The search for cryptic L-Rhamnosyltransferases on the Sporothrix schenckii genome

The fungal cell wall is an attractive structure to look for new antifungal drug targets and for understanding the host-fungus interaction. Sporothrix schenckii is one of the main causative agents of both human and animal sporotrichosis and currently is the species most studied of the Sporothrix genu...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Hector M. Mora-Montes, Karina García-Gutiérrez, Laura Cristina García Carnero, Nancy Lozoya-Perez, Jorge Humberto Ramírez Prado
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:México
Institución:Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán
Repositorio:Repositorio Institucional CICY
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:cicy.repositorioinstitucional.mx:1003/2854
Acceso en línea:http://cicy.repositorioinstitucional.mx/jspui/handle/1003/2854
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:info:eu-repo/classification/Autores/FUNGAL CELL-WALL
info:eu-repo/classification/Autores/GLYCANS
info:eu-repo/classification/Autores/RHAMNOCONJUGATES
info:eu-repo/classification/Autores/RHAMNOSYLTRANSFERASE
info:eu-repo/classification/cti/2
info:eu-repo/classification/cti/24
info:eu-repo/classification/cti/2417
info:eu-repo/classification/cti/241713
Descripción
Sumario:The fungal cell wall is an attractive structure to look for new antifungal drug targets and for understanding the host-fungus interaction. Sporothrix schenckii is one of the main causative agents of both human and animal sporotrichosis and currently is the species most studied of the Sporothrix genus. The cell wall of this organism has been previously analyzed, and rhamnoconjugates are signature molecules found on the surface of both mycelia and yeast-like cells. Similar to other reactions where sugars are covalently linked to other sugars, lipids, or proteins, the rhamnosylation process in this organism is expected to involve glycosyltransferases with the ability to transfer rhamnose from a sugar donor to the acceptor molecule, i.e., rhamnosyltransferases. However, no obvious rhamnosyltransferase has thus far been identified within the S. schenckii proteome or genome. Here, using a Hidden Markov Model profile strategy, we found within the S. schenckii genome five putative genes encoding for rhamnosyltransferases. Expression analyses indicated that only two of them, named RHT1 and RHT2, were significantly expressed in yeast-like cells and during interaction with the host. These two genes were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified recombinant proteins showed rhamnosyltransferase activity, dependent on the presence of UDP-rhamnose as a sugar donor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about rhamnosyltransferases in S. schenckii. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.