Project description:We report a study conducted to investigate the variation on gene expression of the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus upon co-cultivation with the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The study was conducted by investigating the gene expression variation at different time points (45, 90 and 180 minutes after co-incubation). As control, we used data obtained by cultivating the fungus either without bacteria, or with heat-inactivated Pseudomonas.
Project description:Dimethyl sulfoxide (DSMO) is a simple molecule widely used because of its great solvating ability. Beyond its physico-chemical properties, it is also biologically active, including on fungal species. Aspergillus flavus is a saprophytic and famous pathogenic fungus able to produce Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a potent carcinogenic mycotoxin which may contaminate many food crops. The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of DMSO on A. flavus transcriptome profile using high-throughput RNA-sequencing assay.
Project description:We examined the antifungal activity of artemisinin against Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus), a pathogenic filamentous fungus responsible for allergic and invasive aspergillosis in humans and analyzed transcript profiles of the fungus on exposure to Artemisinin. A. fumigatus spores were cultured for 48 h and then treated with artemisinin (at MIC50 concentration) or solvent control (DMSO) for 3 h to study its transcriptomic profiles.
Project description:Aspergillus flavus and A. oryzae represent two unique species predicted to have spent centuries in vastly different environments. A. flavus is an important opportunistic plant pathogen known for contaminating crops with the carcinogenic mycotoxin, aflatoxin and A. oryzae is a domesticated fungus used in food fermentations. Remarkably, the genomes of these two species are still nearly identical. We have used the recently sequenced genomes of A. oryzae RIB40 and A. flavus NRRL3357 along with array based comparative genome hybridization (CGH) as a tool to compare genomes across several strains of these two species. A comparison of three strains from each species by CGH revealed only 42 and 129 genes unique to A. flavus and A. oryzae, respectively. Further, only 709 genes were identified as being polymorphic between the species. Despite the high degree of similarity between these two species, correlation analysis among all data from the CGH arrays for all strains used in this study reveals a species split. However, this view of species demarcation becomes muddled when focused on only those genes for secondary metabolism.
Project description:Atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging showed that the rodlet layer of A. fumigatus and A. flavus was different. The objective of this project was to examine the differences in the rodlet layer of these two pathogenic Aspergillus species.
Project description:Aspergillus terreus has been described as an allergenic fungus in addition to causing infection to both human beings and plants. However, the allergens in this fungus are still unknown. The identification of allergens is essential to develop diagnostic and therapeutic avenues. Employing a proteomic approach, sixteen allergens were identified based on two-dimensional immuno-blotting with A. terreus susceptible patient sera. Amongst them, triosephosphate isomerase (Asp t 36), one of the dominant immunoglobulin E (IgE)-reactive proteins, was purified under native conditions. To characterize Asp t 36, the gene was cloned and expressed in E. coli. Phylogenetic analysis showed it to be highly conserved with close similarity to Dermatophagoides farinae. Four immuno-dominant epitopes were identified using synthetic peptides and mapped on the tertiary structure of Asp t 36. Among these, two were found to create a continuous surface patch on the 3D structure rendering it to be an IgE binding hotspot. Asp t 36 showed similar secondary structure and temperature sensitivity with other reported triosephosphate isomerase allergens. In-vivo studies using the murine model demonstrated rAsp t 36 able to stimulate airway inflammation, such as an influx of eosinophils, goblet cell hyperplasia, elevated serum immunoglobulins and induction of Th2 cytokines. Collectively, our results reveal the immunogenic property of Asp t 36, a major allergen from A. terreus for the first time in any fungi. This allergen could serve as a potent candidate for investigating component resolved diagnosis and immunotherapy.
Project description:St (common potato) is a freezing sensitive species unable to cold acclimate. The close wild relative Sc is freezing tolerant and able to cold acclimate. Here we compare the cold transcriptome of these two species with different levels of freezing tolerance. We also identify the putative CBF regulons by comparing the transcriptomes of wild type plants with that of 35S::AtCBF3 transgenic lines in both species.
