Enzymes of Trichophyton rubrum

Jensen, Altschuler &Bard (1957) have surveyed the respiratory enzymes ofTrichophyton mentagrophytes. Enzymes of the hexosediphosphate, hexosemonophosphate, and tricarboxylic acid pathways were found plus a group of miscellaneous enzymes. In view of the close morphological, immunological, and nutritional similarities ofT. mentagrophytes toTrichophyton rubrum, we felt that a study of the enzymology of the latter organism had potential value in forming a basis for the comparison of the two dermatophytes. Our results showed that cell-free extracts ofT. rubrum contain glucokinase, TPN-dependent glucose and fructose dehydrogenases and separate TPN- and DPN-linked glycerol dehydrogenases. These results are in accord with findings of other investigators. ATPase activity was minimal, and shikimic acid kinase, and shikimic and quinic acid dehydrohydrogenases were not detected.     

A Study on Stability of Phenotype and Genotype of Trichophyton rubrum

Objective: To explore the stability of phenotype and genotype in Trichophyton rubrum. Methods: All the strains were cultured on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar slopes, and identified to species level. Strains isolated recently were subcultured on Sabouraud agar slopes four times at an interval of 4 weeks. DNA was extracted with CTAB method. A probe consisting of 3′ end of 18S rDNA, adjacent ITS1, 5.8S rDNA and ITS2 regions was amplified from template DNA of the T. rubrum standard strain using fungal universal primers NS5 and ITS4, labelled by P³² and hybridized with EcoR I-digested T. rubrum genomic DNA. Results: (1) Four phenotypes were isolated from 207 T. rubrum strains, with downy type (45.4%) in the first place, and granular type not found. After 1 year of conservation, 54 strains showed morphological variations with the total variation rate of 26.1%. (2) Eleven strains showed variations in colony morphology or pigment upon subculture. (3) AP-PCR analysis of 10 T. rubrum isolates and one T. rubrum standard strain showed similar DNA patterns with main bands at 2.2, 1.7, 1.3, 0.9 and 0.7 kb. No changes in DNA pattern were found upon subculture. (4) Hybridization analysis revealed that all the 11 T. rubrum strains presented three bands and were identified into two types (2.4, 3.9, 5.9 kb and 2.4, 4.4, 6.5 kb). No changes in band pattern were found upon subculture. Conclusions: Phenotype of T. rubrum was instable and the colonial morphology and pigment easily changed during conservation or subculture, while its genotype was relatively stable.     

Die Mykostatische Wirkung von Trichophyton rubrum auf Kryptokokken

Zusammenfassung Schwarz pigmentierende Kulturformen desTrichophyton rubrum (Cast.)Sabouraud bilden auf Sabouraud's Agar ein Antimykotikum, das gegenCryptococcus neoformans, C. diffluens undTorulopsis stellata wirksam ist. Es ist uns bisher nicht gelungen, die wirksame Substanz zu isolieren.     

Lineages Within the Trichophyton rubrum Complex

The most important species of the Trichophyton rubrum group are T. rubrum, causing mainly skin and nail infections, and T. violaceum which is mostly scalp-associated. The status of a third species, T. soudanense, has been under debate. With a polyphasic approach, using molecular phylogenetic techniques, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and physiological and morphological analysis, we re-evaluated the T. rubrum complex. Our results support four genetic lineages within the complex each with a distinct morphology and identifiable via MALDI-TOF MS: T. rubrum, T. violaceum, T. soudanense and the T. yaoundei clade. However, ITS and Bt2 sequencing data could not confirm these taxa as four monophyletic species. Our results also suggest that strains formerly identified as T. kuryangei and T. megninii should be considered in future taxonomic studies.

     

Aloe-emodin-mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy against dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum

Trichophyton rubrum is responsible for the majority of dermatophytosis. Current systemic and topical antifungals against dermatophytosis are often tedious and sometimes unsatisfactory. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a non-invasive alternative suitable for the treatment of superficial fungal infections. This work investigated the photodynamic inactivation efficacy and effects of aloe-emodin (AE), a natural photosensitizer (PS) against T. rubrum microconidia in vitro, and evaluated the treatment effects of AE-mediated aPDT for T. rubrum-caused tinea corporis in vivo and tinea unguium ex vivo. The photodynamic antimicrobial efficacy of AE on T. rubrum microconidia was evaluated by MTT assay. The inhibition effect of AE-mediated aPDT on growth of T. rubrum was studied. Intracellular location of AE, damage induced by AE-mediated aPDT on cellular structure and surface of microconidia and generation of intracellular ROS were investigated by microscopy and flow cytometry. The therapeutic effects of AE-mediated aPDT against dermatophytosis were assessed in T. rubrum-caused tinea corporis guinea pig model and tinea unguium ex vivo model. AE-mediated aPDT effectively inactivated T. rubrum microconidia in a light energy dose-dependent manner and exhibited strong inhibitory effect on growth of T. rubrum. Microscope images indicated that AE is mainly targeted to the organelles and caused damage to the cytoplasm of microconidia after irradiation through generation of abundant intracellular ROS. AE-mediated aPDT demonstrated effective therapeutic effects for T. rubrum-caused tinea corporis on guinea pig model and tinea unguium in ex vivo model. The results obtained suggest that AE is a potential PS for the photodynamic treatment of dermatophytosis caused by T. rubrum, but its permeability in skin and nails needs to be improved.     

Genotyping of Trichophyton rubrum by analysis of ribosomal-DNA intergenic spacer regions

An attempt was made to explore the genotyping of Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum) and the relationship between genotype and geographical origin using ribosomal restriction endonuclease polymorphic analysis. The total DNA was extracted by cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). The probe was amplified from part of the 18S, ITSI, 5.8S, and ITSII region of T. rubrum standard strain with the universal fungal primers NS5 [5′-AACTT AAAGG AATTG ACGGA AG-3′] and ITS4 [5′-TCCTC CGCTT ATTGA TATGC-3′]. The genomic DNA of 49 clinical T. rubrum isolates digested by EcoR1 were hybridized with this probe, and the hybridization patterns were used as the basis of genotyping. Of the data from 49 strains of T. rubrum studied (21 from Nanjing, 26 from Dalian, and two from Beijing), 20 individual patterns (DNA Type A–T) were identified, among which Type A–C accounted for 48.98% of all the strains. The DNA patterns of Nanjing strains were represented by three bands, those of Dalian strains were represented by four bands. The DNA typing of T. rubrum by Southern blotting was highly sensitive and highly distinguishable. The DNA patterns of Nanjing strains were obviously different from those of Dalian strains.     

Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Trichophyton rubrum

Summary WhenTrichophyton rubrum is grown in a minimal medium containing glucose, the carbon skeleton of fungal phenylalanine and tyrosine is derived from the glucose carbon. Tracer experiments with variously labeled glucose-C¹⁴ indicate that phenylalanine synthesis is linked to glycolysis, but suggest that the pentose phosphate pathway is not involved. These findings suggest that aromatic amino acid biosynthesis may not be linked to the shikimic acid pathway inT. rubrum.     

Fatty acid synthesis inTrichophyton rubrum

Analysis of the fatty acid content ofT. rubrum showed that the organism is capable of synthesizing a variety of saturated and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids (Kostiw, Vicher &Lyon, 1966). The present study was undertaken to determine the mechanism of synthesis of these fatty acids. Experimental data point to the presence of two mechanisms of fatty acid synthesis inT. rubrum:de novo synthesis and chain elongation. The presence of both mechanisms is suggested by the nature of the enzyme preparation, by the cofactor requirements for either pathway, and by the reaction products.University of Illinois at the Medical Center, and Chicago Medical School, Chicago, Illinois. Presented in part at the International Society of Mycology Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, August 1967.     

Differentiation of trichophyton rubrum from trichophyton mentagrophytes

Conclusions Of the several morphological and physiological criteria that have been proposed to identifyTrichophyton rubrum andTrichophyton mentagrophytes differentially, only the hair invasion test agrees with the immunological results reported here.A typical strain ofT. rubrum andT. mentagrophytes was obtained from the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (Netherlands) and was used as reference strain. All isolates that did not invade hair shafts (in vitro) and that produced three precipitate lines in agargel diffusion tests against anti-T. rubrum serum (refence strain, Tr-1) were placed in one group. These isolates all also produced a red undersurface pigment and macroconidia with long parallel sides. They were labledT. rubrum.Other isolates that did invade hair shafts, and produced only two precipitate lines against anti-T. rubrum serum were placed in another group and were labeledT. mentagrophytes. These isolates had variable characteristics of pigment production, colony and conidial morphology.The antigenic studies thus corroborate the validity of the hair invasion test. The hair invasion test will probably remain in wider use because of its simplicity.     

Antimycotic Activity Potentiation of Allium sativum Extract and Silver Nanoparticles against Trichophyton rubrum

A natural and biocompatible extract of garlic as a support, decorated with silver nanoparticles, is a proposal to generate an effective antifungal agent against dermatophytes at low concentrations. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with a diameter of 26±7 nm were synthesized and their antimycotic activity was examined against Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum), inhibiting 94 % of growth at a concentration of 0.08 mg ml^?1. Allium sativum (garlic) extract was also obtained (AsExt), and its MIC was 0.04 mg ml^?1. To increase the antifungal capacity of those systems, AsExt was decorated with AgNPs, obtaining AsExt‐AgNPs. Using an AsExt concentration of 0.04 mg ml^?1 in independent experiments with concentrations from 0.01 to 0.08 mg ml^?1 of AgNPs, it was possible to inhibit T. rubrum at all AgNPs concentrations; it proves a synergistic effect between AgNPs and AsExt. Even if 1 % of the minimum inhibitory concentration of AsExt (0.0004 mg ml^?1) is used, it was possible to inhibit T. rubrum at all concentrations of AgNPs, demonstrating the successful antimycotic activity potentiation when combining AsExt and AgNPs.     

In vitro characterization of Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes biofilms

Dermatophytes are fungi responsible for a disease known as dermatophytosis. Biofilms are sessile microbial communities surrounded by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) with increased resistance to antimicrobial agents and host defenses. This paper describes, for the first time, the characteristics of Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes biofilms. Biofilm formation was analyzed by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) as well as by staining with crystal violet and safranin. Metabolic activity was determined using the XTT reduction assay. Both species were able to form mature biofilms in 72?h. T. rubrum biofilm produced more biomass and EPS and was denser than T. mentagrophytes biofilm. The SEM results demonstrated a coordinated network of hyphae in all directions, embedded within EPS in some areas. Research and characterization of biofilms formed by dermatophytes may contribute to the search of new drugs for the treatment of these mycoses and might inform future revisions with respect to the dose and duration of treatment of currently available antifungals.     

Molecular Analysis of Chitin Synthase 1 (CHS1) Gene Sequences of Trichophyton mentagrophytes Complex and T. rubrum

Nucleotide sequences of chitin synthase 1 (CHS1) gene of dermatophytes, Arthroderma benhamiae, A. simii, A. vanbreuseghemii, Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (T. interdigitale), and T. rubrum were analyzed for their phylogenetic relationship. About 620-bp genomic DNA fragments of the CHS1 gene were amplified from these dermatophytes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. The CHS1 nucleotide sequences of these five dermatophytes showed more than 90% similarity between the species. The phylogenetic analysis of their sequences revealed that A. benhamiae, A. simii, A. vanbreuseghemii, and T. rubrum were genetically distinct from one another, but T. interdigitale was genetically very close to A. vanbreuseghemii. On the other hand, a specific restriction endonuclease site of HinfI was present in the CHS1 gene fragment of T. rubrum but not in those of A. benhamiae, A. simii, A. vanbreuseghemii and T. interdigitale. The molecular analysis of CHS1 genes will provide useful information for the identification of these Trichophyton species and the understanding of their evolution. Received: 6 March 1998 / Accepted: 4 May 1998     

Comparison between gene expression of conidia and germinating phase in Trichophyton rubrum

Trichophyton rubrum is a dominating superficial dermatophyte, whose conidial germination is correlated to pathopoiesis and a highly important developmental process. To investigate the changes of physiology, biochemistry and cytology during the germination, we selected 3364 function identified ESTs from T. rubrum cDNA library to construct cDNA microarrays, and compared the gene expression levels of conidia and germinating phase. Data analysis indicated that 335 genes were up-regulated during the germination, which mainly encoded translated, modified proteins and structural proteins. The constituents of cell wall and cell membrane were synthetized abundantly, suggesting that they are the foundation of cell morphogenesis. The ingredients of the two-component signal transduction system were up-regulated, presuming that they were important for the conidial germination. Genes of various metabolic pathways were expressed prosperously, especially the genes that participated in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation were up-regulated on the whole, demonstrating that in the environment with sufficient oxygen and glucose, conidia obtained energy through aerobic respiration. This paper provides important clues which are helpful to understanding the changes in gene expression, signal conduction and metabolism characteristics during T. rubrum conidial germination, and possess significant meaning to the study of other superficial dermatophytes. Supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2001AA223021) and National Key Technologies R&D Programme (Grant No. 2002BA711A14)     

Controlled inactivation of Trichophyton rubrum using shaped electrical pulse bursts: Parametric analysis

The dermatophytes infect the skin by adherence to the epidermis followed by germination, growth, and penetration of the fungal hyphae within the cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the pulsed electric fields (PEF) of controlled inactivation of Trichophyton rubrum (ATCC 28188). In this work, we have used bursts of the square wave PEF pulses of different intensity (10–30 kV/cm) to induce the irreversible inactivation in vitro. The electric field pulses of 50 µs and 100 µs have been generated in bursts of 5, 10, and 20 pulses with repetition frequency of 1 Hz. The dynamics of the inactivation using different treatment parameters were studied and the inactivation map for the T. rubrum has been defined. Further, the combined effect of PEF with the antifungal agents itraconazole, terbinafine, and naftifine HCl was investigated. It has been demonstrated that the combined effect results in the full inactivation of T. rubrum colony. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:1056–1060, 2016     

Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Trichophyton rubrum III. Exogenous studies: Absence of the shikimic acid pathway

Even thoughTrichophyton rubrum is permeable to exogenous shikimic acid, neither shikimic nor quinic acids stimulate the growth of this fungus in a minimal medium deficient in phenylalanine or tyrosine, nor do they serve as substrates for pigmentogenesis in media lacking these amino acids. The respiration of the dermatophyte is unaffected by shikimic or quinic acids and the fungus does not have the capacity to utilize either compound when it is added to the culture medium. Isotope dilution studies with shikimic acid-U-C¹⁴ show that de novo shikimic acid synthesis does not occur. This information supports previous findings that the shikimic acid pathway of aromatic biosynthesis is not involved in the biosynthesis of phenylalanine byTrichophyton rubrum.

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Zusammenfassung ObwohlT. rubrum fur exogene shikimicsäure durchlässig ist, fördern weder Shikimicsäure noch Quinicsäure das Wachstum dieses Pilzes im Falle eines Mangels von Phenykalanine oder Tyrosine, noch dienen sie als Substanzen für Pigmentgenese in Medien ohne diese Aminosäuren. Die Atmung des Pilzes ist durch Shikimicoder Quinicsäure unbeeinflußt und der Pilz ist unfähig, beide Substanzen zu benützen, wenn sie zum Kulturmedium hinzugefügt werden. Isotope Verdünnungen mit Shikimicsäure-U-C¹⁴ zeigten, daß de novo Shikimicsäure-Synthese nicht erfolgt. Diese Erkenntnis unterstüzt vorherige Befunde, daß Shikimicsäure Richtung der aromatischen Biosynthese in der Biosynthese von Phenylalanine durchT. rubrum nicht begangen wird.

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University of Illinois at the Medical Center Department of Microbiology, Chicago, Illinois 60612     

Interaction between pathogenic fungi in culture. Considerations on the mechanism of cell division in the dimorphism of pathogenic fungi

Summary A mutual antagonism (in vitro) has been shown betweenTrichophyton rubrum andCandida albicans by means of two membered pure cultures and by means of cultures filtrates from each organism grown singly. The growth ofT. rubrum was inhibited by metabolic products ofC. albicans. The pigment ofT. rubrum has been shown to be a pH indicator in vivo. Metabolic products ofT. rubrum completely inhibit the development of mycelia byC. albicans, but have little effect on growth in the yeast phase. Chemical fractionation experiments indicated that there are two diffusible metabolic products ofT. rubrum affecting mycelia development: 1) soluble in water and in acetone, heat stable, and adsorbed by activated charcoal, 2) soluble in water, insoluble in acetone, heat labile, and not adsorbed by activated charcoal. The general phenomenon of yeast to mycelia conversions has been considered in detail. A notation system has been developed in this connection; yeast (Y) to mycelia (M) transformations may be expressed as YM; interconversions of the type exhibited byBlastomyces may be written Y:M. The relationships between these processes and the analogous bacteria (B) to filament (F) conversions, B F, has been pointed out. Evidence that Y..M, YM, and BF may result from the inhibition of a common unit enzymatic mechanism has been presented. Converging evidence from such diverse fields as the physicochemical study of the kinetics of bacterial growth (Hinshelwood), genetics of irradiated bacteria (Witkin; Eisenstark andClark), cytochemical mechanism of penicillin action (Pratt andDufrenoy), and dimorphism of pathogenic fungi (this paper;Nickerson andEdwards) are all interpreted as pointing in this direction.     

Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Trichophyton rubrum

Summary Trichophyton rubrum was assayed for shikimic, quinic, and protocatechuic acids with biological and chemical techniques. Since none of these metabolites were detected, we conclude that the shikimic acid pathway of aromatic biosynthesis is probably not involved in the synthesis of phenylalanine and tyrosine by this organism.     

The detection of contamination in Trichophyton rubrum and trichophyton mentagrophytes

This report concerns the usefulness of two media, brain heart infusion agar (BHIA) and BCP milk dextrose agar in the detection of contamination inT. rubrum andT. mentagrophytes and provides cultural information in the identification of these species.Department of Microbiology, Public Health Laboratory, Ontario Department of Health, Box 9000, Postal Terminal A, Toronto 1, Ontario, Canada.Head, Medical Mycology Section.Mycologist, Medical Mycology Section.     

Oxydation von reduziertem Nicotinamid-Adenin-Dinucleotid in Rhodospirillum rubrum

Zusammenfassung Es wird die 25–30 fache Anreicherung einer löslichen NADH-Dehydrogenase [NADH: (acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.3.) aus R. rubrum durch Gelfiltration an Sephadex G 200 und Chromatographie an DEAE-Cellulose beschrieben. Das Enzym ist bei DEAE-Cellulosechromatographie nur in Gegenwart von FMN oder NADH stabil. Menadion, Ferricyanid, DCPIP, p-Benzochinon und Cytochrom c sind als Elektronenacceptoren wirksam. Cytochrom c ist ein schlechter Acceptor. Das pH-Optimum der Reaktion liegt bei 8,4. Km für NADH ist 3,0 · 10^-5 m. NADPH wird nur mit etwa 3–5% des Wertes von NADH umgesetzt. Die prosthetische Gruppe des Enzyms ist FMN, Km für FMN ist 0,3 · 10^-7 m. Das Enzymprotein wird bei Verdünnung in 0,05 m Puffer inaktiviert; FMN und FAD sowie NADH und NADPH haben einen stabilisierenden Effekt. Durch höhere Pufferkonzentrationen wird das Enzym zunehmend inaktiviert. Die Inaktivierung besteht in einer Labilisierung oder Abspaltung der prosthetischen Gruppe vom Enzymmolekül. Verschiedene Metalle inaktivieren das Enzym ebenfalls.

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Oxidation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in Rhodospirillum rubrum I. Characterization of a soluble NADH dehydrogenase

Summary A soluble NADH^* Dehydrogenase [NADH: (acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.3.] has been purified 25–30 fold from R. rubrum by gelfiltration with Sephadex G 200 and ionexchange chromatography on DEAE-Cellulose. During the second purification step the enzyme is stable only in the presence of either FMN or NADH. Electronacceptors which were found to be effective include menadione, ferricyanide, DCPIP, p-benzoquinone and cytochrome c, the latter substance being a poor acceptor. The optimum pH of the reaction is at about 8.4. Km for NADH is 3.0×10^-5 m. NADPH is oxidized at only about 3–5% the rate of NADH. The active prosthetic group of the enzyme is FMN with an appearant Km of 0.3×10^-7 m. When diluted in 0.05 m buffer the enzyme becomes rapidly inactivated. FMN, FAD and also NADH and NADPH exhibit a stabilizing protective effect. Higher concentrations of buffer cause increasing inactivation. The mechanism of the inactivation is thought to be a labilization or detachment of the prosthetic group from the enzyme molecule. Several metals also inactivate the enzyme.

     

Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells from Patients with Dermatophytosis Restrict the Growth of Trichophyton rubrum and Induce CD4-T Cell Activation

Dermatophytes are the most common agents of superficial mycoses that are caused by mold fungi. Trichophyton rubrum is the most common pathogen causing dermatophytosis. The immunology of dermatophytosis is currently poorly understood. Recently, our group investigated the interaction of T. rubrum conidia with peritoneal mouse macrophages. We found that macrophages phagocytose T. rubrum conidia resulted in a down-modulation of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens and in the expression of co-stimulatory molecules. Furthermore, it induced the production of IL-10, and T. rubrum conidia differentiated into hyphae that grew and killed the macrophages after 8 hrs of culture. This work demonstrated that dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, from patients or normal individuals, avidly interact with pathogenic fungus T. rubrum. The dermatophyte has two major receptors on human monocyte-derived DC: DC-SIGN and mannose receptor. In contrast macrophage has only mannose receptor that participates in the phagocytosis or bound process. Another striking aspect of this study is that unlike macrophages that permit rapid growth of T. rubrum, human DC inhibited the growth and induces Th activation. The ability of DC from patients to interact and kill T. rubrum and to present Ags to T cells suggests that DC may play an important role in the host response to T. rubrum infection by coordinating the development of cellular immune response.