Expressed sequence tag analysis of the human pathogen Paracoccidioides brasiliensis yeast phase: identification of putative homologues of Candida albicans virulence and pathogenicity genes.
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, a thermodimorphic fungus, is the causative agent of the prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America, paracoccidioidomycosis. We present here a survey of expressed genes in the yeast pathogenic phase of P. brasiliensis. We obtained 13,490 expressed sequence tags from both 5' and 3' ends. Clustering analysis yielded the partial sequences of 4,692 expressed genes that were functionally classified by similarity to known genes. We have identified several Candida albicans virulence and pathogenicity homologues in P. brasiliensis. Furthermore, we have analyzed the expression of some of these genes during the dimorphic yeast-mycelium-yeast transition by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Clustering analysis of the mycelium-yeast transition revealed three groups: (i) RBT, hydrophobin, and isocitrate lyase; (ii) malate dehydrogenase, contigs Pb1067 and Pb1145, GPI, and alternative oxidase; and (iii) ubiquitin, delta-9-desaturase, HSP70, HSP82, and HSP104. The first two groups displayed high mRNA expression in the mycelial phase, whereas the third group showed higher mRNA expression in the yeast phase. Our results suggest the possible conservation of pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms among fungi, expand considerably gene identification in P. brasiliensis, and provide a broader basis for further progress in understanding its biological peculiarities.
Goldman
Gustavo H
GH
Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. ggoldman@usp.br
dos Reis Marques
Everaldo
E
Duarte Ribeiro
Diógenes Custódio
DC
de Souza Bernardes
Luciano Angelo
LA
Quiapin
Andréa Carla
AC
Vitorelli
Patrícia Marostica
PM
Savoldi
Marcela
M
Semighini
Camile P
CP
de Oliveira
Regina C
RC
Nunes
Luiz R
LR
Travassos
Luiz R
LR
Puccia
Rosana
R
Batista
Wagner L
WL
Ferreira
Leslie Ecker
LE
Moreira
Júlio C
JC
Bogossian
Ana Paula
AP
Tekaia
Fredj
F
Nobrega
Marina Pasetto
MP
Nobrega
Francisco G
FG
Goldman
Maria Helena S
MH
D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004798:Enzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000235:genetics; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000235:genetics*; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D025282:Mycelium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D010228:Paracoccidioides / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010229:Paracoccidioidomycosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004798:Enzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger