1
|
Wassano NS, da Silva GB, Reis AH, A Gerhardt J, Antoniel EP, Akiyama D, Rezende CP, Neves LX, Vasconcelos EJR, de Figueiredo FL, Almeida F, de Castro PA, Pinzan CF, Goldman GH, Paes Leme AF, Fill TP, Moretti NS, Damasio A. Sirtuin E deacetylase is required for full virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus. Commun Biol 2024; 7:704. [PMID: 38851817 PMCID: PMC11162503 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06383-3] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus represents a public health problem due to the high mortality rate in immunosuppressed patients and the emergence of antifungal-resistant isolates. Protein acetylation is a crucial post-translational modification that controls gene expression and biological processes. The strategic manipulation of enzymes involved in protein acetylation has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for addressing fungal infections. Sirtuins, NAD+-dependent lysine deacetylases, regulate protein acetylation and gene expression in eukaryotes. However, their role in the human pathogenic fungus A. fumigatus remains unclear. This study constructs six single knockout strains of A. fumigatus and a strain lacking all predicted sirtuins (SIRTKO). The mutant strains are viable under laboratory conditions, indicating that sirtuins are not essential genes. Phenotypic assays suggest sirtuins' involvement in cell wall integrity, secondary metabolite production, thermotolerance, and virulence. Deletion of sirE attenuates virulence in murine and Galleria mellonella infection models. The absence of SirE alters the acetylation status of proteins, including histones and non-histones, and triggers significant changes in the expression of genes associated with secondary metabolism, cell wall biosynthesis, and virulence factors. These findings encourage testing sirtuin inhibitors as potential therapeutic strategies to combat A. fumigatus infections or in combination therapy with available antifungals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natália S Wassano
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Gabriela B da Silva
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Paulist School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Artur H Reis
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Paulist School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline A Gerhardt
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Everton P Antoniel
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Daniel Akiyama
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Caroline P Rezende
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine from Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro X Neves
- Brazilian Bioscience National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Fernanda L de Figueiredo
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Fausto Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine from Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrícia A de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Camila F Pinzan
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Adriana F Paes Leme
- Brazilian Bioscience National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Taicia P Fill
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Nilmar S Moretti
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Paulist School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada.
- The Research Group on Infectious Diseases in Production Animals (GREMIP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada.
| | - André Damasio
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Calise DG, Park SC, Bok JW, Goldman GH, Keller NP. An oxylipin signal confers protection against antifungal echinocandins in pathogenic aspergilli. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3770. [PMID: 38704366 PMCID: PMC11069582 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48231-2] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the leading causative agent of life-threatening invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. One antifungal class used to treat Aspergillus infections is the fungistatic echinocandins, semisynthetic drugs derived from naturally occurring fungal lipopeptides. By inhibiting beta-1,3-glucan synthesis, echinocandins cause both fungistatic stunting of hyphal growth and repeated fungicidal lysis of apical tip compartments. Here, we uncover an endogenous mechanism of echinocandin tolerance in A. fumigatus whereby the inducible oxylipin signal 5,8-diHODE confers protection against tip lysis via the transcription factor ZfpA. Treatment of A. fumigatus with echinocandins induces 5,8-diHODE synthesis by the fungal oxygenase PpoA in a ZfpA dependent manner resulting in a positive feedback loop. This protective 5,8-diHODE/ZfpA signaling relay is conserved among diverse isolates of A. fumigatus and in two other Aspergillus pathogens. Our findings reveal an oxylipin-directed growth program-possibly arisen through natural encounters with native echinocandin producing fungi-that enables echinocandin tolerance in pathogenic aspergilli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dante G Calise
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sung Chul Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jin Woo Bok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Human Pathogenic Fungi, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rinker DC, Sauters TJC, Steffen K, Gumilang A, Raja HA, Rangel-Grimaldo M, Pinzan CF, de Castro PA, dos Reis TF, Delbaje E, Houbraken J, Goldman GH, Oberlies NH, Rokas A. Strain heterogeneity in a non-pathogenic fungus highlights factors contributing to virulence. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.583994. [PMID: 38496489 PMCID: PMC10942418 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.583994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens exhibit extensive strain heterogeneity, including variation in virulence. Whether closely related non-pathogenic species also exhibit strain heterogeneity remains unknown. Here, we comprehensively characterized the pathogenic potentials (i.e., the ability to cause morbidity and mortality) of 16 diverse strains of Aspergillus fischeri, a non-pathogenic close relative of the major pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. In vitro immune response assays and in vivo virulence assays using a mouse model of pulmonary aspergillosis showed that A. fischeri strains varied widely in their pathogenic potential. Furthermore, pangenome analyses suggest that A. fischeri genomic and phenotypic diversity is even greater. Genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic profiling identified several pathways and secondary metabolites associated with variation in virulence. Notably, strain virulence was associated with the simultaneous presence of the secondary metabolites hexadehydroastechrome and gliotoxin. We submit that examining the pathogenic potentials of non-pathogenic close relatives is key for understanding the origins of fungal pathogenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David C. Rinker
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Thomas J. C. Sauters
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Karin Steffen
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Adiyantara Gumilang
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Huzefa A. Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Manuel Rangel-Grimaldo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Camila Figueiredo Pinzan
- Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thaila Fernanda dos Reis
- Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Endrews Delbaje
- Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jos Houbraken
- Food and Indoor Mycology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wassano NS, da Silva GB, Reis AH, Gerhardt JA, Antoniel EP, Akiyama D, Rezende CP, Neves LX, Vasconcelos E, Figueiredo FL, Almeida F, de Castro PA, Pinzan CF, Goldman GH, Leme AFP, Fill TP, Moretti NS, Damasio A. Deacetylation by sirtuins is important for Aspergillus fumigatus pathogenesis and virulence. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.25.558961. [PMID: 37808717 PMCID: PMC10557594 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.25.558961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Protein acetylation is a crucial post-translational modification that controls gene expression and a variety of biological processes. Sirtuins, a prominent class of NAD + -dependent lysine deacetylases, serve as key regulators of protein acetylation and gene expression in eukaryotes. In this study, six single knockout strains of fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus were constructed, in addition to a strain lacking all predicted sirtuins (SIRTKO). Phenotypic assays suggest that sirtuins are involved in cell wall integrity, secondary metabolite production, thermotolerance, and virulence. AfsirE deletion resulted in attenuation of virulence, as demonstrated in murine and Galleria infection models. The absence of AfSirE leads to altered acetylation status of proteins, including histones and non-histones, resulting in significant changes in the expression of genes associated with secondary metabolism, cell wall biosynthesis, and virulence factors. These findings encourage testing sirtuin inhibitors as potential therapeutic strategies to combat A. fumigatus infections or in combination therapy with available antifungals.
Collapse
|
5
|
Martins C, Piontkivska D, Mil-Homens D, Guedes P, Jorge JMP, Brinco J, Bárria C, Santos ACF, Barras R, Arraiano C, Fialho A, Goldman GH, Silva Pereira C. Increased Production of Pathogenic, Airborne Fungal Spores upon Exposure of a Soil Mycobiota to Chlorinated Aromatic Hydrocarbon Pollutants. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0066723. [PMID: 37284774 PMCID: PMC10434042 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00667-23] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Organic pollutants are omnipresent and can penetrate all environmental niches. We evaluated the hypothesis that short-term (acute) exposure to aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants could increase the potential for fungal virulence. Specifically, we analyzed whether pentachlorophenol and triclosan pollution results in the production of airborne fungal spores with greater virulence than those derived from an unpolluted (Control) condition. Each pollutant altered the composition of the community of airborne spores compared to the control, favoring an increase in strains with in vivo infection capacity (the wax moth Galleria mellonella was used as an infection model). Fungi subsisting inside larvae at 72 h postinjection with airborne spore inocula collected in polluted and unpolluted conditions exhibited comparable diversity (mainly within Aspergillus fumigatus). Several virulent Aspergillus strains were isolated from larvae infected with the airborne spores produced in a polluted environment. Meanwhile, strains isolated from larvae injected with spores from the control, including one A. fumigatus strain, showed no virulence. Potential pathogenicity increased when two Aspergillus virulent strains were assembled, suggesting the existence of synergisms that impact pathogenicity. None of the observed taxonomic or functional traits could separate the virulent from the avirulent strains. Our study emphasizes pollution stress as a possible driver of phenotypic adaptations that increase Aspergillus pathogenicity, as well as the need to better understand the interplay between pollution and fungal virulence. IMPORTANCE Fungi colonizing soil and organic pollutants often meet. The consequences of this encounter constitute an outstanding question. We scrutinized the potential for virulence of airborne fungal spores produced under unpolluted and polluted scenarios. The airborne spores showed increased diversity of strains with higher infection capacity in Galleria mellonella whenever pollution is present. Inside the larvae injected with either airborne spore community, the surviving fungi demonstrated a similar diversity, mainly within Aspergillus fumigatus. However, the isolated Aspergillus strains greatly differ since virulence was only observed for those associated with a polluted environment. The interplay between pollution and fungal virulence still hides many unresolved questions, but the encounter is costly: pollution stress promotes phenotypic adaptations that may increase Aspergillus pathogenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Celso Martins
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daryna Piontkivska
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Dalila Mil-Homens
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paula Guedes
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- CENSE (Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research)/CHANGE (Global Change and Sustainability Institute), NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - João M. P. Jorge
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - João Brinco
- CENSE (Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research)/CHANGE (Global Change and Sustainability Institute), NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Cátia Bárria
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ariana C. F. Santos
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Barras
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Cecília Arraiano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Arsénio Fialho
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Cristina Silva Pereira
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mead ME, de Castro PA, Steenwyk JL, Gangneux JP, Hoenigl M, Prattes J, Rautemaa-Richardson R, Guegan H, Moore CB, Lass-Flörl C, Reizine F, Valero C, Van Rhijn N, Bromley MJ, Rokas A, Goldman GH, Gago S. COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis Isolates Are Genomically Diverse but Similar to Each Other in Their Responses to Infection-Relevant Stresses. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0512822. [PMID: 36946762 PMCID: PMC10100753 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05128-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Secondary infections caused by the pulmonary fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are a significant cause of mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Even though epithelial cell damage and aberrant cytokine responses have been linked to susceptibility to COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), little is known about the mechanisms underpinning copathogenicity. Here, we analyzed the genomes of 11 A. fumigatus isolates from patients with CAPA in three centers from different European countries. CAPA isolates did not cluster based on geographic origin in a genome-scale phylogeny of representative A. fumigatus isolates. Phenotypically, CAPA isolates were more similar to the A. fumigatus A1160 reference strain than to the Af293 strain when grown in infection-relevant stresses, except for interactions with human immune cells wherein macrophage responses were similar to those induced by the Af293 reference strain. Collectively, our data indicate that CAPA isolates are genomically diverse but are more similar to each other in their responses to infection-relevant stresses. A larger number of isolates from CAPA patients should be studied to better understand the molecular epidemiology of CAPA and to identify genetic drivers of copathogenicity and antifungal resistance in patients with COVID-19. IMPORTANCE Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) has been globally reported as a life-threatening complication in some patients with severe COVID-19. Most of these infections are caused by the environmental mold Aspergillus fumigatus, which ranks third in the fungal pathogen priority list of the WHO. However, little is known about the molecular epidemiology of Aspergillus fumigatus CAPA strains. Here, we analyzed the genomes of 11 A. fumigatus isolates from patients with CAPA in three centers from different European countries, and carried out phenotypic analyses with a view to understanding the pathophysiology of the disease. Our data indicate that A. fumigatus CAPA isolates are genomically diverse but are more similar to each other in their responses to infection-relevant stresses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E. Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Gangneux
- University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
| | - Martin Hoenigl
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Biotech Med, Graz, Austria
| | - Juergen Prattes
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Riina Rautemaa-Richardson
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester and Department of Infectious Diseases, Manchester University, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Hélène Guegan
- University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
| | - Caroline B. Moore
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester and Department of Infectious Diseases, Manchester University, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Cornelia Lass-Flörl
- European Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Florian Reizine
- University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Norman Van Rhijn
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J. Bromley
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sara Gago
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - on behalf of the ECMM CAPA Study Group
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Biotech Med, Graz, Austria
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester and Department of Infectious Diseases, Manchester University, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- European Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
The pan-genome of Aspergillus fumigatus provides a high-resolution view of its population structure revealing high levels of lineage-specific diversity driven by recombination. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001890. [PMID: 36395320 PMCID: PMC9714929 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a deadly agent of human fungal disease where virulence heterogeneity is thought to be at least partially structured by genetic variation between strains. While population genomic analyses based on reference genome alignments offer valuable insights into how gene variants are distributed across populations, these approaches fail to capture intraspecific variation in genes absent from the reference genome. Pan-genomic analyses based on de novo assemblies offer a promising alternative to reference-based genomics with the potential to address the full genetic repertoire of a species. Here, we evaluate 260 genome sequences of A. fumigatus including 62 newly sequenced strains, using a combination of population genomics, phylogenomics, and pan-genomics. Our results offer a high-resolution assessment of population structure and recombination frequency, phylogenetically structured gene presence-absence variation, evidence for metabolic specificity, and the distribution of putative antifungal resistance genes. Although A. fumigatus disperses primarily via asexual conidia, we identified extraordinarily high levels of recombination with the lowest linkage disequilibrium decay value reported for any fungal species to date. We provide evidence for 3 primary populations of A. fumigatus, with recombination occurring only rarely between populations and often within them. These 3 populations are structured by both gene variation and distinct patterns of gene presence-absence with unique suites of accessory genes present exclusively in each clade. Accessory genes displayed functional enrichment for nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism suggesting that populations may be stratified by environmental niche specialization. Similarly, the distribution of antifungal resistance genes and resistance alleles were often structured by phylogeny. Altogether, the pan-genome of A. fumigatus represents one of the largest fungal pan-genomes reported to date including many genes unrepresented in the Af293 reference genome. These results highlight the inadequacy of relying on a single-reference genome-based approach for evaluating intraspecific variation and the power of combined genomic approaches to elucidate population structure, genetic diversity, and putative ecological drivers of clinically relevant fungi.
Collapse
|
8
|
A novel Zn 2-Cys 6 transcription factor clcA contributes to copper homeostasis in Aspergillus fumigatus. Curr Genet 2022; 68:605-617. [PMID: 35972528 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-022-01250-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is the most important pathogenic fungus among Aspergillus species associated with aspergillosis. A. fumigatus is exposed to diverse environmental stresses in the hosts during infection such as an excess of essential metal copper. To gain further insights into copper homeostasis, we generated an A. fumigatus laboratory evolved strain with increased fitness in copper stress, and identified the mutation in a Zn2-Cys6 type transcription factor clcA. We examined the role of clcA using the evolved and ∆clcA strains. The ∆clcA strain exhibited defective growth on minimal medium, PDA and copper-repleted medium, and defective conidiogenesis and conidial pigmentation. We found that clcA was required for the expressions of genes involved in conidiogenesis, conidial pigmentation, and transporters cdr1B and mfsB related to azole resistance. clcA was dispensable for the virulence in silkworm infection model. We report here that clcA plays an important role in hyphal growth, conidiogenesis, and copper adaptation.
Collapse
|
9
|
Dysfunction of Ras-GAP protein AfgapA contributes to hypoxia fitness in Aspergillus fumigatus. Curr Genet 2022; 68:593-603. [PMID: 35941233 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-022-01249-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is the most important pathogenic fungus among Aspergillus species associated with aspergillosis. A. fumigatus must adapt to hypoxic microenvironments to survive and thrive in human lungs. To gain further insights into hypoxic adaptation, we generated a laboratory-evolved strain (Afs35-G20) harboring hypoxia fitness, and identified a nonsense mutation in AfgapA encoding a Ras-GAP protein, which could result in the deletion of 22 amino acids at the C-terminus. We investigated the role of AfgapA in hypoxia fitness by constructing Afs35-G20-AfgapAWT, and ∆AfgapA. Indeed, the hypoxia fitness of Afs35-G20 was reversed by introducing AfgapAWT. ∆AfgapA exhibited greater hypoxia fitness and hypervirulence in the silkworm infection model, indicating that AfgapA is responsible for hypoxia fitness, particularly in liquid cultures. Taken together, the AfgapA dysfunction may lead to the downregulation of its Ras substrate(s), reflecting several phenotypes such as increased hypoxia fitness, hypervirulence, poor conidiation, and conidial pigmentation. Here, we report the function of a Ras-GAP protein AfgapA in A. fumigatus for the first time.
Collapse
|
10
|
Exploring a novel genomic safe-haven site in the human pathogenic mould Aspergillus fumigatus. Fungal Genet Biol 2022; 161:103702. [PMID: 35569804 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the most important airborne fungal pathogen and allergen of humans causing high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The factors that govern pathogenicity of this organism are multi-factorial and are poorly understood. Molecular tools to dissect the mechanisms of pathogenicity in A. fumigatus have improved significantly over the last 20 years however many procedures have not been standardised for A. fumigatus. Here, we present a new genomic safe-haven locus at the site of an inactivated transposon, named SH-aft4, which can be used to insert DNA sequences in the genome of this fungus without impacting its phenotype. We show that we are able to effectively express a transgene construct from the SH-aft4 and that natural regulation of promoter function is conserved at this site. Furthermore, the SH-aft4 locus is highly conserved in the genome of a wide range of clinical and environmental isolates including the isolates commonly used by many laboratories CEA10, Af293 and ATCC46645, allowing a wide range of isolates to be manipulated. Our results show that the aft4 locus can serve as a site for integration of a wide range of genetic constructs to aid functional genomics studies of this important human fungal pathogen.
Collapse
|
11
|
Examination of Genome-Wide Ortholog Variation in Clinical and Environmental Isolates of the Fungal Pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. mBio 2022; 13:e0151922. [PMID: 35766381 PMCID: PMC9426589 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01519-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is both an environmental saprobe and an opportunistic human fungal pathogen. Knowledge of genomic variation across A. fumigatus isolates is essential for understanding the evolution of pathogenicity, virulence, and resistance to antifungal drugs. Here, we investigated 206 A. fumigatus isolates (133 clinical and 73 environmental isolates), aiming to identify genes with variable presence across isolates and test whether this variation was related to the clinical or environmental origin of isolates. The PanOrtho genome of A. fumigatus consists of 13,085 ortholog groups, of which 7,773 (59.4%) are shared by all isolates (core groups) and 5,312 (40.6%) vary in their gene presence across isolates (accessory groups plus singletons). Despite differences in the distribution of orthologs across all isolates, no significant differences were observed among clinical versus environmental isolates when phylogeny was accounted for. Orthologs that differ in their distribution across isolates tend to occur at low frequency and/or be restricted to specific isolates; thus, the degree of genomic conservation between orthologs of A. fumigatus is high. These results suggest that differences in the distribution of orthologs within A. fumigatus cannot be associated with the clinical or environmental origin of isolates. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus fumigatus is a cosmopolitan species of fungus responsible for thousands of cases of invasive disease annually. Clinical and environmental isolates of A. fumigatus exhibit extensive phenotypic differences, including differences related to virulence and antifungal drug resistance. A comprehensive survey of the genomic diversity present in A. fumigatus and its relationship to the clinical or environmental origin of isolates can contribute to the prediction of the mechanisms of evolution and infection of the species. Our results suggest that there is no significant variation in ortholog distribution between clinical and environmental isolates when accounting for evolutionary history. The work supports the hypothesis that environmental and clinical isolates of A. fumigatus do not differ in their gene contents.
Collapse
|
12
|
Aspergillus Endophthalmitis: Epidemiology, Pathobiology, and Current Treatments. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8070656. [PMID: 35887412 PMCID: PMC9318612 DOI: 10.3390/jof8070656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal endophthalmitis is one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide. Post-operative and traumatic injuries are major contributing factors resulting in ocular fungal infections in healthy and, more importantly, immunocompromised individuals. Among the fungal pathogens, the Aspergillus species, Aspergillus fumigatus, continues to be more prevalent in fungal endophthalmitis patients. However, due to overlapping clinical symptoms with other endophthalmitis etiology, fungal endophthalmitis pose a challenge in its diagnosis and treatment. Hence, it is critical to understand its pathobiology to develop and deploy proper therapeutic interventions for combating Aspergillus infections. This review highlights the different modes of Aspergillus transmission and the host immune response during endophthalmitis. Additionally, we discuss recent advancements in the diagnosis of fungal endophthalmitis. Finally, we comprehensively summarize various antifungal regimens and surgical options for the treatment of Aspergillus endophthalmitis.
Collapse
|
13
|
Rokas A. Evolution of the human pathogenic lifestyle in fungi. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:607-619. [PMID: 35508719 PMCID: PMC9097544 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01112-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens cause more than a billion human infections every year, resulting in more than 1.6 million deaths annually. Understanding the natural history and evolutionary ecology of fungi is helping us understand how disease-relevant traits have repeatedly evolved. Different types and mechanisms of genetic variation have contributed to the evolution of fungal pathogenicity and specific genetic differences distinguish pathogens from non-pathogens. Insights into the traits, genetic elements, and genetic and ecological mechanisms that contribute to the evolution of fungal pathogenicity are crucial for developing strategies to both predict emergence of fungal pathogens and develop drugs to combat them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Characterization of Two Fusarium solani Species Complex Isolates from the Ambrosia Beetle Xylosandrus morigerus. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8030231. [PMID: 35330233 PMCID: PMC8956061 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ambrosia beetles are insect vectors of important plant diseases and have been considered as a threat to forest ecosystems, agriculture, and the timber industry. Several factors have been suggested as promoters of the pathogenic behavior of ambrosia beetles; one of them is the nature of the fungal mutualist and its ability to establish an infectious process. In Mexico, Xylosandrus morigerus is an invasive ambrosia beetle that damages many agroecosystems. Herein, two different isolates from the X. morigerus ambrosia beetle belonging to the Fusarium genus are reported. Both isolates belong to the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) but not to the Ambrosia Fusarium clade (AFC). The two closely related Fusarium isolates are pathogenic to different forest and agronomic species, and the morphological differences between them and the extracellular protease profile suggest intraspecific variability. This study shows the importance of considering these beetles as vectors of different species of fungal plant pathogens, with some of them even being phylogenetically closely related and having different pathogenic abilities, highlighting the relevance of the fungal mutualist as a factor for the ambrosia complex becoming a pest.
Collapse
|
15
|
Colabardini AC, Wang F, Dong Z, Pardeshi L, Rocha MC, Costa JH, dos Reis TF, Brown A, Jaber QZ, Fridman M, Fill T, Rokas A, Malavazi I, Wong KH, Goldman GH. Heterogeneity in the transcriptional response of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus to the antifungal agent caspofungin. Genetics 2022; 220:iyab183. [PMID: 34718550 PMCID: PMC8733440 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the main causative agent of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), a severe disease that affects immunosuppressed patients worldwide. The fungistatic drug caspofungin (CSP) is the second line of therapy against IPA but has increasingly been used against clinical strains that are resistant to azoles, the first line antifungal therapy. In high concentrations, CSP induces a tolerance phenotype with partial reestablishment of fungal growth called CSP paradoxical effect (CPE), resulting from a change in the composition of the cell wall. An increasing number of studies has shown that different isolates of A. fumigatus exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity, including heterogeneity in their CPE response. To gain insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of CPE response heterogeneity, we analyzed the transcriptomes of two A. fumigatus reference strains, Af293 and CEA17, exposed to low and high CSP concentrations. We found that there is a core transcriptional response that involves genes related to cell wall remodeling processes, mitochondrial function, transmembrane transport, and amino acid and ergosterol metabolism, and a variable response related to secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthesis and iron homeostasis. Specifically, we show here that the overexpression of a SM pathway that works as an iron chelator extinguishes the CPE in both backgrounds, whereas iron depletion is detrimental for the CPE in Af293 but not in CEA17. We next investigated the function of the transcription factor CrzA, whose deletion was previously shown to result in heterogeneity in the CPE response of the Af293 and CEA17 strains. We found that CrzA constitutively binds to and modulates the expression of several genes related to processes involved in CSP tolerance and that crzA deletion differentially impacts the SM production and growth of Af293 and CEA17. As opposed to the ΔcrzACEA17 mutant, the ΔcrzAAf293 mutant fails to activate cell wall remodeling genes upon CSP exposure, which most likely severely affects its macrostructure and extinguishes its CPE. This study describes how heterogeneity in the response to an antifungal agent between A. fumigatus strains stems from heterogeneity in the function of a transcription factor and its downstream target genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Colabardini
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo CEP 14040-903, Brazil
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Zhiqiang Dong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Lakhansing Pardeshi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- Genomics, Bioinformatics and Single Cell Analysis Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, 999078, China
| | - Marina Campos Rocha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos CEP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Jonas Henrique Costa
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo CEP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Thaila Fernanda dos Reis
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo CEP 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Alec Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Qais Z Jaber
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Micha Fridman
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Taicia Fill
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo CEP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos CEP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Koon Ho Wong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo CEP 14040-903, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
de Castro PA, Colabardini AC, Moraes M, Horta MAC, Knowles SL, Raja HA, Oberlies NH, Koyama Y, Ogawa M, Gomi K, Steenwyk JL, Rokas A, Gonçales RA, Duarte-Oliveira C, Carvalho A, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. Regulation of gliotoxin biosynthesis and protection in Aspergillus species. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009965. [PMID: 35041649 PMCID: PMC8797188 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus causes a range of human and animal diseases collectively known as aspergillosis. A. fumigatus possesses and expresses a range of genetic determinants of virulence, which facilitate colonisation and disease progression, including the secretion of mycotoxins. Gliotoxin (GT) is the best studied A. fumigatus mycotoxin with a wide range of known toxic effects that impair human immune cell function. GT is also highly toxic to A. fumigatus and this fungus has evolved self-protection mechanisms that include (i) the GT efflux pump GliA, (ii) the GT neutralising enzyme GliT, and (iii) the negative regulation of GT biosynthesis by the bis-thiomethyltransferase GtmA. The transcription factor (TF) RglT is the main regulator of GliT and this GT protection mechanism also occurs in the non-GT producing fungus A. nidulans. However, the A. nidulans genome does not encode GtmA and GliA. This work aimed at analysing the transcriptional response to exogenous GT in A. fumigatus and A. nidulans, two distantly related Aspergillus species, and to identify additional components required for GT protection. RNA-sequencing shows a highly different transcriptional response to exogenous GT with the RglT-dependent regulon also significantly differing between A. fumigatus and A. nidulans. However, we were able to observe homologs whose expression pattern was similar in both species (43 RglT-independent and 11 RglT-dependent). Based on this approach, we identified a novel RglT-dependent methyltranferase, MtrA, involved in GT protection. Taking into consideration the occurrence of RglT-independent modulated genes, we screened an A. fumigatus deletion library of 484 transcription factors (TFs) for sensitivity to GT and identified 15 TFs important for GT self-protection. Of these, the TF KojR, which is essential for kojic acid biosynthesis in Aspergillus oryzae, was also essential for virulence and GT biosynthesis in A. fumigatus, and for GT protection in A. fumigatus, A. nidulans, and A. oryzae. KojR regulates rglT, gliT, gliJ expression and sulfur metabolism in Aspergillus species. Together, this study identified conserved components required for GT protection in Aspergillus species. A. fumigatus secretes mycotoxins that are essential for its virulence and pathogenicity. Gliotoxin (GT) is a sulfur-containing mycotoxin, which is known to impair several aspects of the human immune response. GT is also toxic to different fungal species, which have evolved several GT protection strategies. To further decipher these responses, we used transcriptional profiling aiming to compare the response to GT in the GT producer A. fumigatus and the GT non-producer A. nidulans. This analysis allowed us to identify additional genes with a potential role in GT protection. We also identified 15 transcription factors (TFs) encoded in the A. fumigatus genome that are important for conferring resistance to exogenous gliotoxin. One of these TFs, KojR, which is essential for A. oryzae kojic acid production, is also important for virulence in A. fumigatus and GT protection in A. fumigatus, A. nidulans and A. oryzae. KojR regulates the expression of genes important for gliotoxin biosynthesis and protection, and sulfur metabolism. Together, this work identified conserved components required for gliotoxin protection in Aspergillus species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Colabardini
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Maísa Moraes
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Sonja L. Knowles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina United States of America
| | - Huzefa A. Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina United States of America
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina United States of America
| | - Yasuji Koyama
- Noda Institute for Scientific Research, 338 Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masahiro Ogawa
- Noda Institute for Scientific Research, 338 Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Katsuya Gomi
- Department of Bioindustrial Informatics and Genomics, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Relber A. Gonçales
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - Cláudio Duarte-Oliveira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - Laure N. A. Ries
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Exeter, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (LNAR); (GHG)
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- * E-mail: (LNAR); (GHG)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Colabardini AC, Wang F, Miao Z, Pardeshi L, Valero C, de Castro PA, Akiyama DY, Tan K, Nora LC, Silva-Rocha R, Marcet-Houben M, Gabaldón T, Fill T, Wong KH, Goldman GH. Chromatin profiling reveals heterogeneity in clinical isolates of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010001. [PMID: 35007279 PMCID: PMC8782537 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis, which is caused by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, is a life-threatening infection for immunosuppressed patients. Chromatin structure regulation is important for genome stability maintenance and has the potential to drive genome rearrangements and affect virulence and pathogenesis of pathogens. Here, we performed the first A. fumigatus global chromatin profiling of two histone modifications, H3K4me3 and H3K9me3, focusing on the two most investigated A. fumigatus clinical isolates, Af293 and CEA17. In eukaryotes, H3K4me3 is associated with active transcription, while H3K9me3 often marks silent genes, DNA repeats, and transposons. We found that H3K4me3 deposition is similar between the two isolates, while H3K9me3 is more variable and does not always represent transcriptional silencing. Our work uncovered striking differences in the number, locations, and expression of transposable elements between Af293 and CEA17, and the differences are correlated with H3K9me3 modifications and higher genomic variations among strains of Af293 background. Moreover, we further showed that the Af293 strains from different laboratories actually differ in their genome contents and found a frequently lost region in chromosome VIII. For one such Af293 variant, we identified the chromosomal changes and demonstrated their impacts on its secondary metabolites production, growth and virulence. Overall, our findings not only emphasize the influence of genome heterogeneity on A. fumigatus fitness, but also caution about unnoticed chromosomal variations among common laboratory strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Colabardini
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Fang Wang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- Intensive Care Unit, Biomedical Research Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhengqiang Miao
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Lakhansing Pardeshi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- Genomics, Bioinformatics and Single Cell Analysis Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel Yuri Akiyama
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kaeling Tan
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- Genomics, Bioinformatics and Single Cell Analysis Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Luisa Czamanski Nora
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina Marcet-Houben
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS). Jordi Girona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS). Jordi Girona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Taicia Fill
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Koon Ho Wong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR of China
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Barber AE, Sae-Ong T, Kang K, Seelbinder B, Li J, Walther G, Panagiotou G, Kurzai O. Aspergillus fumigatus pan-genome analysis identifies genetic variants associated with human infection. Nat Microbiol 2021; 6:1526-1536. [PMID: 34819642 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-00993-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an environmental saprobe and opportunistic human fungal pathogen. Despite an estimated annual occurrence of more than 300,000 cases of invasive disease worldwide, a comprehensive survey of the genomic diversity present in A. fumigatus-including the relationship between clinical and environmental isolates and how this genetic diversity contributes to virulence and antifungal drug resistance-has been lacking. In this study we define the pan-genome of A. fumigatus using a collection of 300 globally sampled genomes (83 clinical and 217 environmental isolates). We found that 7,563 of the 10,907 unique orthogroups (69%) are core and present in all isolates and the remaining 3,344 show presence/absence of variation, representing 16-22% of the genome of each isolate. Using this large genomic dataset of environmental and clinical samples, we found an enrichment for clinical isolates in a genetic cluster whose genomes also contain more accessory genes, including genes coding for transmembrane transporters and proteins with iron-binding activity, and genes involved in both carbohydrate and amino-acid metabolism. Finally, we leverage the power of genome-wide association studies to identify genomic variation associated with clinical isolates and triazole resistance as well as characterize genetic variation in known virulence factors. This characterization of the genomic diversity of A. fumigatus allows us to move away from a single reference genome that does not necessarily represent the species as a whole and better understand its pathogenic versatility, ultimately leading to better management of these infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amelia E Barber
- Research Group Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Junior Research Group Fungal Informatics, Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Tongta Sae-Ong
- Research Group Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Kang Kang
- Research Group Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Bastian Seelbinder
- Research Group Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,School of Data Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Grit Walther
- National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections (NRZMyk), Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Gianni Panagiotou
- Research Group Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany. .,Department of Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Oliver Kurzai
- Research Group Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany. .,National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections (NRZMyk), Leibniz Institute of Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany. .,Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Preclinical Evaluation of Recombinant Microbial Glycoside Hydrolases in the Prevention of Experimental Invasive Aspergillosis. mBio 2021; 12:e0244621. [PMID: 34579578 PMCID: PMC8546845 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02446-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous mold that can cause invasive pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients. Within the lung, A. fumigatus forms biofilms that can enhance resistance to antifungals and immune defenses. Aspergillus biofilm formation requires the production of a cationic matrix exopolysaccharide, galactosaminogalactan (GAG). In this study, recombinant glycoside hydrolases (GH)s that degrade GAG were evaluated as antifungal agents in a mouse model of invasive aspergillosis. Intratracheal GH administration was well tolerated by mice. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that although GHs have short half-lives, GH prophylaxis resulted in reduced fungal burden in leukopenic mice and improved survival in neutropenic mice, possibly through augmenting pulmonary neutrophil recruitment. Combining GH prophylaxis with posaconazole treatment resulted in a greater reduction in fungal burden than either agent alone. This study lays the foundation for further exploration of GH therapy in invasive fungal infections. IMPORTANCE The biofilm-forming mold Aspergillus fumigatus is a common causative agent of invasive fungal airway disease in patients with a compromised immune system or chronic airway disease. Treatment of A. fumigatus infection is limited by the few available antifungals to which fungal resistance is becoming increasingly common. The high mortality rate of A. fumigatus-related infection reflects a need for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. The fungal biofilm matrix is in part composed of the adhesive exopolysaccharide galactosaminogalactan, against which antifungals are less effective. Previously, we demonstrated antibiofilm activity with recombinant forms of the glycoside hydrolase enzymes that are involved in galactosaminogalactan biosynthesis. In this study, prophylaxis with glycoside hydrolases alone or in combination with the antifungal posaconazole in a mouse model of experimental aspergillosis improved outcomes. This study offers insight into the therapeutic potential of combining biofilm disruptive agents to leverage the activity of currently available antifungals.
Collapse
|
20
|
Hopke A, Mela A, Ellett F, Carter-House D, Peña JF, Stajich JE, Altamirano S, Lovett B, Egan M, Kale S, Kronholm I, Guerette P, Szewczyk E, McCluskey K, Breslauer D, Shah H, Coad BR, Momany M, Irimia D. Crowdsourced analysis of fungal growth and branching on microfluidic platforms. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257823. [PMID: 34587206 PMCID: PMC8480888 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal hyphal growth and branching are essential traits that allow fungi to spread and proliferate in many environments. This sustained growth is essential for a myriad of applications in health, agriculture, and industry. However, comparisons between different fungi are difficult in the absence of standardized metrics. Here, we used a microfluidic device featuring four different maze patterns to compare the growth velocity and branching frequency of fourteen filamentous fungi. These measurements result from the collective work of several labs in the form of a competition named the "Fungus Olympics." The competing fungi included five ascomycete species (ten strains total), two basidiomycete species, and two zygomycete species. We found that growth velocity within a straight channel varied from 1 to 4 μm/min. We also found that the time to complete mazes when fungal hyphae branched or turned at various angles did not correlate with linear growth velocity. We discovered that fungi in our study used one of two distinct strategies to traverse mazes: high-frequency branching in which all possible paths were explored, and low-frequency branching in which only one or two paths were explored. While the high-frequency branching helped fungi escape mazes with sharp turns faster, the low-frequency turning had a significant advantage in mazes with shallower turns. Future work will more systematically examine these trends.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Hopke
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alex Mela
- Fungal Biology Group and Plant Biology Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Felix Ellett
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Derreck Carter-House
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Jesús F. Peña
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Sophie Altamirano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Brian Lovett
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Martin Egan
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Shiv Kale
- Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Ilkka Kronholm
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Paul Guerette
- Bolt Threads Inc., Emeryville, California, United States of America
| | - Edyta Szewczyk
- Bolt Threads Inc., Emeryville, California, United States of America
| | - Kevin McCluskey
- Bolt Threads Inc., Emeryville, California, United States of America
| | - David Breslauer
- Bolt Threads Inc., Emeryville, California, United States of America
| | - Hiral Shah
- Bharat Chattoo Genome Research Centre, Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, India
| | - Bryan R. Coad
- School of Agriculture, Food & Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michelle Momany
- Fungal Biology Group and Plant Biology Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DI); (MM)
| | - Daniel Irimia
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DI); (MM)
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
dos Santos RAC, Mead ME, Steenwyk JL, Rivero-Menéndez O, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Goldman GH, Rokas A. Examining Signatures of Natural Selection in Antifungal Resistance Genes Across Aspergillus Fungi. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2021; 2:723051. [PMID: 37744093 PMCID: PMC10512362 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2021.723051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Certain Aspergillus fungi cause aspergillosis, a set of diseases that typically affect immunocompromised individuals. Most cases of aspergillosis are caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, which infects millions of people annually. Some closely related so-called cryptic species, such as Aspergillus lentulus, can also cause aspergillosis, albeit at lower frequencies, and they are also clinically relevant. Few antifungal drugs are currently available for treating aspergillosis and there is increasing worldwide concern about the presence of antifungal drug resistance in Aspergillus species. Furthermore, isolates from both A. fumigatus and other Aspergillus pathogens exhibit substantial heterogeneity in their antifungal drug resistance profiles. To gain insights into the evolution of antifungal drug resistance genes in Aspergillus, we investigated signatures of positive selection in 41 genes known to be involved in drug resistance across 42 susceptible and resistant isolates from 12 Aspergillus section Fumigati species. Using codon-based site models of sequence evolution, we identified ten genes that contain 43 sites with signatures of ancient positive selection across our set of species. None of the sites that have experienced positive selection overlap with sites previously reported to be involved in drug resistance. These results identify sites that likely experienced ancient positive selection in Aspergillus genes involved in resistance to antifungal drugs and suggest that historical selective pressures on these genes likely differ from any current selective pressures imposed by antifungal drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renato Augusto Corrêa dos Santos
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Matthew E. Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Olga Rivero-Menéndez
- Medical Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo
- Medical Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Blatzer M, Latgé JP. Fungal spores are future-proofed. Nat Microbiol 2021; 6:979-980. [PMID: 34326519 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-00946-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Blatzer
- EA DYNAMiC 7380, Faculté de Santé, Univ. Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), Créteil, France
| | - Jean-Paul Latgé
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, FORTH and School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Steenwyk JL, Mead ME, de Castro PA, Valero C, Damasio A, dos Santos RAC, Labella AL, Li Y, Knowles SL, Raja HA, Oberlies NH, Zhou X, Cornely OA, Fuchs F, Koehler P, Goldman GH, Rokas A. Genomic and Phenotypic Analysis of COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis Isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0001021. [PMID: 34106569 PMCID: PMC8552514 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00010-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first described in Wuhan, China. A subset of COVID-19 patients has been reported to have acquired secondary infections by microbial pathogens, such as opportunistic fungal pathogens from the genus Aspergillus. To gain insight into COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), we analyzed the genomes and characterized the phenotypic profiles of four CAPA isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus obtained from patients treated in the area of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. By examining the mutational spectrum of single nucleotide polymorphisms, insertion-deletion polymorphisms, and copy number variants among 206 genes known to modulate A. fumigatus virulence, we found that CAPA isolate genomes do not exhibit significant differences from the genome of the Af293 reference strain. By examining a number of factors, including virulence in an invertebrate moth model, growth in the presence of osmotic, cell wall, and oxidative stressors, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and the MIC of antifungal drugs, we found that CAPA isolates were generally, but not always, similar to A. fumigatus reference strains Af293 and CEA17. Notably, CAPA isolate D had more putative loss-of-function mutations in genes known to increase virulence when deleted. Moreover, CAPA isolate D was significantly more virulent than the other three CAPA isolates and the A. fumigatus reference strains Af293 and CEA17, but similarly virulent to two other clinical strains of A. fumigatus. These findings expand our understanding of the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of isolates that cause CAPA. IMPORTANCE The global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has already killed millions of people. COVID-19 patient outcome can be further complicated by secondary infections, such as COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). CAPA is caused by Aspergillus fungal pathogens, but there is little information about the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of CAPA isolates. We conducted genome sequencing and extensive phenotyping of four CAPA isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus from Germany. We found that CAPA isolates were often, but not always, similar to other reference strains of A. fumigatus across 206 genetic determinants of infection-relevant phenotypes, including virulence. For example, CAPA isolate D was more virulent than other CAPA isolates and reference strains in an invertebrate model of fungal disease, but similarly virulent to two other clinical strains. These results expand our understanding of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Matthew E. Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - André Damasio
- Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas-SP, Brazil
- Experimental Medicine Research Cluster (EMRC), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas-SP, Brazil
| | - Renato A. C. dos Santos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Abigail L. Labella
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Yuanning Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sonja L. Knowles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Huzefa A. Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Oliver A. Cornely
- University of Cologne, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany
- University of Cologne, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
- ZKS Köln, Clinical Trials Centre Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn‐Cologne, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Frieder Fuchs
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Philipp Koehler
- University of Cologne, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany
- University of Cologne, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a major opportunistic fungal pathogen of immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. To successfully establish an infection, A. fumigatus needs to use host carbon sources, such as acetate, present in the body fluids and peripheral tissues. However, utilization of acetate as a carbon source by fungi in the context of infection has not been investigated. This work shows that acetate is metabolized via different pathways in A. fumigatus and that acetate utilization is under the regulatory control of a transcription factor (TF), FacB. A. fumigatus acetate utilization is subject to carbon catabolite repression (CCR), although this is only partially dependent on the TF and main regulator of CCR CreA. The available extracellular carbon source, in this case glucose and acetate, significantly affected A. fumigatus virulence traits such as secondary metabolite secretion and cell wall composition, with the latter having consequences for resistance to oxidative stress, antifungal drugs, and human neutrophil-mediated killing. Furthermore, deletion of facB significantly impaired the in vivo virulence of A. fumigatus in both insect and mammalian models of invasive aspergillosis. This is the first report on acetate utilization in A. fumigatus, and this work further highlights the importance of available host-specific carbon sources in shaping fungal virulence traits and subsequent disease outcome, and a potential target for the development of antifungal strategies. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen in humans. During infection, A. fumigatus is predicted to use host carbon sources, such as acetate, present in body fluids and peripheral tissues, to sustain growth and promote colonization and invasion. This work shows that A. fumigatus metabolizes acetate via different pathways, a process that is dependent on the transcription factor FacB. Furthermore, the type and concentration of the extracellular available carbon source were determined to shape A. fumigatus virulence determinants such as secondary metabolite secretion and cell wall composition. Subsequently, interactions with immune cells are altered in a carbon source-specific manner. FacB is required for A. fumigatus in vivo virulence in both insect and mammalian models of invasive aspergillosis. This is the first report that characterizes acetate utilization in A. fumigatus and highlights the importance of available host-specific carbon sources in shaping virulence traits and potentially subsequent disease outcome.
Collapse
|
25
|
Nair A, Sarma SJ. The impact of carbon and nitrogen catabolite repression in microorganisms. Microbiol Res 2021; 251:126831. [PMID: 34325194 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Organisms have cellular machinery that is focused on optimum utilization of resources to maximize growth and survival depending on various environmental and developmental factors. Catabolite repression is a strategy utilized by various species of bacteria and fungi to accommodate changes in the environment such as the depletion of resources, or an abundance of less-favored nutrient sources. Catabolite repression allows for the rapid use of certain substrates like glucose over other carbon sources. Effective handling of carbon and nitrogen catabolite repression in microorganisms is crucial to outcompete others in nutrient limiting conditions. Investigations into genes and proteins linked to preferential uptake of different nutrients under various environmental conditions can aid in identifying regulatory mechanisms that are crucial for optimum growth and survival of microorganisms. The exact time and way bacteria and fungi switch their utilization of certain nutrients is of great interest for scientific, industrial, and clinical reasons. Catabolite repression is of great significance for industrial applications that rely on microorganisms for the generation of valuable bio-products. The impact catabolite repression has on virulence of pathogenic bacteria and fungi and disease progression in hosts makes it important area of interest in medical research for the prevention of diseases and developing new treatment strategies. Regulatory networks under catabolite repression exemplify the flexibility and the tremendous diversity that is found in microorganisms and provides an impetus for newer insights into these networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhinav Nair
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bennett University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Saurabh Jyoti Sarma
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bennett University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Mead ME, Steenwyk JL, Silva LP, de Castro PA, Saeed N, Hillmann F, Goldman GH, Rokas A. An evolutionary genomic approach reveals both conserved and species-specific genetic elements related to human disease in closely related Aspergillus fungi. Genetics 2021; 218:6263860. [PMID: 33944921 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillosis is an important opportunistic human disease caused by filamentous fungi in the genus Aspergillus. Roughly 70% of infections are caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, with the rest stemming from approximately a dozen other Aspergillus species. Several of these pathogens are closely related to A. fumigatus and belong in the same taxonomic section, section Fumigati. Pathogenic species are frequently most closely related to nonpathogenic ones, suggesting Aspergillus pathogenicity evolved multiple times independently. To understand the repeated evolution of Aspergillus pathogenicity, we performed comparative genomic analyses on 18 strains from 13 species, including 8 species in section Fumigati, which aimed to identify genes, both ones previously connected to virulence as well as ones never before implicated, whose evolution differs between pathogens and nonpathogens. We found that most genes were present in all species, including approximately half of those previously connected to virulence, but a few genes were section- or species-specific. Evolutionary rate analyses identified over 1700 genes whose evolutionary rate differed between pathogens and nonpathogens and dozens of genes whose rates differed between specific pathogens and the rest of the taxa. Functional testing of deletion mutants of 17 transcription factor-encoding genes whose evolution differed between pathogens and nonpathogens identified eight genes that affect either fungal survival in a model of phagocytic killing, host survival in an animal model of fungal disease, or both. These results suggest that the evolution of pathogenicity in Aspergillus involved both conserved and species-specific genetic elements, illustrating how an evolutionary genomic approach informs the study of fungal disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Jacob L Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Lilian P Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Patrícia A de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nauman Saeed
- Junior Research Group Evolution of Microbial Interactions, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Falk Hillmann
- Junior Research Group Evolution of Microbial Interactions, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Understanding the fundamental role of virulence determinants to combat Aspergillus fumigatus infections: exploring beyond cell wall. Mycol Prog 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-021-01677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
28
|
de Assis LJ, Silva LP, Bayram O, Dowling P, Kniemeyer O, Krüger T, Brakhage AA, Chen Y, Dong L, Tan K, Wong KH, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. Carbon Catabolite Repression in Filamentous Fungi Is Regulated by Phosphorylation of the Transcription Factor CreA. mBio 2021; 12:e03146-20. [PMID: 33402538 PMCID: PMC8545104 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03146-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi of the genus Aspergillus are of particular interest for biotechnological applications due to their natural capacity to secrete carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZy) that target plant biomass. The presence of easily metabolizable sugars such as glucose, whose concentrations increase during plant biomass hydrolysis, results in the repression of CAZy-encoding genes in a process known as carbon catabolite repression (CCR), which is undesired for the purpose of large-scale enzyme production. To date, the C2H2 transcription factor CreA has been described as the major CC repressor in Aspergillus spp., although little is known about the role of posttranslational modifications in this process. In this work, phosphorylation sites were identified by mass spectrometry on Aspergillus nidulans CreA, and subsequently, the previously identified but uncharacterized site S262, the characterized site S319, and the newly identified sites S268 and T308 were chosen to be mutated to nonphosphorylatable residues before their effect on CCR was investigated. Sites S262, S268, and T308 are important for CreA protein accumulation and cellular localization, DNA binding, and repression of enzyme activities. In agreement with a previous study, site S319 was not important for several here-tested phenotypes but is key for CreA degradation and induction of enzyme activities. All sites were shown to be important for glycogen and trehalose metabolism. This study highlights the importance of CreA phosphorylation sites for the regulation of CCR. These sites are interesting targets for biotechnological strain engineering without the need to delete essential genes, which could result in undesired side effects.IMPORTANCE In filamentous fungi, the transcription factor CreA controls carbohydrate metabolism through the regulation of genes encoding enzymes required for the use of alternative carbon sources. In this work, phosphorylation sites were identified on Aspergillus nidulans CreA, and subsequently, the two newly identified sites S268 and T308, the previously identified but uncharacterized site S262, and the previously characterized site S319 were chosen to be mutated to nonphosphorylatable residues before their effect on CCR was characterized. Sites S262, S268, and T308 are important for CreA protein accumulation and cellular localization, DNA binding, and repression of enzyme activities. In agreement with a previous study, site S319 is not important for several here-tested phenotypes but is key for CreA degradation and induction of enzyme activities. This work characterized novel CreA phosphorylation sites under carbon catabolite-repressing conditions and showed that they are crucial for CreA protein turnover, control of carbohydrate utilization, and biotechnologically relevant enzyme production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lilian Pereira Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Ozgur Bayram
- Biology Department, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Paul Dowling
- Biology Department, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Krüger
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Yingying Chen
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Liguo Dong
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Kaeling Tan
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Koon Ho Wong
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Laure N A Ries
- University of Exeter, MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Bertuzzi M, van Rhijn N, Krappmann S, Bowyer P, Bromley MJ, Bignell EM. On the lineage of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates in common laboratory use. Med Mycol 2021; 59:7-13. [PMID: 32944768 PMCID: PMC7779236 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin of isolates routinely used by the community of Aspergillus fumigatus researchers is periodically a matter of intense discussion at our centre, as the construction of recombinant isolates have sometimes followed convoluted routes, the documentation describing their lineages is fragmented, and the nomenclature is confusing. As an aide memoir, not least for our own benefit, we submit the following account and tabulated list of strains (Table 1) in an effort to collate all of the relevant information in a single, easily accessible document. To maximise the accuracy of this record we have consulted widely amongst the community of Medical Mycologists using these strains. All the strains described are currently available from one of these organisations, namely the Fungal Genetics Stock Centre (FGSC), FungiDB, Ensembl Fungi and The National Collection of Pathogenic Fungi (NCPF) at Public Health England. Display items from this manuscript are also featured on FungiDB. LAY ABSTRACT We present a concise overview on the definition, origin and unique genetic makeup of the Aspergillus fumigatus isolates routinely in use by the fungal research community, to aid researchers to describe past and new strains and the experimental differences observed more accurately.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Bertuzzi
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Norman van Rhijn
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Sven Krappmann
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Paul Bowyer
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Michael J Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Elaine M Bignell
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Steenwyk JL, Mead ME, de Castro PA, Valero C, Damasio A, dos Santos RAC, Labella AL, Li Y, Knowles SL, Raja HA, Oberlies NH, Zhou X, Cornely OA, Fuchs F, Koehler P, Goldman GH, Rokas A. Genomic and phenotypic analysis of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020:2020.11.06.371971. [PMID: 33173866 PMCID: PMC7654854 DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.06.371971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first described from Wuhan, China. A subset of COVID-19 patients has been reported to have acquired secondary infections by microbial pathogens, such as fungal opportunistic pathogens from the genus Aspergillus . To gain insight into COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), we analyzed the genomes and characterized the phenotypic profiles of four CAPA isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus obtained from patients treated in the area of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. By examining the mutational spectrum of single nucleotide polymorphisms, insertion-deletion polymorphisms, and copy number variants among 206 genes known to modulate A. fumigatus virulence, we found that CAPA isolate genomes do not exhibit major differences from the genome of the Af293 reference strain. By examining virulence in an invertebrate moth model, growth in the presence of osmotic, cell wall, and oxidative stressors, and the minimum inhibitory concentration of antifungal drugs, we found that CAPA isolates were generally, but not always, similar to A. fumigatus reference strains Af293 and CEA17. Notably, CAPA isolate D had more putative loss of function mutations in genes known to increase virulence when deleted (e.g., in the FLEA gene, which encodes a lectin recognized by macrophages). Moreover, CAPA isolate D was significantly more virulent than the other three CAPA isolates and the A. fumigatus reference strains tested. These findings expand our understanding of the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of isolates that cause CAPA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Matthew E. Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - André Damasio
- Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas-SP, Brazil
- Experimental Medicine Research Cluster (EMRC), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas-SP, Brazil
| | - Renato A. C. dos Santos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Abigail L. Labella
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Yuanning Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sonja L. Knowles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina 27402
| | - Huzefa A. Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina 27402
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina 27402
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Oliver A. Cornely
- University of Cologne, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany
- University of Cologne, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
- ZKS Köln, Clinical Trials Centre Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn Cologne, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Frieder Fuchs
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Philipp Koehler
- University of Cologne, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany
- University of Cologne, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Steenwyk JL, Mead ME, Knowles SL, Raja HA, Roberts CD, Bader O, Houbraken J, Goldman GH, Oberlies NH, Rokas A. Variation Among Biosynthetic Gene Clusters, Secondary Metabolite Profiles, and Cards of Virulence Across Aspergillus Species. Genetics 2020; 216:481-497. [PMID: 32817009 PMCID: PMC7536862 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a major human pathogen. In contrast, Aspergillus fischeri and the recently described Aspergillus oerlinghausenensis, the two species most closely related to A. fumigatus, are not known to be pathogenic. Some of the genetic determinants of virulence (or "cards of virulence") that A. fumigatus possesses are secondary metabolites that impair the host immune system, protect from host immune cell attacks, or acquire key nutrients. To examine whether secondary metabolism-associated cards of virulence vary between these species, we conducted extensive genomic and secondary metabolite profiling analyses of multiple A. fumigatus, one A. oerlinghausenensis, and multiple A. fischeri strains. We identified two cards of virulence (gliotoxin and fumitremorgin) shared by all three species and three cards of virulence (trypacidin, pseurotin, and fumagillin) that are variable. For example, we found that all species and strains examined biosynthesized gliotoxin, which is known to contribute to virulence, consistent with the conservation of the gliotoxin biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) across genomes. For other secondary metabolites, such as fumitremorgin, a modulator of host biology, we found that all species produced the metabolite but that there was strain heterogeneity in its production within species. Finally, species differed in their biosynthesis of fumagillin and pseurotin, both contributors to host tissue damage during invasive aspergillosis. A. fumigatus biosynthesized fumagillin and pseurotin, while A. oerlinghausenensis biosynthesized fumagillin and A. fischeri biosynthesized neither. These biochemical differences were reflected in sequence divergence of the intertwined fumagillin/pseurotin BGCs across genomes. These results delineate the similarities and differences in secondary metabolism-associated cards of virulence between a major fungal pathogen and its nonpathogenic closest relatives, shedding light onto the genetic and phenotypic changes associated with the evolution of fungal pathogenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob L Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235
| | - Matthew E Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235
| | - Sonja L Knowles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina 27402
| | - Huzefa A Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina 27402
| | - Christopher D Roberts
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina 27402
| | - Oliver Bader
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075, Germany
| | - Jos Houbraken
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 14040-900 Brazil
| | - Nicholas H Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina 27402
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
de Assis LJ, Silva LP, Liu L, Schmitt K, Valerius O, Braus GH, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. The High Osmolarity Glycerol Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase regulates glucose catabolite repression in filamentous fungi. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008996. [PMID: 32841242 PMCID: PMC7473523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The utilization of different carbon sources in filamentous fungi underlies a complex regulatory network governed by signaling events of different protein kinase pathways, including the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) and protein kinase A (PKA) pathways. This work unraveled cross-talk events between these pathways in governing the utilization of preferred (glucose) and non-preferred (xylan, xylose) carbon sources in the reference fungus Aspergillus nidulans. An initial screening of a library of 103 non-essential protein kinase (NPK) deletion strains identified several mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) to be important for carbon catabolite repression (CCR). We selected the MAPKs Ste7, MpkB, and PbsA for further characterization and show that they are pivotal for HOG pathway activation, PKA activity, CCR via regulation of CreA cellular localization and protein accumulation, as well as for hydrolytic enzyme secretion. Protein-protein interaction studies show that Ste7, MpkB, and PbsA are part of the same protein complex that regulates CreA cellular localization in the presence of xylan and that this complex dissociates upon the addition of glucose, thus allowing CCR to proceed. Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) A was also identified as part of this protein complex and shown to potentially phosphorylate two serine residues of the HOG MAPKK PbsA. This work shows that carbon source utilization is subject to cross-talk regulation by protein kinases of different signaling pathways. Furthermore, this study provides a model where the correct integration of PKA, HOG, and GSK signaling events are required for the utilization of different carbon sources. Filamentous fungi secrete an array of biotechnologically valuable enzymes, with enzyme production being inhibited in the presence of preferred carbon sources, such as glucose, in a process known as carbon catabolite repression (CCR). This work unravels upstream signalling events that regulate CCR in Aspergillus nidulans. Different mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were identified and shown to be crucial for CCR and protein kinase A (PKA) activity, which is essential for carbon source utilisation in filamentous fungi. Furthermore, the MAPKs formed a protein complex with additional protein kinases, such as glycogen synthase kinase (GSK), which is important for glucose metabolism; resulting in the inhibition of CCR in the presence of non-preferred carbon sources. GSK was shown to potentially phosphorylate the MAPK PbsA of the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway. This study thus unravels the cross-talk between protein kinases from different signalling pathways that regulate carbon source utilisation in filamentous fungi.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leandro José de Assis
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Bloco Q, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lilian Pereira Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Bloco Q, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schmitt
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Valerius
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Gerhard H. Braus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
- * E-mail: (GHB); (LNAR); (GHG)
| | - Laure Nicolas Annick Ries
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail: (GHB); (LNAR); (GHG)
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Bloco Q, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- * E-mail: (GHB); (LNAR); (GHG)
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Steenwyk JL, Lind AL, Ries LNA, Dos Reis TF, Silva LP, Almeida F, Bastos RW, Fraga da Silva TFDC, Bonato VLD, Pessoni AM, Rodrigues F, Raja HA, Knowles SL, Oberlies NH, Lagrou K, Goldman GH, Rokas A. Pathogenic Allodiploid Hybrids of Aspergillus Fungi. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2495-2507.e7. [PMID: 32502407 PMCID: PMC7343619 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Interspecific hybridization substantially alters genotypes and phenotypes and can give rise to new lineages. Hybrid isolates that differ from their parental species in infection-relevant traits have been observed in several human-pathogenic yeasts and plant-pathogenic filamentous fungi but have yet to be found in human-pathogenic filamentous fungi. We discovered 6 clinical isolates from patients with aspergillosis originally identified as Aspergillus nidulans (section Nidulantes) that are actually allodiploid hybrids formed by the fusion of Aspergillus spinulosporus with an unknown close relative of Aspergillus quadrilineatus, both in section Nidulantes. Evolutionary genomic analyses revealed that these isolates belong to Aspergillus latus, an allodiploid hybrid species. Characterization of diverse infection-relevant traits further showed that A. latus hybrid isolates are genomically and phenotypically heterogeneous but also differ from A. nidulans, A. spinulosporus, and A. quadrilineatus. These results suggest that allodiploid hybridization contributes to the genomic and phenotypic diversity of filamentous fungal pathogens of humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob L Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Abigail L Lind
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Laure N A Ries
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Vila Monte Alegre, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida do Café S/N, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Thaila F Dos Reis
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Vila Monte Alegre, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida do Café S/N, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Lilian P Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida do Café S/N, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Fausto Almeida
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Vila Monte Alegre, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael W Bastos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida do Café S/N, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Thais Fernanda de Campos Fraga da Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Vila Monte Alegre, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vania L D Bonato
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Vila Monte Alegre, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André Moreira Pessoni
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Vila Monte Alegre, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4715-495 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4715-495 Braga, Portugal
| | - Huzefa A Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1400 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Sonja L Knowles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1400 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Nicholas H Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1400 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Laboratory Medicine and National Reference Centre for Mycosis, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida do Café S/N, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, Brazil.
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Dos Santos RAC, Steenwyk JL, Rivero-Menendez O, Mead ME, Silva LP, Bastos RW, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Goldman GH, Rokas A. Genomic and Phenotypic Heterogeneity of Clinical Isolates of the Human Pathogens Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus lentulus, and Aspergillus fumigatiaffinis. Front Genet 2020; 11:459. [PMID: 32477406 PMCID: PMC7236307 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens are a global threat to human health. For example, fungi from the genus Aspergillus cause a spectrum of diseases collectively known as aspergillosis. Most of the >200,000 life-threatening aspergillosis infections per year worldwide are caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. Recently, molecular typing techniques have revealed that aspergillosis can also be caused by organisms that are phenotypically similar to A. fumigatus but genetically distinct, such as Aspergillus lentulus and Aspergillus fumigatiaffinis. Importantly, some of these so-called cryptic species are thought to exhibit different virulence and drug susceptibility profiles than A. fumigatus, however, our understanding of their biology and pathogenic potential has been stymied by the lack of genome sequences and phenotypic profiling of multiple clinical strains. To fill this gap, we phenotypically characterized the virulence and drug susceptibility of 15 clinical strains of A. fumigatus, A. lentulus, and A. fumigatiaffinis from Spain and sequenced their genomes. We found heterogeneity in drug susceptibility across species and strains. We further found heterogeneity in virulence within each species but no significant differences in the virulence profiles between the three species. Genes known to influence drug susceptibility (cyp51A and fks1) vary in paralog number and sequence among these species and strains and correlate with differences in drug susceptibility. Similarly, genes known to be important for virulence in A. fumigatus showed variability in number of paralogs across strains and across species. Characterization of the genomic similarities and differences of clinical strains of A. lentulus, A. fumigatiaffinis, and A. fumigatus that vary in disease-relevant traits will advance our understanding of the variance in pathogenicity between Aspergillus species and strains that are collectively responsible for the vast majority of aspergillosis infections in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renato A C Dos Santos
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jacob L Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Olga Rivero-Menendez
- Medical Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Matthew E Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Lilian P Silva
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael W Bastos
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo
- Medical Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Drott MT, Bastos RW, Rokas A, Ries LNA, Gabaldón T, Goldman GH, Keller NP, Greco C. Diversity of Secondary Metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans Clinical Isolates. mSphere 2020; 5:e00156-20. [PMID: 32269157 PMCID: PMC7142299 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00156-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans has been a primary workhorse used to understand fungal genetics. Much of this work has focused on elucidating the genetics of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and the secondary metabolites (SMs) they produce. SMs are both niche defining in fungi and of great economic importance to humans. Despite the focus on A. nidulans, very little is known about the natural diversity in secondary metabolism within this species. We determined the BGC content and looked for evolutionary patterns in BGCs from whole-genome sequences of two clinical isolates and the A4 reference genome of A. nidulans Differences in BGC content were used to explain SM profiles determined using liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. We found that in addition to genetic variation of BGCs contained by all isolates, nine BGCs varied by presence/absence. We discovered the viridicatumtoxin BGC in A. nidulans and suggest that this BGC has undergone a horizontal gene transfer from the Aspergillus section Nigri lineage into Penicillium sometime after the sections Nigri and Nidulantes diverged. We identified the production of viridicatumtoxin and several other compounds previously not known to be produced by A. nidulans One isolate showed a lack of sterigmatocystin production even though it contained an apparently intact sterigmatocystin BGC, raising questions about other genes and processes known to regulate this BGC. Altogether, our work uncovers a large degree of intraspecies diversity in BGC and SM production in this genetic model species and offers new avenues to understand the evolution and regulation of secondary metabolism.IMPORTANCE Much of what we know about the genetics underlying secondary metabolite (SM) production and the function of SMs in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans comes from a single reference genome. A growing body of research indicates the importance of biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) and SM diversity within a species. However, there is no information about the natural diversity of secondary metabolism in A. nidulans We discovered six novel clusters that contribute to the considerable variation in both BGC content and SM production within A. nidulans We characterize a diverse set of mutations and emphasize how findings of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), deletions, and differences in evolutionary history encompass much of the variation observed in nonmodel systems. Our results emphasize that A. nidulans may also be a strong model to use within-species diversity to elucidate regulatory cross talk, fungal ecology, and drug discovery systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M T Drott
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - R W Bastos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - A Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - L N A Ries
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - T Gabaldón
- Life Sciences Program, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, Barcelona, Spain
- Mechanisms of Disease Program, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - G H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - N P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - C Greco
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Bastos RW, Valero C, Silva LP, Schoen T, Drott M, Brauer V, Silva-Rocha R, Lind A, Steenwyk JL, Rokas A, Rodrigues F, Resendiz-Sharpe A, Lagrou K, Marcet-Houben M, Gabaldón T, McDonnell E, Reid I, Tsang A, Oakley BR, Loures FV, Almeida F, Huttenlocher A, Keller NP, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. Functional Characterization of Clinical Isolates of the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen Aspergillus nidulans. mSphere 2020; 5:e00153-20. [PMID: 32269156 PMCID: PMC7142298 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00153-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus nidulans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen in patients with immunodeficiency, and virulence of A. nidulans isolates has mainly been studied in the context of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), with characterization of clinical isolates obtained from non-CGD patients remaining elusive. This study therefore carried out a detailed biological characterization of two A. nidulans clinical isolates (CIs), obtained from a patient with breast carcinoma and pneumonia and from a patient with cystic fibrosis that underwent lung transplantation, and compared them to the reference, nonclinical FGSC A4 strain. Both CIs presented increased growth in comparison to that of the reference strain in the presence of physiologically relevant carbon sources. Metabolomic analyses showed that the three strains are metabolically very different from each other in these carbon sources. Furthermore, the CIs were highly susceptible to cell wall-perturbing agents but not to other physiologically relevant stresses. Genome analyses identified several frameshift variants in genes encoding cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling components. Significant differences in CWI signaling were confirmed by Western blotting among the three strains. In vivo virulence studies using several different models revealed that strain MO80069 had significantly higher virulence in hosts with impaired neutrophil function than the other strains. In summary, this study presents detailed biological characterization of two A. nidulanssensu stricto clinical isolates. Just as in Aspergillus fumigatus, strain heterogeneity exists in A. nidulans clinical strains that can define virulence traits. Further studies are required to fully characterize A. nidulans strain-specific virulence traits and pathogenicity.IMPORTANCE Immunocompromised patients are susceptible to infections with opportunistic filamentous fungi from the genus Aspergillus Although A. fumigatus is the main etiological agent of Aspergillus species-related infections, other species, such as A. nidulans, are prevalent in a condition-specific manner. A. nidulans is a predominant infective agent in patients suffering from chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). A. nidulans isolates have mainly been studied in the context of CGD although infection with A. nidulans also occurs in non-CGD patients. This study carried out a detailed biological characterization of two non-CGD A. nidulans clinical isolates and compared the results to those with a reference strain. Phenotypic, metabolomic, and genomic analyses highlight fundamental differences in carbon source utilization, stress responses, and maintenance of cell wall integrity among the strains. One clinical strain had increased virulence in models with impaired neutrophil function. Just as in A. fumigatus, strain heterogeneity exists in A. nidulans clinical strains that can define virulence traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Wesley Bastos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Lilian Pereira Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Taylor Schoen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Milton Drott
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Verônica Brauer
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Abigail Lind
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jacob L Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Fernando Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute/3B's Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Agustin Resendiz-Sharpe
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- National Reference Center for Mycosis, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marina Marcet-Houben
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
- Life Sciences Program, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, Barcelona, Spain
- Mechanisms of Disease Program, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
- Life Sciences Program, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, Barcelona, Spain
- Mechanisms of Disease Program, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Erin McDonnell
- Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ian Reid
- Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Adrian Tsang
- Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Berl R Oakley
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Flávio Vieira Loures
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Fausto Almeida
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Anna Huttenlocher
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Population Structure and Genetic Diversity among Isolates of Coccidioides posadasii in Venezuela and Surrounding Regions. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.01976-19. [PMID: 31772050 PMCID: PMC6879716 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01976-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coccidioides posadasii is a pathogenic fungus that causes coccidioidomycosis in many arid regions of the Americas. One of these regions is bordered by the Caribbean Sea, and the surrounding landscape may play an important role in the dispersion of C. posadasii across South America through southeastern Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and Venezuela. Comparative phylogenomic analyses of C. posadasii reveal that clinical strains from Venezuela are genetically distinct from the North American populations found in (i) Arizona and (ii) Texas, Mexico, and the rest of South America (TX/MX/SA). We find evidence for admixture between the Venezuela and the North American populations of C. posadasii in Central America. Additionally, the proportion of Venezuelan alleles in the admixed population decreases as latitude (and distance from Venezuela) increases. Our results indicate that the population in Venezuela may have been subjected to a recent bottleneck and shows a strong population structure. This analysis provides insight into potential for Coccidioides spp. to invade new regions.IMPORTANCE Valley Fever is a fungal disease caused by two species of fungi: Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii These fungi are found throughout the arid regions of North and South America; however, our understanding of genetic diversity and disease in South America is limited. In this report, we analyze 10 new genomes of Coccidioides posadasii from regions bordering the Caribbean Sea. We show that these populations are distinct and that isolates from Venezuela are likely a result of a recent bottleneck. These data point to patterns that might be observed when investigating recently established populations.
Collapse
|