Biology subjects

Brakhage, A. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Brakhage, A. A..

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Human neutrophils release extracellular RNA that modulates Aspergillus fumigatus gene expression across kingdoms.

Extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) are emerging as potent bidirectional interkingdom effectors of host-pathogen interactions, particularly in plant and insect systems. Here, using small RNA-sequencing and genetic manipulation, we provide evidence consistent with a function of the human neutrophil exRNA-ome in modulating gene expression across kingdoms in the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. The neutrophil extracellular space contains a diverse repertoire of RNA, which was corroborated using a droplet-digital stem-loop RT-PCR protocol to measure differential abundance of several tRNA-derived RNAs between two extracellular fractions. A closer inspection of the extracellular miRNA pool revealed enrichment of antimicrobial Let-7 family sRNAs and immunomodulatory miR-223, among others. Secretion of these sRNAs was largely impervious to infection status, suggesting that neutrophils produce and maintain an antimicrobial exRNA environment against A. fumigatus that requires further targeting. Cross-kingdom miRNA target prediction and exRNA delivery experiments revealed that putative fungal targets are modulated independently of the fungal argonaute proteins and in a donor-dependent manner. Although heterogeneous, for donors that exhibited a silencing effect, mutated target sequences in the fungus did reverse silencing. We hypothesize that the exRNA landscape produced by neutrophils contributes to their multifaceted role in antifungal defense.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

Candida glabrata YPK2 is a multidrug susceptibility locus

The biological conservation between fungi and mammals due to a common ancestor has made development of selective antifungal drugs a difficult challenge. Further complicating this situation is the selection of antifungal drug-resistant organisms during drug treatment. The pathogenic yeast Nakaseomyces glabratus (called here Candida glabrata) presents an especially challenging organism due to its tendency to frequently lose susceptibility to the major antifungal drug class the azoles. Additionally, C. glabrata develops resistance to echinocandin drugs, a second, more recently described antifungal agent at 10 times the rate of other organisms. Previous work has established that the sterol responsive transcriptional regulator Upc2A is a key determinant of azole susceptibility in C. glabrata and plays a role in echinocandin resistance. We used a biochemical approach to identify proteins that co-purified with Upc2A and identified the Ypk2 AGC kinase as an interacting protein. Strains lacking YPK2 exhibited increased susceptibility to fluconazole and the echinocandin caspofungin. A ypk2{Delta} strain failed to normally induce transcription of several ERG genes but exhibited normal induction of the CDR1 ATP-binding cassette transporter gene. Isogenic ypk2{Delta} strains were also highly susceptible to the three major classes of antifungal drugs, indicating that this kinase behaves as a multidrug susceptibility factor. RNA-seq analyses indicated that the transcriptional response to exposure is different for each drug and each response is differentially altered upon loss of Ypk2. Our data indicate that Ypk2 plays an important role in coordinating gene expression that impacts susceptibility to all major antifungal drug classes.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2026

The murine lung microbiome is dynamic and transient

BackgroundWhether the lung microbiome represents a stable microbial colonization or a transient ecosystem shaped by continuous microbial turnover and controlled by host immunity remains unresolved. The murine lung microbiome largely consists of species from the former Lactobacillus genus with Ligilactobacillus murinus as a dominant species, bacterial genera such as Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Mammaliicoccus, Enterococcus and other less frequently detected bacteria. Here, we directly addressed the question of persistence and host interaction of a dominant murine lung commensal in vivo and focused on the host immune response towards lung commensal bacteria. ResultsWe developed a transformation strategy for stable genomic integration of a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-encoding gene to track the fate of a lung bacterium. Following intranasal administration of GFP-labeled L. murinus in mice, bacteria were readily detected in the lungs at early time points but declined rapidly and became undetectable after 72 hours, as determined by quantification of viable bacteria and qPCR. Flow cytometry and fluorescence imaging revealed efficient uptake of GFP-labeled bacteria by lung phagocytes. These findings indicate that even dominant members of the murine pulmonary microbiota normally detected at low abundances are transiently present in the lungs without causing infection. We further analyzed the effects of moderate and high bacterial concentrations. While moderate bacterial loads were efficiently controlled without clinical effects, high concentrations induced severe lethargy, indicating a threshold-dependent host response. Finally, we demonstrated that pulmonary commensals such as L. murinus, Staphylococcus xylosus, and Mammaliicoccus sciuri, as well as conidia of the opportunistic lung pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, are phagocytosed at comparable rates in macrophage assays. ConclusionsOur data demonstrate that even lung-adapted bacterial species fail to establish stable colonization and are instead subject to rapid immune-mediated elimination contributing to the maintenance of a low microbial burden in the lungs. While this homeostatic balance supports health, elevated bacterial loads trigger immune activation and, at high levels, lead to health deterioration. Together, these results support a model of a highly dynamic and transient lung microbiome, maintained by continual microbial immigration rather than long-term colonization. Accounting for the lung microbiome dynamics is essential for understanding host-microbiota interactions and respiratory health.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

The lipid raft marker flotillin FloA drives relocalization of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase PmaA as a protective response to calcium stress

Biological membranes are laterally heterogeneous and contain specialized microdomains called lipid rafts. Lipid rafts serve as organizational platforms that cluster signaling molecules or modulate membrane protein conformation through their unique lipid environment. There are specific lipid raft marker proteins whose functions remain obscure. One of these proteins is flotillin which has been linked to endocytosis. Here, we investigated the regulation and function of FloA, the sole flotillin homolog in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. FloA expression is specifically upregulated in response to calcium stress, which is a regulatory pattern also conserved in Aspergillus fumigatus. Whereas in A. fumigatus floA is regulated by the calcium regulatory protein CrzA, this is not the case in A. nidulans. BioID proximity labeling revealed that A. nidulans FloA physically interacts with proteins in the endocytic pathway as well as another lipid raft marker, the plasma membrane H+-ATPase PmaA. Under calcium stress, PmaA undergoes internalization from the cytoplasmic membrane. However, when floA is deleted, PmaA internalization is prevented, resulting in cell death. Together, we demonstrate that FloA is essential for the internalization of PmaA during calcium stress, a process that prevents intracellular calcium overload and promotes cell viability. Our results also provide further evidence for flotillin-assisted endocytosis. Author abstractLipids and proteins in a cell membrane can cluster together in small regions often called "lipid rafts", which help the cell interact with its surroundings. Lipid rafts can bring receptors together or influence how membrane proteins behave. Flotillin is a protein which is often found within lipid rafts, but its exact role is not well understood. Instead of using complex mammalian systems, we studied flotillins in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans, which is a simpler model organism that allows for a better understanding of cellular processes. We found that more flotillins are produced when the fungus is exposed to calcium stress. When flotillins were missing, the cells were unable to remove the protein PmaA from the cell membrane during calcium stress. As a result, the fungus could not cope with the calcium stress and eventually died. Therefore, we propose that flotillins are important for the fungus to reorganize its membranes and coping with calcium stress.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

The fungal transcription factor SmpR coordinates secondary metabolism and antibacterial defence in Aspergillus fumigatus during interspecies interaction

Aspergillus fumigatus, an opportunistic human fungal pathogen, encodes numerous secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that are tightly regulated and often remain silent under standard conditions. Co-cultivation with Streptomyces rapamycinicus or treatment with the secondary metabolite from this species, the arginoketide azalomycin F, induce the otherwise silent fumicycline (fcc) BGC of A. fumigatus. To elucidate the underlying regulatory circuitry, we performed transcriptome analyses of A. fumigatus exposed to azalomycin F or co-cultured with S. rapamycinicus. Both conditions triggered a coordinated antibacterial response, characterized by induction of specific secondary metabolites and antibacterial effectors, alongside repression of other BGCs, including those for fusarinine C, pyripyropene A, and fumagillin. Among the most strongly induced genes was a zinc cluster transcription factor, designated SmpR for secondary metabolite multiple pathway regulator, which is conserved within Ascomycota. SmpR expression was selectively induced by azalomycin F, specific Streptomyces species and other bacteria isolated from soil such as Kribbella spp. and Arthrobacter spp.. Functional analyses revealed that SmpR is required for activation of the fumicycline BGC: its deletion reduced, whereas its overexpression enhanced fumicycline production independently of external stimuli. We further demonstrate that SmpR acts upstream of the pathway-specific regulator FccR and additionally controls multiple antibacterial BGCs, including those for hexadehydroastechrome, helvolic acid and xanthocillin. Together, our data identify SmpR as a key regulator coordinating antibacterial secondary metabolism in response to bacterial signals in A. fumigatus.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Convergent evolution of a fungal effector enabling phagosome membrane penetration

The ability of pathogens to evade phagosomal killing is critical for their pathogenicity. Previously, we had identified the HscA effector protein in the clinically important fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, which redirects conidia-containing phagosomes from the degradative to the non-degradative pathway. Here, we discovered a pathogenic form of this surface protein, determined by a single tyrosine residue (Y) at position 596, which is lacking in most fungi analyzed, that have a leucine (L) instead. Y596 enables HscA to penetrate the phagosomal membrane. In line, the introduction of a single L- to-Y exchange in the orthologous Ssb protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae enabled the protein to penetrate phagosomal membranes that was reduced by deletion of one of the two Y-encoding SSB genes in the pathogenic fungus Candida glabrata. These data suggest a convergent evolution of HscA/Ssb proteins among human-pathogenic fungi and that a single amino acid exchange determines a virulence factor. HighlightsO_LIHscA with Y596 penetrates host cell membranes and causes phagosomal damage C_LIO_LIMost fungi (96%) have a leucine at the respective position C_LIO_LIAn L-to-Y mutation in Ssb enables S. cerevisiae to damage phagosomes C_LIO_LIRecruitment of ESCRT complex to the phagosomal membrane requires human p11 protein C_LI

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Identification of a fungal antibacterial endopeptidase that modulates immune responses

Aspergillus fumigatus is a saprophytic fungus dwelling in soil and on decaying plant material, but also an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients. In its environmental niche, A. fumigatus faces competition from other microorganisms including bacteria. Here, we describe the discovery of the first secreted antibacterial protein in A. fumigatus. We identified a secreted fungal endopeptidase, designated CwhA, that cleaves peptidoglycan of Gram-positive bacteria at specific residues within the peptidoglycan stem peptide. Cleavage leads to bacterial lysis and the release of peptidoglycan cleavage products. Expression of cwhA is induced by the presence of bacteria. Furthermore, CwhA is highly abundant in murine lungs during invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and peptidoglycan cleavage products generated by CwhA stimulate cytokine production of human immune cells. Although CwhA does not affect human cells directly, this novel player in fungal-bacterial interactions could affect A. fumigatus infections by inhibiting Gram-positive bacteria in its vicinity, and modulating the immune system.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

The murine lung microbiome is dysbalanced by the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus resulting in enrichment of anaerobic bacteria

Here, we report significant changes in the composition of the lung microbiome and metabolome of mice under immune suppression, infection of immunosuppressed mice with virulent and avirulent strains of the clinically important human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, and treatment with the clinically used antifungal drug voriconazole. Our data also indicate the important role of the gut microbiome for the lung homeostasis mediated by the plasma metabolome. In the lung microbiome, infection by A. fumigatus led to a significant increase of anaerobic bacteria, most prominently of Ligilactobacillus murinus, which was confirmed by the isolation of live bacteria from the murine lower respiratory tract. In vitro, L. murinus is tolerated and even internalized by alveolar epithelial cells. Co-cultivation of L. murinus and A. fumigatus led to a reduction in oxygen concentration accompanied by an increase of L. murinus cells suggesting that A. fumigatus establishes a microaerophilic niche, thereby promoting growth of anaerobic bacteria.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Bacteria-induced activation of a fungal silent gene cluster is controlled by histone deacetylase Sirtuin E

Filamentous fungi encode an untapped reservoir of natural products whose biosynthesis enzymes are often encoded by gene clusters. The majority of these gene clusters are only activated under distinct environmental conditions such as the presence of distinct neighbouring microorganisms but not under standard laboratory conditions. Previously, we provided evidence for such a scenario with the specific activation of the silent ors gene cluster in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans by the bacterium Streptomyces rapamycinicus. The bacterium triggered the activation of the GcnE histone acetyltransferase that acetylated histone 3 in nucleosomes of the ors gene cluster and the basR transcription factor, and thereby the gene cluster. The inducing compound was shown to be the bacterial arginoketide azalomycin F. Here, by inhibitor studies with the pan-sirtuin inhibitor nicotinamide (NAM) the involvement of a sirtuin HDAC was implied. Accordingly, deletion of all six putative sirtuin-encoding genes (sirA-E and hstA) revealed that only deletion of sirE led to production of orsellinic acid by A. nidulans without the need of the bacterium. Also other effects on growth and colony morphology due to NAM were phenocopied by the sirE deletion mutant. Addition of NAM did not compensate for the loss of the BasR transcription factor required for activation of the ors gene cluster. Collectively, SirE is the negative regulator of the bacteria-induced activation of the ors BGC. In line, addition of NAM to monocultures of Aspergillus mulundensis encoding a sirtuin E with highest similarity to the A. nidulans protein also activated the ors BGC in this fungus.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

A phylogenetic approach to explore the Aspergillus fumigatus conidial surface-associated proteome and its role in pathogenesis

Aspergillus fumigatus, an important pulmonary fungal pathogen causing several diseases collectively called aspergillosis, relies on asexual spores or conidia for initiating host infection. Here, we used a phylogenomic approach to compare proteins in the conidial surface of A. fumigatus, two closely related non-pathogenic species, Aspergillus fischeri and Aspergillus oerlinghausenensis, and the cryptic pathogen Aspergillus lentulus. After identifying 62 proteins uniquely expressed on the A. fumigatus conidial surface, we deleted 42 genes encoding conidial proteins. We found deletion of 33 of these genes altered susceptibility to macrophage killing, penetration and damage to epithelial cells, and cytokine production. Notably, a gene that encodes glycosylasparaginase, which modulates levels of the host pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1{beta}, is important for infection in an immunocompetent murine model of fungal disease. These results suggest that A. fumigatus conidial surface proteins and effectors are important for evasion and modulation of the immune response at the onset of fungal infection.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

The Toll pathway mediates Drosophila resilience to Aspergillus mycotoxins through specific Bomanins

Host defense against infections encompasses resistance, which targets microorganisms for neutralization or elimination, and resilience/disease tolerance, which allows the host to withstand/tolerate pathogens and repair damages. In Drosophila, the Toll signaling pathway is thought to mediate resistance against fungal infections by regulating the secretion of antimicrobial peptides, potentially including Bomanins. We found that Aspergillus fumigatus kills Drosophila Toll pathway mutants without invasion because its dissemination is blocked by melanization, suggesting a role for Toll in host defense distinct from resistance. We report that mutants affecting the Toll pathway or the 55C Bomanin locus were susceptible to the injection of two Aspergillus mycotoxins, restrictocin or verruculogen. The vulnerability of 55C deletion mutants to these mycotoxins was rescued by the overexpression of Bomanins specific to each challenge. Mechanistically, flies in which BomS6 was expressed in the nervous system exhibited an enhanced recovery from the tremors induced by injected verruculogen and displayed improved survival. Thus, innate immunity also protects the host against the action of microbial toxins through secreted peptides and thereby increase its resilience to infection.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Functional characterization of the RNA interference pathway in A. fumigatus reveals its potential for antifungal therapy

The RNA interference (RNAi) pathway has evolved numerous functionalities in eukaryotes, with many on display in Kingdom Fungi. RNAi can regulate gene expression, facilitate drug resistance, or even be altogether lost to improve growth potential in some fungal pathogens. In the WHO fungal priority pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus, the RNAi system is known to be intact and functional. To extend our limited understanding of A. fumigatus RNAi, we first investigated the genetic variation in RNAi-associated genes in a collection of 217 environmental and 83 clinical genomes, where we found that RNAi components are conserved even in clinical strains. Using endogenously expressed inverted-repeat transgenes complementary to a conditionally essential gene (pabA) or a nonessential gene (pksP), we determined that a subset of the RNAi componentry is active in inverted-repeat transgene silencing in conidia and mycelium. Analysis of mRNA-seq data from RNAi double-knockout strains linked the A. fumigatus dicer-like enzymes (DclA/B) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RrpA/B) to regulation of conidial ribosome biogenesis genes; however, surprisingly few endogenous small RNAs were identified in conidia that could explain this broad change. Although RNAi was not clearly linked to growth or stress response defects in the RNAi knockouts, serial passaging of RNAi knockout strains for six generations resulted in lineages with diminished spore production over time, indicating that loss of RNAi can exert a fitness cost on the fungus. Cumulatively, A. fumigatus RNAi appears to play an active role in defense against double-stranded RNA species alongside a previously unappreciated housekeeping function in regulation of conidial ribosomal biogenesis genes.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Re-direction of phagosomes to the recycling expulsion pathway by a fungal pathogen

The analysis of host-pathogen interactions bears the potential to discover novel pathogenicity mechanisms and to obtain novel insights into basic mechanisms of cell biology. Here, we obtained unprecedented insight into both. We discovered that the HscA protein on the conidial surface of the clinically important human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus acts as an effector protein. It inhibits phagosome maturation and reprograms phagosomes for expulsion of conidia. HscA anchors the human p11 protein to phagosomes. p11 is a decisive factor for targeting phagosomes either to the degradative or secretory pathway. The relevance of our findings is indicated by the identification of an SNP in the non-coding region of the human p11 gene that affects its translation and is associated with heightened susceptibility to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Ubiquitous bacterial polyketides induce cross-kingdom microbial interactions

Although the interaction of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms is critical for the functioning of ecosystems, knowledge of the processes driving microbial interactions within communities is in its infancy. We previously reported that the soil bacterium Streptomyces iranensis specifically triggers the production of natural products in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Here, we discovered that arginine-derived polyketides serve as the bacterial signals for this induction. Arginine-derived polyketide-producing bacteria occur world wide. These producer bacteria and the fungi that decode and respond to this signal can be co-isolated from the same soil sample. Arginine-derived polyketides impact surrounding microorganisms both directly as well as indirectly, by inducing the production of natural products in fungi that further influence the composition of microbial consortia. One-Sentence SummaryUbiquitous bacterial polyketides are universal components of the chemical network for microbial communication

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

CORK1, a LRR-Malectin Receptor Kinase for Cellooligomer Perception in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cell wall integrity (CWI) maintenance is central for plant cells. Mechanical or chemical distortions, pH changes, or breakdown products of cell wall polysaccharides activate plasma membrane-localized receptors and induce appropriate downstream responses. Microbial interactions alter or destroy the structure of the plant cell wall, connecting CWI maintenance to immune responses. Cellulose is the major polysaccharide in the primary and secondary cell wall. Its breakdown generates short-chain cellooligomers which induce Ca2+-dependent CWI responses. We have shown here that these responses require the malectin domain-containing CELLOOLIGOMER-RECEPTOR KINASE 1 (CORK1) in Arabidopsis. CORK1 is required for cellooligomer-induced cytoplasmic Ca2+ elevation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitogen associated protein kinase (MAPK) activation, cellulose synthase phosphorylation, and the regulation of CWI-related genes including those involved in biosynthesis of cell wall material, secondary metabolites and tryptophan. Phosphoproteome analyses identified early targets involved in signaling, cellulose synthesis, the endoplasmatic reticulum/Golgi secretory pathway, cell wall repair and immune responses. Two conserved phenylalanine residues in the malectin domain are crucial for CORK1 function. We propose that cellulose breakdown products bind to the malectin domain in CORK1, indicating its role as a novel receptor kinase for CWI maintenance.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2022

The lipid raft-associated protein stomatin is required for accumulation of dectin-1 in the phagosomal membrane and for full activity of macrophages against Aspergillus fumigatus

Alveolar macrophages are among the first cells to come into contact with inhaled fungal conidia of the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. In lung alveoli, they contribute to phagocytosis and elimination of conidia. As a counter defense, conidia contain a grey-green pigment allowing them to survive in phagosomes of macrophages for some time. Previously, we showed that this conidial pigment interferes with the formation of flotillin-dependent lipid-rafts in the phagosomal membrane thereby preventing the formation of functional phagolysosomes. In this study, the role of the lipid raft-associated protein stomatin in macrophages during antifungal defense was investigated. To determine the function of this integral membrane protein, a stomatin-deficient macrophage cell line was generated by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry revealed that stomatin contributes to the phagocytosis of conidia and is important for recruitment of both the {beta}-glucan receptor dectin-1 and the vATPase to the membrane of phagosomes. In the stomatin knockout cell line, fusion of phagosomes and lysosomes was reduced when infected with pigmentless pksP conidia. Thus, our data suggest that stomatin is involved in maturation of phagosomes via fostering fusion of phagosomes with lysosomes.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

PLB-985 neutrophil-like cells release antifungal extracellular vesicles against the human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

Fungal infections remain a major global concern. Emerging fungal pathogens and increasing rates of resistance mean that additional research efforts and resources must be allocated to advancing our understanding of fungal pathogenesis and developing new therapeutic interventions. Neutrophilic granulocytes are a major cell type involved in protection against the important fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, where they employ numerous defense mechanisms, including production of antimicrobial extracellular vesicles. A major draw-back to work with neutrophils is the lack of a suitable cell line system for the study of fungal pathogenesis. To address this problem, we assessed the feasibility of using differentiated PLB-985 neutrophil-like cells as an in vitro model to study A. fumigatus infection. We find that dimethylformamide-differentiated PLB-985 cells provide a useful recapitulation of many aspects of A. fumigatus interactions with primary human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. We show that differentiated PLB-985 cells phagocytose fungal conidia and acidify conidia-containing phagolysosomes similar to primary neutrophils, release neutrophil extracellular traps, and also produce antifungal extracellular vesicles in response to infection. In addition, we provide an improved method for the isolation of extracellular vesicles produced during infection by employing a size-exclusion chromatography-based approach. Advanced LC-MS/MS proteomics revealed an enrichment of extracellular vesicle marker proteins and a decrease of cytoplasmic proteins in extracellular vesicles isolated using this improved method. Ultimately, we find that differentiated PLB-985 cells can serve as a genetically tractable model to study many aspects of A. fumigatus pathogenesis. IMPORTANCEPolymorphonuclear leukocytes are an important defense against human fungal pathogens, yet our model systems to study this group of cells remains very limited in scope. In this study, we established that differentiated PLB-985 cells can serve as a model to recapitulate several important aspects of human polymorphonuclear leukocyte interactions with the important human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. The proposed addition of a cultured neutrophil-like cell line to the experimental toolbox to study fungal pathogenesis will allow for a more mechanistic description of neutrophil antifungal biology. In addition, the easier handling of the cell line compared to primary human neutrophils allowed us to use PLB-985 cells to provide an improved method for isolation of neutrophil-derived extracellular vesicles using size-exclusion chromatography. Together, these results provide significant tools and a baseline knowledge for the future study of neutrophil-derived extracellular vesicles in the laboratory.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Cooperative DNA base and shape recognition by the CCAAT-binding complex and its bZIP transcription factor HapX

The heterotrimeric CCAAT-binding complex (CBC) is a master regulator of transcription. It specifically recognizes the CCAAT-box, a fundamental eukaryotic promoter element. Certain fungi, like Aspergilli, encode a fourth CBC-subunit, HapX, to fine-tune expression of genes involved in iron metabolism. Although being a basic region leucine zipper with its own DNA recognition motif, HapX function strictly relies on the CBC. We here report two crystal structures of the CBC-HapX complex bound to DNA duplexes with distinct sequence and position of HapX sites. In either structure, a HapX dimer targets the nucleic acid downstream of the CCAAT-box and the leash-like N-terminus of the distal HapX subunit interacts with CBC and DNA. In vitro and in vivo analyses of HapX mutants support the structures, highlight the complex as an exceptional major and minor groove DNA binder, and enrich our understanding of the functional as well as structural plasticity of related complexes across species.

biochemistry↗