Comparative genomic and transcriptomic analysis of wangiella dermatitidis, a major cause of phaeohyphomycosis and a model black yeast human pathogen.

ABSTRACT: Black or dark brown (phaeoid) fungi cause cutaneous, subcutaneous, and systemic infections in humans. Black fungi thrive in stressful conditions such as intense light, high radiation, and very low pH. Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis is arguably the most studied phaeoid fungal pathogen of humans. Here, we report our comparative analysis of the genome of W. dermatitidis and the transcriptional response to low pH stress. This revealed that W. dermatitidis has lost the ability to synthesize alpha-glucan, a cell wall compound many pathogenic fungi use to evade the host immune system. In contrast, W. dermatitidis contains a similar profile of chitin synthase genes as related fungi and strongly induces genes involved in cell wall synthesis in response to pH stress. The large portfolio of trans

SUBMITTER: Chen Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4059230 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature