title: The effect of Galleria mellonella apolipophorin III on yeasts and filamentous fungi.
abstract: Galleria mellonella apolipophorin III (apoLp-III) has been implicated in the innate immune response against bacterial infections. The protein binds components of bacterial cell wall and inhibits growth of selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Interaction of apoLp-III with fungal β-1,3-glucan suggests antifungal properties of the protein. In the present study, the effect of apoLp-III on the growth, metabolic activity and cell surface characteristics of selected yeasts and filamentous fungi was investigated using light, confocal and atomic force microscopy. ApoLp-III bound to the cell surface of different yeasts and filamentous fungi as confirmed by immunoblotting with anti-apoLp-III antibodies. Incubation of the fungi in the presence of apoLp-III induced alterations in growth morphology. Candida albicans underwent transition from yeast-like to hyphal growth with formation of true hyphae, whereas Fusarium oxysporum hyphae exhibited decreased metabolic activity, increased vacuolization and appearance of numerous monophialids with microconidia. Atomic force microscopy imaging demonstrated evident alterations in the fungal cell surface after incubation with apoLp-III, suggesting that the protein affected the cell wall components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zdybicka-Barabas
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stączek
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Piersiak
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skrzypiec
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cytryńska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000276:immunology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D009036:Moths / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; C042470:apolipophorin III