DNA sequences isolated from extracellular vesicles of diverse fungal pathogens
Similar to bacteria and viruses, fungi can infect humans and cause devastating consequences, most significantly in immunocompromised individuals. Currently, significant gaps exist in our understanding of the important interactions between fungal pathogens and host immune systems. Cells, including microorganisms and human cells, release small particles termed extracellular vesicles, that can carry proteins and DNA sequences to communicate between cells. In our study, we investigated how host immune cells respond to the cargo, like DNA, carried in these extracellular vesicles produced by different species of fungi that cause human disease. We isolated this DNA to assess quantity and GC content as these are two predictors of downstream innate immune pathway activation (i.e., signaling through the type I IFN response pathway, the cGAS-STING pathway). We have provided the raw sequence data here so that anyone can access the information. This study provides novel insight into fungal vesicle properties that affect interactions with host immune systems.