title: Detection of early phase specific surface appendages during germination of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia.
abstract: During the past 15 years the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus has become the most prevalent airborne fungal pathogen, causing severe and often fatal infections especially in immuno-compromised patients. Germination of inhaled conidia is an early and crucial event in the infection process of A. fumigatus. In this study we have analyzed morphological changes that take place during this differentiation process using scanning electron microscopy. Our data show that (i) the hydrophobic surface layer of resting conidia seems to be shed before the cells start to swell and (ii) that filamentous surface appendages are expressed at a very early phase of the germtube formation. These surface structures were only found on the first few microm of the germtube, but were absent from the surface of mycelial hyphae and resting or swollen conidia. The highly regulated expression of these novel surface organelles suggests that they may play an important role during early germination and represent a potential target for future anti-A. fumigatus therapies.
authors.affiliation: Gesellschaft für Biotechnologische Forschung, Bereich Mikrobiologie, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rohde
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwienbacher
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nikolaus
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heesemann
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ebel
mesh_terms: D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000382:microbiology; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000382:microbiology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media