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Choi Y, Yu SR, Lee Y, Na AY, Lee S, Heitman J, Seo R, Lee HS, Lee JS, Bahn YS. Casein kinase 2 complex: a central regulator of multiple pathobiological signaling pathways in Cryptococcus neoformans. mBio 2024; 15:e0327523. [PMID: 38193728 PMCID: PMC10865844 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03275-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The casein kinase 2 (CK2) complex has garnered extensive attention over the past decades as a potential therapeutic target for diverse human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and obesity, due to its pivotal roles in eukaryotic growth, differentiation, and metabolic homeostasis. While CK2 is also considered a promising antifungal target, its role in fungal pathogens remains unexplored. In this study, we investigated the functions and regulatory mechanisms of the CK2 complex in Cryptococcus neoformans, a major cause of fungal meningitis. The cryptococcal CK2 complex consists of a single catalytic subunit, Cka1, and two regulatory subunits, Ckb1 and Ckb2. Our findings show that Cka1 plays a primary role as a protein kinase, while Ckb1 and Ckb2 have major and minor regulatory functions, respectively, in growth, cell cycle control, morphogenesis, stress response, antifungal drug resistance, and virulence factor production. Interestingly, triple mutants lacking all three subunits (cka1Δ ckb1Δ ckb2Δ) exhibited more severe phenotypic defects than the cka1Δ mutant alone, suggesting that Ckb1/2 may have Cka1-independent functions. In a murine model of systemic cryptococcosis, cka1Δ and cka1Δ ckb1Δ ckb2Δ mutants showed severely reduced virulence. Transcriptomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic analyses further revealed that the CK2 complex controls a wide array of effector proteins involved in transcriptional regulation, cell cycle control, nutrient metabolisms, and stress responses. Most notably, CK2 disruption led to dysregulation of key signaling cascades central to C. neoformans pathogenicity, including the Hog1, Mpk1 MAPKs, cAMP/PKA, and calcium/calcineurin signaling pathways. In summary, our study provides novel insights into the multifaceted roles of the fungal CK2 complex and presents a compelling case for targeting it in the development of new antifungal drugs.IMPORTANCEThe casein kinase 2 (CK2) complex, crucial for eukaryotic growth, differentiation, and metabolic regulation, presents a promising therapeutic target for various human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Its potential as an antifungal target is further highlighted in this study, which explores CK2's functions in C. neoformans, a key fungal meningitis pathogen. The CK2 complex in C. neoformans, comprising the Cka1 catalytic subunit and Ckb1/2 regulatory subunits, is integral to processes like growth, cell cycle, morphogenesis, stress response, drug resistance, and virulence. Our findings of CK2's role in regulating critical signaling pathways, including Hog1, Mpk1 MAPKs, cAMP/PKA, and calcium/calcineurin, underscore its importance in C. neoformans pathogenicity. This study provides valuable insights into the fungal CK2 complex, reinforcing its potential as a target for novel antifungal drug development and pointing out a promising direction for creating new antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeseul Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seong-Ryong Yu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yujin Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ann-Yae Na
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Sangkyu Lee
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ran Seo
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Han-Seung Lee
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | | | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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Choi Y, Hyeon H, Lee K, Bahn YS. Sua5 catalyzing universal t 6A tRNA modification is responsible for multifaceted functions of the KEOPS complex in Cryptococcus neoformans. mSphere 2024; 9:e0055723. [PMID: 38085018 PMCID: PMC10826353 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00557-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The N6-threonylcarbamoyl adenosine (t6A) tRNA modification is critical for ensuring translation fidelity across three domains of life. Our prior work highlighted the KEOPS complex, organized in a Pcc1-Kae1-Bud32-Cgi121 linear arrangement, not only serves an evolutionarily conserved role in t6A tRNA modification but also exerts diverse functional impacts on pathobiological characteristics in Cryptococcus neoformans, a leading cause of fungal meningitis worldwide. However, the extent to which the pleiotropic functions of the KEOPS complex are specifically tied to tRNA modification remains uncertain. To address this, we undertook a functional characterization of Sua5, responsible for generating the precursor threonylcarbamoyl-adenylate (TC-AMP) for t6A tRNA modification, using a reverse genetics approach. Comparative phenotypic analyses with KEOPS mutants revealed that Sua5 plays a vital role in multiple cellular processes, such as t6A tRNA modification, growth, sexual development, stress response, and virulence factor production, thus reflecting the multifaceted functions of the KEOPS complex. In support of this, sua5Δ bud32Δ double mutants showed phenotypes comparable to those of the corresponding single mutants. Intriguingly, a SUA5 allele lacking a mitochondria targeting sequence (SUA5MTSΔ) was sufficient to restore the wild-type phenotypes in the sua5Δ mutant, suggesting that Sua5's primary functional locus may be cytosolic, akin to the KEOPS complex. Further supporting this, the deletion of Qri7, a mitochondrial paralog of Kae1, had no discernible phenotypic impact on C. neoformans. We concluded that cytosolic t6A tRNA modifications, orchestrated by Sua5 and the KEOPS complex, are central to the regulation of diverse pathobiological functions in C. neoformans.IMPORTANCEUnderstanding cellular functions at the molecular level is crucial for advancing disease treatments. Our research reveals a critical connection between the KEOPS complex and Sua5 in Cryptococcus neoformans, a significant cause of fungal meningitis. While the KEOPS complex is known for its versatile roles in cellular processes, Sua5 is specialized in t6A tRNA modification. Our key finding is that the diverse roles of the KEOPS complex, ranging from cell growth and stress response to virulence, are fundamentally linked to its function in t6A tRNA modification. This conclusion is supported by the remarkable similarities between the impacts of Sua5 and KEOPS on these processes, despite their roles in different steps of the t6A modification pathway. This newfound understanding deepens our insight into fungal biology and opens new avenues for developing potential therapies against dangerous fungal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeseul Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hana Hyeon
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kangseok Lee
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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Jung KW, Kwon S, Jung JH, Lim S, Bahn YS. Functional Characterization of DNA N-Glycosylase Ogg1 and Ntg1 in DNA Damage Stress of Cryptococcus neoformans. J Microbiol 2023; 61:981-992. [PMID: 38055144 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-023-00092-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species induce DNA strand breaks and DNA oxidation. DNA oxidation leads to DNA mismatches, resulting in mutations in the genome if not properly repaired. Homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) are required for DNA strand breaks, whereas the base excision repair system mainly repairs oxidized DNAs, such as 8-oxoguanine and thymine glycol, by cleaving the glycosidic bond, inserting correct nucleotides, and sealing the gap. Our previous studies revealed that the Rad53-Bdr1 pathway mainly controls DNA strand breaks through the regulation of HR- and NHEJ-related genes. However, the functional roles of genes involved in the base excision repair system remain elusive in Cryptococcus neoformans. In the present study, we identified OGG1 and NTG1 genes in the base excision repair system of C. neoformans, which are involved in DNA oxidation repair. The expression of OGG1 was induced in a Hog1-dependent manner under oxidative stress. On the other hand, the expression of NTG1 was strongly induced by DNA damage stress in a Rad53-independent manner. We demonstrated that the deletion of NTG1, but not OGG1, resulted in elevated susceptibility to DNA damage agents and oxidative stress inducers. Notably, the ntg1Δ mutant showed growth defects upon antifungal drug treatment. Although deletion of OGG1 or NTG1 did not increase mutation rates, the mutation profile of each ogg1Δ and ntg1Δ mutant was different from that of the wild-type strain. Taken together, we found that DNA N-glycosylase Ntg1 is required for oxidative DNA damage stress and antifungal drug resistance in C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Woo Jung
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, 56212, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sunhak Kwon
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, 56212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Jung
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, 56212, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyong Lim
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, 56212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Radiation Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
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Choi JT, Choi Y, Lee Y, Lee SH, Kang S, Lee KT, Bahn YS. The hybrid RAVE complex plays V-ATPase-dependent and -independent pathobiological roles in Cryptococcus neoformans. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011721. [PMID: 37812645 PMCID: PMC10586682 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
V-ATPase, which comprises 13-14 subunits, is essential for pH homeostasis in all eukaryotes, but its proper function requires a regulator to assemble its subunits. While RAVE (regulator of H+-ATPase of vacuolar and endosomal membranes) and Raboconnectin-3 complexes assemble V-ATPase subunits in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and humans, respectively, the function of the RAVE complex in fungal pathogens remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified two RAVE complex components, Rav1 and Wdr1, in the fungal meningitis pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, and analyzed their roles. Rav1 and Wdr1 are orthologous to yeast RAVE and human Rabconnectin-3 counterparts, respectively, forming the hybrid RAVE (hRAVE) complex. Deletion of RAV1 caused severe defects in growth, cell cycle control, morphogenesis, sexual development, stress responses, and virulence factor production, while the deletion of WDR1 resulted in similar but modest changes, suggesting that Rav1 and Wdr1 play central and accessary roles, respectively. Proteomics analysis confirmed that Wdr1 was one of the Rav1-interacting proteins. Although the hRAVE complex generally has V-ATPase-dependent functions, it also has some V-ATPase-independent roles, suggesting a unique role beyond conventional intracellular pH regulation in C. neoformans. The hRAVE complex played a critical role in the pathogenicity of C. neoformans, and RAV1 deletion attenuated virulence and impaired blood-brain barrier crossing ability. This study provides comprehensive insights into the pathobiological roles of the fungal RAVE complex and suggests a novel therapeutic strategy for controlling cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Tae Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yeseul Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yujin Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seung-Heon Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seun Kang
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
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Kim JS, Lee KT, Bahn YS. Secreted aspartyl protease 3 regulated by the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway promotes the virulence of Candida auris. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1257897. [PMID: 37780854 PMCID: PMC10540861 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1257897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The surge of multidrug-resistant fungal pathogens, especially Candida auris, poses significant threats to global public health. Candida auris exhibits resistance to multiple antifungal drugs, leading to major outbreaks and a high mortality rate. With an urgent call for innovative therapeutic strategies, this study focused on the regulation and pathobiological significance of secreted aspartyl proteinases (SAPs) in C. auris, as these enzymes play pivotal roles in the virulence of some fungal species. We delved into the Ras/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway's influence on SAP activity in C. auris. Our findings underscored that the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway significantly modulates SAP activity, with PKA catalytic subunits, Tpk1 and Tpk2, playing a key role. We identified a divergence in the SAPs of C. auris compared to Candida albicans, emphasizing the variation between Candida species. Among seven identified secreted aspartyl proteases in C. auris (Sapa1 to Sapa7), Sapa3 emerged as the primary SAP in the pathogen. Deletion of Sapa3 led to a significant decline in SAP activity. Furthermore, we have established the involvement of Sapa3 in the biofilm formation of C. auris. Notably, Sapa3 was primarily regulated by Tpk1 and Tpk2. Deletion of SAPA3 significantly reduced C. auris virulence, underscoring its pivotal role in C. auris pathogenicity. The outcomes of this study provide valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets, laying the groundwork for future interventions against C. auris infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Seok Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Kim JS, Lee KT, Bahn YS. Deciphering the regulatory mechanisms of the cAMP/protein kinase A pathway and their roles in the pathogenicity of Candida auris. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0215223. [PMID: 37671881 PMCID: PMC10581177 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02152-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant fungal pathogens is a significant concern for global public health. Candida auris poses a considerable threat as a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen. Our recent study revealed that the adenylyl cyclase Cyr1 and protein kinase A (PKA) pathways play distinct and redundant roles in drug resistance and pathogenicity of C. auris. However, the upstream and negative feedback regulatory mechanisms of C. auris are not yet fully understood. In this study, we discovered that the small GTPase Ras1, along with its nucleotide exchange factor Cdc25 and GTPase-activating protein Ira2, plays a major role in regulating cAMP/PKA-dependent traits, while G-protein-coupled receptor Gpr1 and heterotrimeric G-protein α subunit Gpa2 play a minor role. Pde2 plays a major role in negative feedback regulation of the cAMP/PKA pathway, while Pde1 plays a minor role. Hyperactivation of the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway by deleting PDE2 or BCY1 renders C. auris cells thermosensitive and susceptible to nutrient deficiency, which leads to attenuated virulence. Our study demonstrates the distinct contributions of hyperactivation of the Ras/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway to C. auris pathogenesis and suggests potential therapeutic targets for C. auris-mediated candidiasis. IMPORTANCE Candida auris is a major concern as a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen. While our previous studies highlighted the crucial roles of the cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway in regulating drug resistance, stress responses, morphogenesis, ploidy change, biofilm formation, and pathogenicity in this pathogen, their regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In our study, we provided evidence that the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in C. auris is primarily governed by the small GTPase RAS rather than a G-protein-coupled receptor. Additionally, we discovered that the negative feedback regulation of cAMP, controlled by phosphodiesterases, is vital for C. auris virulence by promoting resistance to high temperatures and nutrient deficiencies. These findings underscore the diverse pathobiological significance of the Ras/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in C. auris, shedding light on potential therapeutic targets and strategies for combating this multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Seok Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonbuk, South Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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Kim JS, Bahn YS. Protein Kinase A Controls the Melanization of Candida auris through the Alteration of Cell Wall Components. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1702. [PMID: 37760005 PMCID: PMC10525270 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12091702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris, a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen, significantly threatens global public health. Recent studies have identified melanin production, a key virulence factor in many pathogenic fungi that protects against external threats like reactive oxygen species, in C. auris. However, the melanin regulation mechanism remains elusive. This study explores the role of the Ras/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in C. auris melanization. It reveals that the catalytic subunits Tpk1 and Tpk2 of protein kinase A (PKA) are essential, whereas Ras1, Gpr1, Gpa2, and Cyr1 are not. Under melanin-promoting conditions, the tpk1Δ tpk2Δ strain formed melanin granules in the supernatant akin to the wild-type strain but failed to adhere them properly to the cell wall. This discrepancy is likely due to a decreased expression of chitin-synthesis-related genes. Our findings also show that Tpk1 primarily drives melanization, with Tpk2 having a lesser impact. To corroborate this, we found that C. auris must deploy Tpk1-dependent melanin deposition as a defensive mechanism against antioxidant exposure. Moreover, we confirmed that deletion mutants of multicopper oxidase and ferroxidase genes, previously assumed to influence C. auris melanization, do not directly contribute to the process. Overall, this study sheds light on the role of PKA in C. auris melanization and enhances our understanding of the pathogenicity mechanisms of this emerging fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea;
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Lee SH, Jang YB, Choi Y, Lee Y, Shin BN, Lee HS, Lee JS, Bahn YS. Adenylyl-Sulfate Kinase (Met14)-Dependent Cysteine and Methionine Biosynthesis Pathways Contribute Distinctively to Pathobiological Processes in Cryptococcus neoformans. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0068523. [PMID: 37036370 PMCID: PMC10269642 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00685-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Blocking of nutrient uptake and amino acid biosynthesis are considered potential targets for next-generation antifungal drugs against pathogenic fungi, including Cryptococcus neoformans. In this regard, the sulfate assimilation pathway is particularly attractive, as it is only present in eukaryotes such as plants and fungi, yet not in mammals. Here, we demonstrated that the adenylyl sulfate kinase (Met14) in the sulfate assimilation pathway is not essential yet is required for the viability of C. neoformans due to its involvement in biosynthesis of two sulfur-containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine. Met14-dependent cysteine and methionine biosynthesis was found to significantly contribute to a diverse range of pathobiological processes in C. neoformans. Met14-dependent cysteine rather than methionine biosynthesis was also found to play pivotal roles in cell growth and tolerance to environmental stresses and antifungal drugs. In contrast, the Met14-dependent methionine biosynthesis was found to be more important than cysteine biosynthesis for the production of major cryptococcal virulence factors of melanin pigments and polysaccharide capsules. Finally, we also found that despite its attenuated virulence in an insect model, Galleria mellonella, the met14Δ mutant yielded no difference in virulence in a murine model of systemic cryptococcosis. Hence, clinical inhibition of Met14-dependent amino acid biosynthetic pathways may not be advantageous for the treatment of systemic cryptococcosis. IMPORTANCE Current antifungal drugs have several limitations, such as drug resistance, severe side effects, and a narrow spectrum. Therefore, novel antifungal targets are urgently needed. To this end, fungal sulfur amino acid biosynthetic pathways are considered potential targets for development of new antifungal agents. Here, we demonstrated that Met14 in the sulfate assimilation pathway promotes growth, stress response, and virulence factor production in C. neoformans via synthesis of sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine. Met14-dependent cysteine rather than methionine synthesis was found to be critical for growth and stress responses, whereas Met14-dependent methionine synthesis was more important for the production of antiphagocytic capsules and antioxidant melanin in C. neoformans. Surprisingly, deletion of the MET14 gene was found to attenuate cryptococcal virulence in an insect model, yet not in a murine model. Collectively, our results showed that Met14-dependent cysteine and methionine biosynthesis play roles that are distinct from each other in C. neoformans. Moreover, Met14 is unlikely to be a suitable anticryptococcal drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Heon Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Byeong Jang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeseul Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujin Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bich Na Shin
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Seung Lee
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Seung Lee
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Bowring BG, Sethiya P, Desmarini D, Lev S, Tran Le L, Bahn YS, Lee SH, Toh-E A, Proschogo N, Savage T, Djordjevic JT. Dysregulating PHO Signaling via the CDK Machinery Differentially Impacts Energy Metabolism, Calcineurin Signaling, and Virulence in C. neoformans. mBio 2023; 14:e0355122. [PMID: 37017534 PMCID: PMC10127591 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03551-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens uniquely regulate phosphate homeostasis via the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) signaling machinery of the phosphate acquisition (PHO) pathway (Pho85 kinase-Pho80 cyclin-CDK inhibitor Pho81), providing drug-targeting opportunities. Here, we investigate the impact of a PHO pathway activation-defective Cryptococcus neoformans mutant (pho81Δ) and a constitutively activated PHO pathway mutant (pho80Δ) on fungal virulence. Irrespective of phosphate availability, the PHO pathway was derepressed in pho80Δ with all phosphate acquisition pathways upregulated and much of the excess phosphate stored as polyphosphate (polyP). Elevated phosphate in pho80Δ coincided with elevated metal ions, metal stress sensitivity, and a muted calcineurin response, all of which were ameliorated by phosphate depletion. In contrast, metal ion homeostasis was largely unaffected in the pho81Δ mutant, and Pi, polyP, ATP, and energy metabolism were reduced, even under phosphate-replete conditions. A similar decline in polyP and ATP suggests that polyP supplies phosphate for energy production even when phosphate is available. Using calcineurin reporter strains in the wild-type, pho80Δ, and pho81Δ background, we also demonstrate that phosphate deprivation stimulates calcineurin activation, most likely by increasing the bioavailability of calcium. Finally, we show that blocking, as opposed to permanently activating, the PHO pathway reduced fungal virulence in mouse infection models to a greater extent and that this is most likely attributable to depleted phosphate stores and ATP, and compromised cellular bioenergetics, irrespective of phosphate availability. IMPORTANCE Invasive fungal diseases cause more than 1.5 million deaths per year, with an estimated 181,000 of these deaths attributable to Cryptococcal meningitis. Despite the high mortality, treatment options are limited. In contrast to humans, fungal cells maintain phosphate homeostasis via a CDK complex, providing drug-targeting opportunities. To investigate which CDK components are the best targets for potential antifungal therapy, we used strains with a constitutively active (pho80Δ) and an activation-defective (pho81Δ) PHO pathway, to investigate the impact of dysregulated phosphate homeostasis on cellular function and virulence. Our studies suggest that inhibiting the function of Pho81, which has no human homologue, would have the most detrimental impact on fungal growth in the host due to depletion of phosphate stores and ATP, irrespective of phosphate availability in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany Grace Bowring
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Pooja Sethiya
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Desmarini Desmarini
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sophie Lev
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lisa Tran Le
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Heon Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Akio Toh-E
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Tom Savage
- School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julianne Teresa Djordjevic
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW, Australia
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Park H, Cho Y, Lee J, Lee KM, Kim HJ, Lee J, Bahn YS, Son J. Evaluation and Monitoring of the Natural Toxin Ptaquiloside in Bracken Fern, Meat, and Dairy Products. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15030231. [PMID: 36977122 PMCID: PMC10053987 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15030231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Ptaquiloside, a naturally occurring cancer-causing substance in bracken fern, has been detected in the meat and milk of cows fed a diet containing bracken fern. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitative analysis of ptaquiloside in bracken fern, meat, and dairy products was developed using the QuEChERS method and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The method was validated according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists guidelines and met the criteria. A single matrix-matched calibration method with bracken fern has been proposed, which is a novel strategy that uses one calibration for multiple matrices. The calibration curve ranged from 0.1 to 50 µg/kg and showed good linearity (r2 > 0.99). The limits of detection and quantification were 0.03 and 0.09 µg/kg, respectively. The intraday and interday accuracies were 83.5-98.5%, and the precision was <9.0%. This method was used for the monitoring and exposure assessment of ptaquiloside in all routes of exposure. A total of 0.1 µg/kg of ptaquiloside was detected in free-range beef, and the daily dietary exposure of South Koreans to ptaquiloside was estimated at up to 3.0 × 10-5 µg/kg b.w./day. The significance of this study is to evaluate commercially available products in which ptaquiloside may be present, to monitor consumer safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Park
- Doping Control Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoeseph Cho
- Doping Control Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - JiEun Lee
- KnA Consulting, Yongin-si 16942, Republic of Korea
| | - Kang Mi Lee
- Doping Control Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Jun Kim
- Doping Control Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeick Lee
- Doping Control Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Junghyun Son
- Doping Control Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
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11
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Jang EH, Kim JS, Yu SR, Bahn YS. Unraveling Capsule Biosynthesis and Signaling Networks in Cryptococcus neoformans. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0286622. [PMID: 36287085 PMCID: PMC9769619 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02866-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The polysaccharide capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans-an opportunistic basidiomycete pathogen and the major etiological agent of fungal meningoencephalitis-is a key virulence factor that prevents its phagocytosis by host innate immune cells. However, the complex signaling networks for their synthesis and attachment remain elusive. In this study, we systematically analyzed capsule biosynthesis and signaling networks using C. neoformans transcription factor (TF) and kinase mutant libraries under diverse capsule-inducing conditions. We found that deletion of GAT201, YAP1, BZP4, and ADA2 consistently caused capsule production defects in all tested media, indicating that they are capsule-regulating core TFs. Epistatic and expression analyses showed that Yap1 and Ada2 control Gat201 upstream, whereas Bzp4 and Gat201 independently regulate capsule production. Next, we searched for potential upstream kinases and found that mutants lacking PKA1, BUD32, POS5, IRE1, or CDC2801 showed reduced capsule production under all three capsule induction conditions, whereas mutants lacking HOG1 and IRK5 displayed enhanced capsule production. Pka1 and Irk5 controlled the induction of GAT201 and BZP4, respectively, under capsule induction conditions. Finally, we monitored the transcriptome profiles governed by Bzp4, Gat201, and Ada2 under capsule-inducing conditions and demonstrated that these TFs regulate redundant and unique sets of downstream target genes. Bzp4, Ada2, and Gat201 govern capsule formation in C. neoformans by regulating the expression of various capsule biosynthesis genes and chitin/chitosan synthesis genes in a positive and negative manner, respectively. In conclusion, this study provides further insights into the complex regulatory mechanisms of capsule production-related signaling pathways in C. neoformans. IMPORTANCE Over the past decades, human fungal pathogens, including C. neoformans, have emerged as a major public threat since the AIDS pandemic, only to gain more traction in connection to COVID-19. Polysaccharide capsules are rare fungal virulence factors that are critical for protecting C. neoformans from phagocytosis by macrophages. To date, more than 75 proteins involved in capsule synthesis and cell wall attachment have been reported in C. neoformans; however, their complex upstream signaling networks remain elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that Ada2, Yap1, Bzp4, and Gat201 were key capsule-inducing transcriptional regulators. Yap1 and Ada2 function upstream of Gat201, whereas Bzp4 and Gat201 function independently. Genome-wide transcriptome profiling revealed that Bzp4, Gat201, and Ada2 promote capsule production and attachment by positively and negatively regulating genes involved in capsule synthesis and chitin/chitosan synthesis, respectively. Thus, this study provides comprehensive insights into the complex capsule-regulating signaling pathway in C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Ha Jang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji-Seok Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seong-Ryong Yu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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12
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Jung KW, Kwon S, Jung JH, Bahn YS. Essential Roles of Ribonucleotide Reductases under DNA Damage and Replication Stresses in Cryptococcus neoformans. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0104422. [PMID: 35736239 PMCID: PMC9431586 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01044-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A balance in the deoxyribonucleotide (dNTPs) intracellular concentration is critical for the DNA replication and repair processes. In the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Mec1-Rad53-Dun1 kinase cascade mainly regulates the ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) gene expression during DNA replication and DNA damage stress. However, the RNR regulatory mechanisms in basidiomycete fungi during DNA replication and damage stress remain elusive. Here, we observed that in C. neoformans, RNR1 (large RNR subunit) and RNR21 (one small RNR subunit) were required for cell viability, but not RNR22 (another small RNR subunit). RNR22 overexpression compensated for the lethality of RNR21 suppression. In contrast to the regulatory mechanisms of RNRs in S. cerevisiae, Rad53 and Chk1 kinases cooperatively or divergently controlled RNR1 and RNR21 expression under DNA damage and DNA replication stress. In particular, this study revealed that Chk1 mainly regulated RNR1 expression during DNA replication stress, whereas Rad53, rather than Chk1, played a significant role in controlling the expression of RNR21 during DNA damage stress. Furthermore, the expression of RNR22, not but RNR1 and RNR21, was suppressed by the Ssn6-Tup1 complex during DNA replication stress. Notably, we observed that RNR1 expression was mainly regulated by Mbs1, whereas RNR21 expression was cooperatively controlled by Mbs1 and Bdr1 as downstream factors of Rad53 and Chk1 during DNA replication and damage stress. Collectively, the regulation of RNRs in C. neoformans has both evolutionarily conserved and divergent features in DNA replication and DNA damage stress, compared with other yeasts. IMPORTANCE Upon DNA replication or damage stresses, it is critical to provide proper levels of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs) and activate DNA repair machinery. Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs), which are composed of large and small subunits, are required for synthesizing dNTP. An imbalance in the intracellular concentration of dNTPs caused by the perturbation of RNR results in a reduction in DNA repair fidelity. Despite the importance of their roles, functions and regulations of RNR have not been elucidated in the basidiomycete fungi. In this study, we found that the roles of RNR1, RNR21, and RNR22 genes encoding RNR subunits in the viability of C. neoformans. Furthermore, their expression levels are divergently regulated by the Rad53-Chk1 pathway and the Ssn6-Tup1 complex in response to DNA replication and damage stresses. Therefore, this study provides insight into the regulatory mechanisms of RNR genes to DNA replication and damage stresses in basidiomycete fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Woo Jung
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunhak Kwon
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Jung
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
- Department of Radiation Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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13
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohann Le Govic
- Infectious Agents, Resistance and Chemotherapy (AGIR), University of Picardy Jules Verne, Amiens, France
- Parasitology-Mycology Department, Center for Human Biology, University Hospital of Amiens-Picardie, Amiens, France
| | - Baptiste Demey
- Infectious Agents, Resistance and Chemotherapy (AGIR), University of Picardy Jules Verne, Amiens, France
- Virology Department, Center for Human Biology, University Hospital of Amiens-Picardie, Amiens, France
| | - Julien Cassereau
- Department of Neurology, Angers University Hospital, Angers, France
- Univ Angers, Inserm, CNRS, MITOVASC, SFR ICAT, Angers, France
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail: (Y-SB); (NP)
| | - Nicolas Papon
- Univ Angers, Univ Brest, IRF, SFR ICAT, Angers, France
- * E-mail: (Y-SB); (NP)
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14
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Park SJ, Yeon SK, Kim Y, Kim HJ, Kim S, Kim J, Choi JW, Kim B, Lee EH, Kim R, Seo SH, Lee J, Kim JW, Lee HY, Hwang H, Bahn YS, Cheong E, Park JH, Park KD. Discovery of Novel Sphingosine-1-Phosphate-1 Receptor Agonists for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3539-3562. [PMID: 35077170 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The sphingosine-1-phosphate-1 (S1P1) receptor agonists have great potential for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) because they can inhibit lymphocyte egress through receptor internalization. We designed and synthesized triazole and isoxazoline derivatives to discover a novel S1P1 agonist for MS treatment. Of the two scaffolds, the isoxazoline derivative was determined to have excellent in vitro efficacy and drug-like properties. Among them, compound 21l was found to have superior drug-like properties as well as excellent in vitro efficacies (EC50 = 7.03 nM in β-arrestin recruitment and EC50 = 11.8 nM in internalization). We also confirmed that 21l effectively inhibited lymphocyte egress in the peripheral lymphocyte count test and significantly improved the clinical score in the experimental autoimmune encephalitis MS mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Jun Park
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Cureverse Co., Ltd., KIST, 1st Floor, H2 Building, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Seul Ki Yeon
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoowon Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Jeong Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Siwon Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jushin Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Won Choi
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungeun Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Elijah Hwejin Lee
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Rium Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon Hee Seo
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeick Lee
- Doping Control Center, KIST, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Woo Kim
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha-Yeon Lee
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Hayoung Hwang
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Cheong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Park
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Duk Park
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
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15
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Choi JW, Lee KT, Kim S, Lee YR, Kim HJ, Seo KJ, Lee MH, Yeon SK, Jang BK, Park SJ, Kim HJ, Park JH, Kim D, Lee DG, Cheong E, Lee JS, Bahn YS, Park KD. Optimization and Evaluation of Novel Antifungal Agents for the Treatment of Fungal Infection. J Med Chem 2021; 64:15912-15935. [PMID: 34662122 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Due to the increased morbidity and mortality by fungal infections and the emergence of severe antifungal resistance, there is an urgent need for new antifungal agents. Here, we screened for antifungal activity in our in-house library through the minimum inhibitory concentration test and derived two hit compounds with moderate antifungal activities. The hit compounds' antifungal activities and drug-like properties were optimized by substituting various aryl ring, alkyl chain, and methyl groups. Among the optimized compounds, 22h was the most promising candidate with good drug-like properties and exhibited potent fast-acting fungicidal antifungal effects against various fungal pathogens and synergistic antifungal activities with some known antifungal drugs. Additionally, 22h was further confirmed to disturb fungal cell wall integrity by activating multiple cell wall integrity pathways. Furthermore, 22h exerted significant antifungal efficacy in both the subcutaneous infection mouse model and ex vivo human nail infection model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Won Choi
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Siwon Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Rim Lee
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Ji Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Jin Seo
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Ha Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Seul Ki Yeon
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Ko Jang
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do 12925, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Jun Park
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Jeong Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Park
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Dahee Kim
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do 12925, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Gi Lee
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do 12925, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Cheong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Seung Lee
- AmtixBio Co., Ltd., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do 12925, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Duk Park
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment & Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Med Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
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16
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Kim J, Lee KT, Lee JS, Shin J, Cui B, Yang K, Choi YS, Choi N, Lee SH, Lee JH, Bahn YS, Cho SW. Fungal brain infection modelled in a human-neurovascular-unit-on-a-chip with a functional blood-brain barrier. Nat Biomed Eng 2021; 5:830-846. [PMID: 34127820 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00743-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The neurovascular unit, which consists of vascular cells surrounded by astrocytic end-feet and neurons, controls cerebral blood flow and the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to maintain homeostasis in the neuronal milieu. Studying how some pathogens and drugs can penetrate the human BBB and disrupt neuronal homeostasis requires in vitro microphysiological models of the neurovascular unit. Here we show that the neurotropism of Cryptococcus neoformans-the most common pathogen causing fungal meningitis-and its ability to penetrate the BBB can be modelled by the co-culture of human neural stem cells, brain microvascular endothelial cells and brain vascular pericytes in a human-neurovascular-unit-on-a-chip maintained by a stepwise gravity-driven unidirectional flow and recapitulating the structural and functional features of the BBB. We found that the pathogen forms clusters of cells that penetrate the BBB without altering tight junctions, suggesting a transcytosis-mediated mechanism. The neurovascular-unit-on-a-chip may facilitate the study of the mechanisms of brain infection by pathogens, and the development of drugs for a range of brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Seung Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jisoo Shin
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Baofang Cui
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kisuk Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yi Sun Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nakwon Choi
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea.,KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Hyun Lee
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hyun Lee
- Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Center for Nanomedicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seung-Woo Cho
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. .,Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Center for Nanomedicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. .,Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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17
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Jin JH, Choi MK, Cho HS, Bahn YS. Zinc-binding domain mediates pleiotropic functions of Yvh1 in Cryptococcus neoformans. J Microbiol 2021; 59:658-665. [PMID: 34212289 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-021-1287-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Yvh1 is a dual-specificity phosphatase (DUSP) that is evolutionarily conserved in eukaryotes, including yeasts and humans. Yvh1 is involved in the vegetative growth, differentiation, and virulence of animal and plant fungal pathogens. All Yvh1 orthologs have a conserved DUSP catalytic domain at the N-terminus and a zinc-binding (ZB) domain with two zinc fingers (ZFs) at the C-terminus. Although the DUSP domain is implicated in the regulation of MAPK signaling in humans, only the ZB domain is essential for most cellular functions of Yvh1 in fungi. This study aimed to analyze the functions of the DUSP and ZB domains of Yvh1 in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, whose Yvh1 (CnYvh1) contains a DUSP domain at the C-terminus and a ZB domain at the N-terminus. Notably, CnYvh1 has an extended internal domain between the two ZF motifs in the ZB domain. To elucidate the function of each domain, we constructed individual domain deletions and swapping strains by complementing the yvh1Δ mutant with wild-type (WT) or mutated YVH1 alleles and examined their Yvh1-dependent phenotypes, including growth under varying stress conditions, mating, and virulence factor production. Here, we found that the complementation of the yvh1Δ mutant with the mutated YVH1 alleles having two ZFs of the ZB domain, but not the DUSP and extended internal domains, restored the WT phenotypic traits in the yvh1Δ mutant. In conclusion, the ZB domain, but not the N-terminal DUSP domain, plays a pivotal role in the pathobiological functions of cryptococcal Yvh1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Hyung Jin
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Kyung Choi
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Soo Cho
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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18
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Liboro K, Yu SR, Lim J, So YS, Bahn YS, Eoh H, Park H. Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analysis Revealed Roles of Yck2 in Carbon Metabolism and Morphogenesis of Candida albicans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:636834. [PMID: 33796481 PMCID: PMC8008151 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.636834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a part of the normal microbiome of human mucosa and is able to thrive in a wide range of host environments. As an opportunistic pathogen, the virulence of C. albicans is tied to its ability to switch between yeast and hyphal morphologies in response to various environmental cues, one of which includes nutrient availability. Thus, metabolic flexibility plays an important role in the virulence of the pathogen. Our previous study has shown that C. albicans Yeast Casein Kinase 2 (CaYck2) regulates the yeast-to-hyphal switch, but its regulatory mechanisms remain unknown. This study further elucidated the role of Yck2 in governing morphology and carbon metabolism by analyzing the transcriptome and metabolome of the C. albicans YCK2 deletion mutant strain (yck2Δ strain) in comparison to the wild type strain. Our study revealed that loss of CaYck2 perturbs carbon metabolism, leading to a transcriptional response that resembles a transcriptional response to glucose starvation with coinciding intracellular accumulation of glucose and depletion of TCA cycle metabolites. This shift in the metabolome is likely mediated by derepression of glucose-repressed genes in the Mig1/2-mediated glucose sensing pathway and by downregulation of glycolytic genes, possibly through the Rgt1-mediated SRR pathway. In addition, genes involved in beta-oxidation, glyoxylate cycle, oxidative stress response, and arginine biosynthesis were upregulated in the yck2Δ strain, which is highly reminiscent of C. albicans engulfment by macrophages. This coincides with an increase in arginine degradation intermediates in the yck2Δ strain, suggesting arginine catabolism as a potential mechanism of CaYck2-mediated filamentation as seen during C. albicans escape from macrophages. Transcriptome analysis also shows differential expression of hyphal transcriptional regulators Nrg1 and Ume6. This suggests dysregulation of hyphal initiation and elongation in the yck2Δ strain which may lead to the constitutive pseudohyphal phenotype of this strain. Metabolome analysis also detected a high abundance of methyl citrate cycle intermediates in the yck2Δ strain, suggesting the importance of CaYck2 in this pathway. Taken together, we discovered that CaYck2 is an integral piece of carbon metabolism and morphogenesis of C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Liboro
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Seong-Ryong Yu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Juhyeon Lim
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyungjin Eoh
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Hyunsook Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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19
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Bahn YS, Sun S, Heitman J, Lin X. Erratum: Microbe Profile: Cryptococcus neoformans species complex. Microbiology (Reading) 2020; 166:1191. [PMID: 33357260 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Xiaorong Lin
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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20
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Jung KW, Lee KT, Bahn YS. A Signature-Tagged Mutagenesis (STM)-based murine-infectivity assay for Cryptococcus neoformans. J Microbiol 2020; 58:823-831. [PMID: 32989639 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-020-0341-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) is a high-throughput genetic technique that can be used to investigate the function of genes by constructing a large number of mutant strains with unique DNA identification tags, pooling them, and screening them for a particular phenotypic trait. STM was first designed for the identification of genes that contribute to the virulence or infectivity of a pathogen in its host. Recently, this method has also been applied for the identification of mutants with specific phenotypes, such as antifungal drug resistance and proliferation. In the present study, we describe an STM method for the identification of genes contributing to the infectivity of Cryptococcus neoformans using a mutant library, in which each strain was tagged with a unique DNA sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Woo Jung
- Radiation Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup o56212, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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21
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So YS, Jang J, Park G, Xu J, Olszewski MA, Bahn YS. Corrigendum: Sho1 and Msb2 Play Complementary but Distinct Roles in Stress Responses, Sexual Differentiation, and Pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1956. [PMID: 33071993 PMCID: PMC7542305 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02958.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Juyeong Jang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Goun Park
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jintao Xu
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Michal A Olszewski
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,VA Medical Center Ann Arbor Research Service, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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22
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Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is a lethal fungus disguised in a polysaccharide coat. It can remain dormant in the host for decades prior to reactivation, causing systemic cryptococcosis in humans and other mammals. Cryptococcus deploys a multitude of traits to adapt to and survive within the host, including immunosuppression, an ability to replicate intra- and extra-cellularly in phagocytes, changes in morphology and ploidy, a predilection to infect the CNS, and the capacity to utilize neurotransmitters and unique carbon sources available in the brain. These pathogenic strategies displayed by this fungus might have evolved through its interactions with microbial predators in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Xiaorong Lin
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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23
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So YS, Yang DH, Jung KW, Huh WK, Bahn YS. Corrigendum to: Molecular Characterization of Adenylyl Cyclase Complex Proteins Using Versatile Protein-Tagging Plasmid Systems in Cryptococcus neoformans. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 29:2026. [PMID: 31884778 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2019.2912.2026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
In the article titled "Molecular Characterization of Adenylyl Cyclase Complex Proteins Using Versatile Protein-Tagging Plasmid Systems in Cryptococcus neoformans", the authors noticed that the B4028 primer sequence was given incorrectly in the Table. S1. The correct primer sequence is 5'-CGCAAGCTTGGAGCCATGAAGATCCTGA- 3. The correct 'Table S1' is now available online. Furthermore, we found typos in the supplementary data and revised them as follow. 'Fig. 2. Melanin and capsule analyses of tagging strains' should be changed to 'Fig. S2. Melanin and capsule analyses of tagging strains'. 'Table 2. Strains used in this study' should be changed to 'Table S2. Strains used in this study'. 'Table 2. Plasmid used in this study' should be changed to 'Table S3. Plasmids used in this study'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Hoon Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Woo Jung
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ki Huh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
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24
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Ong BX, Yoo Y, Han MG, Park JB, Choi MK, Choi Y, Shin JS, Bahn YS, Cho HS. Structural analysis of fungal pathogenicity-related casein kinase α subunit, Cka1, in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14398. [PMID: 31591414 PMCID: PMC6779870 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50678-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
CK2α is a constitutively active and highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase that is involved in the regulation of key cellular metabolic pathways and associated with a variety of tumours and cancers. The most well-known CK2α inhibitor is the human clinical trial candidate CX-4945, which has recently shown to exhibit not only anti-cancer, but also anti-fungal properties. This prompted us to work on the CK2α orthologue, Cka1, from the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes life-threatening systemic cryptococcosis and meningoencephalitis mainly in immunocompromised individuals. At present, treatment of cryptococcosis remains a challenge due to limited anti-cryptococcal therapeutic strategies. Hence, expanding therapeutic options for the treatment of the disease is highly clinically relevant. Herein, we report the structures of Cka1-AMPPNP-Mg2+ (2.40 Å) and Cka1-CX-4945 (2.09 Å). Structural comparisons of Cka1-AMPPNP-Mg2+ with other orthologues revealed the dynamic architecture of the N-lobe across species. This may explain for the difference in binding affinities and deviations in protein-inhibitor interactions between Cka1-CX-4945 and human CK2α-CX-4945. Supporting it, in vitro kinase assay demonstrated that CX-4945 inhibited human CK2α much more efficiently than Cka1. Our results provide structural insights into the design of more selective inhibitors against Cka1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda X Ong
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngki Yoo
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeong Gil Han
- Department of Microbiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Bae Park
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Kyung Choi
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeseul Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeon-Soo Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.,Severance Biomedical Science Institute and Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Soo Cho
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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25
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Beom JY, Jung JA, Lee KT, Hwangbo A, Song MC, Lee Y, Lee SJ, Oh JH, Ha SJ, Nam SJ, Cheong E, Bahn YS, Yoon YJ. Biosynthesis of Nonimmunosuppressive FK506 Analogues with Antifungal Activity. J Nat Prod 2019; 82:2078-2086. [PMID: 31321978 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A reduction in the strong immunosuppressive activity of FK506 (1) is essential for developing this compound as an antifungal agent. Seven new FK506 analogues modified at both the FK506-binding protein 12- and the calcineurin-binding regions were biosynthesized. 9-DeoxoFK520 (7) exhibited a >900-fold reduction in the in vitro immunosuppressive activity but maintained significant antifungal activity, indicating that the C-9 and C-21 positions are critical for separation of immunosuppressive and antifungal activities. 7 exhibited robust synergistic antifungal activity with fluconazole. FK506 (1) is a 23-membered macrolide produced by several Streptomyces species and is used as an immunosuppressive drug to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs. FK506 has also exhibited antifungal, neuroprotective, and neuroregenerative activities. In humans, FK506 binds to FK506-binding protein (FKBP) 12, and the resulting FKBP12-FK506 complex interacts with a Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent phosphatase, calcineurin (CaN). Inactivation of CaN by forming the FKBP12-FK506-CaN ternary complex prevents the activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT), inhibiting the production of interleukin-2 and subsequent T-cell proliferation. This CaN signaling pathway also plays a critical role in the growth and pathogenesis of major fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus fumigatus. Therefore, the synthesis of FK506 analogues that can discriminate human FKBP12/CaN from its fungal counterparts may separate antifungal activity from the immunosuppressive activity, thereby allowing the development of a novel antifungal agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Yoon Beom
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience , Ewha Womans University , Seoul 03760 , Republic of Korea
| | - Jin A Jung
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience , Ewha Womans University , Seoul 03760 , Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology , Yonsei University , Seoul 03722 , Republic of Korea
| | - Areum Hwangbo
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology , Yonsei University , Seoul 03722 , Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung Chong Song
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience , Ewha Womans University , Seoul 03760 , Republic of Korea
| | - Yeonseon Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology , Yonsei University , Seoul 03722 , Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Jung Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology , Yonsei University , Seoul 03722 , Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hoon Oh
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology , Yonsei University , Seoul 03722 , Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Jun Ha
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology , Yonsei University , Seoul 03722 , Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Jip Nam
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience , Ewha Womans University , Seoul 03760 , Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Cheong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology , Yonsei University , Seoul 03722 , Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology , Yonsei University , Seoul 03722 , Republic of Korea
| | - Yeo Joon Yoon
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience , Ewha Womans University , Seoul 03760 , Republic of Korea
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26
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So YS, Lee DG, Idnurm A, Ianiri G, Bahn YS. The TOR Pathway Plays Pleiotropic Roles in Growth and Stress Responses of the Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Genetics 2019; 212:1241-1258. [PMID: 31175227 PMCID: PMC6707454 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signal transduction system that governs a plethora of eukaryotic biological processes, but its role in Cryptococcus neoformans remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the TOR pathway by functionally characterizing two Tor-like kinases, Tor1 and Tlk1, in C. neoformans We successfully deleted TLK1, but not TOR1TLK1 deletion did not result in any evident in vitro phenotypes, suggesting that Tlk1 is dispensable for the growth of C. neoformans We demonstrated that Tor1, but not Tlk1, is essential and the target of rapamycin by constructing and analyzing conditionally regulated strains and sporulation analysis of heterozygous mutants in the diploid strain background. To further analyze the Tor1 function, we constructed constitutive TOR1 overexpression strains. Tor1 negatively regulated thermotolerance and the DNA damage response, which are two important virulence factors of C. neoformansTOR1 overexpression reduced Mpk1 phosphorylation, which is required for cell wall integrity and thermoresistance, and Rad53 phosphorylation, which governs the DNA damage response pathway. Tor1 is localized to the cytoplasm, but enriched in the vacuole membrane. Phosphoproteomics and transcriptomics revealed that Tor1 regulates a variety of biological processes, including metabolic processes, cytoskeleton organization, ribosome biogenesis, and stress response. TOR inhibition by rapamycin caused actin depolarization in a Tor1-dependent manner. Finally, screening rapamycin-sensitive and -resistant kinase and transcription factor mutants revealed that the TOR pathway may crosstalk with a number of stress signaling pathways. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that a single Tor1 kinase plays pleiotropic roles in C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Gi Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Alexander Idnurm
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
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27
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Abstract
More than 1.5 million fungal species are estimated to live in vastly different environmental niches. Despite each unique host environment, fungal cells sense certain fundamentally conserved elements, such as nutrients, pheromones and stress, for adaptation to their niches. Sensing these extracellular signals is critical for pathogens to adapt to the hostile host environment and cause disease. Hence, dissecting the complex extracellular signal-sensing mechanisms that aid in this is pivotal and may facilitate the development of new therapeutic approaches to control fungal infections. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on how two important pathogenic yeasts, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, sense nutrient availability, such as carbon sources, amino acids, and ammonium, and different stress signals to regulate their morphogenesis and pathogenicity in comparison with the non-pathogenic model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The molecular interactions between extracellular signals and their respective sensory systems are described in detail. The potential implication of analyzing nutrient and stress-sensing systems in antifungal drug development is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C Rutherford
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Bert van den Berg
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Chaoyang Xue
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
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28
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So YS, Jang J, Park G, Xu J, Olszewski MA, Bahn YS. Sho1 and Msb2 Play Complementary but Distinct Roles in Stress Responses, Sexual Differentiation, and Pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2958. [PMID: 30564211 PMCID: PMC6288190 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The high-osmolarity glycerol response (HOG) pathway is pivotal in environmental stress response, differentiation, and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes fatal meningoencephalitis. A putative membrane sensor protein, Sho1, has been postulated to regulate HOG pathway, but its regulatory mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we characterized the function of Sho1 with relation to the HOG pathway in C. neoformans. Sho1 played minor roles in osmoresistance, thermotolerance, and maintenance of membrane integrity mainly in a HOG-independent manner. However, it was dispensable for cryostress resistance, primarily mediated through the HOG pathway. A mucin-like transmembrane (TM) protein, Msb2, which interacts with Sho1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was identified in C. neoformans, but found not to interact with Sho1. MSB2 codeletion with SHO1 further decreased osmoresistance and membrane integrity, but not thermotolerance, of sho1Δ mutant, indicating that both factors play to some level redundant but also discrete roles in C. neoformans. Sho1 and Msb2 played redundant roles in promoting the filamentous growth in sexual differentiation in a Cpk1-independent manner, in contrast to the inhibitory effect of the HOG pathway in the process. However, both factors contributed independently to Cpk1 phosphorylation during vegetative growth and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. Finally, Sho1 and Msb2 play distinct but complementary roles in the pulmonary virulence of C. neoformans. Overall, Sho1 and Msb2 play complementary but distinct roles in stress response, differentiation, and pathogenicity of C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Juyeong Jang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Goun Park
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jintao Xu
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Michal A Olszewski
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,VA Medical Center Ann Arbor Research Service, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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29
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Wang LL, Lee KT, Jung KW, Lee DG, Bahn YS. The novel microtubule-associated CAP-glycine protein Cgp1 governs growth, differentiation, and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans. Virulence 2018; 9:566-584. [PMID: 29338542 PMCID: PMC5955475 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1423189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are involved in mechanical support, cytoplasmic organization, and several cellular processes by interacting with diverse microtubule-associated proteins such as plus-end tracking proteins, motor proteins, and tubulin-folding cofactors. A number of the cytoskeleton-associated proteins (CAPs) contain the CAP-glycine-rich (CAP-Gly) domain, which is evolutionarily conserved and generally considered to bind to α-tubulin to regulate the function of microtubules. However, there has been a dearth of research on CAP-Gly proteins in fungal pathogens, including Cryptococcus neoformans, which is a global cause of fatal meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients. In this study, we identified five CAP-Gly protein-encoding genes in C. neoformans. Among these, Cgp1 encoded by CNAG_06352 has a unique domain structure containing CAP-Gly, SPEC, and Spc7 domains that is not orthologous to CAPs in other eukaryotes. Supporting the role of Cgp1 in microtubule-related function, we demonstrate that deletion or overexpression of CGP1 alters cellular susceptibility to thiabendazole, a microtubule destabilizer and that Cgp1 is co-localized with cytoplasmic microtubules. Related to the cellular function of microtubules, Cgp1 governs the maintenance of membrane stability and genotoxic stress responses. Deletion of CGP1 also reduces production of melanin pigment and attenuates the virulence of C. neoformans. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Cgp1 uniquely regulates the sexual differentiation of C. neoformans with distinct roles in the early and late stage of mating. Domain analysis revealed that the CAP-Gly domain plays a major role in all Cgp1 functions examined. In conclusion, this novel CAP-Gly protein, Cgp1, has pleotropic roles in regulating growth, stress responses, differentiation, and virulence in C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li Wang
- a Department of Biotechnology , College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- a Department of Biotechnology , College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Woo Jung
- b Research Division for Biotechnology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute , Jeongeup , Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Gi Lee
- a Department of Biotechnology , College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- a Department of Biotechnology , College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
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30
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Rhee S, Oh J, Lee DG, Bahn YS. Crystal structure of inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate 2-kinase from Cryptococcus neoformans. Acta Crystallogr A Found Adv 2018. [DOI: 10.1107/s2053273318092008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen, which causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals and is responsible for more than 1,000,000 infections and 600,000 deaths annually worldwide. Nevertheless, anti-cryptococcal therapeutic options are limited, mainly because of the similarity between fungal and human cellular structures. Owing to advances in genetic and molecular techniques and bioinformatics in the past decade, C. neoformans, belonging to the phylum basidiomycota, is now a major pathogenic fungal model system. In particular, genetic manipulation is the first step in the identification and characterization of the function of genes for understanding the mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of C. neoformans. This unit describes protocols for constructing target gene deletion mutants using double-joint (DJ) PCR, constitutive overexpression strains using the histone H3 gene promoter, and epitope/fluorescence protein-tagged strains in C. neoformans. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Woo Jung
- Research Division for Biotechnology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Yeon SK, Choi JW, Park JH, Lee YR, Kim HJ, Shin SJ, Jang BK, Kim S, Bahn YS, Han G, Lee YS, Pae AN, Park KD. Synthesis and evaluation of biaryl derivatives for structural characterization of selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitors toward Parkinson’s disease therapy. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:232-244. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Oh J, Lee DG, Bahn YS, Rhee S. Crystal structure of inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate 2-kinase from Cryptococcus neoformans. J Struct Biol 2017; 200:118-123. [PMID: 28919350 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is a causative agent of meningoencephalitis in humans. For its pathogenicity, the inositol polyphosphate biosynthetic pathway plays critical roles. Recently, Ipk1 from C. neoformans (CnIpk1) was identified as an inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate 2-kinase that catalyzes the phosphorylation of IP5 to form IP6, a substrate for subsequent reaction to produce inositol pyrophosphates, such as PP-IP5/IP7. Furthermore, it was shown that deletion of IPK1 significantly reduces the virulence of C. neoformans, indicating that Ipk1 is a major virulence contributor. In this study, we determined a crystal structure of the apo-form of CnIpk1 at 2.35Å resolution, the first structure for a fungal Ipk1, using a single-wavelength anomalous dispersion method. Even with a low sequence similarity of 26-28%, its overall structure resembles two other Ipk1 orthologs from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtIpk1) and Mus musculus (MmIpk1), and the most crucial residues in the active site are conserved. Unlike AtIpk1 and MmIpk1, however, metal-binding sites for structural stabilization and conformational variations are absent in CnIpk1. The binding environments for substrate IP5 could be inferred by the two different binding sites for sulfate ion in CnIpk1. Taken together, these observations suggest structural similarities and discrepancies for fungal Ipk1 among members of the Ipk1 family and provide structural information for the possible development of drug design for treatment of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntaek Oh
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Gi Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangkee Rhee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Xu X, Lin J, Zhao Y, Kirkman E, So YS, Bahn YS, Lin X. Glucosamine stimulates pheromone-independent dimorphic transition in Cryptococcus neoformans by promoting Crz1 nuclear translocation. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006982. [PMID: 28898238 PMCID: PMC5595294 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphotype switch is a cellular response to external and internal cues. The Cryptococcus neoformans species complex can undergo morphological transitions between the yeast and the hypha form, and such morphological changes profoundly affect cryptococcal interaction with various hosts. Filamentation in Cryptococcus was historically considered a mating response towards pheromone. Recent studies indicate the existence of pheromone-independent signaling pathways but their identity or the effectors remain unknown. Here, we demonstrated that glucosamine stimulated the C. neoformans species complex to undergo self-filamentation. Glucosamine-stimulated filamentation was independent of the key components of the pheromone pathway, which is distinct from pheromone-elicited filamentation. Glucosamine stimulated self-filamentation in H99, a highly virulent serotype A clinical isolate and a widely used reference strain. Through a genetic screen of the deletion sets made in the H99 background, we found that Crz1, a transcription factor downstream of calcineurin, was essential for glucosamine-stimulated filamentation despite its dispensability for pheromone-mediated filamentation. Glucosamine promoted Crz1 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Interestingly, multiple components of the high osmolality glycerol response (HOG) pathway, consisting of the phosphorelay system and some of the Hog1 MAPK module, acted as repressors of glucosamine-elicited filamentation through their calcineurin-opposing effect on Crz1’s nuclear translocation. Surprisingly, glucosamine-stimulated filamentation did not require Hog1 itself and was distinct from the conventional general stress response. The results demonstrate that Cryptococcus can resort to multiple genetic pathways for morphological transition in response to different stimuli. Given that the filamentous form attenuates cryptococcal virulence and is immune-stimulatory in mammalian models, the findings suggest that morphogenesis is a fertile ground for future investigation into novel means to compromise cryptococcal pathogenesis. Cryptococcal meningitis claims half a million lives each year. There is no clinically available vaccine and the current antifungal therapies have serious limitations. Thus identifying cryptococcal specific programs that can be targeted for antifungal or vaccine development is of great value. We have shown previously that switching from the yeast to the hypha form drastically attenuates/abolishes cryptococcal virulence. Cryptococcal cells in the filamentous form also trigger host immune responses that can protect the host from a subsequent lethal challenge. However, self-filamentation is rarely observed in serotype A isolates that are responsible for the vast majority of cryptococcosis cases. In this study, we found that glucosamine stimulated self-filamentation in genetically distinct strains of the Cryptococcus species complex, including the most commonly used serotype A reference strain H99. We demonstrated that filamentation elicited by glucosamine did not depend on the pheromone pathway, but it requires the calcineurin transcription factor Crz1. Glucosamine promotes nuclear translocation of Crz1, which is positively controlled by the phosphatase calcineurin and is suppressed by the HOG pathway. These findings raise the possibility of manipulating genetic pathways controlling fungal morphogenesis against diseases caused by the Cryptococcus species complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinping Xu
- Center for Experimental Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (XL); (XX)
| | - Jianfeng Lin
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Youbao Zhao
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Elyssa Kirkman
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Xiaorong Lin
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (XL); (XX)
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Abstract
Organisms living in extreme environments have evolved a wide range of survival strategies by changing biochemical and physiological features depending on their biological niches. Interestingly, organisms exhibiting high radiation resistance have been discovered in the three domains of life (Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya), even though a naturally radiationintensive environment has not been found. To counteract the deleterious effects caused by radiation exposure, radiation- resistant organisms employ a series of defensive systems, such as changes in intracellular cation concentration, excellent DNA repair systems, and efficient enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems. Here, we overview past and recent findings about radiation-resistance mechanisms in the three domains of life for potential usage of such radiationresistant microbes in the biotechnology industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Woo Jung
- Research Division for Biotechnology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, 56212, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyong Lim
- Research Division for Biotechnology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, 56212, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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Meyers GL, Jung KW, Bang S, Kim J, Kim S, Hong J, Cheong E, Kim KH, Bahn YS. The water channel protein aquaporin 1 regulates cellular metabolism and competitive fitness in a global fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Environ Microbiol Rep 2017; 9:268-278. [PMID: 28251810 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In this study, an aquaporin protein, Aqp1, in Cryptococcus neoformans, which can lead either saprobic or parasitic lifestyles and causes life-threatening fungal meningitis was identified and characterized. AQP1 expression was rapidly induced (via the HOG pathway) by osmotic or oxidative stress. In spite of such transcriptional regulation, Aqp1 was found to be largely unnecessary for adaptation to diverse environmental stressors, regardless of the presence of the polysaccharide capsule. The latter is shown here to be a key environmental-stress protectant for C. neoformans. Furthermore, Aqp1 was not required for the development and virulence of C. neoformans. Deletion of AQP1 increased hydrophobicity of the cell surface. The comparative metabolic profiling analysis of the aqp1Δ mutant and AQP1-overexpressing strains revealed that deletion of AQP1 significantly increased cellular accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites, whereas overexpression of AQP1 depleted such metabolites, suggesting that this water channel protein performs a critical function in metabolic homeostasis. In line with this result, it was found that the aqp1Δ mutant (which is enriched with diverse metabolites) survived better than the wild type and a complemented strain, indicating that Aqp1 is likely to be involved in competitive fitness of this fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gena Lee Meyers
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Woo Jung
- Research Division for Biotechnology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, 56212, Republic of Korea
| | - Soohyun Bang
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungyeon Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sooah Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Joohyeon Hong
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Cheong
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Heon Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
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So YS, Yang DH, Jung KW, Huh WK, Bahn YS. Molecular Characterization of Adenylyl Cyclase Complex Proteins Using Versatile Protein-Tagging Plasmid Systems in Cryptococcus neoformans. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 27:357-364. [PMID: 27780958 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1609.09036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to generate a series of versatile tagging plasmids that can be used in diverse molecular biological studies of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. We constructed 12 plasmids that can be used to tag a protein of interest with a GFP, mCherry, 4×FLAG, or 6×HA, along with nourseothricin-, neomycin-, or hygromycin-resistant selection markers. Using this tagging plasmid set, we explored the adenylyl cyclase complex (ACC), consisting of adenylyl cyclase (Cac1) and its associated protein Aca1, in the cAMP-signaling pathway, which is critical for the pathogenicity of C. neoformans. We found that Cac1-mCherry and Aca1-GFP were mainly colocalized as punctate forms in the cell membrane and nonnuclear cellular organelles. We also demonstrated that Cac1 and Aca1 interacted in vivo by coimmunoprecipitation, using Cac1-6×HA and Aca1-4×FLAG tagging strains. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation further confirmed the in vivo interaction of Cac1 and Aca1 in live cells. Finally, protein pull-down experiments using aca1Δ::ACA1-GFP and aca1Δ::ACA1- GFP cac1Δ strains and comparative mass spectrometry analysis identified Cac1 and a number of other novel ACC-interacting proteins. Thus, this versatile tagging plasmid system will facilitate diverse mechanistic studies in C. neoformans and further our understanding of its biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Hoon Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Woo Jung
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ki Huh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
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Malachowski AN, Yosri M, Park G, Bahn YS, He Y, Olszewski MA. Systemic Approach to Virulence Gene Network Analysis for Gaining New Insight into Cryptococcal Virulence. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1652. [PMID: 27833589 PMCID: PMC5081415 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is pathogenic yeast, responsible for highly lethal infections in compromised patients around the globe. C. neoformans typically initiates infections in mammalian lung tissue and subsequently disseminates to the central nervous system where it causes significant pathologies. Virulence genes of C. neoformans are being characterized at an increasing rate, however, we are far from a comprehensive understanding of their roles and genetic interactions. Some of these reported virulence genes are scattered throughout different databases, while others are not yet included. This study gathered and analyzed 150 reported virulence associated factors (VAFs) of C. neoformans. Using the web resource STRING database, our study identified different interactions between the total VAFs and those involved specifically in lung and brain infections and identified a new strain specific virulence gene, SHO1, involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. As predicted by our analysis, SHO1 expression enhanced C. neoformans virulence in a mouse model of pulmonary infection, contributing to enhanced non-protective immune Th2 bias and progressively enhancing fungal growth in the infected lungs. Sequence analysis indicated 77.4% (116) of total studied VAFs are soluble proteins, and 22.7% (34) are transmembrane proteins. Motifs involved in regulation and signaling such as protein kinases and transcription factors are highly enriched in Cryptococcus VAFs. Altogether, this study represents a pioneering effort in analysis of the virulence composite network of C. neoformans using a systems biology approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoni N Malachowski
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann ArborMI, USA; VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Research Service (11R), Ann ArborMI, USA
| | - Mohamed Yosri
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann ArborMI, USA; VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Research Service (11R), Ann ArborMI, USA; The Regional Center for Mycology and Biotechnology, Al-Azhar UniversityCairo, Egypt
| | - Goun Park
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yongqun He
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann ArborMI, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann ArborMI, USA; Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann ArborMI, USA
| | - Michal A Olszewski
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann ArborMI, USA; VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Research Service (11R), Ann ArborMI, USA
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Polvi EJ, Averette AF, Lee SC, Kim T, Bahn YS, Veri AO, Robbins N, Heitman J, Cowen LE. Metal Chelation as a Powerful Strategy to Probe Cellular Circuitry Governing Fungal Drug Resistance and Morphogenesis. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006350. [PMID: 27695031 PMCID: PMC5047589 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens have evolved diverse strategies to sense host-relevant cues and coordinate cellular responses, which enable virulence and drug resistance. Defining circuitry controlling these traits opens new opportunities for chemical diversity in therapeutics, as the cognate inhibitors are rarely explored by conventional screening approaches. This has great potential to address the pressing need for new therapeutic strategies for invasive fungal infections, which have a staggering impact on human health. To explore this approach, we focused on a leading human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, and screened 1,280 pharmacologically active compounds to identify those that potentiate the activity of echinocandins, which are front-line therapeutics that target fungal cell wall synthesis. We identified 19 compounds that enhance activity of the echinocandin caspofungin against an echinocandin-resistant clinical isolate, with the broad-spectrum chelator DTPA demonstrating the greatest synergistic activity. We found that DTPA increases susceptibility to echinocandins via chelation of magnesium. Whole genome sequencing of mutants resistant to the combination of DTPA and caspofungin identified mutations in the histidine kinase gene NIK1 that confer resistance to the combination. Functional analyses demonstrated that DTPA activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase Hog1, and that NIK1 mutations block Hog1 activation in response to both caspofungin and DTPA. The combination has therapeutic relevance as DTPA enhanced the efficacy of caspofungin in a mouse model of echinocandin-resistant candidiasis. We found that DTPA not only reduces drug resistance but also modulates morphogenesis, a key virulence trait that is normally regulated by environmental cues. DTPA induced filamentation via depletion of zinc, in a manner that is contingent upon Ras1-PKA signaling, as well as the transcription factors Brg1 and Rob1. Thus, we establish a new mechanism by which metal chelation modulates morphogenetic circuitry and echinocandin resistance, and illuminate a novel facet to metal homeostasis at the host-pathogen interface, with broad therapeutic potential. Invasive fungal infections pose a serious threat to human health worldwide, with Candida albicans being a leading fungal pathogen. Mortality is in part due to the limited arsenal of effective antifungals, with drug resistance on the rise. The echinocandins, which target the fungal cell wall, are the newest class of antifungal, and echinocandin resistance has already emerged. Here, we screened a library of 1,280 pharmacologically active compounds to identify those that potentiate echinocandin activity against an echinocandin-resistant isolate. The lead compound was a chelator, DTPA, which affects resistance by depleting magnesium. Genome sequencing of mutants resistant to the combination of DTPA and echinocandin revealed mutations in the gene encoding Nik1, which signals upstream of the Hog1 stress response pathway. We established that DTPA acts through Nik1 to modulate Hog1 signaling and enhance echinocandin activity, and that this combination has therapeutic benefits in a murine model of candidiasis. We also discovered that DTPA modulates C. albicans morphogenesis, a key virulence trait. DTPA induced filamentation by chelating zinc, in a manner that is contingent upon core filamentation pathways and specialized circuitry. Thus, we establish novel roles for metal homeostasis in C. albicans pathogenesis, thereby illuminating new therapeutic strategies for life-threatening infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J. Polvi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anna F. Averette
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Soo Chan Lee
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Taeyup Kim
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Amanda O. Veri
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Leah E. Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Gonzalez-Hilarion S, Paulet D, Lee KT, Hon CC, Lechat P, Mogensen E, Moyrand F, Proux C, Barboux R, Bussotti G, Hwang J, Coppée JY, Bahn YS, Janbon G. Intron retention-dependent gene regulation in Cryptococcus neoformans. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32252. [PMID: 27577684 PMCID: PMC5006051 DOI: 10.1038/srep32252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The biological impact of alternative splicing is poorly understood in fungi, although recent studies have shown that these microorganisms are usually intron-rich. In this study, we re-annotated the genome of C. neoformans var. neoformans using RNA-Seq data. Comparison with C. neoformans var. grubii revealed that more than 99% of ORF-introns are in the same exact position in the two varieties whereas UTR-introns are much less evolutionary conserved. We also confirmed that alternative splicing is very common in C. neoformans, affecting nearly all expressed genes. We also observed specific regulation of alternative splicing by environmental cues in this yeast. However, alternative splicing does not appear to be an efficient method to diversify the C. neoformans proteome. Instead, our data suggest the existence of an intron retention-dependent mechanism of gene expression regulation that is not dependent on NMD. This regulatory process represents an additional layer of gene expression regulation in fungi and provides a mechanism to tune gene expression levels in response to any environmental modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Gonzalez-Hilarion
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Damien Paulet
- Institut Pasteur, Plate-forme transcriptome et Epigénome, Département Génomes et Génétique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Chung-Chau Hon
- RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Yokohama Institute, Division of Genomic Technology, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Pierre Lechat
- Institut Pasteur, HUB Bioinformatique et Biostatistique, C3BI, USR 3756 IP CNRS, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Estelle Mogensen
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Frédérique Moyrand
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Proux
- Institut Pasteur, Plate-forme transcriptome et Epigénome, Département Génomes et Génétique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Rony Barboux
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Giovanni Bussotti
- Institut Pasteur, HUB Bioinformatique et Biostatistique, C3BI, USR 3756 IP CNRS, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Jungwook Hwang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jean-Yves Coppée
- Institut Pasteur, Plate-forme transcriptome et Epigénome, Département Génomes et Génétique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Guilhem Janbon
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
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Shekhar-Guturja T, Gunaherath GMKB, Wijeratne EMK, Lambert JP, Averette AF, Lee SC, Kim T, Bahn YS, Tripodi F, Ammar R, Döhl K, Niewola-Staszkowska K, Schmitt L, Loewith RJ, Roth FP, Sanglard D, Andes D, Nislow C, Coccetti P, Gingras AC, Heitman J, Gunatilaka AAL, Cowen LE. Dual action antifungal small molecule modulates multidrug efflux and TOR signaling. Nat Chem Biol 2016; 12:867-75. [PMID: 27571477 PMCID: PMC5030160 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
There is an urgent need for new strategies to treat invasive fungal infections, which are a leading cause of human mortality. Here, we establish two activities of the natural product beauvericin, which potentiates the activity of the most widely deployed class of antifungal against the leading human fungal pathogens, blocks the emergence of drug resistance, and renders antifungal-resistant pathogens responsive to treatment in mammalian infection models. Harnessing genome sequencing of beauvericin-resistant mutants, affinity purification of a biotinylated beauvericin analog, and biochemical and genetic assays reveals that beauvericin blocks multidrug efflux and inhibits the global regulator TORC1 kinase, thereby activating the protein kinase CK2 and inhibiting the molecular chaperone Hsp90. Substitutions in the multidrug transporter Pdr5 that enable beauvericin efflux impair antifungal efflux, thereby impeding resistance to the drug combination. Thus, dual targeting of multidrug efflux and TOR signaling provides a powerful, broadly effective therapeutic strategy for treating fungal infectious disease that evades resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - G M Kamal B Gunaherath
- Natural Products Center, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - E M Kithsiri Wijeratne
- Natural Products Center, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Jean-Philippe Lambert
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anna F Averette
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Soo Chan Lee
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Taeyup Kim
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Farida Tripodi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca and SYSBIO, Centre of Systems Biology, Milan, Italy
| | - Ron Ammar
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katja Döhl
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Lutz Schmitt
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Robbie J Loewith
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Frederick P Roth
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dominique Sanglard
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Lausanne and University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David Andes
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Corey Nislow
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paola Coccetti
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca and SYSBIO, Centre of Systems Biology, Milan, Italy
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - A A Leslie Gunatilaka
- Natural Products Center, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Hérivaux
- Université d'Angers, Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène, Angers, France
| | - Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Amandine Gastebois
- Université d'Angers, Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène, Angers, France
| | | | - Jean-Philippe Bouchara
- Université d'Angers, Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène, Angers, France
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie—Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d’Angers, Angers, France
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail: (YSB); (NP)
| | - Nicolas Papon
- Université d'Angers, Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Pathogène, Angers, France
- * E-mail: (YSB); (NP)
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43
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Lee WJ, Moon JS, Kim SI, Bahn YS, Lee H, Kang TH, Shin HM, Kim SU. A Phenylpropanoid Glycoside as a Calcineurin Inhibitor Isolated from Magnolia obovata Thunb. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 25:1429-32. [PMID: 26174771 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1506.06031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
To identify plant-derived cell signaling inhibitors with antifungal properties, a twocomponent screening system using both wild-type Cryptococcus neoformans and a calcineurin mutant was employed owing to their counter-regulatory actions on the Hog1 mitogenactivated protein kinase and calcineurin pathways. Of the 2,000 plant extracts evaluated, a single bioactive compound from M. obovata Thunb. was found to act specifically on the calcineurin pathway of C. neoformans. This compound was identified as magnoloside A, and had potent antifungal activities against various Cryptococcus strains with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 1.0 to 4.0 μg/ml.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Jeong Lee
- Division of Biosystems Research, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Sun Moon
- Division of Biosystems Research, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung In Kim
- Division of Biosystems Research, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Hanna Lee
- Korea Promotion Institute for Traditional Medicine Industry, Gyeongsan 712-260, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hoon Kang
- Korea Promotion Institute for Traditional Medicine Industry, Gyeongsan 712-260, Republic of Korea
| | - Heung Mook Shin
- Korea Promotion Institute for Traditional Medicine Industry, Gyeongsan 712-260, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Uk Kim
- Division of Biosystems Research, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea
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44
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Robbins N, Spitzer M, Yu T, Cerone RP, Averette AK, Bahn YS, Heitman J, Sheppard DC, Tyers M, Wright GD. An Antifungal Combination Matrix Identifies a Rich Pool of Adjuvant Molecules that Enhance Drug Activity against Diverse Fungal Pathogens. Cell Rep 2015; 13:1481-1492. [PMID: 26549450 PMCID: PMC4654976 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Revised: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need to identify new treatments for fungal infections. By combining sub-lethal concentrations of the known antifungals fluconazole, caspofungin, amphotericin B, terbinafine, benomyl, and cyprodinil with ∼3,600 compounds in diverse fungal species, we generated a deep reservoir of chemical-chemical interactions termed the Antifungal Combinations Matrix (ACM). Follow-up susceptibility testing against a fluconazole-resistant isolate of C. albicans unveiled ACM combinations capable of potentiating fluconazole in this clinical strain. We used chemical genetics to elucidate the mode of action of the antimycobacterial drug clofazimine, a compound with unreported antifungal activity that synergized with several antifungals. Clofazimine induces a cell membrane stress for which the Pkc1 signaling pathway is required for tolerance. Additional tests against additional fungal pathogens, including Aspergillus fumigatus, highlighted that clofazimine exhibits efficacy as a combination agent against multiple fungi. Thus, the ACM is a rich reservoir of chemical combinations with therapeutic potential against diverse fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Robbins
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Michaela Spitzer
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Tennison Yu
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Robert P Cerone
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Anna K Averette
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Donald C Sheppard
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Mike Tyers
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Gerard D Wright
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada.
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45
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail:
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46
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Lee WJ, Moon JS, Kim SI, Kim YT, Nash O, Bahn YS, Kim SU. Inhibition of the calcineurin pathway by two tannins, chebulagic acid and chebulanin, isolated from Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 24:1377-81. [PMID: 25001554 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1405.05030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
In order to discover and develop novel signaling inhibitors from plants, a screening system was established targeting the two-component system of Cryptococcus neoformans by using the wild type and a calcineurin mutant of C. neoformans, based on the counter-regulatory action of high-osmolarity glycerol (Hog1) mitogen-activated protein kinase and the calcineurin pathways in C. neoformans. Among 10,000 plant extracts, that from Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv. exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against C. neoformans var. grubii H99 with fludioxonil. Bioassay-guided fractionation was used to isolate two bioactive compounds from H. abyssinica, and these compounds were identified as chebulagic acid and chebulanin using spectroscopic methods. These compounds specifically inhibited the calcineurin pathway in C. neoformans. Moreover, they exhibited potent antifungal activities against various human pathogenic fungi with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.25 to over 64 µg/ml.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Jeong Lee
- Division of Biosystems Research, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea
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Jung KW, Yang DH, Maeng S, Lee KT, So YS, Hong J, Choi J, Byun HJ, Kim H, Bang S, Song MH, Lee JW, Kim MS, Kim SY, Ji JH, Park G, Kwon H, Cha S, Meyers GL, Wang LL, Jang J, Janbon G, Adedoyin G, Kim T, Averette AK, Heitman J, Cheong E, Lee YH, Lee YW, Bahn YS. Systematic functional profiling of transcription factor networks in Cryptococcus neoformans. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6757. [PMID: 25849373 PMCID: PMC4391232 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in humans, but its overall biological and pathogenic regulatory circuits remain elusive, particularly due to the presence of an evolutionarily divergent set of transcription factors (TFs). Here, we report the construction of a high-quality library of 322 signature-tagged gene-deletion strains for 155 putative TF genes previously predicted using the DNA-binding domain TF database, and examine their in vitro and in vivo phenotypic traits under 32 distinct growth conditions. At least one phenotypic trait is exhibited by 145 out of 155 TF mutants (93%) and ∼85% of them (132/155) are functionally characterized for the first time in this study. The genotypic and phenotypic data for each TF are available in the C. neoformans TF phenome database (http://tf.cryptococcus.org). In conclusion, our phenome-based functional analysis of the C. neoformans TF mutant library provides key insights into transcriptional networks of basidiomycetous fungi and human fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Woo Jung
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Dong-Hoon Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Shinae Maeng
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Yee-Seul So
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Joohyeon Hong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Jaeyoung Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Hyo-Jeong Byun
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Hyelim Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Soohyun Bang
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Min-Hee Song
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Jang-Won Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Min Su Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Seo-Young Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Je-Hyun Ji
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Goun Park
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Hyojeong Kwon
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Suyeon Cha
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Gena Lee Meyers
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Li Li Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Jooyoung Jang
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Guilhem Janbon
- Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris F-75015, France
| | - Gloria Adedoyin
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Taeyup Kim
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Anna K Averette
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Eunji Cheong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Yong-Hwan Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Yin-Won Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
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48
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Kim H, Jung KW, Maeng S, Chen YL, Shin J, Shim JE, Hwang S, Janbon G, Kim T, Heitman J, Bahn YS, Lee I. Network-assisted genetic dissection of pathogenicity and drug resistance in the opportunistic human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8767. [PMID: 25739925 PMCID: PMC4350084 DOI: 10.1038/srep08767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic human pathogenic fungus that causes meningoencephalitis. Due to the increasing global risk of cryptococcosis and the emergence of drug-resistant strains, the development of predictive genetics platforms for the rapid identification of novel genes governing pathogenicity and drug resistance of C. neoformans is imperative. The analysis of functional genomics data and genome-scale mutant libraries may facilitate the genetic dissection of such complex phenotypes but with limited efficiency. Here, we present a genome-scale co-functional network for C. neoformans, CryptoNet, which covers ~81% of the coding genome and provides an efficient intermediary between functional genomics data and reverse-genetics resources for the genetic dissection of C. neoformans phenotypes. CryptoNet is the first genome-scale co-functional network for any fungal pathogen. CryptoNet effectively identified novel genes for pathogenicity and drug resistance using guilt-by-association and context-associated hub algorithms. CryptoNet is also the first genome-scale co-functional network for fungi in the basidiomycota phylum, as Saccharomyces cerevisiae belongs to the ascomycota phylum. CryptoNet may therefore provide insights into pathway evolution between two distinct phyla of the fungal kingdom. The CryptoNet web server (www.inetbio.org/cryptonet) is a public resource that provides an interactive environment of network-assisted predictive genetics for C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanhae Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul. 120-749, Korea
| | - Kwang-Woo Jung
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul. 120-749, Korea
| | - Shinae Maeng
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul. 120-749, Korea
| | - Ying-Lien Chen
- 1] Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA [2] Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Junha Shin
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul. 120-749, Korea
| | - Jung Eun Shim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul. 120-749, Korea
| | - Sohyun Hwang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul. 120-749, Korea
| | - Guilhem Janbon
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Taeyup Kim
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul. 120-749, Korea
| | - Insuk Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul. 120-749, Korea
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49
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Lee DJ, Bahn YS, Kim HJ, Chung SY, Kang HA. Unraveling the novel structure and biosynthetic pathway of O-linked glycans in the Golgi apparatus of the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. J Biol Chem 2014; 290:1861-73. [PMID: 25477510 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.607705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated basidiomycete causing cryptococcosis in immunocompromised humans. The cell surface mannoproteins of C. neoformans were reported to stimulate the host T-cell response and to be involved in fungal pathogenicity; however, their O-glycan structure is uncharacterized. In this study, we performed a detailed structural analysis of the O-glycans attached to cryptococcal mannoproteins using HPLC combined with exoglycosidase treatment and showed that the major C. neoformans O-glycans were short manno-oligosaccharides that were connected mostly by α1,2-linkages but connected by an α1,6-linkage at the third mannose residue. Comparison of the O-glycan profiles from wild-type and uxs1Δ mutant strains strongly supports the presence of minor O-glycans carrying a xylose residue. Further analyses of C. neoformans mutant strains identified three mannosyltransferase genes involved in O-glycan extensions in the Golgi. C. neoformans KTR3, the only homolog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae KRE2/MNT1 family genes, was shown to encode an α1,2-mannosyltransferase responsible for the addition of the second mannose residue via an α1,2-linkage to the major O-glycans. C. neoformans HOC1 and HOC3, homologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae OCH1 family genes, were shown to encode α1,6-mannosyltransferases that can transfer the third mannose residue, via an α1,6-linkage, to minor O-glycans containing xylose and to major O-glycans without xylose, respectively. Moreover, the C. neoformans ktr3Δ mutant strain, which displayed increased sensitivity to SDS, high salt, and high temperature, showed attenuated virulence in a mouse model of cryptococcosis, suggesting that the extended structure of O-glycans is required for cell integrity and full pathogenicity of C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Jik Lee
- From the Department of Life Science, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, and
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- the Department of Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Hong-Jin Kim
- the College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea and
| | - Seung-Yeon Chung
- From the Department of Life Science, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, and
| | - Hyun Ah Kang
- From the Department of Life Science, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, and
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50
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Bang S, Kwon H, Hwang HS, Park KD, Kim SU, Bahn YS. 9-O-butyl-13-(4-isopropylbenzyl)berberine, KR-72, is a potent antifungal agent that inhibits the growth of Cryptococcus neoformans by regulating gene expression. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109863. [PMID: 25302492 PMCID: PMC4193857 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study we explored the mode of action of KR-72, a 9-O-butyl-13-(4-isopropylbenzyl)berberine derivative previously shown to exhibit potent antifungal activity against a variety of human fungal pathogens. The DNA microarray data revealed that KR-72 treatment significantly changed the transcription profiles of C. neoformans, affecting the expression of more than 2,000 genes. Genes involved in translation and transcription were mostly upregulated, whereas those involved in the cytoskeleton, intracellular trafficking, and lipid metabolism were downregulated. KR-72 also exhibited a strong synergistic effect with the antifungal agent FK506. KR-72 treatment regulated the expression of several essential genes, including ECM16, NOP14, HSP10 and MGE1, which are required for C. neoformans growth. The KR-72-mediated induction of MGE1 also likely reduced the viability of C. neoformans by impairing cell cycle or the DNA repair system. In conclusion, KR-72 showed antifungal activity by modulating diverse biological processes through a mode of action distinct from those of clinically available antifungal drugs such as polyene and azole drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soohyun Bang
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyojeong Kwon
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Sook Hwang
- Center for Neuro-Medicine, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Duk Park
- Center for Neuro-Medicine, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Uk Kim
- Industrial Bio-materials Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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