title: Differential expression and extent of fungal/plant and fungal/bacterial chitinases of Aspergillus fumigatus.
abstract: We provide the first indication of the extent of the complex chitinolytic system of a filamentous fungus. Phylogenetic analysis of the 14 apparent chitinases of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus identified four and ten enzymes related to plant and bacterial chitinases, respectively. Further, real time-RT-PCR studies revealed distinct patterns of gene expression, consistent with morphogenetic or nutritional roles, for members of the fungal/plant or fungal/bacterial sub-families, respectively. Our results provide a basis for future studies with A. fumigatus chitinases, which may lead to the exploitation of these enzymes, or their regulators, in the development of novel drug strategies.
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry & Microbiology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taib
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Pinney
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Westhead
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: McDowall
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002688:Chitinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D002688:Chitinases