Influence of N-glycans on Expression of Cell Wall Remodeling Related Genes in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Yeast Cells

Author(s)

Almeida, Fausto ^[1] ; Campos Antonieto, Amanda Cristina ^[2] ; Pessoni, Andre Moreira ^[1] ; Monteiro, Valdirene Neves ^[3] ; Paiva Alegre-Maller, Ana Claudia ^[1] ; Pigosso, Laurine Lacerda ^[4] ; Pereira, Maristela ^[4] ; de Almeida Soares, Celia Maria ^[4] ; Roque-Barreira, Maria Cristina ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biol Celular & Mol & Bioagentes Patogen, Ave Bandeirantes 3900, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Bioquim & Imunol, Ave Bandeirantes 3900, BR-14040900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadural Goias, UnUCET, BR 153, Km98 Campus Henrique Santillo, BR-75000000 Anapolis, Go - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Goias, Inst Ciencias Biol, Mol Biol Lab, Goiania, Go - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CURRENT GENOMICS; v. 17, n. 2, p. 112-118, 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis is the most prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America. It is caused by the temperature-dependent dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The P. brasiliensis cell wall is a dynamic outer structure, composed of a network of glycoproteins and polysaccharides, such as chitin, glucan and N-glycosylated proteins. These glycoproteins can interact with the host to affect infection rates, and are known to perform other functions. We inhibited N-linked glycosylation using tunicamycin (TM), and then evaluated the expression of P. brasiliensis genes related to cell wall remodeling. Our results suggest that cell wall synthesis related genes, such as beta-1,3-glucanosyltransferase (PbGEL3), 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase (PbFKS1), and alpha-1,4-amylase (PbAMY), as well as cell wall degrading related genes, such as N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (PbNAG1), alpha-1,3-glucanase (PbAGN), and beta-1,3-glucanase (PbBGN1 and PbBGN2), have their expression increased by the N-glycosylation inhibition, as detected by qRT-PCR. The observed increases in gene expression levels reveal possible compensatory mechanisms for diminished enzyme activity due to the lack of glycosylation caused by TM. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/10741-8 - Effect of N-glycosylation inhibition on the transcriptional and proteomic profiles of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
• Grantee: Fausto Bruno dos Reis Almeida
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral