Extracellular enzymes serving as virulence factors in nematophagous fungi involved in infection of the host

Destructin-1 is a collagen-degrading endopeptidase secreted by Pseudogymnoascus destructans , the causative agent of white-nose syndrome

“…Nematophagous fungi use a variety of methods to capture and kill nematodes, which are subsequently digested by the fungi (26). The subtilisin-type peptidases promote penetration and digestion of nematode cuticles, and are key enzymes in nematophagous species for killing of their prey (26,31,(40)(41)(42). A subtilisin-like serine peptidase was also recently identified in Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a chytrid fungus responsible for a global decline in amphibian species.…”

Commercial Biological Control Agents Targeted Against Plant-Parasitic Root-knot Nematodes

“…(Viaene and Abawi, 1998a;Duponnois et al 1998;Kumar and Singh 2006;Thakur and Devi 2007;Liu et al 2008;Collange et al 2011). The infection process is generally the same: cuticle penetration, immobilization, invasion and digestion of the nematode (Huang et al 2004). The nematodes' cuticles and egg walls play an important role in the infestation by fungi.…”

“…The nematodes' cuticles and egg walls play an important role in the infestation by fungi. The cuticle is essentially made of proteins (chitin, collagen, fibers) and can play the role of a precursor in the invasion of the nematodes by nematophagous fungi (Huang et al 2004). Whatever the mode of action of the fungus, predation or parasitism, the interaction between a fungus and a host organism or prey requires penetration of the outer shell of the body.…”

“…These fungi are saprophytes, but they can trap the nematodes in a larval or free adult stage in the soil. It has been proven that the production of peptides by extracellular proteases hydrolyzing the nematodes' cuticles may induce trap formation (Huang et al 2004). …”

A Regulatory/ Signaling Molecule of Group A Streptococci (GAS) May be Responsible for Modulation of Bacterial Virulence

“…Extracellular enzymes, including serine protease, chitinase and collagenase have been reported to be involved in the infectious process as virulence factors in nematodes (Huang, et al, 2004). Extracellular lipases and phospholipases have evidences in contribution to the virulence of pathogenic fungi like Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans.…”