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Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Jun 2023Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus are important human pathogens that can infect the lung and cornea. During infection, Aspergillus dormant conidia are the...
Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus are important human pathogens that can infect the lung and cornea. During infection, Aspergillus dormant conidia are the primary morphotype that comes in contact with the host. As the conidial surface-associated proteins (CSPs) and the extracellular proteins during the early stages of growth play a crucial role in establishing infection, we profiled and compared these proteins between a clinical strain of A. flavus and a clinical strain of A. fumigatus. We identified nearly 100 CSPs in both Aspergillus, and these non-covalently associated surface proteins were able to stimulate the neutrophils to secrete interleukin IL-8. Mass spectrometry analysis identified more than 200 proteins in the extracellular space during the early stages of conidial growth and germination (early exoproteome). The conidial surface proteins and the early exoproteome of A. fumigatus were enriched with immunoreactive proteins and those with pathogenicity-related functions while that of the A. flavus were primarily enzymes involved in cell wall reorganization and binding. Comparative proteome analysis of the CSPs and the early exoproteome between A. flavus and A. fumigatus enabled the identification of a common core proteome and potential species-specific signature proteins. Transcript analysis of selected proteins indicate that the transcript-protein level correlation does not exist for all proteins and might depend on factors such as membrane-anchor signals and protein half-life. The probable signature proteins of A. flavus and A. fumigatus identified in this study can serve as potential candidates for developing species-specific diagnostic tests. KEY POINTS: • CSPs and exoproteins could differentiate A. flavus and A. fumigatus. • A. fumigatus conidial surface harbored more antigenic proteins than A. flavus. • Identified species-specific signature proteins of A. flavus and A. fumigatus.
Topics: Humans; Proteome; Aspergillus; Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus flavus; Membrane Proteins; Spores, Fungal
PubMed: 37166481
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12559-4 -
The Journal of Veterinary Medical... Oct 2021In July 2020, a sow in a breeding herd in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan, suffered abortion. A necropsy revealed pale pulmonary foci scattered in the two fetuses....
In July 2020, a sow in a breeding herd in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan, suffered abortion. A necropsy revealed pale pulmonary foci scattered in the two fetuses. Histologically, multifocal pulmonary necrosis was detected with numerous yeasts. The yeast was positively stained using the periodic acid-Schiff reaction and Grocott's silver stain. Molecular identification indicated that the yeast was Candida parapsilosis. In conclusion, our results suggested that C. parapsilosis caused multifocal necrotizing pneumonia in the two fetuses. This study is the first report of a swine abortion with C. parapsilosis infection.
Topics: Animals; Candida; Candida parapsilosis; Female; Japan; Pregnancy; Swine
PubMed: 34526417
DOI: 10.1292/jvms.21-0439 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2020species are common colonizers of the human skin, vagina, and the gut. As human commensals, species do not cause any notable damage in healthy individuals; however, in... (Review)
Review
species are common colonizers of the human skin, vagina, and the gut. As human commensals, species do not cause any notable damage in healthy individuals; however, in certain conditions they can initiate a wide range of diseases such as chronic disseminated candidiasis, endocarditis, vaginitis, meningitis, and endophthalmitis. The incidence of caused infections has increased worldwide, with mortality rates exceeding 70% in certain patient populations. , and are responsible for more than 90% of -related infections. Interestingly, the host immune response against these closely related fungi varies. As part of the innate immune system, complement proteins play a crucial role in host defense, protecting the host by lysing pathogens or by increasing their phagocytosis by phagocytes through opsonization. This review summarizes interactions of host complement proteins with pathogenic species, including and non species such as . We will also highlight the various ways of complement activation, describe the antifungal effects of complement cascades and explore the mechanisms adopted by members of pathogenic species for evading complement attack.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Candida; Candida albicans; Candida parapsilosis; Candidiasis; Complement System Proteins; Female; Humans
PubMed: 32232011
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00094 -
Analytical Methods : Advancing Methods... Jan 2021An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of 15 mycotoxins, including...
An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of 15 mycotoxins, including aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2), ochratoxins (A, B, and C), citrinin, patulin, and emerging Alternaria toxins (alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene, tentoxin, tenuazonic acid, and altenusin) in orange, grape and apple juices. Different extraction approaches, sorbents, chromatographic columns and mobile phases were investigated for establishment of an optimal QuEChERS procedure and UHPLC-MS/MS conditions. Recoveries were in the range of 74-110%, and the limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.05 to 0.1 ng mL-1 and from 0.1 to 5.0 ng mL-1, respectively. Matrix effects were evaluated and matrix-matched calibration curves were used to compensate for matrix effects and achieve accurate quantification. The correlation coefficients (R2) of linearity were higher than 0.99 and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of intra- and inter-day precision were under 13%. The method was subsequently applied to 22 fruit juice samples. The high frequencies (90.9%) of mycotoxins not only proved the reliability and sensitivity of the currently established method, but also demonstrated that fruit juices are susceptible to different mycotoxins, which need to be continuously monitored in the future.
Topics: Alternaria; Aspergillus; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Citrus sinensis; Fruit and Vegetable Juices; Malus; Mycotoxins; Penicillium; Reproducibility of Results; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Vitis
PubMed: 33331361
DOI: 10.1039/d0ay01787f -
International Journal of Molecular... Jul 2021Fungal diseases pose a major threat to ornamental plants, with an increasing percentage of pathogen-driven host losses. In ornamental plants, management of the majority... (Review)
Review
Fungal diseases pose a major threat to ornamental plants, with an increasing percentage of pathogen-driven host losses. In ornamental plants, management of the majority of fungal diseases primarily depends upon chemical control methods that are often non-specific. Host basal resistance, which is deficient in many ornamental plants, plays a key role in combating diseases. Despite their economic importance, conventional and molecular breeding approaches in ornamental plants to facilitate disease resistance are lagging, and this is predominantly due to their complex genomes, limited availability of gene pools, and degree of heterozygosity. Although genetic engineering in ornamental plants offers feasible methods to overcome the intrinsic barriers of classical breeding, achievements have mainly been reported only in regard to the modification of floral attributes in ornamentals. The unavailability of transformation protocols and candidate gene resources for several ornamental crops presents an obstacle for tackling the functional studies on disease resistance. Recently, multiomics technologies, in combination with genome editing tools, have provided shortcuts to examine the molecular and genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying fungal disease resistance, ultimately leading to the subsequent advances in the development of novel cultivars with desired fungal disease-resistant traits, in ornamental crops. Although fungal diseases constitute the majority of ornamental plant diseases, a comprehensive overview of this highly important fungal disease resistance seems to be insufficient in the field of ornamental horticulture. Hence, in this review, we highlight the representative mechanisms of the fungal infection-related resistance to pathogens in plants, with a focus on ornamental crops. Recent progress in molecular breeding, genetic engineering strategies, and RNAi technologies, such as HIGS and SIGS for the enhancement of fungal disease resistance in various important ornamental crops, is also described.
Topics: Disease Resistance; Mitosporic Fungi; Plant Breeding; Plant Diseases; Plants, Genetically Modified
PubMed: 34360726
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22157956 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2023spp. cause fungal infection that affects patients' oral health. This study aimed to evaluate the isolated and synergistic antifungal effect of L., L., L., and L....
spp. cause fungal infection that affects patients' oral health. This study aimed to evaluate the isolated and synergistic antifungal effect of L., L., L., and L. glycolic extracts against , , , and planktonic and biofilm forms. The plant extracts were chemically characterized and the main compounds were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD) analysis. The minimum inhibitory and minimum fungicidal concentrations of the extracts were determined, and antibiofilm activity was evaluated by MTT assay. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's tests, and by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests, considering a significance level of 5%. The main compounds identified in each of the extracts were: p-coumaric acid (2153.22 μg/100 mL) in the rosemary extract, gallotannins (4318.31 μg/100 mL) in the pomegranate extract, quercetin derivatives (3316.50 μg/100 mL) in the extract of white roses, and curcumin (135.09 μg/100 mL) in the turmeric extract. The combination of and glycolic extracts was effective against , and biofilms over different periods ( < 0.05). The combination of and glycolic extracts was effective against and biofilms after 30 min, and against after 24 h, with all combinations showing an average reduction of 50% in cell viability ( < 0.05). In conclusion, the combined plant extracts have antifungal and antibiofilm action against spp. in different concentrations and times of action.
Topics: Humans; Antifungal Agents; Glycols; Candida; Candida albicans; Candida tropicalis; Plant Extracts; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Biofilms
PubMed: 36985829
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062857 -
Tropical Biomedicine Sep 2019An investigation was undertaken for screening and isolating nematophagous-fungi from the faecal samples of various grazing animals and soils in Malaysia. Total of 111...
An investigation was undertaken for screening and isolating nematophagous-fungi from the faecal samples of various grazing animals and soils in Malaysia. Total of 111 faeces and 50 soil samples were collected and the samples were cultured on 2% water agar plates. The growth of nematophagous-fungi was stimulated by sprinkling-baiting technique. The conidia of suspected nematophagous-fungi were inoculated on 2% water agar plates. All isolated were maintained on 2% cornmeal agar plates. Verticillium spp., Fusarium spp. and Arthrobotrys spp. were identified from the faecal and soil samples. 62.5% of the faecal samples and 100% of the soil samples were shown to be positive with nematophagous-fungi. This study highlights the present of nematophagous-fungi population in faecal and soil samples. Much study remains to be done to better understanding some fungi especially their mode of action and their predatory behaviour against parasitic nematodes.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Deer; Feces; Goats; Horses; Malaysia; Mitosporic Fungi; Nematoda; Pest Control, Biological; Soil; Soil Microbiology
PubMed: 33597490
DOI: No ID Found -
MSphere Aug 2023The contributions of commensal fungi to human health and disease are not well understood. species such as and are opportunistic pathogenic fungi and common colonizers...
The contributions of commensal fungi to human health and disease are not well understood. species such as and are opportunistic pathogenic fungi and common colonizers of the human intestinal tract. They have been shown to affect the host immune system and interact with the gut microbiome and pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, species could be expected to play important ecological roles in the host gastrointestinal tract. Previously, our group demonstrated that pre-colonization of mice with protected them against lethal infection (CDI). Here, we show that mice pre-colonized with succumbed to CDI more rapidly than mice that were not pre-colonized suggesting an enhancement in pathogenesis. Further, when was added to pre-formed biofilms, an increase in matrix and overall biomass was observed. These effects were also shown with clinical isolates. Interestingly, the presence of increased biofilm susceptibility to caspofungin, indicating potential effects on the fungal cell wall. Defining this intricate and intimate relationship will lead to an understanding of the role of species in the context of CDI and novel aspects of biology. IMPORTANCE Most microbiome studies have only considered the bacterial populations while ignoring other members of the microbiome such as fungi, other eukaryotic microorganisms, and viruses. Therefore, the role of fungi in human health and disease has been significantly understudied compared to their bacterial counterparts. This has generated a significant gap in knowledge that has negatively impacted disease diagnosis, understanding, and the development of therapeutics. With the development of novel technologies, we now have an understanding of mycobiome composition, but we do not understand the roles of fungi in the host. Here, we present findings showing that , an opportunistic pathogenic yeast that colonizes the mammalian gastrointestinal tract, can impact the severity and outcome of a infection (CDI) in a murine model. These findings bring attention to fungal colonizers during CDI, a bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal tract.
Topics: Mice; Humans; Animals; Candida glabrata; Clostridioides difficile; Clostridioides; Disease Models, Animal; Candida; Candida albicans; Mammals
PubMed: 37358292
DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00122-23 -
Journal of Applied Microbiology May 2022To isolate and characterize fungi associated with diseased soybean seedlings in Midwestern soybean production fields and to determine the influence of environmental and...
AIMS
To isolate and characterize fungi associated with diseased soybean seedlings in Midwestern soybean production fields and to determine the influence of environmental and edaphic factors on their incidence.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Seedlings were collected from fields with seedling disease history in 2012 and 2013 for fungal isolation. Environmental and edaphic data associated with each field was collected. 3036 fungal isolates were obtained and assigned to 76 species. The most abundant genera recovered were Fusarium (73%) and Trichoderma (11.2%). Other genera included Mortierella, Clonostachys, Rhizoctonia, Alternaria, Mucor, Phoma, Macrophomina and Phomopsis. Most recovered species are known soybean pathogens. However, non-pathogenic organisms were also isolated. Crop history, soil density, water source, precipitation and temperature were the main factors influencing the abundance of fungal species.
CONCLUSION
Key fungal species associated with soybean seedling diseases occurring in several US production regions were characterized. This work also identified major environment and edaphic factors affecting the abundance and occurrence of these species.
SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY
The identification and characterization of the main pathogens associated with seedling diseases across major soybean-producing areas could help manage those pathogens, and devise more effective and sustainable practices to reduce the damage they cause.
Topics: Ascomycota; Fusarium; Rhizoctonia; Seedlings; Glycine max
PubMed: 35226387
DOI: 10.1111/jam.15507 -
Annals of the New York Academy of... Jul 2021Invasive fungal infections have escalated from a rare curiosity to a major cause of human mortality around the globe. This is in part due to a scarcity in the number of... (Review)
Review
Invasive fungal infections have escalated from a rare curiosity to a major cause of human mortality around the globe. This is in part due to a scarcity in the number of antifungal drugs available to combat mycotic disease, making the discovery of novel bioactive compounds and determining their mode of action of utmost importance. The development and application of chemical genomic assays using the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has provided powerful methods to identify the mechanism of action of diverse molecules in a living cell. Furthermore, complementary assays are continually being developed in fungal pathogens, most notably Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, to elucidate compound mechanism of action directly in the pathogen of interest. Collectively, the suite of chemical genetic assays that have been developed in multiple fungal species enables the identification of candidate drug target genes, as well as genes involved in buffering drug target pathways, and genes involved in general cellular responses to small molecules. In this review, we examine current yeast chemical genomic assays and highlight how such resources provide powerful tools that can be utilized to bolster the antifungal pipeline.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Aspergillus; Candida albicans; Cryptococcus neoformans; Drug Discovery; Genome, Fungal; Humans
PubMed: 32860238
DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14484