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:Trichophyton rubrum is a pathogenic fungus infecting human skin, hairs and nails. These substrates are low in most nutrients required for fungal growth and consequently are colonized only by very few fungal species. Especially, concentration of trace elements is low and a limiting factor for fungal growth. T. rubrum is a highly specialist fungus and adapted to this environment. By in-vitro experiments, we analyzed the influence of trace-elements on mRNA expression. We measured gene expression by RNAseq of two T. rubrum strains, STRB008 and STRB012, in three different cultivation condition, each in 6 replications. Keratin medium, without sugar supply, was used as basic medium. In the second condition, we added trace-elements to the keratin medium. In the third condition, we added glucose. We point to the evolutionary adaption of the fungus to the human skin. T. rubrum has a sophisticated system for the digestion and utilization of human skin protein and a relative low demand for trace-elements.
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.
