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Venice F, Spina F, Davolos D, Ghignone S, Varese GC. The genomes of Scedosporium between environmental challenges and opportunism. IMA Fungus 2023; 14:25. [PMID: 38049914 PMCID: PMC10694956 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-023-00128-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging fungal pathogens are a global challenge for humankind. Many efforts have been made to understand the mechanisms underlying pathogenicity in bacteria, and OMICs techniques are largely responsible for those advancements. By contrast, our limited understanding of opportunism and antifungal resistance is preventing us from identifying, limiting and interpreting the emergence of fungal pathogens. The genus Scedosporium (Microascaceae) includes fungi with high tolerance to environmental pollution, whilst some species can be considered major human pathogens, such as Scedosporium apiospermum and Scedosporium boydii. However, unlike other fungal pathogens, little is known about the genome evolution of these organisms. We sequenced two novel genomes of Scedosporium aurantiacum and Scedosporium minutisporum isolated from extreme, strongly anthropized environments. We compared all the available Scedosporium and Microascaceae genomes, that we systematically annotated and characterized ex novo in most cases. The genomes in this family were integrated in a Phylum-level comparison to infer the presence of putative, shared genomic traits in filamentous ascomycetes with pathogenic potential. The analysis included the genomes of 100 environmental and clinical fungi, revealing poor evolutionary convergence of putative pathogenicity traits. By contrast, several features in Microascaceae and Scedosporium were detected that might have a dual role in responding to environmental challenges and allowing colonization of the human body, including chitin, melanin and other cell wall related genes, proteases, glutaredoxins and magnesium transporters. We found these gene families to be impacted by expansions, orthologous transposon insertions, and point mutations. With RNA-seq, we demonstrated that most of these anciently impacted genomic features responded to the stress imposed by an antifungal compound (voriconazole) in the two environmental strains S. aurantiacum MUT6114 and S. minutisporum MUT6113. Therefore, the present genomics and transcriptomics investigation stands on the edge between stress resistance and pathogenic potential, to elucidate whether fungi were pre-adapted to infect humans. We highlight the strengths and limitations of genomics applied to opportunistic human pathogens, the multifactoriality of pathogenicity and resistance to drugs, and suggest a scenario where pressures other than anthropic contributed to forge filamentous human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Venice
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125, Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Spina
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125, Turin, Italy
| | - Domenico Davolos
- Department of Technological Innovations and Safety of Plants, Products and Anthropic Settlements (DIT), INAIL, Research Area, Via R. Ferruzzi 38/40, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Ghignone
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), SS Turin-National Research Council (CNR), Viale Mattioli 25, 10125, Turin, Italy
| | - Giovanna Cristina Varese
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125, Turin, Italy.
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2
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Patil RH, Luptáková D, Havlíček V. Infection metallomics for critical care in the post-COVID era. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2023; 42:1221-1243. [PMID: 34854486 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Infection metallomics is a mass spectrometry (MS) platform we established based on the central concept that microbial metallophores are specific, sensitive, noninvasive, and promising biomarkers of invasive infectious diseases. Here we review the in vitro, in vivo, and clinical applications of metallophores from historical and functional perspectives, and identify under-studied and emerging application areas with high diagnostic potential for the post-COVID era. MS with isotope data filtering is fundamental to infection metallomics; it has been used to study the interplay between "frenemies" in hosts and to monitor the dynamic response of the microbiome to antibiotic and antimycotic therapies. During infection in critically ill patients, the hostile environment of the host's body activates secondary bacterial, mycobacterial, and fungal metabolism, leading to the production of metallophores that increase the pathogen's chance of survival in the host. MS can reveal the structures, stability, and threshold concentrations of these metal-containing microbial biomarkers of infection in humans and model organisms, and can discriminate invasive disease from benign colonization based on well-defined thresholds distinguishing proliferation from the colonization steady state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rutuja H Patil
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czechia
| | - Dominika Luptáková
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Vladimír Havlíček
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czechia
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3
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Novel Treatment Approach for Aspergilloses by Targeting Germination. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080758. [PMID: 35893126 PMCID: PMC9331470 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Germination of conidia is an essential process within the Aspergillus life cycle and plays a major role during the infection of hosts. Conidia are able to avoid detection by the majority of leukocytes when dormant. Germination can cause severe health problems, specifically in immunocompromised people. Aspergillosis is most often caused by Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) and affects neutropenic patients, as well as people with cystic fibrosis (CF). These patients are often unable to effectively detect and clear the conidia or hyphae and can develop chronic non-invasive and/or invasive infections or allergic inflammatory responses. Current treatments with (tri)azoles can be very effective to combat a variety of fungal infections. However, resistance against current azoles has emerged and has been increasing since 1998. As a consequence, patients infected with resistant A. fumigatus have a reported mortality rate of 88% to 100%. Especially with the growing number of patients that harbor azole-resistant Aspergilli, novel antifungals could provide an alternative. Aspergilloses differ in defining characteristics, but germination of conidia is one of the few common denominators. By specifically targeting conidial germination with novel antifungals, early intervention might be possible. In this review, we propose several morphotypes to disrupt conidial germination, as well as potential targets. Hopefully, new antifungals against such targets could contribute to disturbing the ability of Aspergilli to germinate and grow, resulting in a decreased fungal burden on patients.
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Michels K, Solomon AL, Scindia Y, Sordo Vieira L, Goddard Y, Whitten S, Vaulont S, Burdick MD, Atkinson C, Laubenbacher R, Mehrad B. Aspergillus Utilizes Extracellular Heme as an Iron Source During Invasive Pneumonia, Driving Infection Severity. J Infect Dis 2022; 225:1811-1821. [PMID: 35267014 PMCID: PMC9113461 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depriving microbes of iron is critical to host defense. Hemeproteins, the largest source of iron within vertebrates, are abundant in infected tissues in aspergillosis due to hemorrhage, but Aspergillus species have been thought to lack heme import mechanisms. We hypothesized that heme provides iron to Aspergillus during invasive pneumonia, thereby worsening the outcomes of the infection. METHODS We assessed the effect of heme on fungal phenotype in various in vitro conditions and in a neutropenic mouse model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. RESULTS In mice with neutropenic invasive aspergillosis, we found a progressive and compartmentalized increase in lung heme iron. Fungal cells cultured under low iron conditions took up heme, resulting in increased fungal iron content, resolution of iron starvation, increased conidiation, and enhanced resistance to oxidative stress. Intrapulmonary administration of heme to mice with neutropenic invasive aspergillosis resulted in markedly increased lung fungal burden, lung injury, and mortality, whereas administration of heme analogs or heme with killed Aspergillus did not. Finally, infection caused by fungal germlings cultured in the presence of heme resulted in a more severe infection. CONCLUSIONS Invasive aspergillosis induces local hemolysis in infected tissues, thereby supplying heme iron to the fungus, leading to lethal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Michels
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Angelica L Solomon
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yogesh Scindia
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Luis Sordo Vieira
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yana Goddard
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Spencer Whitten
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Sophie Vaulont
- Université de Paris, INSERM U1016, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Marie D Burdick
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Carl Atkinson
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Reinhard Laubenbacher
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Borna Mehrad
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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5
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El-Kamand S, Steiner M, Ramirez C, Halliday C, Chen SCA, Papanicolaou A, Morton CO. Assessing Differences between Clinical Isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus from Cases of Proven Invasive Aspergillosis and Colonizing Isolates with Respect to Phenotype (Virulence in Tenebrio molitor Larvae) and Genotype. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11040428. [PMID: 35456102 PMCID: PMC9029132 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11040428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, the cause of invasive aspergillosis (IA), is a serious risk to transplant patients and those with respiratory diseases. Host immune suppression is considered the most important factor for the development of IA. Less is known about the importance of fungal virulence in the development of IA including the significance of variation between isolates. In this study, isolates of A. fumigatus from cases diagnosed as having proven IA or colonisation (no evidence of IA) were compared in assays to measure isolate virulence. These assays included the measurement of radial growth and protease production on agar, sensitivity to UV light and oxidative stressors, and virulence in Tenebrio molitor (mealworm) larvae. These assays did not reveal obvious differences in virulence between the two groups of isolates; this provided the impetus to conduct genomic analysis. Whole genome sequencing and analysis did not allow grouping into coloniser or IA isolates. However, focused analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms revealed variation in three putative genes: AFUA_5G09420 (ccg-8), AFUA_4G00330, and AFUA_4G00350. These are known to be responsive to azole exposure, and ccg-8 deletion leads to azole hypersensitivity in other fungi. A. fumigatus virulence is challenging, but the findings of this study indicate that further research into the response to oxidative stress and azole exposure are required to understand the development of IA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam El-Kamand
- Western Sydney University, School of Science, Campbelltown Campus, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia; (S.E.-K.); (M.S.); (C.R.)
| | - Martina Steiner
- Western Sydney University, School of Science, Campbelltown Campus, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia; (S.E.-K.); (M.S.); (C.R.)
| | - Carl Ramirez
- Western Sydney University, School of Science, Campbelltown Campus, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia; (S.E.-K.); (M.S.); (C.R.)
| | - Catriona Halliday
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, New South Wales Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; (C.H.); (S.C.-A.C.)
| | - Sharon C.-A. Chen
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, New South Wales Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; (C.H.); (S.C.-A.C.)
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Alexie Papanicolaou
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, NSW 2753, Australia
- Correspondence: (A.P.); (C.O.M.); Tel.: +61-2-4570-1385 (A.P.); +61-2-4620-3446 (C.O.M.)
| | - Charles Oliver Morton
- Western Sydney University, School of Science, Campbelltown Campus, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia; (S.E.-K.); (M.S.); (C.R.)
- Correspondence: (A.P.); (C.O.M.); Tel.: +61-2-4570-1385 (A.P.); +61-2-4620-3446 (C.O.M.)
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6
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Harting R, Nagel A, Nesemann K, Höfer AM, Bastakis E, Kusch H, Stanley CE, Stöckli M, Kaever A, Hoff KJ, Stanke M, deMello AJ, Künzler M, Haney CH, Braus-Stromeyer SA, Braus GH. Pseudomonas Strains Induce Transcriptional and Morphological Changes and Reduce Root Colonization of Verticillium spp. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:652468. [PMID: 34108946 PMCID: PMC8180853 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.652468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytopathogenic Verticillia cause Verticillium wilt on numerous economically important crops. Plant infection begins at the roots, where the fungus is confronted with rhizosphere inhabiting bacteria. The effects of different fluorescent pseudomonads, including some known biocontrol agents of other plant pathogens, on fungal growth of the haploid Verticillium dahliae and/or the amphidiploid Verticillium longisporum were compared on pectin-rich medium, in microfluidic interaction channels, allowing visualization of single hyphae, or on Arabidopsis thaliana roots. We found that the potential for formation of bacterial lipopeptide syringomycin resulted in stronger growth reduction effects on saprophytic Aspergillus nidulans compared to Verticillium spp. A more detailed analyses on bacterial-fungal co-cultivation in narrow interaction channels of microfluidic devices revealed that the strongest inhibitory potential was found for Pseudomonas protegens CHA0, with its inhibitory potential depending on the presence of the GacS/GacA system controlling several bacterial metabolites. Hyphal tip polarity was altered when V. longisporum was confronted with pseudomonads in narrow interaction channels, resulting in a curly morphology instead of straight hyphal tip growth. These results support the hypothesis that the fungus attempts to evade the bacterial confrontation. Alterations due to co-cultivation with bacteria could not only be observed in fungal morphology but also in fungal transcriptome. P. protegens CHA0 alters transcriptional profiles of V. longisporum during 2 h liquid media co-cultivation in pectin-rich medium. Genes required for degradation of and growth on the carbon source pectin were down-regulated, whereas transcripts involved in redox processes were up-regulated. Thus, the secondary metabolite mediated effect of Pseudomonas isolates on Verticillium species results in a complex transcriptional response, leading to decreased growth with precautions for self-protection combined with the initiation of a change in fungal growth direction. This interplay of bacterial effects on the pathogen can be beneficial to protect plants from infection, as shown with A. thaliana root experiments. Treatment of the roots with bacteria prior to infection with V. dahliae resulted in a significant reduction of fungal root colonization. Taken together we demonstrate how pseudomonads interfere with the growth of Verticillium spp. and show that these bacteria could serve in plant protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekka Harting
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Nagel
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kai Nesemann
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annalena M Höfer
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Emmanouil Bastakis
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Harald Kusch
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Medical Informatics, University Medical Center, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claire E Stanley
- Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Alexander Kaever
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katharina J Hoff
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Mario Stanke
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andrew J deMello
- Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Künzler
- Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cara H Haney
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Susanna A Braus-Stromeyer
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gerhard H Braus
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Zhao S, Ge W, Watanabe A, Fortwendel JR, Gibbons JG. Genome-Wide Association for Itraconazole Sensitivity in Non-resistant Clinical Isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2021; 1:617338. [PMID: 37743877 PMCID: PMC10512406 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2020.617338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a potentially lethal opportunistic pathogen that infects over ~200,000 people and causes ~100,000 deaths per year globally. Treating A. fumigatus infections is particularly challenging because of the recent emergence of azole-resistance. The majority of studies focusing on the molecular mechanisms underlying azole resistance have examined azole-resistant isolates. However, isolates that are susceptible to azoles also display variation in their sensitivity, presenting a unique opportunity to identify genes contributing to azole sensitivity. Here, we used genome-wide association (GWA) analysis to identify loci involved in azole sensitivity by analyzing the association between 68,853 SNPs and itraconazole (ITCZ) minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in 76 clinical isolates of A. fumigatus from Japan. Population structure analysis suggests the presence of four distinct populations, with ITCZ MICs distributed relatively evenly across populations. We independently conducted GWA when treating ITCZ MIC as a quantitative trait and a binary trait, and identified two SNPs with strong associations in both analyses. These SNPs fell within the coding regions of Afu2g02220 and Afu2g02140. We functionally validated Afu2g02220 by knocking it out using a CRISPR/Cas9 approach, because orthologs of this gene are involved in sterol modification and ITCZ targets the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. Knockout strains displayed no difference in growth compared to the parent strain in minimal media, yet a minor but consistent inhibition of growth in the presence of 0.15 μg/ml ITCZ. Our results suggest that GWA paired with efficient gene deletion is a powerful and unbiased strategy for identifying the genetic basis of complex traits in A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Zhao
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Wenbo Ge
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Jarrod R. Fortwendel
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - John G. Gibbons
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
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8
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Survival Strategies of Pathogenic Candida Species in Human Blood Show Independent and Specific Adaptations. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02435-20. [PMID: 33024045 PMCID: PMC7542370 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02435-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To ensure their survival, pathogens have to adapt immediately to new environments in their hosts, for example, during the transition from the gut to the bloodstream. Here, we investigated the basis of this adaptation in a group of fungal species which are among the most common causes of hospital-acquired infections, the Candida species. On the basis of a human whole-blood infection model, we studied which genes and processes are active over the course of an infection in both the host and four different Candida pathogens. Remarkably, we found that, while the human host response during the early phase of infection is predominantly uniform, the pathogens pursue largely individual strategies and each one regulates genes involved in largely disparate processes in the blood. Our results reveal that C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis all have developed individual strategies for survival in the host. This indicates that their pathogenicity in humans has evolved several times independently and that genes which are central for survival in the host for one species may be irrelevant in another. Only four species, Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis, together account for about 90% of all Candida bloodstream infections and are among the most common causes of invasive fungal infections of humans. However, virulence potential varies among these species, and the phylogenetic tree reveals that their pathogenicity may have emerged several times independently during evolution. We therefore tested these four species in a human whole-blood infection model to determine, via comprehensive dual-species RNA-sequencing analyses, which fungal infection strategies are conserved and which are recent evolutionary developments. The ex vivo infection progressed from initial immune cell interactions to nearly complete killing of all fungal cells. During the course of infection, we characterized important parameters of pathogen-host interactions, such as fungal survival, types of interacting immune cells, and cytokine release. On the transcriptional level, we obtained a predominantly uniform and species-independent human response governed by a strong upregulation of proinflammatory processes, which was downregulated at later time points after most of the fungal cells were killed. In stark contrast, we observed that the different fungal species pursued predominantly individual strategies and showed significantly different global transcriptome patterns. Among other findings, our functional analyses revealed that the fungal species relied on different metabolic pathways and virulence factors to survive the host-imposed stress. These data show that adaptation of Candida species as a response to the host is not a phylogenetic trait, but rather has likely evolved independently as a prerequisite to cause human infections.
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9
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Role of Amino Acid Metabolism in the Virulence of Human Pathogenic Fungi. CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40588-019-00124-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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10
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Hokken MWJ, Zoll J, Coolen JPM, Zwaan BJ, Verweij PE, Melchers WJG. Phenotypic plasticity and the evolution of azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus; an expression profile of clinical isolates upon exposure to itraconazole. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:28. [PMID: 30626317 PMCID: PMC6327609 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5255-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The prevalence of azole resistance in clinical and environmental Aspergillus fumigatus isolates is rising over the past decades, but the molecular basis of the development of antifungal drug resistance is not well understood. This study focuses on the role of phenotypic plasticity in the evolution of azole resistance in A. fumigatus. When A. fumigatus is challenged with a new stressful environment, phenotypic plasticity may allow A. fumigatus to adjust their physiology to still enable growth and reproduction, therefore allowing the establishment of genetic adaptations through natural selection on the available variation in the mutational and recombinational gene pool. To investigate these short-term physiological adaptations, we conducted time series transcriptome analyses on three clinical A. fumigatus isolates, during incubation with itraconazole. Results After analysis of expression patterns, we identified 3955, 3430, 1207, and 1101 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), after 30, 60, 120 and 240 min of incubation with itraconazole, respectively. We explored the general functions in these gene groups and we identified 186 genes that were differentially expressed during the whole time series. Additionally, we investigated expression patterns of potential novel drug-efflux transporters, genes involved in ergosterol and phospholipid biosynthesis, and the known MAPK proteins of A. fumigatus. Conclusions Our data suggests that A. fumigatus adjusts its transcriptome quickly within 60 min of exposure to itraconazole. Further investigation of these short-term adaptive phenotypic plasticity mechanisms might enable us to understand how the direct response of A. fumigatus to itraconazole promotes survival of the fungus in the patient, before any “hard-wired” genetic mutations arise. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-5255-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margriet W J Hokken
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. .,Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Weg door Jonkerbos 100, 6532 SZ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Jan Zoll
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Weg door Jonkerbos 100, 6532 SZ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Jordy P M Coolen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Weg door Jonkerbos 100, 6532 SZ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Bas J Zwaan
- Department of Plant Sciences, Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul E Verweij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Weg door Jonkerbos 100, 6532 SZ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Willem J G Melchers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Weg door Jonkerbos 100, 6532 SZ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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11
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Hovhannisyan H, Gabaldón T. Transcriptome Sequencing Approaches to Elucidate Host-Microbe Interactions in Opportunistic Human Fungal Pathogens. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2019; 422:193-235. [PMID: 30128828 DOI: 10.1007/82_2018_122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Infections caused by opportunistic human fungal pathogens are a source of increasing medical concern, due to their growing incidence, the emergence of novel pathogenic species, and the lack of effective diagnostics tools. Fungal pathogens are phylogenetically diverse, and their virulence mechanisms can differ widely across species. Despite extensive efforts, the molecular bases of virulence in pathogenic fungi and their interactions with the human host remain poorly understood for most species. In this context, next-generation sequencing approaches hold the promise of helping to close this knowledge gap. In particular, high-throughput transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) enables monitoring the transcriptional profile of both host and microbes to elucidate their interactions and discover molecular mechanisms of virulence and host defense. Here, we provide an overview of transcriptome sequencing techniques and approaches, and survey their application in studying the interplay between humans and fungal pathogens. Finally, we discuss novel RNA-Seq approaches in studying host-pathogen interactions and their potential role in advancing the clinical diagnostics of fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hrant Hovhannisyan
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain.
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12
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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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Guruceaga X, Ezpeleta G, Mayayo E, Sueiro-Olivares M, Abad-Diaz-De-Cerio A, Aguirre Urízar JM, Liu HG, Wiemann P, Bok JW, Filler SG, Keller NP, Hernando FL, Ramirez-Garcia A, Rementeria A. A possible role for fumagillin in cellular damage during host infection by Aspergillus fumigatus. Virulence 2018; 9:1548-1561. [PMID: 30251593 PMCID: PMC6177242 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1526528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Virulence mechanisms of the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus are multifactorial and depend on the immune state of the host, but little is known about the fungal mechanism that develops during the process of lung invasion. In this study, microarray technology was combined with a histopathology evaluation of infected lungs so that the invasion strategy followed by the fungus could be described. To achieve this, an intranasal mice infection was performed to extract daily fungal samples from the infected lungs over four days post-infection. The pathological study revealed a heavy fungal progression throughout the lung, reaching the blood vessels on the third day after exposure and causing tissue necrosis. One percent of the fungal genome followed a differential expression pattern during this process. Strikingly, most of the genes of the intertwined fumagillin/pseurotin biosynthetic gene cluster were upregulated as were genes encoding lytic enzymes such as lipases, proteases (DppIV, DppV, Asp f 1 or Asp f 5) and chitinase (chiB1) as well as three genes related with pyomelanin biosynthesis process. Furthermore, we demonstrate that fumagillin is produced in an in vitro pneumocyte cell line infection model and that loss of fumagillin synthesis reduces epithelial cell damage. These results suggest that fumagillin contributes to tissue damage during invasive aspergillosis. Therefore, it is probable that A. fumigatus progresses through the lungs via the production of the mycotoxin fumagillin combined with the secretion of lytic enzymes that allow fungal growth, angioinvasion and the disruption of the lung parenchymal structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Guruceaga
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Guillermo Ezpeleta
- Preventive Medicine and Hospital Hygiene Service, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Emilio Mayayo
- Pathology Unit, Medicine and Health Science Faculty, University of Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Monica Sueiro-Olivares
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Ana Abad-Diaz-De-Cerio
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - José Manuel Aguirre Urízar
- Department of Stomatology II, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Hong G. Liu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Philipp Wiemann
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jin Woo Bok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Scott G. Filler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Fernando L. Hernando
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Andoni Ramirez-Garcia
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Aitor Rementeria
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
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Kale SD, Ayubi T, Chung D, Tubau-Juni N, Leber A, Dang HX, Karyala S, Hontecillas R, Lawrence CB, Cramer RA, Bassaganya-Riera J. Modulation of Immune Signaling and Metabolism Highlights Host and Fungal Transcriptional Responses in Mouse Models of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17096. [PMID: 29213115 PMCID: PMC5719083 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17000-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Incidences of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, an infection caused predominantly by Aspergillus fumigatus, have increased due to the growing number of immunocompromised individuals. While A. fumigatus is reliant upon deficiencies in the host to facilitate invasive disease, the distinct mechanisms that govern the host-pathogen interaction remain enigmatic, particularly in the context of distinct immune modulating therapies. To gain insights into these mechanisms, RNA-Seq technology was utilized to sequence RNA derived from lungs of 2 clinically relevant, but immunologically distinct murine models of IPA on days 2 and 3 post inoculation when infection is established and active disease present. Our findings identify notable differences in host gene expression between the chemotherapeutic and steroid models at the interface of immunity and metabolism. RT-qPCR verified model specific and nonspecific expression of 23 immune-associated genes. Deep sequencing facilitated identification of highly expressed fungal genes. We utilized sequence similarity and gene expression to categorize the A. fumigatus putative in vivo secretome. RT-qPCR suggests model specific gene expression for nine putative fungal secreted proteins. Our analysis identifies contrasting responses by the host and fungus from day 2 to 3 between the two models. These differences may help tailor the identification, development, and deployment of host- and/or fungal-targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv D Kale
- Nutrional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - Tariq Ayubi
- Nutrional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Dawoon Chung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
- National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seochun-gun, 33662, Republic of Korea
| | - Nuria Tubau-Juni
- Nutrional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Andrew Leber
- Nutrional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Ha X Dang
- Nutrional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Saikumar Karyala
- Nutrional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Raquel Hontecillas
- Nutrional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | | | - Robert A Cramer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Josep Bassaganya-Riera
- Nutrional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
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15
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Fluorescent pseudomonads pursue media-dependent strategies to inhibit growth of pathogenic Verticillium fungi. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 102:817-831. [PMID: 29151161 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8618-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Verticillium species represent economically important phytopathogenic fungi with bacteria as natural rhizosphere antagonists. Growth inhibition patterns of Verticillium in different media were compared to saprophytic Aspergillus strains and were significantly more pronounced in various co-cultivations with different Pseudomonas strains. The Brassica napus rhizosphere bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens DSM8569 is able to inhibit growth of rapeseed (Verticillium longisporum) or tomato (Verticillium dahliae) pathogens without the potential for phenazine or 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) mycotoxin biosynthesis. Bacterial inhibition of Verticillium growth remained even after the removal of pseudomonads from co-cultures. Fungal growth response in the presence of the bacterium is independent of the fungal control genes of secondary metabolism LAE1 and CSN5. The phenazine producer P. fluorescens 2-79 (P_phen) inhibits Verticillium growth especially on high glucose solid agar surfaces. Additional phenazine-independent mechanisms in the same strain are able to reduce fungal surface growth in the presence of pectin and amino acids. The DAPG-producing Pseudomonas protegens CHA0 (P_DAPG), which can also produce hydrogen cyanide or pyoluteorin, has an additional inhibitory potential on fungal growth, which is independent of these antifungal compounds, but which requires the bacterial GacA/GacS control system. This translational two-component system is present in many Gram-negative bacteria and coordinates the production of multiple secondary metabolites. Our data suggest that pseudomonads pursue different media-dependent strategies that inhibit fungal growth. Metabolites such as phenazines are able to completely inhibit fungal surface growth in the presence of glucose, whereas GacA/GacS controlled inhibitors provide the same fungal growth effect on pectin/amino acid agar.
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16
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Abstract
The devastating infections that fungal pathogens cause in humans are underappreciated relative to viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases. In recent years, the contributions to virulence of reductive iron uptake, siderophore-mediated uptake and heme acquisition have been identified in the best studied and most life-threatening fungal pathogens: Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus. In particular, exciting new work illustrates the importance of iron acquisition from heme and hemoglobin in the virulence of pathogenic yeasts. However, the challenge of establishing how these fungi gain access to hemoglobin in blood and to other sources of heme remains to be fully addressed. Recent studies are also expanding our knowledge of iron uptake in less-well studied fungal pathogens, including dimorphic fungi where new information reveals an integration of iron acquisition with morphogenesis and cell-surface properties for adhesion to host cells. Overall, the accumulating information provides opportunities to exploit iron acquisition for antifungal therapy, and new work highlights the development of specific inhibitors of siderophore biosynthesis and metal chelators for therapeutic use alone or in conjunction with existing antifungal drugs. It is clear that iron-related therapies will need to be customized for specific diseases because the emerging view is that fungal pathogens use different combinations of strategies for iron acquisition in the varied niches of vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Bairwa
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Won Hee Jung
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, 456-756, Republic of Korea
| | - James W Kronstad
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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17
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Segorbe D, Di Pietro A, Pérez‐Nadales E, Turrà D. Three Fusarium oxysporum mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) have distinct and complementary roles in stress adaptation and cross-kingdom pathogenicity. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2017; 18:912-924. [PMID: 27301316 PMCID: PMC6638227 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades mediate cellular responses to environmental signals. Previous studies in the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum have revealed a crucial role of Fmk1, the MAPK orthologous to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fus3/Kss1, in vegetative hyphal fusion and plant infection. Here, we genetically dissected the individual and combined contributions of the three MAPKs Fmk1, Mpk1 and Hog1 in the regulation of development, stress response and virulence of F. oxysporum on plant and animal hosts. Mutants lacking Fmk1 or Mpk1 were affected in reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis and impaired in hyphal fusion and aggregation. Loss of Mpk1 also led to increased sensitivity to cell wall and heat stress, which was exacerbated by simultaneous inactivation of Fmk1, suggesting that both MAPKs contribute to cellular adaptation to high temperature, a prerequisite for mammalian pathogens. Deletion of Hog1 caused increased sensitivity to hyperosmotic stress and resulted in partial rescue of the restricted colony growth phenotype of the mpk1Δ mutant. Infection assays on tomato plants and the invertebrate animal host Galleria mellonella revealed distinct and additive contributions of the different MAPKs to virulence. Our results indicate that positive and negative cross-talk between the three MAPK pathways regulates stress adaptation, development and virulence in the cross-kingdom pathogen F. oxysporum.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Segorbe
- Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3Universidad de Córdoba14071CórdobaSpain
- Present address:
Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Antonio Di Pietro
- Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3Universidad de Córdoba14071CórdobaSpain
| | - Elena Pérez‐Nadales
- Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3Universidad de Córdoba14071CórdobaSpain
- Present address:
Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC)Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad deCórdobaEspaña
| | - David Turrà
- Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3Universidad de Córdoba14071CórdobaSpain
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Macheleidt J, Mattern DJ, Fischer J, Netzker T, Weber J, Schroeckh V, Valiante V, Brakhage AA. Regulation and Role of Fungal Secondary Metabolites. Annu Rev Genet 2016; 50:371-392. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-120215-035203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 219] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Macheleidt
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; , , , , , ,
| | - Derek J. Mattern
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; , , , , , ,
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
| | - Juliane Fischer
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; , , , , , ,
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
| | - Tina Netzker
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; , , , , , ,
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
| | - Jakob Weber
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; , , , , , ,
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
| | - Volker Schroeckh
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; , , , , , ,
| | - Vito Valiante
- Research Group Biobricks of Microbial Natural Product Syntheses, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany;
| | - Axel A. Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; , , , , , ,
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
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Krappmann S. How to invade a susceptible host: cellular aspects of aspergillosis. Curr Opin Microbiol 2016; 34:136-146. [PMID: 27816786 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Diseases caused by Aspergillus spp. and in particular A. fumigatus are manifold and affect individuals suffering from immune dysfunctions, among them immunocompromised ones. The determinants of whether the encounter of a susceptible host with infectious propagules of this filamentous saprobe results in infection have been characterized to a limited extent. Several cellular characteristics of A. fumigatus that have evolved in its natural environment contribute to its virulence, among them general traits as well as particular ones that affect interaction with the mammalian host. Among the latter, conidial constituents, cell wall components, secreted proteins as well as extrolites shape the tight interaction of A. fumigatus with the host milieu and also contribute to evasion from immune surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Krappmann
- Institute of Microbiology - Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Wasserturmstr. 3/5, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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Mukkada S, Kirby J, Apiwattanakul N, Hayden RT, Caniza MA. Use of Fungal Diagnostics and Therapy in Pediatric Cancer Patients in Resource-Limited Settings. CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2016; 3:120-131. [PMID: 27672551 PMCID: PMC5034939 DOI: 10.1007/s40588-016-0038-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Fungal diseases are an important cause of mortality in immunocompromised hosts, and their incidence in pediatric cancer patients in low- to middle-income countries is underestimated. In this review, we present relevant, up-to-date information about the most common opportunistic and endemic fungal diseases among children with cancer, their geographic distribution, and recommended diagnostics and treatment. Efforts to improve the care of children with cancer and fungal disease must address the urgent need for sustainable and cost-effective solutions that improve training, fungal disease testing capability, and the use of available resources. We hope that the collective information presented here will be used to advise healthcare providers, regional and country health leaders, and policymakers of the current challenges in diagnosing and treating fungal infections in children with cancer in low- to middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Mukkada
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jeannette Kirby
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Nopporn Apiwattanakul
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Randall T. Hayden
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Miguela A. Caniza
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Global Pediatric Medicine, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- International Outreach Program, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
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RNA Sequencing-Based Genome Reannotation of the Dermatophyte Arthroderma benhamiae and Characterization of Its Secretome and Whole Gene Expression Profile during Infection. mSystems 2016; 1:mSystems00036-16. [PMID: 27822542 PMCID: PMC5069957 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00036-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dermatophytoses (ringworm, jock itch, athlete’s foot, and nail infections) are the most common fungal infections, but their virulence mechanisms are poorly understood. Combining transcriptomic data obtained from growth under various culture conditions with data obtained during infection led to a significantly improved genome annotation. About 65% of the protein-encoding genes predicted with our protocol did not match the existing annotation for A. benhamiae. Comparing gene expression during infection on guinea pigs with keratin degradation in vitro, which is supposed to mimic the host environment, revealed the critical importance of using real in vivo conditions for investigating virulence mechanisms. The analysis of genes expressed in vivo, encoding cell surface and secreted proteins, particularly proteases, led to the identification of new allergen and virulence factor candidates. Dermatophytes are the most common agents of superficial mycoses in humans and animals. The aim of the present investigation was to systematically identify the extracellular, possibly secreted, proteins that are putative virulence factors and antigenic molecules of dermatophytes. A complete gene expression profile of Arthroderma benhamiae was obtained during infection of its natural host (guinea pig) using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology. This profile was completed with those of the fungus cultivated in vitro in two media containing either keratin or soy meal protein as the sole source of nitrogen and in Sabouraud medium. More than 60% of transcripts deduced from RNA-seq data differ from those previously deposited for A. benhamiae. Using these RNA-seq data along with an automatic gene annotation procedure, followed by manual curation, we produced a new annotation of the A. benhamiae genome. This annotation comprised 7,405 coding sequences (CDSs), among which only 2,662 were identical to the currently available annotation, 383 were newly identified, and 15 secreted proteins were manually corrected. The expression profile of genes encoding proteins with a signal peptide in infected guinea pigs was found to be very different from that during in vitro growth when using keratin as the substrate. Especially, the sets of the 12 most highly expressed genes encoding proteases with a signal sequence had only the putative vacuolar aspartic protease gene PEP2 in common, during infection and in keratin medium. The most upregulated gene encoding a secreted protease during infection was that encoding subtilisin SUB6, which is a known major allergen in the related dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum. IMPORTANCE Dermatophytoses (ringworm, jock itch, athlete’s foot, and nail infections) are the most common fungal infections, but their virulence mechanisms are poorly understood. Combining transcriptomic data obtained from growth under various culture conditions with data obtained during infection led to a significantly improved genome annotation. About 65% of the protein-encoding genes predicted with our protocol did not match the existing annotation for A. benhamiae. Comparing gene expression during infection on guinea pigs with keratin degradation in vitro, which is supposed to mimic the host environment, revealed the critical importance of using real in vivo conditions for investigating virulence mechanisms. The analysis of genes expressed in vivo, encoding cell surface and secreted proteins, particularly proteases, led to the identification of new allergen and virulence factor candidates.
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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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Enguita FJ, Costa MC, Fusco-Almeida AM, Mendes-Giannini MJ, Leitão AL. Transcriptomic Crosstalk between Fungal Invasive Pathogens and Their Host Cells: Opportunities and Challenges for Next-Generation Sequencing Methods. J Fungi (Basel) 2016; 2:jof2010007. [PMID: 29376924 PMCID: PMC5753088 DOI: 10.3390/jof2010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 12/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal invasive infections are an increasing health problem. The intrinsic complexity of pathogenic fungi and the unmet clinical need for new and more effective treatments requires a detailed knowledge of the infection process. During infection, fungal pathogens are able to trigger a specific transcriptional program in their host cells. The detailed knowledge of this transcriptional program will allow for a better understanding of the infection process and consequently will help in the future design of more efficient therapeutic strategies. Simultaneous transcriptomic studies of pathogen and host by high-throughput sequencing (dual RNA-seq) is an unbiased protocol to understand the intricate regulatory networks underlying the infectious process. This protocol is starting to be applied to the study of the interactions between fungal pathogens and their hosts. To date, our knowledge of the molecular basis of infection for fungal pathogens is still very limited, and the putative role of regulatory players such as non-coding RNAs or epigenetic factors remains elusive. The wider application of high-throughput transcriptomics in the near future will help to understand the fungal mechanisms for colonization and survival, as well as to characterize the molecular responses of the host cell against a fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Enguita
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, Lisboa 1649-028, Portugal.
| | - Marina C Costa
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, Lisboa 1649-028, Portugal.
| | - Ana Marisa Fusco-Almeida
- Núcleo de Proteômica, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rodovia Araraquara-Jaú Km 1, Araraquara 14801-902, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Maria José Mendes-Giannini
- Núcleo de Proteômica, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rodovia Araraquara-Jaú Km 1, Araraquara 14801-902, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Ana Lúcia Leitão
- MEtRICs, Departamento de Ciências e Tecnologia da Biomassa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, Caparica 2829-516, Portugal.
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