Genomic and experimental evidence for a potential sexual cycle in the pathogenic thermal dimorphic fungus <i>Penicillium marneffei</i>

Woo, Patrick C. Y.; Chong, Ken T. K.; Tse, Herman; Cai, James J.; Lau, Candy C. Y.; Zhou, Anna C.; Lau, Susanna K. P.; Yuen, Kwok‐Yung

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2006.05.014

Cited by 62 publications

(48 citation statements)

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“…Sexual reproduction has been described for H. capsulatum (142,146), B. dermatitidis (194), and most dermatophyte species (307). While successful mating has not yet been observed for P. marneffei, C. immitis, or C. posadasii, genes related to sexual reproduction have been identified in the genomes of these dimorphic fungal species (70,189,311). Data from population genetic studies also support extant sexual reproduction (30,61,62,138,189).…”

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confidence: 79%

The Evolution of Sex: a Perspective from the Fungal Kingdom

Lee

et al. 2010

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

323

344

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SUMMARY Sex is shrouded in mystery. Not only does it preferentially occur in the dark for both fungi and many animals, but evolutionary biologists continue to debate its benefits given costs in light of its pervasive nature. Experimental studies of the benefits and costs of sexual reproduction with fungi as model systems have begun to provide evidence that the balance between sexual and asexual reproduction shifts in response to selective pressures. Given their unique evolutionary history as opisthokonts, along with metazoans, fungi serve as exceptional models for the evolution of sex and sex-determining regions of the genome (the mating type locus) and for transitions that commonly occur between outcrossing/self-sterile and inbreeding/self-fertile modes of reproduction. We review here the state of the understanding of sex and its evolution in the fungal kingdom and also areas where the field has contributed and will continue to contribute to illuminating general principles and paradigms of sexual reproduction.

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confidence: 79%

The Evolution of Sex: a Perspective from the Fungal Kingdom

Lee

et al. 2010

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

323

344

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“…In addition, both homothallic and heterothallic mating systems coexist and are closely aligned throughout the Ascomycota, but heterothallism is more prevalent in some lineages. By comparative analyses, some studies have hypothesized that the ancestral mating system in the Ascomycota was heterothallic (16,25,46,61), but other studies have derived the opposite conclusion, namely, that the ancestral mating system was homothallic (17,59). This controversy may in part result from a limited number of fungal species with identified MAT loci and defined sexual cycles.…”

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confidence: 88%

Organization and Evolutionary Trajectory of the Mating Type (MAT) Locus in Dermatophyte and Dimorphic Fungal Pathogens

Metin

White

et al. 2010

Eukaryot Cell

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Sexual reproduction in fungi is governed by a specialized genomic region, the mating type (MAT) locus, whose gene identity, organization, and complexity are diverse. We identified the MAT locus of five dermatophyte fungal pathogens (Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton equinum, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichophyton tonsurans) and a dimorphic fungus, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and performed phylogenetic analyses. The identified MAT locus idiomorphs of M. gypseum control cell type identity in mating assays, and recombinant progeny were produced. Virulence tests in Galleria mellonella larvae suggest the two mating types of M. gypseum may have equivalent virulence. Synteny analysis revealed common features of the MAT locus shared among these five dermatophytes: namely, a small size (ϳ3 kb) and a novel gene arrangement. The SLA2, COX13, and APN2 genes, which flank the MAT locus in other Ascomycota are instead linked on one side of the dermatophyte MAT locus. In addition, the transcriptional orientations of the APN2 and COX13 genes are reversed compared to the dimorphic fungi Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis, and Coccidioides posadasii. A putative transposable element, pogo, was found to have inserted in the MAT1-2 idiomorph of one P. brasiliensis strain but not others. In conclusion, the evolution of the MAT locus of the dermatophytes and dimorphic fungi from the last common ancestor has been punctuated by both gene acquisition and expansion, and asymmetric gene loss. These studies further support a foundation to develop molecular and genetic tools for dermatophyte and dimorphic human fungal pathogens.

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“…Fungal DNA extraction was performed as described in our previous publications (24,26). Briefly, DNA was extracted from 1 g of fungal cells in 10 ml of distilled water using a DNeasy plant minikit according to the manufacturer's instructions (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Internal Transcribed Spacer Region Sequence Heterogeneity in Rhizopus microsporus : Implications for Molecular Diagnosis in Clinical Microbiology Laboratories

Woo¹,

Leung²,

To³

et al. 2010

J Clin Microbiol

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Although internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequence heterogeneity has been reported in a few fungal species, it has very rarely been reported in pathogenic fungi and has never been described in Mucorales, causes of the highly fatal mucormycosis. In a recent outbreak investigation of intestinal mucormycosis due to Rhizopus microsporus infection in patients with hematological malignancies, PCR of the ITS of four of the 28 R. microsporus strains, P11, P12, D3-1, and D4-1, showed thick bands at about 700 bp. Direct sequencing of the purified bands showed frequent double peaks along all of the sequence traces and occasional triple peaks for P12, D3-1, and D4-1. The thick bands of the four R. microsporus strains were purified and cloned. Sequencing of 10 clones for each strain revealed two different ITS sequences for P11 and three different ITS sequences for P12, D3-1, and D4-1. Variations in ITS sequence among the different ribosomal DNA (rDNA) operons in the same strain were observed in only ITS1 and ITS2 and not the 5.8S rDNA region. One copy of P11, P12, and D4-1, respectively, and one copy of P11, P12, D3-1, and D4-1, respectively, showed identical sequences. This represents the first evidence of ITS sequence heterogeneity in Mucorales. ITS sequence heterogeneity is an obstacle to molecular identification and genotyping of fungi in clinical microbiology laboratories. When thick bands and double peaks are observed during PCR sequencing of a gene target, such a strain should be sent to reference laboratories proficient in molecular technologies for further identification and/or genotyping.Genes and intergenic regions of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) operons are the most widely used targets for molecular identification of bacteria and fungi in clinical microbiology laboratories. For bacterial identification, the 16S rDNA gene is the primary target to amplify and sequence (28), whereas for fungi, the 18S rDNA gene and internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) comprising the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA gene cluster are commonly used, depending on the group of fungi being identified (4,10,23,27). Irrespective of the target, such a molecular identification technique usually involves PCR amplification of the target and purification and direct sequencing of the PCR product. Since most bacterial and fungal genomes contain more than one rDNA operon, the success of using this technology relies on sequence homogeneity in the various copies of targets in the rDNA operons within the genome of the bacterium or fungus.Interoperon heterogeneities for 16S rDNA genes have been reported in a number of bacteria (3,12). Recently, we reported rDNA operon heterogeneity in a novel genus and species of bacterium, Anaerospora hongkongensis, isolated from an intravenous drug user (25). When present, such rDNA operon heterogeneity will pose difficulties for direct sequencing of the PCR product for bacterial identification as double or multiple nucleotide peaks will be present in the sequence traces. Although ITS sequence heterogeneity has been reported ...

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Genomic and experimental evidence for a potential sexual cycle in the pathogenic thermal dimorphic fungus Penicillium marneffei

Cited by 62 publications

References 46 publications

The Evolution of Sex: a Perspective from the Fungal Kingdom

The Evolution of Sex: a Perspective from the Fungal Kingdom

Organization and Evolutionary Trajectory of the Mating Type (MAT) Locus in Dermatophyte and Dimorphic Fungal Pathogens

Internal Transcribed Spacer Region Sequence Heterogeneity in Rhizopus microsporus : Implications for Molecular Diagnosis in Clinical Microbiology Laboratories

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