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Strader MB, Saha AL, Fernandes C, Sharma K, Hadiwinarta C, Calheiros D, Conde-de-Oliveira G, Gonçalves T, Slater JE. Distinct proteomes and allergen profiles appear across the life-cycle stages of Alternaria alternata. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2024:S0091-6749(24)00410-X. [PMID: 38663817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2024.03.026] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternaria alternata is associated with allergic respiratory diseases, which can be managed with allergen extract-based diagnostics and immunotherapy. It is not known how spores and hyphae contribute to allergen content. Commercial allergen extracts are manufactured by extracting proteins without separating the different forms of the fungus. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine differences between spore and hyphae proteomes and how allergens are distributed in Aalternata. METHODS Data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry was used to quantitatively compare the proteomes of asexual spores (nongerminating and germinating) with vegetative hyphae. RESULTS We identified 4515 proteins in nongerminating spores, germinating spores, and hyphae; most known allergens are more abundant in nongerminating spores. On comparing significant protein fold-change differences between nongerminating spores and hyphae, we found that 174 proteins were upregulated in nongerminating spores and 80 proteins in hyphae. Among the spore proteins are ones functionally involved in cell wall synthesis, responding to cellular stress, and maintaining redox balance and homeostasis. On comparing nongerminating and germinating spores, 25 proteins were found to be upregulated in nongerminating spores and 54 in germinating spores. Among the proteins specific to germinating spores were proteases known to be virulence factors. One of the most abundant proteins in the spore proteome is sialidase, which has not been identified as an allergen but may be important in the pathogenicity of this fungus. Major allergen Alt a 1 is present at low levels in spores and hyphae and appears to be largely secreted into growth media. CONCLUSIONS Spores and hyphae express overlapping but distinct proteomes. Most known allergens are found more abundantly in nongerminating spores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Brad Strader
- Laboratory of Immunobiochemistry, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic and Allergenic Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Md.
| | - Aishwarya L Saha
- Laboratory of Immunobiochemistry, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic and Allergenic Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Md
| | - Chantal Fernandes
- University of Coimbra, CNC-UC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, FMUC - Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Kavita Sharma
- Laboratory of Immunobiochemistry, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic and Allergenic Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Md
| | - Christian Hadiwinarta
- Laboratory of Immunobiochemistry, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic and Allergenic Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Md
| | - Daniela Calheiros
- University of Coimbra, CNC-UC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, FMUC - Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Conde-de-Oliveira
- University of Coimbra, CNC-UC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, FMUC - Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Teresa Gonçalves
- University of Coimbra, CNC-UC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, FMUC - Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jay E Slater
- Laboratory of Immunobiochemistry, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic and Allergenic Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Md
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2
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Thakur R, Shishodia SK, Sharma A, Chauhan A, Kaur S, Shankar J. Accelerating the understanding of Aspergillus terreus: Epidemiology, physiology, immunology and advances. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2024; 6:100220. [PMID: 38303967 PMCID: PMC10831165 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species encompass a variety of infections, ranging from invasive aspergillosis to allergic conditions, contingent upon the immune status of the host. In this spectrum, Aspergillus terreus stands out due to its emergence as a notable pathogen and its intrinsic resistance to amphotericin-B. The significance of Aspergillus-associated infections has witnessed a marked increase in the past few decades, particularly with the increasing number of immunocompromised individuals. The exploration of epidemiology, morphological transitions, immunopathology, and novel treatment approaches such as new antifungal drugs (PC945, olorofim) and combinational therapy using antifungal drugs and phytochemicals (Phytochemicals: quercetin, shikonin, artemisinin), also using immunotherapies to modulate immune response has resulted in better outcomes. Furthermore, in the context COVID-19 era and its aftermath, fungal infections have emerged as a substantial challenge for both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. This is attributed to the use of immune-suppressing therapies during COVID-19 infections and the increase in transplant cases. Consequently, this review aims to provide an updated overview encompassing the epidemiology, germination events, immunopathology, and novel drug treatment strategies against Aspergillus terreus-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raman Thakur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | | | - Ananya Sharma
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Arjun Chauhan
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences and Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sumanpreet Kaur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
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Thomas TA, Tirumale S. Comparative proteome profiling of fusarium chlamydosporum and elucidation of pigment biosynthetic pathway under nitrogen stress. J Proteomics 2023; 277:104851. [PMID: 36813111 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2023.104851] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to understand the protein expression of F. chlamydosporum in two different medium composition in varying concentrations of nitrogen. The interesting phenomenon of producing diverse pigments by a single strain in different concentrations of Nitrogen made us further to explore the difference in the protein expression of the fungus when grown in these two media. For this, we had adopted non-gel-based method of protein separation by LC-MS/MS analysis followed by label free identification of proteins by SWATH analysis. The molecular and biological functions of each protein and their Gene Ontology annotations were analyzed by UniProt KB and KEGG pathway; the secondary metabolite pathways and the carbohydrate metabolic pathways were analyzed by DAVID bioinformatics tool. The positively regulated proteins biologically functioned for the secondary metabolite production in optimized medium were Diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (terpenoid backbone biosynthesis), Phytoene synthase (carotenoid biosynthesis), 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine synthase (riboflavin biosynthesis). The main characteristic change observed was that proteins related to carotenoid biosynthesis and terpenoid synthesis were not regulated in nitrogen limited medium. Except for the protein 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine synthase, all the enzymes related to fatty acid biosynthesis and polyketide chain elongation were up regulated. Apart from the proteins related to secondary metabolite production, two novel proteins were found to be up regulated in Nitrogen Limited Medium; C-fem protein responsible for fungal pathogenesis and DAO domain containing protein which functions as a neuromodulator and catalyzes the synthesis of dopamine. SIGNIFICANCE: This particular strain of F. chlamydosporum of immense genetic and biochemical diversity represents an interesting example of a microorganism which can produce a variety of bioactive compounds and this can be exploited in various industries. The production of carotenoids and polyketides by this fungus when grown in the same media with different concentrations of Nitrogen has been published by us following which we analyzed the proteome sequence of the fungus in varying Nutrient conditions. Following the proteome analysis and expression, we could derive the pathway leading to the biosynthesis of varying secondary metabolites by the fungus which has not been published or studied so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessy Anu Thomas
- Department of Microbiology, Krupanidhi Degree College, Bengaluru, India
| | - Sharmila Tirumale
- Department of Microbiology, Bangalore University, JB Campus, Bengaluru, India.
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4
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Shankar J. Insight into the metabolic changes during germination of Aspergillus niger conidia using nLC-qTOF. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01115-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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5
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Thawornkuno C, Nogrado K, Adisakwattana P, Thiangtrongjit T, Reamtong O. Identification and profiling of Trichinella spiralis circulating antigens and proteins in sera of mice with trichinellosis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265013. [PMID: 35271623 PMCID: PMC8912135 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of the Trichinella nematode. With a worldwide incidence of approximately 10,000 cases per year, Trichinella spiralis is responsible for most human infections. There are no specific signs or symptoms of this parasitic infection. Muscle biopsy is the gold diagnostic standard for trichinellosis, but the technique is invasive and unable to detect the early stage of infection. Although immunodiagnostics are also available, antibody detection usually occurs after 3 weeks and prolonged up to 19 years after the acute phase. Therefore, additional diagnostic biomarkers must be identified to improve trichinellosis diagnosis. This study aimed to measure concentration changes in mouse serum proteins prior to T. spiralis infection and 2, 4 and 8 weeks after infection, and to identify T. spiralis circulating proteins and antigens using mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Mouse muscle-related proteins including inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H2, a protein involved in the response to muscle tissue damage, were up-regulated in mouse sera during the T. spiralis larvae invasion. Additionally, 33 circulatory parasite proteins were identified in infected mouse sera. Notably, T. spiralis long-chain fatty acid transport protein 1 could be detected in the early stage of infection and peroxidasin-like protein was identified 2, 4 and 8 weeks after infection. Seventeen T. spiralis circulating antigens were detected in mouse immune complexes, with PX domain protein being found 2, 4 and 8 weeks after infection. Because peroxidasin-like protein and PX domain protein were detected at all post-infection time points, sequence alignments of these proteins were performed, which showed they are conserved among Trichinella spp. and have less similarity to the human and murine sequences. Integrative analysis of T. spiralis biomarkers throughout the course of infection may reveal additional diagnostic targets to improve early diagnosis of trichinellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charin Thawornkuno
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kathyleen Nogrado
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Poom Adisakwattana
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tipparat Thiangtrongjit
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- * E-mail:
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6
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Kanjanapruthipong T, Sukphopetch P, Reamtong O, Isarangkul D, Muangkaew W, Thiangtrongjit T, Sansurin N, Fongsodsri K, Ampawong S. Cytoskeletal Alteration Is an Early Cellular Response in Pulmonary Epithelium Infected with Aspergillus fumigatus Rather than Scedosporium apiospermum. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 83:216-235. [PMID: 33890146 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01750-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis and scedosporiosis are life-threatening fungal infections with similar clinical manifestations in immunocompromised patients. Contrarily, Scedosporium apiospermum is susceptible to some azole derivative but often resistant to amphotericin B. Histopathological examination alone cannot diagnose these two fungal species. Pathogenesis studies could contribute to explore candidate protein markers for new diagnosis and treatment methods leading to a decrease in mortality. In the present study, proteomics was conducted to identify significantly altered proteins in A549 cells infected with or without Aspergillus fumigatus and S. apiospermum as measured at initial invasion. Protein validation was performed with immunogold labelling alongside immunohistochemical techniques in infected A549 cells and lungs from murine models. Further, cytokine production was measured, using the Bio-Plex-Multiplex immunoassay. The cytoskeletal proteins HSPA9, PA2G4, VAT1, PSMA2, PEX1, PTGES3, KRT1, KRT9, CLIP1 and CLEC20A were mainly changed during A. fumigatus infection, while the immunologically activated proteins WNT7A, GAPDH and ANXA2 were principally altered during S. apiospermum infection. These proteins are involved in fungal internalisation and structural destruction leading to pulmonary disorders. Interleukin (IL)-21, IL-1α, IL-22, IL-2, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17A, interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α were upregulated in both aspergillosis and scedosporiosis, although more predominately in the latter, in accordance with chitin synthase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase levels. Our results demonstrated that during invasion, A. fumigatus primarily altered host cellular integrity, whereas S. apiospermum chiefly induced and extensively modulated host immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapanee Kanjanapruthipong
- Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Passanesh Sukphopetch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetic, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Duangnate Isarangkul
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 272, Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Watcharamat Muangkaew
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Tipparat Thiangtrongjit
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetic, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Nichapa Sansurin
- Northeast Laboratory Animal Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Kamonpan Fongsodsri
- Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Sumate Ampawong
- Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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7
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Aspergillus fumigatus versus Genus Aspergillus: Conservation, Adaptive Evolution and Specific Virulence Genes. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102014. [PMID: 34683335 PMCID: PMC8539515 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus is an important fungal genus containing economically important species, as well as pathogenic species of animals and plants. Using eighteen fungal species of the genus Aspergillus, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of conserved genes and their evolution. This also allows us to investigate the selection pressure driving the adaptive evolution in the pathogenic species A. fumigatus. Among single-copy orthologs (SCOs) for A. fumigatus and the closely related species A. fischeri, we identified 122 versus 50 positively selected genes (PSGs), respectively. Moreover, twenty conserved genes of unknown function were established to be positively selected and thus important for adaption. A. fumigatus PSGs interacting with human host proteins show over-representation of adaptive, symbiosis-related, immunomodulatory and virulence-related pathways, such as the TGF-β pathway, insulin receptor signaling, IL1 pathway and interfering with phagosomal GTPase signaling. Additionally, among the virulence factor coding genes, secretory and membrane protein-coding genes in multi-copy gene families, 212 genes underwent positive selection and also suggest increased adaptation, such as fungal immune evasion mechanisms (aspf2), siderophore biosynthesis (sidD), fumarylalanine production (sidE), stress tolerance (atfA) and thermotolerance (sodA). These genes presumably contribute to host adaptation strategies. Genes for the biosynthesis of gliotoxin are shared among all the close relatives of A. fumigatus as an ancient defense mechanism. Positive selection plays a crucial role in the adaptive evolution of A. fumigatus. The genome-wide profile of PSGs provides valuable targets for further research on the mechanisms of immune evasion, antimycotic targeting and understanding fundamental virulence processes.
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8
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Baltussen TJH, Coolen JPM, Verweij PE, Dijksterhuis J, Melchers WJG. Identifying Conserved Generic Aspergillus spp. Co-Expressed Gene Modules Associated with Germination Using Cross-Platform and Cross-Species Transcriptomics. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:270. [PMID: 33916245 PMCID: PMC8067318 DOI: 10.3390/jof7040270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus spp. is an opportunistic human pathogen that may cause a spectrum of pulmonary diseases. In order to establish infection, inhaled conidia must germinate, whereby they break dormancy, start to swell, and initiate a highly polarized growth process. To identify critical biological processes during germination, we performed a cross-platform, cross-species comparative analysis of germinating A. fumigatus and A. niger conidia using transcriptional data from published RNA-Seq and Affymetrix studies. A consensus co-expression network analysis identified four gene modules associated with stages of germination. These modules showed numerous shared biological processes between A. niger and A. fumigatus during conidial germination. Specifically, the turquoise module was enriched with secondary metabolism, the black module was highly enriched with protein synthesis, the darkgreen module was enriched with protein fate, and the blue module was highly enriched with polarized growth. More specifically, enriched functional categories identified in the blue module were vesicle formation, vesicular transport, tubulin dependent transport, actin-dependent transport, exocytosis, and endocytosis. Genes important for these biological processes showed similar expression patterns in A. fumigatus and A. niger, therefore, they could be potential antifungal targets. Through cross-platform, cross-species comparative analysis, we were able to identify biologically meaningful modules shared by A. fumigatus and A. niger, which underscores the potential of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim J. H. Baltussen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (J.P.M.C.); (P.E.V.); (W.J.G.M.)
- Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, 6532 SZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jordy P. M. Coolen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (J.P.M.C.); (P.E.V.); (W.J.G.M.)
- Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, 6532 SZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul E. Verweij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (J.P.M.C.); (P.E.V.); (W.J.G.M.)
- Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, 6532 SZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Dijksterhuis
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Willem J. G. Melchers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (J.P.M.C.); (P.E.V.); (W.J.G.M.)
- Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, 6532 SZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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9
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Blango MG, Pschibul A, Rivieccio F, Krüger T, Rafiq M, Jia LJ, Zheng T, Goldmann M, Voltersen V, Li J, Panagiotou G, Kniemeyer O, Brakhage AA. Dynamic Surface Proteomes of Allergenic Fungal Conidia. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:2092-2104. [PMID: 32233371 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Fungal spores and hyphal fragments play an important role as allergens in respiratory diseases. In this study, we performed trypsin shaving and secretome analyses to identify the surface-exposed proteins and secreted/shed proteins of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia, respectively. We investigated the surface proteome under different conditions, including temperature variation and germination. We found that the surface proteome of resting A. fumigatus conidia is not static but instead unexpectedly dynamic, as evidenced by drastically different surface proteomes under different growth conditions. Knockouts of two abundant A. fumigatus surface proteins, ScwA and CweA, were found to function only in fine-tuning the cell wall stress response, implying that the conidial surface is very robust against perturbations. We then compared the surface proteome of A. fumigatus to other allergy-inducing molds, including Alternaria alternata, Penicillium rubens, and Cladosporium herbarum, and performed comparative proteomics on resting and swollen conidia, as well as secreted proteins from germinating conidia. We detected 125 protein ortholog groups, including 80 with putative catalytic activity, in the extracellular region of all four molds, and 42 nonorthologous proteins produced solely by A. fumigatus. Ultimately, this study highlights the dynamic nature of the A. fumigatus conidial surface and provides targets for future diagnostics and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Blango
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Annica Pschibul
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Flora Rivieccio
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Thomas Krüger
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Muhammad Rafiq
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Lei-Jie Jia
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Tingting Zheng
- Department of Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Marie Goldmann
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Vera Voltersen
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong S.A.R., China.,School of Data Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Gianni Panagiotou
- Department of Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena 07745, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI), Jena 07745, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena 07745, Germany
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Abstract
Aspergilli produce conidia for reproduction or to survive hostile conditions, and they are highly effective in the distribution of conidia through the environment. In immunocompromised individuals, inhaled conidia can germinate inside the respiratory tract, which may result in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The management of invasive aspergillosis has become more complex, with new risk groups being identified and the emergence of antifungal resistance. Patient survival is threatened by these developments, stressing the need for alternative therapeutic strategies. As germination is crucial for infection, prevention of this process might be a feasible approach. A broader understanding of conidial germination is important to identify novel antigermination targets. In this review, we describe conidial resistance against various stresses, transition from dormant conidia to hyphal growth, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in germination of the most common Aspergillus species, and promising antigermination targets. Germination of Aspergillus is characterized by three morphotypes: dormancy, isotropic growth, and polarized growth. Intra- and extracellular proteins play an important role in the protection against unfavorable environmental conditions. Isotropically expanding conidia remodel the cell wall, and biosynthetic machineries are needed for cellular growth. These biosynthetic machineries are also important during polarized growth, together with tip formation and the cell cycle machinery. Genes involved in isotropic and polarized growth could be effective antigermination targets. Transcriptomic and proteomic studies on specific Aspergillus morphotypes will improve our understanding of the germination process and allow discovery of novel antigermination targets and biomarkers for early diagnosis and therapy.
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11
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Blachowicz A, Chiang AJ, Elsaesser A, Kalkum M, Ehrenfreund P, Stajich JE, Torok T, Wang CCC, Venkateswaran K. Proteomic and Metabolomic Characteristics of Extremophilic Fungi Under Simulated Mars Conditions. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1013. [PMID: 31156574 PMCID: PMC6529585 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi have been associated with extreme habitats, including nuclear power plant accident sites and the International Space Station (ISS). Due to their immense adaptation and phenotypic plasticity capacities, fungi may thrive in what seems like uninhabitable niches. This study is the first report of fungal survival after exposure of monolayers of conidia to simulated Mars conditions (SMC). Conidia of several Chernobyl nuclear accident-associated and ISS-isolated strains were tested for UV-C and SMC sensitivity, which resulted in strain-dependent survival. Strains surviving exposure to SMC for 30 min, ISSFT-021-30 and IMV 00236-30, were further characterized for proteomic, and metabolomic changes. Differential expression of proteins involved in ribosome biogenesis, translation, and carbohydrate metabolic processes was observed. No significant metabolome alterations were revealed. Lastly, ISSFT-021-30 conidia re-exposed to UV-C exhibited enhanced UV-C resistance when compared to the conidia of unexposed ISSFT-021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Blachowicz
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Abby J Chiang
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | | | - Markus Kalkum
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | | | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Tamas Torok
- Department of Ecology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Clay C C Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
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12
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Shishodia SK, Tiwari S, Shankar J. Resistance mechanism and proteins in Aspergillus species against antifungal agents. Mycology 2019; 10:151-165. [PMID: 31448149 PMCID: PMC6691784 DOI: 10.1080/21501203.2019.1574927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species contain pathogenic and opportunistic fungal pathogens which have the potential
to cause mycosis (invasive aspergillosis) in humans. The existing antifungal drugs have
limitation largely due to the development of drug-resistant isolates. To gain insight
into the mechanism of action and antifungal drug resistance in Aspergillus species including biofilm formation, we have reviewed protein
data of Aspergillus species during interaction with
antifungals drugs (polynes, azoles and echinocandin) and phytochemicals (artemisinin,
coumarin and quercetin). Our analyses provided a list of Aspergillus proteins (72 proteins) that were abundant during interaction
with different antifungal agents. On the other hand, there are 26 proteins, expression
level of which is affected by more than two antifungal agents, suggesting the more
general response to the stress induced by the antifungal agents. Our analysis showed
enzymes from cell wall remodelling, oxidative stress response and energy metabolism are
the responsible factors for providing resistance against antifungal drugs in Aspergillus species and could be explored further in clinical
isolates. Also, these findings have clinical importance since the effect of drug
targeting different proteins can be potentiated by combination therapy. We have also
discussed the opportunities ahead to study the functional role of proteins from
environmental and clinical isolates of Aspergillus during
its interaction with the antifungal drugs. Abbreviations IPA: invasive pulmonary aspergillosis; IA: invasive aspergillosis; AmB: Amphotericin B;
CAS: Caspofungin; VRC: Voriconazole; ITC: Itraconazole; POS: Posaconazole; ART:
Artemisinin; QRT: Quercetin; CMR: Coumarin; MIC: minimal inhibitory concentration
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Kumari Shishodia
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Shraddha Tiwari
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
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13
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Escobar N, Valdes ID, Keizer EM, Ordonez SR, Ohm RA, Wösten HAB, de Cock H. Expression profile analysis reveals that Aspergillus fumigatus but not Aspergillus niger makes type II epithelial lung cells less immunological alert. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:534. [PMID: 30005605 PMCID: PMC6044037 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4895-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aspergillus fumigatus is the main causative agent of aspergillosis. Infections rarely occur in immunocompetent individuals, indicating efficient clearance of conidia by pulmonary defense mechanisms. Other aspergilli like Aspergillus niger also cause infections but to a much lesser extent. Our previous studies showed that A. fumigatus and A. niger have different behavior in the presence of type II alveolar A549 epithelial cells. A. fumigatus conidia are more efficiently internalized by these cells and germination is delayed when compared to A. niger. In addition, hyphae that have escaped the epithelial cells grow parallel to the epithelium, while A. niger grows away from this cell layer. Results Here it is shown that global gene expression of A. fumigatus and A. niger is markedly different upon contact with A549 cells. A total of 545 and 473 genes of A. fumigatus and A. niger, respectively, were differentially expressed when compared to growth in the absence of A549 cells. Notably, only 53 genes (approximately 10%) were shared in these gene sets. The different response was also illustrated by the fact that only 4 out of 75 GO terms were shared that were enriched in the differentially expressed gene sets. The orthologues of A. fumigatus genes involved in hypoxia regulation and heat shock were also up-regulated in A. niger, whereas thioredoxin reductase and allergen genes were found up-regulated in A. fumigatus but down-regulated in A. niger. Infection with A. fumigatus resulted in only 62 up and 47 down-regulated genes in A549. These numbers were 17 and 34 in the case of A. niger. GO terms related with immune response were down-regulated upon exposure to A. fumigatus but not in the case of A. niger. This indicates that A. fumigatus reprograms A549 to be less immunologically alert. Conclusions Our dual transcriptomic analysis supports earlier observations of a marked difference in life style between A. fumigatus and A. niger when grown in the presence of type II epithelial cells. The results indicate important differences in gene expression, amongst others down regulation of immune response genes in lung epithelial cells by A. fumigatus but not by A niger. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4895-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Escobar
- Microbiology & Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ivan D Valdes
- Microbiology & Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Esther M Keizer
- Microbiology & Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Soledad R Ordonez
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Division Molecular Host Defence, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Robin A Ohm
- Microbiology & Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Han A B Wösten
- Microbiology & Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hans de Cock
- Microbiology & Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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14
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Shankar J, Tiwari S, Shishodia SK, Gangwar M, Hoda S, Thakur R, Vijayaraghavan P. Molecular Insights Into Development and Virulence Determinants of Aspergilli: A Proteomic Perspective. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:180. [PMID: 29896454 PMCID: PMC5986918 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species are the major cause of health concern worldwide in immunocompromised individuals. Opportunistic Aspergilli cause invasive to allergic aspergillosis, whereas non-infectious Aspergilli have contributed to understand the biology of eukaryotic organisms and serve as a model organism. Morphotypes of Aspergilli such as conidia or mycelia/hyphae helped them to survive in favorable or unfavorable environmental conditions. These morphotypes contribute to virulence, pathogenicity and invasion into hosts by excreting proteins, enzymes or toxins. Morphological transition of Aspergillus species has been a critical step to infect host or to colonize on food products. Thus, we reviewed proteins from Aspergilli to understand the biological processes, biochemical, and cellular pathways that are involved in transition and morphogenesis. We majorly analyzed proteomic studies on A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. terreus, and A. niger to gain insight into mechanisms involved in the transition from conidia to mycelia along with the role of secondary metabolites. Proteome analysis of morphotypes of Aspergilli provided information on key biological pathways required to exit conidial dormancy, consortia of virulent factors and mycotoxins during the transition. The application of proteomic approaches has uncovered the biological processes during development as well as intermediates of secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathway. We listed key proteins/ enzymes or toxins at different morphological types of Aspergillus that could be applicable in discovery of novel therapeutic targets or metabolite based diagnostic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Shraddha Tiwari
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Sonia K Shishodia
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Manali Gangwar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Shanu Hoda
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India
| | - Raman Thakur
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
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15
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Takahashi-Nakaguchi A, Sakai K, Takahashi H, Hagiwara D, Toyotome T, Chibana H, Watanabe A, Yaguchi T, Yamaguchi M, Kamei K, Gonoi T. Aspergillus fumigatus adhesion factors in dormant conidia revealed through comparative phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses. Cell Microbiol 2017; 20. [PMID: 29113011 PMCID: PMC5838799 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an important fungal pathogen of humans. Inhaled conidia of A. fumigatus adhere to pulmonary epithelial cells, causing opportunistic infection. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of the adherence of resting conidia. Fungal molecules adhesive to host cells are presumed to be displayed on the conidial surface during conidial formation as a result of changes in gene expression. Therefore, we exhaustively searched for adhesion molecules by comparing the phenotypes and the gene expression profiles of A. fumigatus strains that have conidia showing either high or low adherence to human pulmonary A549 cells. Morphological observation suggested that strains that produce conidia of reduced size, hydrophobicity, or number show decreased adherence to A549 cells. K-means cluster analyses of gene expression revealed 31 genes that were differentially expressed in the high-adherence strains during conidial formation. We knocked out three of these genes and showed that the conidia of AFUA_4G01030 (encoding a hypothetical protein) and AFUA_4G08805 (encoding a haemolysin-like protein) knockout strains had significantly reduced adherence to host cells. Furthermore, the conidia of these knockout strains had lower hydrophobicity and fewer surface spikes compared to the control strain. We suggest that the selectively expressed gene products, including those we identified experimentally, have composite synergistic roles in the adhesion of conidia to pulmonary epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kanae Sakai
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroki Takahashi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Daisuke Hagiwara
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Hiroji Chibana
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takashi Yaguchi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Katsuhiko Kamei
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tohru Gonoi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
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16
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Thakur R, Shankar J. Proteome Profile of Aspergillus terreus Conidia at Germinating Stage: Identification of Probable Virulent Factors and Enzymes from Mycotoxin Pathways. Mycopathologia 2017. [PMID: 28647921 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-017-0161-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus terreus is an emerging opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. The main risk group of individuals for this organism is leukopenic patients, individuals having cancers, bone marrow transplant persons and those who have immunological disorders. The lack of early diagnostic marker for A. terreus and intrinsic resistance to Amphotericin B, further limits the successful therapy of A. terreus-associated infections. The germination of inhaled conidia is the key step to establish successful invasion in host tissues or organs. Thus, profiling of expressed proteins during germination of conidia not only shed light on proteins that are involved in invasion or virulence but may also provide early diagnostic markers. We used nanoLC-Q-TOF to study the proteome of germinating conidia (at 16 h time points) of A. terreus. We observed expression of 373 proteins in germinating conidia of A. terreus. A total of 74 proteins were uncharacterized in the database. The expressed proteins were associated with various processes like cell wall modulation, virulence factors and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The most abundant proteins were associated with protein biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism and unknown functions. Among virulent proteins, mitogen-activated protein kinase (hog1) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (mpkC) are key virulent proteins observed in our study. We observed 7 enzymes from terretonin and 10 enzymes from geodin mycotoxin biosynthesis pathway. Interestingly, we observed expression of terrelysin protein, associated with blood cell lysis. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed 26-fold increase in transcripts encoding for dihydrogeodin oxidase and 885-fold for terrelysin gene in germinating conidia in comparison to conidia. Further, we propose that terrelysin protein and secondary metabolite such as geodin could be explored as diagnostic marker for A. terreus-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raman Thakur
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173234, India
| | - Jata Shankar
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173234, India.
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17
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Proteomics of survival structures of fungal pathogens. N Biotechnol 2016; 33:655-665. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2015.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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18
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Moloney NM, Owens RA, Doyle S. Proteomic analysis of Aspergillus fumigatus – clinical implications. Expert Rev Proteomics 2016; 13:635-49. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2016.1203783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sean Doyle
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
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19
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Moloney NM, Owens RA, Meleady P, Henry M, Dolan SK, Mulvihill E, Clynes M, Doyle S. The iron-responsive microsomal proteome of Aspergillus fumigatus. J Proteomics 2016; 136:99-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2015.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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20
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Gautam P, Mushahary D, Hassan W, Upadhyay SK, Madan T, Sirdeshmukh R, Sundaram CS, Sarma PU. In-depth 2-DE reference map of Aspergillus fumigatus and its proteomic profiling on exposure to itraconazole. Med Mycol 2016; 54:524-36. [PMID: 26868900 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myv122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) is a medically important opportunistic fungus that may lead to invasive aspergillosis in humans with weak immune system. Proteomic profiling of this fungus on exposure to itraconazole (ITC), an azole antifungal drug, may lead to identification of its molecular targets and better understanding on the development of drug resistance against ITC in A. fumigatus. Here, proteome analysis was performed using 2-DE followed by mass spectrometric analysis which resulted in identification of a total of 259 unique proteins. Further, proteome profiling of A. fumigatus was carried out on exposure to ITC, 0.154 μg/ml, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50). Image analysis showed altered levels of 175 proteins (66 upregulated and 109 downregulated) of A. fumigatus treated with ITC as compared to the untreated control. Peptide mass fingerprinting led to the identification of 54 proteins (12 up-regulated and 42 down-regulated). The differentially expressed proteins include proteins related to cell stress, carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism. We also observed four proteins, including nucleotide phosphate kinase (NDK), that are reported to interact with calcineurin, a protein involved in regulation of cell morphology and fungal virulence. Comparison of differentially expressed proteins on exposure to ITC with artemisinin (ART), an antimalarial drug with antifungal activity(1), revealed a total of 26 proteins to be common among them suggesting that common proteins and pathways are targeted by these two antifungal agents. The proteins targeted by ITC may serve as important leads for development of new antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poonam Gautam
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Dolly Mushahary
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Wazid Hassan
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
| | | | - Taruna Madan
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, India
| | - Ravi Sirdeshmukh
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Puranam Usha Sarma
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India Department of Plant pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi, India
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21
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Abstract
We are presenting a quantitative proteomics tally of the most commonly expressed conserved fungal proteins of the cytosol, the cell wall, and the secretome. It was our goal to identify fungi-typical proteins that do not share significant homology with human proteins. Such fungal proteins are of interest to the development of vaccines or drug targets. Protein samples were derived from 13 fungal species, cultured in rich or in minimal media; these included clinical isolates of Aspergillus, Candida, Mucor, Cryptococcus, and Coccidioides species. Proteomes were analyzed by quantitative MSE (Mass Spectrometry-Elevated Collision Energy). Several thousand proteins were identified and quantified in total across all fractions and culture conditions. The 42 most abundant proteins identified in fungal cell walls or supernatants shared no to very little homology with human proteins. In contrast, all but five of the 50 most abundant cytosolic proteins had human homologs with sequence identity averaging 59%. Proteomic comparisons of the secreted or surface localized fungal proteins highlighted conserved homologs of the Aspergillus fumigatus proteins 1,3-β-glucanosyltransferases (Bgt1, Gel1-4), Crf1, Ecm33, EglC, and others. The fact that Crf1 and Gel1 were previously shown to be promising vaccine candidates, underlines the value of the proteomics data presented here.
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22
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Kramer A, Beck HC, Kumar A, Kristensen LP, Imhoff JF, Labes A. Proteomic Analysis of Anti-Cancerous Scopularide Production by a Marine Microascus brevicaulis Strain and Its UV Mutant. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140047. [PMID: 26460745 PMCID: PMC4603891 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The marine fungus Microascus brevicaulis strain LF580 is a non-model secondary metabolite producer with high yields of the two secondary metabolites scopularides A and B, which exhibit distinct activities against tumour cell lines. A mutant strain was obtained using UV mutagenesis, showing faster growth and differences in pellet formation besides higher production levels. Here, we show the first proteome study of a marine fungus. Comparative proteomics were applied to gain deeper understanding of the regulation of production and of the physiology of the wild type strain and its mutant. For this purpose, an optimised protein extraction protocol was established. In total, 4759 proteins were identified. The central metabolic pathway of strain LF580 was mapped using the KEGG pathway analysis and GO annotation. Employing iTRAQ labelling, 318 proteins were shown to be significantly regulated in the mutant strain: 189 were down- and 129 upregulated. Proteomics are a powerful tool for the understanding of regulatory aspects: The differences on proteome level could be attributed to limited nutrient availability in the wild type strain due to a strong pellet formation. This information can be applied for optimisation on strain and process level. The linkage between nutrient limitation and pellet formation in the non-model fungus M. brevicaulis is in consensus with the knowledge on model organisms like Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemarie Kramer
- Research Unit Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Hans Christian Beck
- Centre for Clinical Proteomics, Department for Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Abhishek Kumar
- Department for Botany and Molecular Biology, Institute of Botany, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lars Peter Kristensen
- Centre for Clinical Proteomics, Department for Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Johannes F. Imhoff
- Research Unit Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Antje Labes
- Research Unit Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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23
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Deng GM, Yang QS, He WD, Li CY, Yang J, Zuo CW, Gao J, Sheng O, Lu SY, Zhang S, Yi GJ. Proteomic analysis of conidia germination in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 reveals new targets in ergosterol biosynthesis pathway for controlling Fusarium wilt of banana. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:7189-207. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6768-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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24
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Bianco L, Perrotta G. Methodologies and perspectives of proteomics applied to filamentous fungi: from sample preparation to secretome analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:5803-29. [PMID: 25775160 PMCID: PMC4394507 DOI: 10.3390/ijms16035803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Revised: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi possess the extraordinary ability to digest complex biomasses and mineralize numerous xenobiotics, as consequence of their aptitude to sensing the environment and regulating their intra and extra cellular proteins, producing drastic changes in proteome and secretome composition. Recent advancement in proteomic technologies offers an exciting opportunity to reveal the fluctuations of fungal proteins and enzymes, responsible for their metabolic adaptation to a large variety of environmental conditions. Here, an overview of the most commonly used proteomic strategies will be provided; this paper will range from sample preparation to gel-free and gel-based proteomics, discussing pros and cons of each mentioned state-of-the-art technique. The main focus will be kept on filamentous fungi. Due to the biotechnological relevance of lignocellulose degrading fungi, special attention will be finally given to their extracellular proteome, or secretome. Secreted proteins and enzymes will be discussed in relation to their involvement in bio-based processes, such as biomass deconstruction and mycoremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Bianco
- UTTRI-GENER Genetics and Genomics for Energy and Environment Laboratory-ENEA TRISAIA Research Center, 75025 Rotondella (Matera), Italy.
| | - Gaetano Perrotta
- UTTRI-GENER Genetics and Genomics for Energy and Environment Laboratory-ENEA TRISAIA Research Center, 75025 Rotondella (Matera), Italy.
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25
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Owens RA, Hammel S, Sheridan KJ, Jones GW, Doyle S. A proteomic approach to investigating gene cluster expression and secondary metabolite functionality in Aspergillus fumigatus. PLoS One 2014; 9:e106942. [PMID: 25198175 PMCID: PMC4157829 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A combined proteomics and metabolomics approach was utilised to advance the identification and characterisation of secondary metabolites in Aspergillus fumigatus. Here, implementation of a shotgun proteomic strategy led to the identification of non-redundant mycelial proteins (n = 414) from A. fumigatus including proteins typically under-represented in 2-D proteome maps: proteins with multiple transmembrane regions, hydrophobic proteins and proteins with extremes of molecular mass and pI. Indirect identification of secondary metabolite cluster expression was also achieved, with proteins (n = 18) from LaeA-regulated clusters detected, including GliT encoded within the gliotoxin biosynthetic cluster. Biochemical analysis then revealed that gliotoxin significantly attenuates H2O2-induced oxidative stress in A. fumigatus (p>0.0001), confirming observations from proteomics data. A complementary 2-D/LC-MS/MS approach further elucidated significantly increased abundance (p<0.05) of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), NADH-quinone oxidoreductase and the gliotoxin oxidoreductase GliT, along with significantly attenuated abundance (p<0.05) of a heat shock protein, an oxidative stress protein and an autolysis-associated chitinase, when gliotoxin and H2O2 were present, compared to H2O2 alone. Moreover, gliotoxin exposure significantly reduced the abundance of selected proteins (p<0.05) involved in de novo purine biosynthesis. Significantly elevated abundance (p<0.05) of a key enzyme, xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase Xpt1, utilised in purine salvage, was observed in the presence of H2O2 and gliotoxin. This work provides new insights into the A. fumigatus proteome and experimental strategies, plus mechanistic data pertaining to gliotoxin functionality in the organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Owens
- Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Stephen Hammel
- Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Kevin J. Sheridan
- Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Gary W. Jones
- Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Sean Doyle
- Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
- * E-mail:
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Bacher P, Kniemeyer O, Teutschbein J, Thön M, Vödisch M, Wartenberg D, Scharf DH, Koester-Eiserfunke N, Schütte M, Dübel S, Assenmacher M, Brakhage AA, Scheffold A. Identification of Immunogenic Antigens fromAspergillus fumigatusby Direct Multiparameter Characterization of Specific Conventional and Regulatory CD4+T Cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 193:3332-43. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1400776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Wiedner SD, Burnum KE, Pederson LM, Anderson LN, Fortuin S, Chauvigné-Hines LM, Shukla AK, Ansong C, Panisko EA, Smith RD, Wright AT. Multiplexed activity-based protein profiling of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus reveals large functional changes upon exposure to human serum. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:33447-59. [PMID: 22865858 PMCID: PMC3460446 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.394106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Revised: 07/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental adaptability is critical for survival of the fungal human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus in the immunocompromised host lung. We hypothesized that exposure of the fungal pathogen to human serum would lead to significant alterations to the organism's physiology, including metabolic activity and stress response. Shifts in functional pathway and corresponding enzyme reactivity of A. fumigatus upon exposure to the human host may represent much needed prognostic indicators of fungal infection. To address this, we employed a multiplexed activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) approach coupled to quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics to measure broad enzyme reactivity of the fungus cultured with and without human serum. ABPP showed a shift from aerobic respiration to ethanol fermentation and utilization over time in the presence of human serum, which was not observed in serum-free culture. Our approach provides direct insight into this pathogen's ability to survive, adapt, and proliferate. Additionally, our multiplexed ABPP approach captured a broad swath of enzyme reactivity and functional pathways and provides a method for rapid assessment of the A. fumigatus response to external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ellen A. Panisko
- the Chemical and Biological Processes Development Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352
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Singh S, Gupta S, Singh B, Sharma SK, Gupta VK, Sharma GL. Proteomic characterization of Aspergillus fumigatus treated with an antifungal coumarin for identification of novel target molecules of key pathways. J Proteome Res 2012; 11:3259-68. [PMID: 22533410 DOI: 10.1021/pr300006j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A synthetic coumarin, N,N,N-triethyl-11-(4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)-11-oxoundecan-1-aminium bromide (SCD-1), having potent activity against pathogenic Aspergilli (MIC90 15.62 μg/mL), was investigated to identify its molecular targets in the pathogen. The proteome of Aspergillus fumigatus was developed after treatment with sublethal doses of compound and analyzed. The results demonstrated 143 differentially expressed proteins on treatment with SCD-1. The expression of four proteins, namely cell division control protein, ubiquitin-like activating enzyme, vacuolar ATP synthase catalytic subunit A, and UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase of A. fumigatus, was completely inhibited, whereas there were 13 newly expressed and 96 overexpressed proteins, mainly belonging to stress pathway. The treatment of A. fumigatus with SCD-1 also led to attenuation of proteins involved in cell replication and other important biosynthetic processes, including riboflavin biosynthesis, which has been pathogen-specific. In addition to key enzymatic players and antioxidants, nine hypothetical proteins were also identified, seven of which have been novel, being described for the first time. As no cellular functions have yet been described for these hypothetical proteins, their alteration in response to SCD-1 provides significant information about their putative roles in pathogen defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Singh
- Division of Diagnostics and Biochemistry, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology , University Campus, Mall Road, Delhi-110007, India
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Suh MJ, Fedorova ND, Cagas SE, Hastings S, Fleischmann RD, Peterson SN, Perlin DS, Nierman WC, Pieper R, Momany M. Development stage-specific proteomic profiling uncovers small, lineage specific proteins most abundant in the Aspergillus Fumigatus conidial proteome. Proteome Sci 2012; 10:30. [PMID: 22545825 PMCID: PMC3424117 DOI: 10.1186/1477-5956-10-30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 04/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The pathogenic mold Aspergillus fumigatus is the most frequent infectious cause of death in severely immunocompromised individuals such as leukemia and bone marrow transplant patients. Germination of inhaled conidia (asexual spores) in the host is critical for the initiation of infection, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms of this process. Results To gain insights into early germination events and facilitate the identification of potential stage-specific biomarkers and vaccine candidates, we have used quantitative shotgun proteomics to elucidate patterns of protein abundance changes during early fungal development. Four different stages were examined: dormant conidia, isotropically expanding conidia, hyphae in which germ tube emergence has just begun, and pre-septation hyphae. To enrich for glycan-linked cell wall proteins we used an alkaline cell extraction method. Shotgun proteomic resulted in the identification of 375 unique gene products with high confidence, with no evidence for enrichment of cell wall-immobilized and secreted proteins. The most interesting discovery was the identification of 52 proteins enriched in dormant conidia including 28 proteins that have never been detected in the A. fumigatus conidial proteome such as signaling protein Pil1, chaperones BipA and calnexin, and transcription factor HapB. Additionally we found many small, Aspergillus specific proteins of unknown function including 17 hypothetical proteins. Thus, the most abundant protein, Grg1 (AFUA_5G14210), was also one of the smallest proteins detected in this study (M.W. 7,367). Among previously characterized proteins were melanin pigment and pseurotin A biosynthesis enzymes, histones H3 and H4.1, and other proteins involved in conidiation and response to oxidative or hypoxic stress. In contrast, expanding conidia, hyphae with early germ tubes, and pre-septation hyphae samples were enriched for proteins responsible for housekeeping functions, particularly translation, respiratory metabolism, amino acid and carbohydrate biosynthesis, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Conclusions The observed temporal expression patterns suggest that the A. fumigatus conidia are dominated by small, lineage-specific proteins. Some of them may play key roles in host-pathogen interactions, signal transduction during conidial germination, or survival in hostile environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moo-Jin Suh
- The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Natalie D Fedorova
- The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Steven E Cagas
- University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Susan Hastings
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Scott N Peterson
- The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - David S Perlin
- University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - William C Nierman
- The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Rembert Pieper
- The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Michelle Momany
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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