Gp70 is a cell wall protein required for adhesion, proper interaction with innate immune cells, and virulence.

is one of the leading etiological agents of sporotrichosis, a cutaneous and subcutaneous mycosis worldwide distributed. This organism has been recently associated with epidemic outbreaks in Brazil. Despite the medical relevance of this species, little is known about its virulence factors, and most of the information on this subject is extrapolated from .

PMT4 Is Involved in -Glycosylation, Cell Wall Organization, Membrane Integrity, and Virulence.

Proteins found within the fungal cell wall usually contain both - and -oligosaccharides. -glycosylation is the process where these oligosaccharides (hereinafter: glycans) are attached to asparagine residues, while in -glycosylation the glycans are covalently bound to serine or threonine residues. The family is grouped into , , and subfamilies.

Structure-Function Relationships of the CMP-Sialic Acid Transporter through Analysis of a Pathogenic Variant in an Alternatively Spliced Functional Isoform.

The human CMP-sialic acid transporter (hCST) is a mammalian highly conserved type III antiporter that translocates CMP-sialic acid into the Golgi lumen, supporting sialylation. Although different works have focused on elucidating structure-function relationships in the hCST, this is the first study to address them in an alternatively spliced isoform. We have previously reported the expression of a functional human del177 isoform that has skipping of exon 6, resulting in a loss of 59 amino acids, without change in the open reading frame and conserving its C-terminal region.

Exploring the Biology, Virulence, and General Aspects of .

Fungal infections have become a growing public health concern, aggravated by the emergence of new pathogenic species and increasing resistance to antifungal drugs. The most common candidiasis is caused by ; however, has become an emerging opportunistic pathogen, and although less prevalent, it can cause superficial and systemic infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. This yeast can colonize the oral cavity, skin, and other tissues, and has been associated with oral infections in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), making it difficult to treat.

The sunflower jacalin Helja: biological and structural insights of its antifungal activity against Candida albicans.

The limited availability of efficient treatments for Candida infections and the increased emergence of antifungal-resistant strains stimulates the search for new antifungal agents. We have previously isolated a sunflower mannose-binding lectin (Helja) with antifungal activity against Candida albicans, capable of binding mannose-bearing oligosaccharides exposed on the cell surface. This work aimed to investigate the biological and biophysical basis of Helja's binding to C.

Is a Dispensable Gene for Viability but Required for Proper Interaction with the Host.

Candidemia is an opportunistic mycosis with high morbidity and mortality rates. Even though is the main causative agent, other species, such as , are relevant etiological agents of candidiasis and candidemia. Compared with , there is currently limited information about biological aspects, including those related to the cell wall and the interaction with the host.

Exploring the potential of chitin and chitosan in nanobiocomposites for fungal immunological detection and antifungal action.

Chitin is a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine and an essential component of the fungal cell wall. Chitosan is the deacetylated form of chitin and is also important for maintaining the integrity of this structure. Both polysaccharides are widely distributed in nature and have been shown to have a variety of applications in biomedicine, including their potential in immune sensing and as potential antifungal agents.

Strategies of Pharmacological Repositioning for the Treatment of Medically Relevant Mycoses.

Fungal infections represent a worldwide concern for public health, due to their prevalence and significant increase in cases each year. Among the most frequent mycoses are those caused by members of the genera , and , which have been treated for years with conventional antifungal drugs, such as flucytosine, azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins. However, these microorganisms have acquired the ability to evade the mechanisms of action of these drugs, thus hindering their treatment.

The inorganic pyrophosphatases of microorganisms: a structural and functional review.

Pyrophosphatases (PPases) are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of pyrophosphate (PPi), a byproduct of the synthesis and degradation of diverse biomolecules. The accumulation of PPi in the cell can result in cell death. Although the substrate is the same, there are variations in the catalysis and features of these enzymes.

Silencing of Reveals Its Contribution to Fungal Adhesion, Virulence, and the Host-Fungus Interaction.

is one of the etiological agents of sporotrichosis, a cutaneous and subcutaneous infection distributed worldwide. Like other medically relevant fungi, its cell wall is a molecular scaffold to display virulence factors, such as protective pigments, hydrolytic enzymes, and adhesins. Cell wall proteins with adhesive properties have been previously reported, but only a handful of them have been identified and characterized.

Case report: Novel genotype of ALG2-CDG and confirmation of the heptasaccharide glycan (NeuAc-Gal-GlcNAc-Man2-GlcNAc2) as a specific diagnostic biomarker.

This report outlines the case of a child affected by a type of congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG) known as ALG2-CDG (OMIM 607906), presenting as a congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) caused by variants identified in , which encodes an α1,3-mannosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.

Microevolution of Candida glabrata (Nakaseomyces glabrata) during an infection.

Candida glabrata (Nakaseomyces glabrata) is an emergent and opportunistic fungal pathogen that colonizes and persists in different niches within its human host. In this work, we studied five clinical isolates from one patient (P7), that have a clonal origin, and all of which come from blood cultures except one, P7-3, obtained from a urine culture. We found phenotypic variation such as sensitivity to high temperature, oxidative stress, susceptibility to two classes of antifungal agents, and cell wall porosity.

An ELISA-based method for apolipophorin-III quantification.

Mammalian models, such as murine, are used widely in pathophysiological studies because they have a high degree of similarity in body temperature, metabolism, and immune response with humans. However, non-vertebrate animal models have emerged as alternative models to study the host-pathogen interaction with minimal ethical concerns. is an alternative model that has proved useful in studying the interaction of the host with either bacteria or fungi, performing drug testing, and assessing the immunological response to different microorganisms.

The Emerging Pathogen : Biological Aspects, Virulence Factors, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

Fungal infections represent a constant and growing menace to public health. This concern is due to the emergence of new fungal species and the increase in antifungal drug resistance. Mycoses caused by species are among the most common nosocomial infections and are associated with high mortality rates when the infection affects deep-seated organs.

Infection Modulates Antimicrobial Peptides and Stress Management Gene Expression in the Invertebrate Biomodel .

is the most pathogenic species, responsible for the Brazilian cat-transmitted sporotrichosis hyperendemic. In this scenario, an investigation of the pathogen-host interaction can provide relevant information for future treatment strategies. To this end, the invertebrate has proven to be a suitable alternative for evaluating the virulence of pathogenic fungi, since the insect immune system is similar to the mammalian innate immune response.

Contribution of -Linked Mannosylation Pathway to and Biofilm Formation.

Background: Mycoses are a growing threat to human health, and systemic candidiasis caused by and is frequent in immunocompromised patients. Biofilm formation is a virulence factor found in these organisms, as sessile cells adhere to surfaces, the stratification and production of extracellular matrix provides protection and resistance to antifungal drugs. Previous evidence indicated that the -linked mannosylation pathway is relevant to biofilms, but its contribution to other species remains unknown.

Differential Recognition of Clinically Relevant Species by Human Granulocytes.

Sporotrichosis is a cutaneous mycosis that affects humans and animals and has a worldwide distribution. This infection is mainly caused by , , and . Current research about anti- immunity has been mainly focused on and , using different types of human or animal immune cells.

Differential Recognition of , , and by Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophages and Dendritic Cells.

Background: Sporotrichosis is a mycosis frequently caused by , and . The cell wall is a species-specific fungal structure with a direct role in activating the host's immune response. The current knowledge about anti- immunity comes from studies using or and murine cells.

Current Progress in Basic Aspects.

Sporotrichosis is known as a subacute or chronic infection, which is caused by thermodimorphic fungi of the genus . It is a cosmopolitan infection, which is more prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions and can affect both humans and other mammals. The main etiological agents causing this disease are , , and , which have been recognized as members of the pathogenic clade.

Differential Recognition of Clinically Relevant Species by Human Mononuclear Cells.

Sporotrichosis is a human and animal fungal infection distributed worldwide that is caused by the thermodimorphic species of the pathogenic clade, which includes , , and . The cell wall composition and the immune response against the species have been studied mainly in and , whilst little is known about the cell wall and the immune response that its components trigger. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyze the cell wall composition of in three morphologies (germlings, conidia, and yeast-like cells) and the differences in cytokine production when human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) interact with these morphotypes, using and as a comparison.

Complex and : Biology, Virulence Factors, Immune Response, and Multidrug Resistance.

There is worldwide concern about the constant increase in infections caused by species that are multiresistant to antifungal drugs. The most common candidiasis is caused by , however, the species of the complex and are emerging opportunistic pathogens, which isolation from clinical samples has significantly increased in the past years. The special interest in the study of these species lies in their ability to evade the action of antifungal drugs, such as amphotericin B, azoles, and echinocandins.

Non- Species: Immune Response, Evasion Mechanisms, and New Plant-Derived Alternative Therapies.

Fungal infections caused by species have become a constant threat to public health, especially for immunocompromised patients, who are considered susceptible to this type of opportunistic infections. is known as the most common etiological agent of candidiasis; however, other species, such as , , (previously known as ), , , and (previously named as ), have also gained great importance in recent years. The increasing frequency of the isolation of this non- species is associated with different factors, such as constant exposure to antifungal drugs, the use of catheters in hospitalized patients, cancer, age, and geographic distribution.

Silencing of , the Encoding Gene of the Endoplasmic Reticulum Glucosidase II, Affects the Cell Wall and the -Host Interaction.

is a member of the pathogenic clade and one of the most common etiological agents of sporotrichosis, a subcutaneous fungal infection that affects both animal and human beings. Like other fungal pathogens, the cell wall is composed of structural polysaccharides and glycoproteins that are covalently modified with both -linked and -linked glycans. Thus far, little is known about the -linked glycosylation pathway in this organism or its contribution to cell wall composition and interaction with the host.