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Smith-Peavler E, Sircy LM, Nelson DE, McClelland EE. Two Methods of Measuring Cryptococcus neoformans Fungal Burden in Macrophages. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2775:211-221. [PMID: 38758320 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3722-7_14] [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] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The ability of C. neoformans to survive and replicate within host phagocytes enables it to evade the immune system and allows for persistence of the infection. As such, measuring fungal burden of C. neoformans strains-and indeed how drug treatments can influence fungal burden-provides important information about C. neoformans pathogenesis. In this chapter, we describe two methods that may be used to appraise fungal burden: a standard end-point colony-formation assay for calculating the average number of yeast per host cell and a fluorescence microscopy-based method that may be used to measure changes in fungal burden in individual living macrophages in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Smith-Peavler
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
- KIPP Collegiate High School, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Linda M Sircy
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - David E Nelson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - Erin E McClelland
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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2
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Eisenman HC. A Galleria Model of Cryptococcus neoformans Infection. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2775:3-11. [PMID: 38758307 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3722-7_1] [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] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Galleria mellonella larvae are a popular and simple model organism for infectious disease research. Last instar larvae can be purchased inexpensively from commercial suppliers and infected with Cryptococcus. Injection into the proleg of larvae results in systemic infections. Larvae may then be monitored for survival or homogenized to determine fungal burden. Fixation of infected larvae produces samples suitable for histological staining and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene C Eisenman
- Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
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3
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Burroughs A, Aravind L. New biochemistry in the Rhodanese-phosphatase superfamily: emerging roles in diverse metabolic processes, nucleic acid modifications, and biological conflicts. NAR Genom Bioinform 2023; 5:lqad029. [PMID: 36968430 PMCID: PMC10034599 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The protein-tyrosine/dual-specificity phosphatases and rhodanese domains constitute a sprawling superfamily of Rossmannoid domains that use a conserved active site with a cysteine to catalyze a range of phosphate-transfer, thiotransfer, selenotransfer and redox activities. While these enzymes have been extensively studied in the context of protein/lipid head group dephosphorylation and various thiotransfer reactions, their overall diversity and catalytic potential remain poorly understood. Using comparative genomics and sequence/structure analysis, we comprehensively investigate and develop a natural classification for this superfamily. As a result, we identified several novel clades, both those which retain the catalytic cysteine and those where a distinct active site has emerged in the same location (e.g. diphthine synthase-like methylases and RNA 2' OH ribosyl phosphate transferases). We also present evidence that the superfamily has a wider range of catalytic capabilities than previously known, including a set of parallel activities operating on various sugar/sugar alcohol groups in the context of NAD+-derivatives and RNA termini, and potential phosphate transfer activities involving sugars and nucleotides. We show that such activities are particularly expanded in the RapZ-C-DUF488-DUF4326 clade, defined here for the first time. Some enzymes from this clade are predicted to catalyze novel DNA-end processing activities as part of nucleic-acid-modifying systems that are likely to function in biological conflicts between viruses and their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Maxwell Burroughs
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - L Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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4
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Metabolic Plasticity of Candida albicans in Response to Different Environmental Conditions. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8070723. [PMID: 35887478 PMCID: PMC9322845 DOI: 10.3390/jof8070723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous commensal Candida albicans, part of the human microbiota, is an opportunistic pathogen able to cause a wide range of diseases, from cutaneous mycoses to life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. Candida albicans adapts to different environments and survives long-time starvation. The ability to switch from yeast to hyphal morphology under specific environmental conditions is associated with its virulence. Using hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we profiled the intracellular and extracellular metabolome of C. albicans kept in water, yeast extract–peptone–dextrose (YPD), and M199 media, at selected temperatures. Experiments were carried out in hypoxia to mimic a condition present in most colonized niches and fungal infection sites. Comparison of the intracellular metabolites measured in YPD and M199 at 37 °C highlighted differences in specific metabolic pathways: (i) alanine, aspartate, glutamate metabolism, (ii) arginine and proline metabolism, (iii) glycerolipid metabolism, attributable to the diverse composition of the media. Moreover, we hypothesized that the subtle differences in the M199 metabolome, observed at 30 °C and 37 °C, are suggestive of modifications propaedeutic to a subsequent transition from yeast to hyphal form. The analysis of the metabolites’ profiles of C. albicans allows envisaging a molecular model to better describe its ability to sense and adapt to environmental conditions.
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5
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Merryman M, Crigler J, Seipelt-Thiemann R, McClelland E. A mutation in C. neoformans mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase results in increased virulence in mice. Virulence 2021; 11:1366-1378. [PMID: 33103620 PMCID: PMC7588220 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1831332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans: (H99W) was serially passaged in the invertebrate wax moth Galleria mellonella fifteen times to study how fungal virulence evolves under selection and whether those adaptations affect virulence. The G. mellonella passaged strain (P15) and the pre-passage H99W strains were used to infect three different host models of C. neoformans: C. elegans, G. mellonella, and Balb/c mice. While there was no difference in survival in the invertebrate models, P15 killed mice faster than H99W through both intratracheal and intravenous routes of infection and mice infected intravenously with P15 showed higher fungal burden in the brain. Characterization of the major virulence factors of C. neoformans found that P15 had increased capsule size, GXM release, and melanization. Whole genome sequencing of P15 and H99W revealed two mutations in P15, an insertion in the promoter region of NADH dehydrogenase (CNAG_09000) and an insertion in the LMP1 gene (CNAG_06765). Both ATP production and metabolic rate were higher in P15 compared to H99W. Quantitative RT-PCR suggested that the increased ATP was due to increased RNA levels of NADH dehydrogenase. Thus, adaptation to growth in hemocytes resulted in increased production of ATP, increased metabolic rate, and increased virulence in mice. This was likely due to differential expression of virulence factors, which skewed the host immune response to a less efficient Th2 response, with higher levels of IL-4, IL-10, and TNF-α in the brain. Overall, serial passage experiments have increased our understanding of how this yeast evolves under innate immune selection pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitch Merryman
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University , Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - Jacob Crigler
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University , Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | | | - Erin McClelland
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University , Murfreesboro, TN, USA.,M&P Associates , Murfreesboro, TN, USA
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6
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Tamez-Castrellón AK, Romeo O, García-Carnero LC, Lozoya-Pérez NE, Mora-Montes HM. Virulence Factors in Sporothrix schenckii, One of the Causative Agents of Sporotrichosis. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2021; 21:295-312. [PMID: 31589121 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666191007103004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sporothrix schenckii is one of the etiological agents of sporotrichosis, a fungal infection distributed worldwide. Both, the causative organism and the disease have currently received limited attention by the medical mycology community, most likely because of the low mortality rates associated with it. Nonetheless, morbidity is high in endemic regions and the versatility of S. schenckii to cause zoonosis and sapronosis has attracted attention. Thus far, virulence factors associated with this organism are poorly described. Here, comparing the S. schenckii genome sequence with other medically relevant fungi, genes involved in morphological change, cell wall synthesis, immune evasion, thermotolerance, adhesion, biofilm formation, melanin production, nutrient uptake, response to stress, extracellular vesicle formation, and toxin production are predicted and discussed as putative virulence factors in S. schenckii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alma K Tamez-Castrellón
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P. 36050, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - Orazio Romeo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Laura C García-Carnero
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P. 36050, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - Nancy E Lozoya-Pérez
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P. 36050, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - Héctor M Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P. 36050, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
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7
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Cryptococcus neoformans Secretes Small Molecules That Inhibit IL-1 β Inflammasome-Dependent Secretion. Mediators Inflamm 2020; 2020:3412763. [PMID: 33380899 PMCID: PMC7748918 DOI: 10.1155/2020/3412763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast that causes disease mainly in immunosuppressed hosts. It is considered a facultative intracellular pathogen because of its capacity to survive and replicate inside phagocytes, especially macrophages. This ability is heavily dependent on various virulence factors, particularly the glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) component of the polysaccharide capsule. Inflammasome activation in phagocytes is usually protective against fungal infections, including cryptococcosis. Nevertheless, recognition of C. neoformans by inflammasome receptors requires specific changes in morphology or the opsonization of the yeast, impairing proper inflammasome function. In this context, we analyzed the impact of molecules secreted by C. neoformans B3501 strain and its acapsular mutant Δcap67 in inflammasome activation in an in vitro model. Our results showed that conditioned media derived from B3501 was capable of inhibiting inflammasome-dependent events (i.e., IL-1β secretion and LDH release via pyroptosis) more strongly than conditioned media from Δcap67, regardless of GXM presence. We also demonstrated that macrophages treated with conditioned media were less responsive against infection with the virulent strain H99, exhibiting lower rates of phagocytosis, increased fungal burdens, and enhanced vomocytosis. Moreover, we showed that the aromatic metabolite DL-Indole-3-lactic acid (ILA) and DL-p-Hydroxyphenyllactic acid (HPLA) were present in B3501's conditioned media and that ILA alone or with HPLA is involved in the regulation of inflammasome activation by C. neoformans. These results were confirmed by in vivo experiments, where exposure to conditioned media led to higher fungal burdens in Acanthamoeba castellanii culture as well as in higher fungal loads in the lungs of infected mice. Overall, the results presented show that conditioned media from a wild-type strain can inhibit a vital recognition pathway and subsequent fungicidal functions of macrophages, contributing to fungal survival in vitro and in vivo and suggesting that secretion of aromatic metabolites, such as ILA, during cryptococcal infections fundamentally impacts pathogenesis.
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8
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Song J, Zhou J, Zhang L, Li R. Mitochondria-Mediated Azole Drug Resistance and Fungal Pathogenicity: Opportunities for Therapeutic Development. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1574. [PMID: 33066090 PMCID: PMC7600254 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the role of mitochondria in pathogenic fungi in terms of azole resistance and fungal pathogenicity has been a rapidly developing field. In this review, we describe the molecular mechanisms by which mitochondria are involved in regulating azole resistance and fungal pathogenicity. Mitochondrial function is involved in the regulation of drug efflux pumps at the transcriptional and posttranslational levels. On the one hand, defects in mitochondrial function can serve as the signal leading to activation of calcium signaling and the pleiotropic drug resistance pathway and, therefore, can globally upregulate the expression of drug efflux pump genes, leading to azole drug resistance. On the other hand, mitochondria also contribute to azole resistance through modulation of drug efflux pump localization and activity. Mitochondria further contribute to azole resistance through participating in iron homeostasis and lipid biosynthesis. Additionally, mitochondrial dynamics play an important role in azole resistance. Meanwhile, mitochondrial morphology is important for fungal virulence, playing roles in growth in stressful conditions in a host. Furthermore, there is a close link between mitochondrial respiration and fungal virulence, and mitochondrial respiration plays an important role in morphogenetic transition, hypoxia adaptation, and cell wall biosynthesis. Finally, we discuss the possibility for targeting mitochondrial factors for the development of antifungal therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxing Song
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China;
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Jinan 250012, China;
| | - Jingwen Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China;
| | - Lei Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Jinan 250012, China;
| | - Rongpeng Li
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China;
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9
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Brandt
- Septomics Research Center, Friedrich Schiller University and Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology–Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Enrico Garbe
- Septomics Research Center, Friedrich Schiller University and Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology–Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Slavena Vylkova
- Septomics Research Center, Friedrich Schiller University and Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology–Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
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10
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Yi J, Sang J, Zhao J, Gao L, Yang Y, Yan L, Zhang C, Pan W, Wang G, Liao W. Transcription factor Liv4 is required for growth and pathogenesis of Cryptococcus neoformans. FEMS Yeast Res 2020; 20:foaa015. [PMID: 32391887 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foaa015] [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: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an important invasive fungal pathogen that causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in humans. Its biological and pathogenic regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown, particularly due to the presence of those core transcription factors (TFs). Here, we conducted a detailed characterization of the TF Liv4 in the biology and virulence of C. neoformans. Deletion of TF Liv4 protein resulted in growth defect under both normal and stress conditions (such as high temperature and cell wall/membrane damaging agents), drastic morphological damage and also attenuated virulence in C. neoformans. These phenotypic changes might be contributed to transcriptional abnormality in the liv4Δ mutant, in which several cryptococcal genes involved in energy metabolism and cell wall integrity were downregulated. Furthermore, ChIP-seq and ChIP-qPCR assays suggested TF Liv4 might exert its regulatory function in transcription by its activation of RBP1 in C. neoformans. Taken together, our work highlights the importance of TF Liv4 in the growth and virulence of C. neoformans, and it facilitates a better understanding of cryptococcal pathogenesis mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiu Yi
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Junjun Sang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
- Department of Dermatology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, China
| | - Jingyu Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Lei Gao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Yali Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Lei Yan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Weihua Pan
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Guizhen Wang
- Emergency room, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, 200072, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanqing Liao
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
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11
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Song Y, Li S, Zhao Y, Zhang Y, Lv Y, Jiang Y, Wang Y, Li D, Zhang H. ADH1 promotes Candida albicans pathogenicity by stimulating oxidative phosphorylation. Int J Med Microbiol 2019; 309:151330. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2019.151330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
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12
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Maryam M, Fu MS, Alanio A, Camacho E, Goncalves DS, Faneuff EE, Grossman NT, Casadevall A, Coelho C. The enigmatic role of fungal annexins: the case of Cryptococcus neoformans. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2019; 165:852-862. [PMID: 31140968 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Annexins are multifunctional proteins that bind to phospholipid membranes in a calcium-dependent manner. Annexins play a myriad of critical and well-characterized roles in mammals, ranging from membrane repair to vesicular secretion. The role of annexins in the kingdoms of bacteria, protozoa and fungi have been largely overlooked. The fact that there is no known homologue of annexins in the yeast model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae may contribute to this gap in knowledge. However, annexins are found in most medically important fungal pathogens, with the notable exception of Candida albicans. In this study we evaluated the function of the one annexin gene in Cryptococcus neoformans, a causative agent of cryptococcosis. This gene CNAG_02415, is annotated in the C. neoformans genome as a target of calcineurin through its transcription factor Crz1, and we propose to update its name to cryptococcal annexin, AnnexinC1. C. neoformans strains deleted for AnnexinC1 revealed no difference in survival after exposure to various chemical stressors relative to wild-type strain, as well as no major alteration in virulence or mating. The only alteration observed in strains deleted for AnnexinC1 was a small increase in the titan cells' formation in vitro. The preservation of annexins in many different fungal species suggests an important function, and therefore the lack of a strong phenotype for annexin-deficient C. neoformans indicates either the presence of redundant genes that can compensate for the absence of AnnexinC1 function or novel functions not revealed by standard assays of cell function and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Maryam
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Man Shun Fu
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Alexandre Alanio
- Institut Pasteur, Molecular Mycology Unit, CNRS UMR2000, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité ; Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Groupe Hospitalier Lariboisière, Saint-Louis, Fernand Widal, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France.,W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Emma Camacho
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Diego S Goncalves
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA.,Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eden E Faneuff
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona CA, USA
| | - Nina T Grossman
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Carolina Coelho
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA.,College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.,Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Ashgrove Road West, Aberdeen AB252ZD, UK
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13
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Kavanagh K, Sheehan G. The Use of Galleria mellonella Larvae to Identify Novel Antimicrobial Agents against Fungal Species of Medical Interest. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4030113. [PMID: 30235800 PMCID: PMC6162640 DOI: 10.3390/jof4030113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system of insects and the innate immune response of mammals share many similarities and, as a result, insects may be used to assess the virulence of fungal pathogens and give results similar to those from mammals. Larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella are widely used in this capacity and also for assessing the toxicity and in vivo efficacy of antifungal drugs. G. mellonella larvae are easy to use, inexpensive to purchase and house, and have none of the legal/ethical restrictions that are associated with use of mammals. Larvae may be inoculated by intra-hemocoel injection or by force-feeding. Larvae can be used to assess the in vivo toxicity of antifungal drugs using a variety of cellular, proteomic, and molecular techniques. Larvae have also been used to identify the optimum combinations of antifungal drugs for use in the treatment of recalcitrant fungal infections in mammals. The introduction of foreign material into the hemocoel of larvae can induce an immune priming effect which may operate independently with the activity of the antifungal drug. Procedures to identify this effect and limit its action are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Kavanagh
- Medical Mycology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare W23F2H6, Ireland.
| | - Gerard Sheehan
- Medical Mycology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare W23F2H6, Ireland.
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14
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Hommel B, Mukaremera L, Cordero RJB, Coelho C, Desjardins CA, Sturny-Leclère A, Janbon G, Perfect JR, Fraser JA, Casadevall A, Cuomo CA, Dromer F, Nielsen K, Alanio A. Titan cells formation in Cryptococcus neoformans is finely tuned by environmental conditions and modulated by positive and negative genetic regulators. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1006982. [PMID: 29775480 PMCID: PMC5959062 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans exhibits morphological changes in cell size during lung infection, producing both typical size 5 to 7 μm cells and large titan cells (> 10 μm and up to 100 μm). We found and optimized in vitro conditions that produce titan cells in order to identify the ancestry of titan cells, the environmental determinants, and the key gene regulators of titan cell formation. Titan cells generated in vitro harbor the main characteristics of titan cells produced in vivo including their large cell size (>10 μm), polyploidy with a single nucleus, large vacuole, dense capsule, and thick cell wall. Here we show titan cells derived from the enlargement of progenitor cells in the population independent of yeast growth rate. Change in the incubation medium, hypoxia, nutrient starvation and low pH were the main factors that trigger titan cell formation, while quorum sensing factors like the initial inoculum concentration, pantothenic acid, and the quorum sensing peptide Qsp1p also impacted titan cell formation. Inhibition of ergosterol, protein and nucleic acid biosynthesis altered titan cell formation, as did serum, phospholipids and anti-capsular antibodies in our settings. We explored genetic factors important for titan cell formation using three approaches. Using H99-derivative strains with natural genetic differences, we showed that titan cell formation was dependent on LMP1 and SGF29 genes. By screening a gene deletion collection, we also confirmed that GPR4/5-RIM101, and CAC1 genes were required to generate titan cells and that the PKR1, TSP2, USV101 genes negatively regulated titan cell formation. Furthermore, analysis of spontaneous Pkr1 loss-of-function clinical isolates confirmed the important role of the Pkr1 protein as a negative regulator of titan cell formation. Through development of a standardized and robust in vitro assay, our results provide new insights into titan cell biogenesis with the identification of multiple important factors/pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Hommel
- Institut Pasteur, Molecular Mycology Unit, Département de Mycologie, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR2000, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Groupe Hospitalier Lariboisière, Saint-Louis, Fernand Widal, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France
- Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Liliane Mukaremera
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Radames J. B. Cordero
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD., United States of America
| | - Carolina Coelho
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD., United States of America
| | | | - Aude Sturny-Leclère
- Institut Pasteur, Molecular Mycology Unit, Département de Mycologie, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR2000, Paris, France
| | - Guilhem Janbon
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, Paris, France
| | - John R. Perfect
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - James A. Fraser
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD., United States of America
| | - Christina A. Cuomo
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Françoise Dromer
- Institut Pasteur, Molecular Mycology Unit, Département de Mycologie, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR2000, Paris, France
| | - Kirsten Nielsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Alexandre Alanio
- Institut Pasteur, Molecular Mycology Unit, Département de Mycologie, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR2000, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Groupe Hospitalier Lariboisière, Saint-Louis, Fernand Widal, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France
- Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD., United States of America
- * E-mail:
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15
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Arras SDM, Chitty JL, Wizrah MSI, Erpf PE, Schulz BL, Tanurdzic M, Fraser JA. Sirtuins in the phylum Basidiomycota: A role in virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46567. [PMID: 28429797 PMCID: PMC5399365 DOI: 10.1038/srep46567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans is regulated by a range of transcription factors, and is also influenced by the acquisition of adaptive mutations during infection. Beyond the temporal regulation of virulence factor production by transcription factors and these permanent microevolutionary changes, heritable epigenetic modifications such as histone deacetylation may also play a role during infection. Here we describe the first comprehensive analysis of the sirtuin class of NAD+ dependent histone deacetylases in the phylum Basidiomycota, identifying five sirtuins encoded in the C. neoformans genome. Each sirtuin gene was deleted and a wide range of phenotypic tests performed to gain insight into the potential roles they play. Given the pleiotropic nature of sirtuins in other species, it was surprising that only two of the five deletion strains revealed mutant phenotypes in vitro. However, cryptic consequences of the loss of each sirtuin were identified through whole cell proteomics, and mouse infections revealed a role in virulence for SIR2, HST3 and HST4. The most intriguing phenotype was the repeated inability to complement mutant phenotypes through the reintroduction of the wild-type gene. These data support the model that regulation of sirtuin activity may be employed to enable a drastic alteration of the epigenetic landscape and virulence of C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha D M Arras
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Queensland, Australia.,School of Chemistry &Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jessica L Chitty
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Queensland, Australia.,School of Chemistry &Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Maha S I Wizrah
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Queensland, Australia.,School of Chemistry &Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Paige E Erpf
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Queensland, Australia.,School of Chemistry &Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Schulz
- School of Chemistry &Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Milos Tanurdzic
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - James A Fraser
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Queensland, Australia.,School of Chemistry &Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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16
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Hegde RP, Fedorov AA, Sauder JM, Burley SK, Almo SC, Ramagopal UA. The hidden treasure in your data: phasing with unexpected weak anomalous scatterers from routine data sets. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2017; 73:184-195. [PMID: 28368276 PMCID: PMC5379167 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x17002680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-wavelength anomalous dispersion (SAD) utilizing anomalous signal from native S atoms, or other atoms with Z ≤ 20, generally requires highly redundant data collected using relatively long-wavelength X-rays. Here, the results from two proteins are presented where the anomalous signal from serendipitously acquired surface-bound Ca atoms with an anomalous data multiplicity of around 10 was utilized to drive de novo structure determination. In both cases, the Ca atoms were acquired from the crystallization solution, and the data-collection strategy was not optimized to exploit the anomalous signal from these scatterers. The X-ray data were collected at 0.98 Å wavelength in one case and at 1.74 Å in the other (the wavelength was optimized for sulfur, but the anomalous signal from calcium was exploited for structure solution). Similarly, using a test case, it is shown that data collected at ∼1.0 Å wavelength, where the f'' value for sulfur is 0.28 e, are sufficient for structure determination using intrinsic S atoms from a strongly diffracting crystal. Interestingly, it was also observed that SHELXD was capable of generating a substructure solution from high-exposure data with a completeness of 70% for low-resolution reflections extending to 3.5 Å resolution with relatively low anomalous multiplicity. Considering the fact that many crystallization conditions contain anomalous scatterers such as Cl, Ca, Mn etc., checking for the presence of fortuitous anomalous signal in data from well diffracting crystals could prove useful in either determining the structure de novo or in accurately assigning surface-bound atoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghurama P. Hegde
- Division of Biological Sciences, Poornaprajna Institute of Scientific Research, #4, 16th Cross, Sadashivnagar, Bangalore 560 080, India
| | - Alexander A. Fedorov
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Ullmann Building, Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - J. Michael Sauder
- Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, 10290 Campus Point Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Stephen K. Burley
- RCSB Protein Data Bank, Center for Integrative Proteomics Research, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, 174 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Institute of Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
- RCSB Protein Data Bank, San Diego Supercomputer Center, San Diego, California, USA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Steven C. Almo
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Ullmann Building, Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Udupi A. Ramagopal
- Division of Biological Sciences, Poornaprajna Institute of Scientific Research, #4, 16th Cross, Sadashivnagar, Bangalore 560 080, India
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