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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

The stuA gene controls development, adaptation, stress tolerance, and virulence of the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum

Full text
Author(s):
Lang, Elza A. S. [1] ; Bitencourt, Tamires A. [1] ; Peres, Nalu T. A. [2] ; Lopes, Lucia [1] ; Silva, Larissa G. [1] ; Cazzaniga, Rodrigo A. [1] ; Rossi, Antonio [1] ; Martinez-Rossi, Nilce M. [1]
Total Authors: 8
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Genet, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil
[2] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Microbiol, Inst Biol Sci, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH; v. 241, DEC 2020.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

The APSES family, comprising of the transcriptional regulators Asm1p, Phd1p, Sok2p, Efg1p, and StuA, is found exclusively in fungi and has been reported to control several cellular processes in these organisms. However, its function in dermatophytes has not yet been completely understood. Here, we generated two null mutant strains by deleting the stuA gene in the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum, the most common clinical isolate obtained from human skin and nail mycoses. The functional characterization of the knocked-out strains revealed the involvement of stuA in germination, morphogenesis of conidia and hyphae, pigmentation, stress responses, and virulence. Although the mutant strains could grow under several nutritional conditions, growth on the keratin medium, human nails, and skin was impaired. The co-culture of stuA mutants with human keratinocytes revealed enhanced development. Moreover, a stuA mutant grown on the keratin substrate showed a marked decrease in the transcript numbers of the hydrophobin encoding gene (hypA), suggesting the involvement of stuA in the molecular mechanisms underlying mechanosensing during the fungi-host interaction. In addition, bioinformatics analyses revealed the potential involvement of StuA in different biological processes such as oxidation-reduction, phosphorylation, proteolysis, transcription/translation regulation, and carbohydrate metabolism. Cumulatively, the present study suggested that StuA is a crosstalk mediator of many pathways and is an integral component of the infection process, implying that it could be a potential target for antifungal therapy. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 15/23435-8 - Molecular mechanisms involved in resistance and adaptive response to fungal inhibitors
Grantee:Tamires Aparecida Bitencourt
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
FAPESP's process: 19/22596-9 - Molecular mechanisms associated with pathogenicity and resistance in fungi: strategies for treating dermatophytosis
Grantee:Nilce Maria Martinez-Rossi
Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
FAPESP's process: 09/08411-4 - Functional characterization of genes from the pathogenic fungus Trichophyton rubrum during interaction with host microenvironment cells and molecules.
Grantee:Nalu Teixeira de Aguiar Peres
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
FAPESP's process: 10/15017-8 - Functional characterization of the transcription factor ACE2 of the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum and its implication in the host-pathogen interaction
Grantee:Larissa Gomes da Silva
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate