Receptor-Mediated Signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus

Aspergillus fumigatus is the most pathogenic species among the Aspergilli, and the major fungal agent of human pulmonary infection. To prosper in diverse ecological niches, Aspergilli have evolved numerous mechanisms for adaptive gene regulation, some of which are also crucial for mammalian infectio...

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Main Authors: C. M Grice, M. eBertuzzi, E. M Bignell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2013-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00026/full
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spelling doaj-d01376f3deab4f1a8f4edc1ccaf560472020-11-24T23:01:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2013-02-01410.3389/fmicb.2013.0002640276Receptor-Mediated Signalling in Aspergillus fumigatusC. M Grice0M. eBertuzzi1E. M Bignell2Imperial College LondonImperial College LondonImperial College LondonAspergillus fumigatus is the most pathogenic species among the Aspergilli, and the major fungal agent of human pulmonary infection. To prosper in diverse ecological niches, Aspergilli have evolved numerous mechanisms for adaptive gene regulation, some of which are also crucial for mammalian infection. Among the molecules which govern such responses, integral membrane receptors are thought to be the most amenable to therapeutic modulation. This is due to the localisation of these molecular sensors at the periphery of the fungal cell, and to the prevalence of small molecules and licensed drugs which target receptor-mediated signalling in higher eukaryotic cells. In this review we highlight the progress made in characterising receptor-mediated environmental adaptation in A. fumigatus and its relevance for pathogenicity in mammals. By presenting a first genomic survey of integral membrane proteins in this organism, we highlight an abundance of putative 7TMD receptors, the majority of which remain uncharacterised. Given the dependency of A. fumigatus upon stress adaptation for colonisation and infection of mammalian hosts, and the merits of targeting receptor-mediated signalling as an antifungal strategy, a closer scrutiny of sensory perception and signal transduction in this organism is warranted.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00026/fullAspergillus fumigatusVirulencereceptorstresssignalling
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author C. M Grice
M. eBertuzzi
E. M Bignell
spellingShingle C. M Grice
M. eBertuzzi
E. M Bignell
Receptor-Mediated Signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus
Frontiers in Microbiology
Aspergillus fumigatus
Virulence
receptor
stress
signalling
author_facet C. M Grice
M. eBertuzzi
E. M Bignell
author_sort C. M Grice
title Receptor-Mediated Signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus
title_short Receptor-Mediated Signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus
title_full Receptor-Mediated Signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus
title_fullStr Receptor-Mediated Signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus
title_full_unstemmed Receptor-Mediated Signalling in Aspergillus fumigatus
title_sort receptor-mediated signalling in aspergillus fumigatus
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
series Frontiers in Microbiology
issn 1664-302X
publishDate 2013-02-01
description Aspergillus fumigatus is the most pathogenic species among the Aspergilli, and the major fungal agent of human pulmonary infection. To prosper in diverse ecological niches, Aspergilli have evolved numerous mechanisms for adaptive gene regulation, some of which are also crucial for mammalian infection. Among the molecules which govern such responses, integral membrane receptors are thought to be the most amenable to therapeutic modulation. This is due to the localisation of these molecular sensors at the periphery of the fungal cell, and to the prevalence of small molecules and licensed drugs which target receptor-mediated signalling in higher eukaryotic cells. In this review we highlight the progress made in characterising receptor-mediated environmental adaptation in A. fumigatus and its relevance for pathogenicity in mammals. By presenting a first genomic survey of integral membrane proteins in this organism, we highlight an abundance of putative 7TMD receptors, the majority of which remain uncharacterised. Given the dependency of A. fumigatus upon stress adaptation for colonisation and infection of mammalian hosts, and the merits of targeting receptor-mediated signalling as an antifungal strategy, a closer scrutiny of sensory perception and signal transduction in this organism is warranted.
topic Aspergillus fumigatus
Virulence
receptor
stress
signalling
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00026/full
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