Definition of the Anti-inflammatory Oligosaccharides Derived From the Galactosaminogalactan (GAG) From Aspergillus fumigatus

Galactosaminogalactan (GAG) is an insoluble aminosugar polymer produced by Aspergillus fumigatus and has anti-inflammatory properties. Here, the minimum glycosidic sequences required for the induction of IL-1Ra by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was investigated. Using chemical degradation of native GAG to isolate soluble oligomers, we have found that the de-N-acetylation of galactosamine residues and the size of oligomer are critical for the in vitro immune response. A minimal oligomer size of 20 galactosamine residues is required for the anti-inflammatory response but the presence of galactose residues is not necessary. In a Dextran sulfate induced colitis mouse model, a fraction of de-N-acetylated oligomers of 13 < dp < 20 rescue inflammatory damage like the native GAG polymer in an IL-1Ra dependent pathway. Our results demonstrate the therapeutic suitability of water-soluble GAG oligosaccharides in IL-1 mediated hyper-inflammatory diseases and suggest that α-1,4-galactosamine oligomers chemically synthesized could represent new anti-inflammatory glycodrugs.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa-Derived Volatile Sulfur Compounds Promote Distal Aspergillus fumigatus Growth and a Synergistic Pathogen-Pathogen Interaction That Increases Pathogenicity in Co-infection

Pathogen-pathogen interactions in polymicrobial infections are known to directly impact, often to worsen, disease outcomes. For example, co-infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus, respectively the most common bacterial and fungal pathogens isolated from cystic fibrosis (CF) airways, leads to a worsened prognosis. Recent studies of in vitro microbial cross-talk demonstrated that P. aeruginosa-derived volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) can promote A. fumigatus growth in vitro. However, the mechanistic basis of such cross-talk and its physiological relevance during co-infection remains unknown. In this study we combine genetic approaches and GC-MS-mediated volatile analysis to show that A. fumigatus assimilates VSCs via cysteine (CysB)- or homocysteine (CysD)-synthase. This process is essential for utilization of VSCs as sulfur sources, since P. aeruginosa-derived VSCs trigger growth of A. fumigatus wild-type, but not of a ΔcysBΔcysD mutant, on sulfur-limiting media. P. aeruginosa produces VSCs when infecting Galleria mellonella and co-infection with A. fumigatus in this model results in a synergistic increase in mortality and of fungal and bacterial burdens. Interestingly, the increment in mortality is much greater with the A. fumigatus wild-type than with the ΔcysBΔcysD mutant. Therefore, A. fumigatus' ability to assimilate P. aeruginosa derived VSCs significantly triggers a synergistic association that increases the pathobiology of infection. Finally, we show that P. aeruginosa can promote fungal growth when growing on substrates that resemble the lung environment, which suggests that this volatile based synergism is likely to occur during co-infection of the human respiratory airways.

Genome mining reveals the presence of a conserved gene cluster for the biosynthesis of ergot alkaloid precursors in the fungal family Arthrodermataceae

Genome sequence analysis of different fungi of the family Arthrodermataceae revealed the presence of a gene cluster consisting of five genes with high sequence similarity to those involved in the early common steps of ergot alkaloid biosynthesis in Aspergillus fumigatus and Claviceps purpurea. To provide evidence that this cluster is involved in ergot alkaloid biosynthesis, the gene ARB_04646 of the fungus Arthroderma benhamiae was cloned into pQE60 and expressed in Escherichia coli. Enzyme assays with the soluble tetrameric His(6)-tagged protein proved unequivocally that the deduced gene product, here termed ChaDH, catalysed the oxidation of chanoclavine-I in the presence of NAD(+), resulting in the formation of chanoclavine-I aldehyde. The enzyme product was unequivocally proven by NMR and MS analyses. Therefore, ChaDH functions as a chanoclavine-I dehydrogenase. K(m) values for chanoclavine-I and NAD(+) were 0.09 and 0.36 mM, respectively. Turnover number was 0.76 s(-1).

Comparative and functional genomics provide insights into the pathogenicity of dermatophytic fungi

BACKGROUND

Millions of humans and animals suffer from superficial infections caused by a group of highly specialized filamentous fungi, the dermatophytes, which exclusively infect keratinized host structures. To provide broad insights into the molecular basis of the pathogenicity-associated traits, we report the first genome sequences of two closely phylogenetically related dermatophytes, Arthroderma benhamiae and Trichophyton verrucosum, both of which induce highly inflammatory infections in humans.

RESULTS

97% of the 22.5 megabase genome sequences of A. benhamiae and T. verrucosum are unambiguously alignable and collinear. To unravel dermatophyte-specific virulence-associated traits, we compared sets of potentially pathogenicity-associated proteins, such as secreted proteases and enzymes involved in secondary metabolite production, with those of closely related onygenales (Coccidioides species) and the mould Aspergillus fumigatus. The comparisons revealed expansion of several gene families in dermatophytes and disclosed the peculiarities of the dermatophyte secondary metabolite gene sets. Secretion of proteases and other hydrolytic enzymes by A. benhamiae was proven experimentally by a global secretome analysis during keratin degradation. Molecular insights into the interaction of A. benhamiae with human keratinocytes were obtained for the first time by global transcriptome profiling. Given that A. benhamiae is able to undergo mating, a detailed comparison of the genomes further unraveled the genetic basis of sexual reproduction in this species.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results enlighten the genetic basis of fundamental and putatively virulence-related traits of dermatophytes, advancing future research on these medically important pathogens.