Characterization of the Aspergillus fumigatus chitosanase CsnB and evaluation of its potential use in serological diagnostics.

Aspergillus fumigatus is currently the major air-borne fungal pathogen as its asexual spores are distributed through the air. In severely immunocompromised patients, inhalation of these conidia can result in life-threatening infections. Invasive Aspergillosis, a major Aspergillus-associated disease, is associated with a high mortality reflecting short-comings in diagnostics and therapy. Current diagnostics largely rely on the serological detection of the galactomannan antigen. Detection of circulating antibodies is an alternative approach. In this study, we have characterized the chitosanase CsnB, a protein that was previously shown to be a major secreted A. fumigatus antigen and therefore a potential target for antibody-based diagnostics. To analyze the biological function of CsnB we have deleted the csnB gene and generated CsnB-specific antibodies. We found that A. fumigatus is able to grow on chitosan in a CsnB-dependent manner. During growth on chitosan elevated levels of CsnB are found in the supernatants indicating that chitosan triggers enhanced CsnB production. Unexpectedly we have found a similar activity for tartrate. Using recombinant proteins we analyzed antibody responses in patients at risk to develop invasive aspergillosis. We focussed this study on two antigens: CsnB and for comparison mitogillin, a secreted A. fumigatus ribotoxin. IgG responses were found to both proteins, but elevated antibody levels to CsnB and/or mitogillin showed no correlation to the results of the galactomannan antigen assay or clinical signs that are characteristic for fungal infections.

Characterisation of the CipC-like protein AFUA_5G09330 of the opportunistic human pathogenic mould Aspergillus fumigatus.

Aspergillus fumigatus is currently the major airborne fungal pathogen that menaces immunocompromised individuals. Germination of inhaled conidia is a hallmark of the early infection process, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. The intention of our ongoing studies is the identification of A. fumigatus proteins that are differentially expressed during germination and may provide insights in the germination process. Using a proteomic approach, we identified AFUA_5G09330 as a major hyphal-specific protein. This result was confirmed using monoclonal antibodies generated in this study. AFUA_5G09330 belongs to a fungal-specific protein family. The eponymous CipC protein of A. nidulans has been shown to be induced by concanamycin A, and transcriptional data from Cryptococcus neoformans demonstrate a strong up-regulation of the expression of a homologous gene during infection. Our data provide evidence that AFUA_5G09330 is a monomeric, cytoplasmic protein. We found no evidence for an overexpression of AFUA_5G09330 induced by concanamycin A or other stress conditions. AFUA_5G09330 is exclusively found in the hyphal morphotype that enables an invasive growth of A. fumigatus during infection. Further studies are required to define the biological function of this hyphae-specific protein and its potential relevance for the pathogenicity of A. fumigatus.

Detection of early phase specific surface appendages during germination of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia.

During the past 15 years the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus has become the most prevalent airborne fungal pathogen, causing severe and often fatal infections especially in immuno-compromised patients. Germination of inhaled conidia is an early and crucial event in the infection process of A. fumigatus. In this study we have analyzed morphological changes that take place during this differentiation process using scanning electron microscopy. Our data show that (i) the hydrophobic surface layer of resting conidia seems to be shed before the cells start to swell and (ii) that filamentous surface appendages are expressed at a very early phase of the germtube formation. These surface structures were only found on the first few microm of the germtube, but were absent from the surface of mycelial hyphae and resting or swollen conidia. The highly regulated expression of these novel surface organelles suggests that they may play an important role during early germination and represent a potential target for future anti-A. fumigatus therapies.

Analysis of the regulation, expression, and localisation of the isocitrate lyase from Aspergillus fumigatus, a potential target for antifungal drug development.

Invasive aspergillosis, caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, is a severe systemic infection in immunocompromised patients. New drug targets are required, since therapeutic treatment often fails and is hampered by severe side effects of antifungals. Enzymes of the glyoxylate bypass are potential targets, since they are absent in humans, but required for growth of Aspergillus on C2-generating carbon sources. The key enzyme isocitrate lyase (ICL) can be inhibited by 3-nitropropionate, both as a purified enzyme and within intact cells, whereas the latter inhibition upregulates ICL promoter activity. ICL was found in distinct subcellular structures within growing hyphae, but only under conditions requiring ICL activity. In contrast, ICL was constitutively found in conidia, suggesting a specific role during germination. Lipids, as potential substrates, were detected in conidia and macrophages. Additionally, germinating conidia within macrophages contain ICL, suggesting that the glyoxylate shunt might be a relevant target for development of antifungals.

Analysis of the major proteins secreted by the human opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus under in vitro conditions.

Although secreted proteins of pathogenic microorganisms often represent potential virulence factors, so far only limited information has been available on the proteins secreted by Aspergillus fumigatus. We therefore analysed supernatant proteins after growth in different media. In serum-free cell culture medium A. fumigatus growth was limited and no protein secretion was detectable, whereas distinct protein patterns were detectable after growth in either aspergillus minimal medium (AMM) or the more complex yeast glucose medium (YG). The three major proteins secreted under these conditions were identified as the ribotoxin mitogillin, a chitosanase and the aspergillopepsin i. Mitogillin and chitosanase were secreted in AMM, whereas aspergillopepsin i was especially prominent after growth in YG. When the AMM cultures reached stationary phase, seven additional major proteins were detectable. Two of them were identified as the chitinase chiB1 and a beta(1-3) endoglucanase. Conditioned medium containing mitogillin and chitosanase did not have a detectable cytotoxic effect on A549 and Vero cells. Using recombinant mitogillin and chitosanase we detected anti-chitosanase and antimitogillin antibodies in sera of patients suffering from invasive aspergillosis or aspergilloma, but not in control sera of healthy individuals. This suggests that chitosanase, like mitogillin, is expressed during infection and might therefore be of diagnostic relevance.