We have evaluated the roles of key amino acids to the action of the natural inhibitor chagasin of papain-family cysteine peptidases. A W93A substitution decreased inhibitor affinity for human ...cathepsin L 100-fold, while substitutions of T31 resulted in 10–100-fold increases in the Ki for cruzipain of Trypanosoma cruzi. A T31A/T32A double mutant had increased affinity for cathepsin L but not for cruzipain, while the T31-T32 deletion drastically affected inhibition of both human and parasite peptidases. These differential effects reflect the occurrence of direct interactions between chagasin and helix 8 of cathepsin L, interactions that do not occur with cruzipain.
is a facultative intracellular pathogen that can replicate and disseminate in mammalian macrophages. In this study, we analyzed fungal proteins identified in murine macrophage-like cells after ...infection with
. To accomplish this, we developed a protocol to identify proteins released from cryptococcal cells inside macrophage-like cells; we identified 127 proteins of fungal origin in infected macrophage-like cells. Among the proteins identified was urease, a known virulence factor, and others such as transaldolase and phospholipase D, which have catalytic activities that could contribute to virulence. This method provides a straightforward methodology to study host-pathogen interactions. We chose to study further Yeast Oligomycin Resistance (Yor1), a relatively uncharacterized protein belonging to the large family of ATP binding cassette transporter (ABC transporters). These transporters belong to a large and ancient protein family found in all extant phyla. While ABC transporters have an enormous diversity of functions across varied species, in pathogenic fungi they are better studied as drug efflux pumps. Analysis of
strains revealed defects in nonlytic exocytosis, capsule size, and dimensions of extracellular vesicles, when compared to wild-type strains. We detected no difference in growth rates and cell body size. Our results indicate that
releases a large suite of proteins during macrophage infection, some of which can modulate fungal virulence and are likely to affect the fungal-macrophage interaction.
In this work, we characterized the activities of two classes of proteases and AcP during early embryogenesis of Periplaneta americana. AcP activity was first detected at day 6 and reached a maximum ...level at day 10 of development. Using phosphoamino acids, phosphatase activity was shown to be directed only against phosphotyrosine at day 6 while at day 10 it was also active against phosphoserine. In parallel, two classes of proteases were detected and located within yolk granules: a clan CA-cysteine protease, which was inhibited by E-64, insensitive to CA 074 and activated by acidic pH at day 3; and a neutral serine protease, which was inhibited by aprotinin at day 6. Assays of vitellin (Vt) degradation evidenced that incubations at neutral pH induced slight proteolysis, while the incubations at acidic pH did not result in Vt degradation. However, pre-incubations of Vt with AcP increased the levels of Vt acidic proteolysis and this could be inhibited by the addition of phosphatase inhibitors. On the other hand, the same pre-incubations showed no effects on the profile of degradation at neutral pH. We propose that AcP and cysteine protease cooperate to assure Vt breakdown during early embryogenesis of P. americana.
The interaction between the fungal pathogen
Cryptococcus neoformans and human fibronectin (HFN) was examined in this study. Polypeptides from cryptococcal whole homogenates and cell wall with ...molecular masses of 25 and 35
kDa, respectively reacted with HFN. The relevance of the occurrence of these proteins in intact cells was uncertain, since yeast cells from different strains and serotypes of
C. neoformans did not significantly adhere to soluble or solid-phased HFN. In contrast, an exocellular proteolytic activity that cleaves HFN was suggested. Degradation of HFN by culture supernatant fluids was demonstrated by Western blotting using a monoclonal anti-HFN antibody. Several fragments of lower molecular weights were observed which reacted with the antibody. Proteolysis was mediated by a serine protease activity, since HFN cleavage was completely inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), aprotinin, and
N-tosyl-
l-phenylalanyl chloromethylketone (TPCK), but not by inhibitors of metalo, cysteine, or aspartyl proteases. Similar results were obtained when the fluorogenic peptide carbobenzoxy-phenylalanyl-arginyl-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin (CBZ-Phe-Arg-NHmet-C) was used as substrate. The cryptococcal supernatant also cleaved laminin and type IV collagen, as demonstrated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with co-polymerized proteins. The hydrolysis of these proteins was mediated by a single cryptococcal protease with a molecular mass of 75
kDa. The cleavage of key host components of the basement membrane and extracellular matrix by
C. neoformans may be a relevant factor in the process of fungal invasion.
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway dictates cell proliferation and differentiation during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Its deregulation is associated with many pathological ...conditions, including neurodegenerative disease, frequently downregulated. The lack of efficient treatment for these diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), makes Wnt signaling an attractive target for therapies. Interestingly, novel Wnt signaling activating compounds are less frequently described than inhibitors, turning the quest for novel positive modulators even more appealing. In that sense, natural compounds are an outstanding source of potential drug leads. Here, we combine different experimental models, cell-based approaches, neuronal culture assays, and rodent behavior tests with Xenopus laevis phenotypic analysis to characterize quercitrin, a natural compound, as a novel Wnt signaling potentiator. We find that quercitrin potentiates the signaling in a concentration-dependent manner and increases the occurrence of the Xenopus secondary axis phenotype mediated by Xwnt8 injection. Using a GSK3 biosensor, we describe that quercitrin impairs GSK3 activity and increases phosphorylated GSK3β S9 levels. Treatment with XAV939, an inhibitor downstream of GSK3, impairs the quercitrin-mediated effect. Next, we show that quercitrin potentiates the Wnt3a-synaptogenic effect in hippocampal neurons in culture, which is blocked by XAV939. Quercitrin treatment also rescues the hippocampal synapse loss induced by intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid-β oligomers (AβO) in mice. Finally, quercitrin rescues AβO-mediated memory impairment, which is prevented by XAV939. Thus, our study uncovers a novel function for quercitrin as a Wnt/β-catenin signaling potentiator, describes its mechanism of action, and opens new avenues for AD treatments.
Fast, precise, and low-cost diagnostic testing to identify persons infected with SARS–CoV-2 virus is pivotal to control the global pandemic of COVID-19 that began in late 2019. The gold standard ...method of diagnostic recommended is the RT-qPCR test. However, this method is not universally available, and is time-consuming and requires specialized personnel, as well as sophisticated laboratories. Currently, machine learning is a useful predictive tool for biomedical applications, being able to classify data from diverse nature. Relying on the artificial intelligence learning process, spectroscopic data from nasopharyngeal swab and tracheal aspirate samples can be used to leverage characteristic patterns and nuances in healthy and infected body fluids, which allows to identify infection regardless of symptoms or any other clinical or laboratorial tests. Hence, when new measurements are performed on samples of unknown status and the corresponding data is submitted to such an algorithm, it will be possible to predict whether the source individual is infected or not. This work presents a new methodology for rapid and precise label-free diagnosing of SARS-CoV-2 infection in clinical samples, which combines spectroscopic data acquisition and analysis via artificial intelligence algorithms. Our results show an accuracy of 85% for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab samples collected from asymptomatic patients or with mild symptoms, as well as an accuracy of 97% in tracheal aspirate samples collected from critically ill COVID-19 patients under mechanical ventilation. Moreover, the acquisition and processing of the information is fast, simple, and cheaper than traditional approaches, suggesting this methodology as a promising tool for biomedical diagnosis vis-à-vis the emerging and re-emerging viral SARS-CoV-2 variant threats in the future.
The discovery rate of new plant viruses has increased due to studies involving high-throughput sequencing (HTS), particularly for single-stranded DNA viruses of the family
Genomoviridae
. We carried ...out an HTS-based survey of genomoviruses in a wide range of native and exotic trees grown in the Brazilian Cerrado biome, and the complete genome sequences of two novel members of the family
Genomoviridae
from two distinct genera were determined. Specific primers were designed to detect these genomoviruses in individual samples. A new gemykolovirus (Tecoma stans associated gemykolovirus) was detected in
Tecoma stans
, and a new gemykibivirus (Ouratea duparquetiana associated gemykibivirus) was detected in
Ouratea duparquetiana
. A gemykrogvirus related to Gila monster associated gemykrogvirus (80% pairwise identity) was also detected in foliar samples of
Trembleya parviflora
. Our pilot study paves the way for a better characterization of this diverse collection of genomoviruses as well as their interactions with the associated tree species.
Since 1999
(VACV) outbreaks involving bovines and humans have been reported in Brazil; this zoonosis is known as Bovine Vaccinia (BV) and is mainly an occupational disease of milkers. It was only in ...2008 (and then again in 2011 and 2014) however, that VACV was found causing natural infections in Brazilian equids. These reports involved only equids, no infected humans or bovines were identified, and the sources of infections remain unknown up to date. The peculiarities of Equine Vaccinia outbreaks (e.g., absence of human infection), the frequently shared environments, and fomites by equids and bovines in Brazilian farms and the remaining gaps in BV epidemiology incited a question over OPV serological status of equids in Brazil. For this report, sera from 621 equids - representing different species, ages, sexes and locations of origin within Minas Gerais State, southeast Brazil - were examined for the presence of anti-
(OPV) antibodies. Only 74 of these were sampled during an Equine Vaccinia outbreak, meaning some of these specific animals presented typical lesions of OPV infections. The majority of sera, however, were sampled from animals without typical signs of OPV infection and during the absence of reported Bovine or Equine Vaccinia outbreaks. Results suggest the circulation of VACV among equids of southeast Brazil even prior to the time of the first VACV outbreak in 2008. There is a correlation of OPVs outbreaks among bovines and equids although many gaps remain to our understanding of its nature. The data obtained may even be carefully associated to recent discussion over OPVs history. Moreover, data is available to improve the knowledge and instigate new researches regarding OPVs circulation in Brazil and worldwide.
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•A HPLC method was validated for the analysis of nine bioactive amines in mushroom.•Spermidine was the predominant amine quantified in all mushrooms.•Agmatine, a precursor of ...polyamines, was inherent to Pleurotus spp.•Multivariate analysis of amines differentiated Pleurotus spp. and Agaricus spp.
Mushrooms are highly valued due to nutritional and functional properties as well as small environmental footprint. However, scarce information is available regarding amines in commercial products. The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of bioactive amines in eight fresh edible commercial mushrooms species. An ion-pair HPLC method with post-column derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde and fluorescence detection was fit for the purpose. Seven out of nine amines were present and levels varied among species. Spermidine was ubiquitous to mushrooms, with highest content in Black Shimeji (12.4 mg/100 g). The levels of spermidine in mushrooms classify them as high polyamines sources, which is valued due to its association with growth, health promotion and antioxidant properties. Agmatine was present in all Pleurotus. Tyramine, tryptamine and phenylethylamine were detected in some species; the levels of cadaverine and putrescine were discrete. A four-principal component model explained 99.4% of the variance and it was able to separate Pleurotus spp. (White shimeji, Hiratake, Black shimeji and Salmon) from Agaricus bisporus (Champignon and Portobello) and Lentinula edodes (Shitake). Hierarchical cluster analysis confirmed the potential of using the occurrence and levels of amines to separate some mushroom species.
ABSTRACT Regular protocols for the isolation of fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) are time-consuming, hard to reproduce, and produce low yields. In an attempt to improve the protocols used for EV ...isolation, we explored a model of vesicle production after growth of Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans on solid media. Nanoparticle tracking analysis in combination with transmission electron microscopy revealed that C. gattii and C. neoformans produced EVs in solid media. The properties of cryptococcal vesicles varied according to the culture medium used and the EV-producing species. EV detection was reproduced with an acapsular mutant of C. neoformans, as well as with isolates of Candida albicans, Histoplasma capsulatum, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cryptococcal EVs produced in solid media were biologically active and contained regular vesicular components, including the major polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and RNA. Since the protocol had higher yields and was much faster than the regular methods used for the isolation of fungal EVs, we asked if it would be applicable to address fundamental questions related to cryptococcal secretion. On the basis that polysaccharide export in Cryptococcus requires highly organized membrane traffic culminating with EV release, we analyzed the participation of a putative scramblase (Aim25; CNBG_3981) in EV-mediated GXM export and capsule formation in C. gattii. EVs from a C. gattii aim25Δ strain differed from those obtained from wild-type (WT) cells in physical-chemical properties and cargo. In a model of surface coating of an acapsular cryptococcal strain with vesicular GXM, EVs obtained from the aim25Δ mutant were more efficiently used as a source of capsular polysaccharides. Lack of the Aim25 scramblase resulted in disorganized membranes and increased capsular dimensions. These results associate the description of a novel protocol for the isolation of fungal EVs with the identification of a previously unknown regulator of polysaccharide release. IMPORTANCE Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are fundamental components of the physiology of cells from all kingdoms. In pathogenic fungi, they participate in important mechanisms of transfer of antifungal resistance and virulence, as well as in immune stimulation and prion transmission. However, studies on the functions of fungal EVs are still limited by the lack of efficient methods for isolation of these compartments. In this study, we developed an alternative protocol for isolation of fungal EVs and demonstrated an application of this new methodology in the study of the physiology of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii. Our results describe a fast and reliable method for the study of fungal EVs and reveal the participation of scramblase, a phospholipid-translocating enzyme, in secretory processes of C. gattii.
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