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Güney G, Cedden D, Hänniger S, Hegedus DD, Heckel DG, Toprak U. Peritrophins are involved in the defense against Bacillus thuringiensis and nucleopolyhedrovirus formulations in Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 166:104073. [PMID: 38215915 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The peritrophic matrix (or peritrophic membrane, PM) is present in most insects where it acts as a barrier to mechanical insults and pathogens, as well as a facilitator of digestive processes. The PM is formed by the binding of structural PM proteins, referred to as peritrophins, to chitin fibrils and spans the entire midgut in lepidopterans. To investigate the role of peritrophins in a highly polyphagous lepidopteran pest, namely the cotton leafworm (Spodoptera littoralis), we generated Insect Intestinal Mucin (IIM-) and non-mucin Peritrophin (PER-) mutant strains via CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. Both strains exhibited deformed PMs and retarded developmental rates. Bioassays conducted with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpliNPV) formulations showed that both the IIM- and PER- mutant larvae were more susceptible to these bioinsecticides compared to the wild-type (WT) larvae with intact PM. Interestingly, the provision of chitin-binding agent Calcofluor (CF) in the diet lowered the toxicity of Bt formulations in both WT and IIM- larvae and the protective effect of CF was significantly lower in PER- larvae. This suggested that the interaction of CF with PER is responsible for Bt resistance mediated by CF. In contrast, the provision of CF caused increased susceptibility to SpliNPV in both mutants and WT larvae. The study showed the importance of peritrophins in the defense against pathogens in S. littoralis and revealed novel insights into CF-mediated resistance to Cry toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gözde Güney
- Agricultural Entomology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, Jena, Germany; Ankara University, Molecular Entomology Lab., Dept. of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Doga Cedden
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute, GZMB, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Ankara University, Molecular Entomology Lab., Dept. of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sabine Hänniger
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, Jena, Germany
| | - Dwayne D Hegedus
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; University of Saskatchewan, Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - David G Heckel
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, Jena, Germany.
| | - Umut Toprak
- Ankara University, Molecular Entomology Lab., Dept. of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara, Turkey.
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Dong Y, Du J, Deng Y, Cheng M, Shi Z, Zhu H, Sun H, Yu Q, Li M. Reduction of histone proteins dosages increases CFW sensitivity and attenuates virulence of Candida albicans. Microbiol Res 2024; 279:127552. [PMID: 38000336 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Histone proteins are important components of nucleosomes, which play an important role in regulating the accessibility of DNA and the function of genomes. However, the effect of histone proteins dosages on physiological processes is not clear in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. In this study, we found that the deletion of the histone protein H3 coding gene HHT21 and the histone protein H4 coding gene HHF1 resulted in a significant decrease in the expression dosage of the histone proteins H3 and H4, which had a significant impact on the localization of the histone protein H2A and plasmid maintenance. Stress sensitivity experiments showed that the mutants hht21Δ/Δ, hhf1Δ/Δ and hht21Δ/Δhhf1Δ/Δ were more sensitive to cell wall stress induced by Calcofluor White (CFW) than the wild-type strain. Further studies showed that the decrease in the dosage of the histone proteins H3 and H4 led to the change of cell wall components, increased chitin contents, and down-regulated expression of the SAP9, KAR2, and CRH11 genes involved in the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway. Overexpression of SAP9 could rescue the sensitivity of the mutants to CFW. Moreover, the decrease in the histone protein s dosages affected the FAD-catalyzed oxidation of Ero1 protein, resulting in the obstruction of protein folding in the ER, and thus reduced resistance to CFW. It was also found that CFW induced a large amount of ROS accumulation in the mutants, and the addition of ROS scavengers could restore the growth of the mutants under CFW treatment. In addition, the reduction of the histone proteins dosages greatly weakened systemic infection and kidney fungal burden in mice, and hyphal development was significantly impaired in the mutants under macrophage treatment, indicating that the histone proteins dosages is very important for the virulence of C. albicans. This study revealed that histone proteins dosages play a key role in the cell wall stress response and pathogenicity in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Dong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Jiawen Du
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Ying Deng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Mengjuan Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Zhishang Shi
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Hangqi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Hao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Qilin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Mingchun Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
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Wei J, Nie Y, Du H, Xu Y. Serine Improves Lactic Acid Stress Tolerance and Ethanol Production in Zygosaccharomyces bailii in Baijiu Fermentation. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:20295-20303. [PMID: 37929595 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c06246] [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: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Lactic acid is the primary inhibitor of the growth and ethanol production of yeasts in Baijiu fermentation. Certain amino acids have been found to be related to stress tolerance in yeasts. This study explored the effect of lactic acid stress on the ethanol-producing yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii and evaluated the ability of serine to increase the lactic acid tolerance of Z. bailii in vitro. Serine significantly improved Z. bailii viability by 16.5% and ethanol production by 226.6% under lactic acid stress. Under lactic acid stress, serine supplementation led to an increase of 41.9% in cell wall integrity, 31.9% in cell membrane integrity, 296.6% in intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and 18.4% in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Finally, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) indicated that serine supplementation maintained the cell shape and reduced cell leakage. This study revealed a novel lactic acid tolerance mechanism of core functional yeasts during Jiang-flavor Baijiu fermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junlin Wei
- Laboratory of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Yao Nie
- Laboratory of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Hai Du
- Laboratory of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Laboratory of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
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Micocci KC, Moreira AC, Sanchez AD, Pettinatti JL, Rocha MC, Dionizio BS, Correa KCS, Malavazi I, Wouters FC, Bueno OC, Souza DHF. Identification, cloning, and characterization of a novel chitinase from leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens: An enzyme with antifungal and insecticidal activity. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130249. [PMID: 36183893 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Chitinases are enzymes that degrade chitin, a polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of insects, fungi, yeast, and internal structures of other vertebrates. Although chitinases isolated from bacteria, fungi and plants have been reported to have antifungal or insecticide activities, chitinases from insects with these activities have been seldomly reported. In this study, a leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens DNA fragment containing 1623 base pairs was amplified and cloned into a vector to express the protein (AsChtII-C4B1) in Pichia pastoris. AsChtII-C4B1, which contains one catalytic domain and one carbohydrate-binding module (CBM), was secreted to the extracellular medium and purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by nickel column chromatography. AsChtII-C4B1 showed maximum activity at pH 5.0 and 55 °C when tested against colloidal chitin substrate and maintained >60% of its maximal activity in different temperatures during 48 h. AsChtII-C4B1 decreased the survival of Spodoptera frugiperda larvae fed with an artificial diet that contained AsChtII-C4B1. Our results have indicated that AsChtII-C4B1 has a higher effect on larva-pupa than larva-larva molts. AsChtII-C4B1 activity targets more specifically the growth of filamentous fungus than yeast. This work describes, for the first time, the obtaining a recombinant chitinase from ants and the characterization of its insecticidal and antifungal activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli C Micocci
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University "Julio de Mesquita Filho", Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Ariele C Moreira
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Federal University of São Carlos, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Amanda D Sanchez
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Jessica L Pettinatti
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Marina C Rocha
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruna S Dionizio
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Katia C S Correa
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Felipe C Wouters
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Odair C Bueno
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University "Julio de Mesquita Filho", Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Dulce Helena F Souza
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
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Kašparová P, Vaňková E, Paldrychová M, Svobodová A, Hadravová R, Jarošová Kolouchová I, Masák J, Scholtz V. Non-thermal plasma causes Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm release to planktonic form and inhibits production of Las-B elastase, protease and pyocyanin. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:993029. [PMID: 36211963 PMCID: PMC9544392 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.993029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing risk of antibiotic failure in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections is largely related to the production of a wide range of virulence factors. The use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) is a promising alternative to antimicrobial treatment. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of knowledge about the effects of NTP on the virulence factors production. We evaluated the ability of four NTP-affected P. aeruginosa strains to re-form biofilm and produce Las-B elastase, proteases, lipases, haemolysins, gelatinase or pyocyanin. Highly strains-dependent inhibitory activity of NTP against extracellular virulence factors production was observed. Las-B elastase activity was reduced up to 82% after 15-min NTP treatment, protease activity and pyocyanin production by biofilm cells was completely inhibited after 60 min, in contrast to lipases and gelatinase production, which remained unchanged. However, for all strains tested, a notable reduction in biofilm re-development ability was depicted using spinning disc confocal microscopy. In addition, NTP exposure of mature biofilms caused disruption of biofilm cells and their dispersion into the environment, as shown by transmission electron microscopy. This appears to be a key step that could help overcome the high resistance of P. aeruginosa and its eventual elimination, for example in combination with antibiotics still highly effective against planktonic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Kašparová
- Laboratory of Applied Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
- Laboratory of Non-thermal Plasma, Department of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Petra Kašparová,
| | - Eva Vaňková
- Laboratory of Applied Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
- Laboratory of Non-thermal Plasma, Department of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Martina Paldrychová
- Laboratory of Applied Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
- Laboratory of Non-thermal Plasma, Department of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Alžběta Svobodová
- Laboratory of Applied Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Romana Hadravová
- Viral and Microbial Proteins, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Irena Jarošová Kolouchová
- Laboratory of Applied Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jan Masák
- Laboratory of Applied Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Vladimir Scholtz
- Laboratory of Non-thermal Plasma, Department of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czechia
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Yu J, He X, Xu C, Yu M, Song T, Cao H, Pan X, Qi Z, Du Y, Zhang R, Liang D, Liu Y. Autophagy-related protein UvAtg7 contributes to mycelial growth, virulence, asexual reproduction and cell stress response in rice false smut fungus Ustilaginoidea virens. Fungal Genet Biol 2022; 159:103668. [PMID: 35041987 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved mechanism for nutrient and cytoplasmic components recycling in eukaryotic cell, in which E1-like enzyme Atg7 activates ubiquitin-like conjugation in the autophagy pathway. In plant pathogenic fungi Ustilaginoidea virens, UvAtg7, an ortholog of ATG7 in baker's yeast was identified and functionally investigated. UvAtg7 was confirmed to be essential for autophagy, because the disruption of UvATG7 gene in U. virens completely blocked the fusion of autophagosome-like into vacuoles and catalytic degradation of GFP-UvAtg8 under N-starving condition. The fluorescent signal indicated UvAtg7 protein was dispersed in cytoplasma, but spatially coordinated with core autophagy protein UvAtg8 on occasion. Interestingly, disruption of UvATG7 in U. virens caused slightly reduction in mycelial growth, but resulted in a considerable decrease in virulence, conidia production in YT broth and chlamydospore formation on rice false smut balls. Moreover, the UvATG7 deletion mutants exhibited increased sensitivity to cell wall integrity stress caused by congo red and calcofluor white , meanwhile the UvATG7 deletion mutants showed decreased sensitivity to osmotic stress, cell membrane stress and reactiveoxygen stress caused by sorbitol, sodium dodecyl sulfate and H2O2, respectively. All of these defects in UvATG7 deletion mutants could be partially or completely restored by gene complementation. In general, our study indicates that UvAtg7 is essential in autophagy pathway and contributes to mycelial growth, virulence, asexual reproduction and cell stress response in U. virens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Xiang He
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Cunfa Xu
- Central Labotory, Jiangu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Mina Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Tianqiao Song
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Huijuan Cao
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Xiayan Pan
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Zhongqiang Qi
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Yan Du
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Rongsheng Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Dong Liang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
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Pandita M, Shoket H, Rakewal A, Wazir S, Kumar P, Kumar R, Bairwa NK. Genetic interaction between glyoxylate pathway regulator UCC1 and La-motif-encoding SRO9 regulates stress response and growth rate improvement in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2021; 35:e22781. [PMID: 33797855 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.22781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Nonavailability of glucose as a carbon source results in glyoxylate pathway activation, which metabolizes nonfermentable carbon for energy generation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ucc1p of S. cerevisiae inhibits activation of the glyoxylate pathway by targeting Cit2p, a key glyoxylate enzyme for ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation when glucose is available as a carbon source. Sro9p, a La-motif protein involved in RNA biogenesis, interacts physically with the messenger RNA of UCC1; however, its functional relevance is yet to be discovered. This study presents binary epistatic interaction between UCC1 and SRO9, with functional implication on the growth rate, response to genotoxic stress, resistance to apoptosis, and petite mutation. Cells with ucc1Δsro9Δ, as their genetic background, exhibit alteration in morphology, improvement in growth rate, resistance to apoptosis, and petite mutation. Moreover, the study indicates a cross-link between ubiquitin-proteasome system and RNA biogenesis and metabolism, with applications in industrial fermentation and screening for cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Pandita
- Genome Stability Regulation Lab, School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| | - Heena Shoket
- Genome Stability Regulation Lab, School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| | - Aayushi Rakewal
- Genome Stability Regulation Lab, School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| | - Shreya Wazir
- Genome Stability Regulation Lab, School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| | - Prabhat Kumar
- Genome Stability Regulation Lab, School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Cancer Genetics Research Group, School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| | - Narendra K Bairwa
- Genome Stability Regulation Lab, School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, India
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Responses of Sporothrix globosa to the cell wall perturbing agents Congo Red and Calcofluor White. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2021; 114:609-624. [PMID: 33660079 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-021-01545-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
It is well documented that disturbance of cell surface by some agents triggers compensatory responses aimed to maintain the cell wall integrity in fungi and other organisms. Here, the thermodimorphic fungus Sporothrix globosa, a member of the pathogenic clade of the Sporothrix complex, was propagated in yeast-peptone-dextrose medium under conditions to obtain the mycelium (pH 4.5, 27-28 °C) or the yeast (pH 7.8, 32-34 °C) morphotypes in the absence and presence of the wall-interacting dyes Congo Red (CR) and Calcofluor White (CFW) either alone or in combination. After different periods of time, growth, cell morphology and activity of glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase (GlcN-6-P synthase), an ubiquitous enzyme that plays a crucial role in cell wall biogenesis, were determined. CR and to a lower extent CFW affected growth and morphology of both fungal morphotypes and significantly increased enzyme activity. Notoriously, CR or CR in combination with CFW induced the transient conversion of yeasts into conidia-forming filamentous cells even under culture conditions adjusted for yeast development, most likely as a strategy to evade the noxious effect of the dye. After sometime, hypha returned to yeast cells. An hypothetical model to explain the effect of CR on morphology and enzyme activity based on the possible role of membrane-spanning proteins known as mechanosensors is proposed. Results are discussed in terms of the fungal responses to cell wall damage.
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Yu Y, Wolf AK, Thusek S, Heinekamp T, Bromley M, Krappmann S, Terpitz U, Voigt K, Brakhage AA, Beilhack A. Direct Visualization of Fungal Burden in Filamentous Fungus-Infected Silkworms. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7020136. [PMID: 33668495 PMCID: PMC7918154 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are difficult to diagnose and to treat and, despite several available antifungal drugs, cause high mortality rates. In the past decades, the incidence of IFIs has continuously increased. More recently, SARS-CoV-2-associated lethal IFIs have been reported worldwide in critically ill patients. Combating IFIs requires a more profound understanding of fungal pathogenicity to facilitate the development of novel antifungal strategies. Animal models are indispensable for studying fungal infections and to develop new antifungals. However, using mammalian animal models faces various hurdles including ethical issues and high costs, which makes large-scale infection experiments extremely challenging. To overcome these limitations, we optimized an invertebrate model and introduced a simple calcofluor white (CW) staining protocol to macroscopically and microscopically monitor disease progression in silkworms (Bombyx mori) infected with the human pathogenic filamentous fungi Aspergillus fumigatus and Lichtheimia corymbifera. This advanced silkworm A. fumigatus infection model could validate knockout mutants with either attenuated, strongly attenuated or unchanged virulence. Finally, CW staining allowed us to efficiently visualize antifungal treatment outcomes in infected silkworms. Conclusively, we here present a powerful animal model combined with a straightforward staining protocol to expedite large-scale in vivo research of fungal pathogenicity and to investigate novel antifungal candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidong Yu
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (A.-K.W.); (S.T.)
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Correspondence: (Y.Y.); (A.B.)
| | - Ann-Katrin Wolf
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (A.-K.W.); (S.T.)
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sina Thusek
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (A.-K.W.); (S.T.)
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Heinekamp
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute, 07745 Jena, Germany; (T.H.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Michael Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK;
| | - Sven Krappmann
- Institute for Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Erlangen University Hospital, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
- Erlangen Center of Infection Research, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Terpitz
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute, 07745 Jena, Germany;
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A. Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute, 07745 Jena, Germany; (T.H.); (A.A.B.)
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Andreas Beilhack
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg University Hospital, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (A.-K.W.); (S.T.)
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Correspondence: (Y.Y.); (A.B.)
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10
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Antibiofilm agent pterostilbene is able to enhance antibiotics action against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Microb Pathog 2020; 152:104632. [PMID: 33242645 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Pterostilbene (PTE) is a naturally occurring compound originally isolated from Pterocarpus spp. It has been widely used in traditional Indian medicine and later discovered to have various beneficial pharmacological effects such as antioxidant properties, hypoglycaemic or antitumor, and antimicrobial activity. This work is focused on demonstrating PTE synergistic effect with erythromycin and tetracycline to reduce their needed effective concentration for suppression of Staphylococcus epidermidis planktonic cells growth and biofilm formation. The secondary aim is to find these combinations effect on the production of its virulence factors. PTE was found to be effective in inhibition of its planktonic cells with MIC80 values 25-37.5 mg l-1. Simultaneously, it decreased the metabolic activity of biofilm cells and was especially effective on a clinical isolate (MBIC80 = 35 mg l-1) in contrast to the conventional antibiotics. In combination, PTE helped the antibiotics to overcome the tolerance of S. epidermidis biofilm cells (5 mg l-1 of each antibiotic with 49 mg l-1 PTE caused more than 85% inhibition of metabolic activity). It permeabilized cytoplasmic membrane of S. epidermidis cells and altered their surface hydrophobicity. Therefore, PTE has a great potential to enhance antibiotics action in the treatment of infections caused by this pathogen.
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Mercer DK, Robertson JC, Miller L, Stewart CS, O'Neil DA. NP213 (Novexatin®): A unique therapy candidate for onychomycosis with a differentiated safety and efficacy profile. Med Mycol 2020; 58:1064-1072. [PMID: 32232410 PMCID: PMC7657096 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
NP213 (Novexatin®) is a novel antifungal peptide specifically designed for the topical treatment of onychomycosis. NP213 was designed using host defense peptides (HDP), essential components of the innate immune response to infection, as a template. NP213 is a water-soluble cyclic fungicidal peptide that effectively penetrates human nail. NP213 demonstrated a promising preclinical and clinical safety profile, with no evidence of systemic exposure following topical application to the skin and nails. NP213 was efficacious in two phase IIa human trials with 43.3% of patients having no fungi detectable by culture of fragments from NP213-treated nails after 180 days in the first study and likewise 56.5% of patients were culture negative for dermatophytes after 360 days in the second phase IIa study. In both trials, NP213 was applied daily for only 28 days in marked contrast to other topical onychomycosis treatments that require application for up to 52 weeks. Patient reported outcomes from the phase IIa studies were positive with participants recording an improved appearance of their nails after only 14 days of application. All fungi identified in these studies were Trichophyton spp. NP213 (Novexatin®) is a promising, highly differentiated peptide-based candidate for the topical treatment of onychomycosis, addressing the infectious cause and cosmetic issues of this very common condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derry K Mercer
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lorna Miller
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
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Pan T, Liu X, Liu C, Li J, Ma W, Qin Y, Chen Y, Lin S, Ye F. Evaluation of the photodynamic efficacy and effects of haematoporphyrin monomethyl ether on Trichophyton rubrum microconidia in vitro. Mycoses 2020; 63:1215-1225. [PMID: 32783251 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current available treatment modes against dermatophytoses are often tedious and sometimes unsatisfactory. As an emerging and promising approach, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) attracts much attention in the treatment of superficial or localised infections. OBJECTIVES This work investigated the photodynamic efficacy and effects of haematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME) on microconidia of Trichophyton rubrum in vitro. METHODS The photodynamic killing efficacy of HMME on microconidia of two T rubrum strains was assessed by MTT assay. The effects of HMME-mediated aPDT on the growth of T rubrum and cellular structure of microconidia were also investigated. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and flow cytometry were employed to study the intracellular localisation of HMME and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). RESULTS HMME showed no obvious toxicity in the dark, but after light irradiation it inactivated the T rubrum microconidia in a light energy dose-dependent manner, and inhibited the growth of T rubrum. CLSM demonstrated that HMME initially bound to the cell envelop and entered into the cell after light irradiation. HMME-mediated aPDT also damaged the cell cytoplasm and increased the accumulation of intracellular ROS, resulting in cell death. CONCLUSIONS The results suggested that HMME-mediated aPDT had potential to be used in the treatment of superficial infections caused by T rubrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Pan
- Department of Infection, The First Affiliated Hospital of College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Department of Infection, The First Affiliated Hospital of College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Chengcheng Liu
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology & Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Jiao Li
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology & Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Wenpeng Ma
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology & Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Yannan Qin
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Yunru Chen
- Department of Infection, The First Affiliated Hospital of College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Shumei Lin
- Department of Infection, The First Affiliated Hospital of College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Feng Ye
- Department of Infection, The First Affiliated Hospital of College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
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Vaňková E, Paldrychová M, Kašparová P, Lokočová K, Kodeš Z, Maťátková O, Kolouchová I, Masák J. Natural antioxidant pterostilbene as an effective antibiofilm agent, particularly for gram-positive cocci. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 36:101. [DOI: 10.1007/s11274-020-02876-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Mady OY, Al-Madboly LA, Donia AA. Preparation, and Assessment of Antidermatophyte Activity of Miconazole-Urea Water-Soluble Film. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:385. [PMID: 32308646 PMCID: PMC7145891 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous mycoses, particularly tinea pedis caused by Trichophyton rubrum, are commonly known infections in humans. They are still considered as a major public health problem worldwide affecting the quality of life due to prolonged period of treatment and development of drug resistance, which leads to recurrence of infections. The objective of our study was to assess the effectiveness of miconazole in the presence and absence of urea, as a penetration enhancer, against T. rubrum and to formulate both of them in a water-soluble film to be applied topically for the purpose of treating tinea pedis caused by this fungus. Drug combination revealed synergism where miconazole minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) (0.5 and 1 mg/L) were considerably declined to 0.001 and 0.004 mg/L, respectively, when combined with 20% urea. This enhanced drug interaction activity against the test strain was explained by the alterations raised on the morphology and ultrastructures observed microscopically. Minimal fungicidal dose of miconazole/urea combination displayed plasmolysis and shrink cytoplasm; however, necrotic cells with punctured walls and degraded cytoplasmic content were observed at high fungicidal dose. Water-soluble films, prepared using increasing values of miconazole MFC and urea, were transparent, smooth, uniform, and flexible. Their physicochemical characters showed homogeneity in weight, thickness, drug content, and folding endurances with normal surface pH values, indicating the reproducibility of the preparation method. The novel simulation model for the film mechanism of action supported the idea and the suggested application method of the new dosage form. Evaluation of these films was carried in vitro using disk diffusion assay as well as in vivo using guinea pig dermatophytosis model. The in vitro assessment revealed an increase in the inhibition zone diameters in a concentration-dependent manner upon using 10 or 20% of urea combined with miconazole. In vivo test showed that combination of 0.004 mg/L miconazole with 20% urea (M + U20) showed the highest efficacy percentage (95.83%), which was statistically superior to the infected untreated control (p < 0.001) in fungal burden reduction as well as improvement in clinical scores (p < 0.001). This work supports the hypothesis and suggests a new promising dosage form for the treatment of T. rubrum infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Y Mady
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Lamiaa A Al-Madboly
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Donia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Menoufia University, Shebeen El-Kom, Egypt
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Sharma Y, Rastogi SK, Ahmedi S, Manzoor N. Antifungal activity of β -citronellol against two non-albicans Candida species. JOURNAL OF ESSENTIAL OIL RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/10412905.2020.1737588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yamini Sharma
- Medical Mycology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Sumit Kumar Rastogi
- Medical Mycology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Saiema Ahmedi
- Medical Mycology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Nikhat Manzoor
- Medical Mycology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
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Identification of New Antifungal Agents Targeting Chitin Synthesis by a Chemical-Genetic Method. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24173155. [PMID: 31470665 PMCID: PMC6749524 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24173155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infection is a leading cause of mortality in immunocompromised population; thus, it is urgent to develop new and safe antifungal agents. Different from human cells, fungi have a cell wall, which is composed mainly of polysaccharide glucan and chitin. The unique cell wall structure is an ideal target for antifungal drugs. In this research, a chemical-genetic method was used to isolate antifungal agents that target chitin synthesis in yeast cells. From a compound library, we isolated two benzothiazole compounds that showed greater toxicity to yeast mutants lacking glucan synthase Fks1 compared to wild-type yeast cells and mutants lacking chitin synthase Chs3. Both of them inhibited the activity of chitin synthase in vitro and reduced chitin level in yeast cells. Besides, these compounds showed clear synergistic antifungal effect with a glucan synthase inhibitors caspofungin. Furthermore, these compounds inhibited the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans. Surprisingly, the genome-wide mass-spectrometry analysis showed decreased protein level of chitin synthases in cells treated with one of these drugs, and this decrease was not a result of downregulation of gene transcription. Therefore, we successfully identified two new antifungal agents that inhibit chitin synthesis using a chemical-genetic method.
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Del Rio M, de la Canal L, Pinedo M, Mora-Montes HM, Regente M. Effects of the binding of a Helianthus annuus lectin to Candida albicans cell wall on biofilm development and adhesion to host cells. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2019; 58:152875. [PMID: 30884454 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2019.152875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In our previous study, we isolated and characterized a lectin called Helja from Helianthus annuus (sunflower) and then, in a further study, demonstrated its antifungal activity against Candida spp. Since Candida infections are a major health concern due to the increasing emergence of antifungal resistant strains, the search for new antifungal agents offers a promising opportunity for improving the treatment strategies against candidiasis. PURPOSE The aim of this work was to get insights about the mechanism of action of Helja, an antifungal lectin of H. annuus, and to explore its ability to inhibit Candida albicans biofilm development and adherence to buccal epithelial cells (BEC). STUDY DESIGN/METHODS Yeast viability was evaluated by Evans Blue uptake and counting of colony forming units (CFU). The yeast cell integrity was assessed using Calcofluor White (CFW) as a cell wall perturbing agent and sorbitol as osmotic protectant. The induction of oxidative stress was evaluated using 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) for detection of hydrogen peroxide. The adherence was determined by counting the yeast cells attached to BEC after methylene blue staining. The biofilms were developed on polystyrene microplates, visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy and the viable biomass was quantified by CFU counting. The binding lectin-Candida was assessed using Helja conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate (Helja-FITC) and simultaneous staining with CFW. The cellular surface hydrophobicity (CSH) was determined using a microbial adhesion to hydrocarbons method. RESULTS C. albicans cells treated with 0.1 µg/µl of Helja showed a drastic decrease in yeast survival. The lectin affected the fungal cell integrity, induced the production of hydrogen peroxide and inhibited the morphological transition from yeast to filamentous forms. Helja caused a significant reduction of adherent cells and a decrease in biofilm biomass and coverage area. The treatment with the protein also reduced the surface hydrophobicity of fungal cells. We show the binding of Helja-FITC to yeast cells distributed as a thin outer layer to the CFW signal, and this interaction was displaced by mannose and Concanavalin A. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate the interaction of Helja with the mannoproteins of C. albicans cell wall, the disruption of the cell integrity, the induction of oxidative stress, the inhibition of the morphological transition from yeast to filamentous forms and the fungal cell viability loss. The binding Helja-Candida also provides a possible explanation of the lectin effect on cell adherence, biofilm development and CSH, relevant features related to virulence of the pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianela Del Rio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina.
| | - Laura de la Canal
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina.
| | - Marcela Pinedo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina.
| | - Héctor M Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, Guanajuato, Gto. C.P. 36050, Mexico.
| | - Mariana Regente
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina.
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Leetachewa S, Khomkhum N, Sakdee S, Wang P, Moonsom S. Enhancement of insect susceptibility and larvicidal efficacy of Cry4Ba toxin by calcofluor. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:515. [PMID: 30236155 PMCID: PMC6148999 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3110-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mosquitoes transmit many vector-borne infectious diseases including malaria, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, filariasis, and Japanese encephalitis. The insecticidal δ-endotoxins Cry4, Cry11, and Cyt produced from Bacillus thuringiensis have been used for bio-control of mosquito larvae. Cry δ-endotoxins are synthesised as inactive protoxins in the form of crystalline inclusions in which they are processed to active toxins in larval midgut lumen. Previously, we demonstrated that the activated Cry4Ba toxin has to alter the permeability of the peritrophic membrane (PM), allowing toxin passage across PM to reach specific receptors on microvilli of larval midgut epithelial cells, where the toxin undergoes conformational changes, followed by membrane insertion and pore formation, resulting in larval death. A peritrophic membrane (PM)-binding calcofluor has been proposed to inhibit chitin formation and enhance baculovirus infection of lepidopteran Trichoplusia ni. Methods In this study, Aedes aegypti larvae were fed with the calcofluor and Cry4Ba toxin to investigate the effect of this agent on the toxicity of the Cry4Ba toxin. Results Calcofluor displayed an enhancing effect when co-fed with the Cry4Ba wild-type toxin. The agent could restore the killing activity of the partially active Cry4Ba mutant E417A/Y455A toward Ae. aegypti larvae. PM destruction was observed after larval challenge with calcofluor together with the toxin. Interestingly, calcofluor increased Cry4Ba toxin susceptibility toward semi-susceptible Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. However, calcofluor alone or in combination with the toxin showed no mortality effect on non-susceptible fresh-water fleas, Moina macrocopa. Conclusions Our results suggest that PM may contribute to the resistance of the mosquito larvae to Cry4Ba toxin. The PM-permeability alternating calcofluor might be a promising candidate for enhancing insect susceptibility, which will consequently improve Cry4Ba efficacy in field settings in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somphob Leetachewa
- Bacterial Protein Toxin Research Cluster, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakorn-Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Narumol Khomkhum
- Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchadewee, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Somsri Sakdee
- Bacterial Protein Toxin Research Cluster, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakorn-Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Entomology, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA
| | - Saengduen Moonsom
- Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchadewee, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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Chirkin E, Muthusamy V, Mann P, Roemer T, Nantermet PG, Spiegel DA. Neutralization of Pathogenic Fungi with Small-Molecule Immunotherapeutics. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201707536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Egor Chirkin
- Department of Chemistry; Yale University; 225 Prospect Street New Haven CT 06511 USA
| | - Viswanathan Muthusamy
- Department of Chemistry; Yale University; 225 Prospect Street New Haven CT 06511 USA
| | - Paul Mann
- Merck & Co., Inc.; 2000 Galloping Hill Road Kenilworth NJ 07033 USA
| | - Terry Roemer
- Prokaryotics, Inc.; 1000 Morris Ave, STEM Bldg., Suite 5-13 Union NJ 07083 USA
| | | | - David A. Spiegel
- Department of Chemistry; Yale University; 225 Prospect Street New Haven CT 06511 USA
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20
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Chirkin E, Muthusamy V, Mann P, Roemer T, Nantermet PG, Spiegel DA. Neutralization of Pathogenic Fungi with Small-Molecule Immunotherapeutics. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017; 56:13036-13040. [PMID: 28793176 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201707536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Systemic fungal infections represent an important public health concern, and new antifungal agents are highly desirable. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a novel class of antifungal compounds called antibody-recruiting molecules targeting fungi (ARM-Fs). Our approach relies on the use of non-peptidic small molecules, which selectively bind fungal cells and recruit endogenous antibodies to their surfaces, resulting in immune-mediated clearance. Using the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans as a model, we identified a highly specific bifunctional molecule able to mediate the engulfment and phagocytosis of C. albicans cells by human immune cells in biologically relevant functional assays. This work represents a novel therapeutic approach to treating fungal illness with significant potential to complement and/or combine with existing treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egor Chirkin
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Viswanathan Muthusamy
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Paul Mann
- Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA
| | - Terry Roemer
- Prokaryotics, Inc., 1000 Morris Ave, STEM Bldg., Suite 5-13, Union, NJ, 07083, USA
| | | | - David A Spiegel
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
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Kundu S, Abdullah MF, Das A, Basu A, Halder A, Das M, Samanta A, Mukherjee A. Antifungal ouzo nanoparticles from guar gum propionate. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra19658f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthesis of high DS guar gum propionate esters and the formation of self-assembly nanoparticles for fungus contact killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Kundu
- Division of Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemical Technology
- Department of Chemical Technology
- University of Calcutta
- Kolkata
- India
| | - Md. Farooque Abdullah
- Division of Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemical Technology
- Department of Chemical Technology
- University of Calcutta
- Kolkata
- India
| | - Aatrayee Das
- Division of Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemical Technology
- Department of Chemical Technology
- University of Calcutta
- Kolkata
- India
| | - Aalok Basu
- Division of Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemical Technology
- Department of Chemical Technology
- University of Calcutta
- Kolkata
- India
| | - Asim Halder
- Division of Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemical Technology
- Department of Chemical Technology
- University of Calcutta
- Kolkata
- India
| | - Mousumi Das
- Division of Microbiology
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology
- Jadavpur University
- Kolkata
- India
| | - Amalesh Samanta
- Division of Microbiology
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology
- Jadavpur University
- Kolkata
- India
| | - Arup Mukherjee
- Division of Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemical Technology
- Department of Chemical Technology
- University of Calcutta
- Kolkata
- India
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Maiti P, Ghorai P, Ghosh S, Kamthan M, Tyagi RK, Datta A. Mapping of functional domains and characterization of the transcription factor Cph1 that mediate morphogenesis in Candida albicans. Fungal Genet Biol 2015; 83:45-57. [PMID: 26291891 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Revised: 08/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cph1, a transcription factor of the Mitogen Activated Protein (MAP) kinase pathway, regulates morphogenesis in human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Here, by following a systemic deletion approach, we have identified functional domains and motifs of Cph1 that are involved in transcription factor activity and cellular morphogenesis. We found that the N-terminal homeodomain is essential for the DNA binding activity; however, C-terminal domain and polyglutamine motif (PQ) are indispensable for the transcriptional activation function. Complementation analysis of the cph1Δ null mutant using various deletion derivatives revealed functional significance of the N- and C-terminal domains and PQ motif in filamentation process, chlamydospore formation and sensitivity to the cell wall interfering compounds. Genome-wide identification of the Cph1 binding site and quantitative RT-PCR transcript analysis in cph1Δ null mutant revealed that a number of genes which are associated with the filamentous growth, maintaining cell wall organization and mitochondrial function, and the genes of the pH response pathway are the transcriptional targets of Cph1. The data also suggest that Cph1 may function as a positive or negative regulator depending on the morphological state and physiological conditions. Moreover, differential expression of the upstream MAP kinase pathway genes in wild type and cph1Δ null mutant indicated the existence of a feedback regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Protiti Maiti
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Priyanka Ghorai
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Sumit Ghosh
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Mohan Kamthan
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar Tyagi
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India.
| | - Asis Datta
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi 110067, India.
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Pawar K, Yadav A, Prasher P, Mishra S, Singh B, Singh P, Komath SS. Identification of an indole–triazole–amino acid conjugate as a highly effective antifungal agent. MEDCHEMCOMM 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5md00156k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Compounds constructed by the grafting of amino acid and triazole with an indole moiety were synthesized and investigated for antifungal activities wherein one of the compounds gave highly promising results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalpana Pawar
- School of Life Sciences
- Jawaharlal Nehru University
- New Delhi 110 067
- India
- Uttarakhand Technical University
| | - Anshuman Yadav
- School of Life Sciences
- Jawaharlal Nehru University
- New Delhi 110 067
- India
| | - Parteek Prasher
- Department of Chemistry
- Guru Nanak Dev University
- Amritsar 143005
- India
| | - Sahil Mishra
- Department of Chemistry
- Guru Nanak Dev University
- Amritsar 143005
- India
| | | | - Palwinder Singh
- Department of Chemistry
- Guru Nanak Dev University
- Amritsar 143005
- India
| | - Sneha Sudha Komath
- School of Life Sciences
- Jawaharlal Nehru University
- New Delhi 110 067
- India
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Inhibition of Candida albicans virulence factors by novel levofloxacin derivatives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2014; 98:6775-85. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-014-5719-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2013] [Revised: 03/06/2014] [Accepted: 03/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Waryasz GR, Bariteau JT. Trichophyton rubrum osteomyelitis after calcaneus external fixation pin stabilization of a pilon fracture. J Foot Ankle Surg 2014; 53:480-4. [PMID: 24713493 DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2014.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Fungal organisms are an uncommon cause of osteomyelitis, and no dermatophyte osteomyelitis infections have been reported in published studies. We present the case of Trichophyton rubrum osteomyelitis of the calcaneus. Our patient initially presented with a pilon fracture requiring temporary external fixation while awaiting definitive fixation. From our review of the published data, the present case is the first of this type of fungal osteomyelitis to be reported. The patient was evaluated for a left neck mass during his hospitalization that was later found to be consistent with salivary duct carcinoma of the tail of the parotid gland. A left neck dissection and superficial excision of the parotid gland was performed after fixation of his pilon fracture. Subsequently, he developed an increasing lucency in the calcaneus and symptoms of pain and erythema months after the calcaneus pin had been removed. The osteomyelitis was treated with surgical debridement and 3 months of itraconazole once cultures had definitively grown T. rubrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory R Waryasz
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI.
| | - Jason T Bariteau
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI
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Zhuo W, Fang Y, Kong L, Li X, Sima Y, Xu S. Chitin synthase A: a novel epidermal development regulation gene in the larvae of Bombyx mori. Mol Biol Rep 2014; 41:4177-86. [PMID: 24577751 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-014-3288-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Chitin synthase is the key regulatory enzyme for chitin synthesis and excretion in insects, as well as a specific target of insecticides. The chitin synthase A gene (BmChsA) cloned from Bombyx mori, the model species of lepidopteran, is an epidermis-specific expressed gene during the molting stage. Knockdown BmChsA gene in 3rd instar larvae increased the number of non-molting and abnormal molting larvae. Exposure to nikkomycin Z, a chitin synthase inhibitor downregulated the expression of BmChsA and decreased the amount of epidermis chitin during the molting process. The thickness of the new epidermis and its dense structure varied greatly. The exogenous hormones significantly upregulated the expression of BmChsA with low levels of endogenous MH and high levels of endogenous JH immediately after molting. With low levels of endogenous hormones during the mulberry intake process, BmChsA was rarely upregulated by exogenous hormones. With high levels of endogenous MH and low levels of endogenous JH during the molting stage, we did not detect the upregulation of BmChsA by exogenous hormones. The expression of BmChsA was regulated by endocrine hormones, which directly affected the chitin synthesis-dependent epidermal regeneration and molting process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Zhuo
- Department of Applied Biology, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
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Estrela JM, Ortega A, Mena S, Rodriguez ML, Asensi M. Pterostilbene: Biomedical applications. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2013; 50:65-78. [DOI: 10.3109/10408363.2013.805182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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