Role of the rttA gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei

© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. Penicillium marneffei is a human pathogenic fungus and the only thermally dimorphic species of the genus. At 25°C, P. marneffei grows as a mycelium that produces conidia in c...

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Main Authors: Suwunnakorn S., Cooper C., Kummasook A., Pongpom M., Vanittanakom P., Vanittanakom N.
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Published: Informa Healthcare 2015
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spelling th-cmuir.6653943832-384362015-06-16T07:47:13Z Role of the rttA gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei Suwunnakorn S. Cooper C. Kummasook A. Pongpom M. Vanittanakom P. Vanittanakom N. Veterinary (all) Infectious Diseases © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. Penicillium marneffei is a human pathogenic fungus and the only thermally dimorphic species of the genus. At 25°C, P. marneffei grows as a mycelium that produces conidia in chains. However, when incubated at 37°C or following infection of host tissue, the fungus develops as a fission yeast. Previously, a mutant (strain I133) defective in morphogenesis was generated via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Specifically, the rtt109 gene (subsequently designated rttA) in this mutant was interrupted by T-DNA insertion. We characterized strain I133 and the possible roles of the mutated rttA gene in altered P. marneffei phenotypes. At 25°C, the rttA mutant produces fewer conidia than the wild type and a complemented mutant strain, as well as slower rates of conidial germination; however, strain I133 continued to grow as a yeast in 37°C-incubated cultures. Furthermore, whereas the wild type exhibited increased expression of rttA at 37°C in response to the DNA-damaging agent methyl methane sulfonate, strain I133 was hypersensitive to this and other genotoxic agents. Under similar conditions, the rttA mutant exhibited decreased expression of genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism and oxidative stress. Importantly, when compared with the wild-type and the complemented strain, I133 was significantly less virulent in a Galleria infection model when the larvae were incubated at 37°C. Moreover, the mutant exhibited inappropriate phase transition in vivo. In conclusion, the rttA gene plays important roles in morphogenesis, carbohydrate metabolism, stress response, and pathogenesis in P. marneffei, suggesting that this gene may be a potential target for the development of antifungal compounds. 2015-06-16T07:47:13Z 2015-06-16T07:47:13Z 2015-01-01 Article 13693786 2-s2.0-84925153085 10.1093/mmy/myu063 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84925153085&origin=inward http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/38436 Informa Healthcare
institution Chiang Mai University
building Chiang Mai University Library
country Thailand
collection CMU Intellectual Repository
topic Veterinary (all)
Infectious Diseases
spellingShingle Veterinary (all)
Infectious Diseases
Suwunnakorn S.
Cooper C.
Kummasook A.
Pongpom M.
Vanittanakom P.
Vanittanakom N.
Role of the rttA gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei
description © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. Penicillium marneffei is a human pathogenic fungus and the only thermally dimorphic species of the genus. At 25°C, P. marneffei grows as a mycelium that produces conidia in chains. However, when incubated at 37°C or following infection of host tissue, the fungus develops as a fission yeast. Previously, a mutant (strain I133) defective in morphogenesis was generated via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Specifically, the rtt109 gene (subsequently designated rttA) in this mutant was interrupted by T-DNA insertion. We characterized strain I133 and the possible roles of the mutated rttA gene in altered P. marneffei phenotypes. At 25°C, the rttA mutant produces fewer conidia than the wild type and a complemented mutant strain, as well as slower rates of conidial germination; however, strain I133 continued to grow as a yeast in 37°C-incubated cultures. Furthermore, whereas the wild type exhibited increased expression of rttA at 37°C in response to the DNA-damaging agent methyl methane sulfonate, strain I133 was hypersensitive to this and other genotoxic agents. Under similar conditions, the rttA mutant exhibited decreased expression of genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism and oxidative stress. Importantly, when compared with the wild-type and the complemented strain, I133 was significantly less virulent in a Galleria infection model when the larvae were incubated at 37°C. Moreover, the mutant exhibited inappropriate phase transition in vivo. In conclusion, the rttA gene plays important roles in morphogenesis, carbohydrate metabolism, stress response, and pathogenesis in P. marneffei, suggesting that this gene may be a potential target for the development of antifungal compounds.
format Article
author Suwunnakorn S.
Cooper C.
Kummasook A.
Pongpom M.
Vanittanakom P.
Vanittanakom N.
author_facet Suwunnakorn S.
Cooper C.
Kummasook A.
Pongpom M.
Vanittanakom P.
Vanittanakom N.
author_sort Suwunnakorn S.
title Role of the rttA gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei
title_short Role of the rttA gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei
title_full Role of the rttA gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei
title_fullStr Role of the rttA gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei
title_full_unstemmed Role of the rttA gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus Penicillium marneffei
title_sort role of the rtta gene in morphogenesis, stress response, and virulence in the human pathogenic fungus penicillium marneffei
publisher Informa Healthcare
publishDate 2015
url http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84925153085&origin=inward
http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/38436
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