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Basenko EY, Shanmugasundram A, Böhme U, Starns D, Wilkinson PA, Davison HR, Crouch K, Maslen G, Harb OS, Amos B, McDowell MA, Kissinger JC, Roos DS, Jones A. What is new in FungiDB: a web-based bioinformatics platform for omics-scale data analysis for fungal and oomycete species. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae035. [PMID: 38529759 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
FungiDB (https://fungidb.org) serves as a valuable online resource that seamlessly integrates genomic and related large-scale data for a wide range of fungal and oomycete species. As an integral part of the VEuPathDB Bioinformatics Resource Center (https://veupathdb.org), FungiDB continually integrates both published and unpublished data addressing various aspects of fungal biology. Established in early 2011, the database has evolved to support 674 datasets. The datasets include over 300 genomes spanning various taxa (e.g. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Mucoromycota, as well as Albuginales, Peronosporales, Pythiales, and Saprolegniales). In addition to genomic assemblies and annotation, over 300 extra datasets encompassing diverse information, such as expression and variation data, are also available. The resource also provides an intuitive web-based interface, facilitating comprehensive approaches to data mining and visualization. Users can test their hypotheses and navigate through omics-scale datasets using a built-in search strategy system. Moreover, FungiDB offers capabilities for private data analysis via the integrated VEuPathDB Galaxy platform. FungiDB also permits genome improvements by capturing expert knowledge through the User Comments system and the Apollo genome annotation editor for structural and functional gene curation. FungiDB facilitates data exploration and analysis and contributes to advancing research efforts by capturing expert knowledge for fungal and oomycete species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Y Basenko
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Achchuthan Shanmugasundram
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
- Genomics England Limited, London E14 5AB, UK
| | - Ulrike Böhme
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - David Starns
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Paul A Wilkinson
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Helen R Davison
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Kathryn Crouch
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | | | - Omar S Harb
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | | | | | - David S Roos
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Andrew Jones
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
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2
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Chen Z, Ain NU, Zhao Q, Zhang X. From tradition to innovation: conventional and deep learning frameworks in genome annotation. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae138. [PMID: 38581418 PMCID: PMC10998533 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Following the milestone success of the Human Genome Project, the 'Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE)' initiative was launched in 2003 to unearth information about the numerous functional elements within the genome. This endeavor coincided with the emergence of numerous novel technologies, accompanied by the provision of vast amounts of whole-genome sequences, high-throughput data such as ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq. Extracting biologically meaningful information from this massive dataset has become a critical aspect of many recent studies, particularly in annotating and predicting the functions of unknown genes. The core idea behind genome annotation is to identify genes and various functional elements within the genome sequence and infer their biological functions. Traditional wet-lab experimental methods still rely on extensive efforts for functional verification. However, early bioinformatics algorithms and software primarily employed shallow learning techniques; thus, the ability to characterize data and features learning was limited. With the widespread adoption of RNA-Seq technology, scientists from the biological community began to harness the potential of machine learning and deep learning approaches for gene structure prediction and functional annotation. In this context, we reviewed both conventional methods and contemporary deep learning frameworks, and highlighted novel perspectives on the challenges arising during annotation underscoring the dynamic nature of this evolving scientific landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaojia Chen
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangzhou 518120, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Jinzhong 030600, China
| | - Noor ul Ain
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangzhou 518120, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Ecological Pest Control of Fujian/Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Xingtan Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangzhou 518120, China
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3
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He X, Kusuya Y, Hagiwara D, Toyotome T, Arai T, Bian C, Nagayama M, Shibata S, Watanabe A, Takahashi H. Genomic diversity of the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus in Japan reveals the complex genomic basis of azole resistance. Commun Biol 2024; 7:274. [PMID: 38486002 PMCID: PMC10940670 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05902-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a pathogenic fungus with a global distribution. The emergence of azole-resistant A. fumigatus (ARAf) other than the TR-mutants is a problem in Japan. Additionally, the genetic diversity of A. fumigatus strains in Japan remains relatively unknown. Here we show the diversity in the A. fumigatus strains isolated in Japan as well as the complexity in the global distribution of the pathogenic strains. First, we analyzed the genome sequences of 171 strains from Japan as well as the antifungal susceptibility of these strains. Next, we conducted a population analysis of 876 strains by combining the available genomic data for strains isolated worldwide, which were grouped in six clusters. Finally, a genome-wide association study identified the genomic loci associated with ARAf strains, but not the TR-mutants. These results highlight the complexity of the genomic mechanism underlying the emergence of ARAf strains other than the TR-mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui He
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan
| | - Yoko Kusuya
- Biological Resource Center, National Institute of Technology and Evaluation, 2-5-8 Kazusakamatari, Kisarazu, 292-0818, Japan
| | - Daisuke Hagiwara
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Takahito Toyotome
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nishi 2-11, Inadacho, Obihiro, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Teppei Arai
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan
| | - Cai Bian
- BGI-Shenzhen, Yantian District, Shenzhen, 518083, China
| | - Masaki Nagayama
- Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - Saho Shibata
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan
| | - Hiroki Takahashi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan.
- Molecular Chirality Research Center, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
- Plant Molecular Science Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan.
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4
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Klugherz I, Basch M, Ng N, Zhu Z, Wagener N, Wagener J. Only One of Three Bcs1 Homologs in Aspergillus fumigatus Confers Respiratory Growth. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1074. [PMID: 37998879 PMCID: PMC10672213 DOI: 10.3390/jof9111074] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial translocase Bcs1 is required for the correct assembly of complex III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Because of its importance, Bcs1 was recently proposed as a target for antifungal agents. The function of this AAA (ATPase Associated with diverse cellular Activities) protein has been extensively characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This yeast as well as previously studied mammals each encode only one homolog. In contrast, the pathogenic mold Aspergillus fumigatus encodes three putative Bcs1 homologs, none of which have been characterized to date. To study the role of these three homologs in A. fumigatus, conditional and deletion mutants of the respective genes AFUA_3G13000 (bcs1A), AFUA_4G01260 (bcs1B), and AFUA_2G14760 (bcs1C) were generated. A deletion or downregulation of bcs1A resulted in drastically reduced growth and sporulation rates and in a significantly altered susceptibility to azole antifungals. In contrast, mutants lacking Bcs1B or Bcs1C did not show any phenotypes differing from the wild type. Salicylhydroxamic acid-an inhibitor of the alternative oxidase that allows the respiratory chain to bypass complex III in some species-caused a complete growth arrest of the bcs1A deletion mutant. In a Galleria mellonella infection model, the deletion of bcs1A resulted in significantly decreased virulence. Only Bcs1A was able to partially complement a deletion of BCS1 in S. cerevisiae. The subcellular localization of Bcs1B and Bcs1C outside of mitochondria suggests that these Bcs1 homologs exert cellular functions different from that of Bcs1. Our data demonstrate that Bcs1A is the sole Bcs1 ortholog in A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Klugherz
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80336 Munich, Germany; (I.K.)
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Marion Basch
- Zell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Department Biologie II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, 82152 Munich, Germany
| | - Natanya Ng
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, St James’s Hospital Campus, D08 RX0X Dublin, Ireland
| | - Zhaojun Zhu
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80336 Munich, Germany; (I.K.)
| | - Nikola Wagener
- Zell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Department Biologie II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, 82152 Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Wagener
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80336 Munich, Germany; (I.K.)
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, St James’s Hospital Campus, D08 RX0X Dublin, Ireland
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5
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Bakti F, Stupperich H, Schmitt K, Valerius O, Köhler AM, Meister C, Strohdiek A, Harting R, Sasse C, Heimel K, Neumann P, Ficner R, Braus GH. Fungal COP9 signalosome assembly requires connection of two trimeric intermediates for integration of intrinsic deneddylase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305049120. [PMID: 37603767 PMCID: PMC10477865 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305049120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The conserved eight-subunit COP9 signalosome (CSN) is required for multicellular fungal development. The CSN deneddylase cooperates with the Cand1 exchange factor to control replacements of E3 ubiquitin cullin RING ligase receptors, providing specificity to eukaryotic protein degradation. Aspergillus nidulans CSN assembles through a heptameric pre-CSN, which is activated by integration of the catalytic CsnE deneddylase. Combined genetic and biochemical approaches provided the assembly choreography within a eukaryotic cell for native fungal CSN. Interactomes of functional GFP-Csn subunit fusions in pre-CSN deficient fungal strains were compared by affinity purifications and mass spectrometry. Two distinct heterotrimeric CSN subcomplexes were identified as pre-CSN assembly intermediates. CsnA-C-H and CsnD-F-G form independently of CsnB, which connects the heterotrimers to a heptamer and enables subsequent integration of CsnE to form the enzymatically active CSN complex. Surveillance mechanisms control accurate Csn subunit amounts and correct cellular localization for sequential assembly since deprivation of Csn subunits changes the abundance and location of remaining Csn subunits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fruzsina Bakti
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Helena Stupperich
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schmitt
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Valerius
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Anna M. Köhler
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Cindy Meister
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Anja Strohdiek
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Rebekka Harting
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Sasse
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kai Heimel
- Department of Microbial Cell Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Piotr Neumann
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Ralf Ficner
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
| | - Gerhard H. Braus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Goettingen, 37077Goettingen, Germany
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6
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Aleksander SA, Balhoff J, Carbon S, Cherry JM, Drabkin HJ, Ebert D, Feuermann M, Gaudet P, Harris NL, Hill DP, Lee R, Mi H, Moxon S, Mungall CJ, Muruganugan A, Mushayahama T, Sternberg PW, Thomas PD, Van Auken K, Ramsey J, Siegele DA, Chisholm RL, Fey P, Aspromonte MC, Nugnes MV, Quaglia F, Tosatto S, Giglio M, Nadendla S, Antonazzo G, Attrill H, Dos Santos G, Marygold S, Strelets V, Tabone CJ, Thurmond J, Zhou P, Ahmed SH, Asanitthong P, Luna Buitrago D, Erdol MN, Gage MC, Ali Kadhum M, Li KYC, Long M, Michalak A, Pesala A, Pritazahra A, Saverimuttu SCC, Su R, Thurlow KE, Lovering RC, Logie C, Oliferenko S, Blake J, Christie K, Corbani L, Dolan ME, Drabkin HJ, Hill DP, Ni L, Sitnikov D, Smith C, Cuzick A, Seager J, Cooper L, Elser J, Jaiswal P, Gupta P, Jaiswal P, Naithani S, Lera-Ramirez M, Rutherford K, Wood V, De Pons JL, Dwinell MR, Hayman GT, Kaldunski ML, Kwitek AE, Laulederkind SJF, Tutaj MA, Vedi M, Wang SJ, D'Eustachio P, Aimo L, Axelsen K, Bridge A, Hyka-Nouspikel N, Morgat A, Aleksander SA, Cherry JM, Engel SR, Karra K, Miyasato SR, Nash RS, Skrzypek MS, Weng S, Wong ED, Bakker E, Berardini TZ, Reiser L, Auchincloss A, Axelsen K, Argoud-Puy G, Blatter MC, Boutet E, Breuza L, Bridge A, Casals-Casas C, Coudert E, Estreicher A, Livia Famiglietti M, Feuermann M, Gos A, Gruaz-Gumowski N, Hulo C, Hyka-Nouspikel N, Jungo F, Le Mercier P, Lieberherr D, Masson P, Morgat A, Pedruzzi I, Pourcel L, Poux S, Rivoire C, Sundaram S, Bateman A, Bowler-Barnett E, Bye-A-Jee H, Denny P, Ignatchenko A, Ishtiaq R, Lock A, Lussi Y, Magrane M, Martin MJ, Orchard S, Raposo P, Speretta E, Tyagi N, Warner K, Zaru R, Diehl AD, Lee R, Chan J, Diamantakis S, Raciti D, Zarowiecki M, Fisher M, James-Zorn C, Ponferrada V, Zorn A, Ramachandran S, Ruzicka L, Westerfield M. The Gene Ontology knowledgebase in 2023. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad031. [PMID: 36866529 PMCID: PMC10158837 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 281] [Impact Index Per Article: 281.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gene Ontology (GO) knowledgebase (http://geneontology.org) is a comprehensive resource concerning the functions of genes and gene products (proteins and noncoding RNAs). GO annotations cover genes from organisms across the tree of life as well as viruses, though most gene function knowledge currently derives from experiments carried out in a relatively small number of model organisms. Here, we provide an updated overview of the GO knowledgebase, as well as the efforts of the broad, international consortium of scientists that develops, maintains, and updates the GO knowledgebase. The GO knowledgebase consists of three components: (1) the GO-a computational knowledge structure describing the functional characteristics of genes; (2) GO annotations-evidence-supported statements asserting that a specific gene product has a particular functional characteristic; and (3) GO Causal Activity Models (GO-CAMs)-mechanistic models of molecular "pathways" (GO biological processes) created by linking multiple GO annotations using defined relations. Each of these components is continually expanded, revised, and updated in response to newly published discoveries and receives extensive QA checks, reviews, and user feedback. For each of these components, we provide a description of the current contents, recent developments to keep the knowledgebase up to date with new discoveries, and guidance on how users can best make use of the data that we provide. We conclude with future directions for the project.
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7
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srdA mutations suppress the rseA/cpsA deletion mutant conidiation defect in Aspergillus nidulans. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4285. [PMID: 36922566 PMCID: PMC10017718 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31363-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Conidiation is an important reproductive process in Aspergillus. We previously reported, in A. nidulans, that the deletion of a putative glycosyltransferase gene, rseA/cpsA, causes an increase in the production of extracellular hydrolases and a severe reduction in conidiation. The aim of this study was to obtain novel genetic factors involved in the repression of conidiation in the rseA deletion mutant. We isolated mutants in which the rseA deletion mutant conidiation defect is suppressed and performed a comparative genomic analysis of these mutants. A gene encoding a putative transcription factor was identified as the associated candidate causative gene. The candidate gene was designated as srdA (suppressor gene for the conidiation defect of the rseA deletion mutant). The conidiation efficiency of the rseAsrdA double-deletion mutant was increased. Introduction of wild-type srdA into the suppressor mutants caused a conidiation defect similar to that of the rseA deletion mutant. Notably, the conidiation efficiencies of the rseAsrdA double-deletion and srdA single-deletion mutants were higher than that of the wild-type strain. These results indicate that srdA is a novel genetic factor that strongly represses conidiation of the rseA deletion mutant, and a putative transcriptional regulator, SrdA is a negative regulator of conidiation in A. nidulans.
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8
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Wu S, Zhang Q, Zhang W, Huang W, Kong Q, Liu Q, Li W, Zou X, Liu CM, Yan S. Linolenic Acid-Derived Oxylipins Inhibit Aflatoxin Biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus through Activation of Imizoquin Biosynthesis. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:15928-15944. [PMID: 36508213 PMCID: PMC9785051 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Oxylipins play important signaling roles in aflatoxin (AF) biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus. We previously showed that exogenous supply of autoxidated linolenic acid (AL) inhibited AF biosynthesis in A. flavus via oxylipins, but the molecular mechanism is still unknown. Here, we performed multiomics analyses of A. flavus grown in media with or without AL. Targeted metabolite analyses and quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed that the imizoquin (IMQ) biosynthetic pathway was distinctly upregulated in the presence of AL. 13C-glucose labeling confirmed in parallel that the tricarboxylic acid cycle was also enhanced by AL, consistent with observed increases in mycelial growth. Moreover, we integrated thermal proteome profiling and molecular dynamics simulations to identify a potential receptor of AL; AL was found to interact with a transporter (ImqJ) located in the IMQ gene cluster, primarily through hydrophobic interactions. Further analyses of strains with an IMQ pathway transcription factor overexpressed or knocked out confirmed that this pathway was critical for AL-mediated inhibition of AF biosynthesis. Comparison of 22 assembled A. flavus and Aspergillus oryzae genomes showed that genes involved in the IMQ pathway were positively selected in A. oryzae. Taken together, the results of our study provide novel insights into oxylipin-mediated regulation of AF biosynthesis and suggest potential methods for preventing AF contamination of crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaowen Wu
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
| | - Qunjie Zhang
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
- Institution
of Genomics and Bioinformatics, South China
Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Wenyang Zhang
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
| | - Qian Kong
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
| | - Qinjian Liu
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
| | - Wenyan Li
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
| | - Xinlu Zou
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
| | - Chun-Ming Liu
- Key
Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Fragrant Hill, Beijing100093, China
| | - Shijuan Yan
- Guangdong
Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization,
Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
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9
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Soberanes-Gutiérrez CV, Castillo-Jiménez A, Pérez-Rueda E, Galán-Vásquez E. Construction and analysis of gene co-expression network in the pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1048694. [PMID: 36569046 PMCID: PMC9767968 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1048694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Biological systems respond to environmental disturbances and a wide range of compounds through complex gene interaction networks. The enormous growth of experimental information obtained using large-scale genomic techniques such as microarrays and RNA sequencing led to the construction of a wide variety of gene co-expression networks in recent years. These networks allow the discovery of clusters of co-expressed genes that potentially work in the same process linking them to biological processes often of interest to industrial, medicinal, and academic research. Methods In this study, we built the gene co-expression network of Ustilago maydis from the gene expression data of 168 samples belonging to 19 series, which correspond to the GPL3681 platform deposited in the NCBI using WGCNA software. This network was analyzed to identify clusters of co-expressed genes, gene hubs and Gene Ontology terms. Additionally, we identified relevant modules through a hypergeometric approach based on a predicted set of transcription factors and virulence genes. Results and Discussion We identified 13 modules in the gene co-expression network of U. maydis. The TFs enriched in the modules of interest belong to the superfamilies of Nucleic acid-binding proteins, Winged helix DNA-binding, and Zn2/Cys6 DNA-binding. On the other hand, the modules enriched with virulence genes were classified into diseases related to corn smut, Invasive candidiasis, among others. Finally, a large number of hypothetical, a large number of hypothetical genes were identified as highly co-expressed with virulence genes, making them possible experimental targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinthia V. Soberanes-Gutiérrez
- Laboratorio de Ciencias Agrogenómicas, de la Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad León, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, León, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Castillo-Jiménez
- Licenciatura en Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ernesto Pérez-Rueda
- Unidad Académica Yucatán, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Edgardo Galán-Vásquez
- Departamento de Ingeniería de Sistemas Computacionales y Automatización, Instituto de Investigación en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico,*Correspondence: Edgardo Galán-Vásquez,
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10
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Quantitative characterization of filamentous fungal promoters on a single-cell resolution to discover cryptic natural products. SCIENCE CHINA LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 66:848-860. [PMID: 36287342 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2175-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Characterization of filamentous fungal regulatory elements remains challenging because of time-consuming transformation technologies and limited quantitative methods. Here we established a method for quantitative assessment of filamentous fungal promoters based on flow cytometry detection of the superfolder green fluorescent protein at single-cell resolution. Using this quantitative method, we acquired a library of 93 native promoter elements from Aspergillus nidulans in a high-throughput format. The strengths of identified promoters covered a 37-fold range by flow cytometry. PzipA and PsltA were identified as the strongest promoters, which were 2.9- and 1.5-fold higher than that of the commonly used constitutive promoter PgpdA. Thus, we applied PzipA and PsltA to activate the silent nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene Afpes1 from Aspergillus fumigatus in its native host and the heterologous host A. nidulans. The metabolic products of Afpes1 were identified as new cyclic tetrapeptide derivatives, namely, fumiganins A and B. Our method provides an innovative strategy for natural product discovery in fungi.
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11
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Gawlik J, Koper M, Bogdanowicz A, Weglenski P, Dzikowska A. Nuclear Functions of KaeA, a Subunit of the KEOPS Complex in Aspergillus nidulans. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911138. [PMID: 36232439 PMCID: PMC9570407 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Kae1 is a subunit of the highly evolutionarily conserved KEOPS/EKC complex, which is involved in universal (t6A37) tRNA modification. Several reports have discussed the participation of this complex in transcription regulation in yeast and human cells, including our previous observations of KaeA, an Aspergillus nidulans homologue of Kae1p. The aim of this project was to confirm the role of KaeA in transcription, employing high-throughput transcriptomic (RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq) and proteomic (LC-MS) analysis. We confirmed that KaeA is a subunit of the KEOPS complex in A. nidulans. An analysis of kaeA19 and kaeA25 mutants showed that, although the (t6A37) tRNA modification is unaffected in both mutants, they reveal significantly altered transcriptomes compared to the wild type. The finding that KaeA is localized in chromatin and identifying its protein partners allows us to postulate an additional nuclear function for the protein. Our data shed light on the universal bi-functional role of this factor and proves that the activity of this protein is not limited to tRNA modification in cytoplasm, but also affects the transcriptional activity of a number of nuclear genes. Data are available via the NCBI’s GEO database under identifiers GSE206830 (RNA-Seq) and GSE206874 (ChIP-Seq), and via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD034554 (proteomic).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Gawlik
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
- College of Inter-Faculty Individual Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michal Koper
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Albert Bogdanowicz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Weglenski
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Dzikowska
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence: or
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12
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Balkenhol J, Bencurova E, Gupta SK, Schmidt H, Heinekamp T, Brakhage A, Pottikkadavath A, Dandekar T. Prediction and validation of host-pathogen interactions by a versatile inference approach using Aspergillus fumigatus as a case study. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:4225-4237. [PMID: 36051885 PMCID: PMC9399266 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.07.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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13
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Brown A, Mead ME, Steenwyk JL, Goldman GH, Rokas A. Extensive non-coding sequence divergence between the major human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus and its relatives. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:802494. [PMID: 36866034 PMCID: PMC9977105 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.802494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis is a deadly fungal disease; more than 400,000 patients are infected worldwide each year and the mortality rate can be as high as 50-95%. Of the ~450 species in the genus Aspergillus only a few are known to be clinically relevant, with the major pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus being responsible for ~50% of all invasive mold infections. Genomic comparisons between A. fumigatus and other Aspergillus species have historically focused on protein-coding regions. However, most A. fumigatus genes, including those that modulate its virulence, are also present in other pathogenic and non-pathogenic closely related species. Our hypothesis is that differential gene regulation - mediated through the non-coding regions upstream of genes' first codon - contributes to A. fumigatus pathogenicity. To begin testing this, we compared non-coding regions upstream of the first codon of single-copy orthologous genes from the two A. fumigatus reference strains Af293 and A1163 and eight closely related Aspergillus section Fumigati species. We found that these non-coding regions showed extensive sequence variation and lack of homology across species. By examining the evolutionary rates of both protein-coding and non-coding regions in a subset of orthologous genes with highly conserved non-coding regions across the phylogeny, we identified 418 genes, including 25 genes known to modulate A. fumigatus virulence, whose non-coding regions exhibit a different rate of evolution in A. fumigatus. Examination of sequence alignments of these non-coding regions revealed numerous instances of insertions, deletions, and other types of mutations of at least a few nucleotides in A. fumigatus compared to its close relatives. These results show that closely related Aspergillus species that vary greatly in their pathogenicity exhibit extensive non-coding sequence variation and identify numerous changes in non-coding regions of A. fumigatus genes known to contribute to virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Matthew E. Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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14
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Blachowicz A, Romsdahl J, Chiang AJ, Masonjones S, Kalkum M, Stajich JE, Torok T, Wang CCC, Venkateswaran K. The International Space Station Environment Triggers Molecular Responses in Aspergillus niger. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:893071. [PMID: 35847112 PMCID: PMC9280654 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.893071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to immense phenotypic plasticity and adaptability, Aspergillus niger is a cosmopolitan fungus that thrives in versatile environments, including the International Space Station (ISS). This is the first report of genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic alterations observed in A. niger strain JSC-093350089 grown in a controlled experiment aboard the ISS. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) revealed that ISS conditions, including microgravity and enhanced irradiation, triggered non-synonymous point mutations in specific regions, chromosomes VIII and XII of the JSC-093350089 genome when compared to the ground-grown control. Proteome analysis showed altered abundance of proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, stress response, and cellular amino acid and protein catabolic processes following growth aboard the ISS. Metabolome analysis further confirmed that space conditions altered molecular suite of ISS-grown A. niger JSC-093350089. After regrowing both strains on Earth, production of antioxidant—Pyranonigrin A was significantly induced in the ISS-flown, but not the ground control strain. In summary, the microgravity and enhanced irradiation triggered unique molecular responses in the A. niger JSC-093350089 suggesting adaptive responses.
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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
| | - Jillian Romsdahl
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Abby J. Chiang
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Sawyer Masonjones
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Markus Kalkum
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Tamas Torok
- Ecology Department, 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
- *Correspondence: Kasthuri Venkateswaran,
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15
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Wang G, Ran H, Fan J, Keller NP, Liu Z, Wu F, Yin WB. Fungal-fungal cocultivation leads to widespread secondary metabolite alteration requiring the partial loss-of-function VeA1 protein. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo6094. [PMID: 35476435 PMCID: PMC9045611 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo6094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communication has attracted notable attention as an indicator of microbial interactions that lead to marked alterations of secondary metabolites (SMs) in varied environments. However, the mechanisms responsible for SM regulation are not fully understood, especially in fungal-fungal interactions. Here, cocultivation of an endophytic fungus Epicoccum dendrobii with the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans and several other filamentous fungi triggered widespread alteration of SMs. Multiple silent biosynthetic gene clusters in A. nidulans were activated by transcriptome and metabolome analysis. Unprecedentedly, gene deletion and replacement proved that a partial loss-of-function VeA1 protein, but not VeA, was associated with the widespread SM changes in both A. nidulans and A. fumigatus during cocultivation. VeA1 regulation required the transcription factor SclB and the velvet complex members LaeA and VelB for producing aspernidines as representative formation of SMs in A. nidulans. This study provides new insights into the mechanism that trigger metabolic changes during fungal-fungal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Huomiao Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Jie Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Zhiguo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Fan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Wen-Bing Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
- Corresponding author.
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16
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Gupta L, Sen P, Bhattacharya AK, Vijayaraghavan P. Isoeugenol affects expression pattern of conidial hydrophobin gene RodA and transcriptional regulators MedA and SomA responsible for adherence and biofilm formation in Aspergillus fumigatus. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:214. [PMID: 35314887 PMCID: PMC8938220 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02817-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is one of the major pathogenic fungal species, causing life-threatening infections. Due to a limited spectrum of available antifungals, exploration of new drug targets as well as potential antifungal molecules has become pertinent. Rodlet layer plays an important role in adherence of fungal conidia to hydrophobic cell surfaces in host, which also leads to A. fumigatus biofilm formation, contributing factor to fungal pathogenicity. From decades, natural sources have been known for the development of new active molecules. The present study investigates effect of isoeugenol on genes responsible for hydrophobins (RodA), adhesion as well as biofilm formation (MedA and SomA) of A. fumigatus. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC and IC50) of isoeugenol against A. fumigatus were determined using broth microdilution assay. The IC50 results showed reduced hydrophobicity and biofilm formation as well as eradication after treatment with the compound and electron micrograph data corroborated these findings. The qRT-PCR showed a significant downregulation of genes RodA, MedA, SomA and pksP involved in hydrophobicity and biofilm formation. SwissADME studies potentiated drug-like propensity for isoeugenol which formed four hydrogen bonds with low binding energy (− 4.54 kcal/mol) at the catalytic site of RodA protein studied via AutoDock4. Hence, the findings conclude that isoeugenol inhibits conidial hydrophobicity and biofilm formation of A. fumigatus and further investigations are warranted in this direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovely Gupta
- Antimycotic and Drug Susceptibility Laboratory, Lab 120, J3 block, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Sector-125, NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pooja Sen
- Antimycotic and Drug Susceptibility Laboratory, Lab 120, J3 block, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Sector-125, NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Asish K Bhattacharya
- Division of Organic Chemistry, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Pooja Vijayaraghavan
- Antimycotic and Drug Susceptibility Laboratory, Lab 120, J3 block, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Sector-125, NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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17
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Merényi Z, Virágh M, Gluck-Thaler E, Slot JC, Kiss B, Varga T, Geösel A, Hegedüs B, Bálint B, Nagy LG. Gene age shapes the transcriptional landscape of sexual morphogenesis in mushroom forming fungi (Agaricomycetes). eLife 2022; 11:71348. [PMID: 35156613 PMCID: PMC8893723 DOI: 10.7554/elife.71348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellularity has been one of the most important innovations in the history of life. The role of gene regulatory changes in driving transitions to multicellularity is being increasingly recognized; however, factors influencing gene expression patterns are poorly known in many clades. Here, we compared the developmental transcriptomes of complex multicellular fruiting bodies of eight Agaricomycetes and Cryptococcus neoformans, a closely related human pathogen with a simple morphology. In-depth analysis in Pleurotus ostreatus revealed that allele-specific expression, natural antisense transcripts, and developmental gene expression, but not RNA editing or a ‘developmental hourglass,’ act in concert to shape its transcriptome during fruiting body development. We found that transcriptional patterns of genes strongly depend on their evolutionary ages. Young genes showed more developmental and allele-specific expression variation, possibly because of weaker evolutionary constraint, suggestive of nonadaptive expression variance in fruiting bodies. These results prompted us to define a set of conserved genes specifically regulated only during complex morphogenesis by excluding young genes and accounting for deeply conserved ones shared with species showing simple sexual development. Analysis of the resulting gene set revealed evolutionary and functional associations with complex multicellularity, which allowed us to speculate they are involved in complex multicellular morphogenesis of mushroom fruiting bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Merényi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Máté Virágh
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Emile Gluck-Thaler
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Jason C Slot
- Department of Plant Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
| | - Brigitta Kiss
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Torda Varga
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - András Geösel
- Department of Vegetable and Mushroom Growing, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Botond Hegedüs
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Balázs Bálint
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László G Nagy
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
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18
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Amos B, Aurrecoechea C, Barba M, Barreto A, Basenko E, Bażant W, Belnap R, Blevins AS, Böhme U, Brestelli J, Brunk BP, Caddick M, Callan D, Campbell L, Christensen M, Christophides G, Crouch K, Davis K, DeBarry J, Doherty R, Duan Y, Dunn M, Falke D, Fisher S, Flicek P, Fox B, Gajria B, Giraldo-Calderón GI, Harb OS, Harper E, Hertz-Fowler C, Hickman M, Howington C, Hu S, Humphrey J, Iodice J, Jones A, Judkins J, Kelly SA, Kissinger JC, Kwon DK, Lamoureux K, Lawson D, Li W, Lies K, Lodha D, Long J, MacCallum RM, Maslen G, McDowell MA, Nabrzyski J, Roos DS, Rund SC, Schulman S, Shanmugasundram A, Sitnik V, Spruill D, Starns D, Stoeckert C, Tomko SS, Wang H, Warrenfeltz S, Wieck R, Wilkinson PA, Xu L, Zheng J. VEuPathDB: the eukaryotic pathogen, vector and host bioinformatics resource center. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:D898-D911. [PMID: 34718728 PMCID: PMC8728164 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 103.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Eukaryotic Pathogen, Vector and Host Informatics Resource (VEuPathDB, https://veupathdb.org) represents the 2019 merger of VectorBase with the EuPathDB projects. As a Bioinformatics Resource Center funded by the National Institutes of Health, with additional support from the Welllcome Trust, VEuPathDB supports >500 organisms comprising invertebrate vectors, eukaryotic pathogens (protists and fungi) and relevant free-living or non-pathogenic species or hosts. Designed to empower researchers with access to Omics data and bioinformatic analyses, VEuPathDB projects integrate >1700 pre-analysed datasets (and associated metadata) with advanced search capabilities, visualizations, and analysis tools in a graphic interface. Diverse data types are analysed with standardized workflows including an in-house OrthoMCL algorithm for predicting orthology. Comparisons are easily made across datasets, data types and organisms in this unique data mining platform. A new site-wide search facilitates access for both experienced and novice users. Upgraded infrastructure and workflows support numerous updates to the web interface, tools, searches and strategies, and Galaxy workspace where users can privately analyse their own data. Forthcoming upgrades include cloud-ready application architecture, expanded support for the Galaxy workspace, tools for interrogating host-pathogen interactions, and improved interactions with affiliated databases (ClinEpiDB, MicrobiomeDB) and other scientific resources, and increased interoperability with the Bacterial & Viral BRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Amos
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Cristina Aurrecoechea
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Matthieu Barba
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Ana Barreto
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Evelina Y Basenko
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Wojciech Bażant
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Robert Belnap
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ann S Blevins
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ulrike Böhme
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - John Brestelli
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Brian P Brunk
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Mark Caddick
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Danielle Callan
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lahcen Campbell
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Mikkel B Christensen
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - George K Christophides
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Kathryn Crouch
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Kristina Davis
- Center for Research Computing, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Jeremy DeBarry
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ryan Doherty
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yikun Duan
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael Dunn
- Center for Research Computing, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Dave Falke
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Steve Fisher
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Brett Fox
- Center for Research Computing, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Bindu Gajria
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gloria I Giraldo-Calderón
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Departamento de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Universidad Icesi, Calle 18 No. 122-135, Cali, Colombia
| | - Omar S Harb
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth Harper
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Christiane Hertz-Fowler
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Mark J Hickman
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Connor Howington
- Center for Research Computing, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Sufen Hu
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jay Humphrey
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - John Iodice
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Andrew Jones
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - John Judkins
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sarah A Kelly
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Jessica C Kissinger
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Dae Kun Kwon
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kristopher Lamoureux
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Daniel Lawson
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Wei Li
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kallie Lies
- Center for Research Computing, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Disha Lodha
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Jamie Long
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert M MacCallum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Gareth Maslen
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Mary Ann McDowell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Jaroslaw Nabrzyski
- Center for Research Computing, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - David S Roos
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Samuel S C Rund
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | | | | | - Vasily Sitnik
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Drew Spruill
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - David Starns
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Christian J Stoeckert
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sheena Shah Tomko
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Haiming Wang
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Susanne Warrenfeltz
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Robert Wieck
- Center for Research Computing, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Paul A Wilkinson
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Lin Xu
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jie Zheng
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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19
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Li A, Parsania C, Tan K, Todd RB, Wong KH. Co-option of an extracellular protease for transcriptional control of nutrient degradation in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1409. [PMID: 34921231 PMCID: PMC8683493 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02925-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrient acquisition is essential for all organisms. Fungi regulate their metabolism according to environmental nutrient availability through elaborate transcription regulatory programs. In filamentous fungi, a highly conserved GATA transcription factor AreA and its co-repressor NmrA govern expression of genes involved in extracellular breakdown, uptake, and metabolism of nitrogen nutrients. Here, we show that the Aspergillus nidulans PnmB protease is a moonlighting protein with extracellular and intracellular functions for nitrogen acquisition and metabolism. PnmB serves not only as a secreted protease to degrade extracellular nutrients, but also as an intracellular protease to control the turnover of the co-repressor NmrA, accelerating AreA transcriptional activation upon nitrogen starvation. PnmB expression is controlled by AreA, which activates a positive feedback regulatory loop. Hence, we uncover a regulatory mechanism in the well-established controls determining the response to nitrogen starvation, revealing functional evolution of a protease gene for transcriptional regulation and extracellular nutrient breakdown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ang Li
- grid.437123.00000 0004 1794 8068Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR China ,grid.470124.4Present Address: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120 China
| | - Chirag Parsania
- grid.437123.00000 0004 1794 8068Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR China ,Present Address: Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program, Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW 2050 China
| | - Kaeling Tan
- grid.437123.00000 0004 1794 8068Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR China ,grid.437123.00000 0004 1794 8068Gene Expression, Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR China
| | - Richard B. Todd
- grid.36567.310000 0001 0737 1259Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, 1712 Claflin Road, 4024 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA
| | - Koon Ho Wong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China. .,Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China. .,MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
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20
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Van Ende M, Timmermans B, Vanreppelen G, Siscar-Lewin S, Fischer D, Wijnants S, Romero CL, Yazdani S, Rogiers O, Demuyser L, Van Zeebroeck G, Cen Y, Kuchler K, Brunke S, Van Dijck P. The involvement of the Candida glabrata trehalase enzymes in stress resistance and gut colonization. Virulence 2021; 12:329-345. [PMID: 33356857 PMCID: PMC7808424 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1868825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida glabrata is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen and is frequently present in the human microbiome. It has a high relative resistance to environmental stresses and several antifungal drugs. An important component involved in microbial stress tolerance is trehalose. In this work, we characterized the three C. glabrata trehalase enzymes Ath1, Nth1 and Nth2. Single, double and triple deletion strains were constructed and characterized both in vitro and in vivo to determine the role of these enzymes in virulence. Ath1 was found to be located in the periplasm and was essential for growth on trehalose as sole carbon source, while Nth1 on the other hand was important for oxidative stress resistance, an observation which was consistent by the lower survival rate of the NTH1 deletion strain in human macrophages. No significant phenotype was observed for Nth2. The triple deletion strain was unable to establish a stable colonization of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in mice indicating the importance of having trehalase activity for colonization in the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mieke Van Ende
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bea Timmermans
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Giel Vanreppelen
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sofía Siscar-Lewin
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Daniel Fischer
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefanie Wijnants
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Celia Lobo Romero
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Saleh Yazdani
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ona Rogiers
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, VIB, Belgium
| | - Liesbeth Demuyser
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Griet Van Zeebroeck
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yuke Cen
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karl Kuchler
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Medical Biochemistry, Max Perutz Labs Vienna, Campus Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sascha Brunke
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Patrick Van Dijck
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
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21
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Beyond the Biosynthetic Gene Cluster Paradigm: Genome-Wide Coexpression Networks Connect Clustered and Unclustered Transcription Factors to Secondary Metabolic Pathways. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0089821. [PMID: 34523946 PMCID: PMC8557879 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00898-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal secondary metabolites are widely used as therapeutics and are vital components of drug discovery programs. A major challenge hindering discovery of novel secondary metabolites is that the underlying pathways involved in their biosynthesis are transcriptionally silent under typical laboratory growth conditions, making it difficult to identify the transcriptional networks that they are embedded in. Furthermore, while the genes participating in secondary metabolic pathways are typically found in contiguous clusters on the genome, known as biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), this is not always the case, especially for global and pathway-specific regulators of pathways’ activities. To address these challenges, we used 283 genome-wide gene expression data sets of the ascomycete cell factory Aspergillus niger generated during growth under 155 different conditions to construct two gene coexpression networks based on Spearman’s correlation coefficients (SCCs) and on mutual rank-transformed Pearson’s correlation coefficients (MR-PCCs). By mining these networks, we predicted six transcription factors, named MjkA to MjkF, to regulate secondary metabolism in A. niger. Overexpression of each transcription factor using the Tet-On cassette modulated the production of multiple secondary metabolites. We found that the SCC and MR-PCC approaches complemented each other, enabling the delineation of putative global (SCC) and pathway-specific (MR-PCC) transcription factors. These results highlight the potential of coexpression network approaches to identify and activate fungal secondary metabolic pathways and their products. More broadly, we argue that drug discovery programs in fungi should move beyond the BGC paradigm and focus on understanding the global regulatory networks in which secondary metabolic pathways are embedded. IMPORTANCE There is an urgent need for novel bioactive molecules in both agriculture and medicine. The genomes of fungi are thought to contain vast numbers of metabolic pathways involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites with diverse bioactivities. Because these metabolites are biosynthesized only under specific conditions, the vast majority of the fungal pharmacopeia awaits discovery. To discover the genetic networks that regulate the activity of secondary metabolites, we examined the genome-wide profiles of gene activity of the cell factory Aspergillus niger across hundreds of conditions. By constructing global networks that link genes with similar activities across conditions, we identified six putative global and pathway-specific regulators of secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Our study shows that elucidating the behavior of the genetic networks of fungi under diverse conditions harbors enormous promise for understanding fungal secondary metabolism, which ultimately may lead to novel drug candidates.
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22
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Liu L, Sasse C, Dirnberger B, Valerius O, Fekete-Szücs E, Harting R, Nordzieke DE, Pöggeler S, Karlovsky P, Gerke J, Braus GH. Secondary metabolites of Hülle cells mediate protection of fungal reproductive and overwintering structures against fungivorous animals. eLife 2021; 10:68058. [PMID: 34635205 PMCID: PMC8510581 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal Hülle cells with nuclear storage and developmental backup functions are reminiscent of multipotent stem cells. In the soil, Hülle cells nurse the overwintering fruiting bodies of Aspergillus nidulans. The genome of A. nidulans harbors genes for the biosynthesis of xanthones. We show that enzymes and metabolites of this biosynthetic pathway accumulate in Hülle cells under the control of the regulatory velvet complex, which coordinates development and secondary metabolism. Deletion strains blocked in the conversion of anthraquinones to xanthones accumulate emodins and are delayed in maturation and growth of fruiting bodies. Emodin represses fruiting body and resting structure formation in other fungi. Xanthones are not required for sexual development but exert antifeedant effects on fungivorous animals such as springtails and woodlice. Our findings reveal a novel role of Hülle cells in establishing secure niches for A. nidulans by accumulating metabolites with antifeedant activity that protect reproductive structures from animal predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Liu
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Sasse
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Benedict Dirnberger
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Valerius
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Enikő Fekete-Szücs
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rebekka Harting
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniela E Nordzieke
- University of Göttingen, Genetics of Eukaryotic Microorganisms and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Pöggeler
- University of Göttingen, Genetics of Eukaryotic Microorganisms and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Petr Karlovsky
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Phytopathology and Mycotoxin Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Gerke
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gerhard H Braus
- University of Göttingen, Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
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23
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Buenrostro-Figueroa J, Gutierrez-Sánchez G, Prado-Barragán LA, Rodríguez-Herrera R, Aguilar-Zárate P, Sepúlveda L, Ascacio-Valdés JA, Tafolla-Arellano JC, Aguilar CN. Influence of culture conditions on ellagitannase expression and fungal ellagitannin degradation. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 337:125462. [PMID: 34320742 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The role and mechanism of elagitannase is misunderstood because it exhibited different activities due to the low purity or complexity of substrates, and there is no available information about the biochemical, physicochemical and molecular characteristics of the enzyme. This study was aimed to obtain enzymatic extracts by Aspergillus niger GH1 in solid-state fermentation, using dextrose and ellagitannins as inducers of ellagitannase. Protein and bioinformatic analysis were performed to identify the protein sequence expressed in terms of culture conditions. The presence of ellagitannins increased ellagitannase activity 1143-fold compared to dextrose. The higher ellagitannase activity was found at 18 h of culture (1143.30 U g-1PE). Three groups of proteins were identified in both cultures: β-glucosidase, phospholipase C, and triacylglycerol lipase. However, only phospholipase C was overexpressed with ellagitannins as inducers, showing the most spontaneous reaction with punicalagin (ΔG -8.56). These results suggest that phospholipase could be involved in ellagitannins biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lilia A Prado-Barragán
- Biotechnology Department. Health and Biological Sciences. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Iztapalapa, Iztapalapa 09340, Mexico
| | - Raul Rodríguez-Herrera
- Bioprocesses and Bioproducts Research Group. Food Research Department. School of Chemistry. Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Saltillo, 25280, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Pedro Aguilar-Zárate
- Instituto Tecnológico de Ciudad Valles, Tecnológico Nacional de Mexico, Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Leonardo Sepúlveda
- Bioprocesses and Bioproducts Research Group. Food Research Department. School of Chemistry. Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Saltillo, 25280, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Juan A Ascacio-Valdés
- Bioprocesses and Bioproducts Research Group. Food Research Department. School of Chemistry. Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Saltillo, 25280, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Julio C Tafolla-Arellano
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, 25315. Buenavista, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Cristobal N Aguilar
- Bioprocesses and Bioproducts Research Group. Food Research Department. School of Chemistry. Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Saltillo, 25280, Coahuila, Mexico.
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24
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Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus gives rise to invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. The rise of A. fumigatus antifungal resistance threatens a limited arsenal of treatment options. Here, we use genetic and molecular approaches to dissect the contribution of the citron homology (CNH) domain of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Rom2 in regulating the biosynthesis of the essential and unique fungal cell wall, an important target of antifungal compounds. The CNH domain plays an essential role as a stabilizer for the small GTPase Rho1, a key regulator of glucan biosynthesis. This work provides a model for their interaction, revealing a promising molecular mechanism to explore in the quest for novel antifungal compounds. Aspergillus fumigatus is a human opportunistic pathogen showing emerging resistance against a limited repertoire of antifungal agents available. The GTPase Rho1 has been identified as an important regulator of the cell wall integrity signaling pathway that regulates the composition of the cell wall, a structure that is unique to fungi and serves as a target for antifungal compounds. Rom2, the guanine nucleotide exchange factor to Rho1, contains a C-terminal citron homology (CNH) domain of unknown function that is found in many other eukaryotic genes. Here, we show that the Rom2 CNH domain interacts directly with Rho1 to modulate β-glucan and chitin synthesis. We report the structure of the Rom2 CNH domain, revealing that it adopts a seven-bladed β-propeller fold containing three unusual loops. A model of the Rho1–Rom2 CNH complex suggests that the Rom2 CNH domain interacts with the Rho1 Switch II motif. This work uncovers the role of the Rom2 CNH domain as a scaffold for Rho1 signaling in fungal cell wall biosynthesis.
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25
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Majima H, Arai T, Kusuya Y, Takahashi H, Watanabe A, Miyazaki Y, Kamei K. Genetic differences between Japan and other countries in cyp51A polymorphisms of Aspergillus fumigatus. Mycoses 2021; 64:1354-1365. [PMID: 34558115 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations in cyp51A gene are known as main mechanisms of azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus, whereas azole-susceptible strains also carry cyp51A mutations (polymorphisms). The polymorphisms found in Europe mainly consist of two combinations of mutations, that is combinations of five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of cyp51A, referred to as cyp51A-5SNPs, and combinations of three SNPs of cyp51A, referred to as cyp51A-3SNPs. Few studies have compared the distributions of cyp51A polymorphisms between different regions. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the regional differences of cyp51A polymorphisms. METHODS We compared the proportions of cyp51A polymorphisms in clinical and environmental strains isolated in various countries, and analysed the strains phylogenetically using short tandem repeats (STRs) and whole-genome sequence (WGS). RESULTS Among the Japanese strains, 15 out of 98 (15.3%) clinical strains and 8 out of 95 (8.4%) environmental strains had cyp51A polymorphisms. A mutation of cyp51AN248K was the most prevalent polymorphism in both clinical (n = 14, 14.3%) and environmental strains (n = 3, 3.2%). Only one environmental strain harboured cyp51A-5SNPs, which was reported to be the most prevalent in Europe. For phylogenetic analyses using STRs and WGS, 183 and 134 strains, respectively, were employed. They showed that most of the strains with cyp51AN248K clustered in the clades different from those of the strains with cyp51A-5SNPs and cyp51A-3SNPs as well as from those with TR34 /L98H mutations. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that there are genetic differences between cyp51A polymorphisms of A. fumigatus in Japan and Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetaka Majima
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Teppei Arai
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yoko Kusuya
- Division of Bioresources, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroki Takahashi
- Division of Bioresources, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yasunari Miyazaki
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Kamei
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
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26
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Takahashi H, Oiki S, Kusuya Y, Urayama SI, Hagiwara D. Intimate genetic relationships and fungicide resistance in multiple strains of Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from a plant bulb. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:5621-5638. [PMID: 34464008 PMCID: PMC9292267 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Fungal infections are increasingly dangerous because of environmentally dispersed resistance to antifungal drugs. Azoles are commonly used antifungal drugs, but they are also used as fungicides in agriculture, which may enable enrichment of azole‐resistant strains of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus in the environment. Understanding of environmental dissemination and enrichment of genetic variation associated with azole resistance in A. fumigatus is required to suppress resistant strains. Here, we focused on eight strains of azole‐resistant A. fumigatus isolated from a single tulip bulb for sale in Japan. This set includes strains with TR34/L98H/T289A/I364V/G448S and TR46/Y121F/T289A/S363P/I364V/G448S mutations in the cyp51A gene, which showed higher tolerance to several azoles than strains harbouring TR46/Y121F/T289A mutation. The strains were typed by microsatellite typing, single nucleotide polymorphism profiles, and mitochondrial and nuclear genome analyses. The strains grouped differently using each typing method, suggesting historical genetic recombination among the strains. Our data also revealed that some strains isolated from the tulip bulb showed tolerance to other classes of fungicides, such as QoI and carbendazim, followed by related amino acid alterations in the target proteins. Considering spatial–temporal factors, plant bulbs are an excellent environmental niche for fungal strains to encounter partners, and to obtain and spread resistance‐associated mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Takahashi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan.,Molecular Chirality Research Center, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.,Plant Molecular Science Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan
| | - Sayoko Oiki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Yoko Kusuya
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan
| | - Syun-Ichi Urayama
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.,Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Daisuke Hagiwara
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.,Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
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27
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Carrasco-Navarro U, Aguirre J. H 2O 2 Induces Major Phosphorylation Changes in Critical Regulators of Signal Transduction, Gene Expression, Metabolism and Developmental Networks in Aspergillus nidulans. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:624. [PMID: 34436163 PMCID: PMC8399174 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate several aspects of cell physiology in filamentous fungi including the antioxidant response and development. However, little is known about the signaling pathways involved in these processes. Here, we report Aspergillus nidulans global phosphoproteome during mycelial growth and show that under these conditions, H2O2 induces major changes in protein phosphorylation. Among the 1964 phosphoproteins we identified, H2O2 induced the phosphorylation of 131 proteins at one or more sites as well as the dephosphorylation of a larger set of proteins. A detailed analysis of these phosphoproteins shows that H2O2 affected the phosphorylation of critical regulatory nodes of phosphoinositide, MAPK, and TOR signaling as well as the phosphorylation of multiple proteins involved in the regulation of gene expression, primary and secondary metabolism, and development. Our results provide a novel and extensive protein phosphorylation landscape in A. nidulans, indicating that H2O2 induces a shift in general metabolism from anabolic to catabolic, and the activation of multiple stress survival pathways. Our results expand the significance of H2O2 in eukaryotic cell signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesús Aguirre
- Departamento de Biología Celular y del Desarrollo, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-242, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico;
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28
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Transcription Factors in the Fungus Aspergillus nidulans: Markers of Genetic Innovation, Network Rewiring and Conflict between Genomics and Transcriptomics. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7080600. [PMID: 34436139 PMCID: PMC8396895 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) are shaped by the democratic/hierarchical relationships among transcription factors (TFs) and associated proteins, together with the cis-regulatory sequences (CRSs) bound by these TFs at target promoters. GRNs control all cellular processes, including metabolism, stress response, growth and development. Due to the ability to modify morphogenetic and developmental patterns, there is the consensus view that the reorganization of GRNs is a driving force of species evolution and differentiation. GRNs are rewired through events including the duplication of TF-coding genes, their divergent sequence evolution and the gain/loss/modification of CRSs. Fungi (mainly Saccharomycotina) have served as a reference kingdom for the study of GRN evolution. Here, I studied the genes predicted to encode TFs in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans (Pezizomycotina). The analysis of the expansion of different families of TFs suggests that the duplication of TFs impacts the species level, and that the expansion in Zn2Cys6 TFs is mainly due to dispersed duplication events. Comparison of genomic annotation and transcriptomic data suggest that a significant percentage of genes should be re-annotated, while many others remain silent. Finally, a new regulator of growth and development is identified and characterized. Overall, this study establishes a novel theoretical framework in synthetic biology, as the overexpression of silent TF forms would provide additional tools to assess how GRNs are rewired.
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29
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Bayne RA, Jayachandran U, Kasprowicz A, Bresson S, Tollervey D, Wallace EWJ, Cook A. Yeast Ssd1 is a non-enzymatic member of the RNase II family with an alternative RNA recognition site. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 50:2923-2937. [PMID: 34302485 PMCID: PMC8934651 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ssd1, a conserved fungal RNA-binding protein, is important in stress responses, cell division and virulence. Ssd1 is closely related to Dis3L2 of the RNase II family of nucleases, but lacks catalytic activity and likely suppresses translation of bound mRNAs. Previous studies identified RNA motifs enriched in Ssd1-associated transcripts, yet the sequence requirements for Ssd1 binding are not defined. Here, we identify precise binding sites of Ssd1 on RNA using in vivo cross-linking and cDNA analysis. These sites are enriched in 5' untranslated regions of a subset of mRNAs encoding cell wall proteins. We identified a conserved bipartite motif that binds Ssd1 with high affinity in vitro. Active RNase II enzymes have a characteristic, internal RNA binding path; the Ssd1 crystal structure at 1.9 Å resolution shows that remnants of regulatory sequences block this path. Instead, RNA binding activity has relocated to a conserved patch on the surface of the protein. Structure-guided mutations of this surface prevent Ssd1 from binding RNA in vitro and phenocopy Ssd1 deletion in vivo. These studies provide a new framework for understanding the function of a pleiotropic post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression and give insights into the evolution of regulatory and binding elements in the RNase II family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary A Bayne
- Institute of Cell Biology and SynthSys, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Uma Jayachandran
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Aleksandra Kasprowicz
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Stefan Bresson
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - David Tollervey
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Edward W J Wallace
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Edward W.J. Wallace. Tel: +44 131 6513348; Fax: +44 131 6505379;
| | - Atlanta G Cook
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +44 131 6504995; Fax: +44 131 6505379;
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30
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Micafungin-Induced Cell Wall Damage Stimulates Morphological Changes Consistent with Microcycle Conidiation in Aspergillus nidulans. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7070525. [PMID: 34210108 PMCID: PMC8306900 DOI: 10.3390/jof7070525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal cell wall receptors relay messages about the state of the cell wall to the nucleus through the Cell Wall Integrity Signaling (CWIS) pathway. The ultimate role of the CWIS pathway is to coordinate repair of cell wall damage and to restore normal hyphal growth. Echinocandins such as micafungin represent a class of antifungals that trigger cell wall damage by affecting synthesis of β-glucans. To obtain a better understanding of the dynamics of the CWIS response and its multiple effects, we have coupled dynamic transcriptome analysis with morphological studies of Aspergillus nidulans hyphae in responds to micafungin. Our results reveal that expression of the master regulator of asexual development, BrlA, is induced by micafungin exposure. Further study showed that micafungin elicits morphological changes consistent with microcycle conidiation and that this effect is abolished in the absence of MpkA. Our results suggest that microcycle conidiation may be a general response to cell wall perturbation which in some cases would enable fungi to tolerate or survive otherwise lethal damage.
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31
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Duplication and Functional Divergence of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Biosynthesis Genes in Aspergillus nidulans. mBio 2021; 12:e0076821. [PMID: 34154419 PMCID: PMC8262921 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00768-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi, bacteria, and plants, but not animals, synthesize the branched-chain amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. While branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) biosynthesis has been well characterized in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it is incompletely understood in filamentous fungi. The three BCAAs share several early biosynthesis steps before divergence into specific pathways. In Aspergillus nidulans, the genes for the first two dedicated steps in leucine biosynthesis have been characterized, but the final two have not. We used sequence searches of the A. nidulans genome to identify two genes encoding β-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the penultimate step of leucine biosynthesis, and six genes encoding BCAA aminotransferase, which catalyzes the final step in biosynthesis of all three BCAA. We have used combinations of gene knockouts to determine the relative contribution of each of these genes to BCAA biosynthesis. While both β-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase genes act in leucine biosynthesis, the two most highly expressed BCAA aminotransferases are responsible for BCAA biosynthesis. We have also characterized the expression of leucine biosynthesis genes using reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR and found regulation in response to leucine availability is mediated through the Zn(II)2Cys6 transcription factor LeuB. IMPORTANCE Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) biosynthesis is important for pathogenic fungi to successfully cause disease in human and plant hosts. The enzymes for their production are absent from humans and, therefore, provide potential antifungal targets. While BCAA biosynthesis is well characterized in yeasts, it is poorly understood in filamentous fungal pathogens. Developing a thorough understanding of both the genes encoding the metabolic enzymes for BCAA biosynthesis and how their expression is regulated will inform target selection for antifungal drug development.
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32
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Harting R, Nagel A, Nesemann K, Höfer AM, Bastakis E, Kusch H, Stanley CE, Stöckli M, Kaever A, Hoff KJ, Stanke M, deMello AJ, Künzler M, Haney CH, Braus-Stromeyer SA, Braus GH. Pseudomonas Strains Induce Transcriptional and Morphological Changes and Reduce Root Colonization of Verticillium spp. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:652468. [PMID: 34108946 PMCID: PMC8180853 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.652468] [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] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytopathogenic Verticillia cause Verticillium wilt on numerous economically important crops. Plant infection begins at the roots, where the fungus is confronted with rhizosphere inhabiting bacteria. The effects of different fluorescent pseudomonads, including some known biocontrol agents of other plant pathogens, on fungal growth of the haploid Verticillium dahliae and/or the amphidiploid Verticillium longisporum were compared on pectin-rich medium, in microfluidic interaction channels, allowing visualization of single hyphae, or on Arabidopsis thaliana roots. We found that the potential for formation of bacterial lipopeptide syringomycin resulted in stronger growth reduction effects on saprophytic Aspergillus nidulans compared to Verticillium spp. A more detailed analyses on bacterial-fungal co-cultivation in narrow interaction channels of microfluidic devices revealed that the strongest inhibitory potential was found for Pseudomonas protegens CHA0, with its inhibitory potential depending on the presence of the GacS/GacA system controlling several bacterial metabolites. Hyphal tip polarity was altered when V. longisporum was confronted with pseudomonads in narrow interaction channels, resulting in a curly morphology instead of straight hyphal tip growth. These results support the hypothesis that the fungus attempts to evade the bacterial confrontation. Alterations due to co-cultivation with bacteria could not only be observed in fungal morphology but also in fungal transcriptome. P. protegens CHA0 alters transcriptional profiles of V. longisporum during 2 h liquid media co-cultivation in pectin-rich medium. Genes required for degradation of and growth on the carbon source pectin were down-regulated, whereas transcripts involved in redox processes were up-regulated. Thus, the secondary metabolite mediated effect of Pseudomonas isolates on Verticillium species results in a complex transcriptional response, leading to decreased growth with precautions for self-protection combined with the initiation of a change in fungal growth direction. This interplay of bacterial effects on the pathogen can be beneficial to protect plants from infection, as shown with A. thaliana root experiments. Treatment of the roots with bacteria prior to infection with V. dahliae resulted in a significant reduction of fungal root colonization. Taken together we demonstrate how pseudomonads interfere with the growth of Verticillium spp. and show that these bacteria could serve in plant protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekka Harting
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Nagel
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kai Nesemann
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annalena M Höfer
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Emmanouil Bastakis
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Harald Kusch
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Medical Informatics, University Medical Center, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claire E Stanley
- Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Alexander Kaever
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katharina J Hoff
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Mario Stanke
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andrew J deMello
- Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Künzler
- Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cara H Haney
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Susanna A Braus-Stromeyer
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gerhard H Braus
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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33
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Soberanes-Gutiérrez CV, Pérez-Rueda E, Ruíz-Herrera J, Galán-Vásquez E. Identifying Genes Devoted to the Cell Death Process in the Gene Regulatory Network of Ustilago maydis. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:680290. [PMID: 34093501 PMCID: PMC8175908 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.680290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell death is a process that can be divided into three morphological patterns: apoptosis, autophagy and necrosis. In fungi, cell death is induced in response to intracellular and extracellular perturbations, such as plant defense molecules, toxins and fungicides, among others. Ustilago maydis is a dimorphic fungus used as a model for pathogenic fungi of animals, including humans, and plants. Here, we reconstructed the transcriptional regulatory network of U. maydis, through homology inferences by using as templates the well-known gene regulatory networks (GRNs) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus nidulans and Neurospora crassa. Based on this GRN, we identified transcription factors (TFs) as hubs and functional modules and calculated diverse topological metrics. In addition, we analyzed exhaustively the module related to cell death, with 60 TFs and 108 genes, where diverse cell proliferation, mating-type switching and meiosis, among other functions, were identified. To determine the role of some of these genes, we selected a set of 11 genes for expression analysis by qRT-PCR (sin3, rlm1, aif1, tdh3 [isoform A], tdh3 [isoform B], ald4, mca1, nuc1, tor1, ras1, and atg8) whose homologues in other fungi have been described as central in cell death. These genes were identified as downregulated at 72 h, in agreement with the beginning of the cell death process. Our results can serve as the basis for the study of transcriptional regulation, not only of the cell death process but also of all the cellular processes of U. maydis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinthia V Soberanes-Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Mexico.,Laboratorio de Ciencias Agrogenómicas, de la Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad León, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, León, Mexico
| | - Ernesto Pérez-Rueda
- Unidad Académica Yucatán, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mérida, Mexico
| | - José Ruíz-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Ciencias Agrogenómicas, de la Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad León, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, León, Mexico
| | - Edgardo Galán-Vásquez
- Departamento de Ingeniería de Sistemas Computacionales y Automatización, Instituto de Investigación en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México - Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
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34
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Qu T, Zhang C, Qin Z, Fan L, Jiang L, Zhao L. A Novel GH Family 20 β-N-acetylhexosaminidase With Both Chitosanase and Chitinase Activity From Aspergillus oryzae. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:684086. [PMID: 34095233 PMCID: PMC8170477 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.684086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminooligosaccharides possess various biological activities and can exploit wide applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Commercial aminooligosaccharides are often prepared by the hydrolysis of chitin and chitosan. In this study, a novel GH family 20 β-N-acetylhexosaminidases gene named AoNagase was cloned from Aspergillus oryzae and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The purified AoNagase had maximal activity at pH 5.5 and 65°C. It exhibited good pH stability in the range of pH 6.0–7.5 and at temperatures below 50°C. AoNagase was capable of hydrolyzing not only colloidal chitosan (508.26 U/mg) but also chitin (29.78 U/mg). The kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) of AoNagase were 1.51 mM, 1106.02 U/mg for chitosan and 0.41 mM, 40.31 U/mg for colloidal chitin. To our knowledge, AoNagase is the first GH family 20 β-N-acetylhexosaminidase capable of hydrolyzing both chitosan and chitin. AoNagase is an endo-type β-N-acetylhexosaminidases and can potentially be used for the manufacturing of aminooligosaccharides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianle Qu
- School of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, R&D Center of Separation and Extraction Technology in Fermentation Industry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyue Zhang
- School of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, R&D Center of Separation and Extraction Technology in Fermentation Industry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Qin
- School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liqiang Fan
- School of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, R&D Center of Separation and Extraction Technology in Fermentation Industry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Lihua Jiang
- School of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, R&D Center of Separation and Extraction Technology in Fermentation Industry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Liming Zhao
- School of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, R&D Center of Separation and Extraction Technology in Fermentation Industry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology (SCICBT), Shanghai, China
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35
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Gil-de-la-Fuente A, Mamani-Huanca M, Stroe MC, Saugar S, Garcia-Alvarez A, Brakhage AA, Barbas C, Otero A. Aspergillus Metabolome Database for Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7050387. [PMID: 34063531 PMCID: PMC8156648 DOI: 10.3390/jof7050387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Aspergillus Metabolome Database is a free online resource to perform metabolite annotation in mass spectrometry studies devoted to the genus Aspergillus. The database was created by retrieving and curating information on 2811 compounds present in 601 different species and subspecies of the genus Aspergillus. A total of 1514 scientific journals where these metabolites are mentioned were added as meta-information linked to their respective compounds in the database. A web service to query the database based on m/z (mass/charge ratio) searches was added to CEU Mass Mediator; these queries can be performed over the Aspergillus database only, or they can also include a user-selectable set of other general metabolomic databases. This functionality is offered via web applications and via RESTful services. Furthermore, the complete content of the database has been made available in .csv files and as a MySQL database to facilitate its integration into third-party tools. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first database and the first service specifically devoted to Aspergillus metabolite annotation based on m/z searches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Gil-de-la-Fuente
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28660 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.-H.); (C.B.); (A.O.)
- Department of Information Technology, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28660 Madrid, Spain; (S.S.); (A.G.-A.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Maricruz Mamani-Huanca
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28660 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.-H.); (C.B.); (A.O.)
| | - María C. Stroe
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany; (M.C.S.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Sergio Saugar
- Department of Information Technology, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28660 Madrid, Spain; (S.S.); (A.G.-A.)
| | - Alejandra Garcia-Alvarez
- Department of Information Technology, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28660 Madrid, Spain; (S.S.); (A.G.-A.)
| | - Axel A. Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany; (M.C.S.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Coral Barbas
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28660 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.-H.); (C.B.); (A.O.)
| | - Abraham Otero
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28660 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.-H.); (C.B.); (A.O.)
- Department of Information Technology, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28660 Madrid, Spain; (S.S.); (A.G.-A.)
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36
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The Peroxiredoxin Asp f3 Acts as Redox Sensor in Aspergillus fumigatus. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12050668. [PMID: 33946853 PMCID: PMC8145481 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is readily eradicated by the innate immunity of immunocompetent human hosts, but can cause severe infections, such as invasive aspergillosis (IA), in immunocompromised individuals. During infection, the fungal redox homeostasis can be challenged by reactive oxygen species (ROS), either derived from the oxidative burst of innate immune cells or the action of antifungal drugs. The peroxiredoxin Asp f3 was found to be essential to cause IA in mice, but how Asp f3 integrates with fungal redox homeostasis remains unknown. Here, we show that in vivo, Asp f3 acts as a sensor for ROS. While global transcription in fungal hyphae under minimal growth conditions was fully independent of Asp f3, a robust induction of the oxidative stress response required the presence of the peroxiredoxin. Hyphae devoid of Asp f3 failed to activate several redox active genes, like members of the gliotoxin biosynthesis gene cluster and integral members of the Afyap1 regulon, the central activator of the ROS defense machinery in fungi. Upon deletion of the asp f3 gene Afyap1 displayed significantly reduced nuclear localization during ROS exposure, indicating that Asp f3 can act as an intracellular redox sensor for several target proteins.
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37
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Understanding the fundamental role of virulence determinants to combat Aspergillus fumigatus infections: exploring beyond cell wall. Mycol Prog 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-021-01677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Takahashi H, Umemura M, Ninomiya A, Kusuya Y, Shimizu M, Urayama SI, Watanabe A, Kamei K, Yaguchi T, Hagiwara D. Interspecies Genomic Variation and Transcriptional Activeness of Secondary Metabolism-Related Genes in Aspergillus Section Fumigati. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2021; 2:656751. [PMID: 37744138 PMCID: PMC10512231 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2021.656751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi produce various bioactive compounds that are biosynthesized by sets of proteins encoded in biosynthesis gene clusters (BGCs). For an unknown reason, many BGCs are transcriptionally silent in laboratory conditions, which has hampered the discovery of novel fungal compounds. The transcriptional reactiveness of fungal secondary metabolism is not fully understood. To gain the comprehensive view, we conducted comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses of nine closely-related species of Aspergillus section Fumigati (A. fumigatus, A. fumigatiaffinis, A. novofumigatus, A. thermomutatus, A. viridinutans, A. pseudoviridinutans, A. lentulus, A. udagawae, and Neosartorya fischeri). For expanding our knowledge, we newly sequenced genomes of A. viridinutans and A. pseudoviridinutans, and reassembled and reannotated the previously released genomes of A. lentulus and A. udagawae. Between 34 and 84 secondary metabolite (SM) backbone genes were identified in the genomes of these nine respective species, with 8.7-51.2% being unique to the species. A total of 247 SM backbone gene types were identified in the nine fungi. Ten BGCs are shared by all nine species. Transcriptomic analysis using A. fumigatus, A. lentulus, A. udagawae, A. viridinutans, and N. fischeri was conducted to compare expression levels of all SM backbone genes in four different culture conditions; 32-83% of SM backbone genes in these species were not expressed in the tested conditions, which reconfirmed that large part of fungal SM genes are hard to be expressed. The species-unique SM genes of the five species were expressed with lower frequency (18.8% in total) than the SM genes that are conserved in all five species (56%). These results suggest that the expression tendency of BGCs is correlated with their interspecies distribution pattern. Our findings increase understanding of the evolutionary processes associated with the regulation of fungal secondary metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Takahashi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Molecular Chirality Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Plant Molecular Science Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Maiko Umemura
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Akihiro Ninomiya
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yoko Kusuya
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masaaki Shimizu
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Syun-ichi Urayama
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Kamei
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takashi Yaguchi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Daisuke Hagiwara
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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Ogawa M, Wada H, Yoshimura T, Sato A, Fukuda R, Koyama Y, Horiuchi H. Deletion of Aspergillus nidulans cpsA/rseA induces increased extracellular hydrolase production in solid-state culture partly through the high osmolarity glycerol pathway. J Biosci Bioeng 2021; 131:589-598. [PMID: 33827772 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2021.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Koji molds, such as Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus sojae, are used in the food industry in East Asia and have been explored for the large-scale production of extracellular hydrolases. We previously found that the deletion of a gene encoding a putative GT2 glycosyltransferase increased production of extracellular hydrolases in A. sojae. The gene was named rseA (regulator of the secretory enzyme A). We predicted that intracellular signaling pathways were involved in the increased production of hydrolases in the ΔrseA mutant of A. sojae. However, little has been reported on molecular biological knowledge about A. sojae. Hence, Aspergillus nidulans, a typical model organism used in molecular biology, was employed for the functional characterization of rseA in this study. Deletion of the rseA ortholog in A. nidulans induced increased extracellular production of hydrolases under the solid-state cultivation condition, similar to that in A. sojae. The involvement of the cell wall integrity pathway and the high osmolarity glycerol pathway in ΔrseA was further investigated. The results indicated that the HOG pathway played an important role in the increased extracellular production of hydrolases caused by the deletion of the rseA gene. rseA ortholog in A. nidulans was identical to cpsA, which was reported to function as a regulator of mycotoxin production, morphogenesis, and cell wall biosynthesis. However, this is the first study reporting that rseA/cpsA regulates extracellular hydrolase production in A. nidulans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Ogawa
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; Noda Institute for Scientific Research, 338 Noda, Noda City, Chiba 278-0037, Japan.
| | - Hiroki Wada
- Research and Development Division, Kikkoman Corporation, 338 Noda, Noda City, Chiba 278-0037, Japan.
| | - Taro Yoshimura
- Research and Development Division, Kikkoman Corporation, 338 Noda, Noda City, Chiba 278-0037, Japan.
| | - Atsushi Sato
- Research and Development Division, Kikkoman Corporation, 338 Noda, Noda City, Chiba 278-0037, Japan.
| | - Ryouichi Fukuda
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
| | - Yasuji Koyama
- Noda Institute for Scientific Research, 338 Noda, Noda City, Chiba 278-0037, Japan.
| | - Hiroyuki Horiuchi
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
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40
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Merényi Z, Prasanna AN, Wang Z, Kovács K, Hegedüs B, Bálint B, Papp B, Townsend JP, Nagy LG. Unmatched Level of Molecular Convergence among Deeply Divergent Complex Multicellular Fungi. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:2228-2240. [PMID: 32191325 PMCID: PMC7403615 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Convergent evolution is pervasive in nature, but it is poorly understood how various constraints and natural selection limit the diversity of evolvable phenotypes. Here, we analyze the transcriptome across fruiting body development to understand the independent evolution of complex multicellularity in the two largest clades of fungi—the Agarico- and Pezizomycotina. Despite >650 My of divergence between these clades, we find that very similar sets of genes have convergently been co-opted for complex multicellularity, followed by expansions of their gene families by duplications. Over 82% of shared multicellularity-related gene families were expanding in both clades, indicating a high prevalence of convergence also at the gene family level. This convergence is coupled with a rich inferred repertoire of multicellularity-related genes in the most recent common ancestor of the Agarico- and Pezizomycotina, consistent with the hypothesis that the coding capacity of ancestral fungal genomes might have promoted the repeated evolution of complex multicellularity. We interpret this repertoire as an indication of evolutionary predisposition of fungal ancestors for evolving complex multicellular fruiting bodies. Our work suggests that evolutionary convergence may happen not only when organisms are closely related or are under similar selection pressures, but also when ancestral genomic repertoires render certain evolutionary trajectories more likely than others, even across large phylogenetic distances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Merényi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Arun N Prasanna
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Károly Kovács
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary.,Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine, Metabolic Systems Biology Lab, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Botond Hegedüs
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Balázs Bálint
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Balázs Papp
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary.,Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine, Metabolic Systems Biology Lab, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Jeffrey P Townsend
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT.,Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - László G Nagy
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
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Longitudinal study of the scalp microbiome suggests coconut oil to enrich healthy scalp commensals. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7220. [PMID: 33790324 PMCID: PMC8012655 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86454-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Dandruff is a recurrent chronic scalp disorder, affecting majority of the population worldwide. Recently a metagenomic study of the Indian scalp microbiome described an imperative role of bacterial commensals in providing essential vitamins and amino acids to the scalp. Coconut oil and its formulations are commonly applied on the scalp in several parts of the world to maintain scalp health. Thus, in this study we examined the effect of topical application of coconut oil on the scalp microbiome (bacterial and fungal) at the taxonomic and functional levels and their correlation with scalp physiological parameters. A 16-weeks-long time-course study was performed including 12-weeks of treatment and 4-weeks of relapse phase on a cohort of 140 (70 healthy and 70 dandruff) Indian women, resulting in ~ 900 metagenomic samples. After the treatment phase, an increase in the abundance of Cutibacterium acnes and Malassezia globosa in dandruff scalp was observed, which were negatively correlated to dandruff parameters. At the functional level, an enrichment of healthy scalp-related bacterial pathways, such as biotin metabolism and decrease in the fungal pathogenesis pathways was observed. The study provides novel insights on the effect of coconut oil in maintaining a healthy scalp and in modulating the scalp microbiome.
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Carbon Catabolite Repression Governs Diverse Physiological Processes and Development in Aspergillus nidulans. mBio 2021; 13:e0373421. [PMID: 35164551 PMCID: PMC8844935 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03734-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a common phenomenon of microorganisms that enable efficient utilization of carbon nutrients, critical for the fitness of microorganisms in the wild and for pathogenic species to cause infection. In most filamentous fungal species, the conserved transcription factor CreA/Cre1 mediates CCR. Previous studies demonstrated a primary function for CreA/Cre1 in carbon metabolism; however, the phenotype of creA/cre1 mutants indicated broader roles. The global function and regulatory mechanism of this wide-domain transcription factor has remained elusive. Here, we applied two powerful genomics methods (transcriptome sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing) to delineate the direct and indirect roles of Aspergillus nidulans CreA across diverse physiological processes, including secondary metabolism, iron homeostasis, oxidative stress response, development, N-glycan biosynthesis, unfolded protein response, and nutrient and ion transport. The results indicate intricate connections between the regulation of carbon metabolism and diverse cellular functions. Moreover, our work also provides key mechanistic insights into CreA regulation and identifies CreA as a master regulator controlling many transcription factors of different regulatory networks. The discoveries for this highly conserved transcriptional regulator in a model fungus have important implications for CCR in related pathogenic and industrial species. IMPORTANCE The ability to scavenge and use a wide range of nutrients for growth is crucial for microorganisms' survival in the wild. Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a transcriptional regulatory phenomenon of both bacteria and fungi to coordinate the expression of genes required for preferential utilization of carbon sources. Since carbon metabolism is essential for growth, CCR is central to the fitness of microorganisms. In filamentous fungi, CCR is mediated by the conserved transcription factor CreA/Cre1, whose function in carbon metabolism has been well established. However, the global roles and regulatory mechanism of CreA/Cre1 are poorly defined. This study uncovers the direct and indirect functions of CreA in the model organism Aspergillus nidulans over diverse physiological processes and development and provides mechanistic insights into how CreA controls different regulatory networks. The work also reveals an interesting functional divergence between filamentous fungal and yeast CreA/Cre1 orthologues.
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43
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Dodda SR, Hossain M, Kapoor BS, Dasgupta S, B VPR, Aikat K, Mukhopadhyay SS. Computational approach for identification, characterization, three-dimensional structure modelling and machine learning-based thermostability prediction of xylanases from the genome of Aspergillus fumigatus. Comput Biol Chem 2021; 91:107451. [PMID: 33601238 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2021.107451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Identification of thermostable and alkaline xylanases from different fungal and bacterial species have gained an interest for the researchers because of its biotechnological relevance in many industries, such as pulp, paper, and bioethanol. In this study, we have identified and characterized xylanases from the genome of the thermophilic fungus of Aspergillus fumigatus by in silico analysis. Genome data mining revealed that the A fumigatus genome has six xylanase genes that belong to GH10, GH11, GH43 glycoside hydrolase families. In general, most of the bacterial and fungal GH11 xylanases are alkaline, and GH10 xylanases are acidic; however, we found that one identified xylanase from A fumigatus that belongs to the GH10 family is alkaline while the rest are acidic. Moreover, physicochemical properties also stated that most of the xylanases identified have lower molecular weight except one that belongs to the GH43 family. Structure prediction by homology modelling gave optimized structures of the xylanases. It suggests that GH10 family structure models adapt (β∕α) 8 barrel type, GH11 homology models adapt β-jelly type, and the GH43 family has a fivefold β-propeller type structure. Molecular docking of identified xylanases with xylan revealed that GH11 xylanases have strong interaction (-9.6 kcal/mol) with xylan than the GH10 (-8.5 and -9.3 kcal/mol) and GH43 (-8.8 kcal/mol). We used the machine learning approach based TAXyl server to predict the thermostability of the xylanases. It revealed that two GH10 xylanases and one GH11 xylanase are thermo-active up to 75ᵒC. We have explored the physiochemical properties responsible for maintaining thermostability for bacterial and fungal GH10 and GH11 xylanases by comparing crystal structures. All the analyzed parameters specified that GH10 xylanases from both the fungi and bacteria are more thermostable due to higher hydrogen bonds, salt bridges, and helical content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subba Reddy Dodda
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur-713209, West Bengal, India
| | - Musaddique Hossain
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur-713209, West Bengal, India
| | - Bishwajit Singh Kapoor
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur-713209, West Bengal, India
| | - Shreya Dasgupta
- Department of Biophysics, Univeristy of Calcutta-73209, West Bengal, India
| | - Venkata P Reddy B
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Durgapur-713209, West Bengal, India
| | - Kaustav Aikat
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur-713209, West Bengal, India
| | - Sudit S Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur-713209, West Bengal, India.
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44
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Gurumayum S, Jiang P, Hao X, Campos TL, Young ND, Korhonen PK, Gasser RB, Bork P, Zhao XM, He LJ, Chen WH. OGEE v3: Online GEne Essentiality database with increased coverage of organisms and human cell lines. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:D998-D1003. [PMID: 33084874 PMCID: PMC7779042 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OGEE is an Online GEne Essentiality database. Gene essentiality is not a static and binary property, rather a context-dependent and evolvable property in all forms of life. In OGEE we collect not only experimentally tested essential and non-essential genes, but also associated gene properties that contributes to gene essentiality. We tagged conditionally essential genes that show variable essentiality statuses across datasets to highlight complex interplays between gene functions and environmental/experimental perturbations. OGEE v3 contains gene essentiality datasets for 91 species; almost doubled from 48 species in previous version. To accommodate recent advances on human cancer essential genes (as known as tumor dependency genes) that could serve as targets for cancer treatment and/or drug development, we expanded the collection of human essential genes from 16 cell lines in previous to 581. These human cancer cell lines were tested with high-throughput experiments such as CRISPR-Cas9 and RNAi; in total, 150 of which were tested by both techniques. We also included factors known to contribute to gene essentiality for these cell lines, such as genomic mutation, methylation and gene expression, along with extensive graphical visualizations for ease of understanding of these factors. OGEE v3 can be accessible freely at https://v3.ogee.info.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanathoi Gurumayum
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 430074 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Puzi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 430074 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaowen Hao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 430074 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tulio L Campos
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IAM-Fiocruz), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Neil D Young
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Pasi K Korhonen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Peer Bork
- European molecular biology laboratory (EMBL), Meyerhof Strasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit, University of Heidelberg and European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max-Delbrück-Centre for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Xing-Ming Zhao
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, 200433 Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Ministry of Education, China
| | - Li-jie He
- Department of Medical Oncology, People's Hospital of Liaoning Province, 110016 Shenyang, China
| | - Wei-Hua Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 430074 Wuhan, Hubei, China
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, 453007 Xinxiang, Henan, China
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The Protein Kinase A-Dependent Phosphoproteome of the Human Pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus Reveals Diverse Virulence-Associated Kinase Targets. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02880-20. [PMID: 33323509 PMCID: PMC7773993 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02880-20] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PKA is essential for the virulence of eukaryotic human pathogens. Understanding PKA signaling mechanisms is therefore fundamental to deciphering pathogenesis and developing novel therapies. Protein kinase A (PKA) signaling plays a critical role in the growth and development of all eukaryotic microbes. However, few direct targets have been characterized in any organism. The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is a leading infectious cause of death in immunocompromised patients, but the specific molecular mechanisms responsible for its pathogenesis are poorly understood. We used this important pathogen as a platform for a comprehensive and multifaceted interrogation of both the PKA-dependent whole proteome and phosphoproteome in order to elucidate the mechanisms through which PKA signaling regulates invasive microbial disease. Employing advanced quantitative whole-proteomic and phosphoproteomic approaches with two complementary phosphopeptide enrichment strategies, coupled to an independent PKA interactome analysis, we defined distinct PKA-regulated pathways and identified novel direct PKA targets contributing to pathogenesis. We discovered three previously uncharacterized virulence-associated PKA effectors, including an autophagy-related protein, Atg24; a CCAAT-binding transcriptional regulator, HapB; and a CCR4-NOT complex-associated ubiquitin ligase, Not4. Targeted mutagenesis, combined with in vitro kinase assays, multiple murine infection models, structural modeling, and molecular dynamics simulations, was employed to characterize the roles of these new PKA targets in growth, environmental and antimicrobial stress responses, and pathogenesis in a mammalian system. We also elucidated the molecular mechanisms of PKA regulation for these effectors by defining the functionality of phosphorylation at specific PKA target sites. We have comprehensively characterized the PKA-dependent phosphoproteome and validated PKA targets as direct regulators of infectious disease for the first time in any pathogen, providing new insights into PKA signaling and control over microbial pathogenesis.
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Kraševec N, Novak M, Barat S, Skočaj M, Sepčić K, Anderluh G. Unconventional Secretion of Nigerolysins A from Aspergillus Species. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1973. [PMID: 33322461 PMCID: PMC7763983 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Aegerolysins are small lipid-binding proteins particularly abundant in fungi. Aegerolysins from oyster mushrooms interact with an insect-specific membrane lipid and, together with MACPF proteins produced by the same organism, form pesticidal pore-forming complexes. The specific interaction with the same membrane lipid was recently demonstrated for nigerolysin A2 (NigA2), an aegerolysin from Aspergillus niger. In Aspergillus species, the aegerolysins were frequently found as secreted proteins, indicating their function in fungal defense. Using immunocytochemistry and live-cell imaging we investigated the subcellular localization of the nigerolysins A in A. niger, while their secretion was addressed by secretion prediction and Western blotting. We show that both nigerolysins A are leaderless proteins that reach the cell exterior by an unconventional protein secretion. NigA proteins are evenly distributed in the cytoplasm of fungal hyphae. A detailed bioinformatics analysis of Aspergillus aegerolysins suggests that the same function occurs only in a limited number of aegerolysins. From alignment, analysis of chromosomal loci, orthology, synteny, and phylogeny it follows that the same or a similar function described for pairs of pesticidal proteins of Pleurotus sp. can be expected in species of the subgenus Circumdati, section Nigri, series Nigri, and some other species with adjacent pairs of putative pesticidal proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Kraševec
- National Institute of Chemistry, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (S.B.); (G.A.)
| | - Maruša Novak
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.)
| | - Simona Barat
- National Institute of Chemistry, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (S.B.); (G.A.)
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.)
| | - Matej Skočaj
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.)
| | - Kristina Sepčić
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.)
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- National Institute of Chemistry, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (S.B.); (G.A.)
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47
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Rice-induced secondary metabolite gene expression in Aspergillus nidulans. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 47:1109-1116. [DOI: 10.1007/s10295-020-02328-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Activation of silent biosynthetic gene clusters in fungi remains a challenge for discovery of new useful natural products. In this work, we identify a group of silent secondary metabolite gene clusters in Aspergillus nidulans that are induced by rice (Oryza sativa). Using reverse phase HPLC purification on extracts of rice, we identified the plant hormone gibberellic acid as one compound present in rice extracts that induced these silent genes. Additionally, select secondary metabolite (SM) genes activated by rice were tested for responses to several plant hormones which produced distinctly different transcriptomic profiles in A. nidulans. These observations support the idea that phytohormones play an important role in regulating fungal SM biosynthesis while additionally serving as a source of natural product chemical libraries to screen for useful compounds.
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48
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Schüller A, Wolansky L, Berger H, Studt L, Gacek-Matthews A, Sulyok M, Strauss J. A novel fungal gene regulation system based on inducible VPR-dCas9 and nucleosome map-guided sgRNA positioning. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:9801-9822. [PMID: 33006690 PMCID: PMC7595996 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10900-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Programmable transcriptional regulation is a powerful tool to study gene functions. Current methods to selectively regulate target genes are mainly based on promoter exchange or on overexpressing transcriptional activators. To expand the discovery toolbox, we designed a dCas9-based RNA-guided synthetic transcription activation system for Aspergillus nidulans that uses enzymatically disabled "dead" Cas9 fused to three consecutive activation domains (VPR-dCas9). The dCas9-encoding gene is under the control of an estrogen-responsive promoter to allow induction timing and to avoid possible negative effects by strong constitutive expression of the highly active VPR domains. Especially in silent genomic regions, facultative heterochromatin and strictly positioned nucleosomes can constitute a relevant obstacle to the transcriptional machinery. To avoid this negative impact and to facilitate optimal positioning of RNA-guided VPR-dCas9 to targeted promoters, we have created a genome-wide nucleosome map from actively growing cells and stationary cultures to identify the cognate nucleosome-free regions (NFRs). Based on these maps, different single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) were designed and tested for their targeting and activation potential. Our results demonstrate that the system can be used to regulate several genes in parallel and, depending on the VPR-dCas9 positioning, expression can be pushed to very high levels. We have used the system to turn on individual genes within two different biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) which are silent under normal growth conditions. This method also opens opportunities to stepwise activate individual genes in a cluster to decipher the correlated biosynthetic pathway. Graphical abstract KEYPOINTS: • An inducible RNA-guided transcriptional regulator based on VPR-dCas9 was established in Aspergillus nidulans. • Genome-wide nucleosome positioning maps were created that facilitate sgRNA positioning. • The system was successfully applied to activate genes within two silent biosynthetic gene clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schüller
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Lisa Wolansky
- Institute Krems Bioanalytics , IMC FH Krems University of Applied Sciences , Krems, Austria
| | - Harald Berger
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Lena Studt
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Agnieszka Gacek-Matthews
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Institute of Microbiology, Functional Microbiology Division, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Michael Sulyok
- Institute of Bioanalytics and Agrometabolomics, Department of Agrobiotechnology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 20, A-3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Joseph Strauss
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria.
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Seelbinder B, Wallstabe J, Marischen L, Weiss E, Wurster S, Page L, Löffler C, Bussemer L, Schmitt AL, Wolf T, Linde J, Cicin-Sain L, Becker J, Kalinke U, Vogel J, Panagiotou G, Einsele H, Westermann AJ, Schäuble S, Loeffler J. Triple RNA-Seq Reveals Synergy in a Human Virus-Fungus Co-infection Model. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108389. [PMID: 33207195 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is routinely applied to study diverse biological processes; however, when performed separately on interacting organisms, systemic noise intrinsic to RNA extraction, library preparation, and sequencing hampers the identification of cross-species interaction nodes. Here, we develop triple RNA-seq to simultaneously detect transcriptomes of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) infected with the frequently co-occurring pulmonary pathogens Aspergillus fumigatus and human cytomegalovirus (CMV). Comparing expression patterns after co-infection with those after single infections, our data reveal synergistic effects and mutual interferences between host responses to the two pathogens. For example, CMV attenuates the fungus-mediated activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines through NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) and NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) cascades, while A. fumigatus impairs viral clearance by counteracting viral nucleic acid-induced activation of type I interferon signaling. Together, the analytical power of triple RNA-seq proposes molecular hubs in the differential moDC response to fungal/viral single infection or co-infection that contribute to our understanding of the etiology and, potentially, clearance of post-transplant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Seelbinder
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Julia Wallstabe
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lothar Marischen
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Esther Weiss
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wurster
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lukas Page
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Löffler
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lydia Bussemer
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Schmitt
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Wolf
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Jörg Linde
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Luka Cicin-Sain
- Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Hannover-Braunschweig Site, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School (MHH) Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jennifer Becker
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE-Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Hannover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School (MHH), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE-Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Hannover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School (MHH), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gianni Panagiotou
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; Department of Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Hermann Einsele
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander J Westermann
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sascha Schäuble
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Juergen Loeffler
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
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Tamano K, Yasunaka Y, Kamishima M, Itoh A, Miura A, Kan E, Koyama Y, Tamura T. Enhancement of the productivity of free dihomo-γ-linolenic acid via co-overexpression of elongase and two desaturase genes in Aspergillus oryzae. J Biosci Bioeng 2020; 130:480-488. [PMID: 32800811 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Free dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA), a polyunsaturated free fatty acid (FFA), is a precursor of the eicosanoid prostaglandin E1 and is expected to be a source material for artificial production. We previously constructed the Aspergillus oryzae mutant strain ARA1 that produced free DGLA from the disruptant of faaA, an acyl-CoA synthetase gene, where FFA productivity increased by 9.2-fold compared with that of the wild-type strain. Here, we aimed to achieve enhancement of free DGLA productivity. Because saturated FFAs, such as palmitic acid and stearic acid, accounted for about 45% and 25% of total FFAs produced by ARA1, respectively, we used a strategy to facilitate elongation and desaturation of these FFAs to oleic acid and linoleic acid by overexpressing genes encoding elongase, Δ9-desaturase, and Δ12-desaturase originally expressed in A. oryzae. Ten genes were predicted to encode desaturases, and their overexpression DNA constructs were introduced into ARA1. AO090001000224 and AO090011000488 facilitated Δ12-desaturation and Δ9-desaturation most, respectively, following overexpression. Next, ARA1 strain was modified to DGLA1cre strain for producing free DGLA as a final product, and co-overexpression of these two desaturase genes was then introduced to DGLA1cre. Moreover, single overexpression of two genes predicted to encode elongases was additionally introduced, and only AO090003000572 facilitated elongation. Consequently, in the co-overexpression mutant of AO090001000224, AO090011000488, and AO090003000572, free DGLA content ratio increased by 1.8-fold from ARA1 to 14.5%, and the productivity also increased by 1.8-fold to 0.086 mmol/g-dry-cell-weight. The yield was 284 mg/L. These findings provided insights into strategies for improving microbial production of polyunsaturated FFAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Tamano
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2-17-2-1 Tsukisamu-Higashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 062-8517, Japan; AIST-Waseda University Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), AIST, 5-20, Building 63, Nishi-Waseda Campus, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.
| | - Yuta Yasunaka
- Hokkaido High-Technology College, 2-12-1 Meguminokita, Eniwa, Hokkaido 061-1396, Japan
| | - Misaki Kamishima
- Hokkaido High-Technology College, 2-12-1 Meguminokita, Eniwa, Hokkaido 061-1396, Japan
| | - Ayano Itoh
- Hokkaido High-Technology College, 2-12-1 Meguminokita, Eniwa, Hokkaido 061-1396, Japan
| | - Ai Miura
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2-17-2-1 Tsukisamu-Higashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 062-8517, Japan
| | - Eiichiro Kan
- Noda Institute for Scientific Research, 338 Noda, Noda-shi, Chiba 278-0037, Japan
| | - Yasuji Koyama
- Noda Institute for Scientific Research, 338 Noda, Noda-shi, Chiba 278-0037, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Tamura
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2-17-2-1 Tsukisamu-Higashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 062-8517, Japan; AIST-Waseda University Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), AIST, 5-20, Building 63, Nishi-Waseda Campus, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
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