploidy, and demonstrate the capacity of bronchial lavage fluid and bacterial co-culture to induce Titanisation. Additionally, we demonstrate the capacity of our assay to identify established (cAMP/PKA) and previously undescribed (USV101) regulators of Titanisation in vitro. Finally, we investigate the Titanisation capacity of clinical isolates and their impact on disease outcome. Together, these findings provide new insight into the environmental stimuli and molecular mechanisms underlying the yeast-to-Titan transition and establish an essential in vitro model for the future characterization of this important morphotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy M. Dambuza
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Drake
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Ambre Chapuis
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Xin Zhou
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United Kingdom
| | - Joao Correia
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United Kingdom
| | - Leanne Taylor-Smith
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United Kingdom
| | - Nathalie LeGrave
- Marine Biodiscovery Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Rasmussen
- Marine Biodiscovery Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Institut für Biochemie, Universität Würzburg, Wurzburg, Germany
| | - Matthew C. Fisher
- Dpt. Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tihana Bicanic
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas S. Harrison
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marcel Jaspars
- Marine Biodiscovery Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Robin C. May
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon D. Brown
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Raif Yuecel
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Donna M. MacCallum
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth R. Ballou
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United Kingdom
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Sarmiento‐Villamil JL, García‐Pedrajas NE, Baeza‐Montañez L, García‐Pedrajas MD. The APSES transcription factor Vst1 is a key regulator of development in microsclerotium- and resting mycelium-producing Verticillium species. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2018; 19:59-76. [PMID: 27696683 PMCID: PMC6638171 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Plant pathogens of the genus Verticillium pose a threat to many important crops worldwide. They are soil-borne fungi which invade the plant systemically, causing wilt symptoms. We functionally characterized the APSES family transcription factor Vst1 in two Verticillium species, V. dahliae and V. nonalfalfae, which produce microsclerotia and melanized hyphae as resistant structures, respectively. We found that, in V. dahliae Δvst1 strains, microsclerotium biogenesis stalled after an initial swelling of hyphal cells and cultures were never pigmented. In V. nonalfalfae Δvst1, melanized hyphae were also absent. These results suggest that Vst1 controls melanin biosynthesis independent of its role in morphogenesis. The absence of vst1 also had a great impact on sporulation in both species, affecting the generation of the characteristic verticillate conidiophore structure and sporulation rates in liquid medium. In contrast with these key roles in development, Vst1 activity was dispensable for virulence. We performed a microarray analysis comparing global transcription patterns of wild-type and Δvst1 in V. dahliae. G-protein/cyclic adenosine monophosphate (G-protein/cAMP) signalling and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are known to regulate fungal morphogenesis and virulence. The microarray analysis revealed a negative interaction of Vst1 with G-protein/cAMP signalling and a positive interaction with MAPK signalling. This analysis also identified Rho signalling as a potential regulator of morphogenesis in V. dahliae, positively interacting with Vst1. Furthermore, it exposed the association of secondary metabolism and development in this species, identifying Vst1 as a potential co-regulator of both processes. Characterization of the putative Vst1 targets identified in this study will aid in the dissection of specific aspects of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge L. Sarmiento‐Villamil
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea ‘La Mayora’ ‐ Universidad de Málaga ‐ Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM‐UMA‐CSIC), Estación Experimental ‘La Mayora’, 29750 Algarrobo‐CostaMálagaSpain
| | - Nicolás E. García‐Pedrajas
- Department of Computing and Numerical Analysis, C2 Building 3rd FloorCampus Universitario de RabanalesCórdoba14071Spain
| | - Lourdes Baeza‐Montañez
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea ‘La Mayora’ ‐ Universidad de Málaga ‐ Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM‐UMA‐CSIC), Estación Experimental ‘La Mayora’, 29750 Algarrobo‐CostaMálagaSpain
| | - María D. García‐Pedrajas
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea ‘La Mayora’ ‐ Universidad de Málaga ‐ Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM‐UMA‐CSIC), Estación Experimental ‘La Mayora’, 29750 Algarrobo‐CostaMálagaSpain
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Scorzoni L, de Paula E Silva ACA, Marcos CM, Assato PA, de Melo WCMA, de Oliveira HC, Costa-Orlandi CB, Mendes-Giannini MJS, Fusco-Almeida AM. Antifungal Therapy: New Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Mycosis. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:36. [PMID: 28167935 PMCID: PMC5253656 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The high rates of morbidity and mortality caused by fungal infections are associated with the current limited antifungal arsenal and the high toxicity of the compounds. Additionally, identifying novel drug targets is challenging because there are many similarities between fungal and human cells. The most common antifungal targets include fungal RNA synthesis and cell wall and membrane components, though new antifungal targets are being investigated. Nonetheless, fungi have developed resistance mechanisms, such as overexpression of efflux pump proteins and biofilm formation, emphasizing the importance of understanding these mechanisms. To address these problems, different approaches to preventing and treating fungal diseases are described in this review, with a focus on the resistance mechanisms of fungi, with the goal of developing efficient strategies to overcoming and preventing resistance as well as new advances in antifungal therapy. Due to the limited antifungal arsenal, researchers have sought to improve treatment via different approaches, and the synergistic effect obtained by the combination of antifungals contributes to reducing toxicity and could be an alternative for treatment. Another important issue is the development of new formulations for antifungal agents, and interest in nanoparticles as new types of carriers of antifungal drugs has increased. In addition, modifications to the chemical structures of traditional antifungals have improved their activity and pharmacokinetic parameters. Moreover, a different approach to preventing and treating fungal diseases is immunotherapy, which involves different mechanisms, such as vaccines, activation of the immune response and inducing the production of host antimicrobial molecules. Finally, the use of a mini-host has been encouraging for in vivo testing because these animal models demonstrate a good correlation with the mammalian model; they also increase the speediness of as well as facilitate the preliminary testing of new antifungal agents. In general, many years are required from discovery of a new antifungal to clinical use. However, the development of new antifungal strategies will reduce the therapeutic time and/or increase the quality of life of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Scorzoni
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
| | - Ana C A de Paula E Silva
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
| | - Caroline M Marcos
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
| | - Patrícia A Assato
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
| | - Wanessa C M A de Melo
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
| | - Haroldo C de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
| | - Caroline B Costa-Orlandi
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
| | - Maria J S Mendes-Giannini
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
| | - Ana M Fusco-Almeida
- Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Araraquara, Brasil
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Investigating Conservation of the Cell-Cycle-Regulated Transcriptional Program in the Fungal Pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006453. [PMID: 27918582 PMCID: PMC5137879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans causes fungal meningitis in immune-compromised patients. Cell proliferation in the budding yeast form is required for C. neoformans to infect human hosts, and virulence factors such as capsule formation and melanin production are affected by cell-cycle perturbation. Thus, understanding cell-cycle regulation is critical for a full understanding of virulence factors for disease. Our group and others have demonstrated that a large fraction of genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is expressed periodically during the cell cycle, and that proper regulation of this transcriptional program is important for proper cell division. Despite the evolutionary divergence of the two budding yeasts, we found that a similar percentage of all genes (~20%) is periodically expressed during the cell cycle in both yeasts. However, the temporal ordering of periodic expression has diverged for some orthologous cell-cycle genes, especially those related to bud emergence and bud growth. Genes regulating DNA replication and mitosis exhibited a conserved ordering in both yeasts, suggesting that essential cell-cycle processes are conserved in periodicity and in timing of expression (i.e. duplication before division). In S. cerevisiae cells, we have proposed that an interconnected network of periodic transcription factors (TFs) controls the bulk of the cell-cycle transcriptional program. We found that temporal ordering of orthologous network TFs was not always maintained; however, the TF network topology at cell-cycle commitment appears to be conserved in C. neoformans. During the C. neoformans cell cycle, DNA replication genes, mitosis genes, and 40 genes involved in virulence are periodically expressed. Future work toward understanding the gene regulatory network that controls cell-cycle genes is critical for developing novel antifungals to inhibit pathogen proliferation.
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Quantitative real-time PCR normalization for gene expression studies in the plant pathogenic fungi Lasiodiplodia theobromae. J Microbiol Methods 2016; 127:82-88. [PMID: 27237774 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2016.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Lasiodiplodia theobromae is a highly virulent plant pathogen. It has been suggested that heat stress increases its virulence. The aim of this work was to evaluate, compare, and recommend normalization strategies for gene expression analysis of the fungus growing with grapevine wood under heat stress. Using RT-qPCR-derived data, reference gene stability was evaluated through geNorm, NormFinder and Bestkeeper applications. Based on the geometric mean using the ranking position obtained for each independent analysis, genes were ranked from least to most stable as follows: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), actin (ACT), β-tubulin (TUB) and elongation factor-1α (EF1α). Using RNAseq-derived data based on the calculated tagwise dispersion these genes were ordered by increasing stability as follows: GAPDH, ACT, TUB, and EF1α. The correlation between RNAseq and RTqPCR results was used as criteria to identify the best RT-qPCR normalization approach. The gene TUB is recommended as the best option for normalization among the commonly used reference genes, but alternative fungal reference genes are also suggested.
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Jung KW, Yang DH, Maeng S, Lee KT, So YS, Hong J, Choi J, Byun HJ, Kim H, Bang S, Song MH, Lee JW, Kim MS, Kim SY, Ji JH, Park G, Kwon H, Cha S, Meyers GL, Wang LL, Jang J, Janbon G, Adedoyin G, Kim T, Averette AK, Heitman J, Cheong E, Lee YH, Lee YW, Bahn YS. Systematic functional profiling of transcription factor networks in Cryptococcus neoformans. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6757. [PMID: 25849373 PMCID: PMC4391232 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in humans, but its overall biological and pathogenic regulatory circuits remain elusive, particularly due to the presence of an evolutionarily divergent set of transcription factors (TFs). Here, we report the construction of a high-quality library of 322 signature-tagged gene-deletion strains for 155 putative TF genes previously predicted using the DNA-binding domain TF database, and examine their in vitro and in vivo phenotypic traits under 32 distinct growth conditions. At least one phenotypic trait is exhibited by 145 out of 155 TF mutants (93%) and ∼85% of them (132/155) are functionally characterized for the first time in this study. The genotypic and phenotypic data for each TF are available in the C. neoformans TF phenome database (http://tf.cryptococcus.org). In conclusion, our phenome-based functional analysis of the C. neoformans TF mutant library provides key insights into transcriptional networks of basidiomycetous fungi and human fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Woo Jung
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Dong-Hoon Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Shinae Maeng
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Joohyeon Hong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Jaeyoung Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Hyo-Jeong Byun
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Hyelim Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Soohyun Bang
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Min-Hee Song
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Jang-Won Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Min Su Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Seo-Young Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Je-Hyun Ji
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Goun Park
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Hyojeong Kwon
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Suyeon Cha
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Gena Lee Meyers
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Li Li Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Jooyoung Jang
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Guilhem Janbon
- Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris F-75015, France
| | - Gloria Adedoyin
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Taeyup Kim
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Anna K. Averette
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Eunji Cheong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Yong-Hwan Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Yin-Won Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
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Maier EJ, Haynes BC, Gish SR, Wang ZA, Skowyra ML, Marulli AL, Doering TL, Brent MR. Model-driven mapping of transcriptional networks reveals the circuitry and dynamics of virulence regulation. Genome Res 2015; 25:690-700. [PMID: 25644834 PMCID: PMC4417117 DOI: 10.1101/gr.184101.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Key steps in understanding a biological process include identifying genes that are involved and determining how they are regulated. We developed a novel method for identifying transcription factors (TFs) involved in a specific process and used it to map regulation of the key virulence factor of a deadly fungus—its capsule. The map, built from expression profiles of 41 TF mutants, includes 20 TFs not previously known to regulate virulence attributes. It also reveals a hierarchy comprising executive, midlevel, and “foreman” TFs. When grouped by temporal expression pattern, these TFs explain much of the transcriptional dynamics of capsule induction. Phenotypic analysis of TF deletion mutants revealed complex relationships among virulence factors and virulence in mice. These resources and analyses provide the first integrated, systems-level view of capsule regulation and biosynthesis. Our methods dramatically improve the efficiency with which transcriptional networks can be analyzed, making genomic approaches accessible to laboratories focused on specific physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezekiel J Maier
- Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Brian C Haynes
- Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Stacey R Gish
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Zhuo A Wang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Michael L Skowyra
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Alyssa L Marulli
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Tamara L Doering
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Michael R Brent
- Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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27
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Zhao Y, Su H, Zhou J, Feng H, Zhang KQ, Yang J. The APSES family proteins in fungi: Characterizations, evolution and functions. Fungal Genet Biol 2014; 81:271-80. [PMID: 25534868 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The APSES protein family belongs to transcriptional factors of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) class, the originally described members (APSES: Asm1p, Phd1p, Sok2p, Efg1p and StuAp) are used to designate this group of proteins, and they have been identified as key regulators of fungal development and other biological processes. APSES proteins share a highly conserved DNA-binding domain (APSES domain) of about 100 amino acids, whose central domain is predicted to form a typical bHLH structure. Besides APSES domain, several APSES proteins also contain additional domains, such as KilA-N and ankyrin repeats. In recent years, an increasing number of APSES proteins have been identified from diverse fungi, and they involve in numerous biological processes, such as sporulation, cellular differentiation, mycelial growth, secondary metabolism and virulence. Most fungi, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus nidulans, Candida albicans, Fusarium graminearum, and Neurospora crassa, contain five APSES proteins. However, Cryptococcus neoformans only contains two APSES proteins, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains six APSES proteins. The phylogenetic analysis showed the APSES domains from different fungi were grouped into four clades (A, B, C and D), which is consistent with the result of homologous alignment of APSES domains using DNAman. The roles of APSES proteins in clade C have been studied in detail, while little is known about the roles of other APSES proteins in clades A, B and D. In this review, the biochemical properties and functional domains of APSES proteins are predicted and compared, and the phylogenetic relationship among APSES proteins from various fungi are analyzed based on the APSES domains. Moreover, the functions of APSES proteins in different fungi are summarized and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhao
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Hao Su
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Huihua Feng
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Ke-Qin Zhang
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Jinkui Yang
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China.
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Distinct and redundant roles of protein tyrosine phosphatases Ptp1 and Ptp2 in governing the differentiation and pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2014; 13:796-812. [PMID: 24728196 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00069-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) serve as key negative-feedback regulators of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades. However, their roles and regulatory mechanisms in human fungal pathogens remain elusive. In this study, we characterized the functions of two PTPs, Ptp1 and Ptp2, in Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes fatal meningoencephalitis. PTP1 and PTP2 were found to be stress-inducible genes, which were controlled by the MAPK Hog1 and the transcription factor Atf1. Ptp2 suppressed the hyperphosphorylation of Hog1 and was involved in mediating vegetative growth, sexual differentiation, stress responses, antifungal drug resistance, and virulence factor regulation through the negative-feedback loop of the HOG pathway. In contrast, Ptp1 was not essential for Hog1 regulation, despite its Hog1-dependent induction. However, in the absence of Ptp2, Ptp1 served as a complementary PTP to control some stress responses. In differentiation, Ptp1 acted as a negative regulator, but in a Hog1- and Cpk1-independent manner. Additionally, Ptp1 and Ptp2 localized to the cytosol but were enriched in the nucleus during the stress response, affecting the transient nuclear localization of Hog1. Finally, Ptp1 and Ptp2 played minor and major roles, respectively, in the virulence of C. neoformans. Taken together, our data suggested that PTPs could be exploited as novel antifungal targets.
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Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is the leading cause of fungal meningitis worldwide. Previous studies have characterized the cryptococcal transcriptome under various stress conditions, but a comprehensive profile of the C. neoformans transcriptome in the human host has not been attempted. Here, we extracted RNA from yeast cells taken directly from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of two AIDS patients with cryptococcal meningitis prior to antifungal therapy. The patients were infected with strains of C. neoformans var. grubii of molecular type VNI and VNII. Using RNA-seq, we compared the transcriptional profiles of these strains under three environmental conditions (in vivo CSF, ex vivo CSF, and yeast extract-peptone-dextrose [YPD]). Although we identified a number of differentially expressed genes, single nucleotide variants, and novel genes that were unique to each strain, the overall expression patterns of the two strains were similar under the same environmental conditions. Specifically, yeast cells obtained directly from each patient’s CSF were more metabolically active than cells that were incubated ex vivo in CSF. Compared with growth in YPD, some genes were identified as significantly upregulated in both in vivo and ex vivo CSF, and they were associated with genes previously recognized for contributing to pathogenicity. For example, genes with known stress response functions, such as RIM101, ENA1, and CFO1, were regulated similarly in the two clinical strains. Conversely, many genes that were differentially regulated between the two strains appeared to be transporters. These findings establish a platform for further studies of how this yeast survives and produces disease. Cryptococcus neoformans, an environmental, opportunistic yeast, is annually responsible for an estimated million cases of meningitis and over 600,000 deaths, mostly among HIV-infected patients in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Using RNA-seq, we analyzed the gene expression of two strains of C. neoformans obtained from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infected patients, thus creating a comprehensive snapshot of the yeasts’ genetic responses within the human body. By comparing the gene expression of each clinical strain under three conditions (in vivo CSF, ex vivo CSF, and laboratory culture), we identified genes and pathways that were uniquely regulated by exposure to CSF and likely crucial for the survival of C. neoformans in the central nervous system. Further analyses revealed genetic diversity between the strains, providing evidence for cryptococcal evolution and strain specificity. This ability to characterize transcription in vivo enables the elucidation of specific genetic responses that promote disease production and progression.
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Stress signaling pathways for the pathogenicity of Cryptococcus. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2013; 12:1564-77. [PMID: 24078305 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00218-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Sensing, responding, and adapting to the surrounding environment are crucial for all living organisms to survive, proliferate, and differentiate in their biological niches. This ability is also essential for Cryptococcus neoformans and its sibling species Cryptococcus gattii, as these pathogens have saprobic and parasitic life cycles in natural and animal host environments. The ability of Cryptococcus to cause fatal meningoencephalitis is highly related to its capability to remodel and optimize its metabolic and physiological status according to external cues. These cues act through multiple stress signaling pathways through a panoply of signaling components, including receptors/sensors, small GTPases, secondary messengers, kinases, transcription factors, and other miscellaneous adaptors or regulators. In this minireview, we summarize and highlight the importance of several stress signaling pathways that influence the pathogenicity of Cryptococcus and discuss future challenges in these areas.
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Abstract
The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is characterized by its ability to induce a distinct polysaccharide capsule in response to a number of host-specific environmental stimuli. The induction of capsule is a complex biological process encompassing regulation at multiple steps, including the biosynthesis, transport, and maintenance of the polysaccharide at the cell surface. By precisely regulating the composition of its cell surface and secreted polysaccharides, C. neoformans has developed intricate ways to establish chronic infection and dormancy in the human host. The plasticity of the capsule structure in response to various host conditions also underscores the complex relationship between host and parasite. Much of this precise regulation of capsule is achieved through the transcriptional responses of multiple conserved signaling pathways that have been coopted to regulate this C. neoformans-specific virulence-associated phenotype. This review focuses on specific host stimuli that trigger the activation of the signal transduction cascades and on the downstream transcriptional responses that are required for robust encapsulation around the cell.
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