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Fung, C. S.-H.

Publications and source records attributed to Fung, C. S.-H..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Multi-Omic Analysis of Tyrophagus putrescentiae Reveals Insights into the Allergen Complexity of Storage Mites

BackgroundThe storage mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae is one of the major mites causing allergies in Chinese and Korean populations, but its allergen profile in incomplete when compared with that of house dust mites. Multiple genome-based methods have been introduced into the allergen study of mites and have enabled a better understanding of these medically important organisms. ObjectiveWe sought to reveal a comprehensive allergen profile of Tyrophagus putrescentiae and advance the allergen study of storage mites. MethodsBased on a high-quality assembled and annotated genome, an in silico analysis was performed by searching reference sequences to identify allergens. Immunoassay ELISA assessed the allergenicities of recombinant proteins. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identified the IgE-binding proteins. Comparative genomics analysis was employed for the important allergen gene families. ResultsA complete allergen profile of Tyrophagus putrescentiae was revealed, including thirty-seven allergen groups (up to Tyr p 42). Among them, five novel allergens were verified using the sera of allergy patients. Massive allergen homologs were identified as the result of gene duplications in genome evolution. Proteomic identification again revealed a wide range of allergen homologs. In the NPC2 family and GSTs, comparative analysis shed light on the expansion and diversification of the allergen groups. ConclusionUsing multi-omic approaches, the comprehensive allergen profile including massive homologs was disclosed in Tyrophagus putrescentiae, which revealed the allergen complexity of the storage mite and could ultimately facilitate the component-resolved diagnosis.

immunology↗

Endogenous Plasmids and Reductive Genome Evolution in Host-Associated Bacteria

Reductive genome evolution is commonly observed among host-associated bacteria including many important pathogens, such as Mycobacterium leprae but its molecular mechanism is not well understood 1-5. One of the most widely accepted hypotheses to explain bacterial genome reduction is Mullers ratchet, in which the associated bacteria tend to accumulate deleterious mutations for reduction in the absence of chromosomal recombination inside the eukaryotic host organism 1,2. Cardinium species belong to the family Amoebophilaceae of the CFB group bacteria, which are a group of endosymbiont bacteria widely distributed among arthropods, that along with Wolbachia can cause cytoplasmic incompatibility 6,7. In this study, we explored bacterial reductive evolution within the de novo assembled genomes of Cardinium endosymbionts in two astigmatic mites 8,9. Our results shed light on the reduction mechanism driven by endogenous plasmids and their encoded enzymes.

microbiology↗