scholarly journals Species-Specific Differences in the Susceptibility of Fungi to the Antifungal Protein AFP Depend on C-3 Saturation of Glycosylceramides

mSphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman Paege ◽  
Dirk Warnecke ◽  
Simone Zäuner ◽  
Silke Hagen ◽  
Ana Rodrigues ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Inhibitory Effects ◽  
Chitin Synthesis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fatty Acid Chain ◽  
Damage Response

ABSTRACT AFP is an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) produced by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus giganteus and is a very potent inhibitor of fungal growth that does not affect the viability of bacteria, plant, or mammalian cells. It targets chitin synthesis and causes plasma membrane permeabilization in many human- and plant-pathogenic fungi, but its exact mode of action is not known. After adoption of the “damage-response framework of microbial pathogenesis” regarding the analysis of interactions between AMPs and microorganisms, we have recently proposed that the cytotoxic capacity of a given AMP depends not only on the presence/absence of its target(s) in the host and the AMP concentration applied but also on other variables, such as microbial survival strategies. We show here using the examples of three filamentous fungi (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Fusarium graminearum) and two yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris) that the important parameters defining the AFP susceptibilities of these fungi are (i) the presence/absence of glycosylceramides, (ii) the presence/absence of Δ3(E) desaturation of the fatty acid chain therein, and (iii) the (dis)ability of these fungi to respond to AFP inhibitory effects with the fortification of their cell walls via increased chitin and β-(1,3)-glucan synthesis. These observations support the idea of the adoption of the damage-response framework to holistically understand the outcome of AFP inhibitory effects. IMPORTANCE Our data suggest a fundamental role of glycosylceramides in the susceptibility of fungi to AFP. We discovered that only a minor structural difference in these molecules—namely, the saturation level of their fatty acid chain, controlled by a 2-hydroxy fatty N-acyl-Δ3(E)-desaturase—represents a key to understanding the inhibitory activity of AFP. As glycosylceramides are important components of fungal plasma membranes, we propose a model which links AFP-mediated inhibition of chitin synthesis in fungi with its potential to disturb plasma membrane integrity.

scholarly journals Species-specific differences in the susceptibility of fungi towards the antifungal protein AFP depend on C3 saturation of glycosylceramides

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman Paege ◽  
Dirk Warnecke ◽  
Simone Zäuner ◽  
Silke Hagen ◽  
Ana Rodrigues ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Structural Difference ◽  
Inhibitory Effects ◽  
Chitin Synthesis ◽  
Fatty Acid Chain ◽  
Damage Response

AbstractAFP is an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) produced by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus giganteus and a very potent inhibitor of fungal growth without affecting the viability of bacteria, plant or mammalian cells. It targets chitin synthesis and causes plasma membrane permeabilization in many human and plant pathogenic fungi, but its exact mode of action is not known. We have recently proposed adoption of the “damage-response framework of microbial pathogenesis” put forward by Pirofksi and Casadevall in 1999 regarding the analysis of interactions between AMPs and microorganisms, thus, predicting that the cytotoxic capacity of a given AMP is relative and depends not only on the presence/absence of its target(s) in the host and the AMP concentration applied but also on other variables, such as microbial survival strategies. We show here using the examples of three filamentous fungi (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Fusarium graminearum) and two yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris) that the important parameters defining the AFP susceptibilities of these fungi are (i) the presence/absence of glycosylceramides, (ii) the presence/absence of Δ3(E)-desaturation of the fatty acid chain therein, and (iii) the (dis)ability of these fungi to respond to AFP inhibitory effects with the fortification of their cell walls via increased chitin and β-(1,3)-glucan synthesis. These observations support the adoption of the damage-response framework to holistically understand the outcome of AFP inhibitory effects.ImportanceOur data suggest a fundamental role of glycosylceramides in the susceptibility of fungi towards AFP. We discovered that only a minor structural difference in these molecules – the saturation level of their fatty acid chain, controlled by a 2-hydroxy fatty N-acyl-Δ3(E)-desaturase – is a key to understanding the inhibitory activity of AFP. As glycosylceramides are important components of fungal plasma membranes, we propose a model which links AFP-mediated inhibition of chitin synthesis in fungi with its potential to disturb plasma membrane integrity.

Characterization of two Mg2+transporters in sealed plasma membrane vesicles from rat liver

1998 ◽  
Vol 275 (4) ◽  
pp. C995-C1008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christie Cefaratti ◽  
Andrea Romani ◽  
Antonio Scarpa
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Rat Liver ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Membrane Vesicles ◽  
Channel Blockers ◽  
Transport Mechanisms ◽  
Plasma Membrane Vesicles ◽  
New Information

The plasma membrane of mammalian cells possesses rapid Mg2+ transport mechanisms. The identity of Mg2+ transporters is unknown, and so are their properties. In this study, Mg2+ transporters were characterized using a biochemically and morphologically standardized preparation of sealed rat liver plasma membranes (LPM) whose intravesicular content could be set and controlled. The system has the advantages that it is not regulated by intracellular signaling machinery and that the intravesicular ion milieu can be designed. The results indicate that 1) LPM retain trapped intravesicular total Mg2+with negligible leak; 2) the addition of Na+ or Ca2+ induces a concentration- and temperature-dependent efflux corresponding to 30–50% of the intravesicular Mg2+; 3) the rate of flux is very rapid (137.6 and 86.8 nmol total Mg2+ ⋅ μm−2 ⋅ min−1after Na+ and Ca2+ addition, respectively); 4) coaddition of maximal concentrations of Na+ and Ca2+ induces an additive Mg2+ efflux; 5) both Na+- and Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+ effluxes are inhibited by amiloride, imipramine, or quinidine but not by vanadate or Ca2+ channel blockers; 6) extracellular Na+ or Ca2+ can stimulate Mg2+ efflux in the absence of Mg2+ gradients; and 7) Mg2+ uptake occurs in LPM loaded with Na+ but not with Ca2+, thus indicating that Na+/Mg2+but not Ca2+/Mg2+exchange is reversible. These data are consistent with the operation of two distinct Mg2+ transport mechanisms and provide new information on rates of Mg2+ transport, specificity of the cotransported ions, and reversibility of the transport.

scholarly journals The Impact of Plasma Membrane Lipid Composition on Flagellum-Mediated Adhesion of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hélène Cazzola ◽  
Laurine Lemaire ◽  
Sébastien Acket ◽  
Elise Prost ◽  
Luminita Duma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Linolenic Acid ◽  
Lipid Rafts ◽  
Bacterial Adhesion ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is a major cause of foodborne gastrointestinal illness. The adhesion of EHEC to host tissues is the first step enabling bacterial colonization. Adhesins such as fimbriae and flagella mediate this process. Here, we studied the interaction of the bacterial flagellum with the host cell’s plasma membrane using giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) as a biologically relevant model. Cultured cell lines contain many different molecular components, including proteins and glycoproteins. In contrast, with GUVs, we can characterize the bacterial mode of interaction solely with a defined lipid part of the cell membrane. Bacterial adhesion on GUVs was dependent on the presence of the flagellar filament and its motility. By testing different phospholipid head groups, the nature of the fatty acid chains, or the liposome curvature, we found that lipid packing is a key parameter to enable bacterial adhesion. Using HT-29 cells grown in the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acid (α-linolenic acid) or saturated fatty acid (palmitic acid), we found that α-linolenic acid reduced adhesion of wild-type EHEC but not of a nonflagellated mutant. Finally, our results reveal that the presence of flagella is advantageous for the bacteria to bind to lipid rafts. We speculate that polyunsaturated fatty acids prevent flagellar adhesion on membrane bilayers and play a clear role for optimal host colonization. Flagellum-mediated adhesion to plasma membranes has broad implications for host-pathogen interactions. IMPORTANCE Bacterial adhesion is a crucial step to allow bacteria to colonize their hosts, invade tissues, and form biofilm. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a human pathogen and the causative agent of diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis. Here, we use biomimetic membrane models and cell lines to decipher the impact of lipid content of the plasma membrane on enterohemorrhagic E. coli flagellum-mediated adhesion. Our findings provide evidence that polyunsaturated fatty acid (α-linolenic acid) inhibits E. coli flagellar adhesion to the plasma membrane in a mechanism separate from its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory functions. In addition, we confirm that cholesterol-enriched lipid microdomains, often called lipid rafts, are important in bacterial adhesion. These findings demonstrate that plasma membrane adhesion via bacterial flagella play a significant role for an important human pathogen. This mechanism represents a promising target for the development of novel antiadhesion therapies.

scholarly journals Sphingolipid Domains in the Plasma Membranes of Fibroblasts Are Not Enriched with Cholesterol

2013 ◽  
Vol 288 (23) ◽  
pp. 16855-16861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica F. Frisz ◽  
Haley A. Klitzing ◽  
Kaiyan Lou ◽  
Ian D. Hutcheon ◽  
Peter K. Weber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Cholesterol Depletion ◽  
Fibroblast Cells ◽  
Secondary Ion ◽  
Rule Out

The plasma membranes of mammalian cells are widely expected to contain domains that are enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids. In this work, we have used high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry to directly map the distributions of isotope-labeled cholesterol and sphingolipids in the plasma membranes of intact fibroblast cells. Although acute cholesterol depletion reduced sphingolipid domain abundance, cholesterol was evenly distributed throughout the plasma membrane and was not enriched within the sphingolipid domains. Thus, we rule out favorable cholesterol-sphingolipid interactions as dictating plasma membrane organization in fibroblast cells. Because the sphingolipid domains are disrupted by drugs that depolymerize the cells actin cytoskeleton, cholesterol must instead affect the sphingolipid organization via an indirect mechanism that involves the cytoskeleton.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Acrosome Reaction and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Composition in Boar Sperm

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang-Hee Lee ◽  
Yu-Jin Kim ◽  
Byeong Ho Kang ◽  
Choon-Keun Park
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid Composition ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Acid Composition ◽  
Acrosome Reaction ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Plasma Membrane Integrity ◽  
Boar Sperm ◽  
The Relationship

This study investigated the relationship of acrosome reactions and fatty acid composition on fertility in boar sperm. The acrosome reaction of sperm was induced via methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MBCD), and acrosome reaction, plasma membrane integrity, and fertility were analyzed. The fatty acid composition of the excess acrosome reacted sperm was determined via gas chromatography. The results showed that the acrosome reaction in sperm was induced over 85% of the time by 60 mM MBCD treatment, and the plasma membrane integrity was significantly decreased and was dependent on the MBCD level. The acrosome reacted sperm resulted in significantly higher saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and lower unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) than the non-acrosome reaction group. Moreover, the acrosome reacted sperm from 60 mM MBCD significantly decreased in vitro fertility and blastocyst formation relative to non-acrosome reacted sperm, and the acrosome reaction was positively correlated with SFAs and negatively correlated with PUFAs. Of these fatty acids, C22:5n-6 (docosapentaenoic acid [DPA]) and C22:6n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) were directly negatively correlated with the acrosome reaction (r = -0.982 and -0.947, respectively). In conclusion, the excessive acrosome reactions may occur by reducing the PUFAs, which may then dramatically decrease sperm fertility in pigs.

scholarly journals Reprogramming cholesterol metabolism in macrophages and its role in host defense against cholesterol-dependent cytolysins

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min-Sub Lee ◽  
Steven J. Bensinger
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Host Defense ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Cholesterol Metabolism ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Cholesterol Homeostasis ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Membrane Cholesterol ◽  
Plasma Membrane Cholesterol

AbstractCholesterol is a critical lipid for all mammalian cells, ensuring proper membrane integrity, fluidity, and biochemical function. Accumulating evidence indicates that macrophages rapidly and profoundly reprogram their cholesterol metabolism in response to activation signals to support host defense processes. However, our understanding of the molecular details underlying how and why cholesterol homeostasis is specifically reshaped during immune responses remains less well understood. This review discusses our current knowledge of cellular cholesterol homeostatic machinery and introduces emerging concepts regarding how plasma membrane cholesterol is partitioned into distinct pools. We then discuss how proinflammatory signals can markedly reshape the cholesterol metabolism of macrophages, with a focus on the differences between MyD88-dependent pattern recognition receptors and the interferon signaling pathway. We also discuss recent work investigating the capacity of these proinflammatory signals to selectively reshape plasma membrane cholesterol homeostasis. We examine how these changes in plasma membrane cholesterol metabolism influence sensitivity to a set of microbial pore-forming toxins known as cholesterol-dependent cytolysins that specifically target cholesterol for their effector functions. We also discuss whether lipid metabolic reprogramming can be leveraged for therapy to mitigate tissue damage mediated by cholesterol-dependent cytolysins in necrotizing fasciitis and other related infections. We expect that advancing our understanding of the crosstalk between metabolism and innate immunity will help explain how inflammation underlies metabolic diseases and highlight pathways that could be targeted to normalize metabolic homeostasis in disease states.

Vacuolar-type H(+)-ATPases are functionally expressed in plasma membranes of human tumor cells

1993 ◽  
Vol 265 (4) ◽  
pp. C1015-C1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Martinez-Zaguilan ◽  
R. M. Lynch ◽  
G. M. Martinez ◽  
R. J. Gillies
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Human Tumor ◽  
Atp Depletion ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Bafilomycin A1 ◽  
P Type

Mammalian cells generally regulate their intracellular pH (pHi) via collaboration between Na(+)-H+ exchanger and HCO3- transport. In addition, a number of normal mammalian cells have been identified that express H(+)-adenosinetriphosphatases (ATPases) in their plasma membranes. Because tumor cells often maintain a high pHi, we hypothesized that they might functionally express H(+)-ATPases in their plasma membranes. In the first phase of the present study, we screened 19 normal and tumorigenic human cell lines for the presence of plasmalemmal H(+)-ATPase activity using bafilomycin A1 to inhibit V-type H(+)-ATPase and Sch-28080 to inhibit P-type H(+)-K(+)-ATPase. Bafilomycin A1 decreased pHi in the six tumor cell lines with the highest resting pHi in the absence of HCO3-. Sch-28080 did not affect pHi in any of the human cells. Simultaneous measurement of pH in the cytoplasm and in the endosomes/lysosomes localized the activity of bafilomycin to the plasma membrane in three cell lines. In the second phase of this study, these three cell lines were shown to recover from NH4(+)-induced acid loads in the absence of Na+. This recovery was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide, bafilomycin A1, and ATP depletion and was not significantly affected by vanadate, Sch-28080, or hexamethyl amiloride. These results indicate that a vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase is expressed in the plasma membrane of some tumor cells.

scholarly journals Alternative Biosynthetic Starter Units Enhance the Structural Diversity of Cyanobacterial Lipopeptides

2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Mareš ◽  
Jan Hájek ◽  
Petra Urajová ◽  
Andreja Kust ◽  
Jouni Jokela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Biosynthetic Gene ◽  
Structural Variants ◽  
Biosynthetic Gene Clusters ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Puwainaphycins (PUWs) and minutissamides (MINs) are structurally analogous cyclic lipopeptides possessing cytotoxic activity. Both types of compound exhibit high structural variability, particularly in the fatty acid (FA) moiety. Although a biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for synthesis of several PUW variants has been proposed in a cyanobacterial strain, the genetic background for MINs remains unexplored. Herein, we report PUW/MIN biosynthetic gene clusters and structural variants from six cyanobacterial strains. Comparison of biosynthetic gene clusters indicates a common origin of the PUW/MIN hybrid nonribosomal peptide synthetase and polyketide synthase. Surprisingly, the biosynthetic gene clusters encode two alternative biosynthetic starter modules, and analysis of structural variants suggests that initiation by each of the starter modules results in lipopeptides of differing lengths and FA substitutions. Among additional modifications of the FA chain, chlorination of minutissamide D was explained by the presence of a putative halogenase gene in the PUW/MIN gene cluster of Anabaena minutissima strain UTEX B 1613. We detected PUW variants bearing an acetyl substitution in Symplocastrum muelleri strain NIVA-CYA 644, consistent with an O-acetyltransferase gene in its biosynthetic gene cluster. The major lipopeptide variants did not exhibit any significant antibacterial activity, and only the PUW F variant was moderately active against yeast, consistent with previously published data suggesting that PUWs/MINs interact preferentially with eukaryotic plasma membranes. IMPORTANCE Herein, we deciphered the most important biosynthetic traits of a prominent group of bioactive lipopeptides. We reveal evidence for initiation of biosynthesis by two alternative starter units hardwired directly in the same gene cluster, eventually resulting in the production of a remarkable range of lipopeptide variants. We identified several unusual tailoring genes potentially involved in modifying the fatty acid chain. Careful characterization of these biosynthetic gene clusters and their diverse products could provide important insight into lipopeptide biosynthesis in prokaryotes. Some of the variants identified exhibit cytotoxic and antifungal properties, and some are associated with a toxigenic biofilm-forming strain. The findings may prove valuable to researchers in the fields of natural product discovery and toxicology.

scholarly journals HapX, an Indispensable bZIP Transcription Factor for Iron Acquisition, Regulates Infection Initiation by Orchestrating Conidial Oleic Acid Homeostasis and Cytomembrane Functionality in Mycopathogen Beauveria bassiana

mSystems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue-Jin Peng ◽  
Jia-Jia Wang ◽  
Hai-Yan Lin ◽  
Jin-Li Ding ◽  
Ming-Guang Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Oleic Acid ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Filamentous Fungi ◽  
Beauveria Bassiana ◽  
Iron Acquisition ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Fatty Acid Desaturase ◽  
Bzip Transcription Factor ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT In pathogenic filamentous fungi, conidial germination not only is fundamental for propagation in the environment but is also a critical step of infection. In the insect mycopathogen Beauveria bassiana, we genetically characterized the role of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor HapX (BbHapX) in conidial nutrient reserves and pathogen-host interaction. Ablation of BbHapX resulted in an almost complete loss of virulence in the topical inoculation and intrahemocoel injection assays. Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed that BbHapX is required for fatty acid (FA)/lipid metabolism, and biochemical analyses indicated that BbHapX loss caused a significant reduction in conidial FA contents. Exogenous oleic acid could partially or completely restore the impaired phenotypes of the ΔBbHapX mutant, including germination rate, membrane integrity, vegetative growth, and virulence. BbHapX mediates fungal iron acquisition which is not required for desaturation of stearic acid. Additionally, inactivation of the Δ9-fatty acid desaturase gene (BbOle1) generated defects similar to those of the ΔBbHapX mutant; oleic acid also had significant restorative effects on the defective phenotypes of the ΔBbOle1 mutant. A gel retarding assay revealed that BbHapX directly regulated the expression of BbOle1. Lipidomic analyses indicated that both BbHapX and BbOle1 contributed to the homeostasis of phospholipids with nonpolar tails derived from oleic acid; therefore, exogenous phospholipids could significantly restore membrane integrity. These data reveal that the HapX-Ole1 pathway contributes to conidial fatty acid/lipid reserves and that there are important links between the lipid biology and membrane functionality involved in the early stages of infection caused by B. bassiana. IMPORTANCE Conidial maturation and germination are highly coupled physiological processes in filamentous fungi that are critical for the pathogenicity of mycopathogens. Compared to the mechanisms involved in conidial germination, those of conidial reserves during maturation are less understood. The insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, as a representative species of filamentous fungi, is important for applied and fundamental research. In addition to its conserved roles in fungal adaptation to iron status, the bZIP transcription factor HapX acts as a master regulator involved in conidial virulence and regulates fatty acid/lipid metabolism. Further investigation revealed that the Δ9-fatty acid desaturase gene (Ole1) is a direct downstream target of HapX. This study reveals the HapX-Ole1 pathway involved in the fatty acid/lipid accumulation associated with conidial maturation and provides new insights into the startup mechanism of infection caused by spores from pathogenic fungi.

scholarly journals The Ca2+-activated polyphosphoinositide phosphodiesterase of human and rabbit neutrophil membranes

1984 ◽  
Vol 221 (2) ◽  
pp. 477-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Cockcroft ◽  
J M Baldwin ◽  
D Allan
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid Composition ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Phospholipase C ◽  
Acid Composition ◽  
Membrane Fraction ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Degradation Products ◽  
Diacylglycerol Kinase ◽  
Plasma Membrane Fraction

Addition of Ca2+ to a plasma-membrane fraction derived from human or rabbit neutrophils led to the specific breakdown of polyphosphoinositides. The degradation products were identified as diacylglycerol and inositol bis- and tris-phosphate, thus demonstrating the presence of a Ca2+-activated phospholipase C. The newly generated diacylglycerol resembled the polyphosphoinositides in its fatty acid composition, and in the presence of MgATP2- it was converted into phosphatidate. These results therefore demonstrate the presence in neutrophil plasma membranes not only of polyphosphoinositide phosphodiesterase but also of diacylglycerol kinase.

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