title: Galactofuranose attenuates cellular adhesion of Aspergillus fumigatus.
abstract: Galactofuranose (Galf) is a major molecule found in cell wall polysaccharides, secreted glycoproteins, membrane lipophosphoglycans and sphingolipids of Aspergillus fumigatus. The initial step in the Galf synthetic pathway is the re-arrangement of UDP-galactopyranose to UDP-Galf through the action of UDP-galactopyranose mutase. A mutant lacking the AfUGM1 gene encoding the UDP-galactopyranose mutase has been constructed. In the mutant, though there is a moderate reduction in the mycelial growth associated with an increased branching, it remains as pathogenic and as resistant to cell wall inhibitors and phagocytes as the wild-type parental strain. The major phenotype seen is a modification of the cell wall surface that results in an increase in adhesion of the mutants to different inert surfaces (glass and plastic) and epithelial respiratory cells. The adhesive phenotype is due to the unmasking of the mannan consecutive to the removal of galactofuran by the ugm1 mutation. Removal of the mannan layer from the mutant surface by a mannosidase treatment abolishes mycelial adhesion to surfaces.
authors: Unité des Aspergillus, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors: Claude
authors: C
authors: Lamarre
authors: Rémi
authors: R
authors: Beau
authors: Viviane
authors: V
authors: Balloy
authors: Thierry
authors: T
authors: Fontaine
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Wong Sak Hoi
authors: Stéphanie
authors: S
authors: Guadagnini
authors: Nadia
authors: N
authors: Berkova
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Chignard
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Beauvais
authors: Jean-Paul
authors: JP
authors: Latgé
mesh_terms: D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D019751:Intramolecular Transferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D025282:Mycelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development; D014530:Uridine Diphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; C104136:uridine diphosphate galactofuranose; D014530:Uridine Diphosphate; D019751:Intramolecular Transferases; C098051:UDP-galactopyranose mutase; D005690:Galactose