AI Article Synopsis
- The galactomannan (GM) is a key biomarker for diagnosing aspergillosis, particularly in patients with weakened immune systems, due to its unique sugar composition of mannose and galactofuranose.
- GM exists in three forms: as a membrane-bound component, linked to cell wall structures, or released freely in culture mediums, playing important roles in fungal growth.
- Recent findings focus on GM's biosynthetic pathways and its critical functions in the life cycle of this human fungal pathogen, both in normal (saprophytic) and disease-causing (pathogenic) contexts.
Article Abstract
The galactomannan (GM) that is produced by the human fungal pathogen is an emblematic biomarker in medical mycology. The GM is composed of two monosaccharides: mannose and galactofuranose. The furanic configuration of galactose residues, absent in mammals, is responsible for the antigenicity of the GM and has favoured the development of ELISA tests to diagnose aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. The GM that is produced by is a unique fungal polysaccharide containing a tetramannoside repeat unit and having three different forms: (i) membrane bound through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor, (ii) covalently linked to β-1,3-glucans in the cell wall, or (iii) released in the culture medium as a free polymer. Recent studies have revealed the crucial role of the GM during vegetative and polarized fungal growth. This review highlights these recent data on its biosynthetic pathway and its biological functions during the saprophytic and pathogenic life of this opportunistic human fungal pathogen.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7712326 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jof6040283 | DOI Listing |
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