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B5

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Programme: Collaborative Research Center / Transregio 124 "Pathogenic fungi and their human host: Networks of Interaction - FungiNet"

SEEK ID: https://funginet.hki-jena.de/projects/37

Public web page: http://www.funginet.de/project-b5.html

Organisms: No Organisms specified

INF PALs: No PALs for this Project

Project created: 23rd Feb 2017

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Peter Großmann programme_administrator: inactive since 2020-06-01

Projects: FungiNet total, INF, A1, A2, A3, A4 (E), A5, A6, B1, B3 (E), B4, B5, C1, C2, C3, C4 (E), C5, C6 (E), Z1, Z2, FungiNet A - Aspergillus projects, FungiNet B - Bioinformatics projects, FungiNet C - Candida projects, B2

Institutions: Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans Knöll Institute (HKI)

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6106-724X
Manja Marz project_administrator

Projects: FungiNet B - Bioinformatics projects, FungiNet total, B5

Institutions: Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Bioinformatics/High Throughput Analysis, Faculty of Mathematics und Computer Science

Mohammad Mirhakkak

Projects: B5, FungiNet B - Bioinformatics projects, FungiNet total

Institutions: Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans Knöll Institute (HKI)

Florian Mock

Projects: B5, FungiNet B - Bioinformatics projects, FungiNet total

Institutions: Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Bioinformatics/High Throughput Analysis, Faculty of Mathematics und Computer Science

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1791-4437
Gianni Panagiotou project_administrator

Projects: B5, FungiNet B - Bioinformatics projects, FungiNet total, INF

Institutions: Leibniz-Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans Knöll Institute (HKI)

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MetGEMs Toolbox: Metagenome-scale models as integrative toolbox for uncovering metabolic functions and routes of human gut microbiome.
INF, B5

Abstract (Expand)

Investigating metabolic functional capability of a human gut microbiome enables the quantification of microbiome changes, which can cause a phenotypic change of host physiology and disease. One possible … way to estimate the functional capability of a microbial community is through inferring metagenomic content from 16S rRNA gene sequences. Genome-scale models (GEMs) can be used as scaffold for functional estimation analysis at a systematic level, however up to date, there is no integrative toolbox based on GEMs for uncovering metabolic functions. Here, we developed the MetGEMs (metagenome-scale models) toolbox, an open-source application for inferring metabolic functions from 16S rRNA gene sequences to facilitate the study of the human gut microbiome by the wider scientific community. The developed toolbox was validated using shotgun metagenomic data and shown to be superior in predicting functional composition in human clinical samples compared to existing state-of-the-art tools. Therefore, the MetGEMs toolbox was subsequently applied for annotating putative enzyme functions and metabolic routes related in human disease using atopic dermatitis as a case study.

Authors: P. Patumcharoenpol, M. Nakphaichit, Gianni Panagiotou, A. Senavonge, N. Suratannon, W. Vongsangnak

Date Published: 6th Jan 2021

Journal: PLoS Comput Biol

Metabolic modeling predicts specific gut bacteria as key determinants for Candida albicans colonization levels.
INF, A5, C1, C2, B5

Abstract (Expand)

Candida albicans is a leading cause of life-threatening hospital-acquired infections and can lead to Candidemia with sepsis-like symptoms and high mortality rates. We reconstructed a genome-scale C. … albicans metabolic model to investigate bacterial-fungal metabolic interactions in the gut as determinants of fungal abundance. We optimized the predictive capacity of our model using wild type and mutant C. albicans growth data and used it for in silico metabolic interaction predictions. Our analysis of more than 900 paired fungal-bacterial metabolic models predicted key gut bacterial species modulating C. albicans colonization levels. Among the studied microbes, Alistipes putredinis was predicted to negatively affect C. albicans levels. We confirmed these findings by metagenomic sequencing of stool samples from 24 human subjects and by fungal growth experiments in bacterial spent media. Furthermore, our pairwise simulations guided us to specific metabolites with promoting or inhibitory effect to the fungus when exposed in defined media under carbon and nitrogen limitation. Our study demonstrates that in silico metabolic prediction can lead to the identification of gut microbiome features that can significantly affect potentially harmful levels of C. albicans.

Authors: Mohammad Mirhakkak, Sascha Schäuble, Tilman Klassert, S. Brunke, Philipp Brandt, D. Loos, R. V. Uribe, F. Senne de Oliveira Lino, Y. Ni, Slavena Vylkova, Hortense Slevogt, Bernhard Hube, Esther Weiß, M. O. A. Sommer, Gianni Panagiotou

Date Published: 15th Dec 2020

Journal: ISME J

Effects of Agricultural Fungicide Use on Aspergillus fumigatus Abundance, Antifungal Susceptibility, and Population Structure.
INF, B5

Abstract (Expand)

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing threat to human health. In the case of Aspergillus fumigatus, which is both an environmental saprobe and an opportunistic human fungal pathogen, resistance is … suggested to arise from fungicide use in agriculture, as the azoles used for plant protection share the same molecular target as the frontline antifungals used clinically. However, limiting azole fungicide use on crop fields to preserve their activity for clinical use could threaten the global food supply via a reduction in yield. In this study, we clarify the link between azole fungicide use on crop fields and resistance in a prototypical human pathogen through systematic soil sampling on farms in Germany and surveying fields before and after fungicide application. We observed a reduction in the abundance of A. fumigatus on fields following fungicide treatment in 2017, a finding that was not observed on an organic control field with only natural plant protection agents applied. However, this finding was less pronounced during our 2018 sampling, indicating that the impact of fungicides on A. fumigatus population size is variable and influenced by additional factors. The overall resistance frequency among agricultural isolates is low, with only 1 to 3% of isolates from 2016 to 2018 displaying resistance to medical azoles. Isolates collected after the growing season and azole exposure show a subtle but consistent decrease in susceptibility to medical and agricultural azoles. Whole-genome sequencing indicates that, despite the alterations in antifungal susceptibility, fungicide application does not significantly affect the population structure and genetic diversity of A. fumigatus in fields. Given the low observed resistance rate among agricultural isolates as well the lack of genomic impact following azole application, we do not find evidence that azole use on crops is significantly driving resistance in A. fumigatus in this context.IMPORTANCE Antibiotic resistance is an increasing threat to human health. In the case of Aspergillus fumigatus, which is an environmental fungus that also causes life-threatening infections in humans, antimicrobial resistance is suggested to arise from fungicide use in agriculture, as the chemicals used for plant protection are almost identical to the antifungals used clinically. However, removing azole fungicides from crop fields threatens the global food supply via a reduction in yield. In this study, we survey crop fields before and after fungicide application. We find a low overall azole resistance rate among agricultural isolates, as well as a lack of genomic and population impact following fungicide application, leading us to conclude azole use on crops does not significantly contribute to resistance in A. fumigatus.

Authors: A. E. Barber, J. Riedel, T. Sae-Ong, K. Kang, W. Brabetz, Gianni Panagiotou, H. B. Deising, Oliver Kurzai

Date Published: 24th Nov 2020

Journal: mBio

Triple RNA-Seq Reveals Synergy in a Human Virus-Fungus Co-infection Model.
INF, A2, B5

Abstract (Expand)

High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is routinely applied to study diverse biological processes; however, when performed separately on interacting organisms, systemic noise intrinsic to RNA extraction, … library preparation, and sequencing hampers the identification of cross-species interaction nodes. Here, we develop triple RNA-seq to simultaneously detect transcriptomes of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) infected with the frequently co-occurring pulmonary pathogens Aspergillus fumigatus and human cytomegalovirus (CMV). Comparing expression patterns after co-infection with those after single infections, our data reveal synergistic effects and mutual interferences between host responses to the two pathogens. For example, CMV attenuates the fungus-mediated activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines through NF-kappaB (nuclear factor kappaB) and NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) cascades, while A. fumigatus impairs viral clearance by counteracting viral nucleic acid-induced activation of type I interferon signaling. Together, the analytical power of triple RNA-seq proposes molecular hubs in the differential moDC response to fungal/viral single infection or co-infection that contribute to our understanding of the etiology and, potentially, clearance of post-transplant infections.

Authors: Bastian Seelbinder, J. Wallstabe, Lothar Marischen, Esther Weiß, S. Wurster, L. Page, C. Loffler, L. Bussemer, A. L. Schmitt, Thomas Wolf, Jörg Linde, L. Cicin-Sain, J. Becker, U. Kalinke, J. Vogel, Gianni Panagiotou, Hermann Einsele, A. J. Westermann, Sascha Schäuble, Jürgen Löffler

Date Published: 17th Nov 2020

Journal: Cell Rep

Antibiotics create a shift from mutualism to competition in human gut communities with a longer-lasting impact on fungi than bacteria.
INF, C1, B5

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic treatment has a well-established detrimental effect on the gut bacterial composition, but effects on the fungal community are less clear. Bacteria in the lumen of the gastrointestinal … tract may limit fungal colonization and invasion. Antibiotic drugs targeting bacteria are therefore seen as an important risk factor for fungal infections and induced allergies. However, antibiotic effects on gut bacterial-fungal interactions, including disruption and resilience of fungal community compositions, were not investigated in humans. We analysed stool samples collected from 14 healthy human participants over 3 months following a 6-day antibiotic administration. We integrated data from shotgun metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metabolomics, and fungal ITS2 sequencing. RESULTS: While the bacterial community recovered mostly over 3 months post treatment, the fungal community was shifted from mutualism at baseline to competition. Half of the bacterial-fungal interactions present before drug intervention had disappeared 3 months later. During treatment, fungal abundances were associated with the expression of bacterial genes with functions for cell growth and repair. By extending the metagenomic species approach, we revealed bacterial strains inhibiting the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. We demonstrated in vitro how C. albicans pathogenicity and host cell damage might be controlled naturally in the human gut by bacterial metabolites such as propionate or 5-dodecenoate. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that antibacterial drugs have long-term influence on the human gut mycobiome. While bacterial communities recovered mostly 30-days post antibacterial treatment, the fungal community was shifted from mutualism towards competition. Video abstract.

Authors: Bastian Seelbinder, J. Chen, S. Brunke, R. Vazquez-Uribe, R. Santhaman, A. C. Meyer, F. S. de Oliveira Lino, K. F. Chan, D. Loos, L. Imamovic, C. C. Tsang, R. P. Lam, S. Sridhar, K. Kang, Bernhard Hube, P. C. Woo, M. O. A. Sommer, Gianni Panagiotou

Date Published: 12th Sep 2020

Journal: Microbiome

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