scholarly journals Variation in cell surface hydrophobicity among Cryptococcus neoformans strains influences interactions with amoeba

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raghav Vij ◽  
Conor J. Crawford ◽  
Arturo Casadevall
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Cryptococcus Neoformans ◽  
Cell Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Natural Soil ◽  
Order Structure ◽  
Hydroxyl Groups ◽  
Biophysical Properties ◽  
Critical Determinant ◽  
Biophysical Parameter

ABSTRACTCryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are pathogenic fungi that cause significant morbidity and mortality. Cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) is a biophysical parameter that influences the adhesion of fungal cells or spores to biotic and abiotic surfaces. C. neoformans is encased by polysaccharide capsule that is highly hydrophilic and is a critical determinant of virulence. In this study, we report large differences in the CSH of some C. neoformans and C. gattii strains. The capsular polysaccharides of C. neoformans strains differ in repeating motifs, and therefore vary in the number of hydroxyl groups, which along with higher-order structure of the capsule, may contribute to the variation in hydrophobicity that we observed. For C. neoformans, CSH correlated with phagocytosis by natural soil predator Acanthamoeba castellani. Furthermore, capsular binding of the protective antibody (18B7), but not the non-protective (13F1) antibody altered the CSH of C. neoformans strains. Variability in CSH could be an important characteristic when comparing the biological properties of cryptococcal strains.IMPORTANCEThe interaction of a microbial cell with its environment is influenced by the biophysical properties of a cell. The affinity of the cell surface for water, defined by the Cell Surface Hydrophobicity (CSH), is a biophysical parameter that varied amongst different strains of Cryptococcus neoformans. The CSH influenced the phagocytosis of the yeast by its natural predator in the soil, Amoeba. Studying variation in biophysical properties like CSH gives us insight into the dynamic host-predator interaction, and host-pathogen interaction in a damage-response framework.

scholarly journals Variation in Cell Surface Hydrophobicity among Cryptococcus neoformans Strains Influences Interactions with Amoebas

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raghav Vij ◽  
Carina Danchik ◽  
Conor Crawford ◽  
Quigly Dragotakes ◽  
Arturo Casadevall
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Cryptococcus Neoformans ◽  
Cell Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Natural Soil ◽  
Order Structure ◽  
Hydroxyl Groups ◽  
Biophysical Properties ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biophysical Parameter

ABSTRACT Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are pathogenic fungi that cause significant morbidity and mortality. Cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) is a biophysical parameter that influences the adhesion of fungal cells or spores to biotic and abiotic surfaces. C. neoformans is encased by polysaccharide capsule that is highly hydrophilic and is a critical determinant of virulence. In this study, we report large differences in the CSH of some C. neoformans and C. gattii strains. The capsular polysaccharides of C. neoformans strains differ in repeating motifs and therefore vary in the number of hydroxyl groups, which, along with higher-order structure of the capsule, may contribute to the variation in hydrophobicity that we observed. We found that cell wall composition, in the context of chitin-chitosan content, does not influence CSH. For C. neoformans, CSH correlated with phagocytosis by natural soil predator Acanthamoeba castellanii. Furthermore, capsular binding of the protective antibody (18B7), but not the nonprotective antibody (13F1), altered the CSH of C. neoformans strains. Variability in CSH could be an important characteristic in comparing the biological properties of cryptococcal strains. IMPORTANCE The interaction of a microbial cell with its environment is influenced by the biophysical properties of a cell. The affinity of the cell surface for water, defined by the cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), is a biophysical parameter that varies among different strains of Cryptococcus neoformans. The CSH influences the phagocytosis of the yeast by its natural predator in the soil, the amoeba. Studying variation in biophysical properties like CSH gives us insight into the dynamic host-predator interaction and host-pathogen interaction in a damage-response framework.

scholarly journals Role of Cell Surface Hydrophobicity in the Pathogenesis of Medically-Significant Fungi

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina Danchik ◽  
Arturo Casadevall
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Cell Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Dimorphic Fungi ◽  
Biophysical Parameter ◽  
Filamentous Cell ◽  
Cell Surface Interactions ◽  
Mold And Yeast

Cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) is an important cellular biophysical parameter which affects both cell-cell and cell-surface interactions. In dimorphic fungi, multiple factors including the temperature-induced shift between mold and yeast forms have strong effects on CSH with higher hydrophobicity more common at the lower temperatures conducive to filamentous cell growth. Some strains of Cryptococcus neoformans exhibit high CSH despite the presence of the hydrophilic capsule. Among individual yeast colonies from the same isolate, distinct morphologies can correspond to differences in CSH. These differences in CSH are frequently associated with altered virulence in medically-significant fungi and can impact the efficacy of antifungal therapies. The mechanisms for the maintenance of CSH in pathogenic fungi remain poorly understood, but an appreciation of this fundamental cellular parameter is important for understanding its contributions to such phenomena as biofilm formation and virulence.

Autecology of scum producing bacteria

1998 ◽  
Vol 37 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 527-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilde Lemmer ◽  
George Lind ◽  
Margit Schade ◽  
Birgit Ziegelmayer
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Cell Surface ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Cell Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Residence Times ◽  
Loading Conditions ◽  
Emulsifying Activity ◽  
Substrate Preferences

Non-filamentous hydrophobic scum bacteria were isolated from scumming wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) by means of adhesion to hydrocarbons. They were characterized with respect to taxonomy, substrate preferences, cell surface hydrophobicity, and emulsification capability. Their role during flotation events is discussed. Rhodococci are selected by hydrolysable substrates and contribute to flotation both by cell surface hydrophobicity and emulsifying activity at long mean cell residence times (MCRT). Saprophytic Acinetobacter strains are able to promote flotation by hydrophobicity and producing emulsifying agents under conditions when hydrophobic substrates are predominant. Hydrogenophaga and Acidovorax species as well as members of the Cytophaga/Flavobacterium group are prone to proliferate under low loading conditions and contribute to flotation mainly by emulsification.

Phenol and n-alkanes (C12 and C16) utilization: influence on yeast cell surface hydrophobicity

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1943-1949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Łukasz Chrzanowski ◽  
Katarzyna Bielicka-Daszkiewicz ◽  
Mikołaj Owsianiak ◽  
Andreas Aurich ◽  
Ewa Kaczorek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Yeast Cell ◽  
Cell Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Surface Hydrophobicity ◽  
Yeast Cell Surface
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