Cell wall α‐1,3‐glucan is required to anchor the <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> capsule

Reese, Amy J.; Doering, Tamara L.

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2958.2003.03780.x

Cited by 206 publications

(248 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…This mechanism of localization has also been described for nonproteinaceous surface components. The extensive capsule of the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is attached to the cell wall polysaccharide ␣-1,3-glucan in a similar manner (29). In some cases, the receptor for surface binding has been identified, as is the case for chitin for Bad1p and Yps3p, but even in many of the cases where the receptor has been identified, detailed characterization of surface molecules involved in binding has not been accomplished.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Localization of the Yps3p Protein of Histoplasma capsulatum

Bohse

Woods

2005

Eukaryot Cell

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The YPS3 gene of Histoplasma capsulatum encodes a protein that is both resident in the cell wall and also released into the culture medium. This protein is produced only during the pathogenic yeast phase of infection and is also expressed differently in H. capsulatum strains that differ in virulence. We investigated the cellular localization of Yps3p. We demonstrated that the cell wall fraction of Yps3p was surface localized in restriction fragment length polymorphism class 2 strains. We also established that Yps3p released into the G217B culture supernatant binds to the surface of strains that do not naturally express the protein. This binding was saturable and occurred within 5 min of exposure and occurred similarly with live and heat-killed H. capsulatum. Flow cytometric analysis of H. capsulatum after enzymatic treatments was consistent with Yps3p binding to chitin, a carbohydrate polymer that is a component of fungal cell walls. Polysaccharide binding assays demonstrated that chitin but not cellulose binds to and extracts Yps3p from culture supernatants.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Localization of the Yps3p Protein of Histoplasma capsulatum

Bohse

Woods

2005

Eukaryot Cell

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“…While b-1,3-glucan and chitin are recurrent cell wall polysaccharides in the Kingdom Fungi [9], a-1,3-glucan is a rather infrequent occurrence. Besides P. brasiliensis, it has been reported in Schizosaccharomyces pombe [16], Aspergillus nidulans [17], Aspergillus niger [18], Aspergillus fumigatus [19], Cryptococcus neoformans [20], Histoplasma capsulatum [21], and Blastomyces dermatitidis [22], among a few others. A partial chemical structure was reported long ago in P. brasiliensis a-1,3-glucan [14].…”

Section: Paracoccidioides Brasiliensis and Its Cell Wallmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: chemical and molecular tools for research on cell walls, antifungals, diagnosis, taxonomy

San-Blas

Niño-Vega

2008

Mycopathologia

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Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is a dimorphic fungus, a causative agent of paracoccidioidomycosis, one of the most frequent systemic mycoses that affect the rural population in Latin America, only geographical region in which this fungus is to be found. In this work, we discuss matters related to (a) cell wall studies based on the cloning and analysis of genes involved in the synthesis of cell wall components, and their possible roles in virulence and dimorphism in P. brasiliensis, (b) molecular taxonomy and the molecular classification of P. brasiliensis as an Ascomycete belonging in the Order Onygenales, (c) phylogeny of P. brasiliensis and the possible existence of cryptic species within the genus Paracoccidioides, and (d) new experimental antifungal drugs such as azasterols or sterol hydrazones, compounds that affect the activity of D 24(28) sterol methyl reductase (SMR) and/or D (24) -sterol methyl transferase (SMT), and (e) specific primers for the molecular detection of P. brasiliensis in vitro and in clinical samples.

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“…neoformans has a complex cell surface. The thick fungal cell wall is composed of polysaccharides (29), pigments (11), lipids (35), and proteins (36). External to the cryptococcal cell wall, capsular polysaccharides form a capsule (19).…”

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confidence: 99%

Role for Chitin and Chitooligomers in the Capsular Architecture of Cryptococcus neoformans

Fonseca

Nimrichter

Cordero³

et al. 2009

Eukaryot Cell

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Molecules composed of ␤-1,4-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and deacetylated glucosamine units play key roles as surface constituents of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. GlcNAc is the monomeric unit of chitin and chitooligomers, which participate in the connection of capsular polysaccharides to the cryptococcal cell wall. In the present study, we evaluated the role of GlcNAc-containing structures in the assembly of the cryptococcal capsule. The in vivo expression of chitooligomers in C. neoformans varied depending on the infected tissue, as inferred from the differential reactivity of yeast forms to the wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) in infected brain and lungs of rats. Chromatographic and dynamic light-scattering analyses demonstrated that glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), the major cryptococcal capsular component, interacts with chitin and chitooligomers. When added to C. neoformans cultures, chitooligomers formed soluble complexes with GXM and interfered in capsular assembly, as manifested by aberrant capsules with defective connections with the cell wall and no reactivity with a monoclonal antibody to GXM. Cultivation of C. neoformans in the presence of an inhibitor of glucosamine 6-phosphate synthase resulted in altered expression of cell wall chitin. These cells formed capsules that were loosely connected to the cryptococcal wall and contained fibers with decreased diameters and altered monosaccharide composition. These results contribute to our understanding of the role played by chitin and chitooligosaccharides on the cryptococcal capsular structure, broadening the functional activities attributed to GlcNAc-containing structures in this biological system.

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Cell wall α‐1,3‐glucan is required to anchor the Cryptococcus neoformans capsule

Cited by 206 publications

References 54 publications

Surface Localization of the Yps3p Protein of Histoplasma capsulatum

Surface Localization of the Yps3p Protein of Histoplasma capsulatum

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: chemical and molecular tools for research on cell walls, antifungals, diagnosis, taxonomy

Role for Chitin and Chitooligomers in the Capsular Architecture of Cryptococcus neoformans

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