白假丝酵母天冬氨酸蛋白酶研究进展

白假丝酵母是免疫功能低下宿主条件致病感染中最常见的病原真菌之一,目前基本已肯定分泌型天冬氨酸蛋白酶(s印)在其致病过程中具有重要作用。现将近年来有关白假丝酵母Sap的研究从其编码基因、分子特性和表达以及在白假丝酵母致病中的作用等作一综述。     

不同营养方式真菌中分泌蛋白数量及其功能对比研究

[目的] 分泌蛋白在植物病原真菌致病过程中发挥着重要的作用,前人多以单种菌株分泌蛋白预测分析,尚未见多种类型真菌中分泌蛋白的预测及对比研究报道。[方法] 本研究基于多种不同营养方式真菌的全基因组序列,根据分泌蛋白所具有的基本特征,采用在线分析程序（主要包括SignalP v5.0、ProtComp v9.0等）对模式生物、死体营养型真菌、半活体营养型真菌及活体营养型真菌共19种菌株的分泌蛋白开展预测及功能分析。[结果] 在上述真菌约13万条蛋白序列中,分泌蛋白所占比例为0.74%-4.83%,其中,活体营养型真菌所具有的分泌蛋白数量占比最高,平均为3.51%,而死体营养型真菌和模式生物平均比例最低,平均为1.36%。同时,活体营养型真菌具有的功能种类最多,为433种,其次为半活体营养型真菌,为266种,而模式生物具有的功能种类最少,为100种,其中,功能为假设蛋白和非特征蛋白的蛋白数量最多。[结论] 该研究为深入解析分泌蛋白在实现不同营养方式真菌的致病机制方面提供理论依据。     

PEX基因在过氧化物酶体形成及真菌致病性中的作用

过氧化物酶体(peroxisomes)是一类真核生物中普遍存在的细胞器,参与β-氧化、乙醛酸循环等多种重要的生化代谢。研究表明,过氧化物酶体在植物病原真菌侵染寄主过程中具有着举足轻重的作用。参与过氧化物酶体形成与增殖的基因,通常称为PEX基因。近年来,越来越多的PEX基因在植物病原真菌中得到鉴定,真菌过氧化物酶体的形成机制及其在植物病原真菌生长发育和致病过程中的作用越来越受到研究者的关注。本文围绕PEX 基因在过氧化物酶体形成中的作用、对过氧化物酶体相关生化代谢的影响,以及与植物病原真菌生长发育和致病性的关系进行了综述,以期为植物病原真菌致病机理研究和病害防控提供借鉴和参考。     

核盘菌致病机理研究进展

菌核病(Sclerotinia stem rot,SSR)是我国油料作物生产中主要病害之一,严重制约长江中下游地区油菜主产区的产业发展。菌核病的病原是子囊菌门的核盘菌,是一种世界性分布的重要植物病原真菌。其寄主范围广泛,引起的菌核病对多种作物的产量和品质造成重要影响。核盘菌作为典型的死体营养型病原真菌,侵染寄主植物时通过直接杀死细胞和破坏组织攫取生长所需的营养物质。核盘菌的致病机理相对复杂,前期研究主要集中在其分泌的水解酶类(角质酶、细胞壁降解酶和蛋白酶等)和草酸在核盘菌侵染寄主植物中的作用。近些年来,越来越多的研究证实了分泌蛋白在核盘菌的致病过程中同样发挥着重要作用。分泌蛋白(效应蛋白)主要通过诱导植物细胞死亡或抑制寄主细胞的免疫反应,促进核盘菌的侵染和定殖。综述了水解酶类、草酸和分泌蛋白等在核盘菌致病机制中的作用,并对核盘菌致病机理研究进行了展望,以期为菌核病的安全防控提供理论参考。     

分泌型蛋白介导白念珠菌与宿主相互作用分子机制的研究进展

白念珠菌是人类最常见的条件性致病真菌之一,主要定植于人体粘膜表面。在白念珠菌与宿主相互作用过程中,分泌型蛋白起着非常重要的作用。针对分泌蛋白功能及其作用机理的研究有助于阐明白念珠菌致病分子机制,并为诊断、预防和治疗真菌感染提供新的理论策略。本文综述了白念珠菌分泌型蛋白在介导病原与宿主相互作用分子机制方面的最新研究进展,概括了分泌蛋白在组织侵入损伤、营养获取、细胞壁维持以及免疫逃避等方面的功能,同时对未来值得重点关注的研究方向进行了探讨。     

植物病原真菌的MAPK基因及其功能

叙述在植物病原真菌中促分裂原活化蛋白激酶 (Mitogenactivatedproteinkinase,MAPK)基因的种类和特征 ,概括了MAPK基因在植物病原真菌生长发育、胁迫反应和侵染、致病过程中的作用及其研究现状 ,讨论了进行植物病原真菌MAPK基因研究的意义及重点研究的课题 ,并根据最新研究进展 ,提出了植物病原真菌MAPK基因研究的发展前景。     

植物病原真菌的自噬

作为真核生物中普遍存在的现象,自噬不但实现了对细胞内物质的降解和回收利用,而且与植物病原真菌早期侵染阶段的附着胞发育、膨压升高、菌丝体形成、完成侵染等一系列过程密切相关,并且发挥了重要的作用。本文归纳了植物病原真菌自噬的相关基因和自噬过程;总结了自噬对病原真菌生长发育、致病力的调控和影响;概括了病原真菌自噬所涉及的信号通路;阐明了自噬影响植物病原真菌侵染过程的主要分子机制。为今后以自噬相关基因或蛋白作为靶点来筛选抑制病原真菌侵染的新型药物提供新的策略和思路。     

植物病原真菌效应分子的研究进展

植物病原菌会分泌与寄主植物相互作用的效应分子(蛋白),这些效应分子在病原菌与寄主植物相互作用过程中起着重要作用。针对植物病原真菌效应分子功能及其作用机理的研究将有助于更好地了解植物病原真菌与寄主植物相互作用的分子机制,为植物真菌病害的防治提供新的思路与策略。本文章对植物病原真菌效应分子的研究进展进行了综述,并重点阐述了病原真菌与寄主植物相互作用的理论基础、真菌效应分子的转运及其功能机制等方面的最新发现。最后,对真菌效应分子未来值得重点关注的研究方向进行了探讨。     

植物病原菌果胶酶的研究进展

植物对抗病原菌侵入的第一道防线通常是多糖和蛋白质组成的细胞壁。大多数植物病原菌都会分泌大量的细胞壁降解酶,破坏屏障及降解植物细胞壁获得生长所需营养,进而完成侵染。果胶酶是植物病原菌侵染寄主分泌的首批细胞壁降解酶之一,数量众多且广泛存在于植物病原真菌、卵菌、细菌,是病原菌重要的致病因子。与之对应,植物细胞壁含有一系列果胶酶的抑制蛋白抵御病原菌入侵。综述了植物病原菌产生的果胶酶种类、作用机制及其与果胶酶抑制蛋白之间关系等方面的研究进展,以期为深入了解植物免疫系统和有效进行植物病害防治提供参考。     

β-1,6葡聚糖酶前体编码基因Ss4p对甘蔗黑穗病菌分泌蛋白组的影响

甘蔗(Saccharum spp.)是世界也是中国主要的糖料作物.由甘蔗黑穗病菌(Sporisorium scitamineum)引起的甘蔗黑穗病是中国甘蔗生产上最主要的病害,每年造成重大损失.分泌蛋白在真菌侵染寄主植物与获取营养及病理过程起重要作用.本实验室在分析甘蔗黑穗病菌基因组与转录组数据时,发现1个与真菌细胞壁降解有关的β-1,6葡聚糖酶前体的基因Ssa4p.为了揭示Ssa4p对甘蔗黑穗病菌致病性和分泌蛋白组的影响,本研究利用CRISPR/Cas9和T-DNA双元载体所构建的甘蔗黑穗菌基因敲除系统,成功获得了Ssa4p基因的失活突变株.ΔSsa4p突变株(Δ35-Ssa4p)与野生型菌株JG36的配合能力降低且致病性减弱.用iTRAQ方法对Δ35-Ssa4p和野生型菌株的分泌蛋白组进行比较分析,共鉴定到蛋白质1430个,其中上调差异表达蛋白质685个,下调差异表达蛋白质745个.GO功能富集分析及KEGG分析表明,差异蛋白主要定位于无膜细胞器和核糖体,其功能包括参与核糖体、氨基糖和核苷酸糖代谢等生物学过程.本研究发现β-1,6葡聚糖前体影响植物病原真菌的分泌蛋白,加深了对真菌致病性调控机制的认识.     

Secretomes of medically important fungi reflect morphological and phylogenetic diversity

Secretome represents a main target for understanding the mechanisms of fungal adaptation. In the present study, we focus on the secretomes of fungi associated with infections in humans and other mammals in order to explore relationships between the diverse morphological and phylogenetic groups. Almost all the mammalian pathogenic fungi analyzed have secretome sizes smaller than 1000 proteins and, secreted proteins comprise between 5% and 10% of the total proteome. As expected, the correlation pattern between the secretome size and the total proteome was similar to that described in previous secretome studies of fungi. With regard to the morphological groups, minimum secretome sizes of less than 250 secreted proteins and low values for the fraction of secreted proteins are shown in mammalian pathogenic fungi with reduced proteomes such as microsporidia, atypical fungi and some species of yeasts and yeast-like fungi (Malassezia). On the other hand, filamentous fungi have significantly more secreted proteins and the highest numbers are present in species of filamentous fungi that also are plant or insect pathogens (Fusarium verticilloides, Fusarium oxysporum and Basidiobolus meristosporus). With respect to phylogeny, there are also variations in secretome size across fungal subphyla: Microsporidia, Taphrinomycotina, Ustilagomycotina and Saccharomycotina contain small secretomes; whereas larger secretomes are found in Agaricomycotina, Pezizomycotina, Mucoromycotina and Entomophthoromycotina. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted on the complete secretomes. The PCA results revealed that, in general, secretomes of fungi belonging to the same morphological group or subphyla cluster together. In conclusion, our results point out that in medically important fungi there is a relationship between the secretome and the morphological group or phylogenetic classification.     

Quantitative proteomic approach for cellulose degradation by Neurospora crassa

Conversion of plant biomass to soluble sugars is the primary bottleneck associated with production of economically viable cellulosic fuels and chemicals. To better understand the biochemical route that filamentous fungi use to degrade plant biomass, we have taken a quantitative proteomics approach to characterizing the secretome of Neurospora crassa during growth on microcrystalline cellulose. Thirteen proteins were quantified in the N. crassa secretome using a combination of Absolute Quantification (AQUA) and Absolute SILAC to verify protein concentrations. Four of these enzymes including 2 cellobiohydrolases (CBH-1 and GH6-2), an endoglucanase (GH5-1), and a β-glucosidase (GH3-4) were then chosen to reconstitute a defined cellulase mixture in vitro. These enzymes were assayed alone and in mixtures and the activity of the reconstituted set was then compared to the crude mixture of N. crassa secretome proteins. Results show that while these 4 proteins represent 63-65% of the total secretome by weight, they account for just 43% of the total activity on microcrystalline cellulose after 24 h of hydrolysis. This result and quantitative proteomic data on other less abundant proteins secreted by Neurospora suggest that proteins other than canonical fungal cellulases may play an important role in cellulose degradation by fungi.     

Compositions of fungal secretomes indicate a greater impact of phylogenetic history than lifestyle adaptation

Background

Since the first fungal genome sequences became available, investigators have been employing comparative genomics to understand how fungi have evolved to occupy diverse ecological niches. The secretome, i.e. the entirety of all proteins secreted by an organism, is of particular importance, as by these proteins fungi acquire nutrients and communicate with their surroundings.

Results

It is generally assumed that fungi with similar nutritional lifestyles have similar secretome compositions. In this study, we test this hypothesis by annotating and comparing the soluble secretomes, defined as the sets of proteins containing classical signal peptides but lacking transmembrane domains of fungi representing a broad diversity of nutritional lifestyles. Secretome size correlates with phylogeny and to a lesser extent with lifestyle. Plant pathogens and saprophytes have larger secretomes than animal pathogens. Small secreted cysteine-rich proteins (SSCPs), which may comprise many effectors important for the interaction of plant pathogens with their hosts, are defined here to have a mature length of ≤ 300 aa residues, at least four cysteines, and a total cysteine content of ≥5%. SSCPs are found enriched in the secretomes of the Pezizomycotina and Basidiomycota in comparison to Saccharomycotina. Relative SSCP content is noticeably higher in plant pathogens than in animal pathogens, while saprophytes were in between and closer to plant pathogens. Expansions and contractions of gene families and in the number of occurrences of functional domains are largely lineage specific, e.g. contraction of glycoside hydrolases in Saccharomycotina, and are only weakly correlated with lifestyle. However, within a given lifestyle a few general trends exist, such as the expansion of secreted family M14 metallopeptidases and chitin-binding proteins in plant pathogenic Pezizomycotina.

Conclusions

While the secretomes of fungi with similar lifestyles share certain characteristics, the expansion and contraction of gene families is largely lineage specific, and not shared among all fungi of a given lifestyle.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-722) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Defining the Predicted Protein Secretome of the Fungal Wheat Leaf Pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola

The Dothideomycete fungus Mycosphaerella graminicola is the causal agent of Septoria tritici blotch, a devastating disease of wheat leaves that causes dramatic decreases in yield. Infection involves an initial extended period of symptomless intercellular colonisation prior to the development of visible necrotic disease lesions. Previous functional genomics and gene expression profiling studies have implicated the production of secreted virulence effector proteins as key facilitators of the initial symptomless growth phase. In order to identify additional candidate virulence effectors, we re-analysed and catalogued the predicted protein secretome of M. graminicola isolate IPO323, which is currently regarded as the reference strain for this species. We combined several bioinformatic approaches in order to increase the probability of identifying truly secreted proteins with either a predicted enzymatic function or an as yet unknown function. An initial secretome of 970 proteins was predicted, whilst further stringent selection criteria predicted 492 proteins. Of these, 321 possess some functional annotation, the composition of which may reflect the strictly intercellular growth habit of this pathogen, leaving 171 with no functional annotation. This analysis identified a protein family encoding secreted peroxidases/chloroperoxidases (PF01328) which is expanded within all members of the family Mycosphaerellaceae. Further analyses were done on the non-annotated proteins for size and cysteine content (effector protein hallmarks), and then by studying the distribution of homologues in 17 other sequenced Dothideomycete fungi within an overall total of 91 predicted proteomes from fungal, oomycete and nematode species. This detailed M. graminicola secretome analysis provides the basis for further functional and comparative genomics studies.     

SECRETOOL: integrated secretome analysis tool for fungi

The secretome (full set of secreted proteins) has been studied in multiple fungal genomes to elucidate the potential role of those protein collections involved in a number of metabolic processes from host infection to wood degradation. Being aminoacid composition a key factor to recognize secretory proteins, SECRETOOL comprises a group of web tools that enable secretome predictions out of aminoacid sequence files, up to complete fungal proteomes, in one step. SECRETOOL is freely available on the web at http://genomics.cicbiogune.es/SECRETOOL/Secretool.php.     

The Botrytis cinerea early secretome

The extracellular proteome, or secretome, of phytopathogenic fungi is presumed to be a key element of their infection strategy. Especially interesting constituents of this set are those proteins secreted at the beginning of the infection, during the germination of conidia on the plant surfaces or wounds, since they may play essential roles in the establishment of a successful infection. We have germinated Botrytis cinerea conidia in conditions that resemble the plant environment, a synthetic medium enriched with low molecular weight plant compounds, and we have collected the proteins secreted during the first 16 h by a double precipitation protocol. 2‐D electrophoresis of the precipitated secretome showed a spot pattern similar for all conditions evaluated and for the control medium without plant extract. The proteins in 16 of these spots were identified by PMF and corresponded to 11 different polypeptides. Alternative determination of secretome composition by LC‐MS/MS of tryptic fragments rendered a much larger number, 105 proteins, which included all previously identified by PMF. All proteins were functionally classified according to their putative function in the infection process. Key features of the early secretome include a large number of proteases, the abundance of proteins involved in the degradation of plant defensive barriers, and plenty of proteins with unknown function.     

Host‐ and stage‐dependent secretome of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form the most wide‐spread endosymbiosis with plants. There is very little host specificity in this interaction, however host preferences as well as varying symbiotic efficiencies have been observed. We hypothesize that secreted proteins (SPs) may act as fungal effectors to control symbiotic efficiency in a host‐dependent manner. Therefore, we studied whether arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi adjust their secretome in a host‐ and stage‐dependent manner to contribute to their extremely wide host range. We investigated the expression of SP‐encoding genes of Rhizophagus irregularis in three evolutionary distantly related plant species, Medicago truncatula, Nicotiana benthamiana and Allium schoenoprasum. In addition we used laser microdissection in combination with RNA‐seq to study SP expression at different stages of the interaction in Medicago. Our data indicate that most expressed SPs show roughly equal expression levels in the interaction with all three host plants. In addition, a subset shows significant differential expression depending on the host plant. Furthermore, SP expression is controlled locally in the hyphal network in response to host‐dependent cues. Overall, this study presents a comprehensive analysis of the R. irregularis secretome, which now offers a solid basis to direct functional studies on the role of fungal SPs in AM symbiosis.