title: Essential metals at the host-pathogen interface: nutritional immunity and micronutrient assimilation by human fungal pathogens.
abstract: The ability of pathogenic microorganisms to assimilate sufficient nutrients for growth within their hosts is a fundamental requirement for pathogenicity. However, certain trace nutrients, including iron, zinc and manganese, are actively withheld from invading pathogens in a process called nutritional immunity. Therefore, successful pathogenic species must have evolved specialized mechanisms in order to adapt to the nutritionally restrictive environment of the host and cause disease. In this review, we discuss recent advances which have been made in our understanding of fungal iron and zinc acquisition strategies and nutritional immunity against fungal infections, and explore the mechanisms of micronutrient uptake by human pathogenic fungi.
authors.affiliation: Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medical Sciences, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.affiliation: Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medical Sciences, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK Duncan.Wilson@abdn.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D005658:Fungi / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism*; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000378:metabolism*; D009181:Mycoses / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D018977:Micronutrients
keywords: fungal pathogenicity; host–pathogen interactions; iron; zinc