Dataset Information

Growth Regulation in Amphibian Pathogenic Chytrid Fungi by the Quorum Sensing Metabolite Tryptophol.

ABSTRACT: Amphibians face many threats leading to declines and extinctions, but the chytrid fungal skin pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) have been identified as the causative factors leading to one of the greatest disease-driven losses of amphibian biodiversity worldwide. Infection may lead to different clinical outcomes, and lethal infections are commonly associated with unrestricted, exponential fungal growth in the amphibian epidermis. Mechanisms underpinning Bd and Bsal growth in the amphibian host are poorly understood. Here, we describe a quorum sensing mechanism that allows cell-to-cell communication by Bd and Bsal in order to regulate fungal densities and infection strategies. Addition of chytrid culture supernatant to chytrid cultures resulted in a concentration-dependent growth reduction and using dialysis, small metabolites were shown to be the causative factor. U-HPLC-MS/MS and in vitro growth tests identified the aromatic alcohol tryptophol as a key metabolite in regulating fungal growth. We determined tryptophol kinetics in both Bd and Bsal and confirmed the autostimulatory mode of action of this quorum sensing metabolite. Finally, we linked expression of genes that might be involved in tryptophol production, with in vitro and in vivo chytrid growth. Our results show that Bd and Bsal fungi use tryptophol to act as multicellular entities in order to regulate their growth.

SUBMITTER: Verbrugghe E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6331427 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Growth Regulation in Amphibian Pathogenic Chytrid Fungi by the Quorum Sensing Metabolite Tryptophol.

Verbrugghe Elin E Adriaensen Connie C Martel An A Vanhaecke Lynn L Pasmans Frank F

Frontiers in microbiology 20190108

Amphibians face many threats leading to declines and extinctions, but the chytrid fungal skin pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) have been identified as the causative factors leading to one of the greatest disease-driven losses of amphibian biodiversity worldwide. Infection may lead to different clinical outcomes, and lethal infections are commonly associated with unrestricted, exponential fungal growth in the am ...[more]

PMID: 30671052

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Project description:UnlabelledQuorum sensing (QS) is a cell density-dependent mechanism of communication between microorganisms, characterized by the release of signaling molecules that affect microbial metabolism and gene expression in a synchronized way. In this study, we investigated cell density-dependent behaviors mediated by conditioned medium (CM) in the pathogenic encapsulated fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. CM produced dose-dependent increases in the growth of planktonic and biofilm cells, glucuronoxylomannan release, and melanin synthesis, important virulence attributes of this organism. Mass spectrometry revealed the presence of pantothenic acid (PA) in our samples, and commercial PA was able to increase growth and melanization, although not to the same extent as CM. Additionally, we found four mutants that were either unable to produce active CM or failed to respond with increased growth in the presence of wild-type CM, providing genetic evidence for the existence of intercellular communication in C. neoformans. C. neoformans CM also increased the growth of Cryptococcus albidus, Candida albicans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Conversely, CM from Cryptococcus albidus, C. albicans, S. cerevisiae, and Sporothrix schenckii increased C. neoformans growth. In summary, we report the existence of a new QS system regulating the growth and virulence factor expression of C. neoformans in vitro and, possibly, also able to regulate growth in other fungi.ImportanceQuorum sensing is a strategy of communication used by pathogenic microorganisms to coordinate the expression of attributes necessary to cause disease. In this work, we describe a quorum sensing system in Cryptococcus neoformans, a yeast that can cause severe central nervous system infections. Adding conditioned medium--culture medium in which C. neoformans has previously grown--to fresh cultures resulted in faster growth of C. neoformans both as isolated cells and in microbial communities called biofilms. The addition of conditioned medium also increased the secretion of capsule carbohydrates and the formation of melanin pigment, two tools used by this microorganism to thrive in the host. This remarkable example of microbial communication shows that C. neoformans cells can act in unison when expressing attributes necessary to survive in the host, a finding that could point the way to improvements in the treatment of cryptococcosis.

Dataset Information

Growth Regulation in Amphibian Pathogenic Chytrid Fungi by the Quorum Sensing Metabolite Tryptophol.

Publications

Growth Regulation in Amphibian Pathogenic Chytrid Fungi by the Quorum Sensing Metabolite Tryptophol.

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