Search results for "fumigatus"
showing 10 items of 40 documents
Crowdsourced analysis of fungal growth and branching on microfluidic platforms
2021
Fungal hyphal growth and branching are essential traits that allow fungi to spread and proliferate in many environments. This sustained growth is essential for a myriad of applications in health, agriculture, and industry. However, comparisons between different fungi are difficult in the absence of standardized metrics. Here, we used a microfluidic device featuring four different maze patterns to compare the growth velocity and branching frequency of fourteen filamentous fungi. These measurements result from the collective work of several labs in the form of a competition named the “Fungus Olympics.” The competing fungi included five ascomycete species (ten strains total), two basidiomycete…
Growth characteristics of Aspergillus chevalieri and other fungi from under-coating of chocolate truffles
1997
Growth characteristics of fungi, which occasionally affected chocolate truffles, have been studied, using moulded and non-moulded samples. A whitish mycelial growth, located at the filling-coating interface is identified as Eurotium/Aspergillus chevalieri. The spores of other xerophilic molds (Aspergillus fumigatus, A. penicilloides and Penicillium verrucosum) were also found at the filling-coating interface. The water activity of chocolate coating was low enough to prevent fungal growth on the external surface of the truffles. However, the water activity of the filling, due to presence of cream, is sufficient enough to allow the growth of xerophilic moulds. The data on growth characteristi…
Azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus: A global phenomenon originating in the environment?
2019
Abstract Aspergillus fumigatus is the predominant etiological agent of invasive aspergillosis (IA), a difficult-to-manage fungal disease associated with a high case fatality rate. Azole antifungals, particularly voriconazole, have significantly improved the survival rate of patients with IA. However, the clinical advances made possible through the use of medical azoles could be threatened by the emergence of azole-resistant strains which has been reported in an ever-increasing number of countries over the last 10 years. The major resistance mechanism, that combines point mutation(s) in the coding sequence of cyp51A gene and an insertion of a tandem repeat in the promoter region of this gene…
Specific Zn(II)-binding site in the C-terminus of Aspf2, a zincophore from Aspergillus fumigatus
2022
Abstract Aspergillus fumigatus, one of the most widespread opportunistic human fungal pathogens, adapts to zinc limitation by secreting a 310 amino acid Aspf2 zincophore, able to specifically bind Zn(II) and deliver it to a transmembrane zinc transporter, ZrfC. In this work, we focus on the thermodynamics of Zn(II) complexes with unstructured regions of Aspf2; basing on a variety of spectrometric and potentiometric data, we show that the C-terminal part has the highest Zn(II)-binding affinity among the potential binding sites, and Ni(II) does not compete with Zn(II) binding to this region. The 14 amino acid Aspf2 C-terminus coordinates Zn(II) via two Cys thiolates and two His imidazoles and…
Synthesis and antimicrobial screening of tetra Schiff bases of 1,2,4,5-tetra (5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl)benzene
2014
Abstract In the present study, novel tetra Schiff bases were synthesized by condensation of 1,2,4,5-tetra (5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl)benzene with different aromatic aldehydes. The chemical structures were confirmed by means of IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and elemental analysis. All compounds were screened for antibacterial ( Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-9144, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC-155, Micrococcus luteus ATCC-4698, Bacillus cereus ATCC-11778, Escherichia coli ATCC-25922, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC-2853) and antifungal ( Aspergillus niger ATCC-9029 and Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC-46645) activities by paper disc diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of …
Emergence of Aspergillus fumigatus azole resistance in azole-naïve patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their homes.
2017
Azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus (ARAF) has been reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but has not been specifically assessed so far. Here, we evaluated ARAF prevalence in azole-naïve COPD patients and their homes, and assessed whether CYP51A mutations were similar in clinical and environmental reservoirs. Sixty respiratory samples from 41 COPD patients with acute exacerbation and environmental samples from 36 of these patient's homes were prospectively collected. A. fumigatus was detected in respiratory samples from 11 of 41 patients (27%) and in 15 of 36 domiciles (42%). Cyp51A sequencing and selection on itraconazole medium of clinical (n = 68) and e…
Dynamics of fungal colonization in a new medical mycology laboratory
2012
International audience; Objective of the study. - Study of the spatio-temporal fungal colonization in a new medical mycology laboratory. Methods. - A 17-month survey of airborne fungal contamination was conducted in a new medical mycology laboratory at a tertiary care university hospital. This survey was implemented at three different periods: before the new premises were occupied (period A), during the move into the new laboratory (period B) and after resumption of the mycological activities in these new premises (period C). Results. - During period A, the airborne fungal load ranged from 2.3 to 6 cfu/m(3). The most frequently recovered airborne fungi were Penicillium spp. (75 to 100%). Du…
Differential Expression of the Aspergillus fumigatus pksP Gene Detected In Vitro and In Vivo with Green Fluorescent Protein
2001
ABSTRACT Aspergillus fumigatus is an important pathogen of immunocompromised hosts, causing pneumonia and invasive disseminated disease with high mortality. To be able to analyze the expression of putative virulence-associated genes of A. fumigatus , the use of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) as a reporter was established. Two 5′ sequences, containing the putative promoters of the pyrG gene, encoding orotidine-5′-phosphate decarboxylase, and the pksP gene, encoding a polyketide synthase involved in both pigment biosynthesis and virulence of A. fumigatus , were fused with the egfp gene. The P pksP - egfp construct was integrated via homologous recombination into the genomic pks…
Binding of human fibronectin to Aspergillus fumigatus conidia.
1996
Aspergillus fumigatus conidia exhibited the ability to bind purified human fibronectin, whereas mycelial forms did not bind the ligand, as detected by an indirect immunofluorescence assay with an antifibronectin polyclonal antibody after incubation of the cells with fibronectin. Flow cytometry confirmed that binding of the ligand to conidia was dose dependent and saturable. Pretreatment of the cells with trypsin markedly reduced binding, which suggested a protein nature for the binding sites present at the surface of conidia. Intact conidia were also able to adhere to fibronectin or antifibronectin antibodies, a significant reduction (from 88 to 92%) in the binding of conidia was noticed, t…
Binding of extracellular matrix proteins to Aspergillus fumigatus conidia
1996
As detected by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, binding of fibronectin and laminin appeared to be associated with the protrusions present on the outer cell wall layer of resting Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. Flow cytometry confirmed that binding of laminin to conidia was dose dependent and saturable. Laminin binding was virtually eliminated in trypsin-treated organisms, thus suggesting the protein nature of the binding site. Conidia were also able to specifically adhere to laminin immobilized on microtiter plates. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting (immunoblotting) with laminin and antilaminin antibody of whole conidial homogenates allowed…