title: Biofilm Exopolysaccharides of Pathogenic Fungi: Lessons from Bacteria.
abstract: Exopolysaccharides play an important structural and functional role in the development and maintenance of microbial biofilms. Although the majority of research to date has focused on the exopolysaccharide systems of biofilm-forming bacteria, recent studies have demonstrated that medically relevant fungi such as Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus also form biofilms during infection. These fungal biofilms share many similarities with those of bacteria, including the presence of secreted exopolysaccharides as core components of the extracellular matrix. This review will highlight our current understanding of fungal biofilm exopolysaccharides, as well as the parallels that can be drawn with those of their bacterial counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4A 3J1; Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4A 3J1. Electronic address: don.sheppard@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Donald C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.affiliation: Program in Molecular Structure & Function, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada. Electronic address: howell@sickkids.ca.
authors.forename: P Lynne
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Howell
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D062610:Fungal Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D005658:Fungi / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D062610:Fungal Polysaccharides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial
keywords: bacterial adhesion; biofilm; carbohydrate biosynthesis; exopolysaccharide; extracellular matrix; polysaccharide