title: Gene expression during activation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis conidia.
abstract: This study focuses on gene expression during crucial biological phenomena of the dimorphic fungal human pathogen Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, the conidia-to-yeast (C-Y) transition and the conidia-to-mycelia (C-M) germination. We studied 10 genes involved in different cellular functions: oxidative stress response (alternative oxidase (AOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), flavodoxin, conserved hypothetical protein (Y20)); cell metabolism (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH), cholestenol Delta-isomerase (ChDI), glycine dehydrogenase (GDh)) and heat shock response (Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90)), and cell synthesis and wall structure (glucan synthase-1 (GS-1), α-1,3-glucan synthase (αGS), and mannosyltransferase (MT)). Gene expression was measured during the first 72 h and 96 h of C-Y and C-M, respectively, previously shown to be a fundamental time frame for the consolidation of these cellular processes. The gene expression of AOX, GAPDH, HSP90, MT, αGS, and GDh was significantly increased during the C-Y transition, while SOD, ChDI, GAPDH, MT, GDh, and GS-1 were increased during C-M germination. Additionally, some were highly expressed in each process: AOX, HSP90, and αGS during C-Y; SOD, ChDI, and GS-1 during C-M. Altogether, these data add new information regarding gene expression during the C-Y and C-M processes. Future research will be targeted to further characterize the true relevance of the studied genes during the morphological transition, either during adaptation to the environment or to the infected host.
authors.affiliation: Biology Institute, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. orvillehr@hotmail.com
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tamayo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Restrepo
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: McEwen
mesh_terms: D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D025282:Mycelium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010228:Paracoccidioides / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins