1
|
Giner-Llorca M, Locascio A, Del Real JA, Marcos JF, Manzanares P. Novel findings about the mode of action of the antifungal protein PeAfpA against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:6811-6829. [PMID: 37688596 PMCID: PMC10589166 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12749-0] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Antifungal proteins (AFPs) from filamentous fungi offer the potential to control fungal infections that threaten human health and food safety. AFPs exhibit broad antifungal spectra against harmful fungi, but limited knowledge of their killing mechanism hinders their potential applicability. PeAfpA from Penicillium expansum shows strong antifungal potency against plant and human fungal pathogens and stands above other AFPs for being active against the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We took advantage of this and used a model laboratory strain of S. cerevisiae to gain insight into the mode of action of PeAfpA by combining (i) transcriptional profiling, (ii) PeAfpA sensitivity analyses of deletion mutants available in the S. cerevisiae genomic deletion collection and (iii) cell biology studies using confocal microscopy. Results highlighted and confirmed the role of the yeast cell wall (CW) in the interaction with PeAfpA, which can be internalized through both energy-dependent and independent mechanisms. The combined results also suggest an active role of the CW integrity (CWI) pathway and the cAMP-PKA signalling in the PeAfpA killing mechanism. Besides, our studies revealed the involvement of phosphatidylinositol metabolism and the participation of ROX3, which codes for the subunit 19 of the RNA polymerase II mediator complex, in the yeast defence strategy. In conclusion, our study provides clues about both the killing mechanism of PeAfpA and the fungus defence strategies against the protein, suggesting also targets for the development of new antifungals. KEY POINTS: • PeAfpA is a cell-penetrating protein with inhibitory activity against S. cerevisiae. • The CW integrity (CWI) pathway is a key player in the PeAfpA killing mechanism. • Phosphatidylinositol metabolism and ROX3 are involved in the yeast defence strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moisés Giner-Llorca
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Antonella Locascio
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Javier Alonso Del Real
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Jose F Marcos
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Paloma Manzanares
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
DMSO-Induced Unfolding of the Antifungal Disulfide Protein PAF and Its Inactive Variant: A Combined NMR and DSC Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021208. [PMID: 36674720 PMCID: PMC9864379 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
PAF and related antifungal proteins are promising antimicrobial agents. They have highly stable folds around room temperature due to the presence of 3-4 disulfide bonds. However, unfolded states persist and contribute to the thermal equilibrium in aqueous solution, and low-populated states might influence their biological impact. To explore such equilibria during dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-induced chemical unfolding, we studied PAF and its inactive variant PAFD19S using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). According to the NMR monitoring at 310 K, the folded structures disappear above 80 v/v% DMSO concentration, while the unfolding is completely reversible. Evaluation of a few resolved peaks from viscosity-compensated 15N-1H HSQC spectra of PAF yielded ∆G = 23 ± 7 kJ/M as the average value for NMR unfolding enthalpy. The NMR-based structures of PAF and the mutant in 50 v/v% DMSO/H2O mixtures were more similar in the mixed solvents then they were in water. The 15N NMR relaxation dynamics in the same mixtures verified the rigid backbones of the NMR-visible fractions of the proteins; still, enhanced dynamics around the termini and some loops were observed. DSC monitoring of the Tm melting point showed parabolic dependence on the DMSO molar fraction and suggested that PAF is more stable than the inactive PAFD19S. The DSC experiments were irreversible due to the applied broad temperature range, but still suggestive of the endothermic unfolding of PAF.
Collapse
|
3
|
Gandía M, Moreno-Giménez E, Giner-Llorca M, Garrigues S, Ropero-Pérez C, Locascio A, Martínez-Culebras PV, Marcos JF, Manzanares P. Development of a FungalBraid Penicillium expansum-based expression system for the production of antifungal proteins in fungal biofactories. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:630-647. [PMID: 35084102 PMCID: PMC8867986 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal antifungal proteins (AFPs) have attracted attention as novel biofungicides. Their exploitation requires safe and cost‐effective producing biofactories. Previously, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium digitatum produced recombinant AFPs with the use of a P. chrysogenum‐based expression system that consisted of the paf gene promoter, signal peptide (SP)‐pro sequence and terminator. Here, the regulatory elements of the afpA gene encoding the highly produced PeAfpA from Penicillium expansum were developed as an expression system for AFP production through the FungalBraid platform. The afpA cassette was tested to produce PeAfpA and P. digitatum PdAfpB in P. chrysogenum and P. digitatum, and its efficiency was compared to that of the paf cassette. Recombinant PeAfpA production was only achieved using the afpA cassette, being P. chrysogenum a more efficient biofactory than P. digitatum. Conversely, P. chrysogenum only produced PdAfpB under the control of the paf cassette. In P. digitatum, both expression systems allowed PdAfpB production, with the paf cassette resulting in higher protein yields. Interestingly, these results did not correlate with the performance of both promoters in a luciferase reporter system. In conclusion, AFP production is a complex outcome that depends on the regulatory sequences driving afp expression, the fungal biofactory and the AFP sequence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Gandía
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Elena Moreno-Giménez
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain.,Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Moisés Giner-Llorca
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Sandra Garrigues
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Carolina Ropero-Pérez
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Antonella Locascio
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Pedro V Martínez-Culebras
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain.,Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Ciencias de la Alimentación, Bromatología, Toxicología y Medicina Legal, Universitat de València, Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, Valencia, 46100, Spain
| | - Jose F Marcos
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Paloma Manzanares
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Citores L, Valletta M, Singh VP, Pedone PV, Iglesias R, Ferreras JM, Chambery A, Russo R. Deciphering Molecular Determinants Underlying Penicillium digitatum's Response to Biological and Chemical Antifungal Agents by Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-Based High-Resolution LC-MS/MS. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:680. [PMID: 35054864 PMCID: PMC8775614 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Penicillium digitatum is a widespread pathogen responsible for the postharvest decay of citrus, one of the most economically important crops worldwide. Currently, chemical fungicides are still the main strategy to control the green mould disease caused by the fungus. However, the increasing selection and proliferation of fungicide-resistant strains require more efforts to explore new alternatives acting via new or unexplored mechanisms for postharvest disease management. To date, several non-chemical compounds have been investigated for the control of fungal pathogens. In this scenario, understanding the molecular determinants underlying P. digitatum's response to biological and chemical antifungals may help in the development of safer and more effective non-chemical control methods. In this work, a proteomic approach based on isobaric labelling and a nanoLC tandem mass spectrometry approach was used to investigate molecular changes associated with P. digitatum's response to treatments with α-sarcin and beetin 27 (BE27), two proteins endowed with antifungal activity. The outcomes of treatments with these biological agents were then compared with those triggered by the commonly used chemical fungicide thiabendazole (TBZ). Our results showed that differentially expressed proteins mainly include cell wall-degrading enzymes, proteins involved in stress response, antioxidant and detoxification mechanisms and metabolic processes such as thiamine biosynthesis. Interestingly, specific modulations in response to protein toxins treatments were observed for a subset of proteins. Deciphering the inhibitory mechanisms of biofungicides and chemical compounds, together with understanding their effects on the fungal physiology, will provide a new direction for improving the efficacy of novel antifungal formulations and developing new control strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Citores
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain; (L.C.); (R.I.); (J.M.F.)
| | - Mariangela Valletta
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (M.V.); (V.P.S.); (P.V.P.)
| | - Vikram Pratap Singh
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (M.V.); (V.P.S.); (P.V.P.)
| | - Paolo Vincenzo Pedone
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (M.V.); (V.P.S.); (P.V.P.)
| | - Rosario Iglesias
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain; (L.C.); (R.I.); (J.M.F.)
| | - José Miguel Ferreras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain; (L.C.); (R.I.); (J.M.F.)
| | - Angela Chambery
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (M.V.); (V.P.S.); (P.V.P.)
| | - Rosita Russo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (M.V.); (V.P.S.); (P.V.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gandía M, Kakar A, Giner-Llorca M, Holzknecht J, Martínez-Culebras P, Galgóczy L, Marx F, Marcos JF, Manzanares P. Potential of Antifungal Proteins (AFPs) to Control Penicillium Postharvest Fruit Decay. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:449. [PMID: 34199956 PMCID: PMC8229795 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Penicillium phytopathogenic species provoke severe postharvest disease and economic losses. Penicillium expansum is the main pome fruit phytopathogen while Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum cause citrus green and blue mold, respectively. Control strategies rely on the use of synthetic fungicides, but the appearance of resistant strains and safety concerns have led to the search for new antifungals. Here, the potential application of different antifungal proteins (AFPs) including the three Penicillium chrysogenum proteins (PAF, PAFB and PAFC), as well as the Neosartorya fischeri NFAP2 protein to control Penicillium decay, has been evaluated. PAFB was the most potent AFP against P. digitatum, P. italicum and P. expansum, PAFC and NFAP2 showed moderate antifungal activity, whereas PAF was the least active protein. In fruit protection assays, PAFB provoked a reduction of the incidence of infections caused by P. digitatum and P. italicum in oranges and by P. expansum in apples. A combination of AFPs did not result in an increase in the efficacy of disease control. In conclusion, this study expands the antifungal inhibition spectrum of the AFPs evaluated, and demonstrates that AFPs act in a species-specific manner. PAFB is a promising alternative compound to control Penicillium postharvest fruit decay.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Gandía
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain; (M.G.); (M.G.-L.); (P.M.-C.); (J.F.M.)
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Ciencias de la Alimentación, Bromatología, Toxicología y Medicina Legal, Universitat de València, Vicente Andrès Estellès s/n, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Anant Kakar
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.K.); (J.H.); (F.M.)
| | - Moisés Giner-Llorca
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain; (M.G.); (M.G.-L.); (P.M.-C.); (J.F.M.)
| | - Jeanett Holzknecht
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.K.); (J.H.); (F.M.)
| | - Pedro Martínez-Culebras
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain; (M.G.); (M.G.-L.); (P.M.-C.); (J.F.M.)
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Ciencias de la Alimentación, Bromatología, Toxicología y Medicina Legal, Universitat de València, Vicente Andrès Estellès s/n, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - László Galgóczy
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Temesvári krt. 62, 6726 Szeged, Hungary;
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Florentine Marx
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.K.); (J.H.); (F.M.)
| | - Jose F. Marcos
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain; (M.G.); (M.G.-L.); (P.M.-C.); (J.F.M.)
| | - Paloma Manzanares
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain; (M.G.); (M.G.-L.); (P.M.-C.); (J.F.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Antifungal Activity and Molecular Mechanisms of Partial Purified Antifungal Proteins from Rhinacanthus nasutus against Talaromyces marneffei. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6040333. [PMID: 33287246 PMCID: PMC7761713 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Antifungal proteins (AFPs) are able to inhibit a wide spectrum of fungi without significant toxicity to the hosts. This study examined the antifungal activity of AFPs isolated from a Thai medicinal plant, Rhinacanthus nasutus, against the human pathogenic fungus Talaromycesmarneffei. This dimorphic fungus causes systemic infections in immunocompromised individuals and is endemic in Southeast Asian countries. The R. nasutus crude protein extract inhibited the growth of T. marneffei. The anti-T. marneffei activity was completely lost when treated with proteinase K and pepsin, indicating that the antifungal activity was dependent on a protein component. The total protein extract from R. nasutus was partially purified by size fractionation to ≤10, 10–30, and ≥30 kDa fractions and tested for the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC). All fractions showed anti-T. marneffei activity with the MIC and MFC values of 32 to 128 μg/mL and >128 μg/mL, respectively. In order to determine the mechanism of inhibition, all fractions were tested with T. marneffei mutant strains affected in G-protein signaling and cell wall integrity pathways. The anti-T. marneffei activity of the 10–30 kDa fraction was abrogated by deletion of gasA and gasC, the genes encoding alpha subunits of heterotrimeric G-proteins, indicating that the inhibitory effect is related to intracellular signaling through G-proteins. The work demonstrates that antifungal proteins isolated from R. nasutus represent sources for novel drug development.
Collapse
|
7
|
Tóth L, Váradi G, Boros É, Borics A, Ficze H, Nagy I, Tóth GK, Rákhely G, Marx F, Galgóczy L. Biofungicidal Potential of Neosartorya ( Aspergillus) Fischeri Antifungal Protein NFAP and Novel Synthetic γ-Core Peptides. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:820. [PMID: 32477291 PMCID: PMC7237641 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Because of enormous crop losses worldwide due to pesticide-resistant plant pathogenic fungi, there is an increasing demand for the development of novel antifungal strategies in agriculture. Antifungal proteins (APs) and peptides are considered potential biofungicides; however, several factors limit their direct agricultural application, such as the high cost of production, narrow antifungal spectrum, and detrimental effects to plant development and human/animal health. This study evaluated the safety of the application of APs and peptides from the ascomycete Neosartorya fischeri as crop preservatives. The full-length N. fischeri AP (NFAP) and novel rationally designed γ-core peptide derivatives (PDs) γNFAP-opt and γNFAP-optGZ exhibited efficacy by inhibiting the growth of the agriculturally relevant filamentous ascomycetes in vitro. A high positive net charge, however, neither the hydrophilicity nor the primary structure supported the antifungal efficacy of these PDs. Further testing demonstrated that the antifungal activity did not require a conformational change of the β-pleated NFAP or the canonically ordered conformation of the synthetic PDs. Neither hemolysis nor cytotoxicity was observed when the NFAP and γNFAP-opt were applied at antifungally effective concentrations in human cell lines. Similarly, the Medicago truncatula plants that served as toxicity model and were grown from seedlings that were treated with NFAP, γNFAP-opt, or γNFAP-optGZ failed to exhibit morphological aberrations, reduction in primary root length, or the number of lateral roots. Crop protection experiments demonstrated that NFAP and associated antifungal active γ-core PDs were able to protect tomato fruits against the postharvest fungal pathogen Cladosporium herbarum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liliána Tóth
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Györgyi Váradi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Éva Boros
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Attila Borics
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Hargita Ficze
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - István Nagy
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor K. Tóth
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- MTA-SZTE Biomimetic Systems Research Group, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Rákhely
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Florentine Marx
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - László Galgóczy
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Tong S, Li M, Keyhani NO, Liu Y, Yuan M, Lin D, Jin D, Li X, Pei Y, Fan Y. Characterization of a fungal competition factor: Production of a conidial cell-wall associated antifungal peptide. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008518. [PMID: 32324832 PMCID: PMC7200012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Competition is one of the fundamental driving forces of natural selection. Beauveria bassiana is a soil and plant phylloplane/root fungus capable of parasitizing insect hosts. Soil and plant environments are often enriched with other fungi against which B. bassiana competes for survival. Here, we report an antifungal peptide (BbAFP1), specifically expressed and localized to the conidial cell wall and is released into the surrounding microenvironment inhibiting growth of competing fungi. B. bassiana strains expressing BbAFP1, including overexpression strains, inhibited growth of Alternaria brassicae in co-cultured experiments, whereas targeted gene deletion of BbAFP1 significantly decreased (25%) this inhibitory effect. Recombinant BbAFP1 showed chitin and glucan binding abilities, and growth inhibition of a wide range of phytopathogenic fungi by disrupting membrane integrity and eliciting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. A phenylalanine residue (F50) contributes to chitin binding and antifungal activity, but was not required for the latter. Expression of BbAFP1 in tomato resulted in transgenic plants with enhanced resistance to plant fungal pathogens. These results highlight the importance of fungal competition in shaping primitive competition strategies, with antimicrobial compounds that can be embedded in the spore cell wall to be released into the environment during the critical initial phases of germination for successful growth in its environmental niche. Furthermore, these peptides can be exploited to increase plant resistance to fungal pathogens. Microbial competition exerts powerful selective pressures for the development of defensive and offensive methods of suppressing potential competitors. One of the most vulnerable stages for any fungi is the initial germination of resting spores in potentially hostile environments. Currently, we know little about how fungi defend other microbial competitors during the beginning stage of conidial germination. Here, we report on an antifungal peptide from B. bassiana (BbAFP1) that is specifically expressed in mature aerial conidia, with the protein localized exclusively to the conidial cell wall. The “pre-loaded” BbAFP1 is released into the surrounding microenvironment where it can act to inhibit the growth of competing fungi during the initial stages of fungal germination, i.e. largely before actual germ tubes are apparent, thus conferring an advantage to B. bassiana in out-competing susceptible competitors in the microenvironment surrounding the spore. The effects of BbAFP1 on membrane integrity were characterized and a key amino acid (F50) was shown to function in chitin binding and antifungal activity. Transgenic tomato overexpressing BbAFP1 were shown to exhibit enhanced resistance to plant fungal pathogens. Our study provides new insights into the microbial competition and genes involved in this process that can be exploited to increase plant disease resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Tong
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Maolian Li
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Nemat O. Keyhani
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Yu Liu
- College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Min Yuan
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Dongmei Lin
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Dan Jin
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Xianbi Li
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Yan Pei
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Yanhua Fan
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Two small, cysteine-rich and cationic antifungal proteins from Penicillium chrysogenum: A comparative study of PAF and PAFB. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183246. [PMID: 32142818 PMCID: PMC7138148 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum Q176 secretes the antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) PAF and PAFB, which share a compact disulfide-bond mediated, β-fold structure rendering them highly stable. These two AMPs effectively inhibit the growth of human pathogenic fungi in micromolar concentrations and exhibit antiviral potential without causing cytotoxic effects on mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo. The antifungal mechanism of action of both AMPs is closely linked to - but not solely dependent on - the lipid composition of the fungal cell membrane and requires a strictly regulated protein uptake into the cell, indicating that PAF and PAFB are not canonical membrane active proteins. Variations in their antifungal spectrum and their killing dynamics point towards a divergent mode of action related to their physicochemical properties and surface charge distribution. In this review, we relate characteristic features of PAF and PAFB to the current knowledge about other AMPs of different sources. In addition, we present original data that have never been published before to substantiate our assumptions and provide evidences that help to explain and understand better the mechanistic function of PAF and PAFB. Finally, we underline the promising potential of PAF and PAFB as future antifungal therapeutics. Penicillium chrysogenum secretes the small, cysteine-rich proteins PAF and PAFB. Both exhibit antifungal activity, but with differences in their mode of action. Structure, membrane interaction and cellular uptake determine their function. PAF and PAFB are well tolerated by mammalian cells. They promise applicability in medicine, plant protection and food industry.
Collapse
|
10
|
Huber A, Lerchster H, Marx F. Nutrient Excess Triggers the Expression of the Penicillium chrysogenum Antifungal Protein PAFB. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7120654. [PMID: 31817241 PMCID: PMC6956099 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7120654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrient limitation and nonfavorable growth conditions have been suggested to be major triggers for the expression of small, cysteine-rich antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) of fungal origin, e.g., the Penicillium chrysogenum antifungal protein (PAF), the Aspergillus giganteus antifungal protein (AFP), the Aspergillus niger antifungal protein (AnAFP). Therefore, these AMPs have been considered to be fungal secondary metabolite products. In contrast, the present study revealed that the expression of the PAF-related AMP P. chrysogenum antifungal protein B (PAFB) is strongly induced under nutrient excess during the logarithmic growth phase, whereas PAFB remained under the detection level in the supernatant of cultures grown under nutrient limitation. The efficiency of the pafB-promoter to induce PAFB expression was compared with that of two P. chrysogenum promoters that are well established for recombinant protein production: the paf-promoter and the xylose-inducible promoter of the xylanase gene, xylP. The inducibility of the pafB-promoter was superior to that of the xylP-promoter yielding comparable PAFB amounts as under the regulation of the paf-promoter. We conclude that (i) differences in the expression regulation of AMPs suggest distinct functional roles in the producer beyond their antifungal activity; and (ii) the pafB-promoter is a promising tool for recombinant protein production in P. chrysogenum, as it guarantees strong gene expression with the advantage of inducibility.
Collapse
|
11
|
Shi X, Cordero T, Garrigues S, Marcos JF, Daròs J, Coca M. Efficient production of antifungal proteins in plants using a new transient expression vector derived from tobacco mosaic virus. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:1069-1080. [PMID: 30521145 PMCID: PMC6523586 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Fungi that infect plants, animals or humans pose a serious threat to human health and food security. Antifungal proteins (AFPs) secreted by filamentous fungi are promising biomolecules that could be used to develop new antifungal therapies in medicine and agriculture. They are small highly stable proteins with specific potent activity against fungal pathogens. However, their exploitation requires efficient, sustainable and safe production systems. Here, we report the development of an easy-to-use, open access viral vector based on Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). This new system allows the fast and efficient assembly of the open reading frames of interest in small intermediate entry plasmids using the Gibson reaction. The manipulated TMV fragments are then transferred to the infectious clone by a second Gibson assembly reaction. Recombinant proteins are produced by agroinoculating plant leaves with the resulting infectious clones. Using this simple viral vector, we have efficiently produced two different AFPs in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, namely the Aspergillus giganteus AFP and the Penicillium digitatum AfpB. We obtained high protein yields by targeting these bioactive small proteins to the apoplastic space of plant cells. However, when AFPs were targeted to intracellular compartments, we observed toxic effects in the host plants and undetectable levels of protein. We also demonstrate that this production system renders AFPs fully active against target pathogens, and that crude plant extracellular fluids containing the AfpB can protect tomato plants from Botrytis cinerea infection, thus supporting the idea that plants are suitable biofactories to bring these antifungal proteins to the market.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Shi
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAGCSIC‐IRTA‐UAB‐UB)Cerdanyola del VallèsSpain
| | - Teresa Cordero
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCPCSIC‐Universitat Politècnica de València)ValenciaSpain
| | - Sandra Garrigues
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA, CSIC)PaternaSpain
| | - Jose F. Marcos
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA, CSIC)PaternaSpain
| | - José‐Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCPCSIC‐Universitat Politècnica de València)ValenciaSpain
| | - María Coca
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAGCSIC‐IRTA‐UAB‐UB)Cerdanyola del VallèsSpain
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Galgóczy L, Yap A, Marx F. Cysteine-Rich Antifungal Proteins from Filamentous Fungi are Promising Bioactive Natural Compounds in Anti- Candida Therapy. Isr J Chem 2019; 59:360-370. [PMID: 31680702 PMCID: PMC6813639 DOI: 10.1002/ijch.201800168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The emerging number of life-threatening invasive fungal infections caused by drug-resistant Candida strains urges the need for the development and application of fundamentally new and safe antifungal strategies in the clinical treatment. Recent studies demonstrated that the extracellular cysteine-rich and cationic antifungal proteins (crAFPs) originating from filamentous fungi, and de novo designed synthetic peptide derivatives of these crAFPs provide a feasible basis for this approach. This mini-review focuses on the global challenges of the anti-Canidia therapy and on the crAFPs as potential drug candidates to overcome existing problems. The advantages and limitations in the use of crAFPs and peptide derivatives compared to those of conventional antifungal drugs will also be critically discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- László Galgóczy
- Institute of Plant BiologyBiological Research CentreHungarian Academy of SciencesTemesvári krt. 62H-6726SzegedHungary
- Department of MicrobiologyFaculty of Science and InformaticsUniversity of SzegedKözép fasor 52H-6726SzegedHungary
| | - Annie Yap
- Division of Molecular BiologyBiocenterMedical University of InnsbruckInnrain 80–82A-6020InnsbruckAustria
| | - Florentine Marx
- Division of Molecular BiologyBiocenterMedical University of InnsbruckInnrain 80–82A-6020InnsbruckAustria
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Galgóczy L, Marx F. Do Antimicrobial Proteins Contribute to Overcoming the Hidden Antifungal Crisis at the Dawn of a Post-Antibiotic Era? Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7010016. [PMID: 30641886 PMCID: PMC6352135 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- László Galgóczy
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary.
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Florentine Marx
- Biocenter, Division of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Garrigues S, Gandía M, Castillo L, Coca M, Marx F, Marcos JF, Manzanares P. Three Antifungal Proteins From Penicillium expansum: Different Patterns of Production and Antifungal Activity. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2370. [PMID: 30344516 PMCID: PMC6182064 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Antifungal proteins of fungal origin (AFPs) are small, secreted, cationic, and cysteine-rich proteins. Filamentous fungi encode a wide repertoire of AFPs belonging to different phylogenetic classes, which offer a great potential to develop new antifungals for the control of pathogenic fungi. The fungus Penicillium expansum is one of the few reported to encode three AFPs each belonging to a different phylogenetic class (A, B, and C). In this work, the production of the putative AFPs from P. expansum was evaluated, but only the representative of class A, PeAfpA, was identified in culture supernatants of the native fungus. The biotechnological production of PeAfpB and PeAfpC was achieved in Penicillium chrysogenum with the P. chrysogenum-based expression cassette, which had been proved to work efficiently for the production of other related AFPs in filamentous fungi. Western blot analyses confirmed that P. expansum only produces PeAfpA naturally, whereas PeAfpB and PeAfpC could not be detected. From the three AFPs from P. expansum, PeAfpA showed the highest antifungal activity against all fungi tested, including plant and human pathogens. P. expansum was also sensitive to its self-AFPs PeAfpA and PeAfpB. PeAfpB showed moderate antifungal activity against filamentous fungi, whereas no activity could be attributed to PeAfpC at the conditions tested. Importantly, none of the PeAFPs showed hemolytic activity. Finally, PeAfpA was demonstrated to efficiently protect against fungal infections caused by Botrytis cinerea in tomato leaves and Penicillium digitatum in oranges. The strong antifungal potency of PeAfpA, together with the lack of cytotoxicity, and significant in vivo protection against phytopathogenic fungi that cause postharvest decay and plant diseases, make PeAfpA a promising alternative compound for application in agriculture, but also in medicine or food preservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Garrigues
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mónica Gandía
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - Laia Castillo
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG, CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Coca
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG, CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Florentine Marx
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jose F Marcos
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - Paloma Manzanares
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
A Computational Modeling Approach Predicts Interaction of the Antifungal Protein AFP from Aspergillus giganteus with Fungal Membranes via Its γ-Core Motif. mSphere 2018; 3:3/5/e00377-18. [PMID: 30282755 PMCID: PMC6170789 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00377-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens kill more people per year globally than malaria or tuberculosis and threaten international food security through crop destruction. New sophisticated strategies to inhibit fungal growth are thus urgently needed. Among the potential candidate molecules that strongly inhibit fungal spore germination are small cationic, cysteine-stabilized proteins of the AFP family secreted by a group of filamentous Ascomycetes. Its founding member, AFP from Aspergillus giganteus, is of particular interest since it selectively inhibits the growth of filamentous fungi without affecting the viability of mammalian, plant, or bacterial cells. AFPs are also characterized by their high efficacy and stability. Thus, AFP can serve as a lead compound for the development of novel antifungals. Notably, all members of the AFP family comprise a γ-core motif which is conserved in all antimicrobial proteins from pro- and eukaryotes and known to interfere with the integrity of cytoplasmic plasma membranes. In this study, we used classical molecular dynamics simulations combined with wet laboratory experiments and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to characterize the structure and dynamical behavior of AFP isomers in solution and their interaction with fungal model membranes. We demonstrate that the γ-core motif of structurally conserved AFP is the key for its membrane interaction, thus verifying for the first time that the conserved γ-core motif of antimicrobial proteins is directly involved in protein-membrane interactions. Furthermore, molecular dynamic simulations suggested that AFP does not destroy the fungal membrane by pore formation but covers its surface in a well-defined manner, using a multistep mechanism to destroy the membranes integrity.IMPORTANCE Fungal pathogens pose a serious danger to human welfare since they kill more people per year than malaria or tuberculosis and are responsible for crop losses worldwide. The treatment of fungal infections is becoming more complicated as fungi develop resistances against commonly used fungicides. Therefore, discovery and development of novel antifungal agents are of utmost importance.
Collapse
|
16
|
Characterization of a novel cysteine-rich antifungal protein from Fusarium graminearum with activity against maize fungal pathogens. Int J Food Microbiol 2018; 283:45-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2018.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
17
|
Citores L, Iglesias R, Ragucci S, Di Maro A, Ferreras JM. Antifungal Activity of α-Sarcin against Penicillium digitatum: Proposal of a New Role for Fungal Ribotoxins. ACS Chem Biol 2018; 13:1978-1982. [PMID: 29952541 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Among the putative defense proteins that occur in fungi, one of the best studied is α-sarcin, produced by the mold Aspergillus giganteus. This protein is the most significant member of the ribotoxin family, which consists of extracellular rRNA ribonucleases that display cytotoxic activity toward animal cells. Ribotoxins are rRNA endonucleases that catalyze the hydrolysis of the phosphodiester bond between G4325 and A4326 from the rat 28S rRNA. The results of several experimental approaches have led to propose ribotoxins as insecticidal agents. In this work, we report that α-sarcin displays a strong antifungal activity against Penicillium digitatum, being able to enter into the cytosol where it inactivates the ribosomes, thus killing the cells and arresting the growth of the fungus. This is the first time that a ribotoxin has been found to display antifungal activity. Therefore, this protein could play, besides the already proposed insecticidal function, a role in nature as an antifungal agent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Citores
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Rosario Iglesias
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Sara Ragucci
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, I-81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Antimo Di Maro
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, I-81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - José M. Ferreras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
New Antimicrobial Potential and Structural Properties of PAFB: A Cationic, Cysteine-Rich Protein from Penicillium chrysogenum Q176. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1751. [PMID: 29379111 PMCID: PMC5788923 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20002-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Small, cysteine-rich and cationic proteins with antimicrobial activity are produced by diverse organisms of all kingdoms and represent promising molecules for drug development. The ancestor of all industrial penicillin producing strains, the ascomycete Penicillium chryosgenum Q176, secretes the extensively studied antifungal protein PAF. However, the genome of this strain harbours at least two more genes that code for other small, cysteine-rich and cationic proteins with potential antifungal activity. In this study, we characterized the pafB gene product that shows high similarity to PgAFP from P. chrysogenum R42C. Although abundant and timely regulated pafB gene transcripts were detected, we could not identify PAFB in the culture broth of P. chrysogenum Q176. Therefore, we applied a P. chrysogenum-based expression system to produce sufficient amounts of recombinant PAFB to address unanswered questions concerning the structure and antimicrobial function. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based analyses revealed a compact β-folded structure, comprising five β-strands connected by four solvent exposed and flexible loops and an “abcabc” disulphide bond pattern. We identified PAFB as an inhibitor of growth of human pathogenic moulds and yeasts. Furthermore, we document for the first time an anti-viral activity for two members of the small, cysteine-rich and cationic protein group from ascomycetes.
Collapse
|
19
|
Sonderegger C, Galgóczy L, Garrigues S, Fizil Á, Borics A, Manzanares P, Hegedüs N, Huber A, Marcos JF, Batta G, Marx F. A Penicillium chrysogenum-based expression system for the production of small, cysteine-rich antifungal proteins for structural and functional analyses. Microb Cell Fact 2016; 15:192. [PMID: 27835989 PMCID: PMC5106836 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-016-0586-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Small, cysteine-rich and cationic antifungal proteins (APs) from filamentous ascomycetes, such as NFAP from Neosartorya fischeri and PAF from Penicillium chrysogenum, are promising candidates for novel drug development. A prerequisite for their application is a detailed knowledge about their structure–function relation and mode of action, which would allow protein modelling to enhance their toxicity and specificity. Technologies for structure analyses, such as electronic circular dichroism (ECD) or NMR spectroscopy, require highly purified samples and in case of NMR milligrams of uniformly 15N-/13C-isotope labelled protein. To meet these requirements, we developed a P. chrysogenum-based expression system that ensures sufficient amount and optimal purity of APs for structural and functional analyses. Results The APs PAF, PAF mutants and NFAP were expressed in a P. chrysogenum ∆paf mutant strain that served as perfect microbial expression factory. This strain lacks the paf-gene coding for the endogenous antifungal PAF and is resistant towards several APs from other ascomycetes. The expression of the recombinant proteins was under the regulation of the strong paf promoter, and the presence of a paf-specific pre-pro sequence warranted the secretion of processed proteins into the supernatant. The use of defined minimal medium allowed a single-step purification of the recombinant proteins. The expression system could be extended to express PAF in the related fungus Penicillium digitatum, which does not produce detectable amounts of APs, demonstrating the versatility of the approach. The molecular masses, folded structures and antifungal activity of the recombinant proteins were analysed by ESI–MS, ECD and NMR spectroscopy and growth inhibition assays. Conclusion This study demonstrates the implementation of a paf promoter driven expression cassettes for the production of cysteine-rich, cationic, APs in different Penicillium species. The system is a perfect tool for the generation of correctly folded proteins with high quality for structure–function analyses. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-016-0586-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Sonderegger
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria
| | - László Galgóczy
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria
| | - Sandra Garrigues
- Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Agustín Escardino 7, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ádám Fizil
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Attila Borics
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Paloma Manzanares
- Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Agustín Escardino 7, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nikoletta Hegedüs
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria.,Sandoz GmbH, Biochemiestrasse 10, 6250, Kundl, Austria
| | - Anna Huber
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria
| | - Jose F Marcos
- Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Agustín Escardino 7, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gyula Batta
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Florentine Marx
- Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Galgóczy L, Virágh M, Kovács L, Tóth B, Papp T, Vágvölgyi C. Antifungal peptides homologous to the Penicillium chrysogenum antifungal protein (PAF) are widespread among Fusaria. Peptides 2013; 39:131-7. [PMID: 23174348 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2012.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2012] [Revised: 10/09/2012] [Accepted: 10/10/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Putative antifungal peptide encoding genes containing Penicillium chrysogenum antifungal protein (PAF) characteristic amino acid motifs were identified in 15 Fusarium isolates, representing 10 species. Based on the predicted sequences of mature peptides, discrepancy in one, two or three amino acids was observed between them. Phylogenetic investigations revealed that they show high amino acid sequence similarity to PAF and they belong to the group of fungal derived antifungal peptides with PAF-cluster. Ten from the 15 partially purified <10 kDa peptide fraction of Fusarium ferment broths showed antifungal activity. The presence of approximately 6.3 kDa molecular weight peptides was detected in all of the antifungally active ferment broths, and this peptide was isolated and purified from Fusarium polyphilaidicum. The minimal inhibitiory concentrations of F. polyphilaidicum antifungal protein (FPAP) were determined against different filamentous fungi, yeasts and bacteria. Filamentous fungal species were the most susceptible to FPAF, but some yeasts were also slightly sensitive.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- László Galgóczy
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kovács L, Virágh M, Takó M, Papp T, Vágvölgyi C, Galgóczy L. Isolation and characterization of Neosartorya fischeri antifungal protein (NFAP). Peptides 2011; 32:1724-31. [PMID: 21741420 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2011.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2011] [Revised: 06/23/2011] [Accepted: 06/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A novel 6.6 kDa antifungal peptide (NFAP) from the culture supernatant of the mold, Neosartorya fischeri (anamorf: Aspergillus fischerianus), and its encoding gene were isolated in this study. NFAP is a small, basic and cysteine-rich protein consisting of 57 amino acid residues. It shows 37.9-50% homology to similar proteins described in literature from Aspergillus clavatus, Aspergillus giganteus, Aspergillus niger, and Penicillium chrysogenum. The in silico presumed tertiary structure of NFAP, e.g. the presence of five antiparallel β-sheet connected with filaments, and stabilized by three disulfide bridges, is very similar to those of the defensin-like molecules. NFAP exhibited growth inhibitory action against filamentous fungi in a dose-dependent manner, and maintained high antifungal activity within broad pH and temperature ranges. Furthermore, it exhibited relevant resistance to proteolysis. All these characteristics make NFAP a promising candidate for further in vitro and in vivo investigations aiming at the development of new antifungal compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Kovács
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hegedus N, Leiter E, Kovács B, Tomori V, Kwon NJ, Emri T, Marx F, Batta G, Csernoch L, Haas H, Yu JH, Pócsi I. The small molecular mass antifungal protein of Penicillium chrysogenum--a mechanism of action oriented review. J Basic Microbiol 2011; 51:561-71. [PMID: 21780144 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201100041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2011] [Accepted: 04/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The β-lactam producing filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum secretes a 6.25 kDa small molecular mass antifungal protein, PAF, which has a highly stable, compact 3D structure and is effective against a wide spectrum of plant and zoo pathogenic fungi. Its precise physiological functions and mode of action need to be elucidated before considering possible biomedical, agricultural or food technological applications. According to some more recent experimental data, PAF plays an important role in the fine-tuning of conidiogenesis in Penicillium chrysogenum. PAF triggers apoptotic cell death in sensitive fungi, and cell death signaling may be transmitted through two-component systems, heterotrimeric G protein coupled signal transduction and regulatory networks as well as via alteration of the Ca(2+) -homeostasis of the cells. Possible biotechnological applications of PAF are also outlined in the review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Hegedus
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Centre of Arts, Humanities and Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Barakat H, Spielvogel A, Hassan M, El-Desouky A, El-Mansy H, Rath F, Meyer V, Stahl U. The antifungal protein AFP from Aspergillus giganteus prevents secondary growth of different Fusarium species on barley. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2010; 87:617-24. [PMID: 20217075 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-010-2508-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2009] [Revised: 02/09/2010] [Accepted: 02/10/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Secondary growth is a common post-harvest problem when pre-infected crops are attacked by filamentous fungi during storage or processing. Several antifungal approaches are thus pursued based on chemical, physical, or bio-control treatments; however, many of these methods are inefficient, affect product quality, or cause severe side effects on the environment. A protein that can potentially overcome these limitations is the antifungal protein AFP, an abundantly secreted peptide of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus giganteus. This protein specifically and at low concentrations disturbs the integrity of fungal cell walls and plasma membranes but does not interfere with the viability of other pro- and eukaryotic systems. We thus studied in this work the applicability of AFP to efficiently prevent secondary growth of filamentous fungi on food stuff and chose, as a case study, the malting process where naturally infested raw barley is often to be used as starting material. Malting was performed under lab scale conditions as well as in a pilot plant, and AFP was applied at different steps during the process. AFP appeared to be very efficient against the main fungal contaminants, mainly belonging to the genus Fusarium. Fungal growth was completely blocked after the addition of AFP, a result that was not observed for traditional disinfectants such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorine dioxide. We furthermore detected reduced levels of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol after AFP treatment, further supporting the fungicidal activity of the protein. As AFP treatments did not compromise any properties and qualities of the final products malt and wort, we consider the protein as an excellent biological alternative to combat secondary growth of filamentous fungi on food stuff.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Barakat
- Department of Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Biotechnology, Berlin University of Technology, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Bader J, Mast-Gerlach E, Popović MK, Bajpai R, Stahl U. Relevance of microbial coculture fermentations in biotechnology. J Appl Microbiol 2009; 109:371-387. [PMID: 20070440 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04659.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to review coculture fermentations in industrial biotechnology. Examples for the advantageous utilization of cocultures instead of single cultivations include the production of bulk chemicals, enzymes, food additives, antimicrobial substances and microbial fuel cells. Coculture fermentations may result in increased yield, improved control of product qualities and the possibility of utilizing cheaper substrates. Cocultivation of different micro-organisms may also help to identify and develop new biotechnological substances. The relevance of coculture fermentations and the potential of improving existing processes as well as the production of new chemical compounds in industrial biotechnology are pointed out here by means of more than 35 examples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Bader
- Technische Universität Berlin, Fachgebiet Mikrobiologie and Genetik, Seestraβe 13, Berlin, Germany
| | - E Mast-Gerlach
- Technische Universität Berlin, Fachgebiet Mikrobiologie and Genetik, Seestraβe 13, Berlin, Germany
| | - M K Popović
- Beuth Hochschule für Technik, Fachbereich Biotechnologie, Seestraβe 64, Berlin, Germany
| | - R Bajpai
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - U Stahl
- Technische Universität Berlin, Fachgebiet Mikrobiologie and Genetik, Seestraβe 13, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Galgóczy L, Vágvölgyi C. Antifungal peptides secreted by filamentous fungi as promising new agents in human therapy. Future Microbiol 2009; 4:261-3. [PMID: 19327111 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.09.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- László Galgóczy
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences & Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726, Hungary
| | - Csaba Vágvölgyi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences & Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Developing Aspergillus as a host for heterologous expression. Biotechnol Adv 2009; 27:53-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2008.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2008] [Revised: 09/04/2008] [Accepted: 09/07/2008] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
27
|
Hamann A, Brust D, Osiewacz HD. Apoptosis pathways in fungal growth, development and ageing. Trends Microbiol 2008; 16:276-83. [PMID: 18440231 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2008.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2007] [Revised: 02/22/2008] [Accepted: 03/26/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Apoptosis is one type of programmed cell death with great importance for development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. Unexpectedly, during the past decade, evidence has been obtained for the existence of a basal apoptosis machinery in yeast, as unicellular fungus, and in some filamentous fungi, a group of microorganisms that are neither true unicellular nor true multicellular biological systems but something in between. Here, we review evidence for a role of apoptotic processes in fungal pathogenicity, competitiveness, propagation, ageing and lifespan control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Hamann
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, Department of Biosciences and Cluster of Excellence Macromolecular Complexes, J.W. Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Meyer V. A small protein that fights fungi: AFP as a new promising antifungal agent of biotechnological value. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2007; 78:17-28. [PMID: 18066545 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-007-1291-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2007] [Revised: 11/14/2007] [Accepted: 11/15/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
As fungal infections are becoming more prevalent in the medical or agricultural fields, novel and more efficient antifungal agents are badly needed. Within the scope of developing new strategies for the management of fungal infections, antifungal compounds that target essential fungal cell wall components are highly preferable. Ideally, newly developed antimycotics should also combine major aspects such as sustainability, high efficacy, limited toxicity and low costs of production. A naturally derived molecule that possesses all the desired characteristics is the antifungal protein (AFP) secreted by the filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus giganteus. AFP is a small, basic and cysteine-rich peptide that exerts extremely potent antifungal activity against human- and plant-pathogenic fungi without affecting the viability of bacteria, yeast, plant and mammalian cells. This review summarises the current knowledge of the structure, mode of action and expression of AFP, and highlights similarities and differences concerning these issues between AFP and its related proteins from other Ascomycetes. Furthermore, the potential use of AFP in the combat against fungal contaminations and infections will be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vera Meyer
- TU Berlin, Institut für Biotechnologie, Fachgebiet Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Hagen S, Marx F, Ram AF, Meyer V. The antifungal protein AFP from Aspergillus giganteus inhibits chitin synthesis in sensitive fungi. Appl Environ Microbiol 2007; 73:2128-34. [PMID: 17277210 PMCID: PMC1855660 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02497-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The antifungal protein AFP from Aspergillus giganteus is highly effective in restricting the growth of major human- and plant-pathogenic filamentous fungi. However, a fundamental prerequisite for the use of AFP as an antifungal drug is a complete understanding of its mode of action. In this study, we performed several analyses focusing on the assumption that the chitin biosynthesis of sensitive fungi is targeted by AFP. Here we show that the N-terminal domain of AFP (amino acids 1 to 33) is sufficient for efficient binding of AFP to chitin but is not adequate for inhibition of the growth of sensitive fungi. AFP susceptibility tests and SYTOX Green uptake experiments with class III and class V chitin synthase mutants of Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus oryzae showed that deletions made the fungi less sensitive to AFP and its membrane permeabilization effect. In situ chitin synthase activity assays revealed that chitin synthesis is specifically inhibited by AFP in sensitive fungi, indicating that AFP causes cell wall stress and disturbs cell integrity. Further evidence that there was AFP-induced cell wall stress was obtained by using an Aspergillus niger reporter strain in which the cell wall integrity pathway was strongly induced by AFP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silke Hagen
- Berlin University of Technology, Institute of Biotechnology, Department Microbiology and Genetics, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, D-13355 Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|