Gallagher, Lorna (2010) Functional Genomic Analysis of Natural Product Biosynthesis and Secretion in Aspergillus fumigatus. PhD thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
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Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogen which can cause severe
disease in immunocompromised patients. A. fumigatus produces metabolites,
through a non-ribosomal peptide synthesis mechanism, including iron-chelating
molecules known as siderophores and other unusual compounds such as gliotoxin.
These provide the fungus with a unique strategy for survival in the host, and
contribute to pathogenicity. The aim of this project was to identify interactions
between non-ribosomal peptide synthetase genes (termed pes1 and sidD) and to
identify metabolites produced by these genes, which contribute to the virulence of A.
fumigatus in immunocompromised patients.
A. fumigatus pes1 mutants (pes1) were generated in three genetic backgrounds
(akuB, ATCC46645 and sidD46645), confirmed by Southern blot and qRT-PCR
analysis. A. fumigatus akuB:pes1 was significantly more sensitive to oxidative
stress than wild-type (P < 0.01). It was found that, in vitro, either pes1 or sidD
significantly improved fungal tolerance to anti-fungal drugs (amphotericin B and
voriconazole, respectively) which strongly suggests that either gene may play a role
in mediating drug resistance/tolerance in patients. It was found that under oxidative
stress conditions that this double mutant was significantly less sensitive to ironlimiting
conditions than A. fumigatus sidD, indicating that the peptide encoded via
pes1 is involved in the response of siderophore-deficient A. fumigatus to low iron
availability, such as during infection. Compared to wild-type A. fumigatus,
sidD:pes1 was significantly less virulent than either single mutant in the Galleria
mellonella virulence model system. Significantly, pes1 was found to be involved in
the biosynthesis of the conidial metabolite, fumigaclavine C, as this metabolite was
absent in both A. fumigatus akuB:pes1 and pes146645.
In parallel studies, we identified a gene (gliK) responsible for gliotoxin
biosynthesis and showed that gliK is involved in protecting A. fumigatus against
oxidative stress, gliotoxin presence and secretion of gliotoxin from A. fumigatus.
Overall, our findings may lead to improvements in therapy for patients suffering
from invasive aspergillosis in the medium-to long-term.
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
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Keywords: | Functional Genomic Analysis; Aspergillus fumigatus; |
Academic Unit: | Faculty of Science and Engineering > Biology |
Item ID: | 2524 |
Depositing User: | IR eTheses |
Date Deposited: | 10 May 2011 10:47 |
URI: | https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/2524 |
Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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