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Nagy L, Vonk P, Künzler M, Földi C, Virágh M, Ohm R, Hennicke F, Bálint B, Csernetics Á, Hegedüs B, Hou Z, Liu X, Nan S, Pareek M, Sahu N, Szathmári B, Varga T, Wu H, Yang X, Merényi Z. Lessons on fruiting body morphogenesis from genomes and transcriptomes of Agaricomycetes. Stud Mycol 2023; 104:1-85. [PMID: 37351542 PMCID: PMC10282164 DOI: 10.3114/sim.2022.104.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Fruiting bodies (sporocarps, sporophores or basidiomata) of mushroom-forming fungi (Agaricomycetes) are among the most complex structures produced by fungi. Unlike vegetative hyphae, fruiting bodies grow determinately and follow a genetically encoded developmental program that orchestrates their growth, tissue differentiation and sexual sporulation. In spite of more than a century of research, our understanding of the molecular details of fruiting body morphogenesis is still limited and a general synthesis on the genetics of this complex process is lacking. In this paper, we aim at a comprehensive identification of conserved genes related to fruiting body morphogenesis and distil novel functional hypotheses for functionally poorly characterised ones. As a result of this analysis, we report 921 conserved developmentally expressed gene families, only a few dozens of which have previously been reported to be involved in fruiting body development. Based on literature data, conserved expression patterns and functional annotations, we provide hypotheses on the potential role of these gene families in fruiting body development, yielding the most complete description of molecular processes in fruiting body morphogenesis to date. We discuss genes related to the initiation of fruiting, differentiation, growth, cell surface and cell wall, defence, transcriptional regulation as well as signal transduction. Based on these data we derive a general model of fruiting body development, which includes an early, proliferative phase that is mostly concerned with laying out the mushroom body plan (via cell division and differentiation), and a second phase of growth via cell expansion as well as meiotic events and sporulation. Altogether, our discussions cover 1 480 genes of Coprinopsis cinerea, and their orthologs in Agaricus bisporus, Cyclocybe aegerita, Armillaria ostoyae, Auriculariopsis ampla, Laccaria bicolor, Lentinula edodes, Lentinus tigrinus, Mycena kentingensis, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Schizophyllum commune, providing functional hypotheses for ~10 % of genes in the genomes of these species. Although experimental evidence for the role of these genes will need to be established in the future, our data provide a roadmap for guiding functional analyses of fruiting related genes in the Agaricomycetes. We anticipate that the gene compendium presented here, combined with developments in functional genomics approaches will contribute to uncovering the genetic bases of one of the most spectacular multicellular developmental processes in fungi. Citation: Nagy LG, Vonk PJ, Künzler M, Földi C, Virágh M, Ohm RA, Hennicke F, Bálint B, Csernetics Á, Hegedüs B, Hou Z, Liu XB, Nan S, M. Pareek M, Sahu N, Szathmári B, Varga T, Wu W, Yang X, Merényi Z (2023). Lessons on fruiting body morphogenesis from genomes and transcriptomes of Agaricomycetes. Studies in Mycology 104: 1-85. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.104.01.
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Affiliation(s)
- L.G. Nagy
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - P.J. Vonk
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - M. Künzler
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland;
| | - C. Földi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - M. Virágh
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - R.A. Ohm
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - F. Hennicke
- Project Group Genetics and Genomics of Fungi, Chair Evolution of Plants and Fungi, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany;
| | - B. Bálint
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - Á. Csernetics
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - B. Hegedüs
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - Z. Hou
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - X.B. Liu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - S. Nan
- Institute of Applied Mycology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Hubei Province, PR China
| | - M. Pareek
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - N. Sahu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - B. Szathmári
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - T. Varga
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - H. Wu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - X. Yang
- Institute of Applied Mycology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Z. Merényi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
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2
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Wang Y, Liu Y, Jiang S, Zhao Y, Cai J, Hao W, Fu N. Antifungal antibodies present in intravenous immunoglobulin derived from China. Braz J Microbiol 2023; 54:81-92. [PMID: 36602749 PMCID: PMC9944592 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00894-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections usually occur in immunocompromised patients. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been used as therapeutic interventions for many infectious diseases, but seldom applied in mycosis due to unknown antifungal specificity. This study aims to determine the presence of antifungal antibodies in IVIG. Binding reactivity of IVIG with crude and recombinant antigens of Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans and Talaromyces marneffei were observed in a dose-dependent manner, similar with mixed normal human sera. The antifungal specificity was further confirmed by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) inhibited by rabbit specific antifungal polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) and homogenous crude antigens with inhibitions of 65.5-87.2% and 73.1-94.2%, respectively. Moreover, IVIG also reacted with fungal glycoproteins (Csa2, Cpl1 and Mp1p) in a dose-dependent way, which was inhibited by specific rabbit PAbs and homogenous antigens with different inhibitions and pulled down 72.8-83.8% of specific antibodies if preabsorption IVIG with Dynabeads® coupled with homogenous glycoproteins. These results furthermore verified the antifungal specificity of IVIG. Among four brands of IVIG, there was different antifungal IgG against C. albicans (P < 0.05) and C. neoformans (P < 0.05), while no difference for A. fumigatus (P = 0.086) and T. marneffei (P = 0.057). IVIG contained a significantly higher level of specific IgG for C. albicans than other three fungi (P <0.001). In conclusion, we proved antifungal IgG against C. albicans, A. fumigatus, C. neoformans and T. marneffei present in IVIG, which might be expected to provide a possible immunoregulation choice for mycosis and an evaluation to humoral immunity against fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfang Wang
- Innovation Platform for In Vitro Diagnosis of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China.
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yugu Liu
- Innovation Platform for In Vitro Diagnosis of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Susu Jiang
- Innovation Platform for In Vitro Diagnosis of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Innovation Platform for In Vitro Diagnosis of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianpiao Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Hao
- Innovation Platform for In Vitro Diagnosis of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Ning Fu
- Innovation Platform for In Vitro Diagnosis of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
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3
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Acosta-España JD, Voigt K. Mini Review: Risk Assessment, Clinical Manifestation, Prediction, and Prognosis of Mucormycosis: Implications for Pathogen- and Human-Derived Biomarkers. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:895989. [PMID: 35794908 PMCID: PMC9251460 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.895989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucormycosis is a fungal disease caused by members of the fungal order Mucorales, which are abundantly found in terrestrial environments. The fungi propagate clonally via mitospores, which are transmitted to humans through the air and cause superficial or invasive infections. The disease has emerged in recent years and coincides generally with immunosuppression on the patient side. Mucormycosis is still rarely recognized in the clinical because of its unspecific symptoms which often triggers misdiagnosis with bacterial or viral infections leading to prolonged therapeutic cycles and loss of valuable time to manage mucormycosis properly. Infected patients develop various clinical forms, most notably ranging from rhinocerebral via pulmonary to gastrointestinal forms. Traditional diagnosis is based on culture and histopathologic examinations of the affected tissue. But, the achievement of a precise result is time-consuming, labor-intensive, requires mycological expertise and the finding appears often too late. A rapid and precise diagnosis is mandatory because symptoms are non-specific and the disease is rapidly progressing with often fatal outcome. Mucormycosis was increasingly associated with other infections and underlying conditions and risk factors causing comorbidities, which are difficult to successfully manage. This mini-review summarizes the current knowledge on the epidemiology and causative agents of mucormycosis, transmission, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and highlights the lack of appropriate biomarkers on the pathogen and the host sides for rapid pathogen and host susceptibility detection, respectively. Fungal antigens and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human host genes are useful for the assessment of susceptibility. This mini-review addresses possibilities for early prediction of susceptibility to mucormycosis based on forecasting of the risk of infection with fungal pathogens other than Mucorales. The topic of early prediction and diagnosis of mucormycosis represents a current research gap and highlights the importance of potential future developments in the area of risk assessment, susceptibility prognosis in conjunction with early diagnosis to reduce mortality in patients suffering from mucormycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime David Acosta-España
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany,Department of Medical Microbiology, Hospital Vozandes Quito, Quito, Ecuador,School of Medicine, Universidad de las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Kerstin Voigt
- Jena Microbial Resource Collection, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany,*Correspondence: Kerstin Voigt,
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Ansari S, Mousavi A, Safarnejad MR, Farrokhi N, Alavi SM, Schillberg S, Nölke G. Selection and characterization of two monoclonal antibodies specific for the Aspergillus flavus major antigenic cell wall protein Aflmp1. Fungal Biol 2021; 125:621-629. [PMID: 34281655 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2021.03.004] [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: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus is a major fungal pathogen of plants and an opportunistic pathogen of humans. In addition to the direct impact of infection, it produces immunosuppressive and carcinogenic aflatoxins. The early detection of A. flavus is therefore necessary to diagnose and monitor fungal infection, to prevent aflatoxin contamination of food and feed, and for effective antifungal therapy. Aspergillus-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are promising as diagnostic and therapeutic reagents for the tracking and treatment of Aspergillus infections, respectively. However, A. flavus has a complex cell wall composition and dynamic morphology, hindering the discovery of mAbs with well-characterized targets. Here we describe the generation and detailed characterization of mAb5.52 (IgG2aκ) and mAb17.15 (IgG1κ), which bind specifically to the highly immunogenic cell wall antigen A. flavus mannoprotein 1 (Aflmp1). Both mAbs were generated using hybridoma technology following the immunization of mice with a recombinant truncated version of Aflmp1 (ExD, including the homologous CR4 domain) produced in bacteria. We show that mAb5.52 and mAb17.15 bind specifically to A. flavus and A. parasiticus cell wall fragments (CWFs), with no cross-reaction to CWFs from other fungal pathogens. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that both mAbs bind to the surface of Aspergillus hyphae and that mAb17.15 also binds to spores. The epitope for both mAbs is localized within the CR4 region of the Aflmp1 protein. These Aspergillus-specific mAbs may be useful for the early detection of fungal infection in food/feed crops, for serodiagnosis in patients with invasive aspergillosis caused by A. flavus infection and for the development of antibody-expressing disease-resistant crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeede Ansari
- Department of Plant Molecular Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Amir Mousavi
- Department of Plant Molecular Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Reza Safarnejad
- Department of Plant Viruses, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
| | - Naser Farrokhi
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mehdi Alavi
- Department of Plant Molecular Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Greta Nölke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
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5
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Pennerman KK, Yin G, Glenn AE, Bennett JW. Identifying candidate Aspergillus pathogenicity factors by annotation frequency. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:342. [PMID: 33176679 PMCID: PMC7661267 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-02031-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Members of the genus Aspergillus display a variety of lifestyles, ranging from saprobic to pathogenic on plants and/or animals. Increased genome sequencing of economically important members of the genus permits effective use of "-omics" comparisons between closely related species and strains to identify candidate genes that may contribute to phenotypes of interest, especially relating to pathogenicity. Protein-coding genes were predicted from 216 genomes of 12 Aspergillus species, and the frequencies of various structural aspects (exon count and length, intron count and length, GC content, and codon usage) and functional annotations (InterPro, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes terms) were compared. RESULTS Using principal component analyses, the three sets of functional annotations for each strain were clustered by species. The species clusters appeared to separate by pathogenicity on plants along the first dimensions, which accounted for over 20% of the variance. More annotations for genes encoding pectinases and secondary metabolite biosynthetic enzymes were assigned to phytopathogenic strains from species such as Aspergillus flavus. In contrast, Aspergillus fumigatus strains, which are pathogenic to animals but not plants, were assigned relatively more terms related to phosphate transferases, and carbohydrate and amino-sugar metabolism. Analyses of publicly available RNA-Seq data indicated that one A. fumigatus protein among 17 amino-sugar processing candidates, a hexokinase, was up-regulated during co-culturing with human immune system cells. CONCLUSION Genes encoding hexokinases and other proteins of interest may be subject to future manipulations to further refine understanding of Aspergillus pathogenicity factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla K Pennerman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Toxicology and Mycotoxin Research Unit, Athens, GA, 30605, USA.
| | - Guohua Yin
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Anthony E Glenn
- United States Department of Agriculture, Toxicology and Mycotoxin Research Unit, Athens, GA, 30605, USA
| | - Joan W Bennett
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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6
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GPI Anchored Proteins in Aspergillus fumigatus and Cell Wall Morphogenesis. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2020; 425:167-186. [PMID: 32418035 DOI: 10.1007/82_2020_207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored proteins are a class of proteins attached to the extracellular leaflet of the plasma membrane via a post-translational modification, the glycolipid anchor. GPI anchored proteins are expressed in all eukaryotes, from fungi to plants and animals. They display very diverse functions ranging from enzymatic activity, signaling, cell adhesion, cell wall metabolism, and immune response. In this review, we investigated for the first time an exhaustive list of all the GPI anchored proteins present in the Aspergillus fumigatus genome. An A. fumigatus mutant library of all the genes that encode in silico identified GPI anchored proteins has been constructed and the phenotypic analysis of all these mutants has been characterized including their growth, conidial viability or morphology, adhesion and the ability to form biofilms. We showed the presence of different fungal categories of GPI anchored proteins in the A. fumigatus genome associated to their role in cell wall remodeling, adhesion, and biofilm formation.
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7
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Mac Aogáin M, Tiew PY, Lim AYH, Low TB, Tan GL, Hassan T, Ong TH, Pang SL, Lee ZY, Gwee XW, Martinus C, Sio YY, Matta SA, Ong TC, Tiong YS, Wong KN, Narayanan S, Au VB, Marlier D, Keir HR, Tee A, Abisheganaden JA, Koh MS, Wang DY, Connolly JE, Chew FT, Chalmers JD, Chotirmall SH. Distinct "Immunoallertypes" of Disease and High Frequencies of Sensitization in Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2020; 199:842-853. [PMID: 30265843 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201807-1355oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Allergic sensitization is associated with poor clinical outcomes in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis; however, its presence, frequency, and clinical significance in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis remain unclear. OBJECTIVES To determine the frequency and geographic variability that exists in a sensitization pattern to common and specific allergens, including house dust mite and fungi, and to correlate such patterns to airway immune-inflammatory status and clinical outcomes in bronchiectasis. METHODS Patients with bronchiectasis were recruited in Asia (Singapore and Malaysia) and the United Kingdom (Scotland) (n = 238), forming the Cohort of Asian and Matched European Bronchiectasis, which matched recruited patients on age, sex, and bronchiectasis severity. Specific IgE response against a range of common allergens was determined, combined with airway immune-inflammatory status and correlated to clinical outcomes. Clinically relevant patient clusters, based on sensitization pattern and airway immune profiles ("immunoallertypes"), were determined. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A high frequency of sensitization to multiple allergens was detected in bronchiectasis, exceeding that in a comparator cohort with allergic rhinitis (n = 149). Sensitization was associated with poor clinical outcomes, including decreased pulmonary function and more severe disease. "Sensitized bronchiectasis" was classified into two immunoallertypes: one fungal driven and proinflammatory, the other house dust mite driven and chemokine dominant, with the former demonstrating poorer clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS Allergic sensitization occurs at high frequency in patients with bronchiectasis recruited from different global centers. Improving endophenotyping of sensitized bronchiectasis, a clinically significant state, and a "treatable trait" permits therapeutic intervention in appropriate patients, and may allow improved stratification in future bronchiectasis research and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micheál Mac Aogáin
- 1 Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Pei Yee Tiew
- 1 Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.,2 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Albert Yick Hou Lim
- 3 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
| | - Teck Boon Low
- 4 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Gan Liang Tan
- 2 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Tidi Hassan
- 5 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Thun How Ong
- 2 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Sze Lei Pang
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,7 Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zi Yang Lee
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xiao Wei Gwee
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christopher Martinus
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yang Yie Sio
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sri Anusha Matta
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tan Ching Ong
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yuen Seng Tiong
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kang Ning Wong
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | - Damien Marlier
- 8 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore
| | - Holly R Keir
- 9 University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland; and
| | - Augustine Tee
- 4 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore
| | | | - Mariko Siyue Koh
- 2 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - De Yun Wang
- 10 Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - John E Connolly
- 8 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore
| | - Fook Tim Chew
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - James D Chalmers
- 9 University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland; and
| | - Sanjay H Chotirmall
- 1 Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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8
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Woo PCY, Lau SKP, Lau CCY, Tung ETK, Au-Yeung RKH, Cai JP, Chong KTK, Sze KH, Kao RY, Hao Q, Yuen KY. Mp1p homologues as virulence factors in Aspergillus fumigatus. Med Mycol 2019; 56:350-360. [PMID: 28992243 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myx052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, we showed that Mp1p is an important virulence factor of Talaromyces marneffei, a dimorphic fungus phylogenetically closely related to Aspergillus fumigatus. In this study, we investigated the virulence properties of the four Mp1p homologues (Afmp1p, Afmp2p, Afmp3p, and Afmp4p) in A. fumigatus using a mouse model. All mice died 7 days after challenge with wild-type A. fumigatus QC5096, AFMP1 knockdown mutant, AFMP2 knockdown mutant and AFMP3 knockdown mutant and 28 days after challenge with AFMP4 knockdown mutant (P<.0001). Only 11% of mice died 30 days after challenge with AFMP1-4 knockdown mutant (P<.0001). For mice challenge with AFMP1-4 knockdown mutant, lower abundance of fungal elements was observed in brains, kidneys, and spleens compared to mice challenge with QC5096 at day 4 post-infection. Fungal counts in brains of mice challenge with QC5096 or AFMP4 knockdown mutant were significantly higher than those challenge with AFMP1-4 knockdown mutant (P<.01 and P<.05). Fungal counts in kidneys of mice challenge with QC5096 or AFMP4 knockdown mutant were significantly higher than those challenge with AFMP1-4 knockdown mutant (P<.001 and P<.001) and those of mice challenge with QC5096 were significantly higher than those challenge with AFMP4 knockdown mutant (P<.05). There is no difference among the survival rates of wild-type A. fumigatus, AFMP4 knockdown mutant and AFMP1-4 knockdown mutant, suggesting that Mp1p homologues in A. fumigatus do not mediate its virulence via improving its survival in macrophage as in the case in T. marneffei. Afmp1p, Afmp2p, Afmp3p, and Afmp4p in combination are important virulence factors of A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Susanna K P Lau
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Candy C Y Lau
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Edward T K Tung
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Rex K H Au-Yeung
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong -Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jian-Pao Cai
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Ken T K Chong
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kong Hung Sze
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Richard Y Kao
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Quan Hao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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9
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Ouyang H, Du T, Zhou H, Wilson IBH, Yang J, Latgé JP, Jin C. Aspergillus fumigatus phosphoethanolamine transferase gene gpi7 is required for proper transportation of the cell wall GPI-anchored proteins and polarized growth. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5857. [PMID: 30971734 PMCID: PMC6458175 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42344-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In fungi many proteins, which play important roles in maintaining the function of the cell wall and participating in pathogenic processes, are anchored to the cell surface by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. It has been known that modification and removal of phosphoethanolamine (EtN-P) on the second mannose residue in GPI anchors is important for maturation and sorting of GPI anchored proteins in yeast and mammalian cells, but is a step absent from some protist parasites. In Aspergillus fumigatus, an opportunistic fungal pathogen causing invasive aspergillosis in humans, GPI-anchored proteins are known to be involved in cell wall synthesis and virulence. In this report the gene encoding A. fumigatus EtN-P transferase GPI7 was investigated. By deletion of the gpi7 gene, we evaluated the effects of EtN-P modification on the morphogenesis of A. fumigatus and localization of GPI proteins. Our results showed that deletion of the gpi7 gene led to reduced cell membrane GPI anchored proteins, the mis-localization of the cell wall GPI anchored protein Mp1, abnormal polarity, and autophagy in A. fumigatus. Our results suggest that addition of EtN-P of the second mannose on the GPI anchor is essential for transportation and localization of the cell wall GPI-anchored proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haomiao Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ting Du
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Iain B H Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, A-1190, Austria
| | - Jinghua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jean-Paul Latgé
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Cheng Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
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10
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Talaromyces marneffei Mp1 Protein, a Novel Virulence Factor, Carries Two Arachidonic Acid-Binding Domains To Suppress Inflammatory Responses in Hosts. Infect Immun 2019; 87:IAI.00679-18. [PMID: 30670555 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00679-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Talaromyces marneffei infection causes talaromycosis (previously known as penicilliosis), a very important opportunistic systematic mycosis in immunocompromised patients. Different virulence mechanisms in T. marneffei have been proposed and investigated. In the sera of patients with talaromycosis, Mp1 protein (Mp1p), a secretory galactomannoprotein antigen with two tandem ligand-binding domains (Mp1p-LBD1 and Mp1p-LBD2), was found to be abundant. Mp1p-LBD2 was reported to possess a hydrophobic cavity to bind copurified palmitic acid (PLM). It was hypothesized that capturing of lipids from human hosts by expressing a large quantity of Mp1p is a virulence mechanism of T. marneffei It was shown that expression of Mp1p enhanced the intracellular survival of T. marneffei by suppressing proinflammatory responses. Mechanistic study of Mp1p-LBD2 suggested that arachidonic acid (AA), a precursor of paracrine signaling molecules for regulation of inflammatory responses, is the major physiological target of Mp1p-LBD2. In this study, we use crystallographic and biochemical techniques to further demonstrate that Mp1p-LBD1, the previously unsolved first lipid binding domain of Mp1p, is also a strong AA-binding domain in Mp1p. These studies on Mp1p-LBD1 support the idea that the highly expressed Mp1p is an effective AA-capturing protein. Each Mp1p can bind up to 4 AA molecules. The crystal structure of Mp1p-LBD1-LBD2 has also been solved, showing that both LBDs are likely to function independently with a flexible linker between them. T. marneffei and potentially other pathogens highly expressing and secreting proteins similar to Mp1p can severely disturb host signaling cascades during proinflammatory responses by reducing the availabilities of important paracrine signaling molecules.
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11
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Identification and evaluation of novel anchoring proteins for cell surface display on Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:3085-3097. [PMID: 30737536 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09667-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The development of arming yeast strains as whole-cell biocatalysts involves a selection of effective anchoring proteins to display enzymes and proteins on yeast cell surface. To screen for novel anchoring proteins with improved efficiency, a bioinformatics pipeline for the identification of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored cell wall proteins (GPI-CWPs) suitable for attaching passenger proteins to the cell surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been developed. Here, the C-terminal sequences (CTSs) of putative GPI-CWPs were selected based on the criteria that the sequence must contain a serine/threonine-rich (S/T) region of at least 30% S/T content, a total threonine content of at least 10%, a continuous S/T stretch of at least 130 amino acids in length, and a continuous T-rich region of at least 10 amino acids in length. Of the predicted 790 proteins, 37 putative GPI-CWPs were selected from different yeast and fungal species to be evaluated for their performance in displaying yeast-enhanced green fluorescent protein and β-glucosidase enzyme. This led to the identification of five novel anchoring proteins with higher performance compared to α-agglutinin used as benchmark. In particular, the CTS of uncharacterized protein in Kluyveromyces lactis, namely 6_Kl, is the most efficient anchoring protein of the group. The CTS of 6_Kl protein provided a β-glucosidase activity of up to 23.5 U/g cell dry weight, which is 2.8 times higher than that of the CTS of α-agglutinin. These identified CTSs could be potential novel anchoring protein candidates for construction of efficient arming yeasts for biotechnology applications in the future.
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12
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Wernery U, Tsang CC, Hebel C, Damerau A, Kinne J, Cai JP, Küspert H, Chan KF, Joseph M, Xue S, Raghavan R, Tang JYM, Syriac G, Lau SKP, Jose S, Woo PCY. Serodiagnosis of aspergillosis in falcons (Falco spp.) by an Afmp1p-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mycoses 2018; 61:600-609. [PMID: 29611232 DOI: 10.1111/myc.12776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillosis in falcons may be associated with high mortality and difficulties in clinical and laboratory diagnosis. We previously cloned an immunogenic protein, Afmp1p, in Aspergillus fumigatus and showed that anti-Afmp1p antibodies were present in human patients with A. fumigatus infections. In this study, we hypothesise that a similar Afmp1p-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) could be applied to serodiagnose falcon aspergillosis. A specific polyclonal antibody was first generated to detect falcon serum IgY. Horseradish peroxidase-conjugate of this antibody was then used to measure anti-Afmp1p antibodies in sera collected from falcons experimentally infected with A. fumigatus, and the performance of the Afmp1p-based ELISA was evaluated using sera from healthy falcons and falcons with documented A. fumigatus infections. All four experimentally infected falcons developed culture- and histology-proven invasive aspergillosis. Anti-Afmp1p antibodies were detected in their sera. For the Afmp1p-based ELISA, the mean ± SD OD450 nm using sera from 129 healthy falcons was 0.186 ± 0.073. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis showed an absorbance cut-off value of 0.407. One negative serum gave an absorbance outside the normal range, giving a specificity of 99.2%. For the 12 sera from falcons with confirmed aspergillosis, nine gave absorbance values ≥ cut-off, giving a sensitivity of 75%. The Afmp1p-based ELISA is useful for serodiagnosis of falcons with aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Wernery
- Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Chi-Ching Tsang
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | | | | | - Jörg Kinne
- Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jian-Piao Cai
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | | | - Ka-Fai Chan
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Marina Joseph
- Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shaolong Xue
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Rekha Raghavan
- Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - James Y M Tang
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Ginu Syriac
- Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Susanna K P Lau
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Collaborative Innovation Centre for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Shantymol Jose
- Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.,Collaborative Innovation Centre for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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13
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Schubert M, Spiegel H, Schillberg S, Nölke G. Aspergillus-specific antibodies - Targets and applications. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 36:1167-1184. [PMID: 29608951 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus is a fungal genus comprising several hundred species, many of which can damage the health of plants, animals and humans by direct infection and/or due to the production of toxic secondary metabolites known as mycotoxins. Aspergillus-specific antibodies have been generated against polypeptides, polysaccharides and secondary metabolites found in the cell wall or secretions, and these can be used to detect and monitor infections or to quantify mycotoxin contamination in food and feed. However, most Aspergillus-specific antibodies are generated against heterogeneous antigen preparations and the specific target remains unknown. Target identification is important because this can help to characterize fungal morphology, confirm host penetration by opportunistic pathogens, detect specific disease-related biomarkers, identify new candidate targets for antifungal drug design, and qualify antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this review, we discuss how antibodies are raised against heterogeneous Aspergillus antigen preparations and how they can be characterized, focusing on strategies to identify their specific antigens and epitopes. We also discuss the therapeutic, diagnostic and biotechnological applications of Aspergillus-specific antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Schubert
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Holger Spiegel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Institute for Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Phytopathology Department, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Greta Nölke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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14
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Lau SKP, Tsang CC, Woo PCY. Talaromyces marneffei Genomic, Transcriptomic, Proteomic and Metabolomic Studies Reveal Mechanisms for Environmental Adaptations and Virulence. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:E192. [PMID: 28608842 PMCID: PMC5488042 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9060192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Talaromycesmarneffei is a thermally dimorphic fungus causing systemic infections in patients positive for HIV or other immunocompromised statuses. Analysis of its ~28.9 Mb draft genome and additional transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic studies revealed mechanisms for environmental adaptations and virulence. Meiotic genes and genes for pheromone receptors, enzymes which process pheromones, and proteins involved in pheromone response pathway are present, indicating its possibility as a heterothallic fungus. Among the 14 Mp1p homologs, only Mp1p is a virulence factor binding a variety of host proteins, fatty acids and lipids. There are 23 polyketide synthase genes, one for melanin and two for mitorubrinic acid/mitorubrinol biosynthesis, which are virulence factors. Another polyketide synthase is for biogenesis of the diffusible red pigment, which consists of amino acid conjugates of monascorubin and rubropunctatin. Novel microRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) and processing proteins are present. The dicer protein, dcl-2, is required for biogenesis of two milRNAs, PM-milR-M1 and PM-milR-M2, which are more highly expressed in hyphal cells. Comparative transcriptomics showed that tandem repeat-containing genes were overexpressed in yeast phase, generating protein polymorphism among cells, evading host's immunity. Comparative proteomics between yeast and hyphal cells revealed that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, up-regulated in hyphal cells, is an adhesion factor for conidial attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna K P Lau
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Collaborative Innovation Centre for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Chi-Ching Tsang
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Collaborative Innovation Centre for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
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15
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Talaromyces marneffei Mp1p Is a Virulence Factor that Binds and Sequesters a Key Proinflammatory Lipid to Dampen Host Innate Immune Response. Cell Chem Biol 2017; 24:182-194. [PMID: 28111099 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2016.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei is one of the leading causes of systemic mycosis in immunosuppressed or AIDS patients in Southeast Asia. How this intracellular pathogen evades the host immune defense remains unclear. We provide evidence that T. marneffei depletes levels of a key proinflammatory lipid mediator arachidonic acid (AA) to evade the host innate immune defense. Mechanistically, an abundant secretory mannoprotein Mp1p, shown previously to be a virulence factor, does so by binding AA with high affinity via a long hydrophobic central cavity found in the LBD2 domain. This sequesters a critical proinflammatory signaling lipid, and we see evidence that AA, AA's downstream metabolites, and the cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α are downregulated in T. marneffei-infected J774 macrophages. Given that Mp1p-LBD2 homologs are identified in other fungal pathogens, we expect that this novel class of fatty-acid-binding proteins sequestering key proinflammatory lipid mediators represents a general virulence mechanism of pathogenic fungi.
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16
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Woo PCY, Lau SKP, Lau CCY, Tung ETK, Chong KTK, Yang F, Zhang H, Lo RKC, Cai JP, Au-Yeung RKH, Ng WF, Tse H, Wong SSY, Xu S, Lam WH, Tse MK, Sze KH, Kao RY, Reiner NE, Hao Q, Yuen KY. Mp1p Is a Virulence Factor in Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004907. [PMID: 27560160 PMCID: PMC4999278 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Talaromyces marneffei is an opportunistic dimorphic fungus prevalent in Southeast Asia. We previously demonstrated that Mp1p is an immunogenic surface and secretory mannoprotein of T. marneffei. Since Mp1p is a surface protein that can generate protective immunity, we hypothesized that Mp1p and/or its homologs are virulence factors. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined the pathogenic roles of Mp1p and its homologs in a mouse model. All mice died 21 and 30 days after challenge with wild-type T. marneffei PM1 and MP1 complemented mutant respectively. None of the mice died 60 days after challenge with MP1 knockout mutant (P<0.0001). Seventy percent of mice died 60 days after challenge with MP1 knockdown mutant (P<0.0001). All mice died after challenge with MPLP1 to MPLP13 knockdown mutants, suggesting that only Mp1p plays a significant role in virulence. The mean fungal loads of PM1 and MP1 complemented mutant in the liver, lung, kidney and spleen were significantly higher than those of the MP1 knockout mutant. Similarly, the mean load of PM1 in the liver, lung and spleen were significantly higher than that of the MP1 knockdown mutant. Histopathological studies showed an abundance of yeast in the kidney, spleen, liver and lung with more marked hepatic and splenic necrosis in mice challenged with PM1 compared to MP1 knockout and MP1 knockdown mutants. Likewise, a higher abundance of yeast was observed in the liver and spleen of mice challenged with MP1 complemented mutant compared to MP1 knockout mutant. PM1 and MP1 complemented mutant survived significantly better than MP1 knockout mutant in macrophages at 48 hours (P<0.01) post-infection. The mean fungal counts of Pichia pastoris GS115-MP1 in the liver (P<0.001) and spleen (P<0.05) of mice were significantly higher than those of GS115 at 24 hours post-challenge. Conclusions/Significance Mp1p is a key virulence factor of T. marneffei. Mp1p mediates virulence by improving the survival of T. marneffei in macrophages. Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei is an opportunistic thermal dimorphic fungus most prevalent in Southeast Asia. Our team has previously shown that Mp1p, a protein encoded by the MP1 gene, is an immunogenic surface and secretory protein of T. marneffei. In this study, we showed that mice challenged with T. marneffei with the MP1 gene died but those challenged with T. marneffei without the MP1 gene did not die. There was also significantly higher fungal load and more necrosis in organs of mice challenged with T. marneffei with the MP1 gene than T. marneffei without the MP1 gene. Furthermore, T. marneffei with the MP1 gene survived better in macrophages than T. marneffei without the MP1 gene and Pichia pastoris with the MP1 gene survived in mice better than P. pastoris without the MP1 gene. Our data support that Mp1p is a key virulence factor of T. marneffei and Mp1p mediates virulence by improving the survival of T. marneffei in macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C. Y. Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Susanna K. P. Lau
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Candy C. Y. Lau
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | - Ken T. K. Chong
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Fengjuan Yang
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Hongmin Zhang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Raymond K. C. Lo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jian-Pao Cai
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | - Wing-Fung Ng
- Department of Pathology, United Christian Hospital and Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Herman Tse
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Samson S. Y. Wong
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Simin Xu
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wai Hei Lam
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Man-Kit Tse
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kong Hung Sze
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Richard Y. Kao
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Neil E. Reiner
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Quan Hao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- * E-mail:
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17
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Chan JFW, Lau SKP, Wong SCY, To KKW, So SYC, Leung SSM, Chan SM, Pang CM, Xiao C, Hung IFN, Cheng VCC, Yuen KY, Woo PCY. A 10-year study reveals clinical and laboratory evidence for the 'semi-invasive' properties of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis. Emerg Microbes Infect 2016; 5:e37. [PMID: 27094904 PMCID: PMC4855073 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2016.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, infections caused by Aspergillus sp. have become an emerging focus of clinical microbiology and infectious disease, as the number of patients infected with Aspergillus sp. has increased markedly. Although chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is considered a ‘semi-invasive' or ‘intermediate' disease, little data are available for the direct comparison of CPA with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and pulmonary aspergilloma (PA) to quantify invasiveness. In this study, we compared the characteristics of CPA with those of IPA and PA among hospitalized patients over a 10-year period. A total of 29, 51 and 31 cases of CPA, IPA and PA, respectively, were included. An increasing trend in galactomannan antigen seropositivity rate from PA (24.1%) to CPA (35.7%) to IPA (54.9%) and an opposite trend for anti-Aspergillus antibody (PA (71.0%) to CPA (45.8%) to IPA (7.1%)) were observed. Eight percent of CPA patients were infected with more than one Aspergillus sp. The survival rate of the CPA group also fell between the survival rate of PA and IPA, confirming the intermediate severity of CPA. The survival rate of the CPA group became significantly higher than that of the IPA group from day 180 onwards until 2 years after admission (P<0.05). The survival rate of the CPA group remained lower than that of the PA group from day 30 onwards until 2 years after admission. Poor prognostic factors for CPA included older age (P=0.019), higher total leukocyte count (P=0.011) and higher neutrophil count (P=0.012) on admission. This study provided clinical and laboratory evidence for the semi-invasive properties of CPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Susanna Kar-Pui Lau
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Simon Yung-Chun So
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Siu-Mang Chan
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chiu-Mei Pang
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chenlu Xiao
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Patrick Chiu-Yat Woo
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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18
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Muñoz JF, Gauthier GM, Desjardins CA, Gallo JE, Holder J, Sullivan TD, Marty AJ, Carmen JC, Chen Z, Ding L, Gujja S, Magrini V, Misas E, Mitreva M, Priest M, Saif S, Whiston EA, Young S, Zeng Q, Goldman WE, Mardis ER, Taylor JW, McEwen JG, Clay OK, Klein BS, Cuomo CA. The Dynamic Genome and Transcriptome of the Human Fungal Pathogen Blastomyces and Close Relative Emmonsia. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005493. [PMID: 26439490 PMCID: PMC4595289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Three closely related thermally dimorphic pathogens are causal agents of major fungal diseases affecting humans in the Americas: blastomycosis, histoplasmosis and paracoccidioidomycosis. Here we report the genome sequence and analysis of four strains of the etiological agent of blastomycosis, Blastomyces, and two species of the related genus Emmonsia, typically pathogens of small mammals. Compared to related species, Blastomyces genomes are highly expanded, with long, often sharply demarcated tracts of low GC-content sequence. These GC-poor isochore-like regions are enriched for gypsy elements, are variable in total size between isolates, and are least expanded in the avirulent B. dermatitidis strain ER-3 as compared with the virulent B. gilchristii strain SLH14081. The lack of similar regions in related species suggests these isochore-like regions originated recently in the ancestor of the Blastomyces lineage. While gene content is highly conserved between Blastomyces and related fungi, we identified changes in copy number of genes potentially involved in host interaction, including proteases and characterized antigens. In addition, we studied gene expression changes of B. dermatitidis during the interaction of the infectious yeast form with macrophages and in a mouse model. Both experiments highlight a strong antioxidant defense response in Blastomyces, and upregulation of dioxygenases in vivo suggests that dioxide produced by antioxidants may be further utilized for amino acid metabolism. We identify a number of functional categories upregulated exclusively in vivo, such as secreted proteins, zinc acquisition proteins, and cysteine and tryptophan metabolism, which may include critical virulence factors missed before in in vitro studies. Across the dimorphic fungi, loss of certain zinc acquisition genes and differences in amino acid metabolism suggest unique adaptations of Blastomyces to its host environment. These results reveal the dynamics of genome evolution and of factors contributing to virulence in Blastomyces. Dimorphic fungal pathogens including Blastomyces are the cause of major fungal diseases in North and South America. The genus Emmonsia includes species infecting small mammals as well as a newly emerging pathogenic species recently reported in HIV-positive patients in South Africa. Here, we synthesize both genome sequencing of four isolates of Blastomyces and two species of Emmonsia as well as deep sequencing of Blastomyces RNA to draw major new insights into the evolution of this group and the pathogen response to infection. We investigate the trajectory of genome evolution of this group, characterizing the phylogenetic relationships of these species, a remarkable genome expansion that formed large isochore-like regions of low GC content in Blastomyces, and variation of gene content, related to host interaction, among the dimorphic fungal pathogens. Using RNA-Seq, we profile the response of Blastomyces to macrophage and mouse pulmonary infection, identifying key pathways and novel virulence factors. The identification of key fungal genes involved in adaptation to the host suggests targets for further study and therapeutic intervention in Blastomyces and related dimorphic fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- José F. Muñoz
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- Institute of Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Gregory M. Gauthier
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | | | - Juan E. Gallo
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- Doctoral Program in Biomedical Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jason Holder
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Thomas D. Sullivan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Amber J. Marty
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - John C. Carmen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Zehua Chen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Li Ding
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Sharvari Gujja
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Vincent Magrini
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Misas
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- Institute of Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Margaret Priest
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sakina Saif
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Emily A. Whiston
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Sarah Young
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Qiandong Zeng
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - William E. Goldman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elaine R. Mardis
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - John W. Taylor
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Juan G. McEwen
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Oliver K. Clay
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Bruce S. Klein
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Christina A. Cuomo
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Identification and Characterization of a Novel Galactofuranose-Specific β-D-Galactofuranosidase from Streptomyces Species. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137230. [PMID: 26340350 PMCID: PMC4560423 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
β-D-galactofuranose (Galf) is a component of polysaccharides and glycoconjugates and its transferase has been well analyzed. However, no β-D-galactofuranosidase (Galf-ase) gene has been identified in any organism. To search for a Galf-ase gene we screened soil samples and discovered a strain, identified as a Streptomyces species by the 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis, that exhibits Galf-ase activity for 4-nitrophenyl β-D-galactofuranoside (pNP-β-D-Galf) in culture supernatants. By draft genome sequencing of the strain, named JHA19, we found four candidate genes encoding Galf-ases. Using recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli, we found that three out of four candidates displayed the activity of not only Galf-ase but also α-L-arabinofuranosidase (Araf-ase), whereas the other one showed only the Galf-ase activity. This novel Galf-specific hydrolase is encoded by ORF1110 and has an optimum pH of 5.5 and a Km of 4.4 mM for the substrate pNP-β-D-Galf. In addition, this enzyme was able to release galactose residue from galactomannan prepared from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, suggesting that natural polysaccharides could be also substrates. By the BLAST search using the amino acid sequence of ORF1110 Galf-ase, we found that there are homolog genes in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, indicating that Galf-specific Galf-ases widely exist in microorganisms.
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20
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Lee KC, Tam EWT, Lo KC, Tsang AKL, Lau CCY, To KKW, Chan JFW, Lam CW, Yuen KY, Lau SKP, Woo PCY. Metabolomics Analysis Reveals Specific Novel Tetrapeptide and Potential Anti-Inflammatory Metabolites in Pathogenic Aspergillus species. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:13850-67. [PMID: 26090713 PMCID: PMC4490527 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160613850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2015] [Revised: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections related to Aspergillus species have emerged to become an important focus in infectious diseases, as a result of the increasing use of immunosuppressive agents and high fatality associated with invasive aspergillosis. However, laboratory diagnosis of Aspergillus infections remains difficult. In this study, by comparing the metabolomic profiles of the culture supernatants of 30 strains of six pathogenic Aspergillus species (A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, A. terreus, A. nomius and A. tamarii) and 31 strains of 10 non-Aspergillus fungi, eight compounds present in all strains of the six Aspergillus species but not in any strain of the non-Aspergillus fungi were observed. One of the eight compounds, Leu–Glu–Leu–Glu, is a novel tetrapeptide and represents the first linear tetrapeptide observed in Aspergillus species, which we propose to be named aspergitide. Two other closely related Aspergillus-specific compounds, hydroxy-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid and (sulfooxy)benzoic acid, may possess anti-inflammatory properties, as 2-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid possesses a structure similar to those of aspirin [2-(acetoxy)benzoic acid] and salicylic acid (2-hydroxybenzoic acid). Further studies to examine the potentials of these Aspergillus-specific compounds for laboratory diagnosis of aspergillosis are warranted and further experiments will reveal whether Leu–Glu–Leu–Glu, hydroxy-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid and (sulfooxy)benzoic acid are virulent factors of the pathogenic Aspergillus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim-Chung Lee
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Emily W T Tam
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Ka-Ching Lo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Alan K L Tsang
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Candy C Y Lau
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Kelvin K W To
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Jasper F W Chan
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Ching-Wan Lam
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Susanna K P Lau
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
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21
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Ambasta A, Carson J, Church DL. The use of biomarkers and molecular methods for the earlier diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. Med Mycol 2015; 53:531-57. [DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myv026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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22
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Misidentification of Aspergillus nomius and Aspergillus tamarii as Aspergillus flavus: characterization by internal transcribed spacer, β-Tubulin, and calmodulin gene sequencing, metabolic fingerprinting, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. J Clin Microbiol 2014; 52:1153-60. [PMID: 24452174 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.03258-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus nomius and Aspergillus tamarii are Aspergillus species that phenotypically resemble Aspergillus flavus. In the last decade, a number of case reports have identified A. nomius and A. tamarii as causes of human infections. In this study, using an internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin, and calmodulin gene sequencing, only 8 of 11 clinical isolates reported as A. flavus in our clinical microbiology laboratory by phenotypic methods were identified as A. flavus. The other three isolates were A. nomius (n = 2) or A. tamarii (n = 1). The results corresponded with those of metabolic fingerprinting, in which the A. flavus, A. nomius, and A. tamarii strains were separated into three clusters based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC MS) analysis. The first two patients with A. nomius infections had invasive aspergillosis and chronic cavitary and fibrosing pulmonary and pleural aspergillosis, respectively, whereas the third patient had A. tamarii colonization of the airway. Identification of the 11 clinical isolates and three reference strains by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) showed that only six of the nine strains of A. flavus were identified correctly. None of the strains of A. nomius and A. tamarii was correctly identified. β-Tubulin or the calmodulin gene should be the gene target of choice for identifying A. flavus, A. nomius, and A. tamarii. To improve the usefulness of MALDI-TOF MS, the number of strains for each species in MALDI-TOF MS databases should be expanded to cover intraspecies variability.
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23
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Komachi Y, Hatakeyama S, Motomatsu H, Futagami T, Kizjakina K, Sobrado P, Ekino K, Takegawa K, Goto M, Nomura Y, Oka T. GfsA encodes a novel galactofuranosyltransferase involved in biosynthesis of galactofuranose antigen of O-glycan in Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus fumigatus. Mol Microbiol 2013; 90:1054-1073. [PMID: 24118544 PMCID: PMC3907285 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The cells walls of filamentous fungi in the genus Aspergillus have galactofuranose (Galf)-containing polysaccharides and glycoconjugates, including O-glycans, N-glycans, fungal-type galactomannan and glycosylinositolphosphoceramide, which are important for cell wall integrity. Here, we attempted to identify galactofuranosyltransferases that couple Galf monomers onto other wall components in Aspergillus nidulans. Using reverse-genetic and biochemical approaches, we identified that the AN8677 gene encoded a galactofuranosyltransferase, which we called GfsA, involved in Galf antigen biosynthesis. Disruption of gfsA reduced binding of β-Galf-specific antibody EB-A2 to O-glycosylated WscA protein and galactomannoproteins. The results of an in-vitro Galf antigen synthase assay revealed that GfsA has β1,5- or β1,6-galactofuranosyltransferase activity for O-glycans in glycoproteins, uses UDP-d-Galf as a sugar donor, and requires a divalent manganese cation for activity. GfsA was found to be localized at the Golgi apparatus based on cellular fractionation experiments. ΔgfsA cells exhibited an abnormal morphology characterized by poor hyphal extension, hyphal curvature and limited formation of conidia. Several gfsA orthologues were identified in members of the Pezizomycotina subphylum of Ascomycota, including the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. To our knowledge, this is the first characterization of a fungal β-galactofuranosyltransferase, which was shown to be involved in Galf antigen biosynthesis of O-glycans in the Golgi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Komachi
- Department of Applied Microbial Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Shintaro Hatakeyama
- Department of Applied Microbial Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Haruka Motomatsu
- Department of Applied Microbial Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Taiki Futagami
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Karina Kizjakina
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Pablo Sobrado
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Keisuke Ekino
- Department of Applied Microbial Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kaoru Takegawa
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Goto
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Nomura
- Department of Applied Microbial Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Takuji Oka
- Department of Applied Microbial Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan
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24
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Lau SKP, Tse H, Chan JSY, Zhou AC, Curreem SOT, Lau CCY, Yuen KY, Woo PCY. Proteome profiling of the dimorphic fungus Penicillium marneffei extracellular proteins and identification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase as an important adhesion factor for conidial attachment. FEBS J 2013; 280:6613-26. [PMID: 24128375 DOI: 10.1111/febs.12566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Revised: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 10/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite being the most important thermal dimorphic fungus causing systemic mycosis in Southeast Asia, the pathogenic mechanisms of Penicillium marneffei remain largely unknown. By comparing the extracellular proteomes of P. marneffei in mycelial and yeast phases, we identified 12 differentially expressed proteins among which glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) were found to be upregulated in mycelial and yeast phases respectively. Based on previous findings in other pathogens, we hypothesized that these two extracellular proteins may be involved in adherence during P. marneffei-host interaction. Using inhibition assays with recombinant GAPDH (rGAPDH) proteins and anti-rGAPDH sera, we demonstrated that adhesion of P. marneffei conidia to fibronectin and laminin was inhibited by rGAPDH or rabbit anti-rGAPDH serum in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, a dose-dependent inhibition of conidial adherence to A549 pneumocytes by rGAPDH or rabbit anti-rGAPDH serum was observed, suggesting that P. marneffei GAPDH can mediate binding of conidia to human extracellular matrix proteins and pneumocytes. However, HSP60 did not exhibit similar inhibition on conidia adherence, and neither GAPDH norHSP60 exhibited inhibition on adherence to J774 or THP-1 macrophage cell lines. This report demonstrates GAPDH as an adherence factor in P. marneffei by mediating conidia adherence to host bronchoalveolar epithelium during the early establishment phase of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna K P Lau
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Research Centre of Infection and Immunology and Carol Yu Centre for Infection, University of Hong Kong, China; Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, China
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25
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Unraveling the molecular basis of temperature-dependent genetic regulation in Penicillium marneffei. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2013; 12:1214-24. [PMID: 23851338 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00159-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Penicillium marneffei is an opportunistic fungal pathogen endemic in Southeast Asia, causing lethal systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. P. marneffei grows in a mycelial form at the ambient temperature of 25°C and transitions to a yeast form at 37°C. The ability to alternate between the mycelial and yeast forms at different temperatures, namely, thermal dimorphism, has long been considered critical for the pathogenicity of P. marneffei, yet the underlying genetic mechanisms remain elusive. Here we employed high-throughput sequencing to unravel global transcriptional profiles of P. marneffei PM1 grown at 25 and 37°C. Among ∼11,000 protein-coding genes, 1,447 were overexpressed and 1,414 were underexpressed at 37°C. Counterintuitively, heat-responsive genes, predicted in P. marneffei through sequence comparison, did not tend to be overexpressed at 37°C. These results suggest that P. marneffei may take a distinct strategy of genetic regulation at the elevated temperature; the current knowledge concerning fungal heat response, based on studies of model fungal organisms, may not be applicable to P. marneffei. Our results further showed that the tandem repeat sequences (TRSs) are overrepresented in coding regions of P. marneffei genes, and TRS-containing genes tend to be overexpressed at 37°C. Furthermore, genomic sequences and expression data were integrated to characterize gene clusters, multigene families, and species-specific genes of P. marneffei. In sum, we present an integrated analysis and a comprehensive resource toward a better understanding of temperature-dependent genetic regulation in P. marneffei.
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26
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One single basic amino acid at the ω-1 or ω-2 site is a signal that retains glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein in the plasma membrane of Aspergillus fumigatus. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2013; 12:889-99. [PMID: 23584992 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00351-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Although the plasma membrane is the terminal destination for glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) proteins in higher eukaryotes, cell wall-attached GPI proteins (GPI-CWPs) are found in many fungal species. In yeast, some of the cis-requirements directing localization of GPI proteins to the plasma membrane or cell wall are now understood. However, it remains to be determined how Aspergillus fumigatus, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, signals, and sorts GPI proteins to either the plasma membrane or the cell wall. In this study, chimeric green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) were constructed as fusions with putative C-terminal GPI signal sequences from A. fumigatus Mp1p, Gel1p, and Ecm33p, as well as site-directed mutations thereof. By analyzing cellular localization of chimeric GFPs using Western blotting, electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy, we showed that, in contrast to yeast, a single Lys residue at the ω-1 or ω-2 site alone could retain GPI-anchored GFP in the plasma membrane. Although the signal for cell wall distribution has not been identified yet, it appeared that the threonine/serine-rich region at the C-terminal half of AfMp1 was not required for cell wall distribution. Based on our results, the cis-requirements directing localization of GPI proteins in A. fumigatus are different from those in yeast.
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27
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Barton RC. Laboratory diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis: from diagnosis to prediction of outcome. SCIENTIFICA 2013; 2013:459405. [PMID: 24278780 PMCID: PMC3820361 DOI: 10.1155/2013/459405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2012] [Accepted: 11/14/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis (IA), an infection caused by fungi in the genus Aspergillus, is seen in patients with immunological deficits, particularly acute leukaemia and stem cell transplantation, and has been associated with high rates of mortality in previous years. Diagnosing IA has long been problematic owing to the inability to culture the main causal agent A. fumigatus from blood. Microscopic examination and culture of respiratory tract specimens have lacked sensitivity, and biopsy tissue for histopathological examination is rarely obtainable. Thus, for many years there has been a great interest in nonculture-based techniques such as the detection of galactomannan, β -D-glucan, and DNA by PCR-based methods. Recent meta-analyses suggest that these approaches have broadly similar performance parameters in terms of sensitivity and specificity to diagnose IA. Improvements have been made in our understanding of the limitations of antigen assays and the standardisation of PCR-based DNA detection. Thus, in more recent years, the debate has focussed on how these assays can be incorporated into diagnostic strategies to maximise improvements in outcome whilst limiting unnecessary use of antifungal therapy. Furthermore, there is a current interest in applying these tests to monitor the effectiveness of therapy after diagnosis and predict clinical outcomes. The search for improved markers for the early and sensitive diagnosis of IA continues to be a challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard C. Barton
- Mycology Reference Centre, Department of Microbiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK
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28
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Development of monoclonal antibody-based galactomannoprotein antigen-capture ELISAs to detect Aspergillus fumigatus infection in the invasive aspergillosis rabbit models. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2012; 31:2943-50. [DOI: 10.1007/s10096-012-1645-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2012] [Accepted: 05/09/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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29
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Mela F, Fritsche K, de Boer W, van Veen JA, de Graaff LH, van den Berg M, Leveau JHJ. Dual transcriptional profiling of a bacterial/fungal confrontation: Collimonas fungivorans versus Aspergillus niger. ISME JOURNAL 2011; 5:1494-504. [PMID: 21614084 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2011.29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Interactions between bacteria and fungi cover a wide range of incentives, mechanisms and outcomes. The genus Collimonas consists of soil bacteria that are known for their antifungal activity and ability to grow at the expense of living fungi. In non-contact confrontation assays with the fungus Aspergillus niger, Collimonas fungivorans showed accumulation of biomass concomitant with inhibition of hyphal spread. Through microarray analysis of bacterial and fungal mRNA from the confrontation arena, we gained new insights into the mechanisms underlying the fungistatic effect and mycophagous phenotype of collimonads. Collimonas responded to the fungus by activating genes for the utilization of fungal-derived compounds and for production of a putative antifungal compound. In A. niger, differentially expressed genes included those involved in lipid and cell wall metabolism and cell defense, which correlated well with the hyphal deformations that were observed microscopically. Transcriptional profiles revealed distress in both partners: downregulation of ribosomal proteins and upregulation of mobile genetic elements in the bacteria and expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress and conidia-related genes in the fungus. Both partners experienced nitrogen shortage in each other's presence. Overall, our results indicate that the Collimonas/Aspergillus interaction is a complex interplay between trophism, antibiosis and competition for nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mela
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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What makes Aspergillus fumigatus a successful pathogen? Genes and molecules involved in invasive aspergillosis. Rev Iberoam Micol 2010; 27:155-82. [PMID: 20974273 DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2010.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2010] [Revised: 10/06/2010] [Accepted: 10/07/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes 90% of invasive aspergillosis (IA) due to Aspergillus genus, with a 50-95% mortality rate. It has been postulated that certain virulence factors are characteristic of A. fumigatus, but the "non-classical" virulence factors seem to be highly variable. Overall, published studies have demonstrated that the virulence of this fungus is multifactorial, associated with its structure, its capacity for growth and adaptation to stress conditions, its mechanisms for evading the immune system and its ability to cause damage to the host. In this review we intend to give a general overview of the genes and molecules involved in the development of IA. The thermotolerance section focuses on five genes related with the capacity of the fungus to grow at temperatures above 30°C (thtA, cgrA, afpmt1, kre2/afmnt1, and hsp1/asp f 12). The following sections discuss molecules and genes related to interaction with the host and with the immune responses. These sections include β-glucan, α-glucan, chitin, galactomannan, galactomannoproteins (afmp1/asp f 17 and afmp2), hydrophobins (rodA/hyp1 and rodB), DHN-melanin, their respective synthases (fks1, rho1-4, ags1-3, chsA-G, och1-4, mnn9, van1, anp1, glfA, pksP/alb1, arp1, arp2, abr1, abr2, and ayg1), and modifying enzymes (gel1-7, bgt1, eng1, ecm33, afpigA, afpmt1-2, afpmt4, kre2/afmnt1, afmnt2-3, afcwh41 and pmi); several enzymes related to oxidative stress protection such as catalases (catA, cat1/catB, cat2/katG, catC, and catE), superoxide dismutases (sod1, sod2, sod3/asp f 6, and sod4), fatty acid oxygenases (ppoA-C), glutathione tranferases (gstA-E), and others (afyap1, skn7, and pes1); and efflux transporters (mdr1-4, atrF, abcA-E, and msfA-E). In addition, this review considers toxins and related genes, such as a diffusible toxic substance from conidia, gliotoxin (gliP and gliZ), mitogillin (res/mitF/asp f 1), hemolysin (aspHS), festuclavine and fumigaclavine A-C, fumitremorgin A-C, verruculogen, fumagillin, helvolic acid, aflatoxin B1 and G1, and laeA. Two sections cover genes and molecules related with nutrient uptake, signaling and metabolic regulations involved in virulence, including enzymes, such as serine proteases (alp/asp f 13, alp2, and asp f 18), metalloproteases (mep/asp f 5, mepB, and mep20), aspartic proteases (pep/asp f 10, pep2, and ctsD), dipeptidylpeptidases (dppIV and dppV), and phospholipases (plb1-3 and phospholipase C); siderophores and iron acquisition (sidA-G, sreA, ftrA, fetC, mirB-C, and amcA); zinc acquisition (zrfA-H, zafA, and pacC); amino acid biosynthesis, nitrogen uptake, and cross-pathways control (areA, rhbA, mcsA, lysF, cpcA/gcn4p, and cpcC/gcn2p); general biosynthetic pathway (pyrG, hcsA, and pabaA), trehalose biosynthesis (tpsA and tpsB), and other regulation pathways such as those of the MAP kinases (sakA/hogA, mpkA-C, ste7, pbs2, mkk2, steC/ste11, bck1, ssk2, and sho1), G-proteins (gpaA, sfaD, and cpgA), cAMP-PKA signaling (acyA, gpaB, pkaC1, and pkaR), His kinases (fos1 and tcsB), Ca(2+) signaling (calA/cnaA, crzA, gprC and gprD), and Ras family (rasA, rasB, and rhbA), and others (ace2, medA, and srbA). Finally, we also comment on the effect of A. fumigatus allergens (Asp f 1-Asp f 34) on IA. The data gathered generate a complex puzzle, the pieces representing virulence factors or the different activities of the fungus, and these need to be arranged to obtain a comprehensive vision of the virulence of A. fumigatus. The most recent gene expression studies using DNA-microarrays may be help us to understand this complex virulence, and to detect targets to develop rapid diagnostic methods and new antifungal agents.
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Pongpom M, Vanittanakom N. Characterization of an MPLP6, a gene coding for a yeast phase specific, antigenic mannoprotein in Penicillium marneffei. Med Mycol 2010; 49:32-9. [PMID: 20608782 DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2010.496796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A gene encoding an antigenic mannoprotein of Penicillium marneffei, MPLP6, was isolated by an antibody screening approach and characterized. The polypeptide chain containing deduced 220 amino acids has a predicted molecular mass of 24 kDa. It has high similarity to Mp1p, the first mannoprotein antigen isolated from P. marneffei. The polypeptide sequence presents the property of cell wall mannoproteins by containing a putative N-terminal signal peptide and potential O-linked glycosylation sites. However, absence of a GPI-anchored signal sequence suggested that this protein is secreted. The MPLP6 transcript was present specifically in the pathogenic yeast form. The transcript was completely absent in the mold phase and conidia. The fusion protein produced in E. coli was Western immunoblotted with P. marneffei-infected human sera and 95% of the patients' sera were positive in the assay. None of the sera obtained from patients with aspergillosis, tuberculosis, histoplasmosis or cryptococcosis tested positive. These results suggest that Mplp6 can be used as a marker in a serodiagnostic assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monsicha Pongpom
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
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Thornton CR. Detection of Invasive Aspergillosis. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2010; 70:187-216. [DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2164(10)70006-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Adachi T, Ito J, Kawata K, Kaya M, Ishida H, Sahara H, Hata Y, Ogino C, Fukuda H, Kondo A. Construction of an Aspergillus oryzae cell-surface display system using a putative GPI-anchored protein. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2008; 81:711-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-008-1687-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2008] [Revised: 08/25/2008] [Accepted: 08/26/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Suresh MR, Bhatnagar PK, Das D. Molecular targets for diagnostics and therapeutics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV). JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES 2008; 11:1s-13s. [PMID: 19203466 DOI: 10.18433/j3j019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The large number of deaths in a short period of time due to the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) infection led to the unparalleled collaborative efforts world wide to determine and characterize the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The full genome sequence was determined within weeks of the first outbreak by the Canadian group with international collaboration. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the continual lack of a rapid laboratory test to aid the early diagnosis of suspected cases of SARS makes this area a priority for future research. To prevent deaths in the future, early diagnosis and therapy of this infectious disease is of paramount importance. METHODS This review describes the specific molecular targets for diagnostics and therapeutics of viral infection. RESULTS The three major diagnostic methods available for SARS includes viral RNA detection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), virus induced antibodies by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) or by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) of nucleocapsid protein (NP). The spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV is the major inducer of neutralizing antibodies. The receptor binding domain (RBD) in the S1 region of the spike glycoprotein contains multiple conformational epitopes that induces highly potent neutralizing antibodies. The genetically engineered attenuated form of the virus or viral vector vaccine encoding for the SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein has been shown to elicit protective immunity in vaccinated animals. CONCLUSION NP is the preferred target for routine detection of SARS-CoV infection by ELISA which is an economical method compared to other methods. The RBD of the spike glycoprotein is both a functional domain for cell receptor binding and also a major neutralizing determinant of SARS-CoV. The progress in evaluating a therapeutic or vaccine would depend on the avail ability of clinically relevant animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mavanur R Suresh
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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Well-characterized monoclonal antibodies against cell wall antigen of Aspergillus species improve immunoassay specificity and sensitivity. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2007; 15:194-202. [PMID: 18032591 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00362-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) based on the detection of Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) is complicated by the presence of cross-reactive GM epitopes in patient specimens. We have developed a novel and specific Aspergillus antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) by the selection of two well-characterized monoclonal antibodies from 17 candidate antibodies. The epitopes recognized by the monoclonal antibodies were present on the cell walls of the hyphae and the conidia of Aspergillus species, which were circulating or excreted as immunodominant antigens during the acute phase of IA established in the animal models. The detection of experimental Aspergillus-mediated antigenemia was suitably sensitive, and the sensitivity was comparable to that of a commercial GM detection ELISA kit (the Platelia Aspergillus assay). Moreover, the specificity of this assay was 100% when it was used to test 382 serum specimens and 120 urine specimens from healthy individuals. Cross-reactivity with other common opportunistic fungi, such as Penicillium and Candida species, and with purified GM protein derived from Aspergillus was not evident. Therefore, the chemical nature of the epitopes captured in this assay is most likely not associated with the GM structure, indicating that this newly developed Aspergillus antigen-capture ELISA is a promising tool for the diagnosis of IA without the risk of the false-positive results that are problematic with current GM antigen assays.
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Woo PCY, Lau CCY, Chong KTK, Tse H, Tsang DNC, Lee RA, Tse CWS, Que TL, Chung LMW, Ngan AHY, Hui WT, Wong SSY, Lau SKP, Yuen KY. MP1 homologue-based multilocus sequence system for typing the pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei: a novel approach using lineage-specific genes. J Clin Microbiol 2007; 45:3647-54. [PMID: 17881546 PMCID: PMC2168507 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00619-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A highly reproducible and discriminative typing system is essential for better understanding of the epidemiology of Penicillium marneffei, the most important thermal dimorphic fungus causing respiratory, skin, and systemic mycosis in Southeast Asia. The sequences of 11 housekeeping genes were identical among 10 strains of P. marneffei, but those of MP1 and its 13 homologues, a novel superfamily of mannoproteins in the subdivision Pezizomycotina of Ascomycetes, mostly species of Penicillium and Aspergillus, showed significant variations. Therefore, a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) system for P. marneffei was constructed using MP1 (549 bp) and the four of its homologues (MPLP4 [337 bp], MPLP7 [347 bp], MPLP10 [546 bp], and MPLP13 [422 bp]) that showed the greatest variations. Among the 2,201 bp of the five loci, 183 polymorphic sites were observed in 44 strains of P. marneffei. The median number of alleles at each locus was five (range, 5 [MPLP4, MPLP7, and MPLP13] to 15 [MPLP10]). Four of the five genes had nonsynonymous substitution/synonymous substitution (d(n)/d(s)) ratios of >1. A total of 35 different sequence types (STs) were assigned to the 44 P. marneffei isolates, with 28 of the 35 STs identified only once. The discriminatory power was 0.9884. MP1 and its homologues were better than housekeeping genes for MLST in P. marneffei. Due to their more rapid evolutionary rates, lineage-specific genes may be better candidates than housekeeping genes for sequence-based typing, especially in microbes that evolve slowly or have evolved recently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
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Woo PCY, Chong KTK, Lau CCY, Wong SSY, Lau SKP, Yuen KY. A novel approach for screening immunogenic proteins inPenicillium marneffeiusing the ÎAFMP1ÎAFMP2deletion mutant ofAspergillus fumigatus. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2006; 262:138-47. [PMID: 16923068 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00376.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Using serum from guinea-pigs immunized with a DeltaAFMP1DeltaAFMP2 deletion mutant of Aspergillus fumigatus to screen a cDNA library of A. fumigatus, we cloned a novel immunogenic 57-kDa protein in A. fumigatus. We also cloned its 55-kDa homologue in Penicillium marneffei, which was possibly related to amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism, with homologues present only in the subphylum Pezizomycotina of Ascomycota. The recombinant 55-kDa protein of P. marneffei reacted strongly with guinea-pig serum immunized with P. marneffei and with the sera of patients with P. marneffei infection. A similar approach could be applied to immunogenic protein screening in other microorganisms for serological diagnosis, epidemiological studies and the study of vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Woo PCY, Chong KTK, Tse H, Cai JJ, Lau CCY, Zhou AC, Lau SKP, Yuen KY. Genomic and experimental evidence for a potential sexual cycle in the pathogenic thermal dimorphic fungus Penicillium marneffei. FEBS Lett 2006; 580:3409-16. [PMID: 16714021 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2006] [Revised: 04/26/2006] [Accepted: 05/03/2006] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
All meiotic genes (except HOP1) and genes encoding putative pheromone processing enzymes, pheromone receptors and pheromone response pathways proteins in Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus nidulans and a putative MAT-1 alpha box mating-type gene were present in the Penicillium marneffei genome. A putative MAT-2 high-mobility group mating-type gene was amplified from a MAT-1 alpha box mating-type gene-negative P. marneffei strain. Among 37 P. marneffei patient strains, MAT-1 alpha box and MAT-2 high-mobility group mating-type genes were present in 23 and 14 isolates, respectively. We speculate that P. marneffei can potentially be a heterothallic fungus that does not switch mating type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
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Elguezabal N, Lopitz-Otsoa F, Laín A, de Larrinoa IF, Moragues MD, Pontón J. Serodiagnosis of mycoses using recombinant antigens. Mycopathologia 2006; 160:97-109. [PMID: 16170604 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-005-0144-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2005] [Accepted: 06/29/2005] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The early diagnosis of mycoses is important for the institution of an effective antifungal therapy. Detection of antibodies against crude antigenic extracts is one of the standard techniques for the diagnosis of most mycoses. However, while these crude antigenic extracts are relatively easy to obtain, they usually show low reproducibility and are not very specific, since antibodies from patients with different mycoses may show cross-reactivity. The application of molecular biology techniques to the study of fungal antigens has allowed the production of recombinant antigens that may help to solve these problems. The purpose of this review is to discuss the use of recombinant fungal antigens in the diagnosis of mycoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Elguezabal
- Departamento de Inmunología, Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad del País Vasco, Bilbao, Vizcaya, Spain.
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Damveld RA, Arentshorst M, VanKuyk PA, Klis FM, van den Hondel CAMJJ, Ram AFJ. Characterisation of CwpA, a putative glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored cell wall mannoprotein in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. Fungal Genet Biol 2005; 42:873-85. [PMID: 16154783 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2005.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2005] [Revised: 06/22/2005] [Accepted: 06/22/2005] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins in fungi are found at the cell surface, either as plasma membrane proteins (GPI-PMPs) or attached by a remnant of the GPI-anchor to the cell wall (GPI-CWPs). GPI-CWPs can be extracted from the cell wall by treatment with hydrofluoric acid (HF), which cleaves the phosphodiester bond that is present in the remnant of the GPI-anchor. The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger contains at least seven HF-extractable cell wall mannoproteins. One gene encoding an HF-extractable cell wall mannoprotein, cwpA, was cloned and further characterised. The protein sequence of CwpA indicated the presence of two hydrophobic signal sequences both at the N-terminus and C-terminus of the protein, for entering the ER and the addition of a GPI-anchor, respectively. A CwpA-specific antiserum was raised and in combination with fractionation experiments, we show that this protein was abundantly present as an HF-extractable protein in the cell wall of A. niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robbert A Damveld
- Institute of Biology, Clusius Laboratory, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
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Hope WW, Walsh TJ, Denning DW. Laboratory diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2005; 5:609-22. [PMID: 16183515 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(05)70238-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 343] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis occurs in a wide range of clinical scenarios, is protean in its manifestations, and is still associated with an unacceptably high mortality rate. Early diagnosis is critical to a favourable outcome, but is difficult to achieve with current methods. Deep tissue diagnostic specimens are often difficult to obtain from critically ill patients. Newer antifungal agents exhibit differential mould activity, thus increasing the importance of establishing a specific diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. For these reasons, a range of alternate diagnostic strategies have been investigated. Most investigative efforts have focused on molecular and serological diagnostic techniques. The detection of metabolites produced by Aspergillus spp and a range of aspergillus-specific antibodies represent additional, but relatively underused, diagnostic avenues. The detection of galactomannan has been incorporated into diagnostic criteria for invasive aspergillosis, reflecting an increased understanding of the performance, utility, and limitations of this technique. Measurement of (1,3)-beta-D glucan in blood may be useful as a preliminary screening tool for invasive aspergillosis, despite the fact that this antigen can be detected in a number of other fungi. There have been extensive efforts directed toward the detection of Aspergillus spp DNA, but a lack of technical standardisation and relatively poor understanding of DNA release and kinetics continues to hamper the broad applicability of this technique. This review considers the application, utility, and limitations of the currently available and investigational diagnostic modalities for invasive aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- W W Hope
- School of Medicine, University of Manchester and Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK
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Woo PCY, Lau SKP, Wong BHL, Tsoi HW, Fung AMY, Kao RYT, Chan KH, Peiris JSM, Yuen KY. Differential sensitivities of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus spike polypeptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and SARS coronavirus nucleocapsid protein ELISA for serodiagnosis of SARS coronavirus pneumonia. J Clin Microbiol 2005; 43:3054-8. [PMID: 16000415 PMCID: PMC1169156 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.43.7.3054-3058.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid protein (N) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based antibody and antigen tests for diagnosis of SARS-CoV infections have been widely reported. However, no recombinant SARS-CoV spike protein (S)-based ELISA is currently available. In this article, we describe the problems and solutions of setting up the recombinant SARS-CoV S-based ELISA for antibody detection. The SARS-CoV S-based immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG ELISAs were evaluated and compared with the corresponding N-based ELISA for serodiagnosis of SARS-CoV pneumonia, using sera from 148 healthy blood donors who donated blood 3 years ago as controls and 95 SARS-CoV pneumonia patients in Hong Kong. Results obtained by the recombinant S (rS)-based IgG ELISA using the regenerated S prepared by dialysis with decreasing concentrations of urea or direct addition of different coating buffers, followed by addition of different regeneration buffer, identified 4 M urea and 1 M sarcosine for plate coating and no regeneration buffer as the most optimal conditions for antibody detection. The specificities of the S-based ELISA for IgG and IgM detection were 98.6% and 93.9%, with corresponding sensitivities of 58.9% and 74.7%, respectively. The sensitivity of the rN IgG ELISA (94.7%) is significantly higher than that of the rS IgG ELISA (P < 0.001), whereas the sensitivity of the rS IgM ELISA is significantly higher than that of the rN IgM ELISA (55.2%) (P < 0.01). An ELISA for detection of IgM against S and N could be more sensitive than one that detects IgM against N alone for serodiagnosis of SARS-CoV pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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Rementeria A, López-Molina N, Ludwig A, Vivanco AB, Bikandi J, Pontón J, Garaizar J. Genes and molecules involved in Aspergillus fumigatus virulence. Rev Iberoam Micol 2005; 22:1-23. [PMID: 15813678 DOI: 10.1016/s1130-1406(05)70001-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus causes a wide range of diseases that include mycotoxicosis, allergic reactions and systemic diseases (invasive aspergillosis) with high mortality rates. Pathogenicity depends on immune status of patients and fungal strain. There is no unique essential virulence factor for development of this fungus in the patient and its virulence appears to be under polygenetic control. The group of molecules and genes associated with the virulence of this fungus includes many cell wall components, such as beta-(1-3)-glucan, galactomannan, galactomannanproteins (Afmp1 and Afmp2), and the chitin synthetases (Chs; chsE and chsG), as well as others. Some genes and molecules have been implicated in evasion from the immune response, such as the rodlets layer (rodA/hyp1 gene) and the conidial melanin-DHN (pksP/alb1 gene). The detoxifying systems for Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by catalases (Cat1p and Cat2p) and superoxide dismutases (MnSOD and Cu, ZnSOD), had also been pointed out as essential for virulence. In addition, this fungus produces toxins (14 kDa diffusible substance from conidia, fumigaclavin C, aurasperon C, gliotoxin, helvolic acid, fumagilin, Asp-hemolysin, and ribotoxin Asp fI/mitogilin F/restrictocin), allergens (Asp f1 to Asp f23), and enzymatic proteins as alkaline serin proteases (Alp and Alp2), metalloproteases (Mep), aspartic proteases (Pep and Pep2), dipeptidyl-peptidases (DppIV and DppV), phospholipase C and phospholipase B (Plb1 and Plb2). These toxic substances and enzymes seems to be additive and/or synergistic, decreasing the survival rates of the infected animals due to their direct action on cells or supporting microbial invasion during infection. Adaptation ability to different trophic situations is an essential attribute of most pathogens. To maintain its virulence attributes A. fumigatus requires iron obtaining by hydroxamate type siderophores (ornitin monooxigenase/SidA), phosphorous obtaining (fos1, fos2, and fos3), signal transductional falls that regulate morphogenesis and/or usage of nutrients as nitrogen (rasA, rasB, rhbA), mitogen activated kinases (sakA codified MAP-kinase), AMPc-Pka signal transductional route, as well as others. In addition, they seem to be essential in this field the amino acid biosynthesis (cpcA and homoaconitase/lysF), the activation and expression of some genes at 37 degrees C (Hsp1/Asp f12, cgrA), some molecules and genes that maintain cellular viability (smcA, Prp8, anexins), etc. Conversely, knowledge about relationship between pathogen and immune response of the host has been improved, opening new research possibilities. The involvement of non-professional cells (endothelial, and tracheal and alveolar epithelial cells) and professional cells (natural killer or NK, and dendritic cells) in infection has been also observed. Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMP) and Patterns Recognizing Receptors (PRR; as Toll like receptors TLR-2 and TLR-4) could influence inflammatory response and dominant cytokine profile, and consequently Th response to infec tion. Superficial components of fungus and host cell surface receptors driving these phenomena are still unknown, although some molecules already associated with its virulence could also be involved. Sequencing of A. fumigatus genome and study of gene expression during their infective process by using DNA microarray and biochips, promises to improve the knowledge of virulence of this fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitor Rementeria
- Departamento Inmunología, Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco, Spain.
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Woo PCY, Lau SKP, Wong BHL, Chan KH, Hui WT, Kwan GSW, Peiris JSM, Couch RB, Yuen KY. False-positive results in a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay due to HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E rectified by Western blotting with recombinant SARS-CoV spike polypeptide. J Clin Microbiol 2005; 42:5885-8. [PMID: 15583332 PMCID: PMC535232 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.42.12.5885-5888.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Using paired serum samples obtained from patients with illness associated with increases in anti-human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43) or anti-HCoV-229E antibodies, we examined the possibility of false-positive results detected in a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid protein immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Three of the 21 and 1 of the 7 convalescent-phase serum samples from persons with increases in antibodies against HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E, respectively, tested positive by the recombinant SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein-based ELISA. None of these samples were found to contain a specific antibody in the recombinant SARS-CoV spike polypeptide-based Western blot assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
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Woo PCY, Lau SKP, Wong BHL, Chan KH, Chu CM, Tsoi HW, Huang Y, Peiris JSM, Yuen KY. Longitudinal profile of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA antibodies against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus nucleocapsid protein in patients with pneumonia due to the SARS coronavirus. CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY IMMUNOLOGY 2005; 11:665-8. [PMID: 15242938 PMCID: PMC440610 DOI: 10.1128/cdli.11.4.665-668.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
By using a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid protein-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum specimens serially collected (from day 0 to day 240 after symptom onset) from patients with pneumonia due to SARS-CoV, we analyzed the longitudinal profiles of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA antibodies against the SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein in patients with pneumonia due to SARS-CoV. For IgG, the median optical density at 450 nm (OD450) turned positive at day 17 and a biphasic response was observed. At day 240, all patients were still positive for anti-nucleocapsid protein IgG antibody. For IgM, the median OD450 turned positive at day 20.5, peaked at about day 80, and fell to below the baseline level at about day 180. At day 240, 36% of the patients were still positive for anti-nucleocapsid protein IgM antibody. For IgA, the median OD450 turned positive at day 17, peaked at about day 50, and fell to below the baseline level at about day 180. At day 240, 36% of the patients were still positive for anti-nucleocapsid protein IgA antibody. The time of seroconversion detected by the recombinant SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein-based ELISA and that detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay were similar. The median times of seroconversion for IgG, IgM, and IgA detected by the indirect immunofluorescence assay were 17 days (17 days by ELISA), 16.5 days (20.5 days by ELISA), and 17.5 days (17 days by ELISA), respectively, after disease onset. One, four, and one of the six patients who died did not produce any IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies against the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV, respectively, although these antibodies were detected in all six patients by the indirect immunofluorescence assay. Further studies should be performed to see whether SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein antibody positivity has any prognostic significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Woo PCY, Lau SKP, Wong BHL, Tsoi HW, Fung AMY, Chan KH, Tam VKP, Peiris JSM, Yuen KY. Detection of specific antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus nucleocapsid protein for serodiagnosis of SARS coronavirus pneumonia. J Clin Microbiol 2004; 42:2306-9. [PMID: 15131220 PMCID: PMC404667 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.42.5.2306-2309.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We report the evaluation of recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based antibody tests for serodiagnosis of SARS-CoV pneumonia and compare the sensitivities and specificities of this ELISA for detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, IgA, and their combinations with serum samples from 149 healthy blood donors who donated blood 3 years ago as controls and 106 SARS-CoV pneumonia patients in Hong Kong. The specificities of the ELISA for IgG, IgM, and IgA detection were 95.3, 96.6, and 96.6%, respectively, with corresponding sensitivities of 94.3, 59.4, and 60.4%, respectively. The present ELISA appears to be a sensitive test for serodiagnosis of SARS-CoV pneumonia, is much more economical and less labor-intensive than the indirect immunofluorescence assay, and does not require cultivation of SARS-CoV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
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Chong KTK, Woo PCY, Lau SKP, Huang Y, Yuen KY. AFMP2 encodes a novel immunogenic protein of the antigenic mannoprotein superfamily in Aspergillus fumigatus. J Clin Microbiol 2004; 42:2287-91. [PMID: 15131215 PMCID: PMC404668 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.42.5.2287-2291.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We cloned the Aspergillus fumigatus mannoprotein 2 (AFMP2) gene, which encodes a novel immunogenic protein (Afmp2p) of the antigenic mannoprotein superfamily, in A. fumigatus. Sequence analysis revealed that Afmp2p has 510 amino acid residues, with a predicted molecular mass of 51.5 kDa. Afmp2p has a putative N-terminal signal peptide, a putative C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane attachment signal sequence, and an upstream GAA cleavage site commonly used for cytoplasmic membrane attachment and implicated in fungal cell wall assembly. Upstream of the GAA cleavage site, Afmp2p contains a 302-amino-acid serine- and threonine-rich region as a site for potential O-glycosylation. Within this serine- and threonine-rich region, 13 repeats of ETSTPCE(T)(n) were observed. Western blot analysis of Afmp2p in A. fumigatus fungal cell lysate and culture supernatant and immunogold staining and electron microscopy showed that Afmp2p is predominantly secreted into the culture supernatant, whereas only minimal amounts can be detected in the cell lysate and cell wall. Finally, it was observed that patients with aspergilloma and invasive aspergillosis due to A. fumigatus develop a specific antibody response against recombinant Afmp2p. The abundance of Afmp2p in secreted form, its minimal cross-reactivity with Afmp1p, and the presence of an antibody response against Afmp2p in patients with A. fumigatus infections suggest that Afmp2p is a good candidate for complementing Afmp1p in serodiagnosis of A. fumigatus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken T K Chong
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Chu CM, Woo PCY, Chong KTK, Leung WS, Chan VL, Yuen KY. Association of presence of Aspergillus antibodies with hemoptysis in patients with old tuberculosis or bronchiectasis but no radiologically visible mycetoma. J Clin Microbiol 2004; 42:665-9. [PMID: 14766834 PMCID: PMC344487 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.42.2.665-669.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Old tuberculosis and bronchiectasis are the two most important causes of chronic structural changes of lungs in our locality. In the absence of radiologically visible mycetoma, the cause of hemoptysis in these two groups of patients is largely unknown. A 17-month prospective study was carried out to compare the prevalence of Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus antibodies in hemoptysis patients with old tuberculosis or bronchiectasis but no radiologically visible mycetoma (cases, n = 38), hemoptysis patients with other diagnosis (control group 1, n = 29), and patients with old tuberculosis or bronchiectasis but no hemoptysis (control group 2, n = 47) by a recently developed sensitive and specific A. fumigatus and A. flavus antibody assay. There were a significantly larger number of patients with antibody against A. fumigatus or A. flavus among the cases than among the patients in control groups 1 and 2 (P < 0.05 in both comparisons). Molds were not recovered from any of the patients. Among the 10 cases with Aspergillus antibody, eight and two had antibody against A. flavus and A. fumigatus, respectively. We conclude that there was an association between the presence of Aspergillus antibodies and hemoptysis in patients with old tuberculosis or bronchiectasis, suggesting that these patients probably had occult infections caused by the corresponding fungi. Development of serological tests against other Aspergillus species as well as other causes of mycetoma will probably increase the detection of occult mold infections in patients with existing parenchymal lung diseases, and treatment of fungal microinvasion may help to alleviate hemoptysis in these patients with bronchiectasis or old tuberculosis who have Aspergillus antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung-Ming Chu
- Department of Medicine, United Christian Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Woo PCY, Lau SKP, Tsoi HW, Chan KH, Wong BHL, Che XY, Tam VKP, Tam SCF, Cheng VCC, Hung IFN, Wong SSY, Zheng BJ, Guan Y, Yuen KY. Relative rates of non-pneumonic SARS coronavirus infection and SARS coronavirus pneumonia. Lancet 2004; 363:841-5. [PMID: 15031027 PMCID: PMC7112439 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(04)15729-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the genome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has been sequenced and a possible animal reservoir identified, seroprevalence studies and mass screening for detection of subclinical and non-pneumonic infections are still lacking. METHODS We cloned and purified the nucleocapsid protein and spike polypeptide of SARS-CoV and examined their immunogenicity with serum from patients with SARS-CoV pneumonia. An ELISA based on recombinant nucleocapsid protein for IgG detection was tested with serum from 149 healthy blood donors who donated 3 years previously and with serum positive for antibodies against SARS-CoV (by indirect immunofluorescence assay) from 106 patients with SARS-CoV pneumonia. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV was studied with the ELISA in healthy blood donors who donated during the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong, non-pneumonic hospital inpatients, and symptom-free health-care workers. All positive samples were confirmed by two separate western-blot assays (with recombinant nucleocapsid protein and recombinant spike polypeptide). FINDINGS Western-blot analysis showed that the nucleocapsid protein and spike polypeptide of SARS-CoV are highly immunogenic. The specificity of the IgG antibody test (ELISA with positive samples confirmed by the two western-blot assays) was 100%, and the sensitivity was 94.3%. Three of 400 healthy blood donors who donated during the SARS outbreak and one of 131 non-pneumonic paediatric inpatients were positive for IgG antibodies, confirmed by the two western-blot assays (total, 0.48% of our study population). INTERPRETATION Our findings support the existence of subclinical or non-pneumonic SARS-CoV infections. Such infections are more common than SARS-CoV pneumonia in our locality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick CY Woo
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Susanna KP Lau
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Hoi-wah Tsoi
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok-hung Chan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Beatrice HL Wong
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Xiao-yan Che
- Central Laboratory, Zhujiang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Victoria KP Tam
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Sidney CF Tam
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Vincent CC Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Ivan FN Hung
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Samson SY Wong
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Bo-jian Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Yi Guan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok-yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
- Correspondence to: Prof Kwok-yung Yuen
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Woo PCY, Zhen H, Cai JJ, Yu J, Lau SKP, Wang J, Teng JLL, Wong SSY, Tse RH, Chen R, Yang H, Liu B, Yuen KY. The mitochondrial genome of the thermal dimorphic fungus Penicillium marneffei is more closely related to those of molds than yeasts. FEBS Lett 2004; 555:469-77. [PMID: 14675758 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-5793(03)01307-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
We report the complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome of Penicillium marneffei, the first complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of a thermal dimorphic fungus. This 35 kb mitochondrial genome contains the genes encoding ATP synthase subunits 6, 8, and 9 (atp6, atp8, and atp9), cytochrome oxidase subunits I, II, and III (cox1, cox2, and cox3), apocytochrome b (cob), reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide ubiquinone oxireductase subunits (nad1, nad2, nad3, nad4, nad4L, nad5, and nad6), ribosomal protein of the small ribosomal subunit (rps), 28 tRNAs, and small and large ribosomal RNAs. Analysis of gene contents, gene orders, and gene sequences revealed that the mitochondrial genome of P. marneffei is more closely related to those of molds than yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, PR China
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