Filamentation is Associated with Reduced Pathogenicity of Multiple Non-albicans Candida Species
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Candida tropicalis Candida parapsilosis
PROVIDER: GSE134321 | GEO | 2019/10/01
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Candidiasis is an infection caused by yeasts of the genus Candida that ranges in severity from debilitating mucosal infections to disseminated disease with high mortality rates. C. albicans is the most common cause of infection, but non-albicans species collectively represent a significant disease burden. Disseminated disease rarely affects immunocompetent individuals, largely due to the action of innate immune cells, including macrophages, in controlling infection. The interaction of C. albicans with macrophages has been subject to extensive study, but there has been little investigation of the macrophage response to non-albicans Candida species. Here, we used RNA-seq to investigate global transcriptional changes within primary murine macrophages after one hour in response to four species: C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis and Clavispora lusitaniae. We identified a strong pro-inflammatory response to C. albicans that was largely independent of fungal variability and found that this was highly correlated with the response to C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. In contrast, C. lusitaniae elicited a broadly weaker response, including reduced induction of cytokine genes. Several chemokine genes also showed weaker induction in response to both C. lusitaniae and C. parapsilosis than to C. albicans, although significantly reduced secretion of CCL3 protein was only evident in response to C. lusitaniae. These data indicate a high degree of similarity in early macrophage recognition of multiple important Candida pathogens, but also suggest that weaker recognition of C. lusitaniae by immune cells may aid immune evasion by this species.
2021-11-28 | GSE152700 | GEO
Project description:The yeast-filament transition is essential for the virulence of a variety of fungi that are pathogenic to humans. N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), a ubiquitous molecule in both the environment and host, is one of the most potent inducers of filamentation in Candida albicans and thermally dimorphic fungi such as Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis. However, GlcNAc suppresses rather than promotes filamentation in Candida tropicalis, a fungal species that is closely related to C. albicans. Furthermore, we discover that glucose induces filamentous growth in C. tropicalis. Mutation and overexpression assays demonstrate that the conserved cAMP signaling pathway plays a central role in the regulation of filamentation in C. tropicalis. Activation of this pathway promotes filamentation in C. tropicalis, while inactivation of this pathway results in a serious growth defect in filamentation. By screening an overexpression library of 154 transcription factors, we have identified approximately 40 regulators of filamentous growth in C. tropicalis. Although most of the regulators (e.g., Tec1, Gat2, Nrg1, Sfl1, Sfl2, and Ash1) demonstrate a conserved role in the regulation of filamentation, similar to their homologs in C. albicans or S. cerevisiae, some of them are specific to C. tropicalis. For example, Czf1 and Efh1 repress filamentation, while Wor1, Zcf3, and Hcm1 promote filamentation in C. tropicalis. Bcr1, Aaf1, and Csr1 play a specific role in the process of GlcNAc-regulated filamentation. Our findings indicate that multiple interconnected signaling pathways are involved in the regulation of filamentation in C. tropicalis. These mechanisms have conserved and divergent features among different Candida species.
2016-07-01 | GSE73340 | GEO
Project description:The yeast-filament transition is essential for the virulence of a variety of fungi that are pathogenic to humans. N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), a ubiquitous molecule in both the environment and host, is one of the most potent inducers of filamentation in Candida albicans and thermally dimorphic fungi such as Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis. However, GlcNAc suppresses rather than promotes filamentation in Candida tropicalis, a fungal species that is closely related to C. albicans. Furthermore, we discover that glucose induces filamentous growth in C. tropicalis. Mutation and overexpression assays demonstrate that the conserved cAMP signaling pathway plays a central role in the regulation of filamentation in C. tropicalis. Activation of this pathway promotes filamentation in C. tropicalis, while inactivation of this pathway results in a serious growth defect in filamentation. By screening an overexpression library of 154 transcription factors, we have identified approximately 40 regulators of filamentous growth in C. tropicalis. Although most of the regulators (e.g., Tec1, Gat2, Nrg1, Sfl1, Sfl2, and Ash1) demonstrate a conserved role in the regulation of filamentation, similar to their homologs in C. albicans or S. cerevisiae, some of them are specific to C. tropicalis. For example, Czf1 and Efh1 repress filamentation, while Wor1, Zcf3, and Hcm1 promote filamentation in C. tropicalis. Bcr1, Aaf1, and Csr1 play a specific role in the process of GlcNAc-regulated filamentation. Our findings indicate that multiple interconnected signaling pathways are involved in the regulation of filamentation in C. tropicalis. These mechanisms have conserved and divergent features among different Candida species. Total RNA profiles of cells grown in Lee's glucose or Lee's GlcNAc medium.
2016-07-01 | E-GEOD-73340 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Abstract: Candida parapsilosis and Candida albicans are human fungal pathogens that belong to the CUG clade in the Saccharomycotina. In contrast to C. albicans, relatively little is known about the virulence properties of C. parapsilosis, a pathogen particularly associated with infections of premature neonates. We describe here the construction of >200 C. parapsilosis strains carrying double allele deletions of transcription factors, protein kinases and species-specific genes. Two independent deletions were constructed for each target gene. Growth in > 40 conditions was tested, including carbon source, temperature, and the presence of antifungal drugs. The phenotypes were compared to C. albicans strains with deletions of orthologous transcription factors. We found that many phenotypes are shared between the two species, such as the role of Upc2 as a regulator of azole resistance. Others are unique. For example, Cph2 plays a role in the hypoxic response in C. parapsilosis and not in C. albicans. We found extensive divergence between the biofilm regulators of the two species. We identified 7 transcription factors and one protein kinase that are required for biofilm development in C. parapsilosis. Only three (Efg1, Bcr1, and Ace2) have similar effects on C. albicans biofilms, whereas Cph2, Czf1, Gzf3 and Ume6 have major roles in C. parapsilosis only. In addition, two transcription factors (Brg1 and Tec1) with well-characterized roles in biofilm formation in C. albicans do not have the same function in C. parapsilosis. We also compared the transcription profile of C. parapsilosis and C. albicans biofilms. Our analysis suggests the processes shared between the two species are predominantly metabolic. C. parapsilosis mRNA profiles of wild type (WT) at 37 degree celcius in planktonic growth conditions and ace2-/-, cph2-/-, efg1-/-, czf1-/-, ume6-/-, bcr1-/- and WT in biofilm conditions were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicate, using Illumina HiSeq2000.
2014-07-21 | E-GEOD-57451 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Abstract: Candida parapsilosis and Candida albicans are human fungal pathogens that belong to the CUG clade in the Saccharomycotina. In contrast to C. albicans, relatively little is known about the virulence properties of C. parapsilosis, a pathogen particularly associated with infections of premature neonates. We describe here the construction of >200 C. parapsilosis strains carrying double allele deletions of transcription factors, protein kinases and species-specific genes. Two independent deletions were constructed for each target gene. Growth in > 40 conditions was tested, including carbon source, temperature, and the presence of antifungal drugs. The phenotypes were compared to C. albicans strains with deletions of orthologous transcription factors. We found that many phenotypes are shared between the two species, such as the role of Upc2 as a regulator of azole resistance. Others are unique. For example, Cph2 plays a role in the hypoxic response in C. parapsilosis and not in C. albicans. We found extensive divergence between the biofilm regulators of the two species. We identified 7 transcription factors and one protein kinase that are required for biofilm development in C. parapsilosis. Only three (Efg1, Bcr1, and Ace2) have similar effects on C. albicans biofilms, whereas Cph2, Czf1, Gzf3 and Ume6 have major roles in C. parapsilosis only. In addition, two transcription factors (Brg1 and Tec1) with well-characterized roles in biofilm formation in C. albicans do not have the same function in C. parapsilosis. We also compared the transcription profile of C. parapsilosis and C. albicans biofilms. Our analysis suggests the processes shared between the two species are predominantly metabolic.
2014-07-21 | GSE57451 | GEO
Project description:Combination therapies can be a promising tool to augment the antifungal activity of azole drugs against resistant Candida species. Here, we report the interaction between aprepitant, an antiemetic agent, and azole drugs against different Candida species including the emerging multidrug-resistant C. auris. Particularly, aprepitant enhanced the antifungal activity of itraconazole against C. auris by reducing its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by 2-8 folds. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo infection model, the aprepitant/itraconazole combination significantly prolonged the survival of the infected nematodes by ~90% and reduced the fungal burden by ~92% relative to the untreated control. Interestingly, the aprepitant/itraconazole combination exerted a potent fungicidal activity against both planktonic and adherent C. auris biofilms. Further, aprepitant/itraconazole displayed broad-spectrum synergistic interactions against other medically important Candida species including C. albicans, C. krusie, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis (ƩFICI ranged from 0.08 to 031). Comparative transcriptomic profiling indicated aprepitant/itraconazole interferes significantly with metal ions homeostasis and compromises the ROS (reactive oxygen species) detoxification ability of C. auris. This study presents aprepitant as a novel, potent and broad-spectrum azole chemosensitizing agent that warrants further investigation.
2020-10-19 | GSE148749 | GEO
Project description:Phenotypic switching is a strategy by which microbial organisms adapt to environmental changes. The human fungal pathogens, Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis, are closely related species and capable of undergoing morphological transitions. C. albicans primarily exists in human or warm-blooded animals as a commensal, whereas C. tropicalis not only exists as a commensal but also is widely distributed in the environment. In this study, To elucidate the regulatory mechanism of environmental pH on white-opaque switching in C. tropicalis, we performed RNA-Seq analysis under three pH conditions (pH 5.0, pH 7.0, and pH 8.0).
2018-08-01 | GSE101999 | GEO
Project description:Phenotypic plasticity, the ability to switch between different morphological types, plays critical roles in environmental adaptation, leading to infections, and allowing for sexual reproduction in pathogenic Candida species. Candida tropicalis, which is both an emerging human fungal pathogen and an environmental fungus, can switch between two heritable cell types termed white and opaque. In this study, we report the discovery of a novel phenotype in C. tropicalis, named the gray phenotype. Similar to Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis, white, gray, and opaque cell types of C. tropicalis also form a tristable switching system, where gray cells are relatively small and elongated. In C. tropicalis, gray cells exhibit intermediate levels of mating competency and virulence in a mouse systemic infection model compared to the white and opaque cell types, express a set of cell type-enriched genes, and exhibit both common and species-specific biological features. The key regulators of white-opaque transitions, Wor1 and Efg1, are not required for the gray phenotype. A comparative study of the gray phenotypes in C. tropicalis, C. albicans, and C. dubliniensis provides clues to explain the species differences in terms of virulence, ecological niches, and prevalence among these three species.
2017-01-30 | GSE81514 | GEO
Project description:The limited number of antifungals and the emergence of multidrug-resistant Candida auris pose a significant challenge to human medicine. Here, we utilized combinatorial drug therapy as an approach to augment the activity of current azole antifungals against C. auris. We evaluated the fluconazole chemosensitization activity of 1547 FDA-approved drugs and clinical molecules against an azole-resistant strain of C. auris. This led to the discovery that lopinavir, an antiviral drug, is a potent agent capable of sensitizing C. auris to the effect of azole antifungals. At a therapeutically achievable concentration (4-8 µg/ml), lopinavir exhibited potent synergistic interactions with azole drugs, particularly with itraconazole, against C. auris (ΣFICI ranged from 0.05-0.50). The lopinavir/itraconazole combination enhanced the survival rate of C. auris-infected Caenorhabditis elegans by 90% and reduced the fungal burden in infected nematodes by 88.5% (p < 0.05). Moreover, lopinavir enhanced the antifungal activity of itraconazole against other medically important Candida species including C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis. Comparative transcriptomic profiling revealed that lopinavir interferes with glucose permeation and ATP synthesis. This compromises the function of the efflux pumps presents in C. auris enhancing sensitivity to azole antifungals, as demonstrated by Nile red efflux assays. This study presents lopinavir as a novel, potent and broad-spectrum azole chemosensitizing agent that warrants further investigation against recalcitrant Candida infections.
2020-10-06 | GSE148341 | GEO
Project description:This is genome-scale metabolic model of Candida albicans as the representative yeast species for the clade CUG-Ser1. This model was generated through homology search using a fungal pan-GEM largely based on Yeast8 for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in addition to manual curation.
This model has been produced by the Yeast-Species-GEMs project from Sysbio (www.sysbio.se). This is model version 1.0.0 accompanying the publication (DOI: 10.15252/msb.202110427), currently hosted on BioModels Database and identified by MODEL2109130014. Further curations of this model will be tracked in the GitHub repository: https://github.com/SysBioChalmers/Yeast-Species-GEMs
Models for species of the same clade includes: Babjeviella inositovora; Candida albicans; Candida auris; Candida carpophila; Candida dubliniensis; Hyphopichia homilentoma; Candida intermedia; Candida orthopsilosis; Candida parapsilosis; Candida sojae; Suhomyces tanzawaensis; Yamadazyma tenuis; Candida tropicalis; Clavispora lusitaniae; Debaryomyces hansenii; Hyphopichia burtonii; Lodderomyces elongisporus; Metschnikowia aberdeeniae; Metschnikowia arizonensis; Metschnikowia bicuspidata var. bicuspidata; Metschnikowia borealis; Metschnikowia bowlesiae; Metschnikowia cerradonensis; Metschnikowia continentalis; Metschnikowia dekortorum; Metschnikowia drakensbergensis; Metschnikowia hamakuensis; Metschnikowia hawaiiensis; Metschnikowia hibisci; Metschnikowia ipomoeae; Metschnikowia kamakouana; Metschnikowia kipukae; Metschnikowia lochheadii; Metschnikowia matae var. matae; Metschnikowia matae var. maris; Metschnikowia mauinuiana; Metschnikowia proteae; Metschnikowia santaceciliae; Metschnikowia shivogae; Metschnikowia similis; Meyerozyma guilliermondii; Millerozyma acaciae; Priceomyces haplophilus; Scheffersomyces lignosus; Scheffersomyces stipitis; Spathaspora arborariae; Spathaspora girioi; Spathaspora gorwiae; Spathaspora hagerdaliae; Spathaspora passalidarum; Wickerhamia fluorescens; Priceomyces medius; Candida athensensis; Candida schatavii; Candida restingae; Aciculoconidium aculeatum; Kodamaea laetipori; Danielozyma ontarioensis; Candida oregonensis; Candida fructus; Candida corydali; Cephaloascus albidus; Cephaloascus fragrans; Suhomyces pyralidae; Suhomyces canberraensis; Suhomyces emberorum; Teunomyces kruisii; Teunomyces gatunensis; Teunomyces cretensis; Yamadazyma nakazawae; Priceomyces carsonii; Priceomyces castillae; Candida fragi; Hyphopichia heimii; Candida blattae; Yamadazyma philogaea; Yamadazyma scolyti; Meyerozyma caribbica; Kurtzmaniella cleridarum; Kodamaea ohmeri; Candida rhagii; Candida gotoi; Candida heveicola; Debaryomyces prosopidis; Debaryomyces nepalensis; Debaryomyces maramus; Candida hawaiiana; Debaryomyces subglobosus; Debaryomyces fabryi; Candida tammaniensis; Candida wancherniae; Candida ascalaphidarum; Candida golubevii; Candida gorgasii. These models are available in the zip file.
To cite BioModels, please use: V Chelliah et al; BioModels: ten-year anniversary. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43 (D1): D542-D548. To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to this encoded model have been dedicated to the public domain worldwide. Please refer to MIT License for more information.
2021-11-01 | MODEL2109130014 | BioModels