1
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Coelho MA, David-Palma M, Shea T, Bowers K, McGinley-Smith S, Mohammad AW, Gnirke A, Yurkov AM, Nowrousian M, Sun S, Cuomo CA, Heitman J. Comparative genomics of the closely related fungal genera Cryptococcus and Kwoniella reveals karyotype dynamics and suggests evolutionary mechanisms of pathogenesis. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002682. [PMID: 38843310 PMCID: PMC11185503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
In exploring the evolutionary trajectories of both pathogenesis and karyotype dynamics in fungi, we conducted a large-scale comparative genomic analysis spanning the Cryptococcus genus, encompassing both global human fungal pathogens and nonpathogenic species, and related species from the sister genus Kwoniella. Chromosome-level genome assemblies were generated for multiple species, covering virtually all known diversity within these genera. Although Cryptococcus and Kwoniella have comparable genome sizes (about 19.2 and 22.9 Mb) and similar gene content, hinting at preadaptive pathogenic potential, our analysis found evidence of gene gain (via horizontal gene transfer) and gene loss in pathogenic Cryptococcus species, which might represent evolutionary signatures of pathogenic development. Genome analysis also revealed a significant variation in chromosome number and structure between the 2 genera. By combining synteny analysis and experimental centromere validation, we found that most Cryptococcus species have 14 chromosomes, whereas most Kwoniella species have fewer (11, 8, 5, or even as few as 3). Reduced chromosome number in Kwoniella is associated with formation of giant chromosomes (up to 18 Mb) through repeated chromosome fusion events, each marked by a pericentric inversion and centromere loss. While similar chromosome inversion-fusion patterns were observed in all Kwoniella species with fewer than 14 chromosomes, no such pattern was detected in Cryptococcus. Instead, Cryptococcus species with less than 14 chromosomes showed reductions primarily through rearrangements associated with the loss of repeat-rich centromeres. Additionally, Cryptococcus genomes exhibited frequent interchromosomal translocations, including intercentromeric recombination facilitated by transposons shared between centromeres. Overall, our findings advance our understanding of genetic changes possibly associated with pathogenicity in Cryptococcus and provide a foundation to elucidate mechanisms of centromere loss and chromosome fusion driving distinct karyotypes in closely related fungal species, including prominent global human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Terrance Shea
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Katharine Bowers
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sage McGinley-Smith
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Arman W. Mohammad
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Andreas Gnirke
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Andrey M. Yurkov
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Minou Nowrousian
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare und Zelluläre Botanik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Christina A. Cuomo
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
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2
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Safar HA, Alatar F, Mustafa AS. Three Rounds of Read Correction Significantly Improve Eukaryotic Protein Detection in ONT Reads. Microorganisms 2024; 12:247. [PMID: 38399651 PMCID: PMC10893331 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020247] [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: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eukaryotes' whole-genome sequencing is crucial for species identification, gene detection, and protein annotation. Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) is an affordable and rapid platform for sequencing eukaryotes; however, the relatively higher error rates require computational and bioinformatic efforts to produce more accurate genome assemblies. Here, we evaluated the effect of read correction tools on eukaryote genome completeness, gene detection and protein annotation. METHODS Reads generated by ONT of four eukaryotes, C. albicans, C. gattii, S. cerevisiae, and P. falciparum, were assembled using minimap2 and underwent three rounds of read correction using flye, medaka and racon. The generates consensus FASTA files were compared for total length (bp), genome completeness, gene detection, and protein-annotation by QUAST, BUSCO, BRAKER1 and InterProScan, respectively. RESULTS Genome completeness was dependent on the assembly method rather than on the read correction tool; however, medaka performed better than flye and racon. Racon significantly performed better than flye and medaka in gene detection, while both racon and medaka significantly performed better than flye in protein-annotation. CONCLUSION We show that three rounds of read correction significantly affect gene detection and protein annotation, which are dependent on assembly quality in preference to assembly completeness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussain A. Safar
- OMICS Research Unit, Health Science Centre, Kuwait University, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait;
| | - Fatemah Alatar
- Serology and Molecular Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait;
| | - Abu Salim Mustafa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait
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3
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Coelho MA, David-Palma M, Shea T, Bowers K, McGinley-Smith S, Mohammad AW, Gnirke A, Yurkov AM, Nowrousian M, Sun S, Cuomo CA, Heitman J. Comparative genomics of Cryptococcus and Kwoniella reveals pathogenesis evolution and contrasting karyotype dynamics via intercentromeric recombination or chromosome fusion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.27.573464. [PMID: 38234769 PMCID: PMC10793447 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.27.573464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
A large-scale comparative genomic analysis was conducted for the global human fungal pathogens within the Cryptococcus genus, compared to non-pathogenic Cryptococcus species, and related species from the sister genus Kwoniella. Chromosome-level genome assemblies were generated for multiple species of both genera, resulting in a dataset encompassing virtually all of their known diversity. Although Cryptococcus and Kwoniella have comparable genome sizes (about 19.2 and 22.9 Mb) and similar gene content, hinting at pre-adaptive pathogenic potential, our analysis found evidence in pathogenic Cryptococcus species of specific examples of gene gain (via horizontal gene transfer) and gene loss, which might represent evolutionary signatures of pathogenic development. Genome analysis also revealed a significant variation in chromosome number and structure between the two genera. By combining synteny analysis and experimental centromere validation, we found that most Cryptococcus species have 14 chromosomes, whereas most Kwoniella species have fewer (11, 8, 5 or even as few as 3). Reduced chromosome number in Kwoniella is associated with formation of giant chromosomes (up to 18 Mb) through repeated chromosome fusion events, each marked by a pericentric inversion and centromere loss. While similar chromosome inversion-fusion patterns were observed in all Kwoniella species with fewer than 14 chromosomes, no such pattern was detected in Cryptococcus. Instead, Cryptococcus species with less than 14 chromosomes, underwent chromosome reductions primarily through rearrangements associated with the loss of repeat-rich centromeres. Additionally, Cryptococcus genomes exhibited frequent interchromosomal translocations, including intercentromeric recombination facilitated by transposons shared between centromeres. Taken together, our findings advance our understanding of genomic changes possibly associated with pathogenicity in Cryptococcus and provide a foundation to elucidate mechanisms of centromere loss and chromosome fusion driving distinct karyotypes in closely related fungal species, including prominent global human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Terrance Shea
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Katharine Bowers
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Andreas Gnirke
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrey M. Yurkov
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Minou Nowrousian
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare und Zelluläre Botanik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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4
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Coelho MA, Ianiri G, David-Palma M, Theelen B, Goyal R, Narayanan A, Lorch JM, Sanyal K, Boekhout T, Heitman J. Frequent transitions in mating-type locus chromosomal organization in Malassezia and early steps in sexual reproduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305094120. [PMID: 37523560 PMCID: PMC10410736 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305094120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungi in the basidiomycete genus Malassezia are the most prevalent eukaryotic microbes resident on the skin of human and other warm-blooded animals and have been implicated in skin diseases and systemic disorders. Analysis of Malassezia genomes revealed that key adaptations to the skin microenvironment have a direct genomic basis, and the identification of mating/meiotic genes suggests a capacity to reproduce sexually, even though no sexual cycle has yet been observed. In contrast to other bipolar or tetrapolar basidiomycetes that have either two linked mating-type-determining (MAT) loci or two MAT loci on separate chromosomes, in Malassezia species studied thus far the two MAT loci are arranged in a pseudobipolar configuration (linked on the same chromosome but capable of recombining). By generating additional chromosome-level genome assemblies, and an improved Malassezia phylogeny, we infer that the pseudobipolar arrangement was the ancestral state of this group and revealed six independent transitions to tetrapolarity, seemingly driven by centromere fission or translocations in centromere-flanking regions. Additionally, in an approach to uncover a sexual cycle, Malassezia furfur strains were engineered to express different MAT alleles in the same cell. The resulting strains produce hyphae reminiscent of early steps in sexual development and display upregulation of genes associated with sexual development as well as others encoding lipases and a protease potentially relevant for pathogenesis of the fungus. Our study reveals a previously unseen genomic relocation of mating-type loci in fungi and provides insight toward the identification of a sexual cycle in Malassezia, with possible implications for pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso86100, Italy
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
| | - Bart Theelen
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht3584 CT, The Netherlands
| | - Rohit Goyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru560064, India
| | - Aswathy Narayanan
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru560064, India
| | - Jeffrey M. Lorch
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI53711
| | - Kaustuv Sanyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru560064, India
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht3584 CT, The Netherlands
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC27710
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5
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Kramer HM, Cook DE, Seidl MF, Thomma BP. Epigenetic regulation of nuclear processes in fungal plant pathogens. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011525. [PMID: 37535497 PMCID: PMC10399791 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Through the association of protein complexes to DNA, the eukaryotic nuclear genome is broadly organized into open euchromatin that is accessible for enzymes acting on DNA and condensed heterochromatin that is inaccessible. Chemical and physical alterations to chromatin may impact its organization and functionality and are therefore important regulators of nuclear processes. Studies in various fungal plant pathogens have uncovered an association between chromatin organization and expression of in planta-induced genes that are important for pathogenicity. This review discusses chromatin-based regulation mechanisms as determined in the fungal plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae and relates the importance of epigenetic transcriptional regulation and other nuclear processes more broadly in fungal plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Martin Kramer
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - David E. Cook
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Michael F. Seidl
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Theoretical Biology & Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Bart P.H.J. Thomma
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Sciences, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Cologne, Germany
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6
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Kuse R, Ishii K. Flexible Attachment and Detachment of Centromeres and Telomeres to and from Chromosomes. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1016. [PMID: 37371596 DOI: 10.3390/biom13061016] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate transmission of genomic information across multiple cell divisions and generations, without any losses or errors, is fundamental to all living organisms. To achieve this goal, eukaryotes devised chromosomes. Eukaryotic genomes are represented by multiple linear chromosomes in the nucleus, each carrying a centromere in the middle, a telomere at both ends, and multiple origins of replication along the chromosome arms. Although all three of these DNA elements are indispensable for chromosome function, centromeres and telomeres possess the potential to detach from the original chromosome and attach to new chromosomal positions, as evident from the events of telomere fusion, centromere inactivation, telomere healing, and neocentromere formation. These events seem to occur spontaneously in nature but have not yet been elucidated clearly, because they are relatively infrequent and sometimes detrimental. To address this issue, experimental setups have been developed using model organisms such as yeast. In this article, we review some of the key experiments that provide clues as to the extent to which these paradoxical and elusive features of chromosomally indispensable elements may become valuable in the natural context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riku Kuse
- Laboratory of Chromosome Function and Regulation, Graduate School of Engineering, Kochi University of Technology, Kochi 782-8502, Japan
| | - Kojiro Ishii
- Laboratory of Chromosome Function and Regulation, Graduate School of Engineering, Kochi University of Technology, Kochi 782-8502, Japan
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7
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Coelho MA, Ianiri G, David-Palma M, Theelen B, Goyal R, Narayanan A, Lorch JM, Sanyal K, Boekhout T, Heitman J. Frequent transitions in mating-type locus chromosomal organization in Malassezia and early steps in sexual reproduction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.25.534224. [PMID: 36993584 PMCID: PMC10055393 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.25.534224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Fungi in the basidiomycete genus Malassezia are the most prevalent eukaryotic microbes resident on the skin of human and other warm-blooded animals and have been implicated in skin diseases and systemic disorders. Analysis of Malassezia genomes revealed that key adaptations to the skin microenvironment have a direct genomic basis, and the identification of mating/meiotic genes suggests a capacity to reproduce sexually, even though no sexual cycle has yet been observed. In contrast to other bipolar or tetrapolar basidiomycetes that have either two linked mating-type-determining ( MAT ) loci or two MAT loci on separate chromosomes, in Malassezia species studied thus far the two MAT loci are arranged in a pseudobipolar configuration (linked on the same chromosome but capable of recombining). By incorporating newly generated chromosome-level genome assemblies, and an improved Malassezia phylogeny, we infer that the pseudobipolar arrangement was the ancestral state of this group and revealed six independent transitions to tetrapolarity, seemingly driven by centromere fission or translocations in centromere- flanking regions. Additionally, in an approach to uncover a sexual cycle, Malassezia furfur strains were engineered to express different MAT alleles in the same cell. The resulting strains produce hyphae reminiscent of early steps in sexual development and display upregulation of genes associated with sexual development as well as others encoding lipases and a protease potentially relevant for pathogenesis of the fungus. Our study reveals a previously unseen genomic relocation of mating-type loci in fungi and provides insight towards the discovery of a sexual cycle in Malassezia , with possible implications for pathogenicity. Significance Statement Malassezia , the dominant fungal group of the mammalian skin microbiome, is associated with numerous skin disorders. Sexual development and yeast-to-hyphae transitions, governed by genes at two mating-type ( MAT ) loci, are thought to be important for fungal pathogenicity. However, Malassezia sexual reproduction has never been observed. Here, we used chromosome-level assemblies and comparative genomics to uncover unforeseen transitions in MAT loci organization within Malassezia , possibly related with fragility of centromeric-associated regions. Additionally, by expressing different MAT alleles in the same cell, we show that Malassezia can undergo hyphal development and this phenotype is associated with increased expression of key mating genes along with other genes known to be virulence factors, providing a possible connection between hyphal development, sexual reproduction, and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bart Theelen
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht 3584 CT, The Netherlands
| | - Rohit Goyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Aswathy Narayanan
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Jeffrey M. Lorch
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Kaustuv Sanyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht 3584 CT, The Netherlands
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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8
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Palazzo A, Piccolo I, Minervini CF, Purgato S, Capozzi O, D'Addabbo P, Cumbo C, Albano F, Rocchi M, Catacchio CR. Genome characterization and CRISPR-Cas9 editing of a human neocentromere. Chromosoma 2022; 131:239-251. [PMID: 35978051 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-022-00779-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The maintenance of genome integrity is ensured by proper chromosome inheritance during mitotic and meiotic cell divisions. The chromosomal counterpart responsible for chromosome segregation to daughter cells is the centromere, at which the spindle apparatus attaches through the kinetochore. Although all mammalian centromeres are primarily composed of megabase-long repetitive sequences, satellite-free human neocentromeres have been described. Neocentromeres and evolutionary new centromeres have revolutionized traditional knowledge about centromeres. Over the past 20 years, insights have been gained into their organization, but in spite of these advancements, the mechanisms underlying their formation and evolution are still unclear. Today, through modern and increasingly accessible genome editing and long-read sequencing techniques, research in this area is undergoing a sudden acceleration. In this article, we describe the primary sequence of a previously described human chromosome 3 neocentromere and observe its possible evolution and repair results after a chromosome breakage induced through CRISPR-Cas9 technologies. Our data represent an exciting advancement in the field of centromere/neocentromere evolution and chromosome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Palazzo
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Piccolo
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Crescenzio Francesco Minervini
- Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Purgato
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Oronzo Capozzi
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Pietro D'Addabbo
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Cosimo Cumbo
- Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Albano
- Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Mariano Rocchi
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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9
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Ke W, Xie Y, Hu Y, Ding H, Fan X, Huang J, Tian X, Zhang B, Xu Y, Liu X, Yang Y, Wang L. A forkhead transcription factor contributes to the regulatory differences of pathogenicity in closely related fungal pathogens. MLIFE 2022; 1:79-91. [PMID: 38818325 PMCID: PMC10989923 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans and its sister species Cryptococcus deuterogattii are important human fungal pathogens. Despite their phylogenetically close relationship, these two Cryptococcus pathogens are greatly different in their clinical characteristics. However, the determinants underlying the regulatory differences of their pathogenicity remain largely unknown. Here, we show that the forkhead transcription factor Hcm1 promotes infection in C. neoformans but not in C. deuterogattii. Monitoring in vitro and in vivo fitness outcomes of multiple clinical isolates from the two pathogens indicates that Hcm1 mediates pathogenicity in C. neoformans through its key involvement in oxidative stress defense. By comparison, Hcm1 is not critical for antioxidation in C. deuterogattii. Furthermore, we identified SRX1, which encodes the antioxidant sulfiredoxin, as a conserved target of Hcm1 in two Cryptococcus pathogens. Like HCM1, SRX1 had a greater role in antioxidation in C. neoformans than in C. deuterogattii. Significantly, overexpression of SRX1 can largely rescue the defective pathogenicity caused by the absence of Hcm1 in C. neoformans. Conversely, Srx1 is dispensable for virulence in C. deuterogattii. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the difference in the contribution of the antioxidant sulfiredoxin to oxidative stress defense underlies the Hcm1-mediated regulatory differences of pathogenicity in two closely related pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixin Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yuyan Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yue Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Hao Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xin Fan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Beijing Chaoyang HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jingjing Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Mechanisms Research and Precision Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
- Graduate School, Peking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xiuyun Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Baokun Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Molecular Diagnosis Technologies for Infectious Disease, Department of BiotechnologyBeijing Institute of Radiation MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Yingchun Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Mechanisms Research and Precision Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Ying Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Molecular Diagnosis Technologies for Infectious Disease, Department of BiotechnologyBeijing Institute of Radiation MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Linqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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10
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Passer AR, Clancey SA, Shea T, David-Palma M, Averette AF, Boekhout T, Porcel BM, Nowrousian M, Cuomo CA, Sun S, Heitman J, Coelho MA. Obligate sexual reproduction of a homothallic fungus closely related to the Cryptococcus pathogenic species complex. eLife 2022; 11:79114. [PMID: 35713948 PMCID: PMC9296135 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
<title>eLife digest</title>. Fungi are enigmatic organisms that flourish in soil, on decaying plants, or during infection of animals or plants. Growing in myriad forms, from single-celled yeast to multicellular molds and mushrooms, fungi have also evolved a variety of strategies to reproduce. Normally, fungi reproduce in one of two ways: either they reproduce asexually, with one individual producing a new individual identical to itself, or they reproduce sexually, with two individuals of different 'mating types' contributing to produce a new individual. However, individuals of some species exhibit 'homothallism' or self-fertility: these individuals can produce reproductive cells that are universally compatible, and therefore can reproduce sexually with themselves or with any other cell in the population. Homothallism has evolved multiple times throughout the fungal kingdom, suggesting it confers advantage when population numbers are low or mates are hard to find. Yet some homothallic fungi been overlooked compared to heterothallic species, whose mating types have been well characterised. Understanding the genetic basis of homothallism and how it evolved in different species can provide insights into pathogenic species that cause fungal disease. With that in mind, Passer, Clancey et al. explored the genetic basis of homothallism in Cryptococcus depauperatus, a close relative of C. neoformans, a species that causes fungal infections in humans. A combination of genetic sequencing techniques and experiments were applied to analyse, compare, and manipulate C. depauperatus' genome to see how this species evolved self-fertility. Passer, Clancey et al. showed that C. depauperatus evolved the ability to reproduce sexually by itself via a unique evolutionary pathway. The result is a form of homothallism never reported in fungi before. C. depauperatus lost some of the genes that control mating in other species of fungi, and acquired genes from the opposing mating types of a heterothallic ancestor to become self-fertile. Passer, Clancey et al. also found that, unlike other Cryptococcus species that switch between asexual and sexual reproduction, C. depauperatus grows only as long, branching filaments called hyphae, a sexual form. The species reproduces sexually with itself throughout its life cycle and is unable to produce a yeast (asexual) form, in contrast to other closely related species. This work offers new insights into how different modes of sexual reproduction have evolved in fungi. It also provides another interesting case of how genome plasticity and evolutionary pressures can produce similar outcomes, homothallism, via different evolutionary paths. Lastly, assembling the complete genome of C. depauperatus will foster comparative studies between pathogenic and non-pathogenic Cryptococcus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Ryan Passer
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Shelly Applen Clancey
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Terrance Shea
- Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
| | - Márcia David-Palma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Anna Floyd Averette
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity InstituteUtrechtNetherlands,Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Betina M Porcel
- Génomique Métabolique, CNRS, University Evry, Université Paris-SaclayEvryFrance
| | - Minou Nowrousian
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare und Zelluläre Botanik, Ruhr-Universität BochumBochumGermany
| | | | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
| | - Marco A Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical CenterDurhamUnited States
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11
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Fu C, Davy A, Holmes S, Sun S, Yadav V, Gusa A, Coelho MA, Heitman J. Dynamic genome plasticity during unisexual reproduction in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deneoformans. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009935. [PMID: 34843473 PMCID: PMC8670703 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome copy number variation occurs during each mitotic and meiotic cycle and it is crucial for organisms to maintain their natural ploidy. Defects in ploidy transitions can lead to chromosome instability, which is a hallmark of cancer. Ploidy in the haploid human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is exquisitely orchestrated and ranges from haploid to polyploid during sexual development and under various environmental and host conditions. However, the mechanisms controlling these ploidy transitions are largely unknown. During C. deneoformans (formerly C. neoformans var. neoformans, serotype D) unisexual reproduction, ploidy increases prior to the onset of meiosis, can be independent from cell-cell fusion and nuclear fusion, and likely occurs through an endoreplication pathway. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this ploidy transition, we identified twenty cell cycle-regulating genes encoding cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), and CDK regulators. We characterized four cyclin genes and two CDK regulator genes that were differentially expressed during unisexual reproduction and contributed to diploidization. To detect ploidy transition events, we generated a ploidy reporter, called NURAT, which can detect copy number increases via double selection for nourseothricin-resistant, uracil-prototrophic cells. Utilizing this ploidy reporter, we showed that ploidy transition from haploid to diploid can be detected during the early phases of unisexual reproduction. Interestingly, selection for the NURAT reporter revealed several instances of segmental aneuploidy of multiple chromosomes, which conferred azole resistance in some isolates. These findings provide further evidence of ploidy plasticity in fungi with significant biological and public health implications. Ploidy is an intrinsic fundamental feature of all eukaryotic organisms, and ploidy variation and maintenance are critical to the organism survival and evolution. Fungi exhibit exquisite plasticity in ploidy variation in adaptation to various environmental stresses. For example, the haploid opportunistic human fungal pathogen C. deneoformans can generate diploid blastospores during unisexual reproduction and also forms polyploid titan cells during host infection; however, the mechanisms underlying these ploidy transitions are largely unknown. In this study, we elucidated the genetic regulatory circuitry governing ploidy duplication during C. deneoformans unisexual reproduction through the identification and characterization of cell cycle regulators that are differentially expressed during unisexual reproduction. We showed that four cyclin and two cyclin-dependent kinase regulator genes function in concert to orchestrate ploidy transition during unisexual reproduction. To trace and track ploidy transition events, we also generated a ploidy reporter and revealed the formation of segmental aneuploidy in addition to diploidization, illustrating the diverse mechanisms of genome plasticity in C. deneoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ci Fu
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Aaliyah Davy
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Simeon Holmes
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Vikas Yadav
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Asiya Gusa
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Marco A. Coelho
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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12
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DeBose-Scarlett EM, Sullivan BA. Genomic and Epigenetic Foundations of Neocentromere Formation. Annu Rev Genet 2021; 55:331-348. [PMID: 34496611 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-071719-020924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Centromeres are essential to genome inheritance, serving as the site of kinetochore assembly and coordinating chromosome segregation during cell division. Abnormal centromere function is associated with birth defects, infertility, and cancer. Normally, centromeres are assembled and maintained at the same chromosomal location. However, ectopic centromeres form spontaneously at new genomic locations and contribute to genome instability and developmental defects as well as to acquired and congenital human disease. Studies in model organisms have suggested that certain regions of the genome, including pericentromeres, heterochromatin, and regions of open chromatin or active transcription, support neocentromere activation. However, there is no universal mechanism that explains neocentromere formation. This review focuses on recent technological and intellectual advances in neocentromere research and proposes future areas of study. Understanding neocentromere biology will provide a better perspective on chromosome and genome organization and functional context for information generated from the Human Genome Project, ENCODE, and other large genomic consortia. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics, Volume 55 is November 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evon M DeBose-Scarlett
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA;
| | - Beth A Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA;
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13
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Schotanus K, Yadav V, Heitman J. Epigenetic dynamics of centromeres and neocentromeres in Cryptococcus deuterogattii. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009743. [PMID: 34464380 PMCID: PMC8407549 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Deletion of native centromeres in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deuterogattii leads to neocentromere formation. Native centromeres span truncated transposable elements, while neocentromeres do not and instead span actively expressed genes. To explore the epigenetic organization of neocentromeres, we analyzed the distribution of the heterochromatic histone modification H3K9me2, 5mC DNA methylation and the euchromatin mark H3K4me2. Native centromeres are enriched for both H3K9me2 and 5mC DNA methylation marks and are devoid of H3K4me2, while neocentromeres do not exhibit any of these features. Neocentromeres in cen10Δ mutants are unstable and chromosome-chromosome fusions occur. After chromosome fusion, the neocentromere is inactivated and the native centromere of the chromosome fusion partner remains as the sole, active centromere. In the present study, the active centromere of a fused chromosome was deleted to investigate if epigenetic memory promoted the re-activation of the inactive neocentromere. Our results show that the inactive neocentromere is not re-activated and instead a novel neocentromere forms directly adjacent to the deleted centromere of the fused chromosome. To study the impact of transcription on centromere stability, the actively expressed URA5 gene was introduced into the CENP-A bound regions of a native centromere. The introduction of the URA5 gene led to a loss of CENP-A from the native centromere, and a neocentromere formed adjacent to the native centromere location. Remarkably, the inactive, native centromere remained enriched for heterochromatin, yet the integrated gene was expressed and devoid of H3K9me2. A cumulative analysis of multiple CENP-A distribution profiles revealed centromere drift in C. deuterogattii, a previously unreported phenomenon in fungi. The CENP-A-binding shifted within the ORF-free regions and showed a possible association with a truncated transposable element. Taken together, our findings reveal that neocentromeres in C. deuterogattii are highly unstable and are not marked with an epigenetic memory, distinguishing them from native centromeres. Linear eukaryotic chromosomes require a specific chromosomal region, the centromere, where the macromolecular kinetochore protein complex assembles. In most organisms, centromeres are located in gene-free, repeat-rich chromosomal regions and may or may not be associated with heterochromatic epigenetic marks. We report that the native centromeres of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deuterogattii are enriched with heterochromatin marks. Deleting a centromere in C. deuterogattii results in formation of neocentromeres that span genes. In some cases, neocentromeres are unstable leading to chromosome-chromosome fusions and neocentromere inactivation. These neocentromeres, unlike native centromeres, lack any of the tested heterochromatic marks or any epigenetic memory. We also found that neocentromere formation can be triggered not only by deletion of the native centromere but also by disrupting its function via insertion of a gene. These results show that neocentromere dynamics in this fungal pathogen are unique among organisms studied so far. Our results also revealed key differences between epigenetics of native centromeres between C. deuterogattii and its sister species, C. neoformans. These finding provide an opportunity to test and study the evolution of centromeres, as well as neocentromeres, in this species complex and how it might contribute to their genome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaas Schotanus
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Vikas Yadav
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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Zhao Q, Meng Y, Wang P, Qin X, Cheng C, Zhou J, Yu X, Li J, Lou Q, Jahn M, Chen J. Reconstruction of ancestral karyotype illuminates chromosome evolution in the genus Cucumis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 107:1243-1259. [PMID: 34160852 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Karyotype dynamics driven by complex chromosome rearrangements constitute a fundamental issue in evolutionary genetics. The evolutionary events underlying karyotype diversity within plant genera, however, have rarely been reconstructed from a computed ancestral progenitor. Here, we developed a method to rapidly and accurately represent extant karyotypes with the genus, Cucumis, using highly customizable comparative oligo-painting (COP) allowing visualization of fine-scale genome structures of eight Cucumis species from both African-origin and Asian-origin clades. Based on COP data, an evolutionary framework containing a genus-level ancestral karyotype was reconstructed, allowing elucidation of the evolutionary events that account for the origin of these diverse genomes within Cucumis. Our results characterize the cryptic rearrangement hotspots on ancestral chromosomes, and demonstrate that the ancestral Cucumis karyotype (n = 12) evolved to extant Cucumis genomes by hybridizations and frequent lineage- and species-specific genome reshuffling. Relative to the African species, the Asian species, including melon (Cucumis melo, n = 12), Cucumis hystrix (n = 12) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus, n = 7), had highly shuffled genomes caused by large-scale inversions, centromere repositioning and chromothripsis-like rearrangement. The deduced reconstructed ancestral karyotype for the genus allowed us to propose evolutionary trajectories and specific events underlying the origin of these Cucumis species. Our findings highlight that the partitioned evolutionary plasticity of Cucumis karyotype is primarily located in the centromere-proximal regions marked by rearrangement hotspots, which can potentially serve as a reservoir for chromosome evolution due to their fragility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinzheng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ya Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Panqiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiaodong Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Chunyan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Junguo Zhou
- College of Horticulture and landscape, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Xiaqing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Qunfeng Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Molly Jahn
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - Jinfeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
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15
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Narayanan A, Vadnala RN, Ganguly P, Selvakumar P, Rudramurthy SM, Prasad R, Chakrabarti A, Siddharthan R, Sanyal K. Functional and Comparative Analysis of Centromeres Reveals Clade-Specific Genome Rearrangements in Candida auris and a Chromosome Number Change in Related Species. mBio 2021; 12:e00905-21. [PMID: 33975937 PMCID: PMC8262905 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00905-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The thermotolerant multidrug-resistant ascomycete Candida auris rapidly emerged since 2009 causing systemic infections worldwide and simultaneously evolved in different geographical zones. The molecular events that orchestrated this sudden emergence of the killer fungus remain mostly elusive. Here, we identify centromeres in C. auris and related species, using a combined approach of chromatin immunoprecipitation and comparative genomic analyses. We find that C. auris and multiple other species in the Clavispora/Candida clade shared a conserved small regional GC-poor centromere landscape lacking pericentromeres or repeats. Further, a centromere inactivation event led to karyotypic alterations in this species complex. Interspecies genome analysis identified several structural chromosomal changes around centromeres. In addition, centromeres are found to be rapidly evolving loci among the different geographical clades of the same species of C. auris Finally, we reveal an evolutionary trajectory of the unique karyotype associated with clade 2 that consists of the drug-susceptible isolates of C. aurisIMPORTANCECandida auris, the killer fungus, emerged as different geographical clades, exhibiting multidrug resistance and high karyotype plasticity. Chromosomal rearrangements are known to play key roles in the emergence of new species, virulence, and drug resistance in pathogenic fungi. Centromeres, the genomic loci where microtubules attach to separate the sister chromatids during cell division, are known to be hot spots of breaks and downstream rearrangements. We identified the centromeres in C. auris and related species to study their involvement in the evolution and karyotype diversity reported in C. auris We report conserved centromere features in 10 related species and trace the events that occurred at the centromeres during evolution. We reveal a centromere inactivation-mediated chromosome number change in these closely related species. We also observe that one of the geographical clades, the East Asian clade, evolved along a unique trajectory, compared to the other clades and related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswathy Narayanan
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Rakesh Netha Vadnala
- Computational Biology, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences/HBNI, Chennai, India
| | - Promit Ganguly
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Pavitra Selvakumar
- Computational Biology, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences/HBNI, Chennai, India
| | - Shivaprakash M Rudramurthy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rajendra Prasad
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Haryana, India
| | - Arunaloke Chakrabarti
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rahul Siddharthan
- Computational Biology, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences/HBNI, Chennai, India
| | - Kaustuv Sanyal
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
- Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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16
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Murillo-Pineda M, Valente LP, Dumont M, Mata JF, Fachinetti D, Jansen LE. Induction of spontaneous human neocentromere formation and long-term maturation. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:e202007210. [PMID: 33443568 PMCID: PMC7812830 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202007210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human centromeres form primarily on α-satellite DNA but sporadically arise de novo at naive ectopic loci, creating neocentromeres. Centromere inheritance is driven primarily by chromatin containing the histone H3 variant CENP-A. Here, we report a chromosome engineering system for neocentromere formation in human cells and characterize the first experimentally induced human neocentromere at a naive locus. The spontaneously formed neocentromere spans a gene-poor 100-kb domain enriched in histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylated (H3K9me3). Long-read sequencing revealed this neocentromere was formed by purely epigenetic means and assembly of a functional kinetochore correlated with CENP-A seeding, eviction of H3K9me3 and local accumulation of mitotic cohesin and RNA polymerase II. At formation, the young neocentromere showed markedly reduced chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) occupancy and poor sister chromatin cohesion. However, long-term tracking revealed increased CPC assembly and low-level transcription providing evidence for centromere maturation over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Murillo-Pineda
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Marie Dumont
- Institut Curie, Paris Sciences et Lettres, Research University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 144, Paris, France
| | - João F. Mata
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daniele Fachinetti
- Institut Curie, Paris Sciences et Lettres, Research University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 144, Paris, France
| | - Lars E.T. Jansen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
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17
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Arunkumar G, Melters DP. Centromeric Transcription: A Conserved Swiss-Army Knife. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E911. [PMID: 32784923 PMCID: PMC7463856 DOI: 10.3390/genes11080911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In most species, the centromere is comprised of repetitive DNA sequences, which rapidly evolve. Paradoxically, centromeres fulfill an essential function during mitosis, as they are the chromosomal sites wherein, through the kinetochore, the mitotic spindles bind. It is now generally accepted that centromeres are transcribed, and that such transcription is associated with a broad range of functions. More than a decade of work on this topic has shown that centromeric transcripts are found across the eukaryotic tree and associate with heterochromatin formation, chromatin structure, kinetochore structure, centromeric protein loading, and inner centromere signaling. In this review, we discuss the conservation of small and long non-coding centromeric RNAs, their associations with various centromeric functions, and their potential roles in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniël P. Melters
- Chromatin Structure and Epigenetic Mechanisms, Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
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18
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Schotanus K, Heitman J. Centromere deletion in Cryptococcus deuterogattii leads to neocentromere formation and chromosome fusions. eLife 2020; 9:56026. [PMID: 32310085 PMCID: PMC7188483 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deuterogattii is RNAi-deficient and lacks active transposons in its genome. C. deuterogattii has regional centromeres that contain only transposon relics. To investigate the impact of centromere loss on the C. deuterogattii genome, either centromere 9 or 10 was deleted. Deletion of either centromere resulted in neocentromere formation and interestingly, the genes covered by these neocentromeres maintained wild-type expression levels. In contrast to cen9∆ mutants, cen10∆ mutant strains exhibited growth defects and were aneuploid for chromosome 10. At an elevated growth temperature (37°C), the cen10∆ chromosome was found to have undergone fusion with another native chromosome in some isolates and this fusion restored wild-type growth. Following chromosomal fusion, the neocentromere was inactivated, and the native centromere of the fused chromosome served as the active centromere. The neocentromere formation and chromosomal fusion events observed in this study in C. deuterogattii may be similar to events that triggered genomic changes within the Cryptococcus/Kwoniella species complex and may contribute to speciation throughout the eukaryotic domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaas Schotanus
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States
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