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Sun TF, Ge ZW, Xu HR, Zhang H, Huang SS, Feng MG, Ying SH. Unlocking the Siderophore Biosynthesis Pathway and Its Biological Functions in the Fungal Insect Pathogen Beauveria bassiana. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:18455-18464. [PMID: 39109629 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c02957] [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: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Siderophores are small molecule iron chelators. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana produces a plethora of siderophores under iron-limiting conditions. In this study, a siderophore biosynthesis pathway, akin to the general pathway observed in filamentous fungi, was revealed in B. bassiana. Among the siderophore biosynthesis genes (SID), BbSidA was required for the production of most siderophores, and the SidC and SidD biosynthesis gene clusters were indispensable for the production of ferricrocin and fusarinine C, respectively. Biosynthesis genes play various roles in siderophore production, vegetative growth, stress resistance, development, and virulence, in which BbSidA plays the most important role. Accordingly, B. bassiana employs a cocktail of siderophores for iron metabolism, which is essential for fungal physiology and host interactions. This study provides the initial network for the genetic modification of siderophore biosynthesis, which not only aims to improve the efficacy of biocontrol agents but also ensures the efficient production of siderophores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Fei Sun
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhi-Wei Ge
- Analysis Center of Agrobiology and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hang-Rong Xu
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Shuai-Shuai Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Environment on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa 850011, 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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2
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Mular A, Hubmann I, Petrik M, Bendova K, Neuzilova B, Aguiar M, Caballero P, Shanzer A, Kozłowski H, Haas H, Decristoforo C, Gumienna-Kontecka E. Biomimetic Analogues of the Desferrioxamine E Siderophore for PET Imaging of Invasive Aspergillosis: Targeting Properties and Species Specificity. J Med Chem 2024; 67:12143-12154. [PMID: 38907990 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
The pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus utilizes a cyclic ferrioxamine E (FOXE) siderophore to acquire iron from the host. Biomimetic FOXE analogues were labeled with gallium-68 for molecular imaging with PET. [68Ga]Ga(III)-FOXE analogues were internalized in A. fumigatus cells via Sit1. Uptake of [68Ga]Ga(III)-FOX 2-5, the most structurally alike analogue to FOXE, was high by both A. fumigatus and bacterial Staphylococcus aureus. However, altering the ring size provoked species-specific uptake between these two microbes: ring size shortening by one methylene unit (FOX 2-4) increased uptake by A. fumigatus compared to that by S. aureus, whereas lengthening the ring (FOX 2-6 and 3-5) had the opposite effect. These results were consistent both in vitro and in vivo, including PET imaging in infection models. Overall, this study provided valuable structural insights into the specificity of siderophore uptake and, for the first time, opened up ways for selective targeting and imaging of microbial pathogens by siderophore derivatization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Mular
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Isabella Hubmann
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Milos Petrik
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Bendova
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Neuzilova
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Mario Aguiar
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Patricia Caballero
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Abraham Shanzer
- Department of Organic Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Henryk Kozłowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
- Public Higher Medical Professional School in Opole, Katowicka 68, 45-060 Opole, Poland
| | - Hubertus Haas
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Clemens Decristoforo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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3
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Bhardwaj M, Kailoo S, Khan RT, Khan SS, Rasool S. Harnessing fungal endophytes for natural management: a biocontrol perspective. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1280258. [PMID: 38143866 PMCID: PMC10748429 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1280258] [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: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In the ever-evolving realm of agriculture, the convoluted interaction between plants and microorganisms have assumed paramount significance. Fungal endophytes, once perceived as mere bystanders within plant tissues, have now emerged as dynamic defenders of plant health. This comprehensive review delves into the captivating world of fungal endophytes and their multifaceted biocontrol mechanisms. Exploring their unique ability to coexist with their plant hosts, fungal endophytes have unlocked a treasure trove of biological weaponry to fend off pathogens and enhance plant resilience. From the synthesis of bioactive secondary metabolites to intricate signaling pathways these silent allies are masters of biological warfare. The world of fungal endophytes is quite fascinating as they engage in a delicate dance with the plant immune system, orchestrating a symphony of defense that challenges traditional notions of plant-pathogen interactions. The journey through the various mechanisms employed by these enigmatic endophytes to combat diseases, will lead to revelational understanding of sustainable agriculture. The review delves into cutting-edge research and promising prospects, shedding light on how fungal endophytes hold the key to biocontrol and the reduction of chemical inputs in agriculture. Their ecological significance, potential for bioprospecting and avenues for future research are also explored. This exploration of the biocontrol mechanisms of fungal endophytes promise not only to enrich our comprehension of plant-microbe relationships but also, to shape the future of sustainable and ecofriendly agricultural practices. In this intricate web of life, fungal endophytes are indeed the unsung heroes, silently guarding our crops and illuminating a path towards a greener, healthier tomorrow.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Shafaq Rasool
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, India
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Potenciano da Silva KL, Moraes D, Lechner B, Lindner H, Haas H, Almeida Soares CM, Silva-Bailão MG, Bailão AM. Fonsecaea pedrosoi produces ferricrocin and can utilize different host iron sources. Fungal Biol 2023; 127:1512-1523. [PMID: 38097325 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The survival of living organisms depends on iron, one of the most abundant metals in the Earth's crust. Nevertheless, this micronutrient is poorly available in our aerobic atmosphere as well as inside the mammalian host. This problem is circumvented by the expression of high affinity iron uptake machineries, including the production of siderophores, in pathogenic fungi. Here we demonstrated that F. pedrosoi, the causative agent of the neglected tropical disease chromoblastomycosis, presents gene clusters for siderophore production. In addition, ten putative siderophore transporters were identified. Those genes are upregulated under iron starvation, a condition that induces the secretion of hydroxamates, as revealed by chrome azurol S assays. RP-HPLC and mass spectrometry analysis allowed the identification of ferricrocin as an intra- and extracellular siderophore. F. pedrosoi can grow in different iron sources, including the bacterial ferrioxamine B and the host proteins ferritin, hemoglobin and holotransferrin. Of note, addition of hemoglobin, lactoferrin and holotransferrin to the growth medium of macrophages infected with F. pedrosoi enhanced significantly fungal survival. The ability to produce siderophores in iron limited conditions added to the versatility to utilize different sources of iron are strategies that certainly may contribute to fungal survival inside the host.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dayane Moraes
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
| | - Beatrix Lechner
- Institute of Molecular Biology/ Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Herbert Lindner
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry/Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Hubertus Haas
- Institute of Molecular Biology/ Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | | | | | - Alexandre Melo Bailão
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
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Holbein BE, Lehmann C. Dysregulated Iron Homeostasis as Common Disease Etiology and Promising Therapeutic Target. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12030671. [PMID: 36978919 PMCID: PMC10045916 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is irreplaceably required for animal and human cells as it provides the activity center for a wide variety of essential enzymes needed for energy production, nucleic acid synthesis, carbon metabolism and cellular defense. However, iron is toxic when present in excess and its uptake and storage must, therefore, be tightly regulated to avoid damage. A growing body of evidence indicates that iron dysregulation leading to excess quantities of free reactive iron is responsible for a wide range of otherwise discrete diseases. Iron excess can promote proliferative diseases such as infections and cancer by supplying iron to pathogens or cancer cells. Toxicity from reactive iron plays roles in the pathogenesis of various metabolic, neurological and inflammatory diseases. Interestingly, a common underlying aspect of these conditions is availability of excess reactive iron. This underpinning aspect provides a potential new therapeutic avenue. Existing hematologically used iron chelators to take up excess iron have shown serious limitations for use but new purpose-designed chelators in development show promise for suppressing microbial pathogen and cancer cell growth, and also for relieving iron-induced toxicity in neurological and other diseases. Hepcidin and hepcidin agonists are also showing promise for relieving iron dysregulation. Harnessing iron-driven reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation with ferroptosis has shown promise for selective destruction of cancer cells. We review biological iron requirements, iron regulation and the nature of iron dysregulation in various diseases. Current results pertaining to potential new therapies are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce E. Holbein
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 1X5, Canada
| | - Christian Lehmann
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 1X5, Canada
- Correspondence:
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6
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Gonçalves SM, Ferreira AV, Cunha C, Carvalho A. Targeting immunometabolism in host-directed therapies to fungal disease. Clin Exp Immunol 2022; 208:158-166. [PMID: 35641161 PMCID: PMC9188340 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxab014] [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] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections affect over a billion people and are responsible for more than 1.5 million deaths each year. Despite progress in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, the management of severe fungal infections remains a challenge. Recently, the reprogramming of cellular metabolism has emerged as a central mechanism through which the effector functions of immune cells are supported to promote antifungal activity. An improved understanding of the immunometabolic signatures that orchestrate antifungal immunity, together with the dissection of the mechanisms that underlie heterogeneity in individual immune responses, may therefore unveil new targets amenable to adjunctive host-directed therapies. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the metabolic regulation of host-fungus interactions and antifungal immune responses, and outline targetable pathways and mechanisms with promising therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel M Gonçalves
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - Anaísa V Ferreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cristina Cunha
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
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Peroxiredoxin Asp f3 Is Essential for Aspergillus fumigatus To Overcome Iron Limitation during Infection. mBio 2021; 12:e0097621. [PMID: 34399627 PMCID: PMC8406167 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00976-21] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an important fungal pathogen that causes allergic reactions but also life-threatening infections. One of the most abundant A. fumigatus proteins is Asp f3. This peroxiredoxin is a major fungal allergen and known for its role as a virulence factor, vaccine candidate, and scavenger of reactive oxygen species. Based on the hypothesis that Asp f3 protects A. fumigatus against killing by immune cells, we investigated the susceptibility of a conditional aspf3 mutant by employing a novel assay. Surprisingly, Asp f3-depleted hyphae were killed as efficiently as the wild type by human granulocytes. However, we identified an unexpected growth defect of mutants that lack Asp f3 under low-iron conditions, which explains the avirulence of the Δaspf3 deletion mutant in a murine infection model. A. fumigatus encodes two Asp f3 homologues which we named Af3l (Asp f3-like) 1 and Af3l2. Inactivation of Af3l1, but not of Af3l2, exacerbated the growth defect of the conditional aspf3 mutant under iron limitation, which ultimately led to death of the double mutant. Inactivation of the iron acquisition repressor SreA partially compensated for loss of Asp f3 and Af3l1. However, Asp f3 was not required for maintaining iron homeostasis or siderophore biosynthesis. Instead, we show that it compensates for a loss of iron-dependent antioxidant enzymes. Iron supplementation restored the virulence of the Δaspf3 deletion mutant in a murine infection model. Our results unveil the crucial importance of Asp f3 to overcome nutritional immunity and reveal a new biological role of peroxiredoxins in adaptation to iron limitation.
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8
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Understanding the fundamental role of virulence determinants to combat Aspergillus fumigatus infections: exploring beyond cell wall. Mycol Prog 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-021-01677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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9
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Shanmugam A, Chithiravel V, Gunasekar A, Venkattappan A. Siderophores in Antifungal Drug Discovery: A Computational Approach. Fungal Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-53077-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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10
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Le Govic Y, Havlíček V, Capilla J, Luptáková D, Dumas D, Papon N, Le Gal S, Bouchara JP, Vandeputte P. Synthesis of the Hydroxamate Siderophore N α-Methylcoprogen B in Scedosporium apiospermum Is Mediated by sidD Ortholog and Is Required for Virulence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:587909. [PMID: 33194829 PMCID: PMC7655970 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.587909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Scedosporium species rank second among the filamentous fungi capable to colonize chronically the respiratory tract of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Nevertheless, there is little information on the mechanisms underpinning their virulence. Iron acquisition is critical for the growth and pathogenesis of many bacterial and fungal genera that chronically inhabit the CF lungs. In a previous study, we showed the presence in the genome of Scedosporium apiospermum of several genes relevant for iron uptake, notably SAPIO_CDS2806, an ortholog of sidD, which drives the synthesis of the extracellular hydroxamate-type siderophore fusarinine C (FsC) and its derivative triacetylfusarinine C (TAFC) in Aspergillus fumigatus. Here, we demonstrate that Scedosporium apiospermum sidD gene is required for production of an excreted siderophore, namely, Nα-methylcoprogen B, which also belongs to the hydroxamate family. Blockage of the synthesis of Nα-methylcoprogen B by disruption of the sidD gene resulted in the lack of fungal growth under iron limiting conditions. Still, growth of ΔsidD mutants could be restored by supplementation of the culture medium with a culture filtrate from the parent strain, but not from the mutants. Furthermore, the use of xenosiderophores as the sole source of iron revealed that S. apiospermum can acquire the iron using the hydroxamate siderophores ferrichrome or ferrioxamine, i.e., independently of Nα-methylcoprogen B production. Conversely, Nα-methylcoprogen B is mandatory for iron acquisition from pyoverdine, a mixed catecholate-hydroxamate siderophore. Finally, the deletion of sidD resulted in the loss of virulence in a murine model of scedosporiosis. Our findings demonstrate that S. apiospermum sidD gene drives the synthesis of a unique extracellular, hydroxamate-type iron chelator, which is essential for fungal growth and virulence. This compound scavenges iron from pyoverdine, which might explain why S. apiospermum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are rarely found simultaneously in the CF lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohann Le Govic
- Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène (GEIHP, EA 3142), SFR ICAT 4208, Université Angers, Université Brest, Angers, France.,Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Angers, France
| | - Vladimir Havlíček
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Javier Capilla
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
| | - Dominika Luptáková
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Dayana Dumas
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
| | - Nicolas Papon
- Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène (GEIHP, EA 3142), SFR ICAT 4208, Université Angers, Université Brest, Angers, France
| | - Solène Le Gal
- Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène (GEIHP, EA 3142), SFR ICAT 4208, Université Angers, Université Brest, Angers, France.,Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Brest, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Bouchara
- Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène (GEIHP, EA 3142), SFR ICAT 4208, Université Angers, Université Brest, Angers, France.,Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Angers, France
| | - Patrick Vandeputte
- Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène (GEIHP, EA 3142), SFR ICAT 4208, Université Angers, Université Brest, Angers, France.,Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Angers, France
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11
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König A, Müller R, Mogavero S, Hube B. Fungal factors involved in host immune evasion, modulation and exploitation during infection. Cell Microbiol 2020; 23:e13272. [PMID: 32978997 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Human and plant pathogenic fungi have a major impact on public health and agriculture. Although these fungi infect very diverse hosts and are often highly adapted to specific host niches, they share surprisingly similar mechanisms that mediate immune evasion, modulation of distinct host targets and exploitation of host nutrients, highlighting that successful strategies have evolved independently among diverse fungal pathogens. These attributes are facilitated by an arsenal of fungal factors. However, not a single molecule, but rather the combined effects of several factors enable these pathogens to establish infection. In this review, we discuss the principles of human and plant fungal pathogenicity mechanisms and discuss recent discoveries made in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika König
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Rita Müller
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Selene Mogavero
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Bernhard Hube
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany.,Center for Sepsis Control and Care, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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12
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Seo H, Kang S, Park YS, Yun CW. The Role of Zinc in Gliotoxin Biosynthesis of Aspergillus fumigatus. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E6192. [PMID: 31817957 PMCID: PMC6940964 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20246192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Zinc performs diverse physiological functions, and virtually all living organisms require zinc as an essential trace element. To identify the detailed function of zinc in fungal pathogenicity, we carried out cDNA microarray analysis using the model system of Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungal pathogen. From microarray analysis, we found that the genes involved in gliotoxin biosynthesis were upregulated when zinc was depleted, and the microarray data were confirmed by northern blot analysis. In particular, zinc deficiency upregulated the expression of GliZ, which encodes a Zn2-Cys6 binuclear transcription factor that regulates the expression of the genes required for gliotoxin biosynthesis. The production of gliotoxin was decreased in a manner inversely proportional to the zinc concentration, and the same result was investigated in the absence of ZafA, which is a zinc-dependent transcription activator. Interestingly, we found two conserved ZafA-binding motifs, 5'-CAAGGT-3', in the upstream region of GliZ on the genome and discovered that deletion of the ZafA-binding motifs resulted in loss of ZafA-binding activity; gliotoxin production was decreased dramatically, as demonstrated with a GliZ deletion mutant. Furthermore, mutation of the ZafA-binding motifs resulted in an increase in the conidial killing activity of human macrophage and neutrophil cells, and virulence was decreased in a murine model. Finally, transcriptomic analysis revealed that the expression of ZafA and GliZ was upregulated during phagocytosis by macrophages. Taken together, these results suggest that zinc plays an important role in the pathogenicity of A. fumigatus by regulating gliotoxin production during the phagocytosis pathway to overcome the host defense system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Cheol-Won Yun
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Anam-dong, Sungbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Korea; (H.S.); (S.K.); (Y.-S.P.)
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13
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Iron: an essential nutrient for Aspergillus fumigatus and a fulcrum for pathogenesis. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2019; 31:506-511. [PMID: 30379731 DOI: 10.1097/qco.0000000000000487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous saprophytic fungus that can cause life-threatening invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. Apart from the immune status of the host only a few characterized virulence factors have been identified. In this review, we describe the role of iron in the manifestation of A. fumigatus virulence. RECENT FINDINGS We gathered recent clinical evidence suggesting that tissue iron overload increases the risk of invasive aspergillosis occurrence. Furthermore, we summarize the mechanisms that A. fumigatus employs to achieve iron homeostasis and their importance in A. fumigatus proliferation in vitro. We describe two recent in-vivo models that clearly demonstrate the importance of iron in A. fumigatus growth and invasion. SUMMARY Based on these recent findings, therapy aimed at managing A. fumigatus iron homeostasis locally could make conditions more favorable to the host.
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14
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Sass G, Ansari SR, Dietl AM, Déziel E, Haas H, Stevens DA. Intermicrobial interaction: Aspergillus fumigatus siderophores protect against competition by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216085. [PMID: 31067259 PMCID: PMC6505954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus are pathogens frequently co-inhabiting immunocompromised patient airways, particularly in people with cystic fibrosis. Both microbes depend on the availability of iron, and compete for iron in their microenvironment. We showed previously that the P. aeruginosa siderophore pyoverdine is the main instrument in battling A. fumigatus biofilms, by iron chelation and denial of iron to the fungus. Here we show that A. fumigatus siderophores defend against anti-fungal P. aeruginosa effects. P. aeruginosa supernatants produced in the presence of wildtype A. fumigatus planktonic supernatants (Afsup) showed less activity against A. fumigatus biofilms than P. aeruginosa supernatants without Afsup, despite higher production of pyoverdine by P. aeruginosa. Supernatants of A. fumigatus cultures lacking the sidA gene (AfΔsidA), unable to produce hydroxamate siderophores, were less capable of protecting A. fumigatus biofilms from P. aeruginosa supernatants and pyoverdine. AfΔsidA biofilm was more sensitive towards inhibitory effects of pyoverdine, the iron chelator deferiprone (DFP), or amphothericin B than wildtype A. fumigatus biofilm. Supplementation of sidA-deficient A. fumigatus biofilm with A. fumigatus siderophores restored resistance to pyoverdine. The A. fumigatus siderophore production inhibitor celastrol sensitized wildtype A. fumigatus biofilms towards the anti-fungal activity of DFP. In conclusion, A. fumigatus hydroxamate siderophores play a pivotal role in A. fumigatus competition for iron against P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Sass
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Shajia R. Ansari
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, United States of America
| | - Anna-Maria Dietl
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Eric Déziel
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Hubertus Haas
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - David A. Stevens
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
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15
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Ozturk IK, Dupont PY, Chettri P, McDougal R, Böhl OJ, Cox RJ, Bradshaw RE. Evolutionary relics dominate the small number of secondary metabolism genes in the hemibiotrophic fungus Dothistroma septosporum. Fungal Biol 2019; 123:397-407. [PMID: 31053329 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2019.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Fungal secondary metabolites have important functions for the fungi that produce them, such as roles in virulence and competition. The hemibiotrophic pine needle pathogen Dothistroma septosporum has one of the lowest complements of secondary metabolite (SM) backbone genes of plant pathogenic fungi, indicating that this fungus produces a limited range of SMs. Amongst these SMs is dothistromin, a well-characterised polyketide toxin and virulence factor that is required for expansion of disease lesions in Dothistroma needle blight disease. Dothistromin genes are dispersed across six loci on one chromosome, rather than being clustered as for most SM genes. We explored other D. septosporum SM genes to determine if they are associated with gene clusters, and to predict what their likely products and functions might be. Of nine functional SM backbone genes in the D. septosporum genome, only four were expressed under a range of in planta and in culture conditions, one of which was the dothistromin PKS backbone gene. Of the other three expressed genes, gene knockout studies suggested that DsPks1 and DsPks2 are not required for virulence and attempts to determine a functional squalestatin-like SM product for DsPks2 were not successful. However preliminary evidence suggested that DsNps3, the only SM backbone gene to be most highly expressed in the early stage of disease, appears to be a virulence factor. Thus, despite the small number of SM backbone genes in D. septosporum, most of them appear to be poorly expressed or dispensable for virulence in planta. This work contributes to a growing body of evidence that many fungal secondary metabolite gene clusters might be non-functional and may be evolutionary relics.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Kutay Ozturk
- Bio-Protection Research Centre, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand
| | - Pierre-Yves Dupont
- Bio-Protection Research Centre, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand; Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand
| | - Pranav Chettri
- Bio-Protection Research Centre, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand
| | - Rebecca McDougal
- Scion, NZ Forest Research Institute Ltd, Rotorua, 3010, New Zealand
| | - Ole J Böhl
- Institut für Organische Chemie, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Schneiderberg 1b, Hannover, 30167, Germany
| | - Russell J Cox
- Institut für Organische Chemie, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Schneiderberg 1b, Hannover, 30167, Germany
| | - Rosie E Bradshaw
- Bio-Protection Research Centre, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand.
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16
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Shankar J, Tiwari S, Shishodia SK, Gangwar M, Hoda S, Thakur R, Vijayaraghavan P. Molecular Insights Into Development and Virulence Determinants of Aspergilli: A Proteomic Perspective. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:180. [PMID: 29896454 PMCID: PMC5986918 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species are the major cause of health concern worldwide in immunocompromised individuals. Opportunistic Aspergilli cause invasive to allergic aspergillosis, whereas non-infectious Aspergilli have contributed to understand the biology of eukaryotic organisms and serve as a model organism. Morphotypes of Aspergilli such as conidia or mycelia/hyphae helped them to survive in favorable or unfavorable environmental conditions. These morphotypes contribute to virulence, pathogenicity and invasion into hosts by excreting proteins, enzymes or toxins. Morphological transition of Aspergillus species has been a critical step to infect host or to colonize on food products. Thus, we reviewed proteins from Aspergilli to understand the biological processes, biochemical, and cellular pathways that are involved in transition and morphogenesis. We majorly analyzed proteomic studies on A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. terreus, and A. niger to gain insight into mechanisms involved in the transition from conidia to mycelia along with the role of secondary metabolites. Proteome analysis of morphotypes of Aspergilli provided information on key biological pathways required to exit conidial dormancy, consortia of virulent factors and mycotoxins during the transition. The application of proteomic approaches has uncovered the biological processes during development as well as intermediates of secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathway. We listed key proteins/ enzymes or toxins at different morphological types of Aspergillus that could be applicable in discovery of novel therapeutic targets or metabolite based diagnostic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Shraddha Tiwari
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Sonia K Shishodia
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Manali Gangwar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Shanu Hoda
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India
| | - Raman Thakur
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
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17
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Kurucz V, Krüger T, Antal K, Dietl AM, Haas H, Pócsi I, Kniemeyer O, Emri T. Additional oxidative stress reroutes the global response of Aspergillus fumigatus to iron depletion. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:357. [PMID: 29747589 PMCID: PMC5946477 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4730-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aspergillus fumigatus has to cope with a combination of several stress types while colonizing the human body. A functional interplay between these different stress responses can increase the chances of survival for this opportunistic human pathogen during the invasion of its host. In this study, we shed light on how the H2O2-induced oxidative stress response depends on the iron available to this filamentous fungus, using transcriptomic analysis, proteomic profiles, and growth assays. RESULTS The applied H2O2 treatment, which induced only a negligible stress response in iron-replete cultures, deleteriously affected the fungus under iron deprivation. The majority of stress-induced changes in gene and protein expression was not predictable from data coming from individual stress exposure and was only characteristic for the combination of oxidative stress plus iron deprivation. Our experimental data suggest that the physiological effects of combined stresses and the survival of the fungus highly depend on fragile balances between economization of iron and production of essential iron-containing proteins. One observed strategy was the overproduction of iron-independent antioxidant proteins to combat oxidative stress during iron deprivation, e.g. the upregulation of superoxide dismutase Sod1, the thioredoxin reductase Trr1, and the thioredoxin orthologue Afu5g11320. On the other hand, oxidative stress induction overruled iron deprivation-mediated repression of several genes. In agreement with the gene expression data, growth studies underlined that in A. fumigatus iron deprivation aggravates oxidative stress susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that studying stress responses under separate single stress conditions is not sufficient to understand how A. fumigatus adapts in a complex and hostile habitat like the human body. The combinatorial stress of iron depletion and hydrogen peroxide caused clear non-additive effects upon the stress response of A. fumigatus. Our data further supported the view that the ability of A. fumigatus to cause diseases in humans strongly depends on its fitness attributes and less on specific virulence factors. In summary, A. fumigatus is able to mount and coordinate complex and efficient responses to combined stresses like iron deprivation plus H2O2-induced oxidative stress, which are exploited by immune cells to kill fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivien Kurucz
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, H-4032 Hungary
| | - Thomas Krüger
- Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Károly Antal
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Eszterházy Károly University, Eszterházy tér 1, Eger, H-3300 Hungary
| | - Anna-Maria Dietl
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, A6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Hubertus Haas
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, A6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - István Pócsi
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, H-4032 Hungary
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Tamás Emri
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, H-4032 Hungary
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18
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Thornton CR. Molecular Imaging of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis Using ImmunoPET/MRI: The Future Looks Bright. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:691. [PMID: 29686661 PMCID: PMC5900000 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening lung disease of immuno-compromised humans caused by the ubiquitous environmental mold Aspergillus. Biomarker tests for the disease lack sensitivity and specificity, and culture of the fungus from invasive lung biopsy is slow, insensitive, and undesirable in critically ill patients. A computed tomogram (CT) of the chest offers a simple non-intrusive diagnostic procedure for rapid decision making, and so is used in many hematology units to drive antifungal treatment. However, radiological indicators that raise the suspicion of IPA are either transient signs in the early stages of the disease or not specific for Aspergillus infection, with other angio-invasive molds or bacterial pathogens producing comparable radiological manifestations in a chest CT. Improvements to the specificity of radiographic imaging of IPA have been attempted by coupling CT and positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG), a marker of metabolic activity well suited to cancer imaging, but with limited use in invasive fungal disease diagnostics due to its inability to differentiate between infectious etiologies, cancer, and inflammation. Bioluminescence imaging using single genetically modified strains of Aspergillus fumigatus has enabled in vivo monitoring of IPA in animal models of disease. For in vivo detection of Aspergillus lung infections in humans, radiolabeled Aspergillus-specific monoclonal antibodies, and iron siderophores, hold enormous potential for clinical diagnosis. This review examines the different experimental technologies used to image IPA, and recent advances in state-of-the-art molecular imaging of IPA using antibody-guided PET/magnetic resonance imaging (immunoPET/MRI).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Thornton
- Department of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,ISCA Diagnostics Ltd., Exeter, United Kingdom
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19
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Sherrington SL, Kumwenda P, Kousser C, Hall RA. Host Sensing by Pathogenic Fungi. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2017; 102:159-221. [PMID: 29680125 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The ability to cause disease extends from the ability to grow within the host environment. The human host provides a dynamic environment to which fungal pathogens must adapt to in order to survive. The ability to grow under a particular condition (i.e., the ability to grow at mammalian body temperature) is considered a fitness attribute and is essential for growth within the human host. On the other hand, some environmental conditions activate signaling mechanisms resulting in the expression of virulence factors, which aid pathogenicity. Therefore, pathogenic fungi have evolved fitness and virulence attributes to enable them to colonize and infect humans. This review highlights how some of the major pathogenic fungi respond and adapt to key environmental signals within the human host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Sherrington
- Institute for Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Pizga Kumwenda
- Institute for Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Courtney Kousser
- Institute for Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca A Hall
- Institute for Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
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20
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Carroll CS, Grieve CL, Murugathasan I, Bennet AJ, Czekster CM, Liu H, Naismith J, Moore MM. The rhizoferrin biosynthetic gene in the fungal pathogen Rhizopus delemar is a novel member of the NIS gene family. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2017; 89:136-146. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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21
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Martín del Campo JS, Vogelaar N, Tolani K, Kizjakina K, Harich K, Sobrado P. Inhibition of the Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenase Siderophore A (SidA) Blocks Siderophore Biosynthesis and Aspergillus fumigatus Growth. ACS Chem Biol 2016; 11:3035-3042. [PMID: 27588426 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.6b00666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen and the most common causative agent of fatal invasive mycoses. The flavin-dependent monooxygenase siderophore A (SidA) catalyzes the oxygen and NADPH dependent hydroxylation of l-ornithine (l-Orn) to N5-l-hydroxyornithine in the biosynthetic pathway of hydroxamate-containing siderophores in A. fumigatus. Deletion of the gene that codes for SidA has shown that it is essential in establishing infection in mice models. Here, a fluorescence polarization high-throughput assay was used to screen a 2320 compound library for inhibitors of SidA. Celastrol, a natural quinone methide, was identified as a noncompetitive inhibitor of SidA with a MIC value of 2 μM. Docking experiments suggest that celastrol binds across the NADPH and l-Orn pocket. Celastrol prevents A. fumigatus growth in blood agar. The addition of purified ferric-siderophore abolished the inhibitory effect of celastrol. Thus, celastrol inhibits A. fumigatus growth by blocking siderophore biosynthesis through SidA inhibiton.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nancy Vogelaar
- Virginia
Tech Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Karishma Tolani
- Department
of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Karina Kizjakina
- Department
of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Kim Harich
- Department
of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Pablo Sobrado
- Department
of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Virginia
Tech Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
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22
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Szebesczyk A, Olshvang E, Shanzer A, Carver PL, Gumienna-Kontecka E. Harnessing the power of fungal siderophores for the imaging and treatment of human diseases. Coord Chem Rev 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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23
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Pasricha S, Schafferer L, Lindner H, Joanne Boyce K, Haas H, Andrianopoulos A. Differentially regulated high-affinity iron assimilation systems support growth of the various cell types in the dimorphic pathogenTalaromyces marneffei. Mol Microbiol 2016; 102:715-737. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Pasricha
- Department of Genetics; University of Melbourne; Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Lukas Schafferer
- Division of Molecular Biology and Division of Clinical Biochemistry and the Protein Micro-Analysis Facility; Innsbruck Medical University; Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82 Innsbruck A-6020 Austria
| | - Herbert Lindner
- Division of Molecular Biology and Division of Clinical Biochemistry and the Protein Micro-Analysis Facility; Innsbruck Medical University; Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82 Innsbruck A-6020 Austria
| | - Kylie Joanne Boyce
- Department of Genetics; University of Melbourne; Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Hubertus Haas
- Division of Molecular Biology and Division of Clinical Biochemistry and the Protein Micro-Analysis Facility; Innsbruck Medical University; Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82 Innsbruck A-6020 Austria
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24
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Oremland M, Michels KR, Bettina AM, Lawrence C, Mehrad B, Laubenbacher R. A computational model of invasive aspergillosis in the lung and the role of iron. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2016; 10:34. [PMID: 27098278 PMCID: PMC4839115 DOI: 10.1186/s12918-016-0275-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Invasive aspergillosis is a severe infection of immunocompromised hosts, caused by the inhalation of the spores of the ubiquitous environmental molds of the Aspergillus genus. The innate immune response in this infection entails a series of complex and inter-related interactions between multiple recruited and resident cell populations with each other and with the fungal cell; in particular, iron is critical for fungal growth. Results A computational model of invasive aspergillosis is presented here; the model can be used as a rational hypothesis-generating tool to investigate host responses to this infection. Using a combination of laboratory data and published literature, an in silico model of a section of lung tissue was generated that includes an alveolar duct, adjacent capillaries, and surrounding lung parenchyma. The three-dimensional agent-based model integrates temporal events in fungal cells, epithelial cells, monocytes, and neutrophils after inhalation of spores with cellular dynamics at the tissue level, comprising part of the innate immune response. Iron levels in the blood and tissue play a key role in the fungus’ ability to grow, and the model includes iron recruitment and consumption by the different types of cells included. Parameter sensitivity analysis suggests the model is robust with respect to unvalidated parameters, and thus is a viable tool for an in silico investigation of invasive aspergillosis. Conclusions Using laboratory data from a mouse model of invasive aspergillosis in the context of transient neutropenia as validation, the model predicted qualitatively similar time course changes in fungal burden, monocyte and neutrophil populations, and tissue iron levels. This model lays the groundwork for a multi-scale dynamic mathematical model of the immune response to Aspergillus species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12918-016-0275-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Oremland
- Mathematical Biosciences Institute, Ohio State University, 1735 Neil Ave, Columbus OH, USA.
| | - Kathryn R Michels
- University of Virginia, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Charlottesville VA, USA
| | - Alexandra M Bettina
- University of Virginia, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Charlottesville VA, USA
| | - Chris Lawrence
- Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, 1015 Life Science Circle, Blacksburg VA, USA
| | - Borna Mehrad
- University of Virginia, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Charlottesville VA, USA
| | - Reinhard Laubenbacher
- Center for Quantitative Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, 236 Farmington Ave, Farmington CT, USA.,Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 236 Farmington Ave, Farmington CT, USA
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25
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Carroll CS, Amankwa LN, Pinto LJ, Fuller JD, Moore MM. Detection of a Serum Siderophore by LC-MS/MS as a Potential Biomarker of Invasive Aspergillosis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151260. [PMID: 26974544 PMCID: PMC4790926 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening systemic mycosis caused primarily by Aspergillus fumigatus. Early diagnosis of IA is based, in part, on an immunoassay for circulating fungal cell wall carbohydrate, galactomannan (GM). However, a wide range of sensitivity and specificity rates have been reported for the GM test across various patient populations. To obtain iron in vivo, A. fumigatus secretes the siderophore, N,N',N"-triacetylfusarinine C (TAFC) and we hypothesize that TAFC may represent a possible biomarker for early detection of IA. We developed an ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for TAFC analysis from serum, and measured TAFC in serum samples collected from patients at risk for IA. The method showed lower and upper limits of quantitation (LOQ) of 5 ng/ml and 750 ng/ml, respectively, and complete TAFC recovery from spiked serum. As proof of concept, we evaluated 76 serum samples from 58 patients with suspected IA that were investigated for the presence of GM. Fourteen serum samples obtained from 11 patients diagnosed with probable or proven IA were also analyzed for the presence of TAFC. Control sera (n = 16) were analyzed to establish a TAFC cut-off value (≥6 ng/ml). Of the 36 GM-positive samples (≥0.5 GM index) from suspected IA patients, TAFC was considered positive in 25 (69%). TAFC was also found in 28 additional GM-negative samples. TAFC was detected in 4 of the 14 samples (28%) from patients with proven/probable aspergillosis. Log-transformed TAFC and GM values from patients with proven/probable IA, healthy individuals and SLE patients showed a significant correlation with a Pearson r value of 0.77. In summary, we have developed a method for the detection of TAFC in serum that revealed this fungal product in the sera of patients at risk for invasive aspergillosis. A prospective study is warranted to determine whether this method provides improved early detection of IA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra S. Carroll
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada, V5A 1S6
| | | | - Linda J. Pinto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada, V5A 1S6
| | - Jeffrey D. Fuller
- Provincial Laboratory for Public Health and Microbiology, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Canada, T6G 2R7
| | - Margo M. Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada, V5A 1S6
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26
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Kröber A, Scherlach K, Hortschansky P, Shelest E, Staib P, Kniemeyer O, Brakhage AA. HapX Mediates Iron Homeostasis in the Pathogenic Dermatophyte Arthroderma benhamiae but Is Dispensable for Virulence. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150701. [PMID: 26960149 PMCID: PMC4784894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
For many pathogenic fungi, siderophore-mediated iron acquisition is essential for virulence. The process of siderophore production and further mechanisms to adapt to iron limitation are strictly controlled in fungi to maintain iron homeostasis. Here we demonstrate that the human pathogenic dermatophyte Arthroderma benhamiae produces the hydroxamate siderophores ferricrocin and ferrichrome C. Additionally, we show that the iron regulator HapX is crucial for the adaptation to iron starvation and iron excess, but is dispensable for virulence of A. benhamiae. Deletion of hapX caused downregulation of siderophore biosynthesis genes leading to a decreased production of siderophores during iron starvation. Furthermore, HapX was required for transcriptional repression of genes involved in iron-dependent pathways during iron-depleted conditions. Additionally, the ΔhapX mutant of A. benhamiae was sensitive to high-iron concentrations indicating that HapX also contributes to iron detoxification. In contrast to other pathogenic fungi, HapX of A. benhamiae was redundant for virulence and a ΔhapX mutant was still able to infect keratinized host tissues in vitro. Our findings underline the highly conserved role of the transcription factor HapX for maintaining iron homeostasis in ascomycetous fungi but, unlike in many other human and plant pathogenic fungi, HapX of A. benhamiae is not a virulence determinant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antje Kröber
- Junior Research Group Fundamental Molecular Biology of Pathogenic Fungi, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Kirstin Scherlach
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Peter Hortschansky
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Shelest
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Peter Staib
- Junior Research Group Fundamental Molecular Biology of Pathogenic Fungi, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A. Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Moloney NM, Owens RA, Meleady P, Henry M, Dolan SK, Mulvihill E, Clynes M, Doyle S. The iron-responsive microsomal proteome of Aspergillus fumigatus. J Proteomics 2016; 136:99-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2015.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Fazary AE, Ju YH, Al-Shihri AS, Alfaifi MY, Alshehri MA. Biodegradable siderophores: survey on their production, chelating and complexing properties. REV INORG CHEM 2016. [DOI: 10.1515/revic-2016-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe academic and industrial research on the interactions of complexing agents with the environment has received more attention for more than half a century ago and has always been concerned with the applications of chelating agents in the environment. In contrast, in recent years, an increasing scholarly interest has been demonstrated in the chemical and biological degradation of chelating agents. This is reflected by the increasing number of chelating agents-related publications between 1950 and middle of 2016. Consequently, the discovery of new green biodegradable chelating agents is of great importance and has an impact in the non-biodegradable chelating agent’s replacement with their green chemistry analogs. To acquire iron, many bacteria growing aerobically, including marine species, produce siderophores, which are low-molecular-weight compounds produced to facilitate acquisition of iron. To date and to the best of our knowledge, this is a concise and complete review article of the current and previous relevant studies conducted in the field of production, purification of siderophore compounds and their metal complexes, and their roles in biology and medicine.
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Tyrrell J, Callaghan M. Iron acquisition in the cystic fibrosis lung and potential for novel therapeutic strategies. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2015; 162:191-205. [PMID: 26643057 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Iron acquisition is vital to microbial survival and is implicated in the virulence of many of the pathogens that reside in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. The multifaceted nature of iron acquisition by both bacterial and fungal pathogens encompasses a range of conserved and species-specific mechanisms, including secretion of iron-binding siderophores, utilization of siderophores from other species, release of iron from host iron-binding proteins and haemoproteins, and ferrous iron uptake. Pathogens adapt and deploy specific systems depending on iron availability, bioavailability of the iron pool, stage of infection and presence of competing pathogens. Understanding the dynamics of pathogen iron acquisition has the potential to unveil new avenues for therapeutic intervention to treat both acute and chronic CF infections. Here, we examine the range of strategies utilized by the primary CF pathogens to acquire iron and discuss the different approaches to targeting iron acquisition systems as an antimicrobial strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Tyrrell
- Centre of Microbial Host Interactions, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Dublin D24KT9, Ireland
| | - Máire Callaghan
- Centre of Microbial Host Interactions, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Dublin D24KT9, Ireland
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Nazik H, Penner JC, Ferreira JA, Haagensen JAJ, Cohen K, Spormann AM, Martinez M, Chen V, Hsu JL, Clemons KV, Stevens DA. Effects of Iron Chelators on the Formation and Development of Aspergillus fumigatus Biofilm. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:6514-20. [PMID: 26239975 PMCID: PMC4576070 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01684-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron acquisition is crucial for the growth of Aspergillus fumigatus. A. fumigatus biofilm formation occurs in vitro and in vivo and is associated with physiological changes. In this study, we assessed the effects of Fe chelators on biofilm formation and development. Deferiprone (DFP), deferasirox (DFS), and deferoxamine (DFM) were tested for MIC against a reference isolate via a broth macrodilution method. The metabolic effects (assessed by XTT [2,3-bis[2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide inner salt]) on biofilm formation by conidia were studied upon exposure to DFP, DFM, DFP plus FeCl3, or FeCl3 alone. A preformed biofilm was exposed to DFP with or without FeCl3. The DFP and DFS MIC50 against planktonic A. fumigatus was 1,250 μM, and XTT gave the same result. DFM showed no planktonic inhibition at concentrations of ≤2,500 μM. By XTT testing, DFM concentrations of <1,250 μM had no effect, whereas DFP at 2,500 μM increased biofilms forming in A. fumigatus or preformed biofilms (P < 0.01). DFP at 156 to 2,500 μM inhibited biofilm formation (P < 0.01 to 0.001) in a dose-responsive manner. Biofilm formation with 625 μM DFP plus any concentration of FeCl3 was lower than that in the controls (P < 0.05 to 0.001). FeCl3 at ≥625 μM reversed the DFP inhibitory effect (P < 0.05 to 0.01), but the reversal was incomplete compared to the controls (P < 0.05 to 0.01). For preformed biofilms, DFP in the range of ≥625 to 1,250 μM was inhibitory compared to the controls (P < 0.01 to 0.001). FeCl3 at ≥625 μM overcame inhibition by 625 μM DFP (P < 0.001). FeCl3 alone at ≥156 μM stimulated biofilm formation (P < 0.05 to 0.001). Preformed A. fumigatus biofilm increased with 2,500 μM FeCl3 only (P < 0.05). In a strain survey, various susceptibilities of biofilms of A. fumigatus clinical isolates to DFP were noted. In conclusion, iron stimulates biofilm formation and preformed biofilms. Chelators can inhibit or enhance biofilms. Chelation may be a potential therapy for A. fumigatus, but we show here that chelators must be chosen carefully. Individual isolate susceptibility assessments may be needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Nazik
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - John C Penner
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA
| | - Jose A Ferreira
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Janus A J Haagensen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Kevin Cohen
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA
| | - Alfred M Spormann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Marife Martinez
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA
| | - Vicky Chen
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA
| | - Joe L Hsu
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Karl V Clemons
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - David A Stevens
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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Genome-Wide Transcription Study of Cryptococcus neoformans H99 Clinical Strain versus Environmental Strains. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137457. [PMID: 26360021 PMCID: PMC4567374 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The infection of Cryptococcus neoformans is acquired through the inhalation of desiccated yeast cells and basidiospores originated from the environment, particularly from bird’s droppings and decaying wood. Three environmental strains of C. neoformans originated from bird droppings (H4, S48B and S68B) and C. neoformans reference clinical strain (H99) were used for intranasal infection in C57BL/6 mice. We showed that the H99 strain demonstrated higher virulence compared to H4, S48B and S68B strains. To examine if gene expression contributed to the different degree of virulence among these strains, a genome-wide microarray study was performed to inspect the transcriptomic profiles of all four strains. Our results revealed that out of 7,419 genes (22,257 probes) examined, 65 genes were significantly up-or down-regulated in H99 versus H4, S48B and S68B strains. The up-regulated genes in H99 strain include Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase (MVA1), Mitochondrial matrix factor 1 (MMF1), Bud-site-selection protein 8 (BUD8), High affinity glucose transporter 3 (SNF3) and Rho GTPase-activating protein 2 (RGA2). Pathway annotation using DAVID bioinformatics resource showed that metal ion binding and sugar transmembrane transporter activity pathways were highly expressed in the H99 strain. We suggest that the genes and pathways identified may possibly play crucial roles in the fungal pathogenesis.
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Irmer H, Tarazona S, Sasse C, Olbermann P, Loeffler J, Krappmann S, Conesa A, Braus GH. RNAseq analysis of Aspergillus fumigatus in blood reveals a just wait and see resting stage behavior. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:640. [PMID: 26311470 PMCID: PMC4551469 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1853-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Invasive aspergillosis is started after germination of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia that are inhaled by susceptible individuals. Fungal hyphae can grow in the lung through the epithelial tissue and disseminate hematogenously to invade into other organs. Low fungaemia indicates that fungal elements do not reside in the bloodstream for long. Results We analyzed whether blood represents a hostile environment to which the physiology of A. fumigatus has to adapt. An in vitro model of A. fumigatus infection was established by incubating mycelium in blood. Our model allowed to discern the changes of the gene expression profile of A. fumigatus at various stages of the infection. The majority of described virulence factors that are connected to pulmonary infections appeared not to be activated during the blood phase. Three active processes were identified that presumably help the fungus to survive the blood environment in an advanced phase of the infection: iron homeostasis, secondary metabolism, and the formation of detoxifying enzymes. Conclusions We propose that A. fumigatus is hardly able to propagate in blood. After an early stage of sensing the environment, virtually all uptake mechanisms and energy-consuming metabolic pathways are shut-down. The fungus appears to adapt by trans-differentiation into a resting mycelial stage. This might reflect the harsh conditions in blood where A. fumigatus cannot take up sufficient nutrients to establish self-defense mechanisms combined with significant growth. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi10.1186/s12864-015-1853-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriette Irmer
- Institut für Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Grisebachstraße 8, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Sonia Tarazona
- Genomics of Gene Expression Lab, Prince Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yufera 3, 46012, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Christoph Sasse
- Institut für Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Grisebachstraße 8, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Patrick Olbermann
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Julius-Maximilians University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Jürgen Loeffler
- Laboratory WÜ4i, Medical Clinic and Policlinic II, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Sven Krappmann
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Julius-Maximilians University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. .,Mikrobiologisches Institut - Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinik Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Ana Conesa
- Genomics of Gene Expression Lab, Prince Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yufera 3, 46012, Valencia, Spain. .,Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute for Food and Agricultura Sciences, University of Florida at Gainesville, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Gerhard H Braus
- Institut für Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Grisebachstraße 8, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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Iron-Binding Protein Degradation by Cysteine Proteases of Naegleria fowleri. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:416712. [PMID: 26090408 PMCID: PMC4450812 DOI: 10.1155/2015/416712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri causes acute and fulminant primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. This microorganism invades its host by penetrating the olfactory mucosa and then traveling up the mesaxonal spaces and crossing the cribriform plate; finally, the trophozoites invade the olfactory bulbs. During its invasion, the protozoan obtains nutrients such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and cationic ions (e.g., iron, calcium, and sodium) from the host. However, the mechanism by which these ions are obtained, particularly iron, is poorly understood. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of N. fowleri to degrade iron-binding proteins, including hololactoferrin, transferrin, ferritin, and hemoglobin. Zymography assays were performed for each substrate under physiological conditions (pH 7 at 37°C) employing conditioned medium (CM) and total crude extracts (TCEs) of N. fowleri. Different degradation patterns with CM were observed for hololactoferrin, transferrin, and hemoglobin; however, CM did not cause ferritin degradation. In contrast, the TCEs degraded only hololactoferrin and transferrin. Inhibition assays revealed that cysteine proteases were involved in this process. Based on these results, we suggest that CM and TCEs of N. fowleri degrade iron-binding proteins by employing cysteine proteases, which enables the parasite to obtain iron to survive while invading the central nervous system.
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Brandon M, Howard B, Lawrence C, Laubenbacher R. Iron acquisition and oxidative stress response in aspergillus fumigatus. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2015; 9:19. [PMID: 25908096 PMCID: PMC4418068 DOI: 10.1186/s12918-015-0163-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous airborne fungal pathogen that presents a life-threatening health risk to individuals with weakened immune systems. A. fumigatus pathogenicity depends on its ability to acquire iron from the host and to resist host-generated oxidative stress. Gaining a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing A. fumigatus iron acquisition and oxidative stress response may ultimately help to improve the diagnosis and treatment of invasive aspergillus infections. RESULTS This study follows a systems biology approach to investigate how adaptive behaviors emerge from molecular interactions underlying A. fumigatus iron regulation and oxidative stress response. We construct a Boolean network model from known interactions and simulate how changes in environmental iron and superoxide levels affect network dynamics. We propose rules for linking long term model behavior to qualitative estimates of cell growth and cell death. These rules are used to predict phenotypes of gene deletion strains. The model is validated on the basis of its ability to reproduce literature data not used in model generation. CONCLUSIONS The model reproduces gene expression patterns in experimental time course data when A. fumigatus is switched from a low iron to a high iron environment. In addition, the model is able to accurately represent the phenotypes of many knockout strains under varying iron and superoxide conditions. Model simulations support the hypothesis that intracellular iron regulates A. fumigatus transcription factors, SreA and HapX, by a post-translational, rather than transcriptional, mechanism. Finally, the model predicts that blocking siderophore-mediated iron uptake reduces resistance to oxidative stress. This indicates that combined targeting of siderophore-mediated iron uptake and the oxidative stress response network may act synergistically to increase fungal cell killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Brandon
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut Health Center, 400 Farmington Ave, Farmington, 06030, USA. .,Center for Quantitative Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, 06030, USA.
| | - Brad Howard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Blacksburg, 24061, USA. .,Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, 1015 Life Science Circle, Blacksburg, 24061, US.
| | - Christopher Lawrence
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Blacksburg, 24061, USA. .,Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, 1015 Life Science Circle, Blacksburg, 24061, US.
| | - Reinhard Laubenbacher
- Center for Quantitative Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, 06030, USA. .,The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, 06030, USA. .,Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Ave, Farmington, 06030, USA.
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Briard B, Bomme P, Lechner BE, Mislin GLA, Lair V, Prévost MC, Latgé JP, Haas H, Beauvais A. Pseudomonas aeruginosa manipulates redox and iron homeostasis of its microbiota partner Aspergillus fumigatus via phenazines. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8220. [PMID: 25665925 PMCID: PMC5389140 DOI: 10.1038/srep08220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus is increasingly found as a coinfecting agent along with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients. Amongst the numerous molecules secreted by P. aeruginosa during its growth, phenazines constitute a major class. P. aeruginosa usually secreted four phenazines, pyocyanin (PYO), phenazine-1-carboxamide (PCN), 1-hydroxyphenazine (1-HP) and phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA). These phenazines inhibited the growth of A. fumigatus but the underlying mechanisms and the impact of these four phenazines on A. fumigatus biology were not known. In the present study, we analyzed the functions of the four phenazines and their mode of action on A. fumigatus. All four phenazines showed A. fumigatus growth inhibitory effects by inducing production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), specifically O2(·-), and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), ONOO(-). A. fumigatus Sod2p was the major factor involved in resistance against the ROS and RNS induced by phenazines. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of PYO, PCA and PCN promote A. fumigatus growth by an independent iron-uptake acquisition. Of the four phenazines 1-HP had a redox-independent function; being able to chelate metal ions 1-HP induced A. fumigatus iron starvation. Our data show the fine-interactions existing between A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa, which can lead to stimulatory or antagonistic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Briard
- Unité des Aspergillus Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Cellule Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Perrine Bomme
- Plateforme de microscopie ultrastructurale, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Beatrix E. Lechner
- Biocenter-Division of Molecular Biology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gaëtan L. A. Mislin
- UMR 7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg-CNRS, France
| | - Virginie Lair
- PSL Research University, Chimie ParisTech-CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Hubertus Haas
- Biocenter-Division of Molecular Biology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anne Beauvais
- Unité des Aspergillus Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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Jirakkakul J, Cheevadhanarak S, Punya J, Chutrakul C, Senachak J, Buajarern T, Tanticharoen M, Amnuaykanjanasin A. Tenellin acts as an iron chelator to prevent iron-generated reactive oxygen species toxicity in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2014; 362:1-8. [PMID: 25670702 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnu032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is an essential element for life. However, the iron overload can be toxic. Here, we investigated the significant increase of tenellin and iron-tenellin complex production in ferricrocin-deficient mutants of Beauveria bassiana. Our chemical analysis indicated that the ferricrocin-deficient mutants T1, T3 and T5 nearly abolished ferricrocin production. In turn, these mutants had significant accumulation of iron-tenellin complex in their mycelia at 247-289 mg g(-1) cell dry weight under iron-replete condition. Both tenellin and iron-tenellin complex were not detected in the wild-type under such condition. Mass analysis of the mutants' crude extracts demonstrated that tenellin formed a 3:1 complex with iron in the absence of ferricrocin. The unexpected link between ferricrocin and tenellin biosynthesis in ferricrocin-deficient mutants could be a survival strategy during iron-mediated oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiraporn Jirakkakul
- School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Bangkok 10140, Thailand
| | - Supapon Cheevadhanarak
- School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Bangkok 10140, Thailand
| | - Juntira Punya
- Bioresources Technology Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
| | - Chanikul Chutrakul
- Bioresources Technology Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
| | - Jittisak Senachak
- Bioresources Technology Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
| | - Taridaporn Buajarern
- Bioresources Technology Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
| | - Morakot Tanticharoen
- School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Bangkok 10140, Thailand
| | - Alongkorn Amnuaykanjanasin
- Bioresources Technology Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
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Abstract
Siderophores are chelators synthesized by microbes to sequester iron. This article summarizes the knowledge on the fungal siderophore metabolism with a focus on Aspergillus fumigatus. In recent years, A. fumigatus became a role model for fungal biosynthesis, uptake and degradation of siderophores as well as regulation of siderophore-mediated iron handling and the elucidation of siderophore functions. Siderophore functions comprise uptake, intracellular transport and storage of iron. This proved to be crucial not only for adaptation to iron starvation conditions but also for germination, asexual and sexual propagation, antioxidative defense, mutual interaction, microbial competition as well as virulence in plant and animal hosts. Recent studies also indicate the high potential of siderophores and its biosynthetic pathway to improve diagnosis and therapy of fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubertus Haas
- Division of Molecular Biology/Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innrain 80-82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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38
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Silva-Bailão MG, Bailão EFLC, Lechner BE, Gauthier GM, Lindner H, Bailão AM, Haas H, de Almeida Soares CM. Hydroxamate production as a high affinity iron acquisition mechanism in Paracoccidioides spp. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105805. [PMID: 25157575 PMCID: PMC4144954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is a micronutrient required by almost all living organisms, including fungi. Although this metal is abundant, its bioavailability is low either in aerobic environments or within mammalian hosts. As a consequence, pathogenic microorganisms evolved high affinity iron acquisition mechanisms which include the production and uptake of siderophores. Here we investigated the utilization of these molecules by species of the Paracoccidioides genus, the causative agents of a systemic mycosis. It was demonstrated that iron starvation induces the expression of Paracoccidioides ortholog genes for siderophore biosynthesis and transport. Reversed-phase HPLC analysis revealed that the fungus produces and secretes coprogen B, which generates dimerumic acid as a breakdown product. Ferricrocin and ferrichrome C were detected in Paracoccidioides as the intracellular produced siderophores. Moreover, the fungus is also able to grow in presence of siderophores as the only iron sources, demonstrating that beyond producing, Paracoccidioides is also able to utilize siderophores for growth, including the xenosiderophore ferrioxamine. Exposure to exogenous ferrioxamine and dimerumic acid increased fungus survival during co-cultivation with macrophages indicating that these molecules play a role during host-pathogen interaction. Furthermore, cross-feeding experiments revealed that Paracoccidioides siderophores promotes growth of Aspergillus nidulans strain unable to produce these iron chelators. Together, these data denote that synthesis and utilization of siderophores is a mechanism used by Paracoccidioides to surpass iron limitation. As iron paucity is found within the host, siderophore production may be related to fungus pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirelle Garcia Silva-Bailão
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Elisa Flávia Luiz Cardoso Bailão
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
- Unidade Universitária de Iporá, Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Iporá, Goiás, Brazil
| | | | - Gregory M. Gauthier
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Herbert Lindner
- Division of Clinical Biochemistry/Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexandre Melo Bailão
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Hubertus Haas
- Division of Molecular Biology/Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Célia Maria de Almeida Soares
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
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Mn(II)/Mn(III) and Fe(III) binding capability of two Aspergillus fumigatus siderophores, desferricrocin and N', N″, N‴-triacetylfusarinine C. J Inorg Biochem 2014; 139:30-7. [PMID: 24959697 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2014.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Revised: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Manganese(II) and manganese(III) complexes of the exocyclic desferricrocin (H3DFCR) and endocyclic triacetylfusarinine C (H3TAF) in solution have been studied by using pH-potentiometry, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, relaxometry and cyclic voltammetry. A comparison between the present results and the corresponding ones for the open-chain analogues, desferrioxamine B (DFB) and desferricoprogen (DFC), shows (i) The dissociation processes of H3DFCR occur in the expected pH-range (pH7-10.5), but hydrogen bonding is assumed to be responsible for a quite low proton dissociation constant (pK=4.18) of H3TAF and also an unusually high one (10.59). (ii) Moderate stability complexes with 1:1 Mn(II) to ligand ratio are formed with all four siderophores. (iii) The coordination of the three hydroxamates of a siderophore takes place in stepwise processes, except the case of desferricrocin, with which, large-extent overlapping of the processes occurs. (iv) Out of the four tris-chelated [ML] type complexes, the complex of DFCR is the most compact, as it is indicated by the relaxivity values. (v) Following the stoichiometric oxidation of the Mn(II)-siderophore complexes at pH≥9, tris-chelated Mn(III) complexes are formed. To make a comparison between the stability of the Mn(III) and the corresponding Fe(III) complexes of DFCR and TAF, the determination of the stability of the Fe(III) complexes under our condition has also been performed, by using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Comparable stability of the corresponding complexes was found. (vi) Correlation study of the stability constants resulted in estimation of the constant of the Mn(III) monohydroxo complex, for which there was no data in the literature under our conditions.
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Moore MM. The crucial role of iron uptake in Aspergillus fumigatus virulence. Curr Opin Microbiol 2013; 16:692-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2013.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/16/2013] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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Caza M, Kronstad JW. Shared and distinct mechanisms of iron acquisition by bacterial and fungal pathogens of humans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013; 3:80. [PMID: 24312900 PMCID: PMC3832793 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is the most abundant transition metal in the human body and its bioavailability is stringently controlled. In particular, iron is tightly bound to host proteins such as transferrin to maintain homeostasis, to limit potential damage caused by iron toxicity under physiological conditions and to restrict access by pathogens. Therefore, iron acquisition during infection of a human host is a challenge that must be surmounted by every successful pathogenic microorganism. Iron is essential for bacterial and fungal physiological processes such as DNA replication, transcription, metabolism, and energy generation via respiration. Hence, pathogenic bacteria and fungi have developed sophisticated strategies to gain access to iron from host sources. Indeed, siderophore production and transport, iron acquisition from heme and host iron-containing proteins such as hemoglobin and transferrin, and reduction of ferric to ferrous iron with subsequent transport are all strategies found in bacterial and fungal pathogens of humans. This review focuses on a comparison of these strategies between bacterial and fungal pathogens in the context of virulence and the iron limitation that occurs in the human body as a mechanism of innate nutritional defense.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James W. Kronstad
- The Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC, Canada
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Álvarez F, Fernández-Ruiz M, Aguado JM. [Iron and invasive fungal infection]. Rev Iberoam Micol 2013; 30:217-25. [PMID: 23684655 DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2013.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2012] [Revised: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is an essential factor for both the growth and virulence of most of microorganisms. As a part of the innate (or nutritional) immune system, mammals have developed different mechanisms to store and transport this element in order to limit free iron bioavailability. To survive in this hostile environment, pathogenic fungi have specific uptake systems for host iron sources, one of the most important of which is based on the synthesis of siderophores-soluble, low-molecular-mass, high-affinity iron chelators. The increase in free iron that results from iron-overload conditions is a well-established risk factor for invasive fungal infection (IFI) such as mucormycosis or aspergillosis. Therefore, iron chelation may be an appealing therapeutic option for these infections. Nevertheless, deferoxamine -the first approved iron chelator- paradoxically increases the incidence of IFI, as it serves as a xeno-siderophore to Mucorales. On the contrary, the new oral iron chelators (deferiprone and deferasirox) have shown to exert a deleterious effect on fungal growth both in vitro and in animal models. The present review focuses on the role of iron metabolism in the pathogenesis of IFI and summarises the preclinical data, as well as the limited clinical experience so far, in the use of new iron chelators as treatment for mucormycosis and invasive aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencio Álvarez
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12), Universidad Complutense, Madrid, España
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Wiedner SD, Ansong C, Webb-Robertson BJ, Pederson LM, Fortuin S, Hofstad BA, Shukla AK, Panisko EA, Smith RD, Wright AT. Disparate proteome responses of pathogenic and nonpathogenic aspergilli to human serum measured by activity-based protein profiling (ABPP). Mol Cell Proteomics 2013; 12:1791-805. [PMID: 23599423 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m112.026534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the primary pathogen causing the devastating pulmonary disease Invasive Aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. There is high genomic synteny between A. fumigatus and closely related rarely pathogenic Neosartorya fischeri and Aspergillus clavatus genomes. We applied activity-based protein profiling to compare unique or overexpressed activity-based probe-reactive proteins of all three fungi over time in minimal media growth and in response to human serum. We found 360 probe-reactive proteins exclusive to A. fumigatus, including known virulence associated proteins, and 13 proteins associated with stress response exclusive to A. fumigatus culture in serum. Though the fungi are highly orthologous, A. fumigatus has a significantly greater number of ABP-reactive proteins across varied biological process. Only 50% of expected orthologs of measured A. fumigatus reactive proteins were observed in N. fischeri and A. clavatus. Activity-based protein profiling identified a number of processes that were induced by human serum in A. fumigatus relative to N. fischeri and A. clavatus. These included actin organization and assembly, transport, and fatty acid, cell membrane, and cell wall synthesis. Additionally, signaling proteins regulating vegetative growth, conidiation, and cell wall integrity, required for appropriate cellular response to external stimuli, had higher activity-based probe-protein reaction over time in A. fumigatus and N. fisheri, but not in A. clavatus. Together, we show that measured proteins and physiological processes identified solely or significantly over-represented in A. fumigatus reveal a unique adaptive response to human protein not found in closely related, but rarely pathogenic aspergilli. These unique activity-based probe-protein responses to culture condition may reveal how A. fumigatus initiates pulmonary invasion leading to Invasive Aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan D Wiedner
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA
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44
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Henriet SSV, Jans J, Simonetti E, Kwon-Chung KJ, Rijs AJMM, Hermans PWM, Holland SM, de Jonge MI, Warris A. Chloroquine modulates the fungal immune response in phagocytic cells from patients with chronic granulomatous disease. J Infect Dis 2013; 207:1932-9. [PMID: 23482646 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jit103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis is a major threat to patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). Fungal pathogenesis is the result of a diminished antifungal capacity and dysregulated inflammation. A deficient NADPH-oxidase complex results in defective phagolysosomal alkalization. To investigate the contribution of defective pH regulation in phagocytes among patients with CGD during fungal pathogenesis, we evaluated the effect of the acidotropic, antimalarial drug chloroquine (CQ) on the antifungal capacity of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) and on the inflammatory response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Chloroquine exerted a direct pH-dependent antifungal effect on Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus nidulans; it increased the antifungal activity of PMNs from patients with CGD at a significantly lower concentration, compared with the concentration for PMNs from healthy individuals; and decreased the hyperinflammatory state of PBMCs from patients with CGD, as observed by decreased tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1β release. Chloroquine targets both limbs of fungal pathogenesis and might be of great value in the clearance of invasive aspergillosis in patients with CGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie S V Henriet
- Department of Pediatrics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands.
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45
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Sivgin S, Baldane S, Kaynar L, Kurnaz F, Pala C, Sivgin H, Keklik M, Demiraslan H, Cetin M, Eser B, Unal A. Pretransplant iron overload may be associated with increased risk of invasive fungal pneumonia (IFP) in patients that underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT). Transfus Apher Sci 2013; 48:103-8. [PMID: 22985533 DOI: 10.1016/j.transci.2012.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 08/16/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Invasive fungal pneumonia (IFP) has become increasingly common in patients that previously underwent alloHSCT. The aim of this study was to determine the role of hyperferritinemia, via iron overload in invasive fungal pneumonia in patients that underwent alloHSCT. Medical records of 73 patients with pneumonia that underwent alloHSCT were studied retrospectively, whereby a pre-transplantation serum ferritin level measured up to 100 days prior to transplantation of patients with invasive fungal pneumonia (IFP) and non-fungal pneumonia (non-IFP) was compared. Patient records revealed 35 and 38 cases of IFP and non-IFP, respectively. In risk evaluation for IFP, age, gender, HLA status, conditioning regimen, smoking history, and underlying disease were not significantly different among groups (p>0.05). However, performance status (Karnofsky) was significantly lower in patients with IFP (p<0.05). The median ferritin levels were 1,705 ng/ml (41-7198) in the IFP group and 845 ng/ml (18-7099) in non-IFP group and the difference was found statistically significant (p=0.001). Elevated pretransplant serum ferritin level is associated with IFP in patients that underwent alloHSCT, in particular when values exceed 1550 ng/ml.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serdar Sivgin
- Dedeman Stem Cell Transplantation Hospital, Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
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Chung D, Haas H, Cramer RA. Coordination of hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis in human pathogenic fungi. Front Microbiol 2012; 3:381. [PMID: 23133438 PMCID: PMC3490150 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2012.00381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 10/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, hypoxia causes facilitated erythropoiesis that requires increased iron availability with established links between oxygen and iron in regulation of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor. Therefore, cellular responses to hypoxia and iron starvation are linked in mammals and are host conditions that pathogens encounter during infection. In human pathogenic fungi, molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis have been investigated. However, the interconnected regulation of hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis remains to be fully elucidated. This review discusses the potential transcriptional regulatory links between hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis in human pathogenic fungi. Transcriptome analyses demonstrate that core regulators of hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis are involved in regulation of several common genes responsible for iron acquisition and ergosterol biosynthesis. Importantly, iron starvation increases susceptibility of fungal cells to antifungal drugs and decreased levels of ergosterol, while key hypoxia regulators are also involved in responses to antifungal drugs and mediating ergosterol levels. We suggest that pathogenic fungi have developed a coordinated regulatory system in response to hypoxia and iron starvation through (i) regulation of expression of hypoxia-responsive and iron-responsive genes via cross-linked key regulators, and/or (ii) regulation of factors involved in ergosterol biosynthesis. Thus, both oxygen and iron availability are intimately tied with fungal virulence and responses to existing therapeutics and further elucidation of their interrelationship should have significant clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawoon Chung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Hanover, NH, USA
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Wiedner SD, Burnum KE, Pederson LM, Anderson LN, Fortuin S, Chauvigné-Hines LM, Shukla AK, Ansong C, Panisko EA, Smith RD, Wright AT. Multiplexed activity-based protein profiling of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus reveals large functional changes upon exposure to human serum. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:33447-59. [PMID: 22865858 PMCID: PMC3460446 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.394106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Revised: 07/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental adaptability is critical for survival of the fungal human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus in the immunocompromised host lung. We hypothesized that exposure of the fungal pathogen to human serum would lead to significant alterations to the organism's physiology, including metabolic activity and stress response. Shifts in functional pathway and corresponding enzyme reactivity of A. fumigatus upon exposure to the human host may represent much needed prognostic indicators of fungal infection. To address this, we employed a multiplexed activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) approach coupled to quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics to measure broad enzyme reactivity of the fungus cultured with and without human serum. ABPP showed a shift from aerobic respiration to ethanol fermentation and utilization over time in the presence of human serum, which was not observed in serum-free culture. Our approach provides direct insight into this pathogen's ability to survive, adapt, and proliferate. Additionally, our multiplexed ABPP approach captured a broad swath of enzyme reactivity and functional pathways and provides a method for rapid assessment of the A. fumigatus response to external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ellen A. Panisko
- the Chemical and Biological Processes Development Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352
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Structural requirements for the activity of the MirB ferrisiderophore transporter of Aspergillus fumigatus. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2012; 11:1333-44. [PMID: 22903978 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00159-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Siderophores have been identified as virulence factors in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. The 14-pass transmembrane protein MirB is postulated to function as a siderophore transporter, responsible for uptake of the hydroxamate siderophore N,N',N″-triacetylfusarinine C (TAFC). Our aim was to identify amino acids of A. fumigatus MirB that are crucial for uptake of TAFC. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to create MirB mutants. Expression of wild-type and mutant proteins in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain PHY14, which lacks endogenous siderophore transporters, was confirmed by Western blotting. TAFC transport assays using (55)Fe-labeled TAFC and growth assays with Fe-TAFC as the sole iron source identified alanine 125, tyrosine 577, loop 3, and the second half of loop 7 (Loop7Del2) as crucial for function, since their substitution or deletion abrogated uptake completely. Wild-type MirB transported ferricrocin and coprogen as well as TAFC but not ferrichrysin. MirB was localized by fluorescence microscopy using antisera raised against a MirB extracellular loop peptide. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that in yeast, wild-type MirB had a punctate distribution under the plasma membrane, as did the A125D and Y577A strains, indicating that the defect in transport of these mutants was unlikely to be due to mislocalization or degradation. MirB immunolocalization in A. fumigatus showed that the transporter was found in vesicles which cycled between the cytoplasm and the plasma membrane and was concentrated at the hyphal tips. The location of MirB was not influenced by the presence of the siderophore TAFC but was sensitive to internal iron stores.
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49
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Haas H. Iron - A Key Nexus in the Virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus. Front Microbiol 2012; 3:28. [PMID: 22347220 PMCID: PMC3272694 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2012.00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 01/16/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is an essential but, in excess, toxic nutrient. Therefore, fungi evolved fine-tuned mechanisms for uptake and storage of iron, such as the production of siderophores (low-molecular mass iron-specific chelators). In Aspergillus fumigatus, iron starvation causes extensive transcriptional remodeling involving two central transcription factors, which are interconnected in a negative transcriptional feed-back loop: the GATA-factor SreA and the bZip-factor HapX. During iron sufficiency, SreA represses iron uptake, including reductive iron assimilation and siderophore-mediated iron uptake, to avoid toxic effects. During iron starvation, HapX represses iron-consuming pathways, including heme biosynthesis and respiration, to spare iron and activates synthesis of ribotoxin AspF1 and siderophores, the latter partly by ensuring supply of the precursor, ornithine. In accordance with the expression pattern and mode of action, detrimental effects of inactivation of SreA and HapX are confined to growth during iron sufficiency and iron starvation, respectively. Deficiency in HapX, but not SreA, attenuates virulence of A. fumigatus in a murine model of aspergillosis, which underlines the crucial role of adaptation to iron limitation in virulence. Consistently, production of both extra and intracellular siderophores is crucial for virulence of A. fumigatus. Recently, the sterol regulatory element binding protein SrbA was found to be essential for adaptation to iron starvation, thereby linking regulation of iron metabolism, ergosterol biosynthesis, azole drug resistance, and hypoxia adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubertus Haas
- Division of Molecular Biology/Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
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50
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Toyotome T, Yamaguchi M, Iwasaki A, Watanabe A, Taguchi H, Qin L, Watanabe H, Kamei K. Fetuin A, a serum component, promotes growth and biofilm formation by Aspergillus fumigatus. Int J Med Microbiol 2012; 302:108-16. [PMID: 22293034 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2011.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2011] [Revised: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 12/11/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an all-important pathogenic fungus and is known for its angiotropism. When it invades human organs, A. fumigatus makes direct contact with blood and its components by causing inflammation and invading vascular structures. To learn the effect of its contact with blood on the development of infection, we examined the effect of serum on A. fumigatus growth. In Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, hyphal tip growth was accelerated, forming a thickened and well-networked biofilm associated with extracellular matrix, and fetuin A was identified as the active component in the serum that accelerates fungal growth leading to formation of a community. These results suggest that fetuin A is a novel accelerator of the growth of A. fumigatus and that it participates in the formation of thick biofilm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahito Toyotome
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba 260-8673, Japan.
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