Genome-scale Metabolic Modeling of the Priority Fungal Pathogen Lichtheimia corymbifera

ABSTRACT: Fungi harbor unique primary and secondary metabolic pathways that represent a hidden treasure of biochemical and natural compounds. Their metabolism is central to their ability to interact with, to adapt to and to survive in host environments, and also to cause human disease and great harm. Among those, Lichtheimia corymbifera whose emergence as causative agent of mucormycosis prompted (i) its classification to the high priority fungal pathogens by the World Health Organization and (ii) its increasing importance as model organism for the study of invasive fungal infections. We reconstructed a genome-scale L. corymbifera metabolic model and show substantial differential metabolic activity down to pathway and reaction level to process carbohydrate or amino acid carbon sources. We furthermore adapt the model to proteome changes depending on human leukocyte presence and show fungal sphingolipid metabolic activity changes next to changes in cytoskeleton and tight junction associated leukocyte activity over three days of cultivation. These insights underline the possibility that L. corymbifera can potentially scavenge host-derived lipids to fortify its own cell membrane. We demonstrate that in silico metabolic predictions can provide testable hypotheses and can lead to the identification of metabolic processes which are essential for the development of targeted antifungal drugs and novel solutions for balancing host challenges.

INSTRUMENT(S):

ORGANISM(S): Homo Sapiens (human) Lichtheimia Corymbifera Jmrc:fsu:9682

TISSUE(S): Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell

SUBMITTER: Thomas Krüger  

LAB HEAD: Axel A. Brakhage

PROVIDER: PXD069002 | Pride | 2026-07-07

REPOSITORIES: Pride