Unique hybrids between the fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are yeasts that cause meningoencephalitis, but that differ in host range and geographical distribution. Cryptococcus neoformans occurs world-wide and mostly infects immunocompromised patients, whereas C. gattii occurs mainly in (sub)tropical regions and infects healthy individuals. Anomalous C. neoformans strains were isolated from patients. These strains were found to be monokaryotic, and diploid or aneuploid. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) and sequence analyses indicated that AFLP genotypes 2 (C. neoformans) and 4 (C. gattii) were present. The strains were serologically BD. Mating- and serotype-specific PCR reactions showed that the strains were MATa-serotype D/MATalpha-serotype B. This study is the first to describe naturally occurring hybrids between C. neoformans and C. gattii.     

Influence of climatic conditions on the isolation of members of the Cryptococcus neoformans species complex from trees in Colombia from 1992-2004

The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the relationship between occurrence of the serotypes of the Cryptococcus neoformans species complex in tree samples and the climatic conditions registered during samplings in four cities of Colombia, between 1992 and 2004, by means of a logistic regression model and lagged Pearson correlations. During 97 collection dates, 8220 samples from different tree species were taken, of which 2.63% were positive: 56.5% yielded serotype B, 24.7% serotype C and 18.8% serotype A isolates. The prevalence of the serotypes varied among the cities. The results suggest that environmental climatic conditions, mainly humidity, temperature, evaporation and solar radiation, can affect the occurrence of the different serotypes in trees in a differential manner. These different climatic tolerances were reflected in the geographic distribution of the serotypes in Colombia. The climatic conditions for 15 days before the sampling date were correlated with positive or negative isolation of the different serotypes.     

Detection and identification of probable endemic fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus gattii, and worldwide pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, by real-time PCR

A real-time PCR method for detection and identification of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii was developed and evaluated using DNA from single-colony or koala nasal smears. Two TaqMan minor groove binder probes that distinguished between these species were designed corresponding to the internal sequences of the CAP59 gene for both species. The real-time PCR assay had 100% specificity, as assessed using 13 reference strains and 300 environmental strains. Twelve smear samples from healthy koalas were analyzed by direct real-time PCR. This method successfully detected C. gattii and C. neoformans in one and three koalas, respectively.     

新生隐球菌对角质形成细胞活力的作用研究

目的研究新生隐球菌体外对角质形成细胞活力的影响。方法将新生隐球菌父代标准株与子代荚膜缺陷株于体外分别与角质形成细胞分别共培养,同时设立热灭活的菌体、空白对照,再分别设立菌体与细胞直接接触与不接触共培养相互对照,分别作用0.5 h、1 h和2 h后,采用流式细胞仪检测隐球菌角质形成细胞的调亡率。结果随着时间延长,与空白对照组及热灭活组比较,实验组角质形成细胞的凋亡率逐渐增加。无荚膜株与父代有荚膜株比较,无荚膜株对细胞活力的影响在作用后1 h、2 h明显低于有荚膜株。2种菌株不直接接触培养使细胞的凋亡率明显下降;不直接接触的有荚膜株与热灭活的菌体之间比较差异不显著。结论虽然有荚膜株与无荚膜株隐球菌均可以使角质形成细胞活性明显降低,但荚膜可以显著增强菌体对细胞活力的影响;角质形成细胞活力的降低主要是通过与菌体接触培养后产生的,诱导细胞调亡需要菌体与细胞的直接接触。     

靶向金纳米棒对隐球菌活性影响的体外实验研究

目的：设计对隐球菌荚膜特异性标记的靶向金纳米棒,研究靶向金纳米棒的体外光热作用对隐球菌活性的影响。方法晶种生长法制备金纳米棒,偶联隐球菌荚膜抗体,检测表征,与隐球菌体外孵育,近红外激光照射,检测隐球菌活性变化。结果成功制备与荚膜抗体偶联的金纳米棒,体外近红外照射后,隐球菌活性较未偶联抗体的金纳米棒组显著降低。结论靶向性金纳米棒显著增强了近红外激光对隐球菌的光热效应,可用于治疗隐球菌感染的新尝试。     

中国广西地区格特隐球菌菌种复合体的基因型分析

目的探讨中国广西地区格特隐球菌菌种复合体的基因型特点、种群结构特征和全球菌株的进化关系。方法收集2014—2018年间分离自临床确诊为隐球菌病患者的隐球菌临床株,利用CGB培养基初步筛选格特隐球菌菌种复合体。采用多位点序列分型方法(MLST)确定基因型。通过MEGA7软件构建系统发育树,利用R语言进行主成分分析。使用微量肉汤稀释法M27-A3方案行体外抗真菌药物敏感性检验。结果120株临床隐球菌中,分离出11株格特隐球菌菌种复合体,6株属于C.deuterogattii(AFLP6/VGII),5株属于C.gattii sensus stricto(AFLP4/VGI)。分离自广西的AFLP6/VGII呈遗传多样性,主要起源进化自南美巴西格特隐球菌菌种复合体。11株分离菌株均对常用抗真菌药物敏感。结论中国广西可能出现高致病性AFLP6/VGII,对格特隐球菌菌种复合体进行有效的全国性监测是必要的。     

条件致病真菌新型隐球酵母（Cryptococcus neoformans）致病性研究进展

摘要：真菌感染引起的疾病在临床上呈现较快的上升趋势,在国际上引起了广泛的重视。新型隐球酵母是主要病原真菌之一。过去十余年,对其致病的分子生物学研究有了较大的进展。重要致病因子（virulence factors）的合成调控及致病过程中信号传导途径等研究进展较快,这些都可能成为治疗甚至预防该真菌的焦点。本文在简要介绍致病因子的基础上,详细综述了分子生物学研究的进展情况。     

Isolation and characterisation of the phospholipase B gene of Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii

Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii (serotypes B and C) is a human pathogen, ecologically, biochemically, clinically and genetically different from C. neoformans var. grubii (serotype A) and C. neoformans var. neoformans (serotype D). The phospholipase B (PLB1) gene from serotypes B and C was isolated and characterised. It resembled the serotype A and D genes, with an overall sequence homology of more than 85%. The respective open reading frames were 2236 bp (serotype B) and 2239 bp (serotype C) in length. Each contained six introns and encoded a 68-kDa protein destined for secretion. PLB1 was located on the second smallest chromosome in both serotypes. Gene expression, measured as mRNA, was not regulated by temperature, pH or exogenous nutrients.     

Comparative analysis of the intergenic spacer regions and population structure of the species complex of the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic basidiomycete responsible for the high incidence of cryptococcosis in patients with AIDS and in other immune-compromised individuals. This study, which focused on the molecular structure and genetic variability of the two varieties in the C. neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complex, employed sequence analysis of the intergenic spacer regions, IGSI and IGSII. The IGS region is the most rapidly evolving region of the rDNA families. The IGSI displayed the most genetic variability represented by nucleotide base substitutions and the presence of long insertions/deletions (indels). In contrast, the IGSII region exhibited less heterogeneity and the indels were not as extensive as those displayed in the IGSI region. Both intergenic spacers contained short, interspersed repeat motifs, which can be related to length polymorphisms observed between sequences. Phylogenetic analysis undertaken in the IGSI, IGSII and IGSI +5S rRNA + IGSII regions revealed the presence of six major phylogenetic lineages, some of which segregated into subgroups. The major lineages are represented by genotypes 1 (C. neoformans var. grubii), genotype 2 (C. neoformans var. neoformans), and genotypes 3, 4, 5 and 6 represented by C. gattii. Genotype 6 is a newly described IGS genotypic group within the C. neoformans species complex. With the inclusion of IGS subgenotypic groups, our sequence analysis distinguished 12 different lineages. Sequencing of clones, which was performed to determine the presence of multiple alleles at the IGS locus in several hybrid strains, yielded a single IGS sequence type per isolate, thus suggesting that the selected group of cloned strains was mono-allelic at this locus. IGS sequence analyses proved to be a powerful technique for the delineation of the varieties of C. neoformans and C. gattii at genotypic and subgenotypic levels.     

利用根癌农杆菌T-DNA 插入突变寻找参与漆酶葡萄糖阻遏的关键基因

【目的】新型隐球酵母(Cryptococcus neoformans)是人类重要致病真菌,主要毒性因子之一漆酶的表达受葡糖糖阻遏,机制未知。本文拟寻找参与葡萄糖阻遏的关键基因。【方法】建立根癌农杆菌介导的转化方法(Agrobacterium tumefanciens-mediated transformation,ATMT)建立一个容量约200000的随即插入突变文库,在高浓度葡萄糖条件下从中筛选葡萄糖去阻遏的突变株。通过Southern确定突变株中T-DNA的拷贝数,利用反向PCR获得依赖葡萄糖的漆酶阻遏基因序列。【结果】筛选到了30株葡萄糖去阻遏突变株,Southern blot发现83%的葡萄糖去抑制突变株含有单个T-DNA拷贝。初步鉴定了可能参与漆酶阻遏的10个不同生物学功能基因,如参与碳水化合物的代谢,固醇的合成,几丁质的合成,GPI脂锚钩的合成等等。【结论】ATMT突变策略可以找到一些参与漆酶葡萄糖阻遏的关键基因,为理解漆酶在致病过程中的作用机制和工业改进漆酶活性提供参考。     

Heterologous expression of a gene of Magnaporthe oryzae chrysovirus 1 strain A disrupts growth of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans

Magnaporthe oryzae chrysovirus 1 strain A (MoCV1‐A) is the causal agent of growth repression and attenuated virulence (hypovirulence) of the rice blast fungus, M. oryzae. We have previously reported that heterologous expression of MoCV1‐A ORF4 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae results in growth defects, a large central vacuole and other cytological changes. In this study, the effects of open reading frame (ORF) 4 expression in Cryptococcus neoformans, a human pathogenic fungus responsible for severe opportunistic infection, were investigated. Cells expressing the ORF4 gene in C. neoformans showed remarkably enlarged vacuoles, nuclear diffusion and a reduced growth rate. In addition, expression of ORF4 apparently suppressed formation of the capsule that surrounds the entire cell wall, which is one of the most important components of expression of virulence. After 5‐fluoroorotic acid treatment of ORF4‐expressing cells to remove the plasmid carrying the ORF4 gene, the resultant plasmid‐free cells recovered normal morphology and growth, indicating that heterologous expression of the MoCV1‐A ORF4 gene induces negative effects in C. neoformans. These data suggest that the ORF4 product is a candidate for a pharmaceutical protein to control disease caused by C. neoformans.     

格特隐球菌病暴发流行机制的研究进展

目前已证实, 格特隐球菌病可暴发流行。近10 年来, 在加拿大温哥华岛暴发的格特隐球菌病发病率显著高于其他地区, 且大部分感染者免疫力正常, 该致病菌已蔓延至周边地区。本文就格特隐球菌病暴发流行机制, 包括致病菌的分子流行病学分析、可能来源、毒力分析和播散机制进行综述。     

新型隐球酵母铜应答转录因子Cuf1与荚膜的生物合成相关性

[目的]新型隐球酵母是人类条件致病真菌,主要感染免疫缺陷患者.该酵母最显著的特征是细胞外包被着多糖荚膜,这一重要致病因子的调控机制复杂.本文研究旨在阐述编码铜依赖转录因子的CUF1基因对其荚膜生物合成的负调控作用.[方法]以野生型菌株为对照,对CUF1缺失的突变菌株进行菌落形态观察、荚膜墨汁染色的显微观察、细胞聚沉试验以及荚膜定量分析.[结果]与野生型菌株相比,△cuf1突变株产生的菌落更粘,显微镜下亦可明显观察到荚膜更厚.同样数量的细胞,突变株聚沉平衡后体积更大.此外,荚膜粗提物定量称重分析也证明突变株产生了更多的荚膜.并且外源铁可以回复△cuf1突变株荚膜过量产生的表型.[结论]铜应答转录因子1(Cuf1)对荚膜的生物合成具有负调控作用.Cuf1可能通过铁的高亲和吸收途径调控铁吸收而实现该作用的.     

格特隐球菌HOG1基因的敲除及重建

目的 构建格特隐球菌HOG1基因缺陷株和HOG1基因重建株.方法 从格特隐球菌基因组扩增HOG1基因,通过部分基因缺失方法,获得缺陷基因dHOG1.将获得的HOG1基因及其缺陷基因dHOG1分别亚克隆到真核表达载体pGAPzα-A,构建pGAPzα-HOG1及pGAPzcα-dHOG1质粒.将pGAPzα-dHOG1质粒转染隐球菌原始株,通过筛选获得HOG1基因缺陷菌株;同样方法将pGAPzα-HOG1质粒转染格特隐球菌HOGI基因敲除菌株,获得HOGI基因重建株.结果 RTPCR结果示:格特隐球菌HOG1基因缺陷株不转录表达完整的HOG1基因,而HOG1基因重建株可以转录表达完整的HOG1基因片段.结论 成功获得格特隐球菌HOG1缺陷株和HOG1基因重建株,为后续格特隐球菌毒力和致病机制的研究奠定了基础.     

新生隐球菌MIS1基因的siRNA表达载体的构建及鉴定

目的 构建靶向新生隐球菌MIS1基因的siRNA重组表达载体质粒,并进行鉴定.方法 根据GenBank的MIS1基因序列,按照载体要求设计单链引物,克隆到空载体psilencer4.I-CMV neo中,经过LiAc化学法将重组质粒转染到新生隐球菌细胞中并用G418筛选,利用real time PCR鉴定阳性细胞的MIS1基因水平.结果 重组表达质粒Psilencer4,1-CMV-si-MIS1经PCR、双酶切及测序鉴定,结果证明重组表达载体构建成功,其能在mRNA水平显著抑制MIS1的表达.结论 已成功构建新生隐球菌MIS1基因的siRNA表达载体,为深入研究MIsl在隐球菌相关疾病的发生及发展中的作用提供了技术手段.     

Role of laccase in the biology and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans

Laccase is an important virulence factor for the human pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. In this review, we examine the structural, biological and genetic features of the enzyme and its role in the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis. Laccase is expressed in C. neoformans as a cell wall enzyme that possesses a broad spectrum of activity oxidizing both polyphenolic compounds and iron. Two paralogs, CNLAC1 and CNLAC2, are present in the fungus, of which the first one expresses the dominant enzyme activity under glucose starvation conditions. Regulation of the enzyme is in response to various environmental signals including nutrient starvation, the presence of multivalent cations and temperature stress, and is mediated through multiple signal transduction pathways. Study of the function and regulation of this important virulence factor has led to further understanding of mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis and the regulation of stress response in the host cell environment.     

新生隐球菌感染12例临床特点及实验室检测的回顾性分析

目的:了解新生隐球菌深部感染的临床特点及实验室检测,分析其耐药性.方法:对12例新生隐球菌感染患者的临床资料进行网顾性分析;应用美国BD9240全自动血液分析仪进行细菌培养和真菌培养,阳性酵母样真菌经API20C鉴定到种;FUNGS 3进行真菌药敏试验.结果:12例患者均经病原学确诊;其中中枢神经系统感染6例,血液感染5例,腹腔感染1例;新生隐球菌对临床常用5种抗真菌药物除2例氟康唑中介外,其余均敏感.结论:新生隐球菌不仅引起中枢神经系统感染,也可引起身体多部位感染,死亡率较高;早期病原学检测对疾病的诊断和治疗十分重要,联合用药预后较好.     

Yeast diversity sampling on the San Juan Islands reveals no evidence for the spread of the Vancouver Island Cryptococcus gattii outbreak to this locale

Biological diversity has been estimated for various phyla of life, such as insects and mammals, but in the microbe world is has been difficult to determine species richness and abundance. Here we describe a study of species diversity of fungi with a yeast-like colony morphology from the San Juan Islands, a group of islands that lies southeast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Our sampling revealed that the San Juan archipelago biosphere contains a diverse range of such fungi predominantly belonging to the Basidiomycota, particularly of the order Tremellales. One member of this group, Cryptococcus gattii, is the etiological agent of a current and ongoing outbreak of cryptococcosis on nearby Vancouver Island. Our sampling did not, however, reveal this species. While the lack of recovery of C. gattii does not preclude its presence on the San Juan Islands, our results suggest that the Strait of Juan de Fuca may be serving as a geographical barrier to restrict the dispersal of this primary human fungal pathogen into the United States.     

新生隐球菌GXM的纯化及其对巨噬细胞甘露糖受体表达调节的研究

目的从新生隐球菌B3501培养上清中分离和纯化荚膜多糖葡萄糖醛酸木糖甘露聚糖(GXM),观察其是否能调节巨噬细胞甘露糖受体MR的表达。方法采用乙醇沉淀荚膜多糖,十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)特异性沉淀方法获得GXM,将GXM与巨噬细胞共孵育24 h,Western blot检测MR的表达变化情况。结果获得了毫克级的GXM,巨噬细胞与GXM孵育后甘露糖受体(mannose receptor,MR)的表达没有明显变化。结论新生隐球菌荚膜多糖GXM不影响巨噬细胞甘露糖受体MR的表达。     

新生隐球菌感染流行病学现状及耐药机制相关研究进展

新生隐球菌是一种广泛存在于环境中的酵母类真菌,主要侵犯中枢神经系统引起隐球菌性脑膜炎。HIV感染是导致隐球菌感染的主要危险因素之一,但近年来关于非HIV患者隐球菌感染的报道不断增加。体外药敏试验证实大部分新生隐球菌对棘白菌素类药物具有内在抗性。两性霉素B和氟康唑是用于隐球菌感染治疗的一线药物,而长期广泛用药引起新生隐球菌对氟康唑的耐药率逐年升高,患者临床治疗失败率居高不下。为进一步加深对新生隐球菌的认识,本文结合国内外流行病学报道及相关研究,从感染现状、生物学特征、诊治方法和耐药性等方面进行综述,以期为新生隐球菌性脑膜炎的临床诊治提供参考。