Terminal oligosaccharide profile of Paracoccidioides extracellular vesicle surface

• Grant number: 13/22200-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2014
• End date: June 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Rosana Puccia
• Grantee: Roberta Peres da Silva
• Supervisor: Lokesh Joshi
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), Ireland
• Associated to the scholarship: 10/19410-6 - Characterization of the RNA and carbohydrate content transported in fungal extracellular vesicles, BP.DR

Abstract

Molecules secreted to the cell surface or to the extracellular environment are obvious targets to participate in host-parasite interaction. Release of membranous vesicles is a conserved process in both prokaryote and eukaryote cells. Fungal extracellular vesicles (EV) are important structures involved in the transport of virulence factors including numerous proteins, neutral lipids, glycans and pigments. Our group has recently characterized extracellular vesicular structures in the yeast phase of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. These vesicles carry antigenic components, including ±-galoctosyl epitopes. The results from the Ph.D. project related to this BEPE application reveal identification of two EV major polysaccharides, specifically an ±-1,4-glucan with ±-1,6-glucose side chains (±-1,4,6-glucan), and a galactofuranosylmannan. Considering the importance of carbohydrate in interaction with the host, this project aims to identify other surface oligosaccharide moieties in P. brasiliensis EV using lectin microarray printing. We hope to generate relevant data for future studies to understand the role of EV in pathogen-host communication. This project will be carried out in the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, at National University of Ireland, Galway under the supervision of Dr. Lokesh Joshi. (AU)