Comparative Genomic and Phenotypic Analyses of Pathogenic Fungi Neoscytalidium Dimidiatum and Bipolaris Papendorfii, Isolated From Human Skin Scraping

Abstract

Background: Neoscytalidium dimidiatum and Bipolaris species are fungal plant pathogens that have been reported to cause human diseases. Recently, we have isolated numerous N. dimidiatum and Bipolaris species from the skin scrapings and nails of different patients. In this work, we have sequenced the genome of one strain of N. dimidiatum. The sequenced genome was compared to that of a previously reported Bipolaris papendorfii genome for a better understanding of their complex lifestyle and broad host-range pathogenicity. Results: Their 33-43 Mb genomes include 11,015-12,320 putative coding DNA sequences, of which 0.51-2.49 are predicted transposable elements. Analysis of secondary metabolism gene clusters revealed several melanin biosynthetic genes and genes involved in fungal iron uptake. The arsenal of CAZymes related to plants pathogenicity is comparable between the species, including genes involved in hemicellulose and pectin decomposition. Several important genes-encoding keratinolytic peptidases were identified in N. dimidiatum and B. papendorfii, reflecting their potential pathogenic role in causing skin and nail infections. In this study, additional information on the metabolic features of these two species, such as nutritional profiling, pH tolerance, and osmotolerant are revealed. Conclusions: The genomic characterization of N. dimidiatum and B. papendorfii provides the basis for the future functional studies to gain further insights as to what makes these fungi persist in plants and why they are pathogenic to humans.

Fungal Proteases as Emerging Biocatalysts to Meet the Current Challenges and Recent Developments in Biomedical Therapies: An Updated Review

“…For instance, eqolisin can work at pH 2.0 when the casein is used as a substrate. Glutamic proteases were identified in the fungi Scytalidium lignicola and Aspergillus niger [106,107]. Scytalidium lignicolum, Aspergillus niger, Cryphonectria parasitica, Talaromyces emersonii and Sclerotina sclerotiorum secreted glutamic proteases [131][132][133].…”