scholarly journals Arginine Auxotrophy Affects Siderophore Biosynthesis and Attenuates Virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Maria Dietl ◽  
Ulrike Binder ◽  
Ingo Bauer ◽  
Yana Shadkchan ◽  
Nir Osherov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Nitrogen Source ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Siderophore Production ◽  
Arginine Biosynthesis ◽  
Siderophore Biosynthesis ◽  
Acetylglutamate Synthase ◽  
Opportunistic Human Pathogen

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic human pathogen mainly infecting immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study was to characterize the role of arginine biosynthesis in virulence of A. fumigatus via genetic inactivation of two key arginine biosynthetic enzymes, the bifunctional acetylglutamate synthase/ornithine acetyltransferase (argJ/AFUA_5G08120) and the ornithine carbamoyltransferase (argB/AFUA_4G07190). Arginine biosynthesis is intimately linked to the biosynthesis of ornithine, a precursor for siderophore production that has previously been shown to be essential for virulence in A. fumigatus. ArgJ is of particular interest as it is the only arginine biosynthetic enzyme lacking mammalian homologs. Inactivation of either ArgJ or ArgB resulted in arginine auxotrophy. Lack of ArgJ, which is essential for mitochondrial ornithine biosynthesis, significantly decreased siderophore production during limited arginine supply with glutamine as nitrogen source, but not with arginine as sole nitrogen source. In contrast, siderophore production reached wild-type levels under both growth conditions in ArgB null strains. These data indicate that siderophore biosynthesis is mainly fueled by mitochondrial ornithine production during limited arginine availability, but by cytosolic ornithine production during high arginine availability via cytosolic arginine hydrolysis. Lack of ArgJ or ArgB attenuated virulence of A. fumigatus in the insect model Galleria mellonella and in murine models for invasive aspergillosis, indicating limited arginine availability in the investigated host niches.

scholarly journals Role of gliotoxin in the symbiotic and pathogenic interactions of Trichoderma virens

Microbiology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 160 (10) ◽  
pp. 2319-2330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter A. Vargas ◽  
Prasun K. Mukherjee ◽  
David Laughlin ◽  
Aric Wiest ◽  
Maria E. Moran-Diez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Gene Disruption ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Pythium Ultimum ◽  
Trichoderma Virens ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
Opportunistic Human Pathogen ◽  
Confrontation Assay ◽  
Wax Moth

Using a gene disruption strategy, we generated mutants in the gliP locus of the plant-beneficial fungus Trichoderma virens that were no longer capable of producing gliotoxin. Phenotypic assays demonstrated that the gliP-disrupted mutants grew faster, were more sensitive to oxidative stress and exhibited a sparse colony edge compared with the WT strain. In a plate confrontation assay, the mutants deficient in gliotoxin production were ineffective as mycoparasites against the oomycete, Pythium ultimum, and the necrotrophic fungal pathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, but retained mycoparasitic ability against Rhizoctonia solani. Biocontrol assays in soil showed that the mutants were incapable of protecting cotton seedlings from attack by P. ultimum, against which the WT strain was highly effective. The mutants, however, were as effective as the WT strain in protecting cotton seedlings against R. solani. Loss of gliotoxin production also resulted in a reduced ability of the mutants to attack the sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum compared with the WT. The addition of exogenous gliotoxin to the sclerotia colonized by the mutants partially restored their degradative abilities. Interestingly, as in Aspergillus fumigatus, an opportunistic human pathogen, gliotoxin was found to be involved in pathogenicity of T. virens against larvae of the wax moth, Galleria mellonella. The loss of gliotoxin production in T. virens was restored by complementation with the gliP gene from A. fumigatus. We have, thus, demonstrated that the putative gliP cluster of T. virens is responsible for the biosynthesis of gliotoxin, and gliotoxin is involved in mycoparasitism and biocontrol properties of this plant-beneficial fungus.

scholarly journals The Protective Role of 1,8-Dihydroxynaphthalene–Melanin on Conidia of the Opportunistic Human Pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus Revisited: No Role in Protection against Hydrogen Peroxide and Superoxides

mSphere ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Keizer ◽  
I. D. Valdes ◽  
B. L. McCann ◽  
E. M. Bignell ◽  
H. A. B. Wösten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogens ◽  
Green Pigment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Opportunistic Human Pathogen

Opportunistic pathogens like Aspergillus fumigatus have strategies to protect themselves against reactive oxygen species like hydrogen peroxides and superoxides that are produced by immune cells. DHN-melanin is the green pigment on conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus and more than 2 decades ago was reported to protect conidia against hydrogen peroxide.

scholarly journals Role of Siderophore Biosynthesis in Virulence of Staphylococcus aureus: Identification and Characterization of Genes Involved in Production of a Siderophore

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne E. Dale ◽  
Amanda Doherty-Kirby ◽  
Gilles Lajoie ◽  
David E. Heinrichs
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Siderophore Production ◽  
Coagulase Negative Staphylococci ◽  
Iron Restriction ◽  
Growth Deficiency ◽  
Molecular Determinants ◽  
Identification And Characterization

ABSTRACT Molecular determinants underlying the production of siderophores in the human and animal pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and the contribution of siderophore production to the virulence of this bacterium have, until now, remained undefined. Here, we show that S. aureus strains RN6390 and Newman produce siderophore when the cells are starved for iron. We further identified and characterized a nine-gene, iron-regulated operon, designated sbn and situated between sirABC and galE on the S. aureus chromosome, that is involved in the production of a siderophore. Mutation of the sbnE gene, in both RN6390 and Newman, eliminates the ability of these strains to produce a siderophore under iron-limited growth conditions, while introduction of multicopy sbnE into sbnE mutants complemented the inability of the mutants to produce the siderophore. sbnE mutants, in both the RN6390 and Newman backgrounds, displayed a drastic growth deficiency, compared to the wild type, in iron-restricted growth medium, whereas no such deficiency was observed during growth in iron-replete medium. Complemented mutants showed a restored ability to grow under iron restriction. We further showed that an sbnE mutant was compromised in a murine kidney abscess model of S. aureus infection, illustrating the importance of siderophore production to the pathogenicity of S. aureus. sbn genes were present in all S. aureus strains tested (and all S. aureus genome sequences) but were undetectable in any of the 13 coagulase-negative staphylococci tested, including Staphylococcus epidermidis.

scholarly journals A Candida parapsilosis Overexpression Collection Reveals Genes Required for Pathogenesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Sára E. Pál ◽  
Renáta Tóth ◽  
Joshua D. Nosanchuk ◽  
Csaba Vágvölgyi ◽  
Tibor Németh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Candida Parapsilosis ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Mutant Library ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
Opportunistic Human Pathogen ◽  
Mutant Collection

Relative to the vast data regarding the virulence mechanisms of Candida albicans, there is limited knowledge on the emerging opportunistic human pathogen Candida parapsilosis. The aim of this study was to generate and characterize an overexpression mutant collection to identify and explore virulence factors in C. parapsilosis. With the obtained mutants, we investigated stress tolerance, morphology switch, biofilm formation, phagocytosis, and in vivo virulence in Galleria mellonella larvae and mouse models. In order to evaluate the results, we compared the data from the C. parapsilosis overexpression collection analysis to the results derived from previous deletion mutant library characterizations. Of the 37 overexpression C. parapsilosis mutants, we identified eight with altered phenotypes compared to the controls. This work is the first report to identify CPAR2_107240, CPAR2_108840, CPAR2_302400, CPAR2_406400, and CPAR2_602820 as contributors to C. parapsilosis virulence by regulating functions associated with host-pathogen interactions and biofilm formation. Our findings also confirmed the role of CPAR2_109520, CPAR2_200040, and CPAR2_500180 in pathogenesis. This study was the first attempt to use an overexpression strategy to systematically assess gene function in C. parapsilosis, and our results demonstrate that this approach is effective for such investigations.

Role of the exosporial membrane in attachment and germination of C. sporogenes

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 38-39
Author(s):  
B.J. Panessa-Warren ◽  
G.T. Tortora ◽  
J.B. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Enzymatic Degradation ◽  
Light Transmission ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Clostridium Sporogenes ◽  
Radiation Chemical ◽  
Physical Trauma ◽  
Extended Contact ◽  
Cold Pressure

Some bacteria are capable of forming highly resistant spores when environmental conditions are not adequate for growth. Depending on the genus and species of the bacterium, these endospores are resistant in varying degrees to heat, cold, pressure, enzymatic degradation, ionizing radiation, chemical sterilants,physical trauma and organic solvents. The genus Clostridium, responsible for botulism poisoning, tetanus, gas gangrene and diarrhea in man, produces endospores which are highly resistant. Although some sporocides can kill Clostridial spores, the spores require extended contact with a sporocidal agent to achieve spore death. In most clinical situations, this extended period of treatment is not possible nor practical. This investigation examines Clostridium sporogenes endospores by light, transmission and scanning electron microscopy under various dormant and growth conditions, cataloging each stage in the germination and outgrowth process, and analyzing the role played by the exosporial membrane in the attachment and germination of the spore.

scholarly journals Galleria mellonella as a screening tool to study virulence factors of Aspergillus fumigatus

Virulence ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 818-834
Author(s):  
Marie-Fleur Durieux ◽  
Élise Melloul ◽  
Sana Jemel ◽  
Lolita Roisin ◽  
Marie-Laure Dardé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Galleria Mellonella

scholarly journals Petrobactin, a siderophore produced by Alteromonas, mediates community iron acquisition in the global ocean

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren E. Manck ◽  
Jiwoon Park ◽  
Benjamin J. Tully ◽  
Alfonso M. Poire ◽  
Randelle M. Bundy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Iron Acquisition ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycling ◽  
Iron Bioavailability ◽  
Siderophore Production ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Pacific ◽  
Alteromonas Macleodii

AbstractIt is now widely accepted that siderophores play a role in marine iron biogeochemical cycling. However, the mechanisms by which siderophores affect the availability of iron from specific sources and the resulting significance of these processes on iron biogeochemical cycling as a whole have remained largely untested. In this study, we develop a model system for testing the effects of siderophore production on iron bioavailability using the marine copiotroph Alteromonas macleodii ATCC 27126. Through the generation of the knockout cell line ΔasbB::kmr, which lacks siderophore biosynthetic capabilities, we demonstrate that the production of the siderophore petrobactin enables the acquisition of iron from mineral sources and weaker iron-ligand complexes. Notably, the utilization of lithogenic iron, such as that from atmospheric dust, indicates a significant role for siderophores in the incorporation of new iron into marine systems. We have also detected petrobactin, a photoreactive siderophore, directly from seawater in the mid-latitudes of the North Pacific and have identified the biosynthetic pathway for petrobactin in bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes widely distributed across the global ocean. Together, these results improve our mechanistic understanding of the role of siderophore production in iron biogeochemical cycling in the marine environment wherein iron speciation, bioavailability, and residence time can be directly influenced by microbial activities.

scholarly journals Ref2, a regulatory subunit of the yeast protein phosphatase 1, is a novel component of cation homoeostasis

2010 ◽  
Vol 426 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jofre Ferrer-Dalmau ◽  
Asier González ◽  
Maria Platara ◽  
Clara Navarrete ◽  
José L. Martínez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Phosphatase ◽  
Living Organism ◽  
Calcium Sensitivity ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Protein Phosphatase 1 ◽  
Regulatory Subunit ◽  
Alkaline Ph ◽  
Yeast Protein ◽  
Increased Sensitivity

Maintenance of cation homoeostasis is a key process for any living organism. Specific mutations in Glc7, the essential catalytic subunit of yeast protein phosphatase 1, result in salt and alkaline pH sensitivity, suggesting a role for this protein in cation homoeostasis. We screened a collection of Glc7 regulatory subunit mutants for altered tolerance to diverse cations (sodium, lithium and calcium) and alkaline pH. Among 18 candidates, only deletion of REF2 (RNA end formation 2) yielded increased sensitivity to these conditions, as well as to diverse organic toxic cations. The Ref2F374A mutation, which renders it unable to bind Glc7, did not rescue the salt-related phenotypes of the ref2 strain, suggesting that Ref2 function in cation homoeostasis is mediated by Glc7. The ref2 deletion mutant displays a marked decrease in lithium efflux, which can be explained by the inability of these cells to fully induce the Na+-ATPase ENA1 gene. The effect of lack of Ref2 is additive to that of blockage of the calcineurin pathway and might disrupt multiple mechanisms controlling ENA1 expression. ref2 cells display a striking defect in vacuolar morphogenesis, which probably accounts for the increased calcium levels observed under standard growth conditions and the strong calcium sensitivity of this mutant. Remarkably, the evidence collected indicates that the role of Ref2 in cation homoeostasis may be unrelated to its previously identified function in the formation of mRNA via the APT (for associated with Pta1) complex.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document