Biology subjects

de Castro, P. A.

Publications and source records attributed to de Castro, P. A..

15 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Opportunistic pathogenicity in fungi can transcend species boundaries

Multiple fungal lineages have independently evolved the ability to opportunistically infect humans, imposing a major burden on public health. Opportunistic pathogenicity requires the confluence of pre-existing fungal traits that facilitate host colonization (e.g., the ability to grow at 37{degrees}C) and host immune filters that permit the survival of some colonizers (e.g., inborn errors of immunity). Numerous studies have shown that fungal pathogens can exhibit extensive strain-to-strain variation in the ability to cause disease. Moreover, it is also well established that non-pathogenic fungi can occasionally cause severe infections. Together, these observations raise the question: What differentiates opportunistic fungal pathogens from non-pathogens? To address this empirically, we compared phenotypic, metabolomic, and genomic variation between Aspergillus fumigatus, an organism responsible for more than 300,000 infections per year, and Aspergillus fischeri, a close relative that is not considered clinically relevant. By examining 26 phenotypic traits across 16 representative strains of A. fumigatus and 16 of A. fischeri, we found that infection-relevant traits measured under in vitro monoculture conditions showed species-specific distributions, whereas traits measured under in vitro coculture with murine macrophages overlapped. Strikingly, strains of the two species also overlapped in their virulence profiles in an immunocompromised murine model of pulmonary aspergillosis; three strains of A. fischeri exhibited lethality rates of >50% while two A. fumigatus strains were among the least virulent of all 32 strains tested. Consistent with this overlap, we could not associate virulence variation with the presence of specific genomic elements, phenotypic traits, or secondary metabolites. Our results raise the hypothesis that opportunistic pathogenicity can extend beyond the boundaries of individual species. We propose a conceptual model in which the opportunistic pathogenic potential of any fungal strain is the product of complex interactions among numerous genomic, ecological, and host immunity factors.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Brilacidin, a novel antifungal agent against Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans causes cryptococcosis, one of the most prevalent fungal diseases, generally characterized by meningitis. There is a limited and not very effective number of drugs available to combat this disease. In this manuscript, we show the host defense peptide mimetic brilacidin (BRI) as a promising antifungal drug against C. neoformans. BRI is able to affect the organization of the cell membrane, increasing fungal cell permeability. We also investigated the effects of BRI against the model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae by analyzing libraries of mutants grown in the presence of BRI. In S. cerevisiae, BRI also affects the cell membrane organization, but in addition the cell wall integrity pathway and calcium metabolism. In vivo experiments show BRI significantly reduces C. neoformans survival inside macrophages and partially clears C. neoformans lung infection in an immunocompetent murine model of invasive pulmonary cryptococcosis. We also observed that BRI interacts with caspofungin (CAS) and amphotericin (AmB), potentiating their mechanism of action against C. neoformans. BRI+CAS affects endocytic movement, calcineurin, and mitogen activated protein kinases. Our results indicate that BRI is a novel antifungal drug against cryptococcosis. ImportanceInvasive fungal infections have a high mortality rate causing more deaths annually than tuberculosis or malaria. Cryptococcosis, one of the most prevalent fungal diseases, is generally characterized by meningitis and is mainly caused by two closely related species of basidiomycetous yeasts, Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. There are few therapeutic options for treating cryptococcosis and searching for new antifungal agents against this disease is very important. Here, we present brilacidin (BRI) as a potential antifungal agent against C. neoformans. BRI is a small molecule host defense peptide mimetic that has previously exhibited broad-spectrum immunomodulatory/anti-inflammatory activity against bacteria and viruses. BRI alone was shown to inhibit the growth of C. neoformans, acting as a fungicidal drug, but surprisingly also potentiated the activity of caspofungin (CAS) against this species. We investigated the mechanism of action of BRI and BRI+CAS against C. neoformans. We propose BRI as a new antifungal agent against cryptococcosis.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Brilacidin, a host defense peptide mimetic, potentiates ibrexafungerp antifungal activity against the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

Aspergillus fumigatus is the primary etiological agent of aspergillosis. Here, we show that the host defense peptide mimetic, brilacidin (BRI) can potentiate ibrexafungerp (IBX) against clinical isolates of A. fumigatus. CAS-resistant strains with mutations in fks1 that encodes the 1,3-{beta}-D-glucan synthase are not IBX-resistant and BRI+IBX can inhibit their growth. The combination of BRI+IBX plays a fungicidal role, increases the fungal cell permeability and decreases the fungal survival in the presence of A549 epithelial cells.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Strain heterogeneity in a non-pathogenic fungus highlights factors contributing to virulence

Fungal pathogens exhibit extensive strain heterogeneity, including variation in virulence. Whether closely related non-pathogenic species also exhibit strain heterogeneity remains unknown. Here, we comprehensively characterized the pathogenic potentials (i.e., the ability to cause morbidity and mortality) of 16 diverse strains of Aspergillus fischeri, a non-pathogenic close relative of the major pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. In vitro immune response assays and in vivo virulence assays using a mouse model of pulmonary aspergillosis showed that A. fischeri strains varied widely in their pathogenic potential. Furthermore, pangenome analyses suggest that A. fischeri genomic and phenotypic diversity is even greater. Genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic profiling identified several pathways and secondary metabolites associated with variation in virulence. Notably, strain virulence was associated with the simultaneous presence of the secondary metabolites hexadehydroastechrome and gliotoxin. We submit that examining the pathogenic potentials of non-pathogenic close relatives is key for understanding the origins of fungal pathogenicity.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Milteforan, a promising veterinary commercial product against feline sporotrichosis

Sporotrichosis, the cutaneous mycosis most commonly reported in Latin America, is caused by the Sporothrix clinical clade species, including Sporothrix brasiliensis and Sporothrix schenckii sensu stricto. In Brazil, S. brasiliensis represents a vital health threat to humans and domestic animals due to its zoonotic transmission. Itraconazole, terbinafine, and amphotericin B are the most used antifungals for treating sporotrichosis. However, many strains of S. brasiliensis and S. schenckii have shown resistance to these agents, highlighting the importance of finding new therapeutic options. Here, we demonstrate that milteforan, a commercial veterinary product against dog leishmaniasis whose active principle is miltefosine, is a possible therapeutic alternative for the treatment of sporotrichosis, as observed by its fungicidal activity in vitro against different strains of S. brasiliensis and S. schenckii, and by its antifungal activity when used to treat infected epithelial cells and macrophages. Our results suggest milteforan as a possible alternative to treat feline sporotrichosis.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Deacetylation by sirtuins is important for Aspergillus fumigatus pathogenesis and virulence

Protein acetylation is a crucial post-translational modification that controls gene expression and a variety of biological processes. Sirtuins, a prominent class of NAD+-dependent lysine deacetylases, serve as key regulators of protein acetylation and gene expression in eukaryotes. In this study, six single knockout strains of fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus were constructed, in addition to a strain lacking all predicted sirtuins (SIRTKO). Phenotypic assays suggest that sirtuins are involved in cell wall integrity, secondary metabolite production, thermotolerance, and virulence. AfsirE deletion resulted in attenuation of virulence, as demonstrated in murine and Galleria infection models. The absence of AfSirE leads to altered acetylation status of proteins, including histones and non-histones, resulting in significant changes in the expression of genes associated with secondary metabolism, cell wall biosynthesis, and virulence factors. These findings encourage testing sirtuin inhibitors as potential therapeutic strategies to combat A. fumigatus infections or in combination therapy with available antifungals.

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

A host defense peptide mimetic, brilacidin, potentiates caspofungin antifungal activity against human pathogenic fungi

A. fumigatus is the main etiological agent of a group of heterogeneous diseases called aspergillosis of which the most lethal form is the invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Fungicidal azoles and amphotericin B are the first line defense against A. fumigatus, but fungistatic echinocandins, such as caspofungin (CAS), can be used as salvage therapy for IPA. Here, we screened repurposing libraries and identified several compounds that potentiate CAS activity against A. fumigatus, including the host defense peptide mimetic, brilacidin (BRI). BRI converts CAS into a fungicidal drug and potentiates voriconazole (VOR) against A. fumigatus. BRI increases the ability of both CAS and VOR to control A. fumigatus biofilm growth. BRI depolarizes the A. fumigatus cell membrane leading to disruption of membrane potential. By using a combination of protein kinase inhibitors and screening of a catalytic subunit null mutant library, we identified the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) MpkA and the phosphatase calcineurin as mediators of the synergistic action of BRI. These results suggest the most likely BRI mechanism of action for CAS potentiation is the inhibition of A. fumigatus cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway. BRI potentiates CAS activity against C. albicans, C. auris, and C. neoformans. Interestingly, BRI overcomes the CAS-acquired resistance in both A. fumigatus and C. albicans and the CAS-intrinsic resistance in C. neoformans. BRI also has an additive effect on the activity of posaconazole (POSA) against several Mucorales fungi. Cell toxicity assays and fungal burden studies in an immunosuppressed murine model of IPA showed that BRI combined with CAS is not toxic to the cells and significantly clears A. fumigatus lung infection, respectively. Our results indicate that combinations of BRI and antifungal drugs in clinical use are likely to improve the treatment outcome of IPA and other fungal infections.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Secondary metabolites produced during Aspergillus fumigatus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation

In Cystic Fibrosis (CF), mucus plaques are formed in the patients lung, creating a hypoxic condition and a propitious environment for colonization and persistence of many microorganisms. There is clinical evidence showing that Aspergillus fumigatus can co-colonize CF patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which has been associated with lung function decline. P. aeruginosa produces several compounds with inhibitory and anti-biofilm effects against A. fumigatus in vitro; however, little is known about the fungal compounds produced in counterattack. Here, we annotated fungal and bacterial secondary metabolites (SM) produced in mixed biofilms in normoxia and hypoxia conditions. We detected nine SMs produced by P. aeruginosa. Phenazines and different analogs of pyoverdin were the main compounds produced by P. aeruginosa, and their secretion were increased by the fungal presence. The roles of the two operons responsible for phenazines production (phzA1 and phzA2) were also investigated showing both mutants are able to produce partial sets of phenazines. We detected a total of 20 SMs secreted by A. fumigatus either in monoculture or in co-culture with P. aeruginosa. All these compounds are secreted during biofilm formation either in normoxia or hypoxia. However, only eight compounds (demethoxyfumitremorgin C, fumitremorgin, ferrichrome, ferricrocin, tricetylfusigen, gliotoxin, gliotoxin E, and pyripyropene A) were detected during the biofilm formation by the co-culture of A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa upon both normoxia and hypoxia conditions. Overall, we showed how diverse is SM secretion during A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa mixed culture and how this can affect biofilm formation both in normoxia and hypoxia. Author SummaryThe interaction between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus has been well-characterized in vitro. In this scenario, the bacterium exerts a strong inhibitory effect against the fungus. However, little is known about the metabolites produced by the fungus to counterattack the bacteria. Our work aimed to annotate secondary metabolites (SM) secreted during co-culture between P. aeruginosa and A. fumigatus during biofilm formation in both normoxia and hypoxia. The bacterium produces several different types of phenazines and pyoverdins, in response to the fungus presence. In contrast, we were able to annotate 29 metabolites produced during A. fumigatus biofilm formation but only eight compounds were detected during biofilm formation by the co-culture of A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa upon both normoxia and hypoxia. In conclusion, we have detected many SMs secreted during A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa biofilm formation. This analysis can provide several opportunities to understand the interaction between these two species.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Every single conidium in Aspergillus fumigatus caspofungin tolerant strains are intrinsically caspofungin tolerant

Aspergillus fumigatus is a human fungal pathogen that causes a disease named aspergillosis. Echinocandins, such as the fungistatic drug caspofungin (CAS) are used as second-line therapy. Some A. fumigatus clinical isolates can survive and grow in higher CAS concentrations, a phenomenon known as "caspofungin paradoxical effect" (CPE). Here we investigate if CPE is due to a subpopulation of conidia produced by a CAS tolerant strain, indicative of a persistence phenotype or is caused by all the conidia which would be consistent with a tolerance phenotype. We evaluated 67 A. fumigatus clinical isolates for CPE growth and used a novel CPE Index (CPEI) classified them as CPE+ (CPEI [≥] 0.40) or CPE- (CPEI [≤] 0.20). Conidia produced by three CPE+ clinical isolates, CEA17 (CPEI=0.52), Af293 (CPEI=0.64), CM7555 (CPEI=0.58) all showed the ability to grow in high levels of CAS while all conidia produced by the CPE- isolate IFM61407 (CPEI=0.12) strain showed no evidence of tolerance. Given the importance of calcium/calcineurin/transcription factor CrzA pathway in CPE regulation, we also evaluated {Delta}crzAAf293 (CPE-) and {Delta}crzACEA17 (CPE+) conidia tolerance to CAS. All {Delta}crzACEA17 conidia showed CPE+ while 100 % of {Delta}crzAAf293 spores are CPE-. As all spores derived from an individual strain are phenotypically indistinct with respect to CPE it is likely that CPE is a genetically encoded adaptive trait that should be considered an antifungal tolerant phenotype. As the CPEI shows that the strength of the CPE is not uniform between strains we propose that the mechanisms that govern this phenomenon are multi-factorial.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Regulation of gliotoxin biosynthesis and protection in Aspergillus species

Aspergillus fumigatus causes a range of human and animal diseases collectively known as aspergillosis. A. fumigatus possesses and expresses a range of genetic determinants of virulence, which facilitate colonisation and disease progression, including the secretion of mycotoxins. Gliotoxin (GT) is the best studied A. fumigatus mycotoxin with a wide range of known toxic effects that impair human immune cell function. GT is also highly toxic to A. fumigatus and this fungus has evolved self-protection mechanisms that include (i) the GT efflux pump GliA, (ii) the GT neutralising enzyme GliT, and (iii) the negative regulation of GT biosynthesis by the bis-thiomethyltransferase GtmA. The transcription factor (TF) RglT is the main regulator of GliT and this GT protection mechanism also occurs in the non-GT producing fungus A. nidulans. However, the A. nidulans genome does not encode GtmA and GliA. This work aimed at analysing the transcriptional response to exogenous GT in A. fumigatus and A. nidulans, two distantly related Aspergillus species, and to identify additional components required for GT protection. RNA-sequencing shows a highly different transcriptional response to exogenous GT with the RglT-dependent regulon also significantly differing between A. fumigatus and A. nidulans. However, we were able to observe homologs whose expression pattern was similar in both species (43 RglT-independent and 11 RglT-dependent). Based on this approach, we identified a novel RglT-dependent methyltranferase, MtrA, involved in GT protection. Taking into consideration the occurrence of RglT-independent modulated genes, we screened an A. fumigatus deletion library of 484 transcription factors (TFs) for sensitivity to GT and identified 15 TFs important for GT self-protection. Of these, the TF KojR, which is essential for kojic acid biosynthesis in Aspergillus oryzae, was also essential for virulence and GT biosynthesis in A. fumigatus, and for GT protection in A. fumigatus, A. nidulans, and A. oryzae. KojR regulates rglT, gliT, gliJ expression and sulfur metabolism in Aspergillus species. Together, this study identified conserved components required for GT protection in Aspergillus species. Author SummaryA. fumigatus secretes mycotoxins that are essential for its virulence and pathogenicity. Gliotoxin (GT) is a sulfur-containing mycotoxin, which is known to impair several aspects of the human immune response. GT is also toxic to different fungal species, which have evolved several GT protection strategies. To further decipher these responses, we used transcriptional profiling aiming to compare the response to GT in the GT producer A. fumigatus and the GT non-producer A. nidulans. This analysis allowed us to identify additional genes with a potential role in GT protection. We also identified 15 transcription factors (TFs) encoded in the A. fumigatus genome that are important for conferring resistance to exogenous gliotoxin. One of these TFs, KojR, which is essential for A. oryzae kojic acid production, is also important for virulence and GT protection in A. fumigatus, A. nidulans and A. oryzae. KojR regulates the expression of another TF, an oxidoreductase, previously shown to be essential for GT protection, and sulfur metabolism. Together, this work identified conserved components required for gliotoxin protection in Aspergillus species.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Aspergillus fumigatus acetate utilisation impacts virulence traits and pathogenicity

Aspergillus fumigatus is a major opportunistic fungal pathogen of immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. To successfully establish an infection, A. fumigatus needs to use host carbon sources, such as acetate, present in the body fluids and peripheral tissues. However, utilisation of acetate as a carbon source by fungi in the context of infection has not been investigated. This work shows that acetate is metabolised via different pathways in A. fumigatus and that acetate utilisation is under the regulatory control of a transcription factor (TF), FacB. A. fumigatus acetate utilisation is subject to carbon catabolite repression (CCR), although this is only partially dependent on the TF and main regulator of CCR CreA. The available extracellular carbon source, in this case glucose and acetate, significantly affected A. fumigatus virulence traits such as secondary metabolite secretion and cell wall composition, with the latter having consequences for resistance to oxidative stress, to anti-fungal drugs and to human neutrophil-mediated killing. Furthermore, deletion of facB significantly impaired the in vivo virulence of A. fumigatus in both insect and mammalian models of invasive aspergillosis. This is the first report on acetate utilisation in A. fumigatus and this work further highlights the importance of available host-specific carbon sources in shaping fungal virulence traits and subsequent disease outcome, and a potential target for the development of anti-fungal strategies. ImportanceAspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen in humans. During infection, A. fumigatus is predicted to use host carbon sources, such as acetate, present in body fluids and peripheral tissues, to sustain growth and promote colonisation and invasion. This work shows that A. fumigatus metabolises acetate via different pathways, a process that is dependent on the transcription factor FacB. Furthermore, the type and concentration of the extracellular available carbon source were determined to shape A. fumigatus virulence determinants such as secondary metabolite secretion and cell wall composition. Subsequently, interactions with immune cells are altered in a carbon source-specific manner. FacB is required for A. fumigatus in vivo virulence in both insect and mammalian models of invasive aspergillosis. This is the first report that characterises acetate utilisation in A. fumigatus and highlights the importance of available host-specific carbon sources in shaping virulence traits and potentially subsequent disease outcome.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Chromatin profiling reveals genome stability heterogeneity in clinical isolates of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus

Invasive Pulmonary aspergillosis is a life-threatening infection in immunosuppressed patients caused by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Chromatin structure regulation is important for genome stability maintenance and has the potential to lead to genome rearrangements driving differences in virulence and pathogenesis of different A. fumigatus isolates. Here, we compared the chromatin activities of the most investigated clinical isolates Af293 and CEA17 and uncovered striking differences in the number, locations and expression of transposable elements. We found evidence for higher genome instability in Af293 as compared to CEA17 and identified a spontaneous Af293 variant that exhibits gross chromosomal alterations including the loss of a 320 kb long segment in chromosome VIII and the amplification of a biosynthetic gene cluster. As a consequence of these re-arrangements, the variant shows increased secondary metabolites production, growth and virulence. Our work emphasizes genome stability heterogeneity as an evolutionary driver of A. fumigatus fitness and virulence.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

An evolutionary genomic approach reveals both conserved and species-specific genetic elements related to human disease in closely related Aspergillus fungi

Aspergillosis is an important opportunistic human disease caused by filamentous fungi in the genus Aspergillus. Roughly 70% of infections are caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, with the rest stemming from approximately a dozen other Aspergillus species. Several of these pathogens are closely related to A. fumigatus and belong in the same taxonomic section, section Fumigati. Pathogenic species are frequently most closely related to non-pathogenic ones, suggesting Aspergillus pathogenicity evolved multiple times independently. To understand the repeated evolution of Aspergillus pathogenicity, we performed comparative genomic analyses on 18 strains from 13 species, including 8 species in section Fumigati, which aimed to identify genes, both ones previously connected to virulence as well as ones never before implicated, whose evolution differs between pathogens and non-pathogens. We found that most genes were present in all species, including approximately half of those previously connected to virulence, but a few genes were section- or species-specific. Evolutionary rate analyses identified hundreds of genes in pathogens that were faster-evolving than their orthologs in non-pathogens. For example, over 25% of all single-copy genes examined in A. fumigatus were faster-evolving. Functional testing of deletion mutants of 17 transcription factor-encoding genes whose evolution differed between pathogens and non-pathogens identified eight genes that affect either fungal survival in a model of phagocytic killing, host survival in an animal model of fungal disease, or both. These results suggest that the evolution of pathogenicity in Aspergillus involved both conserved and species-specific genetic elements, illustrating how an evolutionary genomic approach informs the study of fungal disease.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Aspergillus fumigatus G-protein coupled receptors GprM and GprJ are important for the regulation of the cell wall integrity pathway, secondary metabolite production, and virulence

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are extracellular signalling receptors that sense environmental cues to coordinate a biological response. Fungi sense their environment primarily through GPCR-mediated signalling pathways, which in turn regulate fungal development, metabolism, virulence and mycotoxin biosynthesis. A. fumigatus is an important human pathogen that causes aspergillosis, a heterogeneous group of diseases that presents a wide range of clinical manifestations. Here, we investigate in detail the role of the GPCRs GprM and GprJ in growth and gene expression. GprM and GprJ are important for melanin production and the regulation of the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway. Overexpression of gprM and gprJ causes a 20 and 50% reduction in growth rate when compared to the wild-type (WT) strain, and increases sensitivity to cell wall-damaging agents. Phosphorylation of the CWI protein kinase MpkA is increased in the {Delta}gprM and {Delta}gprJ strains and decreased in the overexpression mutants when compared to the WT strain. Furthermore, differences in cell wall polysaccharide concentrations and organization were observed in these strains. RNA-sequencing suggests that GprM and GprJ negatively regulate genes encoding secondary metabolites (SMs). Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed that the production of fumagillin, pyripyropene, fumigaclavine C, fumiquinazoline, and fumitremorgin is reduced in the {Delta}gprM and {Delta}gprJ strains, and that this regulation occurs, at least partially, through the activation of MpkA. Overexpression of grpM also resulted in the regulation of many transcription factors, with AsgA predicted to function downstream of GprM and MpkA signalling. Finally, we show that the {Delta}gprM and {Delta}gprJ mutants are reduced in virulence in the Galleria mellonella insect model of invasive aspergillosis. This work further contributes to unravelling functions of A. fumigatus GPCRs and shows that GprM and GprJ are essential for CWI, secondary metabolite production and virulence. Author summaryA. fumigatus is the main ethiological agent of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, a life-threatening fungal disease that occurs in severely immuno-compromised humans. Withstanding the host environment is essential for A. fumigatus virulence and sensing of extracellular cues occurs primarily through G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that activate signal transduction pathways, which in turn regulate fungal development, metabolism, virulence and mycotoxin biosynthesis. The A. fumigatus genome encodes 15 putative classical GPCRs, with only three having been functionally characterized to date. In this work, we show that the two GPCRs GprM and GprJ regulate the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase MpkA and thus control the regulation of the cell wall integrity pathway. GprM and GprJ are also involved in the regulation of the production of the secondary metabolites fumagillin, pyripyropene, fumigaclavine C, fumiquinazoline, melanin, and fumitremorgin and this regulation partially occurs through the activation of MpkA. Furthermore, GprM and GprJ are important for virulence in the insect model Galleria mellonella. This work therefore functionally characterizes two GPCRs and shows how they regulate several intracellular pathways that have been shown to be crucial for A. fumigatus virulence.

microbiology↗