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Ichikawa T, Ikeda Y, Sadanaga J, Kikuchi A, Kawamura K, Ikeda R, Ishibashi Y. Identification of heparin-binding proteins expressed on Trichosporon asahii cell surface. Yeast 2024; 41:299-306. [PMID: 38297467 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Trichosporon asahii is a pathogenic yeast that cause trichosporonosis. T. asahii exhibits several colony morphologies, such as white (W)- or off-white (O)-type, which may affect virulence. In this study, we compared the expression pattern of heparin-binding proteins in various colony morphologies and identified heparin-binding protein in T. asahii. Surface plasmon resonance analysis revealed that cell surface molecules attached more strongly to heparin in W- than O-type cells. We purified and identified a heparin-binding protein strongly expressed in W-type cells using heparin-Sepharose beads, named it heparin-binding protein 1 (HepBP1), and expressed Flag-tagged HepBP1 in mammalian cells. The heparin-binding ability of Flag-tagged HepBP1 was confirmed by pulldown assay using heparin-Sepharose beads. Thus, HepBP1 is a heparin-binding protein on T. asahii cell surface. These results suggest that several T. asahii cell surface proteins interact with glycosaminoglycans; therefore, they could contribute to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoe Ichikawa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shonan University of Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yuka Ikeda
- Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Kiyose, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Reiko Ikeda
- Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Kiyose, Japan
| | - Yoshio Ishibashi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shonan University of Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
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2
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McBride JA, Sterkel AK, Matkovic E, Broman AT, Gibbons-Burgener SN, Gauthier GM. Clinical Manifestations and Outcomes in Immunocompetent and Immunocompromised Patients With Blastomycosis. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 72:1594-1602. [PMID: 32179889 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blastomyces is a dimorphic fungus that infects persons with or without underlying immunocompromise. To date, no study has compared the clinical features and outcomes of blastomycosis between immunocompromised and immunocompetent persons. METHODS A retrospective study of adult patients with proven blastomycosis from 2004-2016 was conducted at the University of Wisconsin. Epidemiology, clinical features, and outcomes were analyzed among solid-organ transplantation (SOT) recipients, persons with non-SOT immunocompromise (non-SOT IC), and persons with no immunocompromise (NIC). RESULTS A total of 106 cases met the inclusion criteria including 74 NIC, 19 SOT, and 13 non-SOT IC (malignancy, HIV/AIDS, idiopathic CD4+ lymphopenia). The majority of patients (61.3%) had at least 1 epidemiologic risk factor for acquisition of Blastomyces. Pneumonia was the most common manifestation in all groups; however, immunocompromised patients had higher rates of acute pulmonary disease (P = .03), more severe infection (P = .007), respiratory failure (P = .010), and increased mortality (P = .02). Receipt of SOT primarily accounted for increased severity, respiratory failure, and mortality in immunosuppressed patients. SOT recipients had an 18-fold higher annual incidence of blastomycosis than the general population. The rate of disseminated blastomycosis was similar among NIC, SOT, and non-SOT IC. Relapse rates were low (5.3-7.7%). CONCLUSIONS Immunosuppression had implications regarding the acuity, severity, and respiratory failure. The rate of dissemination was similar across the immunologic spectrum, which is in sharp contrast to other endemic fungi. This suggests that pathogen-related factors have a greater influence on dissemination for blastomycosis than immune defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McBride
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alana K Sterkel
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Eduard Matkovic
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Aimee T Broman
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Gregory M Gauthier
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Analysis and modeling of Blastomyces dermatitidis environmental prevalence in Minnesota using soil collected to compare basal and outbreak levels. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.01922-20. [PMID: 33355116 PMCID: PMC8090874 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01922-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Outbreaks of blastomycosis, caused by the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis, occur in endemic areas of the United States and Canada but the geographic range of blastomycosis is expanding. Previous studies inferred the location of B. dermatitidis through epidemiologic data associated with outbreaks because culture of B. dermatitidis from the environment is often unsuccessful. In this study, we used a culture-independent, PCR-based method to identify B. dermatitidis DNA in environmental samples using the BAD1 promoter region. We tested 250 environmental samples collected in Minnesota, either associated with blastomycosis outbreaks or environmental samples collected from high- and low-endemic regions to determine basal prevalence of B. dermatitidis in the environment. We identified a fifth BAD1 promoter haplotype of B. dermatitidis prevalent in Minnesota. Ecological niche analysis identified latitude, longitude, elevation, and site classification as environmental parameters associated with the presence of B. dermatitidis Using this analysis, a Random Forest model predicted B. dermatitidis presence in basal environmental samples with 75% accuracy. These data support use of culture-independent, PCR-based environmental sampling to track spread into new regions and to characterize the unknown B. dermatitidis environmental niche.Importance Upon inhalation of spores from the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis from the environment, humans and animals can develop the disease blastomycosis. Based on disease epidemiology, B. dermatitidis is known to be endemic in the United States and Canada around the Great Lakes and in the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys but is starting to emerge in other areas. B. dermatitidis is extremely difficult to culture from the environment so little is known about the environmental reservoirs for this pathogen. We used a culture-independent PCR-based assay to identify the presence of B. dermatitidis DNA in soil samples from Minnesota. By combining molecular data with ecological niche modeling, we were able to predict the presence of B. dermatitidis in environmental samples with 75% accuracy and to define characteristics of the B. dermatitidis environmental niche. Importantly, we showed the effectiveness of using a PCR-based assay to identify B. dermatitidis in environmental samples.
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Faria-Ramos I, Poças J, Marques C, Santos-Antunes J, Macedo G, Reis CA, Magalhães A. Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans: (Un)Expected Allies in Cancer Clinical Management. Biomolecules 2021; 11:136. [PMID: 33494442 PMCID: PMC7911160 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In an era when cancer glycobiology research is exponentially growing, we are witnessing a progressive translation of the major scientific findings to the clinical practice with the overarching aim of improving cancer patients' management. Many mechanistic cell biology studies have demonstrated that heparan sulfate (HS) glycosaminoglycans are key molecules responsible for several molecular and biochemical processes, impacting extracellular matrix properties and cellular functions. HS can interact with a myriad of different ligands, and therefore, hold a pleiotropic role in regulating the activity of important cellular receptors and downstream signalling pathways. The aberrant expression of HS glycan chains in tumours determines main malignant features, such as cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. In this review, we devote particular attention to HS biological activities, its expression profile and modulation in cancer. Moreover, we highlight HS clinical potential to improve both diagnosis and prognosis of cancer, either as HS-based biomarkers or as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Faria-Ramos
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.-R.); (J.P.); (C.M.); (J.S.-A.); (C.A.R.)
- Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Juliana Poças
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.-R.); (J.P.); (C.M.); (J.S.-A.); (C.A.R.)
- Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Molecular Biology Department, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina Marques
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.-R.); (J.P.); (C.M.); (J.S.-A.); (C.A.R.)
- Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Molecular Biology Department, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - João Santos-Antunes
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.-R.); (J.P.); (C.M.); (J.S.-A.); (C.A.R.)
- Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Pathology Department, Faculdade de Medicina, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal;
- Gastroenterology Department, Centro Hospitalar S. João, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Guilherme Macedo
- Pathology Department, Faculdade de Medicina, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal;
- Gastroenterology Department, Centro Hospitalar S. João, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Celso A. Reis
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.-R.); (J.P.); (C.M.); (J.S.-A.); (C.A.R.)
- Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Molecular Biology Department, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Pathology Department, Faculdade de Medicina, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Ana Magalhães
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.-R.); (J.P.); (C.M.); (J.S.-A.); (C.A.R.)
- Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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Denham ST, Wambaugh MA, Brown JCS. How Environmental Fungi Cause a Range of Clinical Outcomes in Susceptible Hosts. J Mol Biol 2019; 431:2982-3009. [PMID: 31078554 PMCID: PMC6646061 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Environmental fungi are globally ubiquitous and human exposure is near universal. However, relatively few fungal species are capable of infecting humans, and among fungi, few exposure events lead to severe systemic infections. Systemic infections have mortality rates of up to 90%, cost the US healthcare system $7.2 billion annually, and are typically associated with immunocompromised patients. Despite this reputation, exposure to environmental fungi results in a range of outcomes, from asymptomatic latent infections to severe systemic infection. Here we discuss different exposure outcomes for five major fungal pathogens: Aspergillus, Blastomyces, Coccidioides, Cryptococcus, and Histoplasma species. These fungi include a mold, a budding yeast, and thermal dimorphic fungi. All of these species must adapt to dramatically changing environments over the course of disease. These dynamic environments include the human lung, which is the first exposure site for these organisms. Fungi must defend themselves against host immune cells while germinating and growing, which risks further exposing microbe-associated molecular patterns to the host. We discuss immune evasion strategies during early infection, from disruption of host immune cells to major changes in fungal cell morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven T Denham
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology Department, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Morgan A Wambaugh
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology Department, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Jessica C S Brown
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology Department, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
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Fillinger RJ, Anderson MZ. Seasons of change: Mechanisms of genome evolution in human fungal pathogens. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2019; 70:165-174. [PMID: 30826447 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Fungi are a diverse kingdom of organisms capable of thriving in various niches across the world including those in close association with multicellular eukaryotes. Fungal pathogens that contribute to human disease reside both within the host as commensal organisms of the microbiota and the environment. Their niche of origin dictates how infection initiates but also places specific selective pressures on the fungal pathogen that contributes to its genome organization and genetic repertoire. Recent efforts to catalogue genomic variation among major human fungal pathogens have unveiled evolutionary themes that shape the fungal genome. Mechanisms ranging from large scale changes such as aneuploidy and ploidy cycling as well as more targeted mutations like base substitutions and gene copy number variations contribute to the evolution of these species, which are often under multiple competing selective pressures with their host, environment, and other microbes. Here, we provide an overview of the major selective pressures and mechanisms acting to evolve the genome of clinically important fungal pathogens of humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Fillinger
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Matthew Z Anderson
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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7
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Ikeda R, Ichikawa T, Tsukiji YK, Kawamura K, Kikuchi A, Ishida YI, Ogasawara Y. [Identification of Heparin-binding Proteins on the Cell Surface of Cryptococcus neoformans]. Med Mycol J 2018; 59:E47-E52. [PMID: 30175812 DOI: 10.3314/mmj.18-00001] [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] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between virulence factors of pathogens and host responses play an important role in the establishment of infection by microbes. We focused on interactions between Cryptococcus neoformans proteins and heparin, which is abundant on host epithelial cells. Surface proteins were extracted and analyzed. Fractions from anion-exchange column chromatography interacted with heparin in surface plasmon resonance analyses. Heparin-binding proteins were purified and then separated by gel electrophoresis; and were identified as transaldolase, glutathione-disulfide reductase, and glyoxal oxidase. These results imply that multifunctional molecules on C. neoformans cells, such as those involved in heparin binding, may play roles in adhesion that trigger responses in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Ikeda
- Department of Microbial Science and Host Defense, Meiji Pharmaceutical University
| | - Tomoe Ichikawa
- Department of Microbial Science and Host Defense, Meiji Pharmaceutical University
| | - Yu-Ki Tsukiji
- Department of Microbial Science and Host Defense, Meiji Pharmaceutical University
| | - Kohei Kawamura
- Department of Microbial Science and Host Defense, Meiji Pharmaceutical University
| | - Ayano Kikuchi
- Department of Microbial Science and Host Defense, Meiji Pharmaceutical University
| | - Yo-Ichi Ishida
- Department of Microbial Science and Host Defense, Meiji Pharmaceutical University
| | - Yuki Ogasawara
- Department of Microbial Science and Host Defense, Meiji Pharmaceutical University
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8
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McBride JA, Gauthier GM, Klein BS. Turning on virulence: Mechanisms that underpin the morphologic transition and pathogenicity of Blastomyces. Virulence 2018. [PMID: 29532714 PMCID: PMC6779398 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1449506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This review article focuses on the mechanisms underlying temperature adaptation and virulence of the etiologic agents of blastomycosis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Blastomyces gilchristii, and Blastomyces percursus. In response to temperature, Blastomyces undergoes a reversible morphologic switch between hyphae and yeast known as the phase transition. The conversion to yeast for Blastomyces and related thermally dimorphic fungi is essential for virulence. In the yeast phase, Blastomyces upregulates the essential virulence factor, BAD1, which promotes attachment to host cells, impairs activation of immune cells, and blunts cytokine release. Blastomyces yeast also secrete dipeptidyl-peptidase IVA (DPPIVA), a serine protease that blunts the action of cytokines released from host immune cells. In vivo transcriptional profiling of Blastomyces yeast has uncovered genes such as PRA1 and ZRT1 involved in zinc scavenging that contribute to virulence during murine pulmonary infection. The discovery and characterization of genes important for virulence has led to advances at the bedside regarding novel diagnostics, vaccine development, and new targets for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McBride
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , 600 Highland Avenue, Madison , WI , USA.,Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , 1675 Highland Avenue, Madison , WI , USA
| | - Gregory M Gauthier
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , 600 Highland Avenue, Madison , WI , USA
| | - Bruce S Klein
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , 600 Highland Avenue, Madison , WI , USA.,Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , 1675 Highland Avenue, Madison , WI , USA.,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , 1550 Linden Drive, Madison , WI , USA
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9
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Lipke PN. What We Do Not Know about Fungal Cell Adhesion Molecules. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4020059. [PMID: 29772751 PMCID: PMC6023273 DOI: 10.3390/jof4020059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been extensive research on structure and function of fungal cell adhesion molecules, but the most of the work has been about adhesins in Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These yeasts are members of a single ascomycete order, and adhesion molecules from the six other fungal phyla are only sparsely described in the literature. In these other phyla, most of the research is at the cellular level, rather than at the molecular level, so there has been little characterization of the adhesion molecules themselves. A catalog of known adhesins shows some common features: high Ser/Thr content, tandem repeats, N- and O-glycosylations, GPI anchors, dibasic sequence motifs, and potential amyloid-forming sequences. However, none of these features is universal. Known ligands include proteins and glycans on homologous cells and host cells. Existing and novel tools can exploit the availability of genome sequences to identify and characterize new fungal adhesins. These include bioinformatics tools and well-established yeast surface display models, which could be coupled with an adhesion substrate array. Thus, new knowledge could be exploited to answer key questions in fungal ecology, animal and plant pathogenesis, and roles of biofilms in infection and biomass turnover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter N Lipke
- Biology Department, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA.
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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Abstract
The causal agents of blastomycosis, Blastomyces dermatitidis and Blastomyces gilchristii, belong to a group of thermally dimorphic fungi that can infect healthy and immunocompromised individuals. Following inhalation of mycelial fragments and spores into the lungs, Blastomyces spp convert into pathogenic yeast and evade host immune defenses to cause pneumonia and disseminated disease. The clinical spectrum of pulmonary blastomycosis is diverse. The diagnosis of blastomycosis requires a high degree of clinical suspicion and involves culture-based and non-culture-based fungal diagnostic tests. The site and severity of infection, and the presence of underlying immunosuppression or pregnancy, influence the selection of antifungal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McBride
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA; Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1675 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Gregory M Gauthier
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA.
| | - Bruce S Klein
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA; Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1675 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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11
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Fungal Dimorphism and Virulence: Molecular Mechanisms for Temperature Adaptation, Immune Evasion, and In Vivo Survival. Mediators Inflamm 2017. [PMID: 28626345 PMCID: PMC5463121 DOI: 10.1155/2017/8491383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The thermally dimorphic fungi are a unique group of fungi within the Ascomycota phylum that respond to shifts in temperature by converting between hyphae (22–25°C) and yeast (37°C). This morphologic switch, known as the phase transition, defines the biology and lifestyle of these fungi. The conversion to yeast within healthy and immunocompromised mammalian hosts is essential for virulence. In the yeast phase, the thermally dimorphic fungi upregulate genes involved with subverting host immune defenses. This review highlights the molecular mechanisms governing the phase transition and recent advances in how the phase transition promotes infection.
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12
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Plotkin BJ, Sigar IM, Tiwari V, Halkyard S. Determination of Biofilm Initiation on Virus-infected Cells by Bacteria and Fungi. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 27501265 DOI: 10.3791/54162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of polymicrobial interactions across the taxonomic kingdoms that include fungi, bacteria and virus have not been previously examined with respect to how viral members of the microbiome affect subsequent microbe interactions with these virus-infected host cells. The co-habitation of virus with bacteria and fungi is principally present on the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity and genital tract. Mucosal cells, particularly those with persistent chronic or persistent latent viral infections, could have a significant impact on members of the microbiome through virus alteration in number and type of receptors expressed. Modification in host cell membrane architecture would result in altered ability of subsequent members of the normal flora and opportunistic pathogens to initiate the first step in biofilm formation, i.e., adherence. This study describes a method for quantitation and visual examination of HSV's effect on the initiation of biofilm formation (adherence) of S. aureus and C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ira M Sigar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University
| | - Vaibhav Tiwari
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University
| | - Scott Halkyard
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University
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13
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Sterkel AK, Lorenzini JL, Fites JS, Subramanian Vignesh K, Sullivan TD, Wuthrich M, Brandhorst T, Hernandez-Santos N, Deepe GS, Klein BS. Fungal Mimicry of a Mammalian Aminopeptidase Disables Innate Immunity and Promotes Pathogenicity. Cell Host Microbe 2016; 19:361-74. [PMID: 26922990 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2016.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Systemic fungal infections trigger marked immune-regulatory disturbances, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. We report that the pathogenic yeast of Blastomyces dermatitidis elaborates dipeptidyl-peptidase IVA (DppIVA), a close mimic of the mammalian ectopeptidase CD26, which modulates critical aspects of hematopoiesis. We show that, like the mammalian enzyme, fungal DppIVA cleaved C-C chemokines and GM-CSF. Yeast producing DppIVA crippled the recruitment and differentiation of monocytes and prevented phagocyte activation and ROS production. Silencing fungal DppIVA gene expression curtailed virulence and restored recruitment of CCR2(+) monocytes, generation of TipDC, and phagocyte killing of yeast. Pharmacological blockade of DppIVA restored leukocyte effector functions and stemmed infection, while addition of recombinant DppIVA to gene-silenced yeast enabled them to evade leukocyte defense. Thus, fungal DppIVA mediates immune-regulatory disturbances that underlie invasive fungal disease. These findings reveal a form of molecular piracy by a broadly conserved aminopeptidase during disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana K Sterkel
- Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Jenna L Lorenzini
- Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - J Scott Fites
- Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Kavitha Subramanian Vignesh
- Division of Infectious Disease, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
| | - Thomas D Sullivan
- Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Marcel Wuthrich
- Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Tristan Brandhorst
- Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Nydiaris Hernandez-Santos
- Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - George S Deepe
- Division of Infectious Disease, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
| | - Bruce S Klein
- Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA.
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Development of protective inflammation and cell-mediated immunity against Cryptococcus neoformans after exposure to hyphal mutants. mBio 2015; 6:e01433-15. [PMID: 26443458 PMCID: PMC4611043 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01433-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Morphological switch is tightly coupled with the pathogenesis of many dimorphic fungal pathogens. Cryptococcus neoformans, the major causative agent of cryptococcal meningitis, mostly presents as the yeast form but is capable of switching to the hyphal form. The filamentous form has long been associated with attenuated virulence, yet the underlying mechanism remains elusive. We previously identified the master regulator Znf2 that controls the yeast-to-hypha transition in Cryptococcus. Activation of Znf2 promotes hyphal formation and abolishes fungal virulence in vivo. Here we demonstrated that the cryptococcal strain overexpressing ZNF2 elicited strong and yet temporally confined proinflammatory responses in the early stage of infection. In contrast, exacerbated inflammation in mice infected with the wild-type (WT) strain showed that they were unable to control the infection. Animals inoculated with this filamentous Cryptococcus strain had fewer pulmonary eosinophils and CD11c(+) CD11b(+) cells than animals inoculated with WT yeast. Moreover, mice infected with this strain developed protective Th1- or Th17-type T cell responses. These findings suggest that the virulence attenuation of the filamentous form is likely due to its elicitation of protective host responses. The antivirulence effect of Znf2 was independent of two previously identified factors downstream of Znf2. Interestingly, mucosal immunizations with high doses of ZNF2-overexpressing cells, either in the live or heat-killed form, offered 100% protection to the host from a subsequent challenge with the otherwise lethal clinical strain H99. Our results demonstrate that heat-resistant cellular components presented in cryptococcal cells with activated ZNF2 elicit protective host immune responses. These findings could facilitate future research on novel immunological therapies. IMPORTANCE Cryptococcal meningitis is one of the leading causes of death among AIDS patients. This disease presents a severe threat to public health. The current antifungal regimens are unsatisfactory in controlling or clearing the pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Immunotherapies and/or vaccines could be a promising approach to prevent or manage this deadly disease. However, the lack of understanding of host-pathogen interactions during cryptococcal infection greatly hampers the development of effective immunotherapies. In this study, we discovered that inoculation of cryptococcal cells with activated Znf2, a morphogenesis regulator and an antivirulence factor, could shift the host pathological Th2 responses to the protective Th1 or Th17 responses. Importantly, we discovered that vaccination with either the viable or heat-killed form of ZNF2-overexpressing cells protected animals from the otherwise lethal infection by the highly virulent clinical strain. Our study suggests that the fungal cellular component(s) of the ZNF2-overexpressing strain may provide potential vaccine candidate(s) for controlling the fatal disease.
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Muñoz JF, Gauthier GM, Desjardins CA, Gallo JE, Holder J, Sullivan TD, Marty AJ, Carmen JC, Chen Z, Ding L, Gujja S, Magrini V, Misas E, Mitreva M, Priest M, Saif S, Whiston EA, Young S, Zeng Q, Goldman WE, Mardis ER, Taylor JW, McEwen JG, Clay OK, Klein BS, Cuomo CA. The Dynamic Genome and Transcriptome of the Human Fungal Pathogen Blastomyces and Close Relative Emmonsia. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005493. [PMID: 26439490 PMCID: PMC4595289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Three closely related thermally dimorphic pathogens are causal agents of major fungal diseases affecting humans in the Americas: blastomycosis, histoplasmosis and paracoccidioidomycosis. Here we report the genome sequence and analysis of four strains of the etiological agent of blastomycosis, Blastomyces, and two species of the related genus Emmonsia, typically pathogens of small mammals. Compared to related species, Blastomyces genomes are highly expanded, with long, often sharply demarcated tracts of low GC-content sequence. These GC-poor isochore-like regions are enriched for gypsy elements, are variable in total size between isolates, and are least expanded in the avirulent B. dermatitidis strain ER-3 as compared with the virulent B. gilchristii strain SLH14081. The lack of similar regions in related species suggests these isochore-like regions originated recently in the ancestor of the Blastomyces lineage. While gene content is highly conserved between Blastomyces and related fungi, we identified changes in copy number of genes potentially involved in host interaction, including proteases and characterized antigens. In addition, we studied gene expression changes of B. dermatitidis during the interaction of the infectious yeast form with macrophages and in a mouse model. Both experiments highlight a strong antioxidant defense response in Blastomyces, and upregulation of dioxygenases in vivo suggests that dioxide produced by antioxidants may be further utilized for amino acid metabolism. We identify a number of functional categories upregulated exclusively in vivo, such as secreted proteins, zinc acquisition proteins, and cysteine and tryptophan metabolism, which may include critical virulence factors missed before in in vitro studies. Across the dimorphic fungi, loss of certain zinc acquisition genes and differences in amino acid metabolism suggest unique adaptations of Blastomyces to its host environment. These results reveal the dynamics of genome evolution and of factors contributing to virulence in Blastomyces. Dimorphic fungal pathogens including Blastomyces are the cause of major fungal diseases in North and South America. The genus Emmonsia includes species infecting small mammals as well as a newly emerging pathogenic species recently reported in HIV-positive patients in South Africa. Here, we synthesize both genome sequencing of four isolates of Blastomyces and two species of Emmonsia as well as deep sequencing of Blastomyces RNA to draw major new insights into the evolution of this group and the pathogen response to infection. We investigate the trajectory of genome evolution of this group, characterizing the phylogenetic relationships of these species, a remarkable genome expansion that formed large isochore-like regions of low GC content in Blastomyces, and variation of gene content, related to host interaction, among the dimorphic fungal pathogens. Using RNA-Seq, we profile the response of Blastomyces to macrophage and mouse pulmonary infection, identifying key pathways and novel virulence factors. The identification of key fungal genes involved in adaptation to the host suggests targets for further study and therapeutic intervention in Blastomyces and related dimorphic fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- José F. Muñoz
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- Institute of Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Gregory M. Gauthier
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | | | - Juan E. Gallo
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- Doctoral Program in Biomedical Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jason Holder
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Thomas D. Sullivan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Amber J. Marty
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - John C. Carmen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Zehua Chen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Li Ding
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Sharvari Gujja
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Vincent Magrini
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Misas
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- Institute of Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Margaret Priest
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sakina Saif
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Emily A. Whiston
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Sarah Young
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Qiandong Zeng
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - William E. Goldman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elaine R. Mardis
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - John W. Taylor
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Juan G. McEwen
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Oliver K. Clay
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Bruce S. Klein
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Christina A. Cuomo
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Blastomyces Virulence Adhesin-1 Protein Binding to Glycosaminoglycans Is Enhanced by Protein Disulfide Isomerase. mBio 2015; 6:e01403-15. [PMID: 26396244 PMCID: PMC4600121 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01403-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Blastomyces adhesin-1 (BAD-1) protein mediates the virulence of the yeast Blastomyces dermatitidis, in part by binding host lung tissue, the extracellular matrix, and cellular receptors via glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), such as heparan sulfate. The tandem repeats that make up over 90% of BAD-1 appear in their native state to be tightly folded into an inactive conformation, but recent work has shown that they become activated and adhesive upon reduction of a disulfide linkage. Here, atomic force microscopy (AFM) of a single BAD-1 molecule interacting with immobilized heparin revealed that binding is enhanced upon treatment with protein disulfide isomerase and dithiothreitol (PDI/DTT). PDI/DTT treatment of BAD-1 induced a plateau effect in atomic force signatures that was consistent with sequential rupture of tandem binding domains. Inhibition of PDI in murine macrophages blunted BAD-1 binding to heparin in vitro. Based on AFM, we found that a short Cardin-Weintraub sequence paired with a WxxWxxW sequence in the first, degenerate repeat at the N terminus of BAD-1 was sufficient to initiate heparin binding. Removal of half of the 41 BAD-1 tandem repeats led to weaker adhesion, illustrating their role in enhanced binding. Mass spectroscopy of the tandem repeat revealed that the PDI-induced interaction with heparin is characterized by ruptured disulfide bonds and that cysteine thiols remain reduced. Further binding studies showed direct involvement of thiols in heparin ligation. Thus, we propose that the N-terminal domain of BAD-1 governs the initial association with host GAGs and that proximity to GAG-associated host PDI catalyzes activation of additional binding motifs conserved within the tandem repeats, leading to enhanced avidity and availability of reduced thiols. Pathogenic fungi and other microbes must adhere to host tissue to initiate infection. Surface adhesins promote this event and may be required for disease pathogenesis. We studied a fungal adhesin essential for virulence (BAD-1; Blastomyces adhesin-1) and found that host products induce its structural reconfiguration and foster its optimal binding to tissue structures.
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Boyce KJ, Andrianopoulos A. Fungal dimorphism: the switch from hyphae to yeast is a specialized morphogenetic adaptation allowing colonization of a host. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2015; 39:797-811. [DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuv035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M. Gauthier
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Olsen JG, Kragelund BB. Who climbs the tryptophan ladder? On the structure and function of the WSXWS motif in cytokine receptors and thrombospondin repeats. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2014; 25:337-41. [PMID: 24861947 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2014.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
For decades, a spectacular structural motif has been the focus of research in two families of animal membrane proteins: the hematopoietic cytokine type I receptors (HCR) and the thrombospondin repeat type 1 (TSR-1) domain containing proteins. Although these families include some of the best-studied and pharmaceutically most interesting human proteins, the function of the motif remains elusive. Here we show that the molecular details of the motifs are the same; that it has arisen through convergent evolution, and we argue that the same ligand binding function is maintained and suggest that the ligand can be found in the extracellular matrix (ECM). We term the motif the tryptophan ladder and suggest a function based on a comparative analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan G Olsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaloes Vej 5, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Birthe B Kragelund
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaloes Vej 5, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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